WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:08.880 And we're in 1 Kings chapter number 3. I want to say very quickly thank you to you all and Brother Tyler for allowing me this opportunity of getting to preach. 00:00:08.880 --> 00:00:18.140 I never take it lightly be in prayer with Brother Tyler and his family as they are away as he's preaching this morning and give them safe travels as they return to us this evening. 00:00:18.640 --> 00:00:24.440 We're going to start in verse number 5 of 1 Kings chapter number 3 and it says, 00:00:24.440 --> 00:00:31.940 In Gibeon the Lord appeared to Solomon in a dream by night and God said, ask what I shall give thee. 00:00:32.399 --> 00:00:42.100 And Solomon said, thou hast showed unto thy servant David my father great mercy according as he walked before thee in truth and in righteousness and in uprightness of heart with thee. 00:00:42.400 --> 00:00:48.320 And thou hast kept for him this great kindness that thou hast given him a son to sit on his throne as it is this day. 00:00:48.320 --> 00:00:53.900 And now, O Lord my God, thou hast made thy servant king instead of David my father. 00:00:53.899 --> 00:00:59.439 And I am but a little child. I know not how to go out or come in. 00:00:59.799 --> 00:01:02.920 And thy servant is in the midst of thy people which thou hast chosen. 00:01:03.219 --> 00:01:06.879 A great people that cannot be numbered nor counted for multitude. 00:01:07.819 --> 00:01:13.340 Give therefore thy servant an understanding heart to judge thy people that I may discern between good and bad. 00:01:13.659 --> 00:01:16.439 For who is able to judge this thy so great a people? 00:01:16.939 --> 00:01:20.120 And the speech pleased the Lord that Solomon had asked this thing. 00:01:20.120 --> 00:01:26.120 And God said unto him, because thou hast asked this thing and has not asked for thyself long life, 00:01:26.180 --> 00:01:31.520 neither has asked riches for thyself, nor has asked the life of thine enemies, 00:01:31.840 --> 00:01:35.160 but has asked for thyself understanding to discern judgment. 00:01:35.700 --> 00:01:37.680 Behold, I have done according to thy words. 00:01:37.880 --> 00:01:44.659 Lo, I have given thee a wise and an understanding heart so that there was none like thee before thee, 00:01:45.100 --> 00:01:48.159 neither after thee shall any arise like unto thee. 00:01:48.159 --> 00:01:52.459 Most people remember two things from Solomon's life. 00:01:52.840 --> 00:01:57.239 The fact that he was the wisest man ever to walk the face of the earth behind Jesus Christ himself. 00:01:58.019 --> 00:02:03.060 And secondly, about the hundreds and hundreds and hundreds of wives and gods he later served in his life. 00:02:03.399 --> 00:02:05.299 Two very contrary things. 00:02:05.400 --> 00:02:09.479 And we are going to look at both parts of his life and see what we can take away from that this morning. 00:02:09.560 --> 00:02:10.460 Let's go to the Lord in prayer. 00:02:11.139 --> 00:02:15.699 Dear Heavenly Father, I just thank you for this opportunity that we have to dive into your word this morning. 00:02:15.699 --> 00:02:22.019 Just allow you to use me through your words to be a vessel for your words this morning, for your people. 00:02:22.139 --> 00:02:26.479 Help us to glean something from your word this morning, from Solomon's life, 00:02:26.519 --> 00:02:29.780 that we can take and use with us throughout the week this week. 00:02:30.099 --> 00:02:32.579 Be with Brother Tyler and his family as they are away. 00:02:32.839 --> 00:02:36.139 Be with him as he's preaching even now and give them safe travels as they return. 00:02:36.519 --> 00:02:37.780 In Jesus' name I pray. Amen. 00:02:38.539 --> 00:02:40.219 You may be seated. Thank you for standing. 00:02:40.219 --> 00:02:44.960 This morning I was studying my message and looking. 00:02:45.080 --> 00:02:47.680 I always like to open my sermons with an illustration. 00:02:48.060 --> 00:02:50.900 And I was searching and I kept coming back to one thing. 00:02:50.960 --> 00:02:54.560 And it's actually my very favorite Disney movie ever made. 00:02:54.759 --> 00:02:56.900 It was a classic in my mind. 00:02:57.000 --> 00:03:01.240 The animated version, not the live action, the animated version of Aladdin. 00:03:01.659 --> 00:03:03.379 One of my favorite movies ever made. 00:03:03.479 --> 00:03:05.879 Aladdin is one of my favorite characters as a matter of fact. 00:03:05.879 --> 00:03:13.699 I love the rags to riches story and the character arc of Aladdin and how he comes to realize what's most important. 00:03:13.859 --> 00:03:15.319 He's been too selfish. 00:03:16.400 --> 00:03:21.919 But throughout the entire movie, I like the genie the best. 00:03:22.199 --> 00:03:25.340 It might be because it's Robin Williams and I think Robin Williams is hilarious. 00:03:25.639 --> 00:03:28.199 But the genie is a great character in the movie. 00:03:28.859 --> 00:03:32.120 Oftentimes he comes as the comedic relief. 00:03:32.120 --> 00:03:35.680 But Aladdin throughout the movie is figuring out a way. 00:03:35.759 --> 00:03:37.900 If you've never seen Aladdin and are living under a rock. 00:03:38.240 --> 00:03:42.560 Aladdin is searching for a way to marry Jasmine. 00:03:42.980 --> 00:03:45.259 But Jasmine is supposed to marry a prince. 00:03:45.500 --> 00:03:47.580 And Aladdin is a lowly street rat. 00:03:47.860 --> 00:03:49.099 So he's searching for a way. 00:03:49.219 --> 00:03:52.439 How can I find a way to marry Jasmine? 00:03:52.599 --> 00:03:54.379 What do I have to do to make her fall in love with me? 00:03:54.379 --> 00:03:59.659 So then, of course, we all know he finds a magic lamp and he rubs the magic lamp. 00:04:00.199 --> 00:04:03.180 And out comes a blue genie. 00:04:03.359 --> 00:04:08.859 With all of his spiel that he's got to say, there are a couple things that Aladdin can't wish for. 00:04:08.939 --> 00:04:10.699 But other than that, he's got three things. 00:04:10.879 --> 00:04:14.079 He can wish for three things in the entire world that he could want. 00:04:14.900 --> 00:04:18.279 And so, of course, Aladdin is trying to do the math in his mind. 00:04:18.279 --> 00:04:26.539 And how can I ask the genie to make me a prince and eventually one day maybe fall in love with Jasmine, her fall in love with me? 00:04:26.959 --> 00:04:32.699 So throughout the first half of the movie, Aladdin is very selfishly using the genie. 00:04:32.799 --> 00:04:38.000 To be honest with you, if I had three wishes granted by a genie, I think I'd probably be pretty selfish too. 00:04:38.099 --> 00:04:40.219 I'd ask for a million bucks, to be honest with you. 00:04:40.559 --> 00:04:43.819 But Aladdin is searching for a way to get with Jasmine. 00:04:43.919 --> 00:04:46.979 And finally, he asks to make him a prince. 