14 Preaching/Teaching: 2 Chronicles 9: Standing Out

EOT-Solomon shined the light of God to the nations.

EOS-We must stand out for Jesus

We will become all God created us to be when we invest our time, treasure and talent into God.

DDS-Are you investing your time, treasure and talent into something greater than yourself

Have you ever been a part of something greater than yourself.

Wasn’t it a great feeling.

Time we beat Oklahoma City University.

Literally the crowd rushed the floor, it may not been as cool as the Top Gun scene where they just win the battle and they are lifting the pilots up, but it is pretty cool.

It was the first time our team beat a top 25 team,

We stood out on campus!

Have you ever been a part of something where you stood out.

Where you were a part of something bigger than yourself?

I told my son this exact line:

Matthew 5:16 ““Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.”

Today God wants our lives to stand out. He wants your life to stand out.

Solomon hit some high highs and some low lows and the reality is that the reason we are talking about him still today is because even in his low lows he was a part of something greater than himself.

When I was first going to give this talk I was going to give it on the downfall.

But at times as a preacher you will come to the Bible wanting to say something and the Bible does not say that.

I don’t want to twist what the Bible says I want the Bible to twist what I say.

Summary of the Book of Chronicles:

The Davidic Covenant leads us to Jesus.

The Bible Knowledge Commentary Purpose and Structure

The purpose of 1 and 2 Chronicles is to show God’s elective and preserving grace in His covenant people through David, the messianic king and priest.

God persevering his people until the climax: JESUS has appeared.

Matthew 1:6–7 NAS

Jesse was the father of David the king. David was the father of Solomon by Bathsheba who had been the wife of Uriah. Solomon was the father of Rehoboam, Rehoboam the father of Abijah, and Abijah the father of Asa.

These are people we have seen in Chronicles

Matthew 1:16 NAS

Jacob was the father of Joseph the husband of Mary, by whom Jesus was born, who is called the Messiah.

In 1 Chronicles the emphasis is the importance of the temple in national life. However in 2 Chronicles the emphasis is the impotence of the temple in national life.

Constable, T. (2003). Tom Constable’s Expository Notes on the Bible (1 Ch 29:26). Galaxie Software.

Ultimately the book of Chronicles is to point us to Christ. How God perseveres his line and it eventually ends up pointing us to Jesus.

Solomon did some very foolish things, but at the end of the day his life stood out.

Does your life stand out for God.

I want us to look at three reasons why our lives must stand out for God.

1. We must stand out for God because the nations need to hear (1-4).

2 Chronicles 9:1 NAS

Now when the queen of Sheba heard of the fame of Solomon, she came to Jerusalem to test Solomon with difficult questions. She had a very large retinue, with camels carrying spices and a large amount of gold and precious stones; and when she came to Solomon, she spoke with him about all that was on her heart.

Why did she hear?

Solomon was willing to humble himself

Share the story of the baby and how he navigated that!

We just saw last week that Solomon humbled himself. As as result God exalted him.

Look at the result of this:

A famous queen now new of Solomon. And she wanted to learn from him.

Is humility a characteristic that defines you.

Maybe God is wanting you to stand out for him, but you are not willing to humble yourself.

2 Chronicles 9:2 NASB95

Solomon answered all her questions; nothing was hidden from Solomon which he did not explain to her.

He used the gift God had given him to stand out for God.

Share about Nate and how he stood out, he was invited to play on the top team and now he is at the bottom of the totom pole.

After his game on Friday night I told him this, don’t try to fit in with this team try to stand out.

God has created us to stand out.

Are you using your gifts for yourself or for God.

2 Chronicles 9:3–4 NASB95

When the queen of Sheba had seen the wisdom of Solomon, the house which he had built, the food at his table, the seating of his servants, the attendance of his ministers and their attire, his cupbearers and their attire, and his stairway by which he went up to the house of the Lord, she was breathless.

She saw what God

2. We must stand out for God because the world wants to hear (5-8).

The world is waiting to hear great news.

Now it may be one of those things where they do not know that they want to know, but the world is waiting to hear great news.

The good news is not just good, the good news is great news.

Story of the lady in India.

2 Chronicles 9:5–6 NASB95

Then she said to the king, “It was a true report which I heard in my own land about your words and your wisdom. “Nevertheless I did not believe their reports until I came and my eyes had seen it. And behold, the half of the greatness of your wisdom was not told me. You surpass the report that I heard.

