The Paradox of the Fool for Christ

[00:19:16] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_00]
[00:19:16] Good morning. It's good to see everybody this morning. So, y'all had to bear with me. I got actually a few announcements for the youth. So the first thing I want to say before I forget is that May the 4th, for the teachers in here, any teachers at Surrey Central High School, I will actually be bringing donuts and stuff like that that Monday. I think it's a Monday morning. But yeah, I'll be bringing donuts and stuff like that, so feel free to get you some.
[00:19:42] Also for the youth, this Wednesday night we're going to be not meeting here actually at the activity center. We're going to be meeting at the high school. We're probably going to plan on meeting about 6.15 or so, just get there a little bit early. There's going to be a youth
[00:19:55] rally there starting at 6.30, and that's going to be essentially talking about mental health from a Christian perspective, really one of the biggest issues that youth are dealing with today for sure. And then one more announcement for the youth. This Saturday we're actually going to be
[00:20:10] doing just a little fundraiser they're here actually out at the ball field so we're going to be selling some snacks and things like that so any youth that can come that'll be about 11 o'clock
[00:20:20] as well but I also want to call up Greg really quick good morning everyone I'd like to give you

[00:20:31] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_03]
[00:20:31] an update from the pastor search committee we have gone from came from a collection again of 15 resumes and we have climbed that ladder and unanimously we have a candidate that we are going to interview today we have talked with him several times I've talked with him several times we've had
[00:20:52] a google introduction and today we meet him in person he and his wife so be in prayer for him be in prayer for our committee be in prayer for our church and for God's will okay thank you thank

[00:21:05] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_00]
[00:21:05] you, Greg. I knew I was forgetting something. Just one more quick thing. Don't forget that for the older children, so ages or grades third through fifth, I'll actually be teaching them. We're actually going to do like fingerprints and talk about being made in God's image.
[00:21:18] It'll be pretty fun here in just a minute. But I'm going to call on Dale here in just a second to come pray for the prayer shawls. But before I do, am I missing any announcements?
[00:21:26] Probably am. No? All right. Dale, if you'll come on up.

[00:21:36] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_02]
[00:21:36] Good morning, everyone. Isn't it a blessing to be in this place? Hearing the choir and listening to them share i came here to worship the lord today i trust you feel likewise to open up our hearts to him to draw close to him to leave this place knowing we've been in the presence of
[00:22:01] god would you please bow with me father we thank you for this day again for your mercy and grace towards us, even though we are so undeserving. Thank you for that forgiveness, for the healing
[00:22:18] and the restoration. Bless, may we sense your presence in our midst this morning as the Holy Spirit moves from heart to heart, speaking and touching, moving. Thank you for the various works and ministries of this church bless these shawls as they go to people and works to bless to
[00:22:48] encourage and to lift up may our time together touch our hearts and may you speak to us through

[00:22:59] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_07]
[00:22:59] your word i pray in christ's name amen stand once more let's sing together again

[00:23:13] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_05]
[00:23:13] our father lord we thank you for this another beautiful lord day and we thank you for this

[00:26:51] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_01]
[00:26:51] opportunity that we have to be in the house this morning to worship you in spirit and truth. And Lord, we have so much to be thankful for. Lord, we just thank you for the rain that we
[00:27:02] experienced yesterday, Lord. Thank you so much. And Lord, thank you for the Sunday school hour we had this morning. Study thy word and the beautiful song of signs from our choir that inspire us, Lord.
[00:27:16] Lord, we come to thank you for the blessings that You bestowed upon us to enable us to give a portion back to Thee, Lord. We pray Your blessings upon these alms, Lord.
[00:27:27] May we be good stewards, Lord.
[00:27:30] And may these offerings be used for Your honor and Your glory.
[00:27:34] In Thy name we pray. Amen.

[00:27:36] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_06]
[00:27:36] All I can say is, oh, happy

[00:36:01] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_02]
[00:36:01] day.
[00:36:03] What a blessing to me.
[00:36:07] Yes. It's so good to see all of you and be sharing the message here in just a few moments. April Fool's. It is still April. Many, many years ago, as a young man, I was about 18 years of age. I began working as a printer's devil. That means I
[00:36:45] was an apprentice working for an old pressman who'd been operating the press most of his life.
