What we most need! 1 Kings 3v1-28

Okay, our reading is 1 Kings chapter 3. I'm just going to read from verses 1 to 15.

1 Kings 3 · chapter mention

And that's on page 337 of the Church Bible.

So 1 Kings chapter 3.

1 Kings 3 · chapter mention

Solomon made an alliance with Pharaoh, king of Egypt, and married his daughter.

He brought her to the city of David until he finished building his palace and the temple of the Lord and the wall around Jerusalem.

The people, however, were still sacrificing at the high places because the temple had not yet been built for the name of the Lord.

Solomon showed his love for the Lord by walking according to the instructions given him by his father David,

except that he offered sacrifices and burned incense on the high places.

The king went to Gibeon to offer sacrifices, for that was the most important high place,

and Solomon offered a thousand burnt offerings on that altar.

At Gibeon, the Lord appeared to Solomon during the night in a dream, and God said,

Ask for whatever you want me to give you.

Solomon answered,

You have shown great kindness to your servant, my father David, because he was faithful to you,

and righteous and upright in heart.

You have continued this great kindness to him,

and have given him a son to sit on his throne this very day.

Now, Lord my God, you have made your servant king in place of my father David.

But I am only a little child, and do not know how to carry out my duties.

Your servant is here among the people you have chosen,

a great people, too numerous to count or number.

So give your servant a discerning heart to govern your people,

and to distinguish between right and wrong.

For who is able to govern this great people of yours?

The Lord is pleased that Solomon had asked for this.

So God said to him,

Since you have asked for this, and not for long life or wealth for yourself,

nor have asked for the death of your enemies,

but for discernment in administering justice,

I will do what you have asked.

I will give you a wise and discerning heart,

so there will never have been anyone like you, nor will there ever be.

Moreover, I will give you what you have not asked for,

both wealth and honor,

so that in your lifetime you will have no equal among kings.

And if you walk in obedience to me,

and keep my decrees and commands as David your father did,

I will give you a long life.

Then Solomon awoke,

and he realized it had been a dream.

He returned to Jerusalem,

stood before the ark of the Lord's covenant,

and sacrificed burnt offerings and fellowship offerings.

Then he gave a feast for all his court.

Thanks very much, Chris.

I think they ran out of little notes,

so the two guys,

the younger people,

mightn't have any,

so if you're an older person,

you don't mind just giving one to one of the guys,

if you could just...

Oh, thanks, Sandra.

Yeah.

Thank you very much.

Thanks.

Well, let's pray.

Father, you are good,

and you are generous.

So help us now.

Give life through your words.

Give us more of Christ, we pray.

We ask this in Jesus' name.

Amen.

Well, if you could ask for anything you wanted,

and you knew you would get it,

what would you ask for?

What do you most want in your life?

You can ask for whatever you like,

and you know you're going to get it.

What are you going to ask for?

Well, in the true account of King Solomon,

God comes to Solomon with an offer.

Have a look at verse 5 of chapter 3,

the end of verse 5.

Ask for whatever you want me to give you.

Whatever you want,

just ask me.

Well, Solomon asked for wisdom.

Have a look at verse 12.

God responds,

I will do what you have asked.

I will give you a wise and discerning heart.

And jump over to chapter 4, verse 29.

God gave Solomon wisdom and very great insight,

and a breadth of understanding

as measureless as the sand on the seashore.

Solomon's wisdom was greater than the wisdom

of all the people of the East.

And greater than all the wisdom of Egypt.

What would you ask God for?

Well, let's put it another way.

What do you ask God for?

You see, if Solomon is going to rule the kingdom well,

well, he needs God's wisdom.

And if we are to enjoy life in God's kingdom,

if we're going to receive the blessings of God's kingdom,

well, then we too need wisdom.

So, three things we're going to look at.

First, discerning what true wisdom is.

I think the first part of chapter 3

shows us there's two kinds of wisdom.

There is a worldly wisdom.

Look at chapter 3, verse 1.

Solomon has just started his kingship,

and he gets straight down to work.

Verse 1.

Solomon made an alliance with Pharaoh,

king of Egypt,

and married his daughter.

Seems like a good move, doesn't it?

Make friends with your enemies

by marrying off one of their daughters.

Politically, it all makes sense.

