Reliable Maps

Today on Fellowship in the Word, Pastor Bill Gebhardt challenges you to become a fully functioning follower of Jesus Christ. What are your regrets in your life?

People who are wise told you, you didn't listen. You see, that's one of the things that's so important here. We need reliable road maps.

That's what we need. We need people who have been there. You see, if there are destinations in your life that you want to get to, who are you listening to?

Who do you listen to? People who have been there? Or no one? Or people like you that have never been there before?

The choice is yours. Thank you for joining us today on this edition of Fellowship in the Word with Pastor Bill Gebhardt. Fellowship in the Word is the radio ministry of Fellowship Bible Church located in Metairie, Louisiana. Let's join Pastor Bill Gebhardt now as once again he shows us how God's Word meets our world. We have our own destinations. As I've said in this series, we have our own Emerald Cities. We have places we want to go.

Relationally, personally, spiritually, financially. There are places we want to get to. Destinations.

You could be single and a single person with several bad habits. But your desired destination, you want to be happily married. You might be a part-time worker with school loans and credit card debt, but what's your desired destination?

Complete financial security. The question is, who do you call? You see, who do you call? I mean, you could call your peers, but often they are people who have never been there either.

It's sort of like getting lost in your car and asking another guy lost in his. Where do you need to go? Or you might not go to anyone. You might be completely on your own. You might be the captain of your own ship.

You might be the kind of person that says, look, I don't need to rely on anybody but me. By the way, the Bible does address you. The Bible calls you a fool. Or you might go to a reliable roadmap for wise counsel. See, God's word backs up this idea that if we're ever going to get to where we want to go, we need reliable roadmaps. Open your Bibles to Proverbs chapter 1, the book of Proverbs chapter 1.

And we're going to just survey a few of these Proverbs that reinforce this point that we need reliable roadmaps in our life. In verse 5 of Proverbs 1, Solomon writes this. He says, a wise man will hear and increase in learning. And a man of understanding will acquire wise counsel.

Now notice, a wise man, he's got a description here. In other words, there are wise people who seek out wisdom. Wisdom can be acquired from the wise. You see, I think we often say you can only become wise through experience. But if you're already a person that makes bad decisions, you know what you'll do with experience?

Multiply them. You'll just keep making the same mistakes. And by the way, have you ever done that?

Made the same mistake over and over again? He says a wise man can actually acquire wisdom. How? He says he will hear. In other words, he listens. He said a man of understanding will acquire wisdom.

They will solicit it. Do you solicit wisdom? I mean, if there's a group among us that needs wisdom the most, it has to be teenagers and 20-somethings.

Because, see, that's a group that's kind of becoming independent but has no idea what that really means. And if you think about it, when you were a teenager, were you really good at soliciting wisdom? Is that what you did?

Do you remember doing that? For example, if someone asks you, well, do you want to have a really good job someday? You ask, oh, yeah, I want a really good job. Well, you know, to get a really good job, you need a really good education. Oh, yeah, yeah, I really need a good education. And to get a really good education, you really need to get good grades while you're in high school.

Oh, yeah, I guess. How many teenagers do you know walk up to teachers, people who have given their lives to the profession of education, devoted themselves to it, and said, I'd like to seek your counsel. I would like you to help me in the learning process.

I would like you to help me get the most of my education so I can get to the destination in life that I'm seeking. Yeah, right. You see, that's not what you do, is it?

You know why? And by the way, we even have in high school, at least I may date myself here, I don't know what they're called today, guidance counselors. These are people that are paid by the state to actually counsel your guidance. What a waste of time that was. You know, well, what did the guidance counselor say?

Well, the guidance counselor said I ought to be an accountant because I like math. Yeah, but I hate routine. Well, that didn't come up. You see, we don't listen. That's the problem. And by the way, it's usually about your mid 20s.

Hopefully some people mid 30s, some people mid 40s, some people never. But you actually go. My parents were right. They were actually right about this stuff. You see, that's the problem, because they won't listen.

Well, moving on. Chapter 11 of Proverbs. Solomon wants to make another point in verse 14. He says where there is no guidance.

The people fall. But in the abundance of counselors. There's victory. You see, where there is no guidance or counsel at all, the people fall or fail. But in the abundance of counselors, there is victory. He said without guidance, you will fall. In other words, if you don't get wise counsel, you'll pay the price. The New Testament says you will reap what you sow.

Now, Solomon spent this whole book then writing good counsel. I mean, if you just drop down, look at verse 19. He who is steadfast in righteousness will attain to life. He who pursues evil will bring about his own death. It's better to live rightly than wrongly.

That makes a lot of sense. Verse 21. Assuredly, the evil man will not go unpunished, but the descendants of the righteous will be delivered.

You can even pass righteousness down to your descendants. Verse 22. You've got to love this verse. As a ring of gold and a pig snout, so is a beautiful woman who lacks discretion. You've got to love that. You see, all a beautiful woman is that doesn't have any discretion at all is just like a pig with a gold ring in its nose.

It looks better than the other pigs, but it's still just a pig. He said the desire of the righteous is only good, but the expectation of the wicked is wrath. He said there is one who scatters, yet increases all the more, and there is one who withholds, who is justly due. He said, but it results only in want. He said the generous man will be prosperous, and he who waters will himself be watered. He who withholds grain, the people will curse him, but blessing will be on him who sells it. Sharing, he said, is a wonderful thing to do.

Withholding is a very bad thing to do. These are just little things about life, the way life actually worked. That's what he devoted his life to.

Could you imagine growing up in Solomon's house, one of his kids? Hey, Dad, what you doing? I'm writing wisdom for the ages, son. What do you mean? Yeah, I'm writing this all down.

I'm inspired by the Spirit of God, and for thousands of years, people will read this about the way in which they should live. Wouldn't that be a big advantage? Wouldn't that have been something? Withhold your thought on that until a little later in the message. Chapter 12, verse 15, the way of a fool is right in his own eyes.

There you go. That's the problem with fools. You see, the way of a fool is obvious to everybody else, but not to him. The way of a fool is right in his own eyes, but a wise man is he who listens to counsel and otherwise acquires wisdom. Chapter 13, verse 10, through presumption comes nothing but strife, but with those who receive counsel is wisdom. Through presumption or assumption, well, I just assumed this is how it would turn out.

How many bad decisions have we made like that? I just assumed I'd be able to pay for it. I just assumed it.

Not worked out. I just assumed that our love would carry the day. I just assumed it.

I just assumed that marriage would be nothing but bliss every day when you got up. I just assumed that. I just assumed that my children would be angels.

Genetically, they would just be predisposed to be angelic. I assumed that. He says, don't be presumptuous. He said if you do that, he said that comes nothing but strife.

Chapter 15, verse 22, without consultation plans are frustrated, but with many counselors they succeed. One of the things that we say around the office with our staff is this. All of us are smarter than any one of us.

Now, with our staff, that's still kind of tough. All of us are smarter than any one of us, and that's true in life. An abundance of counselors really helps to make a good, wise decision. Chapter 19 and verse 20, Solomon says, listen to counsel and accept discipline, that you may be wise the rest of your days. Wow, there's a life verse.

In other words, if I will listen to counsel, good counsel, follow good roadmaps, I could be wise the rest of my days. Notice in verse 21, many are the plans in a man's heart, but the counsel of the Lord, it will stand. You see, it's just like saying there is a way that seems right to a man, but it ends in destruction. A few weeks ago, we dealt with our own human heart. The heart of a man, according to Jeremiah, is desperately wicked. It's deceitful above all things. In other words, who does my heart deceive?

Me. You see, there is a way that seems right to me without any counsel at all. I know what I want to do, but I reap often what I sow. You see, the whole key here is shown in verse 20, is the principle and then the problem. See, the problem is listen.

That's the problem. Do you listen? And I don't mean do you hear? I mean do you listen? Do you abide by the counsel that you hear? Do you listen to wise counsel? Have you listened to wise counsel?

You see, the whole name of this series is The Road Less Traveled. We don't listen well. Only a few, only a few really listen to wise counsel. It's not easy, and it's not a matter of saying, yeah, but you don't know the people that are around me. I don't have anyone wise around me to help me. My parents didn't have any wisdom. No one I've ever met in school, no one has wisdom. That's not the problem probably.

The problem is you. You could have Solomon every day, and it might not make any difference at all. Turn with me now to 1 Kings chapter 12, and let's deal with Solomon's son, Rehoboam.

This whole context is set up by the last verse of chapter 11. Solomon slept with his fathers and was buried in the city of his father David, and his son Rehoboam reigned in his place. Solomon had just finished 40 years of being king of Israel, and he's now dead, and Rehoboam is about to take over. Now, you would think that Rehoboam would have this tremendous advantage.

Let's read what happens. Then Rehoboam went to Shechem, for all Israel had come to Shechem to make him king. Now it came about that when Rehoboam and Jeroboam, excuse me, the son of Nebat, heard of it that he was living in Egypt, for he was in Egypt where he had fled from the presence of King Solomon. And then they sent and they called him in Jeroboam, and all the assembly of Israel, he said, came and spoke to Rehoboam. Jeroboam is an honorable man at this stage of his life. He is a man that was a valiant warrior and a right-hand man of Solomon, but he warned Solomon that he was putting too heavy a yoke on his people, and he said the amount of taxation that you're giving him and how you're backbreaking each of these people with the work that you're making them put in for your building projects, this is not good.

Solomon got mad at him, so he fled. And so he comes back, and notice in verse 4 they offer some advice. Your father made our yoke hard. Now, therefore, lighten the hard service of your father and his heavy yoke, which he put on us, and we will serve you. Good advice.

Good advice. Now, Rehoboam had this advantage. He grew up with Solomon, so he should be a very wise young man.

Let's see what he does. And then he said to them, Depart for three days and then return to me. And so they departed. Wow, that's good. That's good. Big decision. I need time to think about this. I'm not going to make a really fast decision on this. I want three days to think about this before I decide.

That sounds really good. Verse 6, King Rehoboam consulted with the elders who had served his father Solomon while he was still alive, saying, How do you counsel me to answer this people? He's soliciting counsel.

Now, that's good. He's doing exactly what Proverbs 1 said. He's soliciting it. He wants good counsel. Verse 7, they spoke to him and they said this, If you will be a servant to this people today and will serve them, he says, Grant them their petition and speak good words to them, and then they will be your servants forever. There it is. One good speech.

Listen to what people have said, and they will be your servants forever. It sounds all good right now. The next word, though, tips it off. It is the most disappointing word in the Bible, but, but.

Almost every time you see it, something bad happens. But he forsook the counsel of the elders which they had given him, and he consulted with the young men who grew up with him and served him. He's going to his buddies. I don't need these guys. I've got some buddies.

I'm going to go with them. There's nothing quite like your buddies, not of your young boy. Your buddies, they've got it all down.

You're an 18-year-old guy and you've got five or six friends. They know everything. It's amazing what they know. He said to them, what counsel do you give that we may answer this people who have spoken to me saying, lighten the yoke which your father put on us? He solicits their counsel. And now maybe the dumbest words you'll ever read in the Bible.

This is just pure stupidity. The young men who grew up with him spoke to him saying, thus you shall say to the people who spoke to you saying, your father made our yoke heavy. Now you make it lighter for us, but you shall speak to them.

Start out this way. My little finger is thicker than my father's loins. There's a good way to win friends and influence people.

My little finger. How immature is that? That sounds like really wise counsel, doesn't it?

They're not done. Whereas my father loaded you with a heavy yoke, I will add to your yoke. My father disciplined you with whips. I will discipline you with scorpions. By the way, even that's stupid. How would you like to be the guy that has to carry all the scorpions around to discipline people?

What kind of job is that? Carry them in a basket? You've got to pick them up, hand them to someone? I mean, it's just ridiculous. But they thought it was cool. See, these are the young guys. These guys have good advice. I'm going to insult my father, who's been king for 40 years, who is Solomon. I'll insult him first, and then I'll threaten you.

There's some advice. You imagine something so ridiculous. It would be funny if it weren't so sad. Then Jeroboam and all the people came to Rehoboam. On the third day, as the king had directed, saying, return to me on the third day. And the king answered the people harshly, for he forsook the advice of the elders which they had given him. And he spoke to them according to the advice of the young men, saying, my father made your yoke heavy, but I will add to your yoke.

My father disciplined you with whips, but I will discipline you with scorpions. And so the king did not listen to the people, for it was a turn of events from the Lord that he might establish his word, which the Lord spoke, through Ahijah, the Shileanite, to Jeroboam, the son of Nebat. Jeroboam is from the tribe of Ephraim. And what happened to him in the previous chapter is Ahijah, a prophet, came to him and said, I have fabric here, and Ahijah cut it up into 12 pieces. And he gave Jeroboam 10 of them. And he said, you will be king over these 10 tribes.

And he was. He became the king of the 10 tribes of Israel, which became the 10 lost tribes. And Jeroboam became the king of the tribe of Judah, which included Judah and Benjamin. Notice, when all Israel saw that the king did not listen to them, the people answered the king, saying, what portion do we have in David? We have no inheritance in the son of Jesse. To your tents, O Israel. Now look after your own house, David.

We're out of here. So Israel departed to their tents. But as for the sons of Israel who lived in the cities of Judah, Rehoboam reigned over them. Then King Rehoboam sent Adoram, he says, who was over the forced labor.

He's the foreman. And all Israel stoned him to death. He got in real trouble now.

And King Rehoboam made haste to mount his chariot and flee to Jerusalem. And it says, so Israel has been in rebellion against the house of David to this day. They never got back together again. Ever. What are the consequences of one really bad decision? Ten lost tribes. Israel divided forever.

An amazing set of consequences. And he had good advice. He got good advice, but he didn't listen. I'm sure over the years he probably said to those who asked, but my friend said, my friend said, this is what I should do.

Do you have any regrets like that in your life? People who are wise told you, you didn't listen. You see, that's one of the things that's so important here. We need reliable road maps.

That's what we need. We need people who have been there. You see, if there are destinations in your life that you want to get to, who are you listening to?

Who do you listen to? People who have been there? Or no one? Or people like you that have never been there before?

The choice is yours. This past week I read of a young man who took this principle so seriously that he broke his life up into each category. Spirituality, relationships, marriage, fatherhood, career, education, health. He broke his life up into that and then decided that he would seek wise counsel in every area. And so he put together a list of the people that he knew to be the wisest people in each and every one of those fields, people who had been there. And he wrote them a letter saying this to them. I will pay you $100 for one hour of your time to give me wise counsel in this particular area, whatever it was. What was amazing about it is this. Not one person turned him down.

Not one person. The wise were more than happy to give him one hour of their time, and not one person charged him $100 because they were wise. They saw the value in somebody who was willing to solicit wise counsel. You see, seeking out reliable roadmaps in your life doesn't mean you lack wisdom.

It means you're acquiring wisdom. You've been listening to Pastor Bill Gebhardt on the Radio Ministry of Fellowship in the Word. If you ever miss one of our broadcasts, or maybe you would just like to listen to the message one more time, remember that you can go to a great website called OnePlace.com. That's OnePlace.com, and you can listen to Fellowship in the Word online.

At that website, you will find not only today's broadcast, but also many of our previous audio programs as well. At Fellowship in the Word, we are thankful for those who financially support our ministry and make this broadcast possible. We ask all of our listeners to prayerfully consider how you might help this radio ministry continue its broadcast on this radio station by supporting us monthly or with just a one-time gift. Support for our ministry can be sent to Fellowship in the Word 4600 Clearview Parkway, Metairie, Louisiana 7006. If you would be interested in hearing today's message in its original format, that is as a sermon that Pastor Bill delivered during a Sunday morning service at Fellowship Bible Church, then you should visit our website, fbcnola.org.

That's fbcnola.org. At our website, you will find hundreds of Pastor Bill's sermons. You can browse through our sermon archives to find the sermon series you are looking for, or you can search by title. Once you find the message you are looking for, you can listen online, or if you prefer, you can download the sermon and listen at your own convenience. And remember, you can do all of this absolutely free of charge. Once again, our website is fbcnola.org. For Pastor Bill Gebhardt, I'm Jason Gebhardt, thanking you for listening to Fellowship in the Word. .