April 20
2 Samuel 2:1-3:5; 1 Chronicles 3:1-4; 2 Samuel 23:8-17; 1 Chronicles 11:10-19; 2 Samuel 23:18-39; 1 Chronicles 11:20-47
In the Accademia Gallery in Florence you can see the majestic sculpture of David by Michelangelo. Throughout Italy you can see the apostles often depicted in sculpture or paintings with halos around their heads. These men truly served God and should be respected for their service and dedication. But they were all flawed. I don't say this to diminish them in any way. But whenever we lift up anyone above where they belong, because we are all flawed, there is a tendency to become disappointed and disillusioned when they fail. We can dress up nice for our Facebook photos. Most don't show their sin, or do their best to hide it. But we can't on one hand claim to be sinners saved by grace, and yet look at those we elevate as sinless. Servants are often not celebrated in this world, but that is what we are called to be. It may not be glamorous, but it is our calling.
David was a "man after God's own heart", and a faithful servant of God. But in 2 Samuel 3:2-5, we are introduced to some of his eight wives. David knew from Deuteronomy 17:17 that kings were not to multiply wives, but he chose to disregard this. This does not diminish what David did as God's servant, but it reveals the flawed and faulty servant that he was. When it comes to the Last Supper, in Luke we read of an argument breaking out among them as to who would be the greatest among them. We have seen these men, depicted with halos, often saying and doing the wrong things throughout God's Word. Yet this is not to diminish these amazing servants who served Jesus to martyrdom, faithfully and selflessly. We should take seriously the words of our Savior just after washing the feet of His disciples (one of the dirtiest jobs to do) in John 13:13-17, "You call Me Teacher and Lord, and you say well, for so I am. If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. For I have given you an example, that you should do as I have done to you. Most assuredly, I say to you, a servant is not greater than his master; nor is he who is sent greater than he who sent him. If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them."
You might be saddened by the downfall of one of the pillars that you have erected: perhaps a parent, spouse, leader, etc. But why? They were never meant to be pillars. They were never meant to be idolized. I'm grateful that the Bible is so transparent and reveals the flaws of the beautiful characters woven throughout it's pages. It doesn't cause me to look down on them or think any less of them. I respect them for their service to the Lord, but people they are. Likewise, we must all realize that we and everyone else around us are flawed. This should cause us to look upon the only One who is not flawed, the Only One who is indeed perfect, Jesus the Christ. He alone is perfect, and His sacrifice on our behalf is thus perfect. He and He alone must be where we place our trust and our hope. He will never disappoint us.
Messages from Pastor Lloyd Pulley: