David is one of the most important people found in Scripture. With the exception of Jesus, David’s name is mentioned more than anyone else in the Bible. David was a gifted writer, a great soldier, a talented musician, and arguably the greatest king of the nation of Israel. Most importantly, however, God referred to David as a “man after my own heart.” The story of David is a reminder that when we fully surrender to God that our lives take on new meaning.
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David—Portrait of a King
David and Samuel
February 22, 2015
by Mark Stuenzi
1 Samuel 16 describes the choosing and anointing of David to be the next King of Israel. When Samuel arrives at the home of Jesse, he asks Jesse to bring all of his sons before him to determine which one God would anoint as the next King. Initially, Samuel thought that Eliab would be the one, since his physical appearance was so striking. But God spoke to Samuel and reminding him that it’s the heart that really matters. Samuel gets all the way down the line and decides that none of these seven boys is the one God is choosing. When he asks if there are any other kids, Jesse admits that he has one more son – but never even gave any thought to including him since he was so young. David is brought in from the field where he is tending sheep, and Samuel anoints him as the next King.
David and Goliath
March 1, 2015
by Dan White
Sometimes, the object of our fear becomes so consuming that we can hardly see anything else in life. Our tendency is to allow that fear-inducing person or circumstance to block our view of God. That’s exactly what happened when the armies of Israel faced the challenge from Goliath. Everyone from King Saul on down was overwhelmed by fear in the face of this incredible challenge. It took a teenager named David to bring perspective to this situation. Just like all the other Israelites, David saw the same giant; David just saw him through a different set of lenses. He saw Goliath against the backdrop of God’s power and promises and asks the question, “Who is this uncircumcised Philistine that he should defy the armies of the living God?” When David goes to battle with Goliath, he again puts the battle in context when he says, “You come against me with sword and spear and javelin, but I come against you in the name of the LORD Almighty.” The solution to dealing with fear is to factor in God, and to see our problems against the backdrop of what He can do.
David and Jonathan
March 8, 2015
by Paul McGuinness
Immediately after his victory over Goliath, David was drafted into the army and given a high-ranking position of leadership. In this new position, David met Jonathan, King Saul’s son. 1 Samuel 18:1 says that “Jonathan became one in spirit with David, and he loved him as himself.” This relationship became pivotal in David’s life, and Jonathan actually saved David’s life on more than one occasion. Although rare in our culture, this relationship between two men is a great example of what it means to invite others into the world of our hearts. In this message, we will address the need for all of us to have people in our lives who can partner with us in becoming the people we need to be.
David and Saul
March 15, 2015
by Mark Stuenzi
When we’ve been hurt, our knee-jerk reaction is to “get even.” God, however, calls us to respond in a very different way – to forgive and let God bring about justice in His own way, at His own time. 1 Samuel 24 gives the account of David sparing Saul’s life while hiding in a cave. David had a perfect opportunity to kill Saul and claim the throne for himself – and his men were even encouraging him to do so. David, however, knew that it was not his place to take the life of the King. This is a great example of allowing God to bring about justice in his own time.
David and Batsheba
March 22, 2015
by Mark Stuenzi
2 Samuel 11 tells the story of David’s sin with Bathsheba and the subsequent murder of her husband. These events occurred later in life, after David was well-established as the King of Israel. It was also a point in his life when Jonathan was gone, and David was somewhat unaccountable. 2 Samuel 11 begins with these words, “In the spring, at the time when kings go off to war, David sent Joab out with the king's men and the whole Israelite army.” The author seems to be implying that David should have been actively involved in defending his country, but just decided to sit back and check out. In his boredom, David found himself enticed and trapped by sin. By avoiding the bigger story and the big challenges that God had for him, David became easy prey for temptation. It seems obvious that David’s fall began not with what he saw out his window, but with what was happening in his heart. It was David’s lack of attention to his heart that led to a moral crisis in his life and in his family.
David's Repentance
March 29, 2015
by Mark Stuenzi
After his grievous sin with Bathsheba, God sent the prophet Nathan to confront David about what he had done. David could have responded in many different ways. He was, after all, the most powerful man in Israel, one of the more powerful nations at that time in history. David could have just had Nathan killed on the spot, as other kings before him had done to prophets with unwelcome news. David, however, responds with brokenness and repentance, which allowed God to restore him. In Psalm 51, which was written by David after Nathan’s rebuke, David says these words about the heart, “The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.”