Sermon
A Once and Future King
The Toledo Blade article on child prostitution ring, one of the largest sex busts in the nation. How can this stuff happen? Where are the leaders? We need leaders.
All around the nation we see corrupt officials: nearby Detroit, Miami (where we just moved from), Chicago, all are known for corruption.
Where are the leaders?
Even the Presidency is being doubted these days.
Bringing the sermon into context of our series:
The further development of the promise¡Xbecoming more specific, leading us more narrowly down the path to Jesus
The idea of ¡§the Anointed¡¨ being David¡¦s son; and Jesus Solomon are both seen as his son in this text.
Father/son Suzerain/vassal COVENANT. Davidic Covenant. I will be your God/you my people.
The obedience needed for the son
The connection with the temple and ruling (see obedience)
God establishing David¡¦s house
WHAT kind of God do we have??!! He is awesome and loving to be mindful of us
2 Sam 7:11b-16
Big Idea: TO A WORLD NEEDING TRUE LEADERSHIP, GOD PROMISES HIS LORDSHIP
How does he Do this?
1. Exercises his Lordship in Carrying out His plans and Promise
The ark and it travels from the house to and from Obed-Edom to the tabernacle in Jerusalem remind us that God is Lord and we can¡¦t do anything we want. And yet it also teaches us that he continues to carry out his Plan/Promise
Told David what He wanted and was going to do. Inquire of the Lord (when with the Philistines). refer to Jim Cymbala¡¦s sermon in preaching today.com
2. Exercises his Lordship through obedient Rulers
When I taught Bible at Mountain Mission School, one of the principles we learned was that as God was over the king and the people (like an umbrella of Lordship), things were fine. When they disregarded him, there were problems.
2 Sam 7:14 and Ps 89:30,32-34 (expands to sons)
Psalm 2 v.6: the Lord is or should be behind the King
Deut: King should revere God and the law and not consider himself better than brothers.
Ps 17:4 and Jer 22:1-6: Kings that forgot the Lord.
Arthur Simon, founder of the international organization Bread for the World, believes that all aspects of our lives need to be touched by Christ. His father, who grew up on a farm in Wisconsin, taught him: "Even the cows should know you are a Christian by the way you treat them." Arthur has incorporated this philosophy into his ministry, adding: "And if cows, how much more people!" (preaching today.com)
We need leaders like thisl. We need to BE leaders like this, as well as a people (son/Israel/King/church/Jesus)
David getting the ark was wedding his kingship under the Lordship of Yahweh.
Solomon¡¦s temple underscores God¡¦s presence and Reign.
3. Exercises his Lordship through the promised Messiah.
In our text we have some familiar Promise themes emerge: Promise, seed, blessing to all (Ps. 89:3-4), and reign forever (an expansion of the promise given thus far)
In prophecy, there are layers of fulfillment. So on the one hand was literal expectations: land, kingdom, army, power, etc. And that may have been what the disciples in Acts 1 are looking for.
The Geneology of Jesus is there to prove he is in the line of descendants and a child of promise through Abraham, David, etc.
(see Ps 72:17 on all nations being blessed through king¡XJesus)
In keeping with the promise to David, the son WAS punished (on the cross, as he took his sins on himself) and he is building his temple (the church). (these are my inferences, though not a lot of commentators bring this up that I have found)
CONCLUSION
Can you imagine what David¡¦s response would have been (or Mary¡¦s!)
In an interview with a long-time friend, international pop superstar Bono, of the hit band U2, responded to the sometimes-stained reputation of the church throughout history:
Religion can be the enemy of God. It¡¦s often what happens when God, like Elvis, has left the building. A list of instructions where there was once conviction; dogma where once people just did it; a congregation led by a man where once they were led by the Holy Spirit. Discipline replacing discipleship.
„Ò thank God for his soveriengnty and leadership
„Ò Submit to his leadership in all areas of your life
„Ò be leaders who look to the Lord (in specific ways)
„Ò Be encouragers: God carries out his promise!!!
We have a king who will reign forever and will bring loving and firm and uncompromising leadership to a world in need.
