We're going to begin our worship this evening by singing to God's praise in Psalm 96a.
That's in the Sing Psalms version, page 126 of the Psalm book.
We're going to sing from verse 1 to verse 9, and the tune is Glasgow.
Psalm 96a, O sing a new song to the Lord, sing praises to his name, and his salvation
day by day, let all the earth proclaim.
His glory and his mighty deeds to every land declare, how great and awesome is the Lord,
with him no gods compare.
We'll sing from verse 1 to 9 to God's praise.
O sing a new song to the Lord, sing praises to his name, and his salvation day by day.
Let all the earth proclaim.
His glory and his mighty deeds to every land declare, how great and awesome is the Lord,
with him no gods compare.
How great and awesome is the Lord, with him no gods compare.
For other gods are wooden stone, the Lord made heaven's high.
All power and majesty and his, he dwells in glorious light.
All nations to the Lord, the Lord has cried, the glory that is due.
Glow thee and strength, ascribe to God, and praise his name anew.
Enter his course with joy and dream, and offer him with you.
Worship the Lord in holy fear, all earth before him now.
Glow thee and strength, ascribe to God's praise.
We'll come to God in prayer.
Let us pray.
Lord our God, our Father in heaven, we do thank you to be able to draw near to you,
to be able to worship and praise your name,
to remember that you are king and lord over all,
to remember that your throne, the throne on high, is secure,
and that nothing can remove it, that you are unchanging and unchangeable.
We thank you for these words that we have sung in praise to you,
of all your mighty deeds that you have done,
and the way you declare them to all the nations of this world.
How great and awesome is the Lord, with him no gods compare.
And we thank you that these words are through,
down through every generation and for all people,
far and wide, even this day, these words are through.
For they echo not just the words that we read before us,
but they echo the words that come from yourself as God on high,
that there is no one or nothing that can help us in the way that you can.
And yet, as a people, we so often seek to find a way by ourselves.
We seek to help ourselves with the things that we cannot possibly achieve.
And so we pray, Lord, that you will help us to look to you
and to realize that you are our only help,
that you are our only hope of salvation.
For we do not live in this world alone just for a time,
although we can enjoy many things in this life.
Again and again, we are reminded that here we are but for a moment.
Here our days will pass us by so quickly.
Here our days will come to an end.
But as your word tells us, there is an eternity for all.
And the eternity that we will have depends on how we see you.
You have revealed yourself to us.
You have spoken to us and continue to speak to us
through your wonders of creation and through your word and by your spirit.
And yet, as we see and hear so much, we can still remain deaf.
We can still think that it means nothing and is of little importance.
But, Lord, we pray for your spirit to work in our midst,
to help us to realize the great importance and the great need
of the gospel that we all have,
that there is only life and life eternal
through your Son, the Lord Jesus Christ.
For the alternative that we are reminded of in your word
is that we will eternally perish,
that we will suffer, Lord.
And yet, O Lord, even as we hear these words,
we still think that we can go on enjoying life without you.
So how we need you, Lord, and how we pray
that you will give us wisdom,
that you will give us understanding,
that you will give us a knowledge of Jesus Christ,
that we will come and bow before him
and worship him alone.
Father, Sam reminds us that other gods are wood and stone,
but the Lord made heaven's height.
All power and majesty are his.
He dwells in glorious light.
And so we thank you that your gospel is glorious and powerful
and able to shine light into our midst
and even able to open our eyes and to help us to see
and to know the wonder of Jesus.
And so we pray, Lord, that for all of us here
and all who gather to worship you,
whether tuning in online this evening
or whether gathering in other places around our islands,
our nation, or the world,
that your word will go out with power,
that it will go out mightily, Lord,
and mightily to save.
We do thank you for the gospel and all who proclaim it.
We thank you that it is bearing fruit throughout the world.
And may it be, Lord, that that would continue
until the day of the Lord's return,
that we would see and hear of people coming to faith,
that we would see and hear prayers being answered,
even prayers offered many years or even generations ago,
that your blessing would be poured out on nations near and far,
that your peace that passes understanding would come
and reign in our midst.
