God's Work, God's Blessing

**Turn to 2 Samuel 5:6…**

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Intro: (Recipe and Result)

COOKING & BAKING… Success largely depends on following the recipe.

Cooking— Forgiving

Anyone else here get inventive when cooking & adjust recipes significantly??

Baking— Less Forgiving

Last year,, MAKING COOKIES…

Big T = tablespoon… Little t = teaspoon… 3x difference

Very Vanilla(y) cookies

In general, if you want the promised results…you’ve got to follow the recipe.

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We can look @ Scripture in similar ways...

God’s book of instructions—almost a “RECIPE BOOK” for LIFE

This is how God desires for us to live...

When we follow His ways,, we receive His blessing.

>>> We can’t live contrary to God’s Word && expect His blessing <<<

**Not talking about salvation by works**

But if you WANT GOD’S BLESSING on your endeavors in life,,

they should FOLLOW GOD’S WILL & God’s WORD...

We probably all know this…but sometimes WE NEED REMINDED... That is why we need this text today.

We need the reminder that IF WE WANT the RESULTS,, we should FOLLOW the RECIPE.

(T) Keep these things in mind as we dive into our text today...

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Recap: (Promises Kept)

Last Week:

DAVID = ANOINTED…KING over ALL ISRAEL.

FULFILLED PROMISE—20 YEARS in the MAKING.

ANOINTED as young SHEPHERD BOY

COUNTLESS TRIALS… UPS & DOWNS...

>>> GOD = A PROMISE-KEEPING GOD. <<<

@ GOD’S APPOINTED TIME,, DAVID BEGINS to RULE.

LEARNED: IMPORTANCE of WAITING

**PATIENCE ISN’T LEARNED in a CLASSROOM…**

WE LEARN to TRUST GOD,, WE LEARN PATIENCE,, WHILE AWAITING HIS PROMISES.

(T) And so, now that we see there’s a NEW KING in ISRAEL,

LET’S SEE what this KING DOES on his “1ST DAY” on the JOB...

LOOK W/ ME @ CH. 5 VS. 6...

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Text (2 Sam. 5:6-25 ESV)

Inciting Incident/Setting (v6)

2 Samuel 5:6–25 (ESV)

6 And the king and his men went to Jerusalem against the Jebusites, the inhabitants of the land, who said to David, “You will not come in here, but the blind and the lame will ward you off”—thinking, “David cannot come in here.”

BEGIN: BY LOOKING BACK on COVENANT BETWEEN GOD & ABRAHAM...

ONE THING GOD PROMISED ABRAHAM— A LAND (GEN. 15:18-21)

“THE PROMISED LAND”

LAND of CANAAN == WOULD BELONG to ABRAHAM’S DESCENDANTS...

KENITES

OTHER “ITES”

LAST, BUT NOT LEAST...JEBUSITES...

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AFTER GOD’S PROMISE to ABRAHAM:

MOSES & EXODUS...

JOSHUA & CONQUEST...

**BUT WE SEE the PEOPLE NEVER FULLY POSSESS the PROMISED LAND **

TIME of JUDGES:

DISOBEDIENT to GOD

GOD DELIVERS THEM INTO ENEMY HANDS

THEN KING SAUL: (LITTLE PROGRESS)

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NOW: CHOSEN & ANOINTED KING DAVID,, GOING to FINISH WHAT EVERYONE ELSE STARTED.

GOING to FIGHT JEBUSITES of JERUSALEM

DALE DAVIS: ISRAEL TRIED & PARTIALLY SUCCEEDED, BUT NEVER TOOK JERUSALEM in PAST.

JEBUSITES REMAINED in LAND W/ ISRAEL…TESTIMONY to THEIR FAILURE.

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JERUSALEM = NO CAKE WALK

CITY on a HILL

HUGE WALLS

**GOING UP HILL & HITTING WALLS = DIFFICULT to CAPTURE**

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JEBUSITES = INCREDIBLY PROUD...

DISDAINING DAVID: “BLIND & LAME” COULD KEEP YOU OUT!!

NO ONE COULD CAPTURE JERUSALEM...

DAVID DOESN’T STAND a CHANCE,, IN THEIR ESTIMATION...

