Peter Barnes | Matthew 12:42
SERMON NOTES
ONE GREATER THAN SOLOMON
1 Kings 10:1-13; Matthew 12:42
1. Desiring wisdom.
– the queen of Sheba travelled 1900 kilometres to see Solomon (1 Kings 10:23)
– no inconvenience is too great to see the King of kings
2. Seeing the wise one.
– Solomon was known for his wisdom (cf. 1 Kings 4:32-34; Prov.1:1-7)
3. Condemning those who will not see.
– Alexander Maclaren said of Jesus: ‘He declares Himself possessed of virtues which, if a man said he had them, it would be the best proof that he did not possess them, and did not know himself. It is either the most insane arrogance of self-assertion, or it is sober truth.’
(a) She was a Gentile but Jesus was a fellow Jew.
(b) She travelled 1900 kms; Jesus was before their very eyes.
(c) Solomon was a king, but Jesus is far more (Matt.28:18).
(d) Solomon fell apart near the end of his life (1 Kings 11:3); whereas Jesus was faithful to the end.
(e) Solomon handed out wisdom in the form of proverbial sayings, but all wisdom is in Christ (Col.2:3).
James Simpson’s greatest discovery: ‘That I have a Saviour.’