LBC Youth lesson for Jan 6: God's covenant with David.


Our curriculum: http://biblestudy.studentlife.com/
Updated Sat Jan 5

The passage: 2 Sam 7:8-17.

Lesson notes copied from my notebook; no .pdf today.

2 Sam 7:1-2 David's plan: "My house looks better than God's stuff. I need to fix that!"
an expression of devotion and priority.
vs 3: Nathan the prophet: Go for it!

But that wasn't God's plan. What's his response?

"I never asked for that, did I?" So, what does God ask for?

God makes many promises to David about his future.
- I will make for you a great name.
- I will bring peace to Israel
- I will give you rest from your enemies. (Assassination was not an uncommon form of change of government.)
- God will make you a house! (Backward from David's plan!)
- David's offspring would sit on his throne and build a house for God. (Clever God: refers to Solomon, but also to Christ: See Acts 2:30-32, Eph 2:22)
- David's throne will be established forever.

Questions:
(1) Were these promises meaningful to David? Did they make him happy?
(2) What do these promises tell us about God?
(3) What promises does God make to us? Any? How do we know?

[Discussion time]

My answers to the questions:
(1) 2 Sam 7:18-29: David was very grateful - God's promises touch each one of his major concerns.

(2) Many things
(a) God's "love language" was not David's, or at least not what David thought it was.
(b) God's response of correction also directly addressed David's true concerns. See Mt. 6:33.
(c) God's promises came unforced and freely. David did not claim that he deserved them. Thus, God supplies us beyond our imagination - when we walk in humility. Eph 2:20, Mt. 5:3-5.

(3) There are many promises for Christians in the Bible, foremost our reconciliation with God, Gal 3:29. Other NT scriptures about promise and prayer:
- We already looked at Mt. 6:33.
- Mk 10:27 - all things are possible with God
- Mk 11:22-24 Whatever you ask in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.
- James 5:14-18: prayer of a righteous man is powerful
- 1 Jn 5:13-15: if we ask according to his will ... we receive our requests
- Jn 15:7 - ask what you will, and it will be done

Patterns in the above passages:

1: Believe We must know who God is and love him. Heb 11:6 says it is impossible to pleased God if we think he's not trustworthy.
2: Prayer is a common theme in all of the above passages. Also in the early church Acts 1:14, Acts 2:42. Implication: if we do not pray, then we lack faith in God. That would be bad.
3: Ask!! Many times Jesus said to ask. Many healings came in response to requests.

What's God's will in your life? One more promise:
James 1:5-7: Ask for wisdom - in faith - and God will give it.

Posted: Fri - January 4, 2008 at 09:54 AM           | |

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