The Hands of Mercy
Notes
Transcript
---TURN to 2 SAM…25---
---OPEN in PRAYER---
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INTRO: THE UNSEARCHABLENESS OF OUR GOD
INTRO: THE UNSEARCHABLENESS OF OUR GOD
· I THINK AS HUMAN BEINGS WE ALL...TO SOME EXTENT...HAVE AN INSATIABLE DESIRE TO HAVE ALL THE ANSWERS TO EVERY QUESTION WE MIGHT POSSIBLY HAVE.
MANKIND USED to LIVE W/ QUESTIONS...
NOW WE CAN GOOGLE ANYTHING:
CAMPER BRAKES NOT WORKING—GOOGLE/YOUTUBE
WATCHING T.V..... HOW TALL/OLD/RICH is THIS CELEBRITY?
RANDOM FUN FACTS ABOUT ANIMALS: “WHO WOULD WIN,, a POLAR BEAR or CROCODILE??
OFTENTIMES: WE DON’T HAVE to LIVE W/ QUESTIONS NOW.
WE GOOGLE IT.
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PROBLEM: NUMBER of THEOLOGICAL QUESTIONS,, WE DON’T HAVE ANSWERS TO.
FINITE MINDS CAN’T GRASP:
GOD’S INFINITUDE
BALANCE BETWEEN DIVINE SOVEREIGNTY & HUMAN RESPONSIBILITY
MATTERS of ESCHATOLOGY
1 BLESSING && DIFFICULTY of PASTORAL MINISTRY:
**PASTOR BECOMES GOOGLE,, JUST ASK PASTOR.
SO MY OWN QUESTIONS GET SUPPLEMENTED WITH QUESTIONS!
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WE DON’T ALWAYS HAVE ANSWERS.... && THAT’S OKAY!
CHURCH, I WANT US TO REMEMBER:
HE’S TOLD US EVERYTHING WE NEED TO KNOW.
—> WE HAVE TO LEARN TO LIVE WITH A LITTLE MYSTERY.
TOZER: “IF I CAN FIGURE OUT EVERYTHING THERE IS TO KNOW ABOUT GOD, THEN HE ISN’T WORTHY OF MY WORSHIP.”
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· NEED:
· NEED:
TEXT WILL REMIND US:
THAT GOD IS GREATER THAN OUR MIND IS ABLE TO COMPREHEND,
HIS WAYS ARE BEYOND OUR KNOWLEDGE, AND THAT’S ACTUALLY A GOOD THING…
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TODAY’S TEXT: QUESTIONS WITHOUT ANSWERS,,
SPECULATION?? SURE
ANSWERS? NOPE.
BUT GOD HAS GIVEN US WHAT WE NEED TO KNOW...
LET’S NOT LOSE SIGHT of WHAT IT DOES TEACH W/ OUR QUESTIONS...
BUT THE PARTS THAT WE CAN GET ANSWERS TO ARE TOTALLY WORTH THE JOURNEY,
AND I HOPE YOU ENJOY IT ALONG THE WAY.
(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: KINGDOM-HELPS
RECAP: KINGDOM-HELPS
Recent Weeks:
CH 21-24 = CLOSING SYNOPSIS of DAVID’S LIFE—NOT NECESSARILY CHRONOLOGICALLY ORDERED...
Last Week:
DAVID’S MIGHTY MEN
“THE THREE” = NAVY SEALS
“ THE THIRTY” = BEST MEN
LEARNED:
** WHILE DAVID WAS A GREAT MAN, HE WASN’T GREAT ALONE.
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TODAY, WE NEED OTHER PEOPLE TOO...
IF GREAT “KING” DAVID NEEDED HELP??
IF GOD = WILLING to CONDESCEND to USING SINFUL HUMAN BEINGS...
—> WHO ARE WE to DO IT ALL ALONE?
(T) AND SO, AFTER A NUMBER OF WEEKS OVER THE LAST YEAR AND A HALF,
WE’RE GOING TO BE BRINGING OUR STUDY IN THE BOOKS OF SAMUEL TO A CLOSE THIS MORNING.