Isn’t this what happens when you first become a believer.

At first you are like Christ is pretty good, but after you have been a follower of Jesus for awhile, you can say the same thing you surpass the report. This is how great Jesus is.

2 Chronicles 9:7–8 NASB95

“How blessed are your men, how blessed are these your servants who stand before you continually and hear your wisdom. “Blessed be the Lord your God who delighted in you, setting you on His throne as king for the Lord your God; because your God loved Israel establishing them forever, therefore He made you king over them, to do justice and righteousness.”

God delights in you

God delights in the world

Application:

Do you really believe that the world wants to hear.

Isaiah 52:7 NASB95

How lovely on the mountains Are the feet of him who brings good news, Who announces peace And brings good news of happiness, Who announces salvation, And says to Zion, “Your God reigns!”

3. We must stand out for God because God is worthy (9-12).

God is worthy of your life and of everyone’s life.

Are we not looking for a worthy cause.

That basketball story I shared it was somewhat worthy, but it was nothing compared to the worthiness of God.

We are all looking for something to give our lives to.

This is why people are so passionated about different things.

But at the end of the day, only God is worth giving one’s life for.

2 Chronicles 9:9–12 NAS

Then she gave the king one hundred and twenty talents of gold and a very great amount of spices and precious stones; there had never been spice like that which the queen of Sheba gave to King Solomon. The servants of Huram and the servants of Solomon who brought gold from Ophir, also brought algum trees and precious stones. From the algum trees the king made steps for the house of the Lord and for the king’s palace, and lyres and harps for the singers; and none like that was seen before in the land of Judah. King Solomon gave to the queen of Sheba all her desire which she requested besides a return for what she had brought to the king. Then she turned and went to her own land with her servants.

Conclusion:

Since i have become a believer I have been able to be a part of something greater than myself.

First guy I led to Jesus.

Roberto

When Heather was out this week I started looking through old pictures.

This was not about me leading a guy to Jesus, this is about being a part of something greater than yourself.

1 Thessalonians 1:9 NAS

For they themselves report about us what kind of a reception we had with you, and how you turned to God from idols to serve a living and true God,

Communion

Search your heart

Is there anything you need to bring before God

Is there any relationship you need to reconcile.

New Living Translation Chapter 11

Order at the Lord’s Supper

17 But in the following instructions, I cannot praise you. For it sounds as if more harm than good is done when you meet together. 18 First, I hear that there are divisions among you when you meet as a church, and to some extent I believe it. 19 But, of course, there must be divisions among you so that you who have God’s approval will be recognized!

20 When you meet together, you are not really interested in the Lord’s Supper. 21 For some of you hurry to eat your own meal without sharing with others. As a result, some go hungry while others get drunk. 22 What? Don’t you have your own homes for eating and drinking? Or do you really want to disgrace God’s church and shame the poor? What am I supposed to say? Do you want me to praise you? Well, I certainly will not praise you for this!

23 For I pass on to you what I received from the Lord himself. On the night when he was betrayed, the Lord Jesus took some bread 24 and gave thanks to God for it. Then he broke it in pieces and said, “This is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” 25 In the same way, he took the cup of wine after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant between God and his people—an agreement confirmed with my blood. Do this in remembrance of me as often as you drink it.” 26 For every time you eat this bread and drink this cup, you are announcing the Lord’s death until he comes again.

27 So anyone who eats this bread or drinks this cup of the Lord unworthily is guilty of sinning against the body and blood of the Lord. 28 That is why you should examine yourself before eating the bread and drinking the cup. 29 For if you eat the bread or drink the cup without honoring the body of Christ, you are eating and drinking God’s judgment upon yourself. 30 That is why many of you are weak and sick and some have even died.

31 But if we would examine ourselves, we would not be judged by God in this way. 32 Yet when we are judged by the Lord, we are being disciplined so that we will not be condemned along with the world.

33 So, my dear brothers and sisters, when you gather for the Lord’s Supper, wait for each other. 34 If you are really hungry, eat at home so you won’t bring judgment upon yourselves when you meet together. I’ll give you instructions about the other matters after I arrive.

Do business with God

But also remember no one is worthy to take this, we take this because he is worthy.