Master Something

Solomon Requests Wisdom from the Lord.

1 Kings 3:5–9 ESV

At Gibeon the Lord appeared to Solomon in a dream by night, and God said, “Ask what I shall give you.” 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. 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. 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. 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?”

Be careful how you read this passage… Solomon was the king… on David’s throne… God “appears” to Solomon…

If God appeared to you, what would you say.

Bud Light — “dilly! dilly!”

What Solomon recalled was that though he sat on David’s throne, the Lord was and is and forever shall be The King. Thus, he didn’t ask for something, small, selfish, or scandalous anticipating the chants of the foolish crowd “Dilly Dilly!”

He asked for wisdom.

1 Kings 3:5–14 ESV

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.”

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.”

1 Kings 3:10-

God — not the foolish, inebriated crowd — says to Solomon, “Now we’re talking, Dilly. Dilly.”

Solomon grew and excelled per the Lord’s promises to Solomon’s prayer and request.

1 Kings 4:29–34 ESV

29 And God gave Solomon wisdom and understanding beyond measure, and breadth of mind like the sand on the seashore, 30 so that Solomon’s wisdom surpassed the wisdom of all the people of the east and all the wisdom of Egypt. 31 For he was wiser than all other men, wiser than Ethan the Ezrahite, and Heman, Calcol, and Darda, the sons of Mahol, and his fame was in all the surrounding nations. 32 He also spoke 3,000 proverbs, and his songs were 1,005. 33 He spoke of trees, from the cedar that is in Lebanon to the hyssop that grows out of the wall. He spoke also of beasts, and of birds, and of reptiles, and of fish. 34 And people of all nations came to hear the wisdom of Solomon, and from all the kings of the earth, who had heard of his wisdom.

1 King

1 Kings 10:23–24 ESV

23 Thus King Solomon excelled all the kings of the earth in riches and in wisdom. 24 And the whole earth sought the presence of Solomon to hear his wisdom, which God had put into his mind.

1 Kings 10:

Review framework of Sermon Series:

Learn Something

Create Something

Master Something

Quit Something

Today, we follow Solomon’s good lead into the land of mastering something.

When the Lord asks us, “What do you want from me?”, our replay can be, “Give me wisdom and understanding to increasingly live and master living the life I have, that you have granted.”

“Jack of all trades, Master of None”

1 Corinthians 10:23 ESV

23 “All things are lawful,” but not all things are helpful. “All things are lawful,” but not all things build up.

1 Corinthians 10:31 ESV

31 So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.

Dad: “Will you guys stop jackin’ around?!”

You can “jack” around with whatever you want, whenever you want. You can be a Jack of all trades...

Glorifying God can include being a ‘jack of all trades, but that is NOT the only way to glorify God.

The glory of God can also be powerfully expressed, for the good of others, and for your own wisdom and understanding — to master something.

Just look around your life… the items available for you to master are endlessly available.

You can master: The Bible

Other items: Change the oil, learn your computer, cook something, paint, improve how you play your instrument… just look around.

My item of mastery: Logos

The best way to master something? Teach It!

2 Timothy 2:1–7 ESV

1 You then, my child, be strengthened by the grace that is in Christ Jesus, 2 and what you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses entrust to faithful men, who will be able to teach others also. 3 Share in suffering as a good soldier of Christ Jesus. 4 No soldier gets entangled in civilian pursuits, since his aim is to please the one who enlisted him. 5 An athlete is not crowned unless he competes according to the rules. 6 It is the hard-working farmer who ought to have the first share of the crops. 7 Think over what I say, for the Lord will give you understanding in everything.

Pastor who knew nothing… pastor who knew a couple things… from teaching it, I now know many things!

Soldier… athlete… farmers = MASTERS

Ecclesiastes 10:10 ESV

10 If the iron is blunt, and one does not sharpen the edge, he must use more strength, but wisdom helps one to succeed.

Ecc — IF written by Solomon (and there is much debate on that) with a much different tone and texture than we see in and 10.

The word “widsom” just leaps off the page… when you don’t have it… when you are a jack of all trades, and master none — you will live an exhausted life.

This year: cease tinkering, being passive, waiting it out, tolerating… and pray… ask God for courage and humility and pliability… and master something.

Give the Lord… All — not only what you are jacking around with, but what you intend to master!

God says to you, “ASK, what I shall give to you.”

Reminder — this is not your Barbara Eden, Robin Williams, Bud Light moment where you sit no the throne of your life and God appears as your servant to appeal to your small, unsatisfiable desires!

This is where you — who have an enormous amount of say and input over the affairs of your life — are ushered before the Lord with an opportunity to lay your life before the Lord and His purposes and say: I want a life of wisdom and skill and success before you.

You say to the Lord, “I give you everything. Nothing less.”

And God says to you, [pause motioning the holding up of a pint… they expect dilly, dilly} “Well done my good and faithful servant.”