"Walking Tall" Series

"WALKING TALL"-a Dad’s day message (1)

Text-1st Kings 2:1-4

Preached-Sunday morning-June 17th, 2007

Mt. Moriah Baptist Church

Danny Moss, pastor

INTRODUCTION-

There was a movie out several years ago

about a Southern sheriff who took on evil doers

in his small town. It was based on the life of

a real person. It was called "Walking Tall."

We have just read in the Word of God about a man

who "walked tall" with God. His name was David.

David, the "man after God’s own heart." David,

the man who failed God several times. David, the

sweet psalmist of Israel, the giant killer, the

fugitive. David, the man who is called several

times in the Scriptures-"the man of God." David,

the broken-hearted father who lost his son. David,

the adulterer and murderer. David, a complex man

of many emotions and longings.

What does it mean to "Walk Tall" for God? Let’s

see what God’s word teaches us about that. We

will examine the life of David.

Humble beginnings

David was just a sheperd boy, youngest son of

Jesse. Samuel had all Jesse’s sons appear before

him, because he had been sent to annoint the next

king of Israel. Saul had failed God, and disobey-

ed Him. God sought a "man after his own heart,"

a man of sincerity and genuineness. God needed

someone to shepherd His people rightly, and David

was His chosen.

David the Conquerer

Most of us, when we think of David, usually

envision him as the "giant killer." This was a

high moment in David’s life. God was empowering

him, and using him, and David gave God all the

glory. David (1st Sam. 17:37) gave God all the

credit for delivering him in the past, and by

faith he knew God would deliver him again. David,

too small to wear the heavy armor of Saul, but

clothed with the power of God.

David the faithful friend

David and Jonathan, Saul’s son, developed a

strong, lasting devotion to each other. They

had a friendship that nothing could sever, or

destroy.

David, the persecuted

Saul’s jealousy over David’s popularity

grew stronger and stronger. Time and time again

he sought to do away with David, but to no avail.

1. Saul threw a javelin at David more than once.

2. Saul sent men to kill David.

3. Saul tried to get Jonathan to betray David.

David, the merciful, righteous one

God delivered Saul into David’s hands, but

David would not lift his hand against Saul. He

was truly "walking tall" here, for Saul wanted

to kill David, but David loved God, and God’s

annointed king too much to commit such an act.

As Kenny Rogers sang in one of his songs-"You

don’t have to fight to be a man." Sometimes it

is necessary to fight, but a good man will avoid

doing harm, if at all possible.

David, the King

And what a king he was. He was fair, and

just, and sought to lead them along the right

path. He was a good sheperd in many ways.

David, the grieving father

David saw his sons turn against him. He

wept bitterly as he learned of Absalom’s death.

He wished that he could have died instead of

his son. Life with great grief was too terrible

to endure. Death would have been easier.

David, the old man

Toward the end, David sought to give some

words of great wisdom to Solomon, his son. He

wanted him to walk with God, and not make the

same mistakes that he had made. He tried to

instill the same strong faith in his son that

he had. David went to be with God. A man after

God’s own heart-a forgiven man, a cleansed man,

a man who "walked tall."