When I was in high school we had some family over to celebrate my birthday - I don’t remember which one because there is only one thing that my mind has held onto from that day: a single, pernicious gift. My parents had divorced and my mom had begun dating her now husband; he was at the party. I remember gazing across the wrapped presents brought for me and I spotted the biggest one: a heavy box clothed in wrapping paper. That would be my birthday’s grand finale, I had decided. After giving my heart-felt thank you’s to the other present, I zoned in on the final, dense gift. I devoured the outer layer, destroyed the box and
found... 100 feet worth of extension cord. I looked up at my mother’s significant other and he said, “ I noticed you haven’t been weed-whacking the back fence.
This should help. ” He saw this gift as good news, needless to say, I did not.
2 Samuel 4 paints a story almost as dramatic as mine: while he is napping, Saul’s last living son is murdered by his own soldiers. They take his head, sneak out and bring it to David under the guise of good news. David’s “enemy” (their words, not his) was dead, and the Lord used them to avenge David (their words, not the Lord’s). David speaks some truth into the matter and has the men killed, and dismembered. Not particularly hopeful, until you realize that counterfeit “good news” has been confronted by real good news: God will provide, protect, and guide His people; and those who falsify His good news will not prevail.
Read 2 Samuel 4
1. What is your gut-reaction to this story? Why do you think God allows David to respond so aggressively to this false “good news”? What does that say about God?
2. Read Galatians 1:6-12... Why do you think Paul is so stirred about the Galatian Christians believing a gospel that is “really no gospel at all”? How does this differ/compare to your reaction when Jesus’ gospel is misrepresented?
3. Do you fight against counterfeit “good news” in your own heart and mind? How? What do you need to do to make sure you are being formed by the real good news this week?