SERMON #1067
Title: THE
LIFE OF A MAN AFTER GOD'S OWN HEART
Text: Acts
"For
David, after he had served his own generation by the will of God, fell on
sleep, and was laid unto his fathers."
-- Acts
Subject: Serving Our Generation
Date: Tuesday
Evening -
Introduction:
While I fully agree that a man's character and conduct have
nothing to do with his salvation, (The grace of God is absolutely free and
unconditional!), let no one ever imagine that the grace of God does not affect
a man's character and conduct. If a person experiences the
grace of God in salvation that grace will be evidenced in his character and
conduct in this world. We have a clear example of this in Acts 13. David
was a man who had been saved by God's amazing grace. The grace by which he was
saved greatly affected his character. In verse 22 the Lord God describes
David's character, declaring him to be "a man after mine own heart, which
shall fulfil all my will." That is a man of
remarkable character! Then, in verse 36, his conduct is described. "For
David, after he had served his own generation by the will of God, fell on
sleep, and was laid unto his fathers."
Grace changes people. Grace affects the way we live. It changes both our
motives and our deeds. It changes both our character and our conduct.
Proposition: Grace makes men and women useful and
serviceable to God and to one another.
Tonight, I want to talk to you about THE LIFE OF A MAN AFTER
GOD'S OWN HEART, as Paul describes it in our text. "For David, after he
had served his own generation by the will of God, fell on sleep, and was laid
unto his fathers." -- Acts
Unless I am deceived, this is my heart's ambition. I want to
serve my generation by the will of God. This is what I want for myself. This is
what I want for each of you personally. And this is what I want for us
collectively as a church.
Divisions: I want to raise and answer four questions, as we
look at this subject together.
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1. What is it to serve our generation?
1. What is the sphere of our service?
3. What is the rule of our service?
4. What will happen when our service is done?
I. WHAT IS IT TO SERVE OUR GENERATION?
I realize that if we are born of God our citizenship is in
heaven, that we are strangers and pilgrims on the earth. Therefore we must
carefully avoid entangling ourselves with the affairs of this world. Yet, we
are all responsible, as the children of God, to serve the generation in which
we live for the glory of God, as David did. As he "served his own
generation by the will of God," so must we. How can we do that? What is it
for us to serve our own generation?
A. I know this - I CANNOT SERVE MY GENERATION BY WITHDRAWING
AND ISOLATING MYSELF FROM IT.
Those who withdraw themselves from men and endeavor to
isolate themselves from the evils of the world by isolating themselves from
evil men are like soldiers who hide in a trench while the battle is raging.
They are useless cowards.
NOTE: That form of religious separation which leads to
isolation is a terribly evil remnant of papacy.
1. It
arises from a
false, unscriptural view of sin
(Matt.
2. It is born of and cultivates self-righteousness.
It says, "Stand by thyself, come
not near to me; for I am holier than thou." But God says to such
men," You are a smoke in my nose!" Your righteousnesses
are filthy rags in my sight! (Isa 65:5; 64:6).
3. This
Pharisaical form of
separation destroys all real
usefulness.
Illustration: My conversation with R. E. Allen - "How
can a man be of any use to men for good who avoids all contact with men for
fear of defiling himself? How can you serve Christ at all? What is the purpose
of your life?" I cannot serve my generation by isolating myself from it.
B. I know this too - IT WILL BE IMPOSSIBLE FOR ME TO SERVE
MY GENERATION IF I BECOME A SLAVE TO IT.
Do you suppose that the best way to deliver a drunk Sermon #1067
THE LIFE OF A MAN AFTER GOD'S
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from drunkenness is to take to the
corner bar and have a drink with him, while you show him the evils of
drunkenness? You say, "Pastor, that's absurd." I agree. It is. Yet,
everywhere I go men and women tell me that if we hope to reach men and deliver
them from human religion, we must accommodate ourselves to the opinions,
customs and traditions of the religious world in which we live. We must find
common ground upon which we can meet. I say, That's
absurd!
The gospel of Christ, the truth of God is the most
unaccommodating thing in the world! The faith once delivered to the saints was
delivered in exactly the language God intended that it should be. Truth does
not change! Truth does not bend! Truth does not compromise! Truth cannot be
accommodating!
1. That man serves his generation best who stands firm- ly by the truth
and is unmoved by the current
of opinion.
"Thus saith the LORD, Stand
ye in the ways, and see, and ask for the old paths, where is the good way, and
walk therein, and ye shall find rest for your souls." -- Jer 6:16
2. Christ has made us kings and priests unto God.
We are the servants of the most high
God! We do not need to bow and cringe before men! We best serve our generation
by leading it as men, rather than following it as timid children.
"Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink,
or in respect of an holyday, or of the new moon, or of
the sabbath days: Which are a shadow of things to
come; but the body is of Christ. Let no man beguile you of your reward in a
voluntary humility and worshipping of angels, intruding into those things which
he hath not seen, vainly puffed up by his fleshly mind, And
not holding the Head, from which all the body by joints and bands having
nourishment ministered, and knit together, increaseth
with the increase of God. Wherefore if ye be dead with Christ from the
rudiments of the world, why, as though living in the world, are ye subject to
ordinances, (Touch not; taste not; handle not; Which all are to perish with the
using;) after the commandments and doctrines of men? Which things have indeed a
show of wisdom in will worship, and humility, and neglecting of the body; not
in any honour to the satisfying of the
flesh." --
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C. I CAN BEST SERVE MY GENERATION BY PERFORMING THE COMMON
DUTIES OF LIFE IN THE PLACE WHERE GOD HAS PUT ME BY HIS GOOD
"Let every man abide in the same calling wherein he was
called. Art thou called being a servant? care not for
it: but if thou mayest be made free, use it rather.
For he that is called in the Lord, being a servant, is
the Lord's freeman: likewise also he that is called, being free, is Christ's
servant. Ye are bought with a price; be not ye the servants of men. Brethren,
let every man, wherein he is called, therein abide with God." -- 1 Cor
"And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord,
and not unto men." --
David's daddy was a sheep farmer. Guess what David was doing
when God anointed him to be the king of
The point is this - Whatever God sets before you as a matter
of responsibility in this world, do it for the glory of God. {Husbands - Wives
- Students - Carpenters - Plumbers - Teachers - Salesmen - Deacons - Teachers -
Pastors - Janitors}
Illustration: My talk with Dr. Harries
1. Be faithful in small things and
God will make you rule over great things
"Seekest thou great things
for thyself? Seek them not!"
Illustration: GILL'S HONORARY DOCTORATE - "I neither
thought it, nor sought it, nor bought it."
2. Be ready to serve in anyway, at
anytime, in any place, if God is pleased to call you.
Illustration: David - "Is there not a cause?"
Spurgeon said, "If you are to serve God, wait till he
calls you to his work. He knows where to find you when he wants you. You need
not advertise yourself to his omniscience!"
D. I SERVE MY GENERATION BY DOING WHAT LIES WITHIN MY POWER
TO MAINTAIN THE TRUE WORSHIP OF GOD IN THIS AGE.
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David had his faults, grave and serious faults which cannot
be excused, but David never swerved from his allegiance to God throughout his
life. The whole current of David's life was to the glory of the God in whom he
trusted and the praise of the God who had redeemed him.
1. David
counted God's enemies to
be his enemies (Ps. 139:19-21).
2. He brought the ark of God to
3. He wrote numerous psalms, hymns of praise to God, to lead
4. Let
each of us, like David, do what we can to main- tain and increase
the true worship of God in
this generation.
-Witnessing
-Tracts,
Tapes, Books, etc.
-Working
-Giving
-Preaching
E. IF I WOULD SERVE MY GENERATION, IT MUST NOT BE BY A
SINGLE ACTION PERFORMED AT A GIVEN TIME, BUT BY A LIFE CONSECRATED TO THE GLORY
OF GOD.
David began to serve God, and so to serve his generation, as
a young man and continued doing so all his life.
Illustration: The Soldiers of Christ are all
"Lifers".
F. Once more, IF I WOULD SERVE MY GENERATION FOR THE GLORY
OF GOD, I MUST DO WHAT I CAN TO PREPARE FOR THE GENERATIONS THAT MAY FOLLOW.
David served his generation to the very end by providing for
future generations. He was not permitted to build the temple which he longed to
build for the glory of God; but the Lord did allow him to make all the
necessary preparations for it. David stored up all the materials for the work,
so that everything was ready when Solomon became king.
