1. Tonight’s text is based upon 2 Sam. 6.
2. This chapter begins by mentioning David and 30,000 special troops.
3. This large group of people was moving the ark of the covenant.
4. The ark had been placed upon a new cart and the scene in 2 Sam. 6 is almost like a parade.
5. Let’s start with the 5th verse – READ.
6. David had recently become king and this was a very joyous time.
7. A man named Abinidab had two sons, and these men were walking by the ark as attendants.
8. This is hinted at here but is more clearly expressed in 1 Chron. 13:7 (a parallel account we also draw from).
9. Things were going well until the time described in verse 6 – READ.
A
LONG TIME AGO I HAD AN INSURANCE AGENCY TELL ME AN INDUSTRY SECRET.
a) He said he often gave his presentation to homeowners and then arranged a contract on the table.
b) Then he would accidentally “drop his ink pen” on the floor.
c) A lot of people want to be kind so they will typically reach down to get the pen.
d) When their head pops back up, the contract is slowly pushed in front of them.
e) With the pen in hand, it’s often easy to get a signature on the dotted line.
f) Sometimes we have a natural reaction to things.
2) An oxen pulling the cart stumbled; Uzzah put out his hand to stead the ark—a typical response.
3) This action, though perhaps understandable by us, was wrong – verse 7 – READ.
4) 1 Chron. 13:10 says Uzzah touched the ark and that act was unacceptable.
5) All the praise and worship in the procession may have come to an immediate halt.
6) We know from verse 8 that David was not happy about Uzzah being struck down by God.
7) We also know (verse 9) that David was wondering how the ark could continue being transported.
8) David’s motives about the ark appear to have been good, but he was taking the wrong approach with transporting it.
9) It reminds us a bit of people like Paul described (zeal without knowledge, Rom. 10:2).
10) Putting the ark on a car to get it to the new location was convenient. It made movement easy.
a) This past week I saw a man who was trying to switch offices.
b) He had to move his entire office approximately half a mile.
c) He got a large cart with four wheels and loaded it up with all his office furnishings.
d) He had a good idea. It made things a lot easier or him.
11) David may have thought he also had a convenient way to get the ark to a new location.
12) This king found out that convenience is not always the right way to serve God.
13) He and the procession were stopped and they had to re-work some things.
14) In fact, there was a delay of more than three months.
15) Let’s work at verses 10-11 – READ.
a) This part of the story has a lot of application for our day and time.
b) A lot of people in the world complain about Bible Christianity not being convenient.
c) When it comes to baptism, there are those who say immersion is inconvenient.
d) It is quicker to sprinkle water on the head or pour water on someone’s body.
e) In fact, we can really speed things up if we just forget about using water.
f) Why go through the process of changing into baptistery clothes and getting all wet?
16) Why go through all the steps to have the Lord's Supper each week?
17) There are even those who don’t think it is convenient to meet time after time.
18) Our day and time wants convenience and ease, and this certainly extends to religion.
19) David tried convenience and a man paid with his life.
20) Instead of speeding things up, David had an extensive delay of at least 90 days.
21) A lot of people will sometimes say, “If a job is worth doing, it is worth doing right.”
22) We might refine that comment to something like this:
23) “If a religion is worth having and practicing, it is worth doing what deity requires.”
24) In the book of First Chronicles we have additional information about this account.
25) Where we leave off in 1 Sam. 6, we may pick up in 1 Chron. 15.
a) David was initially angry because convenience didn’t work in moving the ark.
b) Today we can expect to find this same attitude with a lot of individuals.
c) When we tell people that convenience may be easier but not pleasing to God, they may get mad.
d) Sometimes people just need to think about things for a while.
e) David thought about this matter and finally decided he should do things correctly.
26) David assembled some priests, the right people for this job (verses 4-10).
27) One group of priests numbered 120 people; another group was composed of 220 and a third had 130.
28) Three more groups are mentioned; the figures for these additional groups are 200, 80, and 112.
29) Close to 900 priests were assembled to move the ark.
30) Gathering this many priests, from a specific tribe, sounds like a lot of work.
31) Obeying God is not always a fast or easy process.
