1 Chronicles 22-25, King David’s Tips For Serving God
1. Let God Set Your Role (1 Chronicles 22)
2. Let God Change Your Role (1 Chronicles 23)
3. Schedule Your Service (1 Chronicles 24)
4. Desire Earnestly To Prophesy (1 Chronicles 25)
1 Chronicles 22-25, King David’s Tips For Serving God
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Alright, so here in 1 Chronicles Chapter 22, let's read verses one through 5. Here's what it says.
Then David said this is the House of the Lord God, and this is the altar of the burnt offering for Israel.
So David commanded to gather the aliens who were in the land of Israel, and he appointed Masons to cut hewn stones to build the House of God.
And David prepared iron in abundance for the nails of the doors of the gates and for the joints and bronze and abundance beyond measure and cedar trees in abundance for the sidonians and those from tyre, brought much cedarwood to David, verse five.
Now, David said Solomon, my son is young and inexperienced, and the house to be built for the Lord must be exceedingly magnificent, famous and glorious throughout all countries.
I will now make preparation for it.
So David made abundant preparations before his death.
Here in 1 Chronicles Chapter 22 we have a lot of things going on, and more than I can get into for the details, but just some really cool things where God here instructs David on the location for the temple.
The previous to this, the nation of Israel had the Tabernacle that God had given instruction to Moses, for it was a tent.
It was temporary.
It was meant to be moved about from place to place.
You might remember from earlier readings that David had it on his heart to build a.
House for the Lord, what we would refer to as the temple?
And David wanted to he desired greatly to build the temple, and he talked to his friend the prophet, and said, hey, this is on my heart.
And he said, go for it.
And then later the Lord had to send it back and instruct him, saying no, actually, you're not going to build the house, but Solomon is going to build the house or the temple.
Or the Lord. And So what we have here is David. Now uncovering and discovering through this plague that has been going on in the previous chapters, and this sacrifice that is now made in Chapter 21 and verse one of Chapter 22, we see David realizes this is the House of the Lord God.
Through this mistake that he made, God revealed to him in the consequences of it.
The location for the House of God for the temple.
Of the Lord.
And so he gets to understand the location now and he is old.
He's advanced in age.
He's about to be heading into eternity.
And so now he is preparing the way for his son Solomon to carry on the work and actually get to work in doing the the building of the temple.
Now David wanted to build the temple, but of course he couldn't.
But what he could do is prepare for it and so that that's part of what we're going to be looking at.
A lot of what we're looking at tonight is all of David's preparations for the temple and for the House of God. Because he was incredibly zealous to be part.
Of the work of God, and to be part of the House of God in this way.
And so I've titled the message.
Tonight, David tips.
For serving God.
David wanted to serve God and for him.
That was a very practical thing.
He wanted to build him a house, and so there was a physical structure that needed to be built.
There was materials that needed to be gathered.
There was work that needed to be done nails that needed to be hammered.
All of that kind of thing and so he was not allowed to do the actual.
Building God redirected him, but he was allowed to do the preparations and boy did David.
Prepare and so he gives us in his example some great tips, some great examples for us to follow in in our desire to serve God and in really going above and beyond and doing our utmost to fulfill what it is that God has called us to do and to serve our God to the greatest.
Possible way that we can.
And so we're going to look at David in four different chapters.
4 different tips to kind of help us and consider our own opportunities in the Kingdom of God, and some tips to help us really fulfill those roles to follow the example of David and serve the Lord with all of our heart.
Remember, David was a man after God.
On heart he pursued God heart. He really desired to know God to please God, to serve God and so he sets before us a great example. Here's tip number. One example, one from David's life. Let God set your role.
Let God set your role here in chapter 22. We see very clearly articulated again, David desire to build the temple, but at the same time God's instruction that he should not be part of the building of the temple. Let's dive into a few more verses here of 1 Chronicles Chapter 22.
Here's what it says in verses 7 through 10. Again 1 Chronicles 22, verse seven, it says.
And David said to Solomon, my son, As for me, it was in my mind to build a house to the name of the Lord my God.
But the word of the Lord came to me, saying, you have shed much blood, and have made great wars.
You shall not build a house for my name because you have shed much blood on the earth in my sight.
Verse 9.
Behold, the sun shall be born to you.
Who shall be a man of rest?
And I would give him rest from all his enemies all around.
His name shall be Solomon, for I will give peace and quiet nusta Israel in his days.
He shall build a house for my name, and he shall be my son, and I will be his father, and I will establish the throne of his Kingdom over Israel forever.
Here in these verses we get to see David's words to Solomon, as he's essentially handing the baton over to Solomon.
It's near the end of David's life. He's setting Solomon on the throne, but he's also giving him the instruction, not just for the Kingdom.
As a whole, but here for the temple of.
The Lord God.
And he tells Solomon he walked Solomon through the situation.
I really desired it was on my heart.
It was in my mind.
I wanted to build the Temple of God.
But God came back and told me it's not you, David.
You're a man of blood.
Your son is going to be a man of rest, and so he will build the temple.
There's some interesting things to meditate on and wrestle with a little bit in there, and the reasoning in which God gave him.
He's a man of blood.
His son would be a man of rest, and there's some great pictures there that you can.
Discern, and perhaps understand as you meditate on that, but I'm not going to get into that tonight.
OK, so instead, as he gives the instruction to Solomon in verse 10, he says he shall build a house for my name.
He says look Solomon, this is God speaking about you that you're going to be the one to.
Build the house.
And your throne will be established as you walk with the Lord, and you'll be able to complete this great task that has been set before you.
