Give Me Wisdom

We're going to begin our worship this evening by singing to God's praise in Psalm 96a.

That's in the Sing Psalms version, page 126 of the Psalm book.

We're going to sing from verse 1 to verse 9, and the tune is Glasgow.

Psalm 96a, O sing a new song to the Lord, sing praises to his name, and his salvation

day by day, let all the earth proclaim.

His glory and his mighty deeds to every land declare, how great and awesome is the Lord,

with him no gods compare.

We'll sing from verse 1 to 9 to God's praise.

O sing a new song to the Lord, sing praises to his name, and his salvation day by day.

Let all the earth proclaim.

His glory and his mighty deeds to every land declare, how great and awesome is the Lord,

with him no gods compare.

How great and awesome is the Lord, with him no gods compare.

For other gods are wooden stone, the Lord made heaven's high.

All power and majesty and his, he dwells in glorious light.

All nations to the Lord, the Lord has cried, the glory that is due.

Glow thee and strength, ascribe to God, and praise his name anew.

Glow thee and strength, ascribe to God, and praise his name anew.

Enter his course with joy and dream, and offer him with you.

Worship the Lord in holy fear, all earth before him now.

Glow thee and strength, ascribe to God's praise.

We'll come to God in prayer.

Let us pray.

Lord our God, our Father in heaven, we do thank you to be able to draw near to you,

to be able to worship and praise your name,

to remember that you are king and lord over all,

to remember that your throne, the throne on high, is secure,

and that nothing can remove it, that you are unchanging and unchangeable.

We thank you for these words that we have sung in praise to you,

of all your mighty deeds that you have done,

and the way you declare them to all the nations of this world.

How great and awesome is the Lord, with him no gods compare.

And we thank you that these words are through,

down through every generation and for all people,

far and wide, even this day, these words are through.

For they echo not just the words that we read before us,

but they echo the words that come from yourself as God on high,

that there is no one or nothing that can help us in the way that you can.

And yet, as a people, we so often seek to find a way by ourselves.

We seek to help ourselves with the things that we cannot possibly achieve.

And so we pray, Lord, that you will help us to look to you

and to realize that you are our only help,

that you are our only hope of salvation.

For we do not live in this world alone just for a time,

although we can enjoy many things in this life.

Again and again, we are reminded that here we are but for a moment.

Here our days will pass us by so quickly.

Here our days will come to an end.

But as your word tells us, there is an eternity for all.

And the eternity that we will have depends on how we see you.

You have revealed yourself to us.

You have spoken to us and continue to speak to us

through your wonders of creation and through your word and by your spirit.

And yet, as we see and hear so much, we can still remain deaf.

We can still think that it means nothing and is of little importance.

But, Lord, we pray for your spirit to work in our midst,

to help us to realize the great importance and the great need

of the gospel that we all have,

that there is only life and life eternal

through your Son, the Lord Jesus Christ.

For the alternative that we are reminded of in your word

is that we will eternally perish,

that we will suffer, Lord.

And yet, O Lord, even as we hear these words,

we still think that we can go on enjoying life without you.

So how we need you, Lord, and how we pray

that you will give us wisdom,

that you will give us understanding,

that you will give us a knowledge of Jesus Christ,

that we will come and bow before him

and worship him alone.

Father, Sam reminds us that other gods are wood and stone,

but the Lord made heaven's height.

All power and majesty are his.

He dwells in glorious light.

And so we thank you that your gospel is glorious and powerful

and able to shine light into our midst

and even able to open our eyes and to help us to see

and to know the wonder of Jesus.

And so we pray, Lord, that for all of us here

and all who gather to worship you,

whether tuning in online this evening

or whether gathering in other places around our islands,

our nation, or the world,

that your word will go out with power,

that it will go out mightily, Lord,

and mightily to save.

We do thank you for the gospel and all who proclaim it.

We thank you that it is bearing fruit throughout the world.

And may it be, Lord, that that would continue

until the day of the Lord's return,

that we would see and hear of people coming to faith,

that we would see and hear prayers being answered,

even prayers offered many years or even generations ago,

that your blessing would be poured out on nations near and far,

that your peace that passes understanding would come

and reign in our midst.

We do acknowledge, Lord, our sinfulness.

We acknowledge how far short we fall of your glory.

We are sinners before God.

And yet we thank you that there is forgiveness,

that you are a God who longs for people to come

and confess their sins and turn from them

and find with you that mercy,

that mercy that is able to transform and to keep us,

to keep us looking to Jesus.

And we thank you, Lord, for your patience and longsuffering towards us.

We thank you that you are a God who in wrath remembers mercy.

And so we pray, Lord, that you will indeed come in a day of your power.

Remember us as a people here.

We thank you that you are God and Lord

to be called upon in all our different needs.

And so that whatever cares and burdens we may have this evening,

that we can bring them all to you,

as we have heard the one who made the heavens high.

And we pray, Lord, this evening for all who need you,

as we all do, and many with particular needs.

We thank you, Lord, that you are the one who hears and is able to answer prayers

and to answer them even beyond all we ask or imagine.

And help us and give us faith as we pray.

And not to restrain ourselves and our requests,

but to bring them boldly to you,

acknowledging that it's not dependent on us or our own abilities,

but on the one who is able to do all things.

And so we do ask, Lord, that you will bless us and be with us as a people.

Bless our homes and our families and our community far and wide.

That you will remember us, O Lord,

and remember those who are unwell at this time.

Remember those who are in hospital.

Remember those who are going through particular difficulties.

As we have heard, we remember Professor McLeod at this time.

We commit him to you, O Lord, in his own time of weakness just now.

Thankful, Lord, that you are his Lord and God.

Thankful for all that he has done for you

throughout his life and ministry in so many different ways.

And thankful for all the promises that he and we all can claim at such times as this.

That as we rest in you, we have hope.

And so surround him, Lord, with your peace, with your mercy.

Be with his wife and sons and brother and sister too, Lord.

And all who remember him at this time, may you draw near to them and be with them, we pray.

And others going through similar experiences, Lord.

We know that many are known unto us and many throughout our islands and indeed around the world, O Lord.

We know that there are great needs all over the place.

And yet, O Lord, we marvel that your eyes are upon all.

That you hear every prayer offered up.

That you know every need.

That you know every individual near and far.

So, Lord, we thank you that you are able in all things.

We do pray, O Lord, your goodness to us as a nation and as nations of the world.

Again, as we have heard so much in this last week of the coronation of a king.

And as we continue to hear so much going on in our world in terms of conflicts and natural disasters.

Even today, hearing of Bangladesh and Myanmar.

And the cyclone that's hit there and caused such devastation.

And we hear so often, Lord, of tragedies near and far.

As we have remembered today already the sadness over our island at this time after the accident in Balallan.

We know, O Lord, that we are not immune to any of these things.

And you remind us time and again of how precious life is.

And how much we need you.

And how much, O Lord, that you are able to give if we but ask.

And so we pray for your mercy and help to all in different times of need just now.

Remember us, Lord, we pray.

And bless your word to us this evening.

Help us to have ears to hear and to understand the need that we hear in the gospel.

Our own personal need.

And that it would become a personal, become personal to us in a saving way.

To know the Savior, Christ Jesus.

May you bless us together then here and be with us this evening and in the days ahead as well.

We pray for the young ones who meet in the youth fellowship later on.

That your blessing be with them there.

We thank you for that unity among our young people to be able to share in times of fellowship.

And we pray you will bless them and watch over them.

Continue to remember those who are sitting exams in these days as well.

Be their help and be their strength.

Be with students who come home for the holiday season just now as well.

May you bless them in their time at home and look after them day by day.

Remember us, Lord, throughout the week and all that goes on.

As we think of the AGM in this coming week, we give you thanks, Lord, for your goodness to us.

That you remember us, Lord, and you provide for us in so many ways.

And even in times of great change and turbulence over this past year, you have been faithful, Lord.

And we thank you for all who have given generously to us as a people here and as a congregation.

And indeed to our denomination over this past year.

We thank you, Lord, for the many who give generously week by week.

And we pray your blessing on all that we do in your name.

That we honour you that you would honour us.

We pray too, Lord, for the fellowship of your people.

That you will be in our midst, O Lord, to bless, to encourage us and to build us up in the faith.

To rejoice in our Saviour.

To rejoice in the hope of salvation.

To rejoice in sinners being saved.

So, Lord, we commit ourselves into your hands.

Go before us, bless us, guide us and keep us.

Pardoning all our sins as we ask it all.

In Jesus' name. Amen.

Amen.

We're going to sing again to God's praise.

This time in Psalm 24 in the Scottish Psalter.

Page 230 of the psalm books.

Psalm 24.

We're going to sing from verse 1 to verse 5.

And the tune is Paisley.

Psalm 24 at verse 1.

Which reminds us that the earth belongs unto the Lord and all that it contains.

The world that is inhabited and all that there remains.

So, we'll sing from verse 1 to verse 5 to God's praise.

Amen.

The earth belongs unto the Lord.

For the foundations thereof.

And all that there remains.

The earth belongs to the Lord and all that it contains.

The world that is inhabited and all that there remains.

The world that is inhabited and all that there remains.

For the foundations thereof.

The earth belongs to the Lord and all that there is.

The earth belongs to the Lord and all that there is.

on the seas daily,

and he hath been established

upon the floods to stay.

Who is the man that shall assail

into the hill of God?

Or who within his holy place

shall have a firm abode?

Whose hands are clean,

whose heart is pure

and untimely,

who hath not lived in abyssal,

nor sworn be seen holy?

He from the eternal shall receive

the blessing him upon,

and righteousness dim from the God

of his salvation.

I will turn together to reading God's word

in 2 Chronicles chapter 1.

2 Chronicles 1 · chapter mention

2 Chronicles chapter 1.

2 Chronicles 1 · chapter mention

We can read the whole of this chapter together.

Amen.

Solomon, the son of David,

established himself in his kingdom,

and the Lord his God was with him

and made him exceedingly great.

Solomon spoke to all Israel,

to the commanders of thousands

and of hundreds,

to all the judges,

and to all the leaders in all Israel,

the heads of fathers' houses.

And Solomon and all the assembly with him

went to the high place that was at Gibeon,

for the tent of meeting of God,

which Moses the servant of the Lord

had made in the wilderness,

was there.

But David had brought up the ark of God

from Kiriath-Jerim

to the place that David had prepared for it,

for he had pitched a tent for it in Jerusalem.

Moreover, the bronze altar

that Bezalel, the son of Uri,

son of Ha,

had made was there

before the tabernacle of the Lord.

And Solomon and the assembly

resorted to it.

And Solomon went up there

to the bronze altar before the Lord,

which was at the tent of meeting,

and offered a thousand burnt offerings on it.

In that night,

God appeared to Solomon

and said to him,

Ask what I shall give you.

And Solomon said to God,

You have shown great and steadfast love

to David my father,

and have made me king in his place.

O Lord God,

let your word to David my father

be now fulfilled,

for you have made me king

over a people as numerous

as the dust of the earth.

Give me now wisdom and knowledge

to go out and come in before this people.

For who can govern this people of yours,

which is so great?

God answered Solomon,

Because this was your heart,

and you have not asked possessions,

wealth, honour,

or the life of those who hate you,

and have not even asked long life,

but have asked wisdom and knowledge for yourself,

that you may govern my people

over whom I have made you king.

Wisdom and knowledge are granted to you.

I will also give you riches,

possessions, and honour,

such as none of the kings had who were before you,

and none after you shall have the like.

So Solomon came from the high place at Gibeon,

from before the tent of meeting,

to Jerusalem,

and he reigned over Israel.

Solomon gathered together chariots and horsemen.

He had fourteen hundred chariots

and twelve thousand horsemen,

whom he stationed in the chariot cities,

and with the king in Jerusalem.

And the king made silver and gold

as common in Jerusalem,

as stone,

and he made cedar as plentiful

as the sycamore of Shefela.

And Solomon's import of horses

was from Egypt and Kew,

and the king's traders would buy them

from Kew for a price.

They imported a chariot from Egypt

for six hundred shekels of silver

and a horse for a hundred and fifty.

Likewise, through them,

they were exported to all the kings

of the Hittites and the kings of Syria.

Amen, and may God bless that reading

from his word.

Before we turn to look at that passage,

we're going to sing again to God's praise

in Psalm 126.

The Sing Psalms version,

we'll sing the whole of this psalm

on the tune of the psalm,

and the tune is Denfield.

Psalm 126 on page 171.

When Zion's fortunes God restored,

it was a dream come through.

Our mouths were then with laughter filled,

our tongues with songs anew.

The nations said,

The Lord has done great things for Israel.

The Lord did mighty things for us,

and joy our hearts knew well.

We'll sing the whole of this psalm

to God's praise.

Amen.

When Zion's fortunes God restored,

it was a dream come through.

Our mouths were then with laughter filled,

our tongues with songs anew.

The nations said,

The Lord has done great things for Israel.

The Lord did mighty things for us,

and joy our hearts knew well.

Restore our fortunes,

gracious Lord,

like streams in desert soil.

A joyful harvest will reward

The weak in sober toil.

The man who bailed seed to sow

rose out with tears of grief.

Well come again with songs of joy,

failing his heart was she.

We can turn back together to our reading

in 2 Chronicles chapter 1.

2 Chronicles 1 · chapter mention

2 Chronicles chapter 1,

2 Chronicles 1 · chapter mention

our focus is mainly on verse 7 to verse 10,

where we see God asking a question of Solomon

and Solomon's response.

We read at verse 7,

In that night God appeared to Solomon

and said to him,

Ask what I shall give you.

And Solomon said to God,

You have shown great and steadfast love

to David my father,

and have made me king in his place.

O Lord God,

let your word today,

my father,

be now fulfilled,

for you have made me king

over a people as numerous

as the dust of the earth.

Give me now wisdom and knowledge

to go out and come in before this people,

for who can govern this people of yours,

which is so great?

God's question and Solomon's response.

And in the midst of what's happening here,

we're seeing the theme of wisdom.

Now, what does it mean to be wise?

What does it mean to be wise?

And as you look around yourself here this evening,

do you see people who you think,

well, they've got wisdom,

or others you maybe think,

well, they're quite foolish.

The Bible describes wisdom and foolishness

in a number of different ways.

It says the fool is the one who says in their heart

that there is no God.

Now, is there any fools in here this evening

in light of that?

I hope there isn't.

There's no one foolish enough to say

that there is no God.

So then what is wisdom?

Well, wisdom is to look to God

and to trust in him,

to trust in what we learn from his scriptures

that reminds us that with him,

there is salvation.

With him, there is much to be keen.

So who is wise and who is foolish?

We often think of wisdom as having knowledge.

And there's many people maybe in here tonight,

many of the younger ones,

you've been sitting exams

or are sitting exams over these weeks.

And you think to yourself,

you've been learning so much over this last year

and now you've got to answer questions.

You've got to show what knowledge

you've learned over this year

and to put it down on paper.

Now, is that knowledge the same as being wise?

Well, you could get straight A's in your exams

and still not be wise,

be quite foolish.

Or you could fail all your exams

and yet still be wise.

How so?

Well, it depends how you look at wisdom

and what wisdom is to you.

Jim Parker wrote a book called Knowing God.

And in that book, he says that wisdom

is the power to see

and the inclination to choose

the best and the highest goal

together with the surest means

of attaining it.

Now, what was,

he's speaking about there,

the best and highest goal?

Well, the clue is in the title of the book.

It is to know God,

to trust in him.

