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1 Samuel 26 (Part 2) Bible Study - Pastor Daniel Batarseh · Bible Study with Pr. Daniel Batarseh | Verse by Verse Series | Maranatha Bible Church - Chicago

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This world is not an easy world to live in and I remember having
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a conversation with a few brothers and the thought, dawned
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on me just hearing the different trials and temptations that
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people face. And we're facing at the time and
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this. This thought ran through my mind
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if this is what it's like to live with Christ.
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I don't know how people do it without him.
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How in the world do you live through this turbulent world?
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Without Christ by your side. I don't know how it is.
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I don't know how it's done, but I can tell you this with him,
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all things are possible and that is what we're seeing with this
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men. David as he is, as he is
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enduring, a great trial and extended trial that's coming to
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an ear end but not just yet. And so we come together to First
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Samuel chapter 26. As we finish this chapter
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together beginning in verse 13. If you don't remember what
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happened last week Saul is added again.
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He wants to chase David down his repentance before this proved to
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be futile. It didn't mean anything his
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words. Held.
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No. Wait.
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And David realized that saw and 3000 are right there.
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Not too far from his location and he is ready to confront him
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to confront him in a very similar way that he did.
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When he was hiding in a cave and Saul relieve themselves.
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Of providentially in that very same hole in the wall.
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And so we see here now, David is ready to communicate his
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concerns and to confront Psalm. But before we get into what he
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is going to say, we get a description of the setting of
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The confrontation. And so, in verse 13, we read
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then David went over to the other side and stood far off on
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the top of the hill with a great space between them and David
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called to the Army. And to Abner the Son of Nur
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saying, will you not answer Abner?
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Then I have never answered. Who are you, who calls to the
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king and David said to Abner, are you not a man who is like,
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you and Israel? Why then have you not kept watch
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over your lord, the king for one of the people came in to destroy
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the king. Your Lord, this thing that you
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have done is not good as the Lord lives you deserve to die.
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Because you have not kept watch over your lord, the Lord's
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anointed and now see where the Kings spear is, and the jar of
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water that was at his head. Remember saw was sound asleep
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with three thousand of his men surrounding him in that
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Wilderness and the Blackness of that Midnight Hour David and his
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assistant that. I'm at least for this Mission.
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Come to saw, they find his Spear and his water jug.
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They taken instead of slaying Him and Dave's going to use
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these props to make the same illustration.
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He made when he was in that cave.
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I could have killed you but I didn't.
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But look at verse 13. Look at the description.
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David went over to the other side and stood far off on the
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top of the hill with a great space between them.
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Now we don't know how much of a distance there was but we know
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that perhaps in that Wilderness there were Hills and there is a
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specific landscape that provided natural Acoustics for their
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communication to be clear even though they were at a distance.
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But the more than that, this space, this description of this
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Chasm speaks about David's precaution of Saul.
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Saw has proven to be unpredictable.
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Saw has proven to lack Integrity.
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Saw has shown that he can say something, but he doesn't really
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mean it. That one day, he appears to be a
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type of person. The next, you can be the polar
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opposite and David here, realizes that and so, he
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distance himself in order to be safe and it's sad to see the
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sight of a man who is having to frame his relationship with his
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employer and his father-in-law in such a way.
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But when somebody proves over and over that, they cannot be a
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trustworthy individual or when they repeat the same serious
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offense time and time, again, it will cause even the godliest of
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men and women to be guarded. And to be distant.
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And if we desire for our relationships with other people
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to be filled with life and love, then it will require us to take
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heed of the warnings of the scriptures.
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That tell us exactly what it is. That would cause others who can
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be a blessing to our lives to instead be repelled, and to
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reserve their affection, and their involvement in our lives.
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And guess what? It doesn't take attempted murder
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to do it. There are many things in the
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scriptures that tell us exactly how friends and close Companions
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and potential partners for the kingdom of God, to be to be
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separated from one another. Can I give you one?
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It's in Proverbs 17. Verse 9 tells us very plainly.
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Whoever covers an offense seeks. Love But he who repeats a matter
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separates close friends. Here, who repeats him a seesaw,
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cause David a step aside, and to communicate from a distance
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because he was trying to kill him.
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No kidding. I would send a letter.
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I wouldn't even voice myself. But scripture tells us in a very
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realistic way, how we can do things that may not seem as
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serious as taking a sword to someone's neck.
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Scripture tells us you're with other insights that all the
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takes us to repeat a matter to separate close friends.
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Now, this can mean one of two things, number one, to repeat a
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matter. Can mean that you take something
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that was shared to you personally.
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And to give it to someone else who has no, no right to receive
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what you have been given. And it goes back to this
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principle of lacking Trust of breaking trust.
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Any relationship in life that you want to be secure and to
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flow with Grace and fragrance, has to be built upon the
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foundation of trust. Of trust, and all of us in this
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place, long / Security in our friendships and our marriages
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and our leadership. And if you want to build that
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with anybody, then it must be built upon.
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You being a trustworthy individual. and when that is
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shattered, It causes great pain and there's nothing more
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exhausting. There's nothing more troubling
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and painful than feeling suspicious about a person.
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God cares about our relationships with one another
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he does and so he gives us incredible wisdom of how we
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can't protect and how we can nourish those things that God
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wants us to enjoy for the sake of his glory.
