David: A Public Call to Faithfulness (Part 52)

Please turn to 1 Chronicles 28.

Let’s pray.

Introduction

"I do solemnly swear that I will faithfully execute the Office of President of the United States, and will to the best of my Ability, preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States, so help me God.”

These are the words of the oath of office in the Presidential Inauguration ceremony

Why do presidents take an oath of office in a big, public ceremony?

Public oath carries public weight, responsibility, and accountability; its appropriate for the task ahead of him

This morning in our passage, we are going to see David’s public call to faithfulness in Solomon’s public inauguration ceremony

A call to Solomon, the next King

A call to the people of God in Solomon’s day

A call to the people of God in our day

A call for you

A call for me

This morning, we are going to see that

BIG IDEA: God’s faithfulness yesterday demands our faithfulness today

A Public Call to Faithfulness

If we want a life of faithfulness, we need to hear God’s Word; in latin, “Verbum Dei”

1. Hear God’s Word (28:1-8, “Verbum Dei”)

EXPLANATION

Our text this morning shows us that we need to hear God’s Word by gathering with God’s people, by remembering God’s works, and by recommitting to God’s commands.

(1) By gathering with God’s people (v.1)

1 Chronicles 28:1 (ESV)

1 David assembled at Jerusalem all the officials of Israel, the officials of the tribes, the officers of the divisions that served the king, the commanders of thousands, the commanders of hundreds, the stewards of all the property and livestock of the king and his sons, together with the palace officials, the mighty men and all the seasoned warriors.

(2) By remembering God’s works (vv.2-7)

1 Chronicles 28:2–3 (ESV)

2 Then King David rose to his feet and said: “Hear me, my brothers and my people. I had it in my heart to build a house of rest for the ark of the covenant of the Lord and for the footstool of our God, and I made preparations for building.

3 But God said to me, ‘You may not build a house for my name, for you are a man of war and have shed blood.’

David retells God’s works in the past and how God chose him from all the other people in Israel and how now God has chosen his son Solomon to take His place.

1 Chronicles 28:6–7 (ESV)

6 He said to me, ‘It is Solomon your son who shall build my house and my courts, for I have chosen him to be my son, and I will be his father.

7 I will establish his kingdom forever if he continues strong in keeping my commandments and my rules, as he is today.’

(3) By recommitting to God’s commands (v.8)

1 Chronicles 28:8 (ESV)

8 Now therefore in the sight of all Israel, the assembly of the Lord, and in the hearing of our God, observe and seek out all the commandments of the Lord your God, that you may possess this good land and leave it for an inheritance to your children after you forever.

Here, in the public assembly of God’s people, David calls the people of Israel to recommit themselves to God’s commands, reminding them of the promised blessings that would come if they were faithful to the Lord.

APPLICATION

Question 1 - If your favorite President of the United States reached out and gave you personal invitation to come to his inauguration and hear his speech and then have a private meal with him afterwards, would you attend?

Application 1 - ?

If we want to follow God in faithfulness, we need to Hear God’s Word by gathering with God’s people to remember God’s works and recommit to God’s commands.

2. Seek God’s Presence (28:9-21, “Coram Deo”)

EXPLANATION

After speaking to all the people, David now turns to address Solomon directly.

David urges Solomon to seek God’s presence by knowing God’s person, following God’s plan, and trusting God’s promises.

(1) By knowing God’s person (v.9)

1 Chronicles 28:9 (ESV)

9 “And you, Solomon my son, know the God of your father and serve him with a whole heart and with a willing mind, for the Lord searches all hearts and understands every plan and thought. If you seek him, he will be found by you, but if you forsake him, he will cast you off forever.

Notice the verbs here: KNOW God, SERVE God, SEEK God.

A life of success as king, David says, will only come to the degree that Solomon seeks after and truly knows God, a knowledge that is not just a mere intellectual assent, but rather is rooted in a whole hearted commitment to seek after God.

(2) By following God’s plan (vv.10-19)

Here David turns and calls Solomon to faithfully follow God’s plan for the temple.

As we have seen in the last few weeks, David has been intentional in making preparations for the temple building project.

Now, David hands over the blueprints for the temple building project.

Here, David stresses that Solomon’s adherence to these plans will be an important part of his service to the Lord.

