318 "It was a true report that I heard" 319 "The turn of events was from the Lord"

Sermon adapted from, Discovering Christ Day by Day, David Fortner

1. “It was a true report that I heard.” Sermon adapted from, Discovering Christ Day by Day, David Fortner April 15 Today’s Reading: 1 Kings 9-10

2. 1 Kings 10:6 NIV She said to the king, "The report I heard in my own country about your achievements and your wisdom is true.

3. If the queen of Sheba was so astonished in the view she had of Solomon’s wisdom and riches, how much more we ought to be unceasingly astonished in the contemplation of our dear Savior, in whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge!

4. When first you heard of the Lord Jesus, when first you were constrained by the irresistible, effectual call of His Spirit to come to Him for mercy, how little you knew, either of yourself or of Him. You knew you were but a poor blind ignorant sinner. You knew He was God your Savior. And this is wonderful, wonderful beyond the expression of words! Then…

5. The Lord Jesus told you all that was in your heart. He made your spirit, like this queen of Sheba’s before Solomon, to faint within you, when He showed the depth and hideousness of your sin and the great fulness of His salvation. His Revelation

6. Since that day, with every fresh discovery of your emptiness and His fulness, of your sinfulness and His holiness, of your debt and His forgiveness, of your filth and His cleansing, you are constrained to say of Christ what this woman said of Solomon.

7. 1 Kings 10:6 NIV She said to the king, "The report I heard in my own country about your achievements and your wisdom is true. 7 But I did not believe these things until I came and saw with my own eyes. Indeed, not even half was told me; in wisdom and wealth you have far exceeded the report I heard.

8. Matthew 12:42 NIV The Queen of the South will rise at the judgment with this generation and condemn it; for she came from the ends of the earth to listen to Solomon's wisdom, and now something greater than Solomon is here. His Love

9. Though we heard of Christ’s love, mercy, grace, and glory, it was not until we came to Him ourselves, it was not until we trusted Him for ourselves that we saw and experienced in Him the wisdom and power and glory of God.

10. Job 42:1 NIV Then Job replied to the LORD: 2 "I know that you can do all things; no purpose of yours can be thwarted. 3 You asked, 'Who is this that obscures my plans without knowledge?' Surely I spoke of things I did not understand, things too wonderful for me to know. 4 "You said, 'Listen now, and I will speak; I will question you, and you shall answer me.' 5 My ears had heard of you but now my eyes have seen you. 6 Therefore I despise myself and repent in dust and ashes."

11. Isaiah 6:1 NIV In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord, high and exalted, seated on a throne; and the train of his robe filled the temple. 2 Above him were seraphim, each with six wings: With two wings they covered their faces, with two they covered their feet, and with two they were flying. 3 And they were calling to one another: "Holy, holy, holy is the LORD Almighty; the whole earth is full of his glory." 4 At the sound of their voices the doorposts and thresholds shook and the temple was filled with smoke.

12. John 1:1 NIV In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was with God in the beginning. 3 Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. 4 In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind.

13. We stand amazed (Is it not so?) in the presence of our all-glorious Lord and Savior, realizing it is impossible to put into words the riches of His grace and glory.

14. 2 Corinthians 12:2 NIV I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago was caught up to the third heaven. Whether it was in the body or out of the body I do not know—God knows. 3 And I know that this man—whether in the body or apart from the body I do not know, but God knows— 4 was caught up to paradise and heard inexpressible things, things that no one is permitted to tell.

15. Truly, all who belong to Christ are blessed! O Blessed Son of God, 1 Kings 10:8 NIV How happy your people must be! How happy your officials, who continually stand before you and hear your wisdom! Then the queen of Sheba blessed the Lord God who delighted in Solomon, who put him on the throne of Israel to exercise judgment and mercy. His Bounty

16. Matthew 12:42 NIV The Queen of the South will rise at the judgment with this generation and condemn it; for she came from the ends of the earth to listen to Solomon's wisdom, and now something greater than Solomon is here. His Glory

17. John 3:35 NIV The Father loves the Son and has placed everything in his hands. Matthew 3:17 NIV And a voice from heaven said, "This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.” Colossians 1:18 NIV And he is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy.

18. The Father made Christ the Guarantor, Prophet, Priest, and King of His Israel because He loved us in Christ with an everlasting love. Christ came to the earth to honor God’s law, satisfy God’s justice, to do judgment and justice in the earth that God may be just and the Justifier of all who believe on Him.

19. Romans 3:25 NIV God presented Christ as a sacrifice of atonement, through the shedding of his blood—to be received by faith. He did this to demonstrate his righteousness, because in his forbearance he had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished— 26 he did it to demonstrate his righteousness at the present time, so as to be just and the one who justifies those who have faith in Jesus.

20. 1 Kings 10:13 NIV King Solomon gave the queen of Sheba all she desired and asked for, besides what he had given her out of his royal bounty. Then she left and returned with her retinue to her own country. “ something greater than Solomon is here .” Our great King, the Lord Jesus Christ, receives every sinner who comes to Him for grace. He gives us, not of His royal bounty, but all His royal bounty.

21. I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one. John 17:22 NIV He gives us all that our souls desire! Forgiveness! Righteousness! Grace! Eternal Life!

22. “The turn of events was from the Lord.” Sermon adapted from, Discovering Christ Day by Day, David Fortner April 16 Today’s Reading: 1 Kings 11-12

23. 1 Kings 12:15 NIV So the king did not listen to the people, for this turn of events was from the LORD, to fulfill the word the LORD had spoken to Jeroboam son of Nebat through Ahijah the Shilonite.

24. What a light this one statement throws upon the things we have read today! “ for this turn of events was from the Lord .” Solomon was a truly great man. After reading 1 Kings 11 , we must not forget what God the Holy Spirit told us of this man’s God-given wisdom.

25. Let us not forget his building of the temple at Jerusalem and his exemplary prayer at its dedication. Let us not forget the wonderful revelation of the most intimate spiritual things given to us in the Song of Solomon , the wisdom of his gospel doctrine in Proverbs , or the majesty of his instructions as the preacher in Ecclesiastes .

26. Yet, here he is, brought down in his old age by the gratification of his most base lust into something even more base — idolatry. What a sad display of human depravity closed this great man’s life. Still, even in this, we who know God know that He makes even the wrath of man to praise Him and “ God works all things together for good ” of His elect.

27. Psalms 76:10 NIV Surely your wrath against mankind brings you praise, and the survivors of your wrath are restrained. Romans 8:28 NIV And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.

28. 1 Corinthians 10:12 NIV So, if you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don't fall! By nature, all men are the same. All are equally prone to evil. But for the blessed influences of God’s preventing and restraining grace, we would all do the very things we are shocked to read of Solomon doing. May God the Holy Spirit, by a deep sense and conviction of this fact, ever cause us to cling to Christ and keep us from such presumptuous sin! Be Careful

29. As all have sinned and come short of His glory; so nothing but the precious blood of Christ and His perfect righteousness can be our refuge and our salvation. It is Christ and Christ alone who has made reconciliation for iniquity and brought in an everlasting righteousness by His finished work of redemption. It is only by the merit of His blood and the riches of His grace that we are accepted of God in Him, and only by the sweet, effectual, irresistible influence of His Spirit we can avoid evil deeds.

30. When we are told King Rehoboam hearkened to the counsel of fools and despised the wise counsel of wise men, a thing obviously incredible, we are told, “ for this turn of events was from the LORD .” By Rehoboam’s folly, our all-wise God was bringing about the sacred purposes of His holy will. God’s Dominion

31. What a great blessing it is to see God’s hand in all things. Let us ever remember, Our God is in heaven; he does whatever pleases him. Psalms 115:3 NIV

32. Spirit of God, write these words upon our hearts. Remind us of this fact when public troubles arise, when war breaks out, when pestilence comes; and graciously remind us our God rules in heaven, earth, and hell when personal woes fall upon us.

33. When the gracious, wise, and good providential appointments of our God cause us pain, God of all grace, make this our soul’s comfort, “ for this turn of events was from the LORD !” Thus “ the man after God’s own heart ” was cursed by Shimei, while he was fleeing from his own son! Yet, David found solace and strength here.

34. 2 Samuel 16:12 NIV It may be that the LORD will look upon my misery and restore to me his covenant blessing instead of his curse today." May God teach us, day by day, to trust Him in all circumstances. He has said, For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Jeremiah 29:11 NIV

35. HAVE YOU HEARD THE GOOD NEWS?

36. Jesus died on the cross for our sins.

37. He was buried and rose on the third day.

38. When He did this He solved 2 problems we all have. He solved our sin problem because He nailed our sins to the cross; & He solved our grave problem when He rose from the dead because it proved we could also rise from the dead.

39. Jesus said, if we want to get in on of all this we must . . . BE BORN AGAIN. FOLLOW HIM; &

40. ISN’T THAT GREAT NEWS? WHO ARE YOU GOING TO SHARE THE GOOD NEWS WITH TODAY?

41. Mark 16:15 NIV  He said to them, "Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation. 16 Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned. Numbers 6:24 NIV '"The LORD bless you and keep you; 25 the LORD make his face shine on you and be gracious to you; 26 the LORD turn his face toward you and give you peace.“’