Tips for Teaching This Week’s Session of The Gospel Project for Adults

Listen to this week’s leader training podcast with Y Bonesteele, team leader for The Gospel Project for Adults, for a summary and guidance in leading your group.

This week’s additional resources for study and preparation:

• Commentary: “God’s Covenant with David” by David Guzik
• Article: “Jesus Is: A Greater King Than David” by Jared Bumpers
• Article: “The Davidic Covenant” by Keith Mathison
• Sermon: “The God Who Reigns” by Don Carson

Transcript of Leader Training Podcast:

Hi, this is Y Bonesteele, team leader of The Gospel Project for Adults. Welcome to another Leader Training Podcast. Today we are in Unit 11, Session 3, The Lord’s People; with the core passage of: 2 Samuel 7:18-29, and the key concept of: As God’s people, we can be assured of God’s promises.

Last week, we saw David’s mercy in sparing Saul when he could have killed him. Looking at the timeline on p.91 of the Leader Guide, after that, the major events was that Saul and his sons were killed in 1 Samuel 31. Then in the beginning of 2 Samuel, David mourned for Saul and Jonathan. And for a brief period of time, David was king over Judah while Ish-bosheth, son of Saul, was king of Israel, seen in 2 Samuel 2:4 and verse 8. They battled often but eventually there was a coup in Israel. And in 2 Samuel 5:5, Israel made David king. “David was thirty years old when he began his reign; he reigned forty years,” (2 Samuel 5:4). As king, then, David moved the ark of the covenant to Jerusalem in chapter 6, as they all rejoiced.

In the beginning of chapter 7 then, David realized that his palace was beautiful, but the Lord’s tabernacle was still just a tent. He had good intentions in wanting to build a house for the Lord and told Nathan such, but God told Nathan He never asked for a nice house to be built. But instead, He told Nathan to tell David in 2 Samuel 7:11-16: “The Lord himself will make a house for you. 12 When your time comes and you rest with your ancestors, I will raise up after you your descendant, who will come from your body, and I will establish his kingdom. 13 He is the one who will build a house for my name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever. 14 I will be his father, and he will be my son. When he does wrong, I will discipline him with a rod of men and blows from mortals. 15 But my faithful love will never leave him as it did when I removed it from Saul, whom I removed from before you. 16 Your house and kingdom will endure before me forever, and your throne will be established forever.” This information is pertinent to set us up for today’s passage, David’s response.

David’s response to God’s blessing and covenant with him was humility. He first “went in, sat in the Lord’s presence” in verse 18. As the Gospel Project Commentary states on page 93, “David went into the tent that housed the ark of the covenant… when Nathan told him God’s message, David responded by drawing near to God’s presence in awe and worship.” David then started his monologue with, “Who am I, Lord God, and what is my house that you have brought me this far?” showing his understanding that he is no one apart from God, that God was rewarding him because of God’s good character.

Why should God’s greatness produce humility in us? Our understanding of God’s greatness should put us in our right place, knowing that we must trust God in everything because we are limited in our humanity. Remembering that God is ultimate, supreme, sovereign, all-knowing, greater than I, helps us put us in our right place, a place of humility and appreciation of all that God has done for us despite our lowliness and despite our sin. God has always been for us and doing mighty deeds because of His love for us. That should cause us to trust him and increase our faith in Him.

Back in verse 18, then, the term “Lord God” or “Lord Yahweh” is distinct and reminiscent of when Abram used the same term for God in Genesis 15 when the Abrahamic covenant was established and God promised Abram numerous descendants and a promised land. For David, the promise and covenant here was a forever kingdom and forever throne, referring to the Messiah’s kingdom and throne, and thus Jesus’s kingdom and throne. David was humbled and in awe of God’s blessing. He knew this “revelation” from God was “great.” He knew there was significance in what God was speaking of and was revealing to him in this covenant—back in verses 11-16, that God would “make a house” for David, that He would “raise up” a descendant, who would “establish his kingdom,” that He would “establish the throne of his kingdom forever,” that God would “be his father, and he will be [His] son,” and that his “house and kingdom will endure” forever. These promises were great indeed.

David heard these things and acknowledged God’s mighty works for His people: “God came to one nation on earth in order to redeem a people for himself, to make a name for himself, and to perform for them great and awesome acts, driving out nations and their gods before your people you redeemed for yourself from Egypt. 24 You established your people Israel to be your own people forever, and you, Lord, have become their God” in verses 23-24. God was in the work of redeeming “a people for himself, to make a name for Himself.” That is the gospel in a nutshell.

Though David may not have fully understood all that God would do, He knew that God was working and will work in the lives of His people, the Israelites and those who would put their faith in Him. Today, we understand this covenant being fulfilled in Christ Jesus who was raised up from death and established His kingdom and throne forever.