1 Chronicles 28:10–12 (ESV)

10 Be careful now, for the Lord has chosen you to build a house for the sanctuary; be strong and do it.”

11 Then David gave Solomon his son the plan of the vestibule of the temple, and of its houses, its treasuries, its upper rooms, and its inner chambers, and of the room for the mercy seat;

12 and the plan of all that he had in mind for the courts of the house of the Lord, all the surrounding chambers, the treasuries of the house of God, and the treasuries for dedicated gifts;

After giving more details of the temple plan, listen to verse 19

1 Chronicles 28:19 (ESV)

19 “All this he made clear to me in writing from the hand of the Lord, all the work to be done according to the plan.”

As with Moses and the Tabernacle before them, the plans for the temple complex are not only the plans of an architect on David’s team; they are directly given by God, who intends for the temple plan to be a shadow of the heavenly reality.

Solomon was to seek the Lord by following God’s plan for the temple.

(3) By trusting God’s promises (vv.20-21)

1 Chronicles 28:20–21 (ESV)

20 Then David said to Solomon his son, “Be strong and courageous and do it. Do not be afraid and do not be dismayed, for the Lord God, even my God, is with you. He will not leave you or forsake you, until all the work for the service of the house of the Lord is finished.

21 And behold the divisions of the priests and the Levites for all the service of the house of God; and with you in all the work will be every willing man who has skill for any kind of service; also the officers and all the people will be wholly at your command.”

Again hearkening the ministry of Moses and Joshua, David quotes the very words that Moses publically gave to the people of Israel before his death and the words God gave to Joshua before he led the people of Israel into the land of promise, saying:

“Be strong and courageous. Don’t be afraid. God is with you. He won’t leave you. He’ll be faithful. So now you be faithful. Do what God has called you to do and watch what He does.

Here, in the public assembly of God’s people, David calls Solomon to Seek God’s Presence by knowing God’s person, by following God’s plan, and by trusting God’s promises.

APPLICATION

Solomon isn’t the only one who needs to Seek God’s Presence. This is for us today, too.

This is a concept that theologians have described using the latin phrase Coram Deo which means living “before God,” or living “in the presence of God.”

R.C. Sproul Quote:

“To live coram Deo is to live one’s entire life in the presence of God, under the authority of God, to the glory of God.” (R.C. Sproul)

It means that we can’t divide our life out into different boxes, into our “religion” box on one side--where we pray to God and sing songs and read the Bible and encourage other believers—and then our “rest of the week” box--where we go to work or do the dishes or do our homework or mow the lawn or make dinner or whatever. To live Coram Deo — life in the presence of God — is to assert that everything is religious.

Even a construction project for the temple — seems like a pretty secular task, right? Seems about as far away from what we think about as religious, and yet it’s clear that even the way Solomon goes about building the temple matters to God.

Question - Do you Seek God’s Presence in your life by living with the awareness that He’s there and has a claim on your life?

Application 1 - ?

Summary: If we want to follow God in faithfulness, we need to Seek God’s Presence by knowing God’s person, by following God’s plan, and by trusting God’s promises.

3. Join God’s Mission (29:1-9, “Missio Dei”)

EXPLANATION

After calling Solomon to seek God’s presence, David calls on the people to Join God’s Mission. Listen to how he goes about that, starting with 29:1.

1 Chronicles 29:1 (ESV)

1 And David the king said to all the assembly, “Solomon my son, whom alone God has chosen, is young and inexperienced, and the work is great, for the palace will not be for man but for the Lord God.

(1) By acknowledging God’s authority (v.1a)

The first thing David does is acknowledge God’s authority, reminding the people that God chose Solomon to lead.

But that is followed by an honest evaluation of the situation.

(2) By evaluating God’s leading (v.1b)

1 Chronicles 29:1 (ESV)

1 . . . “Solomon my son, whom alone God has chosen, is young and inexperienced, and the work is great, for the palace will not be for man but for the Lord God.

David is honest about Solomon’s youth and inexperience AND about the magnitude of the task, since this project is not just an earthly building project like building a memorial or even a palace for a king. This is a temple for God, so the stakes are massive.

But he doesn’t call attention to Solomon’s weakness and the magnitude of the task to discourage the people. He’s pointing out the needs for the mission as a way of motivating God’s people to meet those needs.

David calls the people to join God’s mission by evaluating God’s leading and pointing out where the needs are.

