1 Kings 2:1-4
When David's time to die drew near, he commanded Solomon his son, saying,
[2] "I am about to go the way of all the earth. Be strong, and show yourself a
man, [3] and keep the charge of the Lord your God, walking in his ways and
keeping his statutes, his commandments, his rules, and his testimonies, as it
is written in the Law of Moses, that you may prosper in all that you do and
wherever you turn, [4] that the Lord may establish his word that he spoke
concerning me, saying, 'If your sons pay close attention to their way, to walk
before me in faithfulness with all their heart and with all their soul, you
shall not lack a man on the throne of Israel.'
Sermon for the Circuit Pastors’ Conference
BE STRONG AND SHOW YOURSELF A MAN
Grace, mercy and peace to you from God our Father and our Lord Jesus Christ!
Amen. In today’s reading from 1 Kings chapter 2, a falling king speaks to a
rising king, “Be strong and show yourself a man.”
Dear brothers,
One of the strengths of the hymnal Lutheran Service Book (LSB) is that it
reverses many decisions made by its predecessor, Lutheran Worship (LW). For
example, LW eliminated that verse from “God of the Prophets, Bless the
Prophets’ Sons” (LW 258) which describes pastors as kings over their
congregations. In the spirit of its grandfather, The Lutheran Hymnal (1941),
LSB puts the verse back into its rightful place:
Anoint them kings, yes, kingly kings, O Lord.
Anoint them with the Spirit of Your Son (LSB 682).
If you hesitate to think of your pastoral office in regal terms, you are not
alone (Lutheran Book of Worship [LBW], the ELCA progenitor for Lutheran
Worship, eliminated the hymn entirely, presumably on account of the hymn’s
description of the Pastoral Office in male terms. The absence of this hymn in
LBW suggests that it might have been influences within the Missouri Synod that
led to the exclusion of verse 4 in LW.). Your hesitation, however, will
probably be for the wrong reasons and it will do your office no good. Just as
surely as you are the prophet for your congregation, speaking forth the Word of
God with authority that surpasses that of the rabbis (Matthew 7:28); just as
surely as you are the priest for your congregation, interceding for God’s
people, leading them in the “sacrifice of praise” (Hebrews 13:15), and perhaps
even making certain sacrifices of your own on their behalf (2 Timothy 4:6,
Romans 12:1); so surely are you also the
king for your congregation.
· Obviously you are not to be king as the gentiles are king, lording your
office over your congregation (Matthew 20:25). God has given you the office of
shepherd-king, guarding and protecting the flock of God committed to your care
(1 Peter 5:1-2).
· Self-evidently, you are not the King of Kings (1 Timothy 6:15). Another
King, one greater than you, already occupies that higher office. You are
under-shepherd and under-king, if you will, serving in the stead and by the
command of the Chief Shepherd (1 Peter 5:4) and King eternal (1 Timothy 1:17).
You are king nevertheless. Your congregation is the kingdom on behalf of which
you have been given responsibility to face the lion, the bear, and if need be,
the Philistine giant (1 Samuel 17:34-36).
One of the benefits you receive when you acquiesce to the title “king” is that
you ears become more acutely attuned to the Words God speaks, not only to His
prophets and His priests, but also to His kings. While on his deathbed, David
does not speak to Solomon merely as a father speaks to his son. King David
speaks from the God-given authority of his office to one who is about to take
the God-given office: “Be strong and show yourself a man.” Solomon most
certainly does not stand alone by his father's bedside. “Whatever was written
in former days was written for our instruction” (Romans 15:4), brother, and you
in your God-given office stand beside Solomon as he hears the kingly charge
spoken also to you: “Be strong and show yourself a man.”
David immediately tells Solomon and all his kingly sons what it means to be
strong and show yourself a man. Manliness—for that matter, kingliness—does not
have much to do with displays of strength or gruffness or even a deep voice.
Manliness and kingliness have to do with keeping the faith: “Keep the charge of
the LORD your God,” David says, “walking in His ways and keeping His statutes,
His commandments, His rules and His testimonies, as it is written in the Law of
Moses” (1 Kings 2:3). That is what it means to be a man. That is what it means
to be king.
