Wisdom that Comes from Above--1 Kings 3.4-15, Christmas 2C, Jan. ‘15

1.        Grace, mercy and peace to you from God our heavenly Father and our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.  Amen.  The message from God’s Word this 2^nd Sunday after Christmas is taken from 1 Kings 3:4-15 and is entitled, “Wisdom that Comes from Above,” dear brothers and sisters in Christ.
2.       Before going to Europe on business, a certain man drove his Rolls-Royce to a New York City bank and went in to ask for a loan of $5,000. The loan officer, a bit taken by this, requested collateral for the loan. The man replied, "Well then, here are the keys to my Rolls-Royce."  The loan officer then had the car driven into the bank's underground parking for safekeeping and gave him $5,000.  Two weeks later, the man walked through the bank's doors and asked to settle his loan and get his car back. "That will be $5,000 in principal, and $15.40 in interest," the loan officer said. The man wrote out a check, got up, and started to walk away.  "Wait sir," the loan officer said. "While you were gone, I found out you're a millionaire. Why in the world would you need to borrow $5,000?"  The man smiled. "Where else could I safely park my Rolls-Royce in Manhattan for two weeks for only $15.40?"
3.       Here in this story we learned that this millionaire was wise by the world’s standards.  He used the system of the world to gain his advantage, but this example only shows worldly wisdom.  The wisdom that comes from God is different from the wisdom of this world.  But, what sort of wisdom do we learn about in our text from 1 Kings 3:4-15?  Well, to answer this we need to have a little bit of background on our text.
4.        1 Kings 3:3 says, “Solomon loved the LORD, walking in the statutes of David his father, only he sacrificed and made offerings at the high places.” “High places” were mountaintops where the Canaanites worshiped Asherah and Baal, their fertility gods. Their worship practices included sexual immorality along with sacrifices and feasting. When Israel entered the Promised Land they were ordered to destroy the pagan high places. They were to offer their sacrifices only at the tabernacle.  That worship of the LORD at the altars of high places had become accepted is shown by Solomon going to Gibeon, the “great high place.” More significant is the fact that after the Philistines destroyed Shiloh and stole the ark of the covenant, the tabernacle and its bronze altar were set up at Gibeon. Then the ark was recovered. David brought it to Jerusalem, but the tabernacle was left at the high place in Gibeon. It’s where the Israelites went to worship the LORD. That’s where Solomon went and where the LORD appeared to him.
5.       But, what does it say that the Lord was willing to appear to Solomon at Gibeon even though this wasn’t the place that God originally wanted his people to worship him?  The Lord was willing to appear to Solomon there because he’d gone there in sincerity to worship the Lord. The Lord was pleased with Solomon’s humility and his desire to be a wise  king for the benefit of God’s people. Solomon said to the Lord, “I am but a little child.” Scholars suggest he may have been only 12 or 13 at the time, and certainly no more than 20.
6.       1 Kings 3:10-15 says, ¹⁰It pleased the Lord that Solomon had asked this. ¹¹And 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, ¹²behold, 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. ¹³I give you also what you have not asked, both riches and honor, so that no other king shall compare with you, all your days. ¹⁴And if you will walk in my ways, keeping my statutes and my commandments, as your father David walked, then I will lengthen your days. ⁵And Solomon awoke, and behold, it was a dream. Then he came to Jerusalem and stood before the ark of the covenant of the Lord, and offered up burnt offerings and peace offerings, and made a feast for all his servants.”
7.       We Christians today need not envy Solomon.  God has spoken to us also—not in a dream but through the Scriptures and He’s invited us to ask for what we desire.  In John 16:23 Jesus says to His disciples, “I tell you the truth, my Father will give you whatever you ask in my name.”  That invitation is addressed to God fearing people like Solomon.  Those who love and serve the true God are able to pray in the name of Jesus.  Believers in the Messiah have the privilege of calling God, “Father.”   
8.       Notice here in 1 Kings 3 that Solomon felt that as a young man worldly wisdom wouldn’t be enough for him to lead God’s people as their king.  He saw his own weakness and inability to rule the Israelites.  That’s why Solomon prayed that God would give him a wise and understanding heart so that he might rule well the chosen people of God.
9.       We too would do well to imitate Solomon’s prayer for wisdom.  Children might pray, “God give me wisdom so that I know how to honor my parents and others who are in authority over me.”  Parents might pray, “God give me wisdom to understand my children and to discipline them in love.”  Church leaders might pray, “God give me wisdom so that I may properly rebuke sin and unbelief and so that I speak words of real comfort to all who need them.” And all Christians might pray, “God give me wisdom to understand correctly the situations that confront me, wisdom to speak fitting words to that others might come to glorify you as their Savior.”  In fact, St. James in James 1:5 assures us that God will also hear and answer our prayers for wisdom.
10.       Jesus said in Matthew 6:33, “Seek first God’s kingdom and his righteousness and all these things will be given to you as well.”  That’s what happened here.  Solomon’s prayer wasn’t a selfish request.  He prayed for practical gifts that could be used in God’s kingdom.  That’s why God gave him not only what he asked for, but much more.  God gave Solomon wisdom the likes of which this world had never seen and would never see again.  God also gave him riches and power.  And if Solomon would continue to walk in God’s ways, God promised to give him a long life on earth.  To show his gratitude for those blessings, Solomon offered more sacrifices to God when he returned to Jerusalem.       
11.       So how does 1 Kings 3 tie into our Gospel lesson for today from Luke 2:40-52?  Well, just as Solomon grew in wisdom and stature in the Old Testament, so too Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior grew and became wise.  Here we learn from St. Luke that Jesus truly did take on human flesh.  Jesus is 12 years old and he conforms himself to the religious customs of the Jews.  The Creator of the world is obedient to His parents.  The all-knowing Jesus grows in wisdom.  The all-powerful Son of God increases in size.  But we also learn that Jesus calls God His Father.  His heart is set on His Father’s house and His Father’s business, which is to save us from our sins through His death and resurrection.  More than that, to fulfill the law of God in our place.  To do what we couldn’t do because of our own sinful natures. 
12.       Just as Solomon went to worship the Lord in 1 Kings 3 so too Jesus and his parents went to worship in Jerusalem in Luke 2.  Did you notice in Luke’s Gospel that it said that Jesus and his parents went up to Jerusalem?  What happened to this 12 year old boy is prophetic of what happened later to the 33 year old man Jesus.  Jesus said to his disciples in  Luke 18:31, “Behold, we go up to Jerusalem, and all things that are written by the prophets concerning the Son of man shall be accomplished.”  It was there too that Jesus lingered in Jerusalem, for the great events of Holy Week.  It was then that Jesus was in His Father’s house cleansing it from those who were seeking a profit within it.  Then finally He was about His Father’s business dying for you and me, achieving the salvation of the world that God so loved.  This wisdom that comes from above has come down to save us from our sins and fill us with His Holy Spirit.  Amen.