Let's take our Bibles and turn
with me to the book of Proverbs, chapter 26. Proverbs 26. Continuing by the grace of God
in this blessed book, verse by verse, looking ever to the gospel,
to the Lord Jesus Christ, to His glory, His honor. This morning I'd like to look
at verses 4 and 5. Proverbs 26, 4. Answer not a
fool according to his folly, lest thou also be like unto him. Answer a fool according to his
folly, lest he be wise in his own conceit. or in his own eyes. Now, from these scriptures, you
think of what the Spirit of God just said. He said, don't answer
a fool according to his folly, and gives a reason. Then he says,
answer a fool according to his folly, and gives a reason. We know that the scripture declares,
Ecclesiastes chapter 3 verse 1, to everything there is a time,
a season, to every purpose under the heaven. And then it says
in Ecclesiastes 3 verse 7, there's a time to keep silence and a
time to speak. There's an appropriate time to
be quiet. And then there's an appropriate
time to say something. And I'm going to go ahead and
just admit that for all of us, it's only by the wisdom and grace
of God that we know when those times are. The apostle James
said in James 1.19, wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every
man be swift to hear, slow to speak, and slow to wrath. But from these scriptures that
we've just read, we know that there is an appropriate time
for each. And may the Spirit of God give
us some understanding in this very delicate matter, in this
issue. Verse 4, Answer not a fool according
to his folly, lest thou also be like unto him. Answer not
an unbeliever. We looked at that. The Lord gave
an illustration of what a fool was. He said the fool is the
one that hears his word. and doesn't believe him and builds
his house, his place of security upon the sand. That's a fool,
an unbeliever. Here's the gospel of God's free
grace and he doesn't believe it. Answer not a fool according
to his folly, according to his silliness, lest thou also be
likened to him. Don't lower yourself to the fool's
level by answering his silly questions or arguing with him,
lest if he argues with you, you become like him. Don't answer. You utter folly to yourself and
you end up appearing as though you're going to side with him.
Don't answer a fool. according to his folly. Now,
the only examples that we want is examples found in the word
of God. Any other examples have no meaning,
no relevance whatsoever. Don't answer an unbeliever according
to his folly, lest you be like him. Now, our Lord, when he stood
before Herod, I want you to take your Bibles and turn to these
scriptures. This message, Lord willing, is gonna be very short.
Look at Luke 23. Luke 23, our Lord stood before
Herod. And Luke 23, verse 8 to 11 says, What happened when he stood before
Herod? Luke 23, verse 8. When Herod
saw Jesus, he was exceeding glad, for he was desirous to see him
of a long season, because he had heard many things of him,
and he hoped to have seen some miracles done by him. Then he
questioned with him in many words, but he, that is the Lord, answered
him nothing. The chief priests and scribes
stood and vehemently accused him. And Herod, with his men
of war, set him at naught, mocked him, and arrayed him in a gorgeous
robe, and sent him again to Pilate." So here we learn that if a fool,
if an unbeliever, if all he's wanting to do is just to make
sport, make mockery of you, what you believe, Just don't say anything
to it. Just be silent. Don't respond. That's what the Scripture says.
Answer not a fool according to his silliness, lest you be like
him. You know, the Spirit of God moved
upon King David to be silent. Turn with me to 2 Samuel 16.
2 Samuel 16. The Lord, the Spirit of God moved
upon King David when he was approached, he was cursed, verbally, and
then physically attacked, and he knew that the attack was upon
his character and was sin of God, and therefore, he said nothing. Look at 2 Samuel 16, verse 5. The scripture says that When
King David came to Behurim, the whole fence came out a man of
the family of the house of Saul, whose name was Shimei, the son
of Gera. He came forth and cursed still
as he came and he cast stones at David and all the servants
of King David and all the people and all the mighty men were on
his right hand, on his left and thus said Shimei when he cursed,
come out, come out thou bloody man, thou man of Belial. The Lord hath returned upon thee
all the blood of the house of Saul, in whose stead thou hast
reigned. And the Lord hath delivered the
kingdom into the hand of Absalom thy son. And behold, thou art
taken in thy mischief, because thou art a bloody man. Then said
Abishai, the son of Zeruiah, unto the king, why should this
dead dog curse my lord, the king? Let me go over, I pray thee,
and take off his head. And the king said, what have
I to do with you, ye sons of Zerui? So let him curse, because
the lord has said unto him, curse David. Who shall then say, wherefore
hast thou done so? And David said to Abishai, to
his servants, behold my son, which came forth from my bowels,
that is Absalom. He seeketh my life. How much
more now may this Benjamite do it? Let him alone. Let him curse. For the Lord hath bidden him.