So David was not allowed to build the temple, but he instead handed it off to Solomon, but he also didn't do nothing.
He didn't, you know, just skip out altogether.
What he did was make all of the preparations.
That he could jump down to verse 14 of 1 Chronicles 22.
It says indeed.
I have taken much trouble to prepare for the House of the Lord.
100,000 talents of gold and 1,000,000 talents of silver and bronze and iron beyond measure for it is so abundant. I have prepared timber and stone also, and you may add to them.
So God told David, I know you want to build the house and in another passage he tells him it's good that it was in your heart it's right.
That it was in your heart.
That's a good thing.
But it's not your place.
That's not your role.
David your son is going to fulfill that role.
But God allowed David to still participate, not in the direct building of it, but in the preparations for it.
And so here David kind of recaps and summarizes his preparations.
He gathered together all the materials that were going to be necessary.
All of the gold, all of the silver, the bronze, the iron, all of these elements that would be necessary for this really big project.
And again in those first few verses of Chapter 22 David, you could see his heart. He says this this temple of God must be glorious. It must like stand out so that all around the world.
All the nations talk about it and.
So this is a big work.
It's an important thing, and so Solomon, he's young, he's just going to be taking the throne.
He's going to be taking a lot on David says I need to help him.
I need to gather materials and do what I can to prepare.
And so there's some cool pictures there about David gathering together all the resources and everything that's needed.
And some interesting things to.
Consider about that.
But that's also not what I'm going to be talking about tonight, I know.
I keep setting.
It up, but no, we're not talking about that.
We're not talking about that there.
There's a lot of interesting things here in the picture that David sets for us.
Well, in the following chapters, chapter 23 twenty 425-2627. You might read through those as you're going through the Bible in three years and not be that excited about them because it's a lot of records.
It's a lot of names. Again, it's a lot of families and and lineages and and and genealogy's to an extent and and and there's this.
Record of all of these different people, and the reason for that is because David did not just prepare the materials for the House of God.
God, but he prepared the organization for the House of God, the the structure for the service unto the Lord, and the the following chapters is really elaborate preparation that David made to set in place all of the different roles that would be needed.
All of the different.
Ways that people would be serving God and making sure that all of the functions of the temple would be happening as they were supposed to, that the service unto the Lord would be good and be glorified, glorifying God, that nothing would be.
Left undone or that left you know, abandoned, but but that the work of God would continue. Let's jump into chapter 23 for a couple minutes in verses one through 5 it says this.
So when David was old and full of days, he made his son Solomon King over Israel, and he gathered together all the leaders of Israel with the priests and the Levite's.
Now the Levites were numbered from the age of 30 years and above.
And the number of individual males was 38,000. Of these, 24,000 were to look after the work of the.
House of the.
Lord 6000 were officers and judges, 4000 were gatekeepers and 4000 praised the Lord with musical instruments which I made, said David for giving praise.
Here we get an overview of all of these chapters combined, where David is going to be breaking out all of these different roles, assigning them, scheduling them, putting all of these different things together, it's detailed schedules and instructions that we have recorded here in the scriptures as I was.
Reading through these this week I I began to think of it this way.
You could kind of think of the temple as the first mega church, right?
Is the the first time where there's going to be a lot of people involved in the service at the temple?
But the people coming to participate would be much greater.
The whole nation would come to this one place to this temple to worship God.
And so there would be this group of people who were dedicated to their lives were focused on keeping the the temple up and running, keeping it maintained, keeping the altar, you know, fire going, keeping the incense burning inside the temple.
There there was all these different elements and parts that that would happen.
And and although it was a lot of people 30.
8000 people
That are listed out here compared to the rest of the nation.
It was just a small portion of the nation that would be dedicated to this and so in a sense it's kind of like a mega church, right?
There's the the staff of the church and and there's great many thousands who come and participate.
When it comes down to you, scale that whole concept down to churches like ours, where sometimes it's me by myself in the sanctuary on a Wednesday evening, right?
There's there's a little bit of a difference there, but but here's what we understand about the body of Christ, and when it comes to service and you've heard me talk about this a lot.
That every one of us has a part to play in a role in the body of Christ.
Whether we're involved in a small little church or a big mega church, Paul talks about in First Corinthians, chapter 12 and 14, the body of Christ, and every member that is every believer in Jesus.
Is a member of the.
Body has a part to play a role to fulfill and has a function and a gift that goes along with that giftings by the Holy Spirit to be able to fulfill what it is that God has set before them.
And so here we get an example of this.
Uh, a model in a demonstration, in that in the service of the temple.
There was all of these different roles, so there was a bunch of levite's, but they all didn't do the same thing and have the same function. Some of them were gatekeepers.
Some of them were worship leaders, some of them were administrators, some of them were judges and were helping to decide cases that were going on.
There was all of these different individual roles that different families and different people within the group of Levite's would be fulfilling.
Pastor Juan Grisbi says the work of the Lord called for dedicated service from many kinds of people, priests, levite's, musicians, treasures, gatekeepers, soldiers and state office.
Each of us has a calling from the Lord and we must be faithful to take our place and do our job.
We are helping to build the church and we must give God our.
This sets a good example for us to understand.
There's many different parts, many different roles, many different ways to serve.
God is another way that you might think about that now when it comes to the idea of serving God and understanding, there's different ways.
One of the important things to keep in mind.
Is that we need to let God?
Be the one who declares what our role in the.
Body of Christ is.
We need to be submitted to God and.
What he desires.
For us in the service unto the Lord because.
Well, there are many times that we would desire a role in the body of Christ.
We would desire to serve in some capacity.
That may not be good for us.
May not be good for those that we would endeavour to serve and and ultimately would detract from the work of the Kingdom of God instead of enhance and build and move the work forward.
It's God who sets the members as he desires according to what he knows and what he understands is best and and that may not be the thing that we desire most.
What did David desire most?
He wanted to build the temple.
But God said no.
God said that's not your role.
David and David submitted to God.
He didn't build the temple.
He still got to participate and and if David hadn't fulfilled this part, his role, Solomon would have had a much more difficult time being able to execute his function.
And what God had called him too.
Because all of those preparations would not have been.
But as David fulfilled his role and made all of these preparations and put these things together, then Solomon was able to come along and he was tagged in, you know, to to the to the match to the battle, to the work of God and and now able to just carry on from there based on all of the preparations that have been made.
The point is that sometimes what we desire are precious.
Sense and what we want to do.
Maybe we want to be, you know, something specific within the body of Christ.
I I really want to have this role or that role.
Maybe you want to be a missionary?
Maybe you want to be a missionary to a specific place, or maybe you desire to be a worship leader or or to teach or to.
Serve in some capacity and whatever it might be that.
It's great to have that desire and God would say it's good that it's in your heart.
But at the same time, we need to let God be the final authority on that and let him say, yes.
That is what I want you to do or no.
Even though it's on your heart, even though you desire it greatly, even if though you're incredibly.
Passionate about it.
That's not what I've called you to, and instead you're going to have a different capacity, a different role than what it is that you're desiring.
And that's what we see carried out in David here.
And and David sets a good example for us of one who could have been disappointed in pouted and God.
I want to do this and why?
Can't I have?
Those giftings and why can't I, you know, serve in that way or have this kind?
Kind of effects in the ministry or in this Bible study or whatever it is and and and he could have, you know, been all emotional and weird about it.
But instead what he did was he put himself fully into the role that he did have, that he could have, and he made abundant preparations and.
As he goes through the preparations multiple times, he says it was abundant. Preparations in 1 Chronicles 2214. He says I've taken much trouble to prepare for the house.
Of God when you know what role God has given you.
Give yourself to it with.
All your heart.
Do it with much trouble at great cost, even though it hurts, perhaps even though there is great difficulty that you face, let God set your role just as David did, and then at great expense, fulfill the role that God has given to you.
It will.
Sacrificed, now there's another side of this that perhaps there's some who desire to have a role in God, saying not that.
One but this one.
Perhaps there's some who are desiring to have a role in God saying yes, that's it.
Go for it with all your heart and then perhaps there's some who don't want any part.
I don't.
I don't want to have any responsibility.
I don't want to have a role or or any kind of.
Parts in this I I'd rather just be a spectator, I'd rather just you know, attend or watch or receive, but I don't really want to contribute.
And again, here we have the understanding throughout the scriptures, but here also that that there is a part for.
Everyone to play.
That it would be inappropriate, as all of these priests and Levites are, you know all addressed here in these chapters, it would be wrong for them to say no.
Thank you I I'm not going to be part of the work of God. That again Paul tells us in First Corinthians 1213 and 14 that that.
Every one of us have a part to play.
We have a role to fulfill.
Romans chapter 12, First Corinthians, there's these scriptures that teach us that part of stewardship.
Is to fulfill the role that God has given to us now part of David's role was the planning and preparation for the temple and that wasn't just gathering the materials.
Typically when I read through these chapters, that's typically what I see.
What I notice, but something else stood out and and that was.
All of the organization that David goes into in all of these chapters and dividing up the different groups and families and placing them and designating this family does this.
And this family does that.
Here's the role for this group of people and and he lays all of that structure that organization out.
And and what's interesting to think about this is that it's not just David being really savvy on an organizational level.
It's not just that he got a label maker for Christmas and he's just having a great time.
Just labeling.
Just lug labeling everything and so here's a label for this group.
Here's a label for that group.
Here's where you go.
Here's where you.
Belong, I just love organizing things.
That that's not what was happening.
Would you with me for just a few moments, jump over to 1 Chronicles Chapter 28.
In Chapter 28, again, this is part of the same block here where David is passing on these instructions to Solomon and getting Solomon ready to take on the work of the temple.
It gives kind of a summary at the end in 1 Chronicles Chapter 28 and check out verse 11.
It says then David gave his son Solomon the plans for the vestibule, it's houses.
It's Treasurys, it's upper chambers.
It's inner chambers.
The place of the mercy seat and the plans for all that he had by the spirit.
And of the courts of the House of the Lord of all the chambers all around of the Treasury's of the House of God, of the.
Treasury's for.
The dedicated things also for the division of priests and levite's for all the work of the service of the House.
Of the Lord.
And for all the articles of service in the house.
Of the Lord.
Notice what it.
Says here in 1 Chronicles 28.
David gave Solomon the plans.
Here's the plans.
In David's preparations and fulfilling his role, he didn't just gather a bunch of building materials and precious stones, and those kinds of things. He also put together the blueprints.
And he worked with an architect and designed the whole structure. He gave the plans to Solomon for how the vestibule would be laid out, and what would go where, and the different chambers and Treasury's and and all the different components that would go into this. He put all these plans together.
This took a lot of effort.
In organizing and planning and drawing up all of these plans for the temple.
Notice what it says though.
In verse 12 the plans for all that he had by the spirit.
Again, this is not just David really being well organized and.
Able to put.
Things together and he hired a really good architect.