00:04:46.980 --> 00:04:49.420 He lies to Jasmine throughout the movie. 00:04:50.140 --> 00:04:58.360 And finally, at the end of the film, after they conquer everything, they finally love each other, he's met with one more wish. 00:04:59.040 --> 00:05:07.439 And rather than being selfish this time with his wishes, he realizes the best wish he could have is to set the genie free. 00:05:07.740 --> 00:05:08.620 It's very heartwarming. 00:05:08.800 --> 00:05:10.540 Like I said, I love the movie Aladdin. 00:05:10.540 --> 00:05:17.100 But the story we are talking about today is actually quite opposite of how it worked with Aladdin. 00:05:17.240 --> 00:05:22.300 Aladdin starts off selfish with his wishes and then turns it around and finally realizes what's most important. 00:05:22.780 --> 00:05:26.900 We have a man in Solomon who was doing the right thing from the onset. 00:05:27.280 --> 00:05:29.120 He was doing the right thing from the beginning. 00:05:29.259 --> 00:05:32.140 He had one wish that he could wish for in the entire world. 00:05:32.240 --> 00:05:33.800 God says you can wish for one thing. 00:05:34.280 --> 00:05:35.040 What is it, Solomon? 00:05:35.480 --> 00:05:36.540 And he asked for wisdom. 00:05:36.540 --> 00:05:42.960 That does not sound like a guy that we are going to talk about here later in 1 Kings chapter 11. 00:05:43.200 --> 00:05:47.660 That sounds like a man really trying and striving to do what is right. 00:05:47.900 --> 00:05:53.780 It sounds like a man trying to live for God and doing what he knows he should be doing. 00:05:54.820 --> 00:05:59.980 And in fact, in verse number 10, it says in the speech, please the Lord. 00:06:00.780 --> 00:06:03.759 Later, we will find the Lord very angry with Solomon. 00:06:03.759 --> 00:06:05.800 It is two opposite verses. 00:06:06.060 --> 00:06:08.680 One time, the Lord is pleased with what Solomon is doing. 00:06:09.000 --> 00:06:11.279 The next, the Lord is angry with what he is doing. 00:06:11.539 --> 00:06:16.599 So as we go over the life of Solomon today, I want to ask you one question. 00:06:17.000 --> 00:06:22.019 Do you think if you could see the Lord right now, he would say he would be pleased with your life? 00:06:23.259 --> 00:06:28.699 Or do you think your life would further resemble the latter half of Solomon's life? 00:06:28.699 --> 00:06:33.199 Where he got away from the Lord, where he started living in disobedience and rebellion to God. 00:06:33.539 --> 00:06:36.259 And the Lord had to say, man, I'm angry with you, Solomon. 00:06:37.000 --> 00:06:38.860 What would the Lord say about your life today? 00:06:39.219 --> 00:06:40.899 What is the Lord saying about your life today? 00:06:40.959 --> 00:06:41.939 Is he pleased with it? 00:06:42.699 --> 00:06:47.060 Or is he angry with where you're at today? 00:06:48.019 --> 00:06:49.939 Solomon's life is divided into two parts. 00:06:49.939 --> 00:06:54.839 But first, we're going to talk about the good stuff that was going on in Solomon's life. 00:06:54.980 --> 00:06:58.939 Point number one, he made the right request. 00:06:59.620 --> 00:07:03.360 Solomon made the right request. 00:07:03.899 --> 00:07:06.079 He could have asked for anything under the sun. 00:07:06.360 --> 00:07:07.399 He could have asked for money. 00:07:08.079 --> 00:07:10.759 He could have asked for all his enemies to be conquered. 00:07:10.879 --> 00:07:15.100 He could have asked to be the most powerful man in all the world. 00:07:15.100 --> 00:07:21.520 But rather, he chose to ask for wisdom. 00:07:22.360 --> 00:07:26.300 And as I was looking at these verses, one thing stuck out to me. 00:07:26.800 --> 00:07:28.560 Solomon, at this point, is a young man. 00:07:28.680 --> 00:07:29.879 A pretty powerful young man. 00:07:29.960 --> 00:07:34.060 And obviously, a very smart man as well already at this point. 00:07:34.820 --> 00:07:39.260 In verse number seven, however, this is how he describes himself. 00:07:39.939 --> 00:07:40.320 It says, 00:07:40.319 --> 00:07:52.360 Do you know the first step in walking with the Lord? 00:07:52.899 --> 00:07:55.079 Realizing our own inadequacy. 00:07:55.759 --> 00:07:58.139 Realizing that we are not enough. 00:07:58.519 --> 00:08:00.819 The only thing that can be enough is the Lord. 00:08:01.199 --> 00:08:07.219 Solomon realizes when everything is happening, I realize I'm just a little child. 00:08:07.659 --> 00:08:09.620 David, my father, he was a great Christian. 00:08:09.620 --> 00:08:11.519 All these men before me, they were great Christians. 00:08:11.840 --> 00:08:14.180 I am nothing, God. 00:08:14.639 --> 00:08:18.939 Before you can truly walk with the Lord, you have to be brought to the bottom of yourself. 00:08:19.579 --> 00:08:24.379 You have to lose all of yourself to realize that God is the only way forward. 00:08:24.720 --> 00:08:26.180 That's what happens with Solomon here. 00:08:26.459 --> 00:08:31.160 He has to realize that he is nothing in the grand scheme of life. 00:08:31.660 --> 00:08:36.279 He can do nothing without God's help. 00:08:36.279 --> 00:08:43.799 Our first step must be to realize our only ability is through God's ability. 00:08:44.199 --> 00:08:50.120 By the way, wisdom starts when we recognize that we need God. 00:08:50.539 --> 00:08:53.839 Wisdom is not being smarter than everybody else. 00:08:54.579 --> 00:08:57.159 Wisdom is not having more knowledge than everybody else. 00:08:57.240 --> 00:09:00.240 It is realizing our need for the Savior and for God. 00:09:00.240 --> 00:09:04.240 It is realizing that we are not enough without God. 00:09:05.019 --> 00:09:07.340 So first he recognized his own inadequacy. 00:09:07.860 --> 00:09:10.220 Then he desired wisdom instead of wealth. 00:09:10.360 --> 00:09:16.460 I looked up the definitions of godly wisdom and godly knowledge and wanted to see what the difference was. 00:09:16.680 --> 00:09:19.860 A lot of people interchange wisdom and knowledge to mean the same thing. 00:09:19.919 --> 00:09:22.200 But they are two very different things. 00:09:22.779 --> 00:09:27.259 Godly knowledge is having a learning and understanding of the Bible. 00:09:27.259 --> 00:09:30.500 I imagine there are many smart people in this room. 00:09:30.639 --> 00:09:32.639 Probably a lot smarter than I am. 00:09:33.059 --> 00:09:35.419 Most of us probably know the Bible pretty well. 00:09:35.600 --> 00:09:36.819 We know all the Bible stories. 00:09:36.919 --> 00:09:37.819 We know several verses. 00:09:38.039 --> 00:09:40.100 We know the Bible very well. 00:09:40.419 --> 00:09:44.259 Maybe we even read the Bible each and every day in our own alone time with God. 00:09:44.500 --> 00:09:47.419 Let me just tell you, that does not mean you have godly wisdom. 00:09:47.980 --> 00:09:49.919 That means you have godly knowledge. 