Blank Check (2)
At The Movies 2020 • Sermon • Submitted
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· 24 viewsIn this sermon we learn that God sees value in a heart that is willing to understand/listen.
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Transcript
Blank Check Movie Synopsis
Blank Check Movie Synopsis
After a crook named Carl Quigley nearly kills 11 year old Preston Waters by running over the boy’s bike, he mistakenly gives the boy a blank check. The resourceful Preston makes out the check for a million dollars and cashes it. As Preston enjoys spending his windfall, Carl realizes his mistake and goes looking for the boy, while FBI searches for Preston’s alias, the mysterious Macintosh. Preston soon learns the value of money. But I believe the passage in which we observe on today is going to show us the value of a listening heart. A heart that is ready and willing to understand who God is and understand God’s intent for mankind.
Turn your Bibles with me to 1 Kings 3:1-15
1 Solomon made a marriage alliance with Pharaoh king of Egypt. He took Pharaoh’s daughter and brought her into the city of David until he had finished building his own house and the house of the Lord and the wall around Jerusalem.
2 The people were sacrificing at the high places, however, because no house had yet been built for the name of the Lord.
3 Solomon loved the Lord, walking in the statutes of David his father, only he sacrificed and made offerings at the high places.
4 And the king went to Gibeon to sacrifice there, for that was the great high place. Solomon used to offer a thousand burnt offerings on that altar.
5 At Gibeon the Lord appeared to Solomon in a dream by night, and God said, “Ask what I shall give you.”
6 And Solomon said, “You have shown great and steadfast love to your servant David my father, because he walked before you in faithfulness, in righteousness, and in uprightness of heart toward you. And you have kept for him this great and steadfast love and have given him a son to sit on his throne this day.
7 And now, O Lord my God, you have made your servant king in place of David my father, although I am but a little child. I do not know how to go out or come in.
8 And your servant is in the midst of your people whom you have chosen, a great people, too many to be numbered or counted for multitude.
9 Give your servant therefore an understanding mind to govern your people, that I may discern between good and evil, for who is able to govern this your great people?”
10 It pleased the Lord that Solomon had asked this.
11 And God said to him, “Because you have asked this, and have not asked for yourself long life or riches or the life of your enemies, but have asked for yourself understanding to discern what is right,
12 behold, I now do according to your word. Behold, I give you a wise and discerning mind, so that none like you has been before you and none like you shall arise after you.
13 I give you also what you have not asked, both riches and honor, so that no other king shall compare with you, all your days.
14 And if you will walk in my ways, keeping my statutes and my commandments, as your father David walked, then I will lengthen your days.”
15 And Solomon awoke, and behold, it was a dream. Then he came to Jerusalem and stood before the ark of the covenant of the Lord, and offered up burnt offerings and peace offerings, and made a feast for all his servants.
Teach it Before You Preach it: This passage of scriptures takes place shortly after the death of David. David had other sons who were vying fro the throne but God saw fit for Solomon, the son of Bathsheba to hold the title. The son the woman whom David stole. Before David dies he gives Solomon some tips on what to do and how to handle certain people based on how they handled him and the people of God. But Solomon is still a bit lost. As we will see at the opening of the text Solomon wants to follow in the righteous footsteps of his father but he needs help. Good thing a king only has to ask for help once. He’s in a position of power, so he can have ANYTHING he wants! Let’s see how he handles his blank check.
1 Solomon made a marriage alliance with Pharaoh king of Egypt. He took Pharaoh’s daughter and brought her into the city of David until he had finished building his own house and the house of the Lord and the wall around Jerusalem.
2 The people were sacrificing at the high places, however, because no house had yet been built for the name of the Lord.
3 Solomon loved the Lord, walking in the statutes of David his father, only he sacrificed and made offerings at the high places.
4 And the king went to Gibeon to sacrifice there, for that was the great high place. Solomon used to offer a thousand burnt offerings on that altar.
V1- Solomon is obviously in a position of power at this point in his life. One who takes a wife is very different from one who gives a woman away to be married.
V2
This seems normal but God’s people were to sacrifice at the place designated by God. But just as today folks picked up on the customs of others by going on high places to get closer to God.
V3
Solomon too offered in high places. He wanted to do right but just like us and even his father David he made mistakes along the way.
V4
At the moment I don’t see how this is relevant to the text other than once he recieves God’s approval he only makes like two sacrifices.
Blank Check
Blank Check
5 At Gibeon the Lord appeared to Solomon in a dream by night; and God said, “Ask what I should give you.”
“You ask me for it, I am going to give it to you.”
EX: All of us have recieved blessings in our life. Have been in places, situations, and in relationships that we KNOW only came through Christ. What did we do with what was given by God? When God gave you the blank check, what did you ask for?
When he blessed you to be the star player on the team, did you use your position to influence coaches and players toward obeying God?
When he blessed you with a spouse, did you use the opportunity to love?
When he blessed you with a good job and high status position, did you incorporate God into the system in which you had pull in?
What did you do with your blank check?
What would you do with a blank check from God?
What does God even value?
Solomon Pulls Out His Pockets
Solomon Pulls Out His Pockets
6 And Solomon said, “You have shown great and steadfast love to your servant David my father, because he walked before you in faithfulness, in righteousness, and in uprightness of heart toward you. And you have kept for him this great and steadfast love and have given him a son to sit on his throne this day.
7 And now, O Lord my God, you have made your servant king in place of David my father, although I am but a little child. I do not know how to go out or come in.
8 And your servant is in the midst of your people whom you have chosen, a great people, too many to be numbered or counted for multitude.
9 Give your servant therefore an understanding mind to govern your people, that I may discern between good and evil, for who is able to govern this your great people?”
V6
God showed “Hesed” to Abraham and Solomon took note of it.
He understood that this was due to the following
Faithfulness
Reliable, fidelity, truth
Righteousness
Doing what God expects of man’s conduct.
Uprightness of heart
Strong moral rectitude
One who is faithful to God shows stability in their lives even though they may fall, do what God prescribes and commands, and has moral integrity.
V7
Solomon says he is a “little child”. I am not sure if this is literal or not.
He says he doesn’t know how to go out or come in.
Him being in a position that he wasn’t pulling for has caused him to pull out his pockets and realize I’M BROKE!
2 cor 12 9-11
9 But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.
10 For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong.
11 I have been a fool! You forced me to it, for I ought to have been commended by you. For I was not at all inferior to these super-apostles, even though I am nothing.
How many of us are willing to admit that we are broke with where God has placed us?
V8
Solomon doesn’t see his kingship as an opportunity to Lord over people but to serve God’s people for their Good and God’s kingdom.
This is a self sacrificing love…
V9
He signs his check with this amount…
Understanding Heart
Heart (Lev)- Mind, will, character, inner man
Understanding (Shomea)- Hear, listen to, heed, obey, understand
Judge (YOUR PEOPLE)
Judge- This means to decide/settle/help
Discern (Between good and evil)
Discern- To detect with senses other than vision, to come to know or recognize mentally
God Releases HIS Funds
God Releases HIS Funds
1 kings 3 10
10 It pleased the Lord that Solomon had asked this.
How many of us want to be pleasing to God?
1 kings 3 11
11 And God said to him, “Because you have asked this, and have not asked for yourself long life or riches or the life of your enemies, but have asked for yourself understanding to discern what is right,
Solomon could have asked and gotten riches or revenge.
Ex: Many times when we have been blessed to be in better positions we say thank you God and become engrossed with things. We lose sight of the one who gave us the next level and the things that come with it.
1 Kings 3 12
12 behold, I now do according to your word. Behold, I give you a wise and discerning mind, so that none like you has been before you and none like you shall arise after you.
God gave him everything he asked for...
1 Kings 3 13
13 I give you also what you have not asked, both riches and honor, so that no other king shall compare with you, all your days.
EX: I have been blessed with many wise people in my life when it came to making good investments. I remember being told to invest in a 401K at 21 years old. It was the furthest thing from my mind. I would check month after month not seeing much change at all! I became discouraged. And did not see a huge adjustment until many years later. Well when it comes to God and investing in the kingdom his blessings can be immediate!
God’s interest is immediate!
But it doesn’t always look as you wish it to look.
God gave this young king the ability to be seen and influence others because he could be trusted with using all of this for GOD!
CAN YOU?
1 kings 3 14
14 And if you will walk in my ways, keeping my statutes and my commandments, as your father David walked, then I will lengthen your days.”
In order to maintain this payment...
God’s way
That which is in opposition to the flesh.
Statutes
That which is prescribed by God
Commandments
That which is given as law from God the authority
1 kings 3 15
15 And Solomon awoke, and behold, it was a dream. Then he came to Jerusalem and stood before the ark of the covenant of the Lord, and offered up burnt offerings and peace offerings, and made a feast for all his servants.
Back on track with God
He is before the ark of the covenant of the Lord
Burnt offerings
Peace Offerings
Feast for all servants
Conclusion
Conclusion