The Futility of Fighting

TURN--2 SAMUEL CHAPTER 19… VS. 41...

OPEN in PRAYER

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INTRO: “THE SAME OLD STORY??”

IF YOU’VE BEEN HERE ANY LENGTH of TIME THROUGH THIS SERIES THROUGH 2 SAMUEL.…YOU’VE PROBABLY NOTICED A LOT of REPETITION...

**SOMETIMES I FEEL I’M PREACHING the SAME MESSAGE AGAIN & AGAIN, W/ DIFFERENT TEXT.

REMIND MYSELF:

MOST WOMEN STILL LIKE HALLMARK MOVIES

—>> YOU ALREADY KNOW THE END!

THEY FALL in LOVE,GET MARRIED, ETC...

THE ENDING is ALWAYS the SAME!

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SOUTHERN FOOTBALL FANS:

YOU PRETTY WELL KNOW THEY’RE GOING to WIN

JUST WHO SCORES & HOW

& HOW BADLY THEY BEAT the OTHER TEAM...

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(NEED) AND ONE OF THE REASONS WE NEED THIS TEXT TODAY...

IS BECAUSE IT’S GOING TO REMIND US OF SOMETHING THAT WE NEED TO HEAR,

EVEN IF WE ALREADY KNOW THE OUTCOME.

SHOWS US NEW WAYS GOD ACCOMPLISHES HIS ENDS…EVEN IF WE KNOW the ENDS HE ACCOMPLISHES...

--->> EVEN in FAMILIAR ENDINGS,,

WE CAN FIND JOY in the JOURNEY...

&& SO I PRAY YOU FIND THAT JOY THIS MORNING..

(T) BUT BEFORE WE BEGIN, I WANT TO OFFER A QUICK RECAP FOR THOSE WHO WEREN’T HERE LAST WEEK TO BRING YOU UP TO SPEED.

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RECAP: “THE MERCIFUL KING”

Last Week:

ISRAEL SUMMONED DAVID BACK

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AFTER RUNNING,,

UNDERGOING THREAT,,

DAVID = RE-ESTABLISHED as KING!!

1ST ORDER of BUSINESS: EXTENDING MERCY to ENEMIES

MERCY to SHIMEI

ZIBA

MEPHIBOSHETH

--->> HOW COULD the ONE FORGIVEN of ADULTERY & MURDER,,, HOLD the ROCK-THROWER to the FIRE??

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LEARNED: AS GOD was MERCIFUL W/ US,, WE OUGHT to BE MERCIFUL W/ OTHERS...

(T) AND SO, OUR TEXT ENDED ON A LARGELY POSITIVE NOTE.

DAVID = KING AGAIN

WE’RE GOING to SEE AFTERMATH of HIS RETURN to POWER...

LOOK W/ ME: 2 SAM....CH.19....VS. 41

THE TEXT SAYS,

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TEXT: 2 SAMUEL 19:41-20

SETTING: TENSION IN ISRAEL (V41-43)

41 Then all the men of Israel came to the king and said to the king, “Why have our brothers the men of Judah stolen you away and brought the king and his household over the Jordan, and all David’s men with him?”

42 All the men of Judah answered the men of Israel, “Because the king is our close relative. Why then are you angry over this matter? Have we eaten at all at the king’s expense? Or has he given us any gift?”

43 And the men of Israel answered the men of Judah, “We have ten shares in the king, and in David also we have more than you. Why then did you despise us? Were we not the first to speak of bringing back our king?” But the words of the men of Judah were fiercer than the words of the men of Israel.

THERE’S DIVISION IN ISRAEL.

JUDAH (SOUTH) = PRIMARY WELCOMING PARTY...

ISRAEL (NORTH) = FEELS LEFT OUT...

TWO COMPLAINTS:

IT WAS THEIR IDEA to BRING DAVID BACK

THEY’VE GOT 10 PORTIONS (TRIBES) in ISRAEL

DEMOCRATICALLY—A LARGER SHARE

WHY is JUDAH HOGGING??

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JUDAH RESPONDS:

DAVID = FAMILY!

