3 fools in scripture

Sermon notes from Sunday 12 November 2017

1 Samuel 26 verses 12 - 21

Here in 1 Samuel 26 Saul was king of Israel.  He had a deep seated hatred for David, only a young shepherd boy.  God was nurturing him to become the next king of Israel.  Saul hated that David was held in high esteem by the people.  When Saul realised this he was very angry. Jealousy, hatred and malice all set into his heart.  Our hearts tonight are desperately wicked, we cannot know them.  David fled into the desert.  Saul went after him.  He was determined to find him and kill him.  Then a deep sleep came over Saul`s camp.  David comes into Saul`s camp.  He sees Saul`s spear and cruise of water.  He takes both of them.  He would not touch the Lord`s anointed.  He went back to his own camp.  He called over to Saul.  He charged Abner "you have not done well this day."  He was taunting him "where is the king`s cruise and the king`s spear, behold they are here."  Saul heard all this and asked "are you my son David?"  In verse 21 we see a great confession from Saul "I have sinned, I have played the fool and have erred exceedingly."

Take a look at 3 fools in scriptures and what God`s word says about them.  Psalm 14 verse 1 - "the fool hath said in his heart there is no God."  A fool is a person who thinks and acts in opposition to right reason.  Here is a man who has gathered up every bit of evidence then he takes a completely different view.  God says of this man he is a fool.  The world would call such a man an intellectual, a deep thinker yet God`s word says he is a fool.  Maybe you are saying tonight "I believe in God, I am not like this man." Maybe you have sat on other nights listening to God`s word being preached.  You have gone away convinced there is a God in heaven.  Jesus was God`s son, died on the cross of Calvary, there he was dying for you and I.  John 3 verse 16 you have gone away believing that with all your heart.  Somehow you have stood it on its head.  That is for someone else but not for me.  You have been assured that you have sinned, come short of God`s glory yet you have started to think I am maybe not bad.  Maybe God might let me into heaven one day.  Are you willing to take the risk tonight?  That you will leave life as you are, that one day he will open heaven`s door and let you in?  After all he has only taken his very best, his own son to die on Calvary for your sin to assure you of a home in heaven one day.  The Bible says such a man is a fool.  Surely there is not such a fool in our meeting tonight.  Where does this man`s thought originate from?  "The fool hath said in his heart.  "The heart is deceitful above all things and desperately wicked who can know it?" (Jeremiah 17 verse 9)  "Out of the heart proceed evil thoughts." (Matthew 15 verse 19)  That is the natural heart tonight, the heart that is in us.  When we are born we are born in sin and shapen in iniquity.  We are backwards towards God`s face, towards a lost sinners hell.  This man depends on his heart to make the right decision.  A heart that is corrupt.  Paul to the Romans said "becuse that when they knew God they glorified him not as God neither were thankful but became vain in their imaginations and their foolish heart was darkened." (Romans 1 verse 21)  They realised the truth of God`s word.    What is this man?  This is a man who is turning his back on God.  Is it possible that in turning you have messed up?  Maybe you have come under a godly teacher but all that training has been messed up.  This man took his learning and turned it on its head and said "there is no God".  Romans 1 verse 28.  God gave them over.  Maybe tonight you thought seriously about getting saved at one time but that is no longer the case.  Would you come tonight and trust him/  The same thing was said of Belshazzar.  On one occasion he made a feast to 1000 of his lords.  As they feasted the handwriting came on the wall and the party died down.  Daniel was brought in to tell them what this writing was.  There is a lesson for you.  First of all he reminded him of his grandfather Nebuchadnezzar who had sat on the throne previously.  He was brought to nothing, to show him his pride.  You didn`t learn from your grandfather the lesson of there being no God.  Is it possible to be brought up in a godly home, to be sent to sunday shcool, listen to a godly ministry in the church night after night yet remain unmoved?  You have been challenged with the truth of God`s word but now you have stood it on its head.  

In Luke 12 we read of a rich farmer who by his outward actions proved there is no God.  He worked hard, sowed the best seed, had the best weather, got a good harvest to look forward to him when he said he would pull down his barns and build bigger.  Then he was going to take his ease and would be happy.  He was misguided because he hadn`t taken into account the God of heaven.  As he boasted on that night the Bible calls him a fool - "this night thy soul shall be required of thee, then whose shall those things be?"  Is it possible to be misguided and living for what the world has for you?  Never think of closing your eyes, stepping out into God`s great divide.  James 4 verses 13 - 16.  You have been fortunate enough in this world, planned well, things scheduled on into your retirement but have you planned for eternity?  You can be misguided in your living.  Living for yourself instead of for eternity?

A man whose living is mistaken - 2 Samuel 3 verse 23.  At the death of Abner we read "died Abner as a fool dieth."  David said the rich farmer died as a fool.  He had no preparation for eternity but when we come to Abner he was a general in the army of Saul.  Whenever David said this it was not out of disrespect but a recognition of the facts.  When Abner died he died at the gates of Hebron city.  He had committed a murder in self defence.  Joab had the right to take Abner`s life.  He made his way to Hebron, the city of refuge.  No harm could come before him there unless he moved out of that city.  Abner came to make a covenant with David one day.  On his way back Joab hatched his plan.  Told his servants to come back again.  He was only a step away from safety.  Joab called him to one side.  Abner thought he was safe enough.  Joab took him to one side thrust him through with a sword.  David at his funeral said "died Abner as a fool dieth".  Here was a man within one step of safety.  One more step would have taken him within the gates.  He could have ran away, got into the city but he didn`t.  He was mistaken.  Are you living for this scene of time?  Maybe you are depending on church, a good name, works to take you to heaven.  A great mistake when you take a step out of this life and God asks you what have you done with my son, why should you come into heaven.  "I was a good person."  You know you have sinned and I sent my son to die for your sin yet you rejected me.  I would have saved you if only you would have come.  You spurned my love, rejected my great works.  Will it be a great mistake?  What is holding you back?  Are you depending on something other than Christ himself?  Will you come with your sin and leave it at the cross and take eternal life from him?