07/02/17 Sermon Pastor Mark Jackson Pacific Church of Irvine www.pacificchurch.com 5th message in a series entitled, "Discerning God's Will"

1. Seeking Wise Counsel

2. It pleased the Lord that Solomon
had asked this. And God said to him,
“Because you have asked this, and
have not asked for yourself long life
or riches or the life of your enemies,
but have asked for yourself
understanding to discern what is
right,

3. behold, I now do according to your
word. Behold, I give you a wise and
discerning mind, so that none like
you has been before you and none
like you shall arise after you. -1st
Kings 3: 10-12

4. I thought to myself, “Come now, I will
try self-indulgent pleasure to see if it
is worthwhile.”
But I found that it also is futile. I said
of partying, “It is folly,” and of self-
indulgent pleasure, “It accomplishes
nothing!”

5. I thought deeply about the effects of
indulging myself with wine (all the
while my mind was guiding me with
wisdom) and the effects of behaving
foolishly, so that I might discover
what is profitable for people to do on
earth during the few days of their
lives.

6. I increased my possessions: I built
houses for myself; I planted
vineyards for myself.
I designed royal gardens and parks for
myself, and I planted all kinds of fruit
trees in them.
I constructed pools of water for myself,
to irrigate my grove of flourishing
trees.

7. I purchased male and female slaves,
and I owned slaves who were born in
my house; I also possessed more
livestock – both herds and flocks –
than any of my predecessors in
Jerusalem.

8. I also amassed silver and gold for
myself, as well as valuable treasures
taken from kingdoms and provinces.
I acquired male singers and female
singers for myself, and what gives a
man sensual delight – a harem of
beautiful concubines!

9. So I was far wealthier than all my
predecessors in Jerusalem, yet I
maintained my objectivity:
I did not restrain myself from getting
whatever I wanted; I did not deny
myself anything that would bring me
pleasure. So all my accomplishments
gave me joy; this was my reward for
all my effort.

10. Yet when I reflected on everything I
had accomplished and on all the
effort that I had expended to
accomplish it, I concluded: “All these
achievements and possessions are
ultimately profitless – like chasing
the wind! There is nothing gained
from them on earth.”
-Ecclesiastes 2: 1-11

11. Hear, my son, your father’s instruction,
and forsake not your mother’s
teaching,
for they are a graceful garland for your
head
and pendants for your neck. Proverbs
1 8-9

12. And they sent and called him, and
Jeroboam and all the assembly of
Israel came and said to Rehoboam,
“Your father made our yoke heavy.
Now therefore lighten the hard
service of your father and his heavy
yoke on us, and we will serve you.” 1
King 12: 3,4

13. He said to them, “Go away for three
days, then come again to me.” So the
people went away. 1 Kings 12: 5

14. Then King Rehoboam took counsel
with the old men, who had stood
before Solomon his father while he
was yet alive, saying, “How do you
advise me to answer this people?”
1 Kings 12: 6

15. And they said to him, “If you will be a
servant to this people today and
serve them, and speak good words
to them when you answer them,
then they will be your servants
forever.
1 Kings 12: 7

16. Where there is no guidance, a people
falls,
but in an abundance of counselors
there is safety. -Proverbs 11:14
Without counsel plans fail,
but with many advisers they succeed.
Proverbs 15: 22

17. But he abandoned the counsel that
the old men gave him and took
counsel with the young men who
had grown up with him and stood
before him. 1 Kings 12: 8

18. And he said to them, “What do you advise
that we answer this people who have
said to me, ‘Lighten the yoke that your
father put on us’?” And the young men
who had grown up with him said to him,
“Thus shall you speak to this people who
said to you, ‘Your father made our yoke
heavy, but you lighten it for us,’ thus shall
you say to them, ‘My little finger is
thicker than my father’s thighs. 1 Kings
12: 9,10

19. And now, whereas my father laid on
you a heavy yoke, I will add to your
yoke. My father disciplined you with
whips, but I will discipline you with
scorpions.’ 1 Kings 12:11

20. And the king answered the people harshly,
and forsaking the counsel that the old
men had given him, he spoke to them
according to the counsel of the young
men, saying, “My father made your yoke
heavy, but I will add to your yoke. My
father disciplined you with whips, but I
will discipline you with scorpions. So the
king did not listen to the people
1 Kings 12: 13-15

21. Then King Rehoboam sent Adoram,
who was taskmaster over the forced
labor, and all Israel stoned him to
death with stones. And King
Rehoboam hurried to mount his
chariot to flee to Jerusalem. 1 Kings
12:18

22. But the word of God came to Shemaiah the man
of God: 23 “Say to Rehoboam the son of
Solomon, king of Judah, and to all the house
of Judah and Benjamin, and to the rest of the
people, 24 ‘Thus says the LORD, You shall not go
up or fight against your relatives the people of
Israel. Every man return to his home, for this
thing is from me.’ ” So they listened to the
word of the LORD and went home again,
according to the word of the LORD.
1 Kings 12: 22-24

23. As it is, there are many parts, but one
body. The eye cannot say to the
hand, ‘I don’t need you!’ And the
head cannot say to the feet, ‘I don’t
need you!’ 1 Corinthians 12: 20-21

24. A man who isolates himself seeks his
own desire; He rages against all wise
judgment. 2 A fool has no delight in
understanding, But in expressing his
own heart.” Proverbs 18: 1-2

25. Where there is no counsel, the people
fall; But in the multitude of
counselors there is safety.”
-Proverbs 11:14

26. The way of a fool is right in his own
eyes, But he who heeds counsel is
wise.” Proverbs 12:15

27. Without counsel, plans go awry, But in
the multitude of counselors they are
established.” Proverbs 15:22

28. Listen to counsel and receive
instruction, That you may be wise in
your latter days. There are many
plans in a man’s heart, Nevertheless
the LORD’s counsel -- that will stand.”
-Proverbs 19: 20-21

29. When do we seek counsel from
others?

30. When do we seek counsel from
others?
The magnitude of the decision is a
factor

31. When do we seek counsel from
others?
The magnitude of the decision is a
factor
Sometimes we need counsel because
we don’t have experience.

32. When do we seek counsel from
others?
The magnitude of the decision is a
factor
Sometimes we need counsel because
we don’t have experience.
Seek counsel when you don’t have the
expertise in what we are about to
do.

33. Seeking Wise Counsel