And the surest means of attaining this

is to listen to what his word

is telling us

and to be guided by that word

because that is where wisdom is found.

Wisdom is found with God.

Now, there are many things in this world

that will tell us otherwise,

that our wisdom is found

in many other different means

apart from God.

And yes, there is much we can learn

in this world

from other kinds of teachings

and knowledge.

things that are good to know

and important for us to know.

But through wisdom,

through knowledge,

through understanding

is found with God.

And our reading here this evening

reminds us of that.

Who was the wisest man

to ever live?

Well, the Bible tells us

it was Solomon.

He had wisdom beyond any

who were before him

and any who would be after him.

And yet, even in his own experience,

there were times

when he was foolish.

And yet, God gave him

this wisdom too.

Here is a man who was appointed

as leader over a nation,

over a people.

And in looking for a way forward

in how he was to govern

and rule over these people,

what does he do?

He asks God for wisdom.

And when we think of the world

in which we live

and the turmoil that there is

throughout our nation

and so many nations of the world,

especially as we think

of leadership

and the goals of leadership today,

we think of how wisdom

and leadership is lacking

in so many ways.

And how we need

the wisdom of God

for those who rule over us

on every level of life

and for ourselves

to be led and guided

by the wisdom of God.

And that is what God offers us

through his word.

He invites us to have

this wisdom.

No matter how foolish we've been,

no matter all that we've done

in our life,

he says,

come and I can give you wisdom.

I can help you understand

the things of this world.

Have you ever put yourself

in a situation

and you think,

if I had one wish,

what would I ask for?

What request would I make

if I had one wish?

The world so often

puts that temptation

in front of us

in so many different ways.

It tells us

what we need

and what difference

it'll make in our lives.

And so much of it

is based on finances.

The lottery says

it could be you.

Betting firms say,

win big

and live life to the full.

There's so many temptations

put in front of us

that this is what

is going to satisfy.

This is what is going to make

all the difference

in your life.

The foreign holidays,

the luxury homes,

the fine cars,

all of these things.

This is what you need.

This is what will satisfy you.

But the trouble

and the temptation

that this world offers us

is we only think

of ourselves

and so much of it

just in a temporary way.

Things that will make

a difference

for a moment

but ultimately

are never going to give us

that true satisfaction,

that true joy.

What would you wish for?

Well, here Solomon

is given

that very opportunity.

When God comes to him,

he gives him this opportunity

to have

whatever he wants

and what a response

he has.

How many of us

would respond

like him?

Given this opportunity,

you can have

whatever you want.

how many of us

would respond

and be honest

in the same way

as Solomon responds

here.

But there really is

a lesson for us

both in the question

and the one who asks

the question

and the response

that Solomon gives.

It reminds us

that we can ask

great things

of God.

And it reminds us, too,

that he is able

to give great things

to his people.

Not seeking things

for our glory

but for his.

And so let's just

consider

these two things

together for a time

from this passage.

God's question

and how it shows us

how he is a God

of abundance.

And then secondly,

we look at Solomon's response

and his response

and his response

in asking

for wisdom.

So first,

we look at God's question.

And the question

there in verse 7,

ask what I

shall give you.

Ask what I

shall give you.

Solomon was David's son.

David who had been king

over God's people.

If you just turn back

one page

to the end

of 1 Chronicles,

you see there

where it tells us

that Solomon

was anointed king

and David,

his father,

passed away.

In verse 22,

in the middle

of verse 22,

it says,

they made Solomon

the son of David

king

the second time

and they anointed him

as prince

for the Lord

and Sadoc

as priest.

And then it says

in verse 26,

thus David,

the son of Jesse,

reigned over Israel.

The time that he had

reigned over Israel

was 40 years

and then he died,

it says,

at a good age.

So David had been king

and now Solomon

is anointed king

in his place.

And that's what we see

then as we come into

2 Chronicles chapter 1.

2 Chronicles 1 · chapter mention

We're really continuing on

from where 1 Chronicles left.

What had proceeded there

we see continuing now

and especially as you look

at verse 1.

