Sermon Notes + 3.30.2025
SERMON NOTES
The Rest of the Acts of Solomon
1 Kings 11:41-43
Dr. Tony Chute, Lead Pastor
Overview: In the final summation of Solomon’s life, the author of 1 Kings refers readers to a source outside the Bible known as the Book of the Acts of Solomon. While the author’s intention has been to describe the life of Solomon to the reader, his comment also sheds light on how the biblical stories were written, and it raises the question as to how the Bible itself is more significant than the sources used for its completion. In brief, we find the author is selective but intentional with his material; he is accurate with his facts while using the literary constraints of his time; he writes an independent piece that fits within the storyline of Scripture; and he assesses the character of his subject from a Divine perspective. Though none of these factors prove the Bible to be the Word of God, they are consistent throughout Scripture as a whole and are meant to give us confidence that the Bible is indeed like no other book in the world.
01. The Bible is both a divine and human work. It is inspired by God and written by men, so let us view the Bible as God’s gift to us.
02. The Bible is a collection of books given by God and received by the church. It is self-attesting and sufficient, so let us view the Bible as complete.
03. The Bible is based on God’s work in history and based on historical sources. It is reliable in every part, so let us take heed of its assessments.
04. The Bible is both authoritative and edifying. It accomplishes the purpose which God designs, so let us read it with a view to draw nearer to the Lord.
QUESTIONS FOR DISCUSSION & DISCOVERY
1. What does the author intend to communicate about Solomon’s life in the first eleven chapters of 1 Kings? What are the themes that stand out to you? What lessons can be learned from his life today?
2. Why do you think the Bible uses sources outside of itself for its content? What kind of book would the Bible be if no historical records were used for its content? How important is history for the underlying theme of Scripture, such as God’s redemption of His people in the Exodus, or the life, death, and resurrection of Christ?
3. What does it mean to say that the author of 1 Kings is accurate with his facts but uses literary constraints of his time? Is it proper to impose upon the Bible modern expectations of historical writing, such as the technical language of modern science, modern rules of grammar or spelling, or the use of figurative language? What might be lost if we dismiss the accuracy of Scripture in accordance with its times and ours?
4. Do you marvel at the fact that the Bible contains 66 books but tells one complete story? How can we account for the storyline of Scripture (namely, God redeeming a fallen world through His Son) unless we accept the doctrine of inspiration? How does the canonization of Scripture preserve this storyline and provide a complete narrative of what God is accomplishing throughout world history?
5. Do you believe the Bible is the Word of God? Do you agree with its assessments of human behavior? What passages of Scripture do you turn to in order to increase your love for the Bible?
For Further Reading: John MacArthur, The Scripture Cannot Be Broken (Crossway, 2016)