Sermon

Wise Words Benefit the Teachable or to be Unreachable is to be a Fool

February 26, 2017 Pickens First Baptist Church

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When you think about someone who is unteachable,
someone who just thinks they know it all,
and they just won't listen to wise counsel,
what kind of person comes to mind?
Don't answer out loud.
Don't call your husband's name
or your parent's name
or your teenager's name.
The truth is,
any of us at any age,
at any stage in life,
can be unteachable.
Think we know it all.
Unwilling to listen.
Let me give you an example,
a real-life example,
practical example,
that happened many years ago near where I grew up.
A man in his early 30s moved to the country,
never lived in the country,
never owned a tractor, but he bought one.
Just like that one.
Farm all, tricycle wheels.
Well, he's got him a nice little place here,
got his new tractor.
He's got some tree stumps he's going to pull up.
And so he attaches a chain to those tree stumps,
the other end of the chain to his tractor.
And he's going to pull them up.
Well, across the road,
there's an older man who's farmed all his life.
He's been driving a tractor longer
than this young man's been alive.
And he sees what he's doing.
Now, I knew this man growing up very well.
He was kind of a man who minded his own business.
He would not even think about,
just out of the blue,
telling you how to do anything.
But he saw this young man across the street
doing what I just said he was doing
and knew that he didn't know what he was doing.
So this older man walked over there,
got the man's attention.
Young fella came up to him.
And he said something along this line,
I don't want to tell you how to do what you're doing.
But I've been on tractors all my life.
And if you continue out here like you're doing,
you're going to try to pull up a stump
and that tractor is going to come up
and it may flip back over on you.
And I just want to try to prevent you from getting hurt.
That's why I'm telling you this.
That young man looked at him in the eye
and said, I'm doing this
and turned around and walked off
and continued doing that.
Now, I didn't tell it in the first story.
He did not flip it over.
But it was just by the grace of God.
The point I want to make is
that young man,
30-something years old,
had that new tractor
and he thought he was going to be Farmer Dan.
He knew what he was doing, he thought.
But he really didn't have a clue.
He was clueless.
And what was worse,
he was unteachable.
He was unwilling to listen to that man
who could have taught him
and would have invested his life in this young man
and taught him everything he knew.
But he was unteachable.
He was unwilling to listen.
He didn't want to learn.
That young man
is one of the best examples I can think of
of what the book of Proverbs calls a fool.
And the way I learned about that story,
the older farmer and my dad were good friends
and the older farmer told my dad,
they actually lived very close,
and my dad said,
that young man's a fool.
Because he was.
He acted like what Proverbs calls a fool.
Over the past several weeks,
we've been looking at what Proverbs says
about the power of our words.
And they are powerful,
for good or bad.
They can hurt.
They can also help.
Last week,
we looked at how wise people
use words to teach.
And we looked at two different kinds of teaching,
positive teaching.
We looked at how that's described in Proverbs
as giving thoughtful, wise counsel.
You can be a positive teacher
and think.
And the wisdom that you know God's given you,
you've acquired,
seek to pass it on.
But there's another kind of teaching,
negative teaching,
giving constructive criticism.
Correcting.
The book of Proverbs is filled with statements
that stress the importance
of both kinds of teaching,
especially the correcting.
But it equally emphasizes
the necessity of us being teachable.
And that's what we're going to look at this morning.
Let's look first.
Wise people are teachable.
I can't imagine anybody in this room
not wanting to be wise.
Not wanting to develop greater wisdom.
One of the key characteristics
of becoming wise,
growing in the development of wisdom,
is you've got to be teachable.
A wise person understands the value
of listening to and learning
from wise teachers.
I want to bring up two verses
from Proverbs that we looked at last week
to show you what I'm talking about.
From chapter 15,
it says,
Reproof simply means correction.
Or it can even be translated
constructive criticism.
The New Living Translation
translates the word reproof
in verse 31
as constructive criticism.
And the word correction
in verse 32.
These verses are telling us
a wise person will listen
when somebody,
that they recognize to be wise,
that they know,
knows what they're talking about.
A wise person will listen.
Because one of the characteristics
of being a wise person
is being teachable.
Now let's go a step further.
A wise person will not only be teachable,
but a real wise person
will actually seek good counsel.
Seek godly counsel.
I want you to look at Proverbs chapter 11.

Proverbs 11 chapter mention
It says,
Where there is no guidance,
a people falls.
But in an abundance of counselors,
there is safety.
And a similar,
chapter 15,
Without counsel,
plans fail.
But with many advisors,
they succeed.
