KINGDOM CHARACTER-III—1Kings 3:16-28
AKA—Motherhood Potential(Mother’s Day)
Attention:
God Isn’t Watching!
A group of people were having a bazaar. One woman in the group had a generous heart & placed a large basket of red apples on a table. She put a sign in front of the basket which read:
These apples are free to everyone, but take only ONE, God is watching you!
A little boy in the crowd read the sign on the apples with interest.
Then he spied a large platter of chocolate chip cookies on another table & made a sign which he placed under the cookies.
His sign read: 'Take all you want. God is watching the apples'.
Is God leading you or has the devil been allowed access to your world because of the way in which you approach your potential?
Remember our Background/Context:
YaHWeH had approached Solomon “in a dream by night” saying, “Ask! What shall I give you?”(:5).
King Solomon recognized his own inability to rule properly because he saw himself as “a little child” who did not even know how to go out or come in”(:7). On top of that, he was also taken with & humbled by the sheer numbers of God’s people. Also tied into this was an understanding that Solomon’s charge was to lead God’s chosen people(:8). The expectations/responsibilities upon Solomon were great & he felt their weight.
Therefore in answer to God’s question, Solomon requested “wisdom” from the LORD. Solomon knew he needed “an understanding heart to judge” YaHWeH’s people, that he might be able to “discern between good & evil”(:9). He was concerned that he be able to “judge” the people of God wisely & with equity.
Solomon’s desire “pleased” God(:10) so that He responded by giving Solomon the “understanding”he had asked for along with the personal things he had not considered important—long life, riches, & the life of his enemies(:11-14).
The result & proof of God’s bestowing His wisdom upon Solomon was immediately manifested to everyone as follows in our text(:16-28).....
The events surrounding one of Solomon’s official judgments revealed the motherly potential of a harlot.
A person’s character reveals their potential as a servant of God.
A person’s character reveals their potential/fitness for/citizenship in God’s kingdom.
How is a person’s potential as a servant of God manifested?
How is Kingdom character manifested?
9 ways in which your Christian service potential is manifested.
9 ways in which Kingdom character is manifested.
We found previously that...
Motherhood/Mothering Potential is manifested in a woman’s approach to...
1. PERSONAL SIN(:16)
2. TRAGEDY(:17-21)
3. TRUTH(:16-22)
Today we’re going to bring this motherhood concept around to be a little more inclusive so that everyone will be able to attach these truths to their own situations & callings in Christ....
So that we also find that...
Kingdom character(or the lack thereof) is manifested in one’s approach to...
1. PERSONAL SIN(:16)
2. TRAGEDY(:17-21)
3. TRUTH(:16-22)
4—Kingdom character is manifested in one’s Approach to ...
JUSTICE(:16-22)
Explanation:(:16-22)
:16—“Now two women who were harlots came to the king, & stood before him.”
:17—“And one woman said,...”
:22—“Then the other woman said, “No!”.....“Thus they spoke before the king.”
Justice was expected to be handed-down from the king, as a legally recognized determination of that which is right, over & above that which is wrong. It is that which is recognized as fair, equitable, & reasonable.
*Depending upon one’s culture & society, ‘justice’ may hold different forms & meaning—Jail time vs. physical Injury vs. Fines, etc. for the same crimes.
The “harlots” recognized that authority was vested in the king. He was thereby trusted to recognize the difference between: good & bad, right & wrong, fairness & unfairness. His character was to be such that his judgment/determinations should be built upon God’s righteous.
Thus the women approached “the king.”
The one “harlot,” who had switched the babies & was an abject liar, supposed that since it was only ‘one person’s word against the other’ that no real proof could be found...So she boldly stated her case!
Judgment & Justice are to be fair & impartial in order to be truly just!
Some approach justice from a vengeance standpoint. But neither Moses(Lev. 19:16-18) nor Solomon(1Kgs. 3:11), nor Jesus(Mat. 5:43-48; Mat. 7:1-2, 12) did so!
:28—“Judgment & Justice”—jpvm mish-pawt’—Noun Masc.—1) Judgment, justice, ordinance—1a) Judgment—1a1) Act of deciding a case, 1a2) Place, court, seat of judgment, 1a3) Process, procedure, litigation(before judges), 1a4) Case, cause (presented for judgment), 1a5) Sentence, decision(of judgment), 1a6) Execution(of judgment), 1a7) Time(of judgment), 1b) Justice, right, rectitude(attributes of God or man), 1c) Ordinance, 1d) Decision(in law), 1e) Right, privilege, due(legal), 1f) Proper, fitting, measure, fitness, custom, manner, plan. Strong—properly--A verdict(favorable or unfavorable) pronounced judicially, especially a sentence or formal decree(human or [participant's] divine law, individual or collective), including the act, the place, the suit, the crime, & the penalty; abstractly--Justice, including a participant's right or privilege(statutory or customary), or even a style.
“Stood before”—dme aw-mad’—Qal Imperfect—1) To stand, remain, endure, take one's stand—1a) (Qal)—1a1) To stand, take one's stand, be in a standing attitude, stand forth, take a stand, present oneself, attend upon, be or become servant of, 1a2) To stand still, stop(moving or doing), cease, 1a3) To tarry, delay, remain, continue, abide, endure, persist, be steadfast, 1a4) To make a stand, hold one's ground, 1a5) To stand upright, remain standing, stand up, rise, be erect, be upright, 1a6) To arise, appear, come on the scene, stand forth, appear, rise up or against, 1a7) To stand with, take one's stand, be appointed, grow flat, grow insipid. Strong—a primitive root; To stand, in various relations(literal & figurative, intransitive & transitive).
Argumentation:
Num. 32:20-23—“Then Moses said to them: “If you do this thing, if you arm yourselves before the LORD for the war, & all your armed men cross over the Jordan before the LORD until He has driven out His enemies from before Him, & the land is subdued before the LORD, then afterward you may return & be blameless before the LORD & before Israel; & this land shall be your possession before the LORD. But if you do not do so, then take note, you have sinned against the LORD; & be sure your sin will find you out.”
The problem with everyone else surrounding ‘the finding out of the sin’ is that a great deal of havoc can be wreaked in the time between the ‘finding’ & its resolution. Thus we want the sin to be ‘found’ right now!
*Deut. 17:2-7—“If there is found among you, within any of your gates which the LORD your God gives you, a man or a woman who has been wicked in the sight of the LORD your God, in transgressing His covenant, who has gone & served other gods & worshiped them, either the sun or moon or any of the host of heaven, which I have not commanded, & it is told you, & you hear of it, then you shall inquire diligently. And if it is indeed true & certain that such an abomination has been committed in Israel, then you shall bring out to your gates that man or woman who has committed that wicked thing, & shall stone to death that man or woman with stones. Whoever is deserving of death shall be put to death on the testimony of two or three witnesses; he shall not be put to death on the testimony of one witness. The hands of the witnesses shall be the first against him to put him to death, & afterward the hands of all the people. So you shall put away the evil from among you.”
1Tim. 5:19-20—“Do not receive an accusation against an elder except from two or three witnesses. Those who are sinning rebuke in the presence of all, that the rest also may fear.”
Rom. 13:1-8—Let every soul be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, & the authorities that exist are appointed by God. Therefore whoever resists the authority resists the ordinance of God, & those who resist will bring judgment on themselves. For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to evil. Do you want to be unafraid of the authority? Do what is good, & you will have praise from the same. For he is God’s minister to you for good. But if you do evil, be afraid; for he does not bear the sword in vain; for he is God’s minister, an avenger to execute wrath on him who practices evil. Therefore you must be subject, not only because of wrath but also for conscience’ sake. For because of this you also pay taxes, for they are God’s ministers attending continually to this very thing. Render therefore to all their due: taxes to whom taxes are due, customs to whom customs, fear to whom fear, honor to whom honor. Owe no one anything except to love one another, for he who loves another has fulfilled the law.”
Illustration:
Superman fights a never ending battle...“For Truth, Justice & the American Way!”
This assumes equity(fairness) in all Superman does, as well as assuming that America’s Truth & Justice is well founded!
Application:
?Is your Approach to JUSTICE...of God, or of something else?
?You fulfilling your Kingdom character/Potential?
People of Kingdom Character can walk with head held high, knowing that they are indeed fit for God’s Kingdom in Christ!
CONCLUSION:
Visualization:
Perhaps what you have viewed as your ‘Kingdom character’ is well outside of God’s desire. Perhaps God has very different plans for you. Remember, His plan is perfect & tailor made just for you. You can know with certainty whether you are indeed fit for such service to God! Don’t hold on to the past but look to those things which God has been pleased to offer you that are available to you now & in the future.
Action:
Kingdom character(or the lack thereof) is manifested in one’s Approach to...
4. JUSTICE(:16-22)
1. PERSONAL SIN(:16)
2. TRAGEDY(:17-21)
3. TRUTH(:16-22)
Pts. 4 only! presented 05/15/2016am to:
FBC C’belle
206 Storrs Ave. SE(Ave. A)
Carrabelle, FL 32322
