John K. Jenkins Sr - This is a Special Place

This particular passage highlights Solomon’s responsibility as he speaks to us about dedicating the temple he has built. This is a temple that God did not allow his father, David, to build, but the mantle fell on Solomon, and he completes the task. The temple is finished; it is a grand occasion, a significant day because the children of Israel had, for years, been worshiping in a temporary tent, in a tabernacle that was portable. Now they have built and erected a beautiful temple, giving God the glory and honor. It took them close to 20 years to build and dedicate it; they built it in seven years, and it took another 13 or so years before they were able to dedicate it, for reasons unknown to us. He completes the task, and now, in this eighth chapter, he is dedicating the temple. It’s an awesome sight; I can only imagine how he felt. However, thank God I have a taste of what he felt. Today we have come a long way, and God has brought us to a place where we are able to honor, worship, and dedicate this facility. It’s been a long time coming; we have spent a lot of resources, energy, and time, and now we’ve been able to dedicate this building. I’m looking at Solomon as he dedicates the temple; in his day, the temple is complete, and he stands before the people. It must be an awesome sight, as verse 22 states that he stood before the altar of the Lord in the presence of all the assembly of Israel. He is the king, he is the leader of the nation, and he stands in front of them. As a matter of fact, he is like the president, lifting his hands and praying a prayer of dedication over this temple. He prays and says in verse 23, «Lord God of Israel, listen to Him.» He starts his prayer by saying, " There is no God in heaven above or on earth below like You.» Listen to what he’s saying: «God, there is none like You.» Is there anybody here today who knows that there’s nobody like the God we serve? He says there’s none like Him. He’s praying and says there’s none like You, but then he says, «You are the God who keeps Your covenant and mercy.» I like that he says in verse 23, «You keep Your covenant and mercy with Your servants who walk before You.» He says, «I’m going to do my part; God will always do what He said He was going to do.» It may not happen as rapidly and quickly as you would like, but God will always keep His word. In fact, he says in verse 24, «You have kept what You promised Your servant David. You did what You told my father.» In verse 24, he states, «You have both spoken with Your mouth and fulfilled it with Your hands.» Now that’s what’s awesome about God; if He said it, it’s going to come to pass. Unlike us, who sometimes say we are going to do something and then don’t, how many of y’all know someone who has made many promises to you but did not fulfill what they said they were going to do? Y’all know somebody like that? But the God that we serve, if He speaks it, you can count it as coming into reality. In verse 28, I love this part of his prayer; he says, «Regard the prayer of Your servant and his supplication, O Lord my God, and listen to the cry of the people’s prayer .» He is saying, «God, I want You to lean Your ear over here in my direction. I want You to hear what we’re praying.» In verse 29, he says, «I’m praying that Your eyes may be open toward this temple night and day.» That 's what I’m excited about. I’m praying and asking God to keep His eyes on this tabernacle, this temple, night and day. Does anybody here want God to be looking in our direction night and day? He says, «I want You to do that, God.» He said, «I’m praying that You would make that happen both night and day.» I love that he says toward this place of which You said, «My name shall be there.» In verse 29, «That You may hear the prayer which Your servants make toward this place.» In other words, he’s saying, «God, make sure that You incline Your direction over to this place, not because it’s beautiful.» I want God to look in this direction, not because this place is beautiful (and it is beautiful; it’s an awesome place), but not because of the beauty of the building, but because of the ugliness and the pain in people’s lives that we need Him to look in this direction. I don’t want this church to become a museum. I don’t want it to become a place of grandeur where people come and say it’s gorgeous but there is no presence of the power and fire of God in the camp. We don’t want to come into this place and find it beautiful, but people’s lives are not changed. We don’t want to be a place that is beautiful but where people’s lives remain messed up. We want you to come in jacked up but leave changed.