“The Big Bounce”
Pt. 1 - Unequal
Text:
1 Samuel 4:11
The ark of God was captured; and the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, died.
1 Chronicles 13:1-14
David consulted with all of his leaders, the commanders of thousands and of hundreds. Then David addressed the entire assembly of Israel, "If it seems right to you, and it is God's will, let's invite all our relatives wherever they are throughout Israel, along with their relatives, including their priests and Levites from their cities and surrounding pastures, to join us. And let's bring the Chest of our God back—the Chest that was out of sight, out of mind during the days of Saul." (3 and let us bring the ark of our God back to us, for we have not inquired at it since the days of Saul.)
The entire assembly of Israel agreed—everybody agreed that it was the right thing to do. So David gathered all Israel together, from Egypt's Pond of Horus in the southwest to the Pass of Hamath in the northeast, to go and get the Chest of God from Kiriath Jearim.
Then David and all Israel went to Baalah (Kiriath Jearim) in Judah to bring back the Chest of God, the "Cherubim-Throne-of-God," where God's Name is invoked. They moved the Chest of God on a brand-new cart from the house of Abinadab with Uzzah and Ahio in charge. In procession with the Chest of God, David and all Israel worshiped exuberantly in song and dance, with a marching band of all kinds of instruments.
When they were at the threshing floor of Kidon, the oxen stumbled and Uzzah grabbed the Chest to keep it from falling off. God erupted in anger against Uzzah and killed him because he grabbed the Chest. He died on the spot—in the presence of God. David lost his temper, angry because God exploded against Uzzah; the place is still called Perez Uzzah (Exploded Uzzah). David was terrified of God that day; he said, "How can I possibly continue this parade with the Chest of God?" So David called off the parade of the Chest to the City of David; instead he stored it in the house of Obed-Edom the Gittite. The Chest of God was in storage in the house of Obed-Edom for three months. God blessed the family of Obed-Edom and everything around him.
2 Samuel 6:6 - When they came to the threshing floor of Nacon, the oxen stumbled, so Uzzah reached out and grabbed the Chest of God.
2 Samuel 6:12-15 - It was reported to King David that God had prospered Obed-Edom and his entire household because of the Chest of God. So David thought, "I'll get that blessing for myself," and went and brought up the Chest of God from the house of Obed-Edom to the City of David, celebrating extravagantly all the way, with frequent sacrifices of choice bulls. (KJV says offered sacrifice every six steps) David, ceremonially dressed in priest's linen, danced with great abandon before God (how many of you know sometimes you have got to do what you have never done to get what you have never had?). The whole country was with him as he accompanied the Chest of God with shouts and trumpet blasts.
Introduction
A wise man once said “An unexamined life is not worth living.” This message is about examining your life.
A. Crown doesn’t equal Covering!
As we begin to digest the passages of Scripture there is a very telling statement found in I Chronicles 13: 3. That one sentence 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. It is an indictment against the entire nation, but the responsibility and mindset that gets them to that place is directly attributable to the king.
I want the insight of that verse to get that in your mind and spirit. The glory and tangible presence of God was absent for 20 years and no one missed it. It was out of sight and out of mind. They continued to conduct business as usual.
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. He gets up every day and much like we slap a ball hat on our head, he places the symbol of his authority and anointing on his brow . . . the king’s crown. However, just because he wears the crown doesn’t mean he is covered!
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 even with a crown on your head 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! You live life crowned! But look past the sparkle of that crown and realize that if there is no ark there is no anointing. You can go about business as usual. You can live your life like everything is perfect. 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.
How many of us are missing the tangible reality of God’s presence in our lives and we haven’t missed it or noticed it? How long has it been since you pursued His presence? How long has it been since you hungered for His covering? How many weeks, months, or years have gone by since you really lived your life like it depended on Him?
Have we been living like a practical atheist. You believe in Him, but live like He doesn’t exist! Saul isn’t the exception he is the norm!
Most of us have an encounter with God and then walk away from the encounter to never check back in. I know you were blessed back then! I know you had chill bumps back then. I know your world looked brighter and you had a spring in your step and song in your heart back then, but what about now? Are you still trying to live on something that happened 20 years ago? Is that one crowning moment enough? Does that one crowning moment in His presence cover you now! I would submit that we need to go back and pursue His presence. I would submit that the altar time you had 15 years ago, 15 months ago, 15 weeks ago, or even 15 days ago isn’t supposed to be the last time you run after Him! Are we living on the dregs of days gone by?
By the way David reveals that it takes everyone to bring the glory back! Even the king can’t bring it back by himself. It is a joint effort! It requires teamwork and corporate desire. One man or one woman can call us to the desire, but it takes a group of people to make up their minds and hearts to pull on God!
B. 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 believe the hype and you mistake man’s approval for God’s. If you are not careful, people will clap you right into a catastrophe! 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! Applause speaks to talent. Approval goes deep to character!
C. Easy doesn’t equal right!
David took the path of least resistance. He did what was easy. It had worked for others! He was a copy cat. A cart must be OK because it worked for them! However, easy doesn’t equal right!
Too many of us do the same thing. We see others live a certain way and it works so we just buy in without even checking to see if it is right. They lived together and then got married and it worked out OK. Must be right. They cheated on their taxes. They didn’t pay tithes and they seem to prosper. They don’t really work hard at the office!
You may be doing what is easy . . . but are you doing what is right? Our society has taught us that easy equals right. That isn’t always true. It may be easy to leave the work of this marriage for the excitement of that other relationship, but that doesn’t make it right! It may be easy to lay that credit card on the counter, but that doesn’t make it right. It may be easy to avoid confrontation, but that doesn’t make it right. Walking upright isn't always easy.
Time after time in the Old Testament, when describing Kings that were blessed by God, Scripture says they did what was right in the eyes of God! It doesn’t say they did what was easy. In fact, it usually says they did right in the eyes of God after they have done something difficult like tear down their father’s idols! Moses’ instructions to Israel as they approach the Promised Land is punctuated by a call to do what is right in the sight of God.
Society will celebrate you for finding the easy way. God blesses you based on doing the right thing!
