I am a couple of weeks behind, something I apologize for to those who are reading this. To go back to last week, we had a good lesson on a story we all know quite well, the story of Jonah.
Our text was the entire Book of Jonah, so I will not take your time up posting it here, if you want you can get a Bible and read it before going on.
After reading Jonah 1:1-15;
Why do you think Jonah went the other way?
He wanted to flee from the evils of the people of Nineveh.
What do you think was going through the minds of the crew when the storm arose?
They most likely thought they were going to die.
What do you think was going through the mind of Jonah when he asked to be thrown overboard?
He was most likely afraid of how God would punish him for his sin of disobedience.
The second section focused on Jonah 1:17-2:10;
What do you think it felt like in the belly of a whale?
Slimy, squishy, and gross.
What do you think it smelled like?
Nasty dead fish.
What images came to mind when you heard the prayer of Jonah?
Someone who was at the very end of their rope, absolutely desperate for God's help and salvation who truly repents their sins.
From chapter 3 we asked;
What did Jonah say to the people?
Nineveh will be overthrown and the people punished for their evil ways.
How did they respond to Jonah's preaching?
They repented and changed their ways.
In chapter 4 God has spared the people and Jonah is angry with Him for His merciful nature.
Why was Jonah angry?
He wanted the people of Nineveh to be punished for their evil ways and when God showed them mercy Jonah felt betrayed.
Where do you see God's compassion in these verses?
God shows that He will have mercy and compassion on those who truly repent their evil ways and ask for God to forgive their sins.
We agreed for the most part that the best part of the story was the fish vomiting Jonah out onto the beach, and that the character we liked most was Jonah. We could relate to not wanting to do something difficult and dangerous and that when God asks us to do these things we would be afraid.
The following were a set of statements that we had to decide if they were fair or unfair.
Is it fair if you are going 7 miles over the speed limit and you get pulled over and get a ticket for speeding?
No it isn't fair, it is only 7 mph to fast.
Is it fair when you don't study and get a bad grade?
Yes, you had a choice and made a bad decision.
Is it fair when you arrive late to a concert and can't find a place to sit?
Yes, by being late you let others have the choice of seating.
It may or may not seem fair, in these situations, to get what we deserve. It is hard to argue the speeding ticket if you were speeding, or getting a bad grade if you got the answers wrong. Seating is a timing issue.
Can you name a situation when you didn't get what you deserved?
In class Ryan didn't get stabbed with a pencil for throwing them at Robin while she was reading.
We ended our lesson reading Mathew 18:21-35, the Parable of the Unmerciful Servant.
It would take generations for the man and his family to pay his debt, He owed millions and would never be able to pay it off by himself. When he asked for time to pay back the debt, the king was generous and cancelled the debt.
The second man owed 100 day's wages, yet when he asked for time, he was thrown in prison.
Is this fair?
No
What is not fair about it?
The man should have been given time to pay off the reasonable debt instead of being thrown in prison.
What is the right way to handle this story?
To show mercy and give the man time to pay off his debt instead of putting him in prison.
We get what we deserve in most areas of our life. However when it comes to God, we don't get what we deserve. We deserve death, yet God provides us life through His son Jesus Christ. That is called Grace.
Sunday, February 27, 2011
Sunday, February 13, 2011
Not a Good Day
Today was a bad day at work, I had to send an employee home because they were sick. As a result I had to stay at work all morning. I went to church, set up the computer and projector and had my class join the young adults, then went back to work. I will have to come up with a devotion or something later, but for now I thought I would promote book club. This months book, which you still have a couple of weeks to read is by Judy Baer and is titled, "Million Dollar Dilemma."
" 'I'm a PK, preacher's kid (or if I want to get fancy, a TO, a theologian's offspring). I grew up afraid of my own allowance...' So when over $20 million falls into her lap, Cassia Carr views her new Midas touch as a cross, not a blessing-- and certainly doesn't anticipate the difficulty in giving it all away!
And it's hard enough to gauge romantic feelings without the chaos of a major windfall. her globetrotting neighbor, Adam Cavanaugh, seems interested--but in Cassia or her fortune? When Adam abruptly disappears, should Cassia forget about him or follow her heart to an unknown life-changing destination?"
Tymberlee picked this book and I must admit it has the feel of the chick Christian romances she has a knack of picking, but because she hasn't finished reading it yet, I haven't had a chance to start.
