Questions for reflection, application, and discussion 1. Prior to David's ...

Questions for reflection, application, and discussion 1. Prior to David’s bringing the Ark to Jerusalem, for nearly 100 years the Ark (which symbolized God’s presence) was not in the tabernacle – the place of worship. In a very real sense the Jews of that day had grown used to going through the motions of worship all while God’s presence wasn’t even there. They had become more focused on the motions and traditions of worship than seeking God’s presence. a. Can this happen to us in our churches today? If so, how can this happen, and what does it look like? How can we know if we’ve fallen into this trap? b. Read Matthew 15:8-9. How is it possible to worship God with our lips while our heart is far from God, with a worship God’s calls vain or empty? c. Do you think the people of David’s day or Jesus’ day considered their worship empty? Explain your answer. d. Recognizing our propensity for self-deception, how can we know that our heart is right and that we haven’t fallen into this trap? When is the last time you evaluated your heart regarding worship? 2. 2nd Samuel 6 tells us that in David’s first attempt to bring the Ark to Jerusalem, they tried to transport it on a cart. When the oxen pulling the cart stumbled, a man named Uzzah put his hand out to keep the ark from falling, and God struck him dead. a. Many people consider this a very difficult passage, complaining it reveals God to be harsh, capricious, and legalistic. Was God unfair to punish Uzzah? Why or why not? How would you respond to those who complain about this passage? b. Why did God strike Uzzah dead? What does this passage reveal about God, about us, and about our relationship with God? 3. Verse 8 tells us that after God struck Uzzah dead, David was angry. Why was he angry? Who was he angry with? 4. Verse 9 tells us that David was afraid, saying “How can the Ark of the Lord come to me,” and that he then left the Ark and the home of a non-Jew named Obed-edom. What happened that caused David to change his mind, and bring the Ark to Jerusalem in a parade three months later? 5.

In 2nd Samuel 6:14 we are told that “David danced before the LORD with all his might.” a. If David’s unreserved worship is presented to us as an example we are to learn from, what are we to learn? Practically, what does David’s example teach you about how you should approach your own worship of God? b. At the end of the chapter we are told that David’s wife Michal criticized David’s unreserved worship before God. What was the root of Michal’s problem, and how can we fall into the same trap as she did?

6. David’s example in worship is consistent with the Great Commandment, that teaches that we to worship God with all our mind, all of our emotion, all of our body, and all of our will. a. Which of these aspects of worship is most natural for you to express? What has tended to take prominence in your own worship experience?

b. Which of these aspects of worship is the least natural for you to express? Why do you think that this aspect of worship is less natural and more challenging for you?