Let God's Way be The Way

2 Samuel 6:11-19

The Story

A man named Obed-Edom was glad to have the Ark in his house...

For the LORD God had blessed him and his family abundantly!!!

When David heard of the blessings upon the house of Obed-Edom, he was very eager to bring the Ark home.

During the three months that passed after the death of Uzzah, David must have learned how the Ark was to be moved...... and he was ready and careful to do God's work God's way!

So he went to the house of Obed-Edom and got the Ark home the right way.

David's heart had been transformed.......

And he was getting what he went after.

He went after God and he was returning with the presence and power of God!

Lessons

So do believers who go after the LORD God with a heart to know Him, and who seek His face according to His revealed will.

They will receive what they are after.

When they stop trying to use fleshly means and worldly shortcuts to go after the LORD God.......

When they start going after the LORD God by honoring His Word and respecting His holiness.....

Then the LORD God will bless them with His presence and His power for His glory!

It is when we learn to line up with the LORD God.....

and go after Him with all our hearts....

....... That we will have Him and His blessings.

Remember...

It's when David started doing things God's way, that God blessed him!

It's when David started going after God, that he had His presence and His power!

David got the Ark home God's way.

Let God's way be the way.

Doing God's Business Using God's Way

2 Samuel 6:1-19

The Story

David's motives in bringing the Ark to Jerusalem were proper, but his methods were faulty.

David either forgot or ignored the clear command of God as to how the Ark was to be transported:

• He didn't seek God's guidance and direction before he did it. He just assumed that God would bless him because he was doing a good thing.

• The Ark was supposed to be carried only on the shoulders of the Kohanites, but David placed it on a new cart!

His method for transporting the Ark resulted in the death of a man named Uzzah:

For the first two miles of the journey, the oxen shook the cart and threatened to dump the Ark off the cart. Uzzah reached out his hand to steady the Ark and to prevent it from falling.

God killed Uzzah on the spot because of his foolish disobedience! The Ark was never to be touched by human hands (Num. 4:15)!

This is God's precept. And His precepts are to be followed to the letter, without question!

David got angry. He chose to forget the whole matter. He dismissed the people and left the Ark where it was....

Lessons

Many of us would like to have God in our lives, but our methods are faulty.

We either forget or ignore the clear command of God as to how to glorify His name and enjoy His presence:

• We don't seek God's guidance and direction. We simply assume that God will bless us because we are doing a good thing.
• There are clear teachings in the Bible as to how to worship Him and enjoy Him. But we choose to do God's business our way.
  

God's blessings come only through obedience.

• God's children must always pray before they make a move (Matt 6:33).

• God's children must only do God's business using God's way.
  

Those who defy His Word and His will will pay a terribly high price!

• When we seek to do God's business our way, God will not bless it.
  

• When we employ worldly methods to do God's work, God will not bless it.

• And when we fail to seek God's Will, God will not bless us.

• When we operate in the power and energy of the flesh, God will not bless us.

• When we refuse to obey God's precepts and principles, God will not bless us.

Remember...

David's motives in bringing the Ark to Jerusalem were proper, but his methods were faulty.

And God did not bless him!

Instead, God punished Him!

If we want to be disappointed in our walk with Jesus as an individual or as a church, just do everything our way, and watch God's judgment!

If we want God's blessings, then let us do God's business using God's way.

The Desires To Have God's Rule

2 Samuel 6:1-19

The Story

David was a man after God's Own heart (Acts 13:22).

He cared about the things that God cared and loved.

He hated what God hated.

David had a holy desire. He wanted the Ark returned as the center of Israel's worship and devotion. He wanted God back as the center of the national consciousness. He wanted God's people to stand united with God as their true King. He wanted God's presence, God's blessings, and God's guidance to be with His people.

David had an honest desire. He was not motivated by ulterior motives. He was not after glory or power. He merely wanted to see God restored in the nation of Israel. He strongly desired that God be glorified among the people of Israel.

David had a humble desire. He knew that he and the people of Israel couldn't fend for themselves. They needed God's presence and power.

Lessons

The Church is the bride of Christ (Eph. 5:23–32).

She cares about the things that God cares and loves.

She hates what God hates.

