Okay, our reading is 1 Kings chapter 3. I'm just going to read from verses 1 to 15.
And that's on page 337 of the Church Bible.
So 1 Kings chapter 3.
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
chapter 2.
First
there can
give me
the page
number,
if you
have it,
Colossians
chapter 2.
1183.
1183
Colossians
chapter 2.
You see,
in Christ
we have
the ultimate
wise
king.
For in
Christ,
wisdom
itself is
personified.
Look what
Colossians
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.