Articles
The Compass of Faith: A Father's Final Direction
Good morning.
If you'd like to be turning to First Chronicles 28, we'll be reading from there in just a few moments.
Before we do, we'd like to welcome everyone here, especially those who may be visiting with us today.
We're so glad you've come to worship with us and every opportunity you have, we hope you'll come back and be with us.
A lot of our young people are excited because they're headed off to camp afternoon. And know Sean and Diane are eagerly awaiting the arrival of everyone there.
So I know y'all will have a wonderful and encouraging week there, and so we wish you the best for that..
Imagine a father giving his son a compass, maybe before he sets out on a long journey.
The terrain is unknown.
The path is going to be difficult.
There are many opportunities to get lost.
But the father doesn't just give his son encouragement.
He places a compass in his hand.
And he says to his son, this will always point you in the right direction.
Even when you're unsure where you are, this will guide you home, if you trust it, and if you follow it.
David was a man after God's own heart, yet his life was filled with problems, especially in his own household.
Absalom tried to overthrow and kill him.
Abnon and raped his sister, Tamar, and then killed Absalom killed Abnon.
David faced constant heartbreak and difficulty with his children.
But near the end of his life, David speaks to his son Solomon in 1 Chronicles 28, as we'll read in just a moment.
Solomon was about to become king and began began the monumental task of building the temple.
And David shares words of wisdom with him.
Lessons learned through a life by David of victory and failures, a life of repentance and restoration .
David had learned a lot through his life, and he wanted to pass on kind of that legacy of faith, if you will, to his son, Solomon.
And he wanted to impart these lessons to his son, as David was ending nearing the end of his life and giving this advice or this charge to Solomon and the duties and the role that he would play as leader and as king.
David's words he left for Solomon would be that compass for him.
It would be the thing that would direct him in the right way.
Directing him in the way that he would go as he would be king and as he would build that temple.
And these words for David, as a father giving to his son Solomon, were important for Solomon, but I believe they're important words for us to listen to and take heed to today.
Butain, reading with me in verse 1, the 1 Chronicles chapter 288.
Now David assembled at Jerusalem.
All the leaders of Israel, the officers of the tribes and the captains of the divisions who served the king.
The captains over thousands and captains over hundreds and the stewards over all the substances and possessions of the king of his sons with the officials, the valiant men, all the mighty men of vali.
Basically, David got everybody together.
He assembled everyone.
At verse 2, it says, he rose to his feet and said, hear me, my brethren, and my people.
I had it in my heart to build a house , a house of the rest for the ark of the covenant for the Lord, and for a footstool of our God and had made preparations to build it.
But God said to me, you shall not build a house for my name, because you have been a man of war and have shed blood.
However, the Lord God of Israel chose me about all his house and my father to be king of Israel forever, for he has chosen Judah to be the ruler, and of the house of Judah, the house of my father, and among the sons of my father, he was pleased with me to make me king over Israel.
And of all my sons, the Lord has given me many sons.
He has chosen my son Solom to sit on the throne of the kingdom of the Lord of Isra.
Now he said to me, it is your son Solom, who shall build my house and my courts, for I have chosen him to be my son , and I will be his father.
Moreover, I will establish his kingdom forever.
If his st steadfast to observe my commandment and my judgment as it is this day.
Now, therefore, in the sight of all Israel, the assembly of the Lord, and in the hearing of the Lord, be careful to seek out all the commandments of the Lord your God, , that you may possess the good, and leave it as an inheritance for your children forever.
Up to this point, David was speaking to everyone.
And he was telling them about the importance of following God and following his commandments, doing what God had told them to do.
But in verse 9, he changes his focus to talking to everyone, to talking to his son, to giving him this direction, this charge , this compass to follow, and the words that he stated to Solomon.
Verse 9, As for you, my son Solomon, know the God of your father.
Serve him with a loyal heart and with a willing mind . For the Lord searches all hearts and understands all the intent of the thoughts.
If you seek him, he will be found by you.
But if you forsake him, he will count. Cast you off forever.
Consider now for the Lord, has chosen you to build a house for the sanctuary.
Be strong and do it.
David had gathered all the people together to deliver this message, and he speaks to everyone.
He turns his attention to Solomon.
