The Wilderness

The Gospel According to David

The Wilderness

Chris Honess, Lead Pastor

May 10, 2026

God leads each of us into the wilderness.

But an evil spirit from the Lord came on Saul as he was sitting in his house with his spear in his hand. While David was playing the lyre, Saul tried to pin him to the wall with his spear, but David eluded him as Saul drove the spear into the wall. That night David made good his escape.

1 Samuel 19:9-10

Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, left the Jordan and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness, where for forty days he was tempted by the devil. He ate nothing during those days, and at the end of them he was hungry.

Luke 4:1-2

He sends us …

1. … because he loves us.

Because your love is better than life, my lips will glorify you.

Psalm 63:3

2. … so that we will trust him.

Have mercy on me, my God, have mercy on me, for in you I take refuge. I will take refuge in the shadow of your wings until the disaster has passed.

Psalm 57:1

Look and see, there is no one at my right hand; no one is concerned for me. I have no refuge; no one cares for my life. I cry to you, Lord; I say, “You are my refuge, my portion in the land of the living.”

Psalm 142:4-5

3. … to transform us.

David was thirty years old when he became king, and he reigned forty years.

2 Samuel 5:4

Jesus returned to Galilee in the power of the Spirit, and news about him spread through the whole countryside.

Luke 4:14

4. … to enlarge our hearts for others.

David took up this lament concerning Saul and his son Jonathan, and he ordered that the people of Judah be taught this lament of the bow (it is written in the Book of Jashar):

2 Samuel 1:17-18