Friends! How many of us have them?

Dark Horses: Hushai MARK PART? – 10 min

1. Hymn, what a friend.

2. Jn 15:12 (NIV2011) “My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. 13 Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. 14 You are my friends if you do what I command. 15 I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you.”

3. F.R.I.E.N.D. acrostic.

· Faithful - 2Thes.3.3 (CEB) The Lord is faithful, and he will strengthen you and protect you from the evil one.[MS1]

· Reliable - 1Co 1:9 (NIV2011) God is faithful, who has called you into fellowship with his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.

· Invaluable – no one could remove our sins but Jesus because only He is sinless

· Entrusted – God the father trusted the Son to be the savior of the world. We can trust Him. We must trust Him. Acts 16:31 says to believe, or trust in the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved

· Nurturing –Jesus restores us with gentleness. When he said the one w/out sin should throw the first stone, he could have done just that. But he didn’t He is nurturing with us.

· Dedicated Lk.22.42 (CEB) He said, “Father, if it’s your will, take this cup of suffering away from me. However, not my will but your will must be done.”

STILL MARK PART? Friends: How Many of us have them? 5 min – 15 min total

1. Setting. (2 Sa 15:30–34, ESV)

STILL MARK PART? What Is a Friend? 5 min – 10 min total,

Someone who is a true friend stands up for you. When others try to hurt you emotionally or physically, they do everything they can to make sure you stay safe. They don't care who is trying to harm you; they will defend you anytime, anywhere. If they can help you, they'll do it without reservation or reward.

One of the most saddening things that has transpired over the last year is that we have lost the importance of friendships. We have replaced our role of being friends with our desire to be heard, or to be right. We have placed our own concerns over that which impacts others. We have lost touch with the importance of and need to stand in the gap for others. We have allowed ourselves to be separated by politics. Family and friends have severed ties due to differing viewpoints. Churches have separated because of diverse viewpoints, and there’s been a growing disconnect from our role as Christians to display the friendship that reflects the friend we have in Jesus. What type of friend do we have in Jesus? One who would lay his life down for others. As we discuss our Dark horse today, we will look at how friends stand in the gap for and stand up to support each other as friends.

Quite naturally, we look for assistance in the most expected and obvious places. We often look to those (friends) closes to us to provide the support that is needed. Though we have numerous friends that we encounter on regular basis, not all friends will be the answer to the prayers that we pray. We often will experience different friends, at different times, coming to the rescue when we are in need. Then, there’s those times when the “Dark Horse” shows up at the most unexpected times, but the right time. We have talked about several Dark Horse candidates over the past few weeks. As we describe our Dark Horse today, we will we will reflect on the acrostic we shared for F.R.I.E.N.D. that will provided some characteristics to look for in a friend, while causing us to reflect on how friendly we are as compared to these characteristics.. In this story, Hushai is the one that saves the day. What we really know about Hushai is is found in 1 Chronicles 27:33 “Ahithophel was the king’s counselor, and Hushai the Archite was the king’s friend[1]” KEY VERSE The key characteristic? Hushai was a “F.R.I.E.N.D.” But, how did we get here?

DAN PART? How Did We get here? 5 min – 25 min total

1. Kingdom David to Amnon as oldest.

2. Amnon infatuated w/ ½ sis Tamar. Tricks her, rape,

a. David sick but does nothing. Tamar’s full bro Absalom never forgets

b. 2 yrs later Absalom kills Amnon and runs.

3. David again does nothing. 3 yrs gone. Sick as a dad

a. Allows to return but no to the palace.

Absalom’s Rebellion and Plan to Overtake the Throne – Dan tells?? 5 min – 30 min total

1. Good looking, at the gate, understands, gets army, hearts of the people

2. Attack coming – David runs. Lost family, kingdom, palace, bed! Also one of his best friends

The Traitor: Ahithophel Deflects to Absalom Mark tells? 2 min – 32 total

David is at the Mount of Olives, and he is weeping due to his misfortunes associated with Absalom, and the challenges that awaited ahead for his family and Israel. David is told that Ahithophel has defected to following Absalom. This leads David to pray to God: “O Lord, let Ahithophel give Absalom foolish advice!” (2Sam.15.31b). We must understand that Ahithophel was highly respected, and his advice was golden with David, and his word was respected amongst many. How would God answer David’s prayer?

God Sends A Friend HYOO-shigh Mark tells 3 min – 35 min total

“While David was coming to the summit, where God was worshiped, behold, Hushai the Archite came to meet him with his coat torn and dirt on his head (2Sam.15.32).” [2] When David reaches the place where Hushai is, Hushai is mourning with and for David. David realizes that the friend [I.] that God sends to answer his prayer is invaluable. David immediately realizes that Hushai has been placed in this spot as an answer to his prayer. David does not try to talk him out of assisting him. Rather, David immediately sets and gains agreement with Hushai that he would be best serve by going back to Absalom and making him think that, just like he was to David, Hushai was his trusted advisor. The spy network is setup as David advises Hushai to use Zodak and Abiathar as his messengers to notify David of the plans (2Sam.15.33-37).

Hushai Springs Into Action Mark tells? 3 min – 38 min total

Hushai’s name, according to Holman, means “quick” or “gift of brotherhood.” There is no hesitation to Hushai going into action as his name tells us that he is a loyal friend who will come to the defense of a friend. Here, Hushai sees that David is being attacked, and there is nothing that Hushai will stop short of to assist his friend. Friends: how many of us have them? Hushai takes a huge task on to thwart the advice of Ahithophel. Ahithophel was well respected, and his advice was to be golden to Absalom just like it was to David. Therefore, it would have to be Heaven sent for this plan to work.

Hushai arrives in Jerusalem just as Absalom has arrived (2Sam.15.37). As they all (Hushai, Absalom, and Ahithophel) are gathered in Jerusalem, Absalom encounters Hushai and is surprised that Hushai is not with David, as he knew Hushai to be his father’s friend. Hushai approaches Absalom with the greeting of “Long live the king (2Sam.16.16)” Even as Absalom briefly questions the loyaly of Hushai to David, Hushai responds..

2Sa 16:18 (NLT2) “I’m here because I belong to the man who is chosen by the LORD and by all the men of Israel,” Hushai replied. 19 “And anyway, why shouldn’t I serve you? Just as I was your father’s adviser, now I will be your adviser!”

If you are like me, you just said “wow! Hushai is lying to win Absalom over!” However, is he? Hushai states he will serve and be the friend servant of the one the Lord and Israel has chosen. It is not the will of God that Absalom takes the helm.

Whose Advice will he take? Dan tells? 5 min 43 total

1. Ahithophel – go now and win. David w/army, tired, depressed. Would work

2. Hushai – wait, David ready, warrior, no need to hurry. He wins – dedicated, dangerous, super-friend

a. Priests take word to David to keep moving into the wilderness.

b. Ahithophel suicide, Absalom hair.

Conclusion – Mark Tells? – 7 min – 50 min total

In the end, we can accept jesus as our f.r.i.e.n.d. we can be f.r.i.e.n.d.s/ and we all need friends who are FAITHFUL. Not meaning they always agree with us. Not meaning that they think the way we think. Not saying that cannot have different views. But they are faithful to the bond, faithful to the call of being a friend, and faithful in standing with us when we are hurting and when we need support. We need friends who are RELIABLE and can be trusted to follow through with their commitments to us. Can we rely on them when all chips are on the table? We need friends who are INVALUABLEand INSIST on getting INVOLVED when they see us down. When they see that we are backed up in a corner, they insist that we will not be backed up alone. We need friends who are ENTRUSTED with the finer details of our struggle. Not to go out and gossip about us, not to use our weaknesses and blemishes against us, and not to attack us with our deficiencies. But, they are there to be resourceful in helping us to our feet when we are down. We need friends who are NURTERERS, always looking to positively impact our growth. They nurture us through prayer. They nurture us through encouragement, and they nurture us by putting their hands in the pile to provide practical assistance. Finally, we need friends who are DEDICATED to us, refusing to walk away when the challenge strengthens and grows. These are some characteristics we witness in Hushai following the example set by Jesus, and some characteristics we look for in friends. However, ultimately, the question becomes how friendly are we? What characteristics do we display that make us friends?

Sam Davis Story

Sam Davis was a Confederate spy during the Civil War. When captured by the Union army, he had in his possession some important papers. The officers in charge knew he must have had an accomplice in securing those valuable papers of the Union Army. Davis was led out before a firing squad and blindfolded. Then the officer in charge made a proposition:

"If you will give us the name of the man who furnished you this information, you may go free."

Sam Davis replied,

"If I had a thousand lives I would give them all before I would betray a friend."

Sam Davis was executed by that firing squad.”

This is the type of friend we have in Jesus. This is the type friends we encounter when we befriend the creator. This is the type of friend we should thrive to be for others. We should be that friend that put the concerns of others before our own. God often answers our most fervent prayers by sending a friend. Are you that friend?

Dan closes ???

[1] The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2016), 1 Ch 27:33. [2] The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2016), 2 Sa 15:32.

[MS1]I kind of like 2Th.3.3 better. It doesn’t give the idea that being faithful is contingent upon the actions of others. Especially, attempting to encourage during this message the art of friendship based off Jesus’ example