Where Allegiance Lies

ANYONE INTERESTED in BAPTISM??

TURN to 2 SAMUEL 14...

OPEN in PRAYER...

INTRO: “THERE IS A COST”

WHETHER YOU’RE a BIG T.V. PERSON or NOT....

PROB. SEEN COMMERCIALS ((MEDICATION ESP.)) CONVINCING YOU NOT to TRY MEDICATION//BUY PRODUCT.

5% of COMMERCIAL = ADVERTISEMENT

95% of COMMERCIAL = WARNINGS/POTENTIAL SIDE-EFFECTS

“TREATMENT RESISTANT DEPRESSION”

20 SECONDS @ BEGINNING…10 SECONDS @ END

ONE MINUTE in BETWEEN—POSSIBLE SIDE-EFFECTS/WARNINGS/ETC.

HEAPS of WARNINGS/SIDE EFFECTS ENDS W/ MAN SMILING: “WITH FEWER DEPRESSION SYMPTOMS, YOU CAN BEGIN TO FEEL LIKE YOURSELF AGAIN.”

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COMMERCIALS LIKE THIS, MAY MAKE US LAUGH...

COMMENDABLE—THEY TELL the TRUTH ABOUT the BAD PARTS…DON’T HIDE ANYTHING

BIBLICAL TERMS: “THEY TELL YOU to COUNT the COST” —NOT NECESSARILY FINANCIAL...

CHANCE YOU’LL GET BETTER...

MEASURE of RISK INVOLVED...

YOU HAVE to ASK: “IS it WORTH IT??”

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WORLD WE LIVE IN: COUNTLESS PEOPLE PRESENT a COSTLESS CHRISTIANITY...

HEALTHY,, WEALTHY,, PROSPEROUS = GOD’S WILL.

JESUS is JUST the CHERRY on TOP of YOUR OTHERWISE WORLDLY LIFE...

BUT JESUS SAID:

Matthew 16:24 (ESV)

24 Then Jesus told his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.

DENY MYSELF? I’VE NEVER TRIED IT

CROSS? NO THANK YOU.

FOLLOWING YOU? MAYBE UNTIL IT GETS DIFFICULT...

JESUS NOT INTERESTED in MILLIONS of “INTERESTED PEOPLE”

DESIRED FEW: WILLING to GIVE LIVES

THERE is a COST.

DOING WHAT is BIBLICAL OVER WHAT is CONVENIENT,, WILL COST US

RELATIONAL PROBLEMS

RIDICULE in WORKPLACE

SOME PLACES in WORLD—STILL COST YOUR LIFE...

IS JESUS WORTH IT?

R.C. SPROUL: “HE’S EITHER LORD OF ALL, OR NOT LORD AT ALL.”

HE’S NOT OUR SELF-HELP BUDDY.

NOT OUR “CO-PILOT”

HE’S the ONE to WHOM WE OWE ALL OUR ALLEGIANCE...

IS HE WORTH the COST?

IS IT WORTH the COST to OBEY HIM?

· NEED: AND THIS IS WHY WE NEED OUR TEXT TODAY.

FOR IT WILL REMIND US OF THE NEED TO WALK IN OBEDIENCE TO THE WORD OF GOD, EVEN WHEN IT’S INCREDIBLY DIFFICULT.

WHERE OUR ALLEGIANCE LIES = DETERMINES BY ACTIONS & NOT WORDS...

(T) KEEP THINGS in MIND—RECAP.

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RECAP: “FAMILY MATTERS”

LAST WEEK:

2 SONS of DAVID WALKING in EXAMPLE of SINFUL FATHER

SEXUAL SIN

MURDER

FOUND in BOTH FATHER & SONS.

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DAVID—ADULTERY W/ BATHSHEBA

AMNON—DAVID’S SON—RAPES HALF-SISTER TAMAR

DAVID—HAS URIAH EXECUTED

ABSALOM—AMNON’S HALF-BROTHER & DAVID’S SON—HAS BROTHER EXECUTED

CONTINUING to SHOW CONSEQUENCES to DAVID’S SIN

WE WERE CHARGED to CONSIDER OUR OWN EXAMPLE...

(T) TEXT ENDED— ABSALOM RAN AWAY

TEXT PICKS UP W/ DIVIDED FAMILY

SUFFERING CONSEQUENCES of SIN

WHAT HAPPENS NEXT??

LOOK W/ ME @ CH. 14 VS. 1…

THE TEXT SAYS,,

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TEXT: 2 SAMUEL 14:1-33 ESV

SETTING/INCITING INCIDENT (V1-3)

2 Samuel 14:1–33 (ESV)

1 Now Joab the son of Zeruiah knew that the king’s heart went out to Absalom.

2 And Joab sent to Tekoa and brought from there a wise woman and said to her, “Pretend to be a mourner and put on mourning garments. Do not anoint yourself with oil, but behave like a woman who has been mourning many days for the dead.

3 Go to the king and speak thus to him.” So Joab put the words in her mouth.

SOME REASON: JOAB WANTS ABSALOM BACK

CRAFTY PLAN—GETS “WISE” WOMAN—LIKE JONADAB LAST WK— TO GO & TELL a STORY

ONCE AGAIN—DAVID DOESN’T KNOW IT’S a STORY

DAVID as KING & JUDGE of LAND—REQUIRED to RULE on THESE THINGS

(T) AND SO, WHAT’S THE STORY?

LOOK W/ ME @ VS 4

THE TEXT SAYS,

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RISING ACTION (V4-7)

4 When the woman of Tekoa came to the king, she fell on her face to the ground and paid homage and said, “Save me, O king.”

5 And the king said to her, “What is your trouble?” She answered, “Alas, I am a widow; my husband is dead.

6 And your servant had two sons, and they quarreled with one another in the field. There was no one to separate them, and one struck the other and killed him.

7 And now the whole clan has risen against your servant, and they say, ‘Give up the man who struck his brother, that we may put him to death for the life of his brother whom he killed.’ And so they would destroy the heir also. Thus they would quench my coal that is left and leave to my husband neither name nor remnant on the face of the earth.”

WOMAN TELLS A TALE OF HER MISERY.

SHE’S A WIDOW W/ 2 SONS

THE ONE SON KILLED the OTHER.

CLAN = DEMANDING SON to PAY FOR DEATH of BROTHER

BACKGROUND:

MURDER VS MANSLAUGHTER

PREMEDITATED.... OR NOT???

AVENGER of BLOOD

TO REPAY—KILLING, GUILTY PARTY

CITIES of REFUGE

SAFETY FROM “AVENGER of BLOOD”

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IF THIS WOMAN’S SON = KILLED...

THEN HUSBANDS NAME = BLOTTED OUT of ISRAEL...

BIG DEAL in THOSE DAYS!

(T) SO, HOW DOES THE KING RESPOND?

LOOK W/ ME AT VS. 8.

THE TEXT SAYS,

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MORE TENSION (V8-11)

8 Then the king said to the woman, “Go to your house, and I will give orders concerning you.”

9 And the woman of Tekoa said to the king, “On me be the guilt, my lord the king, and on my father’s house; let the king and his throne be guiltless.”

10 The king said, “If anyone says anything to you, bring him to me, and he shall never touch you again.”

11 Then she said, “Please let the king invoke the Lord your God, that the avenger of blood kill no more, and my son be not destroyed.” He said, “As the Lord lives, not one hair of your son shall fall to the ground.”

MAIN QUESTION MUST BE: “WAS THIS KILLING PREMEDITATED??”

NOT WHAT is BEST to KEEP “FATHER’S NAME in ISRAEL”

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FROM ALL ACCOUNTS: THIS WAS MANSLAUGHTER,, NOT MURDER

KING RULES— THE SON SHALL LIVE.

BIBLICALLY PERMISSIBLE.

AVENGER of BLOOD MUST STAND DOWN—KING’S ORDERS.

(V11) INVOKES GOD: “AS THE LORD LIVES, NOT ONE HAIR OF YOUR SON SHALL FALL TO THE GROUND.”

(T) AND THE KING HAS RULED. SO, WHAT’S THE CONCLUSION?

LOOK W/ ME @ VS. 12,

THE TEXT SAYS,

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CLIMAX: THE WISE WOMAN CONFRONTS DAVID (V12-17)

12 Then the woman said, “Please let your servant speak a word to my lord the king.” He said, “Speak.”

13 And the woman said, “Why then have you planned such a thing against the people of God? For in giving this decision the king convicts himself, inasmuch as the king does not bring his banished one home again.

14 We must all die; we are like water spilled on the ground, which cannot be gathered up again. But God will not take away life, and he devises means so that the banished one will not remain an outcast.

15 Now I have come to say this to my lord the king because the people have made me afraid, and your servant thought, ‘I will speak to the king; it may be that the king will perform the request of his servant.

16 For the king will hear and deliver his servant from the hand of the man who would destroy me and my son together from the heritage of God.’

17 And your servant thought, ‘The word of my lord the king will set me at rest,’ for my lord the king is like the angel of God to discern good and evil. The Lord your God be with you!”

NOT 1ST TIME DAVID = HIT W/ STORY LIKE THIS...

BUT MAJOR DIFFERENCES BETWEEN NATHAN’S STORY & WISE WOMAN’S....

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GOAL of STORY:

BRING ABSALOM HOME

SPARE HIM FROM ANGRY SIBLINGS??

MAJOR DIFFERENCE:

STORY—TWO BROTHERS FIGHTING—ONE DIES…

ONE DIDN’T LIE in WAIT for the OTHER to KILL HIM...

ABSALOM—PREDETERMINED to MURDER BROTHER AMNON

2 YEAR HATRED CULMINATED W/ PARTY INTENDING to KILL HIM!!

NOT APPLES to APPLES!!

APPLES to WATERMELONS?? —SIMILAR..ISH.

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WOMAN’S STORY: SON COULD LIVE,, MANSLAUGHTER

REALITY: ABSALOM OUGHT to DIE FOR MURDER.

WOMAN PRESENTS STORY to STIR the KING’S EMOTIONS AGAINST the LAW of GOD!!

SHE EVEN BRINGS UP the GOD-CARD

(V14) GOD ISN’T a VENGEFUL KILLER....

GOD MAKES a WAY FOR BANISHED ONES to COME HOME...

GOD is GRACIOUS…DAVID YOU OUGHT to BE GRACIOUS TOO!

GOD’S JUST a NICE GUY!

BRING ABSALOM HOME!

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MAJOR PROBLEM W/ THIS LINE of THINKING...

CHURCH, WE CERTAINLY OUGHT TO BE GRACIOUS BECAUSE GOD IS GRACIOUS.

AND YES, WE SHOULD BE FORGIVING BECAUSE GOD IS FORGIVING.

AND YES WE SHOULD BE LOVING BECAUSE GOD IS LOVE.

BUT THESE THINGS MUST NOT STAND in the WAY of OTHER ASPECTS of GOD’S WORD!

WORLD TODAY: BECAUSE of GRACE & FORGIVENESS & LOVE...

THERE OUGHT to NEVER BE JUDGMENT

THE “NICE GUY” GOD ISN’T JUDGMENTAL...

PEOPLE GO SO FAR AS to EVEN DIFFERENTIATE the O.T. from N.T. GOD!!

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HE’S the SAME GOD...

SAME GOD WHO TORCHED SODOM & GOMORRAH

FLOODED the EARTH

OPENED a HOLE to SWALLOW KORAH & HIS REBELLIOUS FOLLOWERS

THE N.T. DESCRIBES as “LOVE”

SAME GOD.

GOD is LOVE…BUT HE is ALSO HOLY & JUST...

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COUNTLESS “CHRISTIANS” BELIEVE WE CAN’T EVER ADDRESS SIN

GOD = GRACIOUS

APPEALING to JESUS:

“ONE WITHOUT SIN MUST CAST FIRST STONE”

“JUDGE NOT”

JESUS ALSO TAUGHT:

CHURCH DISCIPLINE—

THROWING the OFFENDER OUT,, TREATED LIKE GENTILE or TAX-COLLECTOR!

PAUL:

LOVE OTHERS

FORGIVE as WE’VE BEEN FORGIVEN...

ALSO SAID: “YOU ARE TO DELIVER THIS MAN TO SATAN FOR THE DESTRUCTION OF THE FLESH, SO THAT HIS SPIRIT MAY BE SAVED IN THE DAY OF THE LORD” (1 COR. 5:5).

IN CONTEXT of LOCAL CHURCH: “PURGE THE EVIL PERSON FROM AMONG YOU” (1 COR. 5:13).

WHAT’S MORE LOVING??:

TO APPROVE of PEOPLE in THEIR SIN & GUIDE THEM COMFORTABLY to HELL....

OR to TELL THEM the TRUTH??

IT’S UNLOVING to LET PEOPLE CONTINUE in THEIR SIN & THINK THEY’RE RIGHT W/ GOD!!

THE WORLD HATES CHRISTIANS WHO ARE WILLING TO ACTUALLY CALL A SPADE A SPADE AND TO UPHOLD ANY SENSE OF HOLINESS AMONGST THE PEOPLE OF GOD.

BIGOTED

HATEFUL

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ALLEGIANCE MUST FIRST BE to GOD…NOT MAN.

DOING the RIGHT THING,, EVEN WHEN IT’S UNPOPULAR

WOMAN PRESENTS the “WISHY-WASHY” GOD of MUCH MODERN CHRISTIANITY

GOD = JUST a GOD of GRACE

TO WHICH PAUL SAYS: SHOULD WE SIN THAT GRACE MAY ABOUND? BY NO MEANS! MAY IT NEVER HAPPEN!

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BIBLICALLY,, ABSALOM DESERVED to DIE.

HARD THING TO DO.

BUT BRINGING ABSALOM HOME WITHOUT ANY DISCIPLINE AT ALL… = MISTAKE BEYOND MEASURE...

(T) AND SO, HOW DOES DAVID RESPOND TO THIS MANIPULATIVE STORY AND PLAN OF JOAB WITH THIS WOMAN?

LOOK W/ ME @ VS 18...

THE TEXT SAYS,

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FALLING ACTION (V18-20)

18 Then the king answered the woman, “Do not hide from me anything I ask you.” And the woman said, “Let my lord the king speak.”

19 The king said, “Is the hand of Joab with you in all this?” The woman answered and said, “As surely as you live, my lord the king, one cannot turn to the right hand or to the left from anything that my lord the king has said. It was your servant Joab who commanded me; it was he who put all these words in the mouth of your servant.

20 In order to change the course of things your servant Joab did this. But my lord has wisdom like the wisdom of the angel of God to know all things that are on the earth.”

JOAB’S TACTICS:

“IN ORDER TO CHANGE THE COURSE OF THINGS OR AS THE NLT PUTS IT,

“TO PLACE THE MATTER BEFORE YOU IN A DIFFERENT LIGHT, NLT”

JOAB DOESN’T APPEAL to GOD’S LAW…

USES DECEPTIVE TACTIC,, STIRRING KING’S EMOTIONS AGAINST GOD’S WORD.

(T) AND NOW DAVID HAS FOUND OUT WHAT JOAB HAS BEEN UP TO AND HE RESPONDS,

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RESOLUTION (V21-24)

21 Then the king said to Joab, “Behold now, I grant this; go, bring back the young man Absalom.”

22 And Joab fell on his face to the ground and paid homage and blessed the king. And Joab said, “Today your servant knows that I have found favor in your sight, my lord the king, in that the king has granted the request of his servant.”

23 So Joab arose and went to Geshur and brought Absalom to Jerusalem.

24 And the king said, “Let him dwell apart in his own house; he is not to come into my presence.” So Absalom lived apart in his own house and did not come into the king’s presence.

DAVID CAVES AND SUMMONS FOR ABSALOM

BIBLICALLY,, ABSALOM DESERVED the DEATH PENALTY...

GOD DID SPARE DAVID,, BUT DAVID REPENTED...

WE DON’T SEE A SHRED of REPENTANCE in ABSALOM ANYWHERE...

ABSALOM’S UNREPENTANT HEART NEEDED DISCIPLINE AT the LEAST...

DAVID DOES NOTHING...

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YOU MIGHT SAY:

PASTOR,, CAN YOU IMAGINE KILLING YOUR OWN SON?? NO.

BUT DAVID WAS MUCH MORE ACQUAINTED W/ DEATH

KILLED MAN WHO CLAIMED to KILL SAUL

KILLED the MEN WHO KILLED ISH-BOSHETH

HAD URIAH MURDERED to COVER HIS SIN...

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WHEN HIS SON DESERVES JUSTICE,, KING DAVID DOES NOTHING.

INTERESTING NOTE:

CHAPTER 14 = ONLY CHAPTER in 2 SAMUEL to NOT MENTION DAVID BY NAME...

EMPHASIS on HIS ROLE/POSITION…MORE THAN HIS PERSON

DAVID ONCE AGAIN FAILS in ADMINISTERING ANY FORM of JUSTICE...

ONLY CONDITION: ABSALOM COMES HOME & RECEIVES COLD SHOULDER.

(T)AND NOW OUR TEXT IS GOING TO TAKE A SMALL TURN, LOOK WITH ME AT VERSE 25.

THE TEXT SAYS,

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SETTING2 (V25-27)

25 Now in all Israel there was no one so much to be praised for his handsome appearance as Absalom. From the sole of his foot to the crown of his head there was no blemish in him.

26 And when he cut the hair of his head (for at the end of every year he used to cut it; when it was heavy on him, he cut it), he weighed the hair of his head, two hundred shekels by the king’s weight.

27 There were born to Absalom three sons, and one daughter whose name was Tamar. She was a beautiful woman.

· NOW THAT ABSALOM IS HOME, THE TEXT TURNS TO TELL US MORE OF ABSALOM.

BEFORE WE KNEW:

HE’S THE THIRD-BORN SON.

HE’S A FULL-SIBLING OF TAMAR, THE VICTIM OF AMNON’S RAPE.

NOW WE KNOW:

INCREDIBLY HANDSOME GUY

HAIR = OUT of THIS WORLD...

ANNUALLY CUT OFF 5 LBS of HAIR!!

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REMINDER of SAUL:

GOOD LOOKING

WITHOUT GOOD CHARACTER.

GOD LOOKS INWARD,, NOT OUTWARD...

THERE’S NO NOTE of ABSALOM’S CHARACTER AT ALL...

(T) SO, WHAT HAPPENS WITH HIM?

LOOK W/ ME @ VS. 28..

THE TEXT SAYS,

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RISING ACTION2 (V28-29)

28 So Absalom lived two full years in Jerusalem, without coming into the king’s presence.

29 Then Absalom sent for Joab, to send him to the king, but Joab would not come to him. And he sent a second time, but Joab would not come.

ABSALOM = HOME....WITHOUT RECONCILIATION...

SPARED FROM DEATH

BUT OSTRACIZED FROM FAMILY...

JOAB = MIDDLEMAN the WHOLE TIME… SEE IF HE CAN HELP?

JOAB DOESN’T ANSWER

(T) SO, IS THE THIRD TIME THE CHARM?

LOOK W/ ME @ VS 30...

THE TEXT SAYS,

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CLIMAX2 (V30-32)

30 Then he said to his servants, “See, Joab’s field is next to mine, and he has barley there; go and set it on fire.” So Absalom’s servants set the field on fire.

31 Then Joab arose and went to Absalom at his house and said to him, “Why have your servants set my field on fire?”

32 Absalom answered Joab, “Behold, I sent word to you, ‘Come here, that I may send you to the king, to ask, “Why have I come from Geshur? It would be better for me to be there still.” Now therefore let me go into the presence of the king, and if there is guilt in me, let him put me to death.’ ”

ABSALOM = FAMILY OUTCAST…LIVING in BACKYARD

KING’S GENERAL ISN’T ANSWERING...

