Skip to content When Leaders Let Go: Lessons from David's Farewell Jun 29 · 15 min ...more
When Leaders Let Go: Lessons from David's Farewell
June 29, 2026 · 15 min
A sermon calling leaders to humbly release power and urging the next generation to watch, learn, wait, and step in at God’s timing.
Series Stand on the Word - Audio On Demand June 29, 2026 · 15 min · Stand on the Word - Audio On Demand
A sermon calling leaders to humbly release power and urging the next generation to watch, learn, wait, and step in at God’s timing. ...more Show the full description Show less A sermon calling leaders to humbly release power and urging the next generation to watch, learn, wait, and step in at God’s timing.
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Family Research Council is serving in the kingdom of God by championing faith, family, & freedom in public policy and the culture from a biblical worldview.
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David's Kingdom Organization and Farewell Address 0:09 Good morning. Welcome to stand on the word. Thanks for joining this morning as we complete 1st Chronicles as we look at chapters 27 through 29, verse 11 of chapter 29. Yours, oh lord, is the0:21 greatness, the power, and the glory, the victory, and the majesty for all that is in heaven and earth is yours. Yours is the kingdom, oh lord, and you are exalted as head overall. What a great0:33 verse. Alright. Today's passage is like a, a movie that is so good. You wanna stay and read the credits. You don't wanna miss the compelling close. In fact, you'll want0:52 inspiring passage of scripture. What we have is essentially the last words and actions of David, not the words on his deathbed, but the words and actions that he took with intentionality as he knew that his time was1:04 coming to a close. So what David does here is he cast the vision for the nation as he gives them his last recorded instructions to the people and to Solomon in the presence of the people1:15 before he steps down from the throne and transfers leadership of the kingdom to Solomon. And by the way by the way, this is something to to notice, to note in David is that most Old Testament kings1:27 after him, well, they died on the throne, or, I mean, they were either killed or they died on the throne because they didn't wanna give up power. There is a message here about the transferring of leadership from 11:39 generation to the next. Now we've been reading that David god told him Solomon was going to to come behind him. He was gonna bring, or build rather the temple.1:51 And so David begins to to prepare prepare Solomon, begins to acquire the materials and the plans for what would be the major initiative of Solomon's reign, and that2:02 was building the temple. And then when it was time when it was time, he stepped down and Solomon took over. But also notice that Solomon, unlike some of David's other2:14 sons, didn't try to usurp his father's authority or advance himself until it was the right time. He respected his father. And I would just say this because I've2:26 I've watched, a lot of, successions from, you know, 1 generation to the next in ministries. And and for leaders, when it is time to go, let go. And2:38 for aspiring leaders, you know, the the younger generation, the next generation, watch, listen, and learn, and wait until it's your turn. Alright. Chapters 292:50 will be our focus. Okay? Chapter 27 continues the organization of the kingdom that David undertook and put in place. And by the way, I I really think you see David at his best toward3:02 the end. He is putting in place, as we looked at last time, organizing the nation, putting leaders in place. He has civil leaders to assist in the governing of people that he puts in place. And and by the way, there3:13 is value in looking at the organizational structure of government as seen in the Bible. There's a lot to be learned from that. Centralized control and power are not the model even in a monarchy as we have here3:25 in the Old Testament. Other leaders were appointed at multiple levels to ensure there was justice and there was order for all of the people. Also, a a significant focus of chapter3:37 27 is the military. David created a distinctive structure of 12 divisions of 24000 men each that served 1 month each year, essentially a3:49 trained reserve force. Israel in fact, Israel's military still operates in a in a similar fashion today, and this provides a couple of things. 1, it keeps the nation4:01 from becoming a militaristic country. If it and also if additional help is needed, you mobilize these additional divisions. So you you're not you don't have everybody,4:13 out on the field at the same time, and it helps the economy because people are back there working. But it also has a unifying effect when there's a national emergency, and I've seen this in Israel. Everybody's affected4:25 by it. Not so much here in the United States, but it has a unifying effect because everyone is involved. Now I'm gonna go to the heart of chapter 28 in David's instructions to the people ofCharge to Solomon: Know and Serve God 4:37 Israel and to his son, Solomon, as he prepares to step down from being king. This is his farewell address to the nation. Verse 2 of chapter 28.4:49 Then King David rose to his feet and said, hear me, my brethren and my people. I had it in my heart to build a house of rest for the ark of the covenant of the Lord and for the footstool of our God and had made5:00 preparations to build it. Notice where David begins. He cast the vision for what really had been his top priority, but God told him he couldn't do it, and that was establishing the temple, the place of the presence of5:12 God in Jerusalem. But it's more than a building. Look at verse 8. Now therefore in the sight of all Israel, the assembly of the Lord and in the hearing of our God, be careful to5:24 seek out all the commandments of the Lord your God, that you may possess inheritance for your children after you forever. So this is his message to the people.5:37 David repeats here the instructions of Moses. Observe the word of god and obey it if if you want to stay in the land of promise and pass it on to your children. I mean, if you don't, then, you know,5:49 don't worry about it. Do whatever you want because your time is gonna be short. Then he turns to Solomon, verse 9. As for you, my son Solomon, know the God of your father and serve6:00 him with a loyal heart and with a willing mind. For the Lord searches all hearts and understands all the intents of the thoughts. If you seek him, he will be found by6:12 you, but if you forsake him, he will cast you off forever. So look what he says here. Know the God of your father, meaning have a personal6:24 relationship with God just as I have. Number 2, serve the Lord with a loyal heart and a willing mind, meaning his faith and his relationship with God should produce6:36 actions for God, not lip service. Don't give lip service to God. Give God your heart. And then look at the this promise. If you seek him, what? You will6:48 find him. Ideally, this is what we should look for in leaders, a personal relationship with God and a commitment to follow him. Now I I I know that's not always possible,6:59 especially in our as we've become more of a secular country. In fact, Christians have shied away from serving in government because, really, in many ways, because of the media and a small but,7:11 vocal element of our society that is openly hostile to Christianity and biblical truth saying, oh, this violation of separation church states. Christians, you can't be involved. Now I think there's been a lot of pushback7:23 in in recent years to this, which is good. But a couple of thoughts on this point. I mean, who really cares what those people think? We shouldn't. Our concern should be what7:35 god thinks. What has he called question is, alright, how do we know what god7:47 thinks? If we're we're to be concerned about what he thinks, how do we know what he thinks? God's word tells us what he thinks. Alright? That's why we need to be in the word of God. Secondly, the very thing that the7:58 world, that is the legacy media and groups like ACLU, Faithful America, Southern Poverty Law Center, what they're against is what we need more of, more Christians running for and being elected to8:10 public office at every level and upholding biblical standards and morality. The biblical standards of truth and morality. That's what we need. Our schools should8:21 not be promoting the deception of transgenderism, or they shouldn't be hiding this information from parents as they are in many places. Public library should8:33 not be promoting perversion with drag queens and other DEI programs. Now this requires how do we fix that? Alright? How does how do we fix that? This requires more Christians participating in the process, showing up to8:45 school board meetings, city council meetings, voting. And and, yes, standing against the godless progressive agenda as, in some cases, as candidates. This agenda is8:57 designed to destroy the family and the public presence of Christianity in our society, and we need to stand against it. So you say, why does it matter? Well, look again at part, the lastPlans, Courage, and God's Presence 9:09 part of verse 9. This is the instruction that David gave to him, but if you forsake him, he will cast you off forever.9:21 Alright. Like David's charge to all Israel, if being a Christian nation is nothing more than a bumper sticker, it changes nothing. But if it is a genuine conviction,9:33 it should shape every aspect of our lives and our nation from our homes and churches to our schools, our businesses, and, yes, civil government. Alright. Let's move on.9:45 I'm sure I probably, got some people held up here. Let me move on. Verse 10. Consider now, for the Lord has chosen you to build a house