“when heroes let us down”. “shoeless” joe jackson played in the majors from 1908-1920...

“When Heroes Let Us Down”

“When Heroes Let Us Down”

“Shoeless” Joe Jackson played in the majors from 1908-

1920 Lifetime .356 average

“Say It Ain’t So, Joe”

Chicago “Black Sox” Scandal

“Shoeless” Joe Jackson allegedly received $5,000 to help players

from the White Sox throw the 1919 World Series.

“Say It Ain’t So, Joe”

Legend has it that a little boy uttered the words, “Say it ain’t so,

Joe” as JAckson exited the courthouse following his trial.

Those words express the dismay we all feel when one of our heroes

lets us down.

“When Heroes Let Us Down”

“Say It Ain’t So, Joe”

Joe Paterno

Joe Paterno

Penn State Football Coachfrom 1966 – 2011

409 wins (most ever)

“When Heroes Let Us Down”

“Say It Ain’t So, Joe”

Joe Paterno

“Say It Ain’t So, Joe”

Paterno was fired by Penn State Trustees in November, after the

arrest of an assistant coach on his staff on child sexual abuse

charges.

“When Heroes Let Us Down”

“Say It Ain’t So, Joe”

Joe Paterno

“Say It Ain’t So, Joe”

How much Joe Paterno knew of the abusive behavior of his assistant

coach remains to be seen.

Ted HAggard

Pastor of 14,000 member church and president of 30

Million member National Assoc. Of Evangelicals

Ted HAggard

Was forced to resign from his church and N.A.E. as a result of

a scandal involving a male masseuse

2 Sam. 1:17-19 “Then David lamented with this lamentation over Saul and over Jonathan his son, and he told them to teach the children of Judah the Song of the Bow… “The

beauty of Israel is slain on your high places!

How the mighty have fallen!”

what is your response to these downfalls?

ANGer?Disappointment?

Cynicism?

David’s DownFall 2 Sam. 11:1 “It happened in the spring of the year, at the

time when kings go out to battle, that David sent Joab and his servants with him, and all Israel; and they destroyed the

people of Ammon and besieged Rabbah. But David remained at

Jerusalem.”

David’s DownFall 2 Sam. 11:2 “Then it

happened one evening that David arose from his bed and

walked on the roof of the king’s house. And from the roof he

saw a woman bathing, and the woman was very beautiful to

behold.”

David’s DownFall 2 Sam. 11:3-4 “So David sent

and inquired about the woman. And someone said, ‘Is this not

Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliam, the wife of Uriah the Hittite?’ Then David sent

messengers, and took her; and she came to him, and he lay

with her…”

David’s DownFall 2 Sam. 11:5 “And the woman

conceived; so she sent and told David, and said, ‘I am with

child.’”

David committed adultery. Bathsheba became pregnant.

Rather than confess and repent, He tried to cover-up

his sin.

David’s DownFall David brought Uriah back from the front and encouraged him to go home and sleep with his wife, Bathsheba, so he would

think the child was his.

Uriah could not do so in good conscience while his fellow

soldiers remained in the field.

David’s DownFall David’s cover-up turned

deadly as he sent Uriah back to the front carrying instructions to the commander of the army to place Uriah directly in front

of the enemy. When word came back to David that Uriah was Killed in battle, David took Bathsheba as his wife.

God Speaks2 Sam. 12: 7-9 “…Thus says the LORD God of Israel: ‘I anointed you king over

Israel, and I delivered you from the hand of Saul. I gave you your

master’s house and your master’s wives into your keeping, and gave you the house of Israel and Judah. And if that had been too little, I also would

have given you much more! Why have you despised the commandment of

the LORD, to do evil in His sight?’”

What is the Christian Response to heroes who let us down?

1. Pray for them - responsibility

- repentance - restoration

What is the Christian Response to heroes who let us down?

2 Sam. 12:13 “So David said to Nathan, ‘I have

sinned against the LORD.’”

What is the Christian Response to heroes who let us down?

2. Resist the urge to “Pile On”

“All have sinned and fall short…” Rom. 3:23

What is the Christian Response to heroes who let us down?

3. Avoid putting leaders on pedestals. We all have “feet of clay” (Daniel 2:31-33)

What is the Christian Response to heroes who let us down?Prov. 16:18 “Pride

goes before destruction, And a

haughty spirit before a fall.”

What is the Christian Response to heroes who let us down?

4. Do not use Leader’s sin as a license for your own. Learn from their mistakes - Don’t repeat them.

What is the Christian Response to heroes who let us down?

5. REMEMBER THAT JESUS WILL NEVER LET YOU DOWN!

What is the Christian Response to heroes who let us down?Heb. 13:5 “For He

Himself has said, ‘I will never leave you nor

forsake you.’”

What is the Christian Response to heroes who let us down?

Heb. 4:15 “For we do not have a high priest who is unable to

empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one

who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did

not sin.

Hope for AllDavid repented of his sin (read Psalm

51) and received God’s

discipline. God showed David grace &

eventually restored him.

Hope for AllIn Acts, Paul refers to David as “A Man After God’s Own Heart,” and reminds his listeners that Jesus’ lineage

goes through David’s family.

Hope for AllNone of us are beyond

the reach of God’s Grace!

Receive It Today!

Pray for God’s forgiveness in Christ!