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Pastor Mike Mounts

THE POOR WISE MAN & OTHER FORGOTTEN HEROES (Online Sermon) Ecclesiastes 9:11-18 INTRODUCTION He wore #7 on the back of his pin-striped jersey. At that time the NY Yankees were on TV nearly every Saturday. I can still remember when as a boy I used to sit in front of that old large cabinet, black and white TV, and watch Bobby Richardson Elston Howard, Clete Boyer, Roger Maris (#9), and Mickey Mantle (#7). What a duo: Mantle and Maris. I'll never forget Dad taking me to a spring training game in Bradenton, Florida, where I actually had the privilege of seeing Mantle play. In 1956 he won the Triple Crown when he batted .353, hit 52 home runs, and had 130 RBIs. He won 3 MVPs and 4 home run titles. He was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1974. I could just picture myself, one day playing for the Yankees and getting to were a pin-stripped uniform before thousands of people in historic Yankee Stadium. I could just hear baseball commentators, Dizzy Dean and Pee Wee Reese call out my name. Mantle was my hero. I wanted to be just like him. He wore #14. His nickname was "Charlie Hustle." He could play about any position and what an exciting player to watch. He had speed. He played outfield and infield. He developed the head-first slide. Even when he got a base-on-balls, he still ran to first base. He was a switch hitter, and boy what a hitter! On September 11, 1985 at Riverfront Stadium, Pete Rose got his 4,192 hit, to break Ty Cobb's record. Pete ended his career with 4,256 hits. I had the privilege of seeing his play at old Crosley Field, as well as at Riverfront Stadium. Pete was my hero. Webster defines a hero "as anyone admired for their courage, nobility, or exploits. Anyone admired for their qualities or achievements and regarded as an ideal or model." Mantle had tremendous athletic ability and is a baseball legend, and what achievements! But I only saw what he was on the field. I didn't know that off the field he had a serious drinking problem and was an alcoholic. There were games in which he actually played drunk, or with a hangover. He was hardly the ideal role model. I certainly didn't need to pattern my life after him. Then there's good old "Charlie Hustle." He was a "hustler" all right. Because he like to gamble and bet on sports events (even baseball). Pete Rose will never be inducted into Coopers-town. He, too, was hardly the ideal role model. ________________________________________________________________________________ Notice how Solomon describes what are and what are not admirable qualities of a hero" Note: Ecclesiastes 9:11. Heroism is not based on" Who's the fastest Who's the richest Who's the strongest Who's the most clever Who's the most popular Truth is, the athlete super-star, the most ingenious, the wealthiest, and the most popular person in the world are subject to circumstances which lie beyond their control: "Time and chance happen to them all" (v. 11f). For the athlete it could be an injury or charges of domestic violence, as with Ray Rice. A stock market crash could be devastating to people like Bill Gates, Warren Buffet, or the Koch brothers. This year's American Idol winner better enjoy it while he can; there will be another one take his place next year. Popularity comes and goes. In spite of a person's present status, life, or career (they may even appear to be invincible) their time on earth can suddenly and unexpectedly expire. "like fish taken in a cruel net, {and} like birds caught in a snare" (v. 12). Then of course there is the divine and providential hand of God, who ultimately is in control. Truth is, no matter how hard he may try, man is never fully "master of his own fate and captain of his own soul." There are far too many factors and variables. Heroism isn't even based on: -Who's the prettiest. -Who's the most handsome. -Who's the best known. -Or who has the most to say. Note: Ecclesiastes 9:13-18. True heroism is based" On godly wisdom and character (that's the emphasis in the text). On what a person is on the inside. A true hero is willing to remain anonymous (v. 15a). A true hero doesn't need to be recognized (v. 15a). A true hero doesn't need to be remembered (v. 15b). A true hero doesn't need to be rewarded. Just as the old saying goes, "You can't judge a book by its cover," neither can you judge a person simply by their outward appearance. Notice the contrasts in our test: A great king A poor wise man Wealthy Poor Garments of royalty Garments of poverty Impressive Common Commanding presence Unassuming Gave commands Gave wisdom Weapons of war Weapon of wisdom Here is this little town with a few men, being bullied and surrounded by this great and wealthy king, along with his well-trained army. But the great king has finally met his match: a poor wise man! At age 39, he was struck down with polio. His arms, back and hands became partially paralyzed. Despite a worsening physical condition and the urging of many to retire from his political career, he fought back and wouldn't give us. During the depths of the Great Depression and at the age of 51, Franklin Delano Roosevelt became president of the United States. He was actually re-elected three more terms. He served as president during WWII and died shortly before its end. No matter what you think of his politics or policies, he was a man who just wouldn't give up. He was almost totally deaf from childhood. But at the age of 30, Thomas Edison invented the phonograph. His other inventions were the light bulb, microphone, and movies. He was born in poverty, and his formal schooling totaled less than a year. But he gave himself an education, and through hard ward he became a respected lawyer. Although he was tall and lanky, uncomfortable before an audience, spoke in a slow high-pitched voice, and was defeated six times for political office, Abraham Lincoln became the 16th President of the United States. He was a short, hunched-back man, with poor eyesight. He wasn't an eloquent speaker, nor did he have a commanding presence. His enemies regularly questioned his motives and ministry and called him a deceiver and false prophet. He was so hated that chains and tribulation awaited him in every city. Although he spent quite a bit of time in jail, the apostle Paul became the greatest missionary the world has ever known. In spite of the pitfalls, inconsistencies, and immoral behavior of so many athletic figures, Hollywood