Pride Of Solomon

I. EXORDIUM:

Are you still full of yourself or full of GOD?

II. AUDIENCE PROFILE:

Believers

III. OBJECTIVES:

To show the need to acknowledge GOD in everything good and perfect that happened in our lives.

IV. TEXT:

2 Chronicles 6:2 (New Living Translation, Second Edition)

Now I have built a glorious Temple for you, a place where you can live forever!”

V. THESIS:

GOD is the Architect, Civil Engineer, we are the worker.

VI. TITLE:

Pride of Solomon

VII. EXPLICATION:

A. Author: uncertain

B. Date written: 450 B.C. to 430 B.C.

C. Distinctive features: Spiritual element in the history.

D. To whom written: Nation of Israel

E. Main theme: Davidic line, temple and the priesthood

F. Key words: Temple

G. Key verses:

2 Chronicles 7:14-16 (New Living Translation, Second Edition)

Then if my people who are called by my name will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sins and restore their land.

My eyes will be open and my ears attentive to every prayer made in this place.

For I have chosen this Temple and set it apart to be holy—a place where my name will be honored forever. I will always watch over it, for it is dear to my heart.

VIII. MAIN BODY:

A. The self-effort in us

"Now I have built"

Luke 9:23 (New King James Version)

Then He said to them all, "If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me.

Galatians 2:20 (New Living Translation, Second Edition)

My old self has been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. So I live in this earthly body by trusting in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.

2 Corinthians 5:17 (New Living Translation, Second Edition)

This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!

1. We are not the builder, GOD is the builder and we are the workman/worker

Psalms 127:1 (New Living Translation, Second Edition)

Unless the Lord builds a house, the work of the builders is wasted. Unless the Lord protects a city, guarding it with sentries will do no good.

Solomon finally admitted in his Psalm 127 that what he had worked for was wasted and it's of no good.

2 Corinthians 5:1 (New Living Translation, Second Edition)

For we know that when this earthly tent we live in is taken down (that is, when we die and leave this earthly body), we will have a house in heaven, an eternal body made for us by God himself and not by human hands.

1 Corinthians 3:9 (New Living Translation, Second Edition)

For we are both God’s workers. And you are God’s field. You are God’s building.

Illustration: Fall of Nebuchadnezzar:

Daniel 4:30 (New Living Translation, Second Edition)

As he looked out across the city, he said, ‘Look at this great city of Babylon! By my own mighty power, I have built this beautiful city as my royal residence to display my majestic splendor.’

Take notice of the phrase "I have built" and "to display my majestic splendor" which connotes that GOD is not the center of his life. He became insane because of these until he finally admitted that GOD is King.

Daniel 4:37 (New Living Translation, Second Edition)

“Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and glorify and honor the King of heaven. All his acts are just and true, and he is able to humble the proud.”

B. GOD does not reside on man-made places.

"a place where you can live forever!"

Acts 17:24-25 (New Living Translation, Second Edition)

“He is the God who made the world and everything in it. Since he is Lord of heaven and earth, he doesn’t live in man-made temples,

and human hands can’t serve his needs—for he has no needs. He himself gives life and breath to everything, and he satisfies every need.

Solomon thought to himself using his worldly wisdom that GOD will live forever in a temple made by his human hands forever. What a mistake!

Hebrews 11:3 (New Living Translation, Second Edition)

By faith we understand that the entire universe was formed at God’s command, that what we now see did not come from anything that can be seen.

Galatians 3:3 (New Living Translation, Second Edition)

How foolish can you be? After starting your Christian lives in the Spirit, why are you now trying to become perfect by your own human effort?

It's always by GOD's grace, we are who we are now and nothing of our self. It's 100% divine effort and 0% human/man's effort.

1 Corinthians 1:17 (New Living Translation, Second Edition)