It may be that the Lord will look on mine affliction, that
the Lord will requite me good for his cursing this day." David
said, no, don't say anything to him. What he was doing, he
was bringing accusation against David's character. That's what
Herod did. He didn't want to hear anything
from the Lord concerning eternal things. He thought, I'm going
to see some tricks. I'm going to see some miracles.
The Lord didn't say anything to him. Shimei came out, going
to curse David. David said, leave him alone. Just leave him alone. There was
a man named Rabshakeh. And he was a spokesman for King
Sennacherib whenever Jerusalem was being besieged. And Rabshakeh came out, sent
of King Sennacherib. And he came to the Lord's people
and he started rebuking them, making sport of them. Telling
them, y'all are wasting your time if you think you're gonna
stand against my king, Sennacherib. He said, I tell you what, why
don't you all give me the names of the gods that have saved their
followers. Give me any name of any of the
gods that have saved their people, the one that worshiped their
gods, that saved them against the power of Syria. Give me their names. And he cried
unto them, and King Hezekiah, God's king, had told the people,
he told them, he said, whenever they're approached, don't you
say anything to them, don't even answer them. Then the scripture
says, they held their peace and answered him not a word. Here
he was out there just going on and on, you know, come on, come
on. Tell me somebody that was able
to stand up to my king, Sennacherib. And people didn't say a word.
Let me tell you the heart of the scripture back in Proverbs.
We learn that when a fool personally provokes or accuses you or your
character, don't answer him. Don't answer him to provoke him. Don't play the fool by answering
back his foolish questions, lest you be just like him. Let me
give you an example that kids do. This is it. This is what
the Lord is telling his people. Whenever you get a kid and he
comes up and he says, one kid says to another kid, You're a
baby. And he said, no, you are. No,
you are. No, you are. That's what he's talking about.
Don't answer a fool according to his folly, according to his
silliness, lest you be like him. Whenever the Lord was accused,
his character, his personal character brought into question, he didn't
say anything. But then on the other hand, the
scripture says in verse 5, answer a fool according to his folly,
lest he be wise in his own conceit." Now, this scripture is saying,
in light of the first one, there's a time to be quiet, but then
there's a time to speak. When your own personal honor
is called into question, or the fool will not hear a word of
wisdom. Don't render evil for evil. Don't render railing for railing. But on the other hand, the Spirit
of God has revealed that there's a time to say something. There's a time to be quiet. There's
a time to speak. You answer him according to his
folly lest he think that he said something worth hearing or answer
him when he needs to be convinced of his folly concerning eternal
matters. And our Lord, the examples that
I want to set forth in closing this message is what our Lord
did. You answer a fool and you don't
allow him when it comes to the glory of God. If it's something
personally against you, you know, you're a liar. You're a stinking
liar. I know what you believe. Leave
him alone. Just leave him alone. But what
is the time that we need to speak? Again, it's when the glory of
God is called into question. When our Lord stood, I want you
to turn to John 19, five to 11, John 19. When our Lord stood
before Pilate. Now here's gonna be an example
in this short conversation right here. Our Lord didn't say anything
when he heard one thing, and then when he heard something
else, he spoke. and may the spirit of God give
us some understanding in this. John chapter five, and let's
just read a few verses of scripture here. Let's start in verse five. I'm sorry, I said John five,
it's John 19. Turn to John 19. We're gonna start in reading
in verse five. John 19. Starting at verse five. Then
came Jesus forth, wearing the crown of thorns and the purple
robe. And Pilate saith unto him, behold
the man. I want to make a statement here
before I go on. Do you notice that Pilate's in italics? It means it wasn't there. Young's
literal translation says this. It says, Then came Jesus forth
wearing the crown of thorns and the purple robe, and he saith
unto them. Mr. Robert Hawker says, he said,
if I don't err, he said that word was added, meaning it wasn't
there. And he said, I truly believe,
and I think he may be right if I don't want to go overboard
here. But I think it's the Lord speaking. It says, then came Jesus forth
wearing the crown of thorns and the purple robe and saith unto
them, behold the man. When the chief priests therefore
and officers saw him, they cried out saying, crucify him, crucify
him. Pilate saith unto them, take
ye him and crucify him for I find no fault in him. And the Jews
answered him, We have a law, and by our law, he ought to die
because he made himself the son of God. Now listen, when Pilate
therefore heard that saying, he was the more afraid and went
again into the judgment hall and saith unto Jesus, whence
art thou? All right, now they had just
said he ought to die because He made himself to be the son
of God. And Pilate went in there and
asked him, said, where are you from? But Jesus gave him no answer. He didn't answer him. Then says
Pilate unto him, speakest thou not unto me? You gonna give me
silence? Knowest thou not that I have
power to crucify thee, and I have power to release thee? And Jesus answered, thou couldst
have no power at all against me, except it were given thee
from above. Therefore, he that delivered
me unto thee hath the greater sin. Now, in the wisdom of God,
I'd have to just read this. to say, according to the wisdom
of God, the Lord knew when to be quiet. He said he made himself
to be the son of God. That's what he said. And the
Lord answered him not a word. When Pilate said, which are you? Where'd you come from? You're going to not answer me?
