Sermon Central
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Kingdom Character-3 Series
Contributed by Byron Sherman on May 17, 2016 (message contributor)
Summary: 3 of 5. One of Solomon’s official judgments revealed the motherly potential of a harlot. A person’s character reveals their fitness for/citizenship/as a servant in God’s kingdom. Kingdom character is manifested in one’s approach to...
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.
