2 Samuel 7

Dynasty

Posted on by Betsy

Do any of you remember the old television series Dynasty from the 1980’s? Like Dallas and Falcon Crest, it was one of the successful night-time soap operas of that era. It’s lavish sets, impeccable cast costuming (The power suits! The sparkly heels!) and classic story lines of greed, deception, intrigue, family feuds, corruption, and excessive wealth were fun and addictive to watch. Set in beautiful Denver, Colorado, we entered a world of the Carringtons verses Colbys, who fought for prominence in oil industry, on the social ladder, and in the amount of make-up and plastic surgery one could acquire. And that was just the men! It was campy and fun to watch the antics of the older family members in their struggles to maintain their elitism in an increasingly younger world. Does anyone remember the Alexis verses Krystal catfight in the koi pond? Even their enormous shoulder pads couldn’t save them from that one.

A dynasty is a system of passing down wealth and status from parent to child. In the Old Testament, this always meant father to son. It ensured that position and prestige will remain in the family for generations.

In our passage from 2 Samuel today, we see God establishing his dynasty in Israel. Nathan gave this amazing prophecy to David:

2 Samuel 7:11-16 (Common English Bible)

11 when I appointed leaders over my people Israel. And I will give you rest from all your enemies.

And the Lord declares to you that the Lord will make a dynasty for you.12 When the time comes for you to die and you lie down with your ancestors, I will raise up your descendant—one of your very own children—to succeed you, and I will establish his kingdom. 13 He will build a temple for my name, and I will establish his royal throne forever. 14 I will be a father to him, and he will be a son to me. Whenever he does wrong, I will discipline him with a human rod, with blows from human beings. 15 But I will never take my faithful love away from him like I took it away from Saul, whom I set aside in favor of you. 16 Your dynasty and your kingdom will be secured forever before me. Your throne will be established forever.

There is such good news for us in this passage. God indeed established David as king over Israel, and his son Solomon succeeded him and built the Temple. Jeremiah 33:17 tells us that God promised that “David will never fail to have a man to sit on the throne of the house of Israel,” thus ensuring that this dynasty will reign forever. Even though David’s family only ruled Israel for four centuries before so much evil took over that God ended their reign, David’s line continued through Obed and Ruth of Boaz to Jesse, whom Isaiah prophesized would produce a “stump” that would grow a messiah:

Isaiah 11 (Common English Bible)
A shoot will grow up from the stump of Jesse;
    a branch will sprout from his roots.
2 The Lord’s spirit will rest upon him,
    a spirit of wisdom and understanding,
    a spirit of planning and strength,
    a spirit of knowledge and fear of the Lord.

This stump appeared in the flesh and his name was Jesus:

Luke 1: 31-33

31 Look! You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you will name him Jesus. 32 He will be great and he will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of David his father. 33 He will rule over Jacob’s house forever, and there will be no end to his kingdom.”

Do you know that you belong to a dynasty? You are an inheritor of the Kingdom. What has been passed down to you is a legacy of peace, hope, the assurance of salvation, the forgiveness of sins, and the guarantee of eternal life. Your adoption into the family of God has made you royalty. How does that feel? What will you do today to ensure that those around you are part of God’s dynasty, too?

Revelation 22:16 (Common English Bible)

“I, Jesus, have sent my angel to bear witness to all of you about these things for the churches. I’m the root and descendant of David, the bright morning star.

When Jesus returns, every knee will bow, and every heart will confess. How can you be his bright morning star today?

Bright Morning Star by Michelle Robertson



Year-End Report

Posted on by Betsy

It is that time in United Methodism when we produce something called the ”State of the Church” for the District Superintendent and the Bishop. A committee thoughtfully evaluates the condition of the church in terms of ministry, growth, discipleship, etc. for the last twelve months.

Think about what we have been through the last twelve months. I think the committee should submit a two-word report: ”We survived.” It is ONLY through the grace of God that we have gotten through the last year. We’ve worshipped in ball fields, front lawns, graveyards, beaches, and everywhere in-between. We’ve mastered technology….okay, that is a fib. None of us have mastered technology. But with God’s help we have continued to be a worshipping body of Christ.

As strange as these twelve months have been for us, we have nothing on God’s people in King David’s time. They wandered the wilderness for years, obediently following the Ark of the Covenant as it traveled throughout the Promised Land in a movable tent. That tent was their church.

David built a palace, and after he had made himself comfy and cozy there, he remembered that God had no home. He began to think about that.

(Hmmm. Were David’s priorities in the right order?)

2 Samuel (Contemporary English Version)

7 King David moved into his new palace, and the Lord let his kingdom be at peace. 2 Then one day, as David was talking with Nathan the prophet, David said, “Look around! I live in a palace made of cedar, but the sacred chest has to stay in a tent.”

