Encountering His Presence in Worship

2 Samuel 6:16 ESV

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.

2 Samuel 6:20–21 ESV

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!” 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.

David Proposes to bring the presence of the Lord Home.

This cost him everything

It took him and the people great effort to figure out how to do it

David - Carar

Spinning violently,

joyous rhythmic dancing

Michal Despises David’s worship posture

It was to weird and beneath her after all she is royalty

Refuses the gifts the Lord has for her through David because he was undignified.

She is left Barren: why do churches left barren

David’s Heart would not relent He wanted to worship the Lord

We must return to a true heart postured for worship to receive the blessings found in His Presence

Forgotten Worship

1 Chronicles 13:1–4 ESV

David consulted with the commanders of thousands and of hundreds, with every leader. And David said to all the assembly of Israel, “If it seems good to you and from the Lord our God, let us send abroad to our brothers who remain in all the lands of Israel, as well as to the priests and Levites in the cities that have pasturelands, that they may be gathered to us. Then let us bring again the ark of our God to us, for we did not seek it in the days of Saul.” All the assembly agreed to do so, for the thing was right in the eyes of all the people.

David had succeeded in Everything as he sought out the Lord

He was battle-tested

His intentions were for good

His heart was postured for God

Gathered and rallied the people

The Ark of the Covenant

Presence of the Lord went with it

Had been set aside, almost discarded.

They did not remember

Operating Without His Presence

1 Samuel 6:15 ESV

And the Levites took down the ark of the Lord and the box that was beside it, in which were the golden figures, and set them upon the great stone. And the men of Beth-shemesh offered burnt offerings and sacrificed sacrifices on that day to the Lord.

1 Samuel 6:19 ESV

And he struck some of the men of Beth-shemesh, because they looked upon the ark of the Lord. He struck seventy men of them, and the people mourned because the Lord had struck the people with a great blow.

1 Samuel 7:1–2 ESV

And the men of Kiriath-jearim came and took up the ark of the Lord and brought it to the house of Abinadab on the hill. And they consecrated his son Eleazar to have charge of the ark of the Lord. From the day that the ark was lodged at Kiriath-jearim, a long time passed, some twenty years, and all the house of Israel lamented after the Lord.

The Israelites grew accustomed to abusing the presence not dwelling in it

70 men killed for their heart posture

They were scared fo the presence and put it off to the side

22 years later David would make an attempt to bring back the Arc

MOURNING AND LAMENTING IN PURSUIT OF THE LORD

WE CANNOT OPERATE W/O HIS PRESENCE

Cost of Forgetting

1 Chronicles 13:8–10 ESV

And David and all Israel were celebrating before God with all their might, with song and lyres and harps and tambourines and cymbals and trumpets. And when they came to the threshing floor of Chidon, Uzzah put out his hand to take hold of the ark, for the oxen stumbled. And the anger of the Lord was kindled against Uzzah, and he struck him down because he put out his hand to the ark, and he died there before God.

They celebrated the good that was being done

Uzzah is Killed (second time someone is killed because their posture)

Uzzah had the rights as the first born of the priest Abinadab to touch the ark

We check our hearts

David Confused (v.11-12)

Angry because the Lord has killed a priest

Afraid because if the priest cannot do it, how can he.

It was out of fear that David set the ark aside…

this action blessed the house of another

Worship in Pursuit of The Lord

1 Chronicles 15:1–2 ESV

David built houses for himself in the city of David. And he prepared a place for the ark of God and pitched a tent for it. Then David said that no one but the Levites may carry the ark of God, for the Lord had chosen them to carry the ark of the Lord and to minister to him forever.

David’s Heart was Continually on Pursuing the Lord

Speaks to the nature in which the arc is to be carried

The Right Posture

2 Chronicles 15:12–13 ESV

And they entered into a covenant to seek the Lord, the God of their fathers, with all their heart and with all their soul, but that whoever would not seek the Lord, the God of Israel, should be put to death, whether young or old, man or woman.

We are to consecrate ourselves

We cannot rely on others to carry it

we cannot place it on animals

WE MUST CARRY IT

Blessing in Right Worship

1 Chronicles 16:1–3 ESV

And they brought in the ark of God and set it inside the tent that David had pitched for it, and they offered burnt offerings and peace offerings before God. And when David had finished offering the burnt offerings and the peace offerings, he blessed the people in the name of the Lord and distributed to all Israel, both men and women, to each a loaf of bread, a portion of meat, and a cake of raisins.

There was a blessing in the worship and presence

David did not keep it

David gives it to the people, and takes it home

Michal Despises Him in her Heart

2 Samuel 6:22–23 ESV

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.” And Michal the daughter of Saul had no child to the day of her death.

David had a procession for the Lord

Loud singing and shouts of praise

Being despised he proposes himself to make less of Himself that God would be glorified.

Our hearts posture should be continually on bringing Him glory… there is a blessing in the heart of worship… I want to challenge us to return to a right heart of worship having received we take this blessing and bring it to the people of God and to our homes.