32) Yet, this is often what we and others want. Think about new Christians.
33) We can want instant growth on the part of new Christians and super growth in the Kingdom of God.
34) Convenience and quickness are not always part of the faith.
a) After the priests were selected they were to go through a “sanctification” process (verse 12).
b) There are people in the world who sometimes have to go through certain steps for a job.
c) When working with dangerous chemicals, workers may have to “suit up.”
d) Workers may need to go through a series of decontamination stages.
e) Some of that may seem like rig a mo roe. Convenience is not always a good standard to follow.
f) Sometimes various precautions or steps are taken to insure our safety.
g) In the spiritual realm we take these kinds of steps to be safe (acceptable to God).
35) To obey is better than sacrifice, 1 Sam. 15:22.
36) More inconvenience is found in 1 Chron. 15.
37) 1n 1 Chron.15:15 the people involved in carrying the ark finally did it as Moses commanded.
38) They did all the steps that God required and God was pleased.
39) Today this procedure is still applicable; we do not look for the fastest or most convenient way to worship.
a) Yet, this is the very standard some in the world use.
b) I have seen articles for “drive through worship.”
c)
Listen
to a short message while in the drive by lane to pick up communion supplies and
give your contribution.
d) It is just like driving through the to go lane at McDonald’s.
e) Boaters have offered worship on the lake – more convenient that docking the boat and going ashore.
f) I’m just waiting for “golfer’s church” and “bowling worship.”
40) When we looked at the ark being moved incorrectly, we saw people who had great joy (at least for a while).
41) Today that same emotion is often found in those who choose convenient worship.
42) When people can worship quick and fast on their terms, they are often thrilled.
43) Some boast about the convenience of their faith and place of worship.
44) When these claims are made within my hearing, there seems to be an implication.
a) There seems to be a subtle suggestion that taking the extra steps will leave worshippers joyless.
b) Forsaking conveinience for obedience will result in a dreary way of life.
c) If we opt to refuse easy and carefree service to God, we are old fuddy duddies.
d) Let’s see if that idea is true.
45) Notice these points from 1 Chron. 16:
a) Verse 4 – READ.
b) There was constant praise and thanks to the Lord after people did things correctly.
c) Just as we feel good about doing the right thing in the world, so such a feeling comes in the spiritual realm.
d) In verse 36 the Scripture says the people “shouted amen” and praised God.
e) In verse 7, we find a “song of praise from David.”
f) David didn’t rant and rave regarding how long it took to get the ark to its new home.
g) This was certainly a big job, but notice what he said.
h) Verse 9 – READ.
i) David said it was time to sing praises to God.
j) Verse 23 – READ.
k) David was so filled with joy and God’s glory he said the whole earth should praise the Lord.
l) He claimed in verse 29 that God deserves “glory.”
m) In verse 34 he said God is “good.”
46) Have we ever been given a task that was very inconvenient?
a) One job I really didn’t care for was back in 1985.
b) Just before leaving the military I was asked to create a master contact plan for approximately 100 people.
c) I was supposed to get names, addresses, phone numbers, etc. for an entire office complex.
d) Then I was supposed to get a huge map of a large city and surrounding area.
e) Then I was to start with the commander and list various ways for him to get to the second in command.
f) This map was supposed to be like a chain where people went to each other’s houses.
g) The area that was being covered was probably close to 200 miles.
h) Then a backup plan was to be created in case the first plan didn’t work.
i) While this project was still in the planning stage my discharge time came.
j) If that project got accomplished, someone else did it.
k) That was an inconvenient task that someone tried to pawn off on me.
l) Like David, we can be given projects that we look at and say, “I don’t want to do that.”
m) Every minute on that project (even a homework assignment), we may grit out teeth.
47) When it comes to the world, some projects are simply a waste of time.
48) In the spiritual realm, doing things correctly is never a waste of time.
49) David finally go the right attitude – give thanks to the Lord, for He is good (verse 34).
50) We must develop the mindset that says whatever God requires we want to do.
51) We cannot have a Christ of convenience.
52) Jesus said we are to take up His cross. He said He suffered and so must His people.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------