A Fallen King Series

A Fallen King

Thesis: David’s sin came because he stopped doing what he was supposed to be doing.

Texts: II Samuel 11,12

Introduction:

The last few weeks we have been studying the life of David. We discovered that a nobody became a somebody, a somebody became a fugitive, a fugitive became king and the king grew the kingdom and now the king falls into sin.

Swindoll states, The Bible never flatters its heroes. All the men and women of Scripture have feet made of clay, and when the Holy Spirit paints a portrait of their lives, He’s a very realistic artist. He doesn’t ignore, deny, or overlook the dark side. Personally, when I step into this chapter in David’s life, I am forever grateful that God has finished writing Scripture. There is not a person I know who would want to have his failures and vices recorded for all generations to read and discuss and make movies about and write books on and preach sermons on down through the centuries “(179).

MacDonald states, “We can be thankful that Scripture deals openly with failure. The defects of the saints are not edited out. The dark sides of people who made a difference in their generations are there for all to see: King David’s adultery and murderous scheming, Elijah’s loss of nerve, Jonah’s vindictive spirit.”

The Bible is about real life. It shows us the good with the bad. This is was God’s intention when He had it penned for us. We need to use it to grow in life. It will give us insight and direction in what to do and what not to do. If we learn it’s lessons well we will save ourselves a lot of heartache.

Lets now explore the life of David as he fell into sin and learn lessons from the king’s failure.

I. What causes kings or queens to fall? What causes leaders in the Kingdom of God to fall?

a. A lesson from a fallen king - David’s life is set in Scripture to teach us what to do and what not to do in life (II Samuel 11).

i. When you become a king or queen in the kingdom there are things we need to guard against the first one is to make sure you are where God wants you.

1. Illustration: Humpty Dumpty- see overhead

a. Have you ever asked yourself this question about Humpy Dumpty. Why was an egg sitting on the edge of the wall?

b. Eggs belong in a safe container so they will not get broke.

c. It sounds to me that this big egg was in the wrong place. He should have been where he was suppose to be.

d. Just a thought on the big egg!

e. But reality sets in II Samuel as we discover David is acting like Humpty Dumpty he sitting on the top of his palace leaning over peeping at a women taking a bath and he is about to fall over the edge and go splat and the result will be scrambled David on the verge of being fried.

2. II Samuel 11: 1 gives us our first flag of warning - 1. In the spring, at the time when kings go off to war, David sent Joab out with the king’s men and the whole Israelite army. They destroyed the Ammonites and besieged Rabbah. But David remained in Jerusalem.

a. There is a big - BUT- here that flags us as leaders in the kingdom.

b. David was not where he was supposed to be!

i. It would have been safer for him on the battlefield.

ii. BUT he is at home in idleness enjoying the good life of prosperity.

iii. He is 51 and taking in the pleasure of leisure.

iv. He tells himself” I have earned this!”

c. Instead of leading his men in battle he was at home being idle-doing nothing eating-enjoying his wives laying in the sun, soaking in his palace. But he is in the wrong place!

i. His being at the wrong place at the wrong time was about to cost him dearly.

ii. His idleness was going to extract a terrible price on his life and others.

iii. Scripture warns us against idleness.

1. Proverbs 31:27 “She watches over the affairs of her household and does not eat the bread of idleness.”

2. I Thess. 5:14 “says warn those who are idol.”

3. I Thess. 3:6-15 -Talks about the danger of idleness – warns against it Paul states, “we hear that some among you are idle. They are not busy they are busybodies.”

d. Right here is where whistles start blowing, the word Danger starts flashing over, and over!

i. The Holy Spirit is yelling and David is yawning.

ii. Flesh is rising up above the Spirit it’s taking over-its going to go out of control.