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And I wonder when looking at this proverb in light of God,
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because he is a personal being Is there any wonder why he
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continually declares his faithfulness to us?
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Is there any wonder that he proves his trustworthiness?
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Then when he says something he means it.
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Then when he promised something he will never break it, That
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faithfulness that God has invites us to open our hearts
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without reservation. It causes us to be transparent
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and causes to arrest and knowing I can trust my God, I believe
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him. When he says that he will do it,
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if you recorded it, he promised me that he'll never change.
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He's the same yesterday today and forever.
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And if we strive to be like, our God, like our father, then, we
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must also be like him and his faithfulness.
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To be committed to our word to be serious with what people
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entrust to us. And so scripture tells us that
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even by repeating a matter that shouldn't be repeated.
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We can we can fracture friendships, we can fracture our
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marriages, we can fracture, our Partnerships will another in the
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kingdom of God, but to repeat a matter.
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Mainly means, I don't think it mainly means that, but I believe
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it mainly means That someone to resurface a past wrong to
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somebody who has offended them or offended, another person to
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repeat a matter means to to unburied something and to berate
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somebody with that failure of the past, when it's already been
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dealt with when it's already been communicated and it's
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already been forgiven, it's something that has been cast
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behind your back. But to repeat a matter is to
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continually smear it in someone's face for whatever
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reason it can be out of wanting to make somebody feel that guilt
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again to manipulate, and whatever the case may be, But if
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you want to know, one, sure way of wounding a relationship with
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someone just bring up their past the past that they have repented
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of the past that they've asked forgiveness for bring that up
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again. And that is a sure way of
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causing someone to to be reserved emotionally and even
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physically to distance themselves from you.
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And again, I think about our relationship with the Lord, what
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causes our relationship to the world to be so sweet and what
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causes it to move forward and to advance into grow?
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Well, I'll tell you one thing, he never brings up the past,
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does he? If at any time, your thoughts
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are being brought back to a past failure, I can tell you this.
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It's either one of two things, it's yourself or it's the devil.
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But it's never gone. Because once you repent, once
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you give that at once, you confess it to the Lord, he
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assures you, this is never going to be in our conversation again.
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That is a glorious thing about our God.
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But we worship him for it and we love it, but we're not willing
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to give it to others. How can that be?
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You, and I, if we want to secure these things that God has gifted
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us with an in one, another, these relationships then be like
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him, be like him. And so, this is one of many
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examples of how, like, David is showing his here in this
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physical posture, we can cause people even the most lovely
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people to push away from us. God forbid verse 14, finally,
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the serenity of the sleep of these men who are surrounded
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We're surrounding Saul, rather is about to be broken by the
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echoing voice of David, on a top him, some Hill.
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And instead of it being addressed to the main source of
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the problem, who was Saul, we read that David called to Abner
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the commander of Saul's Army. And that's interesting because
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we're wondering, why would you do that?
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What does AB to have to do with anything?
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Is in your main issue, with this man, Saul?
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Are you trying to cause more problems than you need in your
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life? David?
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David is not addressing Abner to try to shame him for just shame
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sake. He's not trying to expose him to
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embarrass him. David is being very tactical, he
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was being very wise as he is confronting Abner from a
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distance. What he is.
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In essence trying to do is expose saws, poor judgment.
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Why do you think that is? Why do you think that David is
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confronting Abner's failure to defend his King?
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And he idea Why would you do that?
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What is he trying to? What's he trying to accomplish
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here? Because we read it, right?
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You failed, you deserve to die. You didn't keep watch over your
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lord, the king, you didn't, you didn't protect the Lord's
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anointed remember Abner's responsibility with other
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soldiers was while the king sleeps you stay awake.
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You're not going to bed, there is a night, watch going on to
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make sure that there's no intrusive enemy coming in to
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assassinate the man. And all of the men are sleeping.
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This is a Monumental mistake. And David addresses it because
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David wants to show Saul that the person that you thought
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would be, the most faithful to you was not.
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And the person who was going to be in, has been the most
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faithful to you is the one that you're trying to kill.
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He's indirectly telling Saul look at the people who were
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supposed to give their lives for you, and they fail to do so.
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And the one who could have taken your life Is in fact, the most
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Reliant one in your life. So, so who's the real friend
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here, Saul Abner. The one who clearly
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disappointed, you or me, the one who has given himself to you in
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one way or another. And that's exactly what's
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Happening Here. Saw was supposed to realize this
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and he's doing it in what and such a marvelous way David is
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doing it. So brilliantly.
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But here's the thing, when we look at saw Saul's choice or his
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failure to choose David to be by, his side is a reflection,
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it's an illustration of The Sinner who chooses other things
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above Christ. This is a picture here of
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someone who fails to realize the glories in.
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Jesus Christ, the friendship and Jesus Christ, the faithfulness
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of Jesus Christ. And they choose to put their
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Refuge, they choose to put their security, their salvation,
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perhaps in another God, or perhaps in the ways of the
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Flesh. And what saw is realizing here
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is what by the grace of God, The Sinner will realize sooner than
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later. And hopefully sooner not in
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eternity, that these things that we thought we can trust, will
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ultimately fail us. Like Abner your favorites in the
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worldly pleasure that you thought would quench your soul,
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the relationships that are centered around Beauty and
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sensuality and network for the sake of prosperity.
