David the Worshiper

You may recall that when Jesus was talking to the woman of Samaria in John chapter 4 he said this to her, but the owner is coming and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the father is seeking such people to worship him.

God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth is an amazing truth, isn't it, that God our heavenly father is seeking worshipers love the fact that our Lord Jesus came to this world to seek and to save the lost.

As with records of the chapter 19 but think of this dog is seeking worshipers and Jesus tells that woman knew so little from our background.

But as he began to explain this great truth, he began to teach her that in worship is not the Jews and the Samaritans of the debate whether worship had to be centered in Jerusalem on Monday. I was even allowed to say no that's not the issue.

The issue is the worship in spirit and in truth's so in the series on the life of David.

I want to think for a few moments this evening on David as an outstanding worshiper.

I think that is largely why he's called a man after God's own heart. We saw previously that he was not perfect man.

He failed in the field fail very very badly, but this was true of him that he had a heart for God. He was a true worshipers. He was a musician. He was appointed he was a writer of many of the Psalms Psalms that we love and the return to in all of the varying circumstances of life.

I know Dr. David is a young man as it is looking after his father's sheep on the hills around Bethlehem would take his harp would meditate on the law of the Lord as a young man without being taught by his father and the reading of the law and there in the hillsides running the bathroom a little time.

I'm sure he began to worship the Lord and worship is central to who we are as a people of God and that sadly at Calvary church worship is so important that we want to be a worshiping community of believers, and so were going to think this evening on what is worship not made a motion is not just shy doing. Having a good time is aware, because the Lord reminds us that this worship of the father is seeking must be in spirit and in truth, so let's learn from David, the worshiper I want to base my remarks largely from first Chronicles 29, so let me ask you to open your Bibles. There in first Chronicles 29 the last chapter of first Chronicles, David is coming to the end of his life. He previously had expressed a great desire to build a temple for the Lord. After all these living in this wonderful palace and or the ark of the covenant is in a tent called the tabernacle and everything is there something wrong with that but the privilege of building a temple house of God is not given to David is going to be given to his son Solomon, but David is given the privilege of preparing the people to worship and preparing the building materials for the temple. Now David as a worship. It was very very organized. You could read from first Chronicles 22 through first Chronicles 28 he talks about the Levites, the audit of the musicians, the gatekeepers, and so on. As a David was a great organizer and delegated many of the tasks and worship to others, so I want to take time and read the whole chapter 1st Chronicles 29. This is one of these outstanding chapters in the Bibles in the so much to teach us first Chronicles then 29 ring a meeting from the English standard version and David, the king said to all the assembly, Solomon my son, whom alone God's chosen is young and inexperienced and the work is great for the palace will not be for mine but for the Lord God.

So I have provided for the house of my God, so far as I'm able. The goal for the things of gold the silver for the things of silver and the bronze for the things of bronze the island for the things of iron and wood for the things of wood beside great quantities of onyx and stone for setting and terminate colored stones all sorts of precious stones and marble little that in addition to all that I provided for the holy house. I have a treasure of my own of gold and silver and because of my devotion to the house of my God I give it to the house of my God.

The following is 3000 tons of gold of the gold of a fear 7000 tons of refined over fine silver for overlaying the walls of the house and for all the work to be done by craftsmen goal for the things of gold silver for the things of silver. Who then will offer willingly consecrating himself today to the Lord of the question than the leaders of father's house is made that free will offerings others that free will offerings as the dose of the leaders of the tribes.

The commanders of thousands and of hundreds and the officers over the Kings work.

They gave for the service of the house of God 5000 talents and 10,000 direct of gold, 10,000 talents of silver 18,000 talents of bronze and 100,000 talents of iron and whoever had precious stones gave them to the treasury of the house of the Lord in the care of JDL the guest tonight. Then the people rejoiced because they had given willingly for with a whole heart they had offered willingly to the Lord. David, the king also rejoiced greatly. I think of this prayer. Talk about worship was a great example is going to follow. Note therefore David blessed the Lord in the presence of all the assembly and David said blessed are you, all Lord, the God of Israel are father forever and ever use. The Lord is the greatness of the power and the glory and the victory and the majesty for all that is in the heavens and the earth is yours. Yours is the kingdom, the Lord, and you are exalted as head above all, both riches and honor come from you and you will overall your hand of power and might and did you hand it is to make great and to give strength to all and now we thank you I will.

God and praise your glorious name this magnificent and your mind on what is my people, that we should be able best offer willingly for all things come from you" kind of you don't have we given you for we are strangers before you and sojourners is all our fathers were our days on the article like a shadow and there is no abiding all Lord our God, all this abundance that we have provided for building you a house for your holy name comes from your hand and it is all your I know my God that you test the heart and of pleasure and uprightness in the uprightness of my heart. I have freely offered all these things and I I've seen your people were present here and offering freely and joyously to you, Lord, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Israel are father's keep forever such purposes and thoughts in the hearts of your people underwrite their hearts toward you grant to Solomon my son a whole heart that he may keep your commandments your testimonies and your statutes performing all and that he may build a palace for which I have made provision and David said to all the assembly bless the Lord your God and all the assembly bless the Lord, the God of their fathers and bowed their heads and paid homage to the Lord and to the king, and the offer sacrifices to the Lord and on the next day, offered burnt offerings to the Lord a thousand rules of those in Brown's frozen lands with the drink offerings and sacrifices in abundance for all Israel, and the ate and drank before the Lord in that day with great gladness on the make Solomon the son of David, king the second time, and anointed them as Prince for the Lord and Zacatecas priest then Solomon sat on the throne of the Lord is King in place of David his father and he prospered, and all Israel obeyed him all the leaders in the mighty men, and also the sons of King David plans their allegiance to King Solomon and the Lord is this and the Lord make Solomon very great in the sight of all Israel, and bestowed on him such Royal Majesty, as had not be seen on any king before him in Israel. Thus David, the son of Jesse reigned over all Israel.

The time that he reigned over Israel was 14 years here in seven years and have grown and sexy three years in Jerusalem. Then he died at the good old age will of days, which is an honor and Solomon's son reigned in his place know the acts of King David from first to last edited in the Chronicles of Samuel the seer and in the Chronicles of Nathan the prophet, and in the Chronicles of God. The seer with the kinds of all of Israel and his might and of the circumstances that came upon them and upon Israel and upon all the kings of the countries first Chronicles 29. Don't neglect your reading of first Samuel second Samuel first grade 2nd first Chronicles and second Chronicles 3 main things I want to say today about worship.

Obviously worship is issued subject, but I want to take three things that we find here in first Chronicles 29 that was true of David and the Israelites in the trust is true of us at Calvary church worship God, first give generously and joyfully think of the example of David worship to God is costly and was never be done in a casual Lancet is a good routine way you member when David wanted to buy the threshing floor from around the Jebusite which was going to be the place of the temple offered it to him free. No, David. You don't need to pay for it. This second Samuel 24 verse 424 24 David said no but I will buy more from you for a price. I will not offer burnt offerings to the Lord my God, that cost me nothing.

David knew that in worship God wants his very best. If you're familiar with the Old Testament law you know that when you came within offering an animal it had to be the very best that had to be no blemish and it a diseased animal or a deformed dynamo on a bird with a broken wing or anything like that could not be offered. You may recall the last week of the Old Testament, the book of Malachi, the Lord rebukes Israel because they were given to the large, the disease than the deformed. In fact he says in Malachi 1. I wish you would shut the doors of the temple.

In other words, this is blasphemous. I want your very best. The number he says it. Malachi your robbing God in his agony I could be wrong. God your robbing God because their worship was not from the heart here worship in first Chronicles 29 came from the heart. It was given with generosity and was given with joy. God wants your very best. Building this magnificent temple was very very costly and so the materials had to be contributed as we saw in verse nine, the people rejoice because they had given willingly with a wholehearted offered freely to the Lord.

David, the king also rejoice greatly and David himself gets from his treasure. He gives an example to the people that he's locating and he's giving riches and precious stones and gold and silver for the building of the house of the Lord. Not only did they give generously. Not only did they give that which costs them. They offered joyfully. We know in the Old Testament there were certain offerings that you had to bring in certain circumstances, but these were free will offerings one commands you to give from your heart. This was not your tie. This was a free will offering and David, did you notice it said a couple of times that David realized this, that, in a sense, we can't give God and the thing because anything that you offer to God.

God has first given to you. Trust your effort you put in offering in the basket this morning or not. We did that come from the can from God himself.

David said of thy on how we received and of your own. Have we given you a recognition that God had blessed people and now they are giving back to the Lord that was similar with the construction of the tabernacle Moses challenge the people connection is 35 and 36. The text says that the people gave willingly of free will offering the woman brother precious jewels and they they gave her 10 different people contributed different things for the construction of the tabernacle. In fact, Exodus 36 verses six and seven says that the people of God were restrained from bringing for the material they had was sufficient to do all of the work and work, but Moses at the state limit, stop stop stop stop. We got enough that amazing generosity of the people of God. One of her themes this year is give generously to realize that giving as part of your worship.

We are to worship God not only with generosity but joyfully and willingly you don't want to receive a gift to you from someone who is giving you that gift grudgingly because someone has told them to give you that gift. No when someone gives you a gift you want to know this comes from the heart that this is something they want to give its willingly unsightly God wants that God doesn't need anything that you can give me.

He wants all he wants you to give it costly and joyfully this was the principal and the Old Testament of the firstfruits, the farmer brought the very best of the Lord was an offering. The farmer with perhaps 20 alarms selects not the one that slam another one this disease, not the one that is about to die, he selects the very best one and he offers that the Lord can I say, how could you do anything else so well that was the Old Testament we don't bring animals and become bring jewels to look no, but in the New Testament. The principle is the same so very easy to sing about loving Jesus, but is much better isn't it when what we say and what we saying is reflected as to how we handle resources in their generosity. Listen to Paul in second Corinthians chapter 9 verse six he says, the point is this, whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows bountifully will also reap bountifully if you're a farmer you understand that the more you plant the more you get. You can expect of a good crop and you don't so the seat each one says Paul must give his he's made up in his mind, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver, and God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that having sufficiency in all things at all times. You may abound in every good work.

As the principal wasn't a part of our worship is giving Paul says in first Corinthians 16 verse two that on the first day of the week put something aside and store it Jesus that is more blessed to give than to receive. And I'm very glad that on Sunday morning and Sunday evening we take what we call it. We call it an offering. You say I don't need to give no you don't need to give Jill want to give. Don't give, don't give a grudgingly don't think that we are glad that you come to Calvary because of the put something in the offering. God doesn't need your money now this is something that we want to do isn't that if we love someone we gave is one of the characteristics of love is that it gives and gives. In this essential to our worship and David understood that worship involves generosity and joyful giving notice at this before I go make a roof for others but my wife and I try to practice this with giving a Calvary church every Saturday evening as I did last night. I write a check to first check of the week. I write to Calvary church. I put in that little envelope and I give it to my wife. She still recovering from a knee surgery, so she wasn't here as I was praying for the offering. I give it to the leasing sitting behind me this morning at the put it in the offering use and why did you that you do that, the legalistic way.

No, I do that as a reminder in my wife is a reminder that everything we have comes from God and that we want to give our first to God's Calvary church going to collapse.

If I don't give my offering is Calvary church when the collapse if you don't do anything in that basket now that's not the point. Is it that the first act of the first day of the week, the day of resurrection when their Savior rose from the dead is an act of worship because member we saw this morning go make provision for the flash the flesh is greedy there flash my flesh and yours is self-centered, self-indulgent once a hold on, rather than to give one of the transformation of the Gospels is when once we held things like this on hands are no open this is this accepting the challenge of total commitment with everything we have belongs to the Lord. So they're going to build this temple and worshiping God and that worship is seen in the giving generously and joyfully. Second, worshiping God is giving thanks with humility is giving generously and joyfully. Secondly, is giving thanks with humility again. The example of David look at versus 10 through 12 of first Chronicles 29, David's, what did he do he bless the Lord, in the presence of all the assembly and David said blessed are you, oh Lord, the God of Israel, our fathers forever and ever and that he has this magnificent worship which concludes in verse 12, I say, I know we bought. We thank you are God. David focuses on the greatness of the power and the glory of the victory and the majesty of our great God. He knows that God is supreme and rules. Overall, he's just a sojourner. He's tiny.

God is real, and God is the King David understands what he can from he's got no claim. I would God give strength and what is to be a response know we thank you all God and praise your glorious name that he gives thanks were very quick to ask for things in between our prayers, but perhaps not see quick to give thanks.

If your parents you know the joy when your little boy little girl begins to say thanks mom thanks that not because you're saying say thanks but you realize the beginning to mature beginning from the heart to say thank you. Thanksgiving is one of the marks of maturity in the follower of Jesus the flesh is quick to complain, but slow to give thanks the flesh is self-centered, the self take things for granted and the slow to say thanks, should we be a thing for people think of God in his grace. David's powerful worship yet of course he's thanking God. Think of the redemptive work of our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, we give thanks in some traditions they call communion.

The Eucharist was the Eucharist based on Greek it's the giving of thanks we give thanks and this Thanksgiving best worship is intensified as we gather with the people of God. Don't you find that I realize your thankful is an individual but isn't it something special for me, and an occasion like this, as we came this morning as the people of God with one vice to say thank you Lord. Some hundred and 22. Listen to the first four verses again. David writes, he says, I was glad when they said let us go to the house of the Lord, why should he be glad to go to the house of the Lord our feet had been standing within your gates of Jerusalem. Jerusalem builds a city that is buying firmly together do with the tribes go up the tribes of the Lord as was the case, what is really referring to the three times of the year when they went up to Jerusalem, why do you go up � four to give thanks to the Lord. What was the point of going up to Jerusalem to the temple. These three times that of the year when the last the little towns and villages and when top and when they said there's a nationwide glad to go to the house of the Lord why you glad to go to the house of the Lord because you're going to get something on the number one no other were going to get something first and foremost is because were going to give thanks the Lord loves, yes, loves his people coming together to give thanks some 87 verse two the Lord loves the gates of Zion, more than all the dwellings of Jacob Zion, Jerusalem, the temple, the Lord loves that as the people of God are always to worship there will always to give thanks but we come together collectively as will do the Lord's supper on Friday as we do now to give thanks to God, your God, can you is this one of the reasons he six worshipers that he receives special thanks enjoy when the people of God gathered together to give thanks so is not surprising. The day of Pentecost when 3000 souls are saved, that they're not left individually to go their own ways. No added to the church. Another name for the Lord's supper is communion wine because we commune as we can remember the Lord ourselves.

But as we give thanks to the Lord. It is intensified as we do.

It is the people of God, and we're encouraged when we hear brothers and sisters, leaving us in worship will encourage when we hear the word of God.

Read we are encouraged when we think of all of the benefits of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ. And David does this that you know this. This is a Reddit he does it with great humility. He says again verse 14 for all things come from you and of your own. Have we given you. We are strangers before you and sojourners within the come from the came from Egypt.

God redeemed the special people and he realizes that every single thing he hires comes from good from the great God God is eternal and rules over all. So in our worship we give thanks you and your thankful person at your home when you pray to give thanks to God is important to to give thanks. Paul tells us in Ephesians 5 that one of the results of the filling of the Spirit is giving thanks always and for everything to God the father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ and him and addressing one another and he says the same things in Colossians 3 addressing one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs. I actively do this we give thanks. We encourage one another.

We think the greatness of God and the beauty of our Savior worship is giving thanks with humility, dreamt of the story in Luke chapter 17 of the 10 lepers all healed by the Lord. How many came back one and he was a Samaritan.

He was the part of her and he said when he came back he fell at the feet of Jesus giving thanks is that love the night you can only one came and give thanks we worship God with us, but of thankfulness. Worship involves giving thanks with humility.

First, worship God. Give generously and joyfully. Secondly, worship God. Give thanks with humility. Third, worship God bless the Lord, whole heartedly, you know, this is again verse 13 and now we thank you, our God, and praise your glorious name, verse 20.

David said to all the assembly blasts the Lord your God.

David not only thanks God when he praises God and he blesses God in Psalms 34. David says I will bless the Lord at all times, but he doesn't stop there doesn't and then he says OB magnify the Lord with me and let us exalt his name together is what he's doing with the people of God is directing them to God. You got to thank God for God to do more than thank God you've got to place and you've got to bless him and again that is intensified when we do that with our brothers and sisters in Christ. I was speaking to one of the life groups this morning and should have we got on the subject, but I said to them, and I saw few nodding that you had the experience coming to Calvary church and you didn't feel like worshiping that I signed for that and I go to preach you, I was a bit of writing this in your own soul instead of saying I was glad for the settlers good eyes of the Lord was saying well it's Sunday.

I suppose I have to go to a different feel that you might say you're not really in the mood to bless God and to praise God.

But you still come you see in these pews were told by Pastor Hathaway to stand, you begin to stand in the music begins and then we look at the words doesn't something wonderful happened. We hear one of the new member saying they felt the spirit of God here and that you realize that your whole attitude is being changed because you believe you are being reminded that there is a God in heaven.

Under this God is great and greatly to be praised and you being reminded as we were this morning of the loveliness out on preciousness on the mercy of Jesus Christ and that your almost forced to look up to God and almost forced to remember and to blasts his glorious name and this is why the church coming to the church is so important that it is as we come together that their spirits revived in the faith is deepened and that almost in spite of ourselves or focus is on Christ is not what David says were singing at some 103 what is he saying again, a Psalm of David.

Bless the Lord all my soul and all that is within me whole hearted worship. Bless the Lord all my soul and forget not all his benefits and that's how he finishes in verse 22. Bless the Lord all my soul know this is not routine. This is not just mouthing words. This is with his whole being wholeheartedly from the very depth of his soul.

He is blessing the Lord, we know what it is to be blessed by God to be blessed by the Lord is to be bridged by the Lord is to receive a smile to receive his his favor. As I prayed I prayed for God's blessing on their new members. We understand under the old covenant. That blessing was demonstrated in good crops and in children and material blessings to bless the Lord, is to praise the Lord and is aware to enrich the Lord and to enrich his reputation to praise the Lord is to appreciate that which is enjoyed as we understand more and more of the greatness and the grace of God doesn't not call for a response. Then the Lord saved you don't do that the very stones will cryonics could you not praise God. How could you not bless God when you think of who he is and in the wonder of his grace entirely of his grace is reached on and save sinners like you and me know this is not a Jew, a Judy this is a flash vibrant, genuine and enthusiastic response to that which is enjoyed and to that which is appreciated. We praise that which we enjoy and as we do that in the congregation of the righteous is the sounds are telling us that joy is intensified and we are blessing and praising the Lord with our whole soul know you said I can sing very well and I don't play the violin very well. If I don't play that's all I could even tell you how many strings are on the that's not the point. This is not just music.

This is for all of us is why were very passionate and calibrated as we worship that we the congregation are drawn.

The gas we have gifted man and woman who spent hours and hours being trained and practiced in learning the intricacies of the particular instrument and their bodies, but they are not there to be in my is not that we are sitting there saying I was pretty good with me a little bit off key this morning.

I didn't like that.

No, they are leading us there helping us their voices and their instruments so that even the person who is little form � that occasionally someone like that sits behind me and I thought my voice is pretty bad, but this guys even worse. But that doesn't stop us. Doesn't because we continue to focus on God.

Don't be like some who comments it will is not for me to see you nice your voice is not very good. I had a grandmother whose voice was terrible talking by the shrill soprano. She was dreadful but she did have some music because we were on vacation and it was so rainy we could get that done what one of these old organs you peddle them and I don't know how she was able to do it but she taught us some basic cards on the origin of never tried this with her legs a little more complicated but even my grandmother who couldn't really say enjoy trying and enjoyed praising the Lord. Can you do that should come will just be a spectator. Don't be a critic join in with us and saying and bless the Lord all my soul know what will happen.

Your faith will be depends your spreaders will be rekindled. We will be edified and your joy will be intensified as you understand and also feel because of mind is involved with thinking, as it were theology of who is this God were thinking of what Christ has done but were choosing to do it. This is an act of the will worship God with us and also other emotions are involved so that we come, sometimes a little down and sometimes feeling sorry for herself. Sometimes self focus, and God gives us this wonderful wonderful gift of music and of worship, so that we are refreshed and say with David. Bless the Lord all my soul and all that is within me, bless his holy name that is worship can never be passive. It is dynamic and involves our whole being, irrespective of her musical ability at this God seeks worshipers you want your worship to be costly and want you to give thanks and want you to bless and praise his holy name. David was an outstanding worshiper.

I encourage you to read and to study the sounds of your worship will be deep and don't forget the sounds hundred and 50 Psalms was a handbook of Israel. That's what the sign from and I want us as we conclude to stand and be together will you do this with me. Psalm 103. One of the most magnificent sounds and as we read that. Think of this. David doesn't ask for one thing, that is no petition there is no request.

It is 100% worship.

It is total praise to God from beginning to end. Let's read it and ask God but we really will be a worshiper. Bless the Lord all my soul and all that is within me, bless his holy name. Bless the Lord all my soul and forget not all his benefits, who forgives all your iniquity, who heals all your diseases who redeems your life from the pit, who kind Jew with steadfast love and mercy, who satisfies you with good so that your youth is renewed like the Eagles, the Lord works righteousness and justice for all who are oppressed. He made known his ways of Moses, his acts to the people of Israel, the Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger and the binding and steadfast love, he will not always chide normally keep his anger forever. He does not deal with us according to our sins not repay us according to our iniquities.

For as high as the heavens are above the so great is his steadfast love towards those who fear him. As far as the east is from the west, so far does he removed our transgressions from us as a father shows compassion to his children, so the Lord shows compassion to those who fear him, for he knows our frame, he remembers that we are dust as were mine. His days are like grass he flourishes like a float of the field for the wind passes over it and it is gone and this place knows that no more, but the steadfast love of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting on those who fear him, and his righteousness to children's children, to those who keep his covenant and remember to do his commandments. The Lord has established his throne in the heavens and his kingdom rules over all bless the Lord, all you his angels, you mighty ones who do his word obeying the voice of his word. Bless the Lord all his shows his ministers who do his will bless the Lord all his works in all places of his dominion. Bless the Lord all my soul is not magnificent David, the worshiper father become we do give thanks we want to worship you willingly, not because were forced to motivate routine with the same with David.

Bless the Lord all my soul and all that is within me, bless his holy name.

Help us more and more to be a worshiping people as individuals is us families and certainly is a congregation here. I pray that your blessing will be on that pastor Hathaway and all those who lead us in worship and acquire on our band and orchestra with her children with her teens. We thank you for the gifts for the training for the dedication of our musicians, but we pray father for each one of us that we will more and more of you. Thanks that we will bless you, because we know that everything that we are and have comes from you, good and so helpless.

Father, we know that you seek worshipers help us here at Calvary church and in our homes to worship you in spirit and in truth and to the and we pray in Christ matchless name