00:09:50.299 --> 00:09:52.639 But there's another step to get to wisdom. 00:09:53.159 --> 00:09:54.279 What is that step? 00:09:54.279 --> 00:09:58.959 The step of godly wisdom is executing on the godly knowledge that you have. 00:10:00.000 --> 00:10:05.039 It is possible to have godly knowledge and lack godly wisdom. 00:10:05.799 --> 00:10:06.319 But get this. 00:10:06.399 --> 00:10:09.839 It is not possible to have godly wisdom and lack godly knowledge. 00:10:10.100 --> 00:10:11.740 It starts first here. 00:10:12.079 --> 00:10:13.799 It starts first in God's word. 00:10:14.079 --> 00:10:15.360 We need godly knowledge. 00:10:15.480 --> 00:10:16.699 Godly knowledge is important. 00:10:17.360 --> 00:10:19.799 But if that's all we have, we've missed the point. 00:10:19.799 --> 00:10:25.879 If we only have the knowledge of God and knowledge of what God says, there's more to it. 00:10:26.740 --> 00:10:30.559 Most of us, I understand, probably know the right things to do. 00:10:30.939 --> 00:10:32.959 We know what God has told us to do. 00:10:33.219 --> 00:10:34.699 That does not mean we have godly wisdom. 00:10:34.979 --> 00:10:35.819 That just means we know. 00:10:36.799 --> 00:10:42.240 Godly wisdom is executing on the knowledge that we already have. 00:10:42.240 --> 00:10:46.460 Solomon had the option to ask for all these different things. 00:10:46.580 --> 00:10:48.259 But he rather chose wisdom. 00:10:48.500 --> 00:10:51.519 Because I think Solomon realized, I've got a lot of knowledge. 00:10:52.039 --> 00:10:55.320 He was probably like Ivy League knowledge level. 00:10:55.440 --> 00:10:55.620 All right? 00:10:55.680 --> 00:10:56.639 This guy's smart. 00:10:57.220 --> 00:11:00.279 But he realized knowledge wasn't all he needed. 00:11:00.740 --> 00:11:01.580 He needed wisdom. 00:11:01.680 --> 00:11:04.919 He needed to execute on what he already knew God had told him to do. 00:11:05.360 --> 00:11:06.200 That's what we need. 00:11:06.200 --> 00:11:11.900 We need to execute on the godly knowledge that God has given us. 00:11:12.960 --> 00:11:15.960 Not only that, God was pleased with his request. 00:11:16.379 --> 00:11:20.620 The request that he made for godly wisdom pleased God. 00:11:21.259 --> 00:11:23.800 Later on in his life, Solomon's not pleasing God anymore. 00:11:23.900 --> 00:11:30.400 But at the beginning, at the onset, Solomon was living the right kind of life. 00:11:32.180 --> 00:11:34.259 Godly knowledge and godly wisdom is kind of like this. 00:11:34.259 --> 00:11:36.740 When I was in school, I was pretty decent at school. 00:11:37.080 --> 00:11:40.080 But there was one subject I hated more than any other. 00:11:41.120 --> 00:11:44.539 Anybody, any of our teens taking geometry right now? 00:11:44.899 --> 00:11:45.779 Any taking geometry? 00:11:46.059 --> 00:11:46.299 Okay. 00:11:46.600 --> 00:11:47.620 You got one or two. 00:11:48.019 --> 00:11:48.899 I hated geometry. 00:11:49.399 --> 00:11:52.600 And I always told my teacher, when am I ever going to use this? 00:11:53.179 --> 00:11:57.480 Brother Tyler is still yet to show me a shape and ask me what that shape is called. 00:11:57.679 --> 00:11:58.000 All right? 00:11:58.039 --> 00:11:59.439 I don't think I needed geometry. 00:11:59.559 --> 00:12:00.360 I never thought I did. 00:12:00.700 --> 00:12:03.379 And what I hated most about geometry was proofs. 00:12:03.379 --> 00:12:10.939 When somebody asks me to prove that this is a triangle by giving me six steps that it is a triangle, 00:12:11.159 --> 00:12:14.379 I think that is the most foolish way to prove that something is a triangle. 00:12:14.759 --> 00:12:19.039 I think you can look at a shape and say, yep, three sides, that's got to be a triangle. 00:12:19.259 --> 00:12:20.899 Four sides, that's a square. 00:12:21.080 --> 00:12:21.379 All right? 00:12:21.439 --> 00:12:22.240 I hated geometry. 00:12:22.659 --> 00:12:24.279 Didn't like it at all. 00:12:24.379 --> 00:12:27.259 Didn't think it was ever going to apply to my life. 00:12:27.259 --> 00:12:29.600 Going through school is like that. 00:12:29.659 --> 00:12:32.200 As a kid, even in math class, we know we're going to need math. 00:12:32.439 --> 00:12:37.919 But even in math class, we say, I'm not really going to need to know this later. 00:12:38.299 --> 00:12:38.439 All right? 00:12:38.460 --> 00:12:39.539 I just want to be an accountant. 00:12:39.759 --> 00:12:40.879 I don't need to know numbers. 00:12:41.039 --> 00:12:41.360 All right? 00:12:41.720 --> 00:12:42.399 That's what we say. 00:12:42.500 --> 00:12:44.299 I don't think I'm ever going to use this. 00:12:44.960 --> 00:12:51.480 It would be very foolish to go through school and use none of what we learned in school in life. 00:12:51.480 --> 00:12:52.820 But here's the deal. 00:12:52.940 --> 00:12:59.360 If all we did in school, we learned it, we have it in our head, and we never use it, it does nothing. 00:13:00.200 --> 00:13:08.639 If all we do is hear this word, we learn this word, we tell the preacher every week, man, that's a great sermon. 00:13:08.840 --> 00:13:14.899 If that's all we do and we never act on it, we're lacking the godly wisdom that God told us we needed in the first place. 00:13:15.399 --> 00:13:21.300 We're missing the execution of that knowledge. 00:13:21.480 --> 00:13:25.480 Having all the knowledge in the world isn't good enough. 00:13:26.180 --> 00:13:28.920 You know who I think was one of the smartest men to ever live? 00:13:29.180 --> 00:13:29.820 Albert Einstein. 00:13:31.180 --> 00:13:42.500 He died a sinner, and he died on his way to hell because he had so much knowledge, but he missed what was right there in front of him the whole time. 00:13:42.879 --> 00:13:45.519 As he lay on his deathbed, he knew there was a higher power. 00:13:45.620 --> 00:13:46.460 He just didn't know. 00:13:46.740 --> 00:13:48.480 He couldn't connect the dots. 00:13:48.480 --> 00:13:49.800 He didn't have the wisdom. 00:13:49.920 --> 00:13:52.539 He didn't have the knowledge to glean it and execute. 00:13:53.259 --> 00:13:56.080 Smart knowledge, it doesn't get you there. 00:13:56.720 --> 00:13:59.779 Being a smart person was never the goal. 00:14:00.100 --> 00:14:06.639 And obviously, we see from Solomon's life, he realized that knowledge can only get you so far. 00:14:07.200 --> 00:14:09.279 Book smarts, I'm a book smart person. 00:14:09.379 --> 00:14:11.180 Book smarts can only get me so far. 00:14:11.179 --> 00:14:15.000 At some point, you have to apply it to your life. 00:14:15.620 --> 00:14:19.519 I used this verse in Sunday school with the teens this morning, James 1.22. 00:14:20.699 --> 00:14:26.579 Be not hearers of the word only, but be doers of the word. 00:14:27.339 --> 00:14:33.759 Don't sit in service and learn and glean all these things that are being taught to us, but never act on it. 00:14:34.000 --> 00:14:35.459 We're lacking godly wisdom. 