1 00:00:06,500 --> 00:00:10,300 Good, we truly exalt thee and as we come together, as a company 2 00:00:10,300 --> 00:00:13,700 of your paper, is a gathering of your people that your name will 3 00:00:13,700 --> 00:00:15,400 be exalted. Father. 4 00:00:15,400 --> 00:00:17,800 We just pray for Shane. As he takes the pulpit today 5 00:00:17,800 --> 00:00:19,800 that you will be with him. You will be his all and all 6 00:00:20,400 --> 00:00:22,600 father, that you will just apply his needs in there. 7 00:00:22,600 --> 00:00:26,000 We will be attentive a hunger that we have to learn your word 8 00:00:26,000 --> 00:00:29,100 and to share in your word Lord and have Fellowship Together 9 00:00:29,100 --> 00:00:31,300 made the children. And they go to the Sunday School 10 00:00:31,300 --> 00:00:33,400 classes. Be blessed this morning as well. 11 00:00:33,400 --> 00:00:35,400 And may they be a blessing to our teachers? 12 00:00:35,400 --> 00:00:38,300 We thank you for our teachers. We thank you for all things. 13 00:00:38,300 --> 00:00:40,200 Be with us. We do ask and your holy and 14 00:00:40,200 --> 00:00:41,800 worthy name. Amen. 15 00:00:44,700 --> 00:00:49,700 Morning, everyone. I've been us this morning to 16 00:00:49,708 --> 00:00:52,800 come here and speak with you about Epsilon. 17 00:00:53,000 --> 00:00:55,600 One of those dragons have coming into a church when they're going 18 00:00:55,600 --> 00:00:57,200 through a series. You don't know what's been said 19 00:00:57,200 --> 00:01:00,100 before hand, and you don't know really where they're up to. 20 00:01:00,100 --> 00:01:03,100 As I walked in this morning. I said, I'm doing the second 21 00:01:03,100 --> 00:01:08,400 Samuel. 18, you got to get this chapter 13 through to 8:00 a.m. 22 00:01:08,400 --> 00:01:11,700 This morning, but it's incredible. 23 00:01:11,900 --> 00:01:16,800 See you growing like this. It's a real joy to see how God 24 00:01:16,800 --> 00:01:19,000 is working in you. Who can do any bible church? 25 00:01:19,000 --> 00:01:21,500 Today? I'm going to start off with 26 00:01:21,500 --> 00:01:26,400 that, looking at Absalon. And before we get there, I just 27 00:01:26,400 --> 00:01:30,000 want to share something that I've seen so often and it's a 28 00:01:30,008 --> 00:01:34,400 real struggle. That I think we have often often 29 00:01:34,400 --> 00:01:39,100 talk with people. My role in the, in the middle 30 00:01:39,100 --> 00:01:41,600 Bible. Chapel is community and I'm 31 00:01:41,600 --> 00:01:45,000 often working with people in the community and often one of the 32 00:01:45,000 --> 00:01:47,800 big struggles, they have, is this area of bitterness. 33 00:01:47,900 --> 00:01:49,700 Us towards something that's happened in their life. 34 00:01:50,400 --> 00:01:56,400 And I've seen how business can cripple decisions and people's 35 00:01:56,400 --> 00:01:58,200 lives. It can cripple their whole lives 36 00:01:58,200 --> 00:02:00,400 and it becomes everything in their lives. 37 00:02:00,400 --> 00:02:05,200 It just takes them over and not being able to get over things. 38 00:02:05,500 --> 00:02:07,400 I've seen this both in Christians and non-christians 39 00:02:07,400 --> 00:02:09,100 alike. Yeah. 40 00:02:09,500 --> 00:02:12,300 Christian's aren't exempt from this. 41 00:02:13,000 --> 00:02:16,400 In fact, I've seen Christians who will cross the road, so they 42 00:02:16,400 --> 00:02:17,700 don't have to talk to another Christian. 43 00:02:17,900 --> 00:02:20,900 If they have something in their lives that they don't want to 44 00:02:21,200 --> 00:02:23,200 talk to this person. I've got bitterness of got 45 00:02:23,200 --> 00:02:27,000 grudges of and it really pulls down the whole concept of what 46 00:02:27,000 --> 00:02:33,000 Christianity is about. I've also seen someone who held 47 00:02:33,000 --> 00:02:36,100 onto bitterness for over 45 years till a deathbed. 48 00:02:36,300 --> 00:02:39,500 I spent the time with her just before she died, and she kept 49 00:02:39,500 --> 00:02:44,000 going on about what happened back in 1974 and it was, you 50 00:02:44,000 --> 00:02:47,700 know, she, she passed away two years ago and all she could see 51 00:02:47,700 --> 00:02:49,100 was this bitterness in her lives. 52 00:02:49,100 --> 00:02:52,100 And I think it really grasp us. And as I was looking at the life 53 00:02:52,100 --> 00:02:59,900 of Epsilon, I was really taken by how his life was directed and 54 00:02:59,900 --> 00:03:01,900 guided by the bitterness in his life. 55 00:03:01,900 --> 00:03:03,700 Now. If you look at his name, it's 56 00:03:03,800 --> 00:03:08,800 father of peace. That wasn't his life, that 57 00:03:08,800 --> 00:03:13,200 wasn't the life of Epsilon. And so I've renamed it and I've 58 00:03:13,200 --> 00:03:16,300 called these chapters overcome by bitterness. 59 00:03:18,000 --> 00:03:20,300 So we're going to be going through quite a few verses. 60 00:03:20,300 --> 00:03:23,900 So if you open your Bibles to second, Samuel chapter 13, and 61 00:03:23,908 --> 00:03:26,800 we're going to be dumping along the way as we look through it. 62 00:03:28,000 --> 00:03:33,200 Before we see this guy, Absalon was a guy of great potential. 63 00:03:33,900 --> 00:03:36,700 When you think about Epsilon, he had the opportunity to do 64 00:03:36,700 --> 00:03:41,200 something great in that Nation. He was first of all, he was born 65 00:03:41,200 --> 00:03:44,700 into the royalty. He was born the son of David, 66 00:03:45,100 --> 00:03:49,200 one of the greatest Kings or the greatest King that has been on 67 00:03:49,200 --> 00:03:53,300 Earth until Christ returns. He was in this family. 68 00:03:53,300 --> 00:03:57,000 He'd come into this family. He was favored by his dad. 69 00:03:57,100 --> 00:03:59,900 He like he was loved by his father, but not only that. 70 00:03:59,900 --> 00:04:05,200 He was also born as the son of the daughter of the king of 71 00:04:05,200 --> 00:04:09,100 another kingdom. So he was born into to a royal 72 00:04:09,100 --> 00:04:11,600 family. He had everything going for him. 73 00:04:14,100 --> 00:04:15,200 This one. I'm afraid. 74 00:04:15,400 --> 00:04:18,800 Well, miss me out on this one. He was praised for his looks. 75 00:04:19,399 --> 00:04:22,500 He was the most handsome guy. If you read that chapter, 14, 76 00:04:22,500 --> 00:04:26,000 verses 25 and 26. And second, Samuel says, now, in 77 00:04:26,000 --> 00:04:28,800 all Israel. There was no one so much to be 78 00:04:28,800 --> 00:04:32,400 praised for his handsome. Appearance is Absalon from the 79 00:04:32,400 --> 00:04:34,500 sole of his foot to the crown of his head. 80 00:04:34,500 --> 00:04:37,800 There was no blemish in them. And when he cut the hair of his 81 00:04:37,800 --> 00:04:41,800 head, for at the end of every year, he used to cut it when it 82 00:04:41,800 --> 00:04:43,400 was heavy on him. He cut it. 83 00:04:43,500 --> 00:04:46,400 He way. The head here of his head 200 84 00:04:46,400 --> 00:04:49,400 shekels by the Kings wait. Now, some of us don't have that 85 00:04:49,400 --> 00:04:54,700 problem, as you can see, but he was an amazing looking young 86 00:04:54,700 --> 00:04:56,300 guy. But as here would be his 87 00:04:56,300 --> 00:04:59,400 downfall. As you'll see later on, we'll 88 00:04:59,400 --> 00:05:02,200 get to that. But he was in a position. 89 00:05:02,200 --> 00:05:05,500 He was loved, he was in a royal family. 90 00:05:05,700 --> 00:05:09,700 He looked great and he was loved by David. 91 00:05:09,700 --> 00:05:13,700 And first Samuel, 1833 is says, yo, in when Absalon had passed 92 00:05:13,700 --> 00:05:16,600 away. He said, oh my Absalon, my son, 93 00:05:16,800 --> 00:05:19,100 my son, Absalom. What did I have died? 94 00:05:19,100 --> 00:05:22,000 Instead of you? Oh Absalom, my son and, and that 95 00:05:22,000 --> 00:05:26,400 repeating and Hebrew. Is that a real intense emphasis 96 00:05:27,200 --> 00:05:29,300 that David loved him. He didn't cry like that for any 97 00:05:29,300 --> 00:05:33,100 of his others other Sons. So he was loved by the way, 98 00:05:33,100 --> 00:05:35,200 David. So he could have been a great 99 00:05:35,200 --> 00:05:37,600 leader. He could have been an amazing 100 00:05:37,600 --> 00:05:40,100 young man. Who took took took join two 101 00:05:40,100 --> 00:05:42,800 Nations together, join two kingdoms together, who would 102 00:05:42,800 --> 00:05:44,300 have been a great. Boy. 103 00:05:45,800 --> 00:05:48,700 This. He allowed himself to be. 104 00:05:50,200 --> 00:05:52,400 But that all changed as, you know, when you looked at chapter 105 00:05:52,400 --> 00:05:55,400 13, didn't it? I understand you've looked at 106 00:05:55,400 --> 00:05:57,700 chapter 13 and what happened in there? 107 00:05:57,700 --> 00:06:01,400 Is that right? Someone's nodding your heads. 108 00:06:01,400 --> 00:06:04,500 Yep. Okay, in Chapter 13, we know 109 00:06:04,500 --> 00:06:08,200 what happened. His sister was raped by amnon. 110 00:06:08,900 --> 00:06:13,400 And what happens is? He becomes bitter about it. 111 00:06:13,400 --> 00:06:16,900 He finds out he finally forces it out of us. 112 00:06:17,200 --> 00:06:19,800 It's just that. And he is filled with what 113 00:06:20,100 --> 00:06:25,200 revenge for two whole years at tells us in first second, 114 00:06:25,200 --> 00:06:30,200 Samuel, 14 to 23, but two full years, he was For a chance to 115 00:06:30,207 --> 00:06:33,500 get back. And that's what business does in 116 00:06:33,500 --> 00:06:36,600 our lives when we start getting a grudge, or when we start 117 00:06:37,200 --> 00:06:40,700 focusing on things. We don't like happening to us. 118 00:06:41,500 --> 00:06:46,200 We start looking for a way to get back and we often hear This. 119 00:06:46,800 --> 00:06:51,000 This term that says your time will come, your time will come, 120 00:06:51,700 --> 00:06:55,100 you know, already we're sort of thinking about revenge and and 121 00:06:55,100 --> 00:06:58,300 you may say I'm not really but that's what that is because we 122 00:06:58,300 --> 00:07:00,700 become bitter about things that happen in our lives. 123 00:07:01,100 --> 00:07:04,100 And it's It's controlling us and it really controlled him. 124 00:07:04,300 --> 00:07:07,200 He spent two years looking for that opportunity. 125 00:07:08,400 --> 00:07:10,700 To get revenge. Now, we could say. 126 00:07:10,700 --> 00:07:13,800 Well David was actually, you know, the reason the cause of 127 00:07:13,800 --> 00:07:15,500 this. It's so easy to blame him. 128 00:07:15,500 --> 00:07:20,500 Isn't he David? You should have acted out justly 129 00:07:20,600 --> 00:07:22,600 and punish them. Then you should have done this 130 00:07:22,600 --> 00:07:24,500 job. So it's your fault that I'm like 131 00:07:24,500 --> 00:07:29,500 this. But no, you see I hear that 132 00:07:29,500 --> 00:07:32,900 often people saying to me, it's someone else's fault. 133 00:07:34,100 --> 00:07:37,500 They should have done that. But each of us have our own 134 00:07:37,500 --> 00:07:42,200 choice. How we react how we respond and 135 00:07:42,200 --> 00:07:47,200 Absalon chose to get revenge. So bitterness filled them with 136 00:07:47,200 --> 00:07:49,700 revenge and bitterness really controls people. 137 00:07:50,000 --> 00:07:53,500 And I've seen how, you know, we have a community Cafe at the 138 00:07:53,800 --> 00:07:58,800 atiawa MU 2, and we deal with different people and I can see, 139 00:07:58,800 --> 00:08:03,100 I see two great male friends, suddenly no longer sit together. 140 00:08:03,200 --> 00:08:05,200 Together, don't talk to each other. 