What an interesting Sunday - well done to Adrian for bringing sobriety to the worship with his unique brand of leadership. It was different in that it had an air of quietude in a strange sort of way. The lack of drums and bass, and the refreshing sound of not wilting away from the opportunity of doing a simple acoustic number. And he can sing - not scared to harmonise or to solo. My pet-hate of playing whilst someone is praying out loud - something I think I'll just have to learn to live with!! But overall - refreshing.
And James as the MC and Tim's talk both had an air of humility which is so often missed when we have the more "dance like David danced" style worship. Nothing wrong with that but it would be nice to have a few minutes silence every now and then so you can reflect rather then just rush to get through all that has been prepared. ha-ho - life goes on!
Well done Tim for your sermon. Another bout of David but this time the David who is up to no good. 2 Samuel 11 & 12ish sees king David attempt to break as many of the Ten Commandments as possible! For someone who had the Spirit of God upon him (1 Sam 16:13) he went through a really dark period "doing evil in God's eyes" 2 Samuel 12:9.
Lets look at what he did:
1. He failed to divert his gaze from lusting after a woman in the bath
2. He fed his flesh desires by investigating who she was
3. He fed his flesh desires even more by summoning her to his palace
4. He then had sex with the woman knowing full well that she was already married
5. He then tried to cover up the pregnancy by giving Uriah advice with an ulterior motive
6. He then past sentence on Uriah - sentencing him to death by sending him to the battle front
"the things David had done displeased the LORD" 2 Samuel 11:27b . Jesus tells us how we commit just as bad sins in our heart by just feeding our imaginations, thus making us as "displeasing" as David. We all fall short on a daily basis - but there is a way out in the form of repentance and forgiveness.
Nathan then puts David back in his place with his sheep parable which leads to David repenting of his sins. David is told that the sins will not go unpunished and that "the son born to you will die." 1 Samuel 12:14. David then appears to loose the plot as any normal human would. Fasting did nothing to reverse what God had promised. Rolling about on the floor having a hissy fit had no effect! God had invested in David, and David had told God to get stuffed in not so many words. And God is a just God - A God of Justice and justice was served. The Word of God was fore filled and the boy died.
But after that came the blessing from God, and David had a son - Solomon. Tim's advice to us is summed up in Genesis 4:7 "If you do what is right, will you not be accepted? But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you, but you must master it." or as John Owen put it, “Be killing sin or sin will be killing you.” .
If only David had that tattooed on his heart!! If only I had it tattooed on my heart!!
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