00:14:35.460 --> 00:14:46.800 Don't sit in the pew and learn all these things and then we go out on the week and then we come back next Sunday, learn the same stuff, and we never act on it. 00:14:47.379 --> 00:14:52.700 Godly knowledge is executing the knowledge that God has given us in his word. 00:14:53.160 --> 00:14:54.000 That's what it is. 00:14:54.400 --> 00:14:55.639 And he made the right to request. 00:14:55.860 --> 00:14:59.900 He understood that knowledge, Solomon understood that knowledge was not all that he needed. 00:15:00.019 --> 00:15:01.379 He needed that godly wisdom. 00:15:01.379 --> 00:15:05.439 And secondly, I see the wisdom on display. 00:15:06.139 --> 00:15:11.039 This might be one of my favorite stories in all the Bible. 00:15:11.240 --> 00:15:19.659 If you have been paying attention to social media recently at all, you've seen a couple very notable court cases that have been transpiring in America. 00:15:20.019 --> 00:15:21.399 I like following that stuff. 00:15:21.500 --> 00:15:22.659 I like mysteries. 00:15:22.840 --> 00:15:25.960 I like figuring out what actually happened, what was actually going on. 00:15:26.460 --> 00:15:30.340 Well, back in Solomon's day, they did not have video footage. 00:15:30.340 --> 00:15:33.440 They did not have things to decode DNA. 00:15:33.580 --> 00:15:34.560 They didn't have all that. 00:15:34.879 --> 00:15:39.800 So when a court case was brought to Solomon, he kind of just had to do his best to figure it out himself. 00:15:40.320 --> 00:15:43.840 Look down with me in 1 Kings 3, verse 16. 00:15:45.800 --> 00:15:47.200 And it says this. 00:15:47.200 --> 00:15:53.000 Then came there two women that were harlots under the king and stood before him. 00:15:53.520 --> 00:15:57.720 And the one woman said, Oh, my Lord, I and this woman dwell in one house. 00:15:57.920 --> 00:16:01.020 And I was delivered of a child with her in the house. 00:16:01.379 --> 00:16:06.740 And it came to pass the third day after that I was delivered that this woman was delivered also. 00:16:06.879 --> 00:16:07.860 And we were together. 00:16:08.100 --> 00:16:11.700 There was no stranger with us in the house, save we two in the house. 00:16:11.700 --> 00:16:16.580 And this woman's child died in the night because she overlaid it. 00:16:17.580 --> 00:16:25.860 And she arose at midnight and took my son from beside me while thine handmaid slept and laid it in her bosom and laid her dead child in my bosom. 00:16:26.240 --> 00:16:29.700 And when I rose in the morning to give my child suck, behold, it was dead. 00:16:29.800 --> 00:16:35.379 But when I had considered it in the morning, behold, it was not my son, which I did bear. 00:16:35.379 --> 00:16:40.740 And the other woman said, Nay, but the living is my son and the dead is thy son. 00:16:41.080 --> 00:16:44.919 And this said, No, but the dead is thy son and the living is my son. 00:16:45.480 --> 00:16:48.220 Thus they spake before the king. 00:16:48.580 --> 00:16:51.139 What was Solomon supposed to do here? 00:16:52.039 --> 00:16:56.919 Basically, there are two women that just had babies that live in the same house. 00:16:57.539 --> 00:17:01.279 They were both asleep at the same time, both in bed with their babies. 00:17:01.580 --> 00:17:03.860 One rolled over on her baby and killed him. 00:17:03.860 --> 00:17:13.259 So, being wise as she was, she went and took her dead baby, laid it beside the mother with the alive baby, and took the alive baby for herself. 00:17:13.960 --> 00:17:17.700 But now it's a he said, she said, or a she said, she said in this case. 00:17:18.019 --> 00:17:20.599 Trying to figure out, well, who did it? 00:17:20.680 --> 00:17:21.960 Whose baby is whose? 00:17:22.120 --> 00:17:24.339 We want to know what you think, king. 00:17:25.000 --> 00:17:31.620 Everybody at this point had heard about King Solomon's wisdom, so they figured Solomon could give us a pretty good answer. 00:17:31.619 --> 00:17:37.459 And his next answer is better than any judge that has ever lived. 00:17:37.899 --> 00:17:38.799 Verse number 23. 00:17:39.719 --> 00:17:43.739 Then said the king, the one saith, this is my son that liveth. 00:17:44.059 --> 00:17:45.159 And thy son is the dead. 00:17:45.219 --> 00:17:47.579 And the other saith, nay, but thy son is the dead. 00:17:47.799 --> 00:17:49.199 And my son is the living. 00:17:49.879 --> 00:17:51.819 And the king said, bring me a sword. 00:17:52.199 --> 00:17:53.939 And they brought a sword before the king. 00:17:53.940 --> 00:18:01.220 And the king said, divide the living child in two, and give half to the one and half to the other. 00:18:01.779 --> 00:18:06.340 Then spake the woman whose the living child wasn't the king, for her bowels yearned upon her son. 00:18:06.380 --> 00:18:11.440 And she said, oh, my Lord, give her the living child, and in no wise slay it. 00:18:11.720 --> 00:18:16.320 But the other said, let it be neither mine nor thine, but divide it. 00:18:16.860 --> 00:18:21.200 Then the king answered and said, give her the living child, and in no wise slay it. 00:18:21.200 --> 00:18:25.019 She is the mother thereof. 00:18:25.500 --> 00:18:30.960 The thing I'm most impressed about Solomon is Solomon did not ask for wisdom, for godly wisdom for himself. 00:18:31.580 --> 00:18:36.920 He wanted to display that wisdom for everybody else to see so he could help everybody else. 00:18:37.380 --> 00:18:40.900 And in this story, this is a crazy response that Solomon has. 00:18:41.160 --> 00:18:43.539 This is snap decision, snap moment. 00:18:44.059 --> 00:18:45.880 He says, all right, ladies, here's what we're going to do. 00:18:45.960 --> 00:18:47.680 The one living baby that's left. 00:18:47.680 --> 00:18:51.820 I'm going to get my sword, and I'm going to divide the baby in half. 00:18:52.420 --> 00:18:58.740 And obviously the real mother comes forward and says, no, just keep it alive. 00:18:58.880 --> 00:18:59.840 Give her the baby. 00:19:00.200 --> 00:19:01.980 I don't want it to die. 00:19:02.060 --> 00:19:05.000 And the other woman says, well, yeah, you can divide it. 00:19:05.400 --> 00:19:07.140 You can divide the baby in half. 00:19:07.240 --> 00:19:09.160 Give half to her, half to me. 00:19:09.160 --> 00:19:14.740 And at that point, it's obvious who the actual mother was. 00:19:15.600 --> 00:19:18.320 Solomon did not use his wisdom to help himself. 00:19:18.600 --> 00:19:21.400 He used his godly wisdom to help others. 00:19:21.860 --> 00:19:30.140 Throughout our story from chapter 3 and into chapter 4, Solomon uses everything that he does to help others. 00:19:30.460 --> 00:19:32.380 He's always thinking of God before himself. 00:19:32.660 --> 00:19:35.560 He's always thinking of others before himself. 