The Fearful Faithfulness of God

TURN to 2 SAM 16...

OPEN in PRAYER

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Intro: “A Balanced Diet/Fear of the Lord-Difficult but Necessary”

The people of God need a balanced diet.

NOT PROTEINS, FRUITS, VEGGIES, GRAINS, ETC.

BUT of GOD’S WORD.

BALANCE of ADMONISHMENT & ENCOURAGEMENT

BALANCE of GRACE & FORGIVENESS W/ HOLINESS & RIGHT-LIVING...

EXCESSIVE GRACE CAN LEAD to SLOPPY LIVING...

EXCESSIVE NEED for HOLINESS//JUDGMENT CAN LEAD to DISCOURAGEMENT & FEAR...

WANT to BE REMINDED of RIGHT-LIVING WITHOUT FALLING into LEGALISM...

SOMEONE ONCE SAID: PREACHING BOTH COMFORTS the AFFLICTED & AFFLICTS the COMFORTED...

NEED: THIS WEEK = GREAT CHALLENGE. SOMETHING WE NEED BUT PROBABLY DON’T WANT

I PRAY WE ALL COME W/ OPEN HEART,, SEARCH OURSELVES,, I CERTAINLY HAVE BEEN

& I PRAY,, GOD, BY HIS GRACE, USES THIS TEXT to CHANGE US.

(T) But before we begin, I want to offer a short recap for those who weren’t here last week:

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Recap “On the Run Again”

Last Week:

DAVID EVACUATES JERUSALEM UNDER THREAT of HIS LIFE...

SON—ABSALOM—REBELS & SETS HIMSELF up AS KING...

—>> ALL of DAVIDS PROBLEMS = CONSEQUENCES for SIN/DIVINE DISCIPLINE…

“SWORD WOULD NEVER DEPART FROM HOUSE” <<--

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DAVID on RUN HAS EXEMPLARY FAITH & TRUST in GOD

SETS UP RUDIMENTARY INTELLIGENCE NETWORK

REGARDLESS HE’S RUNNING ONCE AGAIN

ABSALOM ARRIVES in JERUSALEM

DAVID ASCENDS MT. of OLIVES

(T) So, where does our story turn next?

LOOK W/ ME @ CH. 16…VS. 1

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Text: 2 Samuel 16:1-23 ESV

Setting

2 Samuel 16 (ESV)

1 When David had passed a little beyond the summit, Ziba the servant of Mephibosheth met him, with a couple of donkeys saddled, bearing two hundred loaves of bread, a hundred bunches of raisins, a hundred of summer fruits, and a skin of wine.

TEXT SWITCHES BACK to DAVID & INTRODUCED AGAIN to ZIBA

ZIBA = SERVANT of MEPHIBOSHETH (DESCENDANT of SAUL)

COMMANDED to SERVE MEPHIBOSHETH

ZIBA ARRIVES W/ FOOD & DRINK for DAVID

GOD PROVIDES for DAVID,, in UNUSUAL WAYS

(T) And truly, this seems mildly suspicious, so we’ll see what Ziba’s purpose is in all of this…

LOOK W/ ME @ VS 2

the text says,

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Inciting Incident/Rising Action

2 And the king said to Ziba, “Why have you brought these?” Ziba answered, “The donkeys are for the king’s household to ride on, the bread and summer fruit for the young men to eat, and the wine for those who faint in the wilderness to drink.”

3 And the king said, “And where is your master’s son?” Ziba said to the king, “Behold, he remains in Jerusalem, for he said, ‘Today the house of Israel will give me back the kingdom of my father.’ ”

4 Then the king said to Ziba, “Behold, all that belonged to Mephibosheth is now yours.” And Ziba said, “I pay homage; let me ever find favor in your sight, my lord the king.”

ZIBA COMES to FIND FAVOR W/ KING… W/ STORY of MEPHIBOSHETH’S BETRAYAL

APPEARS ZIBA = OPPORTUNIST.

A CHANCE STORY = TRUE…BUT UNLIKELY

ZIBA = TAKING ADVANTAGE of DAVID’S DESPERATION

(T) And so, with a variety of different treatments of the king and his men,

we’ll see who else he encounters,

LOOK W/ ME @ VS 5.

The text says,

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Rising Action1 (v5)

5 When King David came to Bahurim, there came out a man of the family of the house of Saul, whose name was Shimei, the son of Gera, and as he came he cursed continually.

DAVID ASCENDS MT. of OLIVES—CITY of BAHURIM of BENJAMITES

MEET a MAN: SHIMEI

RELATIVE of FORMER KING,, SAUL

HE COMES to BELITTLE & CURSE DAVID

(T) And what happens next?

LOOK W/ ME @ VS 6...

The text says,

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Rising Action (v6-8)

6 And he threw stones at David and at all the servants of King David, and all the people and all the mighty men were on his right hand and on his left.

7 And Shimei said as he cursed, “Get out, get out, you man of blood, you worthless man!

8 The Lord has avenged on you all the blood of the house of Saul, in whose place you have reigned, and the Lord has given the kingdom into the hand of your son Absalom. See, your evil is on you, for you are a man of blood.”

DAVID & MEN SUBJECTED to VERBAL ASSAULT & PHYSICAL...

POUNDED W/ STONES WHILE WALKING

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CONTENT of CURSING:

ACCUSES DAVID of BEING GUILTY of BLOOD

WRONGFULLY BECAME KING...

GOD = AVENGING DAVID on HIS WRONGDOING

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ACCUSED CRIME = WRONG

BUT TRUTHFUL in SUFFERING @ GOD’S HAND..

DAVID = NOT FLEEING BECAUSE of SIN W/ SAUL

BUT SIN W/ BATHSHEBA & URIAH

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DAVID = SUFFERING CONSEQUENCES for HIS OWN SIN in DEPARTURE from JERUSALEM

‘SWORD WOULDN’T DEPART FROM HIS HOUSE’

(T) And we can imagine that with this constant harassing and the physical blows of stones this is getting pretty old.

So, what do you do?

LOOK W/ ME @ VS 9...

The text says,

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More Tension (v9-12)

9 Then Abishai the son of Zeruiah said to the king, “Why should this dead dog curse my lord the king? Let me go over and take off his head.”

10 But the king said, “What have I to do with you, you sons of Zeruiah? If he is cursing because the Lord has said to him, ‘Curse David,’ who then shall say, ‘Why have you done so?’ ”

11 And David said to Abishai and to all his servants, “Behold, my own son seeks my life; how much more now may this Benjaminite! Leave him alone, and let him curse, for the Lord has told him to.

12 It may be that the Lord will look on the wrong done to me, and that the Lord will repay me with good for his cursing today.”

ABISHAI = in WRONG,, BUT NICE to HAVE on YOUR SIDE!

OFFERS to SILENCE THIS GUY...

**DAVID = CONTINUALLY FRUSTRATED W/ ABISHAI & JOAB’S EXCESSIVE VIOLENCE…**

DAVID = WILLING to OWN UP to OWN FAILINGS… & MAYBE THIS = FROM GOD in JUDGMENT

REMEMBER—ALL of DAVID’S FLIGHT = DIVINE DISCIPLINE

&& MAYBE GOD WILL RETURN GOOD for EVIL HE SUFFERED...

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DAVID KNEW GOD = GRACIOUS & MERCIFUL GOD...

EVEN UNDER DISCIPLINE DAVID SUBMITS HIMSELF to GOD’S HAND...

NOT GOING to FIGHT FIRE W/ FIRE

NOT GOING to RETURN ROCKS...

ABISHAI---HUMAN NATURE,, RETURNING EVIL for EVIL...

DAVID—GOD’S SERVANT—SHOWS a BETTER WAY

VENGEANCE = the LORDS...

(T) But does the guy ever stop we wonder?

LOOK W/ ME @ VS 13...

The text says,

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Resolution (v13-14)

13 So David and his men went on the road, while Shimei went along on the hillside opposite him and cursed as he went and threw stones at him and flung dust.

14 And the king, and all the people who were with him, arrived weary at the Jordan. And there he refreshed himself.

LEFT VENGEANCE to GOD & ENDURED the HARASSMENT & BARRAGING of STONES DUST ETC..

ARRIVE @ JORDAN WEARY & TAKE TIME to REST

(T) And now, our story is going to shift, as we’ve seen what’s going on in David’s life as he flees,

we’ll SEE HOW THINGS ARE GOING in JERUSLEM

LOOK W/ ME @ VS 15...

The text says,

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Setting2 (v15-19)

15 Now Absalom and all the people, the men of Israel, came to Jerusalem, and Ahithophel with him.

16 And when Hushai the Archite, David’s friend, came to Absalom, Hushai said to Absalom, “Long live the king! Long live the king!”

17 And Absalom said to Hushai, “Is this your loyalty to your friend? Why did you not go with your friend?”

18 And Hushai said to Absalom, “No, for whom the Lord and this people and all the men of Israel have chosen, his I will be, and with him I will remain.

19 And again, whom should I serve? Should it not be his son? As I have served your father, so I will serve you.”

· Remember this guy from last week?

HUSHAI:

DAVID’S “FRIEND”

SENT BACK to JERUSALEM to FOIL COUNSEL of AHITHOPHEL ((TRUSTED COUNSELOR in ISRAEL))

HUSHAI WALKS LINE,, BEING DECEITFUL WITHOUT COMPLETELY LYING

LONG LIVE the KING!… SCHOLARS POINT OUT = VAGUE...

WHICH KING??

ABSALOM ASSUMES IT’S HIM,, BUT HUSHAI KNOWS IT’S DAVID!

ABSALOM TAKES the BAIT,, & HUSHAI = NOW on THE INSIDE

(T) And now our TEXT = GOING to CLOSE on DRASTIC NOTE...

LOOK W/ ME @ VS 20-23

The text says,

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Rising Action2/Climax2 (v20-22)

20 Then Absalom said to Ahithophel, “Give your counsel. What shall we do?”

21 Ahithophel said to Absalom, “Go in to your father’s concubines, whom he has left to keep the house, and all Israel will hear that you have made yourself a stench to your father, and the hands of all who are with you will be strengthened.”

22 So they pitched a tent for Absalom on the roof. And Absalom went in to his father’s concubines in the sight of all Israel.

Resolution (V23)

23 Now in those days the counsel that Ahithophel gave was as if one consulted the word of God; so was all the counsel of Ahithophel esteemed, both by David and by Absalom.

ABSALOM SEEKS ADVICE of AHITHOPHEL…DAVID’S FORMER COUNSELOR

ADVISES:

TO MAKE HIMSELF a STENCH to FATHER...

&& to STRENGTHEN THOSE W/ HIM

HAVE SEX W/ WOMEN LEFT BEHIND to KEEP the HOUSE… B4 ALL ISRAEL.

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BLATANT REJECTION of GOD’S LAW in MANY WAYS

ABSALOM = CROSSES POINT of NO RETURN in HIS REJECTION of DAVID & GOD

Dale Davis explains, “But possession of the king’s harem was a title to the throne, and Absalom made this a matter of show-and-tell here.”[1]

NO LONGER POSSIBILITY of RECONCILIATION

BRIDGES = BURNED ONCE & FOR ALL

ABSALOM FORCES ISRAEL to TAKE SIDES:

WILL YOU STAY W/ DAVID??

OR WILL YOU GO W/ ME??

CHOOSE YOU THIS DAY!

GET OFF the FENCE!!

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SO THEY SET UP a TENT on the PALACE ROOF

—> THE LAST TIME WE SAW the ROOF MENTIONED WAS WHEN DAVID WAS WALKING ALONG WHILE HIS MEN WERE @ WAR...

SAME ROOF?? WHO KNOWS,, BUT AT LEAST IT’S an INTERESTING NOTE to MAKE

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WHOLE SITUATION = MESSED UP… HARD to STOMACH

THIS SICK & TWISTED DISOBEDIENCE of GOD & REJECTION of DAVID = FULFILLMENT of PROPHECY

2 Samuel 12:10–11 (ESV)

10 Now therefore the sword shall never depart from your house, because you have despised me and have taken the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be your wife.’

11 Thus says the Lord, ‘Behold, I will raise up evil against you out of your own house. And I will take your wives before your eyes and give them to your neighbor, and he shall lie with your wives in the sight of this sun.

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GOD’S WORD of JUDGMENT = DELAYED in FULFILLMENT…BUT SURE to COME to PASS...

WE LOVE to TALK on the FAITHFULNESS of GOD…BUT REMEMBER GOD = FAITHFUL to ALL of HIS WORD...

GOD = FAITHFUL to ABRAHAM

BABY COMES

NUMEROUS DESCENDANTS

PROMISED LAND

LORD JESUS CHRIST BRINGS BLESSING to NATIONS

GOD MAKES PROMISE of ETERNAL LIFE to US & HE’S FAITHFUL!

—>> BUT WHEN GOD PROMISES JUDGMENT…HE’S STILL LIKEWISE FAITHFUL...

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THINK on the DELAY in this FULFILLMENT…CONSIDER THIS TIMELINE:

DAVID COMMITS ADULTERY & BABY = BORN… APPROX 1 YEAR LATER…

NATHAN the PROPHET COMES to REBUKE DAVID...

BABY PASSES & SOLOMON = BORN

APPROX 1 YEAR

RABBAH = CAPTURED

SOME TIME PASSES BETWEEN CH. 12 & 13???

AMNON RAPES TAMAR—ABSALOM HATES AMNON

2 FULL YEARS PASS & ABSALOM MURDERS HIS BROTHER

ABSALOM RUNS AWAY,, LIVES 3 YEARS in GESHUR...

DAVID = CONVINCED to BRING ABSALOM HOME...

ABSALOM LIVES for 2 YEARS in JERUSALEM WITHOUT TALKING to DAVID...

4 MORE YEARS PASS ((POSSIBLY ONLY 2 MORE/OR 4 TOTAL)) & ABSALOM SETS HIMSELF UP as KING...

DAVID FLEES

ABSALOM COMES INTO JERUSALEM & SEEKS COUNSEL...

ABSALOM LIES W/ FATHER’S CONCUBINES...

@ MINIMUM, 10-12 YEARS HAVE PASSED—NOT COUNTING POSSIBLE TIME GAPS NOT REPORTED...

AROUND 11 YEARS AFTER the SIN

AROUND 10 YEARS AFTER the PRONOUNCEMENT of JUDGMENT

GOD’S WORD of JUDGMENT COMES to PASS...

DELAYS in JUDGMENT DON’T MEAN IT’S NOT COMING

GOD is FAITHFUL to HIS WORD....ALL of IT...

DAVID = SUFFERING FURTHER CONSEQUENCES & DIVINE DISCIPLINE FOR HIS SIN...

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

Homiletical Idea:

God’s Word is true and reliable 100% of the time, whether the contents concern salvation or judgment, blessing or cursing…

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Gospel: The Surety of God’s Word of Judgment & the Hope of Salvation??

CHURCH,, THIS SHOULD CAUSE US to HAVE HEALTHY,, REVERENTIAL FEAR of GOD...

SCRIPTURE TELLS US of DAY of JUDGMENT

DAVID SINNED in PRIVATE,, JUDGMENT PUBLIC...

A DAY WHEN ALL SECRET SINS WILL BE LAID BARE

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ALL of US WILL ONE DAY HAVE to STAND BEFORE GOD & GIVE AN ACCOUNT for THIS LIFE THAT WE LIVED..

NO SECRETS

NO SECOND CHANCES

OUR ONLY HOPE = FORGIVENESS THROUGH JESUS CHRIST

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AMAZING to SEE HOW GOD FULFILLS HIS WORD THROUGH SINFUL HUMANS....

AHITHOPHEL in BLATANT REJECTION of GOD’S LAW ADVISES ABSALOM & PROPHECY = FULFILLED...

MANY YEARS LATER,, PROPHECY WAS FULFILLED as the SON of GOD SUFFERED on CALVARY for OUR SINS...

Acts 2:23 (ESV)

23 this Jesus, delivered up according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God, you crucified and killed by the hands of lawless men.

§ Judas betrayed Him.

§ The Jews demanded His crucifixion.

§ Pilate sentenced Him.

· The soldiers fulfilled Pilate’s orders…

FULFILLMENT of GOD’S SOVEREIGN PLAN

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HE is OUR ONLY HOPE

DAY of JUDGMENT COMING:

OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS ISN’T ENOUGH… IT’S FILTHY RAGS...

OUR GOOD WORKS AREN’T ENOUGH…THERE is NONE RIGHTEOUS

ALL HAVE SINNED

ALL HAVE TRANSGRESSED the HOLY, CREATOR

—> FORGIVENESS, PEACE W/ GOD COMES on HIS TERMS,,

HE’S the OFFENDED, WE’RE the OFFENDERS...

THROUGH the SACRIFICE of HIS SON WE CAN BE FORGIVEN of ALL of OUR SINS...

OUR ONLY HOPE is to HAVE a RIGHTEOUSNESS THAT’S NOT OUR OWN…IMPUTED to US BY FAITH in JESUS CHRIST…

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.

HE WAS OUR SUBSTITUTE

HE SUFFERED the CONSEQUENCES WE DESERVED...

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IF YOU DON’T KNOW WHERE YOU STAND W/ the LORD TODAY

HAVE QUESTIONS REGARDING MATTERS of FAITH

PLEASE SPEAK W/ ME AFTER SERVICE..

(T) And as we close this morning, LITTLE DIFFERENTLY...

ADMONISH: TAKE the WARNINGS of FUTURE JUDGMENT SERIOUSLY...

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App: Take the Warnings of Scripture Seriously

the NONBELIEVER MUST BE BORN AGAIN,, SAVED BY JESUS CHRIST

BUT for the BELIEVER, CAN I REMIND US THIS MORNING…ONE DAY WE’LL HAVE to GIVE an ACCOUNT....

SCRIPTURE TEACHES US THIS.

**SOME PEOPLE DON’T LIKE “SCARING INTO OBEDIENCE”

SOMETIMES the TRUTH = SCARY,, AND I’M RESPONSIBLE to SPEAK TRUTH in LOVE...

GOD is GRACIOUS & MERCIFUL...

BUT GOD is ALSO JUST & HOLY & AWESOME

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—>> WE CAN’T IGNORE the WARNING PASSAGES in SCRIPTURE AS IF THEY DON’T MATTER ANYMORE...

MANY CHURCHES WANT to BE “AFFIRMING”

I WANT to AFFIRM this MORNING… GOD is HOLY & HE HATES SIN.

HE HATES MY SIN

HE HATES YOUR SIN

HE HATES the SINS of ALL HUMANKIND

IT WAS SIN THAT PUT JESUS on the CROSS

EVEN the FORGIVEN BELIEVER in JESUS WILL HAVE to GIVE an ACCOUNT BEFORE the GREAT WHITE THRONE...

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PARENTS,, REMEMBER YOUR CHILDREN WILL HAVE to GIVE an ACCOUNT...

GOD WON’T ASK THEM THEIR FREETHROW PERCENTAGE

GOD WON’T ASK HOW HARD THEY COULD HIT SOMEONE WITH FOOTBALL PADS ON

HOW WELL THEY CAN KICK a SOCCER BALL

OR EVEN THEIR G.P.A.

DO THEY KNOW GOD’S SON?

HAVE THEY BEEN FORGIVEN?

DID THEY LIVE FOR HIM?

YOU CAN’T SAVE YOUR OWN KIDS,, ONLY GOD CAN SAVE SOMEONE...

BUT YOU CAN SURE DO YOUR BEST to PRESENT PRIORITIES WHERE THEY TRULY LIE & WHAT is TRUTH.

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WE’RE GOING to FINISH this MORNING: READING WARNING PASSAGES...

I PRAY IF YOU’VE GROWN COMPLACENT THAT THIS WILL CHALLENGE YOU

I PRAY IF YOU’VE GROWN IDLE THIS WILL MOTIVATE YOU

I PRAY THAT IF YOU’VE GROWN INDIFFERENT or SLEEPY,, THIS WILL WAKE YOU UP.

APOSTLE PAUL, WRITING UNDER INSPIRATION:

1 Cor. 6:9-11 ESV “Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, 10 nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. 11 And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.”

THESE PEOPLE WON’T INHERIT the KINGDOM. PERIOD! THIS is WHO YOU USED to BE!

Likewise, he wrote,

“So whether we are at home or away, we make it our aim to please him. 10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil” (2 Cor. 5:9-10).

WE ALL APPEAR B4 JUDGMENT SEAT.... INCLUDING PAUL!!

—>> SO OUR AIM in LIFE is to PLEASE GOD

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MIGHT BE THINKING… THAT’S JUST PAUL

PAUL = BIT HARSH/ROUGH

PRODUCT of ANCIENT THINKING REGARDING JUDGMENT

OTHER WRITERS MENTIONED GOD’S LOVE & GRACE...

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APOSTLE JOHN… “THE BELOVED” SAID GOD is LOVE!

LIKEWISE:

o He writes, in 1 John 3:8-9, “8 Whoever makes a practice of sinning is of the devil, for the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the works of the devil. 9 No one born of God makes a practice of sinning, for God’s seed abides in him; and he cannot keep on sinning, because he has been born of God.”

And later he writes, in verse 15,

“15 Everyone who hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him.”

JOHN EXPLAINS: EITHER of GOD or SATAN,, NO OTHER OPTIONS!

THOSE WHO ARE HATEFUL DON’T HAVE ETERNAL LIFE & ARE CHILDREN of the DEVIL..

IN REVELATION: JOHN TESTIFIES to JESUS’ WORDS:

Revelation 3:15-16, “‘I know your works: you are neither cold nor hot. Would that you were either cold or hot! 16 So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth.”

o And at the end of time he explains,

in Revelation 20:15, “And if anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.”

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WELL…THAT’S JUST JOHN & PAUL...

WHAT ABOUT PETER??

PETER KNEW GRACE,, HE DENIED the LORD & WAS FORGIVEN!

· He was, likewise, he explained

how God didn’t spare angels when they sinned (2 Pet. 2:4) and how God knows how to rescue the godly from trials and to keep the unrighteous under punishment until the day of judgment (2 Pet. 2:9-10) and he likewise admonishes us to be holy as God is holy (1 Pet. 1:15-16).

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AUTHOR of HEBREWS: ·

“It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God” (Heb. 10:31).

o He also warns about deliberate sin after knowing the truth and the result that there be no more a sacrifice for sins… (Heb. 10:26).

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TESTIMONY of JAMES & JUDE…

HALF-BROTHERS of JESUS WHO DIDN’T BELIEVE B4 the RESURRECTION...

JUDE:

Reminds us that the same Jesus who saved a people out of Egypt destroyed those who didn’t believe (Jude 5)

and likewise reminds of God’s judgment upon angels who sinned and of God’s judgment upon Sodom and Gomorrah.

JAMES:

If anyone thinks he is religious and does not bridle his tongue his religion is worthless! (1:26).

It’s good that you believe in God, so do demons. So put some action to your faith! For faith without works is dead and not true faith (2:17-26)

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IF YOU’RE HERE THINKING....

WELL THAT’S JUST the APOSTLES…

JESUS WAS MUCH MORE AFFIRMING...

§ Jesus told the one without sin to cast the first stone.

§ Jesus said we ought not to judge people.

§ Jesus loved sinners and was their friend.

§ Jesus was a nice guy.

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WHAT’S JESUS SAY? LET’S LOOK @ EXAMPLES from ALL 4 GOSPELS...

Jesus taught in Matthew’s gospel,

in Matthew 5:20, “For I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.”

PARABLE of WHEAT & TARES (CH.13)

TWO KINDS of PEOPLE

TWO DESTINATIONS

MASTER’S BARN

BURNING

Matthew 12:36-37, “I tell you, on the day of judgment people will give account for every careless word they speak, 37 for by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.”

AS a TALKER…THIS is TERRIFYING...

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Well, what’s Mark say?

o In Mark’s Gospel, Jesus says that whoever is ashamed of Him and His words, of him He will be ashamed when he comes in glory (Mark:8:38)

Mark 9:42 (ESV)

42 “Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him if a great millstone were hung around his neck and he were thrown into the sea.

Mark 9:46 ESV

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· And Luke:

§ Jesus taught that no one who puts his hand to the plough and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God (Luke 9:62).

§ Jesus in another place references a few tragedies and says essentially, do you think you’re better off than them because you haven’t suffered like this? He concludes with, “Unless you repent, you will all likewise perish (Luke 13:3)

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John??

HE SAID GOD LOVED the WORLD…RIGHT??

John 3:17-19, “For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. 18 Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God. 19 And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil.”

o And in another place, Jesus said to Jews who didn’t believe in him, “You are of your father the devil (John 8:44).

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CHURCH… THAT ENCOMPASSES EVERY N.T. AUTHOR.

EVERY AUTHOR UNDER INSPIRATION RECORDS HARD TRUTH,, WARNINGS,, JUDGMENT...

AS WE SURVEY these PASSAGES....THESE WARNINGS...

We ought to take our faith and our faithful Christian living more seriously than anything else under the sun.

SHOULD BE the #1 PRIORITY in YOUR LIFE....

NO OTHER LOVERS...

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WE CAN & SHOULD HAVE ASSURANCE of ETERNAL LIFE

1 John 5:13 (ESV)

13 I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life.

BUT THIS DOESN’T SPARE US FROM GIVING an ACCOUNT!

ASSURANCE SHOULDN’T MAKE US COMPLACENT

ASSURANCE SHOULDN’T MAKE US SINFUL

ASSURANCE SHOULDN’T MAKE US LOSE SIGHT of GOD’S HOLINESS!

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WE’LL HAVE to GIVE AN ACCOUNT

CARELESS WORDS WE’VE SPOKEN

LIFE in GENERAL

CHRISTIAN LABOR/SERVICE

WORK MIGHT BE BURNED UP BY FIRE—SEE 1 COR. 3....

THE JUDGMENT of GOD = A FEARFUL THING...

I’M THANKFUL FOR FORGIVENESS…BUT I AM GENUINELY CHALLENGED THIS DAY....

PAUL’S WORDS:

2 Corinthians 5:9–10 (ESV)

9 So whether we are at home or away, we make it our aim to please him.

10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil.

OUR AIM in EVERYTHING…KNOWING WE’LL HAVE to GIVE AN ACCOUNT… SHOULD BE AIMING to PLEASE GOD...

STRIVING TOWARD the MARK...

IN CLOSING…LET’S PRAY SCRIPTURE TOGETHER...

“23 Search me, O God, and know my heart!

Try me and know my thoughts!

24 And see if there be any grievous way in me,

and lead me in the way everlasting!

CLOSE in PRAYER