READ: 2 Samuel 13-18 (The story of David and his son, Absalom); Psalm 3
Psalm 3 A Psalm of David, when he fled from his son Absalom.
O LORD, how many are my foes!
Many are rising against me; many are saying to me,
“There is no help for you in God.” Selah
But you, O LORD, are a shield around me,
my glory, and the one who lifts up my head.
I cry aloud to the LORD,
and he answers me from his holy hill. Selah
I lie down and sleep;
I wake again, for the LORD sustains me.
I am not afraid of ten thousands of people
who have set themselves against me all around.
Rise up, O LORD!
Deliver me, O my God!
For you strike all my enemies on the cheek;
you break the teeth of the wicked.
Deliverance belongs to the LORD;
may your blessing be on your people! Selah
SERMON: DAVID IN RECOVERY
 |
| by March Chagall. Driven from Jerusalem by rebelled again Absalom David barefoot climbed to the hill of olives, 1956 |
1) The story tells of King David being driven from Jerusalem by his son Absalom in a Civil War. After reading the Samuel chapters, what interests you? Who was responsible for this family conflict that irrupted into Israel’s life?
2) Eugene Peterson suggested that David’s fleeing into the wilderness was the beginning of his spiritual recovery. Have you ever been in a spiritual wilderness? What did you learn during that time? Was God present with you?
3) David learned humility; he learned to pray again; he learned to love out of his suffering. Could it be that God allows us to go into the wilderness for the sake of transforming us to become more like Christ? Did Jesus ever have a wilderness experience? See Matthew 4
4) Could it be that the church of the 21st century is in its own wilderness by the will of God? What do we need to learn?
5) Read the NY Times link entitled, The Devil and Joe Paterno. http://www.nytimes.com/2011/11/13/opinion/sunday/douthat-the-devil-and-joe-paterno.html Is it relevant to the church? Could it be that the whole world is in some spiritual wilderness by the will of God and for our own good? What does the world need to learn?
6) If you have not read C.S. Lewis’s, Mere Christianity, do so. Read it again, especially Book 4, Chapters 7 to 11. How would he answer the question, “Why the Church?” Do we have any idea what God wants to make of us?
