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2 Samuel 13 (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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I want to read this just before we start because this verse came
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to my mind, just as I was praying meditating for tonight.
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It's very, very important to rehearse over ourselves what
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Jesus Christ, purchased for us, just the riches of his glory and
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the blessings that have been made available through the
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cross, just, you know, have to turn there.
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Just listen to what I have to say from this text and realize
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that Jesus purchased this for you, and it is yours because of
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faith is by Grace. This is your future.
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This is where your Headed because you are in Christ and
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just let it melt your heart that it rejuvenate you and bring hope
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to you in Revelation 21. Verse 3, John says, and I heard
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a loud voice from the throne saying, Behold The Dwelling
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Place of God is with man, he will dwell with them and they
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will be his people and God himself will be with them as
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their God. He not an angel, not seraphim
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that cherubim he will wipe away every tear from their eyes and
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Death Shall be no more no more funerals.
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No more early premature loss. No more loved ones gone for long
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periods of time. Death Shall be no more neither.
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Shall there be Mourning? North crying.
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Nor pain anymore for the former things have passed away.
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And he, who was Seated, on the throne said, behold, I am making
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all things new that's going to be the headline of the dawn of
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Eternity behold. I am making all things new also.
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He said, write this down for these words are trustworthy and
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true. You know what that means?
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They're really, really true trustworthy and true you can
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count on it. You can Surrender Your Life on
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it. You can believe Leave it with
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every faculty of your being. These words are trustworthy and
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true in the same words and Revelation that are trustworthy.
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And true, are the same words from the same author.
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And second, Samuel chapter 13, would you meet me there?
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2nd, Samuel. 13. And as you turn there, we're
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going to put our finger together.
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I Verse 18 Last week you and I candidly discussed.
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The tragic desecration of one of David's precious daughters
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named. I used the pronunciation of
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Tamar, but in actuality it is, Tom are.
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So I'm going to borrow that for this Bible, study Tom odd who
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was violated by one of David's Sons, namely the eldest son
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amnon and we looked at and in great detail.
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And we concluded our time together last week by examining
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the attitude of and then after that evil act had been Committed
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and we looked at what had happened to him.
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After this, great crime came about and we realized that there
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was inside there about the deception of sin and how the
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true face of iniquity tends to only reveal itself after we buy
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into its lies, And an end and case what had happened to him
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though. It is an extreme example, his
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sexual sin, created, emotional confusion, and an in cured, upon
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himself, psychological damage. Among other things, those are
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the things that were apparent, but and then was not the only
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one who had a reaction to this atrocious Act.
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The Holy Spirit preserves for us in his wisdom three, utter other
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reactions to what end and had done and they are connected.
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Very closely to who he is. And these three reactions prove
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to us. How one's unhinged selfishness
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has collateral damage, damage beyond control damage, beyond
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what we calculated or planned. And we are going to look at
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these three reactions briefly. And it won't be pleasant.
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Bible study per se just like last week's, but I am under the
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persuasion that it is extremely necessary.
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Clearly, it's in the word of God, and can I share with you
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what my prayer has been for this segment.
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This chapter, this portion, and really, for the rest of second
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Samuel, it is that you and I, as God's people would grow in a
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particular way, we would grow in our hatred for sin.
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That you and I would have such a sour taste in our mouths based
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on what we study that it would create a greater resistance and
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discernment and strength in your fight against Temptation and my
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fight against Temptation that we would be appalled.
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And we would see through one of the Bible's, most detailed
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description of the horrors of sin.
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Just how deplorable Giving into our flesh can really be.
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And so let this Bible study tonight and Spire a fresh Zeal
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to fight against that, which lies to you that, which put our
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savior on the cross, that which has created all the mess that we
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are enduring here in this world and our universe altogether.
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And that's what we're going to do.
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We're going to Dive Right In and examine these three responses
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and then we are going to because the holy spirit is going to lead
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us in this direction. Highlight one of these responses
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and expand on them because it will teach us really, really
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will teach us of the Folly of giving into one particular sin,
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and that is retaliation seeking Revenge.
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Harboring bitterness and unforgiveness imagining taking
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things into your own hands. The Bible here will show us just
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how foolish that is. So be prepared.
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As we read here in verse 18, we look at our first response apart
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from Eminence to this evil, this evil of rape.
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This evil of young men who targeted his half-sister and
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took advantage of her to satiate lust and our first response.
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Predictably is that of God. What do we see here?
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In verse 18? Let's look at it.
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Briefly. Now, she was wearing a long robe
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with sleeves for the swear, the Virgin Daughters of the king
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dressed. So his servant put her out and
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bolted the door after her. Remember, that was the last
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thing that we saw. We saw and then kick her out of
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the room and calling one of his servants to do that.
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And a verse 19, and Tom odd, put ashes on her head and tour, the
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long robe that she wore, and she laid her hand on her head and
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went away crying aloud. As she went.
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So sad to read this, it's very heavy but it's also pretty
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predictable because her open grief here, this Screech of
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Sorrow is really the expression of loss.
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It's something that you would see even with the ashes and The
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Ripping of garments is something that you would see in the
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scriptures when somebody loses somebody, that they really loved
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and respected. Somebody had died.
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And so this is extreme pain. This is deep, this is
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significant and it does speak of a pain connected to a loss but
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not a loss from or for someone but if something, what did this
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woman lose her Purity, her chastity. that which she guarded
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that, which she protected that, which provided her a sense of a
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safe future has been taken from her because of one moment of a
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man who had unbridled lust perversion taking over and with
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his power. And with his position, he took
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advantage of this young lady and she symbolized her misery.
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Very plainly and obviously by ripping off those sleeves which
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signified her purity. And she throws him away and she
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declares from that moment on I am unclean, I'm destroyed.
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My future is gone. It will never be the same and
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you get a hint of the bleakness of her future in verse 20.
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If you read the last part of verse 20, we reached so, Tom
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odd, lived, a desolate woman, In her brother absalom's house, and
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that's the last time you're going to hear ever.
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She now lives with her brother, her full brother, and that's it,
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you never never see any mention of Thomas again.
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So you get the impression. This is how she lives the rest
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of her life. We don't know if she finds
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somebody, we don't know if somebody takes her and, you
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know, she has a family just this and and that bleakness is
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supposed to make an impression on us and it seems unfair.
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But last week, you heard me say, and it's worth saying again that
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the Brokenness the extent of our Brokenness in our world due to
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sin extends, even to harming destroying polluting.
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Even those who are innocent in various and Grievous ways.
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That's what we see with this woman.
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And according to the holy spirit of God, you know this very well.
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There is only one solution to ensuring that we decrease trauma
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and pain and wounds caused by selfishness caused by sin.
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And that is found in the summary of one command.
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Is it really? That simple brother.
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It's actually really that simple, though, the command is
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very demanding on our flesh. Hence why it must be
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supernaturally, generated and induce by the holy spirit of
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God, I want to show you how in one simple verse with one simple
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command. Most and up, not all of our
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problems in this world can be solved.
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Can I show it to you? It's in Galatians 5.
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Galatians 5. And I want you to see it.
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In verse 14, There are a lot of commands in the Bible, a lot of
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commands were more familiar with the Big Ten but there are more
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than the Big Ten. And there is a law the law of
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Christ on top of that. And look what Paul says by the
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spirit in Galatians 5:14. So for the whole law, is
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fulfilled in one word. The whole law is fulfilled in
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one word. You know what it is?
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You shall love your neighbor as yourself.
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You know what Paul is saying here?
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The, the solution or the motivation for every law that
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you can think of, especially horizontally.
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To knowing its fulfillment and consistency is in Christ.
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Spirit. Transforming the Inner Man and
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producing in that heart, a love a Divine love and agape, love.
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So think about it, do not commit adultery, do not steal, do not
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covet, do not bear false, witness thing about gossip
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jealousy, Envy Backbiting, Pride, all these different
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things. All of that can be solved when
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making that claim of faith and putting your trust in Jesus and
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allowing the Holy Spirit through that Faith to enter in and to
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renew you from the inside out. We can see the whole scope of
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Harmony and peace be reduced to nothing if this is perfectly cut
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and we know it's not perfect because we're going to no
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Perfection when we when we come to Perfection.
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But the principal still lies. True.
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That there is a call to pursue that kind of love.
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And in pursuing, that kind of love.
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There is a victory over that which destroys And in the very
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next verse of what Paul says here, you get the reverse of a
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failure, the failure of pursuing that kind of love opens us up to
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this kind of a world. And what is that?
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Look at verse 15. but if you if you bite and devour one another
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watch out that you are not consumed by one another So if
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this love is missing in us and if it's not being actively
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pursued by the believer, this is what you can expect in your
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world, in your home, in our schools, and our government.
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Our churches. Biting and devouring one.
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Another Biting and devouring that has beastly, connotations.
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And that is exactly what is being described here.
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Only animals bite and devour one another and nowadays humans, who
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claim that their animals might do it, I guess, but it's clear.
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This is not human behavior, but void of this love, we can be
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reduced to such Behavior. This is the contrast the
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previous verse when God's love goes missing when it is void.
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Humans are capable of acting and treating one another, to the
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point where you become like irrational, beasts, and
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actually, cause some kind of Extinction Until you completely.
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What? Consume one.
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Another. And that's what we see in local
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churches. We see local churches consumed
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here's the scariest part about what I'm presenting you today.
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Paul is not writing an epistle to the heathens and galatia.
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He's writing to the Christians of galatia.
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So this is a warning, this is an encouragement and a warning to
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the Believers in galatia which tells me that Believers are
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capable of verse 15. It's Believers that are capable
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of biting and devouring one another, not the world.
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Now if that is possible in this lovely place, would lovely
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songs, lovely music, lovely messages, then what would become
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of the world that is devoid of the spirit.
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And I think you and I are going to depends what you believe
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about the The tribulation, whether you're there or here,
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you're going to perceive what the world will look like when
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the Holy Spirit chooses to distance himself from actively
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working in our world, there was going to be there is now in
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there will be an intensification of biting and devouring one.
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Another you're saying well what does that look like?
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Well, here's a little Glimpse. What, what?
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Am needed to tame our Port Ahmad.
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That's what happens. And so Tom, our shows as Tom our
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reminds us that when this Godlike Love Is void, then pure
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innocent, lovely people like her, get hurt.
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And there's a biting and devouring and destroying.
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But now, we come to the second reaction to this atrocious act
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and it's found in verse 20. We looked at Tom odd briefly.
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Now we look at her brother, verse 20 and her brother Absalom
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said to her has amnon your brother been with you.
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Makes you wonder how he put the pieces together.
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Makes you wonder what kind of reputation and aunt had has am
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known your brother been with you now.
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Hold your peace. My sister.
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He is your brother do not take this to Heart.
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I come here and look at verse 22 in connection to that but
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Absalom spoke to em them. Neither good nor bad for Absalom
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hated em because he had violated his sister Tom odd.
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So you and I were prepared to be introduced to this man because
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in the very first verse of chapter 13, He is mentioned.
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And so we finally now see him in action and his initial words are
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directed towards his exploited sister.
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This is some kind of an attempt, I guess to, to comfort her to
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put her at ease. And it seems like he's
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downplaying what happened. And it's not because he is
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insensitive though, you can make that case.
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But it's because he has a plan. Absalom is instructing his
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sister to do this. Very thing to hush her.
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So, to speak because Absalom has a hope in his own heart, and it
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was very quickly inspired and that hope was to take measures
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into his own hands. And he knew that if Tom our
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tells the king or if she reports it or if she puts him on blast
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this can become a public Scandal very quickly and he's not afraid
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of this marring. His family's name.
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He's not concerned about that. At all, you're going to learn
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that he didn't. Care about that very much.
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What he is concerned about though, is that this could
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possibly give him Or rather he can lose the opportunity to take
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this into his own hands and satisfy, personal vengeance.
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And the reason why he doesn't do it right away.
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Is because the same way Tom are was not easily accessible.
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And so, a man had to pull back a little bit and come up with a
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plan. Absalom knows that he's going to
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have to also come up with a plan and sometimes a good plan takes
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some time. So what's the strategy now?
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What? You just read in verse 20.
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Verse 22, rather. He plays it.
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Cool, he pretends he's casual He doesn't say a word to his
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brother. He isn't showing any aggression.
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He doesn't even reprove him. No, reprimand.
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Nothing of the sort. He just goes a long as nothing
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happened. He just moves day-to-day.
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As though nothing had happened. What can we learn from Absalom
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here? Here's what we can learn.
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There are many lessons, and this is the one that came to mind sin
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begets sin. I know that the same profound
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but it's important sin, begets sin, and what I mean by that is
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the cycle of pain that we are realizing that.
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You see before you that you might be experiencing even
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tonight in your own world that cycle of pain that's doesn't
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seem to be ending but it's constantly being fuelled.
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Often survives. Because of the response of
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people to the response of other sins, meaning it's the sin comes
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to me, me responding to that sin with my own sin is what keeps
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this thing alive and going. It keeps the cynicism, the
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danger, the Temptation, the potential destruction alive, and
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well. And what he's prepared to do
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here is the total opposite of what you and I are called to,
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you know, you and I have a code according to God's law and the
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code is very straightforward. We do not violate God's law in
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order to deal with sin around us or toward us.
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That's just a no-go Zone. We don't cross that boundary.
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We never entertain committing an evil to deal with any other
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evil. And so we see here that Absalom
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is prepared to do just that He is going to now, add to the fuel
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to the fire rather with his own Fuel.
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And and if you want to know how this works on a, you might see
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it here on a microscopic scale, but you can see it on a societal
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scale, even in the very city that you live in Brothers.
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Do you remember, when we used to serve at Woodbridge?
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One of the most astounding things that came to me when we
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used to minister among teenagers, who were actively
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engage Ang's, Was when we asked them just straightforwardly.
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Why do you do this? Why do you shoot people?
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Why do you kill? Why do you plot, why do you take
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revenge? And you know what, the number
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one answer was well because we have to pay them back.
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We have to pay them back. He took out my buddy, he took
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out my friend, he took out my cousin, he took out my father.
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And I remember watching a news coverage of the shootings here
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in our own City And the reporter told one of these gang members,
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who had a mask on didn't want to reveal their his identity.
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Why don't you just put the guns down?
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And it was just like an atrocious.
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Thought, like, what are you talking about?
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Put the guns down. So, the very news that you hear
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every single night, the sirens the deaths, the funerals of
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teenagers. Is fueled by one main thing
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retaliation. And if there was a generation
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who did understand that Vengeance belongs to God and
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they did put it to a halt, we would see Revival.
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To some degree. And that's why when we we
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learned that we came 11 Thursday night, we came with our Bibles
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and we gave him a Bible study about how God says vengeance is
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mine and to take Vengeance from goddess to steal from God.
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And we tried to convince him from the scriptures of the
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wisdom of allowing almighty, God, who is completely aware,
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and I'm an observant and taking into account, everything that's
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being done, he will actually intervene And he will stand for
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justice. And that that you can just see
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it on their face. You can see it on there and
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they're questions that demanded. Such great faith.
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Such great faith. You're telling me that God can
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defend me And so, yes, we're seeing it even here in our own
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City. What Absalom is ready to do, is
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what people are doing tonight. and all it takes is that one
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truth that God is just, he is a judge, he can act, he can
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defend, he can intervene for so much to be put aside but people
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just don't believe They don't believe so much.
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Depends on faith. My friend so much depends on
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faith. It seems so simple yet so hard
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at the same time especially when the pain is so real.
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But but to say, I will take vengeance is to assume a
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prerogative that belongs to God alone.
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And so that's some kind of form of idolatry going on there.
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You're not God. You're not God.
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And when you take Vengeance into your own hands, you often go
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above and beyond what Justice demands, right?
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So you can cure even more guilt and more sin and more chaos and
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more. And that's what we're about to
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see before we see how this is expanded.
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Let's look at our third and final reaction to eminent sin
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because sin is never one dimensional.
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Look at verse 21. Now we look at David's reaction,
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the father of both eminent and Tom odd, isn't it sad?
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That it's only one verse Verse 21.
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When King David heard, all of these things, he was very angry.
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What's missing? You would think so, he would or
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so, he nothing. He was very angry, no action,
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only strong emotion on display and then we cut back to Absalom
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and verse 22. And this is extremely
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disappointing, and you and I should feel that disappointment
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because in the same way you and I heard that retaliation begets
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more problems and sin. So does injustice, you know what
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David should have done with the lawsuit to do?
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As difficult as it seems? And Leviticus 20 verse 17, we
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are told that when anybody is sexually intimate with an
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immediate family member, they are to be cut off.
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The guilty, parties are to be cut off.
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That may sound severe but that's the law.
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God Knows Best. And David doesn't do anything of
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the sort, he doesn't even rebuked him.
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It is even call him into his presence and threatened him.
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Nothing, he just expresses frustration and anger and he
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lets him go lenient careless. Casual, he felt the right
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emotions but it just stop there. And that's a problem.
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And this being placed between absalom's initial words to his
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sister. Tamar and his demeanor towards
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his brother, am ninh the placement, their sandwich in
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between those suggest to us, that David's unwillingness to do
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something, encourage Absalom to take revenge.
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Okay, Dad, if you're not going to do anything, I'll do it.
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I'll do it. You don't want to do anything
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about it, then I'll do it. Gladly, and here's here's the
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principal for you and I to consider these are so important
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to see. When evil is not confronted. and
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if it is not restrained by those who have been given God, decreed
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authority to handle sin and evil and immorality Injustice,
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whatever the case may be sin is guaranteed to multiply
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guaranteed to multiply and is nothing short of dangerous for
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the home. For the church and for Society
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at large, when it's leaders turn a blind eye to willful sin and
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do nothing about it. So, leaders of the home leaders
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in the church leaders in different spheres of society.
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This is why you have to be careful craving or wanting to be
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a leader. Because part of that job
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description, is you being able to boldly face in and do
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something about it? To confront it, to rebuke it to
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council it, whatever the case may be, but to leave it.
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Blood is on our hands and God will hold leaders accountable
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like what? We'll see here.
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And what we do here when we don't allow sin to be attacked
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by our leaders. And When leaders refused to do
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that, it only in boldin's, The Sinner, to persist, and even
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grow in that sin intensifying that sin.
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And here's the, here's the scariest part.
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It even invites by standards to eventually participate.
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Nothing happened. Nothing happened.
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So maybe I can and and then that just it just multiplies more and
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more and more. I want to show you actually an
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encouraging example of what happens when leaders do take a
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stand and When leaders especially in God's house, do
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look at evil face to face and are not ashamed or afraid of the
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repercussions for standing for righteousness.
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And this is, this is something you won't see or won't hear at a
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modern business like church growth program.
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Give you a heads up. So look at this.
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This is an axe chapter 5. Right in Acts chapter 5, this is
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that chapter remind you of a important incident.
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In the early church who here knows their Bible.
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Well, what happens in Acts chapter 5 Yes, very good and a
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nice as safire thought they can go to church and lie about their
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offering and I got in trouble with the Holy Spirit and so how
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much trouble they like? Not be able to come to the
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communion table for a couple weeks and no they weren't able
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to go to community about at all because they were killed.
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And so we read that and then we come to this text in verse 12 of
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chapter 5. Look at what we're told here
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about the early church. Now, many signs and wonders were
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regularly done among the People by the hands of the Apostles.
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And they were all together in Solomon's Portico, that's great.
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So after church discipline and a very, the most extreme way has
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been exercised, Revival continues to break out miracles
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signs wonders Souls. But then what do you read in
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verse 13? None of the rest dared to join
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them. But the people held them in high
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esteem. None of the people dare join
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them. But they held him in high
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esteem. So the culture, the city, the
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surrounding areas, really respected, Christians in the
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early Church, High esteem. They were reverent, they were
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not quick to say things about them or to them at least, at
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this point. But what what strikes interest
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in me is the fact that none of the rest of their join.
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That sounds like a sound, like a negative thing.
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That sounds like a sounds like the opposite of what you want
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your church to experience. Can you imagine here at NBC?
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If we learned that in our neighborhood, none would want to
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join us. That wouldn't be the most
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uplifting update of our Evangelistic Outreach.
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But this is very good. And the reason why it's very
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good is because those who not who dared, not join them.
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Were those who already have hearted to begin with.
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These were the people who were very intrigued by what was
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happening with Jesus message and Jesus people.
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But they were not sold out. Nor were they ready to sell out?
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They were not ready to give in everything that Christ demands.
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They're willing to participate. They're willing to sign up.
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They're willing to be present but then something had happened.
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That totally discourage them from signing up for the
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membership interview. What was it?
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It wasn't chop. It wasn't verse, 12, Shirley was
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so having before verse 12 and a nice and safire, so put the
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pieces together. Here's what happened when you
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had a leader like Peter, who is sensitive enough to the Holy
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Spirit to speak the truth and to confront Levin corruption in the
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midst of a holy assembly. Something happens.
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And as a result, it not only removed impurity, it protected
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the church from further corruption.
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So once the people outside of the walls heard, whoa, that
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church is for Real. They don't let you come and be a
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part of their church and hold on to sin willfully.
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At the same time, I ain't signing up.
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You're saying well, that's good, that's very good and it's all
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contingent upon again, the beginning of chapter 5 where you
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had a leadership that really believed in the high call of
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Christ and was unwilling to entertain or open up their
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assembly to those who could care less about being holy and being
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like Jesus so none there join them.
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I'm not interested. Leadership is so important.
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The type of leadership is very important and unfortunately,
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here David is lenient yet again and he will continue to be
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lenient again. In the coming weeks, you're
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going to see it. And so we continue it, but
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before we move on, let me ask you another question.
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Is there another possible reason why?
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David was not so quick to say anything in that saying,
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anything at all? I'm actually asking you any
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idea. Yes.
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Did you hear it Bathsheba? Could it be that David here is
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paralyzed from his past? I think that's a good case to
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make. Here's, here's what I mean by
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that. I sinned sexually.
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And I destroyed people in my own life.
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What right do I have to say anything to my son?
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What right? Do I have to correct him or
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discipline? And it could be that this man
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here is proving to us as sometimes reproof and correction
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is lacking from those who have been authorized to administer
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righteousness and peace because their own Hearts condemn them.
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Don't heart scan them them. So, you know, you have some
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people who say, you know, when when a pastor or minister speaks
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on a certain sin, it's probably very likely that he's struggling
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with that same sin. Okay, maybe, but what about
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those who never speak on it? What does that indicate?
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Right now we can't make blanket statements and judge, only God
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knows. But we have an example here with
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David, who's very hesitant to say something perhaps because he
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himself is guilty of the very or very similar crime.
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This main point isn't about hypocrisy but it's worth
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speaking about a hypocrisy drains us of authority.
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It does it weakens our testimony.
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It makes us cowards. It holds back boldness.
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But the point here is more about the power of past guilt.
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If guilt was the thing, that was burdening.
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David at this time. Then this is a important truth
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in regards, to how we manage guilt and how it visits us and
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what we should do with it. If you are not careful, guilt,
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can paralyze you in many ways, it can hold you back from so
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much. And so what's the most important
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thing and moving forward in your own walk with the Lord and even
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being a blessing to others is realizing.
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If God has forgiven me, then God has forgiven me, and this is the
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most important thing that David needed to learn.
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The standard of righteousness was not his past experience, or
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his presence success. It's God's word.
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We appeal to God's word. And so you have some friends
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that are unwilling to speak and to correct other friends because
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perhaps in the past, they've dealt with something and they
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just feel like, well, what can I say to that person?
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You have parents who are even tempted to be like this in
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raising their own children? Because they've struggled as
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teenagers in a certain way. Now they're seeing their own
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children struggle as teenagers but who am I to say anything to
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them? Because I was like that when I
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was 16 18 21 And so guilt paralyzes.
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But again, it's not your performance that determines your
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responsibility, it's God's word. And so you appeal to that in
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humility with David should have done, is in humility and
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Brokenness, in an awareness of his own failures still
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administer. What God had called him to do as
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a father and as a judge? So be careful, be careful how
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you might do. Determine the way you influence
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others, or how you even, see yourself, and how you walk in
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the call of God, that he has for you.
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Some people. They failed so bad.
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They just, they just determined. I'm just forget it.
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I'm never going to pursue it. I'm never going to do it.
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I'm not going to serve in that capacity.
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I'm never going to believe God, for great things because this is
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where I'm at. But if it's been forgiven, it's
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been forgiven. So be careful.
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We see a clear example of a man who could not shake off his
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guilt. Most likely Now, let's come back
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to our chapter, shall we? We've dealt with the three
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responses here to a man's actions, but now we look at one
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and we magnify because that's what the Holy Spirit does.
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Look at this verse 23, after two full years, I couldn't pass that
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phrase without much meditation. After two full years, two full
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years go by. And here's an important thought
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because we're about to see Absalom.
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Execute what started? As a thought just a couple of
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verses ago After two full years, you know what that tells me this
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man has been meditating plotting visualizing for two full years.
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What to do with his half-brother. to flee years, not
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two full weeks, not two, full months, two full years, And what
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started, as a thought would now materialize, and it's very
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sobering for you and Ice to see that sin is very willing and
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comfortable to live in your heart.
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As long as you tolerate it. And it's cancerous and it's
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infectious and it's this. It's just poisonous and we're
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seeing that very clearly with this man.
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It's not very difficult to see how pride and anger and
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bitterness. And lust.
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And a dishonest Spirit, whatever the case b is willing to remain
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there for decades years on end. Because that is the, that is the
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power of the clutch of sin. It will be like a leech that
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just remains there and sucks the life out of you slowly.
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And as you heard me, say one solution to one point here is
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the solution for this. The only remedy is when Christ
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comes in and cleans house. That's the only remedy, he is
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the only one that can loosen that grip and go beyond
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loosening that grip. If and instill within you a
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different kind of heartbeat and that is exactly what this man
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needed. It is so sad to see how for so
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long. He was willing to stay in that
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place and yet it could be true tonight.
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Even That things have not changed, it's only grown over
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time. You see what started as a
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thought for and and has now been perfected over time. because
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that's what happens to you and I we're not guarded, you know what
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happens you know the you know the the sequence of how these
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things occur, it's a visited thought and then what you do is
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you torment yourself. Here's the point, the main sin
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that the holy spirit is highlighting.
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Here is the issue of mishandling.
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Offense when offense comes your way, that is a potential key to
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unlock, a vault of Critters that you don't want in the home of
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your heart. Here's what happens when offense
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comes. What we see here is that
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retaliation now is being bred. And and what happens here is
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that if you're not careful as much as it is, satisfying to
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hold on to that pain. You in fact will cause yourself
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to be tormented. And here's how the torment looks
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you. Replayed that thing over and
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over again, right? When you get a moment's time
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where you're actively doing something, you just rehearse
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that thing. And you remember, you even
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visualize the words and the actions and the feelings and the
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moment you found out or the moment, it happened and you just
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keep going over and over and over.
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That can't be good for you and if you're not careful, here's
39:45
the next level. Now, you begin to imagine what
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you should have done, right? Oh, if I can go back, if I can
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go back, I would have said this, I would have done this, I would
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have pre-emptive here and if you're not careful, you now
39:58
begin to think what you might do now, or what you should do
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moving forward. And that's where things get
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crazy. And really, really, unless the
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Holy Spirit through his word, through being in the presence of
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God's people, you actively discipline being with God,
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unless you do that, you can you can be led into now where those
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things are just trickling here. Begin to now, pull on you where
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you you try to satisfy that because it's also consuming in
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it manifests and one way or another.
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And that's exactly what's going to happen here with Anna.
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He nurtures, it and said, instead of controlling it, it's
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going to get ugly. Another thing to consider those
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two years in those two full years.
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It's not just Absalom, but Edmund, after two full years,
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the guy doesn't show any signs of repentance two years.
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You would think that after evading judgment and any kind of
40:59
reprimand after just going away, scot-free that that Humble you
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as a sinner and you would come broken before God say God, the
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fact that I'm still here in one piece is by your mercy.
41:11
I'm So Unworthy serving, please forgive me.
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No, just think she's still a prince and thinks he can still
41:20
get away with things and he just again, as though nothing had
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happened, and I see these two years as a window of God's
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mercy, even for a Wretched Man, like amnon And the same man who
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was blinded by his lust devouring, his half-sister is
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the same man, who is completely oblivious to the fact that God
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is extending kindness to him. Kindness thing like just
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unexplainable, kindness to him. Sinners are stubborn.
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Sinners are stubborn. Let these two years in light of
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amnon remind you that Sinners are extremely stubborn, and
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because Sinners are starving, you know what, God's primary
42:04
responses to the stubbornness of Sinners.
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He's patient He's patient. Second, Peter 3:9 tells us that
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his return is not slow, you have to understand it as patients.
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Because he desires for all to reach repentance. even with
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people like amnion as hard as that is to imagine So, two full
42:30
years. There is no sign of change or
42:34
conviction in this man's heart. And so something takes place.
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Moving on Absalom is about to execute his plan.
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He found that this is the perfect time and here's his plan
42:45
verse 24. Let's finish the verse 23.
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Absalom had sheep shears at b'hala has or which is near F,
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Rahim and Absalom invited. All the king's Sons we seen this
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before. When it was this time of the
42:59
year where you would Shear your sheep.
43:00
It was a time of harvest. It was festive and so you would
43:04
have visitors come family members come and Would you would
43:07
celebrate? And so Absalom now wants to host
43:12
the party at his house. So he wants to invite all the
43:16
king's Sons. And so he came to the king.
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It says your Absalom came to the king and said, behold your
43:21
servant has sheep shears. Please let the king and his
43:24
servants go with your servant. But the king said the Absalom,
43:30
no my son, let us not all go less, we be burdensome to you.
43:34
He pressed him, but he would not go, but gave him a blessing.
43:38
Here's what you see. Absalom wants to invite David
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everybody else. So, if the readers I'm familiar
43:44
with the story, you think this is just fine, right?
43:47
But he's a really good actor. He wants to make it seem as
43:50
though there is nothing about to happen by inviting the king of
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all people to be in his presence.
43:58
Hey, Dad, a plane to have a party, you know, it's the
44:01
season. Come come bring the rest of the
44:04
boys. Let's all, let's all come have a
44:05
great time and the father says, no, its Financial, they'll be
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too much on you. You know, how it is.
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If somebody inviting all these people over, it might be too
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much, I'll stay back. Don't worry about.
44:15
No Dad, please please, it'll be a great time and I have a bunch
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of Servants have a bunch of stuff.
44:21
It was a wonderful fruitful year just kind of will be okay knows
44:24
and no plea and he pressed them And what is he doing?
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He's deceiving. And so David denies it?
44:35
And shouldn't our antennas be up.
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Haven't we seen this before? Limit limit.
44:44
Let me remind you who was it. That ask the king for one of his
44:51
kids to come to their home. Thank you and then didn't even
44:57
do the same thing. He asked the king for tomorrow
45:01
to come over. Our antenna should be up this
45:05
isn't look good. We see here that he is employing
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a very similar tactic seemingly innocent invitation and David is
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clearly not Discerning enough to realize it until until he denies
45:21
the request and absolute makes a more pointed request.
45:25
Look at verse 26, then Absalom said, if not Please let my
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brother and then go with us. Oh.
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And the King said to him, why should he go with you?
45:44
Good job, David. Verse 27, but Absalom pressed
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him until he let em ninh and all the king's Sons go with him.
45:56
You can imagine what was racing through, David's mind.
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That's a very strange request that you highlighted M then It
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was probably just wishing for the best, hoping for the best.
46:08
And he thought, you know, it's been two years.
46:10
Nothing happened. A man is the eldest.
46:14
He technically, if you look at the legality of things he's next
46:18
in line to be the king and so, his presence is is an honorable
46:23
thing, all right? You want em.
46:25
And then the rest of the come Let them go.
46:29
And as we continue in the next scene, we quickly pick up on
46:31
other familiar, ingredients, from a recent story.
46:34
So now the scene shifts from David's Palace to absalom's,
46:37
home in verse 28, then Absalom commanded his servants.
46:42
So maybe they're in the back room or something while
46:44
everybody else is out in the the front or in the yard, then
46:47
Absalom commanded his servants, Mark, when a man's heart is
46:51
Merry with wine and when I say to you strike em, and then kill
46:57
Him do not fear, have I not commanded you be courageous and
47:02
be Valiant. So, here's the plot.
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Do we see a familiarity here? Think about the ingredients of
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the story? It's not difficult to see the
47:16
connection, right? Yes.
47:21
David did he not invite Uriah over to his house to feast?
47:28
Did he not intoxicate him? Whether they say when his heart
47:32
is married with mine, strike him.
47:35
And when that failed, what the David do, he called upon one of
47:39
his servants, namely joab to have Uriah killed and you see
47:45
here Absalom telling his servants to do the Dirty Work.
47:51
When I tell you kill him. So if M then replayed David
47:57
sexual sin before him Absalom is re surfacing David's deceptive.
48:05
Murder. But look at the words here of
48:12
Absalom to his servants. The last part he tells them do
48:17
not fear, have I not commanded you be courageous and Valiant.
48:25
You might have similar words on a coffee mug at home.
48:29
Huh. Do they not sound familiar?
48:33
What are they? What is this?
48:34
Come from or at least, we're does it ring from Joshua 1:9
48:39
when the Lord told. His servants have I not
48:43
commanded. You be strong and courageous do
48:45
not be frightened and do not be dismayed for the Lord.
48:47
Your God is with you wherever you go.
48:49
I'm not saying Absalom is quoting him directly, but I am
48:52
saying that there is a similarity in the language here
48:54
and there's a strategy behind the persuasion of this
48:57
invitation. Hey, my servants do not fear,
49:01
have I not commanded, you be courageous and Valiant.
49:05
What's Absalom trying to do here?
49:08
Can I tell you what? I believe he's doing here.
49:09
He is making sin, more inviting by coating it and presenting it
49:16
as an honorable cause He's making it seem like a noble
49:23
cause by using this righteous language.
49:29
He's making it seem like what they are going to do is
49:32
virtuous. Don't be afraid be Valiant.
49:37
Be courageous, do not fear. And we look at that thing.
49:41
Well that's quite interesting. And I'm trying to tell you today
49:43
that our culture is convincing people to sin in the very same
49:47
manner. Think think deeply believer
49:52
think deeply about how it takes like this even applies to our
49:56
culture today. Think about the sins of Our
50:00
Generation that are inviting a naive people.
50:04
Undiscerning to believe that. What they are participating in
50:09
is not just a matter of subjective morality but is in
50:13
fact, right? And good.
50:15
So defending abortion, Let's see if he'll stay on YouTube.
50:21
Defending abortion is not supporting murder.
50:24
You are advocating for a woman's right to choose.
50:29
Doesn't that sound Noble? A woman's right to choose.
50:36
That's what we're advocating for.
50:40
What about coming out coming out as a homosexual coming out as a
50:45
transgender. What is that packaged as
50:50
bravery? Bravery truth, bold Fearless,
50:58
right? Not only that if you do it, we
51:03
might put you on a platform so that you can Inspire others.
51:06
So now this is the, this is the trend, you know why?
51:08
It's a trend because it promises so much reward.
51:13
This is the thing to do, this is what people are doing.
51:17
People are thinking well, how is it that?
51:19
So many now are are into. This are giving in to this are
51:23
practicing this And the cultures.
51:29
Argument as well. They've been in the closet this
51:31
whole time. No.
51:32
It's because you've persuaded them by packaging, this kind of
51:37
Lifestyle as something, that is virtuous and true, and good for
51:41
society and, and good for our psychological State, and for our
51:45
mental health, and The prevention of suicide and
51:49
self-harm. So go be brave.
51:55
Nothing is new Under the Sun, nothing is new Under the Sun.
51:59
Here's Absalom telling his own servants be courageous.
52:03
I have commanded. You go forth.
52:06
Be Valiant and were echoing, the same kind of tactic.
52:12
And a bunch of people who are void of Truth.
52:15
And they are eating it up. And so there is a softening of
52:20
the severity of sin through the language.
52:24
Of deception that layers in a certain way that makes it more
52:28
palatable. And that's why we have to use
52:34
Bible language. That's all we got to just use
52:38
the Bible as it is because there's wisdom the way God
52:41
colors these things and describes these things.
52:46
I remember, I told the story before, and I don't want to
52:49
repeat it because I don't want to bore some of you, but I
52:52
remember sitting at a large conference for ministers.
52:58
And there is these. Ministers getting ordained, I
53:00
guess. And so they were asking these
53:01
young ministers, what they should do in preparation for the
53:04
new wave of the lgbtq movement? And what should we do when they
53:08
enter into our church? And this moderator when he was
53:12
preparing for the questions to be asked instead of referring to
53:16
homosexuality as a sin he said well what will we do?
53:20
And how should we respond to the church with those who and he
53:23
stopped himself and he says, who haven't it?
53:25
Alternative lifestyle. You see?
53:32
Blur it. Dim it, change it.
53:39
It's more palatable. Bible uses strong words and that
53:44
uses strong words for a reason. Life and death are in the power
53:48
of the tongue. There is something that is
53:51
either awakened or dead and based on how you present, What
53:54
God Says. And so God uses against strong
53:57
words again. In order for us to see it for
53:59
what it is words like abomination.
54:04
Words like immorality. And it's caused its purpose to
54:10
shake us so that we can be met with words like Grace.
54:15
And adoption. And love and regeneration.
54:23
For the rest of the chapter. Here's what happens.
54:25
We will see the fruit of a man who could not resist the
54:28
temptation of taking revenge. And let's look at them very
54:32
briefly here. Look at verse 29.
54:35
So the Servants of Absalom did to admin as Absalom had
54:38
commanded than all the king's sons are rows and each mounted,
54:42
his mule and fled Panic, broke out, confusion broke out.
54:45
Now the other sons are interpreting.
54:47
What just happened here? This assassination as.
54:50
Okay, Absalom technically is very close to the next person in
54:55
line for the throne and so he's maybe this is a coup, right?
54:58
He's now eliminating all his competition.
55:00
Let's get out of here so they get on their mules and they jet.
55:04
Then we scroll down to verse 32 after the news came to David
55:08
about his sons being all killed and that was corrected.
55:13
By who verse 20 32 rather, but jonadab the son of shamya
55:17
David's brother said. So here's Jonah.
55:20
Dad. The last that we see in him, he
55:22
was the one who planted the seed in the mind of end and now he
55:25
comes again. And guess what?
55:27
He's unscathed. He's safe.
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One of the key players in this whole mess is, is here.
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He's still here, he's a problem. And the problem is still here.
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And then you scroll down to verse 36.
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It says here, at as soon as he had finished speaking.
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Behold The King's Sons came and lifted, their voice and wept and
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the King. Also in all his servants wet,
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very bitterly. One of the King's son, the next
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one in line has died as been killed by his own brother.
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And so they just break out into just absolute remorse and
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unbelief. Finally here, look at verse 37,
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but Absalom fled and went to tell my the son of a me, HUD
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king of gesher, and David mourn for his son day after day.
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So, Absalom, fled and went to guess her and was there three
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years gesher is where his mom is from.
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That's second Samuel 33. You realize that absalom's
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grandfather from his mom's side was also a king so he has Royal
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Blood on him on both sides. No wonder he coveted the throne
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as you're going to see in the next few chapters, but he flees
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now as an exile for three years, three years.
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So collecting all of these snapshots together.
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Here's the point that I want the Holy Spirit through his word to
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drive into our hearts. It's very clear as tempting as
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revenge's. It never solves a problem.
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It only creates more of them. As tempting as Revenge has, it
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will never bring the relief that you're aching.
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Soul is looking for. And the problems that it usually
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causes often falls on you. And God says vengeance is mine.
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He means many things by that and one of the things he means is,
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if I leave it into your hands, and if you take care of
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yourself, you're going to make a big mess.
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My son, you're going to make a big mess.
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My daughter, I know exactly how to prescribe the justice that
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will satisfy my Holiness and even your heart.
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And it's possible. That some even we're listening
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are harboring pain. That came from a mom.
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Or a dad. Maybe a spouse.
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What about a pastor? What about a group of people who
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church people? What about a business partner,
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who really blew it and costs you years?
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Of setback. from time to time, if not more than time to time,
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you are reminded This guy. This person really did a work on
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me. if only I could if only I could just let him get a taste
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of their own medicine. I just need a little bit.
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It doesn't have to be i4i if it's just something.
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Give me your toe. I'll be happy.
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I'm here to remind you tonight with this example.
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That you will not be convinced. After the matter that you've
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been healed. You only see that it was more.
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More pain that you invited more regret, more shame, don't
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believe the lie, no matter how great the pain is.
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Instead, let me conclude by giving you the advice of a man
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of God, and this is so amazing. I found this A few days ago and
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it's so touched my heart that I tucked it in like Mary does,
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right? She kept things in her heart
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tucked. It I said I'm putting that one
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in the Armory, I don't know. Lord when you're going to have
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me use this but I can't wait to share it and then a few days
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later we come to this Bible study, not knowing what the
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theme is going to be about. And that quote said, hey I'm
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here. So you're coming right out, you
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didn't stay too long. I'm going to read it twice and
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as I read it, just snap out of whatever you're in Focus because
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I know this will bless you John Flavel, he's not alive.
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I like a lot of dead guys. Those dead guys, had a lot of
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insight into the word of God and this man says something in light
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of what we've been hearing throughout this Bible study that
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I believe is a perfect way of putting a period mark to our
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time together. Here's what he said, quote
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suppose. That by Revenge you might
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destroy one enemy yet by exercising.
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The Christians temper, You might Conquer 3.
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One your own lust to Satan's Temptation and three, your
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enemy's heart. Quote suppose that by Revenge
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you might destroy one enemy yet by exercising.
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The Christians temper, you might conquer 31.
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Your own lust to Satan's Temptation and three your
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enemy's heart and that powerful all you would wish that Absalom
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would have trusted in God. The same way that David trusting
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in God, when able scorned him and he was ready to go and slice
1:01:15
him up, I'm sure it would have felt good for the moment, but,
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oh, what would have happened to his name, his future, his
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reputation, his dynasty and a wise woman said, don't do it.
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Trust in God. I wish this man took the same
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advice. Who knows what would have come
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to his future? Who knows what kind of blessings
1:01:34
would have fallen on him instead for the next few?
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Chapters were only going to see more turmoil and devastation.
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May God help us to forgive, may God help us to be liberated from
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that which haunts us because we refuse to just put it in the
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hand of God and say, Lord, I'm done with this.
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I didn't control what happened to me.
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I didn't invite it. I'm going to stop meditating on
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what I possibly did to bring it about and I'm just going to give
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it to you and continue to walk in what you have for my life and
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believe that you are The God Who takes vengeance.
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If you are that person tonight, as we close in prayer, I invite
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you to give that to the Lord and Trust in this God, the same God.
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Who saves you? The same God who answers
1:02:14
prayers? The same God, who knows exactly
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when to defend your cause and he will do it.
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Let's pray. Lord, we have been equipped.
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with an obvious theme that you have woven in to these verses, I
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thank you from the bottom of my heart, for my brothers and
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sisters who are here tonight. Lord.
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Surely a blesses you to see your children gather around your word
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and to receive the full counsel of God.
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Lord, in this place, we've been reminded much again of sin, but
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we are also been reminded of the beautiful Promises of trusting.
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Putting our faith and everything including in the pain that we
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receive from others. The wounds, the bruises.
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The trauma, the scars. Low, we pause to reflect on the
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Forgiveness that we have in Jesus.
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And though, we know that Revenge can take on many faces, that can
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be just giving the hurtful word back after an argument.
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And he can even extend to murder.
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Lord help us rise above the flesh.
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Help us tonight as a reflex to bring every arrow to you to lay
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it at your feet to trust that you have the bomb to bind us up.
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To make us whole again. To give us thick skin, so that
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we can continue to endure the failures of others.
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And Lord, we ask that the cross would be ever before us.
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For if there is anyone, who is innocent?
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It was you Pure and holy you and you alone, and you receive the
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greatest Injustice that this world has ever known. well, we
1:04:31
sit back to reflect on the the gems of Truth and wisdom that we
1:04:37
have adorned, our faith with With a be intact.
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Would they be tight? Would they be worn outside of
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these walls and Beyond the moments of singing?
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Lived out for people to see the Christian temper.
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That brings true victory in satisfaction.
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Father, you are good. We love you.
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We love your word. And we worship you now and
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closing Jesus name. Amen.
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That stand Saints. Let's sing to the Lord together.
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Shall we?