1. David did everything he could in his day.
2. He
did everything God
would allow him to do and everything God had ordained that he should
do.
3. He sought God's blessings upon and his direction for the one who would follow him.
Illustration: John Rippon Praying
for His Successor
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II. WHAT IS THE SPHERE OF OUR SERVICE?
Some talk of the past, and others
dream of the future. Some talk of what they have done, and others talk of what
they would do, or what they are going to do. Both lose the priceless
opportunity of the present. I hope that we will not be so foolish.
NOTE: One thing has been greatly impressed upon my heart by
the events of the past few weeks. Whatever I am going to do for the service of
my God in this generation I must do now! I must buy up and seize the
opportunity I have.
"But this I say, brethren, the time is short: it remaineth, that both they that have wives be as though they
had none." -- 1 Cor
"Redeeming the time, because the days
are evil." -- Eph 5:16
This is the sphere of service which God has appointed for
me, for which I am responsible...
-The
Present Time!
-The
Present Task!
-The
Present Place!
-The
Present Generation!
-The
Present Ability!
Illustrations: 1.
"She hath done what she could" (Mk. 14:8)
2.
A Cup of Cold Water
3.
The Widow and Elijah
4.
"Be not forgetful to entertain strangers: for thereby some have
entertained angels unawares."-- Heb 13:2
III. WHAT IS THE RULE OF OUR SERVICE?
Our text reads, "David, after he had served his own
generation by the will of God." David served his generation by the will of
God; and in serving his generation he served the will of God. If you and I
would serve our generation by the will of God three things must be done by us.
A. First, WE MUST MAKE THE GLORY OF GOD THE PRIMARY OBJECT
OF ALL THAT WE DO.
"Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye
do, do all to the glory of God."
-- 1 Cor
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-In Life!
-In
Preaching!
-In The Church!
B. Second, WE MUST BE OBEDIENT TO THE REVEALED WILL OF GOD -
THE HOLY SCRIPTURES!
Men and women who talk about serving God while ignoring the
Word of God do but mock and blaspheme God. They thumb their noses at the
Almighty!
C. Third, WE MUST SEEK THE DIRECTION OF GOD'S SPIRIT TO
DIRECT US IN THE WILL OF GOD.
"Trust in the LORD with all thine
heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In
all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths." -- Prov 3:5-6
NOTE: God always reveals his will to those who are willing
to do his will.
IV. WHAT WILL HAPPEN TO US WHEN OUR SERVICE IS DONE?
Look at our text again. "David, after he had served his
own generation by the will of God, fell on sleep, and was laid unto his
fathers." By the will of God he served, and by the will of God he was laid
to rest in the arms of Christ.
John Gill said, "David lived according to the will of
God's command, and he died by the will of his decree."
Spurgeon said, "Guided by the will of God, David did
his work on earth; and calmly resigned to the will of God, he prepared to
die." (See II Sam 23:5)
A. DAVID DID NOT GO TO SLEEP UNTIL HIS WORK WAS DONE.
Tis true, "the future holds
no fear,
God guards the work begun;
And mortals are immortal here
Until their work is done!"
David did not want to die before his time. He did not desire
to live past his time. And he could not be killed until his time, until his
appointed work was done.
B. WHEN HIS WORK WAS DONE, DAVID FELL ASLEEP IN THE ARMS OF
HIS LORD, UPON THE COUCH OF GOD'S COVENANT, RESTING HIS HEAD UPON THE PILLOW OF
GOD'S FAITHFULNESS.
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C. DAVID'S DYING WAS JUST GOING TO SLEEP!
Death for a believer is just sleep, sweet, blessed sleep!
1. A sleeping man is resting from his labors (Heb.4:9).
2. A sleeping man will awake in the morning. "I would
not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that
ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus
died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus
will God bring with him. For this we say unto you by the word of the
Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not
prevent them which are asleep. For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven
with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and
the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall
be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and
so shall we ever be with the Lord. Wherefore comfort one another with these
words." -- 1 Th
4:13-18
Application:
I hope that, as you leave here tonight, you will carry this
message home with you. When you lay you head upon your pillow tonight, I hope
your heart will be compelled to seek these three things from God:
1. God, give me a heart like David's.
2. Let me live as David lived, serving my generation by the will of God.
3. Let me die like David died - Believing God!