In an act of truly extravagant love, David reached out to a man named Mephibosheth—an heir of the murderous King Saul, who would normally have been considered his enemy. David brought him into his own household, treating him as a son, an act that foreshadows the loving, forgiving, restoring One to come, Jesus Christ.

There isn't a single person alive, Pastor Rob says, who doesn't live with regrets. But the story of David's confession and repentance, and God's forgiveness and restoration, brings hope to all who live under the burden of guilt.

David's sin with Bathsheba—and all that came after—is a warning to us all, Pastor Rob says, of the potential for wickedness that exists within the human heart, and how easily compromise and cover-up can culminate in extraordinary evil

As we continue our studies on the life of David, Pastor Lon now introduces us to "the David we don't want to meet" — the David whose sin will have devastating consequences for this great king, his family, and the people God called him to lead.

When David decides it's time to build a house for God, he learns that God's plan for us is not about what we can do for Him but what He—in His limitless power and love—will do for us: surrounding us with His presence and flooding our lives with His grace.

There is nothing in life, Pastor Lon says, that matters as much as getting God right, And at the center of "getting God right" is a right understanding of how we are to approach Him: in awe-struck worship.

The tumultuous story of David's ascent to the throne as king over Israel offers us important lessons about power—its potential and its peril—and how it can bring good or evil into our own life and the lives of others.

Some of the changes that come into our lives are positive, but many are unwanted—even painful. There were elements of both in the critical transition that David faced upon the deaths of King Saul and Saul's son, Jonathan. In David's experience we find important lessons on how we can better face difficult turning points in our own lives.

The Scriptures that follow the telling of the Christmas story hold a truth that can transform worry into peace. It's the peace we all need, Pastor Phil Shields says, as the challenges and opportunities of a new year loom before us.

Pastor Rob Bugh explains that we are like a child who opens a beautiful Christmas present, but focuses instead on playing with the box. We concentrate on “horizontal” peace, looking for relational peace, international peace, and a life without longing, but ignore the “vertical” peace the angels announced on Christmas—the best gift ever given.