“The Big Bounce”
Text: 1 Samuel 4:4-11; 1 Chronicles 13:1-14; 15:12-13; 2 Samuel 6:12-15
Introduction
A wise man once said “An unexamined life is not worth living.” This message is about examining your life.
I. No Ark, No Problem
Verse 3 tells us that the nation of Israel did not seek the ark during the days of Saul. From the time that it was lost in battle until David decides to pursue the presence of God most commentaries believe it was approximately 20 years. Get that in your mind and spirit. The glory and tangible presence of God was absent for 20 years and no one missed it. They continued to conduct business as usual. How many of you are missing the tangible reality of God’s presence in your life and you haven’t missed it or noticed it?
Saul didn’t pursue the ark but he continued to be king. He continued to live in the opulence of the palace. He continued to be surrounded by blessings. He continued to dine on the finest foods and wear the most ornate clothes. He still slept between satin sheets. Saul’s life teaches us that you can experience the anointing of God’s Spirit, you can be called out and chosen and then you can get away from that presence and reality and continue to live a blessed life and a content life. But his life continues to teach us that the day will come that you will wake up lost, broken, and destroyed. Sin will bring pleasure but only for a season. You can sit here and say I can do it on my own. You can declare that I don’t need God and the truth is you can make it for a while.
Some of you look like a king, walk like a king, and talk like a king but you have no ark and you have not pursued it. You have gone about business as usual. You have lived your life like everything is well. However, you have to examine your life because you can make it without pursuit the ark and be blessed, but you can’t stay there. There will be a day when the blessings will end if there is no presence of God to sustain it.
II. Applause doesn’t equal approval.
David hasn’t sought the mind of God. He is just doing what he wants to do the way he wants to do it. All the time the cart is carrying the ark the Word says the people were celebrating, dancing, singing, playing instruments, slapping each other on the back, and giving each other high fives. However, just because everyone was excited and clapped didn’t mean that everything was O.K. or in order.
I have a word for someone today. Just because everyone is slapping you on the back, clapping for you and telling you that you are the best Christian they know doesn’t mean that everything is in order. Some of you are believing the hype and you are mistaking man’s approval for God’s. Some of you are leading the parade but you are devoid of His presence or approval. A lot of the time all the applause means is that someone has learned to play the game and that they haven’t hit a bump yet!
III. No more carts.
You can’t ride on someone else’s cart. David tried to copy the method and experience of the Philistines. It worked for them so he thought if it was good enough for them it is good enough for him. But he learned real quickly that you can’t ride someone else’s cart. There is a prescribed way or in other words each man must work out his own salvation, relationship, experience with fear and trembling. You can’t make it on your mom’s, youth pastor’s, or best friend’s, boy/girl friend’s relationship or revelation. Just because the youth group you belong to got blessed here doesn’t mean you can just ride along on the cart and go home testifying that your life has been changed if it hasn’t been. Just because the cart got the glory for them doesn’t mean it will work for you. Learn from them, but don’t try to substitute their ride for yours. Get your own presence. Get your own experience. Get your own relationship and revelation.
IV. The Big Bounce
Uzzah means “He is Strong”. It doesn’t matter how strong you think you are you will hit a bump. You may be the most talented, gifted young person in the house, but that won’t excuse from the big bounce. A bounce is coming. A bounce is prepared for you. The threshing floor where the bump happened was, according to 2 Samuel 6, was at a place called “Nacon”. Nacon means “Prepared”. Your bump is prepared for you. Why? Does God just enjoy knocking you down? Does He just want to make your walk difficult? No, He prepares a bump for you because God doesn’t want you to arrive at places that you can not occupy.
He bounces us to reveal our lack. Don’t despise the bump. Understand that God prepares those places to shake us. Otherwise we would trick ourselves into thinking that everything is O.K. and that God is approving of the way we are living because everything is going so smoothly. He prepares bumps so that we don’t prepare excuses!
You thought your thought life was O.K., you thought your relationship was alright, you thought the habit was unnoticed, you thought the attitude was overlooked but He prepares bumps to reveal areas that must be dealt with in our life. If we are to handle and contain the glory of God then He must confront us and shake us until we come clean.
Look at someone and tell them, “Your big bounce is coming!” The bounce helps us to get everything in order and in line. Don’t fight it. Don’t get scared. Don’t get mad about it. Don’t despise it. God is just getting your ready to handle His glory!
V. How many steps have you taken?
David embraced the bump. He realized that he had to get it right. So 3 months later he returns. But this time he goes about it differently. He gets the priests together and they sanctify themselves before God. This time he gets rid of the cart. He isn’t trying to get by on somebody else’s ride. He doesn’t let the applause and celebration mislead him into believing everything was O.K. Notice the other thing he does. The first time he just gets that ark and starts home oblivious about using the correct order. This time after every sixth step he stops and checks to make sure that the journey is being done right. For 7 to 10 miles from Obed-Edom to Jerusalem they stop after every sixth step and offer a sacrifice. There was still applause and celebration, but David stopped after the sixth step to check in to make sure everything was right and that they had God’s approval.
The word I feel in my spirit for you is that I believe that too many of you have taken too many steps without checking to see if everything is in order. It may be that everyone is clapping and applauding but have you checked in? Have you checked your walk? Some of you have taken too many steps. You need to stop and make sure everything is in order. The big bounce you feel is an attempt to get you to stop and check in. The shaking, confusion, distress you feel is God trying to get your attention so that you will stop in your journey long enough to get it right.
I remind you of Romans 12:1 which tells us it is our duty to offer ourselves as a living sacrifice. Annie Dillard said, “A life without sacrifice is an abomination.” It is time to stop and offer ourselves again. How many steps have you taken?
VI. Altar
Some of you have the look of a king and the blessing of a king but you have no presence.
Some of you have received applause and approval from man but you have allowed that to substitute for God’s approval.
Some of you have tried to tag onto someone else’s ride.
A bounce is coming!!
It is time to stop and check in.
Take 6 steps and kneel! Offer yourselves as a sacrifice again and get the presence back into your life.