And it would be his son, Solomon, who would be responsible for the building of this temple, who would become king and the leader of the people.
And he gives the people a warning in verse that they should be careful to seek out the commandments of God .
But speaking specifically to Solomon in verse 9 and 10, He tells him to know God to serve him.
He tells Solomon to seek him and don't forsake him, to be strong and obey God.
And David's instructions to his son were concerning his duty to God.
David, as king, was speaking to Solomon, who would become king, but it wasn't a message about, okay, so this is what you need to do.
And from a military standpoint, to overcome your enemies.
And these are some tactics for that.
This is what's important to you, Solomon, to know before I die.
It wasn't any political message or anything like that that he thought Solomon would need as being king and leader of the people.
The message that David passes to his son is one of a spiritual duty to God.
And his motivation to do what God tells him to do, and reminding him finally of the promise of fulfilling what God wants wanted him to do.
This morning, let's take a closer look at this message of a father to his son, a message that David thought was of importance to Solomon.
Because not only is this important for David as a father to pass to his son, I believe this is, as I said before, a message for us all to consider .
First of all, he tells him to know God.
From verse Chronicles 28 and verse 9, as we read, As's for you, my son, Solomon, know the God, your father.
In Jeremiah, the ninth chapter, and verse 23, we're told to not boast in wisdom, not boast or glory and strength or enriches, all those things we shouldn't be boasting in or glory in .
Those aren't really what's important.
When you think about what people do, brag about and glory in and think a lot about themselves, it's in those things.
It's in their strength, in their wisdom or their knowledge , riches, worldly things.
Notice what it says in Jeremiah.
It says thus says, the Lord, let not the wise man glory in his wisdom.
Let not the mighty man glory in his , let the rich man glory in his riches, but let him who glories glory in this that he understands and knows me, that I am the Lord, exercising loving kindness, judgment, and righteousness in the earth where in these delight , says the Lord.
Most important thing is not any kind of worldly knowledge, It's not in being mighty or strong.
It's not in having riches.
The most important thing is knowing God.
Knowing God, too, is more than just an intellectual exercise.
It's more than just believing that God is there.
Although, as we see, God has revealed himself to us.
But we see that God, knowing God in this sense is having a true relationship with him.
And Jose of the IV chapter, we see God's displeasure when his people did did not know him.
When they had forgotten about him .
And his displeasure with them in J chapter 4, verse 1, it says, here the word of the Lord, you children of Israel, for the Lord brings a charge against the inhabitants of the land.
There is no truth or mercy or knowledge of God God in the land .
They had forgotten about God.
And the result of that, if you look on down in verse 6, he says, my people are destroyed for lack of knowledge.
He says, goes on to say, because you have rejected knowledge, I will reject you from being priest from me.
Because you have forgotten the law, your God, I will also forget your children.
God says, you don't have the relationship with me that you need.
You haven't been relying on me.
You haven't been obeying me.
You haven't been serving me in the way that you should.
It wasn't that they had forgotten that God existed, but yet God says, you don't know me.
They had failed to consider God in their lives.
They did not have that relationship relationship with him.
And he says that he would forget them since they had forgotten him, not knowing God is not ever God God's fault.
In the days of Hosea, we see it was the people who rejected God.
In Romans chapter 1, as we come to the New Testament, we see this message for us today in the New Testament times as well.
And verse 18, it says, the wrath of God is revealed from the heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, because what may be known of God is manifest in them and for God shown it to them.
For since the creation of the world, his invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made.
Even his eternal p were in Godhead, so they are without excuse. , because although they knew God, they did not glorify as God, nor were they thankful, but became futile in their own thoughts.
Their foolish hearts wereeding to be wise, they became fools and changing the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like corruptible man and birds and four footed animals and creeping things.
And then if you go on down to verse 28, he says, even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a debased mind. To do the things which are not fitting.
Knew him?
Well, they didn't, really.
They did not glorify Him.
They were not thankful.
They believed in God, but because the way God because the way they lived , they proved to not truly know God.
It was not a life of faithfulness to him.
It was not a life of obedience to the commandments of God.
They didn't know him in a sense of having the right relationship with him.
Vse 22, it says they profess to be wise, but they became fools.