(T) And is their estimate right? Look with me at verse 7, the text says,

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Rising Action/Climax (v7-10)

7 Nevertheless, David took the stronghold of Zion, that is, the city of David.

8 And David said on that day, “Whoever would strike the Jebusites, let him get up the water shaft to attack ‘the lame and the blind,’ who are hated by David’s soul.” Therefore it is said, “The blind and the lame shall not come into the house.”

9 And David lived in the stronghold and called it the city of David. And David built the city all around from the Millo inward.

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

Don’t you just love this!

THEY SAY DAVID DOESN’T STAND a CHANCE… AND DAVID TAKES the CITY!

SOMEHOW THEY ACCESS a WATERSHAFT LEADING INTO the CITY...

**POWERPOINT PICTURE**

DAVID SARCASTICALLY CALLS THEM “LAME & BLIND”---NOTE QUOTATION MARKS...

**DAVID ISN’T PICKING on HANDICAPPED PEOPLE**

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DAVID TAKES CITY & MAKES it HOME-BASE

REBUILDS MILLO: SET of TERRACED RETAINING WALLS

DAVID CONQUERS the CITY THAT WAS PREVIOUSLY IMPREGNABLE.

800 YEARS AFTER the PROMISE to ABRAHAM,, THIS POSSESSION of the JEBUSITES = TAKEN BY GOD’S PEOPLE...

DALE DAVIS: “His promises are not stamped with an expiration date in small print.”[1]

FINALLY the TIME HAD COME!

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· And church, I want you to NOTICE this morning, THE SOURCE of DAVID’S SUCCESS...

o David’s success didn’t come from HIS EXPERIENCE.

o David’s success didn’t come from HIS AMAZING STRATEGIES.

o David’s success didn’t come from him MOCKING the ones who had mocked him.

o David’s success ultimately DIDN’T COME FROM DAVID.

§ Instead, the Scripture says that David became greater and greater for the Lord, the God of hosts was with him.

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THIS = TESTIMONY of DAVID’S LIFE

GOD DELIVERED DAVID FROM LION & BEAR

FIGHTING GOLIATH,, GOD WAS WITH HIM...

HE HAS the LORD of HOSTS...

the God of angel-armies,

the Almighty,

the Omnipotent God,

ON HIS SIDE!!

W/ GOD,, DAVID IS NEVER the UNDERDOG!!

JEBUSITES CLAIMED,, LAME & BLIND,, COULD KEEP DAVID OUT...

>>> TRUTHFULLY—IF IT WAS GOD’S PURPOSE,, NO ARMY on THIS EARTH COULD HAVE KEPT DAVID OUT! <<<

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CONSIDER: DIFFERENCE BETWEEN DAVID & SAUL.

END of SAUL’S LIFE: GOD HAD TURNED AWAY,, NOT ANSWERING

DAVID = HAS GOD WITH HIM

SAUL = KING CHOSEN BY WORLDLY STANDARDS...

DAVID = KING CHOSEN BY GOD’S STANDARDS...

DAVID HAS GOD’S EMPOWERING PRESENCE W/ HIM!

Romans 8:31 ESV

31 What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?

§ Christian, isn’t that comforting for you to know?

If God is on your side, you’ll never be at a disadvantage. You’re never the underdog if God is on your side!

IF YOU’RE DOING GOD’S WORK…IN GOD’S WAYS… YOU’LL EXPERIENCE HIS EMPOWERING PRESENCE & BLESSING…

YOU’LL EXPERIENCE HIS PROVISION… && YOU HAVE NO REASON to FEAR.

GOD WILL ESTABLISH the WORK THAT is IN FULFILLMENT of HIS PURPOSE.

(T) And so, with a NEW HOME BASE and a GREAT VICTORY, WHAT HAPPENS NEXT?

LOOK W/ ME @ VS. 11-12... The text says,

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Resolution (v11-12)

11 And Hiram king of Tyre sent messengers to David, and cedar trees, also carpenters and masons who built David a house.

12 And David knew that the Lord had established him king over Israel, and that he had exalted his kingdom for the sake of his people Israel.

DAVID = BLESSED...

GREAT VICTORY

ANOTHER KING BUILDS HIM a HOUSE/PALACE…AT HIS COST!

(V12) SCRIPTURE SAYS: “David knew that the Lord has established him king over Israel.”

