David Series: Stay The Course

September 22nd, 2024/Casey Middle School

Story: CU Game - Conference - Big Ask

Passage: 2 Samuel 7:8-9

8 “So now this is what you are to say to my servant David: ‘This is what the Lord of Armies says: I took you from the pasture, from tending the flock, to be ruler over my people Israel. 9 I have been with you wherever you have gone, and I have destroyed all your enemies before you. I will make a great name for you like that of the greatest on the earth.

Pray:

Background:

Brief Recap of What We’ve Covered:

We’ve been walking through the life of David, and it’s been powerful. We started with the moment when God anointed David (1 Samuel 16:1-13). Remember this? David, the forgotten son, was out in the fields. Nobody thought to invite him to the party, but God knew who He was looking for. David wasn’t chosen for his stature, his status, or his résumé; he was chosen because of his heart.

Then, we looked at David as Saul’s harpist and armor bearer (1 Samuel 16:14-23). David wasn’t just a warrior, he was a worshiper! He played the harp, and his music brought peace to Saul’s troubled spirit. David started in humble places, being faithful in the little things, and God used it to prepare him for the big things.

And of course, we couldn’t talk about David without talking about David and Goliath (1 Samuel 17). Little David versus the giant Goliath. David didn’t fight with a sword; he fought with faith!

Last week, we talked about David hiding from Saul (1 Samuel 18-24). David was running for his life, but he didn’t quit. David stayed faithful even when he could have taken shortcuts. He demonstrated a Holy Conviction.

Between 1 Samuel 19 and 2 Samuel 7, David built a loyal following and honed his leadership skills. After Saul’s death, David was initially made king over Judah (2 Samuel 2), but it wasn’t until several years later that he was anointed king over all Israel (2 Samuel 5). David established his capital in Jerusalem and brought the Ark of the Covenant there, signifying God's presence with His people.

Title: Stay The Course

Main Points: Principles needed to “Stay the course”

1. Trust God’s Timing:

   1. God’s timing is not our timing. Look at David’s life. 1 Samuel 16:12-13 tells us that David was just a kid when Samuel anointed him, but did he become king right away? No way. It took years! He went back to the pasture, back to the sheep. And some of y’all are stuck in that pasture right now, waiting for the promise to come to pass. But listen to me: God is never late, but He’s also never in a hurry.
   2. In 2 Samuel 5:4, we see David finally stepping into his role as king when he was 30 years old. That’s a long time to wait for the promise!! Some of you are frustrated because what you’re praying for hasn’t happened yet. You’re saying, "God, I’ve been faithful, but where’s my breakthrough? Where’s my blessing?" But I’m here to remind you that God’s delay is not His denial.
   3. Question: Have you ever had a hard time waiting on God? Or ever struggled in trusting God’s timing?
   4. Ecclesiastes 3:11 tells us, “He has made everything appropriate in its time.”
   5. You don’t get to choose the season, but you do get to trust the God who holds the seasons.
   6. Habakkuk 2:3 says, “Though it delays, wait for it; it will certainly come and not be late.”
   7. Sometimes God takes a long time to do something suddenly.
   8. Illust: Patching grass in my yard
   9. You might not see the harvest yet, but let me tell you something about planting seeds. Growth happens in the dark! You don’t dig up a seed just because you don’t see anything sprouting immediately. The harvest is coming—but you’ve got to trust the process.
   10. Warren Wiersbe said it best: “The road to the throne always goes through the cross.” The process might be tough, but it’s making you stronger for the promise.

2. Endure Through Trials:

   1. David had every reason to quit. Saul was hunting him down. 1 Samuel 24:10 tells us that David had the chance to end Saul’s life in that cave, but he didn’t. He could have taken a shortcut, but David knew that God’s promises don’t come through shortcuts—they come through Holy Convictions.
   2. 2 Samuel 2:4 shows David being anointed king of Judah, but not yet over all Israel. That’s another period of waiting, another trial to endure. David knew that endurance was part of the process.
   3. James 1:2-4 tells us to “consider it great joy” when we face trials because they produce endurance. Come on, y’all. Some of you are in the middle of a trial right now, and you’re ready to throw in the towel. But God is using that trial to shape you, to grow you. Romans 5:3-5 says that affliction produces endurance, and endurance leads to character and hope. The trial is producing something in you that you can’t even see yet!
   4. Hudson Taylor said it like this: “I have found there are three stages in every great work of God: first, it is impossible, then it is difficult, then it is done.” Some of you are in that “difficult” stage, but let me tell you something: you’re about to step into “done”! Don’t give up. Stay the course.
   5. Spurgeon said, “By perseverance, the snail reached the ark.” You might feel like you’re moving slow, but as long as you’re moving in God’s direction, you’re making progress. God’s not in a hurry, and He’s not done with you yet.

