Download — 06-June-Newsletter-2015

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King David: Old Story; Our Story

In [God’s] testimony about him, [God] said, “I have found David, son of Jesse, to be a man after my own heart”. — Acts 13:22

One of the more complete—and complicated—human stories told in the Bible is the story of David. Scripture passages like the one above from a sermon by St. Paul teach us that David was a man after God’s own heart. Accounts of David’s life told in the Hebrew Scriptures (Old Testament) also make it very clear that David’s heart was not always aligned with God’s. One of David’s biographers summarized what we know this way:

David is the first person in history whose tale is complete and vital, laced with passions, savagery, hesitation, betrayal, charisma, faith, family—the rich canvas of a large life. He is capable of great acts, expressions of lasting piety, and of startling cruelty…. The modern reader suspects that while trusting in God, David is a man careful to secure himself a little earthly insurance nonetheless. (David: The Divided Heart by David Wolpe)

In other words, David and you and me have some things in common. Though I don’t know any kings who read this newsletter, I am acquainted with several persons who are simultaneously sinners and saints. We are ca- pable of incredible faithfulness and courage, and also surprising selfishness. God pursues us with goodness and mercy through it all, just as God did the shepherd-and-songwriter-who-became-king and reminds us of that in his most famous of many Psalms.

We’re going to be retelling the story of David this summer in our worship services. We’ll hear of David’s surprising call, what really happened in the battle with Goliath, his climb to political power, and of his failures to with- stand the temptations that accompany power. We’ll meet lesser known char- acters in David’s story who are also used by God to accomplish God’s pur- poses (sometimes by saving David from himself!). We’ll read the stories, mostly from 1 and 2 Samuel, with a critical eye towards possible propagan- da, and to how the Gospel breaks through David’s story into our story. We’ll also sing some of the songs attributed to David in a variety of styles and melodies. Come and see!

— JE