Handout – Highest Place Handout – Jesus, Let Us Come To Know You Opening Prayer 105 – I Am Thine, O Lord 637 – Wonderful City Of God Sermon “Strength Vs. Wisdom” 326 – Trust And Obey S-50 – A Common Love

Isaiah 53 7He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth. 9And he made his grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death; because he had done no violence, neither was any deceit in his mouth. 12Therefore will I divide him a portion with the great, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong; because he hath poured out his soul unto death: and he was numbered with the transgressors; and he bare the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.

Matthew 27: And they stripped him, and put on him a scarlet robe. 29And when they had platted a crown of thorns, they put it upon his head, and a reed in his right hand: and they bowed the knee before him, and mocked him, saying, Hail, King of the Jews! 30And they spit upon him, and took the reed, and smote him on the head. 31And after that they had mocked him, they took the robe off from him, and put his own raiment on him, and led him away to crucify him.

Handout – Highest Place Handout – Jesus, Let Us Come To Know You Opening Prayer 105 – I Am Thine, O Lord 637 – Wonderful City Of God Sermon “Strength Vs. Wisdom” 326 – Trust And Obey S-50 – A Common Love

“Sinful Census” Ecclesiastes 9: Also this I came to see as wisdom under the sun, and it impressed me. 14 There was a small city with few men in it and a great king came to it, surrounded it and constructed large bulwarks against it. 15 But there was found in it a poor wise man and he delivered the city by his wisdom. Yet no one remembered that poor man. 16 So I said, "Wisdom is better than strength." But the wisdom of the poor man is despised and his words are not heeded. 17 The words of the wise heard in quietness are better than the shouting of a ruler among fools. 18 Wisdom is better than weapons of war, but one sinner destroys much good.

“Sinful Census” I. UGLINESS OF INGRATITUDE Here is a city that is in the process of being invaded. It is a small city with just a few men, and we have this powerful king and a huge army building bulwarks against it. There was no hope for a happy ending here…until this poor wise man speaks up and saves the day. But then we come to Solomon’s shocking observation at the end of verse 15, as he says, “Yet no one remembered that poor man.” Solomon has a message for the world today: Be thankful for the poor wise man! Be thankful for wisdom.

“Sinful Census” II. WE ARE NOT TO PUT OUR CONFIDENCE IN HUMAN RESOURCES. We see a number of vivid contrasts—a small city with a few men compared to a great king who constructed a great bulwarks, a single man versus a powerful king. However, Solomon says that the city was delivered—not by physical strength, not by weapons of war, but by nothing more than the wisdom of one man. King Solomon knew this by experience, and so he says it in verse 18, “Wisdom is better than weapons of war.” In other words, might does not make right.

“Sinful Census” III. LISTEN TO THE WISE MAN! In verse 17, Solomon says, “The words of the wise heard in quietness are better than the shouting of a ruler among fools.” It is better to listen to the wise, even though they may be speaking quietly, than it is to listen to the shouting of a foolish ruler. The lesson for us this morning is that we are not to focus on style, we are not to focus on the size of a church, we are not to focus on the programs that are offered, we are not to focus on a dynamic preacher, but we are to focus on the actual words that are spoken. We are to listen to the wise man.

“Sinful Census” IV. SIN CAN RUIN IT ALL We do need to remind each other that one sin can damage a lot of wisdom; one sin can take down an entire congregation; one sin can ruin someone’s reputation and influence for years, if not forever. As Solomon says at the end of verse 18, “…one sinner destroys much good.” We think about the sin of Achan in the opening chapters of the book of Joshua. We think about the sin between David and Bathsheba. There is a value to wisdom, but we should also realize that one sin can do a lot of damage.

“Sinful Census” Conclusion As we close our thoughts on this unappreciated wise man who saved many people, – Is there another wise Man who saved many people who comes to mind? – Another poor man who through His wisdom saved others but was then ignored by the world? – Consider 1 Corinthians 1:18, “...the word of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.”

“Sinful Census” Do we appreciate the wisdom of that plan? Will we join the world in forgetting about the poor wise man, or will we honor Him as we should? “For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sake He became poor, so that you through His poverty might become rich” (2 Corinthians 8:9).