1 Kings 3:5 At the Lord appeared to in a dream at “Ask Me Anything” // 1 Kings 3:3–28 // night. God said, “Ask. What should I give you?”

Solomon: The Man Who Had It All 1 Before we get into Solomon’s answer, let’s talk a little bit about Solomon: Solomon was ’s son, and in 1 Kings 3 he is the newly Introduction: appointed heir to the throne.

1 Kings if you have your … In one sense, he was a man born into privilege; in another, he was the product of a pretty messed-up family. He was the son of I’d bet that at some point in your life, you’ve had to answer the Bathsheba, the wife David stole from his best friend after he had had question of what you’d wish for if a genie in a lamp appeared and him murdered. So, that relationship was a little complicated). offered us anything you wanted. And they gave you the rules: you can’t wish for more wishes, or to make someone fall in love. So what Solomon was not David’s only son, or even his oldest, and there was would it be? a lot of jealousy and infighting among the brothers about who was going to replace David as king. If you were here last week, I told you that my family and I spent • Absalom, David’s oldest, got impatient while David was living and several days with a couple other families cruising through some of led a revolt trying to overthrow David and got killed in the the national parks out West in an RV. (3 different RV’s, not 1, that process. could be a whole ‘nother experience. We were in Mormon country). • Amnon, the second oldest, raped his half-sister, and one of his brothers killed him for that. Well, to get into Zion National Park, which was by far my kids’ • Adonijah, another brother, tried to usurp the throne while David favorite (Grand Canyon was LAST on their list of favorites, BTW: “Dad, was on his death bed, and he attempted to marry David’s favorite it’s a big ditch”). To get into Zion, you have to pass through a tunnel, concubine to prove he was up to the job. And he ended up getting and the guide told our kids that if they held their breath while we killed for that. went through it they would get a wish. That night at devotions one of our kids, who I guess was just feeling really spiritual (which doesn’t You feeling better about your family yet? happen all the time), said, “You want to know what I wished for? I wished that God would use me in his global mission.” I was touched. I (I always like to point this stuff out because some of you come from guess that set-off a little spiritual-competition, and so not to be pretty messed up families. Most of the people that God chose to use outdone, Ryah said, “I wished that God would let me become a NICU in the Bible did too. nurse helping kids in poor countries.” A third kid goes, “I wished for a dog!” I was like, “That would have been me as a kid.” Your past doesn’t have to define your future. God wants to start a legacy of blessing in your family with you. Today. You can become What would you ask for if God told you that you could ask him for someone greatly used by God to bless others. And Solomon shows you anything? Because that is basically what God did with Solomon at the how. beginning of his adult life.

1 Kings 3:3–10: Solomon’s Request • A lot of life’s big decisions are not black and white. Whom to marry. What job to take. First, let’s look at how Solomon responded to God’s offer: 3:6 And What habits are beneficial. Which financial Solomon replied, “You have shown great and faithful love to your choices are best. servant, my father David… You have continued this great and faithful • Wisdom is knowing what to do in those love for him by giving him a son to sit on his throne, as it is today. 7 situations. “Lord my God, you have now made your servant king in my father • Tim Keller: Wisdom is knowing how to David’s place. Yet I am just a youth with no experience in leadership. navigate the realities of life when the rules 8 Your servant is among your people you have chosen, a people too don’t help. many to be numbered or counted. 9 So give your servant a receptive • You’ve got some illustrations of this in heart to judge your people and to discern between good and evil. For Proverbs. For example: who is able to judge this great people of yours?” 10 Now it pleased o Prov. 26:4 tells you it is disastrous to the Lord that Solomon had requested this. try to answer a fool when they are saying foolish things. Prov. 26:5, the First in this passage, we should note both what he asks for verse right after it, tells you it is and why he asks for it. What he asks for: Wisdom disastrous not to answer a fool. So, • Probably the simplest definition of wisdom is: Wisdom = the when a fool is disputing with you, ability to see things from God’s perspective.1 which is right? You need something • Look at the words Solomon uses to request wisdom (vs. 9) more than just a rule to help you in that moment. You need wisdom. o Give your servant a “receptive” (lit., a ‘hearing’ or