00:19:35.559 --> 00:19:42.919 And he's using his gifts that God has given him for the furtherance of the gospel. 00:19:43.460 --> 00:19:46.000 His wisdom helped him lead God's people. 00:19:46.139 --> 00:19:48.500 Then his wisdom became known throughout the world. 00:19:48.599 --> 00:19:51.079 It says in 1 Kings 4, verse 29, 00:19:51.079 --> 00:19:59.119 And God gave Solomon wisdom and understanding exceeding much and largeness of heart, even as the sand that is on the seashore. 00:19:59.779 --> 00:20:06.939 And Solomon's wisdom excelled the wisdom of all the children of the East Country and all the wisdom of Egypt. 00:20:07.039 --> 00:20:08.539 You know what he's using his gifts now to? 00:20:08.659 --> 00:20:10.240 To point everybody back to God. 00:20:11.399 --> 00:20:16.919 This is kind of a side note here, but I imagine everybody in this room has a gift given to them by God. 00:20:17.500 --> 00:20:20.359 Are you using it to show others of God? 00:20:20.359 --> 00:20:21.740 Or are you keeping it inside? 00:20:22.299 --> 00:20:23.359 Solomon could have done that. 00:20:23.479 --> 00:20:24.559 Solomon knew he was wise. 00:20:25.139 --> 00:20:26.059 He had wisdom. 00:20:26.279 --> 00:20:29.099 He could have held it inside and said, I'm not sharing it with anybody. 00:20:29.500 --> 00:20:30.439 They don't need to see that. 00:20:30.500 --> 00:20:31.639 I'll use it for my own good. 00:20:31.899 --> 00:20:35.079 When I need something, that's when I'll use the wisdom God's given me. 00:20:36.079 --> 00:20:42.839 Those gifts that you've been given by God, God has given you those gifts so that you can reach others for Christ. 00:20:43.019 --> 00:20:47.740 So that others can see Christ through you. 00:20:47.740 --> 00:20:54.980 Telling others and talking to others about Christ is not the only way that they can see Christ. 00:20:55.380 --> 00:20:57.359 That is not the only way that they can have salvation. 00:20:57.559 --> 00:21:00.900 They can see Christ through your daily actions. 00:21:01.559 --> 00:21:06.660 Through you showing those gifts you have for Christ. 00:21:06.660 --> 00:21:09.580 His wisdom became known throughout the world. 00:21:09.680 --> 00:21:10.540 He shared his wisdom. 00:21:10.660 --> 00:21:12.279 He shared the things of Christ. 00:21:13.320 --> 00:21:23.400 But, unfortunately, and this will transition us to our next point, wisdom did not make him incapable of foolishness. 00:21:23.400 --> 00:21:25.480 It doesn't matter how much godly wisdom you have. 00:21:25.740 --> 00:21:28.759 It doesn't matter how much godly knowledge you have. 00:21:29.120 --> 00:21:37.840 If you stray away from God, if you start living in disobedience and disobeying God himself, it's never going to end good for you. 00:21:38.440 --> 00:21:41.780 See, Solomon started out very strong for God. 00:21:41.880 --> 00:21:46.540 I imagine most people in here, when you got saved, you were on fire for God. 00:21:46.539 --> 00:21:49.539 Are you still on fire for God, or has that died out a little bit? 00:21:50.759 --> 00:21:54.539 Because Solomon's life shows us, don't just start on fire for God. 00:21:54.659 --> 00:21:56.099 You got to finish on fire for God, too. 00:21:57.139 --> 00:21:59.079 Thirdly, I see a dangerous drift. 00:21:59.539 --> 00:22:00.980 A very dangerous drift. 00:22:02.099 --> 00:22:05.759 Turn to 1 Kings, just a few pages over to chapter number 11. 00:22:05.920 --> 00:22:13.779 Eight chapters later, after he has been given all the wisdom he could ever ask for, here's where we're at. 00:22:13.779 --> 00:22:16.160 Verse number one says, 00:22:16.160 --> 00:22:27.720 But King Solomon loved many strange women, together with the daughter of Pharaoh, women of the Moabites, Ammonites, Edomites, Zidonians, and Hittites. 00:22:28.139 --> 00:22:30.899 Of the nations concerning which the Lord said unto the children of Israel, 00:22:31.279 --> 00:22:34.859 Ye shall not go into them, neither shall they come in unto you. 00:22:35.559 --> 00:22:38.740 For surely they will turn away your heart after their gods. 00:22:40.019 --> 00:22:42.839 Solomon, clave unto these. 00:22:43.779 --> 00:22:44.539 In love. 00:22:46.359 --> 00:22:49.700 I had to use a sports illustration, of course, because that's just who I am. 00:22:49.859 --> 00:22:52.740 Back about 10 years ago, there was a football game. 00:22:53.500 --> 00:22:59.180 A lot of people, even if you're not a fan of sports, have probably in your lifetime watched the Super Bowl. 00:23:00.539 --> 00:23:04.180 I normally go over to somebody's house for Super Bowl parties or whatnot. 00:23:04.180 --> 00:23:08.600 And this specific year, I was a sophomore in college. 00:23:08.820 --> 00:23:11.380 And I was getting to go over to my friend Matt's house. 00:23:11.440 --> 00:23:12.440 There were about 12 of us. 00:23:12.519 --> 00:23:13.560 We were going to watch the Super Bowl. 00:23:14.100 --> 00:23:15.460 And it was a very infamous Super Bowl. 00:23:15.600 --> 00:23:18.880 The New England Patriots against the Atlanta Falcons. 00:23:18.880 --> 00:23:24.680 And if you remember watching that game, you know how historic it would be. 00:23:24.960 --> 00:23:26.120 I was watching that game. 00:23:26.220 --> 00:23:29.340 Ten of my friends were rooting for the Atlanta Falcons. 00:23:29.460 --> 00:23:34.020 Because if you know much about football, you probably heard the name Tom Brady a time or two. 00:23:34.480 --> 00:23:37.680 And Tom Brady won so much that everybody got tired of it. 00:23:37.680 --> 00:23:40.519 So most of us were rooting for the Atlanta Falcons to win. 00:23:41.019 --> 00:23:45.880 However, the New York Giants had been the only team to ever beat Tom Brady in the Super Bowl. 00:23:46.080 --> 00:23:46.980 I'm a Giants fan. 00:23:47.060 --> 00:23:49.279 So I was rooting for Tom Brady to make it stay that way. 00:23:49.340 --> 00:23:50.860 So the Giants were the only teams to ever beat them. 00:23:51.380 --> 00:23:54.019 I was one of two people rooting for the Patriots that day. 00:23:54.900 --> 00:23:56.620 One of my friends was from Atlanta, Georgia. 00:23:56.680 --> 00:23:59.340 About as big of an Atlanta Falcons fan as you could ask for. 00:23:59.420 --> 00:24:00.920 He's got like birds on his head. 00:24:01.019 --> 00:24:01.220 All right. 00:24:01.279 --> 00:24:02.019 He is decked out. 00:24:02.080 --> 00:24:03.320 He's ready to go for the Super Bowl. 00:24:03.319 --> 00:24:08.079 And sure enough, the game started how most Tom Brady games didn't start. 00:24:08.960 --> 00:24:14.480 It was 28-3, 28-3 Atlanta Falcons as halftime came around. 00:24:15.220 --> 00:24:20.000 And I had heard some of the people were already beginning to etch the name of the Atlanta Falcons 00:24:20.000 --> 00:24:22.279 on the Lombardi Trophy at the Super Bowl. 00:24:22.419 --> 00:24:23.159 The game was over. 00:24:23.579 --> 00:24:28.159 28-3, even the great Tom Brady couldn't come back from that deficit. 