DAVID'S FAITH IN GOD
We trust today’s message encouraged and guided you in your journey of following Jesus. These notes are meant to help you remember and reflect on the message, help you go deeper into study on the subject, or be used for a sermon group discussion.
Sermon Title: David’s Faith in God
Main Scripture: Heb 11:32-34, 1 Sam 16:1-13, Psalm 51
If you’re going through this discussion with a community group this week consider taking the time to read the provided scripture to catch everyone up!
Summary:
Scripture says that David was a man after God’s own heart. That doesn’t mean David was perfect, but his desire was to please God. There are examples of David’s faith in God in scripture. David’s examples are an opportunity to examine our faith and relationship with God. Can we have faith in trials? Do rely on God when the odds are against us. Do we have faith God will forgive and restore us when we fall short of his standard?
Notes:
Read Heb 11:32-34
In this passage, we see a list of people that were men of war and prophets of God. In this list we see that through faith they saw God show up and bring victory in battles, God gave them wisdom to lead people justly. God provided a way of escape when the enemy had the advantage. That was David’s testimony. David saw God do miraculous things in his life through faith.
David was from Bethlehem. The same city in which Jesus was born.
God saw something in David that was not visible with the eye. God saw David’s heart.
Read 1 Samuel 16:1-13
God saw David’s heart. God sees our hearts. He knows exactly what’s going on in our life.
We don’t have to be afraid that God sees what’s in our hearts. In fact, it’s an opportunity to draw closer to him.
He sees the things that are not perfect in our life, yet he loves us. He wants us to draw closer to him so those things can be changed or removed so our relationship with him will be transparent and genuine.
When we don’t want to change from our sinful ways we try to hide the things that are wrong in our life like Adam and Eve. Transformation does not take place when we are not transparent and surrendered to God.
David was not a perfect man. However, when David was wrong he would repent or change his course of action, and David would turn to God.
1. David had faith God would hear his prayer.
Read Psalm 130
Psalm 130 is a Song of Accent:
The Songs of Ascent are a collection of 15 Psalms that were traditionally sung by Hebrew pilgrims, who ascended the uphill road to Jerusalem to attend annual festivals in the Temple.
https://www.christianity.com/wiki/bible/what-are-the-songs-of-ascent-in-the-bible.html
In this Psalm, we find that David says he is counting on God. David states his faith is in God alone. He knew where his help could be found.
In the expression of the sentries, a sentry is a guard, waiting for dawn. We get this image of a soldier waiting for the dawn to crest the horizon. The soldier doesn’t doubt the dawn will come; he expects to see the sun. He knows at some point he would see clearly.
We should expect God will hear our prayers. Knowing that God hears us is an encouragement in itself. We are not alone we are never alone.
1 John 5:14-15 assures us that when we ask in his will he hears us:
14 This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. 15 And if we know that he hears us—whatever we ask—we know that we have what we asked of him.
The meaning of wait implies to have an expectation
Wait=Qavah, (figuratively) to expect -- gather (together), look, patiently, tarry, wait (for, on, upon).
When we are waiting for someone we have an expectation at some point they will show up. It’s no different here. David says he is expecting God to show up in his situation.
We only wait for someone we expect to show up.
How long do we have to wait? Until the Lord answers or changes the situation. Sometimes God's answer is no. Even then we have to trust that he is good. That comes with experience or through our relationship. We build trust.
Read Isaiah 40:27-31
When we wait expectantly upon the Lord we find what we need. At some point, God will show up. God gives us the grace and peace to sustain us while we wait.
2 David’s faith grew through his experiences with God.
David had experiences with God in his life that strengthen his faith. When David volunteered to fight Goliath, he recalled the victories God had given before.
Read 1 Sam 17:32-37
David shared his story of confronting a Lion and a Bear while guarding his father’s sheep. When a lion or bear came and took a sheep David went and took the sheep back from the animal. If the animal tried to attack David he would grab it by the hair and would strike it with the sword.
David acknowledges it wasn’t by his skill and strength, but it was God that gave him the victory.
Before David fought Goliath, he had experienced God rescuing him from dangerous animals that could have killed him. David’s faith was built on the experiences of God showing up and delivering him in the past.
David knew that if God could deliver him from wild animals like the lion and bear he could definitely deliver him from Goliath.
The experiences we have with God when he has brought us through troubles and difficult times we need to store those in our memories. Those are building blocks of our faith. We need to share those with the people in our lives, so they will know our God delivers.
Heb 11:1
1 Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see
Hupostasis= a support, substance, steadiness, assurance
hypóstasis(from 5259 /hypó, "under" and 2476 /hístēmi, "to stand") – properly, (to possess) standing under a guaranteed agreement ("title-deed"); (figuratively) "title" to a promise or property, i.e. a legitimate claim (because it literally is, "under a legal-standing") – entitling someone to what is guaranteed under the particular agreement.
Our faith is not blind. We have seen God work in our lives. We have the Word of God and promises of God that we stand on. We’ve heard testimonies and seen God work in other people’s lives as well.
Parents, our children must have their own experiences with God. We teach them the scriptures and share the things God has done in our lives. We also have the privilege of walking with them for a season. They have opportunities to see God work in our families.
However, they need their personal experiences with God. They must have their moments when they encounter God themselves when God shows up in their life. God knows how to engage our kids. He knows how to meet them where they are.
3. David had faith God would forgive and restore him.
David knew that God loved him and he knew that God would forgive him and restore the broken relationship when he sinned. When David messed up he repented. He didn’t continue in that same sin. David genuinely wanted to live a life that was pleasing to the Lord.
David fell into an adulterous affair with Bathsheba and had her husband killed. After being confronted with his sin by the Prophet Nathan, he wrote Psalm 51.
Read Psalm 51:1-19
David knew he would find forgiveness from God. He wanted to be forgiven. He wanted to be changed
We should turn to God not away from God when we sin. We will find forgiveness in God alone.
If we are struggling with desires we need to give those to the Lord and wait expectantly for him to help us.
We have to position ourselves to receive forgiveness. That requires us to remove ourselves from sinful situations. If we do not, we are not sincere or repentant.
David recognized his sin after being confronted:
3 For I recognize my rebellion; it haunts me day and night.
David was sincere and changed his actions:
17 The sacrifice you desire is a broken spirit. You will not reject a broken and repentant heart, O God.
Takeaways:
1. We can have faith that God hears our prayers
We can count on God’s faithful love
We should wait with expectation
We should ask in accordance with God’s will
2. We must remember the faithfulness of God
God has brought us through circumstances
We don’t have blind faith. There is substance to our faith
God will meet our future needs. Past victories are the proof
3. We can trust God’s faithful love to forgive and restore
We must turn to God when we sin
We must position ourselves to be forgiven
We must be transparent
Discussion:
Name an experience when God showed up in a trial that made you stronger in your faith.
What do you need to bring to God and wait expectantly for an answer? Have you quit waiting for him to show up?
Does it help to be transparent with God knowing he sees what’s in our hearts?
Is there something in your life you struggle believing God will forgive?
Pray Together
We hoped you found this AFTER THE SERMON discussion helpful for your walk with Jesus. We pray you can find ways to apply it this week!
