"Restless" Under a Rock

Restlessweek17 Under a Rock Ecclesiastes 9:13-10:20

“Do you live under a Rock?” Meaning “you don’t get out much” or we say that to people who don’t know much about the world around them or people that follow old fashioned guidelines rules and ways of living.

Watching the series finale of LOST in the final scenes Jack realizes he is dead we see stained glass window behind his dad with all the major world religions and some extras.

This a reflection on our society saying wisdom and salvation can come in many different forms and from different places. This is very unpopular to say but that is a lie. The loud voice of society and the strong and rich are not the best place to find wisdom.

9:13-18 You may be surprised where you will find true wisdom.
Illustration of a person of prominence and an insignificant person.

But look at the irony of just something like the show LOST and its finale “a man Jack dies for his friends” society can’t even shake the fact that that is the ultimate display of love John 15:13 smile on Jacks face when the plane flew over. GOSPEL

And to boot the concept of “letting go” Matthew 11:28 “Come to me”

Point being is even our cultural context screams that there is wisdom and value in the Bible and more specifically Christ and they don’t even realize they are doing so.

So today we will examine that wisdom comes from living “Under THE Rock” 10:1-20 Recommended Wisdom from THE ROCK Through Solomon

Two different groups. . 1. Common people 2. People called to greater responsibility** These groups are not in order so I will make it plane who Solomon is talking to.

-Vrs. 1-3 Protect your reputation you may make many wise decisions but it only takes a few foolish ones to ruin that

-Vrs 4 Remain Faithful Do your duty to the Lord even when you have trouble with those above you. Parent and child illustration. Boss and employee (develop and find some good illustrations for this one)

-Vrs 5-7** Carefully give out responsibility Leaders need to be wise with who the put in positions. This gets very difficult especially in a church setting. Many times people are elevated into a place of leadership that should not be. It falls on the leader who is responsible. Then how do we know who we can trust. 1. Ask the Lord 2. Let the people show desire 3. Communicate the standards they need to adhere to.

Here are two problems that arise when leaders empower the wrong people. 1. The wrong people will be destructive, sometime on purpose by many time by accident. 2. You scare of the right people. Maybe by poor leadership or maybe just for the simple fact they will see the position filled.

A consequence we will face is the wrong person is in leadership and the right person is not because the spot is filled. “Slow to put into leadership and quick to take out”
Then we see the consequences that a leader may face when they put the wrong person in a position Vrs 8-11

-Vrs 8-11 Avoid poor planning Accidental or poor planning consequences. 5P’s of preparation. A fool does not think through what he does

-Vrs12 Speak Grace Wise words are gracious

-Vrs 13-14 Guard your words How do you use your words? What are you saying? Do you gossip, complain, curse, disrespectful to others, critical, give your opinion too much.

-Vrs 15 Don’t be selfish. A fools work is for the world and their selfish pleasures and the result is they are restless

-Vrs 16-17** Treat people with dignity and respect “King is a child” a big baby, things have to go my way, because I said so. It is not a sign strength but of weakness. And the rulers god is his own pleasure. Leaders need to treat people under you with dignity and respect and not be childish in your dealings with them.

How can this play out in modern day? Christ centered living Arthur Guinness…Historical climate he lived in was undrinkable water. The “Gin Craze” “drunk for a penny, drop dead drunk for 2 pence”

Guinness was in church and visiting pastor was John Wesley came to preach. No one is sure what Wesley preached that day but based upon his teaching in other places Guinness probably heard something along the lines of “Earn all you can, save all you can and give all you can” “use your abundance for the good of mankind”
He lived by the motto “my hope is in God”

Noted as the best place to work in Ireland
Here is what he and the Guinness company did for their workers
-Founded the first Sunday School program in Ireland
-Paid 15-20% more than other companies
-Two doctors on staff to take care of workers and their families and make house calls
-Two dentists to do the same
-Two pharmacists and two nurses
-Hospital beds were provided
-Retirees received pensions that they did not contribute to which extended to the widows as well
-Guinness paid for the majority of the funeral if an employee passed
-Savings bank at the company which allowed employees to borrow on mortgage to buy a home
-To make sure quality of life in the homes was well, Guinness would sponsor contests in sewing, cooking, decorating and gardening with cash prizes
-Concerts and lectures were provided for the wives of employees to enrich her as she cared for the home and children during the day
-Sponsored and founded an athletic union for sporting events for the employees to compete in.
-Library and music society on company premises
-“Workmens Rooms” for the workers to read and think and focus his mind on things other then his work
-Paid for people ages 14-30 for education in technical schools in Dublin
-“Excursion Day” 1 day a year all expenses paid for whole family
-On the Jubilee of Queen Victoria, Guinness paid an extra weeks salary
-Two pints of Guinness a day

-Vrs 18 Work Hard A Fool is lazy

-Vrs 19 Be a good steward. food, wine, money Ecclesiastes 5:10 Money does not satisfy. Or answer the questions of the soul. But in this text money is exchangeable and can get you food, wine and the comforts in this life. It does have a degree of power. No wise person says there is no necessity of money.

-Vrs 20 Watch your attitude “in your thoughts” Your attitude will come through (sin starts in the heart) Don’t judge the “Haves” you don’t know why they “have” Let them do as they see fit in the Lord “bird of the air” consequences

What “rock” are you living under?