We do acknowledge, Lord, our sinfulness.
We acknowledge how far short we fall of your glory.
We are sinners before God.
And yet we thank you that there is forgiveness,
that you are a God who longs for people to come
and confess their sins and turn from them
and find with you that mercy,
that mercy that is able to transform and to keep us,
to keep us looking to Jesus.
And we thank you, Lord, for your patience and longsuffering towards us.
We thank you that you are a God who in wrath remembers mercy.
And so we pray, Lord, that you will indeed come in a day of your power.
Remember us as a people here.
We thank you that you are God and Lord
to be called upon in all our different needs.
And so that whatever cares and burdens we may have this evening,
that we can bring them all to you,
as we have heard the one who made the heavens high.
And we pray, Lord, this evening for all who need you,
as we all do, and many with particular needs.
We thank you, Lord, that you are the one who hears and is able to answer prayers
and to answer them even beyond all we ask or imagine.
And help us and give us faith as we pray.
And not to restrain ourselves and our requests,
but to bring them boldly to you,
acknowledging that it's not dependent on us or our own abilities,
but on the one who is able to do all things.
And so we do ask, Lord, that you will bless us and be with us as a people.
Bless our homes and our families and our community far and wide.
That you will remember us, O Lord,
and remember those who are unwell at this time.
Remember those who are in hospital.
Remember those who are going through particular difficulties.
As we have heard, we remember Professor McLeod at this time.
We commit him to you, O Lord, in his own time of weakness just now.
Thankful, Lord, that you are his Lord and God.
Thankful for all that he has done for you
throughout his life and ministry in so many different ways.
And thankful for all the promises that he and we all can claim at such times as this.
That as we rest in you, we have hope.
And so surround him, Lord, with your peace, with your mercy.
Be with his wife and sons and brother and sister too, Lord.
And all who remember him at this time, may you draw near to them and be with them, we pray.
And others going through similar experiences, Lord.
We know that many are known unto us and many throughout our islands and indeed around the world, O Lord.
We know that there are great needs all over the place.
And yet, O Lord, we marvel that your eyes are upon all.
That you hear every prayer offered up.
That you know every need.
That you know every individual near and far.
So, Lord, we thank you that you are able in all things.
We do pray, O Lord, your goodness to us as a nation and as nations of the world.
Again, as we have heard so much in this last week of the coronation of a king.
And as we continue to hear so much going on in our world in terms of conflicts and natural disasters.
Even today, hearing of Bangladesh and Myanmar.
And the cyclone that's hit there and caused such devastation.
And we hear so often, Lord, of tragedies near and far.
As we have remembered today already the sadness over our island at this time after the accident in Balallan.
We know, O Lord, that we are not immune to any of these things.
And you remind us time and again of how precious life is.
And how much we need you.
And how much, O Lord, that you are able to give if we but ask.
And so we pray for your mercy and help to all in different times of need just now.
Remember us, Lord, we pray.
And bless your word to us this evening.
Help us to have ears to hear and to understand the need that we hear in the gospel.
Our own personal need.
And that it would become a personal, become personal to us in a saving way.
To know the Savior, Christ Jesus.
May you bless us together then here and be with us this evening and in the days ahead as well.
We pray for the young ones who meet in the youth fellowship later on.
That your blessing be with them there.
We thank you for that unity among our young people to be able to share in times of fellowship.
And we pray you will bless them and watch over them.
Continue to remember those who are sitting exams in these days as well.
Be their help and be their strength.
Be with students who come home for the holiday season just now as well.
May you bless them in their time at home and look after them day by day.
Remember us, Lord, throughout the week and all that goes on.
As we think of the AGM in this coming week, we give you thanks, Lord, for your goodness to us.
That you remember us, Lord, and you provide for us in so many ways.
And even in times of great change and turbulence over this past year, you have been faithful, Lord.
And we thank you for all who have given generously to us as a people here and as a congregation.
And indeed to our denomination over this past year.
We thank you, Lord, for the many who give generously week by week.
And we pray your blessing on all that we do in your name.
That we honour you that you would honour us.
We pray too, Lord, for the fellowship of your people.
That you will be in our midst, O Lord, to bless, to encourage us and to build us up in the faith.
To rejoice in our Saviour.
To rejoice in the hope of salvation.
To rejoice in sinners being saved.
So, Lord, we commit ourselves into your hands.
Go before us, bless us, guide us and keep us.
Pardoning all our sins as we ask it all.
In Jesus' name. Amen.
Amen.
We're going to sing again to God's praise.
This time in Psalm 24 in the Scottish Psalter.
Page 230 of the psalm books.
Psalm 24.
We're going to sing from verse 1 to verse 5.
And the tune is Paisley.
Psalm 24 at verse 1.
Which reminds us that the earth belongs unto the Lord and all that it contains.
The world that is inhabited and all that there remains.
So, we'll sing from verse 1 to verse 5 to God's praise.
Amen.
The earth belongs unto the Lord.
For the foundations thereof.
And all that there remains.
The earth belongs to the Lord and all that it contains.
The world that is inhabited and all that there remains.
For the foundations thereof.
The earth belongs to the Lord and all that there is.
on the seas daily,
and he hath been established
upon the floods to stay.
Who is the man that shall assail
into the hill of God?
Or who within his holy place
shall have a firm abode?
Whose hands are clean,
whose heart is pure
and untimely,
who hath not lived in abyssal,
nor sworn be seen holy?
He from the eternal shall receive
the blessing him upon,
and righteousness dim from the God
of his salvation.
I will turn together to reading God's word
in 2 Chronicles chapter 1.
2 Chronicles 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.
Solomon spoke to all Israel,
to the commanders of thousands
and of hundreds,
to all the judges,
and to all the leaders in all Israel,
the heads of fathers' houses.
And Solomon and all the assembly with him
went to the high place that was at Gibeon,
for the tent of meeting of God,
which Moses the servant of the Lord
had made in the wilderness,
was there.
But David had brought up the ark of God
from Kiriath-Jerim
to the place that David had prepared for it,
for he had pitched a tent for it in Jerusalem.
Moreover, the bronze altar
that Bezalel, the son of Uri,
son of Ha,
had made was there
before the tabernacle of the Lord.
And Solomon and the assembly
resorted to it.
And Solomon went up there
to the bronze altar before the Lord,
which was at the tent of meeting,
and offered a thousand burnt offerings on it.
In that night,
God appeared to Solomon
and said to him,
Ask what I shall give you.
And Solomon said to God,
You have shown great and steadfast love
to David my father,
and have made me king in his place.
O Lord God,
let your word to David my father
be now fulfilled,
for you have made me king
over a people as numerous
as the dust of the earth.
Give me now wisdom and knowledge
to go out and come in before this people.
For who can govern this people of yours,
which is so great?
God answered Solomon,
Because this was your heart,
and you have not asked possessions,
wealth, honour,
or the life of those who hate you,
and have not even asked long life,
but have asked wisdom and knowledge for yourself,
that you may govern my people
over whom I have made you king.
Wisdom and knowledge are granted to you.
I will also give you riches,
possessions, and honour,
such as none of the kings had who were before you,
and none after you shall have the like.
So Solomon came from the high place at Gibeon,
from before the tent of meeting,
to Jerusalem,
and he reigned over Israel.
Solomon gathered together chariots and horsemen.
He had fourteen hundred chariots
and twelve thousand horsemen,
whom he stationed in the chariot cities,
and with the king in Jerusalem.
And the king made silver and gold
as common in Jerusalem,
as stone,
and he made cedar as plentiful
as the sycamore of Shefela.
And Solomon's import of horses
was from Egypt and Kew,
and the king's traders would buy them
from Kew for a price.
They imported a chariot from Egypt
for six hundred shekels of silver
and a horse for a hundred and fifty.
Likewise, through them,
they were exported to all the kings
of the Hittites and the kings of Syria.
Amen, and may God bless that reading
from his word.
Before we turn to look at that passage,
we're going to sing again to God's praise
in Psalm 126.
The Sing Psalms version,
we'll sing the whole of this psalm
on the tune of the psalm,
and the tune is Denfield.
Psalm 126 on page 171.
When Zion's fortunes God restored,
it was a dream come through.
Our mouths were then with laughter filled,
our tongues with songs anew.
The nations said,
The Lord has done great things for Israel.
The Lord did mighty things for us,
and joy our hearts knew well.
We'll sing the whole of this psalm
to God's praise.
Amen.
When Zion's fortunes God restored,
it was a dream come through.
Our mouths were then with laughter filled,
our tongues with songs anew.
The nations said,
The Lord has done great things for Israel.
The Lord did mighty things for us,
and joy our hearts knew well.
Restore our fortunes,
gracious Lord,
like streams in desert soil.
A joyful harvest will reward
The weak in sober toil.
The man who bailed seed to sow
rose out with tears of grief.
Well come again with songs of joy,
failing his heart was she.
We can turn back together to our reading
in 2 Chronicles chapter 1.
2 Chronicles 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.
We read at verse 7,
In that night God appeared to Solomon
and said to him,
Ask what I shall give you.
And Solomon said to God,
You have shown great and steadfast love
to David my father,
and have made me king in his place.
O Lord God,
let your word today,
my father,
be now fulfilled,
for you have made me king
over a people as numerous
as the dust of the earth.
Give me now wisdom and knowledge
to go out and come in before this people,
for who can govern this people of yours,
which is so great?
God's question and Solomon's response.
And in the midst of what's happening here,
we're seeing the theme of wisdom.
Now, what does it mean to be wise?
What does it mean to be wise?
And as you look around yourself here this evening,
do you see people who you think,
well, they've got wisdom,
or others you maybe think,
well, they're quite foolish.
The Bible describes wisdom and foolishness
in a number of different ways.
It says the fool is the one who says in their heart
that there is no God.
Now, is there any fools in here this evening
in light of that?
I hope there isn't.
There's no one foolish enough to say
that there is no God.
So then what is wisdom?
Well, wisdom is to look to God
and to trust in him,
to trust in what we learn from his scriptures
that reminds us that with him,
there is salvation.
With him, there is much to be keen.
So who is wise and who is foolish?
We often think of wisdom as having knowledge.
And there's many people maybe in here tonight,
many of the younger ones,
you've been sitting exams
or are sitting exams over these weeks.
And you think to yourself,
you've been learning so much over this last year
and now you've got to answer questions.
You've got to show what knowledge
you've learned over this year
and to put it down on paper.
Now, is that knowledge the same as being wise?
Well, you could get straight A's in your exams
and still not be wise,
be quite foolish.
Or you could fail all your exams
and yet still be wise.
How so?
Well, it depends how you look at wisdom
and what wisdom is to you.
Jim Parker wrote a book called Knowing God.
And in that book, he says that wisdom
is the power to see
and the inclination to choose
the best and the highest goal
together with the surest means
of attaining it.
Now, what was,
he's speaking about there,
the best and highest goal?
Well, the clue is in the title of the book.
It is to know God,
to trust in him.
And the surest means of attaining this
is to listen to what his word
is telling us
and to be guided by that word
because that is where wisdom is found.
Wisdom is found with God.
Now, there are many things in this world
that will tell us otherwise,
that our wisdom is found
in many other different means
apart from God.
And yes, there is much we can learn
in this world
from other kinds of teachings
and knowledge.
things that are good to know
and important for us to know.
But through wisdom,
through knowledge,
through understanding
is found with God.
And our reading here this evening
reminds us of that.
Who was the wisest man
to ever live?
Well, the Bible tells us
it was Solomon.
He had wisdom beyond any
who were before him
and any who would be after him.
And yet, even in his own experience,
there were times
when he was foolish.
And yet, God gave him
this wisdom too.
Here is a man who was appointed
as leader over a nation,
over a people.
And in looking for a way forward
in how he was to govern
and rule over these people,
what does he do?
