Lessons From David Pt 3 Series

Lessons from David pt 3

David - A fugitive with integrity

Saul – A king with no integrity

Thesis: A fugitive with integrity will have the blessing of the Lord more so than a king with no integrity.

The Scripture texts we will be looking at today continue to paint a portrait of two lives. These two life stories communicate to us today the importance of having integrity and a strong relationship with the Lord.

David’s story shows how he was a man after God’s own heart. The result of this heart attitude and passion led him to become king. He goes from nobody to somebody to a fugitive to a king. His life story shows us what God will do with a person who is passionate for God and His ways. His life story is filled with applause and victory! David’s life of integrity propelled him to the top.

Saul’s story shows us what happens to a man who disobeys God, lacks integrity and forsakes others. His life ends in depression, defeat and suicide and the loss of his kingship. His life warns us to the destruction of sin and rebellion against God. His life story is filled with sorrow and tragedy. Saul’s life of sin and rebellion pulled him down a slippery slope to suicide and death.

I honestly believe that these two biographies were placed in the Bible by God as history lessons for us. To learn what to do in your life and what not to do in life!

Every day we make choices in life – we make choices based on our level of integrity and these choices bring ramifications to our lives in the present and in the future. These two stories drive home the point that integrity counts to God. Integrity does make a difference in our life – a huge difference – it will determine our destiny and impact us our entire lives.

Opening Video Illustration: Blue Fish TV – Test – integrity

Have you ever been where this girl finds herself? What would you do? What did you do?

Let me say it again, “Integrity matters – it impacts our lives!”

Texts: I Samuel 22-29; II Samuel 1-3

Introduction:

David was a man on the run – running for his life-dodging the king and his hit men. But David was unlike most fugitives because he was a fugitive with integrity.

Integrity, we hear this word a lot today but what does it mean? Webster defines it as, “The quality or state of being of sound moral principle; uprightness, honesty, and sincerity.” White states this about integrity.”

My dictionary defines integrity as “consistency and sincerity, with no deception or pretense.”

Integrity’s overriding quality is wholeness: There is no discrepancy between what a person of integrity appears to be on the outside and what he is on the inside. For the Christian specifically, integrity means we live according to what we say we believe, according to the Scriptures. It means we live by God’s Word and by God’s direction.

Psalms speaks of the benefits of one who has integrity. Listen to what it says:

NIV Psalms 112:4-10

4. Even in darkness light dawns for the upright, for the gracious and compassionate and righteous man.

5. Good will come to him who is generous and lends freely, who conducts his affairs with justice.

6. Surely he will never be shaken; a righteous man will be remembered forever.

7. He will have no fear of bad news; his heart is steadfast, trusting in the LORD.

8. His heart is secure, he will have no fear; in the end he will look in triumph on his foes.

9. He has scattered abroad his gifts to the poor, his righteousness endures forever; his horn will be lifted high in honor.

10. The wicked man will see and be vexed, he will gnash his teeth and waste away; the longings of the wicked will come to nothing.

Psalms tells us that if you have integrity and you practice it diligently you will experience and inner peace. It does not matter if you’re a fugitive at the hand of a king with no integrity. It does not matter if you are being chased and you risk losing your life-what matters is how you act. What matters is your character. White notes, ‘When we practice integrity, we will experience a deep inner peace, knowing that we have not violated our conscience or hurt someone else’s. We can be confident that when someone examines us, we will be proven innocent of wrongdoing. In, contrast, when our lives lack moral wholeness, we live in constant peril of being ‘found out’ as frauds” (David, Swindoll, pg. 35).

Proverbs 10:9 states, “The man of integrity walks securely, but he who takes crooked paths will be found out.”