Pass on what you learn

Title: Pass on what you learn

Text: 1st Kings 2:1-12

D.T

Introduction:

Today's story finds David at the end of life. During David's 40 year rule, he was for the most part a faithful king He was a good king, a good friend, a good worshiper, a man after God’s own heart

However despite all of David’s success, he deeply struggled as a father.

(Story of David’s eldest sons)

David’s struggles as a father serve as a reminder to pray for our leaders and their roles as parents. Rule and leadership, particularly political leadership, makes parenting even more difficult.

We often pray for discernment in rule for leaders, as we should. However we often forget to pray for leaders to also remain good parents

If David (a man after God’s own heart) struggles to be a good father in the midst of also being a ruler, it stands to reason others will share in that struggle as well.

In his final days, David would make the choice to attempt to reconcile his troubles as a father. David called his son Solomon to his deathbed with the purpose of passing on the wisdom he’d learned.

READ 1st Kings 2:1-4

1 Kings 2:1–4 ESV

When David’s time to die drew near, he commanded Solomon his son, saying, “I am about to go the way of all the earth. Be strong, and show yourself a man, and keep the charge of the Lord your God, walking in his ways and keeping his statutes, his commandments, his rules, and his testimonies, as it is written in the Law of Moses, that you may prosper in all that you do and wherever you turn, that the Lord may establish his word that he spoke concerning me, saying, ‘If your sons pay close attention to their way, to walk before me in faithfulness with all their heart and with all their soul, you shall not lack a man on the throne of Israel.’

Who remembers What Solomon is famous for asking? God told Solomon you can ask for whatever you want. Solomon replies by telling God that above all he wished to have a discerning mind to govern God’s people (Aka I ask for wisdom) God liked this answer so much he told Solomon. “I’m not only going to make you wise, you are going to be the wisest of all! As a result you will be materially blessed!

God blessed Solomon with wisdom, but how does God give Solomon this wisdom? Does Solomon just wake up one morning and suddenly he’s wise? Maybe? However I would like to suggest another possibility. God gave Solomon his wisdom through other people. The people God placed around Solomon's life would pass on the wisdom they learned through their lives, and Solomon would take their wisdom to heart. This story is the reason I believe this to be true.

Throughout this whole series, we have focused on the friendships and relationships in David’s life. Specifically how the relationships in David’s life would help him become a man after God’s own heart. David’s ability to become a man after God’s own heart depended on the quality of his relationships. In each of the previous stories, David was the recipient of wise advice. Today the script has flipped, and he is giving the advice.

Notice specifically what David says “Be strong, act like a man, observe what God requires. He says “ Walk in obedience to him, and keep his decrees and commands, laws and regulations as written in the law of Moses. This seems like good, sound and wise advice.

In the next chapter 1st Kings 3 we see the passage where wisdom is promised to Solomon by God. This is what God says.

READ 1st Kings 3:10-14

1 Kings 3:10–14 ESV

It pleased the Lord that Solomon had asked this. 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, 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. 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. 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.”

You could read over this passage 1000 times and miss this extreme small, but extremely important detail. The key to wisdom is walking in the ways of God and keeping his commandments. God confirms this himself. Where did Solomon first hear this wisdom? This wisdom was shared with him by David.

God knew Solomon would ask for wisdom, so even before he could ask, God was giving Solomon wisdom by allowing his father David to give him that wisdom.

This wisdom was hard learned by David. This wisdom came at the expense of great pain, mourning and unimaginable suffering. This wisdom came as a result of great triumphs! David also knew this wisdom would not be possible without the wisdom or loyal friends in his life.

This wisdom came about as a result of Jonathan saying “I believe you” when a panic-stricken David claimed that Saul the King of Israel was trying to kill him.

This wisdom came about because Abigail intervened before a rage filled David murdered her husband in cold blood saying “If you kill my husband as a result of rage, you are a fool just like him.

This wisdom came when Nathan told David You are the man! The one whose inflicted unimaginable hurt and pain through your own action

This wisdom came when Joab approached David with an impossible dilemma and told “If you don’t stop crying, everyone who's important to you will abandon you!

David looked to the advice of his friends, learned from experience in life, and learned wisdom as a result.

What did Solomon do as a result? He too passed on the wisdom. Solomon wrote some of the wisest books of the bible. We recently studied one of these books, the book of Ecclesiastes. This book was filled with immense wisdom. We spent about 7-8 weeks studying this wisdom. One could study the book of Ecclesiastes for 7-8 years and still continue to find wisdom. However, according to Solomon all the wisdom he gave throughout the entire book can be summed up by one phrase. “Fear God and keep his commands” this is the duty for all mankind. Sounds familiar right? Like the advice given by a dying old king, trying to make sure his son followed in his footsteps. Advice comes from God, but was given by his dad.