LOOK W/ ME @ CH. 24… VS. 1
THE TEXT SAYS,
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TEXT: 2 SAMUEL 24:1-25 ESV
TEXT: 2 SAMUEL 24:1-25 ESV
SETTING (V1)
SETTING (V1)
2 Samuel 24 (ESV)
1 Again the anger of the Lord was kindled against Israel, and he incited David against them, saying, “Go, number Israel and Judah.”
BEGINNING QUESTIONS W/ NO ANSWERS...
1ST QUESTION/PROBLEM: GOD = ANGRY W/ ISRAEL.... WHY?
—> WE DON’T KNOW
**REMEMBER CHRONOLOGY of ENDING of 2 SAM = UNSURE
SCHOLARS SPECULATE: AFTER NATIONAL REBELLION W/ ABSALOM
**WE DON’T KNOW W/ CERTAINTY
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2ND QUESTION/PROBLEM: GOD INCITED DAVID?
DOESN’T SOUND LIKE GOD
CHRONICLES BLAMES the EVENT on SATAN!
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THANKFULLY: WE HAVE a BETTER ANSWER HERE:
STORY of JOB: GOD HAS SATAN on a LEASH
HE MIGHT BE THE SPIRIT AT WORK IN THE SONS OF DISOBEDIENCE,
HE MIGHT GO ABOUT LIKE A ROARING LION SEEKING SOMEONE TO DEVOUR
HE MIGHT BLIND THE EYES OF NONBELIEVERS SO THAT THEY DON’T BELIEVE
—>> HE MIGHT BE a REAL,,, POWERFUL,,, SUPERNATURAL BEING....BUT HE ISN’T SOVEREIGN. GOD IS.
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LEASH = HELPFUL ILLUSTRATION
DOG on LEASH—HAS MEASURE of FREEDOM....
WITHIN BOUNDS DICTATED by LEASH-HOLDER
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AS a RUNNER: I LOVE DOGS,, BUT MAKE ME NERVOUS
“KING” FROM BLUE RIDGE—CHASING ME & IVAN
***EVERY DOG KNOWS THEY CAN CATCH ME***
BRINGS PEACE WHEN I SEE DOGS on a LEASH… “THEY CAN ONLY GO SO FAR”
---MAYBE THAT’S WHY AFRICAN RUNNERS = SO MUCH FASTER....
WILD ANIMALS DON’T COME W/ LEASH—THEY JUST EAT YOU.
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HELPFUL in MY UNDERSTANDING of OUR ADVERSARY
HE MIGHT CAUSE PROBLEMS FOR US,,
BUT NOT OUTSIDE the BOUNDS of GOD’S SOVEREIGNTY...
GOD ALLOWS THINGS in LIFE to TEST US/ STRENGTHEN US ETC…BUT SATAN HAD to ASK PERMISSION to AFFLICT JOB
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TODAY’S TEXT: IT APPEARS GOD = JUST LOOSENING the LEASH a BIT....
TEMPTATION COMES: NUMBER ISRAEL/TAKE a CENSUS...
THIS = CLEAR....
MIGHT BOTHER US.... CONSIDER DALE DAVIS’ QUOTE: “IF WE ARE UPSET OVER A TEXT THAT TELLS US YAHWEH IS ANGRY BUT DOES NOT TELL US WHY, ARE WE NOT SAYING THAT WE REALLY DON’T TRUST HIM TO BE JUST?”[1]
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WHY ALL THIS TODAY? I DON’T KNOW....
**GOD ISN’T WRATHFUL FOR the SAKE of BEING WRATHFUL.
WE SIMPLY DON’T HAVE ALL the ANSWERS...
What we do know:
GOD = UPSET W/ ISRAEL
GOD “LOOSENS LEASH” for SATAN
DAVID = TEMPTED to NUMBER ISRAEL
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MIGHT NOT HAVE ALL the ANSWERS: THAT’S OKAY
AS THE CREATURE,,, THE CREATOR DOESN’T ALWAYS OWE US AN EXPLANATION.
(T) SO, WE’LL SEE HOW THIS GOES.
LOOK W/ ME @ VS 2...