DON’T MISS THIS:

DAVID KNEW that GOD HAD ESTABLISHED HIM

THE SOURCE of DAVID’S SUCCESS = GOD.

&& DAVID KNEW,, GOD EXALTED HIS KINGDOM FOR THE SAKE of GOD’S PEOPLE--ISRAEL

IT WASN’T BECAUSE of HIM… AND IT WASN’T FOR HIM...

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§ Church, we must always remember, that the measure of success that God brings to us in this life is for----His glory, and the good of others.

§ GOD DOESN’T MAKE PEOPLE GREAT,, SO THEY FEEL GREAT ABOUT THEMSELVES...

SUCCESS SHOULD POINT to the GRACE of GOD

SUCCESS SHOULD BE USED FOR the BETTERMENT of OTHERS..

>>> GOD BLESSES US,, IN ORDER to BE a BLESSING. <<<

HERE WE SEE: DAVID’S BLESSING BECOMES ISRAEL’S BLESSING.

(T) Now, we see that DAVID is PROSPERING and GOD IS BLESSING HIM...

and that ALL ISRAEL = BENEFITING,

But with all these amazing things, IT’S NEVER PERFECT...

LOOK W/ ME @ VS. 13... The text says,

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Conclusion (v13-16)

13 And David took more concubines and wives from Jerusalem, after he came from Hebron, and more sons and daughters were born to David.

14 And these are the names of those who were born to him in Jerusalem: Shammua, Shobab, Nathan, Solomon,

15 Ibhar, Elishua, Nepheg, Japhia,

16 Elishama, Eliada, and Eliphelet.

ONE PROBLEM in DAVID’S LIFE: HE FREQUENTLY FALLS PREY to CULTURAL NORMS of HIS DAY,, IN THIS AREA SPECIFICALLY

**IT APPEARS the LIST HERE = SUMMARY STATEMENT of DAVID’S REIGN**

WITH GOD’S BLESSING…THIS = ONE AREA DAVID STILL ISN’T CONTENT.

GOD’S PLAN = ONE MAN & ONE WOMAN FOR LIFE

GOD COMMANDED FOR KINGS NOT to TAKE MULTIPLE WIVES...

IN MANY WAYS DAVID FOLLOWS GOD,, BUT HE’S STILL IMPERFECT

(T) And then, OUR TEXT CONTINUES… LOOK W/ ME @ VS 17, and says,

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Setting/Inciting Incident (2ndMovement) (v17)

17 When the Philistines heard that David had been anointed king over Israel, all the Philistines went up to search for David. But David heard of it and went down to the stronghold.

WITH DAVID’S SUCCESS—PROBLEMS COME.

LAST WE’D SEEN PHILISTINES: DEFEATED KING SAUL in BATTLE

ISRAEL EVACUATING CITIES

PHILISTINE TAKEOVER

NOW THERE’S a NEW KING in ISRAEL

PHILISTINES ARE LOOKING to KEEP THEIR WINNING STREAK,,

WAR = ON the HORIZON

(T) LOOK W/ ME NOW @ VS 18, the text says,

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Rising Action & Climax (2nd Movement) (v18-21)

18 Now the Philistines had come and spread out in the Valley of Rephaim.

19 And David inquired of the Lord, “Shall I go up against the Philistines? Will you give them into my hand?” And the Lord said to David, “Go up, for I will certainly give the Philistines into your hand.”

20 And David came to Baal-perazim, and David defeated them there. And he said, “The Lord has broken through my enemies before me like a breaking flood.” Therefore the name of that place is called Baal-perazim.

21 And the Philistines left their idols there, and David and his men carried them away.

PHILISTINES COME & ENCAMP SOUTHWEST of NEW CAPITAL

WE SEE DAVID DO SOMETHING HE’S DONE MANY TIMES BEFORE...

DAVID HAS a PROBLEM?

DAVID TAKES the PROBLEM to GOD in PRAYER

GOD RESPONDS: DAVID GO & FIGHT

LORD WILL GIVE PHILISTINES INTO DAVID’S HAND…

**CONSIDER POWER of OUR GREAT GOD to DECIDE WHO WILL WIN**

AS GOD SAID: PHILISTINES FALL BEFORE DAVID

GOD GETS CREDIT,, LOCATION = RENAMED

BATTLE ENDS: PHILISTINES LEAVING THEIR IDOL GODS BEHIND!!

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In the past:

ISRAEL LOST ARK of COVENANT,, to PHILISTINES...

SAUL & SONS WERE KILLED & DISPLAYED

YAHWEH’S REPUTATION = DAMAGED BY DEFEAT

NOW,, GOD PROVES HIMSELF to BE SOVEREIGN LORD,, AS DAVID CONQUERS & THE FALSE GODS = LEFT BEHIND!!

**NO MORE WOULD the PHILISTINES HAVE BRAGGING RIGHTS!!!**

(T) And now our text is going to close this morning in verses 22 through 25. The text says,

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Resolution & Conclusion (2nd Movement) (v22-25)

22 And the Philistines came up yet again and spread out in the Valley of Rephaim.

23 And when David inquired of the Lord, he said, “You shall not go up; go around to their rear, and come against them opposite the balsam trees.

24 And when you hear the sound of marching in the tops of the balsam trees, then rouse yourself, for then the Lord has gone out before you to strike down the army of the Philistines.”

25 And David did as the Lord commanded him, and struck down the Philistines from Geba to Gezer.

PHILISTINES DON’T LEARN LESSON && TRY AGAIN

DAVID,, AGAIN,, INQUIRES of the LORD...

**DAVID DOESN’T PRESUME UPON the PAST**

THINGS MIGHT BE DIFFERENT,, & THEY ARE...

GOD GUIDES DAVID to A BETTER WAY… && ONCE AGAIN,, DAVID = VICTORIOUS BECAUSE DAVID DID as GOD COMMANDED HIM to DO.

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(T) And so we should learn from this passage today, the idea that,

Homiletical Idea:

· God’s work receives God’s empowering presence and blessing.

REFERENCE INTRODUCTION: WHEN YOU FOLLOW the RECIPE… YOU GET the RESULTS...

IF YOU WANT GOD’S BLESSING....YOU HAVE to DO THINGS GOD’S WAY.

DOING GOD’S WORK,, IN WAYS THAT HONOR HIM...

THEN GOD’S BLESSING COMES.

&& AGAIN,, GOD’S BLESSING DOESN’T COME FOR US ONLY.

GOD’S BLESSING COMES:

SO WE CAN GLORIFY HIM

SO WE CAN SERVE OTHERS.

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Gospel:

OVERALL: TODAY WE SEE GOD’S BLESSING on DAVID && DAVID’S WONDERFUL SUCCESS...

GOD = WITH DAVID

GOD = GRANTING DAVID VICTORY

**DAVID CONQUERS the CITY NO ONE ELSE COULD**

DAVID DEFEATS PHILISTINES 2X

BUT WE ALSO SAW,, DESPITE DAVID’S GREAT MILITARY SUCCESS,, THE ONE FOE that DAVID COULDN’T CONQUER…WAS HIS SINFUL FLESH.

· ONCE AGAIN,, WE SEE DAVID FALLING PREY,, to SINFUL,, CULTURAL NORMS of HIS DAY.

W/ GROWING KINGDOM,, COMES GROWING HAREM of WOMEN...

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TEXT TODAY,, SHOWS US EVEN the BEST EARTHLY KINGS,, AREN’T SUFFICIENT to RULE GOD’S PEOPLE

MANY CENTURIES LATER: a SON of DAVID COMES ONTO the SCENE

SON of GOD in FLESH

ETERNAL WORD

WITHOUT SIN

THIS KING DIDN’T FALTER

THIS KING DOESN’T DISAPPOINT

THIS KING OBEYED the FATHER PERFECTLY...

HE IS THE EXAMPLE of DOING GOD’S WORK,, in GOD’S WAYS,, FOR HE HIMSELF WAS GOD.

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TEXT TODAY: DAVID REALIZED GOD ESTABLISHED HIM IN ORDER to SERVE OTHERS...

THIS WAS the TESTIMONY of OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST

WILLING to WASH the FEET of HIS BETRAYER

Philippians 2:6–8 (ESV)

6 who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped,

7 but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men.

8 And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.

HE CAME DOWN,, to PERFORM the GREATEST ACT of SERVICE EVER DONE: to DIE IN OUR PLACE, FOR the SAKE of OUR SINS...

HE DID THIS: SO WE COULD BE SAVED...

FOR WE, LIKE DAVID,, HAVE ALL FALTERED

NO ONE HAS OBEYED 100%

JESUS CAME DOWN,, to BE the PERFECT SACRIFICE,, FOR OUR SINS…SO THAT WE COULD BE FORGIVEN.

& YOU CAN BE a RECIPIENT of HIS GRACE TODAY

BELIEVE on THE LORD JESUS CHRIST & YOU CAN BE SAVED.

2 Corinthians 5:21 (ESV)

21 For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

MUST FIRST REALIZE YOUR NEED & THEN TURN to SAVIOR in a REPENTANT-FAITH

THROUGH FAITH:

BELIEVING HE DIED FOR YOU

HE WAS RAISED

PROFESSING HIM to BE LORD.

**TRUSTING in HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS,, FOR RIGHT-STANDING W/ GOD…**

YOU CAN BE SAVED TODAY.

YOU CAN BE FREED FROM COMING JUDGMENT of GOD,, THROUGH CHRIST & CHRIST ALONE.

IF YOU DON’T KNOW WHERE YOU STAND W/ the LORD TODAY/HAVE QUESTIONS REGARDING MATTERS of FAITH,, WE’D LOVE to SPEAK to YOU AFTER the SERVICE...

(T) And now, in closing, I’d like to share a few takeaways with you all today.

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Takeaways:

LEARN ABOUT GOD?

GOD MAKES a WAY FOR THOSE WHO DO HIS WILL.

CAN OPEN DOORS NO MAN CAN SHUT

CAN SHUT DOORS,, NO MAN CAN OPEN.

NOTHING = IMPOSSIBLE FOR OUR GOD!

THE JEBUSITE FORTRESS WAS IMPOSSIBLE,, UNTIL GOD EMPOWERED SOMEONE to TAKE IT! TO DO the IMPOSSIBLE.

· WE ALSO LEARN AGAIN of GOD’S SOVEREIGN POWER:

THE VICTORY OVER the PHILISTINES WAS in GOD’S HANDS...

HE DELIVERED THEM TO DAVID.

(T) LEARN FOR US??

App:

REMIND: HAVE FAITH in GOD,, BELIEVE GOD FOR BIG THINGS...

IF YOU’RE DOING GOD’S WORKS,, IN GOD’S WAYS,, YOU’LL EXPERIENCE GOD’S EMPOWERING PRESENCE & BLESSING.

GOD MAKES a WAY,, WHERE THERE SEEMS to BE NO WAY.

JERUSALEM....FOR YEARS....WAS a TESTIMONY to FAILURE of GOD’S PEOPLE.

**BUT it WAS PART of GOD’S PROMISE FROM GENESIS 15!**

DALE DAVIS: “GOD’S PROMISES DON’T COME W/ EXPIRATION DATES”

WHEN GOD’S ANOINTED,, CHOSEN KING,, SETS HIS HEART to DO GOD’S WILL,, GOD MAKES a WAY.

**GOD MADE ALL the DIFFERENCE in DAVID’S LIFE**

HE ESTABLISHED DAVID as KING...

HE EXALTED DAVID’S KINGDOM...

REMEMBER…DAVID WASN’T GREAT BECAUSE HE WAS DAVID…IT WAS GOD WHO MADE DAVID GREAT....

*** AND GOD MADE DAVID GREAT FOR HIS OWN GLORY & the SAKE of THE PEOPLE***

THAT is WHERE I WANT to LEAVE YOU,, TODAY....

CONFIRM,, YOU’RE DOING GOD’S WORK & WILL

2. THEN KNOW...NOTHING is IMPOSSIBLE WITH OUR GOD.... IF YOU’RE DOING HIS WILL, HE CAN MAKE a WAY!

3. WHEN HE DOES,,

REMEMBER IT WAS HIM,, SO GIVE HIM GLORY,,

AND REMEMBER IT’S NOT FOR YOU ANYWAYS.

IT’S NEVER ABOUT US.

WE SHOULD NEVER BE the CENTERPIECE of OUR STORY.

GOD BLESSES US,, to BE a BLESSING… AMEN?

CLOSE in PRAYER

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