Text: 2 Samuel 6:1–15
Topic: A look at the right way to worship God

• Illustration: When Jethani was in college, one of his professors had him visit different places of worship to determine the theological beliefs of each church. The point of the assignment: what we think about God informs how we worship him, and how we worship him informs what we think about him.
• I want to talk about three different views of God, and three different approaches to worship.
• The first view is the one largely promoted by the church.
• The second is the view most common in our culture.
• The third view is much harder to define, so thankfully we have an example of it in Scripture.
• We'll explore all three through an Old Testament story about King David—2 Samuel 6:1–15.
• In this story David's understanding of God undergoes a dramatic transformation, and his worships changes accordingly.
• Which stage of David's development best describes your understanding of who God is and how you worship him?

• In 2 Samuel 5, David finally becomes king over Israel, conquers Jerusalem and makes the city his capital, and defeats the Philistines through God's intervention.
• David decides to have a celebration.
• Central to the celebration is the act of moving the ark of the covenant to the new capitol in Jerusalem—an act punctuated by a grand procession.
• The ark was considered the most holy, most sacred object on earth. Out of reverence for their holy God, no one was allowed to touch the ark. If they did, they would die.
• The scene set forth in these first five verses represents how much of the church in America views and worships God. We view God as the "Almighty Improver." So, we tend to view worship as a celebration.
  • Illustration: Skye points out how a "chapter 5 kind of week" makes it easy to come to church and celebrate. We believe God makes life better, so we celebrate him.
  • Illustration: Skye talks about one of his favorite sites—StuffChristiansLike.net. The author points out how Christians are obsessed with the idea of "Living better," and it is reflected in their worship.
• But let's go back to our story. There's a problem.
• Remember how God had commanded that the ark was only to be transported with poles carried on the shoulders of priests? In verse 3, we're told that David moved the ark by putting it on a cart.
• David didn't show reverence for God. He was so fixated on all of God's goodness, that he didn't acknowledge God's holiness.
• In a sense, David's celebration of God was casual, flippant. It was done without care or consideration for God's power—the way a child might play with fire.
• This lack of reverence leads to a tragedy—and the second approach to God and worship that I want us to talk about.

• In verse 6, we're told that when the ox pulling the ark stumbles, one of David's men, Uzzah, reaches out and touches the ark to prevent it from falling. God strikes him dead.
• When we read a story like this, it strikes us as incredibly unfair, doesn't it? Why would God kill a man for an innocent mistake?
• If you are disturbed by this story—if it bothers you, even angers you, that God apparently killed someone for accidently touching the ark—then you're not alone.
• David was so angry, so afraid of the Lord, that he refused to bring the ark to Jerusalem, sending it instead to the house of Obed-Edom the Gittite.
• Suddenly the Lord didn't seem so good to David—hings weren't happy days and sunshine anymore—so the celebration quickly faded.
  • Illustration: According to research gathered through surveys, we live in a culture in which about seven in ten Americans believe that God is "the all-knowing, all-powerful creator of the universe who still rules [the] world today," but a surprisingly small percentage—only about 14 percent—actually worship him. Why? Because what they see of him—a God who seems to allow so much pain—is something they don't like.
• I think David's experience in these verses is indicative of how many people view God. They believe he exists, but they just aren't sure if he's on their side.
• Because of the pain so many have experienced—either on a cultural level or a personal one—many people, like David, have put God aside.  

• Both of the views of God we have discussed are lacking, and both worship postures are lacking. Is there a third way to see God which leads to a third way to worship him?
• In verse 11, we read that the ark stayed at the Gittite's house for three months, and "the Lord blessed him and his entire household."
• Verse 12 says that news of these blessings reached Jerusalem and King David decided to bring the ark to Jerusalem as planned, because he wants the blessing of God for his kingdom.
• Once again there is a huge processional with music and rejoicing, and David "danced before the LORD with all his might, while he and the entire house of Israel brought up the ark of the LORD with shouts and the sound of trumpets."
• This looks very much like what happened earlier in the story—a joyful, extravagant celebration of God's goodness. But this time something has changed.
• Verse 13: "When those who were carrying the ark of the LORD had taken six steps, he sacrificed a bull and a fattened calf."
• The ark was being carried. David has learned the danger of irreverent, casual worship. This time he shows God the respect he deserves.
• David sacrificed a bull and a calf every six steps along the procession.
• In the Old Testament, animal sacrifice was a way of honoring God out of one's wealth, so this showed how David was giving to God not just his songs, but his life.
• David knows that worship is both celebration and sacrifice, rejoicing and reverence. Worship must praise God's goodness, while also being humble before God's holiness.
  • Illustration: Jethani quotes author Annie Dillard, who says that worship doesn't call for us to wear straw or velvets hats, but crash helmets.
  • Hebrews 12:28–9
• This story pushes us to think about our attitude—how we, in our spirits, approach God.
• Do we come to flippantly, casually invoke the most powerful being in all the world, pr do we come with reverence and awe like Hebrews says?

• We must worship in a way that flows out of our seeing God's goodness in our life.
• We must also worship in light of the mystery of God.
  • Illustration: Jethani cites a passage in The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe where the children learn that Aslan, the lion who represents Christ, is not safe, but is good.
• Our God is good, but he is not safe. Let's worship accordingly.