141 00:08:05,200 --> 00:08:09,200 Don't greet each other. And oh, because something 142 00:08:09,200 --> 00:08:14,700 happened a couple of days ago, or or yesterday and now this 143 00:08:14,700 --> 00:08:17,300 lady used to come and her car. Now, she won't pick her up. 144 00:08:17,300 --> 00:08:22,600 But and it just controls us because we are filled with 145 00:08:22,600 --> 00:08:28,000 Revenge, but that's not all. This is the, I'm sure none of 146 00:08:28,000 --> 00:08:31,000 you will do this. But this is the ultimate of 147 00:08:31,000 --> 00:08:32,600 business. It created a murderer. 148 00:08:34,200 --> 00:08:38,600 Absalom. After two full years, he found 149 00:08:38,600 --> 00:08:41,900 the opportunity tells us in second Samuel 13. 150 00:08:42,500 --> 00:08:49,700 The opportunity came for him to Kuhlman and When he did it, it 151 00:08:49,700 --> 00:08:54,700 didn't make him feel any better. In fact, after you're done that 152 00:08:54,700 --> 00:08:58,600 what happened? That lead to fear. 153 00:09:00,200 --> 00:09:02,700 So he's got revenge for his sister. 154 00:09:03,200 --> 00:09:07,300 He's killed this, got his half-brother, by the way colum 155 00:09:07,300 --> 00:09:10,500 off. And you'd think now that's just 156 00:09:10,600 --> 00:09:13,600 I've got revenge but it didn't result in there. 157 00:09:13,700 --> 00:09:15,900 And that's often what happens when you have this decision of 158 00:09:15,900 --> 00:09:17,600 bitterness in our lives or these grudges. 159 00:09:17,900 --> 00:09:21,800 You may do something. It's the end, but it's not At 160 00:09:21,800 --> 00:09:26,900 least a fear, so, because of epsilon's murderous act, he ran 161 00:09:26,900 --> 00:09:31,600 away, and he went off to where his mother lived. 162 00:09:32,400 --> 00:09:36,700 And after you find people who have grudges are always in fear. 163 00:09:37,800 --> 00:09:40,500 People who have bitterness in their life tend to fear what's 164 00:09:40,500 --> 00:09:43,700 going to happen next. And, as I talk to people and 165 00:09:43,700 --> 00:09:46,700 talk to them about this. They were always afraid of what 166 00:09:47,400 --> 00:09:50,900 their brothers going to do or the person they are up against. 167 00:09:50,900 --> 00:09:54,900 You know, there's all this fear. There's no Freedom when you're 168 00:09:54,900 --> 00:09:57,700 full of bitterness. There's no Freedom. 169 00:09:57,700 --> 00:10:00,800 When you have grudges in your life, you're always afraid of 170 00:10:00,800 --> 00:10:04,000 what's going to happen next. And you will always go back and 171 00:10:04,000 --> 00:10:08,200 say but it's his fault. Her fault not My fault. 172 00:10:09,000 --> 00:10:10,700 One thing I want to get across today. 173 00:10:11,000 --> 00:10:14,500 There is always a choice for you to make. 174 00:10:15,400 --> 00:10:20,300 Absalon had a choice. Absalon had a choice. 175 00:10:21,600 --> 00:10:24,500 But he chose to go away. That was not helpful. 176 00:10:27,100 --> 00:10:30,800 But in the beauty of God, there was the opportunity route to 177 00:10:30,800 --> 00:10:34,700 repent. Wasn't there, you know in 2nd 178 00:10:34,700 --> 00:10:39,600 Samuel 14. He returns to Jerusalem. and, 179 00:10:42,600 --> 00:10:45,600 The king says, come back and live here. 180 00:10:46,000 --> 00:10:50,300 And in this you thought about it, Absalon should have said or 181 00:10:50,300 --> 00:10:53,300 go to the king and I'll ask for his forgiveness. 182 00:10:54,200 --> 00:10:58,900 He had that opportunity to repent. in fact, in Samuel 183 00:10:59,800 --> 00:11:04,500 second, Samuel 1433 It says, then job went to the king and 184 00:11:04,500 --> 00:11:06,300 told him and he's stubborn Absalom. 185 00:11:06,900 --> 00:11:09,700 So he came to the king and bowed himself on his face to the 186 00:11:09,700 --> 00:11:13,800 ground before the king and the King because Absalon King David. 187 00:11:14,900 --> 00:11:19,200 Accepted Epsilon. He was willing to forgive. 188 00:11:20,500 --> 00:11:23,400 And in the see when you look at this picture, you sort of looks 189 00:11:23,400 --> 00:11:25,600 like epsilon's repenting. Doesn't it? 190 00:11:26,200 --> 00:11:28,700 Sorta. Looks like he's come before the 191 00:11:28,700 --> 00:11:31,700 king and he's bound and he kissed but if you know the whole 192 00:11:31,700 --> 00:11:38,800 story of Epsilon, You know, he came because of a need, he 193 00:11:38,800 --> 00:11:41,900 wanted something and that's what business does. 194 00:11:41,900 --> 00:11:46,800 It causes a what we call a two-faced aside of a person. 195 00:11:47,600 --> 00:11:51,200 So when I need something and often I deal with many people 196 00:11:51,200 --> 00:11:56,700 and often you'll find people have these real talking to a one 197 00:11:56,700 --> 00:12:01,000 of our friends about it. And he said this person is 198 00:12:01,000 --> 00:12:03,300 really Aunty this friend of mine. 199 00:12:04,200 --> 00:12:07,900 Any cause I don't say anything. Nice. 200 00:12:09,800 --> 00:12:13,300 But one day, actually this week, they rang him. 201 00:12:14,600 --> 00:12:17,100 She look, I can you take me grocery shopping today. 202 00:12:18,500 --> 00:12:21,000 And my friend had a choice to make this is, what do I do Shay. 203 00:12:21,600 --> 00:12:24,600 I said Hagar so that you're not affected by it. 204 00:12:25,600 --> 00:12:29,000 But as soon as it done that, she rang me up afterwards and 205 00:12:29,000 --> 00:12:31,300 complained about him taking a drug grocery shopping. 206 00:12:31,700 --> 00:12:35,900 You, when you have a need, you have this two-facedness about it 207 00:12:36,100 --> 00:12:38,000 and its bitterness. And this is what Absalom was 208 00:12:38,000 --> 00:12:40,000 like. He had this Grudge, but Susie 209 00:12:40,000 --> 00:12:43,500 need had a need of the king. He went there, and he never 210 00:12:43,600 --> 00:12:46,100 really repented. And I thought about that often 211 00:12:46,100 --> 00:12:47,700 people come to the Lord like that. 212 00:12:48,900 --> 00:12:51,800 Often people come to know Jesus Christ like that, but they don't 213 00:12:51,800 --> 00:12:55,200 really know Jesus Christ because they had a need. 214 00:12:55,500 --> 00:12:57,700 So they come before. God and say, Lord. 215 00:12:57,800 --> 00:13:01,800 I need this and God helps them and then they walk away again. 216 00:13:03,000 --> 00:13:05,000 This is what the life of Absalom was happen. 217 00:13:05,600 --> 00:13:09,700 Was like he was a two-faced bitter, man. 218 00:13:11,200 --> 00:13:16,800 Who used people, but he was a, he had this great potential, but 219 00:13:16,800 --> 00:13:19,900 he couldn't live up to it because he is overtaken by 220 00:13:19,900 --> 00:13:24,900 bitterness. Athene. 221 00:13:26,100 --> 00:13:29,300 Even more resonance, created a rebel. 222 00:13:31,700 --> 00:13:33,300 He couldn't agree with King David. 223 00:13:33,300 --> 00:13:36,500 He couldn't stand King David. So he started showing doubt 224 00:13:36,500 --> 00:13:40,900 about the leader of Israel. If you go to 2nd Samuel 15 and 225 00:13:40,900 --> 00:13:44,300 would say this, see, your claims are good and right. 226 00:13:45,900 --> 00:13:48,300 But there is no designation designated by the king to hear 227 00:13:48,300 --> 00:13:50,100 you. He's planting doubt in people's 228 00:13:50,100 --> 00:13:53,800 minds about the leader. He's planting doubt about who 229 00:13:53,800 --> 00:13:56,900 the king really is and he's starting to become the rebel. 230 00:14:00,200 --> 00:14:02,400 Is better said, I want to take the throne. 231 00:14:02,600 --> 00:14:06,600 It could have been hers. The king probably would have 232 00:14:06,600 --> 00:14:11,300 gladly given it to him. But he went about it the wrong 233 00:14:11,300 --> 00:14:15,200 way. And often you see this happening 234 00:14:15,200 --> 00:14:19,500 that people start, sowing doubt about someone in leadership. 235 00:14:20,500 --> 00:14:24,200 That's why it says, in the and the, in the New Testament that 236 00:14:24,200 --> 00:14:27,400 if someone comes to the, the elders, about one of the elders 237 00:14:27,400 --> 00:14:29,100 in these to be real proof about it. 238 00:14:30,200 --> 00:14:33,700 I saw the side as you've not in my notes Ari, but as a leader, 239 00:14:34,000 --> 00:14:37,500 we need to be, you know, if you have something against a leader 240 00:14:37,500 --> 00:14:41,400 go and talk to the leader. Not backbite in the background, 241 00:14:41,900 --> 00:14:46,400 not go behind his back and say oh, do you know Paul is like 242 00:14:46,400 --> 00:14:49,400 this, you know, Shane is doing this. 243 00:14:50,500 --> 00:14:55,500 All hearsay, he started doubting and what he did was he focused 244 00:14:55,500 --> 00:14:57,800 on something that people could grasp. 245 00:14:58,900 --> 00:15:02,900 Yeah, if he was a good King, he would be putting someone here. 246 00:15:03,700 --> 00:15:07,600 He started focusing on something that they could grass, but then 247 00:15:07,600 --> 00:15:09,600 he did something more. In verse 4. 248 00:15:10,100 --> 00:15:13,700 He promised a better. Life said, oh, that I were the 249 00:15:13,700 --> 00:15:18,000 judge in the land that every man with a dispute or cause might 250 00:15:18,000 --> 00:15:21,500 come to me and I would give them Justice. 251 00:15:22,900 --> 00:15:24,700 So he started building himself up now. 252 00:15:25,400 --> 00:15:28,600 He said I'm better than King David, you know, if I was King I 253 00:15:28,600 --> 00:15:30,800 could do this. If I was the leader, this would 254 00:15:30,800 --> 00:15:34,500 happen all based around, that person is for what happened in 255 00:15:34,508 --> 00:15:38,900 his who are sister and he was if you think about if I would judge 256 00:15:38,900 --> 00:15:40,200 you the lamb. What happened to her sister, 257 00:15:40,200 --> 00:15:42,400 there was no judgment. There's no punishment. 258 00:15:42,400 --> 00:15:44,300 There was no justice. Now. 259 00:15:44,300 --> 00:15:46,200 He's focusing on if I was the judge. 260 00:15:46,600 --> 00:15:50,000 If I was the leader, so he's starting to build a base. 261 00:15:50,300 --> 00:15:53,500 And man, how many times I've seen this when People don't 262 00:15:53,500 --> 00:15:57,600 agree with other people. I start going to people to start 263 00:15:57,600 --> 00:16:02,300 saying yeah, but if I was there, you know, if we did this and it 264 00:16:02,300 --> 00:16:05,900 comes from that graduate of the bitterness, but it also built a 265 00:16:05,900 --> 00:16:10,800 great base for in valuing. And whenever a man came near to 266 00:16:10,800 --> 00:16:14,400 pay home, it's verse 5 of second, Samuel, 15 to him. 267 00:16:14,900 --> 00:16:18,000 He would put out his hand and hold of him and kiss him. 268 00:16:18,700 --> 00:16:21,600 Thus, Absalon did to all of Israel who came to the king for 269 00:16:21,600 --> 00:16:25,700 judgment. So, Absalon stole the hearts of 270 00:16:25,700 --> 00:16:29,800 the men of Israel, one of the things you find with people who 271 00:16:30,400 --> 00:16:35,500 are full of bitterness or grudging, and they start Getting 272 00:16:35,500 --> 00:16:39,200 people to come onto this side. They start taking people as a 273 00:16:39,400 --> 00:16:41,100 look. If I was like that look, are you 274 00:16:41,100 --> 00:16:44,900 such a great guy and they start praising you for different 275 00:16:44,900 --> 00:16:50,400 things and slowly build up a base for Rebellion. 276 00:16:53,800 --> 00:16:56,400 Yeah, we lived in the Philippines for a number of 277 00:16:56,400 --> 00:16:59,300 years. I was a missionary there. 278 00:16:59,300 --> 00:17:02,600 My wife said today which is great and we were over there for 279 00:17:02,600 --> 00:17:06,900 24 years and we had the what we call the npa's, they were the 280 00:17:06,900 --> 00:17:11,599 New People's Army and they were the communist Army and what they 281 00:17:11,599 --> 00:17:18,500 do is say they go in and they teach Young people about how bad 282 00:17:18,500 --> 00:17:22,300 the government is. And they can do something about 283 00:17:22,300 --> 00:17:24,099 it. So they start recruiting people 284 00:17:24,900 --> 00:17:26,700 and they build a base for rebellion. 285 00:17:26,900 --> 00:17:29,400 And in renny's Province where she came from, they had actually 286 00:17:29,400 --> 00:17:32,300 had the comment, one of the Communist bases there, the NPA 287 00:17:32,300 --> 00:17:39,100 by basis, there are quite scary. One day we were sitting there 288 00:17:39,100 --> 00:17:43,900 and renny's Auntie's Place. Walking away to the batter a 289 00:17:43,908 --> 00:17:46,500 little sari-sari store. Now, sari-sari store is like a 290 00:17:46,508 --> 00:17:50,500 dairy but it's got bars on it and all that but we were, we 291 00:17:50,500 --> 00:17:53,400 were sitting there and there's a couple came up and we just 292 00:17:53,400 --> 00:17:56,300 started talking away and no problem. 293 00:17:56,300 --> 00:17:59,900 We just started talking and my natural reaction was to start 294 00:17:59,900 --> 00:18:02,200 sharing the gospel and and talk with them. 295 00:18:03,200 --> 00:18:05,800 Anyway. They lift. 296 00:18:06,700 --> 00:18:10,000 And when he's on t-64 Shane, I'm glad you said nothing against 297 00:18:10,000 --> 00:18:13,200 the MPAA. She was it, that's the eagle. 298 00:18:13,500 --> 00:18:16,900 One of the eagle units. Eagle units is the ones that 299 00:18:16,900 --> 00:18:20,100 would go round. I saw as the sparrow units that 300 00:18:20,100 --> 00:18:24,700 was a sparrow unit there on R&R. They are the R&R group are the 301 00:18:24,700 --> 00:18:26,800 ones that are in vanilla shooting, all the policemen. 302 00:18:26,900 --> 00:18:29,500 So they go over in threes on motorbikes and if you see it 303 00:18:29,500 --> 00:18:34,500 anything against the NPA, Thankfully, the Lord didn't cut 304 00:18:34,500 --> 00:18:38,500 my tongue that time, I think. Thank you. 305 00:18:38,500 --> 00:18:40,100 Interesting. You have your spare units in the 306 00:18:40,100 --> 00:18:42,300 government started, the eagle units which would chase after 307 00:18:42,300 --> 00:18:47,300 these Sparrow units. But it was building a base, and 308 00:18:47,300 --> 00:18:50,400 they would start building a base against the government. 309 00:18:51,100 --> 00:18:55,400 This is what Absalon was doing. So that people would turn 310 00:18:55,400 --> 00:19:01,100 against the king. When you look at it, isn't it? 311 00:19:01,200 --> 00:19:05,100 You know, so doubt promised a better life and you think about 312 00:19:05,100 --> 00:19:06,200 it. Is that what happened? 313 00:19:06,200 --> 00:19:11,000 The Garden of Eden as well? Satan came along, he was bitter 314 00:19:11,300 --> 00:19:13,700 and full of Pride. He had been chucked Out of 315 00:19:13,700 --> 00:19:17,000 Heaven, what'd he do? He went up, is his did God 316 00:19:17,000 --> 00:19:20,700 really say that, you know, if you if you if you take a bite of 317 00:19:20,708 --> 00:19:24,100 that you'll be like God promise of a better life. 318 00:19:27,900 --> 00:19:31,800 And he said, you know, good know you will know what is good and 319 00:19:31,800 --> 00:19:34,800 raw and bad. So he started to build a base of 320 00:19:34,800 --> 00:19:38,900 rebellion, which we face today as well, because exactly the 321 00:19:38,900 --> 00:19:42,300 same thing, you see, that's what bitterness and grudges can do. 322 00:19:43,000 --> 00:19:46,200 That's what they can do. It becomes we become more like 323 00:19:46,200 --> 00:19:50,800 Satan. But that wasn't the end of it. 324 00:19:53,400 --> 00:19:59,400 Person has created a liar. And I read 2nd Samuel 15 7 to 325 00:19:59,400 --> 00:20:04,800 12. This chapter 15 verses 7 to 12. 326 00:20:04,800 --> 00:20:07,100 It says this. And at the end of four years 327 00:20:08,000 --> 00:20:10,900 Absalon, said to the king, please let me go and pay my vow, 328 00:20:10,900 --> 00:20:14,700 which I have vowed to the Lord and He Braun or your servant. 329 00:20:14,700 --> 00:20:17,100 They'll devour while I lived a Keisha in RM. 330 00:20:17,100 --> 00:20:20,400 Say if the Lord will, indeed bring me back to Jerusalem, then 331 00:20:20,400 --> 00:20:22,100 I will offer worship to the Lord. 332 00:20:23,200 --> 00:20:25,400 The king said to him, go in peace. 333 00:20:26,000 --> 00:20:30,100 So he arose and went to Hebron. But Absalon since secret 334 00:20:30,100 --> 00:20:34,000 messages throughout all the tribes of Israel, saying as soon 335 00:20:34,000 --> 00:20:37,700 as you hear the sound of the trumpet will then say Absalon is 336 00:20:37,700 --> 00:20:42,800 King at Hebron, with Absalom in 200, men from Jerusalem who were 337 00:20:42,800 --> 00:20:46,700 invited guests and they went in their innocence and you nothing. 338 00:20:48,400 --> 00:20:51,500 And while Absalon was offering the sacrifice he sent for a 339 00:20:51,500 --> 00:20:54,700 thought bubble, The Gila night David's counselor from his City 340 00:20:54,700 --> 00:20:57,300 Gila and the conspiracy grew strong. 341 00:20:57,700 --> 00:21:01,300 And the people with Absalon kept increasing. 342 00:21:02,600 --> 00:21:06,400 He became a liar. He lied to David the king. 343 00:21:06,800 --> 00:21:10,800 He had had the opportunity to repent but here he is lying. 344 00:21:12,800 --> 00:21:14,700 And it might have been a half-truth. 345 00:21:15,700 --> 00:21:19,500 He might have said, I'd made a vow to go and not offer worship 346 00:21:19,500 --> 00:21:22,500 to the Lord and He Braun. He might have made that that 347 00:21:22,500 --> 00:21:25,200 foul, but it was actually a half-truth. 348 00:21:25,200 --> 00:21:28,200 That was a lie. Was he was veiny support, he 349 00:21:28,200 --> 00:21:33,200 wanted to to take the king over and he starts preparing for it. 350 00:21:34,200 --> 00:21:37,400 And he gets everyone behind him and I love the fact that he said 351 00:21:37,400 --> 00:21:39,700 there were 200 men who had no idea what was going on. 352 00:21:39,700 --> 00:21:42,500 Well, me and probably that's half our lives but never mind. 353 00:21:43,800 --> 00:21:47,900 But these 200 mean who had no idea, they were innocent. 354 00:21:47,900 --> 00:21:50,500 And they went along with Epsilon thinking though doing the king 355 00:21:50,500 --> 00:21:53,200 of favor going with Epsilon. They'll probably protecting him 356 00:21:53,200 --> 00:21:55,600 from the bandits and all that. And they were going along 357 00:21:55,600 --> 00:21:57,400 thinking. Well, you know, this is really 358 00:21:57,400 --> 00:22:01,000 neat, absalon's come become no, worshiping the Lord, and he's 359 00:22:01,000 --> 00:22:05,900 doing it or what's happening. Absalon in his bitterness and 360 00:22:05,900 --> 00:22:08,500 his grudges preparing to take over the kingdom. 361 00:22:10,600 --> 00:22:12,900 And then in front of that and this is what really gets me. 362 00:22:12,900 --> 00:22:19,000 He convinced a king's Ally to follow him. see, once people 363 00:22:19,000 --> 00:22:25,400 start gaining ground, and, and, and Ally, They easily convince 364 00:22:25,400 --> 00:22:27,700 other people. If we are not aware of what God 365 00:22:27,700 --> 00:22:30,600 is doing in our lives, here. Is this man? 366 00:22:32,300 --> 00:22:34,500 Toons against King. David Ben has a lie. 367 00:22:36,400 --> 00:22:41,100 Being this counselor and he turns against David because 368 00:22:41,400 --> 00:22:46,200 Absalon was so convincing and I often say to people, when you 369 00:22:46,208 --> 00:22:49,500 hear a story of someone's drama, make sure they hear the other 370 00:22:49,500 --> 00:22:53,700 side because the other side is always got a different view on 371 00:22:53,700 --> 00:22:58,100 it, but it is amazing how quickly take the sides of people 372 00:22:58,900 --> 00:23:02,900 and we start believing people without really thinking about is 373 00:23:02,900 --> 00:23:05,500 this true? And I'm not saying it's not 374 00:23:05,500 --> 00:23:07,000 Chris. I'm saying this as well. 375 00:23:08,500 --> 00:23:10,200 We need to start looking at what? 376 00:23:10,400 --> 00:23:12,200 What is being said? What is true? 377 00:23:13,300 --> 00:23:15,400 So that we aren't convinced to a false necessity. 378 00:23:18,800 --> 00:23:23,200 And so comes the battle. David. 379 00:23:23,200 --> 00:23:28,700 Flees Jerusalem, heads out gets out of town when you think about 380 00:23:28,700 --> 00:23:31,600 David could have raise up an army, but I guess when you think 381 00:23:31,600 --> 00:23:35,500 of it, it's his son. And when he said when they did 382 00:23:35,500 --> 00:23:38,400 go to war he said take care of this guy Absalon. 383 00:23:39,400 --> 00:23:41,600 It's my son. Don't kill him. 384 00:23:44,000 --> 00:23:46,300 So I guess he runs out of Jerusalem thinking, if I give it 385 00:23:46,300 --> 00:23:49,700 over there'll be no more nothing, but they end up in the 386 00:23:49,708 --> 00:23:52,600 woods that are frame and a big war starts. 387 00:23:58,000 --> 00:24:01,400 And what happens? Burton the sport, the 388 00:24:01,400 --> 00:24:09,800 destruction of Absalom. His life had become so so rough 389 00:24:09,800 --> 00:24:13,200 and so bad. He is defeated by a small army 390 00:24:13,700 --> 00:24:18,100 is defeated and by this Army that that David had with him 391 00:24:18,100 --> 00:24:20,400 with these servants, he had and he takes over. 392 00:24:20,400 --> 00:24:22,500 This is twenty thousand were killed on that day. 393 00:24:23,700 --> 00:24:26,800 So you can see how many people that they absolutely convinced 394 00:24:27,800 --> 00:24:30,400 something. He had mistaken or forgotten, 395 00:24:30,800 --> 00:24:32,900 was that the Lord was on David side. 396 00:24:33,900 --> 00:24:41,800 And David was given a victory. But he did say he did say don't 397 00:24:41,900 --> 00:24:46,600 kill my son deal. Gently in chapter 18, June deal 398 00:24:46,600 --> 00:24:50,600 gently for my sake with the young man Absalom. 399 00:24:52,100 --> 00:24:55,600 And all the people heard when the good King gave orders to all 400 00:24:55,600 --> 00:24:57,700 the commanders about their belt Absalon. 401 00:25:01,000 --> 00:25:07,100 Is a Jesus David loved his son? Despite everything that had 402 00:25:07,100 --> 00:25:11,100 happened, despite all that. He that had that Absalon had 403 00:25:11,100 --> 00:25:15,500 done, David, still love the sun. I think man what an example for 404 00:25:15,500 --> 00:25:19,900 us, you know, you still love those who hold grudges against 405 00:25:19,900 --> 00:25:22,900 us on our site. Not not if we have the gradual, 406 00:25:22,900 --> 00:25:24,600 we'd better but the people had a bitter against us. 407 00:25:24,600 --> 00:25:26,700 Still love them, still careful them. 408 00:25:26,700 --> 00:25:31,700 Still look after them. As the guy that rang me, this 409 00:25:31,700 --> 00:25:37,200 week, is his look, it's our responsibility as God-fearing 410 00:25:37,200 --> 00:25:39,900 people to look after that. Even if they disagree with us. 411 00:25:43,400 --> 00:25:45,500 Like David, he looked after Epsilon. 412 00:25:45,500 --> 00:25:48,800 He was totally convinced Absalon, shouldn't be killed 413 00:25:48,900 --> 00:25:53,400 deal with him gently. But that wasn't what happened 414 00:25:53,400 --> 00:25:59,200 was it? And first and second Samuel, 18. 415 00:26:00,800 --> 00:26:07,700 We read the story of Epsilon. We start at verse 9 and Absalon 416 00:26:07,700 --> 00:26:09,500 happened to meet the Servants of David. 417 00:26:09,900 --> 00:26:13,800 Absalom was riding on his mule and the mule went under the 418 00:26:13,800 --> 00:26:18,100 thick branches of a Great Oak. And as he'd called faster than 419 00:26:18,100 --> 00:26:21,200 the old and he was suspended Between Heaven and Earth while 420 00:26:21,200 --> 00:26:23,000 the mule that was under him went on. 421 00:26:25,100 --> 00:26:28,700 This big hit, because he what what he used to do is tie up his 422 00:26:28,700 --> 00:26:33,000 here when he went to battle, and he got caught the pride of his 423 00:26:33,000 --> 00:26:36,600 life is here and he got caught stuck between branches. 424 00:26:37,900 --> 00:26:42,100 And of course, his downfall. Now, there are things in our 425 00:26:42,100 --> 00:26:44,200 lives that are we are very, very proud about. 426 00:26:44,200 --> 00:26:48,900 We've got to remember that God has given us new life, and it is 427 00:26:48,900 --> 00:26:51,000 only because of God, it's not because of us. 428 00:26:52,500 --> 00:26:57,100 Nothing we can do, can change our lives, only God can do that. 429 00:27:01,000 --> 00:27:05,200 But the story didn't end there. And a certain man saw it and 430 00:27:05,200 --> 00:27:09,000 told Joe, a behold. I saw Epsilon hanging in a note 431 00:27:10,000 --> 00:27:13,700 job said to the man who told him, what you saw, what you saw 432 00:27:13,700 --> 00:27:15,400 him. Why then did you not strike him 433 00:27:15,400 --> 00:27:18,100 there to the ground. I would have been glad to give 434 00:27:18,100 --> 00:27:20,200 you 10 pieces of silver and about. 435 00:27:20,600 --> 00:27:23,600 But the man said to Job, even if I felt it in my hand, the weight 436 00:27:23,600 --> 00:27:26,500 of a thousand pieces of silver, I would not reach out my hand 437 00:27:26,500 --> 00:27:30,100 against the King's son or in our hearing the king commanded you 438 00:27:30,400 --> 00:27:34,400 and to be shy and he thigh For my sake, protect the young man, 439 00:27:34,400 --> 00:27:37,500 Absalom. On the other hand, if I had 440 00:27:37,500 --> 00:27:40,300 dealt treacherously against his life and there is nothing hidden 441 00:27:40,300 --> 00:27:42,500 from the King. Then you yourself would have 442 00:27:42,500 --> 00:27:45,600 stood aloof. Joe said, I will not waste time 443 00:27:45,600 --> 00:27:48,600 like this with you and he took three javelins in his hand and 444 00:27:48,600 --> 00:27:51,500 thrust him into the heart of absolon while he was still 445 00:27:51,500 --> 00:27:54,600 alive. And the Oak in ten young men, 446 00:27:55,200 --> 00:27:58,500 Joe is our jobs armor. Bearers surrounded, Epsilon and 447 00:27:58,500 --> 00:28:01,200 struck him and killed him. How do you think Jay Ed was so 448 00:28:01,400 --> 00:28:04,300 adamant about there? Well, I just like to think he 449 00:28:04,300 --> 00:28:05,700 was killed by another bitter man. 450 00:28:08,900 --> 00:28:13,200 You know, what happened back earlier when Absalom wanted to 451 00:28:13,200 --> 00:28:15,900 see the king. He went and burned Joey's 452 00:28:16,000 --> 00:28:19,700 fields. So Joe was looking for an 453 00:28:19,700 --> 00:28:24,400 opportunity to get back at him. So here was another bitter, man, 454 00:28:24,400 --> 00:28:26,300 and there's something you notice with bitterness. 455 00:28:27,700 --> 00:28:33,200 If you have better and we they really I know Billy. 456 00:28:33,800 --> 00:28:36,100 So I'm really bitter against Billy. 457 00:28:36,200 --> 00:28:40,500 So I'm doing things to Billy and then Jonathan there's is well, 458 00:28:40,500 --> 00:28:43,900 I'm going to take care of Shame for you, Billy and Jonathan 459 00:28:43,900 --> 00:28:47,800 becomes better better and it just grows and you may think 460 00:28:47,800 --> 00:28:49,500 that that doesn't happen. I'll tell you the tell you a 461 00:28:49,508 --> 00:28:53,800 story. A true one. 462 00:28:56,600 --> 00:28:59,400 As a missionary, we would travel around New Zealand. 463 00:28:59,400 --> 00:29:03,200 When we came home. And I used to be not now, but I 464 00:29:03,200 --> 00:29:05,900 used to be involved in the gym. Okay? 465 00:29:05,900 --> 00:29:08,700 Yeah, I was a lot better than Jonathan. 466 00:29:10,200 --> 00:29:13,000 When we got to Hornby in Christchurch, I went to a gym 467 00:29:13,000 --> 00:29:16,300 there. I walked in this gym and I was 468 00:29:16,300 --> 00:29:19,600 going to sign in and there was this named Shane will damoff. 469 00:29:20,300 --> 00:29:22,100 I thought I haven't been here yet. 470 00:29:23,100 --> 00:29:25,500 So I asked the guy at the desk. He says he's such a size in 471 00:29:25,500 --> 00:29:26,000 there. Now. 472 00:29:26,300 --> 00:29:28,200 She's alive because I'm Shane will D'Amato. 473 00:29:28,500 --> 00:29:32,100 So, I put my name under his name and Windham to the German and he 474 00:29:32,100 --> 00:29:35,900 was Shane will do boss and we got talking and we're about the 475 00:29:35,900 --> 00:29:37,600 same age. And we had a really neat time 476 00:29:37,600 --> 00:29:39,900 together, talking and he said, chain. 477 00:29:40,100 --> 00:29:44,500 Give us a call. And we'll go out for dinner with 478 00:29:44,500 --> 00:29:47,100 your wife, and then it's yeah, great. 