2 Sam 6:1-23 Experiencing the Glory of God

Intro The Bible declares that we are Earthen Vessels / Scientist proven that to be true :

A)The Very ingredients found in dirt make up the human body / real blow to your Ego!!

B)A friend of mine was telling his kids this – daughter said – daddy we had better stop taking baths – turn to mud !!!

C) So we are earthen vessels – but the Lord desires to shine HIS Light in us / & thru Us !!!!

But we are also spiritual beings – Body Soul & Spirit / We have been made to glorify God – that is the reason that we exist

A)We were created to bring Glory to God !!! Whatever you do in word or deed do all to the Glory of God / That is what our lives are to be about

B) We were CREATED to bring God Glory/ BUT we are also CRAVING the GLORY OF GOD

1) With in your heart there is a Craving / a yearning – a hunger & that Hunger is for the Glory of God

C) But what is the Glory of God The word Glory in the Hebrew is the word – Kabod –

1) it is a word that speaks of a Weightiness / a Heaviness / Substance

D)And every single one of us is Craving for & Desiring that our lives would have a sense of Weightiness / Depth / Substance / Richness

1) It is what People are Desiring when they think about their lives & ask questions like Why am I here ? What is my purpose ? Where…going?

E) What they are really yearning for is the Kabod!!! –

Now when the first man was created in the Garden / Adam & Eve walked in & were surrounded by the Glory of God!!

A)Their lives had weight & Substance : Lives were Rich & full / Adam walked w/ God lived in close Communion w/ God

B) But then Adam & Eve Sinned – they ate of the forbidden fruit & at that Moment the Glory Departed : Their lives became Ichabod

1) Because of their Rebellion / Now there was this great separation between them and God –/ They Knew it they sensed it

C) They lived w/ that longing to experience the Kabod again And Every person who has been born after them – Lives w/ that separation

1) All have sinned & fallen short of the what? – the Glory of God

D) So the Kabod was lost in the garden & man has been searching for that Weightiness in his life ever since

Some search for it in Education : What they want is some intellectual stimulation in thier life – then their life will have Wieght & Substance

A)As they sit around and ponder heavy Philosophical & Intellectual theories that is what is going to add weight & substance to their life

B) For others it is their Profession – they believe the weight & substance is found the higher they climb on the corporate latter –

1) The more successful / the more prosperous they are /

C) They think if they can just reach a certain economic status that is going to add weight & Substance & meaning to their Lives/ yearning for

And Still others think that what they are really longing for is going to be found in a Relationship – finding right guy or gal – married / Kids

A)And as wonderful & enriching as all of those things can be / once you accomplish what the goal was / once you accomplish the Pursuit

B) Once you experience that thrill or / achieve that level of success / or come into that area of relationship that you are desiring

1) You begin to realize there is still something that is missing – Something that is not Right – something that is Lacking

C) That something is the weight / the substance / the blessing that comes from living in a right relationship w/ God !! The Kabod

How can we experience the Glory of God !! Our text this morning gives us some great insights

A)You see David was a Man that longed to experience the Glory of God

Psa 63 O God, You are my God; Early will I seek You;

My soul thirsts for You; My flesh longs for You

In a dry and thirsty land Where there is no water.

² So I have looked for You in the sanctuary,

To see Your power and Your glory.

Psa 84:10 I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God

Than dwell in the tents of wickedness.

For a day in Your courts is better than a thousand.

So David was one who wanted to experience the Glory of God in His own life & He wanted it for his people as well

A)So after capturing the city of Jerusalem - & making it the capital city of Israel he erected a Tabernacle as a place of Worship

B) David wanted to build God a permanent house – but one thing was missing / the ARK – spoke of God’s presence – { Tab /Ark/ Holy Holies }

1) Spoke of the Shekinah Glory of God dwelling amongst the People

C) Problem was the Ark had been lost in battle to the Philistines – 75 yrs

1) Set up in the temple of their god –Dagon – but every day they came into worship Dagon they found this statue of Dagon – fallen off perch

D) Lying Face down before the Ark of God – one day hands were broken off another day – it’s head – One of these god’s needs to go – Jehovah

1) So they sent the Ark away and it dwelt in the House of a man named Abinadab for a # of yrs

So when David assumes the throne he decides to bring back the Ark – make things right spiritually in Israel/ Rd 1-5

A)Now David’s heart is right here – His motive is Good – but his method is wrong / notice what he did

