Message Take Aways:

1. Being united in the Gospel of Jesus Christ should produce a cohesion among His body that inspires each member to nurture and support one another in love—“Therefore let us pursue the things which make for peace and the things by which one may edify another.” Romans 14:19

2. The various spiritual gifts stewarded to every one of us are to be utilized in collaboration with one another to edify, grow, and mature the body of Christ—“As each one has received a gift, minister it to one another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.” 1 Peter 4:10

3. Being made a new creation in Christ will be manifested by a conduct that aligns with righteousness and holiness, which we should zealously desire to walk in—“(Christ) gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from every lawless deed and purify for Himself His own special people, zealous for good works.” Titus 2:14

Message Take Aways:

1. As Solomon methodically designed the temple to glorify God, so we as the Church are to strive to honor the Lord as His temple—“Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you? For the temple of God is holy, which temple you are.” 1 Corinthians 6:16, 17b

2. God promised Solomon and His people Israel great blessing if they dedicated themselves to walking in His ways and we likewise will be blessed as we continue in His word—“Take heed to yourself and to the doctrine. Continue in them, for in doing this you will save both yourself and those who hear you.” 1 Timothy 4:16

3. The precise details of the temple’s construction and components were intended to convey the glory of God to generate reverence in those who approached His presence reminding us of the blessing it is to now enter in with boldness because of the work of Jesus Christ—“Therefore, brethren, having boldness to enter the Holiest by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way which He consecrated for us, through the veil, that is, His flesh, and having a High Priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.” Hebrews 10:19-22

Message Take Aways:

1. The plan which had been revealed by God was that the Gentiles should be fellow heirs of God’s promises through the gospel of Jesus Christ—“For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek.” Romans 1:16

2. Paul recognized the purpose of his ministry was to declare the gospel to all men that they may come to know the unfathomable riches of Jesus Christ and we have been commissioned to do likewise—“Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature.” Mark 16:15

3. Paul prayed that the Ephesians would personally know the love of Christ while growing deeper in the fullness of God and we should desire to do the same—“as newborn babes, desire the pure milk of the word, that you may grow thereby” 1 Peter 2:2

Message Take Aways:

1. The Ephesians experienced a closeness with the Lord because God the Father willingly made the way for salvation by the blood of Jesus—“He has delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of His love, in whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins.” Colossians 1:13-14

2. Both Jewish and Gentile believers now share a commonality in their mutual trust in the cross of Jesus Christ which removed the enmity between them while bringing peace between God and man—“For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus; Who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time.” 1 Tim. 2:5-6

3. The Church is masterfully crafted by God the Father built upon the Cornerstone, Christ the Son, and exists to grow into a holy temple that glorifies God by the power of the Holy Spirit—“I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.” John 15:5

Message Take Aways:

1. King Solomon wisely recognized the need to raise up other people to whom he could delegate purposeful work to support the furtherance of the kingdom—“the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love.” Ephesians 4:16

2. Israel & Judah experienced prosperity under King Solomon as God fulfilled His promised word and provided for His people beyond their wildest expectations—“Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor have entered into the heart of man the things which God has prepared for those who love Him.” 1 Corinthians 2:9

3. As Solomon relied upon the Lord he experienced prominence that set him apart from all other men reminding us of the blessing that comes from simply seeking God and abiding in Him—“But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.” Matthew 6:33

Message Take Aways:

1. Paul prayed for the Ephesians that they would personally know the wisdom and riches made available by God in Christ; we should likewise pray for others while knowing these promised blessings for ourselves—“If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him.” James 1:5

2. Paul reminds of the new, glorious position we have come to know in Christ which should charge us to live accordingly as citizens of heaven—“For here we have no continuing city, but we seek the one to come.” Hebrew 13:14

3. While Scripture declares that we are saved by grace through faith as opposed to our works, Paul reminds the believer that we were created with the purpose of walking in good works to glorify God—“Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father in heaven.” Matthew 5:16

Message Take Aways:

1. As Paul celebrated the glory of God’s plan to grant adoption to lowly man, he also recognized the responsibility to live unto holiness while striving to walk blamelessly before Him out of a genuine love for the Lord—“But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; who once were not a people but are now the people of God, who had not obtained mercy but now have obtained mercy.” 1 Peter 2:9-10

2. Once we realize the grace that God has bestowed upon us through the offering of His Son Jesus Christ to redeem us from eternal death, we understand our reasonable response must be to worship Him “to the praise of His glory”—“I will praise the name of God with a song, And will magnify Him with thanksgiving.” Psalm 69:30

3. Since the Lord has given us the Holy Spirit as a guarantee or pledge of our coming inheritance, we can live with a hope and expectation that God will fulfill His promised word to redeem us unto eternal life—“being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ” Philippians 1:6

Message Take Aways:

1. Though the Lord rebuked the conduct of the people, His command for them to return to building His temple demonstrated His longsuffering nature and patient willingness to use them once again despite their prior failures—“But You, O Lord, are a God full of compassion, and gracious, longsuffering and abundant in mercy and truth.” Psalm 86:15 

2. As the people renewed their commitment to the Lord by resuming the work of building His temple, so we will be blessed to daily commit to the good work that the Lord has prepared for us to do—“For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.” Ephesians 2:10

3. When the people became discouraged in the building process, the Lord comforted them by promising that the work would be completed unto glory and the Lord promises the same confidence to all who trust in Him—“being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ” Philippians 1:6

Message Take Aways:

1. David provided his son Solomon with wise instruction that his throne and legacy might be established in righteousness, and our heavenly Father has graciously provided us with divine instruction through His word and we will be blessed by obeying it—“All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.” 2 Timothy 3:16-17

2. The stubborn pride of Adonijah generated an insolence toward God’s anointed king Solomon and it eventually resulted in his destruction reminding us of the need to humble ourselves and submit to the plans of the Lord rather than scheming or fighting against His will—“Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall.” Proverbs 16:18

3. As Solomon took initiative to remove any wickedness that opposed or threatened the establishment of his kingdom, we too are wise to wage war against the sinful practices of our flesh—“Therefore put to death your members which are on the earth: fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry.” Colossians 3:5