David and the Presence of God

2 Samuel 6

I. Introduction

A. Why is this morning so important? – Because worship is important. We come into this sanctuary every week in order to experience the presence of God corporately, but are we prepared? Do we ever think about what His presence demands of us?

B. Illustration

1. We have an idea in our culture that we can have the noblest feelings in our heart and that people should believe that they are there based on our verbal recognition of them

2. We must back up our emotions with actions if they are true

C. Background

1. Ark was the throne of God and represented His physical presence

2. Ark had been

a) In the sanctuary at Shiloh

b) Captured by the Philistines (1 Samuel 4)

c) Philistines saw it as a curse and sent it back (1 Samuel 5-6)

d) Remains at the house of Abinadab for 20 years

e) David returns it to Jerusalem, but Uzzah killed by touching it – they didn’t treat it with the legal respect

(1) Ahio walks in front

(2) It is on a cart rather than being transported on a pole’

(3) Uzzah touches it

f) Taken to house of Obed-Edom for 3 months – the home is blessed

g) David goes back for it and transports it correctly

D. His presence demands:

II. Holiness (6-8)

A. Exegesis

1. They were not taking God’s holiness seriously at first

a) Ahio was leading the procession instead of the ark -

b) They carried the ark on a “new cart”

(1) They at least wanted it to be a nice “new” cart

(2) But this is the way that the Philistines had sent it back to them

(3) They were supposed to carry it on their shoulders by poles

c) They were not to touch it

(1) It represents the very throne of a perfectly holy God. Their hands were sinful

(2) Yet Uzzah reached up to stabilize the ark when it started to tip

(3) This is a problem that would not have happened if they had carried it properly in the first place

2. Yet their procession was filled with celebrations and music

3. God brought fear to David and the people of Israel by His holiness

a) Fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom

b) Fear is recognizing who God is and who we are in light of that

c) It is only then that Grace can motivate true worship

B. Application

1. What God is doing is reminding the people that worship is not about them. It is about Him

2. They had not turned to Him and honored His expectations for His holiness

3. They wanted to do the things of God in their way

4. We are to do worship in God’s way – It is about His holiness!

a) We want to enter the presence of God in worship without a life of holiness; without living in the Spirit

III. Sacrifice (12-13)

A. Exegesis

1. When David hears that the ark has brought blessings to the house of Obed-Edom he determines that the ark belongs in Jerusalem so that God will bless the entire nation of Israel

2. The fear of the Lord causes a new stance

a) They determine the right way to transport the ark

b) They take six steps and then sacrifice

(1) possibly every six steps

(2) The seventh step was a Sabbatical – they rested and honored God

c) There was thought put into what they were doing in light of Him whom they worshiped

3. The sacrifice is part of honoring God for His grace

4. They had to give something of worth in order to honor the all-surpassing worth of God

B. Application

1. We need to recognize the worth of sacrifice when we see the presence of God in our lives

2. We give of ourselves in worship – It is not about us, but Him

3. We give of our tithes and offerings to God to show our faith in Him

4. We sacrifice ourselves – Picking up our cross daily and dying to self

IV. Praise (14-15)

A. Exegesis

1. As they bring in the ark of the Lord they do so with rejoicing

2. And David danced before the Lord

3. They brought the ark up to Jerusalem with shouting and the sound of the horn

B. Young man at Southeast Christian quoting this passage and talking about how we should dance before the Lord – My response, “I would love to do that, but as a Baptist pastor it would be a career altering decision.”

C. Application

1. It was spontaneous – things that are spontaneous are things that come from the heart

2. What would motivate our leading and singing and dancing for the Lord?

3. What motivates it for David is that the presence of the Lord is coming into Jerusalem

4. Is God with you? Is His blessing upon you through the fruit of His Spirit? Do you the value of God living in you, never leaving nor forsaking you?

V. Blessings (18-19)

A. Exegesis

1. As soon as the sacrifice is complete David turns his attention to those around him and gives them food: A cake of bread, a portion of meat, and a cake of raisins.

2. David began to take form the blessings of God that was overflowing from Him and give that blessing to others

B. Application

1. We might not have food or money to give, but if we are truly in the presence of the Lord we are overflowing with something: encouragement, joy, peace

2. We are to take what God has first placed in us and bless others with it!

VI. Passion (16, 20-23)

A. Exegesis

1. Michal was the daughter of Saul – she saw David dancing before the Lord and it says that she despised him in her heart.

2. When he goes to bless his own home he is greeted with anger from Michal

3. Her complaints

a) Dishonored himself

b) Uncovering himself

c) She was obviously embarrassed by his unbridled passion

4. His response

a) It was before the Lord – because of His choice of me

b) I will make merry before the LORD

c) I will make myself yet more contemptible

B. Application

a) David has a passion for the God that transcends dignity

b) He doesn’t care what anyone thinks of his acts of worship because God is worthy of such worship

VII. Conclusion