&& BESIDES THEY DON’T GET SPECIAL BENEFITS!

NO ABUSE of PRIVILEGE

REST ASSURED: DAVID DOESN’T HAVE FAVORITES

**THERE’S DIVISION in ISRAEL—KING’S RETURN NOT as PEACEFUL as WE THOUGHT....

(T) AND THE NARRATOR EXPLAINS:

THAT THE WORDS OF THE PEOPLE OF JUDAH WERE “FIERCER” THAN THOSE OF ISRAEL.

SO, ARE THEY ABLE TO SETTLE THIS DISPUTE?

LOOK W/ ME @ CH. 20 VS. 1... THE TEXT SAYS,

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INCITING INCIDENT: “THE REBELLION OF SHEBA”

1 Now there happened to be there a worthless man, whose name was Sheba, the son of Bichri, a Benjaminite. And he blew the trumpet and said, “We have no portion in David, and we have no inheritance in the son of Jesse; every man to his tents, O Israel!”

2 So all the men of Israel withdrew from David and followed Sheba the son of Bichri. But the men of Judah followed their king steadfastly from the Jordan to Jerusalem.

NICE…GENTLE INTRODUCTION!

IN MIDST of DIVISION,, THERE’S a TROUBLEMAKER...

SHEBA CAPITALIZES on the DIVISION

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ISRAEL…TEMPORARILY UNITED

DIVISION COMES ALONG TRIBAL LINES...

**NOTE: HOW QUICKLY THIS SPLIT CAME.

DAVID HAD CROSSED the JORDAN…BUT HADN’T EVEN MADE it BACK to JERUSALEM YET!!

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INSTEAD OF MAKING PEACE,

SECURING HARMONY...

SHEBA USES the OPPORTUNITY to GET AHEAD...

TAKES STAND: NO INTEREST in “KING” DAVID...

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CHURCH, DIVISIVE TIMES WILL COME....PEOPLE WILL DISAGREE...

WILL YOU CHOOSE to BE a PEACEMAKER??

OR WILL YOU CHOOSE to THROW GAS on a FIRE??

SHEBA CAPITALIZES on DIVISION & GAINS FOLLOWING...

**THIS CAN HAPPEN SO OFTEN in CHURCHES...

PEOPLE SHOW UP to DISPUTE & SOW FURTHER DISCORD...

PROV. 6....GOD HATES the ONE WHO SOWS DISCORD!

IF THERE’S a DISPUTE OVER SOMETHING SECONDARY…NOT OVER TRUTH....

&& the WALL is CRACKED...

DO YOU SHOW UP W/ SLEDGEHAMMER??

OR W/ TROWEL & CEMENT??

SOME PEOPLE DIE on EVERY HILL,, LIKE DYING is THEIR HOBBY.

USE OPPORTUNITY to LEAD DISGRUNTLED PEOPLE....SPLITTING CHURCHES...

ORDER/STYLE of WORSHIP

COLOR of CARPET

HOW to TAKE OFFERING...

DRESS CODE/STANDARDS

THERE ARE HILLS WORTH DYING ON....

THERE ARE THINGS WORTH DIVIDING OVER....

THERE ARE THINGS WHERE SPLITS WILL BE INEVITABLE,, OVER MATTERS of TRUTH...

BUT DON’T MAKE DYING on the HILL YOUR HOBBY...

DON’T BE UNNECESSARILY DIVISIVE...

&& IF THERE’S a FIRE STARTED…

SHOW UP W/ EXTINGUISHER, NOT GASOLINE.

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SHEBA COULD’VE RALLIED AROUND DAVID...

INSTEAD,, HE USES DAVID’S TRIAL to GET AHEAD....

WITH NO CONSIDERATION to WHAT GOD’S PLAN WAS....

(T) AND SO NOW WE HAVE ANOTHER CIVIL WAR IN ISRAEL. THERE WAS PEACE, BUT PEACE WAS SHORT-LIVED.

ISRAEL/NORTH....FOLLOWING SHEBA...

JUDAH/SOUTH…FOLLOWING DAVID...

SO, WHAT HAPPENS NEXT?

