The Wisdom Of Solomon Series

The Wisdom of Solomon

(I Kings 3)

Reception Grade (how my people responded; alertness, compliments, relevance, etc.): B

1. Did you hear about the man who found a lamp and started to rub it? Sure enough, out popped a genie. The genie told him that he had three wishes. The man couldn’t believe his good fortune so he thought for a moment and then said, “I’d like a house on the beach in Door County, Wisconsin. Make it 20,000 square feet with a boat slip.” Poof, he was in his new house. The genie then said, what’s your next wish? The man replied, “I’d like a black BMW, fully loaded with the best stereo system money can buy.” Poof, the guy was suddenly driving the car. As he was cruising down the highway, a commercial came on the radio and he started singing along, “Oh, I wish I were an Oscar Meyer wiener…” Poof! (source: Brian Bill, Sermoncentral)

2. Well, if God gave you just one wish, what would it be?

3. I know. I wish He would give me a thousand wishes! But assuming that was not the case, what would You wish for.

4. Today, in our text, Solomon was given such a choice, and he chose wisely.

I. Solomon Receives A Wisdom BOOSTER (1-15)

A. Solomon marries an Egyptian princess (1)

• was this against Scripture? no

B. Solomon offered sacrifices to the Lord at a high place (2-4)

• The status of the Tabernacle, the ark, and the high places

C. The Lord appears to Solomon in a dream: offers Him whatever He asks for (5-9)

Solomon asks for wisdom; he feels like a child, incapable of ruling God’s people

1. --in a sense, his realization that he was inadequate already evidenced wisdom

2. --generally, wise people crave more wisdom; foolish people want nothing to do with it because wisdom stifles them and makes them feel bound and inhibited

3. Not everyone wants wisdom, because they want to follow their emotions, and they also want the excuse of ignorance when their foolish behavior catches up to them; they will literally sabotage the restraint and constraint of wisdom.

4. Additionally, people are motivated by factors other than logic. Many times those who act foolishly actually know better; they just choose to ignore wisdom; many gullible people are not lacking information, but they are lacking motivation and determination. Some force, some draw is pulling them, and like a tank, that force plows down the fences of wisdom.

D. God loved the nature of Solomon’s request (10-14)

1. --it was not selfish or self-centered

2. --it showed both reverence for God and respect for God’s people

3. --God was please to grant his request

4. --and then God added to his request physical and material blessings

5. --Solomon took the "seek ye first" approach

6. --look at verses 10-13 and note God’s pleasure

E. He offered sacrifices before the ark in Jerusalem (15)

--probably via a priest…

II. Solomon USES His Wisdom (16-28)

A. King only heard the most difficult cases

B. Two prostitutes, one live baby

C. Solomon’s People Sense

D. Citizens stand in Awe of Solomon’s Wisdom

MAIN IDEA: Wise people pursue more wisdom, for wisdom is given to those who value it.

Just like cooking: good cooks like to cook; poor cooks do not…there are only a few good cooks who hate to cook and only a few bads cooks who love to cook…

III. What Difference Did Solomon’s Pursuit of Wisdom Make?

A. ESTABLISHMENT of respect

1. Kingdom had been torn by division

• David and Saul

• North and South

• Adonijah and Solomon

2. As son as Solomon died, his kingdom was divided because his son was foolish

3. Good people crave a wise ruler!

4. If you want people to respect you, be wise and be patient:

• "But wisdom is proved right by all her children." Jesus….Luke 7:35

B. Better DECISIONS

C. JUSTICE

D. REVERENCE for the true God

E. PROSPERITY, PEACE, and PROGRESS

1. In a sense, godly wisdom, if followed through, encompasses the whole of the Christian life:

2. Luciano Pavarotti tells this story:

When I was a boy, my father, a baker, introduced me to the wonders of song. He urged me to work very hard to develop my voice. Arrigo Pola, a professional tenor in my hometown of Modena, Italy, took me as a pupil. I also enrolled in a teachers college. On graduating, I asked my father, ’Shall I be a teacher or a singer?’

"’Luciano,’ my father replied, ’if you try to sit on two chairs, you will fall between them.. For life, you must choose one chair.’

"I chose one. It took seven years of study and frustration before I made my first professional appearance. It took another seven to reach the Metropolitan Opera.