Costly Good News

TURN —2 SAM. 18...

OPEN in PRAYER...

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INTRO: “CHANGE WHAT YOU’VE BEEN SOWING.”

· PEOPLE COMMONLY SAY THAT THE DEFINITION OF INSANITY IS DOING THE SAME THING OVER AND OVER AGAIN AND EXPECTING DIFFERENT RESULTS…

KEEP DOING—WHAT YOU’VE BEEN DOING...

KEEP GETTING—WHAT YOU’VE BEEN GETTING

BIBLE SPEAKS of “SOWING & REAPING”

NATURALLY:

SOW CORN?

GET CORN.

IF YOU’RE UPSET W/ PRESENT CORN HARVEST…HAVE to CHANGE WHAT YOU’RE SOWING!

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WE CAN’T GO BACK & CHANGE the PAST

BUT BY the GRACE of GOD…YOU CAN CHANGE, TODAY.

IF YOU DON’T LIKE the PRESENT HARVEST,, ALL YOU CAN DO is CHANGE WHAT YOU’RE SOWING TODAY…FOR a BETTER FUTURE...

NEED: AND THIS IS ONE OF THE REASONS WE NEED OUR TEXT TODAY.

ONCE AGAIN— WE’LL SEE the LAW of SOWING & REAPING

SOMETIMES THIS BRINGS GREAT SORROW...

CAN’T CHANGE the PAST...

BUT BY the GRACE of GOD,, WE CAN CHANGE the FUTURE...

(T) BUT BEFORE WE DIVE IN, I’D LIKE TO OFFER A QUICK RECAP FOR THOSE WHO WEREN’T HERE LAST WEEK.

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RECAP:

Last Week:

DAVID’S LIFE = SPARED… GOD’S PROVIDENCE W/ HUSHAI

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When David Fled:

AHITHOPHEL (TRUSTED COUNSELOR) = AMONG the BETRAYERS...

COUNSEL LIKE GOD’S WORD!

DAVID PRAYED: “LORD TURN HIS COUNSEL into FOOLISHNESS”

PROVIDENCE: BUMPS INTO HUSHAI on MT. of OLIVES

DAVID SENDS HUSHAI BACK to JERUSALEM

HUSHAI BECOMES ANSWER to DAVID’S PRAYER!

AHITHOPHEL RECOMMENDED HUGE FORCE OVERTAKE DAVID IMMEDIATELY

HUSHAI COUNSELED OTHERWISE:

GOD USED HUSHAI’S COUNSEL to BUY DAVID TIME to FLEE...

SOVEREIGN PURPOSE of GOD:

DESTROYING AHITHOPHEL’S COUNSEL

BRING EVIL UPON ABSALOM

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TEXT ENDED:

ABSALOM & DAVID ARRAYED ACROSS the JORDAN

WAR on HORIZON

HOW WILL THIS TURN OUT?

LOOK W/ ME @ CH. 18…VS. 1

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Text: 2 Samuel 18:1-19:8 ESV

Setting (v1-2)

2 Samuel 18:1–19:8 (ESV)

1 Then David mustered the men who were with him and set over them commanders of thousands and commanders of hundreds.

2 And David sent out the army, one third under the command of Joab, one third under the command of Abishai the son of Zeruiah, Joab’s brother, and one third under the command of Ittai the Gittite. And the king said to the men, “I myself will also go out with you.”

DAVID GATHERS FORCES for HUSHAI’S RECOMMENDED WAR

**ALL ISRAEL COMING AGAINST DAVID

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DAVID DIVVIES UP FORCES:

1/3 W/ JOAB— THE GENERAL

1/3 W/ ABISHAI— JOAB’S BROTHER a “MIGHTY MAN”

1/3 W/ ITTAI—THE DEFECTOR FROM GATH

(T) DAVID STRATEGICALLY GETS HIS FORCES IN LINE AND HE PLANS TO GO OUT AND FIGHT.

WHAT HAPPENS NEXT?

LOOK W/ ME @ VS 3…THE TEXT SAYS...

