A Good Start Is Not Good Enough

"SOLOMON, AGOOD START ISN’T ENOUGH"

TEXT: 1 KINGS 1-11

INTRODUCTION

Have you ever noticed in life that a good start isn’t always enough. Now there is nothing wrong with a good start mind you, but it is often not enough to get us to the finish line or the winners circle.

And if you don’t believe me, the Atlanta Braves who won the first 2 games of this years world series against the Yankees in New York. I think the scores were 12-1 and 6-0. They were pretty excited about their start. But winning those 2 games gave little comfort as they watched their opponents hold that trophy 4 games later.

Or you can ask the 1969 Baltimore Orioles. Who dominated the majors that year. Won 109 games -- more than any other team. And their opponents in the world series was the New York Mets. Everyone expected the Orioles to win easily, and then when they won the first game -- it seemed as though they had it in the bag... But in just 4 more games it would be all over, and the New York Mets would be the ones wearing that World Series ring. In 1969 the orioles and all of Baltimore were convinced of the truth that a good start isn’t enough.

And I think we all have experienced the reality of this truth in our own everyday lives, haven’t we?....

Perhaps we start out real good on a new diet or exercise program....

Or on a project around the house, a class in school, a job in church or in paying off some bills.... I mean we are out of that staring gate like hungry grey hounds chasing a rabbit.....

But time passes and the diet ends, the exercise stops, we fail the class, the job doesn’t get done and the bills are still there.

You see, though there is nothing wrong with a good start -- it just isn’t enough -- is it?

Though Solomon wasn’t the first and he certainly isn’t the last -- Solomon learned this lesson the hard way. And today as we study the life of Solomon perhaps we will learn something, something valuable, something important... Those who have ears will hear and those who have eyes will see.

I. SOLOMON HAD A GOOD START

A. HE HAD A GOOD FATHER

Fathers are important in the raising of children... Though the media and society try to minimize this importance -- there is to those with eyes to see and brains to think, a definite connection between the steady and rapidly increasing illegitimacy rate and the steady and rapid rise of juvenile crime, teen pregnancy and teen STD.

And Not only is it important to have a father -- but it is also important to have a father who is a good man.

To be fortunate enough to be born into a home where the father is present and where the father is also a good man... is to begin life with a good start...

And Solomon was born into the home of King David... Now David was not a perfect man -- he made mistakes (but no one who has ever walked this earth has been perfect except Christ).

And you and I can look at incidents in David’s life and judge Him -- but really, in the final analyses it is only God’s opinion that counts...

And God said this of David,

"HE IS A MAN AFTER MY OWN HEART"

I don’t imagine higher words could be given to anyone SOLOMON HAD A GOOD FATHER.

B. HE ALSO RECEIVED GOOD ADVICE

After conquering lions, Goliath, The evil King Saul -- The Philistines and other enemies (foreign and domestic) David was facing an enemy he could not defeat -- he was facing death.

And as the book of Kings opens up David is old and well advanced in years... He even had trouble keeping warm, even when they put many covers on them.

But despite his age he was respected and honored by the people. And the Bible says, "THAT THE EYES OF ALL OF ISRAEL WERE ON HIM TO SEE WHO HE WOULD CHOSE TO SET ON HIS THRONE AFTER HIM."

Now God had already told David that it was to be Solomon who would sit on the throne. But as the time for David’s death grew closer, another of his sons Adonijah was making moves to take the throne for himself. And Bathsheba being a good mother came to David and told him (in that famous and effective round about way that women have -- so as to let men think it was there idea) she tells David to establish Solomon as King now.

And David calls Solomon to him AND We read the following in [I Kings 2:1-10]