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As David prepares God’s people for the building of the temple—an assignment he himself will not fulfill—he gathers them around a vision bigger than their own lives. He reminds them that the work is great because it is the Lord’s. Their giving, serving, and devotion are not the start of God’s work but a response to it.

David’s prayer in 1 Chronicles 29:10–20 is a confession of God’s greatness and sovereignty: “Everything comes from You, and we have given You only what comes from Your hand.”

On Vision Sunday, we step into that same posture. We remember that God is the author of every good work. We offer ourselves, our resources, and our devotion not to build our own kingdom, but to join God in His work—in Dallas as it is in heaven.

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After years of hardship and struggle, David finally experiences peace. The battles are over, the throne is secure, and his home is established. From this place of stability and success, David desires to honor God by building Him a house—a temple worthy of His name. But God gently reminds David that He doesn’t need anything from David; what He desires most is a heart that remains faithful. Rather than allowing David to build Him a house, God promises to build one through David—an enduring “house,” a royal line that will find its fulfillment in Christ.

It’s natural to cling to God out of need or desperation. But what happens when the pressure lifts? When life finally settles and success arrives, our hearts face a new kind of test. Will we continue to depend on God, or will comfort make us forget the One who brought us here?

Isaiah speaks to this same truth. God’s people were searching for strength in their own strategies and alliances, yet God calls them back to quiet trust:

In repentance and rest is your salvation; in quietness and trust is your strength. —Isaiah 30:15

Both David and Israel needed the same reminder—and so do we: true faithfulness isn’t found in what we do for God, but in staying near to Him.

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In 2 Samuel 11, David—the man after God’s own heart—makes a series of devastating choices that spiral into deeper sin. What begins as a private temptation leads to adultery, deceit, and ultimately, the death of an innocent man. David’s story reminds us that sin is never isolated. Our choices ripple outward, wounding others, damaging relationships, and distorting the trust God calls us to live in.

Instead of confessing, David tries to cover up what he’s done. The more he hides, the more harm he causes. But when the prophet Nathan confronts him, David finally stops running. In Psalm 51, we hear his broken, honest confession: “Have mercy on me, O God… Create in me a clean heart.” In that moment, David learns that the only way forward is not by managing appearances but by coming clean before God. Sin always leaves a mess—both in us and around us—but grace offers a way to clean up. Confession doesn’t erase consequences, but it opens the door for healing and restoration. God’s grace not only forgives the sinner; it can begin to heal the people and places our sin has affected.

When we stop covering up and start cleaning up, we discover that God’s grace is bigger than our biggest mess.

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Before David was a king, he was a shepherd. In the quiet fields, he learned to guide, protect, and care for sheep—lessons that would later define how he led God’s people. Psalm 23 reveals that before David could lead others, he first had to be led by God.

David knew what it meant to depend on the Shepherd who restores, guides, and provides. His leadership flowed from intimacy, not authority—from being cared for, not from striving to control. Centuries later, Jesus called himself the Good Shepherd—the One who knows his sheep by name and lays down his life for them. Jesus leads not through power or position, but through love and service.

To lead like Jesus, we must have a willingness to follow—learning what it means to be led by the Shepherd. We cannot lead others well if we are not first following well.

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David knew God had called him to be king—but that promise didn’t come to pass quickly. Around 15 years passed between David’s anointing and the moment he finally took the throne. David faced 15 years of uncertainty, running, hiding, and trusting that God was still at work.

We often think of faith as a belief we hold—but Scripture shows us that faith is meant to shape how we live. The life of David in 1 and 2 Samuel offers us a vivid picture of what faith looks like in real time: not only in great victories, but also in the long stretches of waiting.

Last week, we looked at one of the fruits of faith: courage. This week, we focus on another: patience rooted in trust.

In 1 Samuel 24, David has the perfect opportunity to take matters into his own hands. Saul—the king trying to kill him—falls right into the cave where David and his men are hiding. David can end the threat and get the crown, but instead of seizing power, he chooses restraint. He refuses to harm the one God had appointed for that season. David waits—trusting that the promise would be fulfilled in God’s timing.

David shows us that waiting well is not passive—it’s a courageous act of faith.

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When David faced Goliath, he wasn’t the strongest, tallest, or most experienced warrior on the battlefield. He wasn’t even supposed to be there—he was just delivering supplies to his brothers. But David showed up. And when the moment came, he offered what he had: a sling, a few stones, and a heart confident in God.

David didn’t try to wear Saul’s armor or fight with someone else’s weapons. He knew who he was and trusted that God could use his own unique gifts and experiences for a greater purpose. What seemed small in the world’s eyes became powerful in God’s hands.

The story reminds us that God isn’t asking us to be someone else. He’s asking us to show up with what we have—regardless of the odds. Our gifts, our stories, and our faith can all be used by God when we step forward in trust. Victory doesn’t come from our strength but from our willingness to let God work through us.

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In 1 Samuel, God sends His prophet to anoint a new king. Everyone assumes the next leader will look impressive—someone strong, tall, and commanding. But God reminds Samuel, “The Lord does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart” (1 Samuel 16:7).

When God chose David, the youngest and least expected son of Jesse, He revealed something essential about His Kingdom: God’s concern is not appearance, status, or performance—it’s the condition of our hearts. 

Later in life, having faced his own failures, David prayed in Psalm 51:10, “Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me.” The same man chosen for his heart learned that a heart for God requires continual renewal. Our hearts are shaped not by perfection, but by repentance—a willingness to be remade by God’s grace.

This week’s sermon challenges us to ask: How’s your heart? Is it teachable, humble, and open to the leading of the Spirit? God still searches hearts today—raising up people who are less concerned with outward appearances and more devoted to His presence and purposes.

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In Matthew 6:9-13, Jesus teaches his disciples to pray, “Your kingdom come, Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.” This prayer isn’t just words—it’s an invitation to live as people shaped by God’s kingdom. Likewise, in 1 Chronicles 29:10-13, King David reminds the people that everything—power, greatness, glory, and majesty—belongs to the Lord alone. Both passages call us to orient our lives around God’s reign, God’s power, and God’s glory.

Through Project Mockingbird, HPUMC is seeking to embody this prayer and confession right here in Dallas. From the corner of Mockingbird Lane, we long to see God’s kingdom take root—in raising up new leaders, strengthening families, serving the vulnerable, and sending disciples into every corner of the city. This vision isn’t about building our name or power, but about declaring with David, “Yours, Lord, is the greatness and the glory and the majesty.”

As followers of Jesus, our calling is not just to pray “Your kingdom come” but to live it out: in Dallas as it is in heaven, by God’s power, and for God’s glory.

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In Matthew 4:1-11, Jesus faces temptation in the wilderness. Offered shortcuts to comfort, recognition, and power, he responds each time with God’s Word and chooses obedience to the Father. His testing shows us that true ministry flows not from ease or compromise, but from faithfulness and dependence on God. In the same way, Project Mockingbird calls our church to trust God with a bold vision. It’s not simply about buildings or numbers—it’s about creating spaces of worship, raising up leaders, and serving our city so that God’s Kingdom comes in Dallas as it is in heaven.

For each of us, the call is personal. Just as Jesus resisted the temptation to take the easy path, we too are invited to surrender our comforts, our pride, and our desire for control, choosing instead to live by God’s Word. This means asking: Where am I tempted to take shortcuts in my discipleship? Where is God calling me to trust Him more deeply? As we give, serve, and pray, we participate not only in a church-wide vision but also in the ongoing work of God’s Kingdom in our own lives and in the city we call home.