The "Wise" Attraction

Opening Transition

 

Rules for a prize: no devices, kids get first crack, then adults.

 

What can you catch but not throw?

• A cold (hint: think winter season)

 

 

What goes up but never comes down?

• Your age (hint: “happy birthday to you”)

 

 

Where does Friday come before Thursday?

• In the dictionary (hint: think spelling)

 

 

What holds water even though it’s full of holes? 

• A sponge (hint: think washing a car)

 

 

What belongs to you, but others use it more than you? 

• Your name (hint: your parents gave you this)

 

 

A little tougher:

 

(This one is from Mike/no staff) What gets wetter as it dries?

• A towel (hint: think swimming)

 

 

What question can you never honestly answer “yes” to?

• Are you asleep? Are you dead? (hint: think bedtime)

 

 

A cowboy rides into town on Friday, stays for 3 days, and then leaves on Friday.  How did he do it?

• His horse’s name is Friday (hint: a play on words)

 

 

You can carry me, but you can’t touch me.  Everyone wants to see me but I am kept out of sight.  I was lost then found but now I am lost.  What am I?

• The Ark of the Covenant (hint: Old Testament)

 

A Common Problem

 

Turn with me in your Bibles to 1 Kings 10:1,

 

10 When the queen of Sheba heard of Solomon’s fame, which brought honor to the name of the Lord, she came to test him with hard questions.  ² She arrived in Jerusalem with a large group of attendants and a great caravan of camels loaded with spices, large quantities of gold, and precious jewels. When she met with Solomon, she talked with him about everything she had on her mind.  ³ Solomon had answers for all her questions; nothing was too hard for the king to explain to her.  ⁴ When the queen of Sheba realized how very wise Solomon was, and when she saw the palace he had built, ⁵ she was overwhelmed. She was also amazed at the food on his tables, the organization of his officials and their splendid clothing, the cup-bearers, and the burnt offerings Solomon made at the Temple of the Lord.

⁶ She exclaimed to the king, “Everything I heard in my country about your achievements and wisdom is true!  ⁷ I didn’t believe what was said until I arrived here and saw it with my own eyes.  In fact, I had not heard the half of it! Your wisdom and prosperity are far beyond what I was told.  ⁸ How happy your people must be!  What a privilege for your officials to stand here day after day, listening to your wisdom!  ⁹ Praise the Lord your God, who delights in you and has placed you on the throne of Israel. Because of the Lord’s eternal love for Israel, he has made you king so you can rule with justice and righteousness.”  (these are companions of wisdom along w/ love)

¹⁰ Then she gave the king a gift of 9,000 pounds of gold, great quantities of spices, and precious jewels. Never again were so many spices brought in as those the queen of Sheba gave to King Solomon.

¹¹ (In addition, Hiram’s ships brought gold from Ophir, and they also brought rich cargoes of red sandalwood and precious jewels. ¹² The king used the sandalwood to make railings for the Temple of the Lord and the royal palace, and to construct lyres and harps for the musicians. Never before or since has there been such a supply of sandalwood.)

¹³ King Solomon gave the queen of Sheba whatever she asked for, besides all the customary gifts he had so generously given. Then she and all her attendants returned to their own land.

In vs. 1 we read that the Queen of Sheba came to ask Solomon some hard questions.

• Quick geography lesson so we know where she came from: the kingdom of Sheba was located in today’s Yemen (see map).
• So I think it’s safe to assume that if the Queen is willing to travel such a long distance, her questions must have been pressing … they were hard, but also meaningful to her.

 

• The text doesn’t tell us what they were, but Jewish tradition holds that the Queen of Sheba posed a number of riddles to test King Solomon and see if he really was wise and qualified to answer her life-questions:

 

• Two of these riddles:

What 2 women could say to their sons, “Your father is my father. Your grandfather is my husband. You are my son and I am your sister.”

• (hint: Genesis 19) The 2 daughters of Lot

 

 

I was dead, yet alive & praying in my moving grave. Who am I?

• (hint: think prophet) Jonah

 

Logic says that when Solomon correctly answered the Queen of Sheba’s hard questions/riddles … she then “talked with him about everything she had on her mind” (vs.2) … her life-questions.