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All these things like Abner will fail you, they will.
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And sometimes it takes a rude, awakening.
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A slap in the face like Saul here, waking up in the middle of
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the night. Realizing I could have been
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killed realizing this person or this thing that I've given my
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life to my vulnerability, to my heart to my life too.
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Did not live up to its promises. And sometimes people sitting
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here week after week. They're going to need that rude
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awakening before they hear what the preacher has to say.
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I hope you don't have to come to that point.
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Because at the same time, Saul is going to realize what I hope
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you might realize if you're that person in this place.
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Then as he wipes the stuff out of his eyes and he sees that his
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spear is missing and his personal mug is not in his
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bedroom. There.
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He sees David. There, he sees the man who is
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actually true who actually lives up to his commitment and his
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Assurance in his promises. And you need to realize that
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David is a representation of Christ himself.
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You will not know another like him.
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You will not know another Master like him.
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I know you've been told that he will Lord over your life, and he
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will take joy from you and he will give you the second and
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third best, I've heard of her people.
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What of God makes me marry somebody that I want to marry.
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Like what does that? What have got makes me move to a
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place. I don't want to move.
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What is that? What of God makes me pursue a
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career that that I don't want to do but I have to do because he's
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God you don't know. God I'm sorry you don't know.
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God. Because there is no one who will
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provide for you. Protect you flood your soul with
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satisfaction like Jesus Christ. No one.
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And you don't need to have sleepovers with sin before you
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realize that. You can do it now.
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You can know what at this moment, you can ask him to open
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your eyes to believe it, and he will do it in a way where he
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will leave you marked for the rest of your life. the more I
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grow in life, the more I realizing how disappointing life
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is really, and I read that Psalm earlier, because just some past
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reflection, nothing else, brings the soul, rest, then simple
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devotion, personal worship discovering who God is nothing.
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and Saul, hopefully will realize What the sinner should realize
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without wasting another day? Abner field sauce in will fail
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you your dreams, your Pursuits will fail.
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You The one whom God has anointed is who you need and
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that is the person of Jesus Christ.
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Let's read on, shall we? First 17, Saul, recognizes
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David's voice and said is this your voice?
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My son, David. And David said it is my voice.
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My Lord O King now. You and I are going to come to a
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portion of scripture that's going to read very familiar to
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what we've seen, just two chapters ago.
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Remember when David was in the cave, he cuts up corner of
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Saul's robe. Saw goes out of the cave.
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He walks a little bit and then David comes and he addresses him
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it's going to be a very, very similar encounter here you.
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And I when we read through the scriptures will see repetition,
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we will see Parables repeat themselves in the gospels.
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We will even see when you read like First Kings and then you
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read Chronicles, you like I've seen this before.
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This before but the Holy Spirit knows what he's doing.
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Whenever there is something that seems to be similar or even
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seems to be identical realize that that repetition is by
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Divine Design. Do not ignore it.
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Do not skim over it, do not be light with it.
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If anything be all the more attentive and diligent to read
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between the lines to compare to see, why is it that the Lord is
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bringing this up again? Because as you do that, as you
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contrast, the text What you will see is differences.
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And in the differences, you will find great insights.
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So again you come to this portion of scripture, okay?
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Here it is again. David's going to confront them.
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It's gonna be the same thing. I know the story saw is not
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going to kill them and but wait, be careful.
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When you read slowly and you flip back and forth, you'll see
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the differences and and then you'll be able to say oh wow,
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okay, oh what a difference. All this is not as similar as I
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thought. It takes time, it takes effort,
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but it's worth it. Saul recognizes David's voice
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and said, is this your voice? My son, David.
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That's all say something similar.
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Before he did this David say something similar and David
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said, it is my voice. My Lord O King.
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What's missing here? There's nothing missing from
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Saul's address. There is something missing in
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the way. David responds.
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Remember David is still choosing the path of respect, even though
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this man failed to prove his repentance and he had all the
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right to be infuriated. He had all the right to approach
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him with superiority with harshness perhaps even with
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scorn. But instead, David doesn't want
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to just be Guiltless with his sword.
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He wants to be blameless with this tongue and so he chooses to
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address him with honor because of his office because of his
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seniority, whatever the case may be, at the same time, David does
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not say he does not give a certain title to Saul.
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I encourage you to compare it to First Samuel 24 and to see what
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is missing. I'll give you a little bit of
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time to figure it out. Go back to 1st Samuel, 24, Look
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from verse 8, down a few verses and see if it if it comes up.
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My Lord O King. Yes, five more seconds.
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Aha, very good. Did you say the same thing?
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Look at verse 11 of 1st Samuel, 24.
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See my father. See the corner of your robe in
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my hand. First day at 26, he does not
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refer to him as my father. Now to us that that would mean
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because Saul is treating him like everything but a son,
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right? But there is something that
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happened that we did not touch on when we explore the chapter.
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There is something that happened that canceled out the
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possibility. For David to refer to him with
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this term of endearment. It's the last verse of 1st
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Samuel 25, we didn't touch on it, but it's worth noting.