He asks God for wisdom.
And when we think of the world
in which we live
and the turmoil that there is
throughout our nation
and so many nations of the world,
especially as we think
of leadership
and the goals of leadership today,
we think of how wisdom
and leadership is lacking
in so many ways.
And how we need
the wisdom of God
for those who rule over us
on every level of life
and for ourselves
to be led and guided
by the wisdom of God.
And that is what God offers us
through his word.
He invites us to have
this wisdom.
No matter how foolish we've been,
no matter all that we've done
in our life,
he says,
come and I can give you wisdom.
I can help you understand
the things of this world.
Have you ever put yourself
in a situation
and you think,
if I had one wish,
what would I ask for?
What request would I make
if I had one wish?
The world so often
puts that temptation
in front of us
in so many different ways.
It tells us
what we need
and what difference
it'll make in our lives.
And so much of it
is based on finances.
The lottery says
it could be you.
Betting firms say,
win big
and live life to the full.
There's so many temptations
put in front of us
that this is what
is going to satisfy.
This is what is going to make
all the difference
in your life.
The foreign holidays,
the luxury homes,
the fine cars,
all of these things.
This is what you need.
This is what will satisfy you.
But the trouble
and the temptation
that this world offers us
is we only think
of ourselves
and so much of it
just in a temporary way.
Things that will make
a difference
for a moment
but ultimately
are never going to give us
that true satisfaction,
that true joy.
What would you wish for?
Well, here Solomon
is given
that very opportunity.
When God comes to him,
he gives him this opportunity
to have
whatever he wants
and what a response
he has.
How many of us
would respond
like him?
Given this opportunity,
you can have
whatever you want.
how many of us
would respond
and be honest
in the same way
as Solomon responds
here.
But there really is
a lesson for us
both in the question
and the one who asks
the question
and the response
that Solomon gives.
It reminds us
that we can ask
great things
of God.
And it reminds us, too,
that he is able
to give great things
to his people.
Not seeking things
for our glory
but for his.
And so let's just
consider
these two things
together for a time
from this passage.
God's question
and how it shows us
how he is a God
of abundance.
And then secondly,
we look at Solomon's response
and his response
in asking
for wisdom.
So first,
we look at God's question.
And the question
there in verse 7,
ask what I
shall give you.
Ask what I
shall give you.
Solomon was David's son.
David who had been king
over God's people.
If you just turn back
one page
to the end
of 1 Chronicles,
you see there
where it tells us
that Solomon
was anointed king
and David,
his father,
passed away.
In verse 22,
in the middle
of verse 22,
it says,
they made Solomon
the son of David
king
the second time
and they anointed him
as prince
for the Lord
and Sadoc
as priest.
And then it says
in verse 26,
thus David,
the son of Jesse,
reigned over Israel.
The time that he had
reigned over Israel
was 40 years
and then he died,
it says,
at a good age.
So David had been king
and now Solomon
is anointed king
in his place.
And that's what we see
then as we come into
2 Chronicles chapter 1.
We're really continuing on
from where 1 Chronicles left.
What had proceeded there
we see continuing now
and especially as you look
at verse 1.
Solomon,
the son of David,
established himself
in his kingdom
and the Lord,
his God,
was with him
and made him
exceedingly great.
David had been blessed
blessed by God
and given so much
as king over Israel.
And again,
David was wise
and yet foolish
at times himself
as well.
He was given
the wisdom of God.
And now we come
to Solomon,
his son.
And verse 1
makes it very clear
for us,
the Lord
was with him.
The Lord
was with him.
And for any nation,
for any king,
for any people,
for any church,
for any individual,
that is key.
The Lord
with us.
That is what we need.
And this is what God
offers
to his people.
He is a God
of abundance.
Because with God
on our side,
we have one
who is able
to give us
anything
that we need
or desire.
That's what
his question
is about
in verse 7.
Ask what I
shall give you.
God is saying
this to Solomon.
Able to give him
anything
that this world
has to offer.
The Bible
teaches us
that the earth
is the Lord's
and the fullness
thereof.
We sang that
in Psalm 24.
Everything
we see around us,
it all belongs
to God.
The cattle
on a thousand hills
belong to God,
Psalm 50 tells us.
So you read
throughout Scripture,
you see everything
belongs to God.
And this is the God
who is saying
to Solomon,
Ask,
ask of me
what I shall
give you.
Every year,
there's a day
set aside.
It's called
World Earth Day.
People in that day
are challenged
about the impact
that we have made
or are making
on all the creation
around us.
And year by year,
this goes on,
reminding us
of the great damage
that's being caused
to our world,
to God's creation,
and challenging us
about our attitudes
towards it.
One of the greatest
problems
that this world
sees today
is a selfish
people.
A people who think
it's all
for me.
It's all
for myself
to enjoy
and to do
as I please.
Now we're thinking
of individuals
in that sense,
but also looking
in a broader sense
where we see
it's so much
of life
is for this moment,
for this day.
To reap as much
as we can,
to make as much
money as we can
for ourselves
in the here
and now.
Because we think
it's ours.
And yet God's
word reminds us
that it's his.
Right from the very
beginning
in Genesis
with Adam and Eve,
they were given
care over God's
creation.
To look after it,
to care for it.
Because it is his.
And he is able
to give us
abundantly from it.
He is able
to take away
from us as well.
It is all
in his hands.
The earth
belongs
unto the Lord
and the fullness
thereof.
It is all
his.
And it's in light
of that knowledge
that we see God
asking this question.
Ask what I
shall give you.
It's an open
invitation that
shows God
has control
over everything.
It's a reminder
to Solomon.
It's a reminder
to ourselves.
Who is in
control
of this world?
As we were hearing
this morning,
who is king
over this world?
It is the Lord
who is king.
It is the Lord
who rules
over it all.
He has control
over it all.
He is able
to give
from all
that already
belongs
to him.
God's control
and reach
goes far
and wide,
but it challenges
us.
How much
do we trust
God?
How much
did Solomon
trust God?
Well, fully
as we shall see.
But how much
do we
trust God
ourselves?
When a world
that so often
mocks God,
in a world
that so often
puts God
away and
belittles God
and says
he's not real,
he doesn't exist,
he's just a fairy tale,
a myth,
does that shake
our faith?
Does that shake
our belief
in him?
Does it make us
think,
well,
can God
do this?
Can God
really provide
for me
in this way?
Can God
help me
in this need
that I have?
Do you see
God as
all-powerful,
all-seeing,
all-knowing
God?
Or do we,
because of what
the world says,
put restrictions
on God?
Is your attitude
one where you're
saying,
well,
if only God
could help me
in this,
but he can't?
Or is our attitude
as it should be,
I thank the Lord
that he is
on my side,
that I can
trust him,
that he will
help me,
for that is
his promise.
To be with us
no matter what.
We think of
the opportunity
of the question
that God
puts to Solomon
here.
Have others
experienced
this opportunity
as well?
Well,
you see,
down through
the Scriptures,
that is something
that's put before
others too.
It's put before
us all,
even here
this evening,
because God
asks of us,
ask what I
shall give
to you.
And God
has made
provision.
And what's
the greatest
provision
that God
has made
for us?
The greatest
provision is all,
of all that he
gave his son,
that he gave us
the way,
not just for
blessings in
this life,
but blessings
for eternity.
that in the
Lord Jesus
we have one
who provides
all that we
need.
We're at the
cross,
we see he
gave his life
that we might
have life
and have it
abundantly,
have it to
the full.
God was
willing to
give out of
his abundance
because everything
is his.
The earth
belongs to
the Lord
in the fullness
thereof.
And so much
so that he
gave of his
abundance,
he gave his
son,
the Lord
Jesus Christ.
So does that
not show us
a God
who is able,
a God
who is willing,
a God
who has
done so much
to help us
already?
So here is
God saying
to us
this evening,
ask what I
shall give
you.
And what's
our response?
What are we
asking for?
It's another
wonderful
incident in
the Gospels
where we
see this
very same
kind of
question being
asked.
Jesus
asks this
question in
two different
settings.
He asks,
what do you
want me
to do
for you?
It's in the
Gospel of
Mark,
chapter 10.
And the
first account
is when he's
with James
and John.
Two of his
disciples,
two you would
think would
know best
of all
what to
ask for.
And Jesus
says to
them,
what do you
want me
to do
for you?
And what's
their response?
Well, you see,
they're fools.
They say,
we want one
to sit on
your right
hand and
one on
your left
hand in
glory.
They're asking
honor and
glory for
themselves.
Such a
selfish
response.
And what's
Jesus'
response to
that?
He says,
you don't
know what
you are
asking for.
You don't
realize what
you are
asking for.
Then the
very same
question is
asked of
someone in
a very
different
situation.
And later
on, at
the end
of chapter
10 of
Mark,
that same
question,
what do
you want
me to
do for
you,
is asked
of a
man called
Bartimaeus,
a blind
beggar.
Here is
someone who's
been suffering
most of
his life,
begging at
the side
of the
road,
and Jesus
asks him,
what do
you want
me to
do for
you?
Now,
of all
the things
he could
have asked
for,
of all
the things
that this
one who
cannot give
anything in
this whole
world,
what does
he ask
for?
He says,
Lord,
that I
might see.
There is
wisdom.
Lord,
that I
might see.
And he's
not just
talking about
physically
seeing.
He knows
who it
is that's
passing by.
He knows
it's Jesus
that's passing
by,
and it is
him that
he wants
to see,
because you
see,
after he
sees,
it says
he follows
him on
the way.
He sees
Jesus
and follows
him.
So,
Jesus asks
that question,
what do
you want
me to
do for
you?
What do
we want
of God
tonight?
What would
you ask
God for
if he was
to say,
I have
this one
thing that
you can
ask for?
What are
you going
to ask
for?
Well,
Solomon has
asked that
question.
Ask
what I
shall
give you.
God for
me?
The letter
of James
says,
if anyone
lacks
wisdom,
let him
ask God
who gives
generously to
all without
reproach.
do we
lack
wisdom
ourselves
tonight?
Do we
lack
wisdom
from the
God
who is
able to
give us
anything
in this
world?
What are
we asking
for?
Are we
pleading
with him?
Like
Bartimaeus,
Lord,
let me
see.
Let me
see
Jesus.
because
there
is
wisdom.
God
says,
ask
for
whatever
you
want
me
to
give
to
you.
So,
how
do
you
respond?
Well,
let's
look at
secondly,
Solomon's
response
and the
response
that he
gives
to God
with this
request.
He says
this in
verse 10,
give me
no
wisdom
and
knowledge.
Give
me
no
wisdom
and
knowledge.
So,
as we
see
a God
who is
a God
of
abundance,
we see
the way
to enjoy
this
abundance
is a
right
view
of
who
God
is
and
a
right
response
to
God.
If
we
want
to
know
the
blessing
of
God
in
our
lives,
we
need
to
learn
lessons
from
how
Solomon
responds
in this
chapter.
There's
three
things we
can
take
from
his
response
and
his
approach
to
God.
The
first
thing
is
this,
he
worships
God.
There
is
the
first
thing
that we
want to
take
from
this.
He
worships
God.
You
see it
in
verse
6.
The
whole
setting
here
is
one
where
Solomon
has
gone
to
worship
God.
He
went
up
there
to
the
bronze
altar
before
the
Lord
which
was
at
the
tent
of
meeting
and
offered
a
thousand
burnt
offerings
on it.
He
was
giving
worship
to
God.
The
book
of
Proverbs
is
a
book
that's
full
of
wisdom.
A
book
full
of
wisdom.
And
it
says
the
fear
of
the
Lord
is
the
beginning
of
all
wisdom.
We
were
reminded
of
that
this
morning
as
well.
That
word
fear
means
worship
and
love
of
God.
Worshiping
him
with
all
our
hearts
as
Solomon
is
doing
here.
Proverbs
chapter
4
verse
7
says
the
beginning
of
wisdom
is
this.