• In a few minutes, I am going to give you an opportunity to play the role of the Queen of Sheba.
• As we peel back the layers of this story, I want you to be thinking about a question, a situation, or a relationship that you need wisdom in dealing with.
• This can be on a personal or a corporate/Jericho level.
• “I or we really need wisdom for (fill in the blank).”

 

• In fact, I invite you to pray this prayer (flip chart): “Holy Spirit, impress upon me this morning, a relationship or area in my life, for which I need your wisdom.”

 

As you process that, let’s go back to the queen of Sheba.

• So the Queen of Sheba meets with King Solomon, asks some riddles, is impressed with the wisdom that God gives him, so much so that they progress to talking about pressing life issues.
• Then they thank God, exchange gifts, and the queen heads goes home.

 

• What do you think she did when she returned to Sheba?
• I have to assume that she told people about the wisdom she received from God through Solomon.
• And if she was wise, she would have acted on what she received, and her life, the people around her, and her kingdom would have been significantly changed.

 

So the question this story presents is, “What happened between God, Solomon and the Queen?  Was that just something that happened way back then?  Or could/should that kind of exchange be happening in our context today?”

• Solomon’s wisdom (from God) was so attractive that world leaders paid great expenses to speak with him.

 

• Church, when’s the last time, someone came to you or us because our wisdom was so overwhelmingly attractive?

 

• As Christians at Jericho Ridge, “does our community, do our friends/family, want wisdom for life’s questions today?”

 

• And if they do, would God give wisdom through us or you to them, like he did with Solomon and the Queen of Sheba?

 

• My theology and interpretation of Scripture says, “Yes!”
• Our practice says, “I’m not so sure.”
• Is anyone else with me on this?

 

We have a wonderful story that most of us will read through the lens of “that was for them, not for us.”

• And the problem isn’t that we/others don’t want to access such wisdom that will bring about just and right living.
• The problem is that people out there and people in here are not convinced that it’s possible.
• There is a lack of belief in God and a lack of practice in the church to produce such wisdom.

 

• One of the reasons that people aren’t flocking to Jericho Ridge (or other churches) for wisdom, is because they don’t believe it and we don’t practice it in such a way as to show them that it’s possible!

 

• …the queen of Sheba was overwhelmed and amazed by Solomon’s practice of wisdom … it was even greater than the reports!

 

 

What we Believe Regarding Wisdom

 

Friends, this is our 6^th week of teaching on wisdom.

• Ron reminded me of a saying in the business world, “those who can, do … and those who can’t, teach.”
• When it comes to wisdom, do we believe we “can”?
• This is what we know about wisdom in 6 weeks: it’s a blueprint for living (wisdom changes lives).
• How does wisdom change lives? (hold up each of the blocks)
  • Past actions have future consequences

 

• God is the free source and generous provider of wisdom

 

• Wisdom is more than common sense, so seek God, trust God, love others

 

• Sacred space is everywhere God & people meet--also say that wisdom is available everywhere God & people meet

 

• Wisdom requires us to listen attentively, ask persistently, and living ethically

 

• Today’s building block is…

Practice Wisdom: ASK & ACT

 

 

What we Practice Regarding Wisdom

 

And this block is going to act as our guide.

• Whenever we are faced with a situation that requires Godly wisdom, the practice is two-fold: first vertical and then horizontal.
• Unpack ASK (engage God = talk, listen, confirm, thank) & ACT (engage others = speak, love, trust, follow up).

 

Earlier we prayed in faith … and now I expect that someone “has something on their mind.”

• Between my counselor/spiritual mentor and I, we like to call this the “scary good” part of life…

 

• Friends, do we have a need, a reason to practice wisdom this morning?
• I am asking who would speak out in faith … tell us something that is on your mind for which you need wisdom.
• This could be a personal issue or a Jericho issue.
• I will come to you so you can share quietly with me, and I can relay or you can speak…

 

Thank you for sharing that … let’s start with common sense…

• Now, Jericho, can we collectively practice wisdom?
• We have time right now, right here, to ASK & ACT!
• This is available for anyone (not just elders or pastors) …
• Acts 15:28, “For it seemed good to the HS and to us…”

 

Close with prayer of thanks, or Megan/worship team close with song?