[00:36:51] So I was in training.
[00:36:54] My desire then was to become what we call a journeyman printer.
[00:36:58] One day, not long after beginning my apprenticeship, the lead pressman, my boss, shut down this big, long press.
[00:37:06] It was about 28 feet long, about 15 to 20 feet wide, a huge monster of a machine.
[00:37:14] He shuts down the press, and he calls me over there and says, I think we've got a problem here.
[00:37:21] And I said, what's that?
[00:37:22] he said well we got to fix the press and what I need is a left-handed crunion wrench go over to the department mechanic and see if he has one of those left-handed crunion wrenches the press is not going to operate get it back up until I have that I said yes sir
[00:37:44] so feeling kind of proud that that's been entrusted to me I go over to the department mechanic and we need a left-handed crunion wrench for that press over there he then says Well, you go over here and you talk to this fellow.
[00:38:02] I think he has one.
[00:38:04] Well, the next thing I know, I'm being sent to another man who sends me to another man.
[00:38:10] Now, remember, I'm a teenager, young fellow.
[00:38:13] And the next thing I know, I'm sent to another man who looks at me and says, We don't have one in this department.
[00:38:20] You're going to have to go to maintenance downstairs.
[00:38:24] So I go to maintenance downstairs.
[00:38:27] I walked through this large opening there's an old man with glasses on I was sent here to get a left-handed crunion wrench he looked over his glasses at me and says your boss sent you didn't he
[00:38:43] and I said yes sir you tell your boss I don't have a left-handed crunion wrench and I don't have any striped paint either I knew right then I'd been sent on one of those missions
[00:38:57] you know what I'm talking about I was puzzled I'm still looking for that left-handed crunion wrench and so I asked that older gentleman you don't have one he looked at me kind of puzzled like you hadn't got this yet
[00:39:19] and then he pointed to the calendar on the wall that big work calendar and he pointed to April 1st on it he said son it's April Fool I had no idea my boss had played an April Fool's joke on
[00:39:37] me that day and again by the way did you know there's no such thing as a left-handed crunion wrench and neither is this thing called striped paint i guess maybe you've been the brunt of a
[00:39:57] joke or two over the years especially when it comes to april fools the word fool in our bibles has a variety of meanings in the old testament it can mean someone who lacks understanding someone who's dull sometimes it could be translated stupid it also speaks of someone
[00:40:25] who is unwise when it comes to the things of god in the new testament it can involve someone who gets caught up in foolish talk and actions dull when it comes to common sense especially in the
[00:40:44] area of spiritual things the word fool can even be used as what is known as an expletive or curse word we think that's what jesus was speaking of in matthew 5 when he said anyone who says to his
[00:41:06] brother you fool will be in danger of hell fire today i want to take just a few minutes and talk to you about three fools who are found in our bibles first turn with me to psalm 14 1 psalm
[00:41:31] will be right in the middle of your bible separated there and it comes usually comes right to psalms psalms 14 and verse 1 here the psalmist makes a statement a spiritual statement And he says this, the fool hath said in his heart, there is no God.
[00:42:01] A fool is someone who thinks, acts, lives as if there is no God.
[00:42:16] Someone who thinks there is no day of reckoning, no day of judgment.
[00:42:28] The atheistic fool believes the world and all that there is came about by random chance.
[00:42:37] Many today hold the theory of evolution.
[00:42:41] They hold to it.
[00:42:42] They believe in it.
[00:42:43] They think we all began in some primordial slime millions and millions of years ago.
[00:42:51] That we began as a simple single-celled amoeba.
[00:42:55] And over the process of billions of years, we evolved into something that looks like a monkey.
[00:43:08] And over the process again of millions of years, we began to walk upright, became bipedal homo sapiens with opposable thumbs.
[00:43:22] What blows my mind is this.
[00:43:25] Many colleges and schools and universities teach the theory of evolution.
