Providence in People

TURN to 1 SAMUEL 25...

Intro:

CRAIG GROESCHEL (LIFE CHURCH)...“YOU DON’T KNOW, WHAT YOU DON’T KNOW”.

SEEMS OBVIOUS, BUT IT’S PROFOUND.

KNOW I DON’T KNOW ANYTHING—ROCKET SCIENCE

AREAS I’M UNAWARE of MY IGNORANCE = PROBLEM

CALLED BLIND SPOTS.

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BENEFITS of OTHERS:

THEY SEE OUR BLIND SPOTS… && CAN TELL US

THEY BRING IDEAS to the TABLE WE HAVEN’T THOUGHT OF...

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WE OFTEN THANK GOD:

PROVIDING NATURAL NEEDS (FOOD, SHELTER, CLOTHING)

PROVIDING SPIRITUAL NEEDS (SALVATION, FORGIVENESS, RECONCILIATION)

(Q) HOW OFTEN DO WE THANK GOD FOR the PEOPLE HE’S PUT AROUND US?

FAMILY

CHURCH FAMILY

FRIENDS

COWORKERS

GOD HAS BROUGHT a UNIQUE GROUP of PEOPLE INTO YOUR LIFE!

RELATIONAL CIRCLES ARE LIKE FINGERPRINTS,, EVERYONE HAS a DIFFERENT ONE.

(T) KEEP THESE THINGS in MIND as WE DIVE INTO our TEXT TODAY...

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Recap:

LAST WEEK:

GREAT GRACE of DAVID TOWARDS SAUL

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DAVID’S BEEN RUNNING/SAUL’S BEEN CHASING

LAST WK: SAUL AMASSES ARMY of 3000 to FIND DAVID

SAUL FINDS CAVE to GO BATHROOM

GOD’S PROVIDENCE: SAUL USES SAME CAVE DAVID’S HIDING IN

DAVID HAS PERFECT OPPORTUNITY to EXACT REVENGE on SAUL...

DAVID CHOOSES to LET SAUL GO, ONLY CUTTING PIECE of HIS ROBE...

SAUL LEAVES, DAVID FOLLOWS, POINTS OUT THAT HE’S NOT a THREAT!!

LAST WK: WE LEARNED, AS RECIPIENTS of GRACE, WE SHOULD BE GRACIOUS to OTHERS, KNOWING VENGEANCE BELONGS in GOD’S HANDS...

DON’T TRY & TAKE GOD’S JOB DESCRIPTION…LET GOD BE GOD,, SUBMIT & TRUST HIM.

(T) Now, let’s TURN to the TEXT in 1 SAM. CH. 25, and SEE WHERE the BIBLICAL ACCOUNT GOES NEXT,… LOOK W/ ME @ VS. 1

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Text (1 Samuel 25-1-44 ESV)

Setting (v1-3)

1 Samuel 25:1–44 (ESV)

1 Now Samuel died. And all Israel assembled and mourned for him, and they buried him in his house at Ramah. Then David rose and went down to the wilderness of Paran.

2 And there was a man in Maon whose business was in Carmel. The man was very rich; he had three thousand sheep and a thousand goats. He was shearing his sheep in Carmel. 3 Now the name of the man was Nabal, and the name of his wife Abigail. The woman was discerning and beautiful, but the man was harsh and badly behaved; he was a Calebite.

TEXT BEGINS: DEATH of SAMUEL && EVERYONE GATHERING to MOURN

IMPLICATIONS:

NOW MONARCHY = PERMANENT,, SAMUEL = LAST of JUDGES

NO NATURAL RESTRAINT on SAUL ANY LONGER

NO ONE FOR DAVID to RUN TO FOR COUNSEL

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DAVID = RUNNING AGAIN… COMES to WILDERNESS

&& WE’RE INTRODUCED to NEW PEOPLE.

MAN, NABAL:

INCREDIBLY RICH

LOTS of ANIMALS

GREAT WIFE.

HARSH & BADLY BEHAVED (NAME/NICKNAME? MEANS FOOL)

DESCENDANT of CALEB

WIFE, ABIGAIL:

BEAUTIFUL

WISE/DISCERNING

(T) And at this point in time, NABAL is HAVING ALL HIS SHEEP SHEARED. And WHAT DOES THIS HAVE to DO WITH DAVID? Turn and LOOK @ VS. 4, the text says,

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Inciting Incident (v4-8)

4 David heard in the wilderness that Nabal was shearing his sheep. 5 So David sent ten young men. And David said to the young men, “Go up to Carmel, and go to Nabal and greet him in my name.

6 And thus you shall greet him: ‘Peace be to you, and peace be to your house, and peace be to all that you have. 7 I hear that you have shearers. Now your shepherds have been with us, and we did them no harm, and they missed nothing all the time they were in Carmel.

8 Ask your young men, and they will tell you. Therefore let my young men find favor in your eyes, for we come on a feast day. Please give whatever you have at hand to your servants and to your son David.’ ”

DAVID SENDS 10 MESSENGERS to NABAL

GIVE NICE GREETING

TELL/REMIND NABAL HOW WE’VE CARED FOR HIS FLOCKS & SHEPHERDS

CAN WE GET SOME FOOD???

PERFECT TIME to ASK:

THOUSANDS of SHEEP GETTING SHEARED—TIME of PROSPERITY

FEAST TIME = PLENTY to GO AROUND...

+ NABAL = RICH in GENERAL

(T) Now, this was DEFINITELY a SIGNIFICANT REQUEST when CONSIDERING that DAVID HAS an ARMY of MEN with him, but NEVERTHELESS WHEN WE CONSIDER the EXTENT of NABAL’S RICHES IT DOESN’T SEEM OUT of BOUNDS... So, HOW WILL NABAL RESPOND?? LOOK W/ ME @ VS. 9

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Rising Action (v9-12)

9 When David’s young men came, they said all this to Nabal in the name of David, and then they waited. 10 And Nabal answered David’s servants, “Who is David? Who is the son of Jesse? There are many servants these days who are breaking away from their masters.

11 Shall I take my bread and my water and my meat that I have killed for my shearers and give it to men who come from I do not know where?” 12 So David’s young men turned away and came back and told him all this.

NABAL RESPONDS RUDELY...SAYING, “WHO’S DAVID???”

**EVERYONE HAD HEARD of DAVID,, EVEN in PHILISTINE TERRITORY PEOPLE KNEW the SONG, “SAUL’S KILLED THOUSANDS,, && DAVID HIS 10-THOUSANDS....”

LIKE SAYING RIGHT NOW, “WHO’S TAYLOR SWIFT??” (YOU MIGHT NOT CARE,, BUT IT’S EVERYWHERE ANYWAYS!!)

NABAL PREPARED HIS OWN STUFF FOR HIS PEOPLE,, & WASN’T GOING to SHARE GOD’S BLESSINGS...

(T) Now, WE CAN ANTICIPATE THAT DAVID WOULDN’T HAVE BEEN THRILLED WITH THIS REPLY. So, HOW WILL DAVID REPLY to Nabal’s harsh denial of his request? VS. 13 SAYS,,

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More Tension (v13)

13 And David said to his men, “Every man strap on his sword!” And every man of them strapped on his sword. David also strapped on his sword. And about four hundred men went up after David, while two hundred remained with the baggage.

WELL THAT ESCALATED QUICKLY...

LOOKING FOR FOOD

BEING DENIED FOOD...

DETERMINING ALL the MEN of NABAL’S HOUSE MUST DIE.

400 MEN GOING to VISIT NABAL W/ WEAPONS DRAWN,,

200 REMAIN W/ STUFF.

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(Q) CAN WE ALL AGREE THAT DAVID = OUT of LINE HERE?

NABAL SHOULD’VE SHARED in GOD’S BLESSINGS,, ESP. W/ DAVID’S HELP TO HIM.

NABAL WAS RICH & IT WAS FEAST TIME

BUT THE DENIAL of FOOD SHOULDN’T EQUAL a DEATH SENTENCE...

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RICHARD PHILIPPS: DAVID SHOWS US HOW EASY IT IS to FALL INTO SIN WHEN WE DON’T GUARD AGAINST IT.

APOSTLE PAUL: 1 COR. 10:12

1 Corinthians 10:12 (ESV)

12 Therefore let anyone who thinks that he stands take heed lest he fall.

LAST WK: DAVID EXERCISES GRACE & MERCY TOWARDS SAUL

**NOW DAVID = READY to ACT LIKE SAUL && KILL THESE MEN… HOW QUICKLY the STANDARD of the CHOSEN KING W/ HEART AFTER GOD HAS FALLEN...

REST OF HOUSEHOLD = INNOCENT

NABAL = GUILTY of OFFENSE, BUT STILL NOT DESERVING of DEATH!

(T) SO, THIS SITUATION HAS GOTTEN OUT of HAND FAST… HOW WILL THINGS PAN OUT?? VS. 14 GOES on TO SAY...

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Rising Action (v14-17)

14 But one of the young men told Abigail, Nabal’s wife, “Behold, David sent messengers out of the wilderness to greet our master, and he railed at them. 15 Yet the men were very good to us, and we suffered no harm, and we did not miss anything when we were in the fields, as long as we went with them.

16 They were a wall to us both by night and by day, all the while we were with them keeping the sheep. 17 Now therefore know this and consider what you should do, for harm is determined against our master and against all his house, and he is such a worthless man that one cannot speak to him.”

ONE GUY WHO WAS W/ DAVID GOES to FIND ABIGAIL,, NABAL’S WIFE....THANK GOD FOR THIS GUY!

ABIGAIL = BEAUTIFUL && WISE.

ABIGAIL PROBABLY HANDLED the FOOD ANYWAYS!

MESSENGER EXPLAINS SITUATION:

DAVID HAD BEEN GOOD to THEM

PREVENTED MARAUDING BANDS,, PHILISTINES FROM ATTACKING...

DAVID WENT to NABAL W/ REQUEST && WAS DENIED...

SERVANT CONCLUDES: ABIGAIL, DO SOMETHING! WE’RE in TROUBLE & NABAL’S NO HELP.

(T) WE KNOW NABAL’S RESPONSE & NATURE…SO HOW WILL ABIGAIL RESPOND?? LOOK W/ ME @ VS. 18

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More Tension (v18-20)

18 Then Abigail made haste and took two hundred loaves and two skins of wine and five sheep already prepared and five seahs of parched grain and a hundred clusters of raisins and two hundred cakes of figs, and laid them on donkeys. 19 And she said to her young men, “Go on before me; behold, I come after you.” But she did not tell her husband Nabal.

20 And as she rode on the donkey and came down under cover of the mountain, behold, David and his men came down toward her, and she met them.

ABIGAIL PREPARES SEEMINGLY UNREASONABLE AMOUNT of FOOD!

REMEMBER:

DAVID HAS ARMY

NABAL = INCREDIBLY RICH

+ IT’S FEAST TIME,, SURELY THERE’S a LOT in STORE.

ABIGAIL GATHERS FOOD,, SENDS IT FORWARD on DONKEYS as a PEACE OFFERING

(T) AND THEN the TEXT SAYS in VS. 21

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Rising Action (v21-22)

21 Now David had said, “Surely in vain have I guarded all that this fellow has in the wilderness, so that nothing was missed of all that belonged to him, and he has returned me evil for good. 22 God do so to the enemies of David and more also, if by morning I leave so much as one male of all who belong to him.”

DAVID = HOT-HEADED…CONSIDERING the WASTE of HIS KINDNESS...

WE’VE ALL BEEN HERE RIGHT?

DONE SOMETHING NICE FOR SOMEONE && THEY DIDN’T CARE,, OR RESPONDED RUDELY

CONCLUDE: NOT DOING ANYTHING NICE FOR THEM ANYMORE

FOOL ME ONCE, SHAME on YOU…FOOL ME TWICE,, SHAME on ME??

WORST CASE: GET BACK @ THEM!

VS. 13 DAVID TOLD MEN to STRAP on SWORDS…NOW HE SHARES PLAN: KILLING ALL MEN in NABAL’S HOUSE.

(T) SITUATION GETTING WORSE & WORSE....

DAVID PLOTTING REVENGE

ABIGAIL PRAYING FOR PEACE

NABAL = CLUELESS...

WILL DAVID ACCEPT PEACE OFFERING? LOOK W/ ME @ VS. 23

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Climax (v23-31)

23 When Abigail saw David, she hurried and got down from the donkey and fell before David on her face and bowed to the ground. 24 She fell at his feet and said, “On me alone, my lord, be the guilt. Please let your servant speak in your ears, and hear the words of your servant.

25 Let not my lord regard this worthless fellow, Nabal, for as his name is, so is he. Nabal is his name, and folly is with him. But I your servant did not see the young men of my lord, whom you sent. 26 Now then, my lord, as the Lord lives, and as your soul lives, because the Lord has restrained you from bloodguilt and from saving with your own hand, now then let your enemies and those who seek to do evil to my lord be as Nabal.

27 And now let this present that your servant has brought to my lord be given to the young men who follow my lord. 28 Please forgive the trespass of your servant. For the Lord will certainly make my lord a sure house, because my lord is fighting the battles of the Lord, and evil shall not be found in you so long as you live.

29 If men rise up to pursue you and to seek your life, the life of my lord shall be bound in the bundle of the living in the care of the Lord your God. And the lives of your enemies he shall sling out as from the hollow of a sling. 30 And when the Lord has done to my lord according to all the good that he has spoken concerning you and has appointed you prince over Israel,

31 my lord shall have no cause of grief or pangs of conscience for having shed blood without cause or for my lord working salvation himself. And when the Lord has dealt well with my lord, then remember your servant.”

ABIGAIL RISKS HER LIFE & COMES to DAVID…READY to ACCEPT ALL GUILT EVEN THOUGH SHE’S INNOCENT.

SHE COMES HUMBLY,, CALLING DAVID “my lord” COUNTLESS TIMES

RECOUNTS: DAVID = DOING GOD’S WORK && WILL BE LEADER in ISRAEL

ABIGAIL’S MESSAGE:

DAVID, LET GOD VINDICATE YOU…DON’T WORK “SALVATION” FOR YOURSELF...

NABAL ACTS FOOLISH BECAUSE HE IS...

DON’T LET THIS STAIN YOUR REPUTATION AND PLAGUE YOUR CONSCIENCE in FUTURE...

PLEASE FORGIVE US & SPARE US....

(T) And SO HOW WILL DAVID RESPOND? VS. 32 SAYS,,

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Resolution (v32-35)

32 And David said to Abigail, “Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel, who sent you this day to meet me! 33 Blessed be your discretion, and blessed be you, who have kept me this day from bloodguilt and from working salvation with my own hand!

34 For as surely as the Lord, the God of Israel, lives, who has restrained me from hurting you, unless you had hurried and come to meet me, truly by morning there had not been left to Nabal so much as one male.” 35 Then David received from her hand what she had brought him. And he said to her, “Go up in peace to your house. See, I have obeyed your voice, and I have granted your petition.”

DAVID RESPONDS: PRAISING GOD WHO SENT ABIGAIL to HIM.

HE ACKNOWLEDGES THIS WOULD’VE BEEN WRONG && THAT SHE RESTRAINED HIM

LAST WK:

DAVID WILLING to WAIT on GOD FOR VENGEANCE…

TRUSTING GOD’S TIMING...

HE WAS READY to PLAY GOD THIS TIME THOUGH...

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IT WAS the WISDOM & GRACE of ABIGAIL THAT SPARED THIS SITUATION...

(VS 32) && DAVID CONFESSES, ABIGAIL = SENT BY GOD.

DALE DAVIS: “Clearly, Abigail is the Lord’s stop sign, mercifully placed in David’s path.”[1]

GOD SENDING ABIGAIL = = GOD’S MERCY THROUGH HUMAN AGENCY.

PREVENTED DAVID FROM SIN & STAINED REPUTATION & CONSCIENCE

SPARED NABAL’S HOUSEHOLD FROM DEATH.

EPISODE CLOSES: DAVID GRANTS PETITION,, SENDS HER AWAY

(T) AND THEN the TEXT SAYS in VS. 36,,

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Rising Action (v36)

36 And Abigail came to Nabal, and behold, he was holding a feast in his house, like the feast of a king. And Nabal’s heart was merry within him, for he was very drunk. So she told him nothing at all until the morning light.

(Q) ISN’T THIS JUST SHAMEFUL??

REMEMBER: NABAL WASN’T WILLING to SPARE ANYTHING FOR DAVID & ARMY

NOW, NABAL = = LIVING in DRUNKENNESS & EXCESS!! FEAST LIKE a KING...

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IMPORTANT to REMEMBER, ALL NATURAL BLESSINGS COMES FROM GOD.

I LIKE the LANGUAGE of STEWARDING/MANAGING WHAT GOD HAS GIVEN.

“BUT PASTOR, I WORK FOR MY MONEY”

YES,, && GOD GIVES YOU BREATH EACH DAY…

ABILITY to WORK,, NATURAL CAPACITY & SKILLS to WORK

GIVES YOU WORK, BRINGS YOU CLIENTS

WE DO OUR PART, BUT LET’S NOT TAKE TOO MUCH CREDIT.

NABAL’S ATTITUDE:

MY BREAD

MY WATER

MY MEAT

MY SHEARERS

PERSONALLY, I’M 0% A SOCIALIST…WEALTH EQUALITY FROM GOVERNMENT = BAD IDEA...

BUT THOSE BELIEVERS WHO PROSPER SHOULD DO THEIR PART in SHARING THEIR BLESSINGS

STORY: SEEING & HEARING of WEALTHY BELIEVERS PRAYING FOR NATURAL NEEDS of OTHERS…TRAGEDY!

IN LIGHT of GOD’S GENEROSITY to US,, WE SHOULD BE GENEROUS to OTHERS...

WE SHOULD HOLD GOD’S BLESSINGS && MANAGE ESTATE W/ OPEN HAND,, NOT CLENCHED FIST.

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NABAL’S PROBLEM WASN’T THAT HE WAS DOING WELL FOR HIMSELF…

BUT THAT HE WOULDN’T SHARE in GOD’S BLESSINGS && INSTEAD WAS WILLING to LIVE in IDOLATRY & DRUNKENNESS

(T) AND WE’VE SEEN NO ONE HAS BEEN ABLE to TELL NABAL ANYTHING,, && HE’S CURRENTLY TOO DRUNK to LISTEN ANYWAYS...

SO, WILL SHE EVER TELL HIM?? LOOK W/ ME @ VS. 37

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Climax (v37-38)

37 In the morning, when the wine had gone out of Nabal, his wife told him these things, and his heart died within him, and he became as a stone. 38 And about ten days later the Lord struck Nabal, and he died.

IN MORNING, ABIGAIL TELLS NABAL

&& NABAL HAS HEART ATTACK/STROKE? POSSIBLY?

NABAL BECAME as STONE & HEART DIED WITHIN HIM...

NABAL HAD BEEN LIVING W/ STONY HEART,, NOW THIS METAPHOR BECOMES REALITY...

10 DAYS LATER, GOD FINALLY KILLS HIM

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DAVID SUBMITTING to GOD STILL GOT OUTCOME HE WANTED,, BUT WITHOUT GUILT!!

GOD DID DAVID’S “DIRTY WORK”…GOD = AUTHORIZED to GIVE & TAKE LIFE...

WE CAN ALWAYS BE CONFIDENT GOD WILL BRING JUSTICE & WILL AVENGE US,, NOT ALWAYS IMMEDIATE, BUT IT’S ALWAYS DEFINITE.

(T) and now our TEXT is GOING to CLOSE in VS. 39-44 this morning, the text says,

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Resolution & Conclusion (v39-44)

39 When David heard that Nabal was dead, he said, “Blessed be the Lord who has avenged the insult I received at the hand of Nabal, and has kept back his servant from wrongdoing. The Lord has returned the evil of Nabal on his own head.” Then David sent and spoke to Abigail, to take her as his wife.

40 When the servants of David came to Abigail at Carmel, they said to her, “David has sent us to you to take you to him as his wife.” 41 And she rose and bowed with her face to the ground and said, “Behold, your handmaid is a servant to wash the feet of the servants of my lord.”

42 And Abigail hurried and rose and mounted a donkey, and her five young women attended her. She followed the messengers of David and became his wife. 43 David also took Ahinoam of Jezreel, and both of them became his wives. 44 Saul had given Michal his daughter, David’s wife, to Palti the son of Laish, who was of Gallim.

DAVID POINTS OUT: GOD KEPT HIM FROM WRONGDOING (THROUGH AGENCY of ABIGAIL)

ABIGAIL in GOD’S PROVIDENCE SPARED DAVID FROM SIN & SPARED NABAL’S HOUSEHOLD

AFTER NABAL’S DEATH—DAVID SENDS & TAKES ABIGAIL AS WIFE.

DAVID ALSO MARRIES AHINOAM

DAVID’S 1ST WIFE MICHAL HAD BEEN GIVEN to ANOTHER MAN.

PASSAGE = DESCRIPTIVE,, NOT PRESCRIPTIVE…

GOD’S PLAN FOR MARRIAGE HAS ALWAYS BEEN 1 MAN & 1 WOMAN,

, UNFORTUNATELY THIS WASN’T FOLLOWED DILIGENTLY @ THIS TIME.

(T) And so, we should learn from this passage today, the idea that,

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Homiletical Idea:

As believers we should trust the godly counsel and wisdom of those whom God brings into our lives, knowing that at times God will use them to keep us from sin and wrongdoing.

TEXT TODAY PLAINLY SHOWS US:

GOD SENT ABIGAIL…PREVENTING DAVID FROM FALLING to DEPTHS of DEPRAVITY LIKE SAUL in KILLING PRIESTS @ NOB...

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Gospel:

(Q) AREN’T YOU THANKFUL FOR the TIMES GOD RESTRAINS US FROM SIN??

WE SEE in THIS TEXT MANY EXAMPLES of SIN & DEPRAVITY...

NABAL = FOOLISH MAN,, CONSUMED W/ IDOLATRY of STUFF & WEALTH…

DAVID, GOD’S CHOSEN, ANOINTED KING…HEART AFTER GOD,, READY to KILL ENTIRE HOUSEHOLD of MEN BECAUSE of PERSONAL VENDETTA!

ONLY THROUGH WISDOM & GRACE of ABIGAIL THAT NABAL & HOUSEHOLD = SPARED FROM JUDGMENT & DAVID SPARED FROM SIN...

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ABIGAIL WAS WILLING to COME FORWARD & TAKE GUILT & BLAME FOR WRONG SHE HADN’T DONE && RISKED JUDGMENT of DAVID...

WE ALL NEEDED ONE LIKE ABIGAIL WHO WAS WILLING to TAKE the GUILT & BLAME FOR WHAT WE’D DONE...

**WE’VE ALL BEEN STAINED BY SIN,, BUT GOD MADE a WAY FOR US to BE FORGIVEN THROUGH the SACRIFICE of ANOTHER...

JESUS CHRIST, CAME INTO THIS WORLD,, & TOOK on THE GUILT,, THE PUNISHMENT,, THAT YOU & I DESERVED.

ABIGAIL WAS WILLING to RISK HER LIFE.

JESUS LAID DOWN HIS LIFE.

SO THAT YOU & I CAN BE FORGIVEN...

ALL of US HAVE SINNED & FALLEN SHORT of GOD’S STANDARD...

JESUS CHRIST OBEYED WHERE WE DIDN’T

JESUS CHRIST SUFFERED WHERE WE SHOULD HAVE.

***YOU CAN RECEIVE GRACE TODAY,, BY ACCEPTING JESUS’ SACRIFICE BY FAITH.

2 Corinthians 5:21 (ESV)

21 For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

YOU RECEIVE CREDIT FOR HIS PERFECT LIFE,, BECAUSE HE SUFFERED IN OUR PLACE.

IN CHRIST, WE’RE SEEN AS JESUS…FORGIVEN BECAUSE HE’S RIGHTEOUS...

YOU CAN RECEIVE THIS FREE GIFT TODAY BY FAITH...

Romans 10:9–10 (ESV)

9 because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.

YOU CAN FIND FORGIVENESS,, & BE SPARED of THE CERTAIN JUDGMENT & JUSTICE of GOD THROUGH JESUS CHRIST TODAY.

(T) IF YOU DON’T KNOW WHERE YOU STAND W/ LORD TODAY…TALK to US AFTER SERVICE.

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Takeaways:

LEARN ABOUT GOD?

1. GOD PROVIDENTIALLY GOVERNS OUR LIVES & THE ENTIRE CREATION.

GOD BRINGS PEOPLE INTO OUR LIVES to ACCOMPLISH HIS WILL.

GOD SPARED DAVID FROM SIN & SPARED NABAL’S HOUSEHOLD THROUGH ABIGAIL & SERVANT SENT TO HER.

GOD STILL WORKS LIKE THIS!

LEARN ABOUT US?

1. CONTINUE to TRUST GOD’S PLAN & TIMING,, & GOD’S FAITHFULNESS to BRING JUSTICE & JUDGMENT...

WE DON’T NEED to PLAY GOD & TRY & EXACT REVENGE… BRING ABOUT JUSTICE.

GOD ACCOMPLISHES HIS WILL in HIS TIMING.

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Application:

CONSIDER 3 THINGS…REGARDING the PROVIDENCE of GOD THROUGH PEOPLE in YOUR LIFE...

PRAISE GOD FOR HIS WORKING in OUR LIVES THROUGH OTHERS..

BRINGING US WISDOM,, SPARING US FROM SIN...

DAVID’S RESPONSE to ABIGAIL BEGAN W/ PRAISE to GOD...

GOD SPEAKS/ACTS THROUGH HIS PEOPLE… && WE SHOULD TRUST GODLY COUNSEL.

IF ALL BELIEVERS CLOSE to YOU ARE ADVISING YOU a CERTAIN WAY…PERHAPS THIS IS GOD SPEAKING to YOU && YOU OUGHT to LISTEN!!

SOMETIMES the “AUDIBLE VOICE of GOD” COMES THROUGH HIS PEOPLE & THEIR WISDOM to YOU.

CONSIDER the UNIQUE PEOPLE GROUPS GOD HAS PLACED YOU IN...

LIKE FINGERPRINTS,, EVERYONE HAS a UNIQUE GROUP of PEOPLE AROUND THEM...

I DON’T WORK @ YOUR JOB

I DON’T GO to YOUR SCHOOL

I’M NOT MARRIED to YOUR SPOUSE

I DON’T PLAY ON YOUR SPORTS TEAM

BUT YOU’RE THERE.

PERHAPS GOD HAS PLACED YOU to BE the VOICE of WISDOM/GODLY COUNSEL,, A VOICE to PRESENT the GOSPEL...

***PERSONAL NOTE: CONSIDERING GOD’S PROVIDENCE in PEOPLE ESP. COOL FOR ME,, I’VE KNOWN ALL OF YOU LESS THAN 2 YEARS…COMPLETELY WILD THOUGHT FOR ME...

REMEMBER, MORE THAN PHYSICAL NEEDS, SPIRITUAL NEEDS, ETC. GOD PROVIDES US WITH UNIQUE PEOPLE GROUPS

AS WE CONSIDER GOD’S PROVIDENCE in PEOPLE,, WE SHOULD PRAISE GOD & TRUST THAT AT TIMES GOD WILL SPEAK TO US THROUGH HIS PEOPLE & AT OTHERS, GOD EXPECTS to SPEAK THROUGH US to OTHERS.

HE’S a GOOD GOD, && I’M THANKFUL HE’S WILLING to USE IMPERFECT VESSELS FOR HIS PURPOSES…AMEN?

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