David | Part 9 | The City of God | 2 Samuel 6:1-6:23
Gather Question.
What is something in the Bible that makes you uncomfortable?
Gathering Prayer.
Father, by Your Spirit, would you guide us into all truth. Help us to hear and be attentive to Your voice as we work through this study. In the name of Jesus, Your Son, we pray, Amen.
Opening Questions
- What stood out to you in the sermon?
- What insights did you gain?
- What questions did it raise?
Read 6:1-23
Uzzah
What happens to Uzzah makes us uncomfortable. Reflect on this commentary by John Mark Comer,
“…if you shape your theology of God from bits and pieces of the Bible, along with a mishmash of your own bias, pop culture, and the ever-evolving tide of ethics in Western culture, then you’ll end up with a “God” who is simply a projection of your own wishful thinking. A God who isn’t real, but artificial… The nice thing about made-up gods is they agree with you on everything and let you live as you please. Unfortunately, they are incredibly boring and flat and humdrum – because they don’t actually exist.” (John Mark Comer, God Has A Name)
- What is your initial reaction to this comment?
- What are some things the Bible reveals about God that tend to make people most uncomfortable? Anything for you personally?
- How do you tend to deal with some of the “uncomfortable” parts of the Bible?
Uzzah has a casual relationship with God. He doesn’t take God’s holiness or his own sin seriously. Reflect on this commentary by Dietrich Bonhoeffer,
“Cheap grace means the justification of sin without the justification of the sinner…. Cheap grace is the preaching of forgiveness without requiring repentance, baptism without church discipline, communion without confession . . . Cheap grace is grace without discipleship, grace without the cross, grace without Jesus Christ, living and incarnate.
Grace “…is costly because it costs a man his life, and it is grace because it gives a man the only true life. It is costly because it condemns sin, and grace because it justifies the sinner. Above all, it is costly because it cost God the life of his Son…and what has cost God much cannot be cheap for us. Above all, it is grace because God did not reckon his Son too dear a price to pay for our life, but delivered him up for us.” (Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Cost of Discipleship)
- What is your initial reaction to this comment?
- What is the danger of cheap grace?
- How do you see “cheap grace” played out in the church today?
Michal
- Michal represents the House of Saul. Think back to previous weeks in this series, or what you know about Saul, how would you describe Saul, and how does her actions reflect the actions and attitudes of Saul?
- Michal is mostly concerned with her status, displayed in what people think of her and her husband. What are some signs that someone is overly concerned with status or approval of others?
- How does the desire for status blind us from God’s Presence in our life?
David
- What most stands out to you about David’s attitude toward the Ark and God’s Presence?
- What does it mean to celebrate “with all our might?”
- How would you describe your hunger for God in this season of your life?
- Which one of these three people best describes you in this season of your life?
Closing Prayer: