Civil war is the worst kind, dividing families and friends. The kingdom of Israel was divided between King David the father and King Absalom the son. Anyone could have predicted that tragedy was coming no matter what happened.
Absalom was killed in battle by Joab, one of David’s closest friends and officers. This was very good military and political news for the rule of David and the reunification of the nation. But, David’s heart broke when he learned that his son Absalom was dead. His grief was so deep and profound that it silenced the victory of David’s loyal army and made them ready to quit. Someone had to confront the king and tell him to snap out of his grief and rise to leadership before all was lost. Joab, who had just killed Absalom, took the doubly difficult assignment. He confronted the king. David listened. The kingdom was saved.
Our lives include unspeakable tragedies. Yet, we must go on. In the midst of pain and loss we must rise to God’s call.
Speaker: Leith Anderson, Senior Pastor
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It all came on one day—blessing and curse. How does anyone know whether your friends or your enemies are right? Loyal friends can make a man proud. Rock-throwing critics can make a man want to quit.
David faced both. Ziba was a faithful friend who risked his life to protect and provide for David. Shimei was a vengeful critic who threw stones and shouted curses. David responded to both with grace and humility, blessing Ziba and giving Shimei the benefit of the doubt.
Speaker: Leith Anderson, Senior Pastor
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Every leader has critics and opponents. Some even face traitors who try to overthrow them. David’s pain and problem were even worse—the traitor was his own son.
Absalom was handsome, charismatic and popular. David decided that flight was better than fight and abandoned his capital city of Jerusalem so King Absalom could take his place. It couldn’t have been worse—all the dreams, all the hopes, all God’s promises seemed lost. David wept as he walked away with bare feet and head covered.
Should he have stayed to fight? Perhaps. Yet David was a leader in bad times as well as good and he had decided that the circumstances called for retreat. The kingdom was more important than the king. As hard as his decision was to make it was wise and good.
Speaker: Leith Anderson, Senior Pastor
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David was a king but also a father and he often struggled to fulfill his different roles. His son Absalom committed fratricide and was exiled for his crime. David had lost two of his sons—one to death and one to distance. Grief weighed heavy on his heart.
Joab was David’s subject and friend. He wanted David and Absalom to reconcile and used a trick to convince the king. It worked, sort of. David brought Absalom home to Jerusalem but refused to see him face-to-face. After more years of estrangement father and son finally reunited. It was a bittersweet reunion—they were together physically but still apart relationally.
Fathers and sons have a bond and relationship unlike any other. Stubbornness usually deepens alienation. Both sides need to give until they meet somewhere near the middle.
Speaker: Leith Anderson, Senior Pastor
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David had family problems. Lots of wives. Lots of children. Lots of troubles. It was another example of a starter sin that multiplied beyond initial imagination.
Amnon lusted for his half-sister Tamar. Jonadab was Amnon’s friend who dreamed-up a scheme for rape. Amnon bought into the scheme and raped his own sister. Absalom plotted revenge for two years before her murdered Amnon and skipped town to avoid prosecution. David and the family were shocked and filled with grief.
None of this ever should have happened. David’s family seems the least likely for such intrigue, conspiracy and capital crimes. Sin is terrible and hurts the innocent as well as the guilty.
Speaker: Leith Anderson, Senior Pastor
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It wasn’t like David didn’t have women in his life. He was the king with a harem of wives and concubines. But lust is not about what someone has but what someone wants. David wanted Bathsheba and he didn’t care who he hurt to get what he was after. It started with a stare, turned into adultery, escalated to murder and hurt an entire nation.
David was a good man with a heart for God. If he was vulnerable to sin and stupidity then the best of saints should always be on guard.
Speaker: Leith Anderson, Senior Pastor
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It started with an act of kindness. David wanted to be nice to the children of a man who had been nice to him. But, the Ammonites didn’t trust kindness and responded with offensive disrespect. When people are disrespected they often want to retaliate—whether it’s road rage on the interstate or war between nations. Everything escalated. Other nations were sucked into the conflict. Before long more than 40,000 were killed. It didn’t have to happen.
Speaker: Leith Anderson, Senior Pastor
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No one ever deserved to be served more than Jesus. And yet no one has ever been a servant like Jesus. As people forgiven by Jesus and called to follow him, what can we learn from his example about how we can better serve others? What do we need to know and decide in order to live as effective servants, and what will the impact of our service be on the lives of those we serve?
