David The character of the servant king

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DavidThe character of the servant king

• By Adrian Warnock

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Last time- How to respond to difficult times

• Winston Churchills ever patient wife told him
  that him that loosing the election immediately
  after the war might be a blessing in disguise.
• His response was 'at the moment its certainly
  very well disguised
• But a few months later saw it differently 'I feel
  a great sense of relief...others having to face
  the hideous problems of the aftermath..it may all
  indeed be 'a blessing in disguise''
• Trust in God and Keep your powder dry

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The character of the servant King

• As a humble man David surrounded himself with
  wise advisors- not a know it all!
• He genuinely served the people rather than
  serving himself

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The character of the King

• "The Lord dealt with me according to my
  righteousness according to the cleanness of my
  hands he rewarded me. For I have kept the ways of
  the Lord, and have not wickedly departed from my
  God. For all his rules were before me, and his
  statutes I did not put away from me. I was
  blameless before him, and I kept myself from my
  guilt. So the Lord has rewarded me according to
  my righteousness, according to the cleanness of
  my hands in his sight." (Psalm 1820-24, ESV)

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The character of the king

• David had a relationship with God
• He loved the Law
• Law keeping that comes from relationship is there
  in both Testaments
• We mustnt work to please God, but we should keep
  the law because we know God is already pleased
  with us
• "Be killing sin, or it will be killing you." John
  Owen

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Loving the law

• Ps 197ff "The law of the Lord is perfect,
  reviving the soul the testimony of the Lord is
  sure, making wise the simple the precepts of the
  Lord are right, rejoicing the heart the
  commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the
  eyes
• The fear of the Lord is clean, enduring forever
  the rules of the Lord are true, and righteous
  altogether. More to be desired are they than
  gold, even much fine gold sweeter also than
  honey and drippings of the honeycomb.

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Loving the law

• Moreover, by them is your servant warned in
  keeping them there is great reward. Who can
  discern his errors? Declare me innocent from
  hidden faults. Keep back your servant also from
  presumptuous sins let them not have dominion
  over me! Then I shall be blameless, and innocent
  of great transgression.
• Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of
  my heart be acceptable in your sight, O Lord, my
  rock and my redeemer.
• (Psalm 197-14, ESV)

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Attitudes to the Law

• The puritans describe the law as 'the needle that
  draws the gospel thread' Samuel Bolton
• Wycliffe- The highest service to which a man may
  attain on earth is to preach the law of God
• Wesley 'I suggest preaching nine tenths law and
  one tenth grace'
• Finney 'Failure to use the law is almost certain
  to result in false hope, the introduction of a
  false standard of Christian experience and to
  fill the church with false converts.'
• Bunyan 'The man who does not know the nature of
  the law cannot know the nature of sin'

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Attitudes to the Law

• Luther 'The first duty of the gospel preacher is
  to declare Gods law and to show the nature of
  sin'
• Spurgeon 'They will never accept grace till they
  tremble before a just and holy law
• Piper 'The quickest way to the heart is through a
  wound'
• BUT Print on a page can never make us holy on its
  own!

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The problem with the Law is US

• Gods law is perfect, but we are not!
• If you are a legalist you will always struggle
  with pride or condemnation
• "Now before faith came, we were held captive
  under the law, imprisoned until the coming faith
  would be revealed. So then, the law was our
  guardian until Christ came, in order that we
  might be justified by faith. But now that faith
  has come, we are no longer under a guardian,"
  (Galatians 323-25, ESV)
• The law shows us what sin is like, what God is
  like and what we are like!

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Life changing Grace

• Je 3131-34 This is the covenant that I will
  make with the house of Israel after those days,
  declares the Lord I will put my law within them,
  and I will write it on their hearts.
• True freedom comes from a genuine understanding
  of the grace of God, this leads to a welling up
  of grateful love for God and others and change
  that comes from within
• When we are given something we dont deserve it
  prompts us to respond appropriately.
• We almost incidentally fulfil the law as it is
  now written on our heart

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Life changing grace

• We study the law to establish its values and
  principles, not legalistically
• Biblical principles applied with Godly wisdom and
  the leading of The Spirit are our guide, not ever
  more detailed human laws to protect Biblical ones
• NO church 'book of rules'

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Fulfilling the law

• Not simply religious obedience
• Rather obedience from the heart
• Teacher, which is the great commandment in the
  Law? And he said to him, You shall love the
  Lord your God with all your heart and with all
  your soul and with all your mind. This is the
  great and first commandment. And a second is like
  it You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On
  these two commandments depend all the Law and the
  Prophets. (Matthew 2236-40, ESV)
• Both of the above are direct quotes from the OT
  Law

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Jesus lay down his self
self righteousness
self assertiveness
self love
self confidence
self pity
self destructive
selfish gain
self worth
self actualisation
self importance
self centred
self indulgence
self sufficiency
Are YOU self conscious?
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Our ministry is not for us

• Jesus lay down his very self for us so now we
  should lay down our selves for others
• Love is all about give and give not give and take
• Sacrifice of yourself for others is rewarding- we
  were made for it!
• Our 'calling' is Where your deep gladness and the
  worlds deep hunger meet

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All ministry in the church requires love (cf Eph
4)

• Pastors love Christians
• Teachers love books
• Evangelists love non-Christians
• Prophets love God
• Apostles love the Church
• They all do this so WE can learn to love
  everyone!
• You cant say I dont love God, only books.!

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In conclusion (for now.)

• Love God, and do what you please Augustine
• Being at peace rather than angry that we didnt
  get our own way is the secret to a happy life
• Trusting God to fight our battles for us and
  letting him has his way in our lives is for out
  good
• What really matters is how you are when things
  are not going your way
• Why should a servant of God complain?