Build good allies with the surrounding nations.

And then there seems to be something else that's wise in verse 2.

We're told there the people, however,

were still sacrificing at the high places

because a temple had not yet been built

for the name of the Lord.

Well, everything in its own time.

The temple will be built.

We'll see that in chapter 6.

But for now, it seems Solomon is content

with worship at the high places.

These high places were literally on high mountains,

but they were old pagan worship sites.

Religiously, it all seems to make sense.

There's no temple,

so let's keep all the people happy,

especially those of, you know, pagan religions,

and we'll all worship on the high places.

Now, it all seems quite wise.

Wisdom of the world is measured by things like

good business deals and keeping people happy.

For others, wisdom is intellectual ability

or material success and social status.

If we have these,

well, then we are exceedingly wise.

Well, while some of them may be good

and nothing wrong with some,

it's worldly wisdom.

There is another kind of wisdom we should seek.

Godly wisdom.

Look at verse 3.

Solomon showed his love for the Lord

by walking according to the instructions

given him by his father David.

Do you remember those instructions

that David had given?

Have a look back at chapter 2, verse 3.

As David was handing on the kingship,

he gave this reminder,

this command.

He says,

Observe what the Lord your God requires.

Walk in obedience to him.

Keep his decrees and commands,

his laws and regulations,

as written in the law of Moses.

Chapter 3, verse 3.

So, well, Solomon showed his love for the Lord

by walking according to the instructions

given him by his father David.

Except,

except that he offered sacrifices

and burned incense on the high places.

You see, God's word was very clear

about worshipping at the high places.

And God's word was also very clear

about marrying and making alliances

with foreign nations.

It was clear.

God said,

No!

These foreign nations

and pagan religions,

well, they're going to lead you away from God.

Don't do it.

So, godly wisdom

is not just knowing

what God's word says.

It's putting God's word into practice.

Solomon,

Solomon, obviously,

from verse 3,

knows about God's word,

but it's about putting it into practice.

We might know every Bible story.

We can know our eschatology

and our soteriology,

but mere knowledge of God's word

is not wisdom.

It's not just knowing what God says.

Wisdom is obeying God's word

and putting God's word into practice.

True wisdom,

the wisdom from above,

is wisdom that enables us

to live life God's way

and choose the things

that are right and best for us.

Remember the words of Jesus?

Therefore,

everyone who hears these words of mine

and puts them into practice

is like a wise man

who built his house on the rock.

The rains came down,

the streams rose,

the winds blew

and beat against that house,

yet it did not fall

because it had its foundation

on the rock.

That rock is the wisdom

of putting God's word

into practice.

So,

discerning what true wisdom is.

Then receiving true wisdom from God.

Solomon, well,

he was a bit unwise,

wasn't he,

in some of his decisions.

But that doesn't hinder

God's goodness to his people.

Look at verse 5,

chapter 3.

At Gibeon,

so here's Solomon

carrying out his sacrifices

on one of the old pagan sites,

which he had been told not to do.

At Gibeon,

the Lord appeared to Solomon

during the night in a dream

and God said,

ask for whatever you want me

to give you.

What amazing generosity.

Solomon's prayer

that follows

is very instructive

to us

in terms of

receiving wisdom.

Look at how

Solomon prays.

Solomon doesn't launch into

an

I want

and give me this.

No,

look how he starts,

verse 6.

Solomon answered,

you have shown

great kindness

to your servant,

my father David,

because he was

faithful to you

and righteous

and upright in heart.

You have continued

this great kindness

to him

and have given him

a son to sit

on his throne

to this very day.

God is not

a begrudging,

selfish,

mean tyrant.

he's not

the kind

of God

who is constantly

looking out

for faults

so that he can

refuse our requests.

No,

God is a

kind

God

who acts

in great

mercy.

God's offer

is open

and generous.

Ask for whatever

you want me

to give you.

In fact,

God is so kind

that he gives

to Solomon

more than he asks.

Look down

at verse 13.

God answers,

moreover,

I will give you

what you have

not asked for,

both wealth

and honour,

so that in your

lifetime you will

have no equal

among kings.

Sometimes

we don't

ask

and we don't

receive

because we

have a wrong

view of God.

We think

he's mean.

We maybe

think that he

looks at all

our faults

and he's not

going to give.

