Episode 1466: Sent Out to Live

[00:00:00] Scott Maderer: Thanks for joining me on episode 1, 466 of the Inspired Stewardship Podcast.

[00:00:08] Dom Brightmon: I'm Dominic Dom Brabant and I challenge you to invest in yourself, invest in others, develop your influence, and impact the world by using your time, your talent, and your treasures to live out your calling. Having the ability to improve consistently over time is key, and one way to be inspired to do that is to listen to this, the Inspired Stewardship Podcast.

[00:00:32] podcast with my good friend, Mr. S and M himself, the sensational and a magnificent Scott Maderer.

[00:00:39] Scott Maderer: Doing it in such a way that others look upon it and go, I don't know what you've got, but I want some of that too. It's about attracting, inviting. It's about expressions of grace and [00:01:00] glory and living a worship led life. That is truly worshipping God in all moments. Welcome and thank you for joining us on the Inspired Stewardship Podcast.

[00:01:15] If you truly desire to become the person who God wants you to be, then you must learn to use your time, your talent, and your treasures for your true calling. In the Inspired Stewardship Podcast, you will learn to invest in yourself, invest in others, and develop your influence so that you can impact the world.

[00:01:39] In today's Spiritual Foundation episode, I talk about 1 Kings 8, verses 1, 6, 10 11, 22 30, and 41 43. 1 Kings 8, verses 1, 6, 10 11, 22 30, and 41 43. I share how we need to take worship out into the world, and I share how that is because worship continues [00:02:00] in every moment. 1 Kings chapter 8 says, Then Solomon assembled the elders of Israel and all the heads of the tribes, the leaders of the ancestral houses of the Israelites, before King Solomon in Jerusalem, to bring up the ark of the covenant of the Lord out of the city of David, which is Zion.

[00:02:20] Then the priest brought the Ark of the Covenant to the Lord to its place, in the inner sanctuary of the house, the most holy place, underneath the wings of the cherubim. When the priest came out of the holy place, a cloud filled the house of the Lord, so that the priest could not stand and minister because of the cloud, for the glory of the Lord filled the house of the Lord.

[00:02:39] Then Solomon stood before the altar of the Lord in the presence of the whole assembly of Israel and spread out his hands to heaven. He said, Oh Lord, God of Israel, there is no God like you in the heaven above or on the earth beneath, keeping covenant and steadfast love with your servants who walk before you with all their heart.

[00:02:57] The covenant that you kept for your servant, my father David, [00:03:00] as you declared to him, you promised with your mouth and have this day fulfilled with your hand. Therefore, oh Lord, God of Israel, Keep for your servant, my father David, that which you promised him, saying, There shall never fail you a successor before me to sit on the throne of Israel, if only your children look to their way, to walk before me, as you have walked before me.

[00:03:22] Therefore, O God of Israel, let your word be confirmed that you promised to your servant, my father David. But will God indeed dwell on the earth? Even heaven and the highest heaven cannot contain you, much less this house that I have built. Regard your servant's prayer and his plea, O Lord my God, Heeding the cry and the prayer that your servant prays to you today, That your eyes may be open night and day toward this house, The place of which you said, My name shall be there, That you may heed the prayer that your servant prays towards this place.

[00:03:53] Here the plea of your servant and of your people, Israel, when they pray towards this place. Oh, hear in heaven your dwelling place, [00:04:00] hear and forgive. Likewise, when foreigners who are not of your people, Israel, come from a distant land because of your name, for they shall hear of your great name, your mighty hand, and your outstretched arm.

[00:04:12] When foreigners come and pray toward this house, then hear in heaven your dwelling place and do whatever the foreigners ask of you. So that all of the people of the earth may know your name and fear you as do your people Israel. And so they may know that your name has been invoked on this house that I have built.

[00:04:30] Over the last few weeks, I've been talking about different parts of the service, and last week we talked about the benediction, and at first glance, that should have seemed like that was the end, right? That's the end of the worship service. But as I mentioned last week, part of the reason for a benediction is so that there's something for us to take out into the world with us, and in fact, that is part of what we're talking about, and part of what that First Kings reference that I read [00:05:00] is about.

[00:05:01] This is the ending of things. But if you think about the reference in 1 Kings, this is what's happening when the temple has been built. This is actually part of the dedication ceremony that Solomon has finally built this grand and glorious temple for the Lord and now is bringing the Ark of the Covenant to the world.