And verse 28, after listing these acts of immorality that were a result of not knowing God, it says that they didn't retain God in their knowledge.
And as a result, God gave them over to a debased mind.
It's not God's fault, but we can get to the point where we do not truly know God.
David understood that Solomon needed to have a relationship with God, to follow his commandandments, to follow the direction of the Lord.
If we don't think about God, if we don't consider him, when we make decisions and choices in our lives, we aren't faithful to God.
Yeah, we may know that God exists, we may acknowledge that, but we don't truly know Him.
As in the days of Hosea, God says, my people are destroyed for lack of knowledge.
God's made himself known.
We can know him.
We know that he exists. In Psalm 19, in verse 3 verses there.
It says, the heavens declare the glory of God.
And the firmment shows his handiwork.
Days unto today, utter speech, and night of the night reveals knowledge .
There's no speech or language where there's voice is not heard.
We know that God exists.
It's evident all around us.
But again, this knowledge of God goes beyond just knowing that existence of him.
In Hebrews chapter 1 in the first two verses there, we see that God has spoken to us in various ways, it says, and times, spoke by the prophets.
And he says, in these last days now, he has spoken by his Son .
As we see that God has given us not only the knowledge and revealed Him himself that he exists, but God gives us His will.
God has spoken to us about what he wants us to do, about his commandments, about how he wants us to live our life life, about how to have that relationship with him, and how to know Him .
God has revealed that to us.
You look to the Old Testament, we see through the prophets and then coming to the new Testament, even through the apostles and the inspired Word, the apostles spoke, and through Jesus himself and the words that he spoken has given us, and what Jesus has done for us, God has revealed Himself to us and His will for us.
And if we are going to know the Lord, it goes beyond just believing here He exists, but listening to His word that has been revealed to us.
David's encouragement to his Son was to know God.
The importance of he understood the importance of knowing God at his will, understanding God's will for Solomon in particular in building the temple and doing it the way that God instructed him to do and not varying from the plan that God would give Solomon and how to build that temple.
The message for for us is to know God, to listen to him, to obey him, not to go away from the plan that God has given us in the New Testament.
The words of David to Solomon are words of instruction to us as well, to have a knowledge of God in His will for us.
David's charge to Solomon was simple, know God, seek His will.
Listen to him and obey him.
As we go back to the message of David to Solomomon, he also tells Solomon to serve God.
And he tells him to serve God with two things, with a loyal heart and with a willing mind.
The NIV, I like to look at different translations to verses, and just see how it's worded.
And the NIV words this in a way I really liked.
Instead of saying they're a loyal heart, it says, with wholehearted devotion , wholehearted devotion.
Put God first.
Make God, not a priority in your life, but the priority in your life.
That's the idea of wholehearted devotion, wholehearted service .
It means loving God with all your heart.
Remember in Matthew 22, when Jesus was asked the question, what is the greatest commandment?
And Jesus says, the greatest commandment is, you shall love the Lord, your God, with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, this is the first and great commandment.
Notice Jesus doesn't just say, love God and leave it at that.
He says, love your God, the Lord, your God, with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, with everything you have, you love God, wholehearted devotion to God.
Priority in your life.
That's what wholehearted service means.
It means denying ourself and seeking God and putting him first in what he wants for us in our life.
David wanted Solomon to not be distracted by maybe the idols in the land or immorality that was going on around him , worldliness, but he wanted him to focus on God.
Put him first.
And what was so important in that message that David gave to Solomon is an important as much for us today, Serve God.
Put him first in our life.
Give him the number number one priority in all that we do.
He also talks about a willing heart.
Serve God with a willing heart , not reluctuctantly when we serve God, but serve him cheerfully in our giving.
It's not because we have to, but it's because we want to .
And 2nd Corinthians 8 and verse 12, Paul says, for, if there is first a willing mind, it is accepted according to what one has and not according to what he does not have.
Our giving starts with a willing mind.
And it's not as much as what you give, how much you give, as long as you're giving according to your ability .
But it's having that attitude a willing attitude in our giving.
In the next chapter, he goes on in chapter 9, and verse 7, to speak more about the giving and saying, let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity, for God loves a cheerful, giver.
And we look at these verses, and we often, our first thing goes to mind of money , and giving on the first day of the week, certainly it applies.