‘perceiving’ heart). Give me the ability to perceive things o Another example: The story right like you see them. after this one in 1 Kings 3 is § The most common Hebrew word Solomon used for included to show you what wisdom ‘wisdom’ throughout Proverbs (which he wrote) in practice looks like. (It’s one of the means literally training, or coming under authority. most famous stories in the OT.) Two § To be wise is to have your thoughts shaped by a prostitutes come in with a baby… God-shaped view of the world. What’s the right thing to do in that § It means ‘instinct.’ situation? So, Solomon said, “Go o Which leads us to the second word: vs 9: “discern” … bring me a sword”…

between good and evil. o Solomon is saying, “Give me the ability to know what you § He’s talking about the ability to know the right want even when it’s not clear.” § paths from the wrong ones, and specifically he I’ve heard it described before like riffing. When means when the answer is not laid out clearly. you riff in Jazz, it’s not because you don’t know the melody of the song, but you know it so well you can improvise on it. Wisdom comes when you know the tune of Scripture so well you can 1 Adapted from Chuck Swindoll, Solomon. improvise in new situations in a way that fits with o Our God promises never to turn away the humble. Right now, the melody of the whole. I am memorizing a slew of verses about this, just for me o BTW, let me point out before we move on to why personally: Solomon asked it, that Solomon’s posture in his prayer § Ps 33:18, Behold, the eye of the LORD is on those who was the opposite of what Adam and Eve had done in the fear him, on those who hope in his steadfast love. Garden of Eden. They had stolen fruit from the forbidden § Ps 146:5, Blessed is he whose help is the God of Jacob, tree, the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, which whose hope is in the LORD his God. offered them the chance to determine for themselves § Psalm 55:22, Cast your burden on the LORD, and he what they thought is right and wrong for them. Solomon’s will sustain you. request is EXACTLY the opposite. “I want to perceive what § Ps. 28:6 Blessed be the LORD, because he has heard the you want, God. And even where it’s not clear, let your voice of my supplications! 7 The LORD is my strength Spirit give me wisdom.” and my shield; (because) my heart trusted in him, I was helped; So that is WHAT he asked for. But, just as important is… § Isa 40:31, But those who wait upon the Lord will renew their strength; they will mount up on wings like eagles; Why he asks for it: 9 So give your servant a receptive heart to they will run and not become weary, they will walk and judge your people and to discern between good and evil. For not faint. who is able to judge this great people of yours?” o God never turns away those who look to him for help. He gives wisdom to those who know they don’t have it. • He’s not asking for his sake, for himself—so he can write books The irony is that the smarter and naturally savvy you are, the one day and make a lot of money, or make shrewd financial o more likely you are to missing the wisdom of God. If you think decisions and become rich—but for theirs, and ultimately for you are really smart, you are on the path to becoming a fool, God’s sake, because the people belong to God. but if you feel that you don’t have it all together, that is the

path to becoming wise.2 In fact, there are 3 ingredients to Solomon’s prayer o There is almost nothing more malleable in God’s hand than a that that can serve as a template for what should humble, teachable spirit, and there is nothing with which God characterize your prayers as well: will do less than a proud, arrogant heart. o James says, “God resists the proud, but gives grace to the 1. Humility – Solomon recognizes that he doesn’t have wisdom humble.” o 7 “Lord my God, you have now made your servant king in my o He doesn’t just ignore you, he resists you. Which means father David’s place. Yet I am just a youth (some translations not only does he not give you his wisdom, he frustrates say, “like a little child”) with no experience in leadership. your plans. o BTW, Solomon says this when he’s at least 20, so he isn’t physically a child—it just reflects how helpless and 2. Focus (As I pointed out, he prays for God’s purposes, not his own) inexperienced he feels in the face of this daunting task.

