On Sunday, we enjoyed a beautiful Advent worship service, complete with a special solo. Then we continued the Godsway 66 trip through the Bible, considering the book of 1 Kings. There are three main things to consider in this book: the construction of the Temple, the division of Israel into two kingdoms, and the prominence of prophets as moral authorities in place of a line of disappointing kings.
Of the most lasting significance is the Temple, dedicated by King Solomon, who recognized that it could not be the earthly dwelling place of God but hoped it could be a focal point for faith in God. Particularly, he prayed that the people could return to the Temple and pray to God after a period of time in which they had strayed from faith in God. The Temple gave the people an identity that has remained for 2500 years, through even the hardest times.
On the other hand, the northern kingdom of Israel lacked such a strong piece of identity as the Temple (though they tried to establish a religious center at Shechem). Instead, their strongest identity seemed to be negative -- they weren't Judah (the prominent tribe around Jerusalem). However, they lacked other strong positive things about which to share an identity. It is not a coincidence that the northern kingdom was captured decades before Judah and that the people had no way to regroup after their defeat. The northern tribes were scattered and lost. The southern tribes in Judah managed to create a new identity as Jews during and after their exile in Babylon.
If you missed Sunday's sermon, if you'd like to listen to it again, or if you'd like to share it with others, you can find an audio recording here.
You can also listen to the Communion meditation and the closing benediction.
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