Sermon Summary

This week, Pastor Chris continued in our series through the life of David. As his circumstances shifted from adverse to favorable, David was confronted with a choice. He could either choose to press further into Jesus or shift into neutral and coast in his faith. We can learn a lot about our character by how we respond to blessing and success in our lives. Rather than settling, we can choose to respond like David, and double down on our affection for Jesus.

Psalm 132:1–5 (ESV)

1 Remember, O Lord, in David’s favor, all the hardships he endured, 2 how he swore to the Lord and vowed to the Mighty One of Jacob, 3 “I will not enter my house or get into my bed, 4 I will not give sleep to my eyes or slumber to my eyelids, 5 until I find a place for the Lord, a dwelling place for the Mighty One of Jacob.”

Proverbs 30:7–9 (ESV)

7 Two things I ask of you; deny them not to me before I die: 8 Remove far from me falsehood and lying; give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with the food that is needful for me, 9 lest I be full and deny you and say, “Who is the Lord?” or lest I be poor and steal and profane the name of my God.

David Refused to Settle

2 Samuel 7:1–3 (ESV)

1 Now when the king lived in his house and the Lord had given him rest from all his surrounding enemies, 2 the king said to Nathan the prophet, “See now, I dwell in a house of cedar, but the ark of God dwells in a tent.” 3 And Nathan said to the king, “Go, do all that is in your heart, for the Lord is with you.”

David Refused to be Content

  • His Past Victories
  • His Position as King
  • Honor
  • Wealth
  • Security
  • Ease and Leisure

2 Samuel 7:4–10 (ESV)

4 But that same night the word of the Lord came to Nathan, 5 “Go and tell my servant David, ‘Thus says the Lord: Would you build me a house to dwell in? 6 I have not lived in a house since the day I brought up the people of Israel from Egypt to this day, but I have been moving about in a tent for my dwelling. 7 In all places where I have moved with all the people of Israel, did I speak a word with any of the judges of Israel, whom I commanded to shepherd my people Israel, saying, “Why have you not built me a house of cedar?” ’ 8 Now, therefore, thus you shall say to my servant David, ‘Thus says the Lord of hosts, I took you from the pasture, from following the sheep, that you should be prince over my people Israel. 9 And I have been with you wherever you went and have cut off all your enemies from before you. And I will make for you a great name, like the name of the great ones of the earth. 10 And I will appoint a place for my people Israel and will plant them, so that they may dwell in their own place and be disturbed no more. And violent men shall afflict them no more…

Potential Traps of Settling

  1. Mismanaged Time
  2. Choosing Comfort
  3. Compromised Relationships
  4. Love of the World

1 John 2:15 (ESV)

15 Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.

  • Grab Instead of Give
  • Retire
  • Cold Love

Matthew 24:10–12 (ESV)

10 And then many will fall away and betray one another and hate one another. 11 And many false prophets will arise and lead many astray. 12 And because lawlessness will be increased, the love of many will grow cold.

  • Neglecting of Spiritual Gifts

1 Peter 4:10 (ESV)

10 As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God’s varied grace:

  • Not Finishing

There is nothing so fatal to character as half-finished tasks.  

David Lloyd George.

  1. Embracing Disappointment
  2. Taking Control

When we settle for less, we discount God’s instruction.

Settling for less means we are not committed to God’s best.

Jeremiah 29:11 (MSG)

11 I know what I’m doing. I have it all planned out—plans to take care of you, not abandon you, plans to give you the future you hope for.

David Prepared the Next Generation

2 Samuel 7:11–17 (ESV)

11 from the time that I appointed judges over my people Israel. And I will give you rest from all your enemies. Moreover, the Lord declares to you that the Lord will make you a house. 12 When your days are fulfilled and you lie down with your fathers, I will raise up your offspring after you, who shall come from your body, and I will establish his kingdom. 13 He shall build a house for my name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever. 14 I will be to him a father, and he shall be to me a son. When he commits iniquity, I will discipline him with the rod of men, with the stripes of the sons of men, 15 but my steadfast love will not depart from him, as I took it from Saul, whom I put away from before you. 16 And your house and your kingdom shall be made sure forever before me. Your throne shall be established forever.’ ” 17 In accordance with all these words, and in accordance with all this vision, Nathan spoke to David.

2 Samuel 7:18–20 (ESV)

18 Then King David went in and sat before the Lord and said, “Who am I, O Lord God, and what is my house, that you have brought me thus far? 19 And yet this was a small thing in your eyes, O Lord God. You have spoken also of your servant’s house for a great while to come, and this is instruction for mankind, O Lord God! 20 And what more can David say to you? For you know your servant, O Lord God!

David Believed and Stayed Committed to God

2 Samuel 7:25–27 (ESV)

25 And now, O Lord God, confirm forever the word that you have spoken concerning your servant and concerning his house, and do as you have spoken. 26 And your name will be magnified forever, saying, ‘The Lord of hosts is God over Israel,’ and the house of your servant David will be established before you. 27 For you, O Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, have made this revelation to your servant, saying, ‘I will build you a house.’ Therefore your servant has found courage to pray this prayer to you.

Romans 4:20–21 (ESV)

20 No unbelief made him waver concerning the promise of God, but he grew strong in his faith as he gave glory to God, 21 fully convinced that God was able to do what he had promised.

“By perseverance the snail reached the Ark.” -Spurgeon

Acts 20:22–24 (ESV)

22 And now, behold, I am going to Jerusalem, constrained by the Spirit, not knowing what will happen to me there, 23 except that the Holy Spirit testifies to me in every city that imprisonment and afflictions await me. 24 But I do not account my life of any value nor as precious to myself, if only I may finish my course and the ministry that I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God.

Philippians 3:12–14 (ESV)

12 Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own. 13 Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, 14 I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.

Hebrews 12:1–2 (ESV)

1 Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, 2 looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.

Hebrews 11:13 (ESV)

13 These all died in faith, not having received the things promised, but having seen them and greeted them from afar, and having acknowledged that they were strangers and exiles on the earth.

Discussion Questions

1. How do you naturally respond when your circumstances are favorable?

2. Do you find yourself choosing to be content in your past victories, in leisure, your position, your honor, wealth, or security?

3. Are you struggling with any of the “potential traps of settling” in your life right now? How can you start to walk in the opposite spirit in this area?

4. Pastor Chris said, “We will follow what we gaze upon.” What do you tend to fix your attention on in your daily life?

Application Questions

1. Are you currently stuck in an eddy in your life? Get prayer with a mentor this week and realign with the Lord’s plan for you.

2. Meditate on Philippians 3:12-14 this week.