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INCITING INCIDENT (V3-5)

3 But the men said, “You shall not go out. For if we flee, they will not care about us. If half of us die, they will not care about us. But you are worth ten thousand of us. Therefore it is better that you send us help from the city.”

4 The king said to them, “Whatever seems best to you I will do.” So the king stood at the side of the gate, while all the army marched out by hundreds and by thousands.

5 And the king ordered Joab and Abishai and Ittai, “Deal gently for my sake with the young man Absalom.” And all the people heard when the king gave orders to all the commanders about Absalom.

DAVID = FORCED to STAY BEHIND...

HE’S the ONE THEY WANT!

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DAVID SUBMITS BUT HAS ONE REQUEST:

“DEAL GENTLY W/ ABSALOM”

&& EVERYONE HEARD IT.

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CHURCH....WE HAVE A MAJOR PROBLEM HERE TODAY.

DAVID HAS NICE ARMY—GREAT

STRATEGICALLY DIVIDED—PERFECT

DAVID = STAYING BEHIND—SMART

BE GENTLE W/ ABSALOM??? ABSURD.

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TWO PROBLEMS:

GENTLE DEALING W/ ABSALOM = a RIDICULOUS REQUEST—IMPOSSIBLE.

ABSALOM REBELLED

TENT on ROOF--- NO RECONCILIATION — ALL BRIDGES BURNED...

IT WAS A FAIRY TALE TO THINK YOU COULD BRING ABSALOM HOME IN PEACE AT THIS POINT.

DAVID SEEKING to BE GRACIOUS FATHER—

AN IMPOSSIBLE HOPE W/ WHO ABSALOM WAS...

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2ND PROBLEM: DAVID’S REQUEST = CONTRARY to GOD’S WILL & DECREE...

Last Week:

GOD’S SOVEREIGN PURPOSE:

ORDAINED to DEFEAT AHITHOPHEL —> TO BRING EVIL/HARM UPON ABSALOM

GOD HAD ORDAINED/COMMANDED THIS...

NOW DAVID COMMANDS to SPARE ABSALOM… (SAME HEBREW VERB)

HEAVENLY KING of ISRAEL & ISRAEL’S NATURAL KING = ON SEPARATE PAGES...

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INTERESTINGLY: DAVID DOESN’T “INQUIRE of the LORD” ABOUT THIS...

PROBABLY BECAUSE HE KNEW the TRUTH...

AS GOD’S PEOPLE WE OUGHT to ALWAYS DESIRE GOD’S WILL…EVEN IF IT’S COSTLY...

HEAVENLY FATHER KNOWS WHAT is BEST,, MORE SO THAN NATURAL FATHERS...

OUR DISPOSITION OUGHT ALWAYS TO be:

“NOT MY WILL, BUT YOURS BE DONE”

(T) AND SO, WE HAVE a MAJOR PROBLEM HERE.

GOD & HIS APPOINTED KING ON OPPOSITE PAGES...

&& CERTAINLY ARMY WOULDN’T WANT to BE “GENTLE” W/ THEIR GREATEST ENEMY!

HOW’S THIS BATTLE UNRAVEL?

LOOK W/ ME @ VS 6… THE TEXT SAYS..

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RISING ACTION (V6-8)

6 So the army went out into the field against Israel, and the battle was fought in the forest of Ephraim.

7 And the men of Israel were defeated there by the servants of David, and the loss there was great on that day, twenty thousand men.

8 The battle spread over the face of all the country, and the forest devoured more people that day than the sword.

NARRATOR DOESN’T SAY MUCH ABOUT BATTLE...

ALL ISRAEL GATHERED as SAND of SEASHORE....VS. DAVID....

SEEMS to BE A NO-BRAINER,, DAVID = CONQUERED...

BUT DAVID’S ARMY = VALIANT MEN..

TERRAIN = BAD FOR ISRAEL

DAVID’S ARMY = VICTORIOUS!

(T) AND WITH AN ISRAELITE ARMY IN SHAMBLES, WHAT HAPPENS NEXT?

LOOK WITH ME @ VS 9

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MORE TENSION (V9)

9 And Absalom happened to meet the servants of David. Absalom was riding on his mule, and the mule went under the thick branches of a great oak, and his head caught fast in the oak, and he was suspended between heaven and earth, while the mule that was under him went on.

(Q) DON’T YOU JUST LOVE THE PROVIDENCE OF GOD?

ABSALOM W/ ARMY in TATTERS,, PROBABLY FLEEING the BATTLE...

“HAPPENED” to MEET DAVID’S MEN

TURNS to GO AWAY

& GETS STUCK in TREE!

PROB: BY HAIR (JOSEPHUS & COMMON INTERPRETATION)

PRIDE COMES BEFORE the FALL = LITERAL W/ ABSALOM!!

5 LBS of HAIR—WEIGHED ANNUALLY

PROUD MAN,, STUCK SUSPENDED BETWEEN HEAVEN & EARTH

UTTERLY HELPLESS WHILE MULE WALKS AWAY...

(T) AND SO WE HAVE THE GREAT UPSTART SON OF DAVID,,

THE REBELLIOUS LEADER OF THE ARMIES OF ISRAEL,,

SUSPENDED FROM THE GROUND LIKE A PINATA.

CAN HE STILL ESCAPE?

LOOK W/ ME @ VS 10...THE TEXT SAYS,

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CLIMAX (V10-15) “THE DEATH OF ABSALOM”

10 And a certain man saw it and told Joab, “Behold, I saw Absalom hanging in an oak.”

11 Joab said to the man who told him, “What, you saw him! Why then did you not strike him there to the ground? I would have been glad to give you ten pieces of silver and a belt.”

12 But the man said to Joab, “Even if I felt in my hand the weight of a thousand pieces of silver, I would not reach out my hand against the king’s son, for in our hearing the king commanded you and Abishai and Ittai, ‘For my sake protect the young man Absalom.’

13 On the other hand, if I had dealt treacherously against his life (and there is nothing hidden from the king), then you yourself would have stood aloof.”

14 Joab said, “I will not waste time like this with you.” And he took three javelins in his hand and thrust them into the heart of Absalom while he was still alive in the oak.

15 And ten young men, Joab’s armor-bearers, surrounded Absalom and struck him and killed him.

1ST MAN to SEE ABSALOM SPARES HIM...

TELLS JOAB

&& JOAB CAN’T BELIEVE IT… HE WOULD’VE REWARDED the MAN...

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MAN RESPONDS:

EVEN if FEELING WEIGHT of 1,000 PIECES of SILVER,, I’D OBEY the KING! WHAT LOYALTY!!

THIS is the KING’S SON!

DAVID WANTS HIM SPARED!

FURTHERMORE,, IF I KILLED HIM,, JOAB YOU WOULDN’T DEFEND ME AT ALL!

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ONCE AGAIN: JOAB TAKES MATTERS INTO HIS OWN HANDS...

& WE SEE AGAIN…the TENSION BETWEEN SOVEREIGNTY & RESPONSIBILITY....

IN DISOBEDIENCE to NATURAL KING,,

BUT in FULFILLMENT of GOD’S DECREE

JOAB & HIS MEN PUT ABSALOM to DEATH.

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REMEMBER:

ABSALOM DESERVED DEATH PENALTY for MURDER

&& HE BECOMES 3RD INSTALLMENT of DAVID’S 4-FOLD PUNISHMENT for URIAH’S DEATH...

(T) SO, WITH ABSALOM DEAD IS THERE NOW PEACE?

LOOK W/ ME @ VS 16...THE TEXT SAYS,

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RESOLUTION (V16-18)

16 Then Joab blew the trumpet, and the troops came back from pursuing Israel, for Joab restrained them.

17 And they took Absalom and threw him into a great pit in the forest and raised over him a very great heap of stones. And all Israel fled every one to his own home.