00:24:28.160 --> 00:24:36.160 And as the second half started, somebody forgot to tell the Atlanta Falcons that there was a second half. 00:24:36.860 --> 00:24:41.620 And as Tom Brady began to play, you just began realizing something. 00:24:42.600 --> 00:24:44.460 There's not just one half in football. 00:24:44.960 --> 00:24:45.580 There's two. 00:24:46.240 --> 00:24:52.600 And Tom Brady did what he's been known to do and why many people still to this day do not like him very much. 00:24:52.599 --> 00:24:58.619 Drive after drive, he became clinical, throwing pass after pass, touchdown after touchdown. 00:24:59.179 --> 00:25:02.759 And before long, it was 31-24 in the waning minutes. 00:25:02.980 --> 00:25:04.419 The Atlanta Falcons led by seven. 00:25:04.980 --> 00:25:10.719 And of course, Tom Brady, cool as a cucumber, never let anything rattle him, 00:25:10.839 --> 00:25:15.019 drove the New England Patriots down to score one more touchdown to tie the game. 00:25:15.019 --> 00:25:23.799 And in the biggest, most historic comeback in sports history, Tom Brady led the New England Patriots in overtime 00:25:23.799 --> 00:25:26.379 to beat the Atlanta Falcons. 00:25:26.680 --> 00:25:29.740 And I just remember my Atlanta Falcons friend, man, he was heartbroken. 00:25:30.059 --> 00:25:31.539 He didn't talk to anybody for a week. 00:25:31.619 --> 00:25:32.700 And you think I'm exaggerating. 00:25:32.799 --> 00:25:33.299 I'm not. 00:25:33.519 --> 00:25:34.619 He was very angry. 00:25:35.119 --> 00:25:39.119 And we had to be very careful about rubbing it in because he was very hurt at what had happened. 00:25:39.119 --> 00:25:44.059 But as I recalled that game, I realized something. 00:25:45.000 --> 00:25:45.919 The beginning matters. 00:25:46.019 --> 00:25:46.479 It does. 00:25:46.799 --> 00:25:48.339 The beginning absolutely matters. 00:25:48.919 --> 00:25:52.879 Because if the beginning didn't happen, the Patriots would have won by 28 points. 00:25:53.219 --> 00:25:54.139 The beginning matters. 00:25:55.319 --> 00:25:57.099 But so does the finish as well. 00:25:57.759 --> 00:25:59.679 Your whole life should be on fire for God. 00:25:59.859 --> 00:26:02.979 It can't start on fire and we lose that flame. 00:26:04.019 --> 00:26:06.239 You got a whole life to live for God. 00:26:06.240 --> 00:26:12.839 I remember, man, there have been people in the church that I've grown up with that get on fire for God. 00:26:12.920 --> 00:26:15.120 And two years later, you don't see them in church anymore. 00:26:15.700 --> 00:26:18.359 Because, man, they were so on fire, ready to serve God. 00:26:18.380 --> 00:26:21.819 And then all of a sudden, their flame just kind of burned out. 00:26:22.440 --> 00:26:23.339 Got a little bored. 00:26:24.359 --> 00:26:25.460 Got a little restless. 00:26:25.700 --> 00:26:28.079 Said, ah, there's got to be more to life than this. 00:26:28.660 --> 00:26:32.180 This can't be what life has to offer. 00:26:32.759 --> 00:26:34.660 And I feel like that's where Solomon was at. 00:26:34.660 --> 00:26:36.700 Solomon had everything he could have wanted. 00:26:36.980 --> 00:26:37.660 He had a kingdom. 00:26:38.300 --> 00:26:39.140 He was a king. 00:26:39.740 --> 00:26:41.340 He had all the wisdom he could ever want. 00:26:41.460 --> 00:26:44.180 Everybody in the nation knew who he was. 00:26:44.440 --> 00:26:45.860 He was famous everywhere. 00:26:48.220 --> 00:26:51.820 And there's one word that gets me here in chapter number 11. 00:26:52.240 --> 00:26:53.200 It's a very simple word. 00:26:53.259 --> 00:26:54.259 A very short word, actually. 00:26:55.259 --> 00:26:57.759 The very first word of chapter number 11 is but. 00:26:57.759 --> 00:27:04.779 So chapters 3 through 10 was explaining about how amazing of a man Solomon was. 00:27:04.980 --> 00:27:08.119 How wise of a man Solomon was. 00:27:08.240 --> 00:27:11.599 And it took one word to destroy everything he built. 00:27:12.879 --> 00:27:13.359 But. 00:27:13.879 --> 00:27:15.640 We all have something. 00:27:15.980 --> 00:27:19.379 We all have something that would refer to that as a but. 00:27:19.539 --> 00:27:21.220 What is our but? 00:27:21.700 --> 00:27:24.940 What is our thing that is holding us back from serving God? 00:27:24.940 --> 00:27:26.140 Because Solomon had one. 00:27:26.259 --> 00:27:29.720 By the way, don't sit here today and say, I don't have one of those. 00:27:29.880 --> 00:27:31.600 I don't have something that's standing in my way. 00:27:31.700 --> 00:27:32.660 I don't have one. 00:27:33.059 --> 00:27:37.180 Solomon, the wisest man to ever live, had one. 00:27:37.539 --> 00:27:39.400 Had something that got in his way. 00:27:40.259 --> 00:27:41.039 You have one. 00:27:41.480 --> 00:27:43.519 But don't let it get in the way of you serving God. 00:27:44.039 --> 00:27:44.720 Don't let it get. 00:27:44.840 --> 00:27:48.860 Don't let it put your fire out from serving God. 00:27:49.080 --> 00:27:50.200 Because that's what it did. 00:27:50.200 --> 00:27:58.279 And what gets me the most is Solomon knew so well what God had told him not to do. 00:27:59.019 --> 00:28:05.660 It says in verse number, verse number two of the nations concerning which the Lord said unto the children of Israel, 00:28:06.380 --> 00:28:13.960 ye shall not go into them, neither shall they come in unto you. 00:28:14.160 --> 00:28:16.860 I don't think there's much gray area here. 00:28:16.859 --> 00:28:26.279 The Lord specifically told Solomon, not just don't love them, don't go near them. 00:28:26.799 --> 00:28:29.279 You know what happens when you linger around sin? 00:28:30.079 --> 00:28:31.339 Sin's going to catch you. 00:28:31.839 --> 00:28:32.439 It just will. 00:28:33.000 --> 00:28:34.799 You've got to stay as far away from possible. 00:28:35.099 --> 00:28:36.819 And that's what God's telling Solomon to do. 00:28:37.099 --> 00:28:38.719 Solomon, don't go near them. 00:28:40.240 --> 00:28:44.939 God knows what that one sin is or what that one thing is that's holding you back. 00:28:44.940 --> 00:28:46.539 God knew what Solomon had. 00:28:46.779 --> 00:28:49.759 And God said, Solomon, don't go near it. 00:28:50.299 --> 00:28:51.759 Don't go near those women. 00:28:52.080 --> 00:28:52.940 Don't touch them. 00:28:53.220 --> 00:28:54.820 Don't do anything with them. 00:28:55.000 --> 00:28:56.960 And before long, you know what happened? 00:28:57.440 --> 00:28:58.279 Solomon compromised. 00:28:58.779 --> 00:29:00.960 He said, God, going into them, that ain't that bad. 00:29:01.559 --> 00:29:02.360 It could be worse. 00:29:02.940 --> 00:29:04.880 I could be living like Bobby over here, man. 00:29:04.900 --> 00:29:06.519 He's living in a whole lot of sin. 00:29:07.160 --> 00:29:08.420 I'm not doing that bad. 00:29:08.680 --> 00:29:10.360 I just went in and saw a couple girls. 