Construction Of A Kingdom 2: King David - Character Footings For The Kingdom

Introduction

There is a glorious kingdom which the Lord wants to construct in each of our lives; a kingdom of His purpose and His peace. 1 Corinthians 2:9 But as it is written: "Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, Nor have entered into the heart of man The things which God has prepared for those who love Him."

Beyond a future inheritance given to each believer in the Heavenly Kingdom, God extends His rule, favor, and blessing - His Kingdom - to our lives in the here and now. There are many important things for us to grasp and apply that we might experience God's destiny and purpose now, and His accompanying peace.

Last week we witnessed King Saul forfeit the kingdom God had begun in his life by significant flaws in his character. As I read I Samuel 13 again this week, the Lord so challenged my heart concerning the kind of person He wants to appoint to the kingdom. God is looking for people who will obey His will. This becomes our introduction to just such a person, David, a shepherd boy, a giant slayer, a future king.

Saul was the people's choice, but David was God's choice, elect servant to be king of Israel. Of all Biblical characters aside from Jesus Christ, David is written of in Scripture the most. 66 books in the OT and 59 references in the NT pertain to his legacy. On 2 occasions, God had something very special to say about David: He's after my heart.

Acts 13:22 "And when He had removed Saul, He raised up for them David as king, to whom also He gave testimony and said, 'I have found David the son of Jesse, a man after My own heart, who will do all My will.'

I believe with all my heart that God wants to say that about each of us, whether you may be a new believer, a non-believer, immature believer, or veteran in the faith. He wants to say, I have sought you out and I have found in you someone who will accomplish my will. You are a person after my own heart and I am going to build my kingdom of purpose and peace in your life, your family, your relationships, your business, your job, your ministry.

Every building contractor and engineer realizes that any house or industrial complex can only become as large and enduring as its foundation. The building may be destined to become a 30 story high rise, but its foundation better be able to support it. At Cornerstone Church in New Bern, NC where I previously served as youth pastor suffered from a foundation problem. The concrete slab, which supported the 350 seat sanctuary had actually cracked. Being a coastal community, it didn't take a great deal of rain to saturate the ground. When this happened, the water would seep through the crack in the foundation and flood the altar area of the sanctuary floor! (I've often wondered about the theological implications of that). Many times, we had to get the shop vac out and clean up the water, especially during hurricane season. With so much water damage, the musty odor would linger. Fortunately that crack was repaired.

The same principle can be applied to us. The kingdom which God desires to build in our lives will not outgrow, nor can it outlive spiritual foundations in our lives. It starts with the formation of spiritual foundations

Theme: God builds a glorious kingdom of purpose and destiny into our lives upon the bedrock of personal character.

David's life models five character footings necessary for kingdom construction.

Footing #1 - Passionate Spirituality

Having rejected Saul as king, God directs Samuel the prophet to the house of Jesse... There, he finds David, having one by one, passed over Jesse's oldest sons. David was called from the fields, tending his father's sheep and Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the midst of his brothers; and the Spirit of the LORD came upon David from that day forward.

God appoints people after His heart to the kingdom. We are not left to guess at what it means to be after God's own heart. It's someone fervent about a right and proper relationship to God. That is the kind of person that will discover personal peace and divine purpose in their lives. It is a person who has a life in harmony with God.

If you are after God's heart, then what is important to Him becomes important to you. What burdens Him, burdens you. When He gives directions, you follow. When He says, Stop that in your life, you stop it. When He says, This is wrong and destructive in your life, you come to terms with it because you have a heart for God. It's simple, bottom line obedience.