But this was a work of the Holy Spirit, that the Holy Spirit drew up the plans David was involved, but it was the work of the Holy Spirit, the leading of the Holy Spirit.
And so it was the gathering of materials. It was the drawing out of plans. But then what's also interesting in verse 13 for the division of priests and levite's for all the work of the service of the House of the Lord.
So all the schedules that we're about to consider in Chapter 2324 and 25.
It's included here.
It's lumped together as part of all of these plans that were given by the Holy Spirits for Solomon to implement.
The next few verses here in Chapter 28, verse 14 through 18, talk about the physical resources. The gold and silver, all that. So all that's gathered together. But then check out verse 19.
All this said, David the Lord made me understand in writing by his hand upon me all the works of these plans.
All the works.
Included not just the physical building materials.
Not just the architectural drawings and plans.
But the schedules and the organization, the breaking up of different roles.
All of this.
Was inspired by God combined verse 13 and verse 19 for the division of the Priests and the Levites for all the work of the service of the House of the Lord, and for all the articles of service in the House of the Lord.
All this said, David the Lord made me understand in writing by his hand upon me all the works of these plans.
Here we can see clearly David's role was to catch the vision from God. For all of these plans, for all these different elements to record it and pass it on.
But something that I think is noteworthy in this is that all of these plans were God's plans.
And so if you're the gatekeeper that's assigned a role, then then you can know it wasn't just.
David, you know he didn't know me.
He didn't know my background.
He didn't know my family and he just picked me and boy, I should have been serving in some other capacity and I should have had some other thing.
No no, no.
All of this.
Every servant at the temple.
Could rest assured.
I'm exactly where God this was God's plan.
He used David by the Holy Spirit to record all of these things.
But notice what David says.
The Lord made me understand all this.
There was his hand.
Upon me all the works of these plans.
The point here.
It wasn't just that David was organized that he just, you know, threw a bunch of information on there and just.
Put them all in different piles and they just happened to fall where they.
Happened to fall.
But that God was involved because there is all of these different roles and different families.
Different individuals who were called to fulfill those roles, and each one of them was important and vital and each one was placed by God exactly where they needed to be.
And so let God set your.
Let him be the one who declares and and says this is your part.
That doesn't mean you don't try things.
That doesn't mean you don't take steps of faith, but but ultimately we need to be submitted to the Lord and let him.
Guide us and.
Whatever role he has given to us and it.
May not be the same role for the rest of our.
Lives, and that's what brings us now to point #2 as we continue on, we're going to look at chapter 23. Let God change your role.
This can be hard for us.
But first we need to let God set our role, but secondly, we also need to let God change our role.
We need to.
Be flexible and not set forever in one thing, but to be continuing to connect with the Lord and hear what he desires.
From us, we're going to spend a few moments here in 1 Chronicles Chapter 23 so you can turn there. And let's check out verse 6.
It says also David separated them into divisions among the sons of Levi Gershon, Kohath and Merari.
We're talking about the levite's.
These who were dedicated to the service of God in the Tabernacle previously.
But now are going to be dedicated to the service of God in the temple.
And Levi's sons Levi was a guy, right? The Levite's are the family of Levi.
The family or the tribe is divided into 3 main families, Gershon Kohath and Merari.
And if you're interested, you can go back to numbers chapter three and four.
And their God gives each of these families specific roles that they are to fulfill in the service of the Tabernacle.
The family of Gershon so all of the descendants of Gershon, if you came from that line you were.
Scheduled to you were called to serve and working with all of the coverings of the Tabernacle, the skins, the fabrics, everything that covered the Tabernacle.
If you were part of the family of Kohath, then you would carry around the the furnishings of the Tabernacle, the Ark of the Covenant, and all of that.
I remember we saw recently David trying to move the Ark of the Covenant and didn't do it right.
'cause he didn't have the sons of Kohath carrying the Ark.
That was the instruction.
That was given back in numbers Chapter 3.
Before and then the family of Marari.
They were to take care of the physical structure of the Tabernacle so the posts and walls and all of those things that were part of it.
And so God gave these very clearly defined roles to these three families of the tribe of Levi.
Their role was.
Clear it was commanded by God.
But now David is going to change it.
And just let that sink in for a second.
They had a very clear role commanded by God, recorded in the Scriptures.
And now David says, you know what marari?
You're not going to do that anymore, you're.
Going to do something different.
Family of kohath.
You have a different responsibility.
Now, Gershon, you're not going to do those things that are said there in numbers chapter three and four.
No, don't don't.
Don't read numbers three and four and listen and do that.
Now we're going to do something different.
And it should cause you to stop.
And say wait, can he do that?
Can he just?
So remember that thing that God said back in numbers three and four don't do that anymore now you.
Have something new, something different.
Can he do that?
Why did he do that?
Well, he explains in verse 25 and 26 here at 1 Chronicles 23. Here's what it says.
As for David, said the Lord God of Israel has given rest his people that they may dwell in Jerusalem forever, and also to the Levite.
's they shall no longer carry the Tabernacle or any of the articles for its service. The original plan for the LEVITE'S was to be the movers.
Of the Tabernacle as they moved from place to place throughout the wilderness, and then into the promised land.
They were the ones who managed things and carried things around.
And so the instruction that God gave in numbers three and four is specifically related to that.
But now it's a new season.
And things have changed.
And although God very clearly.
Prescribed their role commanded their role, recorded their role in Scripture.
It was not their eternal role.
It was their role for that season.
Roles change.
And not just because it's logical.
I mean, the argument makes sense.
We're not moving the temple from place to place, so obviously roles have to change.
And sometimes we can just take a very logical approach to these kinds of things, but but it's not just that it was like, well, it makes sense.
Because again, going back to 1 Chronicles chapter 28.
It's God who redirected this.
Again, 1 Chronicles 2819. The Lord made me understand in writing his hand upon me all the works of these plans.
So it wasn't that David decided you know what guys?
Yeah I I just.
I don't think it's really necessary anymore for you to do that.
It doesn't make sense, and so I'm just going to make an executive decision here and put you.
On to something else.
Now what what we're seeing unfold here is God.
Next instructions.
OK, tribes of Levi or families of Levi.
You once had these roles.
Now you're going to have new roles.
The temple will be established.
A permanent fixture, a single place not moved about from from place to place.
God updates their roles and responsibilities accordingly, and God has the opportunity and the authority.
To do that?
I think this is important for us to consider because sometimes we can have that initial.
Excuse me
Initial very clear call and and the role is defined and it's clear and we feel like.
It's numbers three and four.
It's written in scriptures.
How else could that change right?
Of course, that's what I'm going to do for the rest of my life.
But God does not always.
Give us roles for the rest of our lives.
Sometimes he changes it.
You think about Paul and Barnabas when they started out on the missionary journey.
They each had different roles and then partway through that missionary journey, those roles changed.
As Paul started out, kind of as a younger missionary guy later on ending up his life and second Timothy as a older missionary guy.
His role changed.
His relationship to Timothy changed Timothy's role changed as he walked with Paul and then you know he had a role of being with Paul for a while.
Then he had a role of being stationed at Ephesus on Paul's behalf and establishing the church there, and and so his role change, that that there is this reality that.
God will station us sometimes in a role that is our same role for the rest of our lives.
That is a possibility.
But there's also a strong possibility that God is going to give you a role for a season.
And then later on, he's going to say, OK, that season is done.
Well done, good and faithful servant.
You fulfilled that role now here's here's a new role.
Here's new responsibility.
It may not be more responsibility.
It might be just different responsibility, but but God changes and and we need to allow God to redirect and not.
Just stay where we're comfortable and that's one of the things that we can find challenging. Because once we are comfortable, let's say in children's ministry like I have done children Ministry for 15 years.
You know, I I know how to do it, I know how to put lesson plans together and everything and.
Now you're saying maybe I should be part of youth group like I don't know how to deal with junior hires like I.
I'm good until fifth grade, but after that it's like there's no.
Way or you.
Want me to go do outreach at the park like that?
I don't think I could do that or wait a minute.
You want me to go in the office and do accounting like I don't know any?
Accounting principles and I don't know how to use soft.
We're and that's just we out of my I don't know how to do any of that and so we can dismiss it because it's not comfortable.
It's not desirable.
You know we've never experienced it before.
But I just want to encourage you give God a chance.
There's different seasons.
In your life.
There's different different seasons in the work.
Of God and the Church of God.
Let God change your role accordingly and be a little bit pliable and adapt.
To the new things that.
God wants to do, for example.
Tonight is a good callback, right too.
The season where we were online only for a good portion of time and we all struggled with that in various ways, and there's all kinds of things going on.
One of the things that I think we miss out on in that we missed out on in that season was that there's a lot of ways for us to be the body and to interact and connect.
And serve God and work in the moving of the Holy Spirit, even when we're not able to be together.
I don't know that we really adapted well to that season.
We just really worked hard to get back to the season.
You know the things that we're used to and comfortable and familiar with now I'm.
Not saying we.
Shouldn't work hard to get back together, but at the same time, hey, it's a new season.
What is our new role and how can we fulfill that role and and and I do believe that there are ways.
For us to serve the Lord.
In each of the seasons that we're in, in each of the seasons that we'll face as a church and so let God change your role, let him change things up and do different things, different things that perhaps you would never imagine or consider.
But God sometimes wants to do new things.
I was listening to a message recently from Pastor Chuck.
And Pastor Chuck Smith, the founder of Calvary Chapel Costa Mesa and Calvary Chapel.
The movement as a whole, of course, and.
I remember back in the days when.
He was getting older.
There was lots of questions about what would happen after Chuck is gone and sometimes he would address it.
Sometimes he wouldn't, but he was in the middle of a teaching and I forget exactly all of the context of it, but he was talking about God doing new things and and here's something he said.
He said if I go before the Lord returns.
The new leadership moves.
Forward with the Lord's work.
He said, don't you ever say but that's not how Chuck did it, and he said, I promise you, I will hunt you.
The the need for us to stay fluid and to allow God to redirect and not to get just caught up into a rich one and a religious type of thing where we are not allowing new works of God.
New movements.
Of the Holy Spirit.
In in our Lives God is going to change our role.
He's going to give us different opportunities and we we should not look back and say.
But that's not how I've always done it.
We should not just be stuck in that one thing for the rest of our lives there.
There should be.
Some updates, some modifications, some new things that God does and desires to do as we walk with him, and so let God set your role.
But then also let God change your role.
He can redirect and override.
And so let him do.
That well, moving on to point #3, we're going to jump to excuse me. 1 Chronicles Chapter 24, and here point #3 is.
Schedule your service and I I like this point because in thinking about serving God, sometimes a schedule can seem so practical.
But not so spiritual. You're like, alright, God really at work man, we've got a schedule like oh OK Well schedule can just be mundane practical just ho hum routine. But check out 1 Chronicles chapter 24 verses 133.
Now these are.
