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[0:00] 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.

[0:11] 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.

[0:26] 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.

[0:38] O sing a new song to the Lord, sing praises to his name, and his salvation day by day.

[1:08] 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.

[1:34] How great and awesome is the Lord, with him no gods compare.

[1:50] For other gods are wooden stone, the Lord made heaven's high.

[2:09] All power and majesty and his, he dwells in glorious light.

[2:27] All nations to the Lord, the Lord has cried, the glory that is due.

[2:44] Glow thee and strength, ascribe to God, and praise his name anew.

[3:01] Glow thee and strength, ascribe to God, and praise his name anew. Enter his course with joy and dream, and offer him with you.

[3:19] Worship the Lord in holy fear, all earth before him now.

[3:37] 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.

[4:15] 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.

[4:27] 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.

[4:46] 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.

[5:00] 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.

[5:11] 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.

[5:30] 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.

[5:41] 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.

[5:53] 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.

[6:09] 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.

[6:32] 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.

[6:49] 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.

[7:05] 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.

[7:18] 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.

[7:31] 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.

[7:52] 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.

[8:27] We do acknowledge, Lord, our sinfulness. We acknowledge how far short we fall of your glory. We are sinners before God.

[8:38] 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.

[8:55] 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.

[9:11] 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.

[9:29] 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.

[9:46] 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.

[10:03] 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.

[10:19] 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.

[10:32] 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.

[10:43] 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.

[10:57] 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.

[11:10] 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.

[11:20] 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.

[11:31] 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.

[11:47] 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.

[11:58] 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.

[12:15] 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.

[12:27] 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.

[12:39] 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.

[12:50] 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.

[13:04] 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.

[13:17] 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.

[13:31] 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.

[13:45] 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.

[13:56] 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.

[14:10] 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.

[14:21] 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.

[14:32] 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.

[14:45] In Jesus' name. Amen. Amen. We're going to sing again to God's praise.

[14:55] This time in Psalm 24 in the Scottish Psalter. Page 230 of the psalm books. Psalm 24.

[15:06] We're going to sing from verse 1 to verse 5. And the tune is Paisley. Psalm 24 at verse 1.

[15:17] 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.

[15:28] So, we'll sing from verse 1 to verse 5 to God's praise. Amen. The earth belongs unto the Lord.

[15:44] 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.

[16:04] 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.

[16:33] Who is the man that shall assail into the hill of God?

[16:49] Or who within his holy place shall have a firm abode?

[17:04] Whose hands are clean, whose heart is pure and untimely, who hath not lived in abyssal, nor sworn be seen holy?

[17:32] He from the eternal shall receive the blessing him upon, and righteousness dim from the God of his salvation.

[18:03] I will turn together to reading God's word in 2 Chronicles chapter 1.

[18:16] 2 Chronicles chapter 1. 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.

[18:38] 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.

[18:51] 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.

[19:05] 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.

[19:16] Moreover, the bronze altar that Bezalel, the son of Uri, son of Ha, had made was there before the tabernacle of the Lord.

[19:27] 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.

[19:41] 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.

[19:59] 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.

[20:09] 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?

[20:22] 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.

[20:43] 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.

[20:58] 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.

[21:12] 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.

[21:33] 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.

[21:49] 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.

[22:02] 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.

[22:16] 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.

[22:30] 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.

[22:43] Amen. When Zion's fortunes God restored, it was a dream come through.

[23:04] Our mouths were then with laughter filled, our tongues with songs anew.

[23:18] The nations said, The Lord has done great things for Israel.

[23:33] The Lord did mighty things for us, and joy our hearts knew well.

[23:47] Restore our fortunes, gracious Lord, like streams in desert soil.

[24:02] A joyful harvest will reward The weak in sober toil.

[24:17] The man who bailed seed to sow rose out with tears of grief.

[24:32] Well come again with songs of joy, failing his heart was she.

[24:46] We can turn back together to our reading in 2 Chronicles chapter 1.

[25:02] 2 Chronicles chapter 1, our focus is mainly on verse 7 to verse 10, where we see God asking a question of Solomon and Solomon's response.

[25:15] 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.

[25:31] 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?

[25:55] 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?

[26:09] 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.

[26:20] 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.

[26:32] 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.

[26:43] 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.

[26:57] With him, there is much to be keen. So who is wise and who is foolish? We often think of wisdom as having knowledge.

[27:09] 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.

[27:23] 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?

[27:37] 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.

[27:49] How so? Well, it depends how you look at wisdom and what wisdom is to you. Jim Parker wrote a book called Knowing God.

[28:04] 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.

[28:21] 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.

[28:35] 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.

[28:49] 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.

[29:02] 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.

[29:18] 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.

[29:32] 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.

[29:46] 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?

[29:59] 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.

[30:24] 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.

[30:37] 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.

[30:53] 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?

[31:09] 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.

[31:20] 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.

[31:33] 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.

[31:47] 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.

[32:09] 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?

[32:21] 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.

[32:40] 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.

[32:57] 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.

[33:07] 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.

[33:19] 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.

[33:30] 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.

[33:45] 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.

[33:59] 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.

[34:21] 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.

[34:38] 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.

[34:53] 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.

[35:05] 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.

[35:15] Solomon, the son of David, established himself in his kingdom and the Lord, his God, was with him and made him exceedingly great.

[35:28] 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.

[35:41] 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.

[35:53] And for any nation, for any king, for any people, for any church, for any individual, that is key.

[36:04] The Lord with us. That is what we need. And this is what God offers to his people. He is a God of abundance.

[36:17] 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.

[36:28] Ask what I shall give you. God is saying this to Solomon. Able to give him anything that this world has to offer.

[36:40] 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.

[36:55] The cattle on a thousand hills belong to God, Psalm 50 tells us. So you read throughout Scripture, you see everything belongs to God.

[37:05] 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.

[37:19] 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.

[37:31] 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.

[37:44] One of the greatest problems that this world sees today is a selfish people. A people who think it's all for me.

[37:58] 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.

[38:15] 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.

[38:31] 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.

[38:42] 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.

[38:55] 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.

[39:09] Ask what I shall give you. It's an open invitation that shows God has control over everything. It's a reminder to Solomon.

[39:21] 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.

[39:33] 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.

[39:46] 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?

[39:57] 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?

[40:19] 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?

[40:34] 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?

[40:45] 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.

[41:05] To be with us no matter what. We think of the opportunity of the question that God puts to Solomon here.

[41:16] Have others experienced this opportunity as well? Well, you see, down through the Scriptures, that is something that's put before others too.

[41:27] 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?

[41:44] 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.

[41:55] 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.

[42:13] 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.

[42:29] 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?

[42:41] 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?

[42:54] 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.

[43:07] He asks, what do you want me to do for you? It's in the Gospel of Mark, chapter 10. And the first account is when he's with James and John.

[43:20] 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?

[43:33] 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.

[43:44] 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.

[43:58] 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.

[44:21] 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?

[44:41] He says, Lord, that I might see. There is wisdom. Lord, that I might see. And he's not just talking about physically seeing.

[44:55] 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.

[45:08] He sees Jesus and follows him. So, Jesus asks that question, what do you want me to do for you?

[45:21] 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?

[45:34] 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.

[45:54] do we lack wisdom ourselves tonight? Do we lack wisdom from the God who is able to give us anything in this world?

[46:08] What are we asking for? Are we pleading with him? Like Bartimaeus, Lord, let me see. Let me see Jesus.

[46:20] because there is wisdom. God says, ask for whatever you want me to give to you. So, how do you respond?

[46:34] Well, let's look at secondly, Solomon's response and the response that he gives to God with this request.

[46:44] He says this in verse 10, give me no wisdom and knowledge. Give me no wisdom and knowledge.

[46:56] 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.

[47:10] If we want to know the blessing of God in our lives, we need to learn lessons from how Solomon responds in this chapter.

[47:21] 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.

[47:37] He worships God. You see it in verse 6. The whole setting here is one where Solomon has gone to worship God.

[47:48] 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.

[48:01] 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.

[48:15] 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.

[48:28] Proverbs chapter 4 verse 7 says the beginning of wisdom is this. Get wisdom and whatever you get get insight get understanding.

[48:39] 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.

[48:53] 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.

[49:06] And that is wisdom. Getting understanding, getting knowledge. knowledge. And this begins by giving worship to God.

[49:17] By acknowledging him for who he is and what he is able to do. Exodus 34 verse 14 says, Do not worship any other God, for the Lord, whose name is a jealous God.

[49:32] 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.

[49:48] And that's a reminder for our own lives too. Is he Lord of all? Because if not, he is not Lord at all.

[50:00] 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.

[50:12] 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.

[50:34] 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.

[50:49] 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.

[51:02] 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.

[51:16] He is humble before God. And wisdom is so often closely linked to humility. And you see that with Solomon later in his life.

[51:26] He lets pride come in. Pride is so often our downfall. And we see it with Solomon. Instead of humility pride comes in.

[51:37] 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.

[51:58] You see he's saying that you have made me king. It's not an honor he's put on himself. He's seeing it as God the Lord has made him king.

[52:09] And then he goes on to say oh 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 this earth.

[52:20] And that they are your people. This people for who can govern the end of verse 10 who can govern this people of yours which is so great.

[52:39] There's a sense of humility in Solomon here. It's not his power. It's not his authority or his achievements in life that are important.

[52:50] It is honoring God. Humility is something that's so lacking in life today so often. When you watch Parliament whether it's in Westminster or Holyrood how often do you see people stand up and apologize and say I was wrong.

[53:10] I apologize because instead they blame somebody else. It's always somebody else's fault. And we're the same ourselves in so many ways.

[53:23] We look for someone else to blame instead of acknowledging our own fault. But if we humble ourselves later on in chapter 7 of this book it speaks about verse 11 Solomon finished the house of the Lord and the king's house and everything that the Lord had done and the Lord appeared it says in verse 12 and said to him I have heard your prayer and I have chosen this place for myself as a house of sacrifice when I shut up the heavens so there is no rain or command the locust to devour the land or send pestilence among my people if my people who are called by my name humble themselves and pray and seek my face.

[54:13] There is a sense of humbling before God. James again in the epistle in the New Testament says humble yourselves before the Lord and he will exalt you.

[54:28] And that's the very thing that we see with Solomon here. He humbles himself. He asks not for possession or glory or honor. He asks for wisdom.

[54:42] And what we see is as he gets wisdom he gets everything else with it too. because he asked a right. In verse 11 and the end of verse 11 into verse 12 he says you have asked wisdom and knowledge for yourself that you may govern my people over whom I have made you king.

[55:03] Wisdom and knowledge are granted to you. I will also give you riches possessions and honor. Are we writing asking the Lord a right?

[55:16] the one who can abundantly give but are we asking a right? The final thing we see of this is he's not selfish.

[55:33] He's humble and he's not selfish. He realizes his God given responsibility to govern God's people. He says not my people but this great people of yours.

[55:52] If only kings and rulers in this world would see people as God's people. This great people of yours.

[56:04] But instead they're so often selfish and so are we. We are a selfish people. But who put others first?

[56:18] Who shows us what it is to put others before ourselves? The greatest one of all is the Lord Jesus Christ putting others before himself.

[56:34] As it says in Philippians 2 verse 6 who being in the very nature God did not consider equality with God something to be grasped but made himself nothing.

[56:47] Taking the very nature of a servant being made in human likeness and being found in appearance as a man he humbled himself and became obedient to death even death on a cross.

[57:00] Therefore God exalted him to the highest place. He came to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many.

[57:15] He died. He put others before himself. He said, Father, forgive them for they know not what they do. There is mercy towards a foolish people and he's saying, will you not ask for wisdom tonight.

[57:36] Wisdom to know God, to trust him, to not be foolish and say there is no God, but to believe in him who is able to provide so abundantly to us in all ways if we would trust in him.

[57:57] Abraham Kuyper, he once said this, writing a poem, he said, I am not sent a pilgrim here, my heart with earth to fill, but I am here God's grace to learn and serve God's sovereign will.

[58:14] He leads me on through smiles and tears, grief follows gladness still, but let me welcome both alike since both work out his will.

[58:26] No service in itself is small, none great though earth it fill. But that is small that seeks its own and great that seeks God's will.

[58:38] Then hold my hand, most precious, most gracious Lord, guide all my doings still, and let this be my life's one aim, to do and bear thy will.

[58:53] To have wisdom and to delight in God's will. Are we seeking God in the right way today?

[59:05] Are we wise? Are we wise when he says, ask what I shall give to you? Do we want honor and glory like James and John?

[59:17] Or do we have the heart of Bartimaeus? Lord, that I would see, and that we would see him and follow him on the way.

[59:29] Our eyes fixed on Jesus. May God grant us wisdom to see. Let us pray. Our Father in heaven, we give you thanks for your word and for how it teaches us so much.

[59:44] It teaches us wisdom and knowledge are the greatest thing to desire, and that knowledge and wisdom is found in the Lord Jesus. So we pray this evening, Lord, to help us to be wise, not to be fools and to deny God, but to be wise and ask God that we would see and see Jesus and follow him on the way.

[60:07] So bless us, we pray, and your word to us and forgive our sin as we ask it all. In Jesus' name, Amen. We're going to conclude by singing to God's praise in Psalm 20 in the Scottish Psalter, page 224 of the psalm books.

[60:32] Psalm 20 on page 224, we'll sing from verse 5 down to the end of the psalm. In thy salvation we will joy, in our God's name we will display our banners, and the Lord thy prayers all fulfill.

[60:49] We'll sing from verse 5 down to the end of the psalm, and the tune is Evan. Amen. In thy salvation we will joy, in our God's name we will display our banners, Shit.

[61:21] Men are nueva pole and the new mime olurg kayете him,你的 Ugh Legend of the korona hart be kept ll Shepherd or SINGLE elf than the Lord, thyduous murking earth is new holy淡無 will heal him with the saving strength by his own right hand given.

[62:04] In child your son could come with his some horses crossed upon, but we remain where will the name of our Lord God alone.

[62:37] We rise and uprise and when they are bowing down and fall, deliver our Lord and let the King pass here when we do come.

[63:12] After the benediction, I'll go to the door to my left. We'll close with the benediction. Now may grace, mercy, and peace from God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit rest upon and abide with us all now and forevermore.

[63:27]  Amen.