The Ups and Downs and Ups of a World Changer

Notes: The Ups and Downs and Ups of a World Changer
Greg Laurie
World Changers
Sunday, April 23, 2017
2 Samuel 11, Psalm 32
Music: Matthew West

Kind David the World Changer.

King David was fearless in battle. A poet, a man after God's own heart.

Jesus identified Himself as, "Jesus, the Son of David."

The rise of David....
The people chose King Saul, but God decided that he would be replaced.

1. God uses ordinary people to change the world.

1 Corinthians 1:26-27 NKJV
[26] For you see your calling, brethren, that not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called. [27] But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty;

You can't control your circumstances, but you can control your reactions.

2. World Changers are focused on what matters in life.

Psalm 34:1 NKJV
[1] I will bless the LORD at all times; His praise shall continually be in my mouth.

Psalm 57:7 NKJV
[7] My heart is steadfast, O God, my heart is steadfast; I will sing and give praise.

David new the meaning of life.

Psalm 27:4 NKJV
[4] One thing I have desired of the LORD, That will I seek: That I may dwell in the house of the LORD All the days of my life, To behold the beauty of the LORD, And to inquire in His temple.

3. World Changers are faithful in little things so God gives them bigger things.

Psalm 23:1-3 NKJV
[1] The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want. [2] He makes me to lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside the still waters. [3] He restores my soul; He leads me in the paths of righteousness For His name's sake.

David took down Goliath, he depended on God to do so.

When the fall of David began...
2 Samuel 11:1-5 NKJV
[1] It happened in the spring of the year, at the time when kings go out to battle, that David sent Joab and his servants with him, and all Israel; and they destroyed the people of Ammon and besieged Rabbah. But David remained at Jerusalem. [2] Then it happened one evening that David arose from his bed and walked on the roof of the king's house. And from the roof he saw a woman bathing, and the woman was very beautiful to behold. [3] So David sent and inquired about the woman. And someone said, "Is this not Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliam, the wife of Uriah the Hittite?" [4] Then David sent messengers, and took her; and she came to him, and he lay with her, for she was cleansed from her impurity; and she returned to her house. [5] And the woman conceived; so she sent and told David, and said, "I am with child."

When things are going really well, that is when the devil hits.

When you face a crisis, you hang on to God and He gives you the strength you need when you need it. God always comes through. 

When things are going good, hanging on to God seems to be less important to most. That is when we are most vulnerable.

You don't feed lust; you starve it!

Sometimes other people have a better sense of what we are doing then we do.

God puts up road blocks to our sin. 

David sinned, then tried to cover it up and then did even worse things to continue to try to cover it.

2 Samuel 11:27 NKJV
[27] And when her mourning was over, David sent and brought her to his house, and she became his wife and bore him a son. But the thing that David had done displeased the LORD.

Psalm 32:1-5 NLT
[1] Oh, what joy for those whose disobedience is forgiven, whose sin is put out of sight! [2] Yes, what joy for those whose record the LORD has cleared of guilt, whose lives are lived in complete honesty! [3] When I refused to confess my sin, my body wasted away, and I groaned all day long. [4] Day and night your hand of discipline was heavy on me. My strength evaporated like water in the summer heat. Interlude [5] Finally, I confessed all my sins to you and stopped trying to hide my guilt. I said to myself, "I will confess my rebellion to the LORD." And you forgave me! All my guilt is gone. Interlude

Psalm 32 describes the futility and misery of sin that is unconfessed.

Nathan the prophet calls David out through a story.

2 Samuel 12:5-7 NLT
[5] David was furious. "As surely as the LORD lives," he vowed, "any man who would do such a thing deserves to die! [6] He must repay four lambs to the poor man for the one he stole and for having no pity." [7] Then Nathan said to David, "You are that man! The LORD, the God of Israel, says: I anointed you king of Israel and saved you from the power of Saul.

2 Samuel 12:13-14 NLT
[13] Then David confessed to Nathan, "I have sinned against the LORD." Nathan replied, "Yes, but the LORD has forgiven you, and you won't die for this sin. [14] Nevertheless, because you have shown utter contempt for the word of the LORD by doing this, your child will die."

God will forgive you of your sins if you repent, you will still have to pay for those sins.

David managed to still get into the lineage of God, so did Bathsheba, that is the grace of God.

In for worship, out for service.

John 10:9 NLT
[9] Yes, I am the gate. Those who come in through me will be saved. They will come and go freely and will find good pastures.