THE TEXT SAYS,
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INCITING INCIDENT (V2-4)
INCITING INCIDENT (V2-4)
2 So the king said to Joab, the commander of the army, who was with him, “Go through all the tribes of Israel, from Dan to Beersheba, and number the people, that I may know the number of the people.”
3 But Joab said to the king, “May the Lord your God add to the people a hundred times as many as they are, while the eyes of my lord the king still see it, but why does my lord the king delight in this thing?”
4 But the king’s word prevailed against Joab and the commanders of the army. So Joab and the commanders of the army went out from the presence of the king to number the people of Israel.
DAVID SENDS JOAB AND HIS COMMANDERS ON A MISSION
TAKE a CENSUS of ALL ISRAEL
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INTERESTING: JOAB = OPPOSED & HE’S RARELY EXEMPLARY
“GOD CAN ADD MORE PEOPLE IF YOU NEED DAVID”
FROM OUTSET: WE SEE THERE’S a PROBLEM W/ CENSUS
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THIRD QUESTION/PROBLEM TODAY: WHY WAS the CENSUS WRONG?
SCHOLARS HAVE TWO GENERAL CONCLUSIONS: NO SURE CONSENSUS...
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1ST OPTION: EXODUS…CH. 30: “CENSUS TAX”
EACH ADULT GIVES HALF a SHEKEL:
SOURCE of ATONEMENT
USED in SERVICE of SANCTUARY
DAVID’S SIN = HE DID the CENSUS,, BUT NOT PROPERLY
**A POSSIBLE CONCLUSION: I’M NOT CONVINCED
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SECOND OPTION:
SIGN of DAVID’S PRIDE—BOASTING in NUMBERS....OR PREPPING for MORE (UNNECESSARY?) WAR
OR SELF-RELIANCE/SECURITY INSTEAD of TRUSTING GOD
THE CONCLUSION: DAVID’S MOTIVES WERE WRONG.
**I FIND THIS MORE CONVINCING.
REGARDLESS: WE SEE THAT DAVID WAS WRONG in WHAT HE DID…
REGARDLESS of WHY IT WAS WRONG...
(T) A BAD IDEA....
BUT JOAB & MEN OBEY… TAKE OFF to COUNT the PEOPLE...
LOOK W/ ME @ VS 5
THE TEXT SAYS,
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RISING ACTION/1STCLIMAX (V5-9)
RISING ACTION/1STCLIMAX (V5-9)
5 They crossed the Jordan and began from Aroer, and from the city that is in the middle of the valley, toward Gad and on to Jazer.
6 Then they came to Gilead, and to Kadesh in the land of the Hittites; and they came to Dan, and from Dan they went around to Sidon,
7 and came to the fortress of Tyre and to all the cities of the Hivites and Canaanites; and they went out to the Negeb of Judah at Beersheba.
8 So when they had gone through all the land, they came to Jerusalem at the end of nine months and twenty days.
9 And Joab gave the sum of the numbering of the people to the king: in Israel there were 800,000 valiant men who drew the sword, and the men of Judah were 500,000.
GO THROUGHOUT ALL the LAND:
BEGINNING ACROSS JORDAN RIVER...
DAN = COMMON MARKER to NORTH
BEERSHEBA = COMMON MARKER to SOUTH
NEARLY 10 MONTHS TOTAL
SURVEYED ENTIRETY of ISRAEL
(T) AND NOW WHAT HAS BEEN DONE HAS BEEN DONE. WAS IT THE RIGHT MOVE?
LOOK AT VERSE 10.
THE TEXT READS,
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SCENE 2: SETTING (V10
SCENE 2: SETTING (V10
10 But David’s heart struck him after he had numbered the people. And David said to the Lord, “I have sinned greatly in what I have done. But now, O Lord, please take away the iniquity of your servant, for I have done very foolishly.”
REGARDLESS of ANSWERS THUS FAR...
DAVID KNEW HE SINNED.
&& THAT MATTERS a LOT in OUR UNDERSTANDING of PASSAGE...
**DAVID PRAYS for GOD’S FORGIVENESS
(T) AND WE WONDER HOW DAVID’S PRAYER WILL BE ANSWERED, RIGHT?
HE OFFERS UP A REPENTANT PRAYER,
&& NOW THE TEXT TURNS IN VS 11 AND SAYS,
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RISING ACTION2 (V11-14)
RISING ACTION2 (V11-14)
11 And when David arose in the morning, the word of the Lord came to the prophet Gad, David’s seer, saying,
12 “Go and say to David, ‘Thus says the Lord, Three things I offer you. Choose one of them, that I may do it to you.’ ”
13 So Gad came to David and told him, and said to him, “Shall three years of famine come to you in your land? Or will you flee three months before your foes while they pursue you? Or shall there be three days’ pestilence in your land? Now consider, and decide what answer I shall return to him who sent me.”
14 Then David said to Gad, “I am in great distress. Let us fall into the hand of the Lord, for his mercy is great; but let me not fall into the hand of man.”
PROPHET COMES to DAVID...
NEW GUY: GAD,, NOT NATHAN.
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GOD HEARD DAVID’S PRAYER
BUT THIS SIN = SERIOUS,,NOT JUST GETTING OFF the HOOK
LEADER of GOD’S PEOPLE—SIN AFFECTS ENTIRE NATION/HAS NATIONAL CONSEQUENCES
AND GOD, IN HIS GRACE, OFFERS DAVID SOME OPTIONS.
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ANYONE HERE,, WHEN GROWING UP,, EVER HAVE to “PICK YOUR SWITCH”??
YOU’RE IN TROUBLE
YOU’RE GOING to BE BEATEN FOR IT
YOU GET the PRIVILEGE of PICKING the TOOL to BE LAID ACROSS YOUR BACKSIDE
MY HOUSEHOLD GROWING UP: MOM HAD a GO-TO WOODEN SPOON,, NO ONE GOT to PICK
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THIS = WHAT GOD is DOING FOR DAVID
DAVID YOU’VE SINNED
SIN HAS CONSEQUENCES
PICK YOUR SWITCH
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3 OPTIONS:
3 YEARS of FAMINE
3 MONTHS SUBJECTED to ENEMIES
3 DAYS of PESTILENCE: CHRONICLES CALLS it “SWORD of the LORD”
DAVID KNOWS GOD’S MERCY:
LET US FALL into the HAND of the LORD… HIS MERCY = GREAT!
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AGAIN CHRONOLOGY = UNCERTAIN...
HOWEVER—WHERE IT’S at in 1 CHRONICLES… & CONTEXT...
***I THINK THIS HAPPENED CHRONOLOGICALLY AFTER DAVID’S SIN W/ BATHSHEBA
WHY??
DAVID WAS ACQUAINTED W/ MERCY.
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DAVID BROKE 4/10 COMMANDMENTS
2 DESERVED DEATH PENALTY
GOD SPARED HIM.
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3 YEARS of FAMINE = LONG TIME
ENEMIES = MERCILESS
KILL,
PILLAGE,
RAPE,
DESTROY
BUT GOD…HE’S MERCIFUL.... LET US FALL INTO HIS HANDS...
(T) SO, IS GOD MERCIFUL AS DAVID HAD BELIEVED?
LOOK W/ ME AT VERSE 15.
THE TEXT SAYS,
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CLIMAX2 (V15-17)
CLIMAX2 (V15-17)
15 So the Lord sent a pestilence on Israel from the morning until the appointed time. And there died of the people from Dan to Beersheba 70,000 men.
16 And when the angel stretched out his hand toward Jerusalem to destroy it, the Lord relented from the calamity and said to the angel who was working destruction among the people, “It is enough; now stay your hand.” And the angel of the Lord was by the threshing floor of Araunah the Jebusite.
17 Then David spoke to the Lord when he saw the angel who was striking the people, and said, “Behold, I have sinned, and I have done wickedly. But these sheep, what have they done? Please let your hand be against me and against my father’s house.”
PESTILENCE KILLS 70,000.... HORRIBLE CONSEQUENCES
AS ANGEL APPROACHES JERUSALEM— GOD SPARES THEM.
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TEXT TODAY TEACHES:
GOD = JUST,, ANGRY OVER SIN
GOD = ALSO MERCIFUL...
ANGEL APPROACHES JERUSALEM & DAVID CRIES OUT W/ REPENTANT PLEA....
ANGEL STOPS
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DAVID,, AGAIN,, = MODEL of REPENTANCE...
DIFFERENTIATES BETWEEN DAVID & SAUL
REMEMBER SAUL??
PHILISTINES HAD MUSTERED
PEOPLE WERE SCATTERING
SAMUEL DELAYED
**IT WAS ANYONE’S FAULT BUT SAUL’S
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FALL in GARDEN of EDEN...
ADAM BLAMES EVE (WHOM GOD GAVE!)
EVE BLAMES SERPENT
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DAVID: INCITED BECAUSE of ISRAEL’S SIN!!
(V17) DAVID RESPONDS: “I HAVE SINNED & I HAVE DONE WICKEDLY” (EMPHASIS HEBREW!!)
DAVID = the ONLY ONE in THESE STORIES WHO COULD’VE CALLED BLAME,, & HE DOESN’T.
DOESN’T BLAME ISRAEL FOR SIN
DOESN’T BLAME GOD FOR BEING ANGRY
DOESN’T EVEN SAY “THE DEVIL MADE ME DO IT”
HE OWNS UP to HIS SIN.
THIS = MODEL for TRUE REPENTANCE
IF YOU’RE BLAMING OTHERS,, YOU’RE NOT SORRY.
(T) DAVID RESPONDS IN HEARTFELT REPENTANCE,
OWNING UP TO HIS OWN FAILURE,
AND WE’LL SEE HOW GOD RESPONDS TO DAVID
OUR TEXT & BOOK CLOSES..V18-25
SCRIPTURE SAYS...
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RESOLUTION/CONCLUSION (V18-25) “DAVID BUILDS AN ALTAR”
RESOLUTION/CONCLUSION (V18-25) “DAVID BUILDS AN ALTAR”
18 And Gad came that day to David and said to him, “Go up, raise an altar to the Lord on the threshing floor of Araunah the Jebusite.”
19 So David went up at Gad’s word, as the Lord commanded.
20 And when Araunah looked down, he saw the king and his servants coming on toward him. And Araunah went out and paid homage to the king with his face to the ground.
21 And Araunah said, “Why has my lord the king come to his servant?” David said, “To buy the threshing floor from you, in order to build an altar to the Lord, that the plague may be averted from the people.”
22 Then Araunah said to David, “Let my lord the king take and offer up what seems good to him. Here are the oxen for the burnt offering and the threshing sledges and the yokes of the oxen for the wood.
23 All this, O king, Araunah gives to the king.” And Araunah said to the king, “May the Lord your God accept you.”
24 But the king said to Araunah, “No, but I will buy it from you for a price. I will not offer burnt offerings to the Lord my God that cost me nothing.” So David bought the threshing floor and the oxen for fifty shekels of silver.
25 And David built there an altar to the Lord and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings. So the Lord responded to the plea for the land, and the plague was averted from Israel.
DAVID PLEADS,,,
PROPHET COMES W/ TERMS of PEACE
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BUILD ALTAR & OFFER SACRIFICE,, RIGHT WHERE ANGEL HAS STOPPED....
PROPERTY of ARAUNAH—JEBUSITE
ARAUNAH OFFERS EVERYTHING to DAVID AS a GIFT!!
PROPERTY
ANIMALS
FIRESTARTERS
ETC.
BUT DAVID REALIZED A GREAT TRUTH: I WON’T OFFER TO GOD SOMETHING THAT COSTS ME NOTHING.
SIN IS COSTLY.
THIS S MY FAULT.
** SURELY THERE MUST BE A PAYMENT.
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WHAT SORT of “SACRIFICE” REQUIRES NO SACRIFICE??
DAVID BUYS @ FULL PRICE.
SIN HAS COST HIM
HAS COST ALL ISRAEL
&& NOW PLAGUE HAS STAYED
&& THIS PROPERTY & ALTAR BECOMES the DESIGNATED SITE for the TEMPLE,, A PLACE of SACRIFICE...
(T) AND SO, WE CAN LEARN FROM THIS PASSAGE TODAY, THE IDEA THAT,
HOMILETICAL IDEA:
HOMILETICAL IDEA:
SIN IS COSTLY AND MUST BE ATONED FOR, BUT GOD IS A MERCIFUL GOD WHO IS READY TO FORGIVE.
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GOSPEL: THE MOST COSTLY OFFERING
GOSPEL: THE MOST COSTLY OFFERING
AS MODERN BELIEVERS,
LOOKING UPON ANCIENT BELIEVERS,
WE DON’T LOVE THE IDEA OF SACRIFICES.
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HARD to IMAGINE:
ANIMALS DYING FOR SINS THEY DIDN’T COMMIT....
BLOODY
GORY
SMELLY
ETC.
BECAUSE WE’RE SO FAR REMOVED…I THINK SOMETIMES WE FORGET the COSTLY NATURE of SIN…DON’T WE??
OLD COVENANT BELIEVERS SEEING the ANIMALS DIE—SURELY IT WAS a PRESENT-REMINDER of SEVERITY of SIN
Hebrews 9:22 (ESV)
22 Indeed, under the law almost everything is purified with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sins.
FOR US THIS = THEORY
FOR THEM = EXPERIENCE
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BLOOD PAYMENT FOR SIN—SHOWED SIN’S SEVERITY
WE’RE SO FAR REMOVED WE LOSE SIGHT of IT...
WE’RE a STEP REMOVED...
OFTEN HEARD: IT’S EASY to OVERSPEND W/ CREDIT CARDS,, BECAUSE YOU DON’T FEEL THE COST.
CASH GOES in DRAWER & DOESN’T COME BACK
YOU SWIPE W/ PLASTIC & GET IT BACK
DOESN’T FEEL LIKE THERE’S a COST
DIFFERENCE in COVENANTS…WE DON’T FEEL IT.
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WE DON’T SEE the BLOOD
WE DON’T HEAR the LOWING of the OXEN or BLEATING of the SHEEP THAT SUDDENLY GOES AWAY
(T) CAN I TELL YOU THOUGH, THAT SIN is INCREDIBLY COSTLY…
BECAUSE IT WAS OUR SIN THAT PUT JESUS CHRIST, THE LAMB of GOD,, on the CROSS...
ANIMALS DIED FOR SINS THEY DIDN’T COMMIT in PLACE of the TRANSGRESSORS FOR CENTURIES...
BUT HE CAME @ the FULLNESS of TIME to BEAR OUR SINS ONCE & FOR ALL
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ALL of US HAVE FALLEN SHORT
ALL HAVE TRANSGRESSED GOD’S COMMANDMENTS EITHER LARGE or SMALL
ALL ARE GUILTY
GOOD NEWS: GOD = NOT ONLY a GOD of JUSTICE---BUT a GOD of MERCY.
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JUST in PUNISHING SIN—HIS SON TOOK the PUNISHMENT
MERCIFUL & GRACIOUS—ATTRIBUTING HIS PERFECT RECORD to US
CALVARY BECOMES the GREATEST ALTAR of SACRIFICE,, WHERE the ETERNAL PLAGUE THAT CONSUMED MANKIND WAS STOPPED
AND as RICHARD PHILIPPS PUTS it SO BEAUTIFULLY:
IT WAS in HANDS of MERCY,,
STRETCHED OUT on a CROSS & PIERCED W/ NAILS...
IF YOU ARE HERE THIS MORNING & HAVEN’T BEEN a RECIPIENT of MERCY—THERE is ROOM @ THE FOOT of the CROSS FOR YOU
&& IF YOU’RE HERE TODAY & YOU HAVE RECEIVED MERCY—LET US NOT LOSE SIGHT of HOW COSTLY OUR SALVATION WAS...
(T) AND NOW, IN CLOSING, I’D LIKE TO SHARE A FEW TAKEAWAYS WITH YOU ALL THIS WEEK,
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TAKEAWAYS:
TAKEAWAYS:
LEARN ABOUT GOD?
GOD = HOLY & JUST…BUT ALSO GRACIOUS & MERCIFUL...