Do you realize who I am? Obviously, you don't. Pilate
said, I have power. I have power. I can release you.
I put you to death. That was an infraction against
God. And the Lord said, you don't
have any power at all except it be given unto you from my
father. When the Lord stood, Matthew
26, turn there with me. When the Lord stood before Caiaphas,
Matthew 26, we'll start in verse 59. Before he went to the cross,
Matthew 26, starting in verse 59, now the chief priest and
elders and all the council sought false witness against Jesus to
put him to death, but found none. Yea, though many false witnesses
came, yet found they none. At the last came two false witnesses,
and they said, this fellow said, I'm able to destroy the temple
of God and to build it in three days. And the high priest arose
and said unto him, answerest thou nothing? What is it which
these witnesses against thee? Then Jesus held his peace, and
the high priest answered and said unto him, I assure thee
by the living God that thou tell us whether thou be the Christ
or the Son of God. And Jesus saith unto him, thou
hast said. Nevertheless, I say unto you,
hereafter shall you see the Son of Man sitting on the right hand
of power and coming in the clouds of heaven. Then the high priest
rent his clothes, saying, he hath spoken blasphemy. What further
need have we of witnesses? Behold now, ye have heard his
blasphemy. Our Lord showed us when to be
quiet and when to speak. He never responded. According
to his wisdom, the foolish statements, questions in the way of where
those tried to entrap him, he put an unexpected end or turn
to them and then silenced his accusers. Matthew 21, verse 23. Matthew 21, 23, then, no, and
when he was coming to the temple, the chief priest and elders of
the people came unto him as he was teaching and said, by what
authority dost thou these things? Who gave thee this authority?
And Jesus answered and said unto them, I also will ask you one
thing. Which if you tell me, I and likewise
will tell you by what authority I do these things. The baptism
of John, whence was it? From heaven or of men? And they
reasoned with themselves, saying, if we shall say from heaven,
he will say unto us, why did ye not then believe him? But
if we shall say of men, we fear the people, for all hold John
as a prophet. And they answered Jesus and said,
we cannot tell. And he said unto them, neither
tell I you by what authority I do these things. The scripture
declares, answer not a fool according to his folly, lest you be like
him. But answer a fool according to
his folly, lest he be wise in his own conceit, in his own eyes. If it's a personal attack upon
you, leave him alone. If it's a personal attack upon
God Almighty, upon his character, upon his honor, his glory, his
gospel, you answer him, lest he be lifted up in pride in his
own conceit. David said you don't have to
turn there, I'll just read this This will be our last verse for
this message. Psalm 141. This is the prayer
that I would pray for me and for all of us. Proverbs 141, verse 3. Set a watch, O Lord, before my
mouth, and keep the door of my lips. Guard me. Help me. Lord, give me wisdom to know
when to be quiet and not just argue for arguing's sake. You're
just going to be like the fool. That's all you're going to do.
But when that fool brings accusation against the character of Almighty
God, that's when you speak. And may the Lord give us instruction
on what to speak for His glory and our good. Amen. All right. Let's just take a little break.