In 1 Kings 3:16–28, two women come before King Solomon, each claiming to be the mother of the same living child. With no witnesses and no obvious way to determine who is telling the truth, Solomon faces an impossible judgment. But God-given wisdom reveals what human insight alone could not. In this sermon from Grace Hill Church, we explore Solomon’s famous judgment and discover how true wisdom discerns the truth, exposes the heart, and seeks what is good for others.

We need wisdom to navigate relationships, marriage, parenting, leadership, conflict, and the countless other decision. We need to know how to live faithfully in light of what is true. In 1 Kings 3, Solomon is given the opportunity to ask God for anything. Rather than asking for riches, power, or long life, Solomon recognizes his own inadequacy and asks God for wisdom and discernment to lead God's people. Solomon's prayer teaches us something important: wisdom begins with recognizing that we need God. But the story doesn't end with Solomon. Even the wisest king who ever lived would ultimately fail. Solomon points us to a greater King—Jesus Christ, who is not merely a giver of wisdom but the wisdom of God Himself. In this sermon, we consider what it means to ask God for wisdom, how God's wisdom shapes the way we live, and why our ultimate need is not simply to become wiser, but to know and follow Christ. “If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach.” — James 1:5

In 1 Kings 2, Solomon establishes his kingdom by dealing decisively with the rebellion and threats that remain. As we come to the New Testament, we see that Jesus is the greater King—the Son of David who establishes His kingdom not by destroying His enemies, but by taking judgment upon Himself for His enemies. Because Christ is King, we cannot make peace with the sin that rebels against His rule. We are called to put sin to death—but we do so from a position of victory, not in order to earn victory. Sin may remain, but it must not reign. In this sermon, we consider what it means to “clean house” in our hearts and in the life of the church, dealing with pride, gossip, lust, bitterness, and the sins we are tempted to make peace with. Most importantly, we look to Christ, who has defeated sin and death and gives His people the power to live under His gracious reign.

Adonijah tries to build his own kingdom and take the throne, but God has already established the rightful king. As this chapter exposes our own tendency to live for ourselves, it ultimately points us to Jesus Christ—the true King whose kingdom will never end. The question is simple: Who is sitting on the throne of your life?

Before Solomon ever takes the throne, his brother Adonijah tries to take it first, appointing himself king, building a coalition of loyalists, and quietly excluding anyone who might ask him why. Self-exaltation always divides, whether it's played out on a throne or in a marriage, a friendship, or a church. As we open a new series through 1 and 2 Kings, we'll see how one missed turn early in this book sets a trajectory that ends in ruin, and how the gospel offers something Adonijah never had: a King who emptied Himself so we would never have to build a throne of our own.