HOLY & JUST—ANGRY @ SIN
MERCIFUL—OFFERS SINNERS FORGIVENESS..
LEARN FOR US?
APP: “FINDING MERCY”
APP: “FINDING MERCY”
I WANT to TALK to YOU ABOUT MERCY.
OUTSET of TEXT TODAY: A LOT of QUESTIONS WITHOUT PERFECT ANSWERS
INTRODUCTION: “THE UNSEARCHABILITY of GOD”
WE WON’T KNOW EVERYTHING...
WE’LL NEVER UNDERSTAND ALL GOD DOES,,
LET ALONE ALL of WHO HE IS.
ONE THING IS CLEAR TODAY: GOD is a MERCIFUL GOD.
IF YOU LEAVE CHURCH TODAY....
WONDERING ABOUT the CENSUS…
&& YOU’RE NOT AWESTRUCK W/ GOD’S MERCY—YOU’VE MISSED IT.
Psalm 103:8–12 (ESV)
8 The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.
9 He will not always chide, nor will he keep his anger forever.
10 He does not deal with us according to our sins, nor repay us according to our iniquities.
11 For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his steadfast love toward those who fear him;
12 as far as the east is from the west, so far does he remove our transgressions from us.
MERCY ISN’T JUST WHAT HE DOES… IT’S WHO HE IS.
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LASTING LEGACY & MEMORY of 2 SAMUEL....
GOD = NOT ONLY AWESOME, HOLY, JUST…BUT ALSO GRACIOUS & MERCIFUL.
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DAVID = IMPERFECT KING
SUBJECTED to DISCIPLINE
BUT HEAVENLY KING = MERCIFUL BEYOND BELIEF
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.
GOD’S FORGIVENESS is THERE
IF YOU’RE HERE THIS MORNING & YOU’VE FAILED GOD & YOU’VE MADE MISTAKES....
GOD = A MERCIFUL GOD.
PEOPLE MIGHT REJECT YOU
PEOPLE MIGHT NOT FORGIVE YOU
PEOPLE MIGHT CALL YOU DAMAGED GOODS
BUT GOD OFFERS FORGIVENESS THROUGH the SHED BLOOD of HIS SON....
1 Peter 2:24 (ESV)
24 He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed.
OUR SINS THEY ARE MANY. BUT HIS MERCY is MORE..
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HIS GRACE SHOULDN’T CAUSE US to BE PRESUMPTUOUS
AGAIN: PROBLEM of “CREDIT CARD” YOU SWIPE & NEVER NOTICE the COST....
NEW COVENANT: SOMETIMES WE SWIPE INDEFINITELY—NOT SEEING the COST
NOT REMEMBERING THAT IT WAS OUR SIN THAT PUT CHRIST ON the CROSS...
Romans 2:4 (ESV)
4 Or do you presume on the riches of his kindness and forbearance and patience, not knowing that God’s kindness is meant to lead you to repentance?
WE OUGHT to NEVER SIN THAT GRACE MAY ABOUND… CH. 6 ROMANS...
BUT WE ALSO KNOW THAT ROM. 5:21
Romans 5:21 (ESV)
21 so that, as sin reigned in death, grace also might reign through righteousness leading to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
ALL THOSE WHO TURN to CHRIST in a REPENTANT-FAITH CAN FIND FORGIVENESS @ CALVARY....
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2 SAMUEL ENDS… W/ a PICTURE of an IMPERFECT KING
BUT A KING ACQUAINTED W/ MERCY....
REMINDS US of a FEW THINGS:
ALL MANKIND = SINFUL… EVEN OUR HEROES WILL DISAPPOINT US...
BUT MOST IMPORTANTLY,, GOD = MERCIFUL THROUGH IT ALL...
WE’RE REMINDED W/ DAVID’S FAILURES of OUR NEED FOR a BETTER KING
& WE KNOW THAT KING
& HE is MERCIFUL...
HIS OUTSTRETCHED,, NAIL-SCARRED HANDS ARE MERCIFUL....
CASTING CROWNS:
HOW FAR the EAST is FROM the WEST?
FROM ONE SCARRED HAND to the OTHER
LET’S PRAY.