Next month's book is my pick, and it is a work of historical fiction, a step away from the "daddy" books I had been picking. I went with Tim LaHaye and Jerry Jenkins book "Mark's Story" from the series The Jesus Chronicles. Best known for the Left Behind series, LaHaye and Jenkins new series tells the story of those who know and walked with Jesus in the months leading up to His death and their lives and travels after His crucifixion.
"It is Jesus' last day alive as a man, and a young boy--Mark--is about to witness firsthand some of the most pivotal events in all of human history: Judas Iscariot's betrayal; Peter's denial of his master; and Jesus' crucifixion and resurrection as the risen Lord.
In the years after, following in the footsteps of his friend and mentor Peter, Mark becomes an ardent follower of Jesus and a devoted disciple of Christianity, spreading the Gospel outside the boundaries of Jerusalem into the world. Along the way, he exhorts Peter to recount the stories of Jesus' time on earth--His messages, His miracles, and His everlasting promise to His people--and compiles what becomes canonized as the Gospel of Mark."
Both sound like very interesting books and I hope to see a few new faces at the next book club meeting. We meet next on Tuesday March 1st at 6:00 PM at the First Free Methodist Church, hope to see you there.
" 'I'm a PK, preacher's kid (or if I want to get fancy, a TO, a theologian's offspring). I grew up afraid of my own allowance...' So when over $20 million falls into her lap, Cassia Carr views her new Midas touch as a cross, not a blessing-- and certainly doesn't anticipate the difficulty in giving it all away!
And it's hard enough to gauge romantic feelings without the chaos of a major windfall. her globetrotting neighbor, Adam Cavanaugh, seems interested--but in Cassia or her fortune? When Adam abruptly disappears, should Cassia forget about him or follow her heart to an unknown life-changing destination?"
Tymberlee picked this book and I must admit it has the feel of the chick Christian romances she has a knack of picking, but because she hasn't finished reading it yet, I haven't had a chance to start.
Next month's book is my pick, and it is a work of historical fiction, a step away from the "daddy" books I had been picking. I went with Tim LaHaye and Jerry Jenkins book "Mark's Story" from the series The Jesus Chronicles. Best known for the Left Behind series, LaHaye and Jenkins new series tells the story of those who know and walked with Jesus in the months leading up to His death and their lives and travels after His crucifixion.
"It is Jesus' last day alive as a man, and a young boy--Mark--is about to witness firsthand some of the most pivotal events in all of human history: Judas Iscariot's betrayal; Peter's denial of his master; and Jesus' crucifixion and resurrection as the risen Lord.
In the years after, following in the footsteps of his friend and mentor Peter, Mark becomes an ardent follower of Jesus and a devoted disciple of Christianity, spreading the Gospel outside the boundaries of Jerusalem into the world. Along the way, he exhorts Peter to recount the stories of Jesus' time on earth--His messages, His miracles, and His everlasting promise to His people--and compiles what becomes canonized as the Gospel of Mark."
Both sound like very interesting books and I hope to see a few new faces at the next book club meeting. We meet next on Tuesday March 1st at 6:00 PM at the First Free Methodist Church, hope to see you there.
Sunday, February 6, 2011
Distinguishing Between Right and Wrong Takes Wisdom
I had a full house today with Tanecia, Robin, and Ryan in class for this first time this year, so we were able to have a good lesson. The only problem was that I forgot my Sunday School Material at home so I grabbed an old lesson book and picked a lesson at random. We ended up with another lesson about Solomon and his prayer for wisdom, covering the same scripture as last week.
This week though we started with a list of things and discussed if they were right or wrong.
Cheating on a test—Wrong
The death penalty—2 Right and 1 Wrong
Downloading music—Could be either
Copying someone else’s homework—Wrong
Not leaving a tip—Could be either
Breaking the speed limit—Depends on why you are doing it
Keeping a library book over the due date—Wrong
Going to a party where there is drinking—Wrong
Hurting someone in self defense—Right
Cheating on a girlfriend/boyfriend—Wrong
Racing cars with friends—Wrong unless it is on a race track
Sneaking out after the parents are asleep—Wrong
Using lunch money to buy music—Right
Sometimes it’s hard to tell the difference between something that is wrong and those things that are just a matter of personal opinion. Sometimes people think certain things are “not really that bad”or “only a little wrong” in an attempt to justify their actions. Some things might be considered right by some people and wrong by others. Discovering what is right can be tricky. It takes wisdom to discern right from wrong. Let’s look at a time when God granted wisdom to Solomon, a king of Israel, who was legendary for his wisdom.
In 1 Kings 3:1-15 we learn that Solomon was David’s son and that after David died Solomon took the throne as king. Solomon was only in his early 20’s when he became ruler of Israel. Because he was so young he prayed for God to give him wisdom. God answered Solomon’s prayer saying, “I will give you a wise and discerning heart.” During his rule Solomon faced a difficult situation where he needed to use his God-given wisdom.
Reading on in 1 Kings 3:16-25 Solomon is presented a problem. Two women claim to both be the mother of a single child, each claiming the others child had died in the night. Solomon used his wisdom and asked for a sword. When the women asked why he needed a sword Solomon told them he would divide the baby in half and each mother would receive part of the child. One woman told Solomon to go ahead and kill the baby, the other cried out not to kill the child and instead to give it to the other woman. When he heard this Solomon knew that the second woman was the child’s mother, because her love would not let the child be hurt, so he gave the baby to her.
What would you have decided if you had been Solomon?
What process would you have used to come to your decision?
What was your reaction to Solomon’s decision?
In verses 26-28 we read that the people of Israel stood in awe of Solomon and saw that he had the wisdom of God.
Wisdom is not reserved only for people who have lived for a long time; wisdom is a quality of God that He wants to pass on to His children. It is something that will guide us and protects us as long as we live. But how can we find it? The answer is in Proverbs 2:3-6, where we read these words: “If you call out for insight and cry aloud for understanding, and if you look for it as for silver and search for it as for hidden treasure, then you will find the knowledge of God. For the Lord gives wisdom, and from His mouth comes knowledge and understanding.” The answer then, is to ask God to give us His wisdom, just like Solomon did.
We talked about an area where we would need God’s wisdom, the popular answer was school. The three ways we could seek God’s wisdom to help us with the troubles, both academic and social, of school were to pray, to read the Bible, and to attend church to gain the wisdom God has for us.
This week though we started with a list of things and discussed if they were right or wrong.
Cheating on a test—Wrong
The death penalty—2 Right and 1 Wrong
Downloading music—Could be either
Copying someone else’s homework—Wrong
Not leaving a tip—Could be either
Breaking the speed limit—Depends on why you are doing it
Keeping a library book over the due date—Wrong
Going to a party where there is drinking—Wrong
Hurting someone in self defense—Right
Cheating on a girlfriend/boyfriend—Wrong
Racing cars with friends—Wrong unless it is on a race track
Sneaking out after the parents are asleep—Wrong
Using lunch money to buy music—Right
Sometimes it’s hard to tell the difference between something that is wrong and those things that are just a matter of personal opinion. Sometimes people think certain things are “not really that bad”or “only a little wrong” in an attempt to justify their actions. Some things might be considered right by some people and wrong by others. Discovering what is right can be tricky. It takes wisdom to discern right from wrong. Let’s look at a time when God granted wisdom to Solomon, a king of Israel, who was legendary for his wisdom.
In 1 Kings 3:1-15 we learn that Solomon was David’s son and that after David died Solomon took the throne as king. Solomon was only in his early 20’s when he became ruler of Israel. Because he was so young he prayed for God to give him wisdom. God answered Solomon’s prayer saying, “I will give you a wise and discerning heart.” During his rule Solomon faced a difficult situation where he needed to use his God-given wisdom.
Reading on in 1 Kings 3:16-25 Solomon is presented a problem. Two women claim to both be the mother of a single child, each claiming the others child had died in the night. Solomon used his wisdom and asked for a sword. When the women asked why he needed a sword Solomon told them he would divide the baby in half and each mother would receive part of the child. One woman told Solomon to go ahead and kill the baby, the other cried out not to kill the child and instead to give it to the other woman. When he heard this Solomon knew that the second woman was the child’s mother, because her love would not let the child be hurt, so he gave the baby to her.
What would you have decided if you had been Solomon?
What process would you have used to come to your decision?
What was your reaction to Solomon’s decision?