Well,

for Solomon,

his understanding

of God,

that God

is kind,

shaped

his request.

He could

ask

of a kind

and generous

God.

But there's

something else

we learn

as he prays.

He comes

in great

humility.

He recognises

his own

weakness

and inability.

Verse 7.

Now,

Lord my God,

you have

made your

servant king

in place

of my father

David,

but I am

only a little

child and I

do not know

how to carry

out my

duties.

Yes,

he's a king.

Yes,

he's a mature

adult.

But for the

task of

ruling God's

kingdom,

well,

he's just

a little

kid.

He's aware

of his

inadequacy

and he

knows that

he should

come to

God.

I can't

do it

is basically

his cry.

Too often

we can be

so proud,

can't we?

We don't

ask God

for help,

we don't

commune

with God

because,

well,

I can

do it

and I've

got all

the resources

within myself

to get

things done.

But for

Solomon,

he sees

that he

cannot live

or lead

in God's

kingdom,

he desperately

needs God.

I'm only

a little

child and

I do

not know

how to

carry out

my duties.

in the

eyes of

the world,

to admit

that you're

weak and

that you

need help

is a

sign of

great

weakness.

You're

not

employable,

you're

not needed

or wanted.

Well,

weakness

is the

way in

which we

do

receive.

I have

a friend

who sometimes

says to

me,

as the

good book

says,

God helps

those who

help

themselves.

Well,

the good

book doesn't

say that.

Look it

up in

your Bible.

But what

the Bible

does tell

us is

that God

longs to

help those

who admit

they can't

help

themselves.

He longs

for us to

come with

open hands,

admit our

weakness,

and receive

generously

from our

good God.

As one

author put

it,

when human

weakness

meets divine

grace,

God is

pleased.

So,

look at

how Solomon

makes his

request.

He recognised

God's

kindness,

he knows

his weakness,

and now

he makes

his request,

verse 9.

So,

give,

give your

servant a

discerning

heart to

govern your

people and

it's

distinguished

between right

and wrong.

For who is

able to

govern this

great people

of yours?

Verse 12,

God answers,

I will do

what you

have asked.

I will

give you a

wise and

discerning

heart,

so that

there will

never have

been anyone

like you,

nor will

there ever

be.

It's an

extraordinary

request,

isn't it?

Remember what

God's offer

was.

Solomon,

ask for

whatever you

want me to

give you.

Wow.

well,

I'd like a

new car.

Actually,

a self-drive

Tesla.

Have you

seen them?

That new

phone,

iPhone X,

that six-inch

screen,

that new

version.

And I

could do

with a

better salary

as well.

Six figures,

just six

figures would

be fine.

And since

I'm here

and you're

offering,

well,

I'd love

good health.

No more

annoying work

colleagues.

And by the

way,

if you could

make it

possible,

get rid

of all

my

neighbour's

cats as

well.

No,

it's not

what he

says,

is it?

Look at

verse 9.

Give

your servant

a discerning

heart to

govern your

people and

distinguish

between right

and wrong,

give me

wisdom so

I can

discern what

is right

and what

is wrong

and what

is best.

Give me

wisdom so

that I

can live

life God's

way,

in God's

kingdom,

enabling me

to choose

what is

right and

what will

bring life

and what

will bring

blessing.

Solomon

doesn't ask

for what

he wants.

he asks

for what

pleases

God.

Verse 10.

The Lord

was pleased

that Solomon

had asked

for this.

So God

said to

him,

since you

have asked

for this

and not

for long

life or

wealth for

yourself,

nor have

asked for

the death

of your

enemies,

but for

discernment

and administering

justice,

I will

do what

you have

asked.

You see,

we mustn't

think of

God as

some magic

genie that

we have to

kind of

caress and

do good

things for

and,

well,

he will

just give

then at

our demand.

Prayer

actually isn't

about me

and my

wants.

Prayer

is about

what pleases

God and

what pleases

God is

always what

is best

and right

for us.

Now,

we mightn't

be a

Solomon,

but aren't

we all

called to

live well

in God's

kingdom?

Aren't we

called to

make good

and right

choices for

what will be

best for

our life?

Well,

this same

generous offer

that we

see in

chapter 3

verse 5,

ask for

whatever you

want me to

give you,

in a sense

is given

to us.

Look what it

says in

James,

if any of

you lacks

wisdom,

you should

ask God

who gives

generously

to all

without

finding

faults

and it

will be

given to

you.

God is

not on

the

lookout

for

our

faults

so he

can

refuse

our

requests.

He gives

generously,

he gives

to all

without

finding

fault.

He

faithfully

gives to

those who

are weak

and know

they need

help.

we would

be wise,

wouldn't

we,

to pray

the kind

of prayer

Solomon

prays,

asking for

our good

and generous

God,

for that

wisdom

to live

life as

God has

called us

to.

So Solomon

receives

this

wonderful

gift of

wisdom

and as

we'll

discover

on

receiving

wisdom

it

brings

great

blessing.

It

brings

great

blessing.

We

have,

it wasn't

read,

but we

have this

extraordinary

account of

two

prostitutes.

You may

have come

across this

account before.

Let's

read this

whole account

starting in

verse 16

as we

see the

blessings

that flow

from

wisdom.

Verse 16,

now two

prostitutes

came to

the king

and stood

before them.

One of

them said,

pardon me

my lord,

this woman

and I

live in

the same

house.

I had

a baby

while she

was there

with me.

The third

day after

the child

was born,

this woman

also had

a baby.

We were

alone.

There was

no one

in the

house but

the two

of us,

no other

witnesses.

Okay,

go on,

go on.

Well,

during the

nights,

this woman's

son died

because she

lay on

him.

So she

got up in

the middle

of the

night and

took my

son from

my side

while I,

your servant,

was asleep.

She put

him by

her breast

and put

her dead

son by

my breast.

The next

morning I

got up to

nurse my

son and

he was

dead.

But when I

looked at

him closely

in the

morning light,

I saw that

he wasn't

the son

that I

had born.

The other

woman said,

no,

the living

one is my

son,

the dead

one is

yours.

But the

first one

insisted,

no,

the dead

one is

yours,

the living

one is

mine.

And so

they argued

before the

king.

Now we

can only

imagine the

heartache

and helplessness

of this

poor mother.

She knows

her son.

She's felt

his heartbeat.

She knows

his unique

little features.

this is

her baby

and she

longs for

justice.

But rather

than things

get better,

they seem

to get

worse.

Verse 23,

the king

said,

this one

says,

my son is

alive and

your son is

dead.

While that

one there

says,

no,

your son

is dead

and mine

is alive.

I mean,

which one

is it?

How am I

supposed to

know?

then the

king said,

bring me

a sword.

What on

earth does

he need a

sword for?

So they

brought a

sword for

the king.

Then he

gave an

order,

cut the

living child

in two

and give

half to

one

and half

to the

other.

what?

A

terrible

injustice

is about

to take

place.

She came

looking for

justice and

now she

seems powerless.

There's

nothing she

can do

about it.

Verse 26,

the woman

whose son

was alive

was deeply

moved out

of love

for her

son and

said to

the king,

please,

my lord,

give her

the living

baby.

Don't

kill him.

But the

other said,

neither I

nor you

shall have

him.

Cut him

in two.

Then the

king gave

this ruling.

Give the

living baby

to the

first woman.

Do not

kill him.

She is

his mother.

Now Solomon's

threat to

cut the

baby in

two may

cause us

some kind

of distress,

understandably.

but that's

not Solomon's

intention.

His threat

merely uncovers

the truth

so that

justice can

be done.

The true

mother would

do anything

to save

her son,

even if that

meant giving

it to someone

else.

The false

mother would

just let the

child die.

Their

responses

proved who

was the

real

mother.

Solomon's

wisdom

brought

blessing

to this

broken

mother.

She

received the

justice she

longed for,

life for her

baby son and

life with

her son.

Wisdom

speaks

into the

chaos and

disruption and

brokenness of

her life

and her

future

has been

transformed.

verse 28,

when all

Israel heard

the verdict

the king

had given,

they held

the king

in awe

because they

saw he

had wisdom

from God

to administer

justice.

isn't this

the kind

of king

we too

long for?

A king

that we

could go

to who

is so

wise,

who welcomes

people, it

appears,

whoever they

are, no

matter what

their background,

whatever is

going on in

their life,

and one who

will always do

what is right

and just

and fair?

