Download the PDF version below.

1 Kings 3:16-10:29; 2 Chronicles 1:14-9:28; Psalms 72, 127; Proverbs 1-4

         This week’s reading covers the early part of Solomon’s reign over Israel.  During this time Solomon accomplished many great things, leaving a tremendous legacy.  He built the temple and a massive palace compound in Jerusalem.  He also built storage cities and outposts for the defense of Israel.  

         Because of the legacy that Solomon left we are going to look at what it means to build a legacy.  A legacy is far more than what we accomplish in our careers.  It involves choices that we make and things that we value.  I hope that, through this week, you are encouraged to evaluate your life and the legacy that you are currently building and the legacy that you desire to leave.
 
May 21st

1 Kings 3:16-28; 5:1-6:38; 2 Chronicles 2:1-3:14.  “Temple Building”

         If ever anyone had everything going for them it was Solomon.  He was the King of Israel during the peak of the nation’s prosperity.  He was wealthy and possessed wisdom beyond compare and, on top of all that, he was chosen by God to build the temple in Jerusalem.  Other than his role as one of the authors of Scripture, Solomon’s building of the temple was the biggest part of the legacy he left.  I say this because of the significance that the temple played in the worship of God.

         For us, as New Testament believers, the concept of temple is different.  We no longer worship a God who dwells in a temple (Acts 7:48, 17:24); rather, He dwells inside the individual believer (1 Cor. 3:16).  So, even though it is different, the importance of the temple is still very real.  Paul emphasizes the need for holiness and care for the body (1 Cor. 6:20).

         Solomon built a majestic temple leaving quite the legacy.  What kind of legacy will your temple leave?  What will people say about your life when you’re gone?

May 22nd

1 Kings 7; 2 Chronicles 3:15-4:22.  “Temple vs. Palace”

         Solomon did many great things and was a good king for a while, but as you will discover from your reading this week, not everything he did was right.  In chapter 7 of 1 Kings we read the details of the palace compound that Solomon built for himself.  Now certainly the temple of the Lord was impressive, but the palace of the Forest of Lebanon described in 7:2-5 was over four times the size of the temple alone.

         At this point in his reign as king, Solomon is still following the Lord closely, but the amount of effort and material that went into building his own palace compared to the temple indicate to me the direction that Solomon’s heart is really going.  Whose legacy is he more concerned with, his own or the Lord he serves?  

         Or maybe I should ask you that same question.  Are you more concerned with the legacy of your temple (your life: body, soul, mind and spirit); or are you more concerned with the legacy of your palace (your earthly treasures: house, cars, toys, etc.)?

         Remember the words of Jesus, “for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also” (Matthew 6:21).

 May 23rd

1 Kings 8:1-53; 2 Chronicles 5-6.  “Messiah’s Temple”

         In part of Solomon’s address to the people of Israel, he refers to the Davidic covenant.  Solomon recognizes that he has fulfilled the portion of the covenant that says one of David’s descendants will build the Lord’s temple.  However, what Solomon did not know was that this prophetic statement in 2 Sam. 7:12-14 was not only fulfilled by Solomon, but would ultimately be fulfilled by the Messiah.

         In the last two days we have emphasized the individual role each of us has as a temple of the Holy Spirit.  The New Testament also teaches us that the Church is collectively a temple whose foundation is Jesus Christ (1 Cor. 3:11).

         This temple established by Jesus is being continually built upon by those who have put their faith in Christ (1 Cor. 3:10-16).  When we are doing the Lord’s work, we are building onto this temple.  Paul speaks of building with gold, silver and jewels which will last, or building with wood, hay and straw which will be burned up.  So how are you building onto the temple?  Will your works of service last and be rewarded?

May  24th

1 Kings 8:54-9:14; 2 Chronicles 7.  “Legacy of a Father”

         Solomon received a great legacy from his father David and he had an opportunity to pass it on to his son Rehoboam but failed.  Here is a story about a father who chose to pass on a legacy:

         “I need you,” was all his wife had to say for the successful traveling evangelist to come home.  Their sixteen-year-old son was pushing his limits and his father knew what he had to do.  Canceling the rest of his speaking engagements, he accepted a call to pastor a small church in another state.

         For two years he served that church and mentored his son until he went off to college.  After his son left, the father attempted to return to his evangelistic ministry, but quickly learned that he was no longer in demand as a speaker.  Indeed, the decision to go home had come at a great price.

