I. ALL FOOLS (26:1-12).
 

 Honor doesn’t fit him (v.1):  So why should we give him honor?

 He curses without cause (v. 2):  It will not accomplish its purpose.

 He deserves his punishment (v. 3):  The animals are helped by discipline, 
 but not the  fool.

 Choose how to respond to him (vv. 4,5):  You have very good options.

 He doesn’t deserve your trust (v. 6):  He will cause you more pain than
 you can imagine!

 Instruction exposes his crippled soul (v. 7):  Proverbs are very good, but
 they really  make him look bad!

 Honoring him is a mistake (v. 8):  Neither one will “fly.”

 Instruction from him is painful (v. 9):  Please don’t let him teach!

 He deserves what he gets (v. 10):  And it is God’s decree that this is so.

 He follows a sickening pattern (v. 11):  Again and again—he just doesn't
 get it!

 There is someone even worse (v. 12):  The self-conceited, self-willed,
 self-promoting— ultra-fool!
 

II. ONE SLUGGARD (26:13-16).
 

 He has a “powerful” excuse (v. 13):  How long did it take to think this one
 up?  And  how far from reality does he think we are that we would accept
 this?

 He moves but goes nowhere (v. 14):  At least the door is doing what it is
 supposed to  do!  Poor door—to be compared to the slothful,lazy,sluggard.

 He starts but won’t finish (v. 15):  He “dives in”; and then...?

 His thinking time has been as wasted as his working, sleeping, and eating 
 (v. 16):  It  sounds like the sluggard is just another kind of a fool (v. 12).
 

III. SEVEN SINNERS (26:17-28).
 

 Meddlers (v. 17):  It makes about as much sense to catch a wild dog by its
 ears as it does  to meddle.

 Deceivers (vv. 18,19):  He is in the same category as an out-of-control
 madman!  Are  you listening?

 Contentious talebearers (vv. 20-22):  Gossipers and peace are not to be
 found together.   They add fuel to the fire.  They get away with it because
 their tales are “juicy tidbits.”

 Wicked hearts (v. 23):  The appearance is genuine—the reality is the very
 opposite.

 Haters (vv. 24-26):  This sin reproduces and brings forth a variety of 
 others.  Ultimately,  all of this will come to light and the congregation will
 know.

 Hurtful (v. 27): A hurtful person is a sinful person.  There are 19 different
 words for  “hurt” in the Bible (15 in Hebrew; 4 in Greek; see Psalm
 35:4,26; 38:12; 41:7; 70:2;  71:13,24; Isaiah 11:9; 65:25).

 Lying flatterers (v. 28):  Can you see that Solomon through Hezekiah is
 saying to you  that lying and flattery are in the same category?
 
 

1.    Should a fool receive honor (vv. 1,8)?

2.    Shall a curse come without cause (v. 2)?

3.    How is a fool likened to a horse and an ass (v. 3)?

4.    Is there a contradiction in verses 4 and 5?

5.    By whom should we send a message (v. 6)?

6.    What two illustrations are used to show the unseemliness of a parable
       (proverb) in the mouth of fools (vv. 7,9)?

7.    What shall the great God give to fools and transgressors (v. 10)?

8.    Notice verse 11 in comparison with 2 Peter 2:22.  What is the lesson?

9.    Is there much hope for a man who is wise in his own conceit?

10.  Why does a lazy man say there is a lion in the streets (v. 13)?

11.  How is a lazy man’s sleeping like a door (v. 14)?

12.  It hurts a lazy person to do what (v. 15)?

13.  A lazy man thinks himself to be wiser than whom (v. 16)?

14.  What is likely to happen to one who takes a dog by the ears (v. 17)?

15.  Is it right to deceive others “in sport” (v. 19)?

16.  How can we put out strife (v. 20)?

17.  What is a main element in kindling strife (v. 21)?

18.  What kind of words are as wounds (v. 22)?

19.  Verse 23 is similar to Matthew 23:27-28.  In what way is it similar?

20.  Dissembleth = “to hide under a false appearance” (vv. 24-26).  What
       does he teach us about this sin?

21.  What is likely to happen when we set traps for others (v. 27)?  See
       Psalm 7:15.

22.  To what does flattery lead (v. 28)?