Principles of Worship

Intro

Hey all, welcome back to another Thursday Night...

Typical welcome stuff...

Go ahead and turn your bibles to 2 Sam. 6 …as you’re turning there, let me recap where we have been...we’ve been in a series on King David. Looking at highlights from his life and things we learn about God and our relationship with him.

Over the last few weeks, we’ve had the opportunity to hear about David’s relationship with Saul, his friendship with Saul’s son Jonathan…we’ve learned about David’s anointing, we discussed types of Christ and how they are found in all of scripture, but specifically the stories of King David...and we covered the famous story of David and Goliath.

We’ve covered a lot of things…and we’ve got a few more big ones to cover before we are done in 3 more weeks. So if you’re wondering where you can be reading…be covering the Davidic Covenant here in chapter 7, and David and Bathseba just a few chapters later.

So that’s all to come…but what we are all here for right now…is tonight.

Tonight we are in a passage that means a lot to me…for a few reasons.

I’m the worship pastor...

This was one of the first passages I ever heard preached on regarding worship..

It’s a beautiful passage to discuss worship because, once again, it lays out a very real, historical example of what it looks like to worship God.

Just like the Psalms do...

So let’s get into it, first with some context. What’s been going on since we last saw David?

Death of Saul and Jonathan.

Not everyone acknowledged David as king at first.

First he becomes king of Judah (southern)...

Then he becomes king of Israel (northern)...

And the main thing to note here…an important thing…is that David did not become King of a united Israel through conquest.

In fact, there are a few murders that occur, that actually favor David becoming King…and yet because they were done without honor and apart from God’s blessing…David actually disowns those actions.

Time and time again, we see David wins favor with the people because he has favor with God.

We see that in examples like... 2 Samuel 5:10

2 Samuel 5:10 ESV

10 And David became greater and greater, for the Lord, the God of hosts, was with him.

So that’s what’s happened in between Saul and Jonathan’s death and now in the story…and then we have this last bit of context…and that’s the Ark of the Covenant.

Story of the Ark of the Covenant...

Okay, so let’s actually read the text now. Lately I’ve been having you read the passage on your own, but this time I want to read it out loud.

2 Samuel 6 ESV

1 David again gathered all the chosen men of Israel, thirty thousand. 2 And David arose and went with all the people who were with him from Baale-judah to bring up from there the ark of God, which is called by the name of the Lord of hosts who sits enthroned on the cherubim. 3 And they carried the ark of God on a new cart and brought it out of the house of Abinadab, which was on the hill. And Uzzah and Ahio, the sons of Abinadab, were driving the new cart, 4 with the ark of God, and Ahio went before the ark. 5 And David and all the house of Israel were celebrating before the Lord, with songs and lyres and harps and tambourines and castanets and cymbals. 6 And when they came to the threshing floor of Nacon, Uzzah put out his hand to the ark of God and took hold of it, for the oxen stumbled. 7 And the anger of the Lord was kindled against Uzzah, and God struck him down there because of his error, and he died there beside the ark of God. 8 And David was angry because the Lord had broken out against Uzzah. And that place is called Perez-uzzah to this day. 9 And David was afraid of the Lord that day, and he said, “How can the ark of the Lord come to me?” 10 So David was not willing to take the ark of the Lord into the city of David. But David took it aside to the house of Obed-edom the Gittite. 11 And the ark of the Lord remained in the house of Obed-edom the Gittite three months, and the Lord blessed Obed-edom and all his household. 12 And it was told King David, “The Lord has blessed the household of Obed-edom and all that belongs to him, because of the ark of God.” So David went and brought up the ark of God from the house of Obed-edom to the city of David with rejoicing. 13 And when those who bore the ark of the Lord had gone six steps, he sacrificed an ox and a fattened animal. 14 And David danced before the Lord with all his might. And David was wearing a linen ephod. 15 So David and all the house of Israel brought up the ark of the Lord with shouting and with the sound of the horn. 16 As the ark of the Lord came into the city of David, Michal the daughter of Saul looked out of the window and saw King David leaping and dancing before the Lord, and she despised him in her heart. 17 And they brought in the ark of the Lord and set it in its place, inside the tent that David had pitched for it. And David offered burnt offerings and peace offerings before the Lord. 18 And when David had finished offering the burnt offerings and the peace offerings, he blessed the people in the name of the Lord of hosts 19 and distributed among all the people, the whole multitude of Israel, both men and women, a cake of bread, a portion of meat, and a cake of raisins to each one. Then all the people departed, each to his house. 20 And David returned to bless his household. But Michal the daughter of Saul came out to meet David and said, “How the king of Israel honored himself today, uncovering himself today before the eyes of his servants’ female servants, as one of the vulgar fellows shamelessly uncovers himself!” 21 And David said to Michal, “It was before the Lord, who chose me above your father and above all his house, to appoint me as prince over Israel, the people of the Lord—and I will celebrate before the Lord. 22 I will make myself yet more contemptible than this, and I will be abased in your eyes. But by the female servants of whom you have spoken, by them I shall be held in honor.” 23 And Michal the daughter of Saul had no child to the day of her death.

The principles of worship we learn from this passage. First one is this.

Worship is serious…so take it seriously.

Here’s where I get this. Look back at verses 6-11. This is the story of Uzziah touching the ark and dying.

Now, I now this can seem pretty crazy…cause it’s just a box right?

Ephesians 3:12 ESV

12 in whom we have boldness and access with confidence through our faith in him.

Worship is passionate…so worship passionately.

Whole body, whole person, physically, emotionally, spiritually.

And on top of all the things I’ve said about worship…meaning the actual praise of God…we also see that passionate worship is not just contained to praising God through dance or song.

Worship is divisive…so be unashamed.