Speaker: Geoff Bohleen, Outreach Pastor
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One of the most offensive things a Christian can say today is that Jesus is the only way a person can find forgiveness and peace with God. This exclusive claim, originally made by Jesus, is offensive to many and considered arrogant, naïve and foolish. But why did Jesus make this claim? What did it cost Jesus to make this claim true? And how can we lovingly help skeptics see that Jesus’ exclusive claim is meant to lead to one of the most inclusive gifts ever offered?
Speaker: Geoff Bohleen, Outreach Pastor
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We often see artists’ portrayals of Jesus as a serene, kind young man with long, flowing hair. We read about his love and gentle interactions with children and the outcasts of society. Jesus was that kind of man. But we need to remember he also is almighty God, creator of the heavens and the earth, the firstborn over all creation. We need to remember that all things were created for him and all things hold together through him alone. The loving Jesus is also the supreme Jesus!
Speaker: Geoff Bohleen, Outreach Pastor
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Mephibosheth was orphaned and disabled—not a happy combination in ancient cultures that often assumed your problems were your own fault.
King David demonstrated compassion and wisdom in reaching out to Mephibosheth. He treated him with respect, stood up for his rights and provided an appropriate way for Mephibosheth to earn a living.
Speaker: Leith Anderson, Senior Pastor
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War is always awful. In the 10th century B.C. war was brutal. Most battles were fought in hand-to-hand combat. Winners lived. Losers died. David fought Israel’s battles the way ancient wars were fought. The Bible reports the harsh reality of slaughter.
And, God gave David and his army favor to win. It was part of God’s overall purpose to bless the nation so that the nation could bless the world. When God is on your side it’s hard to lose.
David was careful not to claim credit for victories won. As a believer he acknowledged God rather than bask in greed. As a leader he sought to do right by the people he governed.
Speaker: Leith Anderson, Senior Pastor
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God and David talked to each other—although God spoke through his prophet and David did most of the talking. It is a fascinating conversation that gives us insights into God and our relationship with him.
David was feeling guilty about his nice palace while God didn’t have a temple in Jerusalem. So, David offered to build one. God declined, at least for then. God is not so much about temples and holy places as he is about covenants and relationships. God promised David that he would establish an eternal kingdom through his line. While David probably thought that was a long line of sons and descendants on the throne in Jerusalem God was really pointing toward his Son, Jesus.
Although God did not give David the answer he anticipated, David responded with worship and adoration and loyalty to God.
Speaker: Leith Anderson, Senior Pastor
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The Ark of the Covenant represented the presence and power of God in the nation of Israel. Unlike his predecessor, David wanted God to be the center of life and worship for his people. So, he brought the Ark to the capital city of Jerusalem.
The journey was riddled with important spiritual lessons. The power of God was real and must be treated with constant respect (like a 220 volt electric line). Worship of God is primarily for God to see—he is the “Audience of One.” How we worship God can come between husband and wife (the estrangement between David and Michal meant that she never bore a potential successor to the throne who would have been a direct descendant of both Saul and David).
When we worship let us center on God and God alone.
Speaker: Leith Anderson, Senior Pastor
Wooddale Church is committed to solid, practical and biblical teaching. This weekend Discipleship Pastor Shawn Winters speaks on the Eden Prairie campus and Edina Campus Pastor Gary Clark speaks on the Edina campus.
The world is all about ‘numero uno.’ It places high importance on standing out, being the best, the greatest, the most powerful. Jesus teaches a different point of view: Greatness comes from being nothing. Importance comes from serving, not being served.
Speaker: Wayne Pederson (President, HCJB, Colorado Springs, Colorado)
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David’s path to the throne of Israel was long and rocky. After ruling only part of the country for 7½ years he finally became the king of all the people. The humble shy shepherd did what many powerful leaders do; he accumulated extensive personal wealth and power—including multiple wives and concubines.
We may wonder why God kept blessing a man who was less than ideal. There is no simple answer. In God’s mercy and grace he blessed David in spite of David. The king captured the reputedly impregnable city of Jerusalem and defeated formidable enemies.
The lesson for us is not that we sin so grace will increase (Romans 6:1-2). The lesson is for us to be amazed by God’s mercy and grace that is greater than our weaknesses and sins.
Speaker: Leith Anderson, Senior Pastor
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Family trees tell us about where we came from. Most Americans welcome the opportunity to explain their roots in Europe, Asia, Africa or the Americas. In many ways we are the product of our parents in past generations.
Israel’s King David had some very interesting women with some scandalous stories in his heritage. Tamar was impregnated by her father-in-law (Genesis 38). Rahab was a heathen prostitute (Joshua 2). Ruth was from a people with a curse (Ruth 1-4). All these women had loads of baggage but left a heritage that produced David and Jesus.
Speaker: Leith Anderson, Senior Pastor
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Every generation has enemies. Sometimes they are nationalities, sometimes they are religions, sometimes they are races, and sometimes they are leaders. Hatred for enemies isn’t hard to hear. Some take delight when an enemy dies, no matter how it happens.
David was different. He had a respect for his enemies and insisted on justice when his enemies were wronged. His attitude gave a preview hint of the teaching from David’s most famous descendant who said a thousand years later, “You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven.” (Matthew 5:43-45).
Speaker: Leith Anderson, Senior Pastor
Different seasons and different events have different dress codes. We dress according to the necessity (weather forcast) or propriety (formal, informal, business casual) of an event. Paul urges the believers in Jesus Christ to dress appropriately every day in order to experience true joy. ‘Therefore as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with…’ (Colossians 3:12) and ‘Over all these virtues put on…’ (Colossians 3:14). The dress code to truly enjoy our walk with Jesus is to live wholeheartedly for him. Letting our Christian values infect every aspect of life-business decisions, relationships, emotional responses, and worship.
Speaker: Shawn Winters, Discipleship Pastor
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Words of liturgy are repeated in worship. In the Old Testament the priests and people repeated some statements more than others and the most familiar included: “The Lord is good and his love endures forever.”
There were too many times in Israel’s history when troubles were many and God’s goodness might be doubted. But, his people were anchored in the unshakable first premise that God is good and loves them. Circumstances were interpreted by this declaration of faith rather than the other way around.
When we begin with God, believe fully in his goodness and love, then we understand life and circumstances in a way that leads us to lives of continuous gratitude.
Speaker: Leith Anderson, Senior Pastor
Our motivation for living Christianly is based on the salvation Jesus purchased for us through the cross. Our goal as a believer in Jesus Christ is to live for him and his glory out of thankfulness and not obligation or guilt. The challenge that we face is to continue to live by grace- freely and thankfully living for his glory. Our natural bent is to succumb to obligation, guilt, or false expectations. We may spend a lot of time vacillating between a life marked by either legalism (lists of to-do’s) or license (excusing behavior/ attitudes, etc.). Paul challenges the Colossians, ‘God made you alive in Christ. He forgave all our sins, having canceled the written code… he took it away, nailing it to the cross’ (Colossians 3:13-14).
Speaker: Shawn Winters, Discipleship Pastor
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What does the word “Easter” mean? Surprisingly the word Easter is not in the Bible. Nor is there a similar word in Hebrew, Greek, Latin, French, Italian or other languages. The Bible and other languages refer to “Passover” which is the Jewish name for the time of year when Jesus was crucified. Apparently the German word for Easter rolled over into English as a name of April when we usually celebrate Easter.
So, it’s not the name but what happened that makes Easter so all-important. It’s about life and death—for Jesus then and for us now. God wanted to save us from dying forever and Jesus was his plan. When Jesus was crucified and then came back to life he gave us the path to eternal life. It’s important. It’s a big deal. It’s forever.
Speaker: Leith Anderson, Senior Pastor
The title Son of David was not just a Palm Sunday notion. Matthew calls Jesus the Son of David ten times in the first Gospel of the New Testament.
The Old Testament prophecies pointed to Jesus and were fulfilled by him but Son of David was not enough for him to become our eternal Savior. Jesus was also, and more important, the Son of God (John 3:16) who came to take away the sins of the world.
Speaker: Shawn Winters, Discipleship Pastor
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It is quite easy for us to say we trust in Jesus. And yet, often our actions betray our words! We are often troubled by the circumstances of our lives. The choices we make seem to indicate that we are trusting in people or things other than Jesus, and our lives are only inconsistently marked by joy. Is there an option to being troubled by life’s challenges? Can we really trust Jesus with our daily lives? What reasons are there for us to place our trust in Jesus? And, what difference will it make?
Speaker: Geoff Bohleen, Outreach Pastor
Most of us don’t walk through our days shouting to the masses, ‘Hey, everyone, I’m weak! Let me tell you about my weaknesses…’ But, maybe we should start to do just that! According to the apostle Paul, God’s strength and power is made perfect in our weakness. It is during those weak times that we most often turn to Christ for help and grace… and he gives it freely and in abundance. What a gift!