[00:05:23] A few weeks ago when I began talking about worship, it started with David taking the Ark of the Covenant and bringing it from where it was to a new place. And David danced in front of the Ark as they continued to move the Ark throughout. And in fact, some folks sat on the side and complained and didn't want to participate.

[00:05:45] Just like any time that there's things like dancing and other activities. Some people will complain, some people will point, some people will choose not to. to participate. But David danced [00:06:00] anyway. And then David continued to do things including misbehavior or things that were probably not for the best.

[00:06:08] He had the encounter with Bathsheba. He had problems with his son Absalom. Many things that David did faltered and were wrong and caused issues. It was hard to dance in those moments. But we danced and we watched alongside as well. We saw the joy, we saw the, the brokenness, but we also saw the joy and we lifted up the joy and we wept over the brokenness.

[00:06:43] We experienced moments of blessings and we acknowledged the fact that David was a sinner and messed up just like all of us. This story of David is a powerful story, not because David was a perfect man. But because he [00:07:00] wasn't, we too maybe want to find our way to the house of God in not just our buildings, but in our lives, in our hearts, in our souls.

[00:07:10] We want to have God shine through in everything we do and say. That's hard for it to happen. And so at this point, things are wrapping up and Solomon's moment is wrapping up. He's not dancing at the completion of the task, or at least if he is, it's not mentioned in this passage. We skipped over a whole big period in there where Solomon actually went through the choosing and the cutting of the wood, the carving of the stone, the pounding of the gold, making this glorious temple and house for the glorious God that he knew.

[00:07:47] Solomon put this structure together and then here at the culmination of the story, they're bringing the Ark again. It kind of moves full circle to how they transport the Ark [00:08:00] into this new home, this new temple, this new place for God. And then there's a few verses about how God responds to finally being home with the smoke and these sorts of things.

[00:08:12] God even moved in and pushed everyone else out with that smoke, that cloud, for a while. What happened is God maybe sat down for a moment and God was there in the home and Solomon said I have built you this house a place for you to dwell forever Solomon then took a moment to pray last week There was a passage about God and Solomon engaged in conversation where Solomon asked for wisdom in a private moment in a private prayer And now at this end, this is a public prayer.

[00:08:56] This is Solomon standing in front of the temple and inviting all [00:09:00] of us to listen in as he speaks to the God that's now dwelling in the neighborhood, living in the house. It's addressed to God, but as a public prayer, it's also a witness for the people that are listening. In the prayer, Solomon expresses what's on their mind in a way.

[00:09:19] The very idea that God would be living here right here in this temple right next to us right in the midst of us How can anything contain the immensity of God? But that's part of the hope of worship. That's part of living every day As worship that's part of recognizing that our whole life Is an act of worship not just the moments on sunday, but the moments in each and every day.

[00:09:50] Because we are in the presence of God always. God dwells not just in the temple, but in us. And whether we head out into sunshine or rain, [00:10:00] worship continues. Whether there's blessings or there's challenges, worship continues. When we wake up on Monday, Worship continues in the midst of the emails, the texts, the frustrations, the fear, the anger, the communication, the lack of communication.

[00:10:16] In all of those moments, worship continues. All of those things are part of how we worship and recognize God, and what we do and do not do reflects upon that. This prayer reminds us that in the reality is if you claim to be a part of the people of God then every moment of your life becomes that reality.

[00:10:44] But believe it or not, that's even true for those who don't yet know God, or maybe who have rejected God, or felt that the God that was presented to them was not the God for them. It's true for those folks that others say are not part [00:11:00] of the kingdom of God. When people look at someone and say, because they do this, because they say that, because they act that, they don't belong here, it's still true for them.

[00:11:09] as well. Our job is not to force worship on anyone, but rather to live our own lives in a worshipable moment, doing it in such a way that others look upon it and go, I don't know what you've got, but I want some of that too. It's about attracting inviting. It's about expressions of grace and glory and living a worship led life.

[00:11:36] That is truly worshiping God in all moments. Thanks for listening.

[00:11:48] Thanks so much for listening to the Inspired Stewardship Podcast. As a subscriber and listener, we challenge you to not just sit back and passively listen, but act [00:12:00] on what you've heard and find a way to live If you enjoyed this episode, do me a favor. Go over to Facebook. com slash Inspired Stewardship and like our Facebook page and mark it that you'd like to get notifications from us so that we can connect with you on Facebook and make sure that we're serving you to the best of our abilities with time and tips there.

[00:12:31] Until next time, invest your time, your talent, and your treasures, develop your influence, and impact the world.