“Cracks in the Legacy” – a message about the real David from 2 Samuel 13-20

This past weekend at Eastbrook, we continued our summer preaching series entitled “The Pursuit of God: The Life of David.” My message this weekend moved at a fairly high level in relation to the stories found in 2 Samuel 13-20. I explored three cracks in David’s legacy, and what it means to move from idealism into faith-filled realism.

You can find the message outline and video below. You can access the entire series here. Join us for weekend worship in-person or remotely via Eastbrook at Home.

---

“Let the redeemed of the LORD tell their story—those he redeemed from the hand of the foe.”  (Psalm 107:2)

Tracing the Cracks in David’s Legacy

Crack 1: David’s daughter, Tamar, is taken advantage of and David’s sons, Amnon and Absalom, imitate David’s sin (2 Samuel 13-14)

Crack 2: David’s own son, Absalom, starts an uprising and David is exiled from Jerusalem (2 Samuel 15-19)

Crack 3: David returns to Jerusalem to find his rule threatened by another, Sheba ben Bikri, who leads the tribes of the north away (2 Samuel 20)

Living the Real-Life Pursuit of God

Letting go of idealism for faith-filled realism

Living in reality about God, ourselves, and others

Experiencing the joy of repentance

Entrusting ourselves to the God who is God

Following Jesus the Messiah full of grace and truth

---

Dig Deeper

This week dig deeper in one or more of the following ways:

• This week take time to read or listen to all of 2 Samuel 13-20. What stands out to you about the flow of action, each character, and who God is in this? What is God speaking to you through these chapters of David’s story? 
• Consider this exercise to reflect on your life: 
  • What are the key events of each chapter? Who are the people who influenced and shaped your life? What are the most significant circumstances that have affected your life direction?
• • What have been the most painful moments in your life? 
• • Now divide your life into a series of chapters, as if in a book. What would the title of each chapter be? 
• Pray about all of this or share it with someone afterwards
• Explore some or all of these resources:
• Gene Edwards, A Tale of Three Kings
• Bible Project, “The Books of Samuel”