A king

with the

wisdom of

God

who will

put all

wrongs to

right?

Well, in

Christ,

we have

the ultimate

and wise

king, don't

we?

I mean, look

at this woman

here.

We don't

even know

her name.

She's just

referred to

as that

prostitute.

An

occupation

like hers

could have

had her

sentenced to

death for

coming to

the king.

Ignored,

abused,

and rejected.

But in

coming to

the king,

she finds

justice

and life

and peace.

How much

more

will we

receive the

blessings of

the kingdom

as we

come to

Christ?

You see,

as we

come to

Christ in

all our

brokenness and

in all our

mess,

as we come

seeking

justice,

well, we

don't need to

argue our

case,

because the

good news is

when we come

to Christ,

we actually

find that

justice has

already been

done.

God in

his wisdom,

before the

foundation of

the world,

before we

existed,

before we

came to

be,

had sent

his son

the plan

to come

into the

world for

us.

A king

who came

who did

not threaten

with the

sword,

but a

king who

would come

and take

the sword

for us.

He would

give his

life on

the cross,

taking the

blame for

all the

wrong that

we have

done,

so that

we could

be forgiven

and receive

life and

peace,

not just

for now,

not just

temporarily,

but for

eternity,

the blessings

of the

kingdom,

all ours,

given from

the king.

Turn with

me,

please,

to

Colossians

Colossians 2 · chapter mention

chapter 2.

First

there can

give me

the page

number,

if you

have it,

Colossians

Colossians 2 · chapter mention

chapter 2.

1183.

1183

Colossians

Colossians 2 · chapter mention

chapter 2.

You see,

in Christ

we have

the ultimate

wise

king.

For in

Christ,

wisdom

itself is

personified.

Look what

Colossians

Colossians 2:3

chapter 2

verse 3

tells us.

in whom,

that is,

in Christ

are hidden,

what do we

find in

Christ?

All the

treasures

of wisdom

and knowledge.

All of

wisdom,

everything,

in

Christ.

verse 8.

See to it

that no one

takes you

captive through

hollow and

deceptive

philosophy,

which depends

on human

tradition and

the elemental

spiritual forces

or the

principles of

this world,

rather than

on Christ.

Be careful

that you

don't get

led astray

by worldly

wisdom

that says

you can do

it and

you have the

power and

you have the

strength to

make the

right decisions

for life and

for all that

you need.

peace.

No,

turn to

Christ,

for Christ

is our

wisdom.

Verse 9.

For in

Christ

all the

fullness

of the

deity

lives in

bodily

form.

All of

God,

his

greatness,

his

power,

his

beauty

is all

in

Christ.

Verse 10.

And in

Christ

you have

been brought

to

fullness.

Everything

that we

would possibly

need to

receive life

and to

live life

God's

way is

all in

Christ and

we have

it all in

Christ to

the point of

fullness to

overflowing.

A wise

king,

more than

we could

ever expect

or imagine.

If you

could ask

for one

thing and

you knew

you would

receive it,

what would

you ask

for?

Or let me

change that

slightly.

Who would

you ask

for?

More of

Christ.

Lord,

more of

Christ.

The

treasures of

all the

wisdom,

the fullness

of God,

everything that

we could

possibly ever

need for

life today

and for

life to

come.

The

wisdom

that is

Christ's.

Choose

wisely

and live

life well.

Let's

pray.

Let's

pray.

Father, we

have seen

that you

are good

and kind

and generous.

you give

to all

without

finding

fault

and so

we humbly

come to

you

with our

hands

open.

We don't

bring

anything.

Rather,

we long

to receive

all that

you would

give to

us

and we

pray that

we might

know more

of Christ

in our

life.

That we

would

discover

the

depths

and the

beauty

of the

riches

that are

in Christ.

All

that we

need,

available

and offer

to us

as we

look to

you.

Help

us

that we

would not

only hear

your

word,

but listen

to it

and put

it into

practice.

Asking

for your

Holy Spirit's

help

to enable

us to

do so.

Thank you

for life

today.

Thank you

for life

in your

kingdom

and thank

you for

the blessings

that are

to come.

Thank you.

In Jesus'

name we

all pray.

Amen.

a

pretty

good

man.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.