LOOK W/ ME AT VS 3, THE TEXT SAYS,

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RISING ACTION: “DAVID’S RESPONSE”

3 And David came to his house at Jerusalem. And the king took the ten concubines whom he had left to care for the house and put them in a house under guard and provided for them, but did not go in to them. So they were shut up until the day of their death, living as if in widowhood.

4 Then the king said to Amasa, “Call the men of Judah together to me within three days, and be here yourself.”

5 So Amasa went to summon Judah, but he delayed beyond the set time that had been appointed him.

BACK HOME in JERUSALEM....1ST ORDER of BUSINESS:

TAKING CARE of CONCUBINES

VIOLATED BY ABSALOM

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LIVED as DESOLATE WOMEN LIKE TAMAR (VICTIM of AMNON)

SADLY,, CAUGHT in CROSSFIRE of DAVID’S SIN

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2ND ORDER of BUSINESS:

CALLING AMASA (NEW COMMANDER)

GATHER ALL JUDAH...

QUASH REBELLION B4 GETS OUT of HAND...

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AMASA DELAYS...

WORK TOO MUCH??

NEGLIGENCE??

WE DON’T KNOW...

REGARDLESS: AMASA FALLS SHORT on 1ST ASSIGNMENT...

*** NOT an ASSIGNMENT to DELAY ON!

NATIONAL DISPUTE MUST BE SETTLED...

(T) SO, HOW’S THIS TURN OUT FOR HIM?

LOOK W/ ME AT VS 6, THE SCRIPTURE SAYS,

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MORE TENSION: ABISHAI’S PURSUIT

6 And David said to Abishai, “Now Sheba the son of Bichri will do us more harm than Absalom. Take your lord’s servants and pursue him, lest he get himself to fortified cities and escape from us.”

7 And there went out after him Joab’s men and the Cherethites and the Pelethites, and all the mighty men. They went out from Jerusalem to pursue Sheba the son of Bichri.

AMASA,, NEW GENERAL = REPLACED (TEMPORARILY?)

JOAB SET ASIDE—PROB for KILLING ABSALOM??

DAVID CALLS ABISHAI (JOAB’S BROTHER)

GET SHEBA B4 HE GETS to FORTIFIED CITY!

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ABISHAI = GET it DONE SORT of GUY....

2X OFFERED to KILL SHIMEI (ROCK-THROWER)

NO NONSENSE…READY to TRACK DOWN & KILL

(T) SO, DAVID’S MEN, LED BY ABISHAI

&& WITH JOAB ALONGSIDE HIM,

DEPART FROM JERUSALEM AND ARE IN HOT PURSUIT OF THE ENEMY.

WILL THEY CATCH HIM IN TIME?

LOOK W/ ME AT WHAT HAPPENS NEXT IN VS 8, THE TEXT SAYS,

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CLIMAX1: THE DEATH OF AMASA

8 When they were at the great stone that is in Gibeon, Amasa came to meet them. Now Joab was wearing a soldier’s garment, and over it was a belt with a sword in its sheath fastened on his thigh, and as he went forward it fell out.

9 And Joab said to Amasa, “Is it well with you, my brother?” And Joab took Amasa by the beard with his right hand to kiss him.

10 But Amasa did not observe the sword that was in Joab’s hand. So Joab struck him with it in the stomach and spilled his entrails to the ground without striking a second blow, and he died.

PURSUING SHEBA ((REBEL)) COME to GIBEON...

BUMP INTO AMASA— FORMER COMMANDER

JOAB—TAKES MATTERS INTO OWN HANDS,, AGAIN...

EXECUTED ABNER

ABSALOM...

NOW AMASA...

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PRETENDS to BE FRIENDLY...

DROPS SWORD

STRIKES W/ LEFT HAND...

**IT APPEARS JOAB = JUST DISPOSING COMPETITION for COMMANDER AGAIN...

DALE DAVIS: WHILE JOAB NEVER WANTED the KINGSHIP… IN HIS DEALINGS,, HE WASN’T VERY LOYAL..