00:29:10.420 --> 00:29:11.080 That's it. 00:29:11.299 --> 00:29:12.420 I'm just living my life. 00:29:12.460 --> 00:29:13.460 I want to have some fun. 00:29:13.460 --> 00:29:15.319 And that's where it started for Solomon. 00:29:16.579 --> 00:29:24.539 When you compromise with sin, when you compromise with God, that's when sin will catch you and 00:29:24.539 --> 00:29:27.640 it will take you much farther than you ever thought you would go. 00:29:28.299 --> 00:29:29.579 That's what happened to Solomon here. 00:29:29.660 --> 00:29:31.039 God said, don't go into them. 00:29:31.039 --> 00:29:38.799 And before long, the end of verse two, Solomon clave unto these in love and get this. 00:29:39.460 --> 00:29:48.619 And he had 700 wives, princesses, and 300 concubines. 00:29:48.619 --> 00:29:53.979 And his wife turned away his heart. 00:29:54.599 --> 00:29:55.659 You know where this started? 00:29:55.819 --> 00:29:57.259 Solomon ignored God entirely. 00:29:58.279 --> 00:30:00.199 Solomon knew what God said, but he ignored him. 00:30:00.599 --> 00:30:02.479 He said, God, I've got this one. 00:30:03.659 --> 00:30:07.119 Throughout his whole life, he's put God and others before himself. 00:30:07.119 --> 00:30:11.899 And then he decided, I need to live for me. 00:30:12.779 --> 00:30:16.679 Now's when I need to live for me. 00:30:16.819 --> 00:30:18.239 Sometimes we get in that mindset. 00:30:18.979 --> 00:30:21.259 I've been doing everything for everybody else. 00:30:21.339 --> 00:30:22.779 I've been doing everything for God. 00:30:23.000 --> 00:30:25.059 Now I want to live for me. 00:30:25.259 --> 00:30:26.539 Just give me a week, God. 00:30:26.659 --> 00:30:28.559 I'm going to live for myself for a week. 00:30:28.559 --> 00:30:36.299 And before long, 700 wives later, Solomon has gone way farther than he'd ever thought possible. 00:30:37.159 --> 00:30:39.079 He compromised with sin. 00:30:39.200 --> 00:30:42.179 And before too long, these women were influencing his decisions. 00:30:42.639 --> 00:30:43.919 Influencing what he was doing. 00:30:44.279 --> 00:30:46.299 Influencing what he was wearing, what he was saying. 00:30:47.179 --> 00:30:48.960 You couldn't even tell he was a Christian anymore. 00:30:49.359 --> 00:30:54.579 I imagine the men around Solomon came into his throne room and said, Solomon, who are you? 00:30:55.179 --> 00:30:56.659 They couldn't tell who he was anymore. 00:30:56.660 --> 00:31:02.920 Before, several chapters earlier, everybody knew who Solomon was. 00:31:03.040 --> 00:31:04.820 Everybody knew he worshipped God. 00:31:05.100 --> 00:31:06.500 Now nobody knows who he is. 00:31:06.620 --> 00:31:07.960 Where did you put Solomon? 00:31:09.800 --> 00:31:11.120 Don't live for yourself. 00:31:11.300 --> 00:31:14.420 Because when we start compromising with sin, sin starts influencing us. 00:31:14.720 --> 00:31:16.040 Then we get a divided heart. 00:31:16.279 --> 00:31:17.800 You know what happens with a divided heart? 00:31:17.880 --> 00:31:20.200 We say, God, I'll give you half of my heart. 00:31:20.620 --> 00:31:22.160 The rest of it is mine. 00:31:22.860 --> 00:31:23.880 It doesn't work that way. 00:31:23.880 --> 00:31:29.840 God tells us in Revelation that he'd rather us be hot or cold rather than lukewarm. 00:31:30.040 --> 00:31:32.640 If you're a lukewarm Christian, he wants to spew you out of his mouth. 00:31:33.240 --> 00:31:37.320 I'm not sitting here telling you that Solomon wasn't saved because he absolutely was. 00:31:38.020 --> 00:31:41.940 Solomon, I'm sure you will one day see him when you get to heaven. 00:31:41.940 --> 00:31:46.539 But Solomon messed up and he kept on messing up. 00:31:46.779 --> 00:31:49.759 And before too long, his heart was now in sin. 00:31:50.559 --> 00:31:53.860 Rather with God where it should have been from the beginning. 00:31:54.980 --> 00:31:58.940 And not only that, the last step of his fall was idolatry. 00:31:59.900 --> 00:32:05.660 The one thing Solomon knew he would never go into was worshipping other gods. 00:32:05.660 --> 00:32:07.279 Solomon, I'm Solomon. 00:32:08.060 --> 00:32:09.080 I'm wise. 00:32:09.360 --> 00:32:11.200 I've got everything you could possibly ask. 00:32:11.300 --> 00:32:12.460 I've talked to God personally. 00:32:12.660 --> 00:32:13.779 I wouldn't do that. 00:32:14.820 --> 00:32:16.340 How often do we say that? 00:32:17.640 --> 00:32:18.920 It's just a little sin. 00:32:19.259 --> 00:32:20.580 It's never going to take me there. 00:32:21.100 --> 00:32:23.940 And that's never going to become me. 00:32:24.500 --> 00:32:27.680 I'm never going to be the one falling down like that. 00:32:27.860 --> 00:32:28.600 Solomon did. 00:32:28.920 --> 00:32:30.300 Solomon was a pretty smart guy too. 00:32:30.960 --> 00:32:32.259 Solomon was a pretty wise guy. 00:32:32.420 --> 00:32:35.259 Solomon, by the way, probably at every single church service. 00:32:35.259 --> 00:32:38.079 Every time the church doors were open, Solomon was there. 00:32:39.460 --> 00:32:45.579 Don't think that just because you read your Bible five minutes a day and you sit in a church service, 00:32:45.579 --> 00:32:50.579 that that is going to protect you from where Solomon went. 00:32:51.599 --> 00:32:52.500 It won't. 00:32:53.119 --> 00:33:01.859 You need to have a personal relationship with God and an obedience to God to ever expect that you're going to avoid where Solomon went. 00:33:02.099 --> 00:33:03.000 You know where that starts? 00:33:03.519 --> 00:33:04.500 What Solomon forgot. 00:33:04.500 --> 00:33:05.839 Realizing that we need God. 00:33:06.279 --> 00:33:07.420 Realizing that we're inadequate. 00:33:07.700 --> 00:33:12.220 Realizing that we could fall into sin, which is why we need God in the first place. 00:33:12.519 --> 00:33:13.740 That's what Solomon forgot. 00:33:14.599 --> 00:33:18.000 Solomon forgot his need for God. 00:33:18.759 --> 00:33:24.200 He got so wrapped up in himself that he forgot his need for the Savior. 00:33:24.200 --> 00:33:30.580 And finally, point number four, the final warning. 00:33:31.220 --> 00:33:32.840 The final warning. 00:33:33.480 --> 00:33:34.580 And this is very telling. 00:33:34.680 --> 00:33:36.500 This is the verse I told you we were going to get to. 00:33:36.720 --> 00:33:37.880 11 verse 9. 00:33:37.880 --> 00:33:39.600 And it says, 00:33:39.600 --> 00:33:50.220 And the Lord was angry with Solomon, because his heart was turned from the Lord God of Israel, which had appeared unto him twice. 00:33:50.220 --> 00:33:55.980 And I commanded him concerning this thing that he should not go after other gods. 00:33:55.980 --> 00:34:01.460 But he kept not that which the Lord commanded. 00:34:01.880 --> 00:34:03.799 Where is your heart at today? 