You see what he's saying?
If you are a wise person,
you don't think you know it all.
You don't think you have all the answers.
You're going to seek other people
who,
if it's related to something about
seeking to live your life
in a way that pleases God,
as a Christian,
you're going to seek somebody
who's a more mature Christian than you.
If it's something practical,
like that man I was talking about,
about using a tractor,
you're going to find somebody
who actually knows what he's doing
and give you wisdom.
A characteristic of maturity.
A characteristic of wisdom
is not only to be open
to being taught
or being corrected,
but it's also to actively seek out
good help,
wise counsel.
Let's just pause here
and I want you to think about yourself.
You think about you.
Do you show signs
that you are a mature person
or that you're growing in maturity?
Because you are open to correction.
You'll listen
to your parents,
to your teachers,
to a friend
who's just more knowledgeable
than you about something.
Are you willing to listen
and change the way you think
when you understand,
when you hear,
I'm wrong.
Change the way you do things.
Do things differently
because somebody wiser than you
helps you understand
there is a better way.
Do you seek the counsel
of people who are wiser
and more experienced than you?
We've got a lot of people
in here right now.
You're in high school
and you've always got friends
you talk to.
When you're really trying
to learn something,
figure something out,
I hope you don't just
talk to them
and ask their opinion.
Somebody who's
never been there,
done that.
But I want us to think
about all of us in this room.
When you think about
what you're going to do,
let's think about money.
Everybody likes to think
about money.
Everybody's doing something
with their money.
Most people try to save
and invest their money.
Do you try to figure
all that out yourself?
Or do you read and study
and maybe ask somebody
who knows a whole lot more
than you,
who's been more successful,
for their advice?
What about as you're
raising your children?
Who are you seeking
counsel,
wisdom,
guidance
to help you
lead your child?
To help you
to develop
new skills
that you
want to learn?
Think about it.
Are you really and truly
teachable?
Correctable?
Do you seek out
wise counsel?
Or do you have
a lot in common
with that younger man
with the tractor
who didn't just
not know what he was doing,
but he didn't want
to learn
the correct way?
He didn't want
to listen to a man
who had far
greater experience
and was willing
to help him.
Proverbs
stresses the
importance
of listening
and learning
from wise
counselors.
You need them
in your life.
I need them.
The book also
has a lot to say
though about
people who refuse
to listen,
people who are
just not interested
in learning
and they are
called
fools.
So let's look
at that.
Fools are
unteachable.
I want us to
look at how
the word fool
is used in
Proverbs because
some people
you feel very
uncomfortable.
Every time I
brought it up
or we've read
a verse
and I've said
something about
a fool,
some of you
have cringed.
I can remember
many, many
years ago
I was going
to preach a
sermon or
had preached a
sermon and
talked about
fools.
I mean,
Lisa and I
were young
and we were
riding down
the road.
She said
something about
you ought not
use that word
fool.
That just
didn't sound
good.
And lo and
behold,
a little bit
later,
we turned on
the radio
and there
was a
Billy Graham
message and
the title of
it was
something to
do with a
fool.
And I
looked at
her and I
said,
I love
fools.
Great
word.
Great
word.
She's not
tried to
correct me
on preaching
about fools
ever since.
Now,
when speaking
of a person,
as we read
all these
verses,
and it's
over 72
times,
Proverbs
uses the
word fool
or foolish
or something
like that.
The word
fool describes
someone who
lacks wisdom
really in
varying degrees.
But a fool
is the opposite
of a wise
person.
A fool
is the opposite
of a teachable
person.
When the
speaking of
what a fool
does,
the word
folly or
foolishness
is being
used.
They're
referring to
the opposite
of wisdom.
They talk
about what
a fool
does in
Proverbs.
Somebody who
is foolish
or they talk
about folly.
They're talking
about someone
who acts
contrary to
wisdom.
Now,
the word
fool is
never used
in Proverbs
to describe
someone who
can't help
being foolish.
foolish.
The book
of Proverbs
is not
describing
someone who
is mentally
slow or
challenged or
just someone
who's too
young and
immature to
really understand
what they're
doing.
The book
of Proverbs
always uses
the word to
describe someone
who knows
better or
someone who
should know
better than
to do some
of these foolish
things that it
talks about.
The fool
in Proverbs
is called a
fool because
of the choices.
he makes.
Ray Ortlund
defines the
word fool
in a good
way, I think.
Look at it.
A fool is a
thick-headed,
stubborn dolt.
He doesn't
listen.
He always
knows better,
always has an
excuse.
Nothing is
ever his
fault.