TIME & TIME AGAIN,, JOAB SPILLS UNNECESSARY BLOOD...

(T) TRULY AMASA WON’T BE LEADING NOW...

PERMANENTLY MISSED OPPORTUNITY...

W/ JOAB & ABISHAI PURSUING SHEBA,, HOW’S THIS TURN OUT??

LOOK W/ ME AT THE 2ND HALF OF VS 10,

THE TEXT SAYS,

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RISING ACTION: THE DISPOSAL OF AMASA

Then Joab and Abishai his brother pursued Sheba the son of Bichri. 11 And one of Joab’s young men took his stand by Amasa and said, “Whoever favors Joab, and whoever is for David, let him follow Joab.” 12 And Amasa lay wallowing in his blood in the highway. And anyone who came by, seeing him, stopped. And when the man saw that all the people stopped, he carried Amasa out of the highway into the field and threw a garment over him. 13 When he was taken out of the highway, all the people went on after Joab to pursue Sheba the son of Bichri.

PROCLAMATION: FAVORING JOAB,, “FOR DAVID”… GO W/ JOAB!

REMEMBER,, JOAB HAD BEEN DEMOTED by the KING...

SERVANT’S MESSAGE: ESSENTIALLY....IF YOU’RE FOR DAVID,, THEN YOU’RE FOR JOAB!

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SMALL PROBLEM: AMASA = SUFFERING in the ROADWAY...

**HARD to IGNORE...

SOLUTION? DRAG HIS BODY OUT of THERE

ALL PURSUE AFTER SHEBA,, the ONE WHO WAS DIVIDING the NATION AGAIN...

(T) AND THEN THE TEXT SAYS IN VERSE 14,

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MORE TENSION: THE BESIEGING OF ABEL OF BETH-MAACAH

14 And Sheba passed through all the tribes of Israel to Abel of Beth-maacah, and all the Bichrites assembled and followed him in.

15 And all the men who were with Joab came and besieged him in Abel of Beth-maacah. They cast up a mound against the city, and it stood against the rampart, and they were battering the wall to throw it down.

AS DAVID FEARED… SHEBA MADE it to a FORTIFIED CITY....

SMALL ARMY

HOLED UP in ABEL of BETH-MAACAH ((APPROX. 100 MILES NORTH of JERUSALEM))

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JOAB & MEN BEGIN to BESIEGE CITY...

GOOD NEWS: NOT NATIONAL REBELLION,, SHEBA ONLY GOT HIS CLAN’S SUPPORT

NOT to SCALE of ABSALOM’S REBELLION

BUT NOT SOMETHING to BE IGNORED

(T) AND SO, WE WONDER,

ARE THEY ABLE TO BREAK DOWN THE CITY WALLS AND TO TAKE OUT SHEBA?

THE SCRIPTURE GOES ON TO SAY IN VS. 16...

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CLIMAX & RESOLUTION: THE DEATH OF SHEBA

16 Then a wise woman called from the city, “Listen! Listen! Tell Joab, ‘Come here, that I may speak to you.’ ”

17 And he came near her, and the woman said, “Are you Joab?” He answered, “I am.” Then she said to him, “Listen to the words of your servant.” And he answered, “I am listening.”

18 Then she said, “They used to say in former times, ‘Let them but ask counsel at Abel,’ and so they settled a matter.

19 I am one of those who are peaceable and faithful in Israel. You seek to destroy a city that is a mother in Israel. Why will you swallow up the heritage of the Lord?”

CITY W/ REPUTATION

WOMAN W/ REPUTATION…

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CITY: PLACE of COUNSEL,, COME & FIND ANSWERS...

&& JOAB YOU’RE GOING to DESTROY THIS CITY??

THIS CITY = MOTHER in ISRAEL

THIS CITY = PART of YAHWEH’S HERITAGE!!

**WOMAN = ONLY ONE to MENTION GOD in STORY TODAY...

GOD GAVE US THIS CITY…WHAT ARE YOU DOING TEARING IT DOWN???

(T) SO, CERTAINLY IT SEEMS THIS WOMAN IS WISE IN TRYING TO SETTLE THIS DISPUTE,

AND SHE’S GOT A GOOD POINT.