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And first Samuel 25 verse 44, saw had given me how his
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daughter, David's wife to polity.
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The son of lionfish, who is of gallium.
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Can you imagine that? So as David is wandering, in the
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wilderness, saw, strategically separates his wife from him and
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gives his daughter to someone else.
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This man was so filled with hatred that he wanted to attack
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David in any way possible. And so he came after his
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marriage. He severed that relationship and
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he even causes his daughter to pursue an adulterous
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relationship, Think what? What kind of man would be sick
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enough to do this? I'll tell you a man who is just
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filled with jealousy. A man who's filled with such
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Envy. It's amazing.
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The lengths that even a hidden feeling can take someone and it
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reinforces the thought does it? Not it reinforces the truth that
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oftentimes when a man thinks that he is sinning with someone
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or against just one person that the consequences of such a thing
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go far beyond what you had hoped or planned.
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He just had something against David, but he didn't just come
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after David. That sin wants to erode
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everything it wants to corrupt as much as possible.
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And so, it reaches into David's marriage, it reaches into his
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family life. We're now his family have to
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escape Bethlehem and wander and and foreign places sin, cannot
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be contained. In terms of its consequences, it
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will spread like cancer. The more it is fed.
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It has to be burned out by the power of the Holy Spirit.
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And so, we come to this point where now even David you want to
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add to the pain of his journey. David loses his wife.
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He loses his wife because of his father-in-law's sin.
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If you feel the horror of it, good, never forget it.
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These things are given to us to make us feel such things.
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So he says my Lord my king, he doesn't call them, then call him
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my father. And so we read on and we see
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something quite interesting here.
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Saul recognizes David's voice and said, is this your voice?
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My son, David. The words are the same.
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But when David heard it, he also saw something else.
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Let me put it this way when Saul said it and in chapter 24.
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Is this your voice? My son, David.
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Something else was in that, that is missing.
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Now and again, go back to chapter 24 and compare it,
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compare the question. To this chapter in this verse
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and see what stands out. You have to go a little further
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and chapter 24 to see it. Look for that question and
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finish the verse and see what is different.
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When you have it, just say it out loud.
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Anybody catch you yet? Yes.
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Yeah, there's that and but I'm saying look for Saul's
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questioning and see what's different with Saul's
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questioning and inquiring of this is David's voice compared
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to chapter 26. Ah, did you see it?
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Let's look at it verse 16. Is this your voice?
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My son, David 24:16, and saw lifted up his voice and wept.
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Come back to 26:17. Saul recognizes, David's voice.
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And said, is this your voice? My son, David, no weeping.
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No crying, no Brokenness. Now, emotions are not the
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greatest indication of what's happening in.
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Someone's heart, they're not, they're not the strongest Clues
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and not the strongest signs, because people weep all the time
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and it just it just surface-level conviction worldly
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sorrow at the same time. We cannot totally ignore the
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value that emotions play. Here we see something quite
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interesting Saul is being exposed for the same sin that he
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had his attempting to commit that he did back in chapter 24.
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He's being now confronted for the very same thing, but his
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heart is responding to it differently.
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It is. There seems to be a coldness and
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you're going to see that as you read on there, the right words,
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but there seems to be a questionable element to how he
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is confessing his sin. Could it be that overtime saws
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heart was getting harder and harder and harder?
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I argue. Yes.
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I argue. Yes.
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And that often happens to a person who continues to persist
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in the same wrong at one point. You've heard me say this before
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at one point there was there was a discomfort and a disturbance
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with it and then now there's a tolerating and there's less
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agitation. It's almost like it becomes part
28:32
of you to the point where you can't even feel the weight of
28:36
the seriousness of any Weren't that is that is a result again
28:40
of ignoring a conscience, not being in the presence of God's
28:43
light in his word and letting yourself be dealt with and
28:48
managed by the flesh. Saw cannot even cry about it
28:53
anymore. And it's scary when you hear
28:58
people talk about their sin, even in the form of confession,
29:03
I've seen horrific things and I'm not talking about the sin
29:07
itself, but the way it's communicated.
29:12
There's no Brokenness there's no concern.
29:17
There is no sense of what have I done.
29:22
It can just be about. Yeah and it's there's a
29:26
difference between that and being comforted to know that God
29:29
will forgive you. There is a difference there.
29:33
Look at how David responded to his sin, and you'll know exactly
29:37
what I'm talking about. There is a healthy level of
29:42
being broken over sin. There's an unhealthy, but
29:46
there's a healthy and, and Sawyers demonstrating concerning
29:50
concerning elements of a heart that is becoming.
29:53
I see. and so David responds to him even though there's no
30:00
tears, And he says, here in verse 18.
30:04
Why does my Lord pursue after his servant?
30:09
For what have I done, what evil is on my hands?
30:12
Now, therefore let my Lord the king hear the words of his
30:14
servant if it is the Lord who are stirred you up against me,
30:18
may he accept an offering? But if it is, men, may they be
30:22
cursed before the Lord for they have driven me out this day that
30:26
I should have no share in the heritage of the Lord saying go
30:30
serve other gods. So now he confronts him and he
30:35
questions. It's a wonderful thing to ask
30:36
questions. He asked questions then he says
30:40
before you answer, let me actually continue here.