The Church has a holy desire. She wants the Lord Jesus Christ returned as the center of christian worship and devotion. She wants God back as the center of His people. She wants all christians to stand united with God as their true King. She wants God's presence, God's blessings, and God's guidance to be with His people.

The Church has an honest desire. She is not motivated by ulterior motives. She is not after glory or power. She merely wants to see God restored in the heart of His people. She strongly desires that God be glorified among the people of God.

The Church has a humble desire. She knows that she and the people of God can't fend for themselves. They need God's presence and power.

Remember...

David was a man after God's Own heart.

The Church is the bride of Christ.

And God alone is our King.

Bringing The People Back To God

2 Samuel 6:1-19

The Story

David was secure as the King of Israel.

But Israel was still far away from God.

David wanted to lead the Israelites back to God.

He led a massive army to retrieve the Ark of the Covenant from the house of a man called Abinadab.

David knew that the people of Israel would never be with God until the Ark was restored as the center of worship and their everyday life.

The Ark was symbolic of God's presence among His people.

It was central to their lives, their worship, their battles and wars... and their relationship with God.

Without the Ark, they did not have God.

Lessons

Many recognize the importance of coming to the Church.

But many are still far away from God.

The Church wants to lead the many back to God.

The Church wants to bring the Lord Jesus Christ back into their lives.

The Lord Jesus Christ must be the center of their worship and everyday life.

Through the Lord Jesus Christ, they may center their lives, their worship, their everyday affairs, and their relationship back with God.

Without the Lord Jesus Christ, they do not have God.

Jesus said to him, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me." (John 14:6)

"If you had known Me, you would have known My Father also; and from now on you know Him and have seen Him." (John 14:7)

Remember...

The Ark was the center of Israel's worship and everyday life.

The Lord Jesus Christ is the center of our worship and everyday life.

The Cry For Total Surrender

2 Samuel 5:1-5

The Story

After two years of struggle and civil war, the people of Israel finally came to David and anointed him as king over the whole land.

This was the third time David was anointed as king.

The first time was by Samuel in 1 Samuel 16.

The second by the people of Judah.

And now by the whole nation of Israel.

The people of God finally acknowledged David as their flesh and blood.

The people of God finally acknowledged all that David had done for them.

The people of God finally acknowledged God's Will for their lives and nation.

They fully surrendered themselves to the leadership of king David.

Lessons

After years of struggle and rebellion, the children of God finally come to Jesus and worship Him as their Lord and Savior.

They finally acknowledged the Lord Jesus Christ as the Son of Man.

They finally acknowledged all that the Lord Jesus Christ had done for them on the Cross.

They finally acknowledged God's Will in their lives to serve the Lord Jesus Christ.

They fully surrendered themselves to the Lord Jesus Christ.

Remember...

The people of God will ultimately surrender to God' s Will and serve His King.

The Consequences Of Partial Submission

2 Samuel 5:1-5

The Story

Because of partial submission to God's choice as their king, the people of Israel had to endure painful struggles and tragic waste.

There was a long war between the house of Saul and the house of David.

The people of Israel and Judah had to fight a bitter war against one another.

Lives were lost, property was destroyed, families were devastated, lives were ruined....

But God's Will be done.

David grew stronger and stronger, and the house of Saul weaker and weaker.

It was a futile war against the Will of God.

If Israel had only bowed to the Will of God and accepted David as their king, they could have avoided all that grief and bloodshed.

Their partial submission had cost them plenty.

Lessons

Because of partial submission to the LORD Jesus Christ, christians have to endure painful struggles and tragic waste in their lives.

There is a long war between our flesh and God's Spirit.

Satan continues his onslaught against the souls of men because of their partial submission to the Will of God.

The flesh continues to oppose the Spirit and the Spirit opposes the flesh....

Many christians have lived a defeated, shameful, sinful, fruitless, joyless and hopeless life.

Many Christians have spent a wasteful life year after year....

But God's Will Be Done.

The people of God grow stronger after every spiritual battle....

The slavery and bondage to the flesh, the world and the power of darkness become weaker.

It was a futile war against the Will of God.

If christians have only bowed to the Will of God and accepted Jesus Christ as their LORD and Savior, they may have avoided all that grief, despair, frustration, sorrow, and misery....

Their partial submission has cost them plenty.

Remember...

Partial submission is no good for us; it causes painful struggles and tragic waste to our lives.