In this sermon we hear about how Judah lays claim to David as their king while Saul’s crafty former general promotes his own puppet king. Through brutal blood lusting battles, betrayal, murder and revenge, opportunists swirl around David. This is contrasted against David’s honourable actions as he becomes more and more powerful because the Lord almighty was with him.
– Dave Swan
Read the Bible Text – 2 Sam 2:1-5:16
I remember the call. Nothing seemed right about what I was being asked to do!
I was in Damascus. The gospel work there had been growing as more and more became followers of Jesus. The rumour was that Saul of Tarsus was on his way to Damascus. This was unsettling.
Saul had led the charge against many followers of the Way. He had issued murderous threats against the Lord’s disciples and had arranged permission from the High Priest to travel around the synagogues seeking out Christians to imprison for their faith. He was a piece of work. We all knew the threat he posed.
And then the Lord called out to me in a vision:
In the historical book of 2 Samuel from the Old Testament in the Bible, we enter the world of King David as he ascends to the throne of Israel as God’s chosen King. We see both his wisdom and foolishness, his pride and his humility, his amazing strength and hopeless weaknesses. We see a truly human leader who desperately needs the God who is with him.
This sermon shows that amidst the distress of Israel’s defeat and the death of their king, David does not seek to profit from the death of Saul his enemy. Rather, David’s public lament shows the depths of his love for Jonathan and respect for God’s anointed. We see David more concerned for the honour of Israel than his for his own honour, giving us hope of a good and humble king.
– Josh Ord
– Dave Swan
Read the Bible Text – 2 Samuel 1:1-27
Ken Noakes’ farewell sermon at Trinity Church Adelaide considers the Great Treasure (the Gospel – the Good News about Jesus) which is given to those who follow Jesus. Ken points out from 2 Corinthians 4 the Great Responsibility that this brings as well as the Great Opportunity.
Preacher: Ken Noakes
By Ken Noakes
I have been reflecting on 2 Corinthians 4 and particularly on what the Apostle Paul with Timothy say to their friends in the church of Corinth.
‘We do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.’ (2 Cor 4:16-18)
We all live with burdens – day by day or week by week troubles stemming from life, health, work or family matters. Yet those are not primarily the burdens that Paul refers to here.
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