December 9

2 CHRONICLES 9
Where is the glory of God as we look at Solomon’s life? Certainly we see the fulfillment of the promises of God. The fact that God always fulfills His promises declares His glory. He promised Solomon wisdom. This passage shows that God fulfilled the promise. He promised Solomon riches. This passage shows that God fulfilled it. He promised Solomon a long life. This passage shows that God fulfilled that promise. But what do I do with this description of Solomon:
And when the queen of Sheba had seen:

1. the wisdom of Solomon,
2. the house that he had built,
3. the food on his table,
4. the seating of his servants,
5. the service of his waiters and their apparel, his cupbearers and their apparel,
6. and his entryway by which he went up to the house of the LORD

,
there was no more spirit in her.
The description reads like an outline of an episode for Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous. On the one hand this is the blessing of the Lord. On the other hand, it sounds like loving the world, concerning which we are told, “All that is in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not of the Father but is of the world.” Yet we are to told that the wisdom and riches were gifts of God to Solomon. There is some tension building here. I think we must remember these were not things that Solomon asked for. Originally, he did not ask for the things of the world. He asked only for provision to fulfill the task for which God had set him on the throne—to rule wisely. God graciously went beyond the request. He granted Solomon wisdom, riches and long life, all things the world desires. Solomon should have stuck with the basics even in the midst of abundance. The result was that he was seduced by his own lusts and led away. Was it wrong for him to have abundance? No it was not. God gave it to Him. Was it wrong for Him to pursue wisdom? No, it was not. God gave him the abilities. Was it wrong for him to have servants. No, it was not. God gave him the wealth. It provided those servants with a job.
In contrast Jesus came. He did not have wealth. He did not have a house built. He ate at the table of others not his own table. He did not have servants, but served others. His disciples had simple clothing and lifestyle. His clothing was humility. His entryway to the house of the Lord was upon a donkey, not necessarily a glorious beast. Jesus told the generation of His day that the Queen of Sheba would rise up and witness against them because He was greater than Solomon and was present among them, and they would not receive Him. They too were seduced by the gifts that God had given them. Jesus came among us to do justice and provide righteousness. We are the recipients of God’s great gifts. Let us not be seduced by them, but let us use them to establish justice and spread righteousness.
Indeed we serve a glorious King. Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor john

PROVERBS 9
I once met a young man who was recently divorced. He had met his wife in a bar, when he was in rebellion against the Lord. They married, but she wasn’t satisfied with just him. She enjoyed the overnight company of other men. That led to their divorce. He had tried several times to reconcile, but she could not seem to be devoted just to him. One day she walked into my office. To this day I am not sure what she was up to, but I could smell her perfume before she rounded the corner to my office so that I could see her. She was dressed to show off all of her hardware, and to be honest, it was beautiful hardware. I could see why the young man was originally attracted to her. Immediately the thought popped into my mind, “This is the woman proverbs warns about.” Her story was that she wanted to reconcile with her ex-husband, but when I arranged a meeting with the two, her story was different, and she certainly did not come as perfumed and beautified as she came when she asked for the meeting. Suffice it to say that the young man thought it the same song, tenth verse. She would never give her own life for him. She would never reserve herself just for him.
In contrast Wisdom has built her house. 1 Cor 1:30 tells us,

But of Him you are in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God—and righteousness and sanctification and redemption.

Is it not interesting the metaphors that are presented in this chapter of Proverbs and how those metaphors are extended by the New Testament writers? If Jesus is our wisdom, and wisdom has built her house, then what kind of house is Jesus building?
First, it is a building that is an offensive moveable force, Matt. 16:18

And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it.

Its purpose is to break the gates of Hades in order to take its citizens out. It is to depopulate Hades. Second, its materials are made of people; we are the building materials and the ones working with Him to build it. As we depopulate Hades, the captives are set free to become part of the building He is building and to work with Him in building it. 1 Cor. 3:9-10

For we are God’s fellow workers; you are God’s field, you are God’s building. According to the grace of God which was given to me, as a wise master builder I have laid the foundation, and another builds on it. But let each one take heed how he builds on it.

Third, our certificate of occupancy is that we are to be indwelt by God Himself. Eph. 2:20–22

20 having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone, 21 in whom the whole building, being fitted together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord, 22 in whom you also are being built together for a dwelling place of God in the Spirit.

Finally, when He takes up occupancy we will be filled with offerings of spiritual sacrifices, which I submit to you is the fruit of our lips, offerings of thanksgiving and praise. 1 Peter 2:5

you also, as living stones, are being built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.

This house is a house of righteousness and sanctification and redemption. Jesus has/is sumptuously spread/spreading a meal for the inhabitants. One day it will be celebrated as the Marriage Supper of the Lamb (Matt. 22:4; Rev. 19:9). Now it is a covenant meal of His own flesh and blood sacrificed on our behalf. The slaughtered meat is His own flesh; the mixed wine is His own blood. He bids us come and dine. John 6:54–56

54 Whoever eats My flesh and drinks My blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day. 55 For My flesh is food indeed, and My blood is drink indeed. 56 He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood abides in Me, and I in him.

Obviously these are metaphors of a very real spiritual experience. We will not literally eat His flesh and drink His blood, but spiritually it is by consuming Him that we are forgiven and gain eternal life. Spiritually, He is our life; we have none except by feeding upon Him.
The person who is simple refuses to see his/her need of becoming part of this house or sharing in the fellowship of its meal. But it is where true living is found! God is calling out to the simple, “Come on in! Be part of Me! Eat Me and live! Enjoy Me! Don’t be satisfied with anything less!” The simple person is like a man who allows Himself to be seduced by a woman who will leave him in a few days, weeks, months or years. She will never satisfy him and will eventually leave him cold. She will never give her own life for him. Will we give our own lives for Him? He gives Himself for us and will never leave nor forsake us, for He cannot deny Himself! That is His glory! Indeed we serve a glorious King! Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor john

JUDE
Growing up I loved peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. I remember eating a lot of them as snacks. Even now about once month I get a hankering for one. Usually sometime in the summer, we would pick some wild sand plums, and Mom would turn them in to preserves. We would have plenty of preserves for peanut butter sandwiches for months to come. Why is it that you can cook fruit and put it in a jar, and it will stay fresh and tasty for months, but set it on a counter, and immediately it draws fruit flies and soon becomes too nasty to even think about eating? It is the process we call preserving. Sometimes when we speak of someone who looks two decades younger than they are, we say, "They are well preserved."
The first thing spoken of by Jude about our Lord is that He preserves those whom the Father calls and sanctifies. Hope I don't get served up on a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. Oh, wait a minute; I guess he meant something different. Preserved from what? Becoming a Christian does not mean that you automatically cease to sin. Sure His mercy removes the judicial accusations against us. But Jesus is still working (grace) in us to remove the experiential part of sin in our lives.
Some would take the grace of our Lord and teach that we now don't have to bother with living a righteous life style because of grace. If we really have been called and sanctified by Him, Jesus works in our experience to preserve us from sin. When we are born again, we are like fresh fruit that is picked. We are totally new creations. But alas, we still live in a sin corrupting world; the old nature still wants to resurrect itself; and Satan and his cohorts still want to devour us. But Jesus will do what it takes to preserve us, if we cooperate with Him. Cooperation may involve some cooking--ouch! But He will preserve us. When we don't cooperate, we become like the fruit left on the counter. After a while, we become slimy and nasty in our experience. When we cooperate, He keeps us from stumbling; He presents us to the Father faultless; and there is a lot of Joy in that presentation. He really is wise in the way He works with us, and He is so powerful in His work. Indeed we serve a glorious King! Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor john