The Temporary Kingdom – Part 5

1 Chron. 29:1-20

The Temporary Kingdom – Part 5

As David Approaches the End

I. PASSING the TORCH on a lifelong DREAM. (1 Chron. 22-29)
A. David’s PREPARATION for the TEMPLE.(1 Chron. 22-28)
B. Everyone’s GENEROSITY to the PROJECT.(v.1-9)
C. David’s REALIZATION of some key TRUTHS.(V.10-19)

We have seen some snapshots of David’s life over the past few weeks…some were nice to look at, some not so much. But David is learning all along the way, even through his failures. And as he comes to the end of his life we will take one more look at one of his last acts as King and begin to see what this life time of learning has cultivated in David.

  1. Kid’s Question: If you could have one of your dreams come true for your life what would it be and why?
  2. What are you giving your life to? Evaluate that by the way your spend your time and money?

II. A PRAYER of REORIENTATION. (v.10-19)
A. A REMINDER of God’s SUPREMACY.(v.10-13; Ps. 24:1-2)
B. …and of God’s OWNERSHIP of EVERYTHING.(v.11,12,14,16)
C. A POSTURE of HUMILITY.(v.14-16)
D. …and the JOY that COMES with that.(v.9,20,22a)

After David gives generously to the building of the temple the people respond and do the same. This inspires in David a prayer that paints a picture of reality as it truly is. It’s a prayer that help us to reorient our lives around who God is and what God does instead of being driven by the currents of society and the media today.

  1. In what ways would a deep conviction of God’s supremacy over everything impact the decisions you make on a daily basis? Would anything change? What?
  2. On a scale of 1-10, with 1 being no and 10 being without a doubt, where would you rank yourself on this statement? “I believe and live as if everything I have actually belongs to God.”
  3. We often say the joys of childhood get swallowed up by adult responsibilities. How does a humble posture before a supreme God lead to joy? How might that look in your life?

III. SYMPTOMS of a SHRINKING reality. (Jn 11:23-25)
A. A TENDENCY to live in FEAR.(Gen. 3:10)
     1. The FREEDOM that comes from God’s RULE. (v.13; Rom. 8:20-21)
     2. The JOY of playing our ROLE. (v.22a; Jn 15:10-12)
     3. PRACTICING God directed RISK. (Deut. 31:8)

B. A protective ATTITUDE towards “STUFF”.(Lk. 12:15)
     1. “In your POSSESSION” doesn’t equal “YOUR possession”. (v.14,16; Jn. 3:27)
     2. The CALL is to STEWARD God’s RESOURCES. (v.3-9; Prov. 3:9; Mt. 6:33)
     3. LIVING with God inspired GENEROSITY. (1 Tim. 6:17-18)

There are two clear fruits of a reality that has be shrunk down to our size. This is a a tremendous temptation – to make the world all about us, and in so doing to lose our footing and a place to stand. David’s prayer helps to counter our tendency to shrink the world to our size, and there are a couple of clear practices that we can engage to help the learning sink deep into our lives.

  1. Of these two “symptoms”, which do you see to be most evident in your own life?
  2. What is one truth that you can hold to that can undermine the presence of this symptom in your life? How will you build that truth into your mind and heart this week?
  3. What is one practice that you can hold to that can undermine the presence of this symptom in your life? How will you build that practice into your mind and heart this week?