(3) By obeying God’s call (vv.2-5a)

After pointing out the needs, David puts his money where his mouth is.

1 Chronicles 29:2–3 (ESV)

2 So I have provided for the house of my God, so far as I was able, the gold . . . the silver . . . the bronze . . . the iron . . . and wood. . . all sorts of precious stones and marble.

3 Moreover, in addition to all that I have provided for the holy house, I have a treasure of my own of gold and silver, and because of my devotion to the house of my God I give it to the house of my God:

David was aware that God was leading the people to meet the needs for God’s mission, so He is the first to publically commit his own resources to that goal.

And then,

(4) By inviting others to follow (vv.5b-8)

After taking the initiative, David invites the people to follow his example.

1 Chronicles 29:5 (ESV)

5 . . . Who then will offer willingly, consecrating himself today to the Lord?”

Just as with the funding for the Tabernacle in Moses’ day, David calls out to the assembly and invites the people to give abundantly out of a cheerful and willing spirit.

And in answer to that invitation, the people give.

ILLUSTRATION

Amount of money raised? (v.7)

“5,000 talents of gold” = 166 tons of gold

“10,000 darics of gold” [little gold coins] = 187 pounds of gold

“10,000 talents of silver” = 332 tons of silver

“18,000 talents of bronze” = 599 tons of bronze

“100,000 talents of iron” = 3329 tons of iron

an overwhelming amount of money

(5) By celebrating God’s provision (v.9)

When the people gave freely to support the temple project, both the people and King David rejoice.

1 Chronicles 29:9 (ESV)

9 Then the people rejoiced because they had given willingly, for with a whole heart they had offered freely to the Lord. David the king also rejoiced greatly.

When God provides, God’s people celebrate.

APPLICATION

The times may have changed, but God’s mission hasn’t changed. The Latin phrase for that is “Missio Dei,” the mission of God.

And I’ll attach some articles that give a deeper explanation of that term, but for our purposes this morning I want you see that though God’s mission was to build the physical temple in Solomon’s day, God's mission today is to build the spiritual temple, the church.

Ephesians 2:19-22

Ephesians 2:19–22 (ESV)

19 So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God,

20 built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone,

21 in whom the whole structure, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord.

22 In him you also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit.

And just like in Solomon’s day — and in Moses’ day before him — God equips His people with resources and abilities, spiritual gifts, designed to “edify” or literally “build up” the body of Christ.

Question - Have you Joined God’s Mission in the world, building up the spiritual temple of God, the church? Since this is a sermon at Southeast Valley Bible Church, let me ask you some questions. There’s obviously some financial overtones to this, but I think this extends even to our time, our prayers, our energy, and our relationships.

Application 1 - Have you evaluated God’s leading recently by looking for areas of need in our church?

Application 2 - And when you see areas of need — particularly areas of weakness or things that maybe you would do differently — how quickly are you part of the solution? Or do you just point out weaknesses and then complain to others behind the scenes?

Summary: If we want to follow God in faithfulness, we need to Join God’s Mission by acknowledging God’s authority, by evaluating God’s leading, by obeying God’s call, by inviting others to follow, and by celebrating God’s provision.

4. Reflect God’s Glory (29:10-20, “Soli Deo Gloria”)

EXPLANATION

After David sees how God’s people are responding and giving, David offers up a public prayer of praise and thanks that is one of the most beautiful prayers in the entire Old Testament. In his prayer, David reflects God’s glory by praising God for His supremacy, by thanking God for His grace, and by asking God for His keeping.

(1) By praising God for His supremacy (vv.10-13)

1 Chronicles 29:10–13 (ESV)

10 Therefore David blessed the Lord in the presence of all the assembly. And David said: “Blessed are you, O Lord, the God of Israel our father, forever and ever.

11 Yours, O Lord, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the victory and the majesty, for all that is in the heavens and in the earth is yours. Yours is the kingdom, O Lord, and you are exalted as head above all.

12 Both riches and honor come from you, and you rule over all. In your hand are power and might, and in your hand it is to make great and to give strength to all.

13 And now we thank you, our God, and praise your glorious name.

Listen to how David expresses God’s supremacy:

1. God is blessed: He is perfectly happy in Himself, satisfied in His own being as Father, Son, and Spirit. He has no need and no lack and no deficiency.

2. God possess all greatness and power: He is omnipotent, all-powerful, completely capable in Himself.

3. God possess all glory and victory and majesty: He is the unstoppable and indescribably beautiful and radiant Warrior, conquering all His foes

4. God owns everything in the heavens and the earth: Everything in the Universe is God’s and He can do whatever He wants however He wants with what is His

5. To God belongs the kingdom and He is exalted as head above all: He is the King of King and the highest and only ultimate authority in the Universe.

6. Riches and Honor come from God: He is the ultimate source and giver of all things

7. God rules over all: He is the sovereign Ruler over all things.

8. God makes people great and gives people strength: no one succeeds unless God is the one making it happen

And the only appropriate response when we think about our all-glorious God is that we PRAISE Him for His supremacy.

(2) By thanking God for His grace (vv.14-17)

1 Chronicles 29:14–17 (ESV)

14 “But who am I, and what is my people, that we should be able thus to offer willingly? For all things come from you, and of your own have we given you.

15 For we are strangers before you and sojourners, as all our fathers were. Our days on the earth are like a shadow, and there is no abiding.

16 O Lord our God, all this abundance that we have provided for building you a house for your holy name comes from your hand and is all your own.

17 I know, my God, that you test the heart and have pleasure in uprightness. In the uprightness of my heart I have freely offered all these things, and now I have seen your people, who are present here, offering freely and joyously to you.

David moves from God’s character to God’s conduct, thanking God for His grace toward His people.

He asks what all of God’s people should ask:

1 Chronicles 29:14 (ESV)

14 “But who am I, and what is my people, that we should be able thus to offer willingly? For all things come from you, and of your own have we given you.

"Who am I?” “Who are we?” that we even get the chance to worship You and enjoy You, Lord? Everything is yours.

Not only our possessions that we can give to God, but also our very lives. Listen to v.15:

1 Chronicles 29:15 (ESV)

15 For we are strangers before you and sojourners, as all our fathers were. Our days on the earth are like a shadow, and there is no abiding.

David says that he and his people are just strangers and sojourners, just like the Patriarchs - Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob - who wandered in the land of Canaan, waiting until God would bring them into the home God had promised them.

Well now David and His people were in their homeland! They had received the land of promise and had conquered all their enemies in David’s campaigns, but David says they still aren’t home! They’re still strangers and sojourners, waiting until that day when they finally make it to their eternal home with God.

Our lives are a gift from God, who is letting us live in this world until that day when He calls us home to be with Him.

(3) By asking God for His keeping (vv.18-20)

1 Chronicles 29:18–20 (ESV)

18 O Lord, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, our fathers, keep forever such purposes and thoughts in the hearts of your people, and direct their hearts toward you.

19 Grant to Solomon my son a whole heart that he may keep your commandments, your testimonies, and your statutes, performing all, and that he may build the palace for which I have made provision.”

20 Then David said to all the assembly, “Bless the Lord your God.” And all the assembly blessed the Lord, the God of their fathers, and bowed their heads and paid homage to the Lord and to the king.

David closes his prayer asking for God to keep their hearts directed toward Him. Even the task of persevering in faith depends on God’s sustaining grace, God’s keeping.

APPLICATION

What about us?

Summary: If we want to follow God in faithfulness, we need reflect God’s glory by praising God for His supremacy, by thanking God for His grace, and by asking God for His keeping.

This is the latin phrase “Soli Deo Gloria,” “Glory to God Alone” the crown jewel of the five Solas of the Protestant Reformation.

Q. What is the chief end of man?

A. Man’s chief end is to glorify God and enjoy Him forever.

(Westminster Shorter Catechism, Q.1)

Glorify doesn’t mean we add anything to God; we just reflect back to God and to the world the glory that God already has.

Application 1 - ?

5. Honor God’s King (29:21-25, “Dei Gratia Rex”)

EXPLANATION

After David’s prayer, the people offer thousands of sacrifices to God, have a big feast to celebrate what God has done in their lives, and they publically anoint Solomon as King.

1 Chronicles 29:23–25 (ESV)

23 Then Solomon sat on the throne of the Lord as king in place of David his father. And he prospered, and all Israel obeyed him.

24 All the leaders and the mighty men, and also all the sons of King David, pledged their allegiance to King Solomon.

25 And the Lord made Solomon very great in the sight of all Israel and bestowed on him such royal majesty as had not been on any king before him in Israel.

In the end, the people and the rest of David’s sons acknowledge Solomon as God’s anointed King and they swear allegiance to him.

Here near the end of David’s life, God has been faithful to His promise and by God’s grace, David’s son Solomon has been installed as the next king of Israel.

ILLUSTRATION

In the history of monarchies all over the world, but especially in the English tradition in the United Kingdom, kings would use the latin phrase “Dei Gratia Rex” - “King, by the grace of God” to remind their subjects of their divine right to rule.

In Solomon’s day, Solomon was made King by the grace of God.

In our own day, our ultimate allegiance is not to a King or to a Constitution or to a country at all -- but to the King of King and Lord of Lords, Jesus Christ.

Summary: If we want to follow God in faithfulness, we need to honor God’s King, acknowledging that Jesus Christ is our true King.

BIG IDEA: God’s faithfulness yesterday demands our faithfulness today

1. Hear God’s Word (28:1-8, “Verbum Dei”)

2. Seek God’s presence (28:9-21, “Coram Deo”)

3. Join God’s mission (29:1-9, “Missio Dei”)

4. Reflect God’s glory (29:10-20, “Soli Deo Gloria”)

5. Honor God’s king (29:21-25, “Dei Gratia Rex”)

Conclusion

On March 4, 1865, Abraham Lincoln delivered his second inaugural address against the backdrop of the Civil War’s final days. In a nation divided by conflict, Lincoln wanted to reconcile the North and the South, emphasizing the need for unity and healing in the war-torn nation.

In that speech, he concluded with these famous words:

"With malice toward none with charity for all with firmness in the right as God gives us to see the right let us strive on to finish the work we are in to bind up the nation's wounds, to care for him who shall have borne the battle and for his widow and his orphan - to do all which may achieve and cherish a just and lasting peace among ourselves and with all nations." (Abraham Lincoln)

What Lincoln desired — that “just and lasting peace” — is something he would never live to see, as he was assassinated just over a month after his speech.

The war ended, but even then, that desire for a just and lasting peace was ever elusive.

The following century would bring conflict after conflict to nations and peoples all over the world, the bloodiest century in world history.

Do you want a just and lasting peace in your life?

As David publically called Solomon to faithfulness, his biggest concern was for Solomon to be faithful to God and to complete the temple project, because David knew that the only chance for Solomon and for the nation of Israel and even for the world to experience “a just and lasting peace” was for God’s presence to dwell among them.

God’s presence is our highest good and our unending need.

Psalm 84:2 ESV

2 My soul longs, yes, faints for the courts of the Lord; my heart and flesh sing for joy to the living God.

Psalm 16:11 ESV

11 You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.

How can we access God’s presence?

The overwhelming answer in God’s Word is through Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God, in latin “Agnus Dei.”

Listen to 2 passages in the Book of Revelation.

In Revelation 4:11, there’s a prayer reminiscent of David’s prayer that is offered to Yahweh, the God of Israel -

Revelation 4:11 (ESV)

11 “Worthy are you, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they existed and were created.”

But then in the next chapter, the one who receives worship is the Lamb who was slain, Jesus Christ -

Revelation 5:12 (ESV)

12 saying with a loud voice, “Worthy is the Lamb who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and might and honor and glory and blessing!”

Jesus is worthy of the same worship given to Yahweh because Jesus is Yahweh. And now, in Jesus Christ, we can say Emmanuel, God is with us.

But how can we know that God is with us? How can we know that we will have access to God’s presence forever? How can we know that “just and lasting peace”? How can we know that we will spend all eternity being able to worship the Triune God for His beauty and glory and supremacy and grace?

By turning from your sins and trusting in Jesus.

By learning who Jesus is and what Jesus has done and in faith crying out:

Living, He loved me Dying, He saved me Buried, He carried my sins far away Rising, He justified freely forever One day He's coming Oh glorious day, oh glorious day

If you’ve never turned from your sins and trusted in Jesus, or if you have any feedback from the message or if you think God is working in your life and you want to process anything out loud, please don’t just leave here the same. Please come and talk to me after the service right up here. I’d love to hear how God is leading and working in your life and I’d love to walk with you as you respond the way God wants you to respond.

Let’s pray.