         But because he had made the tough decision and went home to focus on his family, years later his son would begin a ministry known as Focus on the Family.  James Dobson is the product of his father, James Dobson Sr.  [Excerpt from the book King Me by Steve Farrar]

May 25th

1 Kings 9:15-10:29; 2 Chronicles 1:14-17; 8:1-9:28.  “Legacy of Obedience”

         “The king must not build up a large stable of horses for himself, and he must never send his people to Egypt to buy horses there, for the Lord has told you, ‘You must never return to Egypt.’ The king must not take many wives for himself, because they will lead him away from the Lord.  And he must not accumulate vast amounts of wealth in silver and gold for himself.” –Deuteronomy 17:14-17

         Solomon, Solomon, Solomon.  In spite of all the good that Solomon did, he neglected to follow the Lord’s instructions for a king.  So instead of leaving a legacy of obedience to the Lord, he left a legacy of following his own path and fulfilling his own desires.  It is a legacy that will result in disaster for his son, Rehoboam.

         What kind of legacy are you leaving for those who follow after you?  Is it one of obedience or one of defiance?  Think about it –you just can’t leave a legacy of loving God without obeying His commandments for, “loving God means keeping His commandments” (1 John 5:3).

May 26th

1 Kings 4:1-34; Psalms 72, 127.  “An Eternal Legacy”

         Solomon was a prolific writer.  1 Kings 4:32 tells us that he wrote 3,000 proverbs and 1,005 songs.  What a legacy, right?  Well, yes, that is until much of that was lost.  What we have remaining of Solomon’s writings is that which was inspired by God and was incorporated into the word of God.  So ultimately Solomon’s legacy was dependent upon the eternal Word of God.  

         I think that this is instructive to us as we consider the legacy we will leave behind.  Much of what we will accomplish or produce will either end up lost or forgotten.  I am not trying to depress you; I just want to give you a reality check.  As with Solomon, only that which we do that involves eternal things will truly last.  Awards, accolades, stuff, money, these things will all pass away.  It is what we do in and for people that will truly build our legacy.

         Will the legacy of your life be sold in a garage sale, or lost in a fire some day?  How sad that would be if it were true?

         Follow the example of Jesus and pour your time and energy into the people around you.  If you do, you will not be disappointed and the impact of your life will not be forgotten.

May 27th

Proverbs 1-4.  “Acquiring Wisdom”

         As a father of three children, I think often about the legacy that I am building within my own family.  Proverbs 4 provides us with some good lessons on how to build and leave a meaningful legacy.  This proverb demonstrates that wisdom is so interconnected with legacy building that, without it, we are in danger of leaving a negative or destructive legacy that will cause pain in the generations to come.

         So, if wisdom is so important, where does it come from?  Scripture reveals a number of sources of wisdom and today I want to encourage you to consider five of them:

1)  Wisdom comes from the Lord (Prov. 2:6; James 1:5).

2)  Wisdom comes from seeking other’s counsel (Prov. 13:10).

3)  Wisdom comes from receiving the Lord’s discipline (Prov. 19:20).

4)  Wisdom comes from obeying the Lord (Prov. 4:4-5).

5)  Wisdom comes from observing God’s creation (Prov. 6:6).

If you want to leave a legacy that is a blessing to your family, then acquire wisdom.

Bible Discussion Guide:
How does the fact that our body is a temple of the Holy Spirit impact the way we live our life?
What do you think people will say about the legacy you are leaving with your temple?
In what ways are you valuing your palace (stuff, money, etc.) over your temple (body, mind, soul, spirit)?
What is one thing that you can do (change, add, or omit) in your life that will help you value your temple more than your palace?
As a disciple of Christ, you have an opportunity to build upon the “temple” that Christ founded.  What are you doing to build upon that temple?
What does it mean that some build with gold, silver and jewels while some build with wood, hay and straw?
What are you building with?
Consider the legacy passed from David to Solomon to Rehoboam.  What do you notice?  What do you think could have been done differently?
Why is obedience to the Lord so important to building a lasting, godly legacy?
What is the proudest moment of your life?
What must we be willing to do to in order to build a legacy that has an eternal impact?
What are some other sources of wisdom that your group can come up with?  Provide scripture references if possible.
Personal application:  How many of these sources are you actively using in order to gain wisdom in your life?