Serving God with Excellence: Lessons from Solomon
Summary
In my sermon, I began by recounting the story of King Solomon's efforts to build the temple of God, as detailed in the first book of Kings, chapters 5 to 7. I highlighted the wisdom of Solomon in recognizing his limitations and seeking the best resources and people for the construction of the temple. Solomon's wisdom was evident in his strategic alliance with King Hiram of Tyre, who provided the renowned Cedars of Lebanon and skilled craftsmen. This partnership was not only a testament to Solomon's humility but also to his commitment to offering God the best.
I emphasized the importance of strategic planning and setting effective organizational structures, drawing parallels between the meticulous planning that went into the temple's construction and the need for order and intentionality in our service to God. I pointed out that serving God with excellence requires more than just faith; it requires careful planning and organization.
I then discussed the dedication and effort that went into the temple's construction, which took seven years to complete. The temple was built with precision, using the finest materials and craftsmanship. This level of dedication and commitment should inspire us to give our best in serving God, recognizing that if something is supremely important, it is worth the time and effort we invest in it.
I also touched on the need to give our best in effort, time, resources, skill, and learning. I lamented the tendency to give God our leftover time and minimal effort, challenging us to compare our dedication to that of Solomon and the Israelites in building the temple.
I shared a story about a Nordstrom employee who went above and beyond to serve a customer, using this as an analogy for the kind of service par excellence that God deserves from us. I urged us to serve God with the same level of excellence, driven by our love for Him and gratitude for His grace.
Finally, I concluded by reminding us to ensure our hearts are right with God and our motivations are pure. I warned against serving God for personal glory or out of obligation, and I encouraged us to serve with joy and gratitude, offering our best because God is worthy of nothing less.
Key Takeaways:
1. Recognizing our limitations and seeking the best in others is a hallmark of wisdom and humility. Solomon's request for Hiram's assistance demonstrates that serving God with excellence often requires collaboration and the acknowledgment that we cannot do everything alone. [09:11]
2. Strategic planning and setting effective organizational structures are essential for serving God with excellence. Just as Solomon meticulously planned the temple's construction, we must be intentional in how we structure our lives and ministries to prioritize God and His work. [15:16]
3. Giving our best in effort, time, resources, skill, and learning is a reflection of our love for God. The Israelites' abundant contributions to the temple project show that when we truly value God's work, we will not hesitate to offer the best we have. [29:03]
4. Ensuring our hearts are right with God and our motivations are pure is crucial for service that pleases Him. Our actions and offerings are meaningless if they are not driven by a genuine love for God and a desire to glorify Him. [35:12]
5. Service par excellence for God is not about what we get in return but about expressing our gratitude for His blessings. We give to God and serve Him not because He needs our gifts, but because we are thankful for His grace and love, as demonstrated through Jesus Christ. [39:12]
Study Guide
### Bible Study Discussion Guide
#### Bible Reading
1. 1 Kings 5:1-7 - The story of Solomon's alliance with King Hiram of Tyre for the construction of the temple.
2. 1 Corinthians 12:4-7 - The diversity of spiritual gifts within the body of Christ.
3. Colossians 3:23-24 - Working heartily as for the Lord and not for men.
#### Observation Questions
1. What strategic steps did Solomon take to ensure the best resources and craftsmanship for the temple's construction? ([03:52])
2. How did Solomon's alliance with King Hiram demonstrate his wisdom and humility? ([05:07])
3. What was the significance of the Cedars of Lebanon in the construction of the temple? ([05:48])
4. How did Solomon ensure that the temple was built with precision and excellence? ([22:27])
#### Interpretation Questions
1. Why is it important to recognize our limitations and seek the best in others when serving God? How does this reflect humility and wisdom? ([09:11])
2. How does strategic planning and setting effective organizational structures contribute to serving God with excellence? ([15:16])
3. In what ways does giving our best in effort, time, resources, skill, and learning reflect our love for God? ([29:03])
4. Why is it crucial to ensure our hearts are right with God and our motivations are pure when serving Him? ([35:12])
#### Application Questions
1. Reflect on a time when you recognized your limitations and sought help from others. How did this experience impact your service to God? How can you apply this principle in your current ministry or personal life? ([09:11])
2. Think about an area in your life or ministry that lacks strategic planning and organization. What steps can you take to improve this area to serve God with excellence? ([15:16])
3. Evaluate how you currently allocate your time, effort, and resources in serving God. Are there areas where you are giving God your leftovers? How can you prioritize giving your best to God? ([29:03])
4. Consider your motivations for serving God. Are there any areas where you might be seeking personal glory or serving out of obligation? How can you realign your heart to serve with joy and gratitude? ([35:12])
5. Identify a specific skill or area of knowledge you need to develop to serve God more effectively. What steps will you take to improve in this area? ([27:09])
6. Reflect on your daily schedule. How can you intentionally plan and structure your day to prioritize time with God in prayer and reading His Word? ([17:10])
7. Think of a recent act of service you performed. Did it reflect the level of excellence that God deserves? How can you improve the quality of your service in the future? ([39:12])
Devotional
Day 1: Wisdom in Collaboration
Recognizing one's limitations is not a sign of weakness but of wisdom. King Solomon, known for his wisdom, understood that building the temple was a monumental task that required more than he could offer alone. He sought the assistance of King Hiram to provide valuable resources and skilled craftsmen. This act of seeking help is a powerful reminder that true wisdom lies in knowing when to collaborate and when to lead. It is a call to humility, acknowledging that the collective skills and resources of a community can achieve greater things for God than one can do alone. In the pursuit of serving God with excellence, it is essential to identify and utilize the strengths of others, combining efforts for a purpose greater than oneself. [09:11]
"Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord, and turn away from evil." - Proverbs 3:7 ESV
Reflection: Who are the Hiram's in your life that God has placed to work alongside you, and how can you better collaborate with them in your service to God?
Day 2: Intentionality in Service
Strategic planning and effective organization are not concepts reserved for the business world; they are vital in serving God with excellence. Solomon's construction of the temple was not a haphazard endeavor; it was a result of careful planning and structuring. This teaches us the importance of being intentional in how we live our lives and conduct our ministries. Serving God is not a secondary activity to be squeezed into our schedules; it requires deliberate action and prioritization. By setting up effective organizational structures in our personal lives and ministries, we can ensure that our service to God is not an afterthought but a central focus. [15:16]
"For which of you, desiring to build a tower, does not first sit down and count the cost, whether he has enough to complete it?" - Luke 14:28 ESV
Reflection: What is one area in your life or ministry that lacks organization, and what practical step can you take this week to bring more structure to it?
Day 3: Excellence in Our Offerings
The temple's construction was a labor of love and dedication, with the Israelites giving their best in time, resources, skill, and learning. This historical act of devotion is a model for how we should approach our service to God. When we value the work of God, we will not hesitate to invest our best in it. Excellence in service is not about perfection but about offering the best of what we have with a willing heart. It is about striving to improve, to learn, and to grow, so that our service becomes a true reflection of our love for God. [29:03]
"Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men," - Colossians 3:23 ESV
Reflection: In what ways can you improve the quality of your offerings to God, whether it be your time, resources, or talents?
Day 4: Purity of Heart in Service
The heart's condition is of utmost importance when serving God. Our actions and offerings must stem from a place of genuine love and a desire to glorify Him. The Bible warns us against serving with impure motives such as seeking personal glory or serving out of mere obligation. A pure heart is one that serves with joy and gratitude, recognizing that our service is a response to God's love and grace. It is essential to regularly examine our motivations and ensure that our service is not tainted by selfish desires but is a fragrant offering to God. [35:12]
"Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts!" - Psalm 139:23 ESV
Reflection: What are the motivations behind your service to God, and how can you cultivate a heart that serves out of pure joy and gratitude?
Day 5: Gratitude as the Basis of Service
Service to God is not a transactional relationship where we give to receive. It is an expression of our profound gratitude for His blessings, grace, and love. The Nordstrom employee's story exemplifies service that goes beyond the call of duty, driven by a desire to serve well. Similarly, our service to God should be characterized by excellence, not for what we might gain but as a heartfelt response to the love we have received through Jesus Christ. This perspective shifts our focus from self-centeredness to God-centeredness, where our service becomes an act of worship and thanksgiving. [39:12]
"And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful." - Colossians 3:15 ESV
Reflection: How does gratitude shape your service to God, and what is one way you can express your thankfulness through your actions this week?
Quotes
1) "What makes people wise is when they humbly recognize that they need to seek and Trust others who have the talents, resources, and skills in their field of profession or studies. Godly wisdom recognizes that you and I have limitations and we need to engage others to leverage their experience and expertise and to learn from them." [10:28]
2) "For this church to serve God with the best, it will take a diversity of people with everyone involved using their spiritual gifts. Solomon wisely recognized that he needed the best wood for the Temple Project from another and humbly came to terms with the king who controlled the wood." [11:52]
3) "Imagine buying a dress from a competitor just to satisfy a customer's desire and needs. We would call this service par excellence, which means service at its best, service that is great, done with excellence to the highest level. Our God deserves our best, that he deserves service par excellence in all aspects of how we serve him with our lives." [01:59]
4) "Strategizing, planning, and organizing for order and system is not unspiritual; in fact, it is what God desires. Without the strategic planning and organizational structure that Solomon and his advisers put in place, this Temple Project would not only not be completed, but the best would not be had with haphazard planning." [15:16]
5) "Give our best in effort, time, resources, skill, and learning. Collectively, these actions show an attitude that gives God the best, the prime effort, attention to detail, and the full energy He so deserves. Is this the type of effort we put in when we serve the Living God?" [29:03]
6) "Make sure your heart is right with God and your motivation is pure. If our hearts are not right with God, then what we do for Him is useless. We can build Him the most beautiful cathedral, but if we intentionally live in sin, then He isn't pleased with our offering." [35:12]
7) "The temple of God took seven years to build; it was not a rush job and no shortcuts were taken. It was built with excellence and the best of effort and time was given to this sacred and important work. If something is supremely important, then it is worth the time you put in to accomplish the work." [25:03]
8) "Solomon got the best of artisans and craftsmen to work on the Temple Project, like Huram skilled in bronze work. For the work of the Lord, there were people who knew what they were doing for the job they were assigned to. God's work requires people who are skilled for the responsibility they are given." [27:09]
9) "We need to humbly recognize our limitations and seek for the best in other people. If we are to serve God with the best, we have to understand that because of our own limitations, if we do it ourselves, it will not be the best. We have to engage the talents, abilities, and resources of others." [09:11]
10) "It would be a shame and ironic that while the temple of God, which was supposed to be where the Earthly presence of God resided, was built with great precision and the best effort, that the heart for worshiping God was not really there. It is about the heart of the people toward God." [34:32]
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