The divisions of the sons of Aaron, the sons of Aaron, were need Abihu, Eleazar anything more, and need Lebanon by who died before their father, and had no children.
Therefore Eleazar and Ithamar ministered as priest.
Then David with Zadok and the sons of Eleazar and the him elect of the sons of Ithamar divided them according to the schedule of their serve.
So in chapter 24, we moved from talking about the levite's in general to the priests specifically.
And so the levite's were designated. Their roles were assigned, and their schedule was made in.
Chapter 23
But here in Chapter 24 we have the schedule of priests and think about that. Here's the priest whose responsibility is to represent the people to God and God to the people and and the priest.
We're scheduled they had a rotation.
There was many of them, and so it wasn't.
There was of course 1 high priest who would be the same high priest for the rest of his life, but but for the most part, all of the priests who were involved in the day to day service of the the Temple and the Tabernacle.
They were scheduled.
They're a rotation and and you could wonder, you could wrestle a bit with Ken, a schedule, be God ordained.
But if you're wondering that, I would encourage you to ask Zacharias.
Remember Luke chapter one.
Zacharias, the father of John the Baptist.
He was a priest.
He was a priest of the division of Abijah.
Now, if you spend some time in chapter 24, you can find the division of Abijah. You can find where they're at in the rotation and you can understand. Alright, so this chapter.
24 directly applies to Zacharias, in Luke chapter one. 1000 years later, they're following this schedule that was set forth by.
David here in 1 Chronicles chapter 24.
In verse eight of Luke chapter one, it says while he was serving as priest before God in the order of his division.
According to the custom of the priesthood, his lot fell to burn incense when he went into the.
Temple of the Lord.
And and here is, it's his turn.
It's just his time on the schedule.
Here is when an Angel is going to appear to him and tell him he's going to have a son.
He's going to be at the right place at the right time.
Because of this schedule that David instituted back in 1 Chronicles Chapter 24. Now, of course, the schedule was broken when the nation of Judah went into captivity.
But they came back.
They rebuilt the temple. They reestablished that the things that God had set in place here through David and now 1000 years later.
Zechariah is in the right place at the right time to hear from God and be part of the revealing of the Messiah.
By being the father of John the Baptist incredible.
How God orchestrated all of this exact right place? Right time situation by a schedule back 1000 years earlier written by David and 1 Chronicles Chapter 24.
A schedule.
Can sometimes be a powerful instrument of God.
That's one of the reasons why I like to encourage people to join with us in the Bible.
In three years.
I don't believe it's just a random schedule.
Cool, but but it is something that God has brought us through.
Pastor John Courson always would say we are where we are in the word.
That is the things that we're reading through in the word are are things that got as designed to Minister to us.
Right where we are that.
That there's things that we're addressing in our lives.
As we're in the word that that it's perfectly aligned by God, God is big enough and sovereign.
To be able to.
Schedule and to coordinate thousands of years in advance.
These kinds of things to be able to line up the things that he wants to say to us exactly at the right time at the right place where we need to be.
And so Zacharias followed the schedule, served the Lord when he was supposed to.
And got to experience this incredible part in the work of God.
Schedule your service.
Schedules help to organize.
Of course there's many priests.
They can't all serve at once, so there's this rotation that is set up.
We don't always have that issue here, right?
There's so many servants that we just gotta schedule him 'cause we'll can't all do it at once.
Sometimes we do, but.
That that is a helpful thing.
It helps us to organize or to fill gaps and to fill things.
But here's The thing is to understand that sometimes when we're scheduling it, it doesn't necessarily feel like a spiritual thing.
It doesn't necessarily feel like like this is ordained by God.
But I would encourage you to.
Think of it that way.
God God is able to work and to move and to change things around and to get our attention and call us out of things and reschedule things when things need to be rescheduled.
Can you imagine being Zachariasen?
On that day, back in Luke, chapter one.
Waking up and you know, I just.
I don't necessarily not feeling like being a priest today.
You know.
I mean, there's a thousand other priests like if I don't show up, one of them can fill in.
It's like anybody could do it.
It's not that I have to do it, it's just you know, I'm on the schedule and.
I don't know that Zacarias was thinking about.
You know, calling out sick that day or something, but.
He kept to the schedule I.
I'm sure there was many times where priests throughout the years were on the schedule and they're like I don't really feel like representing God today.
I don't feel very spiritual.
I don't feel very priestly.
And yet
God has ordained the schedule for these guys.
And he's going to work through the schedule and whether or not they're feeling it, or they're excited about it, or they're in the best health.
Or not so great.
Health on that day.
Like they they're going to be part of the word that God is set before them.
Now I'm not suggesting that we be crazy that we kill ourselves.
You know that there is.
Sometimes I'm teaching tonight.
Even though my.
Throat is clearly horse, right?
But but here's why I'm teaching tonight because I prayed about it last night.
Lord, do you want me to teach?
I'm on the schedule I'm scheduled to.
Teach tomorrow night, Lord you.
Know do you?
Do you want me to do that?
Is that is that still on the schedule for you and then the Lord gave me the outline for tonight's service last night, which is unusual.
Usually I don't get the.
Until like an hour before service starts on Wednesday.
So last night I got the outline.
I was like wow, OK God God gave me these things.
He set these things in order last night. Clearly God wants me to come and do service and so I'm still on the schedule and I'm gonna show up even though I'm not sure my throat's gonna hold out. I'm not sure my voice is gonna hold out. I'm not sure how it's.
Gonna go but I'm gonna do my best.
'cause God has me on the schedule and there's some days that I show up and I don't necessarily feel like you know I have the most awesome message from the Lord.
