Sermon Cloud

In the heyday of the New York Yankees, manager Joe McCarthy once interviewed a coach being brought up to the majors from a Yankee farm team. "How much do you know about psychology?" McCarthy asked.
The coach said he had studied it in college.

 

"So you think you're good," said McCarthy. The coach replied: "I don't know how good I am, but it's a subject I've studied."

 

"All right," McCarthy said, "I'll give you a test."

 

McCarthy said that a few years before he'd had a problem and had gone to Frankie Crosetti, his shortstop.

 

"Frank," McCarthy said, "I'm not satisfied with the way Lou Gehrig is playing first base. He's too lackadaisical. I want you to help me. From now on, charge every ground ball. When you get it, fire it as quickly and as hard as you can to first base. Knock Gehrig off the bag if you can. I don't care if you throw wild or not, but throw it fast and make it tough for him."

 

Crosetti demurred and said: "Maybe Lou won't like the idea."

 

"Who cares what Gehrig likes!" McCarthy snapped. "Just do as I tell you."

 

McCarthy then said to the coach: "Now that's the story. What conclusions do you draw from it?"

 

The coach considered the matter for a minute, then answered: "I guess you were trying to wake up Gehrig."

 

"See?" McCarthy shrugged his shoulders in resignation. "You missed the point entirely. There wasn't a darned thing wrong with Gehrig. Crosetti was the one who was sleeping. I wanted to wake up Crosetti." 

 

A little indirect motivation was the cure.

 

What motivates you to service for the Lord? Today, Solomon will show us what motivated him to kingdom work: the promises of God. Like a loud speaker in his ear, the promises of Yahweh to his father David kept Solomon focused on building the kingdom of God.

 

What’s ringing in your ears? The subtle, lying, deceiving promises of sin? Or the solid, secure, and true promises of a faithful God? Does the grace of God motivate you?

 

The main truth to emerge from this chapter is this-

KINGDOM PROMISES SHOULD ENCOURAGE KINGDOM WORK. LOOK AT VERSES 1-6…

 

I say that this is the main truth here because of the repeated use of the phrase, “build a/the house” {vv. 3, 4, 5, 18}. Solomon has determined to build a house for the Lord and he is motivated by the promises of the Lord to his father David.

 

As the narrative unfolds in this chapter, we find the political relationship between Solomon and Hiram king of Tyre strengthened. We know that Hiram and David were close allies {see 2^nd Samuel 5:11-12}. Hiram had helped David build a house by providing supplies.

 

Word had reached Hiram in Tyre {Northwest of Jerusalem} that Solomon had taken over the throne from David, so Hiram reaches out to Solomon in order to keep the political truce going. Solomon then sent word back to Hiram. In his letter he details how-

 

1} David couldn’t build a house for the Lord because enemies of the kingdom remained.

 

2} But now God had given Solomon rest on every side from his enemies.

 

Solomon is reminding Hiram that David tried to build a house for Yahweh but there was no way to start a building project while there were still enemies around. You can’t be focused on war and building at the same time.

 

But now the Lord had given Solomon rest from his enemies. All the enemies had been purged, therefore, the massive building project of the temple could now begin.

 

Now, that’s the practical side to this.

 

Enemies destroyed: check.

Building plans drawn up: check. {The building plans were “drafted” by the Lord and given to David- see 1^st Chronicles 28; especially verse 19}

 

But there is a spiritual dimension to this gigantic building project that we can’t overlook. In verse 5 Solomon says,

 

And so I intend to build a house for the name of the LORD my God, as the LORD said to David my father, “Your son, whom I will set on your throne in your place, shall build the house for my name.”

 

What is motivating Solomon to build the temple for the Lord? I think there are 3 motivating factors here, which highlight just how God-centered Solomon is: the word of God, the glory of God, and the promises of God. Let’s unpack each of these.

 

1} The word of God. First, let’s notice how Bible-saturated Solomon is. Remember, we saw the last few weeks that Solomon was required by the law as king to personally hand write a copy of the entire law for himself, per Deuteronomy 17}. He was to constantly be reading this copy of God’s law. When he went to Starbucks, he was to read it. When he sat in the hammock, he was to read it. When he sat on the back porch, he was to read it. When he sat on the toilet, he was to read it.

 

Constant absorption of the word of God was required for every Israelite king. And it would only be by constant absorption of the word of God that the king could represent Yahweh as the moral compass of the nation.

 

Is it any different for us? Let me tell you one of the most basic and simple, yet probably most neglected truths of the Christian faith: you cannot grow in grace apart from the word of God. You can’t! You simply will not be able to fight sin or live a gospel-centered life apart from constant absorption of the word of God.

 

Plants do not grow without water. They die. Human beings do not survive without food and water. They die. Christians do not grow or survive spiritually without God’s word. They die!

 

Don’t believe me, this Johnny-Come-Lately? Listen to Jesus’ words in Matthew 4-

 

Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. And after fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry. And the tempter came and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, command these stones to become loaves of bread.”

 

But he answered, “It is written, “‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’”

 

Jesus has not eaten any food for 40 days! He is hungry! His body is crying out for food. And if there was ever a time to justify ordering a pizza, it was then. But where is His focus still? Not on physical food, but on spiritual food. His focus was on eating the words of God!

 

How many of you are living on bread alone? Is that all you consume? Physical food? You may grow physically, but you cannot, you will not grow spiritually if you do not read, mediate, and memorize the word of God.

 

Where does Jesus go when tempted? The word of God. In fact, He went to Dueteronomy? 3X he quotes the book of Deuteronomy in the face of temptation! How many of you go to Deuteronomy when you are tempted?

 

You wanna fight sin? Go to the word of God.

 

I just went off on a necessary tangent, but let me show you where I get the idea that Solomon is so Bible-saturated. LOOK AGAIN AT VERSE 5…

 

And so I intend to build a house for the name of the LORD my God, as the LORD said to David my father, “Your son, whom I will set on your throne in your place, shall build the house for my name.”

 

Solomon is motivated to build a house for the name of the LORD. Where does Solomon get this idea? It harkens back to Deuteronomy 12:5-14…

 

But you shall seek the place that the Lord your God will choose out of all your tribes to put his name and make his habitation there. There you shall go, and there you shall bring your burnt offerings and your sacrifices, your tithes and the contribution that you present, your vow offerings, your freewill offerings, and the firstborn of your herd and of your flock. And there you shall eat before the Lord your God, and you shall rejoice, you and your households, in all that you undertake, in which the Lord your God has blessed you.

 

“You shall not do according to all that we are doing here today, everyone doing whatever is right in his own eyes, for you have not as yet come to the rest and to the inheritance that the Lord your God is giving you. But when you go over the Jordan and live in the land that the Lord your God is giving you to inherit, and when he gives you rest from all your enemies around, so that you live in safety, then to the place that the Lord your God will choose, to make his name dwell there, there you shall bring all that I command you: your burnt offerings and your sacrifices, your tithes and the contribution that you present, and all your finest vow offerings that you vow to the Lord. And you shall rejoice before the Lord your God, you and your sons and your daughters, your male servants and your female servants, and the Levite that is within your towns, since he has no portion or inheritance with you. Take care that you do not offer your burnt offerings at any place that you see, but at the place that the Lord will choose in one of your tribes, there you shall offer your burnt offerings, and there you shall do all that I am commanding you.

 

This is why I say that Solomon is so Bible-saturated. Did you notice the themes of-

 

*the Lord choosing a place to put His name to worship {vv. 5, 11, 14}

*rest from their enemies {vv. 9, 10}

 

And what did Solomon say to Hiram in 1^st Kings 5:3-5?

 

“You know that David my father could not build a house for the name of the Lord his God because of the warfare with which his enemies surrounded him, until the Lord put them under the soles of his feet. But now the Lord my God has given me rest on every side. There is neither adversary nor misfortune. And so I intend to build a house for the name of the Lord my God, as the Lord said to David my father, ‘Your son, whom I will set on your throne in your place, shall build the house for my name.’

 

Sounds just like Deuteronomy 12! We find the same themes of finding rest from their enemies and a place for the name of the Lord  here in 1^st Kings 5.

 

Solomon’s decisions are being shaped by the Word of God. We would do well to learn from Solomon in this regard.

 

I like the tag-line of 9 Marks ministries: We will look like Him as we listen to Him.

 

Where do we hear His voice? In His Word. He speaks motivationally to us through His Word.

 

In fact, I like the tag-line of this church: Rooted in the Word, Branching Out to the World.

 

It’s not by accident that our middle name is “Bible.”

 

Let the word of God motivate you.

 

2} The glory of God. I believe that God’s glory and His reputation among the nations is at the heart of Solomon’s construction project. The whole reason Solomon is motivated to build the temple is found 2x in verse 5-

 

…to build a house for the name of the Lord my God…build the house for my name.”

 

Solomon is not interested in building up his name or his kingdom. What is driving him is the glory of God. Solomon is God-centered. His focus is in the Lord.

 

In fact, he’s building so that the “name of the LORD” will be known. The Hebrew concept for the name of the LORD entails not just knowledge about His name, but it carries the idea of His reputation, His honor, His character, His attributes, His ways.

 

John Piper has described God’s glory as, “Holy perfection going public” {Ask Pastor John, July 6, 2009- Desiring God website}.

 

That’s why Solomon is building a temple for Yahweh. So that His holy perfection will go public.

 

The sole purpose of building the temple was to bring the people to one centralized location to praise the name of Yahweh.

 

And that’s why we gather here each week. To sing praises to the name that is above every name, Jesus Christ, God incarnate.

 

The glory of God is motivating Solomon. And we are commanded in 1^st Corinthians 10:31 that whether we eat, or drink, or whatever we do, we are to do it to the glory of God. To do everything in a way that He looks glorious!

 

3} The promises of God.

 

Notice that it is the promises that Yahweh made to David that are the foundation and the driving force of Solomon’s work. LOOK AT VERSE 5 AGAIN…

 

And so I intend to build a house for the name of the Lord my God, as the Lord said to David my father, ‘Your son, whom I will set on your throne in your place, shall build the house for my name.’

 

Because Yahweh made the promise to David, Solomon then moves to start construction. What is motivating Solomon? The promises of God.

 

Solomon is building his life on the promises of God.

 

Notice too that Hiram responds precisely because God has kept His promise to David. LOOK AT VERSES 7-12…

 

READ 1^ST KINGS 5:7-12

 

Hiram heard Solomon’s God-centered letter which explained his plans to build the temple and how did he respond? Verse 7 says that Hiram-

 

*rejoiced greatly

*blessed Yahweh

And the reason why Hiram rejoiced greatly and blessed Yahweh is because the LORD “…had given to David a wise son to be over this great people” {verse 7}.

 

Yahweh kept His promise and gave Solomon wisdom.

Yahweh kept His promise to David that his sons would rule on his throne.

 

This shows us that-

KINGDOM PROMISES SHOULD ENCOURAGE KINGDOM WORK.

 

So Hiram supplied Solomon with lumber and Solomon gave Hiram food. But let’s not get caught up in the giving between these 2 buddies exchanging services.

 

Notice what verse 12 says, “And the Lord gave Solomon wisdom, as he promised.”

 

Solomon’s God-given wisdom is seen in vv.13-18 as Solomon begins construction “to build the house.”

 

KINGDOM PROMISES SHOULD ENCOURAGE KINGDOM WORK.

 

Our God is a promise-keeping God!

 

J.C. Ryle said this of God’s promises: “Now promises, in like manner, in the religion of the Bible, are one grand means by which God is pleased to approach the soul of man. The careful student of Scripture cannot fail to observe that God is continually holding out inducements to man to listen to Him, obey Him, and serve Him, and undertaking to do great things, if man will only attend and believe. In short, as St. Peter says, “There are given to us exceeding great and precious promises.” (2 Pet. i. 4.) He who has mercifully caused all Holy Scripture to be written for our learning has shown His perfect knowledge of human nature, by spreading over the Book a perfect wealth of promises, suitable to every kind of experience and every condition of life. He seems to say, “Would you know what I undertake to do for you? Do you want to hear my terms? “-”Take up the Bible and read.”

 

Concerning the variety and riches of Scripture promises, far more might be said than it is possible to say in a short paper like this. Their name is legion. The subject is almost inexhaustible. There is hardly a step in man’s life, from childhood to old age, hardly any position in which man can be placed, for which the Bible has not held out encouragement to everyone who desires to do right in the sight of God. There are “shalls” and “wills” in God’s treasury for every condition. About God’s infinite mercy and compassion-about His readiness to receive all who repent and believe-about His willingness to forgive, pardon, and absolve the chief of sinners-about His power to change hearts and alter our corrupt nature-about the encouragements to pray, and hear the Gospel, and draw near to the throne of grace-about strength for duty, comfort in trouble, guidance in perplexity, help in sickness, consolation in death, support under bereavement, happiness beyond the grave, reward in glory-about all these things there is an abundant supply of promises in the Word. No one can form an idea of its abundance unless he carefully searches the Scriptures, keeping the subject steadily in view. If anyone doubts it, I can only say, “Come and see.” {J.C. Ryle, Holiness: It’s Nature, Hindrances, Difficulties, and Roots, p.382}

 

This book is full of promises from a faithful God! Will you believe them? Will these promises give you the motivation to serve the Lord and extend His kingdom on earth today?

 

KINGDOM PROMISES SHOULD ENCOURAGE KINGDOM WORK.

 

Promises like:

 

“I am with you always, to the end of the age.” Matthew 28:20

 

“Casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you.” 1^st Peter 5:7

 

Let these promises excite you to see the Kingdom of God extended, as Matt preached about a few weeks ago, in your family, neighborhood, workplace, etc!

 

Let me share one promise that I have been holding onto and believing in my life recently. I ran across this quote by John Stott in an appendix with the title, “Reflections of an Octogenarian, 27 April 2001”:

 

“Let me share with you a conviction about obedience. John 14:21 is one of my favorite verses. Here are the words of Jesus: “Whoever has my commandments and obeys them, he is the one who loves me. He who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love him and show myself to him.”

 

The verse ends with a particularly precious promise: “I will show myself to him (or her)”, or “I will manifest myself to him.”

 

Is this just what we are longing for, namely a clearer vision of Christ? But this promise of Jesus is conditional. He reveals himself only to his lovers. And who are his lovers? Not those who make loud protestations of love, and then go out like Peter to deny him. Not those who sing rather sentimental songs “Jesus, I love you.” (It is all right to sing them too, but they do not prove anything.) No, those who truly love the Lord Jesus are those who obey his commandments.

 

To sum up, the test of love is obedience, and the reward of love is a self-manifestation of Christ.”

{The Living Church: Convictions of a Lifelong Pastor}

 

That’s a promise worth believing! Do you want to know more of Christ? If you’re obedient to His word by His grace, He WILL manifest Himself to you more! Believe it!

 

What motivates you to service for the Lord? Let His grace, His promises, catapult you into reckless service for His glory.

 

Let’s celebrate the peace that we have with God through Jesus Christ as we prepare for communion.