for the sanctuary. Be strong and do it. He said,9:57 get it done. Verse 11. Then David gave his son, Solomon, the plans for the vestibule, its houses, its treasuries, its upper chambers, its inner chambers, and the place of the mercy seat. Now through verse10:09 19, we have all the materials and the plans that David put together for Solomon to build the temple. Notice also that it was the Holy Spirit that directed David in in the planning.10:21 Verse 20. And David said to his son, Solomon, be strong and of good courage and do it. Do not fear nor be dismayed for the lord, God, my God, will be with you. He will not leave10:33 you nor forsake you until you have finished all the work for the service of the house of the Lord. Now this is something that you don't want to miss. Why would there be fear10:45 associated with building the temple? A building. That's all it is. Building a building. All the material and the plans were provided. It wasn't like Solomon had to go out and create a, you know, a a fundraising campaign10:57 and raise the money. It was already there. All he had to do was put it together. Well, 1st, here here's why he had to be strong and courageous. Anytime god is about to do something, Satan is about to oppose it. And we11:09 must understand that anything god calls us to, the forces of darkness, which are real, will oppose in some form or fashion. And so we have to be committed this the the call11:21 to be strong and courageous is to obedience to the word of God. Now look at the promise. He, that is God, the lord God will be with you. He will never leave you nor forsake you. Where have we heard11:32 that before? Well, Paul, quoting from Deuteronomy and from Joshua, wrote this in Hebrews chapter 13 verse 5. Let your conduct be without covetousness. Be content with such things as you have,11:44 for he himself has says, I will never leave you nor forsake you. Verse 6, we so we may boldly say the lord is my helper. I will not fear. What can man do to me?11:57 And Jesus himself giving his disciples instructions on building, not a temple, but a kingdom in Matthew chapter 28 verse 18. And Jesus came and spoke to them saying, all authority has been given12:08 to me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you. And, lo, I am12:20 with you always even until the end of the age. So Solomon was young. His father was great. So Solomon was stepping into some big shoes or sandals in12:32 this case. There was probably some fear of failure as his undertaking would define him. And there are some parallels here for us in Jesus's instructions to go and build his12:44 kingdom. You see, everything we need has been provided. We don't have to get the materials to build the kingdom. God did that. If we obey, seek the lord, and lean12:56 on him, we cannot fail. Father, thank you. Thank you for your word, and and what a wonderful conclusion to this book. Lord, as we see David passing the baton to the next13:07 generation, preparing them for success, wanting them to succeed, even though it looks like Solomon may not have been his 1st choice, but yet, Lord, you called13:19 Solomon. You said he was going to be the 1 that would come behind David and build the temple. And so David did everything he could to make sure that that was a successful effort. And, father, you provided all that13:31 was needed for Solomon to build this magnificent structure representing your presence. Lord, we've been called to build the kingdom, and we've been given everything that we need. Lord, may we not be fearful,13:43 but, lord, may we be strong and courageous, advancing truth, standing, Lord, unflinchingly for what we know to be true, that which is recorded in your13:55 word. We continue to pray for the Holy Spirit to guide us and direct us on this journey and show us how to apply the truths of your word to our lives in this world in which we live. For we pray this in Jesus' name. Amen.14:07 Alright. Thanks for joining me this morning. Let me remind you. Guess what? We begin the book of Psalms. We're gonna spend the summer in Psalms starting tomorrow. So this is a great time to invite someone to join us on14:19 this journey. Simply text Psalms Psalms to 6 7 7 4 2, and I will send you a an ecard that you can then forward on to your friends and family to invite them to14:31 join us on this journey that is life transformative. Until next time. Keep standing on the word.14:41 Today's study comes from the stand on the word bible reading plan available for free at f r c dot o r g slash bible. By following along in just a few minutes a day, you14:52 can read through the entire Bible in just 2 years. Learn more and request the free reading guide at frc dot org slash bible.In this video 0:00 David's Kingdom Organization and Farewell Address4:30 Charge to Solomon: Know and Serve God9:00 Plans, Courage, and God's Presence15:01 Prayer and Transition to Psalms
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