[00:43:31] i said theory of evolution as if it were a fact it's a theory furthermore you are considered backwards and ignorant if you say i believe god created the heavens and the earth the bible teaches us and i don't know how you feel about the bible this morning but i know what i believe
[00:44:02] it's god's word to us it is inspired god's word says to us in genesis 1 1 in the beginning god created the heavens and the earth if you prefer it that is the first cause that is the
[00:44:23] big bang it was god who said let us make man in our image in our likeness i know some very intelligent people who think their nearest ancestor on the evolutionary tree they call it are monkeys i'm not going to argue with them i'm kind of like my first pastor who said this
[00:44:57] he doesn't argue with those people who think they came from monkeys they ought to know who their family is the atheistic fool tells us and if you've been to college the atheistic fool tells us our universe our world and you came about by a random chance you are nothing more than
[00:45:28] happenstance you are some kind of cosmic accident a random coming together of molecules and cells and of various chemicals just at the right moment just under the right circumstances and bam there you are that is not what the bible teaches me i was created by an all-powerful all-knowing god
[00:46:03] i am created in his image isaiah said in isaiah 40 and verse 28 listen to this hast thou not known hast thou not heard that the everlasting god the lord the creator of the ends of the earth fainteth not neither is he weary there is no searching of his understanding
[00:46:37] in essence God's smarter than you are and as I pointed out last week the weakness of God is stronger than man yes over the years I've used John 1 when dealing with this subject It says in John 1, in the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
[00:47:13] The same was in the beginning with God.
[00:47:15] Speaking of Christ, listen to this.
[00:47:19] All things were made by Him.
[00:47:22] Without Him was not anything made that was made.
[00:47:25] That's speaking of the creative power of this awesome God that I've been talking about for the last few moments.
[00:47:35] Dr. Arthur Compton, one of the great scientists who won the Nobel Prize in Physics, had this to say, and I quote, For myself, faith begins with the realization that a supreme intelligence brought the world into existence and created man.
[00:47:56] An orderly unfolding of the universe testifies to the truth of the most majestic statement ever uttered, that being, In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.
[00:48:08] So yes, some very smart people believe in God's creative acts.
[00:48:19] Walter Hooper, who was C.S. Lewis' personal secretary, laughed when he read the following inscription on a grave.
[00:48:28] Here lies an atheist all dressed up and no place to go.
[00:48:35] Lewis, however, did not share in his secretary's laughter.
[00:48:39] he responded soberly i'm sure he wishes that now were true hell will be a sobering reality for those who reject god so there is the atheistic fool but secondly this morning there is the materialistic fool you'll find him in luke in chapter 12 i'm reading in verse 13
[00:49:12] and picking up there and one of the companies said to him masters speak to my brother that he divide the inheritance with me nothing wrong with that is there press on and he said unto him man who
[00:49:35] made me a judge or divider over you and he said unto them take heed and beware of covetousness Isn't that one of the Ten Commandments?
[00:49:46] Thou shalt not what?
[00:49:49] Covet.
[00:49:52] For a man's life consisteth not in the abundance of things which he possesseth.
[00:49:58] There's a whole sermon there, isn't there?
[00:50:03] And he spake a parable unto them, saying, The ground of a certain rich man brought forth plentifully.
[00:50:09] And he thought within himself.
[00:50:12] See that?
[00:50:13] Within himself.
[00:50:14] That is in his own heart.
[00:50:16] What shall I do?
[00:50:17] because I have no room where to bestow my fruits.
[00:50:21] And he said, this will I do.
[00:50:23] I will pour down my barns and build greater.
[00:50:26] And there will I bestow all my fruits and my goods.
[00:50:29] And I will say to my soul, soul that has much goods and laid up for many years, take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry.
[00:50:39] Well, so far that sounds reasonable to many people, doesn't it?
[00:50:43] But note the contrast.
[00:50:46] But God said unto him, thou fool this night thy soul shall be required of thee then who shall these things be which thou has provided so is he that layeth up treasures for himself and is not rich towards god different
[00:51:09] views of wealth isn't there you see some people's perception of doing well is what i've earned what i've worked for what i've stored away how much is in my checking account other people realize and know what's really important is the works that you've accumulated for christ
[00:51:35] and his kingdom verse 15 is striking to me take heed and beware of covetousness for a man's life consists not in the abundance of things he possesses you see some people's attitude is this he who dies with the most toys wins i've worked with people like that perhaps have so some of you
[00:52:08] there are many believe who many who believe the measure of of one is what one owns they possess how much money they've got in the bank what kind of car they drive the labels on their shoes and
[00:52:22] their clothes is that how we measure wealth as a christian i hope not you see the world will tell you grab all you can grab get all you can get one day an old man with a miserable disposition
[00:52:48] got a visit from a pastor the old man was known to be very selfish and self-centered he explained to the pastor how he was unhappy and unfulfilled even though he owned so many things he was very very rich after he had finished talking to the pastor the pastor
[00:53:11] led him to a window in his home and said look out that window and tell me what you see. The old man said I see a park over there.
[00:53:19] I see children playing ball. I see people walking in the park.
[00:53:24] It was then the pastor led the man to a mirror and then asked him now what do you see? And the rich man said I can only see myself.
[00:53:34] The pastor then added in the window there is glass and in the mirror there is glass but the back side of the glass in the mirror is one covered with a little silver and no sooner is the silver
[00:53:48] applied than one ceases to see others and sees only themselves.
[00:53:53] It doesn't take much for us to get distracted.
[00:53:59] We do well to remember Jesus' words in Matthew 5, excuse me, 624. No man can serve two masters.
[00:54:11] Either he will hate the one and love the other or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other.
[00:54:16] He then went on to say, you cannot serve God in mammon and yet we see people all the time mammon is what it's all about that is money they worship the almighty but it's called the almighty dollar something just because a person
[00:54:41] is wealthy that or they're materialistic or in love with money over the years i've actually met some very wealthy christians they know how to manage money on the other hand i met some very poor people who are greedy and materialistic anyone can be a materialistic fool the bottom
[00:55:10] line is are you storing up treasures on earth or heaven i read about a man this week he bought him a brand new bnw limited edition he's driving down the road at about 65 to 70 miles an hour
[00:55:33] on a narrow two-lane road that circles a gorge.
[00:55:38] He suddenly loses control.
[00:55:41] The car begins to flip.
[00:55:46] And to process, his left arm is cut completely off from the rest of his body.
[00:55:51] The car goes over the fence and into the gorge and tumbles and is completely obliterated.
[00:55:57] The man falls out of the car just before it goes over the cliff and he's laying on the side of the road crying out, Oh, my BMW! Oh, my BMW!
[00:56:06] oh my BMW and a passerby stops and listens to the man screaming out about his BMW and the guy says hey what's wrong with you don't you see that your arm's been completely severed from your body it's gone over the cliff
[00:56:21] and he looks where his arm used to be and he goes oh no my Rolex my Rolex some people are so consumed with materialism they cannot see the priorities in life how often do we forget Jesus words
[00:56:44] what good is it listen to this what good is it if a man gains the whole world and loses his own soul and yet we see that happening in our world again and again finally and lastly
[00:57:09] look with me in 1 Corinthians chapter 4 verses 9 and 10 here is our last fool this morning Paul in writing to the church at Corinth.
[00:57:29] This is what he says.
[00:57:34] 1 Corinthians 4 and verse 10.
[00:57:36] I want you to see this.
[00:57:39] Apostle Paul writing says this.
[00:57:45] We are fools for Christ's sake, but ye are wise in Christ.
[00:57:52] We are weak, but ye are strong.
[00:57:54] We are honorable, but we are despised.
[00:57:57] Even into this present hour, we both hunger and thirst and are naked and are buffeted and have no certain dwelling place i have a question what makes a man leave a six or seven digit income and go to the mission field what prompts a family to leave the safety
[00:58:28] and warmth of friends and home and community to pull up roots and go to a foreign land Why do Christians give up their time and their talents and their finances to support a local church and its various ministries and missions in the community?
[00:58:49] Why do Christian parents do their best to instill in the hearts and minds of their children the principles of the Christian faith?
[00:58:58] I'll tell you why.
[00:59:00] Because they love Jesus with all their heart.
[00:59:07] They want to serve him.