That's a
fool.
As Proverbs
uses the
word.
fool.
Now, I
know some
of you want
to stand up
and yell at
me and say,
well, Jesus
said you
ought not
use the
word fool.
Let's look
at what he
actually said
and how he
said it.
It's in
Matthew

Matthew 5:22
chapter 5,
verse 22.
Jesus said,
but I tell you
that anyone
who is angry
with his
brother will
be subject
to judgment.
Again, anyone
who says to
his brother,
Raka, is
answerable to
the Sanhedrin,
but anyone
who says you
fool will be
in danger of
the fire of
hell.
Now, was
Jesus condemning
Solomon and
other Old
Testament writers
for using the
word?
Absolutely
not.
Jesus is not
condemning all
uses of this
word because
he even used
it at times.
In Matthew
23, he
called the
Pharisees
blind fools.
He told two
of his
disciples that
they were
being foolish
in Luke

Luke 24 chapter mention
chapter 24.
What Jesus
is condemning
here is the
use of angry
words, words
of contempt.
Words of
being judgmental
and really
putting someone
down and
especially in
anger.
Look at it.
Can you back
it up to that
verse in Matthew
5?
He's pointing
out that
murder begins
in a person's
heart with
anger.
And that anger
is often
expressed in
words that
attack a
person.
you're on
the offensive
against the
person in
your angry
words.
And if they
continue to
build up
sometimes, they
come out in
physical actions
and the
ultimate being
murder.
We should be
careful about
using the word
fool for sure.
We should not
call one another
fools when we're
mad, when we're
angry, when we're
trying to put them
down, make them
feel bad.
We shouldn't use
any kind of
words like this,
angry, words of
condemnation, words
to try to just cut
someone down, tear
someone down,
anything like this.
But the words,
the word fool in
Proverbs is not
used like that.
It's talking about
somebody who is
just willingly
unteachable.
Someone who is
just, I know it
all, and
unwilling to
listen.
I want you to
look at some of
the ways it is
used in the book
of Proverbs.
These are some
verses that
highlight how a
fool is
unteachable.
from Proverbs
12.
The way of a
fool seems
right to him,
but a wise man
listens to
advice.
He who trusts
in himself is a
fool, but he
who walks in
wisdom is kept
safe.
A fool finds
no pleasure in
understanding, but
delights in airing
his own opinions.
Let's just pause
here and think
about something.
You've heard it
said,
that a young
person, a
teenager, may be
spending some
time on Fool's
Hill.
Well, most all
of us in this
room, we've been
there.
Some of us took
even a scenic
tour of Fool's
Hill.
Can't you remember
the time in your
life when you
thought your
parents were the
fools?
They didn't know
anything.
Your teachers
were idiots.
They didn't know
what was going on
in life.
They weren't going
to be telling you
what to do.
We've been there.
We've done that.
What's real
dangerous is if you
still think that
way.
That's the danger.
The way of a fool,
look at it,
seems right to him.
In other words, I
know it all.
I don't need anybody
to tell me.
I don't need to be
taught.
But a wise man
listens to advice
because a wise
person knows I
don't have all the
answers.
Let's move on.
A similar type of
person that God
calls a fool is a
person who rejects
correction, refuses to
learn from his
mistakes.
Not somebody who's
just plain unteachable,
but somebody who
rejects it, returns,
doesn't learn from the
hard lessons.
Look at some examples.
Proverbs 23, do not
speak to a fool for he
will scorn the wisdom
of your words.
That's talking about
somebody who has proven
by their track record
they're not going to
listen.
They won't learn.
They know it all.
They're just a fool.
And what Proverbs is
saying is if you know
somebody who's just that
way to the core, don't
even waste your
breath.
They've got to learn
everything the hard way
and then they don't
learn.
Look at the next one
from Proverbs 1.
That's the second part.
We're going to look at
the full one a little
bit later.
Fools despise wisdom
and discipline.
A fool doesn't need to
be corrected.
They know it all.
And then Proverbs 26,
as a dog returns to its
vomit, so a fool repeats
his folly.
He doesn't learn.
Doesn't learn lessons.
Don't even learn lessons
the hard way.
Now, because we're on the
subject, we need to look
at another way the word
fool is used in Proverbs.
It's not really about
teaching.
This is about anger.
But because there is so
much about a fool and
anger, since we're on the
subject, we need to look
at it.
From Proverbs 20.
To a man's, it is to a
man's honor to avoid
strife.
But every fool is quick to
quarrel.
We ought to want to avoid
conflict.
You know, sometimes you can't
help it.
Sometimes you just got to do
it.
It's the right thing to do.
But nobody should relish it.
No one should enjoy it.
No one should just meet it
head on because I like to
have conflict.
I like to be confrontational
and have hostile feelings and
words for people.
That's foolish.
Look at Proverbs 14.
A wise man fears the Lord
and shuns evil, but a fool
is hot-headed and reckless.
A wise man fears the Lord.
A wise man realizes he's
always living in the presence
of God.
A wise person wants to live
and show reverence and respect
to God and God's people.
People created in the image of
God.
God's word.
God's ways.
But a fool doesn't care.
Doesn't think.
Just hot-headed and reckless.
And then the last one, 29.
A fool gives full vent to his
anger.
But a wise man keeps himself
under control.
A fool just lets it go.
Explodes.
Erupts.
Gets it off his chest.
Blows up like a grenade.
Hurts everybody around.
But he's had his say.
That's a fool.
Proverbs is saying.
Now I want you to just,
I want you to stop and think.
That the word of God says,
if you are easily angered,
quick-tempered,
I don't take anything off nobody.
Always erupting in anger.
You don't care.
You don't mind saying all kinds
of hurtful, profane,
hateful words.
The word of God says,
you are a fool.
That's harsh.
That's hard.
But that's the reality.
This is a fool
according to the word of God.
There's a common thread
in all of this
that we've been reading.
A fool's problem
is his mouth.
His uncontrolled tongue.
His unguarded words.
Look at it.
A fool reveals himself
to be a fool
by his words.
Proverbs 17.
Even a fool
is thought wise
if he keeps silent
and discerning
if he holds his tongue.
You know that common saying
that's based on that
better to remain silent
and be thought a fool
than to speak out
and remove all doubt.
That's been attributed
to more than one person.
I don't know
where it really comes from.
But a fool's mouth,
tongue,
words
gets him into trouble,
gets her into trouble
more than anything.
Look one more time
at how Proverbs describes
the fool and his words.
See, what I want you
to understand here is
I know it.
Some of this stuff,
it can be convicting
to all of us.
Certain ones.
It can make you mad.
You can take it
as an insult.
And so what I'm trying
to do here is show
there's just a whole lot
of Scripture,
words from God,
that addresses this issue
and points out
that it really is serious.
It's something
we need to take to heart
because nobody wants
to really be thought of
as a fool.
Look at these.
Proverbs 29.
Do you see a man
who speaks in haste?
There is more hope
for a fool
than for him.
Chapter 15.
The tongue of the wise
commends knowledge,
but the mouth
of the fool
gushes folly.
A fool's mouth
is his undoing,
and his lips
are a snare
to his soul.
Now just think about
what all we have seen.
If a lot of what
you've read
on the screen
describes you,
be honest
with yourself,
be honest
before God,
and just admit,
I've got
a problem.
Now,
whose fault
is it?
If you've got
this problem,
whose fault
is it?
Well,
it's no one's fault
but your own.
And it doesn't matter
what's happened
in your life.
If you fit
the description
in any of these ways,
it's just obvious.
From Proverbs'
perspective,
I'm a fool.
Don't blame
your parents.
Don't blame
the environment
you've been brought
up in.
Don't blame
anyone.
Don't blame
your circumstances.
If you've caused
problems
for yourself
or others
because you've
done foolish
things,
then you take
responsibility.
Don't say to God
if you're going
to confess your sin
to God
and seek His forgiveness,
don't say,
God,
Lord,
I'm guilty
but,
and if the Lord
has convicted you,
you need to go
and make some things
right with some people,
admit you're wrong,
ask for their forgiveness,
don't go to them
and say,
I know I've been wrong
but,
accept full
responsibility
that's how we
must always
confess all
of our sin.
Listen to Proverbs
one more time
about this
from chapter 19.
A man's own
folly
ruins his life
yet his heart
rages
against the Lord.
It may be
that right now
you feel like
you have messed up
some major things
in your life
and you're just
plain mad
and you're mad
at some people
but it may be
that you're mad
at God.
You're mad
at God
because of the
home
he allowed you
to be brought up in.
You may be mad
at God
because who you're
having to live with
is your spouse
or your child
or your parent.
You may be mad
at God
at the job
you've got
and you can't
find anything else.
And the result,
and the truth is
you're acting
a fool
at home
or at work
or with you
certain people
and you want
to blame them.
What the scripture
is saying is
if you are acting
a fool
it's because
you are a fool
by your own choice
and the way
you have chosen
to respond
to maybe hard
situations
and difficult people
that you have to live
with
or be around.