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ABSALOM DOES WHAT HE WANTS,, & LIGHTS JOAB’S BARLEY FIELDS AFLAME

ABSALOM = ENTITLED,, RUNNING the SHOW…

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FINALLY COMES to KING & AUDACIOUSLY PUTS FORTH IF HE’S GUILTY,, LET DAVID KILL HIM.

APPEAL to MERCY??

OR ABUSE of HIS WEAKNESS??

LET the KING RULE...

(T) AND NOW, OUR TEXT IS GOING TO CLOSE IN VERSE 33, THE TEXT SAYS,

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RESOLUTION/CONCLUSION2 (V33)

33 Then Joab went to the king and told him, and he summoned Absalom. So he came to the king and bowed himself on his face to the ground before the king, and the king kissed Absalom.

TEXT CLOSES WITH RECONCILIATION...

BUT NO REPENTANCE

NO DISCIPLINE

NO JUSTICE

BANISHED SON HAS COME HOME...

WE’LL SEE in COMING WEEKS if THIS = GOOD NEWS...

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(T) AND SO, WE CAN LEARN FROM THIS PASSAGE THE IDEA THAT,

HOMILETICAL IDEA:

AS THE PEOPLE OF GOD, WE MUST BE COMMITTED TO THE STANDARDS OF GOD’S WORD, ESPECIALLY WHEN IT ISN’T EASY.

IF CHRIST = LORD… OUR ALLEGIANCE MUST BE FIRST WITH HIM…BEFORE ALL.

CHRIST = FIRST

BEFORE ME

BEFORE FAMILY

BEFORE WORK

IF WE PROFESS HE is LORD…THEN WE OUGHT to DO WHAT HE SAYS....

THE PROOF of HIS LORDSHIP ISN’T FOUND on OUR LIPS…BUT in the LIVES WE LEAD...

WHEN HIS WORD is HARD to FOLLOW…DO WE OBEY?

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GOSPEL: THE WAY AND TRUTH AND LIFE

WE LIVE in a WORLD:

SEES GOD as WISHY-WASHY

GRACIOUS GOD

ONE of MANY

NO ABSOLUTE TRUTH...

CAN DO WHAT YOU WANT

YOU HAVE YOUR OWN TRUTH...

IN OUR CULTURE TODAY: RIGHT & WRONG = DETERMINED BY WHAT FEELS GOOD…NOT BY GOD’S BOOK.

FURTHERMORE… ALL RELIGIONS POINT to SAME GOD,, WE MUST COEXIST

PEOPLE COME on THEIR OWN TERMS…WE’RE ALL GOD’S CHILDREN ANYWAYS...

THEY’RE TOLERANT of EVERYTHING BUT EXCLUSIVITY....

WHY THEY HATE BIBLICAL CHRISTIANITY...

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GOD HAS REVEALED in HIS WORD:

HE’S NOT WISHY-WASHY,, HE WILL JUDGE SIN

HE’S NOT ONE of MANY—HE’S the ONLY GOD...

THERE is ABSOLUTE TRUTH

&& THERE’S ONLY ONE WAY to HIM

THROUGH the LORD JESUS CHRIST,, HIS ONLY SON.

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GOD BELIEVES in ABSOLUTE TRUTH BECAUSE HE ESTABLISHED IT...

GOD ISN’T RUNNING a DEMOCRACY

HE DOESN’T CARE HOW WE “FEEL” ABOUT THINGS BEING RIGHT & WRONG.

GOD DIDN’T ASK YOU FOR YOUR OPINION....

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HE’S GIVEN US CLEAR COMMANDS,, HOW WE OUGHT to LIVE...

&& BAD NEWS = WE’VE ALL FAILED in KEEPING THOSE COMMANDS...

BUT GOD HAS MADE a WAY for the BANISHED ONE to COME HOME...

BUT WE MUST COME ON HIS TERMS!

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JESUS = THE WAY, TRUTH & LIFE...

Acts 4:12 (ESV)

12 And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.”

IF YOU DON’T COME TO THE FATHER THROUGH THE SON, YOU HAVEN’T COME TO THE TRUE GOD.

GOD SENT HIS SON to LIVE SINLESSLY & to PAY OUR PENALTY

HE WAS BANISHED AS IT WERE...THAT WE, the PRODIGAL,, MIGHT COME HOME.

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THROUGH FAITH in HIM,, WE CAN BE FORGIVEN

MUST FIRST RECOGNIZE YOUR NEED,,

ACKNOWLEDGING SIN

& NEED of SALVATION

TURNING FROM SIN to SAVIOR in FAITH

BELIEVING CHRIST DIED & WAS RAISED

PROFESSING HIM to BE LORD....

BY GRACE THROUGH FAITH YOU CAN BE SAVED TODAY....

YOU CAN BE BROUGHT HOME,, BUT ONLY on GOD’S TERMS...

(T) AND IF YOU DON’T KNOW THE LORD TODAY, OR IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS REGARDING MATTERS OF FAITH, I’D LOVE TO SPEAK WITH YOU AFTER THE SERVICE TODAY.

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TAKEAWAYS:

LEARN ABOUT GOD?

· LIKE THE WOMAN SHOWED IN THE STORY, GOD IS A GOD OF GRACE.

THERE is a WAY FOR BANISHED ONES to COME HOME...

JUST on HIS TERMS...

WE CAN’T APPEAL to GOD’S GRACE & MERCY & NEGLECT HIS HOLINESS & JUSTICE....

ALL THESE THINGS ARE EQUAL PARTS to HIS BEING...

LEARN FOR US?

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APP: “WHERE IS YOUR ALLEGIANCE??”

CHURCH, AS WE CLOSE A HARDER PASSAGE THIS MORNING, I WANT TO ASK YOU, “WHERE DOES YOUR ALLEGIANCE LIE?”

HE’S EITHER LORD of ALL…OR NOT LORD AT ALL...

WHETHER or NOT HE’S YOUR LORD = PROVEN BY OUR ACTIONS,, NOT WORDS...

Luke 6:46 (ESV)

46 “Why do you call me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and not do what I tell you?

IF WE SAY GOD = #1… THIS = PROVEN THROUGH OUR LIVES...

& IT COMES WHEN BIBLICAL OBEDIENCE PROVES INCONVENIENT or COSTLY...

WHEN YOU HAVE to CHOOSE BETWEEN PEOPLE-PLEASING…OR GOD-PLEASING…WHAT WILL YOU CHOOSE?

IF STANDING UP FOR CHRIST THROUGH OBEDIENCE to HIS WORD in

YOUR HOME,,

OR WORKPLACE,,

OR SCHOOL,,

OR WHEREVER....COSTS YOU…

WILL YOU STILL OBEY?

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WHEN THERE’S SIN IN YOUR LIFE,, OR IN YOUR FAMILY,, OR IN OUR CHURCH:

WILL WE GO the EASY ROUTE & BRUSH UNDER the RUG??

OR WILL WE ADDRESS IT & SPEAK TRUTH..

YES,, WE SHOULD BE FORGIVING & GRACIOUS & LOVING...ALL THESE THINGS...

BUT WE LIKEWISE CAN’T MINIMIZE the HOLINESS & JUSTICE of GOD

HE DESIRES FOR US to BE HIS “SET-APART” PEOPLE...

IF THERE’S NOTHING “SEPARATE” ABOUT US,, HOW CAN WE BE a LIGHT to the WORLD?

ARE YOU WILLING TO FOLLOW HIM WHEN THE GOING GETS TOUGH?

WILL YOU STAY TRUE to GOD’S WORD…EVEN IF IT COSTS YOU?

IN LIGHT of ALL HE’S DONE FOR US,, THE COST SHOULD PALE in COMPARISON.

Close in Prayer