30:43
Why are you doing this? Let's do the process of
30:46
elimination is God encourage you to do this?
30:49
And one way you can interpret, this is this, because of that
30:52
evil spirit, that the Lord has allowed to torment you.
30:54
Is that why? If it is May accept your
30:56
offering of repentance? If that's not the case, if it's
31:00
not the Lord, if it's not that spirit that he is allowed to
31:05
chastise, you, can I ask you this?
31:07
Is it men. Are you listening to people
31:10
again? Are you listening to their
31:13
slander and their lies that are stirring you to act in this way?
31:17
And look, what he says is quite fascinating, he says, if it is
31:19
men, may they be cursed, may they be cursed.
31:25
Why? Why such a serious indictment?
31:28
Why call of judgment? He gives the reason why he says
31:34
for they did what they've driven me out this day that I should
31:38
have no share in the heritage of the Lord saying go serve other
31:42
gods. You know what, David's complain
31:45
to us for him to call upon a curse for these people.
31:49
His complaint was not that he was experiencing physical
31:52
discomfort. It was not that he lost his
31:54
home. It was not that he didn't have a
31:57
position anymore. Remember, nobody knows how long
32:00
he was in the wilderness but some estimate it was not.
32:03
Just weeks or months. It was years.
32:05
That's a long time to be living in caves.
32:09
But his main grievance is nothing of the sort.
32:14
The real reason why he was stirred up with this righteous
32:17
indignation was because these men have caused them to be in
32:21
Exile. Making him distant from the
32:24
people of God. Who worship God in the house of
32:28
God. And that is what he wanted, more
32:31
than anything else. This is what the sin of these
32:35
people have caused me to do to, not be able to come into the
32:39
presence of the Lord, and to worship him with other Godly
32:43
Saints. That's my complaint.
32:47
Isn't that fascinating? I find it quite fascinating.
32:52
You know why? Because David's pain.
32:54
He Reveals His passion. David's complain to your
33:01
reveals, what he cherishes the most in life.
33:06
David here in expressing his frustration.
33:10
Is revealing what he Longs for the most.
33:15
And as I read this, I think That shows really what you and I
33:22
treasure in life. Some people are more grieved by
33:28
the loss of a job than the loss of sensitivity to God's presence
33:32
and leading some people grieve, more of friendships being
33:37
tampered with than being in God's house with God's people.
33:44
You know, when I read this, I thought to myself of that
33:46
initial phase of this whole cobit thing when the whole world
33:50
was shut in and nobody can go anywhere and churches across the
33:55
world close their doors for us. Season.
33:59
Can I ask you a question because we all experience it together in
34:02
that time? What was the most frustrating
34:04
thing? To you.
34:09
What disturb you the most in that season?
34:13
What was it? That was taken from you that
34:15
cause you to want the world to open up again.
34:20
Was it God's house? Was it being with God's people
34:24
to sing? God's Praises was it to hear
34:26
God's word preached in person as it should be.
34:30
Or is it that you couldn't go to your favorite restaurant
34:32
anymore? And you couldn't go on vacations
34:35
as frequently as you once did. Or you cannot explore this or
34:39
that or go to the mall, whatever the case, maybe I can tell you
34:42
something, whatever your heart was aching.
34:44
For during that time reveals what you love the most in this
34:48
life. And in David's case, when he was
34:53
put into quarantine in one way, oh, he's I want to be in that
34:58
place. I want to smell the sacrifices
35:00
on the altar. I want to worship with that
35:01
choir. Like we heard in Psalm 42.
35:03
I want to lead the people of God and procession so that we can
35:06
praise God out loud. That's what I'm longing for.
35:09
That's what I'm making for in this life.
35:15
One way that, you know, that your satisfaction is in God
35:18
alone, is that if everything was taken from you, you would be
35:20
just fine. It's true and one way to know
35:25
that your satisfaction is not in God alone, is that when things
35:29
are taken or things are stolen or things are rotting, whatever
35:33
the case, maybe your world seems to fall apart.
35:37
David knew, no such thing. Because everything was taken
35:41
from this man, even his own pillow, and the only thing that
35:45
was running through, his mind was, oh, I want to be able to go
35:48
through those Gates Again. I want to be able to see those
35:52
priests minister to the Lord. All I want to be able to be as
35:54
close to that Ark as possible. That was his cry.
36:01
And so he brings us before Saul revealing his his godliness.
36:07
And we read here in verse 20. Now, therefore let not my blood
36:12
fall to the Earth away from the presence of the Lord.
36:14
For the king of Israel has come out to seek a single flee like
36:18
one who hunts a Patridge in the mountains.
36:22
Then Saul said, now, here's solid responding to this.
36:24
This is now his, his confession supposedly, he's about to Now
36:29
respond to what he has responded to before.
36:33
And he says something here, I have sinned returned.
36:36
My son David Frye will no more. Do you harm?
36:39
Because my life was precious in your eyes this day behold, I
36:43
have acted foolishly and have made a great mistake.
36:50
Pretty impressive stuff. So You know why?
36:55
Because yes, he confesses again but he's saying something
36:57
different than he did before. What did he say before?
37:01
Anybody remember what he said when he was confronted by David,
37:08
if you go to verse 7 of chapter 24 you'll get it and it's not
37:12
the same as what he is saying here.
37:14
If anything, this seems like to be a more sincere confession
37:19
because before what does he say this?
37:21
Somebody figure it out. what did you say to David before when he
37:25
was confronted, you are more righteous than I There is no
37:32
mention of his sin in chapter 24.
37:35
Now he's saying I have sinned I have sinned.
37:40
Like this is great. This is an improvement.
37:43
This is a move forward. He doesn't just say I've sinned
37:46
because I've acted foolishly I made a great mistake so he's not
37:51
trying to. He's not trying to hide his sin
37:53
by just emphasizing on David's Superior righteousness.
37:56
He just speaking plainly. I have sinned.
38:00
That sounds more like a sincere confession in chapter 24 and he
38:04
says I've acted foolishly. Let me make this point sin and
38:08
foolish. Our neighbors. when a person
38:12
lives in sin know that they've allowed foolishness to pay rent
38:17
in their hearts, Sin and foolishness go hand-in-hand
38:23
because a foolish person does not consider the damage and a
38:26
destruction of their decisions. They do not calculate such
38:31
things. Let me give you an example, the
38:34
sin of adultery for example, right?
38:36
Scripture speaks about this among other sins.
38:38
I want you to just hear this. In Proverbs 6:22, we are told he
38:42
who commits adultery lacks sense.
38:48
Why he does it destroys himself. So, a person who is caught up in
38:53
the flesh, a person who is caught up in lust and they act
38:57
upon it. The scripture says they lack
39:00
sense, because they don't realize the potential
39:03
destruction that can come to the reputation to their marriage.
39:07
To somebody else's. Marriage is all things
39:10
redeemable. Absolutely.
39:11
Can God forgive all things? You better believe it.
39:15
But yet still, God May forgive the sin but not the consequence
39:19
of this in consequence of this. Since sometimes comes, Alice and
39:24
so here, we see that he acts foolishly confesses it because
39:28
sin and foolishness hold hands. It's very difficult to separate
39:32
the two. You can never sinned wisely.
39:36
You could think that you're smart and your sin but you can't
39:39
separate the two. Remember that?
39:41
Remember that. but another important difference from this
39:44
confession, Stands out. Is the what invitation, for
39:49
reconciliation? I have sinned return my son
39:53
David. He didn't say that in chapter
39:56
24, he just asked, make sure that when you become king that
40:00
you leave my descendants alone, this time, he's saying, come
40:03
home, come back. I'll give you your job back.
40:07
I'll let you come back to what was normal before we can restart
40:11
return. My son David That's like that's
40:15
wonderful. That's even it's even more
40:17
exciting. This is great.
40:21
But it's concerning. Return.
40:24
My son, David, what is the right answer?
40:29
What should they would do? Believers who think black and
40:33
white would say go. You're supposed to reconcile is
40:38
that not the pursuit of forgiveness isn't at the end
40:41
goal that forgiveness would restore absolutely.
40:47
That is true. But the call to forgiveness is
40:51
not the same as the call for reconciliation.
40:55
Listen, our faith is all about forgiveness.
40:58
Forgiveness for the believer is not optional.
41:01
In fact, I mean, add to that. Forgiveness should not be
41:04
delayed our hearts to release somebody else from their
41:07
offense. Not harboring bitterness not
41:10
meditating upon harm to be done to them.
41:13
In fact, being willing to love them, in a sense of acting good
41:17
upon them when the opportunity arises that, that's there's no
41:20
discussion that there's no debate, there's no at what if
41:24
But though, forgiveness is immediate not reconciliation.
41:30
Depending upon the severity of the sin.
41:34
Will determine whether reconciliation can be immediate
41:37
or it can be a process. And that's that's totally okay,
41:42
with God. Is the end goal always to be
41:47
reconciled? Yes.
41:51
Is that always the case? No, because sometimes the most
41:55
harmful thing you can do is try to restore something too
41:59
quickly. What do you mean by that?
42:02
Well, because although all sin is condemned by God, not all sin
42:08
have the same consequences. Sometimes it can go deeper it
42:13
can it can go further. It can it can be more crushing
42:18
more devastating and because of that it doesn't excuse a lack of
42:22
forgiveness but it does permit for reconciliation to be
42:28
approached with a certain time and a certain patients in order
42:32
for it to be genuine and safe. It's all losing his temper here
42:41
with David. Is that what he's asking
42:42
forgiveness for did he just have an outburst of anger and saying
42:46
look I lost my cool man. I'm sorry just let's just let's
42:48
just hug it out. Come here.
42:50
Is that what he's doing here? No the guys trying to kill him.
42:53
He's trying to kill them. And so we can't be so
42:59
black-and-white to say. Go ahead.
43:02
David. Oh, I know, he's told you over
43:05
and over again that he wouldn't do it and he free but just you
43:07
gotta do it. Is that wise?
43:09
That's not wise. God wants us to exercise wisdom
43:13
and all things, including reconciliation.
43:19
I want to show you how sin, as an example, how some sent have
43:22
more lasting consequences than others, go to the Book of Exodus
43:24
very quickly here. It's actually found in the ten
43:28
plagues believe it or not I'm sure there's many other
43:31
illustrations we can use but here is one to consider.