But this is a greater principle, I believe, than just our giving on the first day of the week.
It's a principle also of our time, our talents, our efforts.
Are we giving the best to God?
Are we making the most of that?
Is that the priority?
And then are we giving of those things, our time and our talents and our efforts, are we giving those willingly and cheerfully and not begrudgingly ?
I think about Malachi and we won't take the time to go back and read all that.
You're probably familiar with what Malachi is about.
But we see in those days, they were not giving the best to the Lord.
They were offering the blind and the lame and the sick.
That's what they were giving to God.
They weren't giving the best that they had.
And God was not pleased with their worship because of that.
We have to serve and worship willingly, motivated by the love that we have for the Lord.
So David wanted Solomon to remember to serve God willingly and be loyal to him, giving him the first priority in his life.
So we go back again to the message that Solomon gives that David gives to Solomon, rather.
We see that he tells him and reminds him that God searches hearts.
And verse 9, again, the Lord searches all hearts and understands every intent and thought.
God knows all.
He knows what we do.
He knows what we think.
He knows why we do the things that we do, and he knows why we think the things that we think.
He knows what motivates us in our actions.
And going back to that previous point, when we are giving, God knows if we're giving cheerfully or if we're giving begrudgingly.
God knows our attitude behind everything we do.
He doesn't just see what we do, but he knows why we do it and what motivates us in doing it.
God knows everything.
In Psalm 139, It says, oh Lord, you have searched me and known me.
You know my sitting down and I rising up.
You understand my thought afar off.
You comprehend my path in my lying down.
You are acquainted with all my ways.
For there is not a word on my tongue, but behold, a Lord, you know it all together.
And if you go on down to verse 23, he says, search me, oh God, and know my heart.
God knows our hearts.
God searches our hearts.
And it's a great reminder that David is giving Solomon here and the duty that He had in front of him.
But what a great reminder it is for us to understand this about God.
Solomon listened to the words of David because later he echoes that himself in 1 Kings chapter 8 and verse 39, where he says, then hear in heaven, you dwelling place, and forgive the act and give to everyone according to all his ways, whose heart you know, for you alone know the hearts of all the sons of men.
And I'm also reminded in Hebrews chapter 4, and verse 12, where it says the wordord of God is living and powerful and sharper than any two-edged sword.
I think I'm behind on my slides.
There we go.
Piercing even to the division and soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow and the discern of the thoughts and intents of the heart .
And there is no creature hidden from his sight, but all things are naked and open to the eyes of him to whom we must give account.
We can't hide from God.
We can't run from him.
He knows us.
He knows the outward things we do, but he knows the inside as well.
He knows our minds and our hearts.
He knows our thoughts .
We can't escape from God.
Finally, Revelation 3, in verse 23, tells us that God searches hearts and minds.
It says, I will kill her children with death, and all the churches shall know that I am he who searches the minds and hearts, and I will give to each one of you according to your works.
You see, motivation matters to God.
We have to serve Him sincerely, not like the Pharisees we read of over in Matthew 6, who are doing these outward acts to be seen by men.
Lord says, well, if that's what you want, if that's your motivation, it's just to be seen and praised by men, then that's the reward you will get.
Don't expect anything else.
That's your reward.
That shouldn't be what motivates us, is to be seen by men.
It's a message also that is about while we need to know God.
It's a reminder that God knows us.
He knows all about us.
God knows everything about our heart.
As David gives this message to Solomon, he wanted him to be motivated by understanding that God knew his heart and that should motivate us today in our service to God.
We go back again to the message, though, that David gives Solomon is he talks about the promise.
He tells him if you seek him, he will be found by you, but if you forsake him, he will cast you off forever.
It's this two-sided corn of a promise.
That's very similar to the promise that we have from God today as well.
The positive side, if you seek Him, he will be found.
That's a New Testament principle that Jesus himself talks about in Matthew 7, and verse 7, He says, ask and it will be given to you.
Seeking you will find. Knocking it will be open.
For everyone who asks, receives, if he seeks, finds at him who knocks it will be opened.
If we seek, we will find .
In James 4 4 verse 8, James says, Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you.
That's the promise.
But in each of these cases, notice we have to make an effort.