In verses 26-28 we read that the people of Israel stood in awe of Solomon and saw that he had the wisdom of God.
Wisdom is not reserved only for people who have lived for a long time; wisdom is a quality of God that He wants to pass on to His children. It is something that will guide us and protects us as long as we live. But how can we find it? The answer is in Proverbs 2:3-6, where we read these words: “If you call out for insight and cry aloud for understanding, and if you look for it as for silver and search for it as for hidden treasure, then you will find the knowledge of God. For the Lord gives wisdom, and from His mouth comes knowledge and understanding.” The answer then, is to ask God to give us His wisdom, just like Solomon did.
We talked about an area where we would need God’s wisdom, the popular answer was school. The three ways we could seek God’s wisdom to help us with the troubles, both academic and social, of school were to pray, to read the Bible, and to attend church to gain the wisdom God has for us.
Pirate Getaway 2011
The Pirate Getaway was a great success, with 25 kids in attendance it was the biggest of the Kid’s Day series of activities so far. We had a great returning group, many kids who attend our church, and many of those who, while they may not attend our church do attend our events were joined by five new friends. Zoe, Ozia, Vivienne, Sophia, and Elizabeth joined us for the first time, and they had grrrrreat fun.
A special thanks needs to be given to our volunteers; Tammi, Billie, Sarah, Tymberlee, Becky, and especially Grace who stepped in and took charge of a wild group for about 30 minutes so everyone else could get a rest. Without those willing to step in and lend a hand these great events wouldn’t happen.
We watched a great movie (The Pirates Who Don’t Do Anything), sang some great songs, made some cool crafts, played a couple Pirate Games, and best of all had an excellent story time and a lesson about loving others from Capt’n Charlie.
In the end Vivienne was the winner of our big prize, taking home and animated, electronic fish bowl. Connor and Blake were our runners up each getting a big peppermint stick.
By the time we were done everyone had walked the plank, some people twice, we had eaten lunch, and all had fun.
As an announcement, the Kid’s Fun Day that was scheduled for March 19th has been cancelled. That is the same day as the CEF (Child Evangelism Fellowship) Family Fun Fair at the Sault Middle School. This is a free event with lots of activities for all ages and we look forward to seeing you there. For more information contact CEF at 906-632-4453. Volunteers are always welcome.
A special thanks needs to be given to our volunteers; Tammi, Billie, Sarah, Tymberlee, Becky, and especially Grace who stepped in and took charge of a wild group for about 30 minutes so everyone else could get a rest. Without those willing to step in and lend a hand these great events wouldn’t happen.
We watched a great movie (The Pirates Who Don’t Do Anything), sang some great songs, made some cool crafts, played a couple Pirate Games, and best of all had an excellent story time and a lesson about loving others from Capt’n Charlie.
In the end Vivienne was the winner of our big prize, taking home and animated, electronic fish bowl. Connor and Blake were our runners up each getting a big peppermint stick.
By the time we were done everyone had walked the plank, some people twice, we had eaten lunch, and all had fun.
As an announcement, the Kid’s Fun Day that was scheduled for March 19th has been cancelled. That is the same day as the CEF (Child Evangelism Fellowship) Family Fun Fair at the Sault Middle School. This is a free event with lots of activities for all ages and we look forward to seeing you there. For more information contact CEF at 906-632-4453. Volunteers are always welcome.
Friday, February 4, 2011
Entertaining Angels
The book club just met the other night to discuss the last book we read. The book was "Entertaining Angels" by Judy Duarte.
"As a teen, Kristy Smith spent her nights dreaming of a college scholarship - dreams that ended abruptly when she became pregnant. Now Kristy works hard to support her young son, Jason, and her ailing grandmother, staving off regrets about the chances that slipped away. When Craig Houston became a pastor, he envisioned making a difference in some distant, poverty-stricken country, not dealing with youth groups and shut-ins in a tidy suburb like Fairbrook. But things aren't always what they seem. Soon, Craig finds locals who need guidance even if they'll never admit it - like Kristy's best friend, Shana, who's always strived to be the perfect daughter; Renee, a pregnant teen trying to make it on her own; and Kristy herself, a vibrant and loving young woman unaware of just how much she has to offer. One by one, the residents of Fairbrook are about to learn that the future can surprise and redeem us, especially when there is courage and true friendship in abundance, and a little help from an unexpected source... "
An excellent book that I would recommend to anyone, this was something I truly enjoyed reading. While there were times where I made comment to Tymberlee about how I was sure I had watched this movie of the week, and the ending was a bit predictable, it was a good read.
So if you are looking for a good read, with a bit of a moral lesson this is the book for you. I walked away from it with a new view of how effective one person can be, a better understanding of how our attitudes can affect others, and the realization that things truly aren't always what they seem. I also have a new outlook on how those who are downtrodden in our community are treated.
"As a teen, Kristy Smith spent her nights dreaming of a college scholarship - dreams that ended abruptly when she became pregnant. Now Kristy works hard to support her young son, Jason, and her ailing grandmother, staving off regrets about the chances that slipped away. When Craig Houston became a pastor, he envisioned making a difference in some distant, poverty-stricken country, not dealing with youth groups and shut-ins in a tidy suburb like Fairbrook. But things aren't always what they seem. Soon, Craig finds locals who need guidance even if they'll never admit it - like Kristy's best friend, Shana, who's always strived to be the perfect daughter; Renee, a pregnant teen trying to make it on her own; and Kristy herself, a vibrant and loving young woman unaware of just how much she has to offer. One by one, the residents of Fairbrook are about to learn that the future can surprise and redeem us, especially when there is courage and true friendship in abundance, and a little help from an unexpected source... "
An excellent book that I would recommend to anyone, this was something I truly enjoyed reading. While there were times where I made comment to Tymberlee about how I was sure I had watched this movie of the week, and the ending was a bit predictable, it was a good read.
So if you are looking for a good read, with a bit of a moral lesson this is the book for you. I walked away from it with a new view of how effective one person can be, a better understanding of how our attitudes can affect others, and the realization that things truly aren't always what they seem. I also have a new outlook on how those who are downtrodden in our community are treated.
Tuesday, February 1, 2011
Solomon--Godly Wisdom from Seeking God's Heart
If you could have anything you wanted, what would you ask for? That was the dilemma that faced Solomon in I Kings 3:1-28.
1 Solomon made an alliance with Pharaoh king of Egypt and married his daughter. He brought her to the City of David until he finished building his palace and the temple of the LORD, and the wall around Jerusalem. 2 The people, however, were still sacrificing at the high places, because a temple had not yet been built for the Name of the LORD. 3 Solomon showed his love for the LORD by walking according to the instructions given him by his father David, except that he offered sacrifices and burned incense on the high places.
4 The king went to Gibeon to offer sacrifices, for that was the most important high place, and Solomon offered a thousand burnt offerings on that altar. 5 At Gibeon the LORD appeared to Solomon during the night in a dream, and God said, “Ask for whatever you want me to give you.” 6 Solomon answered, “You have shown great kindness to your servant, my father David, because he was faithful to you and righteous and upright in heart. You have continued this great kindness to him and have given him a son to sit on his throne this very day.
7 “Now, LORD my God, you have made your servant king in place of my father David. But I am only a little child and do not know how to carry out my duties. 8 Your servant is here among the people you have chosen, a great people, too numerous to count or number. 9 So give your servant a discerning heart to govern your people and to distinguish between right and wrong. For who is able to govern this great people of yours?”
10 The Lord was pleased that Solomon had asked for this. 11 So God said to him, “Since you have asked for this and not for long life or wealth for yourself, nor have asked for the death of your enemies but for discernment in administering justice, 12 I will do what you have asked. I will give you a wise and discerning heart, so that there will never have been anyone like you, nor will there ever be. 13 Moreover, I will give you what you have not asked for—both wealth and honor—so that in your lifetime you will have no equal among kings. 14 And if you walk in obedience to me and keep my decrees and commands as David your father did, I will give you a long life.” 15 Then Solomon awoke—and he realized it had been a dream.
He returned to Jerusalem, stood before the ark of the Lord’s covenant and sacrificed burnt offerings and fellowship offerings. Then he gave a feast for all his court.
16 Now two prostitutes came to the king and stood before him. 17 One of them said, “Pardon me, my lord. This woman and I live in the same house, and I had a baby while she was there with me. 18 The third day after my child was born, this woman also had a baby. We were alone; there was no one in the house but the two of us.
