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Life Transformation: Week 2 (King David)

November 8, 2015 Series: Life Transformation

Topic: Covenant & Kingdom

LIFE TRANSFORMATION - Week 2: David

INTRO:

Quick Recap of Nelson's Message
Apostle Peter and 7 points to live as a disciple in a family on mission. If you missed it, be sure to check it out at theoikos.org in our sermon archives.

Today:
We are going to dive into King David and why the Lord considered him a "man after God's own heart" and how our understanding of both COVENANT and KINGDOM creates a culture of self that leads to life transformation. HOW LACK OF KINGDOM LIVING LEADS TO DISOBEDIENCE.

Let's dig into how this all got started, let's read:
Acts 13:22
But God removed Saul and replaced him with David, a man about whom God said, ‘I have found David son of Jesse, a man after my own heart. He will do everything I want him to do.’

TAKE-A-WAY #1:
When we don’t understand God as King, we miss out on obedience. When we don’t understand Him as Father, we miss out on intimacy. And when we miss out on obedience, we miss out on God's POWER.

To get a glimpse into David's life right before he became king, let's read his first recorded Psalm:
PSALM 59:6-10
They come out at night, snarling like vicious dogs as they prowl the streets. 7 Listen to the filth that comes from their mouths; their words cut like swords. “After all, who can hear us?” they sneer. 8 But Lord, you laugh at them. You scoff at all the hostile nations. 9 You are my strength; I wait for you to rescue me, for you, O God, are my fortress. 10 In his unfailing love, my God will stand with me. He will let me look down in triumph on all my enemies.
PSALM 59:14-17
My enemies come out at night, snarling like vicious dogs as they prowl the streets. 15 They scavenge for food but go to sleep unsatisfied. 16 But as for me, I will sing about your power. Each morning I will sing with joy about your unfailing love. For you have been my refuge, a place of safety when I am in distress.17 O my Strength, to you I sing praises, for you, O God, are my refuge, the God who shows me unfailing love.

David wrote Psalm 59 when he was probably only 20 years old. He would be running from King Saul for nearly 10 years after this point because Saul was extremely jealous that David was a **better warrior, more highly praised than he, and David was anointed to take over the throne. [INSERT HISTORY OF SAUL HUNTING DAVID? 1 Samuel 19-31]

TWO CLEAR COMPONENTS OF DAVID'S RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD:
He understands both COVENANT and KINGDOM

COVENANT = ONENESS
The Hebrew word for covenant means oneness or unfettered union. It’s a union that far supersedes the concept of a friendship or contract; a bond between a stronger and weaker party that permanently combines their identity and resources, generally marked with a scar that reminded them to be faithful, and often a new name.

KINGDOM = REPRESENTATION
The area in which the King reigns, beginning spiritually then manifesting physically, expressed through those who hold a covenant relationship with God and share his vision for his will being done on earth, a call to co-owning the responsibility of bringing heaven to earth, representing the Father’s character, and expanding his territory in a broken world.

How Psalm 59 displays both, KINGDOM [6-10] // COVENANT [14-17]
Quick Recap of how Psalm 59 displays C&K:
David clung on to the promises of God while on the run. He had an army of 600 men who battled with and for him. David's mission was clear and he knew that he had the Holy Spirit and that he would be king of all of Israel one day. During these trying times, he knew that God was his Father, which gave him intimacy with God, and he fought for the Lord with authority and power because he knew God was king, which led to his obedience. He was a man after God's own heart. He will do everything [God] wants him to do.

REMEMBER:
When we don’t understand God as King, we miss out on obedience. When we don’t understand Him as Father, we miss out on intimacy. And when we miss out on obedience, we miss out on God's POWER.

SO WHERE DO YOU SIT MOST OF THE TIME? Covenant or Kingdom?

Some signs you might struggle with knowing God as Father:
Discomfort with calling him Abba (Daddy)
Resisting intimacy with God
Struggling to rest and abide
Desiring more approval from God or others
Lacking elements of your relationship with God that deal with emotions
Forgetting to run to God as a first source of healing and comfort
Dismissing the idea that he cares about each part of your day and wants to be intimately involved in your life
Not believing he loves you like crazy, made you on purpose, and wants to bless your life
Memories of your parents disciplining you more frequently than they sat with you and got to know you

Some signs you might struggle with knowing God as King:
• Preferring the “New Testament God” over the “Old Testament God”
• Negotiating with God when he speaks to you about a sensitive topic
• Keeping some parts of your life “off limits” to his opinion
• Resisting or ignoring difficult passages of Scripture that don’t seem very gracious
• Struggling to obey
• Resisting the idea that he has total authority over your life and that everything you have is his
• Feelings of entitlement or control
• Resisting earthly authorities
• Your parents operated more frequently with you as your friend than your authority who expected you to listen and obey

*STORY 1* - Tell story of Eric Pfeiffer (Worship=Covenant, Demon-casting=Kingdom)

*STORY 2* - I think if we are honest with one another, as good Lutherans, we were raised to sit comfy, cozy in the COVENANT triangle. (..pause..) And if we're even more honest, we've neglected both COVENANT and KINGDOM living. OR MAYBE MORE ACCURATELY WEVE COMPLETELY MISUNDERSTOOD C AND K. Covenant: leads us to cheap grace and irresponsibility. Or Kingdom: distant God who is all about rules leading to pious religiosity. [This results in not just a lack of casting out demons and raising the dead, but no idea of who we even are] When you know who you are, you know what to do.

**PROBLEM**
If we don't live as if God is KING, which leads to obedience... then where does that leave us? Let's see where that left David...

David became king of Judah at 30 years old, and king of all Israel at 37. He won many battles with the Lord, and was always on the battlefield [READ: 2 Samuel 10:17-19]
17 When David heard what was happening, he mobilized all Israel, crossed the Jordan River, and led the army to Helam. The Arameans positioned themselves in battle formation and fought against David. 18 But again the Arameans fled from the Israelites. This time David’s forces killed 700 charioteers and 40,000 foot soldiers, including Shobach, the commander of their army. 19 When all the kings allied with Hadadezer saw that they had been defeated by Israel, they surrendered to Israel and became their subjects. After that, the Arameans were afraid to help the Ammonites.

IT WASN'T UNTIL DAVID FORGOT HIS RESPONSIBILITY TO REPRESENT GOD... that things went south [LET'S READ 2 SAMUEL 11:1-5]
11 In the spring of the year, when kings normally go out to war, David sent Joab and the Israelite army to fight the Ammonites. They destroyed the Ammonite army and laid siege to the city of Rabbah. However, David stayed behind in Jerusalem. 2 Late one afternoon, after his midday rest, David got out of bed and was walking on the roof of the palace. As he looked out over the city, he noticed a woman of unusual beauty taking a bath. 3 He sent someone to find out who she was, and he was told, “She is Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliam and the wife of Uriah the Hittite.” 4 Then David sent messengers to get her; and when she came to the palace, he slept with her. She had just completed the purification rites after having her menstrual period. Then she returned home. 5 Later, when Bathsheba discovered that she was pregnant, she sent David a message, saying, “I’m pregnant.”

DAVID STAYED HOME - oops! (TALK ABOUT RESPONSIBILITY Real Quick) **And went on to kill Uriah**

*INTERESTING INFERENCE - There seems to be at least a 5-year gap that David didn't write any Psalms before his affair with Bathsheba*

DISCIPLINE FROM THE LORD OFTEN INVOLVED ** LOSS **
God sent Nathan to rebuke David... David repents...son dies and a promise of animosity in his family. And he writes Psalm 51 (a beautiful psalm of repentance... have mercy on me, o Lord, a sinner...)

“If God allows you to be stripped of the exterior portions of your life, he means for you to cultivate the interior.” (Oswald Chambers)

HAS THE LORD EVER TAKEN SOMETHING FROM YOU? HOW DID YOU RESPOND? IN REPENTANCE? OR REBELLION?

*STORY* - Losing responsibility at Trinity.

*MY MORAL* - It was through the loss of my position, an exterior portion of my life, which allowed Him to cultivate my character to be more like Him.

*DAVID'S MORAL* - David was able to represent the King in amazing ways when he had an INTIMATE relationship with the Father and lived in OBEDIENCE to the Lord... He lost his son, but turned back to God and from his lineage was born the Savior of the world. THROUGH ALL HIS MISTAKES, HE WAS STILL CONSIDERED A MAN AFTER GOD'S OWN HEART. IT'S ABOUT POSTURE.

REMEMBER:
When we don’t understand God as King, we miss out on obedience. When we don’t understand Him as Father, we miss out on intimacy. And when we miss out on obedience, we miss out on God's POWER.

COVENANT -
COVENANT = ONENESS
The Hebrew word for covenant means oneness or unfettered union. It’s a union that far supersedes the concept of a friendship or contract; a bond between a stronger and weaker party that permanently combines their identity and resources, generally marked with a scar that reminded them to be faithful, and often a new name.

BY GRACE THROUGH FAITH IN JESUS, AND THE WATERS OF BAPTISM, WE ARE SEALED IN A COVENANT WITH ONE WHO IS STRONGER THAN US. ONE WHO IS A GOOD FATHER, A GOOD KING. WHO CARES ENOUGH ABOUT US TO CALL US BACK TO HIM WHEN WE FORGET WHO WE ARE. WHO TRANSFORMS LIVES.

MAY GOD, OUR FATHER AND KING, CONTINUE HIS GOOD WORK IN YOU IN CHRIST JESUS UNTIL HE RETURNS. AS WE EMBRACE BOTH COVENANT AND KINGDOM, MAY WE ALL EXPERIENCE THE LIMITLESS POWER OF GOD, AS HIS BELOVED SONS AND DAUGHTERS, WHEN WE LIVE OUT IN OBEDIENCE. MAY WE ALL BE AFTER "GOD'S OWN HEART."

CLOSE WITH PSALM 37:34-40 (David's Final Psalm at 70 years old)
34 Put your hope in the Lord.
Travel steadily along his path.
He will honor you by giving you the land.
You will see the wicked destroyed.
35
I have seen wicked and ruthless people
flourishing like a tree in its native soil.
36
But when I looked again, they were gone!
Though I searched for them, I could not find them!
37
Look at those who are honest and good,
for a wonderful future awaits those who love peace.
38
But the rebellious will be destroyed;
they have no future.
39
The Lord rescues the godly;
he is their fortress in times of trouble.
40
The Lord helps them,
rescuing them from the wicked.
He saves them,
and they find shelter in him.

 

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