Jan 3rd - In Person

Reminds me as a child one time going to Shopko remember Shopko.

Yeah, and I lost mom she went to a different aisle, and I don't know it's probably 4 or so and then she goes when's the next iPhone? Recognized her and ran up to her and give her a hug and a leg and looked up what that's not Mom.

nothing, that's why they close Shopko but you know, maybe Grace mercy, and peace be yours from God our Father Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen as as I mentioned earlier, they were going 1st Kings chapter 3 is our theme specifically the spot of discernment this which pleased the Lord that Solomon had asked for I remember learning this story and narrative account as a child at the school about two blocks east of here may have heard of it's called Emmanuel as well good school. And when I was there, they taught us the story and of course, they taught us a story and there's any good Lutheran teacher would do see it's not about money and it's not about how long life and it's not about winning Victory all the time that message never really sunk in I still got some competition problems, but that's another story. And I learned us and it was a great story and we were taught Solomon ask God for wisdom. It's a good thing you two should consider asking God for wisdom. So what are you do you go home you're laying in bed. And you say you know what God I would be I do really happy to take a large dose of wisdom. If you wouldn't mind go ahead and give me some of that that would be cool. Cuz then I can show everybody how smart I am not give you credit, you know, anyone who gave it to me just look at what happened to Solomon. The very next account in Solomon Chapter 3 is the other famous one with the two ladies come to him and they've got the baby and it said who's isn't he says well cut the baby in half and the one who is actually the mom is the one who's willing to give the baby up in order to spare for the child's what great cuz that I could be a great and Discerning and I could be the leader of people and whatever else in my feet and old by the way Lord, please notice of humility with which I ask this and therefore also Grant Mi long. Life and lots of Victories and especially riches that would be fantastic because Lord you see how Pious I am asking humbly for wisdom. So that like Stalin and you might grant me all the rest as well. I probably was not the moral of the story. I was supposed to take home but as a child that's certainly the moral of the story. I heard and definitely what I thought it might be able to do when I was talking to God In Prayer as look God. I've got something for you. I will show you how humble I am simply give me wisdom and all the stuff that comes with it, you know, if you do that to her that would be great. I'm trusting you treat me the same way you treated so you can't say I definitely want everything you can't say I am I got rich and you can't stay. Well, I mean, I'm still alive but 37, is that considered All That Old at this point. So I can't really say that that happened right? I also don't think I'm the wisest person in the world. In fact, the more people I talk to the more I realize I don't know a whole lot of anything about much of anything, but that's okay. That's okay. Where did it? Did God maybe grant me the same gifts that he granted Solomon? And in the process to God, maybe Grant you likewise. That's the same level of wisdom that he also granted. The Solomon is a question for you. Think about that throughout the course of the rest of this message this account here when Solomon goes off I'm going to sacrifice and then go to the high places. I'm going to make a lot of sacrifices. I'm going to follow what my father David but I'm going to take the sacrifices to the extreme you most of the time Solomon was a pretty good guy. He certainly made a lot of mistakes and he says I'm going to go to make the sacrifices. I'm going to show God. What's up? I am going to show God how much I care and I'm going to give to God this great and big off and it's almost as if God says you think you got something for me watch this. Palace Theater in the ark of God is God. I'm going to build you a big fancy house instead of David. You got too much blood on your hands. You ain't going to do it, but I'm going to make a house for you. You think you've got something figured out for me. I'm about to do for you. It wasn't a great that God treats us like that. You think you got me figured out those God damn tension what I'm about to do. You think you're praying right leave for a heart wisdom by sitting in your bed and think you're going to trick me says God or 10 year-old seven-year-old. Whatever your old Michael no, no, no no, no, no. Watch this. Instead of pouring out that heart of wisdom and with it the associated material blessings that we so desire. I would suggest that we look Instead at the way that God treat us the same way as he treats Solomon. Are giving us a true wizard. truism so what is this truism? Well couple different times in the Bible where talk to understand that wisdom is a mad or not as a head but a matter of the heart. Wisdom is not a matter of being able to think through everything that's knowledge or intellectual Firepower us not wisdom. Wisdom is that is a matter of heart. Psalm 90 Moses says teach us to number our days that we may gain a heart of wisdom. Do the Proverbs Solomon alludes to the fact that the wisdom comes from the heart over and over and over again?

What is guided God put in your heart? What did God put in Solomon's heart? It's same thing. He put his presence there in Solomon. He put his presence there in you. In order the song to gain heart of wisdom, but if you have to have here to have God with him all the time didn't I just did he had to have God with him. He had to have the presence of God in him and order that his heart will be changed in order that he would be able to judge fairly rightly and rules such a great people.

In order to be able to do what God desired he had to have the heart of God. He had to have God with him yet have God in him. We had to have the Holy Spirit in-dwelling him leading him guiding him and showing him the way to go. Now. I mentioned earlier. So I made a number of mistakes. He certainly did especially when it came to marriage has got a broken marriage. She had a thousand marriages show me some of them are very good.

And yet Solomon is known in history is being one of the wisest people of all times. You are a significant amount of the Old Testament. And he gives to us. A number of different ways places and things that we can look at to see how we should think about following God. He's got that heart of wisdom.

Lead me to this spot. Why is it so hard to apply God's wisdom to yourself? even when you can easily apply the wisdom of God to somebody else in your life and Circumstance if you ever notice that It's very easy. It seems when somebody comes to you and says here's my problem to immediately go. I know your solution. Is it not? Where is very able to be objective with somebody else's problems? And yet when it comes to our own problems You get lost in your thoughts didn't get lost in your head. You can get lost in your confidence. You can get lost wondering does God really love me does God forgive me. You can get lost wondering what should I do about this great problem that I have any talk to somebody else about it may think you're making a mountain out of a molehill and they've got an answer for you to want. It's really good vitamin think of that cuz you're in your own head.

Or perhaps because you're listening to your own heart. Heart of Flesh rather than a heart that comes from God heart of the spirits. So maybe maybe God did give to me the same present that he gave to Solomon just not in the way I anticipated or so. Maybe just maybe gave to you that same present as well. In fact, I would say you did.

And it lives inside of you you've ever heard this the body is a temple of the spirit. Holy Spirit resides in your heart the presence of God with you as his baptized child no matter where you are. No matter where you're going the Holy Spirit who works in you to give you the wisdom and what is that wisdom the wisdom is simply to hear the word of God. Jesus grew in wisdom and stature as regards his Humanity in order that he could demonstrate to people the fullness of the understanding of the Old Testament in order that he can demonstrate to the Personal Jesus. Jesus. Jesus is referred to him by Paul as the wisdom of God personified. God himself made flesh dwelling among us Emmanuel God With

Emmanuel God is with you. Got it for out that same Spirit into the bladder through the waters of baptism into your hearts in order that you may call Abba Father or last week in church.

I just poured that same Spirit report upon Solomon upon you. He's giving you a reason that goes beyond understanding. Not that you're wise in your own world not to choose wise in your own eyes. Not that you're able to figure everything out that you desire to figure out but instead. But you will be able to look to his word and find true discernment. Christ the wisdom of God. God says the Solomon you think you've got something for me. Watch this. I'm going to do something even greater for you a couple of gifts for us in the process of discerning is one of them discernment comes from God and it teaches us to number our days.

Discernment comes from God and it teaches us to number. Our days was Moses in Psalm 90. As wisdom comes from God teaches us to realize that every day is a gift from God. Is it not? Yes it is. There's that cliche kind of statement present is a gift therefore they called the presents right now. And yet at the same time, there's certainly Rings true that certainly Rings true for those of us who are found in Christ. Does it not? This moment that we live in is the moment that God is still active inside of you giving you a heart of the sermon that would desire to hear his word. That's why I brought you here or is brought you online.

That moment is a moment of the sermon too much. God gives to you the ability to hear his word and hear how it speaks to your life and it speaks to live primarily in this way. While you were still sinners Christ died for your sins.

You are forgiven. You are loved. You are cared for. And you have the promise of everlasting life. A sermon has been faxed and realities though, even right now not just on that day. But even today you are forgiven right now. Yes right now even today even today of whatever you done yet with whatever you've done what you've repented the spirits within you. And you've heard his word of absolution. You have God's good gift. So we discern the ability to forgive others and also ourselves. May God grant you the gift of discernment of the Forgiveness of your sins and the Forgiveness of the sins of your neighbor who needs to hear them. Use another way God's Gift of discernment also makes it easier for us to demonstrate his hospitable love towards our neighbors. Emery said the servant is easier for those on the outside off of bend it is for those onions that got a question for you if you're sick, or are you going to go talk to? Eye doctor right now. There's a difference between going and talking to somebody who's been a doctor for 20 or 30 or 40 years and it's right up on the latest medical journals and knows what he's talking about and going to somebody was thinking about going to the med school someday. And which one are you going to trust tomorrow? I'm going to go with the person to experience. Correct. Correct? It is same way there different levels of the ability to discern what God desires based on training and ability in the amount of time that you spent studying and learning as word is growing in wisdom in the scriptures, but he's already demonstrated his people in the temple. Guess what I understand the scriptures even at the age of 12 better than you study them your whole life because the scriptures are in some way me it's who I am. We don't have the ability to speak to Jesus in this way Lord. Here's my question. Please answer it and I English I can understand but instead we have the ability to speak to the Lord in this way Lord. I'm going to pray to you and I'm going to read your work and I'm going to apply that's my life. Sometimes. It's confusing. So, where do you go? Who do you talk to all those who are called to be able to lead us guide us to educate us? Those who feel the office of Pastor those who are Christian teachers those for Bible study leaders or the elders in your church. Or those who have written books for those who are in on the topic those who have the knowledge and wisdom of God and they share it with you. And then have your problem diagnosis tell you what that better then. That's better than going to like a horoscope. All right, what have got to say today? The sun is a line for you to get a tan or a fortune cookie. You will gain weight. Yep. I just ate that right.

