Rebuilding Hope: Solomon's Temple and Inclusive Community
Summary
### Summary
Today, we embark on a new series focusing on the story of Solomon building the temple, as recounted in 2 Chronicles 2. Chronicles, as a book, serves as an organized history of Israel, emphasizing the consequences of unfaithfulness and the hope that remains despite exile and destruction. The chronicler retells Israel's history to instill hope in a people returning from exile, encouraging them to rebuild their identity and worship practices.
The story of Solomon building the temple is particularly poignant for those returning from exile, as it mirrors their own struggles and questions about the future. They faced the ruins of their past glory and had to decide whether to rebuild the temple and their faith community or to focus solely on their personal lives. This dilemma resonates with us today as we witness a decline in church attendance and wonder if our efforts to build God's kingdom are still worthwhile.
Solomon's labor of love in building the temple was driven by his desire to honor and obey God. This love for God led him to seek the best craftsmen and materials, emphasizing the importance of excellence in our service to God. However, the chronicler also introduces a tension: the lead craftsman, Hiram Abi, was the product of an intermarriage between an Israelite and a Phoenician, challenging the strict interpretations of who belongs in God's community.
This tension is further highlighted by the fact that the laborers who built the temple were foreigners, raising questions about who God's people truly are. The chronicler subtly suggests that God's love extends beyond Israel to all people, foreshadowing the inclusive nature of God's kingdom as revealed in Jesus Christ.
As we reflect on this story, we are called to examine our own lives and communities. Are we building in a way that honors and obeys God? Are we excluding others based on strict interpretations of the law? How do we balance our love for God with our love for our neighbors, especially those who may not share our faith? These are the questions we will explore in the coming weeks as we seek to build a vibrant, inclusive community that reflects God's love for all.
### Key Takeaways
1. Hope in the Midst of Ruins: The chronicler's retelling of Israel's history serves to instill hope in a people returning from exile. Despite the destruction and loss, there is a call to rebuild and restore their identity and worship practices. This message of hope is crucial for us today as we face challenges and uncertainties in our own faith communities. [41:04]
2. Labor of Love: Solomon's dedication to building the temple was driven by his love for God, leading him to seek the best craftsmen and materials. This teaches us the importance of excellence and dedication in our service to God. Our love for God should manifest in our actions, leading us to honor and obey Him in all that we do. [52:43]
3. Inclusivity in God's Kingdom: The chronicler introduces a tension by highlighting that the lead craftsman and laborers were foreigners. This challenges the strict interpretations of who belongs in God's community and suggests that God's love extends to all people. We are called to reflect this inclusivity in our own communities, welcoming and loving all people. [58:48]
4. Balancing Love for God and Neighbor: Loving God leads us to love our neighbors, but this can be challenging when our neighbors do not share our faith. We must navigate this tension by holding firm to our love for God while also extending grace and love to those around us. This balance is essential for building a vibrant, inclusive community. [01:01:56]
5. Creating Safe Spaces: The example of the Quakertown Community Center shows the importance of creating safe spaces for all people, regardless of their background or beliefs. This reflects God's inclusive love and challenges us to think about how we can create similar spaces in our own communities. [01:03:10]
### YouTube Chapters
[0:00] - Welcome
[0:30] - Introduction to the New Series
[1:15] - Overview of Chronicles
[2:45] - The Message of Hope
[4:00] - The Story of Solomon's Temple
[5:30] - The Exile and Return
[7:00] - Rebuilding Amidst Ruins
[8:30] - Solomon's Labor of Love
[10:00] - The Role of Hiram Abi
[11:30] - Foreigners Building the Temple
[13:00] - Inclusivity in God's Kingdom
[14:30] - Balancing Love for God and Neighbor
[16:00] - Creating Safe Spaces
[17:30] - Call to Reflect and Act
[19:00] - Closing Prayer and Song
Study Guide
### Bible Reading
1. 2 Chronicles 2:1-18
2. John 3:16
### Observation Questions
1. What was Solomon's primary motivation for building the temple according to 2 Chronicles 2? How did he demonstrate this motivation? [49:57]
2. Who was Hiram Abi, and what was significant about his background? [55:38]
3. How did the chronicler's retelling of the temple's construction challenge the traditional views of who belongs in God's community? [58:48]
4. What role did foreigners play in the construction of Solomon's temple? [57:14]
### Interpretation Questions
1. How does Solomon's dedication to building the temple reflect his love and obedience to God? What does this teach us about the importance of excellence in our service to God? [52:43]
2. The chronicler highlights the inclusion of foreigners in the temple's construction. What does this suggest about the nature of God's kingdom and community? [58:48]
