Foolishness - Week 6

Ecclesiastes: fearing God as followers and influencers                                        

Lesson 6

Connecting to one another

o   List all the places in your life where you have an influence on people’s well-being.

o   The person we influence first is self. What is the result on self and others if we will first commit to leading ourselves wisely?

Understanding the Truth with one another

Verse by Verse ~ Topic by Topic ~ Argument by Argument

Read Ecclesiastes 10

1. What is verse one saying about how a fool’s actions affect himself and others? 

2. In verses 2-3, how is it obvious to all when a person is a fool?

Normally we ask questions verse by verse and topic by topic. For this lesson we want to give you more time to discuss how to APPLY the principles of Ecclesiastes 10 as wise people who influence others. So observations are provided for you today in the box on the next page. 

Living the Truth as we are sent out 

Ecclesiastes continually sets our face against the realities. The reality in this chapter is foolish people and influencers are part of life under the sun. If our community is subjected to a foolish influence, what can we do about it?

4. From verses 4-20, we derived our descriptors of a foolish influencer, but read verses 4 and 20, which “bookend” these descriptors. Both include instructions to a follower.

a. What are these instructions? 

b. If we follow these instructions, how can we as wise followers (God fearing) guard our ability to exert influence our community?

5. Personal Prayer Time  (5-10 minutes). Using the descriptors of a foolish influencer in the box, take some time for personal confession with God. Simply go down the list confessing anger, choosing to elevate foolish people, putting projects before people, etc.

6. In all our contexts we influence others in some way. Consider a clear area where God has given you influence. Review the descriptors of a foolish influencer in the box. Share with your group using the questions below to guide your sharing.

o   Where are you acting foolishly (not fearing God)?

o   Why do you believe you act this way?

o   How have your choices affected you?

o   How have your choices affected others?

o   How could you now fear God and repent?  

o   When will you take these steps of repentance?

Praying Through the Truth for one another

o   Based on what was shared from question 6, pray for one another. 

o   Pray for our people to be wise influencers in all their contexts – home, neighborhood, work, church, etc. 

o   Pray for key influencers in our city in fields such as education, health, government, etc. 

Daily Personal Worship                                                                                                               

At Grace we trust Christ to transform us as we abide in Him daily.

Here is an option for engaging in God’s Word this week – 

Soon we will be remembering Jesus’ triumphal entry into the royal city of Jerusalem, traditionally referred to as Palm Sunday. What makes Jesus’ entry triumphant is that He has passed His test as the perfect Lamb of God, the only ONE able to be our sacrifice for sin. Before the Jewish people slaughtered their Passover lamb, they brought it into their house for four days to ensure it truly was without flaw or blemish. Jesus, likewise, was tested just before He went to the cross by being “cross examined” on four different occasions by religious leaders. Jesus’ words, attitudes, and actions on each of these occasions proved Him to be the ONLY truly wise person. Because of His obedience, His wisdom, we were rescued from being totally lost as fools. 

Read either Matthew 21-23 or Luke 20-21:1-4 or both to watch how Jesus is tested and how He proves Himself as our wise Savior. Pray through these passages for yourself and loved ones and for our church and community.

God’s joy and strength to you!  

kpaulson@gracelaredo.org