Get
wisdom
and
whatever
you
get
insight
get
understanding.
I
was
at
a
funeral
this
week
over
on the
west
side
where
that
verse
was
quoted.
A
Christian
man
who
had
passed
away
and
he
was
one
who
often
asked
questions
and
sought
understanding
from
God's
word.
And
this
verse
was
quoted
in the
sense
of
this
was
his
desire.
He
longed
for
wisdom
more
than that
he
longed
for
understanding.
Being
able
to apply
that
wisdom
to
our
lives.
And
that
is
wisdom.
Getting
understanding,
getting
knowledge.
And this
begins by
giving
worship
to God.
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.
He is
worthy of
all our
worship.
We are to
come to
him.
somebody
once
said,
If God
is not
Lord of
all,
he is
not
Lord
at all.
And
that's a
reminder
for our
own
lives
too.
Is he
Lord
of
all?
Because
if not,
he is
not
Lord
at all.
If
there is
something
that we
are
putting
before
God
and
worshiping
before
God
and
seeing
as
more
important
than
God,
then he's
not
Lord
of
all.
And
there
may
be
things
we
have
to
remove
from
our
lives,
take
out
of
our
lives
because
it's
keeping
us
from
worshiping
God
as
we
should.
Solomon
as we
see
here
was
worshiping
God,
giving
his
whole
heart
to
him
in
worship.
And
there
is
how
we
too
get
wisdom.
It's
not
just
coming
in
the
routine
of
worship.
It's
not
just
coming
because
it's
what
we
do
at
eleven
and
half
past
six
on
the
Lord's
day.
It's
coming
because
we
long
to
meet
with
God.
We
long
to
give
our
worship
and
praise
to
him
because
we
recognize
that
we
depend
on
him
for
all
things.
So
do
we
worship
the Lord
aright?
Are we
seeking
wisdom
from
him
in
that
way?
The
second
thing
we see
with
Solomon
here is
that
he is
humble.
He is
humble
before
God.
And
wisdom
is so
often
closely
linked
to
humility.
And
you see
that
with
Solomon
later
in
his
life.
He
lets
pride
come
in.
Pride
is
so
often
our
downfall.
And
we
see
it
with
Solomon.
Instead
of
humility
pride
comes
in.
But
here
we
see
a
humility
in
him.
We
see
it
in
verse
7
and
verse
8.
When
God
asked
that
question
of him,
ask
what
I
shall
give
you,
Solomon
said
to
God,
you
have
shown
great
and
steadfast
love
to
David
my
father,
and
I've
made
me
king
in
his
place.
You
see
he's
saying
that
you
have
made
me
king.
It's
not
an
honor
he's
put
on
himself.
He's
seeing
it
as
God
the
Lord
has
made
him
king.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Wisdom
and
knowledge
are
granted
to
you.
I
will
also
give
you
riches
possessions
and
honor.
Are
we
writing
asking
the
Lord
a
right?
the
one
who
can
abundantly
give
but
are we
asking
a
right?
The
final thing
we see
of this
is
he's
not
selfish.
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.
If
only
kings
and
rulers
in this
world
would
see
people
as
God's
people.
This
great
people
of
yours.
But
instead
they're
so
often
selfish
and
so
are
we.
We
are
a
selfish
people.
But
who
put
others
first?
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.
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.
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.
Therefore
God
exalted
him
to
the
highest
place.
He
came
to
serve
and
to
give
his
life
as
a
ransom
for
many.
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.
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.
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.
He
leads
me
on
through
smiles
and
tears,
grief
follows
gladness
still,
but
let me
welcome
both
alike
since
both
work
out
his
will.
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.
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.
To
have
wisdom
and to
delight
in
God's
will.
Are
we
seeking
God
in
the
right
way
today?
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?
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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,
thy
duous
murking
earth is
new
holy
淡無
will heal him with the saving strength
by his own right hand given.
In child your son could come with his
some horses crossed upon,
but we remain where will the name
of our Lord God alone.
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.
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.
Amen.