2 Kevin DeYoung, 1 Kings 3 o Give me wisdom for the sake of this great people. • But what or whom are you ultimately praying them for? o D.A. Carson said this was a grand ambition, but also a good o This passage has been a big one in my life, personally, as your one, and God rewarded it. What do you dream about? pastor, because I am praying for the greatness of our church. Greatness – nothing wrong with asking for greatness. But do it To reach a lot of people, so many that we change the climate for the sake of God’s great name. of RDU spiritually. To reach generations of college students. o I’ve lamented most Christian prayers: To see families at Summit raise up a godly generation of high § First, we feel them up with stupid clichés and school and college students. To have our church be a miracle platitudes that don’t make any sense: of racial (and other types of diversity). To make monumental • “Bless this food for the nourishment of our differences in countries around the world! bodies.” Food is already pre-blessed. At least, § But why am I praying these things? This is a familiar certain kinds. If you’re eating a Double story to those of you here… God confronted me on my Whopper with onion straws on it I’m not sure non-Solomonic motives… prayer is how to change that. “Lord, you turned o So, FOCUS: What are you praying for AND why are you asking water into wine; transform this bacon for it? cheeseburger into broccoli as I eat it.” • Or, “Lord, just be with us.” God says, “I 3. Faith promised you I will never leave or forsake you. o Solomon really believed that God would give this to him! So, read your Bible and stop asking me for o And this is really important: Notice what Solomon grounds his things I already promised I would do.” confidence in: 3:6 And Solomon replied, “You have shown § Second problem I have is that often we sound like great and faithful love to your servant, my father David… You we’re going through a laundry list items we need for have continued this great and faithful love for him by giving God to pick up for us at the divine supermarket. him a son to sit on his throne, as it is today. Gimme, gimme, gimme. Give me this, give me that. § He reviews the past activity of God repeats back to him Bless me. Smite her for saying that about me. a promise that God had already made: God, you • Prayer is the means God gives us for seeing his will done on promised my dad that his kingdom would prosper and earth. It’s a weapon of spiritual warfare, not a heavenly he would never lack a descendant to sit on the throne. dumbwaiter, which means we ought to spend most of our time § (Honestly, if I were Solomon, and I were trying to praying for the advance of God’s purposes on earth… establish a basis for why God should answer this o Is that what your prayers are about? If God answered all prayer, I would have started with, “Well, God, just a your prayers right now, all at once, how much would the second ago you said I could have anything.” But kingdom of God advance? If God answered all the prayers Solomon recognizes there is an even stronger claim you prayed last week at 12:01, how many new people than his dream—what God had promised in his word. would be in the Kingdom? o That’s good news, you see, because that’s a promise we can • Listen: there’s nothing wrong with great, grand, audacious share. You may never have had a dream where God appears prayers. We should be praying more of them! Don’t be shy in your to you and says, “ask me anything,” like he did with prayers. Solomon—I haven’t. But you have all the promises made to • Thirdly, we see God’s indulgence in bestowing wisdom.3 “…who Jesus, David’s ultimate Son, and we can ask in his name. gives to all generously and ungrudgingly…” Some translations say • Honestly, when I read passages like this, I get fired up: “without reproach.” That means without lecture. • Psalm 2:8 o It means that when I pray God is not up in heaven getting • James 1:5 the angels together and saying, “Y’all, look. It’s Greear • 1 John 5:14, and this is the confidence… again, and he’s gotten himself into another sitchiashun • Matthew 21:22, and whatever things you ask in prayer… just from being an idiot like he often is. Why does he think • And I think, God if you did it for people in the past, won’t you do it I’d help him?” for me? You worked in the past, will you not also work in the present? o Do you ever have a friend who you go to for help and Jesus, you are the same yesterday, today and forever, so do in my before they give you any help they want to tell you how generation what you did in theirs. stupid you are for getting yourself in the situation where • As I’ve told you, we make a big mistake when we think God’s you need help? And you are like, “I know it was dumb! greatest works are a thing of the past. They are not, my friends. He Stop telling me that” wants to work today. (Amos) o God never does that. He responds to your cry for help • He wants to work in your family. In our church. Could it not be that immediately, if you do it with sincerity and in repentance. you were placed here at this exact moment, in this exact place, to ask • Some of you feel like you can’t go to God because you are the God for something great? ones who have messed up your life so bad… o The gospel is that Jesus took the full punishment for your James 1:5–7 your sin. § You don’t have to suffer or endure a lecture to