But I'm on the schedule and and there's a there's an issue of faithfulness that God desires to work in US and to produce in us, and to bless as we are faithful to do the things that he's called us to.
Again, I'm not saying go crazy and kill yourself, and some people take it too far.
And follow the schedule no matter what.
If it costs them, you know their their health in their life.
And if God calls you to sacrifice your health in your life to follow his schedule, then you do that.
There's there's some tension there.
There's some redirection and again, let God change your role.
Let's go back for one.
So sometimes God wants to change the schedule and that's OK, so we don't stick to the schedule blindly, but at the same time.
We allow the schedule too.
Hold us to a discipline, a service unto the Lord, that perhaps we don't always feel like.
Perhaps we don't always desire.
Perhaps we're not always excited about, but in our endeavour to be faithful unto the Lord.
We fulfill the schedule that he has set before us.
Schedule scheduling helps organize.
It also helps prioritize.
If there is no schedule and.
That is often the case for us these days.
Here at living water, right?
There's there's often no schedule.
Who's serving today in?
You know, to help set up and clean up.
And well, we don't know.
Hopefully somebody is going to show up right?
Schedule your service.
Set a priority.
You know these days it it is very difficult to commit to things.
I know, I understand.
It's very hard.
People are sometimes setting opportunities before me, but I'm looking at it and I'm just I just.
I don't know if I can commit to that, I just don't.
I don't know and and some people are just not able to commit to things and and that's not a condemnation of that but, but here I would just just.
Ask you to consider.
Perhaps do you need to put service unto the Lord at a higher priority in your life so that you actually schedule it, even if?
Leaders of ministries or leaders of different things within the church don't make their own schedules and put you on their schedule, right?
What if you made your own schedule and said I'm going to show up this day?
You know twice a month.
I'm going to serve the Lord at this soup kitchen.
You know, in these ways I'm gonna go show up to this park and and witness to people on these days and what it what.
If God would have you to schedule your service so that you could hold to that schedule even when it's hard, develop that discipline of faithfulness.
And see what the Lord will do as you hold fast to the course that he sets before you.
And so I would encourage you to schedule your service even if you're part of something that doesn't impose a schedule on you.
Perhaps the Lord would have you set a schedule for yourself that he would set up a schedule that that you would be able to hold the course and to be steadfast in that work that God has called you to.
Well, let's wrap this up. Final point, we're going to look at 1 Chronicles Chapter 25, point #4 desire earnestly to prophesied.
This one may sound familiar. This is something that God brings up a lot, but here it is again in Chapter 25, and so desire earnestly to prophesied. Check out verses 1/2 and three in 1 Chronicles 25.
Says moreover, David and the captains of the army separated for the service. Some of the sons of Asaph, Heman and Avjet, Ethan, who should prophesy with harps, stringed instruments and symbols, and the number of the skilled men performing their service, was of the sons of 1/2 zachor. Joseph nethaniah.
And Naturella, the sons of Asaph were under the direction of Easow, who prophesied.
According to the order.
Of the king.
Verse three of Judge Ethan, the sons of Jenison get Elias very Josh Hiashi, my hash abaya, and Matathia 6 under the direction of their father Jeff, and who prophesied with a harp to give thanks and praise to the Lord three times here in verses 1/2 and three we see Prophecy mentioned.
Now, here in Chapter 25 we're dealing with the order, the scheduling of the musicians, and so all of these chapters are dealing with the order. The scheduling all similar things, just different roles, right?
But here as it gets to the worship leaders, it's very clear worship is a prophetic ministry and every worship leader who's listening to this right now.
Please make note of that.
Please meditate on that idea.
Worship is a prophetic ministry.
That the idea of prophecy, of course, is to speak on behalf of God.
Sometimes prophecy speaks about the future.
Sometimes the prophecy is not about the future, it's just the right word to the right people at the right time.
And that is a core element that needs to be part of the worship ministry.
That worship is not just talented.
Musicians, good singers, good instrument players.
That's a component, but probably not as big of a component as we think, and I try to lead worship regularly just to demonstrate that.
OK, that you know sometimes it's not about the skill that if you have the best musicians.
And singers in the world.
But there's not a prophetic element to the time of music.
Number one it's not worship, but but then number two that that there's something missing, right?
Like it, it could be the best of the best of the best.
And then at the other hand, you could have really rough.
I mean you know not so great skill and and not so great singing and and some.
Bumps and bruises along the way.
But the Holy Spirit at work, and there is a prophetic work that happens in a time of worship that.
That kind of that makes all of the the difficulties, and the the frailties of the person leading not so important.
And so worship leaders.
You need to understand that worship is a prophetic ministry.
There is the need to practice and the the importance of developing skill and growing in that skill.
That's important, but but also really important.
Is that the songs you choose are not just songs you choose because you like them, but that they're songs you choose because thus?
Says the Lord.
God wants us to sing this song in this service, God wants us to worship in this way.
The order of your set, the things that you say in between songs.
The songs that you write.
Perhaps that.
That there is a prophetic element that God wants to develop and grow and blossom through you as a worship leader.
Worship is a prophetic ministry.
It's it's just you.
Have different tools.
The teaching of the word is also a prophetic ministry, right?
But the the tools that I use are a little bit different.
Not so much with song, not with a harp and stringed instruments, but with.
The Scriptures and with slides on the screen and you.
Know like these are all.
Things that are prophetic as well.
But for worship leaders.
You have these tools. You have these instruments now this isn't this is talking about the musicians here in Chapter 25, but.
This doesn't only apply.
To the musicians.
Again, let me remind you of what Paul says in first Corinthians 14.
Pursue love and desire spiritual gifts, but especially that you may prophecy.
He speaks in a tongue, does not speak to men.
But to.
God, but no one understands him.
However, in the spirit he speaks ministries at mysteries, but he who prophesize speaks edification and exhortation.
And comfort to men.
And I I want to encourage you every time you gather together with believers.
You should take verse one at 1st Corinthians 14 and live it out.
Desire spiritual gifts and especially that you would prophesied every time you're driving on a way to a Bible study.
Or do a gathering of believers or to a gathering of unbelievers for that matter every time you're on your way to a church service or preparing to tune in and.
And watch service online.
Pursue love, desire, spiritual gifts, and especially that you would prophesy.
And when you participate in the worship team, desire earnestly be be beseeching God begging God, Lord, please don't just let me pick my own set.
But Lord, you show me the set you show me what to say.
You show me what choruses to repeat and which ones to skip.
Like Lord, you lead and you direct when you teach in children Ministry, desire earnestly to prophesied to bring forth.
The word of God.
But to those at and we in a level that they can understand when you lead worship in children ministry, the news, desire earnestly and Lord please order these YouTube videos in the way that you want them so that the kids can worship you and know you and and experience you when you're helping kids do crafts.
Desire earnestly to prophesied God.
Like show me crafts and help me to put these things together in a way that that they could connect with what you say in your word, that these truths could come alive in their hearts.
When you're scheduled for.
Ushers ministry, or when you're just showing up for church, desire earnestly to prophesied desire.
To be used by God to bring forth a word of comfort, encouragement.
Exhortation to the people that God is placed around you.
You guys know me.
I can go on and on and on about that.
But the point is, worship is a prophetic ministry.
But so is every other ministry.
We don't want children.
Ministry workers who are just.
Filling daycare roles.
We need those who are tuned in led by the spirit.
Able to bring forth the word of God and the work of God in the hearts and lives of kids.
We don't just need someone who can speak good and bring forth, you know, an encouraging word, or you know something that's inspiring.
We we need someone who speaks forth the word of God as we gather together.
And and listen combine all this together that can happen as a part of a schedule and a rotation that the prophetic ministry is not about.
I feel really inspired necessarily.
Sometimes it's just diligence in fulfilling the role that God has given to me.
And then.
God speaks and works prophetically.
Remember the high priest.
After Jesus had been resurrected and the disciples were being persecuted, the high priest gives forth the word and I forget the exact reference.
You can find it in the book of acts but but it says that the high priest said this.
Actually, I think this was during the life of Jesus.
Now that I think about it, it's in one of the Gospels.
Homework, go find that various that I'm talking about, but here's what happened.
The high priest says something, and then the scripture makes a note and says he said this not because he knew it understood it, or believed it.
He said this because he was the high priest he was.
Fulfilling his role.
And God used that role and God used and spoke through the high priest prophetically, even though he wasn't walking with God or interested in the things that God was saying, and he didn't know what he was talking about.
But, but because he was there in that role, fulfilling that role, God spoke prophetically in that moment in a similar way.
To a much greater degree.
When we're right where God wants us to be, where?
Doing the things that he's called us to following the schedule that he's given in the role that he's provided.
Even if we don't always feel amazing about it, even if we're not excited about it, even if we can't perceive it.
The diligence to serve God in that role.
Can have a huge prophetic element to it.
That God uses greatly.
For his work in his Kingdom.
Desire earnestly to prophecy.
As you serve the Lord in whatever capacity, make sure it's not just practical.
It's not just informational, it's not just instruction.
Or just.
Things that happen in the head.
Make sure that you are connecting with God.
In whatever capacity and allowing him to work in you and through you as you serve him.
So let God set your role.
Let God change your role, schedule your service, and desire earnestly to prophecy.
Let me take you back.
One last verse, 1 Chronicles chapter 22, verse 5.
Here's what it says, David.
Said Solomon, my son is young and inexperienced.
And the house to be built for the Lord must be exceedingly magnificent, famous and glorious throughout all countries.
I will now make preparation for it, so David made abundant preparations before his death.
In one sense, you can look at this and you can understand Jesus.
Made abundant preparations for us to build the church to build the Kingdom of God.
He made abundant preparations.
He gave us everything that we needed and gave us the Holy Spirit.
He's given us the gifts that go along with it so that we can now set forth.
We're young and inexperienced for sure.
Like yeah, we're going to make mistakes and there's going to be some scrapes and bumps along the way.
But he went to great lengths.
At great expense, made abundant preparations for us.
So that we could take the baton.
All that he's.
Given to us and then build him a house.
According to his plans, according to all that he has set in order, were able to participate in the work of God in the.
Kingdom of God.
And participate in the things that God wants to do.
And so.
Let him show you what that role is.
Let him change it from time to time.
Follow the schedule.
Let God change the schedule.
If he needs to, but be diligent, don't just give up 'cause it's hard or difficult, or you don't feel well.
And desire earnestly to prophecy.
That God would work through you.
To the people that he's placed around you, Lord, we thank you for this opportunity.
We thank you for this great reminder and these encouragements help us God.
To take these lessons from David to heart, this example that he set before us, Lord, that we would be faithful and God, I pray that you would stir us up.
To work hard to prepare abundantly at great expense.
For you, for your work.
Not for a person, not for a program, but Lord for you.
May we give all that we have.
To love you.
To serve you to honor you and to walk with you.
I pray this in Jesus name.