INTRODUCTION
• SLIDE #1
• I always enjoy taking time to look at the different aspects of the life of David. Today we will conclude our short True Life series by looking at something that I believe we ought to give more attention to than we do.
• In the text we will examine this morning David is in the last years of his reign. David now have a new focus, his focus is on leaving a legacy.
• The context of this part of David’s life is this; he had a desire to build a house for God. David had been troubled that God’s house was represented by basically a fancy tent.
• David wanted God to have a nicer (CRIB) house, one that was more representative of who God is.
• David will spend a great deal of time in this final phase of his life making sure this temple will be built.
• As we look at what David does in 1 Chronicles 22, I think it behoove us to ask ourselves the question, “What kind of temple am I leaving for God?” Or put another way, “What kind of legacy of faith am I building?
• The temple David wanted to be built would leave a lasting impression on those who would follow David. David wanted to build a legacy that would last for generations.
• David really puts his focus on this endeavor in the closing chapters of his life. In earlier parts of his life he was too busy to put much time or effort.
• Legacy is defined as follows: something that is handed down or remains from a previous generation or time.
• God wants us to build a legacy of faith. God wants our lives to have an impact on others that will last a life time.
• If we are interested in building a legacy of faith there are things
• I wonder what kind of legacy we can leave behind if we were to start thinking about it now.
• 1 Chronicles gives a nice game plan that will help us to build a legacy of faith, a legacy that can be passed on from generation to generation.
• Let’s begin with verses 1-5 of 1 Chronicles 22.
• SLIDE #2
• 1 Chronicles 22:2–5 (ESV) 2 David commanded to gather together the resident aliens who were in the land of Israel, and he set stonecutters to prepare dressed stones for building the house of God. 3 David also provided great quantities of iron for nails for the doors of the gates and for clamps, as well as bronze in quantities beyond weighing, 4 and cedar timbers without number, for the Sidonians and Tyrians brought great quantities of cedar to David. 5 For David said, “Solomon my son is young and inexperienced, and the house that is to be built for the LORD must be exceedingly magnificent, of fame and glory throughout all lands. I will therefore make preparation for it.” So David provided materials in great quantity before his death.
• SLIDE #3
SERMON
I. Building a legacy of faith requires planning.
• David is not able to build the house of the Lord himself because God told him he could not in 2 Samuel 7.
• David could have been distraught and given up, but instead David had decided that he was going to help his son Solomon build the legacy he wanted to leave.
• David goes right to the planning stage of building the temple.
• Just as a side note, the temple that Solomon eventually builds was known as Solomon’s temple since he was the one who built it. I would imagine that David would not have cared about it because he knew he had a part to play in it being built.
• David starts planning. He got people together, he gathered stonecutters. He provided great quantities of iron as well as great quantities of bronze and cedar timbers.
• Jesus talks about planning in Luke 14:28
• SLIDE #4
• Luke 14:28 (ESV) For which of you, desiring to build a tower, does not first sit down and count the cost, whether he has enough to complete it?
• Planning is a prudent thing to do!
• In verse five David states that since Solomon is young and inexperienced, that David would make the plans for the house of God.
• Short of building the temple, David left little undone in the planning and preparation for it to be built.
• David set everything in motion to ensure that Solomon would be successful in building the legacy of faith!
• What are you doing to build a legacy to God? Are you making plans or just hoping something will happen?
• If you fail to plan, you might as well plan to fail.
• For you to be able to plan, you need a goal. David’s goal was to see a magnificent temple to be built to honor God.
• Is your goal to see you children, grandchildren, or others know Jesus? What is your plan to make it happen?
• For those with young children what are you doing to build them up in the Lord?
• Are you planning for the legacy of faith you want to build?
• Let’s look at verses 6-10 to see the next ingredient to building a legacy of faith.
• SLIDE #5
• 1 Chronicles 22:6–10 (ESV) 6 Then he called for Solomon his son and charged him to build a house for the LORD, the God of Israel. 7 David said to Solomon, “My son, I had it in my heart to build a house to the name of the LORD my God. 8 But the word of the LORD came to me, saying, ‘You have shed much blood and have waged great wars. You shall not build a house to my name, because you have shed so much blood before me on the earth. 9 Behold, a son shall be born to you who shall be a man of rest. I will give him rest from all his surrounding enemies. For his name shall be Solomon, and I will give peace and quiet to Israel in his days. 10 He shall build a house for my name. He shall be my son, and I will be his father, and I will establish his royal throne in Israel forever.’
• SLIDE #6
II. Building a legacy of faith requires some educating.
• David has set a plan into motion, but now he needs to take the time to educate Solomon.
• In verses 6-10 David starts to explain to Solomon the plan he has put together.
• David lets Solomon know that the plan to build this temple is something that God himself approved of.
• David without apology educates Solomon about the plan. David educates Solomon concerning the roots of the plan and the reason David could not see the plan through.
• David wanted Solomon to fully understand what David and God had in store for him.
• David was a man of war, and God wanted a man of peace to build His house. David had a close relationship with God so God was not rejecting David but rather was expressing to David that God had other purposes for David.
• When we are trying to build a legacy of faith, it is so important for us to educate those as to what we are doing and why we are doing it.
• If you want to help build a legacy of faith in your family it is important that you teach them God’s word.
• SLIDE #7
• Deuteronomy 6:6–9 (ESV) 6 And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. 7 You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise. 8 You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. 9 You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.
• Not only are we to teach them but we are to live it out.
• I hear a lot of people tell me that they are going to let their children figure it all out themselves concerning God; that is not a plan to build a legacy.
• Teach them, show them!
• Let’s look at verses 11-13
• SLIDE #8
• 1 Chronicles 22:11–13 (ESV) 11 “Now, my son, the LORD be with you, so that you may succeed in building the house of the LORD your God, as he has spoken concerning you. 12 Only, may the LORD grant you discretion and understanding, that when he gives you charge over Israel you may keep the law of the LORD your God. 13 Then you will prosper if you are careful to observe the statutes and the rules that the LORD commanded Moses for Israel. Be strong and courageous. Fear not; do not be dismayed.
• SLIDE #9
III. Building a legacy of faith requires one to be encouraging.
• Imagine being Solomon hearing what David had just shared with him concerning God’s plan for him.
• That would be intimidating wouldn’t you think?
• It would also be encouraging to know God’s plans for you.
• David spends these verses more or less telling Solomon that he will not fail if he walks with the Lord.
• He is asking to God grant Solomon discretion and understanding as he ruled over God’s people.
• Solomon is encouraged by the fact that David tells him that he will prosper if he is careful to observe the statues and rules that the Lord had command Moses for Israel.
• When you walk with God you will not fail!
• When we are trying to build a legacy of faith we need to be able to encourage those around us concerning how God has done great things in our lives and how when we walked with the Lord we were victorious.
• Living for Jesus can be hard, people need all the encouragement they can get.
• I remember my mentor Maurice when dealing with people, he always encouraged them. If they were not very faithful he would tell them that he knew they would be, he knew they would grow and that God would use them in a big way.
• The job for Solomon was going to be big, David tells him to “Be strong and courageous. Fear not; do not be dismayed”
• When I coached my girls softball teams, I saw so many coaches who thought they could get the best out of people by being negative. Some people parent that way.
• Be an encourager!
• Let’s turn to verses 14-16
• SLIDE #10
• 1 Chronicles 22:14–16 (ESV) 14 With great pains I have provided for the house of the LORD 100,000 talents of gold, a million talents of silver, and bronze and iron beyond weighing, for there is so much of it; timber and stone, too, I have provided. To these you must add. 15 You have an abundance of workmen: stonecutters, masons, carpenters, and all kinds of craftsmen without number, skilled in working 16 gold, silver, bronze, and iron. Arise and work! The LORD be with you!”
• SLIDE #11
IV. Building a legacy of faith requires investing for the future.
• Not only did David plan, educate, and give encouragement concerning building the temple to God, but he also was willing to heavily invest to make it happen.
• David was willing to invest a lot of time and money to build his legacy of faith to God.
• The amount of time and money David invested was staggering.
• If you are going to build a legacy of faith, it will require a willingness to invest for the future.
• Jesus in speaking in Matthew 6:21says…
• SLIDE #12
• Matthew 6:21 (ESV) For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
• What Jesus is saying is where your investment is there your heart will be also.
• If our investment is in heaven there our heart will be also.
• If we have a heart to see people come to Jesus, we will invest ourselves in helping to make that happen.
• There are parents who will invest all there time in sports. I AM NOT AGAINST SPORTS. I have seen folks invest so heavily in sports or other activities to the detriment of spiritual development.
• We must be willing to make a heavy investment into those we want to build a legacy of faith in.
• Let’s look at verses 17-19 for a final thought.
• SLIDE #13
• 1 Chronicles 22:17–19 (ESV) 17 David also commanded all the leaders of Israel to help Solomon his son, saying, 18 “Is not the LORD your God with you? And has he not given you peace on every side? For he has delivered the inhabitants of the land into my hand, and the land is subdued before the LORD and his people. 19 Now set your mind and heart to seek the LORD your God. Arise and build the sanctuary of the LORD God, so that the ark of the covenant of the LORD and the holy vessels of God may be brought into a house built for the name of the LORD.”
• SLIDE #14
V. Building a legacy of faith requires enlisting the help of others.
• When this was all said and done, David makes an appeal to the people to help Solomon with this great task.
• HE reminds them what they are doing and who they are doing it for.
• When we are trying to help build a legacy of faith we need to enlist the help of others.
• The church should be a place where you can receive that help. Our focus should be on helping each other develop our faith.
• When we are trying to build a legacy of faith, it will take a lot of help from others and from God.
• Prayer, encouragement, and time spent with one another.
CONCLUSION
• David wanted to build a legacy of faith to God, a place where people for many generations could come and worship God.
• Are you looking to build a legacy of faith, are you working toward trying to help build the faith of others so that faith in Jesus can be passed to the next generations?