make up for what you did. All that was poured out This story is not just given to tell us how Solomon became wise, it’s on Jesus. given to tell us how we can become wise. (I know some of you say, “If § Now, the moment you call, God only responds to only I had a dream like this, I’d know what to do!”) The promise of you with help. this story is reiterated in the NT: James 1:5, Now if any of you lacks o Favorite biblical examples: In the book of Numbers: wisdom, he should ask God—who gives to all generously and Looking at the bronze serpent healed them immediately. ungrudgingly—and it will be given to him. § The moment you and I look to Jesus in repentance

and faith, we are healed. In this verse, we see… (James 1:5–7) § When it comes to your relationship with God, • God’s impartiality in bestowing wisdom“…he should ask God— repentance doesn’t start you on a path home, who gives to all…” All. You. repentance puts you fully inside the home, • God’s individuality in bestowing wisdom. “…if any of you lacks immeditately. wisdom…” This means you are in a situation where you know you § Cleaning up the effects of sin may take time, but need wisdom. Ask God right now. It might lead to your first real, restoration with God, getting God on your side, personal encounter with the all-wise God. Maybe that is why God working in your life to help you repair the put you in this difficult situation, so you’d finally recognize your

need of him and look up to him. 3 I owe this little outline to David Jeremiah from When Wisdom Turns to Foolishness. situation—that happens immediately when you • The point is that God promises to answer when you pray, but humble yourself and call on him. part of praying sincerely is availing yourself of the means God has given you to obtain wisdom. Let me qualify this in a few ways (just so you are not confused). o Some of you are neglecting relationships within the Things you have to do while you are asking God to help you so that church, some of you are defying them, even avoiding you don’t short-circuit the development of wisdom. them because you don’t like what they have to say. Let not • Don’t doubt: 6 But let him ask in faith without doubting. For the that man think he will receive anything from the Lord. doubter is like the surging sea, driven and tossed by the 7 wind. That person should not expect to receive anything from Prov 3:5–7 8 the Lord, being double-minded and unstable in all his ways. Be confident he’ll do what he said and committed to doing it. Related Let me take you to one other passage where Solomon applies this to to that. the question of guidance in our lives, probably his most famous • Don’t defy: Don’t be vs. 7: double-minded. I’m not sure, God, if I’ll writing of all time: Prov 3:5–6: do it your way. Let me hear your option, and I’ll consider whether I want to do it. In order for God to hear your prayer, you have to Prov. 3:5–6, Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not rely on be pre-surrendered. your own understanding; 6 in all your ways acknowledge him, , and he o Psalm 66:18, “If I cherish iniquity in my heart, the Lord will will make your paths straight. 7 Don’t be wise in your own eyes… not hear me.” • I love this promise. It has everything I need in it. It shows me I • Third: Don’t disregard: (“that’s a lot of alliteration, Pastor.” Yes, I have a part, and he has a part: know. But between the last time I preached here and this time I o Trust in his willingness to lead you: Don’t doubt. And don’t attended the SBC and I think I caught something there. I’m trying rely on your ability to figure it out. to see if I can shake it). Don’t disregard the means God has given o In all your ways acknowledge him: Do everything you you for wisdom. believe he is telling you to do, don’t doubt, defy or o The chief of those, of course, is his Word. One of our disregard. family’s memory verses for the summer is Psalm 119:9, • His part: to make straight your paths. I can be sure if I am doing “How can a young man keep his way pure (or remain my part, I’ll do his. wise)? By taking heed to your word.” You grow in wisdom • Most of my worry comes from doubting whether he will keep us as you grow in your knowledge of the Bible. his part. o Some of the other means God has given us to obtain o One of my mentors in college: draw a wall wisdom: the church, which is why we are always pushing • A prayer I’ve learned to pray in decisions—I call it my sheep you to get connected because in a multitude of godly prayer, and it goes like this: “God, in your word you’ve told me counselors there is wisdom (Prov 13:20); searching your that I am a sheep. Sheep are idiots. They really are. And if I’m a heart for false motives (James 3:17), listening to the 4 sheep, I don’t have the ability to figure out what I should do. But counsel of older people (Job 12:12). you are a great shepherd. And I trust in your ability to guide me. So, give me wisdom about what to do in this situation, and if I’m too dumb to recognize it, guide me in the background. I’m going 4 Job 12:12 “Is not wisdom found among the aged? Does not long life bring understanding?” to do everything I know you want me to do, and trust you’re • But this does show you something about the character of God, making my paths straight.” something Scripture attests to again and again: If you seek first o Then I make the best decision I know how to make, and God’s kingdom for God’s kingdom’s sake, he throws in so much trust that God has answered my prayer. And I don’t stress. joy. o What have I done? (Prov. 3:5–6) • What does Matthew 6:33 say? “Seek first the kingdom of God, § I have trusted him. and his righteousness, and all these things will be added unto § I have refused to rely on my understanding. you.” § I have acknowledged him in all my ways, which • What are ‘all these things’? means availing myself of all means he put in my • Provision disposal to gain wisdom: the church, the word, • Abundance analyzing false motives. • Joy • And I have done what he told me to do; I trust he’ll do what he promised he would do. These God supplies for you when you seek him above everything. • This is such a liberating way to live! I’m not sure if you realize just how large a burden this would take off of you if you believe it. I learned this week that the word “serendipity” comes from an English ruler named Sir Horace Walpole (1700’s). He had heard a (God’s Answer: 1 Kings 3:10–13) children’s story about King Fafer of Serendip, who wanted to prepare his sons to rule the kingdom, so he sent them on an expedition. As Well, let’s close by asking, “What happened? Did God answer they traveled, they noticed one of their camels was missing. As they Solomon’s prayer?” tracked him, they figured out he had a paralyzed leg because it left a very peculiar trail. He only ate grass on one side of the road, so they 1 Kings 3:10 Now it pleased the Lord that Solomon had requested figured out he was blind in one eye. He left little tufts of grass where this. 11 So God said to him, “Because you have requested this and did he ate, so they figured he was missing some teeth. The king was not ask for long life or riches for yourself, or the death of your delighted, because in searching for the camel, they had found enemies, but you asked discernment for yourself to administer knowledge. Sir Walpole, impressed with the lesson in the story, justice, 12 I will therefore do what you have asked. I will give you a termed this process “serendipity,” where you obtain one thing in wise and understanding heart, so that there has never been anyone search of another.5 like you before and never will be again. 13 In addition, I will give you what you did not ask for: both riches and honor, so that no king will In Scripture, when you search for Jesus, you find happiness, peace in be your equal during your entire life. your relationships, contentment in your possessions. • Start out searching for those things—great sex, money, Because Solomon prioritized God and his kingdom, God threw in all contentment in life, even a great marriage and happy family, these other things as a bonus. etc—and you won’t find them. • Now, I want to be careful because I don’t want to imply that you pray this prayer and next week you’ll win the lottery.

5 In David Jeremiah, When Wisdom Turns to Foolishness, 42. • Seek Jesus and his will, and you’ll find not only him but he will feel your life with so much joy and satisfaction and abundance, you won’t know how to contain it all.

How can I not quote C.S. Lewis here? “In life, there are 1st order things and 2nd order things…”

CONCLUSION: • God says to you, “What do you most want? If you ask for wisdom to do my will, not only will I give it to you, you’ll be shocked at what else I will throw in.” • Why don’t I give you a chance to ask God for that right now? o Ask for wisdom to do his will—say, “I want to do that more than anything. More than money. Career. A boyfriend…” o Ask for him to make you “great” in those things—as a dad, a worker, a leader, a witness. o Ask God to make our church great for the sake of this great city he’s given us to reach, and nations around the world he wants us to impact!