The Life of Solomon, 1 Kings

Whether it’s sports, financial planning, or the Christian life – we’ve all heard the admonition, “It’s not how you start, it’s how you finish.” Everyone likes the idea of finishing well, think it is the right priority. As Christians, we know we started in our new life as babes – weak and ignorant. The years go by and we grow stronger – we pray – maturing in Christ and sanctified by His Spirit. We will finish well – if we are His. Not without defeat, discouragement, and marked by sin – yet He will preserve us so we will persevere! As we look at the life of Solomon, we see a man who started strong, yet finished with one the saddest commentaries on life ever written. Here’s a brief overview from 1 Kings, contrasting the favor of God and the judgment of God on Solomon. 

What is the Lord's Supper?

What is the Lord’s Supper?

The most detailed description of The Lord's Supper is in 1 Corinthians 11. In verses 17 - 22, Paul rebukes the congregation for selfish behavior as they enjoy the dinner, which is referred to as “the Lord’s Supper.”

Now in giving the following instruction I do not praise you, since you come together not for the better but for the worse. For to begin with, I hear that when you come together as a church there are divisions among you, and in part I believe it. There must, indeed, be factions among you, so that those who are approved may be recognized among you. Therefore, when you come together, it is not really to eat the Lord’s Supper. For at the meal, each one eats his own supper ahead of others. So one person is hungry while another gets drunk! Don’t you have houses to eat and drink in? Or do you look down on the church of God and embarrass those who have nothing? What should I say to you? Should I praise you? I do not praise you for this!

In verses 23 - 27, he describes the meaning of the supper.

For I received from the Lord what I also passed on to you: On the night when He was betrayed, the Lord Jesus took bread, gave thanks, broke it, and said, “This is My body, which is for you. Do this in remembrance of Me.” In the same way, after supper He also took the cup and said, “This cup is the new covenant established by My blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me.” For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until He comes. Therefore, whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy way will be guilty of sin against the body and blood of the Lord.

Note: in verses 17 - 22, it's obvious the saints were taking part in a meal, likely the main meal of the day. The "breaking of bread" was more than breaking actual bread, although it included that. As Acts 2:46 reveals, it was a phrase that referred to a meal: "Day by day continuing with one mind in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they were taking their meals together with gladness and sincerity of heart." The meal commemorating the death and return of the Lord would be cause for the children of God to have sincere gladness in their hearts.

Then, in verse 25, Paul notes that "after supper" Christ took the cup. After supper, the Lord’s Supper - the main meal of the day which included breaking of bread.

Peter described (2 Pet. 2:12-13) false brothers, wicked people, who feasted with the saints - they took the supper in an unworthy manner, as Paul said. Jude made the same comment, noting these wicked people partook of the love feasts of the saints (verse 12-13).

The modern practice of a piece of unleavened bread and a shot glass of juice or wine began in the 4th century when Constantine gave permission for Christians to gather and gave them large buildings (pagan temples and bath houses) to meet in. Large crowds made actual meals difficult and several councils (Council of Laodicea (363–364 AD), Council of Hippo (393 AD) & Council of Carthage (397 AD), and Council of Trullo (692 AD)) forbade bringing food inside the "church buildings". How could sincere gladness of heart come from a rigidly ritualistic eating a crumb of bread and a very small amount of cheap wine? Later, in the papist religion, the wine would be withheld from the common folk.

If Christians are to be people of the Book, we should be about ordering our meetings according to the Book, and not according to traditions of men that we have been taught.

The practice was not abolished overnight but was suppressed through a series of regional church councils:

• Council of Laodicea (363–364 AD): This council issued Canon 28, which explicitly forbade eating or setting up couches for dining inside church buildings. This forced the agape meal outside the main place of worship.
• Canon 28. It is not permitted to hold love feasts, as they are called, in the Lord's Houses, or Churches, nor to eat and to spread couches in the house of God.

• Council of Hippo (393 AD) & Council of Carthage (397 AD): Led heavily by North African bishops like Saint Augustine, these councils banned the clergy from participating in these feasts and strictly prohibited the general public from holding them inside churches, unless no other space was available.
• Canon XLII. THAT no bishops or clerics are to hold feasts in churches, unless perchance they are forced thereto by the necessity of hospitality as they pass by. The people, too, as far as possible, are to be prohibited from attending such feasts.

• Council of Trullo (692 AD): This major eastern council issued Canon 74, reinforcing the strict penalties—including excommunication—for anyone who attempted to host a love feast inside a church sanctuary. This effectively delivered the final blow to the tradition in the East.
• Canon 74. It is not permitted to hold what are called Agapæ, that is love-feasts, in the Lord's houses or churches, nor to eat within the house, nor to spread couches. If any dare to do so let him cease therefrom or be cut off.

Each of these councils are held dear by the papist religion. They show themselves to be men of high position (who) exercised power over them. It must not be like that among you who claim Christ (Matt. 20:25-27). Let us gently work to return to the Biblical model of the Lord’s Supper, sharing our lives and what God has blessed us with, so with sincerity and gladness of heart, we will remember the Son of God and all He has done for us. 

Proverbs 10:17-32; The Righteous will not be Removed.

The kingdom Christ has prepared for us cannot be shaken, He is our rock and refuge and ever-present help in every circumstance. We have come, present tense, to Mount Zion and the city of the living God! Because our Lord and His kingdom are secure, we are secure.

As Paul observed: we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us. We are hard-pressed on every side, yet not crushed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed— always carrying about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body (2 Cor. 4:7-10). We may be hard-pressed, perplexed, persecuted, and struck down; we cannot be removed from the hand of God that holds us securely in the eternal Kingdom that cannot be shaken. You must have Christ! 

Proverbs 8:22-36; Wisdom Leads to Christ!

A proper hermeneutic will lead us to a correct understanding of Scripture.

Kingdom and Law: Theonomy in the Scales of Scripture

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Kingdom and Law

Proverbs 7 - Listen and Live!

The point of this chapter is to exhort all people to listen to the Lord and live. Gill: Listen, “not the commandments of the law only, but the commandments of Christ; and even the doctrines of Christ are so called, as faith in him, and love to the saints, (1 John 3:23; John 14:21,23); which is the way to live comfortably, peaceably, pleasantly, and honourably.” In this context, as in many places in Scripture, listening is more than hearing; it conveys the idea of obedience; that is the goal. Solomon’s warning is that the harlot offers pleasure but delivers death. 

Proverbs 6:1-19; Warnings From Heaven

There is wisdom from God for everyone – redeemed or not. Bridges: “So graciously has our God made his book, not only our guide to heaven, but the directory of our common life.” Those who know not the redeeming love of God will find their lives better if they heed the wisdom presented in Proverbs and the rest of the Bible. That will not save their souls, but it will make this life better and it may make them wise unto salvation by faith in the Lord Jesus. For us who are children of God, our desire should be to walk as children of the light – according to the wisdom revealed to us in Proverbs and the rest of the Bible. This won’t reduce time in Purgatory – that being a fictional place – but it be pleasing to our Father. And what child doesn’t want to please his Father? 

Proverbs 4:1-13, The Way of Life

Mere academic studies with no eternal focus will wear a person out. The sum of man’s duty is to fear God and keep His commandments. Are we teaching this to ourselves and to our children? We need wisdom from God to do this. Are we asking Him for this? He delights in giving wisdom to His children. Let’s seek to delight our Father and humbly ask Him for wisdom, day-by-day.

Take firm hold of instruction, do not let go; Keep her, for she is your life. Wisdom from God is the way of life. Seek out the Lord of wisdom, embrace Him, exalt Him. This is the way – walk in it.

Proverbs 3:1-12; Before God and Man.

In this passage, we see there is a horizontal as well as a vertical aspect of how we live. Coram Deo is a Latin phrase that means to live one’s life before God, aware that nothing is hidden from Him, for the glory of His name; this is the vertical aspect. 1 Corinthians 10:31 is the classic passage on this: whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God. We are told in many places that all who name Christ as Lord are to also to live honorably before men; this is the horizontal aspect. In Matthew 5:16, Jesus commands us, Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven. In 1 Peter 2:12, we are told to have our conduct honorable among the Gentiles, that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may, by your good works which they observe, glorify God in the day of visitation. By living for the glory of God, some people will come to glorify Him. This is our aim, whether we see the results of our obedience or not.

The Gospel in Hebrews

Latest publication: The Gospel in Hebrews - a Christ-focused walk through Scripture. Available in paperback, Kindle, and Audible formats.

Proverbs 2:1-9; God's Wisdom for the Humble

In some ways, this short passage sums up the bulk of chapter 1 – counsel to a beloved son about the value of wisdom. A big difference is the change in tone. In chapter 1, Wisdom mainly addressed stiff-necked fools, with much warning and rebuke. Here, Wisdom addresses the humble, who desire to know what Wisdom has to say. Proverbs will have a lot to say to us about wisdom. We need to listen. 

Proverbs 1:20-33, Wisdom for Life

If you hear wisdom calling out, know this is God Himself calling. See that you do not refuse Him who speaks. Listen to wisdom, consider the Word of Life spoken to you. For, It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God. All things are ready, come! God gives wisdom for life – He gives eternal life!

 

Proverbs 1:1-7, The Right Fear of God

The last verse in this passage is the foundational idea for the whole book of Proverbs. This is why I titled this lesson, The Right Fear of God; we must know why and how to fear Him. In Matthew 10:28, Jesus told His disciples, do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. But rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell. Same Greek word (from we derive “phobia”) in both places; context reveals meaning. That Greek word can mean great awe and reverence as well as terror. We will look into later in this lesson.

 

Hebrews 13:18-25, A Three-fold farewell

Hebrews 13:18-25; A Three-fold Farewell

This section presents with a three-fold farewell, containing a plea for prayer, blessings in Christ, and brother-love; topics that have been taught throughout this epistle and the Bible.

Hebrews 13:7-17; Life Outside the Camp

These things preserved for us in the Word of God will cause us to live differently from those whose home is this world – if we are indwelt with His Spirit. Jesus was taken outside the camp to be sacrificed for us; we are called to go to Him, outside the camp. We have no eternal city here, inside the camp of the world. As the disciples of Jesus went back into the city to carry on their lives and witness for the Lord, so we maintain our presence in this world, the city of man, to carry on our lives in honor of the One who gave Himself for us, doing good to all – especially those within the household of faith. 

Galatians 3:12 - Law is not Faith

Galatians 3:10-12 (HCSB)

For all who rely on the works of the law are under a curse, because it is written: Everyone who does not continue doing everything written in the book of the law is cursed. Now it is clear that no one is justified before God by the law, because the righteous will live by faith. But the law is not based on faith; instead, the one who does these things will live by them. 

 

Hebrews 13:1-6; Love and Money

The tone and structure of this chapter is remarkably different from the preceding 12 chapters. Some think it was actually a “cover letter” for the epistle, others think another human author wrote it. But what I think we see here is the outworking of the new priesthood that has been established in the earlier chapters. In this world, you can’t live without money. How much is the question. In eternity, you can’t live without the love of God. How we handle money reflects, in part, how we view God. This is immensely practical! 

 

Hebrews 12:14-29; A Tale of Two Mountains

Here's my message, A Tale of Two Mountains. The Spirit makes clear: One cannot live with one foot on Sinai and the other on Zion.

 

Hebrews 12:1-13; Consider Him!

Consider Him who endured such hostility from sinners against Himself, so that you won’t grow weary and lose heart.

If the encouragement is to look unto, to consider the Lord Jesus; the problem we have is focusing on something lesser.

Hebrews 11:30-40, Our Trials Have Purpose

The Bible makes clear that God is sovereign over all created things, including time. As we close the Hall of Faith chapter, we will see a summary of the trials that befell ancient saints. Each trial, each set-back was part of God’s decree to provide a savior. We are to learn from this historical account how to see such trials in our own lives; never to think of them as “chance” or “bad luck” – all is from the hand of God, including the throw of the dice - The lot is cast into the lap, But its every decision is from the Lord (Prov. 16:33). We may not see the results determined by God, but we need to be confident that our trust is in Him and not in the circumstance we face.