Some people might protest my line of thinking. They might say that King David's
Words should be applied to all men, and not merely to pastors. To be sure,
fathers are the best fathers and husbands are the best husbands and brothers
are the best brothers when they show themselves to be men, that is, when they
devote their lives, both outwardly and inwardly, to the Word of God and to the
Christian faith that springs from it.
Another protest to my line of thinking could be made. Someone might argue that
trust in God and keeping His statues rightly applies not only to men, but also
to women. Stated another way, keeping the charge of God is not only how men
show themselves to be the best of men, but it is also how women likewise show
themselves to be the best of women.
Certainly many Bible passages could be adduced to support both protests against
my line of thinking. But I am referring specifically to 1 Kings chapter 2:
“When David’s time to die drew near, he commanded Solomon his son” (1 Kings
2:1).
· David does not say to Solomon, “Be strong and show yourself a human or
a person (adam).” David says, “Be strong and show yourself a man (ish).” Women
are by no means excluded from keeping the faith, but David is speaking
specifically to his son.
· David is not merely speaking to any son. In fact, David is not speaking
to any of his other sons. David certainly loves his other sons, but none of his
other sons were called to be king.
· David speaks in particular to that son who had been selected by God (2
Samuel 12:24-25); that son who had been promised and given the specific office
that David himself held; that son who will eventually act in office not only as
king, but also as prophet (Ecclesiastes, Proverbs, Song of Solomon) and priest
(1 Kings 8) for his people. With his dying breath, David commands the new
pastor of the flock of Israel, “Be strong and show yourself a man.”
There is no superiority in David’s voice, either. David does not speak as the
greater to the lesser. David speaks king-to-king, pastor-to-pastor, and
man-to-man. David speaks to his brother in the office, and his speech emboldens
me to say also to you, brother: “Be strong and show yourself a man.”
I know full well that the very hearing or reading of these Words is enough to
strike fear in the heart of any pastor. For each man in the pulpit—with you as
surely as with me—there are too many regrets, too many doubts, too many
weaknesses, and too many failures. History will likely view us each more like
more paupers than kings. It is terribly difficult to be a manly husband,
walking faithfully in the ways of the Lord. It is nearly impossible to be a
manly father, keeping the commandments of the Lord our God for the benefit of
your sons and daughters. It might be an even more insurmountable charge to be a
manly pastor, continually strong for the weak and immovable for the
storm-tossed and hard for the hardened and conciliatory for the embattled. You
know as well as I that the personal ravages of the sinful flesh never cease,
even when they are hidden beneath alb and stole for the sake of the kingdom.
Be strong and show yourself a man, brother. Part of the motivation for David’s
charge to Solomon is David’s experience as king. The throne is a lonely place.
Shepherds usually have no shepherd. Relatively few prophets have a prophet to
whom they may listen. Priests must offer sacrifices for themselves as well as
for the people. Think about the Word you preach. Yes, it is the sword of the
Spirit that you wield for the care and protection of your kingdom, but you also
receive the safety of the very blade God has placed into your hands. The Word
that God proclaims to your people through you is also the Word that God
likewise proclaims to you through you.
· There is never a time that God’s Word is not doing its good and
beneficial work upon you—even when you do not feel able to take time for what
some people call personal devotions.
· During rigorous times, when you begin to feel like a smash-and-grab
jewel thief because iall you are doing is running to the Word and grabbing
something for the people, “the Word of God… is [still also] at work in you who
believe” (1 Thessalonians 2:13).
Be strong and show yourself a man, brother. Look beyond the harsh law of these
Words and hear the sweet Gospel they bring to your ears. “Be strong” is not
only a command; it is also a divine promise. God's command to you, “Be strong”
carries with it the very strength it requires of you. Just as paralytics rise
when Word of God commands them to rise (Matthew 9:6); just as the blind gain
sight when the Word of God touches their eyes (Matthew 10:29); just as the dead
rise when commanded, “Lazarus, come out” (John 11:43); so it is with
pastor-kings who are told by the speaker of God's Word, “Be strong.”
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