2009 Initiative - "365 Holy Days": April Fools' Day's origins are practically unknown, so inspired by this day when people play (hopefully) harmless pranks on one another, we look at foolishness in general.
WELLness
Warm-up: In small groups, share about April Fools' Day pranks and jokes that you have played or that other(s) played on you. Were they funny or cruel?
Exercise: Come up with a good-natured prank to play on your teacher. SHARE ANSWERS! (So I know what's coming!)
Lesson: WOES of Foolishness!
- What foolishness is NOT
- NOT rich or poor (see Psalm 49:10, Proverbs 17:16, Proverbs 19:1) you can be very wise and calamities happen leaving you pennyless; likewise you can be very foolish and fall into a fortune!
- NOT smart or ignorant (Proverbs 28:26) being smart here means having much knowledge; that said, you can know plenty and still be foolish! Also, the ignorant CAN LEARN! The core of foolishness is a constant state of NEVER learning!
- Bottom line: Foolishness IS a spiritual situation! Just as darkness is the absense of light, cold the absense of heat, and silence the absense of sound, foolishness is the absense of wisdom. Let's look at the origins of foolishness.
- Origins of foolishness: Psalm 14:1; Psalm 53:1
- Ends of foolishness: Proverbs 7:6-27, Romans 1:21-23, 28-32
- So what now? Proverbs 26:4, 5; Proverbs 23:9; Psalm 92:1-6
Life application: Pity the fools! Pity them...and MOVE ON! Don't waste your precious God-given time on people that will obviously NEVER learn! There are plenty of other people in the world that desperately need the wisdom that you have...and they will receive it gladly! Let the Spirit of God lead you in discerning if someone is paying attention to you because they want that abundant life that you have, or if they are just foolishly seeking a way to obstruct your work! Let us be about our Father's business; no foolin' around!
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