Do you know God's ultimate will for your ministry? A friend ask me that question forty (40) years ago. Quickly I replied "to finish college and seminary and pastor a church for the rest of my ministry." He then asked "how are you moving toward that goal." Sadly my response came "I am not doing anything towards that goal." He said "don't you think you ought to get busy?"  That may have been the best advise ever given to me.
 

1. Guard By . . Requesting Godly Advice. v 6-8
The king asked for advice from godly men. Did he really want it? How about you and
me do we want godly advice. Some of the elders would have been godly me

A.    The . . People of the Request. v 6
        King Rehoboam consulted with the elders who had served his father Solomon while he
was still alive, saying, "How do you counsel me to answer this people?"

        1.    The Elders.
               a.    Elders by age and experience.
               b.    Some Elders would have been spiritual men.

B.    The . . Petition of the Request. v 7
        Then they spoke to him, saying, "If you will be a servant to this people today, and will serve them and grant them their petition, and speak good words to them, then they will be your servants forever."

        1.    Serve the People.
        2.    Speak kindly.
        3.    Servants will result.
 

C.    The . . Preventing of the Request. v 8
        But he forsook the counsel of the elders which they had given him, and consulted with the young men who grew up with him and served him.

        1.    Forsook the Elders. v 8 a
        2.    Formatted the Young men. v 8 b
 

2.    Guard By . . Rejecting Bad Advice. v 10-11
        10 The young men who grew up with him spoke to him, saying, "Thus you shall say to this people who spoke to you, saying, "Your father made our yoke heavy, now you make it lighter for us!' But you shall speak to them, "My little finger is thicker than my father's loins! 11 "Whereas my father loaded you with a heavy yoke, I will add to your yoke; my father disciplined you with whips, but I will discipline you with scorpions.'"

A.    The . . Contrast of Bad Advice Rejected. v 10
        1.    Contrast the advice of the Elders to that of the Young men.
                a.    Worse than Solomon rather than better.

B.    The . . Conduct of Bad Advice Rejected. v 10
        1.    Harsh Discipline.
 

3.    Guard By . . Respecting Good Advice. v 13 - 14 & 16 a
        13 The king answered the people harshly, for he forsook the advice of the elders which they
had given him, 14 and he spoke to them according to the advice of the young men, 16 When
all Israel saw that the king did not listen to them, the people answered the king, saying, "What portion do we have in David? We have no inheritance in the son of Jesse; To your tents, O Israel! Now look after your own house, David!"

A.    Respect the . . Words of the People. v 13-14
        1.    Do Not be harsh. v 13 a
        2.    Do not be haughty. v 13 b
        3.    Do not be hateful. v 14

B.    Respect the . . Witness of the People. v 16 a
        1.    The Witness of . . Recognition.

C.    Recognitizing . . Witness of the People's Plan.
        1.    The Witness of . . Repudiation.
        2.    The King and the Nation were rejected.
 

4.    Guard By . . Reserving Proper Worship. v 26-28
        26 Jeroboam said in his heart, "Now the kingdom will return to the house of David. 27 "If
this people go up to offer sacrifices in the house of the LORD at Jerusalem, then the heart of this people will return to their lord, even to Rehoboam king of Judah; and they will kill me and return to Rehoboam king of Judah." 28 So the king consulted, and made two golden calves, and he said to them, "It is too much for you to go up to Jerusalem; behold your gods, O Israel, that brought you up from the land of Egypt." NASU

A.    Reserve Proper Worship In Spite of the . .Conniving of Leaders. v 26-27
        26 Jeroboam said in his heart, "Now the kingdom will return to the house of David.
27 "If this people go up to offer sacrifices in the house of the LORD at Jerusalem, then the heart of this people will return to their lord, even to Rehoboam king of Judah; and they will kill me and return to Rehoboam king of Judah."
 

B.    Reserve Proper Worship In Spite of the . .Consultation of Leaders. v 28 a
        28 So the king consulted, and made two golden calves,
 

C.    Reserve Proper Worship In Spite of the . .Compromises of Leaders. v 28 b
        and he said to them, "It is too much for you to go up to Jerusalem; behold your gods, O Israel, that brought you up from the land of Egypt." NASU