43:36
Let's go to the second plague. Let's go to Exodus chapter 8.
43:44
And verse 13. Now remember there are certain
43:47
plagues that when Pharaoh asked for forgiveness and when he
43:53
asked for the plaque to cease, Moses would intercede and in a
43:58
moment that plague would be dealt with.
44:01
I mean, in a moment but when you come to the plague of the frogs,
44:07
something interesting happens, even though God answered
44:09
immediately, and destroyed those frogs in order to bring relief
44:13
to Egypt, look at verse 13, And the Lord did according to the
44:18
word of Moses, the frogs died out in the houses, the
44:24
courtyards and the fields and they granted them together.
44:28
Rather they gathered them together in heaps and the land
44:32
stank. I can show you other plagues
44:36
where God blew a win in One Direction.
44:40
And the moment that Moses interceded, he blew even a
44:43
stronger wind, the other direction.
44:44
So that those things can be removed.
44:46
In this case when the frogs were were put to death, we are told
44:51
look how interesting this is that they had to their shovel
44:53
these frogs and make piles and there was a stench There was a
44:59
stench afterwards and I believe that's a great picture of how
45:03
some sins stink more than others.
45:08
Some sins leave and odor, and comparison to others that though
45:13
there still sin are not as severe.
45:17
And so we have to understand that we have to be very
45:19
realistic about these things because I've even had
45:23
conversations with people who might have done someone wrong in
45:26
a certain way and they pressure and they they want immediate
45:33
restoration to normalcy. And as much as that is the goal.
45:38
There are some things that take time There's some things that
45:41
take time and we have to be patient and understanding of
45:45
that when trust is broken, it takes time to rebuild it.
45:51
Among other things and David realizes that because we might
45:55
want to throw stones at the man. But let's just register the fact
45:59
that perhaps, if he had went back into the camp or even go
46:02
back to the Palace, that would have been his last, his last
46:05
moment. Things could have changed
46:07
overnight. And so this is much more complex
46:10
than we would like it to be. We have to consider the history
46:13
of Saul does this man keep his word.
46:17
Does he does. He actually honor what he says?
46:20
No, Then we got to be careful here.
46:22
What are the circumstances? How do we move about this?
46:25
The best way? I hope that helps because
46:29
sometimes we oversimplify things.
46:34
And we do ourselves harm and we do other people harm as well.
46:38
I want you to see how David responds to the invitation
46:41
that's all gives to return with him.
46:44
First, look, what he does here. In verse 22.
46:51
He hears him out he respects him and David answered and said here
46:55
is the Spiro King? Let one of the young men come
46:58
over and take it so he's not like I'm coming down there.
47:01
Is it returned? Okay, he doesn't run into his
47:05
presence. He doesn't even call Saul to
47:08
come up. To take his possessions.
47:11
He says that one of your young servants come here and grab it.
47:16
The David become bitter is David not looking for reconciliation.
47:20
All you got to do is read the rest of the scriptures.
47:22
And this chapter to realize that this man is free from
47:25
resentment. But he's not stupid either.
47:31
And he's cautious and he's careful and you and I are called
47:34
to do the same, but let me let me make this warning because
47:37
some people love what I'm about to say.
47:40
That although we must be careful.
47:44
We must not refuse reconciliation either.
47:47
Because there are some people who will take what I'm saying.
47:50
And say that's right. That means I'll never have to
47:53
talk to that brother and sister again. oh, really That is not
48:00
the case because the goal is always reconciliation.
48:03
God wants us to have our relationships restored, but the
48:08
pressure for a person to do something that would not allow
48:12
for healing and try to attempt a close companionship, after a
48:16
serious offense, or series of sharp things occurring to them.
48:22
Is just as wrong. So we see here that he does not
48:27
give his possession directly to him.
48:32
And David was, right, David was right and his assessment, all
48:36
you have to do is go to the next chapter very quickly.
48:38
Look here in verse 4 of chapter 27.
48:40
We're going to read this, I can't wait for this chapter.
48:44
But look at verse for David actually leaves, Israel, at this
48:47
point, we'll get to that next week.
48:49
But look what it says here in verse 4.
48:50
And when it was told saw that David had fled to gath, he no
48:53
longer sought him. Implying, what he was seeking
48:58
after him. After all of that return, uh, he
49:02
was still willing to kill him. So what happens?
49:10
Well, David gives his final words because this is the last
49:13
time David and Saul are going to encounter one another.
49:16
This is it. And look what he says here.
49:19
In verse 24, I want to highlight this before we close behold, as
49:23
your life was precious this day, David is speaking as your life
49:26
was precious this day in my sight.
49:28
So may my life be precious in the sight of the Lord, and may
49:32
He deliver me out of all tribulation.
49:37
The saw your life was precious to me and you know what?
49:40
He says he's not concerned. If his life is precious to saw,
49:44
he realizes that it's not But he says, made my life, be precious
49:50
in the sight of the Lord. I believe that David's continual
49:59
awareness of the presence of God and all that he did, and a
50:02
knowledge of God's ability to reward or judge was the
50:06
ingredient to the success that he knew in life.
50:10
Even solid mit's it. Look at verse 25 and Saul said
50:13
to David Blessed, Be you my son David, you will do many things
50:17
and will succeed in them. As much as this man, I hated
50:21
David. He realized because of the
50:24
principles because of how you express your convictions and
50:28
what you live by. There is no doubt that you will
50:31
be successful in life. I cannot I cannot fight that as
50:34
much as I'm trying to fight against you.
50:37
And that principle is true for you and I believe it if you and
50:41
I live with the knowledge of God watching us recording leading
50:49
all these things. If we live in his presence we
50:52
will be the safest and we will be the most satisfied.
50:55
Do you realize that the reason why Saw made such a tragedy out
50:58
of his life is because he lived the exact opposite he could care
51:02
less. If he was a precious in the
51:04
sight of God, he could care less what?
51:06
God Would do or would not do the man lived for other people.
51:10
He lived for his impulses and that's why he was spiraling
51:14
down, more and more as we continue in this book.
51:18
So you see two paths, right before us parallel one heading
51:22
up one heading down one key difference.
51:25
One person lived with the knowledge of God's presence, the
51:28
other one could care less, whether one can care less.
51:33
And great men. Great woman of God though.
51:38
They are known though, they may not be known the way that they
51:41
have known. Such Sweetness in life, is
51:44
because they were only concerned about living in the sight of
51:48
God. That is how you will know,
51:51
maximum Holiness and that is how you will know maximum happiness.
51:55
There's a famous saying, I'm not really a fan of it.
51:58
You might have said it. This is not a personal offense
52:00
to you and I'm not aware that. Anybody has said it's I've known
52:03
it for years. Jesus Christ did not die to make
52:07
you happy. He died to make you.
52:08
Holy have you heard it? So is that that's my choice.
52:16
Holy or happy? I would like to rephrase and say
52:19
Jesus Christ died to make you holy so you can be happy big
52:23
difference. It's not like I have a 4K if I
52:28
if I become holy then I'm less happy and if I run really no
52:31
happiness, then I shouldn't be holy, you won't get that in the
52:34
Bible. That might be clever saying, but
52:36
it's not true. Great Men.
52:41
Great woman have lived in the sight of God and I want to show
52:44
you one example and then we're done, it's in the New Testament.
52:48
Luke 1, it's about John the Baptist very, very small
52:51
description that we might miss but it is huge and implication
52:55
and promise. In Luke 1.
53:08
Let's begin in verse 13. But the angel said to him, do
53:15
not be afraid. Zechariah for your prayer.
53:17
Has been heard and your wife, Elizabeth will bear you a son,
53:22
and you shall call his name John.
53:25
And you will have joy and gladness and many Will Rejoice
53:28
at his birth. Verse 15 for.
53:30
He will be great before the Lord.
53:36
He will be great before, who, before crowds before Herod,
53:39
before Rome know before the Lord.
53:46
And how did that man, live. How did he live for him to live?
53:51
Great before God's face? There's my man.
53:57
There's my servant, he had one outfit in one diet.
54:02
We would look at him and say what a poor fellow.
54:04
Look how much sacrifice that is to serve God.
54:07
People think you're crazy you have to live out in the
54:09
wilderness and look at all the people questioning him and
54:14
calling him cuckoo. Yeah and the sight of others
54:19
perhaps so in the sight of God great And you and I have to
54:27
determine who do we want to live before?
54:28
Do we want to be great before men who want to be great before?
54:32
God, if you choose tonight to be great before God, let me give
54:36
you a heads up. You might not get the same
54:38
evaluation from Men. But which one matters most,
54:44
which one means more, you determine that and I hope you
54:48
make the right choice, David lived in the presence of God.
54:53
And look at how it is let him up to this point.
54:55
Look at all the rewards that are weighted him in his own life
54:57
because he had established that conviction and look at the mess
55:01
that's all made out of his own. As much as David has been.
55:06
So inspirational to this point. It's in chapter 27 that you and
55:10
I will see what weariness. And trial can do if we don't
55:18
receive strength from a continual trust in God Lord we
55:22
thank you for this Bible study. Louis, thank you for these
55:27
truths. We thank you for these insights.
55:29
We thank you for this time exploring, these wonderful,
55:33
wonderful things that you have reserved for us in the
55:34
scriptures. Lord, we ask that we would
55:37
Implement them by your grace and mercy.
55:42
We pray that these things do. They might have cut our hearts
55:45
would bring us. New Life.
55:50
New Hope New desires. But we pray.
55:57
That we would be concerned about what you have to say about our
56:00
lives. Loi pray, he would give us
56:10
wisdom and our relationships wisdom and our decisions.
56:18
But oh God, we pray that you would do a work in our hearts
56:21
like you did in this man that while he had lost everything.
56:24
His main concern was you. Worshiping you loving you being
56:29
with God's people. Lord may we value the things of
56:33
God to such a degree. Because in that will we know
56:37
great, great pleasure, great Delight.
56:42
Superior satisfaction. Lord, we worship you.
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We worship you in our conviction.
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We worship you in our comfort. We Worship You, Even in our
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questions, we worship you because you've given us greater
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Clarity. We worship.
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You. You are a good God.
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You are so faithful. The god of David is our God.
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Glory. Be to your name, and Jesus name
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we pray. Amen.
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The stand and worship of Lord.