00:34:03.799 --> 00:34:08.219 Are you living a life that is pleasing the Lord? 00:34:09.219 --> 00:34:11.320 Or so oftentimes, do we get in a rut? 00:34:12.139 --> 00:34:15.579 And really, the Lord's angry with where we're at. 00:34:15.579 --> 00:34:19.579 That's the big call this morning. 00:34:19.739 --> 00:34:21.900 Is God pleased with where you are at in your life? 00:34:23.000 --> 00:34:24.319 Maybe you say yes. 00:34:24.840 --> 00:34:27.900 Well, friend, let me just tell you, it might not always stay that way. 00:34:28.819 --> 00:34:36.079 You have to make sure you are fully in with God, have a relationship with God, and are committed to obedience to God. 00:34:36.139 --> 00:34:39.980 Because even if you're pleasing God today, we don't know what's going to happen tomorrow. 00:34:40.579 --> 00:34:44.319 It's just eight chapters later that Solomon's got 700 wives. 00:34:44.320 --> 00:34:45.840 And idols. 00:34:46.720 --> 00:34:48.340 Could you imagine that? 00:34:48.920 --> 00:34:50.940 From the wisest guy in the world. 00:34:51.300 --> 00:34:52.980 And listen, I love my wife. 00:34:53.180 --> 00:34:54.660 No way I could have 700 of them. 00:34:55.800 --> 00:34:56.740 Just couldn't do it. 00:34:57.400 --> 00:34:58.559 That's a lot, all right? 00:34:58.660 --> 00:34:59.980 That's a lot of flowers to buy. 00:35:00.180 --> 00:35:01.340 That's a lot of dates to go on. 00:35:01.400 --> 00:35:04.080 I just don't think I'd be able to do it. 00:35:04.440 --> 00:35:09.039 So obviously, the wisdom that he had has already gone out the window a little bit, right? 00:35:09.440 --> 00:35:10.760 He's got all those wives. 00:35:11.480 --> 00:35:12.660 Everything that's happening. 00:35:14.320 --> 00:35:17.380 But just eight chapters earlier, he was pleasing the Lord. 00:35:18.180 --> 00:35:20.320 Don't get content with where you're at. 00:35:20.800 --> 00:35:29.920 Because contentment with where you're at, with the pew you're sitting in, that turns in to where Solomon went. 00:35:30.320 --> 00:35:31.720 Don't say, I'm good right here. 00:35:32.220 --> 00:35:34.200 I'm doing a good job right where I'm at. 00:35:34.199 --> 00:35:39.919 Because when we stop moving forward for the Lord, that's when we get caught up in that sin. 00:35:40.179 --> 00:35:42.819 That's when we get caught up living for ourselves. 00:35:42.980 --> 00:35:44.659 We always need to press forward for the Lord. 00:35:45.199 --> 00:35:52.319 As a community in Gainesville, as a church here, as an individual, you need to press forward for the Lord. 00:35:52.320 --> 00:35:55.400 Because when you stop, say, I need a break right here. 00:35:55.580 --> 00:35:57.240 Just let me sit back, relax. 00:35:57.460 --> 00:35:58.940 Let me take it easy for a minute. 00:35:59.380 --> 00:36:01.700 That's when you go down the road that Solomon went down. 00:36:03.340 --> 00:36:04.580 God gave him a warning. 00:36:04.740 --> 00:36:08.380 God said, Solomon, what are you doing? 00:36:08.380 --> 00:36:17.380 By the way, and I mentioned this at the beginning, your knowledge, your wisdom cannot replace your walk with God. 00:36:17.860 --> 00:36:19.800 It cannot replace your walk with God. 00:36:20.640 --> 00:36:23.000 That knowledge and wisdom that you have, it's great. 00:36:23.300 --> 00:36:25.380 It's a great first step. 00:36:26.000 --> 00:36:33.039 But it can't replace a personal relationship that we should have with God. 00:36:33.860 --> 00:36:37.500 Biblical wisdom is what Solomon lost here at the end. 00:36:38.380 --> 00:36:44.320 Biblical wisdom is knowing what is right and then living according to it. 00:36:45.159 --> 00:36:47.239 Solomon had the first part down pat. 00:36:47.500 --> 00:36:50.159 And I think everybody else in here probably does too. 00:36:50.679 --> 00:36:52.000 We know what the Lord has said. 00:36:52.000 --> 00:36:53.960 We know what we're supposed to be doing. 00:36:55.380 --> 00:37:00.519 But the only way to have biblical wisdom is to go out in the world and do it. 00:37:01.199 --> 00:37:03.960 Live a life that is pleasing to God. 00:37:03.960 --> 00:37:08.579 Don't live your life as the second half of Solomon's life. 00:37:09.400 --> 00:37:11.940 Because you'll live it full, full of regrets. 00:37:12.000 --> 00:37:16.900 And one day when you get older, you'll say, man, I wish, I wish I wouldn't have done that. 00:37:17.380 --> 00:37:21.519 Solomon writes an entire book of the Bible on why he messed up. 00:37:21.900 --> 00:37:24.119 On what he wishes he could have back. 00:37:24.119 --> 00:37:26.019 Listen to that and say, you know what? 00:37:26.460 --> 00:37:29.880 I want to live my life pleasing to God now. 00:37:30.299 --> 00:37:30.880 Don't wait. 00:37:32.099 --> 00:37:34.500 Don't say, well, I'll live my life for me today. 00:37:34.579 --> 00:37:38.000 Because before long, you're all engulfed in yourself. 00:37:39.159 --> 00:37:41.239 Rather than your relationship with God. 00:37:41.719 --> 00:37:44.259 I is the most overused word in the English language. 00:37:44.359 --> 00:37:44.739 You know why? 00:37:44.980 --> 00:37:46.739 Because all of us love to talk about I. 00:37:47.480 --> 00:37:48.420 Number one, me. 00:37:48.659 --> 00:37:51.099 I like to talk about me. 00:37:51.400 --> 00:37:53.279 I like to live for me. 00:37:53.400 --> 00:37:54.539 That's what our flesh wants to do. 00:37:54.619 --> 00:37:58.719 That's why we have to die to our flesh every single day. 00:37:58.860 --> 00:38:02.639 To make sure we are living in submission and obedience to God. 00:38:03.360 --> 00:38:05.339 Live a life pleasing to the Lord today. 00:38:05.440 --> 00:38:08.599 As we go out this week, live a life pleasing to the Lord. 00:38:08.679 --> 00:38:09.239 Go ahead and bow your head. 00:38:09.239 --> 00:38:09.409 Go away away away away away away away away away away away away away away away away away away away away away away away away away away away away away away away away away away away away away away away away away away away away away away away away away away away away away away away away away away away away away away away away away away away away away away away away away away away away away away away away away away away away away away away away away away away away away away away away away away away away away away away away away away away away away away away away away away away away away away away away away away away away away away away away away away away away away away away away away away away away away away away away away away away away away away away away away away away away away away away away away away away away away away away away away away away away away away away away away away away away away away away away away away away away away away away away away away away away away 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