THIS CITY IS A PRIZED CITY IN ISRAEL, WHY ARE YOU TRYING TO DESTROY IT??

WHAT’S JOAB GOT to SAY??

LOOK W/ ME @ VS 20

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20 Joab answered, “Far be it from me, far be it, that I should swallow up or destroy!

21 That is not true. But a man of the hill country of Ephraim, called Sheba the son of Bichri, has lifted up his hand against King David. Give up him alone, and I will withdraw from the city.” And the woman said to Joab, “Behold, his head shall be thrown to you over the wall.”

22 Then the woman went to all the people in her wisdom. And they cut off the head of Sheba the son of Bichri and threw it out to Joab. So he blew the trumpet, and they dispersed from the city, every man to his home. And Joab returned to Jerusalem to the king.

JOAB RESPONDS:

NOT TEARING CITY DOWN…JUST to TEAR IT DOWN...

NOT FOR FUN...

1 REASON: SHEBA REBELLED AGAINST DAVID!

SEND HIM OUT & WE’LL LEAVE...

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SHEBA MAXIMIZED DIVISION FOR PERSONAL GAIN...

WOMAN BROUGHT WISDOM & PEACE to MINIMIZE DIVISION...

CONCLUSION:

THEY THROW SHEBA’S HEAD OVER the WALL to JOAB

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WONDERFUL CLOSING:

SHEBA BEGAN REBELLION W/ BLOWING TRUMPET,,

CALLING MEN to THEIR HOMES...

NOW in VICTORY,, JOAB BLOWS TRUMPET & MEN RETURN to HOMES...

(T) AND NOW OUR TEXT IS GOING TO CLOSE IN VS 23 THROUGH 26.

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CONCLUSION: A SUMMARY OF DAVID’S MEN

23 Now Joab was in command of all the army of Israel; and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada was in command of the Cherethites and the Pelethites;

24 and Adoram was in charge of the forced labor; and Jehoshaphat the son of Ahilud was the recorder;

25 and Sheva was secretary; and Zadok and Abiathar were priests;

26 and Ira the Jairite was also David’s priest.

FINAL SUMMARY of DAVID’S MEN...

JOAB BACK in CHARGE

WHAT in the WORLD DO WE MAKE of THIS PASSAGE??

HOMILETICAL IDEA:

§ DESPITE WEAKNESS, TRIALS, OPPOSITION, AND HUMAN FAILINGS, GOD’S PROMISES WILL STAND.

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GOSPEL: THE SECURITY OF THE KINGDOM OF YAHWEH’S ANOINTED

WE HAVE TO NOTICE IN THIS TEXT....

ONCE AGAIN GOD WAS WORKING TO KEEP DAVID AS KING,

BECAUSE IN GOD’S EYES HE WAS THE CHOSEN ONE.

DAVID = the LORD’S ANOINTED...

PASSAGE SHOWS US:

SECURITY of GOD’S PROMISE (to DAVID)

FUTILITY of FIGHTING AGAINST the LORD’S ANOINTED...

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STROLL DOWN MEMORY LANE:

GOLIATH TOOK HIS STAND AGAINST THE LORD’S ANOINTED AND HE FELL.

THE PHILISTINES TOOK THEIR STAND AGAINST THE LORD’S ANOINTED AND THEY FELL.

NABAL TOOK HIS STAND AGAINST THE LORD’S ANOINTED AND HE FELL.

SAUL TOOK HIS STAND AGAINST THE LORD’S ANOINTED, AND HE FELL.

ISH-BOSHETH & ABNER TOOK THEIR STAND AGAINST THE LORD’S ANOINTED AND THEY FELL.

THE AMMONITES TOOK THEIR STAND AGAINST THE LORD’S ANOINTED AND THEY FELL.

THE SYRIANS TOOK THEIR STAND AGAINST THE LORD’S ANOINTED, AND THEY FELL.

ABSALOM TOOK HIS STAND AGAINST THE LORD’S ANOINTED, AND HE FELL.

AND NOW, SHEBA, TOOK HIS STAND AGAINST THE LORD’S ANOINTED, AND HE FELL.

CHURCH, DO YOU SEE A PATTERN?

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DAVID WAS GOD’S CHOICE OF KING...

GOD MADE COVENANT W/ DAVID… && HIS DESCENDANTS

DAVID WASN’T GOING ANYWHERE!!!

REBELLIONS COULD COME

ENEMIES COULD COME

FRIENDS COULD BETRAY

BUT the DAVIDIC KINGDOM WOULD STAND…BECAUSE it WAS ULTIMATELY GOD’S

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AT TIMES it WAS MESSY...

AT TIMES it WAS WEAK

AT TIMES it WAS BARELY HANGING ON...

BUT NO MATTER HOW DIRE THINGS LOOKED,,

THERE WAS NO CHANCE it WAS GOING AWAY UNLESS GOD SAID SO.

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NEVER LOSE SIGHT: DAVID’S KINGDOM WAS JUST the BEGINNING....

DAVIDIC COVENANT LED to CHRIST...

DAVID’S GREATEST SON...

JUST AS DAVID’S KINGDOM WOULD STAND....

SO the SON of DAVID’S KINGDOM WILL STAND!!

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PS.2…SCRIPTURE READING.....

PEOPLES & NATIONS TAKING STAND AGAINST the LORD’S ANOINTED...

GOD’S RESPONSE??

THE SCRIPTURE SAYS, “HE WHO SITS IN THE HEAVENS LAUGHS; THE LORD HOLDS THEM IN DERISION (PS. 2:3).

GOD as SOVEREIGN KING of HEAVEN & EARTH ISN’T INTIMIDATED!!

the LORD ISN’T THREATENED

HE ISN’T NERVOUS...

HE ISN’T FEARFUL...

HE’S SET UP HIS ANOINTED ONE, THE KING, & IT’S NOT ABOUT to CHANGE!

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YOU CAN BOW DOWN to the SON...

YOU CAN SERVE HIM...

YOU CAN SUBMIT

or YOU CAN STAND IN OPPOSITION…THERE’S NO FENCE...

YOU CAN WILLINGLY BOW & SUBMIT to the LORD JESUS CHRIST...

OR YOU CAN REFUSE & ONE DAY YOU’LL BE FORCED to BOW...

BUT EVENTUALLY EVERY KNEE WILL BOW & EVERY TONGUE WILL CONFESS...

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CONSIDERING SAUL of TARSUS (*PAUL’S) REBELLION:

Acts 26:14 (ESV)

14 And when we had all fallen to the ground, I heard a voice saying to me in the Hebrew language, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me? It is hard for you to kick against the goads.’

GOADS WERE a PROD USED on OXEN

OXEN COULD KICK…BUT IT WAS USELESS...

THEY WERE GOING to PLOW…WHETHER THEY LIKED it OR NOT.

FIGHTING BACK?? IT WAS FUTILE.

JESUS’ MESSAGE to SAUL: “DON’T PROLONG the INEVITABLE…DON’T FIGHT WHEN YOU KNOW YOU’LL LOSE....SUBMIT to ME”

YOUR FIGHTING…IT’S FUTILE.

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THOSE HERE TODAY:

YOU MIGHT BE ONE WHO’S REJECTED CHRIST...

PRETENDING YOU CAN LIVE INDEPENDENT of HIM...

ONE DAY EVERY KNEE WILL BOW

IT’S POINTLESS to KICK AGAINST the GOADS...

—>> GOD’S KINGDOM AGENDA is GOING to BE FULFILLED…

JESUS is LORD, WHETHER YOU LIKE IT, OR NOT...

THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN HAS DRAWN NEAR

IT’S BEEN INAUGURATED...

ONE DAY to BE CONSUMMATED...

ARE YOU GOING to WAIT TILL IT’S TOO LATE to BOW to the LORD JESUS CHRIST??

THERE’S A WINDOW of OPPORTUNITY BETWEEN HIS COMINGS to REPENT of SIN & RECEIVE the LORD

§ A DAY IS COMING WHEN THE KINGDOMS OF THIS WORLD WILL BECOME THE KINGDOMS OF OUR GOD AND OF HIS CHRIST.

AND IF YOU ARE HERE TODAY AND YOU DON’T HAVE HOPE,

OR YOU DON’T HAVE ASSURANCE,

OR YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS REGARDING MATTERS OF FAITH,

I’D LOVE TO TALK TO YOU AFTER THE SERVICE TODAY.

(T) AND NOW, IN CLOSING,

I’D SIMPLY LIKE TO ENCOURAGE THOSE OF YOU HERE TODAY WHO ARE A PART OF THE KINGDOM OF GOD,

THOSE WHO HAVE BEEN TRANSFERRED FROM THE DOMAIN OF DARKNESS AND INTO THE KINGDOM OF GOD’S BELOVED SON.

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APP:

REASON for HOPE:

GOD = NOT ONLY a PROMISE-MAKING GOD...

BUT ALSO a PROMISE-KEEPING GOD!!

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GOD’S PROMISE of KINGDOM to DAVID = SURE… NOT GOING ANYWHERE

DID DAVID’S SIN COST HIM? YES.

WERE THERE CONSEQUENCES HE NEVER IMAGINED? ABSOLUTELY.

WAS IT A MESSY ROAD IN HIS LATTER YEARS? 100 PERCENT.

—>> BUT DID GOD’S PROMISE FAIL? NOT FOR A SECOND.

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PROMISE in NEW COVENANT…COMING KINGDOM...

PROMISE FROM JESUS:

HE’LL BUILD HIS CHURCH… & GATES of HADES WON’T PREVAIL!

NOW, IS THE CHURCH MESSY? OFTENTIMES.

DOES IT CONSIST OF IMPERFECT PEOPLE? ABSOLUTELY.

WILL CHURCHES STILL SPLIT OVER FUTILE THINGS..

AND WILL SATAN USE EVERY DISAGREEMENT AS AN OPPORTUNITY TO TRY AND DESTROY THE CHURCH? CERTAINLY.

DOES GOD’S MEANS OF ACCOMPLISHING HIS ENDS OFTENTIMES SURPRISE US? FOR SURE.

WILL IT LOOK HOPELESS AT TIMES? QUITE PROBABLY.

—>> BUT DOES GOD’S PROMISE STAND? ABSOLUTELY.

DALE DAVIS: KINGDOM of JESUS/CHURCH “APPARENTLY FRAGILE BUT ALWAYS STANDING.”

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PSALM 2…REMINDS US, GOD ISN’T THREATENED BY TROUBLEMAKERS…KINGS…RULERS… OR ANYTHING...

THE SOVEREIGN KING OF HEAVEN AND EARTH SITS IN HEAVEN AND LAUGHS AT EVERY FUTILE ATTEMPT TO FIGHT AGAINST HIM AND HIS ANOINTED!

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IF YOU’RE HERE & DISCOURAGED

STATE of CHURCH

STATE of WORLD

STATE of AMERICA

OR ANYTHING...

KINGDOM of GOD ISN’T GOING ANYWHERE!

B4 YOU’RE WORRIED ABOUT AMERICA…

REMEMBER YOU’RE a CITIZEN of a GREATER…MUCH MORE SECURE KINGDOM...

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WHEN YOU’RE DISCOURAGED,, REMEMBER, GOD LAUGHS...

MAYBE WE OUGHT to LAUGH TOO.

LAUGH W/ GOD WHEN WE FEEL DOWN,, BECAUSE HIS PROMISE is SECURE...

GOD HAS the WHOLE PICTURE…WE DON’T.

THERE WILL BE a DAY the TRUMPET SOUNDS...

CHURCH...NO MATTER HOW BAD IT LOOKS,

AND EVEN IF IT LOOKS LIKE EVERYTHING IS HANGING ON BY JUST A THREAD,

GOD’S FAITHFULNESS TO HIS PROMISE IS THAT THREAD,

AND IT’S STRONGER THAN ANY THREAT TO IT.

AMEN?

CLOSE in PRAYER