18 Now Absalom in his lifetime had taken and set up for himself the pillar that is in the King’s Valley, for he said, “I have no son to keep my name in remembrance.” He called the pillar after his own name, and it is called Absalom’s monument to this day.

ABSALOM = RESOLUTELY DEFEATED...

3 JAVELINS to HEART

10 MEN STRIKE HIM

HEAP of STONES UPON HIM

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HEAP of STONES DENOTES a CURSE:

ONLY FEW TIMES in O.T.

TESTIMONY to CURSEDNESS & SEPARATION FROM GOD’S PEOPLE...

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SAD CONCLUSION: ABSALOM’S MONUMENT

TESTAMENT to HIS PRIDE...

BUT the HEAP of STONES BECOMES the TRUE MONUMENT HE’S REMEMBERED BY...

**ABSALOM ISN’T REMEMBERED as a GREAT KING,,

BUT a REBELLIOUS SON WHO WAS THOROUGHLY BROUGHT to DESTRUCTION...

SCHOLARS POINT OUT THERE’S a MONUMENT in ISRAEL NAMED “ABSALOM’S TOMB” ....

WHERE PASSERSBY CAST ROCKS to DENOUNCE ABSALOM!

NOT LIKELY HIS MONUMENT,, BUT THIS = ABSALOM’S LASTING REPUTATION....

(T) AND SO NOW, YOU CAN IMAGINE WE HAVE A PROBLEM.

DAVID HAD EXPLICITLY COMMANDED “BE GENTLE”

THEY WEREN’T GENTLE.

SO HOW DOES THIS ALL PAN OUT?

LOOK W/ ME @ VS 19. THE TEXT SAYS,

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SETTING (V19-23) DAVID HEARS OF ABSALOM’S DEATH

19 Then Ahimaaz the son of Zadok said, “Let me run and carry news to the king that the Lord has delivered him from the hand of his enemies.”

20 And Joab said to him, “You are not to carry news today. You may carry news another day, but today you shall carry no news, because the king’s son is dead.”

21 Then Joab said to the Cushite, “Go, tell the king what you have seen.” The Cushite bowed before Joab, and ran.

22 Then Ahimaaz the son of Zadok said again to Joab, “Come what may, let me also run after the Cushite.” And Joab said, “Why will you run, my son, seeing that you will have no reward for the news?”

23 “Come what may,” he said, “I will run.” So he said to him, “Run.” Then Ahimaaz ran by the way of the plain, and outran the Cushite.

· AHIMAAZ REQUESTS PERMISSION TO GO AND PROCLAIM GOOD NEWS

“YAHWEH’S BROUGHT DELIVERANCE!!”

REMEMBER: HE WAS ONE of 2 PRIESTS SONS to INFORM DAVID LAST WEEK

** WE CAN IMAGINE HE’S HAPPY to HAVE GOOD NEWS THIS TIME!!

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JOAB REFUSES — ABSALOM’S DEATH ISN’T “GOOD NEWS”

DAVID = FREED FROM REBELLIOUS RAVAGES of HIS SON...

BUT HIS SON is DEAD...

THERE WAS GOOD NEWS of DELIVERANCE...

BUT THIS NEWS CAME @ a GREAT COST....

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JOAB SENDS ANOTHER MAN,, FOREIGNER

AHIMAAZ INSISTS & FINALLY GETS PERMISSION

(T) NOW WE HAVE a RACE to GET the NEWS to DAVID...

GOOD NEWS...

BUT NEWS W/ a COST...

AND SO the TEXT CONTINUES THEN AND SAYS IN VS 24,

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INCITING INCIDENT (V24-27)

24 Now David was sitting between the two gates, and the watchman went up to the roof of the gate by the wall, and when he lifted up his eyes and looked, he saw a man running alone.

25 The watchman called out and told the king. And the king said, “If he is alone, there is news in his mouth.” And he drew nearer and nearer.

26 The watchman saw another man running. And the

watchman called to the gate and said, “See, another man running alone!” The king said, “He also brings news.”

27 The watchman said, “I think the running of the first is like the running of Ahimaaz the son of Zadok.” And the king said, “He is a good man and comes with good news.”

(T) AS THE MESSENGERS ARE COMING,

DAVID IS EAGER TO HEAR GOOD NEWS,

BUT HOW DOES IT GO?

LOOK W/ ME @ VS 28...THE TEXT SAYS,

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RISING ACTION (V28-30)

28 Then Ahimaaz cried out to the king, “All is well.” And he bowed before the king with his face to the earth and said, “Blessed be the Lord your God, who has delivered up the men who raised their hand against my lord the king.”

29 And the king said, “Is it well with the young man Absalom?” Ahimaaz answered, “When Joab sent the king’s servant, your servant, I saw a great commotion, but I do not know what it was.”

30 And the king said, “Turn aside and stand here.” So he turned aside and stood still.

AHIMAAZ CRIES OUT “ALL is WELL” HB: PEACE! “SHALOM”

PRAISE GOD— YOU’RE DELIVERED!! HALLELUJAH!!

THIS is the DAY the LORD HAS MADE!!

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DAVID ISN’T DISTRACTED— ASKS ABOUT the “PEACE”…WELL-BEING of ABSALOM

DAVID ISN’T WORRIED ABOUT HIMSELF…JOAB…ABISHAI…ITTAI, ETC.

“IS THERE PEACE FOR ABSALOM???”

SUDDENLY: AHIMAAZ REALIZES HIS NEWS ISN’T SO GOOD...

CLAIMS to NOT KNOW WHAT TRULY HAPPENED...

(T) SO, HOW’S THIS GO?

LOOK W/ ME @ VS 31, THE TEXT SAYS,

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CLIMAX: DAVID’S GRIEF (V31-33)

31 And behold, the Cushite came, and the Cushite said, “Good news for my lord the king! For the Lord has delivered you this day from the hand of all who rose up against you.”

32 The king said to the Cushite, “Is it well with the young man Absalom?” And the Cushite answered, “May the enemies of my lord the king and all who rise up against you for evil be like that young man.”

33 And the king was deeply moved and went up to the chamber over the gate and wept. And as he went, he said, “O my son Absalom, my son, my son Absalom! Would I had died instead of you, O Absalom, my son, my son!”

2ND MESSENGER ARRIVES W/ NEWS:

YAHWEH’S DELIVERED YOU FROM YOUR ENEMIES! HALLELUJAH!

ONCE AGAIN: DAVID ASKS ABOUT the “PEACE” of ABSALOM...

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THIS TIME....IN a ROUNDABOUT WAY…DAVID GETS the NEWS...

DAVID WISHES HE’D DIED INSTEAD

REMEMBER: UPON DAVID’S REPENTANCE GOD PUT AWAY HIS SIN… & DAVID WOULDN’T DIE...

NEVERTHELESS,, THERE’D BE CONSEQUENCES for DAVID’S SIN...

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MUST REMEMBER: WHEN NATHAN the PROPHET CAME to DAVID & CONFRONTED HIM W/ PARABLE

DAVID CRIED OUT the “RICH MAN” MUST REPAY 4-FOLD FOR the LITTLE LAMB’S BUTCHERY…

SCHOLARS POINT OUT,, DAVID THEN REPAYS FOR URIAH’S DEATH W/ PREMATURE DEATHS of 4 of HIS SONS...

ABSALOM BECOMES 3RD of 4 of THEM...

DALE DAVIS: DAVID PROBABLY HAD A SENSE THAT IT WAS HIS GUILT THAT HAD BROUGHT ABOUT THIS DISASTER.

THE SWORD NOT DEPARTING FROM DAVID’S HOUSE?? —> THAT WAS DAVID’S FAULT...

ALL of DAVID’S PROBLEMS FROM 2 SAM. 12-24 = DIVINE DISCIPLINE & CONSEQUENCES for HIS EGREGIOUS SIN W/ BATHSHEBA & URIAH

THAT = the ROOT of ALL HIS TRIALS...

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CHURCH,, AGAIN SOMETIMES THERE ARE NATURAL CONSEQUENCES FOR OUR SINS...

**OFTENTIMES SIN WILL COST US MORE THAN WE ANTICIPATED

VERY OFTEN: PRESENT REAPING = the RESULT of PAST SOWING

(T) AND NOW OUR TEXT IS GOING TO CLOSE

IN CHAPTER 19, VS. 1-8.... THE TEXT SAYS,

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RESOLUTION/CONCLUSION (19:1-8)

1 It was told Joab, “Behold, the king is weeping and mourning for Absalom.”

2 So the victory that day was turned into mourning for all the people, for the people heard that day, “The king is grieving for his son.”

3 And the people stole into the city that day as people steal in who are ashamed when they flee in battle.

4 The king covered his face, and the king cried with a loud voice, “O my son Absalom, O Absalom, my son, my son!”

5 Then Joab came into the house to the king and said, “You have today covered with shame the faces of all your servants, who have this day saved your life and the lives of your sons and your daughters and the lives of your wives and your concubines,

6 because you love those who hate you and hate those who love you. For you have made it clear today that commanders and servants are nothing to you, for today I know that if Absalom were alive and all of us were dead today, then you would be pleased.

7 Now therefore arise, go out and speak kindly to your servants, for I swear by the Lord, if you do not go, not a man will stay with you this night, and this will be worse for you than all the evil that has come upon you from your youth until now.”

8 Then the king arose and took his seat in the gate. And the people were all told, “Behold, the king is sitting in the gate.” And all the people came before the king.

DAVID = WEEPING...

JOAB COMES & CONFRONTS HIM.

GREAT DAY of VICTORY & DAVID’S GRIEF HAS RUINED IT!

MEN COMING BACK to CITY ASHAMED LIKE THEY LOST....

JOAB: DAVID DO YOU NOT CARE ABOUT US???

WE RISKED OUR LIVES FOR YOU!!

WE FOUGHT FOR YOU

&& NO THANK YOU’S....AND YOU’RE SAD???

DAVID,, YOU NEED to COME FIX THIS,, OR EVERYONE WILL ABANDON YOU...

KING COMES BEFORE PEOPLE & TEXT CLOSES....

STORY TODAY HAS GREAT DELIVERANCE,, BUT IT’S COSTLY....

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

HOMILETICAL IDEA:

SOMETIMES GOD’S DELIVERANCE WILL COME BUT IT WILL COME AT A GREAT COST.

WE’VE SEEN....GOD = MORE THAN ABLE to BRING US THROUGH ANY TRIAL...

BUT THAT DOESN’T MEAN IT’LL BE EASY,, THAT THERE’LL BE NO SCARRING...

SOMETIMES THERE is NO OPTION “C”

OPTION A: DAVID DIES, ABSALOM = KING...

OPTION B: ABSALOM DIES,, DAVID = KING...

DAVID’S SIN & FAILURE to DEAL W/ ABSALOM LEFT THEM W/ 2 OPTIONS...

DALE DAVIS: “DELIVERANCE FOR DAVID ALSO INVOLVES DISASTER FOR ABSALOM.”[1]

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GOSPEL: COSTLY GOOD NEWS

CHURCH, WE SAW TODAY THAT GOD BROUGHT ABOUT GREAT DELIVERANCE AND VICTORY, BUT IT CAME AT AN INCREDIBLY GREAT COST.

GOD KNOWS WHAT THIS is LIKE…MORE THAN ANYONE....

DAVID SHOULD’VE DIED for HIS OWN SINS…BUT HE WAS SPARED

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DAVID’S GREATER SON: the LORD JESUS CHRIST

THINKING of GRIEF & SUFFERING....GOD = ACQUAINTED W/ SUFFERING....

—>> HE WAS WILLING to GIVE HIS OWN SON,, TO PAY FOR SINS THAT HE DIDN’T COMMIT!!

Romans 5:8 (ESV)

8 but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

WE = UNDESERVING of GOOD

CHRIST = UNDESERVING of EVIL...

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 SUFFERED the COST,, SO THAT WE MIGHT BE JUSTIFIED & FORGIVEN…

SPARED of ETERNAL CONSEQUENCES of OUR SINS....

HE TOOK THE PENALTY, SO WE COULD RECEIVE THE BENEFIT.

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THIS DELIVERANCE....

THIS GOOD NEWS....

CAME at a GREAT COST....

SINLESS,, ETERNAL SON of GOD,, CRUCIFIED on BEHALF of OUR SINS...

SO THAT WE MIGHT BE SPARED,, BECAUSE HE SUFFERED in OUR PLACE...

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WE SEE DAVID’S GRIEF,, UNWILLINGLY LOST HIS SON,, BROUGHT on BY HIS OWN SIN...

CONSIDER the FATHER’S LOVE:

HE FREELY GAVE HIS SON FOR US

TO PAY a DEBT HE DIDN’T OWE!

THAT WE MIGHT BE FORGIVEN of OUR SINS,,

BY a FREE GIFT of GOD’S GRACE RECEIVED THROUGH FAITH...

YOU CAN EXPERIENCE GOOD NEWS of GOD’S DELIVERANCE...

DELIVERING YOU FROM the ENEMIES of SIN & DEATH...

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

HAVE QUESTIONS REGARDING MATTERS of FAITH,,

STRUGGLE W/ ASSURANCE...

TALK to ME AFTER SERVICE...

YOU SHOULD LIVE W/ COSTLY GOOD NEWS of GOD’S DELIVERANCE

(T) AND NOW, IN CLOSING, I’D LIKE TO SHARE A FEW TAKEAWAYS WITH YOU ALL THIS MORNING, AND THEN SOMETHING FOR YOU TO CONSIDER THIS WEEK,

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TAKEAWAYS:

LEARN ABOUT GOD?

GOD WILL ANSWER OUR REQUESTS WHEN THEY ARE IN ALIGNMENT WITH HIS WILL.

AHITHOPHEL’S COUNSEL = DEFEATED

ABSALOM = LIKEWISE DEFEATED,, IN CONTRAST to DAVID’S WILL...

WHERE DAVID’S WILL CONTRASTED GOD’S,, HIS REQUEST WAS a FOLLY

LEARN ABOUT US?

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APP.

LOOK AGAIN @ DAVID’S GRIEF....

SURELY DAVID FELT GRIEVED,, BECAUSE HIS SIN WAS at the ROOT of ALL of THIS!

&& IT COST DAVID ANOTHER SON

SON W/ SO MUCH POTENTIAL

GOOD LOOKING GUY,, GREAT LEADERSHIP POTENTIAL...

GO-GETTER

UNFORTUNATELY HIS HEART WASN’T RIGHT....

ABSALOM’S DOWNFALL = TRULY HEARTBREAKING...

DAVID COULD GRIEVE…BUT DAVID COULDN’T CHANGE the PAST...

FEW WEEKS AGO: ILLUSTRATION: REMEMBER,, ONCE the FIRST DOMINO HAS BEEN FLICKED,, YOU CAN’T UNDO IT.

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CHURCH,, YOU CAN’T CHANGE the PAST…BUT YOU CAN CHANGE the FUTURE.

IF YOU’RE HERE TODAY & SUFFERING a MESS of YOUR OWN MAKING,,

YOU CAN REPENT of YOUR SINS

FIND FORGIVENESS

CHANGE

& LIVE DIFFERENTLY INTO the FUTURE...

***IF YOU’RE SUFFERING TODAY THIS DOESN’T GUARANTEE IT’S a RESULT of YOUR SINS…

BUT IT ALSO DOESN’T GUARANTEE THAT IT’S NOT.

WE NEED to EXAMINE OURSELVES...

SUFFERING COMES FOR a VARIETY of REASONS...

SIN is SURELY ONE of THEM

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BUT IF IT’S the RESULT of SIN:

GOD PROMISES FORGIVENESS & CLEANSING:

1 John 1:9 (ESV)

9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

Psalm 103:12 (ESV)

12 as far as the east is from the west, so far does he remove our transgressions from us.

WE SHOULD LOOK to PAST SINS W/ REGRET…

BUT KNOW YOU CAN’T CHANGE the PAST NOW.

WE WISHED WE DIDN’T DO X,, Y,, Z…BUT IT’S DONE.

YOU CAN’T CHANGE the PAST.

BUT YOU CAN FIND FORGIVENESS FOR IT…

AND YOU CAN CHANGE the FUTURE.

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IN the PRESENT,, YOU MIGHT STILL REAP WHAT YOU’VE SOWN in the PAST…

BUT YOU CAN CHANGE YOUR NEXT HARVEST

IF YOU’RE LOOKING AT CORN TODAY && YOU DON’T WANT CORN,,

HOW DO YOU CHANGE WHAT YOU GET TOMORROW??

STOP PUTTING CORN INTO THE GROUND!!

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GREAT NEWS:

SCRIPTURE = CLEAR...

ROM. 6: BELIEVERS = NO LONGER UNDER SIN’S DOMINION & POWER...

BORN AGAIN = CHANGED,, NEW CREATION

2 Corinthians 5:17 (ESV)

17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.

Philippians 2:13 (ESV)

13 for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.

NEW CAPACITY FOR GODLINESS…2 PET...

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BY the GRACE of GOD…YOU CAN CHANGE!

IT MIGHT NOT FIX the PRESENT…

BUT YOU DON’T HAVE to REPEAT the PAST...

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DAVID WAS SUFFERING CONSEQUENCES FOR HIS SINS...

DAVID LOOKS to the PAST W/ REGRET

LIVED in PRESENT W/ GRIEF...

***BUT WE CAN REST ASSURED,, DAVID WOULDN’T BE STROLLING the ROOFTOP ANYMORE...

DAVID SOWED SEXUAL SIN & MURDER ONCE.

THE HARVEST TAUGHT HIM a LESSON.

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CHURCH… WE MUST USE the REGRET of PAST SINS

to MAKE DIFFERENT DECISIONS in the PRESENT.

TRULY REPENTANCE BEGINS W/ a CHANGE of MIND...

BUT IT’S MANIFESTED as a 180 DEGREE TURN....

IT’S BOTH a MENTAL & LITERAL TURNING

WE CAN,, BY the POWER of GOD’S HOLY SPIRIT & NEW LIFE in CHRIST,,, NOT GO DOWN THAT ROAD AGAIN.

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SO I PRAY THIS MORNING:

IF YOU’VE BEEN DISGUSTED W/ YOUR PRESENT HARVEST...

IF YOU’RE SUFFERING CONSEQUENCES of PAST SINS & BAD DECISIONS...

IF YOU’RE in a MESS of YOUR OWN MAKING...

IF YOU’RE REAPING WHAT YOU’VE SOWN...

I PRAY THAT BY the GRACE of GOD,, YOU PURPOSE in YOUR HEART to SOW SOMETHING DIFFERENT.

GOD HAS EMPOWERED US to MAKE DIFFERENT DECISIONS,, TO LIVE a LIFE PLEASING to HIM...

IF YOU WANT DIFFERENT RESULTS THAN YOU’VE BEEN GETTING...

YOU’VE GOT to CHANGE WHAT YOU’VE BEEN DOING…

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WE CAN LOOK to the PAST W/ REGRET...

WE CAN GRIEVE IT

WE CAN GRIEVE the CONSEQUENCES TODAY...

BUT CHURCH,, WE CAN’T CHANGE the PAST

ALL WE CAN DO is CHANGE the FUTURE

& MUCH of THAT = DETERMINED BY WHAT YOU’RE SOWING

SO, GRIEVE the PAST,

DETERMINE CHANGE in the PRESENT,

AND BELIEVE GOD for a CHANGED FUTURE.

AMEN?

LET’S PRAY