Solomon,

the son of David,

established himself

in his kingdom

and the Lord,

his God,

was with him

and made him

exceedingly great.

David had been blessed

blessed by God

and given so much

as king over Israel.

And again,

David was wise

and yet foolish

at times himself

as well.

He was given

the wisdom of God.

And now we come

to Solomon,

his son.

And verse 1

makes it very clear

for us,

the Lord

was with him.

The Lord

was with him.

And for any nation,

for any king,

for any people,

for any church,

for any individual,

that is key.

The Lord

with us.

That is what we need.

And this is what God

offers

to his people.

He is a God

of abundance.

Because with God

on our side,

we have one

who is able

to give us

anything

that we need

or desire.

That's what

his question

is about

in verse 7.

Ask what I

shall give you.

God is saying

this to Solomon.

Able to give him

anything

that this world

has to offer.

The Bible

teaches us

that the earth

is the Lord's

and the fullness

thereof.

We sang that

in Psalm 24.

Everything

we see around us,

it all belongs

to God.

The cattle

on a thousand hills

belong to God,

Psalm 50 tells us.

So you read

throughout Scripture,

you see everything

belongs to God.

And this is the God

who is saying

to Solomon,

Ask,

ask of me

what I shall

give you.

Every year,

there's a day

set aside.

It's called

World Earth Day.

People in that day

are challenged

about the impact

that we have made

or are making

on all the creation

around us.

And year by year,

this goes on,

reminding us

of the great damage

that's being caused

to our world,

to God's creation,

and challenging us

about our attitudes

towards it.

One of the greatest

problems

that this world

sees today

is a selfish

people.

A people who think

it's all

for me.

It's all

for myself

to enjoy

and to do

as I please.

Now we're thinking

of individuals

in that sense,

but also looking

in a broader sense

where we see

it's so much

of life

is for this moment,

for this day.

To reap as much

as we can,

to make as much

money as we can

for ourselves

in the here

and now.

Because we think

it's ours.

And yet God's

word reminds us

that it's his.

Right from the very

beginning

in Genesis

with Adam and Eve,

they were given

care over God's

creation.

To look after it,

to care for it.

Because it is his.

And he is able

to give us

abundantly from it.

He is able

to take away

from us as well.

It is all

in his hands.

The earth

belongs

unto the Lord

and the fullness

thereof.

It is all

his.

And it's in light

of that knowledge

that we see God

asking this question.

Ask what I

shall give you.

It's an open

invitation that

shows God

has control

over everything.

It's a reminder

to Solomon.

It's a reminder

to ourselves.

Who is in

control

of this world?

As we were hearing

this morning,

who is king

over this world?

It is the Lord

who is king.

It is the Lord

who rules

over it all.

He has control

over it all.

He is able

to give

from all

that already

belongs

to him.

God's control

and reach

goes far

and wide,

but it challenges

us.

How much

do we trust

God?

How much

did Solomon

trust God?

Well, fully

as we shall see.

But how much

do we

trust God

ourselves?

When a world

that so often

mocks God,

in a world

that so often

puts God

away and

belittles God

and says

he's not real,

he doesn't exist,

he's just a fairy tale,

a myth,

does that shake

our faith?

Does that shake

our belief

in him?

Does it make us

think,

well,

can God

do this?

Can God

really provide

for me

in this way?

Can God

help me

in this need

that I have?

Do you see

God as

all-powerful,

all-seeing,

all-knowing

God?

Or do we,

because of what

the world says,

put restrictions

on God?

Is your attitude

one where you're

saying,

well,

if only God

could help me

in this,

but he can't?

Or is our attitude

as it should be,

I thank the Lord

that he is

on my side,

that I can

trust him,

that he will

help me,

for that is

his promise.

To be with us

no matter what.

We think of

the opportunity

of the question

that God

puts to Solomon

here.

Have others

experienced

this opportunity

as well?

Well,

you see,

down through

the Scriptures,

that is something

that's put before

others too.

It's put before

us all,

even here

this evening,

because God

asks of us,

ask what I

shall give

to you.

And God

has made

provision.

And what's

the greatest

provision

that God

has made

for us?

The greatest

provision is all,

of all that he

gave his son,

that he gave us

the way,

not just for

blessings in

this life,

but blessings

for eternity.

that in the

Lord Jesus

we have one

who provides

all that we

need.

We're at the

cross,

we see he

gave his life

that we might

have life

and have it

abundantly,

have it to

the full.

God was

willing to

give out of

his abundance

because everything

is his.

The earth

belongs to

the Lord

in the fullness

thereof.

And so much

so that he

gave of his

abundance,

he gave his

son,

the Lord

Jesus Christ.

So does that

not show us

a God

who is able,

a God

who is willing,

a God

who has

done so much

to help us

already?

So here is

God saying

to us

this evening,

ask what I

shall give

you.

And what's

our response?

What are we

asking for?

It's another

wonderful

incident in

the Gospels

where we

see this

very same

kind of

question being

asked.

Jesus

asks this

question in

two different

settings.

He asks,

what do you

want me

to do

for you?

It's in the

Gospel of

Mark,

Mark 10 · chapter mention

chapter 10.

And the

first account

is when he's

with James

and John.

Two of his

disciples,

two you would

think would

know best

of all

what to

ask for.

And Jesus

says to

them,

what do you

want me

to do

for you?

And what's

their response?

Well, you see,

they're fools.

They say,

we want one

to sit on

your right

hand and

one on

your left

hand in

glory.

They're asking

honor and

glory for

themselves.

Such a

selfish

response.

And what's

Jesus'

response to

that?

He says,

you don't

know what

you are

asking for.

You don't

realize what

you are

asking for.

Then the

very same

question is

asked of

someone in

a very

different

situation.

And later

on, at

the end

of chapter

10 of

Mark,

that same

question,

what do

you want

me to

do for

you,

is asked

of a

man called

Bartimaeus,

a blind

beggar.

Here is

someone who's

been suffering

most of

his life,

begging at

the side

of the

road,

and Jesus

asks him,

what do

you want

me to

do for

you?

Now,

of all

the things

he could

have asked

for,

of all

the things

that this

one who

cannot give

anything in

this whole

world,

what does

he ask

for?

He says,

Lord,

that I

might see.

There is

wisdom.

Lord,

that I

might see.

And he's

not just

talking about

physically

seeing.

He knows

who it

is that's

passing by.

He knows

it's Jesus

that's passing

by,

and it is

him that

he wants

to see,

because you

see,

after he

sees,

it says

he follows

him on

the way.

He sees

Jesus

and follows

him.

So,

Jesus asks

that question,

what do

you want

me to

do for

you?

What do

we want

of God

tonight?

What would

you ask

God for

if he was

to say,

I have

this one

thing that

you can

ask for?

What are

you going

to ask

for?

Well,

Solomon has

asked that

question.

Ask

what I

shall

give you.

God for

me?

The letter

of James

says,

if anyone

lacks

wisdom,

let him

ask God

who gives

generously to

all without

reproach.

do we

lack

wisdom

ourselves

tonight?

Do we

lack

wisdom

from the

God

who is

able to

give us

anything

in this

world?

What are

we asking

for?

Are we

pleading

with him?

Like

Bartimaeus,

Lord,

let me

see.

Let me

see

Jesus.

because

there

is

wisdom.

God

says,

ask

for

whatever

you

want

me

to

give

to

you.

So,

how

do

you

respond?

Well,

let's

look at

secondly,

Solomon's

response

and the

response

that he

gives

to God

with this

request.

He says

this in

verse 10,

give me

no

wisdom

and

knowledge.

Give

me

no

wisdom

and

knowledge.

So,

as we

see

a God

who is

a God

of

abundance,

we see

the way

to enjoy

this

abundance

is a

right

view

of

who

God

is

and

a

right

response

to

God.