Speaker: Heather Flies, Jr. High Pastor
Jesus taught through parables about the most important and troubling challenges of life. In Luke 12:22-34, he tackles the issue of worry. In this teaching he repeats the ‘do not worry’ statement many times. He encourages the hearer to look at the natural world around them, to look at history, to look at their own limitations and realize that worry does not change anything. He cautions us to be careful where we place our ‘heart.’ In this teaching he also gives encouragement to those who’s worry has become a full fledged fear. The real solution is to trust in God, to draw near to him, and to invest your life in eternal things, not temporal. Jesus reassures us that God sees us and that he cares for us. He warns about the distraction that worry can have on all of us. He also gives some great ideas for going on the offensive against worry.
Speaker: Shawn Winters, Discipleship Pastor
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Some parts of the Bible are difficult to read out loud in a family church service. The report of David’s rise to royal rule over Israel is full of bloody murders, intrigue, wife-stealing, lying and politics. It’s not a pretty picture.
The Bible tells us what actually happened. It doesn’t always explain how people with God can behave so godlessly. However, the Bible demonstrates how God relentlessly pursues his purposes and fulfills his promises through the maze of strange and sinful human behavior.
Speaker: Leith Anderson, Senior Pastor
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There are some messengers you never want to meet—especially those who tell you a loved one has died. David faced a multiple grief. His nation was defeated in battle and his friends were dead.
Life is seldom simple. There are often complications and confusion. The messenger lied and claimed that he killed King Saul, thinking that would get him some kind of bounty from David. Instead, David accused him of murdering God’s anointed king and ordered the messenger executed. Only after the execution did David realize the man wasn’t a murderer after all. True stories are often a mess.
Like so many of us, David turned to music to express his grief. He wrote a psalm that never made it into the book of Psalms but did express David’s grief in the face of great loss.
Speaker: Leith Anderson, Senior Pastor
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David is never mentioned by name in the final chapter of the first volume in his Old Testament biography. But, the sad and gruesome story of 1 Samuel 31 is an important part of David’s personal story because he lost his best friend and his mentor in one day. It was the end of a chapter and the beginning of a new dynasty with David as the sole leader.
The daring courage of this story of violent death comes not from David and his men but from the brave men in an obscure village called Jabesh Gilead. They decided to do what was right even through the danger was great and the personal benefits were none. Thank God for those willing to take risks to do what is right.
Speaker: Leith Anderson, Senior Pastor
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David didn’t go to battle but the battle came to him. His home was ransacked and his family kidnapped. His comrades suffered the same losses and blamed David for their problems. David was discouraged and desperate. He turned to God for direction and hope. God sent him into an unexpected fight and an unprecedented victory.
David and his little army not only won the battle but also rescued their families, reclaimed their stolen possessions and walked away with loads of loot. What are we supposed to do with winnings like that? Keep them all for ourselves or share them with others? David decided to share.
Speaker: Leith Anderson, Senior Pastor
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David faced an impossible dilemma. Even though he was a faithful and loyal Israelite his own king had turned against him. David and his small army fled to Israel’s enemy for safety. Now Israel and Philistia were headed to battle and David had to fight on one side or the other. Either way was trouble.
God gave David a gift through the collaborations of the Philistine generals who insisted that David and his soldiers retreat from the fight. One of the biggest and most important battles in their history was not to be David’s fight.
Sometimes our best choice is to stay out of the battle. We can’t fight every time and place. There are only so many battles in us. In God’s grace he allows us to retreat to fight again another day.
Speaker: Leith Anderson, Senior Pastor
Since God created and loves every person ever born, as followers of Jesus we have the privilege and responsibility to provide all people with access to all of God’s good gifts. It is unjust for some to have plenty while others do without, whether it is food, medical care, justice, clean water or the good news of new life through Jesus.
There will also be an explanation of the Hunger Initiative within the sermon.
Speaker: Geoff Bohleen, Outreach Pastor
One day Jesus was asked by an expert in the law, ‘What must I do to inherit eternal life?’ The conversation led to another question by a legal expert, ‘Who is my neighbor?’ In response, Jesus told a story we call the ‘Parable of the Good Samaritan.’ Jesus challenges everyone in this story to get beyond comfort zones and stereotypes, and give practical, oftentimes inconvenient loving care to anyone in need. The reason this is so important is that every person we see is made in God’s image, is loved by God and deserves our love and care.
There will also be an explanation of the Hunger Initiative within the sermon.
Speaker: Geoff Bohleen, Outreach Pastor
Saul became a frightened and desperate leader who turned to dangerous and illegal behavior. In one of the Bible’s most bizarre stories we read how the king visited a witch to practice necromancy—calling up the prophet Samuel from the grave to ask for his advice.
It is hard to know exactly what actually happened. Did a dead man actually come back to talk to King Saul or was this some kind of an illusion? Either way, it was a bad thing to do. The Bible clearly forbids such practices (Leviticus 19:31; Deuteronomy 18:9-14). Saul was reaping the consequences of his personal and political decline. He was a desperate man without God.
The simplest and most direct moral to the story is for us to never get into such desperation. Trust and obey God before life’s hardest times come.
Speaker: Leith Anderson, Senior Pastor
Bette Midler sang about the God we know “from a distance.” That’s the way many people think of God. He is in heaven and we are on earth. He is busy with the universe and not much connected to our everyday lives. Actually, a lot of people like it that way. They prefer that God keeps his distance and leaves them alone.
Christmas is about God coming our way. Jesus is God who came to our earth and became human in one of our bodies. In other words, God condescended and came to be with us. It is the best news we could ever hear or have.
Jesus not only came to us but asks to stay with us. That’s what it means to be a Christian—to welcome Jesus into our lives and be with us forever.
Speaker: Leith Anderson, Senior Pastor
David’s name is more frequent than Jesus’ name in the Christmas story. Joseph and Jesus are both the “sons of David.” The difficult journey from Nazareth to Bethelehm was to make sure that Jesus was born in the “city of David.” Mary and Joseph were both from the “house and line of David.”
David’s name appears 896 times in the English Bible. Obviously David was important to God and central to the story of God’s relationship with humanity. But it is important to realize that the story is most about Jesus not David. David was the path to Jesus.
Speaker: Leith Anderson, Senior Pastor
Temptations have a way of coming around another time. That’s what happened with David. He sneaked up on Saul and his army and could have killed the man who was trying to kill David. But when the moment of decision came David chose life over death and right over wrong. It could not have been an easy decision. David turned down the easy path to removing threats against his life, coming home and becoming king. Right was more important than ease or success.
Speaker: Leith Anderson, Senior Pastor
David was an amazing man but sometimes he let his emotions eclipse his good judgment. When he was insulted and rebuffed by a rich man David decided to kill him and all the men around him. It was a shocking overreaction.
The rich man’s wife, Abigail, was smart, beautiful and exercised very good judgment. She figured out exactly how to handle the escalating conflict between David and her husband, Nabal. She saved the lives of many and prevented David from sinfully slaughtering innocent people.
Life often takes surprising twists and turns. Nabal soon died a natural death and David proposed to and quickly married Abigail.
Thank God for those who can stay calm and wise in situations with hot tempers and bad judgment.
Speaker: Leith Anderson, Senior Pastor
Saul was obsessed with killing David. He led 3000 soldiers on a manhunt to track down and kill his son’s best friend. The facts didn’t change his mind. He was a man on an evil mission.
In a stunning turn of events, Saul went into a cave to go to the bathroom. It was the cave where David was hiding from Saul. It was David’s opportunity to kill Saul, be safe and claim the crown of Israel. His comrades said this opportunity was a gift from God.
David could not bring himself to do it. Saul was chosen and anointed by God and David refused to attack God’s anointed no matter what Saul said or did. It gave a clear view of the integrity of David as a man of principle and godliness. God’s priorities were more important than David’s ambitions.
Speaker: Leith Anderson, Senior Pastor
Saul increasingly abandoned any guise of godly leadership. He ordered the execution of priests and then turned on families to be slaughtered. Remember that he was chosen by God and anointed by the prophet Samuel to lead God’s chosen people. Yet he became the enemy of God and of the people.
Never think that politics, relationships and sins are simple or uncomplicated. At Nob there were righteous men who disobeyed military orders because they didn’t want to do what was wrong. But, there was one who put obedience to the king over doing what was right. And, why did all this happen? Well, if David hadn’t done all he did the situation wouldn’t have happened the way it did. Blame seems to be shared. Life and politics are complicated and messy.
Speaker: Leith Anderson, Senior Pastor
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