David continued in his prayer, pleading with God to “fulfill the promise forever,”  to do as He had promised. But in his humility, David wanted God to fulfill his promises not for himself but for the Lord’s glory, that God’s  “name will be exalted forever.” Over and over again, we also see David referring to himself as a servant. David understood what it meant to see himself as a humble servant. He knew God was master. He trusted in everything God said and knew He was true to His word.

How does God’s faithfulness to His Word encourage you to repent and obey? God’s Word tells us He loves us and forgives us when we confess and repent. We can trust that making it easier for us to repent knowing He will forgive because of Jesus’s work on the cross. God also promises to be with us and that His plans are always for good. Because of this, it should make it easier for us to obey.

David knew the greatness of God. He believed that the Lord God was God; that His words are true; and that His promises would come to fruition as seen in verse 28. And anything God blessed would be blessed. David prayed with courage, fervor, and faith.

Going into the Group Experience then, start with the icebreaker on p. 96 of your leader guide. Other suggestions for a starting question may be, “When has someone kept a promise to you or you have kept a promise for someone else even when it was difficult?” Or “Why is it difficult for humans to keep all our promises?”

Then go into the Context, reminding the group of David’s current kingship, his desire to build God a temple and God’s response that leads into the Davidic covenant.

Recap by passing out copies of Pack Item 8: God’s Covenants, comparing the covenants God made with His people. Carefully look at the Davidic covenant and the new covenant established through Jesus. Ask, “How did your reading this week reinforce the key concept that we as God’s people can be assured of His promises?” Note that David saw God’s character, His faithfulness in the past, and His assured voice as evidence of a God who keeps His promises. Today, we can have that same assurance because of that same evidence.

Go into the Group Activity, directing your group to p. 78 in the Personal Study Guide. First, have someone read 2 Samuel 7:18-24. Fill out the first column with the answers on page 97. Then have someone read 2 Samuel 7:25-29. Fill out the second column with the answers given. Ask, “How might David’s season of waiting have grown a heart of gratitude in him, after receiving the promise of kingship?” Sometimes when we wait patiently, though it is difficult, once a promise is fulfilled, we are ever more grateful for that gift. David’s psalms show how grateful He was to God for His faithfulness to him.

Discus, “Have you experienced a season of waiting and then God finally brought about what you had been waiting for? In what ways does seeing God answer prayer strengthen our faith?” When prayers are answered, it reminds us that God is working and we can be confident that He continues to do so. But even when He doesn’t answer or answer in ways we weren’t expecting, in our waiting, we should trust and know that God is working from how He has worked in the lives of His people in the past and from His Word written to us.

Then in the third column, ask the group to identify how God’s fulfillment of David’s covenant promises includes us as believers. The Davidic covenant points to the new covenant established in Jesus, that one from David’s line would give us eternal rest, be on an eternal throne, establishing an eternal kingdom. This promise includes us today who follow Jesus. We get to experience eternal rest, have Jesus as our eternal king, and we get to be a part of His eternal kingdom. Display Pack Item 9: A Forever Throne poster to help the group remember that Jesus is part of the fulfillment of the Davidic covenant. He is the Savior God’s people were waiting for.

Debrief with, “What encouragement does this passage give about God’s faithfulness to fulfill His promises?” When God makes a promise, He fulfills it. Whatever God does, it’s always for His glory and we get to experience the blessing from that. God loves His people and desires a relationship with them. He will do it by any means, and He does so through the sacrificial work of Christ.

Summarize and if time is limited, focus just on the Heads question in the next section. “Since all of life is about God’s glory, what are some areas of your life that are not aligned with that goal?” For some it may be work, or social media, what they post or what they look at. It may be gossip or aspects of conversations that are ungodly. You will have varying answers from your group.

In Next Steps, point out to your group the first bullet point, referring to Hebrews 4:14-16. Highlight verse 16, “let us approach the throne of grace with boldness, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in time of need.” Remind your group that they not only can have the boldness to present their requests to God, but they can also simply sit in His presence, like David did, acknowledging who God is, a good and loving God, thanking Him for all His good works.

Go through praise and prayer requests and end with Psalm 115:9-13. Consider a responsive reading for verses 9-11, with you reading the first line and the group reading “He is their help and shield.” Then end with reading verses 12-13 yourself:

12 The Lord remembers us and will bless us.
He will bless the house of Israel;
he will bless the house of Aaron;
13 he will bless those who fear the Lord —
small and great alike. — Psalms 115:9-13 (CSB)

Hey, thanks again for joining me on another leader training podcast. Reach out at [email protected]. And have a great group time!