If

we

want

to

know

the

blessing

of

God

in

our

lives,

we

need

to

learn

lessons

from

how

Solomon

responds

in this

chapter.

There's

three

things we

can

take

from

his

response

and

his

approach

to

God.

The

first

thing

is

this,

he

worships

God.

There

is

the

first

thing

that we

want to

take

from

this.

He

worships

God.

You

see it

in

verse

6.

The

whole

setting

here

is

one

where

Solomon

has

gone

to

worship

God.

He

went

up

there

to

the

bronze

altar

before

the

Lord

which

was

at

the

tent

of

meeting

and

offered

a

thousand

burnt

offerings

on it.

He

was

giving

worship

to

God.

The

book

of

Proverbs

is

a

book

that's

full

of

wisdom.

A

book

full

of

wisdom.

And

it

says

the

fear

of

the

Lord

is

the

beginning

of

all

wisdom.

We

were

reminded

of

that

this

morning

as

well.

That

word

fear

means

worship

and

love

of

God.

Worshiping

him

with

all

our

hearts

as

Solomon

is

doing

here.

Proverbs

Proverbs 4:7

chapter

4

verse

7

says

the

beginning

of

wisdom

is

this.

Get

wisdom

and

whatever

you

get

get

insight

get

understanding.

I

was

at

a

funeral

this

week

over

on the

west

side

where

that

verse

was

quoted.

A

Christian

man

who

had

passed

away

and

he

was

one

who

often

asked

questions

and

sought

understanding

from

God's

word.

And

this

verse

was

quoted

in the

sense

of

this

was

his

desire.

He

longed

for

wisdom

more

than that

he

longed

for

understanding.

Being

able

to apply

that

wisdom

to

our

lives.

And

that

is

wisdom.

Getting

understanding,

getting

knowledge.

knowledge.

And this

begins by

giving

worship

to God.

By

acknowledging

him for

who he

is and

what he

is able

to do.

Exodus

Exodus 34:14

34 verse

14 says,

Do not

worship any

other God,

for the

Lord,

whose name

is a

jealous God.

He is

worthy of

all our

worship.

We are to

come to

him.

somebody

once

said,

If God

is not

Lord of

all,

he is

not

Lord

at all.

And

that's a

reminder

for our

own

lives

too.

Is he

Lord

of

all?

Because

if not,

he is

not

Lord

at all.

If

there is

something

that we

are

putting

before

God

and

worshiping

before

God

and

seeing

as

more

important

than

God,

then he's

not

Lord

of

all.

And

there

may

be

things

we

have

to

remove

from

our

lives,

take

out

of

our

lives

because

it's

keeping

us

from

worshiping

God

as

we

should.

Solomon

as we

see

here

was

worshiping

God,

giving

his

whole

heart

to

him

in

worship.

And

there

is

how

we

too

get

wisdom.

It's

not

just

coming

in

the

routine

of

worship.

It's

not

just

coming

because

it's

what

we

do

at

eleven

and

half

past

six

on

the

Lord's

day.

It's

coming

because

we

long

to

meet

with

God.

We

long

to

give

our

worship

and

praise

to

him

because

we

recognize

that

we

depend

on

him

for

all

things.

So

do

we

worship

the Lord

aright?

Are we

seeking

wisdom

from

him

in

that

way?

The

second

thing

we see

with

Solomon

here is

that

he is

humble.

He is

humble

before

God.

And

wisdom

is so

often

closely

linked

to

humility.

And

you see

that

with

Solomon

later

in

his

life.

He

lets

pride

come

in.

Pride

is

so

often

our

downfall.

And

we

see

it

with

Solomon.

Instead

of

humility

pride

comes

in.

But

here

we

see

a

humility

in

him.

We

see

it

in

verse

7

and

verse

8.

When

God

asked

that

question

of him,

ask

what

I

shall

give

you,

Solomon

said

to

God,

you

have

shown

great

and

steadfast

love

to

David

my

father,

and

I've

made

me

king

in

his

place.

You

see

he's

saying

that

you

have

made

me

king.

It's

not