We have to ask, we have to seek, we have to knock .
We have to draw near.
We have to make the effort to have, again, that relationship with God, to seek after him.
God is waiting for us to draw near to him and and we must make the effort to find Him.
I'm reminded of the prodigal sign.
And the Father who was standing there waiting for His Son to come to him.
That's the picture of God, Our Father, waiting for us to draw near to Him to seek Him, to come to Him.
That's the promise.
If we do that, God is there.
God will draw near to us.
God will listen and be there for us.
Now, the other side of that is if you forsake him, you will be cast off forever.
In John 15, again, this is a New Testament principle of what David told Solomon.
Jesus says, I am the true vine, and my father is the vine dresser.
Every branch in me that does not bear fruit, he takes away.
And every branch that bears fruit, he prunes that it may bear more fruit.
If you go down to verse 6, it says, if anyone does not abide in me, he is cast out as a branch and it's withered, and they gather them and they throw them in fire and they are burned.
Really the same principle that David was talking about to Solomon.
How sad is it to go through life and face eternity without God?
The other side of the promise is that God will cut us off and that we will face eternity without him.
But on the positive side, how great is it that we go through life with God and spend eternity with him?
Isaiah 41, fear not that I am with you.
Be not dismayed, for I am your God, I will strengthen you.
Yes, I will help you, I willhold you with my righteous right hand.
How great is that?
Going through life with God and knowing we have hope of eternity with him.
Finally, going back to the message of David to Solomon, he tells it to be strong and courageous .
And verse 10, he says, simply be strong and do it.
Obey.
Do what God has for you to do.
That's his final charge.
Be strong and act.
Be active .
In our service to God, we can rest assured when we are strong and have courage and continually serve Him faithfully, he will stay with us.
He won't forsake us.
He will give us the strength to do our work in this life, and that promise, as we said, of having an eternity with him is what awaits us.
But if we want the promises spoken by David, that we must also accept the duty that is also spoken.
He says, do it.
Do what God has commanded you to do.
Obedience to God's will.
Trust in the presence of God in his promises.
Live faithfully to him and have courage, knowing that God is on your side .
And if we want God's presence and blessings, then we have to also accept the responsibility to serve Him faithfully.
This was the message that David wanted Solomon to have.
As David the Father was ending his life, he wanted to pass this legacy of faith and advice on to his son, a message to know God and have a relationship with him and serve him, to be loyal to him, to give cheerfully, to a reminder that God will know what is motivating him, not just outward actions, but inward as well , and reminders of the promise of following the will of God.
And finally the charge to be strong strong and to do it, to obey God.
The same message, I believe, is to us today, because you see as David, a Father, gave this to his Son, this is also a message from our heavenly Father to us, his children.
This is what God wants of us as well.
The compass represents God's word and God's way.
The unchanging truth that keeps us oriented in a world full of changes and confusions, distractions, temptations, 1 Kings 2, and verse 3, David says, keep the charge of the Lord, your God, walking in his ways that you may prosper in all that you do.
David is handing Solomon a spiritual compass, and he is telling him, if you lose your direction, when you fail uncertainty, or you face danger, don't follow your feelings, don't follow the crowd, follow the compass of God's word.
You know, a compass is simple, but it's reliable.
That's what God's word is for us.
It requires us to trust.
You have to believe that it's pointing in the right way, maybe even when your instincts make you think otherwise.
It doesn't always tell you where you are, but it will always tell you which way is right.
And in the same way, following God's ways, it doesn't always explain every step of the journey that we take. But it always points toward the life of righteousness and the way that is best for us to go.
David didn't leave Solomon with a map with every decision that he would face, but he gave him something better.
He gave him this compass.
The compass was a charge to walk in the ways of the Lord.
You and I may not have all the answers, but if we hold fast to the word of God and we walk in His ways, we're never going to truly be lost.
David's words of the Father to his Son are, as I said, the also the words of the heavenly Father to us, his children.
No God, be strong.
Obey him .
Follow His direction, and we too have a great promise from God.
Do you know him?
Do you know God?
Do you have the right relationship with him?
Are you serving him with a loyal and willing heart?
There's any here this morning who need to make any changes in your life and we can help you and encourage you.
We invite you to come while we stand and sing.
