Sunday, September 30, 2012 Speaker: Doug Virgint

David’s Role in God’s ‘Big Idea’Summary message in our 8-part series calledDavid, the man after God’s own heart. Sunday, September 30, 2012 Speaker: Doug Virgint

David’s importance • David’s name is mentioned 1127 times in 968 verses • 55 times in New Testament • Moses name appears 784 times • Jacob’s name appears 377 times • Jesus’ name appears about 1200 times (plus titles and other names)

David’s importance • 54 chapters in Bible concerning his life • Plus at least 75 Psalms • Moses life is described in several chapters in the Pentateuch • Abraham’s life in about 15 chapters • Jacob’s life in about 12 chapters

David’s importance

God’s “BIG IDEA” • The biblical author’s overall “verbal meaning” is the “big picture” he is painting with his words. • We’d better understand the details in the Bible when we see them as part of the big picture. • Each sermon, each book, each speech should have a “Big IDEA” • But what is God’s “BIG IDEA” in the Bible?

God’s “BIG IDEA” • “to acquaint us with God’s plan of redemption” • “Christ is the central theme of Scripture” • “The idea of the covenantal kingdom of God is the unifying theme of the Bible”

God’s “BIG IDEA” • “Magnifying God in Christ” (Thomas Schreiner) • “God’s Glory in salvation through judgment” (James Hamilton) • Let’s watch this video by Dr Don Carson from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School in Deerfield Illinois. http://marccortez.com/2011/01/27/is-there-a-central-message-that-runs-through-the-whole-bible/

God’s “BIG IDEA” Some basic principles • This universe exists to bring glory to God • God is glorified when He is known and worshiped for who He is

God’s “BIG IDEA” Some basic principles • God makes known his power and wisdom through his creation • God makes known his holiness by judging sin • God makes known his grace and love by his redeeming fallen men

God’s “BIG IDEA” Let’s consider David’s place in God’s plan of redemption, through which He reveals his love and grace!

Major themes about redemption • The theme of a redeemer • The theme of kingship 3) The theme of a covenant 4) The theme of judgement of sin

Theme of a redeemer When man first sinned in the garden of Eden, a redeemer was promised in Genesis 3: 15 “I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring;he shall bruise your head,and you shall bruise his heel.”

Theme of a redeemer Throughout the Bible more and more details about this redeemer are revealed: • The son of Seth, not Cain or Abel • Through Noah and through Shem • Through Abraham and through the nation • Through Isaac, not Ishmael • Through Jacob and then through Judah

Theme of a redeemer “Judah, your brothers will praise you; … Judah is a lion’s whelp; from the prey, my son, thou art gone up. He stooped down, he couched as a lion, and as an old lion; who shall rouse him up? The scepter shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet until Shiloh come; and unto Him shall the gathering of the people be. Binding his foal unto the vine, and his ass’s colt unto the choice vine, he washed his garments in wine, and his clothes in the blood of grapes. His eyes shall be red with wine, and his teeth white with milk. (Genesis 49:8-11)

Theme of a redeemer Praise: the redeemer will be praised Lion: the redeemer will be a conqueror Scepter: the redeemer will be a king Staff: the redeemer will be a law-giver Between his feet: ongoing generations – royalty will always be found in Judah People: all nations will worship “the worthy one”

Theme of a redeemer The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham. ... David the king was the father of Solomon by the wife of Uriah; And Solomon the father of Rehoboam; ... And Jacob the father of Joseph the husband of Mary, of whom Jesus was born, who is called Christ. (Matthew 1: 1-16)

Theme of a redeemer We desperately need a Redeemer • Redemption – delivery from some evil by the payment of a price • We need to be saved from our slavery to sin • We need to be delivered from the penalty for our sin

Theme of a redeemer When John the Baptist saw Jesus he said: “Behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world”

Theme of a redeemer Peter, the great apostle, said: “… knowing that you were ransomed from the futile ways inherited from your forefathers, not with perishable things such as silver or gold, but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without blemish or spot”(1 Peter 1:18, 19)

Theme of kingship As we have seen, the king must come from Judah • And yet when the first King Saul is crowned, he is from the tribe of Benjamin • Saul is man’s choice and he fails badly • David, a humble shepherd boy, is from the tribe of Judah, and he is God’s choice.

Theme of kingship “The Lord swore to David a sure oathfrom which he will not turn back:One of the sons of your body I will set on your throne” (Psalm 132:11)

Theme of kingship “For to us a child is born, to us a son is given;and the government shall be upon his shoulder,and his name shall be calledWonderful Counselor, Mighty God,Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.Of the increase of his government and of peace there will be no end,on the throne of David and over his kingdom,to establish it and to uphold it with justice and with righteousness from this time forth and forevermore.” (Isaiah 9:6, 7)

Theme of kingship We so desperately need a King ! • Without a righteous King to rule, people slide into apostasy, ruin and chaos • The book of Judges, which precedes David’s reign, proved that to be so very true • Murder, treachery, immorality, slavery, sorcery, genocide fill its pages

Theme of kingship “I am a democrat [proponent of democracy] because I believe in the Fall of Man. I think most people are democrats for the opposite reason. A great deal of democratic enthusiasm descends from the ideas of people like Rousseau, who believed in democracy because they thought mankind so wise and good that every one deserved a share in the government.

Theme of kingship “The danger of defending democracy on those grounds is that they’re not true. . . . I find that they’re not true without looking further than myself. I don’t deserve a share in governing a hen-roost. Much less a nation. . . The real reason for democracy is just the reverse. Mankind is so fallen that no man can be trusted with unchecked power over his fellows. Aristotle said that some people were only fit to be slaves. I do not contradict him. But I reject slavery because I see no men fit to be masters.”(C.S. Lewis “Equality)

Theme of kingship The question is not whether God broke into the universe as King. He did! What type of King is he? What difference would his kingship make for you? We need a King – the king who bore the cross for us, now wears the crown and will come to put the world to rights.

Theme of a covenant The four major covenants: 1) The Abrahamic covenant promised a land, a nation a dynasty and a throne 2) The Palestinian covenant promised repentance, ultimate return to the land 3) The Davidic covenant his descendents would rule forever • The New covenant forgiveness through meritorious death of Christ

Theme of a covenant These covenants are unconditional: • That is a wonderful truth - we can’t keep our side of the deal • They are cumulative – a descendant, a land, a king, a redeemer • The new covenant promises us the Holy Spirit in our hearts, whose presence and sealing work ensure our eternal salvation

Theme of a covenant We so desperately need a covenant-keeping God • God told David that the Messiah would descend from him – and God kept that promise • God promised that this Messiah would reign forever – and he is keeping that promise Are you one of this King’s subjects ?

Theme of judgement of sin God did not play favourites with David! • When David sinned in pride (numbering the people), God judged him severely. And his sin hurt others around him. • When David sinned in adultery, God judged him severely. And this hurt his family and his people and his whole nation. Are you playing with sin?

Theme of judgement of sin God did not play favourites with David! • When we are God’s children, born again by the Holy Spirit, our salvation is eternal. • But when we persist in disobedience, we will pay the price – and so will others around us. Stop playing with sin!

In conclusion • God displayed his greatness and his holiness when he judged Saul’s sin, and again when he did not play favourites with David, but severely judged his sin as well. • God displayed his love and grace by providing a redeemer to save his people.

In conclusion • God displayed his faithfulness by continuing to respect his covenants. • God surprises us as he displays his wisdom in all his dealings with his people throughout history. • God accomplished what he desired and what he had promised.

In conclusion • Are you part of God’s plan? • If you don’t want to be part of his plan, he will not force you – he will respect your choice. • But you will pay the price by spending eternity far form his presence.

In conclusion This morning, if you have not yet submitted to Christ: • Will you receive Christ? • Will you submit yourself to his kingship and become part of his plan?

In conclusion This morning, if you have already received Christ: • Will you decide to stop playing with sin in your life? • Are you rejoicing in the outworking of his sovereign plan in your life?

In conclusion David lived through trials and difficulties: But let's not miss the point: God did not afflict Job in order to punish him for his sin. God was testing him, proving him, and strengthening his faith. God's ultimate purpose for Job was good, even though the immediate effect was calamity. This was not punishment for his sin.

In conclusion Bear in mind on the other hand, however, that Job, as a sinful creature, knew he had no claim on any blessing of any kind. God could justly afflict him, because Job needed to be refined and strengthened. And God's ultimate purpose, as James 5:11 says, was compassion and mercy.

In conclusion Consider this: Job's loss was temporary. All his afflictions were transient, passing tribulations that would eventually give way to an even greater weight of eternal glory. As Paul says in 2 Corinthians 4:17, Our "light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison."

In conclusion Suffering is the price and prelude of glory. For Christians, the suffering is always temporary, and the glory is eternal, and infinitely greater. That is our hope in times of trouble.

David’s role inGOD’S BIG IDEA

Sunday, September 30, 2012 Speaker: Doug Virgint