3. How does the story of Solomon building the temple provide hope to the Israelites returning from exile? How might this message of hope apply to our faith communities today? [41:04]
4. What tension does the chronicler introduce by including Hiram Abi's mixed heritage? How does this tension challenge our understanding of inclusivity in God's kingdom? [55:38]
### Application Questions
1. Reflecting on Solomon's labor of love, what are some ways you can demonstrate excellence and dedication in your service to God? Are there specific areas in your life where you feel called to honor and obey God more fully? [52:43]
2. The chronicler's story suggests that God's love extends beyond traditional boundaries. How can you and your small group create a more inclusive community that reflects God's love for all people? [58:48]
3. In what ways can you balance your love for God with your love for your neighbors, especially those who may not share your faith? Can you think of specific actions you can take to extend grace and love to those around you? [01:01:56]
4. The example of the Quakertown Community Center shows the importance of creating safe spaces for all people. How can your small group or church create similar spaces in your community? What practical steps can you take to make this a reality? [01:03:10]
5. The chronicler's retelling of Israel's history was meant to instill hope. How can you find and share hope in the midst of challenges and uncertainties in your own faith community? [41:04]
6. Are there any strict interpretations or traditions in your faith community that might be excluding others? How can you address these issues to create a more welcoming environment? [55:38]
7. Think about a time when you felt excluded or unwelcome. How did that experience shape your understanding of community? How can you use that experience to ensure others feel included and loved in your faith community? [58:48]
Devotional
Day 1: Hope in the Midst of Ruins
Description: The chronicler's retelling of Israel's history serves to instill hope in a people returning from exile. Despite the destruction and loss, there is a call to rebuild and restore their identity and worship practices. This message of hope is crucial for us today as we face challenges and uncertainties in our own faith communities. The story of Solomon building the temple is particularly poignant for those returning from exile, as it mirrors their own struggles and questions about the future. They faced the ruins of their past glory and had to decide whether to rebuild the temple and their faith community or to focus solely on their personal lives. This dilemma resonates with us today as we witness a decline in church attendance and wonder if our efforts to build God's kingdom are still worthwhile. [41:04]
Ezra 3:12-13 (ESV): "But many of the priests and Levites and heads of fathers' houses, old men who had seen the first house, wept with a loud voice when they saw the foundation of this house being laid, though many shouted aloud for joy, so that the people could not distinguish the sound of the joyful shout from the sound of the people's weeping, for the people shouted with a great shout, and the sound was heard far away."
Reflection: Think about a time when you faced a significant loss or challenge. How did you find hope and strength to rebuild? How can you apply that same hope to your current situation?
Day 2: Labor of Love
Description: Solomon's dedication to building the temple was driven by his love for God, leading him to seek the best craftsmen and materials. This teaches us the importance of excellence and dedication in our service to God. Our love for God should manifest in our actions, leading us to honor and obey Him in all that we do. Solomon's labor of love in building the temple was driven by his desire to honor and obey God. This love for God led him to seek the best craftsmen and materials, emphasizing the importance of excellence in our service to God. [52:43]
Colossians 3:23-24 (ESV): "Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ."
Reflection: In what areas of your life can you strive for greater excellence as a way to honor God? How can you ensure that your actions reflect your love and dedication to Him?
Day 3: Inclusivity in God's Kingdom
Description: The chronicler introduces a tension by highlighting that the lead craftsman and laborers were foreigners. This challenges the strict interpretations of who belongs in God's community and suggests that God's love extends to all people. We are called to reflect this inclusivity in our own communities, welcoming and loving all people. The chronicler subtly suggests that God's love extends beyond Israel to all people, foreshadowing the inclusive nature of God's kingdom as revealed in Jesus Christ. [58:48]
Isaiah 56:6-7 (ESV): "And the foreigners who join themselves to the Lord, to minister to him, to love the name of the Lord, and to be his servants, everyone who keeps the Sabbath and does not profane it, and holds fast my covenant—these I will bring to my holy mountain, and make them joyful in my house of prayer; their burnt offerings and their sacrifices will be accepted on my altar; for my house shall be called a house of prayer for all peoples."
Reflection: How can you actively include and welcome those who are different from you in your faith community? What steps can you take to ensure that your community reflects God's inclusive love?
Day 4: Balancing Love for God and Neighbor
Description: Loving God leads us to love our neighbors, but this can be challenging when our neighbors do not share our faith. We must navigate this tension by holding firm to our love for God while also extending grace and love to those around us. This balance is essential for building a vibrant, inclusive community. As we reflect on this story, we are called to examine our own lives and communities. Are we building in a way that honors and obeys God? Are we excluding others based on strict interpretations of the law? How do we balance our love for God with our love for our neighbors, especially those who may not share our faith? [01:01:56]
1 John 4:20-21 (ESV): "If anyone says, 'I love God,' and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen cannot love God whom he has not seen. And this commandment we have from him: whoever loves God must also love his brother."
Reflection: Think of a neighbor or coworker who does not share your faith. How can you show them love and grace this week while staying true to your own beliefs?
Day 5: Creating Safe Spaces
Description: The example of the Quakertown Community Center shows the importance of creating safe spaces for all people, regardless of their background or beliefs. This reflects God's inclusive love and challenges us to think about how we can create similar spaces in our own communities. As we seek to build a vibrant, inclusive community that reflects God's love for all, we must consider how we can create environments where everyone feels safe and valued. [01:03:10]
Leviticus 19:33-34 (ESV): "When a stranger sojourns with you in your land, you shall not do him wrong. You shall treat the stranger who sojourns with you as the native among you, and you shall love him as yourself, for you were strangers in the land of Egypt: I am the Lord your God."
Reflection: What practical steps can you take to create a safe and welcoming environment for everyone in your community? How can you ensure that your actions reflect God's inclusive love?
Quotes
1. "And so the book as a whole, and there's a number of, like most scholars who've studied this book, say you can summarize the message of Chronicles in one word. It'd be a whole lot shorter of a sermon, and that one word is hope. So the message of Chronicles, essentially this chronicler is taking the message of David, and he's taking the message of David, and he's taking the history of the people that they already have in 1 and 2 Samuel, 1 and 2 Kings." [41:04] (24 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
2. "And so the chronicler is taking their story and retelling it in order to give them hope for the future, to tell them there's still something worth living for, still something worth rebuilding for. And especially as we look at this story of the temple, the thing that struck me the most as I've been studying it over the last number of months, preparing this series, and even looking at the way that the building of the temple is talked about originally in Kings, is thinking about what it must have been like for these people." [41:04] (30 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
3. "I wonder what it would be like to think about and work on building a temple on the ruins of the one that was there before. And as I've thought about that, I think, you know, we maybe do understand that a little bit in the church in the United States today. When we look back at history, we might see times when the church has flourished, when the church is growing, when there's great awakenings, or even in our more recent history, when there's large churches being built and people are flooding in and flocking to the church." [43:38] (31 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
4. "And we now live in a time where, the opposite has happened. There's been a mass exodus from the church. Many of maybe your siblings or children or grandchildren are no longer in the church. Friends and family, and I gave statistics last week on the number of people even in our own community who see no value and purpose in what we do here. Some of the most recent statistics is over 90% of high school seniors in the Quakerdown school district have never attended a religious service in their entire life." [43:38] (34 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
5. "What does your love for God lead you to in your daily life? What are the things that you say yes to or that you say no to because of your love for God? Again, for the exiles that the Chronicler is writing for that are returning to the land, they have this fundamental question of, like, do we still stand apart as this disciple of God? Do we still stand apart as this people of God? Or do we just kind of integrate in with the people that are already here in the land, right?" [52:43] (60 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
6. "Every generation of Christians is tempted to take the message of Jesus and kind of mix it in with the messages of the culture to syncretize it. And essentially, this part of the story is pushing back against that. No, we need to love God, which leads us to obey God and to honor God. There is a right and a wrong. There is truth and falsehood. And so our love for God in the things that we create when we are building up the temple, which is the church, we'll get to that, right? We need to build in a way that is honoring God, that is loving God, that is in obedience to God." [54:07] (43 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
7. "How do we hold these two things in tension? Our love for God leads us to love our neighbors, but how do we love our neighbors who maybe don't love God or have a different understanding of what it means to love God? How do we hold these two things in tension? There's organizations in Quakertown that I had helped to start and haven't been involved with for a long time, but recently have been getting more involved with called Quakertown Community Center." [01:01:56] (32 seconds)
8. "What is the part of the temple which through Jesus' body we now are part of as the church? What's the part of the temple that God is calling you to create? So often as churches, we focus just on taking care of our own, right? We create so much that Christian organizations, Christian this, Christian that, that's only serving people who are Christians. What does it mean for us to take seriously that God's kingdom is for all people? Who is God sending you to? What is it that God is calling you and us to create?" [01:04:58] (43 seconds)
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