[00:59:08] They want to honor him.
[00:59:09] Over the years, I have dealt with non-Christians, that is the world.
[00:59:16] They cannot understand why Christians are willing to give their all to this man we call Jesus.
[00:59:27] I've worked with them, alongside them.
[00:59:31] I've had lunch with them.
[00:59:37] You're leaving a good job that pays well, best insurance in town.
[00:59:45] you're leaving that to go back to school to go to seminary to become a preacher what is wrong with you the world can't comprehend this aren't you being foolish to leave work to do what you
[01:00:04] felt like God's calling you to do that's foolish the world thinks the devout Christian is foolish to not live for the here and now foolish if you do not pander to the whims of the flesh foolish if you do not strive for pleasure under the sun every pleasure
[01:00:31] possible foolish if you want to live a holy and godly life foolish if you believe sex is to be between a man and a woman as the bible teaches us foolish if you want to be a positive christian
[01:00:57] role model for others foolish if you live according to the standards of the bible foolish if you truly seek to give your life wholeheartedly to jesus a while back there was a tv program that
[01:01:22] shared letters from soldiers who were living in violent and deadly places across the world A letter was read from a Marine, and this is what the brief letter said.
[01:01:41] We are talking about Marines, not the Boy Scouts.
[01:01:45] We all joined the Corps, knowing full well what might be expected of us.
[01:01:52] He signed off with a Marine's motto, Semper Fi, which is Latin for always faithful.
[01:01:57] when we became Christians hopefully someone sat us down and told us about the cost that we might have to pay we may be required to take up a cross and follow him a cross synonymous with giving of oneself
[01:02:18] maybe even death for the cause of Christ that we might suffer persecution in the name of Jesus that the world might call us foolish because we've sold out lock, stock, and barrel to Jesus.
[01:02:45] Yes.
[01:02:49] I remember leaving the place where I worked years ago to go back to school.
[01:02:56] That's what God had called me to preach.
[01:03:01] I remember a department head looking at me and says, you're going to do this to do this?
[01:03:06] He just said, okay, that's what you've got to do.
[01:03:19] May we be found faithful to the cause of Christ.
[01:03:22] God help us to be dead serious about our faith let us be faithful no matter what God calls us to do no matter what comes our way with our families, our fortunes, our country let us first and foremost
[01:03:39] be loyal soldiers to the cross of our Christ folks that is our calling God knows we have to work in the world God knows we have to provide for our families, God knows that and you can do that
[01:03:56] And you can still be the Christian that God wants you to be.
[01:04:02] And yet sometimes we feel like we must compromise.
[01:04:06] There's only one ladder I'm worried about climbing.
[01:04:09] And it's not the ladder of success.
[01:04:12] It's the ladder that goes straight up to glory.
[01:04:17] That's the only ladder that I'm worried about climbing.
[01:04:24] May I say this morning, let us be fools for Christ's sake.
[01:04:28] If that's what it takes.
[01:04:30] And if that's what He wants us to do.
[01:04:36] Matthew 5.11.
[01:04:37] it's a verse we're all familiar with it reads this is just a little confusing for me blessed could be translated happiness joy etc Jesus said this blessed are ye when men revile you and persecute you and shall say
[01:05:16] all men are of evil against you falsely for my name's sake Consider it a blessing when you're persecuted for the cause of Christ.
[01:05:30] How does that sit with you this morning?
[01:05:36] One more, 1039.
[01:05:39] I'm talking about being a fool for Christ's sake.
[01:05:43] That's what Paul was talking about.
[01:05:45] He'd lost everything for the cause of Christ.
[01:05:50] Didn't even have a place to lay his head.
[01:05:56] And yet, we're fools for Christ's sake.
[01:06:00] matthew 10 and 39 it's what we call a paradox it's kind of like in losing you win and winning you lose jesus said he that findeth his life shall lose it and he that loses his life for my sake
[01:06:23] shall find it do you see that again losing you win and winning you lose are you willing to be a loser for jesus sake isn't that what the world often calls us i saw a couple of kids that they
[01:06:42] were talking and goofing around and one of them looked at the other went like this you know what that means i had to ask i did well i didn't know it means loser i see his nail in it yeah and it's
[01:07:02] often how the world sees us but we believe doing what god has called us to do even if it looks like a loser to the world we honor christ and we do what he's called us to do regardless of the ridicule
[01:07:21] regardless of the criticism we honor god's word we try to live it out the best we can And the world will never understand you as I told you last week in 1 Corinthians because the world doesn't have the capacity to understand it.
[01:07:42] But we still follow him.
[01:07:44] We still honor him.
[01:07:50] Most of you are familiar with those signs in the hospital's patients.
[01:07:54] The pain, you know that pain scale from 1 to 10?
[01:07:57] One being the least.
[01:07:59] I've been asked that numerous times, you know, when you're in the hospital.
[01:08:02] How's your pain rating today from 1 to 10?
[01:08:05] well one being the least ten being i wonder what if god had a had a devotion or commitment scale from one to ten one being the least ten being sold out what do you think would be your rating
[01:08:28] this morning okay preacher now you're getting a little touchy getting a little too nosy we call it meddling right where would you be on that scale from one to ten again one being the least 10 being where do you think you would be some days i'm not sure about me are we committed
[01:09:05] to him do we realize the cost of following christ and what it really means and then sometimes the world thinks we're fools because we're sold out to jesus i don't know about you this morning
[01:09:21] i want to be sold out to him by the way whose fool are you is that a valid question we begin with the atheistic fool who does not believe there is a god secondly the materialistic fool the one
[01:09:48] who's possessed by the world and all it can offer and finally the fool for jesus you see folks one of these days we're all going to stand before him there'll be no there'll be no slipping out the
[01:10:04] side door we're all going to stand before him and we're all going to give an account whether we like it or not there'll be no exemptions hebrews 9 27 it is appointed unto men once to die and after
[01:10:26] this the judgment nobody will escape it i don't think god's going to look at somebody and say april fools you don't have to stand here before judgment no no won't be any outs we'll all stand
[01:10:46] before him and give an account are you comfortable this morning with your relationship to christ on that scale from 1 to 10 minimally committed maybe a number 5 good strong 5 maybe you're about a 9.5
[01:11:11] see you have to determine that this morning I cannot as we close do you do you need to recommit your life to him this morning pastor I'm not going to embarrass myself by stepping out and coming forward
[01:11:30] you don't have to you know what I've learned over the years folks you can recommit your life to Christ right where you are and I've done it shall I say more than once in my lifetime
[01:11:46] but perhaps you don't know Christ this morning as your Savior and Lord you've never invited Him into your heart it's now the time to commit your heart and life to Christ it's God speaking to you about baptism
[01:12:03] maybe to come forward to pray dare I suggest you do what the Spirit of God is moving on your heart would you bow with me Father, thank you again for this day, for taking this inadequate preacher, this shallow preacher,
[01:12:33] calling him to share something of your word, even though he is not worthy, even though he is simply unworthy.
[01:12:42] And you use him, and he submits the best he knows how.
[01:12:49] But you may be speaking to others this morning as we have this hymn of invitation.
[01:12:58] I know you're speaking to hearts.
[01:12:59] give me give others the courage to move as you're stirring that heart to do perhaps they need to go to someone place their hand on the shoulder and say will you go pray with me i just don't know
[01:13:15] how you're working lord but i know the holy spirit's moving again give me the courage all of us the courage to do what you're moving our hearts to do as we extend this invitation we pray in jesus name amen would you please stand with me as we sing together

[01:13:33] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_03]
[01:13:33] Sweet spirit of worship.
[01:16:38] Lord, we just thank you for touching our hearts.
[01:16:40] And dear Lord, we just pray that we would have that opportunity to go and touch other folks outside these walls with the love of Jesus.
[01:16:48] Heavenly Father, guide our steps.
[01:16:50] Bless our church.
[01:16:51] Bless our pastor search committee.
[01:16:53] And Lord, we just pray a very special blessing upon Dale and Wanda.
[01:16:57] Heavenly Father, again, we go and we just pray that all that we do, with glory by only You.
[01:17:03] These things we pray in Christ's wonderful name.
[01:17:06] Amen.