3 Nathan replied, “The Lord is with you, so do what you want!”

Sometimes even well-meaning friends give you the wrong advice. God set Nathan straight.

4 That night, the Lord told Nathan 5 to go to David and give him this message:

David, you are my servant, so listen to what I say. Why should you build a temple for me? 6 I didn’t live in a temple when I brought my people out of Egypt, and I don’t live in one now. A tent has always been my home wherever I have gone with them. 7 I chose leaders and told them to be like shepherds for my people Israel. But did I ever say anything to even one of them about building a cedar temple for me?

8 David, this is what I, the Lord All-Powerful, say to you. I brought you in from the fields where you took care of sheep, and I made you the leader of my people. 9 Wherever you went, I helped you and destroyed your enemies right in front of your eyes. I have made you one of the most famous people in the world.

10 I have given my people Israel a land of their own where they can live in peace, and they won’t have to tremble with fear any more. Evil nations won’t bother them, as they did 11 when I let judges rule my people. And I have kept your enemies from attacking you.

God is so much more than a building. He is greater than four walls and a roof. The trouble with buildings is that they need constant repair, and sometimes donors end up worshipping the structure more than the Lord. Think I’m exaggerating? Look around. How many little brass “people-plaques” do you have in your sanctuary?

God’s “building” was going to be so much greater. He looked at David and decided to build a lineage that would run straight to Jesus. And Jesus would come to build a church of love, compassion, justice, hope, and peace.

Now I promise that you and your descendants will be kings.

If we’ve learned one thing from this pandemic, it is that God is wherever his people are. That is the whole point of being the church for the world. We are charged with carrying the message of how God came to us to inhabit our world, our lives, our hearts, our hopes, and our dreams for the future.

So no matter where you gather, you must proclaim the Good News of Jesus’ resurrection everywhere to anyone who will listen. We not only survive, we thrive. Thanks be to God.

Sunrise Church by Wende Pritchard

We Are the Church

Posted on by Betsy

Where is the strangest place you have attended church since March? A parking lot? A ball field? Your car? The front lawn of the church? Your living room?

As strange as these last few months have been for us, we have nothing on God’s people in King David’s time. They wandered the wilderness for years, obediently following the Ark of the Covenant as it traveled throughout the Promised Land in a movable tent. That tent was their church.

But after David had made himself comfy and cozy in his brand new palace, he remembered that God had no home. He began to think about that.

(Hmmm. Were David’s priorities in the right order?)

2 Samuel (Contemporary English Version)

7 King David moved into his new palace, and the Lord let his kingdom be at peace. 2 Then one day, as David was talking with Nathan the prophet, David said, “Look around! I live in a palace made of cedar, but the sacred chest has to stay in a tent.”

3 Nathan replied, “The Lord is with you, so do what you want!”

Sometimes even well-meaning friends give you the wrong advice. God set Nathan straight.

4 That night, the Lord told Nathan 5 to go to David and give him this message:

David, you are my servant, so listen to what I say. Why should you build a temple for me? 6 I didn’t live in a temple when I brought my people out of Egypt, and I don’t live in one now. A tent has always been my home wherever I have gone with them. 7 I chose leaders and told them to be like shepherds for my people Israel. But did I ever say anything to even one of them about building a cedar temple for me?

8 David, this is what I, the Lord All-Powerful, say to you. I brought you in from the fields where you took care of sheep, and I made you the leader of my people. 9 Wherever you went, I helped you and destroyed your enemies right in front of your eyes. I have made you one of the most famous people in the world.

10 I have given my people Israel a land of their own where they can live in peace, and they won’t have to tremble with fear any more. Evil nations won’t bother them, as they did 11 when I let judges rule my people. And I have kept your enemies from attacking you.

God is so much more than a building. He is greater than four walls and a roof. The trouble with buildings is that they need constant repair, and sometimes donors end up worshipping the structure more than the Lord. Think I’m exaggerating? Look around. How many little brass people-plaques do you have in your sanctuary?

God’s “building” was going to be so much greater. He looked at David and decided to build a lineage that would run straight to Jesus. And Jesus would come to build a church of love, compassion, justice, hope, and peace.

Now I promise that you and your descendants will be kings.

I write this today to offer you a message of comfort. You may not be able to be in your “building” on Christmas Eve. You may not be in a sanctuary for many more months to come. But if we’ve learned one thing from this pandemic, it is that God is wherever his people are. That is the whole point of Christmas. The incarnation was about God coming to us to inhabit our world, our lives, our hearts, and our hopes and dreams for the future.

Christmas is all about God WITH us…Emmanuel.

Come, Lord Jesus! Come.

Sunset Church by Karen Warlitner