TITLE: YOU CAN’T UNDRESS IN FRONT OF EVERYBODY
SCRIPTURE: II SAMUEL 6:12-23
I am excited and thrilled to make this transition with PPWC into this Auditorium on the Oklahoma City Campus of Langston University. I believe we are positioned for God to do great things with this ministry and the many opportunities and doors that will be opened for our congregation to share the Gospel. I am not sure why God did things the way He did. I am simply glad that we passed the test and are positioned for the next move of God in this place.
As God has now positioned us to experience a new level in Him, there are some things we need to understand as a Church family. When the Lord led me to this text, I was not sure exactly what He was saying to me in an effort to help move the Congregation forward. After spending time with God and Wrestling with this Scripture Text; I believe that God is cautioning us to be on the lookout for those that will not understand our Dance and our Praise.
I believe God would have us to know this morning through our text for examination that “You Can’t Undress In Front of Everybody.” I watch my grandchildren as they are growing up and changing so quickly as they develop their unique personalities. Our oldest grandchild turned 7 last week. I remember when she was born and the first few years after her birth:
• I was able to bath her as an infant
• I was able to put her in bath tub when she was a little older
• I was able to get her out of the tub and dressed for the day or for bed time
• But now Pop-Pop is not allowed in the bathroom during bathing time
• She does not want me there
• Now she runs through the living room wrapped in a towel telling me Pop-Pop turn your head as she dashes through to her bedroom
• Now she just wants her Mother and Grandmother to help her during bathing and dressing time
• She has begun to recognize, even in her young life – “You Can’t Undress In Front of Everybody.”
This is the lesson that we are able to extract through our Biblical reading for the hour. In the midst of this text we find that the KING DANCED BEFORE THE LORD. Dancing is considered RADICAL WORSHIP – to some and NECESSITY to others. It is seen as UNUSUAL - OUT OF THE ORDINARY - EXTREME - and FOR SOME UNNECESSARY. But David will show us through close examination of the text that it is important. But perhaps the real question is how did we get here, what brought this on? It really begins in I SAMUEL CH. 5 & 6 -
• The ark of God had been taken by people who believed that since Israel prospered with the ark so will they
• We need to understand that other people will not prosper with your blessing
• Can I FOOTNOTE for a minute?
• You may have lost something but the person who found it can’t enjoy it because it is your blessing
• Someone may have taken something but
• Someone may have stolen something but
• Whether it was accident, coincidence , or happenstance they can’t enjoy it because it is your blessing
The blessing can only be a blessing to the one to whom it was assigned
• They stole the ark and put it in Ashdod where it knocked over Dagon
• They move it to Gath and there he caused tumors
• They moved it to Ekron it caused trouble there too
• They sent the Ark back to the people it belonged too
• It’s only a Blessing if it has your Name on it
• The Ark was out of Place
• David said we must bring the Ark of God back where it belongs
David is now King of Israel – all twelve tribes. He has lived through his wilderness education, He is back in touch with God and finally accepting his exonerated role. He is thirty years old, perhaps out of his boyhood experiences when he freely talked about God and His power, when he felt the need of his nation to rediscover God. But, how does he bring God back into the center of his country?
• He may have remembered it, or heard about it
• But he wanted to find and return the only physical symbol of God’s presence to his nation
• The Ark of the Covenant
• Faith in God, reinforced by the Ark, would unify his people and give them a central faith to withstand the idolatry of the neighboring nations
So King David sets out with 30,000 chosen men on their way to bring the ark of God back to the city of David. We have to be mindful that during the reign of Saul, very little is mentioned about the Ark. During Saul’s time the ark appeared to be in obscurity. And now that David is in charge, it is his desire to bring the Ark of God back into the midst of God’s chosen people.
So David gathers the religious leaders and the Priests and they secure the Ark and prepare to march it back to the Holy City. What joy they must have felt.
• The priest’s two sons would work the cart
• The band would play
• The king would lead and a new day would come to the nation of Israel
However, during the process of marching to return home with the Ark – the SCRIPTURE SHINES LIGHT ON A DRAMATIC EVENT. The scripture says the oxen stumbled, the Ark seemed to be falling and the son, Uzzah - reached out to steady the load. When he touched the Ark, he immediately died.
• Let me tell you, if there’s anything that will ruin a parade, that will
• They had not read the owner’s manual, saying no one but the high priest could touch the Ark
• The young king was confused and frustrated and abandoned the trip
The Ark was left in a home nearby, where it continued to bring remarkable blessings to that family. For three months David would LISTEN and LEARN - PRACTICE and PLAN to bring the Ark to Jerusalem. Let me tell you, no matter what our TITLE, we are not above Learning. We don’t have all the answers – we still need God. Heard someone say, THEY NEED GOD UNTIL THE DIE. Let me tell you I really need God after I leave this Old World. Need God to Remember Me - Need God to Clean My Slate – Need God to Say WELL DONE.
• He learned there was a very special way to treat God’s things
• Wouldn’t it be good for all of us to read the “owner’s guidebook,” the Bible, to learn how God wants us to actually begin to practice His way for us to live?
• If we just went to Owners Manuel – Bible – Country would not be in shape it is in
Although David thought he was ready to return with the Ark of the Lord and move the congregation to another level of Praise, God knew there were still a few things that David had to learn. For three months had to stand still. God planted him to teach him a few more things before returning home.
• I believe PPWC that we were planted for Two Years on the SW side of the city because God needed to teach us a few more things before we move into our destiny
• I believe that God had us to stand still for Two Years that we could understand the importance of Praising and Dancing for Him
David sent the ark of God to someone else’s house. While the ark was in the house of Obededom - God blessed that household. Later we see David once again attempting to bring the ark of God into the Holy City. This time it would be different.
• We can see by inference that the ark is now being carried properly and not on a cart
• Not only that, David offered physical sacrifices in the form of oxen and fatlings
• After he sacrificed, David danced before the Lord with all of his might
• Not one of those little CUTSIE DANCES we see in the Church
• Danced before the Lord with All His Might
There is a season that God must take His people through before – The windows of Heaven are opened.
• There is a season that His people must learn what real worship is
• There is a season that His people must learn to Worship in Spirit and in Truth
• There is a season that His people must learn how to be a Church family before the Flood Gates are Opened
• There is a season that God must Mature us before Providing the Increase
• There is a season that God places us in a Holding Pattern to work things Out of Us
It looked like David had failed previously to bring the ark back into the city but David did not let his TITLE or WHAT PEOPLE WERE SAYING hinder his praise.
• Many of you can’t praise God because of some past failures or current setbacks but that is the perfect time to give God praise
• Some are wondering where do we go from here – we need to simply Praise God
• Some of you need to loosen up those tight jackets and drop some titles in order to give God some praise
• Something we need to see in this text, wherever the ark was the people around it were blessed
• I believe there is a Blessing in the House Today
Can I tell you that if you invite God to your house your entire household will be blessed? When we invite God into the Worship Experience, the whole Church will be blessed. David REGROUPED - So He went back to Get the Ark of God. Every now and then we need to just REGROUP. Every now and then we need to simply START OVER AGAIN. So David Regrouped - But this time his approach was different:
• He had on a Priestly Garment
• Look at VS. 13- now when those who were carrying the Ark
• No cart this time
• Six steps and then offering and sacrifice
• I Chronicles 15:26 says 7 bullocks and 7 rams were sacrificed
• Some believe that every six steps David offered a sacrifice
• Now David was prepared to Dance
• The approach was right
• The attitude was that of reverential fear
• They handled the ark properly
• They offered sacrifices
• They were singing unto the Lord
I am so glad to today that God Is Not In An Ark for us to carry from place to place. We cannot contain His presence in a Box. I’m glad that we cannot put Him in a box to store in the corner of the Attic. God’s presence today is His spirit, the spirit of Jesus, the Holy Spirit. His presence is not limited to a BOX – BUILDING – PRACTICES - TRADITIONS. God is present – Somebody said “A VERY PRESENT HELP IN THE TIME OF TROUBLE” – that’s present tense, a work in our lives and our world and cannot be contained. He has been NEGLECTED – AVOIDED – FORGOTTEN IN OUR PERSONAL LIVES – How we bring God back into our lives, our churches, our country, and our cultures is based upon our Level of Praise.
This time David wanted to get it right. Four priests who had spiritually prepared for the task carried the Ark. DAVID WORE A PRIEST’S GOWN AND EPHOD. The priests took six steps and stopped for a sacrifice of a live animal. As they moved forward, David began to dance, leading the procession back to Jerusalem. David brought the Ark into the city to a tent prepared as a worship place, and David acted as the Chief Priest and made sacrificial offerings on behalf of the people.
Man may try to bring the presence of God in the place by PUTTING UP A PICTURE that has an image of a man that we have come to recognize as Jesus or by PUTTING UP A COUPLE OF CROSSES and calling it a church. But those things do not bring the presence of God. The Bible says that where ever there are TWO OR THREE GATHERED TOGETHER IN GOD’S NAME, THERE HE IS IN THE MIDST. The Bible also tells us that GOD INHABITS THE PRAISES OF HIS PEOPLE. It’s important for us to catch this: THAT EVEN WHEN WE FEEL LIKE WE ARE ALL ALONE, OUR PRIASE CAN INVOKE THE PRESENCE OF GOD.
David now returns to the Holy City with the Ark of the Lord. After he sacrificed, David danced before the Lord with all of his might. Bible said He danced so hard before the Lord that the only clothing left on him was the Ephod and that was not very secure. As David was entering into the city, MICHAL his wife looked upon him and despised him as wife. But can you blame her? Michal had been physically removed from her former husband and brought to him. But not only that, Michal was Saul’s daughter. David replaced her father as the king of Israel. After the ark was in place, David once again offered sacrifices unto the Lord and after he sacrificed to the Lord, he blessed the people in the name of the Lord.
All of Israel was celebrating, but in the window was an objector.
• There is always somebody watching your worship
• There are always those who can’t appreciate your worship
• Sometimes they are right in your own house
• Michal despised him she greeted him with sarcastic criticism
• How the king of Israel has distinguished himself today
• Disrobing in the sight of the slave girls of his servants as any vulgar fellow would!”
• David says to her I may be king
• But Yahweh is King of kings
Can I tell you Church –“You Can’t Undress In Front of Everybody.”- There are some, even though they have been in Church for quite awhile, still cannot handle you undressing in front of them.
• There are some in the Church where I have to keep on my Spiritual Robes in front of
• There are some in the Church who can only handle seeing Pastor Lawson
• There are some in the Church that I cannot Take off my Spiritual Robes not in front of
• There are some that cannot handle my Personality and Sense of Humor
• There are some that I have to keep my Pastor and Bishop garmets on all the time
• Yes, “You Can’t Undress In Front of Everybody.”
• Must stay spiritual in front of some
• Can’t take off my Spiritual Garments in front of everybody
Even in your Praise there are going to be those who sit in the WINDOW SILL OF YOUR LIFE and will be critical of your Praise. David goes home to bless his household. Some of you can identify with David.
• You had a good time in the Lord and when you come home there waits the naysayer looking to bring you down
• Michal was probably comparing David to her father
• There were some notable differences between Saul and David
• She probably never saw her father praise God and thought it was stupid for David to do so
• You bless the Lord and go home to be Critized
• You had a good time in Worship and go home to the unchurched to be talked about
• “You Can’t Undress In Front of Everybody.”
There may be people in your life who QUESTION WHY YOU COME TO CHURCH – WHY YOU GIVE YOUR MONEY TO THE CHURCH - WHY YOU PRAISE GOD IN YOUR SITUATION - You can respond to them just like David responded to his wife, because I’m chosen over your father.
• God chose us not just to be in covenant relationship but to become ministers of praise
• Satan used to be the worship leader in heaven until he thought himself equal to God and he had to go
• God still wants to hear praise and we’ve been selected
• But we can’t allow the spiritual condition of the people around us to hinder our praise
• Praise should be what we do
• But our praise should not be restricted to the church
• Our praise should not be restricted to our homes
--“You Can’t Undress In Front of Everybody.”
--You have to Praise anyhow
--They may not understand – Praise Him anyhow
--They may criticize – Praise Him anyhow
--It may look like a struggle – Praise Him anyhow