But don't start
blaming
and pointing fingers
and saying
it's his fault
it's her fault
it's their fault
it's this
something's fault.
Admit
God
I have
been a fool
I'm acting
a fool
and I'm tired
of it.
I want
your help
I want
to overcome
this.
Let's move
on quickly
here's the way
to overcome
being foolish
number one
fear God
that's what
Proverbs repeats
let's look at
two of them
the fear of the
Lord is the
beginning of
knowledge
but fools
despise wisdom
and discipline.
The fear
of the Lord
is the beginning
of wisdom
and knowledge
of the Holy
One
is understanding.
If you're tired
of living
like a fool
acting
like a fool
maybe just
in some areas
of your life
if you're tired
of suffering
the consequences
of your actions
or of your words
then learn
to fear God
and first of all
let's think about
that means
take God
seriously.
If you take
God seriously
you're going
to think of
Him more
than just
when you
happen to
come to
church
or when
you're in
some kind
of desperate
situation
and then you
think about
praying.
If we are
truly God's
children
we're talking
to Christians
now
we're truly
God's
children
we do
take Him
seriously.
He is real
to us
and we
talk to Him
we should
talk to Him
want to talk
to Him
listen to Him
fellowship
with Him
hear His
word
put it
into practice
every day
of our lives
sometimes though
we forget
we get busy
sooner or later
as God's
children we
get convicted
because we
do take
God
seriously
but if you
take God
seriously
a part of
this fearing
God is
you'll
demonstrate
true
reverence
and respect
to Him
and for Him
because He
is holy
He is
separate
He is
not like
us
He is
Almighty
God
and He
is pure
He is
perfect
and we
need to keep
in mind
we've looked
at it every
week in this
series
we're going to
stand before
Him one day
and give an
account of
how we've
lived and
how we have
used our
words
all true
wisdom
comes from
God
wisdom is
not something
that just
can be
acquired
true
wisdom
that the
book of
Proverbs
is talking
about
is given
by God
it's a
gift
now
while the
book of
Proverbs
teaches much
about wisdom
and truth
and life
ultimate
wisdom
and truth
and life
is found
in Jesus
Christ
that's the
bottom line
so I want
to ask you
this morning
do you know
that have
you made
that discovery
do you have
a real
relationship
with Him
if you don't
I want you
to understand
that the
problem
that you
need to have
solved
is a right
relationship
with God
first
if you
will admit
to God
that you
need His
salvation
be willing
to turn
from your
sin
be honest
with God
about it
put your
trust in
Jesus
that when
He died
on the
cross
He actually
took your
punishment
that He
paid the
penalty
for your
sins
if you'll
trust Him
call upon
Him
to come
into your
life
and be
your
Savior
He will
do that
it may
be that
you are
a Christian
but God
has been
convicting
you of
some of
the
attitudes
some of
the words
some of
the ways
you've been
living as
just sort
of a
selfish
I know
it all
I don't
need to
listen
kind of
way
it may
be that
you truly
have been
living
more like
a foolish
person
than a
wise
person
and right
now God's
just made
it clear
and maybe
even broken
you over
it
that's
good
that's
healthy
just
confess
it
ask God
to forgive
you
to cleanse
you
give you
a fresh
start
this morning
as you
draw back
closer to
Him
surrender
your life
anew
and afresh
to Jesus
Christ
as your
Lord
you don't
have to be
a fool
you don't
have to
live
foolishly
by God's
grace
you can
change
your life
can change
you can't
do it
yourself
but He
can do
it
and He
does it
through
Christ
He does
it through
His word
He does
it through
His spirit
so I
want to
encourage
you
if God's
calling you
you respond
to Him
you obey
whatever He's
calling you
to do
let's bow
together in
prayer right
now and
you just
make the
kind of
commitment
He's
calling you
to make
would you
pray with
me
dear God
speak in
a way that
we all
understand what
we need to
do how we
need to
respond
Lord no
one wants
to be a
fool
wants to
be looked
at as
living foolishly
so show us
how we should
respond if
you've shown us
that that's how
we are
show us
Father what we
need to do
this morning
we might leave
here not as
unteachable
fools
but as
faithful
men
women
young people
who know
you and
love you
and want
your way
more than
our own
way
in an
attitude of
prayer you
listen to the
Lord and
respond to
Him and
if you'd like
for me to
pray with you
during this
time I'll be
here at the
front and be
happy to do
that but you
listen to God
and do what
He tells you to
do
message Böyle
to
he
hi
h
it
it
hi
atsächlich
h