1 Kings 3:16-28
25 August 2008
U.S. Army Chaplain (MAJ) Ken Harris
504th Battlefield Surveillance Brigade (BfSB)
Mission Readiness Exercise (MRX)
Micro-WORD Service 2
Fort Lewis, Washington
BIG IDEA: The enemy attacks when we are most vulnerable; but God gives his leaders WISDOM against Night Operations.
REFERENCES: 1 Kings 3:1-12; 1 Kings 4:30-33 NLT (In fact, his wisdom exceeded that of all the wise men of the East and the wise men of Egypt. He was wiser than anyone else, including Ethan the Ezrahite and the sons of Mahol—Heman, Calcol, and Darda. His fame spread throughout all the surrounding nations. He composed some 3,000 proverbs and wrote 1,005 songs. He could speak with authority about all kinds of plants, from the great cedar of Lebanon to the tiny hyssop that grows from cracks in a wall. He could also speak about animals, birds, small creatures, and fish); Solomon Ask for Wisdom (2 Chronicles 1-9); Proverb 23:23 GNT (Truth, wisdom, learning, and good sense – these are worth paying for, but too valuable for you to sell); Proverbs 25:2-3 (GNT) We honor God for what he conceals; we honor kings for what they explain. You never know what a king is thinking; his thoughts are beyond us, like the heights of the sky or the depths of the ocean.
I. ANNOUNCE THE PERICOPE: Proverbs 25:2-3 (GNT); 1 Kings 3:16-28 (NIV)
II. READ THE PERICOPE: Proverbs 25:2-3 (GNT); 1 Kings 16-28 (NIV)
III. READ THE TEXT: Proverbs 25:2-3 (GNT) We honor God for what he conceals; we honor kings for what they explain. You never know what a king is thinking; his thoughts are beyond us, like the heights of the sky or the depths of the ocean.
IV. PURPOSE: To motivate the hearers to affirm to others that God gives his leaders WISDOM to COMBAT against NIGHT OPERATIONS.
V. SERMONIC THEME: “NIGHT Operations”
VI. INTRODUCTION: Many thanks to all of you for attending this Micro WORD Service; as advertised this service doesn’t consist of music , but a dynamic presentation of God’s HOLY WORD. Let us pray: O’ Gracious God who reigns over the heavens and the earth; we come before you today to give you thanks for allowing us to be present. It’s my prayer that you bless each of our attendees in a might way. In Jesus Name we pray, AMEN.
******* Take 5 Beats *******
MOVE 1: Have you ever wondered why the enemy of our Nation doesn’t fight fair?
a. I’m an only child.
b. I don’t know if you know it or not, but only children are often beaten-up by the other kids in their neighborhood - just because they don’t have any one else to defend them.
c. Aware of this knowledge, my parents put me in martial arts classes at a very young age.
d. In fact, I will never forget one of my first fights.
e. I was a very disciplined child, but this particular fellow had pushed my button the wrong way, and I was prepare to make him remember that he had done so.
f. But, as we squared-off, he threw dirt in my face which was followed by an onslaught of hits.
g. The bottom-line up front is the enemy doesn’t fight fare.
********* Take 5 Beats *******
MOVE 2: And we should expect him to fight dishonestly. We should expect him to fight when we are most vulnerable.
a. Likewise, have you ever wondered why our enemy has a propensity to attack during the night more so than during the day?
b. I have watched the Iraqi War and it’s absolutely mind boggling to see how consistently the enemy attack us during night operations.
c. Likewise, if I was going to attack the TOCs during this MRX; I wouldn’t attack during the day when all of the sharpest folk were on duty.
d. But, I would attack when they were most vulnerable and asleep. I would attack your TOCs during the night, when your most inexperience folks were on watch.
******* Take 5 Beats *******
MOVE 3: The enemy always attack when he thinks we are off guard and off watch and least prepared to react.
a. Likewise, the devil doesn’t attack us (spiritually) when we are spiritually strong; but he attacks when we are weakest.
b. He attacks when we are spiritually asleep.
c. But, thanks be to God; God gives us leaders that have WISDOM against Night Operations.
d. In our text today we continue delving into the wisdom of King Solomon for the scripture says (in Proverbs 25:2-3) that …
e. We … are to … “honor God for what he conceals; we honor kings for what they explain. You never know what a king is thinking; his thoughts are beyond us, like the heights of the sky or the depths of the ocean” (GNT).
******* TAKE 5 BEATS *******
MOVE 4: For who can ever forget the story of Solomon’s Wisdom displayed in his “Wise Ruling”.
a. You may recall on last evening, we discussed how King Solomon received his wisdom and the understanding of How to tell the difference between what is right and what is wrong.
b. Today, we find ourselves a few weeks beyond that event.
c. In fact, we actually see King Solomon utilize the wisdom that he was given.
d. For don’t you remember, the Bible tells us about an incident which occurred in 1 Kings 3:16-28:
e. The story of the Judgment of Solomon.
******* Take 5 Beats *******
MOVE 5: We are told, in scripture, that there were two prostitutes who lived in the same house.
a. They each had a baby boy.
b. But, one of the ladies fell asleep on her newborn.
c. Afterwards, she got up during Night Operations, took her dead baby and placed him on the breast of her sleeping friend and simultaneously took her friends “living” baby for herself.
d. The Bible tells us that when the sleeping prostitute awoke and looked carefully at the baby - in her arms - she noticed two things: He wasn’t her baby; and he was DEAD.
****** TAKE 5 BEATS ******
MOVE 6: The scripture doesn’t go into details of every interaction that occurred afterwards.
a. But, we suddenly find ourselves in King Solomon’s Court with two extremely angry and argumentative prostitutes.
b. Arguing and exchanging words that were not fit for a King’s ear.
c. As the onslaught of ugliness continued; Solomon rose and requested a sword!
d. Bring me a sword, he exclaimed! Then he said to his bailiff, “cut the child in half and give one half to each mother.
e. The real mother immediately responded by saying, “don’t kill the child!” Give him to her! The other mother replied, “no, cut the child in half!”
f. Solomon responded, give the child to the first lady – she’s the real mother!
******* TAKE 5 BEATS *******
MOVE 7: The Bible declares that the fame of this case of judgment was published throughout the land. People everywhere talked about Solomon’s Wisdom.
a. In other words, people throughout Israel (and around the world) proudly discussed the Wisdom that God gave to King Solomon.
b. Likewise, just as God had given wisdom to King Solomon; he also gives wisdom to his leaders to enable them to combat against the enemy of our Nation and NIGHT OPERATIONS.
******* TAKE 5 BEATS ******
CELEBRATION:
Let us pray.
God thank you for this Micro-WORD on today.
Help us “not” to be ignorant of Satan devices and be keenly aware of Night Operations, both naturally and spiritually. In your Holy Name we pray, A Men!