19 “During the night this woman’s son died because she lay on him. 20 So she got up in the middle of the night and took my son from my side while I your servant was asleep. She put him by her breast and put her dead son by my breast. 21 The next morning, I got up to nurse my son—and he was dead! But when I looked at him closely in the morning light, I saw that it wasn’t the son I had borne.”
22 The other woman said, “No! The living one is my son; the dead one is yours.”
But the first one insisted, “No! The dead one is yours; the living one is mine.” And so they argued before the king.
23 The king said, “This one says, ‘My son is alive and your son is dead,’ while that one says, ‘No! Your son is dead and mine is alive.’”
24 Then the king said, “Bring me a sword.” So they brought a sword for the king. 25 He then gave an order: “Cut the living child in two and give half to one and half to the other.”
26 The woman whose son was alive was deeply moved out of love for her son and said to the king, “Please, my lord, give her the living baby! Don’t kill him!”
But the other said, “Neither I nor you shall have him. Cut him in two!”
27 Then the king gave his ruling: “Give the living baby to the first woman. Do not kill him; she is his mother.”
28 When all Israel heard the verdict the king had given, they held the king in awe, because they saw that he had wisdom from God to administer justice.
There are many ways that all of us are like Solomon. We have been given so much by God, but we share so little with those in need. Like the rich and famous, we may give some of what we have to those in need, but do we truly give all we could. How much of a difference could I make in my community if instead of sitting here writing this blog I went out and worked in my city. So what does God want us to do? He wants us to go out and work to help others.
[16] He went to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, and on the Sabbath day he went into the synagogue, as was his custom. And he stood up to read. [17] The scroll of the prophet Isaiah was handed to him. Unrolling it, he found the place where it is written:
[18] "The Spirit of the Lord is on me,
because he has anointed me
to preach good news to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners
and recovery of sight for the blind,
to release the oppressed,
[19] to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor."
1 Solomon made an alliance with Pharaoh king of Egypt and married his daughter. He brought her to the City of David until he finished building his palace and the temple of the LORD, and the wall around Jerusalem. 2 The people, however, were still sacrificing at the high places, because a temple had not yet been built for the Name of the LORD. 3 Solomon showed his love for the LORD by walking according to the instructions given him by his father David, except that he offered sacrifices and burned incense on the high places.
4 The king went to Gibeon to offer sacrifices, for that was the most important high place, and Solomon offered a thousand burnt offerings on that altar. 5 At Gibeon the LORD appeared to Solomon during the night in a dream, and God said, “Ask for whatever you want me to give you.” 6 Solomon answered, “You have shown great kindness to your servant, my father David, because he was faithful to you and righteous and upright in heart. You have continued this great kindness to him and have given him a son to sit on his throne this very day.
7 “Now, LORD my God, you have made your servant king in place of my father David. But I am only a little child and do not know how to carry out my duties. 8 Your servant is here among the people you have chosen, a great people, too numerous to count or number. 9 So give your servant a discerning heart to govern your people and to distinguish between right and wrong. For who is able to govern this great people of yours?”
10 The Lord was pleased that Solomon had asked for this. 11 So God said to him, “Since you have asked for this and not for long life or wealth for yourself, nor have asked for the death of your enemies but for discernment in administering justice, 12 I will do what you have asked. I will give you a wise and discerning heart, so that there will never have been anyone like you, nor will there ever be. 13 Moreover, I will give you what you have not asked for—both wealth and honor—so that in your lifetime you will have no equal among kings. 14 And if you walk in obedience to me and keep my decrees and commands as David your father did, I will give you a long life.” 15 Then Solomon awoke—and he realized it had been a dream.
He returned to Jerusalem, stood before the ark of the Lord’s covenant and sacrificed burnt offerings and fellowship offerings. Then he gave a feast for all his court.
16 Now two prostitutes came to the king and stood before him. 17 One of them said, “Pardon me, my lord. This woman and I live in the same house, and I had a baby while she was there with me. 18 The third day after my child was born, this woman also had a baby. We were alone; there was no one in the house but the two of us.
19 “During the night this woman’s son died because she lay on him. 20 So she got up in the middle of the night and took my son from my side while I your servant was asleep. She put him by her breast and put her dead son by my breast. 21 The next morning, I got up to nurse my son—and he was dead! But when I looked at him closely in the morning light, I saw that it wasn’t the son I had borne.”
22 The other woman said, “No! The living one is my son; the dead one is yours.”
But the first one insisted, “No! The dead one is yours; the living one is mine.” And so they argued before the king.
23 The king said, “This one says, ‘My son is alive and your son is dead,’ while that one says, ‘No! Your son is dead and mine is alive.’”
24 Then the king said, “Bring me a sword.” So they brought a sword for the king. 25 He then gave an order: “Cut the living child in two and give half to one and half to the other.”
26 The woman whose son was alive was deeply moved out of love for her son and said to the king, “Please, my lord, give her the living baby! Don’t kill him!”
But the other said, “Neither I nor you shall have him. Cut him in two!”
27 Then the king gave his ruling: “Give the living baby to the first woman. Do not kill him; she is his mother.”
28 When all Israel heard the verdict the king had given, they held the king in awe, because they saw that he had wisdom from God to administer justice.
- What was Solomon blessed with?
- How would you feel if you were Solomon?
- How would you use this gift?
Reading on in the First Book of Kings we find that as he got older Solomon's heart turned from God and instead of judging and ruling with fairness Solomon became greedy. He accumulates more and more wives, chariots, and silver. he is not leading God's people well and is using his position of power for personal gain and not for the good of the people.
In our world today we see many people who are like Solomon. The rich and powerful people of the world who have been blessed with so much but do so little for those in need. Many of the rich and famous do charity work and give to helpful organizations, but are they truly giving or is it just an act to look good in the public eye. Men like Bill Gates and Donald Trump many give hundreds of thousands of dollars to charity, but how much more do they have that they could give. As of 2009 the average household income in the United States was just under $50,000.00. How great would it have been if the wealthy of our nation had only keep $50,000.00 and gave the rest to be distributed among those who made less. What would our country be like if we all had the things we need to live. To determine the average income you take the total of the population over the age of 18 and divide it by the total amount of income reported. What would the new standard of living be if every person 18 and over received $50,000.00?There are many ways that all of us are like Solomon. We have been given so much by God, but we share so little with those in need. Like the rich and famous, we may give some of what we have to those in need, but do we truly give all we could. How much of a difference could I make in my community if instead of sitting here writing this blog I went out and worked in my city. So what does God want us to do? He wants us to go out and work to help others.
Every day each one of us makes a choice. We choose whether we will fall in line with Solomon and serve primarily ourselves and our own interests, or whether we will follow Jesus in giving our lives away to swerve others.
Luke 4:14-19 says,
[14] Jesus returned to Galilee in the power of the Spirit, and news about him spread through the whole countryside. [15] He taught in their synagogues, and everyone praised him.[16] He went to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, and on the Sabbath day he went into the synagogue, as was his custom. And he stood up to read. [17] The scroll of the prophet Isaiah was handed to him. Unrolling it, he found the place where it is written:
[18] "The Spirit of the Lord is on me,
because he has anointed me
to preach good news to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners
and recovery of sight for the blind,
to release the oppressed,
[19] to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor."
- Where would Jesus go in our city/neighborhood to "preach the good news to the poor?"
In our city Jesus would go to the Homeless Shelter, Peppler Center, Long-term Care, Assisted Living Centers, or Physical Rehab to preach to the poor.
- Where is the nearest prison, jail, or other lock up facility to our church located? Does our church have a presence there? Why or why not?
The closest thing like this to our church is the County Jail. Sadly I am not sure if our church has any type of presence there.
- If Jesus left your church this morning after preaching the sermon, where would He go to heal the blind and others who suffer from physical limitations or sickness? Or put another way, where would we find sick people today? Again, what sort of presence does your church have in those places?
He would got to long-term care or the hospital, maybe even one of the assisted living centers in town.
- Who are the oppressed in you city? Where do they live? How are they treated?
Those living in the homeless shelter or staying at the Peppler Center. Many people in our town treat them poorly and look down at them. There are a few who are nice and treat those in need with kindness and compassion.
- Do you and your church respond to their extreme need more like Jesus or more like Solomon?
Our church responds more like Jesus, we have many different outreaches we do for those in our community.
- Where is one place you and your friends could go next week where you can imagine Jesus spending a lot of time at making things right?
We can go into our local schools and work to stop the bullying and mistreatment of the homeless who attend.
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