B) David assembles a Parade – a Pageant – 30,000 men – Musicians – this is an Incredible Celebration / and they transported the ark on a New Cart

C) Now this is where David went wrong – See God had given specific instructions in the word – How ….. Transported / Num. 4/ Ex 25

1) Carried w/ poles on the Shoulders of the Priest –

D) David was either ignorant of those instructions or just Ignored them altogether – { Good idea – Build a NEW CART }

E) Where did this idea come to carry the Ark on a Cart ? The Philistines

The World that is how they did it – Worldly method /

1) SO what David was doing here in his attempt to bring in the glory of God –He was copying the World / Notice the result v.6-11

1^st DEATH Now some people read what happened to Uzzah & think that was harsh I mean he was only trying to help God out

A)That is a problem right there – God doesn’t need us to help Him out

B) A sure way to Kill a work that God is doing is when we start thinking that God needs our Help / our expertise / Tools vessels – Hammer

Now a pattern that we see in the Bible is at the Beginning of New eras in Biblical History & This was a new era – David’s reign /

A)At time of new era God would sometimes manifested His power in Judgment to remind the people that one thing has not Changed

B) God’s work is to be done God’s way in order to have God’s blessing

1) I think God was using Uzzah as an example here – to Illustrate that He is Holy – and His word is to be followed

C) Similar : New era Promise land – Achan / New Church – Annanias & Saphira

1) So the first result in doing things our way is death

2^nd Result is Anger note v. 8 David becomes Angry & bitter at the Lord

A)David is thinking I am trying to do the right thing & do a good thing for Israel for the Lord – and it Backfires

B) He is thinking God this isn’t fair – I just don’t get it – I don’t understand how you could allow that to happen

1) I know people who have had that same reaction then they felt that God acted or responded in a way that was not fair !!

C) Anger can lead to fear v.9 David becomes crippled by it / for 3 months – he doesn’t do anything – he seemingly gives up on his dream

So David has the Right motive but employs the wrong method & the result is DISASTROUS

A)I suggest to you the Church today in many ways is doing the same thing

B)The Church desires to experience the Glory of God / wants to move in the Blessing of God – wants to be a Blessing TO GOD –

1) Motive is right but the Methods used to achieve those things are often Worldly – what do I mean ? Examples many 1 Popular method today

One way the Church has used the world methods is thru marketing – A)People are consumers – The goal in marketing is to leave the consumer satisfied/ the goal is to find out what they want

B) Poles & Surveys – what do you want in a Church – what Kind of Church do you desire – would you go to

1) Church that is entertaining : It needs to be Fun / Funny –Shorter sermons / lots of Drama / lots of Music/ Multi Media Presentation

2) Train Pastors to be Comedians

C) Church that is Uplifting : Ok so we won’t talk about sin or things like the Blood of Christ / or Hell – We don’t want to make people Uncomfortable

D) Church that doesn’t feel Churchy – Ok take out the Pews / put in theater style seats w/ cup holders for their Cappuchinos

1) We will use giant screens to have techno interactive feel – No bibles

E) Most Popular new method of doing Church today

1) Huge advertising campaigns are developed – where the church is trying to market themselves as the New & lastest greatest thing

Now since the goal in marketing is to leave the consumer satisfied Anything that leaves the consumer UNSATISFIED is rejected

A)Now The danger is that you can be SUCCESSFUL at marketing & making people feel comfortable but FAIL to see souls converted

B) Because people cannot be truly converted if you don’t talk about Sin and the Blood of Christ

C) That is happening in far too many Churches these days/ That is quickly becoming one of the most Popular ways of doing ministry – because

1) it is good at drawing a crowd / but not experiencing the glory of God

D) Not Knocking / pointing out fact – Motive right – Wrong Method

1) Warning to us!!!!

Results are the same – Death – Here in our text literal death – Uzzah A)Churches today where people are trying to do the right thing - but the wrong way –Focus is on the arm of the Flesh

B) The result is Spiritual death – People are just burned out & worn out

1) they have strived so hard to Attain– a certain standard as the Happening place – New innovative

C) And now they have to Strive to Maintain that Standard – the result is there is death - People die – people get burned out – stressed out

D) Starts w/ burn out Leads to anger – Why didn’t work for us – followed by fear – God cannot use me

1) Met pastors who have quit the ministry – because they were serving in a System that demanded that type of Strenuous approach

E) One more is Presumption: When things go right – the crowd gathers it is easy to think – the end Justifies the means

1) Butter Knife as screw Driver – it might work a couple of times but eventually you will run into a Problem where the right tool is needed

Now in v.9 David asks the question How shall the ark of the LORD come to me?

A)That is the question that we are concerned with/ How shall the glory and the substance of God come to me? Read v. 12

B) 3 months pass / and 2 things happen 1^st the house of Obed Eden is blessed immensely – because of the Arks presence there

1) 2ndly – 1 Chron.15 – David got over his anger & turned to the word – Num 4 Ex. 25 God prescribed how the ark was to be transported

read v. 13-15

This gives us great insight into how we as individuals & we as a Church can experience the Glory of God in our Lives : 3 things

A)1^st David’s approach was scriptural – now he was following the word – Poles / Priest 2^nd God was the Focus –

B) David took off his Royal Robes & was dressed only in a Linen Ehod which was like a Night Shirt

1) David made himself like everyone else so that the Focus was to be on God as King & Not what King David was doing

C) Also Every six steps they stopped- Sacrificed / This was NOT a QUICK method

1)To kill an ox and fillet it would NOT be a quick and easy thing to do

D)There might have been those who said: "David – we have miles to travel, and stopping every 6 steps is NOT the going to get the job done

1) But David tried it the fast way earlier and the consequences were brutal

Significance of 6 steps?- 6 is the number of man

A)It was a conscious recognition that man is unable in himself to experience the glory of God.{ Man sinned & needed a Sacrifice }

B) For man to experience the glory of God, he must draw near to God by the means the God has prescribed- not his own efforts or techniques

1) The Focus was God – His Person / His Way

C) 3^rd Thing to Note – It was diligent v.14 David Danced before the Lord with all His might { Every ounce of Fiber

1) Love the Lord … w/ all your heart / Soul / Mind / strength

D) That is what David was exemplifying here – Lord – praise you & serve you with all that is w/ in me!!!

1) With mind – follow your instructions / With my heart & Soul –Honor you as King / With Strength – Praise you .. all my might

Now here is what we learn from this: If we are going to experience the Glory of God in our lives

A)If we our lives are going to be filled to the fullest / Experience the Richness the substance / See our lives Enriched

B) Our Approach to HIM needs to be Scriptural

1) Jesus I have come that you might have life & that more abundantly –

Quality of life that God intended – How discovered

C) Our Approach to HIM needs to be Scriptural

1) We come to God on One Basis Thru Jesus Christ

B) Not on the Basis of our Good works/ feelings I feel this is right for me / not on the Basis of our Church attendance / Hrs spent in Prayer or reading

1) We come to God on the Basis of the Work of His Son !!!

C) Jn.14:6 I am the way the truth …… life ….. but thru me !!!! Absolute Statement { Narrow – He said it & backed it up }

1) 1 Tim 2: ⁵For there is one God and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus, ⁶who gave Himself a ransom for all,

D) Romans 10:9 ⁹that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. ¹⁰For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. ¹¹For the Scripture says, “whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.”

So first our Approach to God must be scriptural

A)2^nd God needs to be the focus of our Lives – Our lives are to revolve around Him / In order to do that you have to be Lowered / off the crown

B) Pie Analogy – not a Part but the Whole / Everything revolving around our relationship w/ Him

C) 3^rd Our approach needs to be Diligent !!!!

Heb.11:6 He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.

Jer 29:¹³And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart.

Prov 8: ¹⁷ I love those who love me, And those who seek me diligently will find me.

Prov13: ⁴ The soul of a lazy man desires, and has nothing;

But the soul of the diligent shall be made rich.

Those who worship him do so in Spirit –Sincerity / Truth – Scriptural

The Last thing we want to note is that there will usually be opposition to those who desire to experience the Glory of God Rd v.16-22

A) Ministry Note: David sets a neat pattern : 1^st He Blesses God by bring in the Ark the Lord’s way!!/

B) 2^nd v.18 He Blesses the People

3^rd v.20 He returns home to Bless his Household

C)But when he gets there Michal says – How could you – Where was Michal / too dignified / too cool

D)There will always be those who say – don’t get to fanatical

1) It is good to have God in your Life – but He doesn’t need to be Your life

E) They will be Barren

Here today realize there is a Craving – something missing

A)Pursued Position/ Possessions / Persons – still empty / Try Religion –

Not religion but relationship / right relationship w/ God