2 Samuel 6:1-16
AFTER GOD'S OWN HEART
Intro: When the name of David is mentioned, what is your first
thought? How do you remember his life? For many, their first thought
is his victory over Goliath. Some remember his failure with Bathsheba.
Others remember his anointing and call as a young man. Some dwell
on his problems with Saul and Absalom. Some remember his
friendship with Jonathon. That is the human way! We remember the
spectacular, the traumatic and the glorious. However, when God
remembers David, He remembers something quite different about him.
To find out what God remembers about this man, you have to turn to
the New Testament. Some 1,000 years after his death, Paul, writing
under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, reveals what God remembers
about David. The passage is Acts 13:22. The statement is: "I have
found David the son of Jesse, a man after mine own heart, which
shall fulfil all my will." What a testimony of a life well lived and found
pleasing to the Lord!
It should be the goal of every believer in this room to be found
pleasing in the sight of the Lord. It should be our goal to be a person
"After God's own heart." You may wonder how this can be done.
Well, I think this passage reveals some qualities that were found in
David's life that tell us why he was considered a man after God's own
heart. These qualities are seen throughout David's life, but they are
brought into sharp focus in this passage. By the way these are the
same qualities that will enable us to be known as one "after God's
own heart." Let me share those qualities with you this evening.
I. V. 1-5 HE HAD A DESIRE FOR THE PRESENCE OF GOD
A. V. 2-3 A Conspicuous Absence - This passage relates the fact
that the Ark of the Covenant is missing. The Ark was of vital
importance to the worship of the Jewish people. The Ark was
the place where the "shechinah" glory of the Lord dwelt
between the two cherubim. It was where God met with and
dwelled with His people. However, the Ark was missing. 1
Samuel 4 tells of how foolish pride resulted in the Ark being
taken by the Philistines. 1 Samuel 5-6 tell of the terrible price
the Philistines paid for having the Ark in the their possession.
1 Samuel 7:1-2 tells us that the Ark spent 20 years at the
house of a man named Abinadab. When the Ark was missing,
so was the manifest presence of the Lord God. God was still
there, but His presence was not tangible. (Note: There will be
times in our lives when we do not experience the "manifest
presence" of the Lord. We know that He is always there, Matt.
28:20; Heb. 13:5, but there are times when He cannot be seen,
heard or felt. Those are hard times.)
B. V. 1-5 A Concentrated Action - During the reign of Saul, the
things of the Lord had been terribly neglected. However, when
David comes to the throne, he takes definite steps to recover
the Ark and the presence of the Lord. More than anything in
his life, David wanted to live in the presence of the Lord, Psa.
42:1-2; Psa. 27:4. (Note: This will be the burning desire of
every life that is a life after God's own heart! There will be a
hunger for His manifest presence in that life. When it is
missing, every possible step will be taken to recover His
precious presence! Think of what it might require -
Repentance, obedience, confession, forgiveness, etc.)
II. V. 6-13 HE HAD A DELIGHT IN THE PRECEPTS OF GOD
A. V. 6-7 David's Hasty Decision - David and his people went
after the Ark. They went after it in their own strength and they
failed. Uzzah paid a high price for his disobedience. (Ill. Why
did he die while the Philistines didn't? Uzzah was responsible
for knowing the Law of God, the Philistines didn't have the Law.
God had commanded that the Ark was to be carried on the
shoulders of the Levites, with golden poles through golden
rings on the Ark. It was holy and not to be touched by human
hands, Ex. 25:10-22; Deut 10:8. Within this Ark were the two
tables containing the Law; Aaron's rod which budded, and a
golden pot filled with manna, Heb. 9:4.) (Note: We are by
nature shortcut seekers. We think it is alright to shave a little
here and a little there. Yet, when the Lord has spoken clearly
on a topic, then we are bound to do it His way, or pay the price
for our disobedience, James 4:17.) (Note: David and his
people looked good as they went after the Ark, it is the
obedience of the heart that God is after, Ill. Saul - 1 Sam. 15;
It doesn't matter how we look on the outside, God views the
heart, 2 Tim. 3:5; 1 Sam. 16:7.)
B. V. 7-12a David's Harsh Discovery - David discovered that God
is interested in the details! He wants His people to do His will
His way. Nothing else will please Him or honor Him. (Note:
How many times have we paid a high price for our own
disobedience?)
C. V. 12b-13 David's Honest Devotion - These verses tell us that
David went after the Ark and brought it back. But, this time, he
did it God's way. To see this, we have to look at a parallel
passage, 1 Chron. 15:1-2; 13-16; 25-28. When David
discovered that the Lord had a specific pattern for moving the
Ark, he was determined in his heart to do it God's way. Notice
that he did nothing until he could do the right thing! (Note: That
is how you recognize a heart that is after God's own heart.
There will be a consuming desire to honor Him by doing things
the way He wants them done, John 14:15. This involves
searching our the plan of God from His word and then carrying
it our to the letter.) (Note: The word of God is filled with both
"precepts" and "principles". Just like life. A speed limit sign
is a precept. It is a law that does not change, regardless of the
circumstances. A road sign that says "Drive to Survive" , like
you will find at the Maryland state line is a principle. It allows a
little flexibility, but it still directs your way of life. In the Bible, an
example of a precept is, Matt. 22:37-40. A principle would be,
Gal. 6:7. Phil. 4:6 is a precept, while Rom. 10:13 is a
principle. Rom. 12:1 is a precept, while Heb. 10:25 is a
principle. Three are many more that could be listed, but do you
see the difference? A precept is a clearly defined law for
living. A principle is a general statement about how life
should be lived. However, whether it is a precept or a
principle, the heart after God's heart takes them both seriously
and applies them without question!)
III. V. 14-16
HE HAD A DEDICATION TO THE PRAISE OF GOD (Ill. When you are walking in His presence and have done
everything in your power to honor His precepts, He will fill your
heart with His praises!)
A. V. 14 His Praise Was Visible - Here is the king dancing a
praising the Lord publically without shame! (Note: may we
never be ashamed to praise Him for what He has done for us!
The heart after His heart will gladly lift His Name!)
B. V. 15 His Praise Was Vocal - The Bible says they shouted!
They openly proclaimed His glory for all to hear! (Note: when
your heart is after His heart, there will be a spirit of worship and
praise within your heart. This spirit of worship and praise will
find an outlet in your life! It may do so in song, in spontaneous
praise, or in testimony, but it will come out! I think that is a
clear principle in the Bible, Heb. 13:15; Rev. 4-5. Of course,
vocal praise is also a precept, Psa. 47:1; Psa. 135:1-3; Psa.
150:1-6, etc. How are you doing in the praise department?)
C. V. 16; 21-23 His Praise Was Volitional - (Ill. An act of the will!)
When David's wife sees him praising the Lord, she rebukes
him. His response to her is worthy of note. He tells her that he
has made up his mind that he will praise the Lord, even if it
make him look like a fool in the eyes of men! His praise, then,
is an act of the will! He decided that he would praise the Lord
and he did! (Note: Too often, we allow the opinion s of others
to hinder us in our praise of the Lord. Yet, the heart that is after
His heart doesn't care what others think. Their attention is
focused much higher than the opinions of other men. They
merely want to praise the Lord for what He has done for them.
They have decided to praise the Lord!)
Conc: Are you a man or a woman who is after God's own heart? If so
it will be seen in your desire for His presence; in your delight in His
precepts and in your dedication to His praise. Why don't we just stop
making excuses this evening for our shortcomings? Why don't we just
come before Him and confess that our hearts need help? If we will
honestly confess our failure and seek His face, He will send a revival
to you soul.
