Sermon Tone Analysis

Introduction

David got to the place where he exalted his own desires above obedience to the commandment of God

He would never have thought that, and if you would have asked him, I’ve no doubt he would say he put God first in everything

Even when his actions told an entirely different story, he was still able to believe he was putting God first

Body

Talk about king David leading up to this

We are in the grip of self-deception when we are committed to certain values and we begin to act against those values

We don’t want to take responsibility for our actions

Here we have two choices

Either fess up, be honest with ourselves and admit our guilt

Cover it up.

Justify it.

Excuse it.

More times than we’d like to admit, we choose #2

Jeremiah 17:9 “9 The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?”

We know David was in the throes of self-deception because he felt no remorse.

No guilt for what he had done

He, like us, probably created false narratives, excuses, justifications, cover-ups, denials, and rationales to convince himself he was still right in the sight of God

I love Bathsheba and the rules don’t matter

Our love is different.

It must be from God

She consented to the affair so she must have wanted out of her marriage anyway

I’m the king!!!

It wouldn’t have been too difficult to get to the place where he was completely justified in his actions

BUT HE WASN’T!!!

Sometimes self-deception is impossible for us to see in ourselves

You ever been in a place where it seems the harder you try to make things work out for yourself, the more they don’t?

Synopsis of Haggai

God wanted them to rebuild His temple so that He would have the preeminence in their lives

Numbers 2 - God commanded that when they set up camp, the Tabernacle was to be at the center

Exodus 20:3 “3 Thou shalt have no other gods before me.”

Since their return, it had been 16 years and all they had done was built the foundation of the temple

They seemed to have plenty of time to rebuild their own homes and lives…without the Temple

But no time…in 16 years…to work on God’s House

Deuteronomy 6:4-5 “4 Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God is one Lord: 5 And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might.”

Mark 12:30 “30 And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment.”

Did they love the Lord their God with all their heart, and with all their soul, and with all their might?

Matthew 15:8 “8 This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me.”

Jeremiah 3:10 “10 And yet for all this her treacherous sister Judah hath not turned unto me with her whole heart, but feignedly, saith the Lord.”

Now to us

Do we love the Lord our God with all our heart, and with all our soul, and with all our might?

Are we building our own lives, our own careers, our own families, our own plans WITHOUT God?

Is God in the center of EVERYTHING we’re doing?

Who gets to be in the center of our lives?

Who gets to be God?

Who has the authority?

Or, are we in the grip of self-deception this evening?

Do we live our lives as if this were true?

“Well, we gotta eat!”

“We have to meet our responsibilities!”

“If you don’t work you don’t eat!”

“God wants me to enjoy life!”

“God wants me to be happy!”

Etc...

If God told you to quit your job, or told you to sign over your retirement, or told you to start working someplace else, would you be able to obey that command, or would excuses and rationalization kick in?

Who is providing your needs?

Your employer?

The government?

God?

Is our heart’s desire always toward the things of God, or is it sometimes toward what will please me at the expense of serving God?

Conclusion

I Corinthians 10 31 “31 Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.”

EVERYTHING we do should ultimately be serving, or giving glory to God

It will give God glory when He is pleased with our activities

Haggai 1:8 “8 Go up to the mountain, and bring wood, and build the house; And I will take pleasure in it, and I will be glorified, saith the Lord.”

Colossians 1 16 “16 For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him:”

EVERYTHING is God’s, and is created for Him

That includes you, and me

That includes every material possession God has blessed us with

That includes the time we have access to

Matthew 10:37-39 “37 He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.

38 And he that taketh not his cross, and followeth after me, is not worthy of me.

39 He that findeth his life shall lose it: and he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it.”

Luke 14 33 “33 So likewise, whosoever he be of you that forsaketh not all that he hath, he cannot be my disciple.”

This is at the heart of putting God first in our lives.

Does He come before EVERYTHING?

We need to recognize that EVERYTHING is the Lord’s, and He does with His possession as He chooses

Proverbs 3 6 “6 In all thy ways acknowledge him, And he shall direct thy paths.”