David has been shown a joy that makes him forget himself. So much so that he willingly lays aside his kingly robes to dance with the most disenfranchised of his community. But it's not without opposition as the daughter of Saul quickly rebukes him. 

David's question would be a good one for us all to ask, "How can the ark of the Lord ever come to me?" Turns out, there IS a way back into the Presence of God, the way of blood, sacrifice, and atonement. 

It is not enough to WANT the presence of God in your midst. HOW you approach him is vitally important, as King David is about to learn in a violent and terrible way. But why would Yahweh choose to do this? What could possibly be the reason for Uzzah's death? 

David's first official act as King of Israel was to bring a smallish, portable worship container, the Ark of the Covenant, back into the Tabernacle. In so doing, he signifies to the people of God the most central act of his administration: the pursuit of the Presence of God.

Christ Presbyterian Church in Oxford resumed public worship on June 7, 2020 after a 3 month hiatus due to the COVID-19 Quarantine. Upon return, Les preached from Isaiah 49 and the gleanings he had from a sermon preached by Tim Keller in 2010. 

Paul wraps up his discussion with a discourse on the inevitable conflict that Jesus' followers will encounter. Unfortunately, this passage has so much cultural encrustation around it, it can be hard to see what he's really saying. But once you do, the way you look at the world will never be the same.

There are few things like our relationship to our work that’ll bring out the spiritual struggles inside all of us. Some of us love our jobs, while others of us hate them. Regardless, Paul instructions were powerfully countercultural and can help us even today.

There is not the slightest notion in Paul that the Gospel truths he’s been unpacking can stay safely in a “non-public” place. Rather, it shows up in the most fundamental relationships of human life: children and parents.

The Church, Paul has said, is the most conspicuous place where God is going to show his intentions for the universe. Marriage is the other place where he will do that. Turns out, men and women have different roles to play in this cosmic drama.

Paul takes the next step in his unpacking of what it means to "imitate God" when he turns to the topic of human marriages. Marriages are hard because we are trying to use them for purposes for which they were never intended. Only when we see God's larger mission can we get a sense of how our marriages can be a blessing.