2 Samuel Chapter 6:1-12

Understand whenever we don't inquire of the Lord. Whatever we don't include the Lord was going on in our lives, we can inherit some problem you can desire to do a good thing.

But if you do it the wrong way.

It's going to come the nothing. Tell me what Mondays that's really good thing right. But if you do it the wrong way. Not only will somebody not come to the Lord, but you might drive a lot of people beside the person you're talking to, away from the Lord.

If you do it the wrong way, welcome to cross the bridge with David McGee, the senior pastor of the bridge in Kernersville, North Carolina. On today's program. We have meal.

One of the keys assisting pastors with this year. Hey Bob, good to be here today excited about listening, as were continuing through second Samuel in chapter 6 and one of the life lessons past today to talk about is, it is important to do the right thing the right way wife can attest that I don't always do that right of doing the right thing, but I'm doing it the wrong way. Bob, I find it hard. Well it happens sometimes you want to do the right thing may not have the right motives might be enough right attitude.

Sounds good so McGee is teaching through second Samuel chapter 6, the second Samuel chapter 6 David has come to rule over Jerusalem at God's hand in God's timing is an interesting study say in the timing of all that was in a man's timing was in and David summing it was in God's timing and so David now is king over Israel and he has something laid on his heart will see this unfold and second Samuel chapter 6 verse one again.

David gathered all the choice men of Israel 30,000 and David arose and went with all the people who are with them from Vail. Judah to bring up from there. The ark of God's name is called by the name the Lord of host who dwells between the cherubim.

So David is going down here to get the ark.

The ark is not been in Jerusalem as of yet and really it's through David in Jerusalem becomes the spiritual capital and the capital of Israel and this ark had been in the house a bit of that. Probably about 100 years somewhere between 70 and hundred euro a long time and it's interesting that Saul and is whole grain never cared about the things of God enough to send for the ark, or to go for the heart just sat there in this house but as soon as David comes up our days as you start to be in Jerusalem many sets out to do that now. The reference of 70 or hundred years ago was about first Samuel chapter 7 is the last time that it speaks about the ark and Saul never makes any inference, interesting again is, and insight into the leadership perhaps lacking leadership of Saul and the leadership of David verse three, so they sent the ark of God on new cart and brought it out of the house of a been a dab which was on the hill and a loser and a you sons of been a dab drove the new car problems already will come back in verse four and they brought it out of the house of a been a dab which is only will the coming the ark of God.

They who went before the ark and then David know the house of Israel played music before the Lord, all kinds of instruments of foreword on heart stringed instruments and tambourines on systems and on symbols that are having this big celebration of worship and and you know, probably from the outside it looks really cool really got you got the ark.

It's almost car pulling the cart got all this worship going on and you might look at that for now. Second way and not just toss was not just awesome. There's some problems already working to notice over and over that David usually whenever he is about to do some fizzy inquires of the Lord, he stops is a sword. What he wants to do even when there's enemies right at the gate. He says learn what he wants to about these enemies. Should I go up against him, and got it they will go up against my day was okay. Sometimes there's a will, how should I go up against and God would tell them how to go up against. Now we see what kind of missing from this section of Scripture.

No, we don't see David inquired of the Lord doesn't say. And David said, God, you want me to bring the ark to Jerusalem doesn't inquire of the Lord is a very important thing while well because part of the questioning at that point would've been more do you want me to bring the ark to Jerusalem. And if you do, how do you want me to bring it to NASA it and that you understand whenever we don't inquire of the Lord whenever we don't include the Lord and was going on in our lives were going to inherit some problems.

I think a lot of times we just assume that God is doing something and we know what God wants us to do and we step out into our assumptions but a lot of times we get in trouble don't is just like you can desire to do a good thing. But if you do it the wrong way. It's going to come the nothing. Some of us found that tell me what Mondays that's really good thing right.

But if you do it the wrong way. Not only will somebody not come to the Lord, but you might drive a lot of people beside the person you're talking to, away from the Lord to be doing the wrong way. I don't know if anybody is ever gotten saves through the people that stand at stop lights and yell at people. I mean maybe maybe I to me that kinda looks like doing the right thing in the wrong way is what that looks like so you need to remember to inquire of the Lord, Lord, when you and and some of you what I just said that you think will my copout is my excuses. I don't always have two inquire of the Lord's eat wheat we can in this thing that you know you can't pray for three hours and your structure. All sometimes you don't have to pray for three hours when you're afraid to lose its right your intercessor and and pray for three hours comes easy.

Pray for me. Pray for this church.

I'll be out of you know I'm a visitor and I can't sit still for three hours. I can thing a prayer walk for a while and pray what about Peter. Remember when Peter got outside the boat is walking a lot a lot of people say if Peter was the only one I got on the boat was remember that our and when he was thinking. You remember what he what he prayed hold dearest Lord, the Taoist creative now that somebody didn't even have time for all his life. That's all I had in Jesus corset that prayer.

Peter was not long enough. Even Jesus reaches out Peter's same here. The prayer sometimes save me.

Maybe I'll even get out of God will hear that not a lot. Tell me more directly. Lord simple, short prayers interesting your Jesus.

Jesus tells us we caught the Lord's prayer the Lord's prayers later on in the Gospel of John, when Jesus's point, praying for his disciples. That's real Lord's prayer that will section we call the Lord's prayer. Remember what Jesus said before he give a sword for don't enter into vain repetition like the heathen do what you can pray something like this is an ironic what we've done with that prayer. If you've ever been to a denominational church I grew up in a denominational church as I did you go in and you pray this prayer I didn't know what it meant, but you get in there. You know you just one big long drone in Europe were doing exactly when that prayer what Jesus told us not to do a vain repetition. Jesus wants to hear from your heart, was to hear from your you want to hear from David's heart David last day was getting into trouble because of her six says when they came nations threshing floor is a put out his hand to the ark of God took hold of it for the oxen stumbled poor as I was studying in looking at this verse is just a lot of stuff in here. Lotta stuff in this verse. Notice first also threshing floor interesting anyone threshing floor was it was a place where they threshed a week then what that means is they would take the week and put it usually in the ground was uncovered place and usually on the ground and they would cut it up in the pieces usually much time they would throw it up in the air and will happen as the wind would drive the chapel way and the grain would fall back to the ground and then you could harvest the great seats of their just brought up in the air as the winter the checks away, then you would be left with wheat is County interesting because God is getting ready in this verse to separate the wheat when Chaffin and noticed something. The oxen stumbled and Rosa felt like God needed help never stumble until I got needs help you understand is not really God who needs help in that moment. It's ass needing God's help. When we stumble and it's a lot of times it's interesting so we pick yourself up by the bootstraps will and it's interesting because somehow we think that we can have the strength to overcome that what the Bible says this is not about us is you need strength to overcome and the good news is, God is willing to give you that strength but a lot of times we try to direct our lives and then we end up stumbling and then we think God made a mistake will God never makes a mistake nursing as bumper stickers. God is my copilot. I hope you don't have one, you know, if God your copilot right there to drop because God should be a polyp not your copilot. You should get out of cockpit let him down the plane. Could you go mess it up so the oxen stumbled news it made a real bad mistake. He thought God needs my help. God's control. God's about to fall over is not about to fall over what happens. Verse seven. Then the anger of the Lord was aroused against Susan and God struck him there for his error and he died there by the ark of God's own heart and explain a couple things.

First of all, he put out his hand to touch the ark, he should not have done that. The ark was never ever to be touch and so here's a problem right there. If loser was a priest, not sure he was.

But if he was a priest, should have known that he was not to touch the ark if he was not a priest, he had no business even being close to the ark to begin with. And here's another problem. Why was the ark being carried on a cart when God had told them since the beginning don't carry it but only one way and that is putting holes staves through the edge of the ark and Karen it up on your shoulder. That's the only way you can. So why did the Israelites think to put this ark of the covenant ark of God on a carton. Because that's the way the Philistines occurred. They thought will work for the Philistines and work for us. They got away with your friend you're listening to Pastor David McGee on cross the bridge will be back with more than just a moment but first, if you haven't been to our website@crossthebridge.com yet what are you waiting for go to cross the bridge.com to learn more about how listeners like you are helping get the life-changing truth of God's word to more people to the radio, Internet and mobile technologies across the bridge.com you can also check out our broadcast schedule. Listen to more teaching from Pastor David and sign up for Pastor David's free daily devotional and there's more thereto, so visit cross the bridge.com today.

Now here's Pastor David as he continues showing verse by verse. Think a lot of time.

Those of us who know the Lord.

We look at people who don't know the Lord. We look at how they do something and perhaps it appears like there get away with it with the we can do that because so-and-so got away with different first to think different first to live differences to talk different be the salt of the earth. Nothing somewhere they thought.

While this is the way the Philistines the less let us do it like that God had already given loser great grace great grace. Why because he's the ark of the covenant is on a cart and got it set now known but still God is given who's a grace in that he hasn't struck him down but then when news goes to touch the ark and crosses a lot. God says no that's in, it's a scary thought to consider that somewhere that one exist in the lives of people we don't know where it is but that point of no return. It's a scary thing to consider the life lesson here. It is important to do the right thing and in the right way, it is important to do the right thing and in the right way again.

If we tell people about Jesus. And we do it in the wrong way were doing a lot of damage. But we do it in the right way.

Then we leans in and strengthen the kingdom of God. And it's interesting because a lot of times when you see new things going on in the Scripture, a new movement of God or something new is going on like as they moved out of the desert. You may remember the story of Nate that they offered strange fire and God struck them down later on when they get into the promised land. In the book of Joshua. You have taken who did things completely wrong and was judged by God.

Going into the New Testament you got Ananias and Sophia are the thought they would do their own thing their own way and they suffered the judgment of God. It's interesting, I think it serves to remind us that God wants us to remember to depend upon him for the work of God to depend upon him for the work of God when he limited with this Howdy woman to handle this.

Lord, I want to do the right thing and I want to do it in the right way and a lot of times when things get bumpy things get shaky. We start to feel like God also needs her.

God doesn't understand what he's doing God miss this one thing he forgot about this one isn't missing anything.

God is not in Plan B. God sees everything that's going on and you can trust to work it out. His time what happens.

Verse eight Nan and David became angry because the Lord's outbreak against Susan and he called the name the place harassed loser. To this day. The striking down of his David and understand what happened. David thought while I'm doing a good thing I don't understand why God would strike this man to say that he's angry at God just said he's angry. Think David ends up to be angry at himself because as a leader as a godly leader.

He blamed himself for the death of his. I think that's one thing that is a distinction of godly leaders is they understand that the people that their leading that they are accountable for those people think they would look at isn't usually a silly man what you David's all and what what have I done what did I do when I come out here on Sunday morning or even tonight.

I look around, you know it's like he's got no thank you, Jesus, look what you're doing is so awesome than ever now and again I thought. Examiners like accountable for each and every person there, while she is enough to keep you in prayer and I think David understood that he is a leader, perhaps even told is a put it on the dark on the cup on the car signatures.

He didn't really pray about this verse sounds interesting. First verse and David was afraid of the Lord that they need, said how can the ark of the Lord come to me as I sent a look at this verse I saw something that was so cool.

Notice it says David was afraid of the Lord that night that you read anything on it, you shouldn't be afraid of the Lord. Oh yes he should understand there is a reverential fear that we should have regarding God. Jesus says some interesting things about him being our friends in the New Testament. That's an awesome thing. But let's also understand he is creator God is the maker of heaven and earth, and yes we can come to the throne boldly, but we also need to consider coming to the throne throne of God and there should be a reverential fear and coming to God and save David. This reverential fear is interesting because there's a verse some 111 verse 10 says that the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. A good understanding have all those who do his commandments. His praise endures forever saw "the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. Look at this verse. It starts out it says David was afraid of the Lord that day. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. Watch what David does that and he said how can the ark of the Lord come to me there's the wisdom he feared God, here's the wisdom part. Here's the question that he really should've asked before he put the ark on the cart and started to drizzle but he didn't have the fear I guess of the Lord sent.

This is your ark. I want to do this wrong.

I want to do it right, please tell me how I can take this up, but it's not until he gets that reverential fairness is got. How can the ark of God, come to me and I believe the Lord answered that prayer look at verse 10 says so David would not move the ark of the Lord with them into the city of David, but David took it aside to the house a little bit eat on the get type. So David, what is David do now, they do not do anything you say there's a time to do nothing but time to do not now before you take that as your copout. You know a lot a lot of time in overdoing nothing were supposed to be doing some and will be doing some way and then another coming so you prayerfully consider what the Lord would have to do and when and how the Lord wants to move out into this but David said I'm not sure what to do and I can do anything and as a believer. There's also you know military little term standing orders. Not sure what the Lord is telling you to do now go back to the last thing he laid on your heart. Make sure your walking and that is what happens verse 11 ark of the Lord remain in the house. Nobody gets like three months and the Lord blessed nobody to and all his household's talk about the ark of the Lord, the ark of the covenant wises so important why the boxer you know is it some places us a box where God lived or was it some sort of you know them personal mysterious supernatural powers that shot raise out of it like Raiders of the lost Ark kind of thing.

What was the deal with wealth.

Simply put, it was God and live in the box when we going up you will. God did not live in this box. God's too big to live in a box. What the ark was if you will, was a place of contact between God and man, and as such it was a very important piece of furniture will piece of of God, and there were certain ways you did and did not handle the ark again as a matter fact when the mark was in the tabernacle there was only one day of the year where one man could go in the high priest on Yom Kippur, the day of atonement. That's it. That's the only time in the Bible doesn't tell us this, but church history if you will, tells us that they would tie a rope around the high priest lag in the high priest had these bills around those garments and they would stand out as he went through these curtain into the holy of holies the veil that we read about that was torn asunder in the high priest would go into the holy of holies I would listen for the bell and of the bell stop for a long enough they figured the high priest had been stricken dead would pull the rope to pull them out.

That's how serious it was to approach the song the point of contact is an interesting box. It was overlaid with gold, but the inside framework was what the point of contact between God and man was made out of wood and interesting because later on.

The point of contact that all of us could approach the cross was made out of wood.

That place that everyone and anyone can go to have their sins forgiven and develop a relationship with God now in the midst of this ark understand there was something on the top of the ark of the covenant. Those called the mercy seat, the mercy seat really talk about mercy in depth next week but the point of contact.

You've got the wood and you got mercy.

What because you want to approach God. We need mercy. We need mercy.

It's an interesting thing looking at world religions and and they really don't deal with the sin factor. They really don't deal with the way that you can be forgiven other than if you are in it. You do this you do that you you you blowup people you get virgins and in UK but you gotta earn the whole thing and you never really have this assurance of salvation because there's really no access to any mercy. How can you approach God without mercy.

I know I can name that mercy that mercy seat. We need mercy. We need grace, mercy is not getting what we do deserve grace is getting what we do not deserve verse 12 that was told King David, saying, the Lord has blessed the house of opening and all that belongs to him because the ark of God.

So David went and brought up the ark of God from the house of Obed Edom to the city of David with gladness.

I love the statement. The Bible is the best commentary on the Bible because here we covered in one verse a lot of details that we really don't get much insight into except there's another place in the Bible talks about exactly what happened in exactly the way it happened. Go with me to first Chronicles chapter 15 says David built houses for himself and the city. David and he prepared a place for the ark of God, and pitched a tent for then David said, no one may carry the ark of God, but the Levites, for the Lord has chosen them the care of the ark of God and the minister before him forever housing know that he found an order got when these things happen.

He went back to Judah and said Nathan Somebody get me a Bible on how to figure out how were supposed to be doing is evidently I did it all wrong which is a good thing to do when things fall apart things go wrong what you knew you go to the instruction manual that God has given us. David was learning things King Israel is meant to honest up blind Saul of the Philistines, and he still learning. They went back to the Bible study house was to go and he learned how to get any reply that you know for sure that your sins have been forgiven. You can know right now only Jenna short, simple prayer simply telling God you're sorry and asking him to help you to live for him. Please pray this prayer with me out well right now. Dear Jesus, I believe you died for me that I could be forgiven and I believe you were raised from the dead that I could have a new life not done wrong things I have sent and I'm sorry. Please forgive me of all those things. Please give me the power to live for you. All of my days in Jesus name, amen friend of you prayed that prayer according to the Bible you've been forgiven you've been born again. Jesus said he would not turn anybody away who comes to him and he came for those people who knew they needed forgiveness. Those who were sick, not the righteous to congratulations bring you just made the greatest decision that you will ever make. God bless you, if you prayed that prayer with David for the first time we'd love to hear from you. You can visit cross the bridge.com to receive our first steps package with helpful resources to help you begin your walk with Christ.

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