stars, and music artist, in most cases, these individuals have more impact on the thinking, values and culture of our young people that a year of Sunday School does. That's why as parents it's up to you to make sure your kids know more about Dr. Luke than they do about Dr. Phil. The Book of James (a book on Christian ethics) needs to be more popular with our children than Lebron James. Our daughters and granddaughters need to learn more about great women like Queen Esther, Ruth, Abigail, Lydia, Priscilla and missionaries like Elizabeth Elliot, Amy Carmichael, and Free Will Baptist's own Laura Bell Barnard. Solomon was right. True heroes are often forgotten, unappreciated, unrewarded, despised, and even ignored. Do you think the poor wise man said to himself, "I'll be a hero and one day they'll read about me in the Bible"? Did the five marines who raised the US flag over Iwo Jima in February 1945, do so in order to forever be memorialized in history? A true hero doesn't set out to be a hero. They simply do the heroic, whether they get the credit or not. That's true heroism. The poor wise man of Ecclesiastes 9, though not praised of men, was praised of God. Though not rewarded by men, was rewarded by God. Although he was forgotten by men, he was remembered by God. And although poor in this world, he was rich in faith. As a believer, who are your role models? Who are your heroes? Are you basing your choices by the worlds's venue or a Christian worldview? What sort of role model are you? Is it merely outward show, or is it godly wisdom and internal character? After all, God is always most interested in the heart. While preparing today's sermon, I got to thinking about certain people God has brought into my life. These people have had a major impact and influence on my life, and although not with us today, still have an impact. There is my First Grade teacher, Frances Carter. I learned much more from her than just reading, writing, and arithmetic. My Fifth Grade teacher and principle, Naomi Miller, made learning fun and exciting. She was a woman of velvet steel. Carl Brown taught me a lot of great guitar "licks." Boy! Could he ever play the guitar! Robert Martyn Lloyd-Jones, although I have never met him and is at home today with the Lord, still stirs my soul as I read his sermons. It's as if every page is on fire! There's an old country boy by the name of Harrison Sullivan that I came to know and greatly respect while pastoring in Alabama. What a godly man! A humble man. The fact that I was a "Yankee" from Ohio didn't bother him a bit. In fact, that sort of thing never came up in our conversations. I sat and listened closely as he told me story after story of when he served under General Patton during WWII. Is was amazing as he recalled specific dates, places and events. As I think back, although he was several years my elder, had experienced such historical events, and was a highly decorated soldier, he respected me too. I learned more from him than just history. He was born on May 24, 1917, in a little cabin house in the hills of eastern Kentucky. He was one of seven children. Because of hard times and the size of his family, he went to work and only received a fourth-grade education. He served during WWII from 1943-1946 as a Crew Chief in the US Air Force. Shortly after returning home, he was saved. In the early fifties he was called to preach, and ordained to the ministry. He started two churches and salvaged at least two others that were about to close their doors. His last pastorate was the church where he was saved years earlier. Need I say more? My dad is among my greatest heroes. I took the opportunity to tell him so before he died. That's one of the problems when it comes to real heroes; we take them for granted. We seem to never truly appreciate them until they're gone. Dad never saw himself as a hero, but that's the way heroes are. You can be right in their presence and not even know and not even know it. Well, when it comes to my father, I know it now. And perhaps one day when I get to heaven, I'll get another opportunity to tell him. And to those of you with us today who bravely served our nation: "Thank you!" Our hats off to you. Thank you for protecting the freedom and liberty we enjoy today as Americans. Personally, I wish to thank you. Although I've never been in the military myself, I greatly admire and respect any man or woman who has bravely served our country. And every chance I get, when I see a veteran, I thank them no matter when or where they served. I am grateful for the opportunity to proclaim the Word of God to you today without any outside resistance or threat on our lives. What a blessed privilege! But it has not come without a price. CONCLUSION Several years ago I was asked to preach in chapel service at Genoa Christian Academy, where Sandy used to teach. I asked the pre-school through fifth grade students, "What is a hero?" One little girl answered, "A hero is someone who saves the world." What an answer, especially when it comes to the greatest Hero who ever lived. He lived in poverty, "on the other side of the tracks," and was reared in obscurity. He possessed neither wealth nor influence. He possessed neither wealth nor influence. He didn't have an imposing outward appearance. He didn't look like a hero. His relatives were inconspicuous and He had neither training nor formal education. He did "not cry out, nor raise His voice, nor cause His voice to be heard in the street" (Isaiah 42:2). He didn't try to stir up a following or force His way into power. Even those within His own family resented and rejected Him. Many ignored His words, valued His worth at the price of a common slave, despised and rejected Him, and rewarded Him with crucifixion. Yet He committed the results to His Father. Today, many have forgotten Him and others have used His name as a byword or swear word. But just like any hero, He didn't come to make a name for Himself. He came to glorify the name of His Father. "Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father" (Philippians 2:9-11). He's the ultimate Hero! He's my hero. He's the One I wish to pattern my life after and to follow in His steps (1 Peter 2:21b). What qualities! What accomplishments! What a Savior! Pastor Mike Mounts preached this sermon on November 9, 2014 in the morning service at the Harrison Free Will Baptist Church. All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise noted, are from the New King James Version.