3. Stay Faithful in the Process:

   1. Up to this point, David was faithful in every season. When he was a shepherd, he took care of his father’s sheep. 1 Samuel 17:34-37 tells us how he fought off lions and bears to protect them. He wasn’t just doing his job; he was preparing for his calling. 2 Samuel 7:8-9 shows that God took notice of David’s faithfulness in the pasture and elevated him to the palace. David didn’t complain about the process—he embraced it.
   2. Luke 16:10 says, “Whoever is faithful in very little is also faithful in much.” Come on, y’all! Some of you want the palace, but you’re still in the pasture, and you’re despising the process. You want the promise, but God Is watching how you handle the small things right now. 1 Corinthians 4:2 reminds us, “It is required that managers be found faithful.”
   3. Colossians 3:23-24 tells us, “Whatever you do, do it from the heart, as something done for the Lord and not for people.” You might feel like no one sees what you’re doing, but let me tell you something: God sees it. Your faithfulness in the process is what brings the promise to pass.
   4. Illustration: Think about Michael Jordan. He got cut from his high school basketball team, but he kept showing up. Faithfulness led him to greatness. The same is true for you. Keep showing up, keep being faithful, and watch how God brings the promise to pass.

Conclusion:

David’s life shows us that God’s timing is perfect, even when it feels delayed. He teaches us to endure through trials, knowing that those trials are shaping us. And finally, David shows us the importance of being faithful in the process, no matter where we find ourselves.

The same God who saw David through the pasture, the battlefield, the wilderness, and the throne is the same God who sees you. Stay the course. God’s promises are on the way. The harvest is coming, but you’ve got to trust the process.

How To Understand the Davidic Covenant:

In 2 Samuel 7, David, having established his reign as king over Israel, expresses a desire to build a permanent house (temple) for God. Up until this point, the Ark of the Covenant, symbolizing God's presence, had been housed in a tent. David, now living in a palace, wants to honor God with a more fitting structure. However, God, through the prophet Nathan, responds with an unexpected promise.

Instead of David building a house for God, God declares that He will build a "house" (dynasty) for David. This covenant, known as the Davidic Covenant, promises that David’s line will continue forever, and one of his descendants will establish an eternal kingdom. The passage climaxes in 2 Samuel 7:16, where God declares:

“Your house and kingdom will endure before me forever, and your throne will be established forever.’” - 2 Samuel 7:16

This covenant sets the stage for the Messianic hope, ultimately fulfilled in Jesus Christ, the "Son of David," whose reign is eternal. It is a pivotal moment in the biblical narrative, linking God’s promise to David with the future salvation through Christ.

Covenant Theology, Dispensationalism, and Narrative Theology:

Covenant Theology Overview

Covenant Theology views the Bible as unified through two main covenants:

1. Covenant of Works: Made with Adam before the Fall, based on obedience for eternal life.

   1. Key Scripture: Genesis 2:16-17 – "The Lord God commanded the man, saying, ‘You may surely eat of every tree of the garden, but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.’"

   2. Terms: Adam was required to perfectly obey God's command (specifically, not eating from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil). If Adam obeyed, he would receive eternal life. If he disobeyed, the consequence was death.

      1. Condition: Obedience to God’s command (works).
      2. Promise: Eternal life for obedience.
      3. Penalty: Death for disobedience.
      4. Covenant of Grace: After the Fall, God offers salvation through faith in Jesus Christ, unfolding through key covenants (Noahic, Abrahamic, Mosaic, Davidic, New Covenant).

   3. Key Scripture: 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.”

   4. Terms: Unlike the Covenant of Works, the Covenant of Grace does not rely on human works for salvation. Instead, it relies on God’s grace and the substitutionary obedience and sacrifice of Jesus Christ.

      1. Condition: Faith in Jesus Christ (grace).
      2. Promise: Salvation and eternal life through faith in Christ.
      3. Penalty: Christ bears the penalty of sin (death) on behalf of believers.
         3. Each covenant builds upon the previous, pointing toward the ultimate fulfillment in Jesus Christ. The Church is seen as the continuation of Israel, with all believers part of one people of God.

Covenant Theology Key Points:

• Noahic Covenant: God preserves creation despite sin.
• Abrahamic Covenant: Promise of blessing through Abraham’s descendants (fulfilled in Christ).
• Mosaic Covenant: The Law reveals the need for a Savior.
• Davidic Covenant: The promise of an eternal King (fulfilled in Jesus).
• New Covenant: Full salvation through Jesus, fulfilling all previous covenants.

Dispensationalism Overview:

The word "dispensational" comes from the Latin word "dispensatio", which means "management" or "administration", and the Greek word "oikonomia", which also means "administration" or "stewardship" (often translated in English as "economy" or "dispensation").

Dispensationalism divides biblical history into distinct dispensations, where God interacts with humanity in different ways.

It emphasizes:

1. A sharp distinction between Israel and the Church. Dispensationalists believe that the covenants God made with Israel (Abrahamic, Mosaic, Davidic) are literal and unconditional, and must still be fulfilled in the future specifically for national Israel. The Church is seen as a separate entity, part of a different dispensation that began with the New Testament.
2. A future literal fulfillment of promises made to Israel (e.g., land, kingdom) during a millennial reign of Christ. Dispensationalists believe that the Davidic Covenant will be literally fulfilled when Jesus reigns from a physical throne in Jerusalem during the millennial kingdom (Revelation 20:4-6). This future fulfillment involves Israel, not the Church, as the primary recipient of the covenant’s promises.

Contrast with Covenant Theology:

• Covenant Theology: Views Israel and the Church as one continuous people of God, with the covenants fulfilled spiritually in Christ.
• Dispensationalism: Sees Israel and the Church as separate, with future promises for Israel fulfilled literally in the end times.
• Covenants: Dispensationalism believes that the covenants (especially the Abrahamic, Davidic, and New Covenant) will have a future literal fulfillment for Israel during the millennial kingdom.

Narrative Theology Overview:

In Narrative Theology, the Bible is seen as a unified story with recurring themes that point to God’s plan to redeem humanity. The covenants are understood as significant chapters in this overarching story:

• Noahic Covenant: God’s commitment to creation sets the stage for redemption.
• Abrahamic Covenant: Introduces the theme of blessing for all nations, realized in Christ.
• Mosaic Covenant: Highlights the need for redemption due to human failure.
• Davidic Covenant: Establishes the hope of a Messianic King, culminating in Jesus.
• New Covenant: The story reaches its climax in Christ’s work, offering salvation to all and establishing God’s eternal kingdom.

These covenants form the backbone of the biblical narrative, leading to Jesus as the central figure in God’s redemptive story.

The Davidic Covenant reaches its ultimate fulfillment in Jesus Christ, who is both the descendant of David and the eternal king whose reign brings about the redemption of the world. Jesus is the culmination of the story that begins with David, and His kingship is the climax of the entire biblical narrative.

God's promise to establish David's throne and kingdom forever—is referenced or alluded to in several prophetic books of the Bible. The prophets point back to this covenant as a source of hope for Israel, especially in times of political turmoil, exile, and despair. These references often look forward to the Messianic King (Jesus) who will fulfill the promise of an eternal throne.

A few examples are…

"For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the greatness of his government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on David’s throne and over his kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever." - Isaiah 9:6-7

"The days are coming,” declares the Lord, “when I will raise up for David a righteous Branch, a King who will reign wisely and do what is just and right in the land. In his days Judah will be saved and Israel will live in safety. This is the name by which he will be called: The Lord Our Righteous Savior." - Jeremiah 23:5-6

Connection to Jesus: The story of David and the Davidic Covenant is woven into the broader theme of God's kingdom. Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection are the ultimate fulfillment of the promise made to David. Luke 1:32-33 points to this fulfillment when the angel tells Mary, “The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over Jacob’s descendants forever; his kingdom will never end.”

Invitation:

From the very beginning, God promised to redeem humanity, and throughout Scripture, He has been laying the groundwork for that redemption through these covenants. The Davidic Covenant, in particular, culminates in the ultimate King, Jesus Christ, who reigns eternally and fulfills all the promises made to David.

This matters because it shows that God’s plan has always been to rescue and restore humanity through His Son, Jesus. Every covenant and every part of this grand story points us to the reality that we cannot save ourselves. Just as Adam failed to keep the Covenant of Works, we too fall short. But in the Covenant of Grace, God provides the only way to eternal life through Jesus Christ, the promised King from David's line.

Gospel Presentation:

Jesus, the Son of David, came to this earth to fulfill the promises made throughout Scripture. He lived a perfect life of obedience, fulfilling the law that we could never keep. Then, He took the punishment for our sins on the cross, bearing the death we deserved. But the story doesn’t end there—just as God promised an eternal kingdom, Jesus rose from the dead, conquering death and offering eternal life to all who believe in Him.

This is the good news: No matter where we’ve fallen short, no matter our failures, Jesus Christ offers us salvation and reconciliation with God. He is the King who reigns forever, and through Him, we can enter into the eternal kingdom of God. Will you trust Him today as your Savior and King?

Prayer of Salvation:

Jesus, I acknowledge that I need you

I confess that I have sinned against you

I believe that God raised you from the dead

And right now, by faith, I say “Jesus is Lord”

Thank you for forgiving me

By your grace I am saved

And by your power I am set free

Conclusion:

If you prayed that prayer for the first time then Scripture says “anyone who acknowledges me before others, I will acknowledge them before my Father”. I’m going to ask that if you prayed that prayer for the first time would you lift your hand and let me know so that I can celebrate with you.

1. God is so proud of you.

2. The angels are rejoicing.

3. And we believe God has a purpose for your life.

Would you let us know that you made a decision so that we can follow up with you and help you on your next steps?