No, we go to the source to God's word and we hear from their the ability to learn and to grow in a game that heart of wisdom may be at the governor people but the face our problems and guess what when our problems are overwhelming us where we go to somebody else. Who's that a Christian neighbor? Brother and Christ the same way when somebody comes to us with our problems. We don't say no kidding. You've got problems. Just look at you you messed maker.

Said he demonstrated in love and Christian hospitality and showing them the Forgiveness of their sins and helping them to Cerner problems. I can't tell you how many conversations I've had with somebody comes in and says, I've got this big problem and I say, okay. Alright.

Embrace where you know the world coming to collapse we start to talk and you start to realize you have a problem. There's a solution. And nine times out of 10 that solution is simply this somebody needs to forgive somebody else and so may need to repent them and that happens. Guess what? Heart Of God works, it works its job and it applies and gives the gift of forgiveness. When it's not that the word of God allows somebody else to say I see how this problem came to be now. Let's find a way to gether to work to fix. So God gives to us ability to discern from the outside just as in the same way. He sent you a Jesus from outside of ourselves that we will be saved and sent to us that he wouldn't dwell us and give us the ability to call Riley on our father speaking of our father. Did you notice how much just text and remind us of the Lord's Prayer?

Give me a heart of wisdom. Give me your spirit, but I might call on your father. Feed me with the things that I need is a side benefit of it, but isn't that the same prayer that we praise Lord give to me to stay my daily bread. In other words. Give me wisdom to discern red need to do. Oh, by the way, the Lord has provided so much more than our daily bread. I think we're about seven different kinds of bread at our house right now.

I just was so much more than just simply what we need. You guys supposed over and above I guess in a way he has made us rich even richer than Solomon was. Do to give us success. Give us Victory. Oh, by the way, the Lord has given to us success. He has given us Victory because he is in Jesus defeated sin death in the power of the devil. They'll get to us a long life. Indeed. He does everlasting life is your gift from him. by faith How about this? Lord I need help. We need help.

We need truly to discern your ways.

Rather than try to figure out in control and get things done our way. You may have heard the saying before I let go and let God. People say this often I've been trying to control this thing so hard I've been trying to control this thing so long I've been trying to do all these things. I've been trying to fill in the blank convince my children that they need to come back to church. I've been trying to convince my spouse that he needs to get help. I've been trying to convince my wife that she needs to see things by the way. I've been trying to fill in the blank

The answer the people often times come back to his to let go and let God has Pious and right in its own way. Don't try to control things ourselves because when we do we're taking him out of God's hands. However, that can wrongly understood lead to kind of a fatalism or kind of I'm going to take a complete and total hands-off approach and just see what happens and the good news is when we do that God is able to work. However, God and calling you to faithful Christian service and faithful Christian. Love also says no don't let go. Just don't try to control it. Try properly to discern what I would have you doing. What is that the sermon that God gives to us. The person of Jesus the person of Jesus who comes in order to demonstrate the fullness of what Solomon had only a partial sampling of the wisdom of God.

Solomon the wisest man who ever lived is still did you catch that only a portion of what God had to offer to his people. Well, we have fully received now in Jesus. I still look at the text if you have it in front of you, do you have the sheets or no? No pull-ups. Your phone's download the Bible app. Go home and look up 1st Kings chapter 3 hear these words.

Solomon love the Lord walking in the statues of David his father. I can't wanted to give you realize answer to that question is no not even close.

Guess what? Same thing for you. Lord's giving you wisdom those give me the spirit inside is that mean that you're not a perfectly know that's a blessing because even still God showed his faithfulness to David and to Solomon and to you not because of the actions pursued but because of the faith that was within because of the Holy Spirit was working on you as many of those who were baptized into Christ Jesus instead of this day and now I can't even figure out what I'm doing here Lord. Hanging On by the threads I need your help. Administrative people to maybe number to Carnival that's an exaggeration. But Soviet give you serving the ability and understanding mind to govern that. I may discern between Good and Evil 4 who is able to govern this regrouping isn't Discerning between good and evil kind of the entire story of these every other kind of the entire story of everything. Is it it then back to the knowledge tree of the knowledge of Garden of Good and Evil in the midst of the Guard Adam and Eve service in what is right and what is wrong but it looks good. It must be good.

But the God say it's good. That what is a Matter What God Says?

bad decision

fully matters What God Says What is God say?

Cuz I the Lord your God I'm with you wherever you go. Because I care for you. In the midst of whatever you're facing. Because I'm giving you a new heart. by pouring the spirit into you in order that you may know my love for you. Will never let go in order that you may know. Do you always have me right here with you? The presence of the Lord is his gift to you? May God bless you to know that never are you alone never are you forsaken? Never has he lost.

But instead he is with you to give you his discernment in the wisdom that he gave to Solomon. Whatever your face. individually as families or collectively as a congregation. And God bless you and Grant you his true and right discernment. The following and hearing the voice of his Spirit who dwells in you? Amen, let us pray father. We thank you for granting us to Holy Spirit. And we pray that you continue to give to each of the people gathered here before you a heart that informed by the spirit relies on you and all things continue to strengthen and nourish Faith to that end and then give to a c ability to discern what you desire this we pray in Jesus name. Amen versus standing as we continue now.