479 00:29:47,200 --> 00:29:52,300 So, finish up, Jim go home. And then the next day I rang and 480 00:29:52,300 --> 00:29:56,800 this is basically conversation. I rang the phone that number had 481 00:29:56,800 --> 00:30:00,500 given and Shane's father picked it up and I see it. 482 00:30:00,700 --> 00:30:02,800 Hello is Shane there, please? Who's this? 483 00:30:03,300 --> 00:30:05,600 I'm Shane waldemar. Where you from. 484 00:30:05,900 --> 00:30:09,900 I'm from the North Island. Put the phone down on me. 485 00:30:10,900 --> 00:30:12,300 Didn't have any clue what was happening. 486 00:30:12,300 --> 00:30:17,200 It was until 2004 that we found out the story. 487 00:30:18,900 --> 00:30:24,400 My great-great-great-grandfather fathers had run away from 488 00:30:24,400 --> 00:30:27,700 Ireland and catch the boat, the Raglan, and they were on this 489 00:30:27,700 --> 00:30:29,700 boat. And while they were on the boat, 490 00:30:29,700 --> 00:30:32,800 they had a big scrap. So one of them jumped off the 491 00:30:32,800 --> 00:30:37,400 boat at Raglan and swam ashore. The other guy carried on, he 492 00:30:37,400 --> 00:30:41,200 went down to Christchurch. They had this Grudge and they 493 00:30:41,200 --> 00:30:43,000 held that Grudge all their lives. 494 00:30:43,000 --> 00:30:47,000 They passed it on to the next great grandfather and they pass 495 00:30:47,000 --> 00:30:50,100 it on to my grandfather and then my grandfather passed it on to 496 00:30:50,100 --> 00:30:52,900 his sons. So, when I rang up, he was still 497 00:30:52,900 --> 00:30:54,300 thinking about it. Something that happened in the 498 00:30:54,300 --> 00:31:01,200 eighteen hundreds. And we found that out and 2004 499 00:31:01,400 --> 00:31:04,300 when I went to go and speak at te kuiti attempt on renew e 500 00:31:04,500 --> 00:31:07,600 because the guy there we spoke out. 501 00:31:07,600 --> 00:31:10,900 He was a policeman at Tamra. No, and he says, well, I know 502 00:31:10,900 --> 00:31:14,700 that name, I put him in prison on that on Friday night. 503 00:31:14,900 --> 00:31:19,500 I see I'm a I'm a good woman, but there's groans just carried 504 00:31:19,500 --> 00:31:24,600 on, and on and on. And the bitterness just carried 505 00:31:24,600 --> 00:31:28,200 on and in the Philippines and some of the Philippine they know 506 00:31:28,200 --> 00:31:34,500 what that's like, I remember one day that some cousins were 507 00:31:34,900 --> 00:31:36,800 getting were drinking. There. 508 00:31:36,800 --> 00:31:42,200 Are there about 45 50 and now drinking and I got drunk and I 509 00:31:42,200 --> 00:31:44,600 really doubt and I turned up and here they were going at each 510 00:31:44,600 --> 00:31:48,600 other with these long bolos knives and we got them apart and 511 00:31:48,600 --> 00:31:51,200 we held them apart. You know what, they'll find out. 512 00:31:51,900 --> 00:31:54,500 Brother stole his girlfriend when he was 15 years old. 513 00:31:55,900 --> 00:31:59,000 You see, we hold onto these grudges in this bitterness and 514 00:31:59,000 --> 00:32:04,400 it just folds in our lives. And it destroys us destroys 515 00:32:04,400 --> 00:32:06,400 everything about us even as Christians. 516 00:32:06,500 --> 00:32:09,300 We can't live for God, because there is bitterness in our 517 00:32:09,300 --> 00:32:11,200 lives, and we've got to get through it. 518 00:32:13,400 --> 00:32:17,400 Who can overcome it? And that's where I really want 519 00:32:17,400 --> 00:32:19,300 to finish. How do we overcome bitterness in 520 00:32:19,300 --> 00:32:21,800 our lives? Absalon never did. 521 00:32:23,000 --> 00:32:25,400 And the first thing we need to do is come to the Lord Jesus 522 00:32:25,400 --> 00:32:30,600 Christ. We cannot overcome bitterness by 523 00:32:30,600 --> 00:32:34,200 yourself. We cannot overcome grudges by 524 00:32:34,200 --> 00:32:38,700 ourselves because here is our human nature that she is. 525 00:32:38,700 --> 00:32:42,100 I am better than you. As human nature. 526 00:32:44,000 --> 00:32:47,600 And we need to come before Christ and Sears before, because 527 00:32:47,600 --> 00:32:50,400 if you confess with your mouth, that Jesus is Lord, and believe 528 00:32:50,400 --> 00:32:53,300 in your heart, that God raised him from the dead, you will be 529 00:32:53,300 --> 00:32:56,900 saved for with the heart. One Believes and is Justified. 530 00:32:56,900 --> 00:33:01,400 And with the mouth one confesses and is saying, You need to, we 531 00:33:01,400 --> 00:33:03,800 need to come before Christ and say, Lord. 532 00:33:04,000 --> 00:33:10,900 I am a sinner. I don't know if this is allowed 533 00:33:10,900 --> 00:33:12,400 in this church. So I'm going to say it anyway, 534 00:33:12,600 --> 00:33:14,700 and because I'm a sinner, I'm going to hell. 535 00:33:16,400 --> 00:33:18,500 And because I'm going to hell, I need a savior. 536 00:33:21,200 --> 00:33:23,100 And that saviors, you Lord Jesus. 537 00:33:24,000 --> 00:33:27,700 And when you look at Romans, we have a men's bible study group 538 00:33:27,700 --> 00:33:29,900 in a coffee shop on Thursday mornings. 539 00:33:29,900 --> 00:33:33,700 We were looking at this and we was talking about in Romans, 540 00:33:33,700 --> 00:33:36,100 when you came to the Lord, Jesus said he is Lord, you were 541 00:33:36,100 --> 00:33:38,000 willing to have your head chopped off. 542 00:33:38,500 --> 00:33:40,000 You were willing to be fed to the Lions. 543 00:33:40,000 --> 00:33:43,300 You were willing to be nailed to the cross because you are saying 544 00:33:43,300 --> 00:33:46,200 Jesus is Lord, not Caesar. And that's what we need to get 545 00:33:46,200 --> 00:33:47,600 back to in our Christian. Faith. 546 00:33:48,200 --> 00:33:49,800 Jesus is Lord. He is Master. 547 00:33:49,800 --> 00:33:52,300 He is most important. Then anything else in this 548 00:33:52,300 --> 00:33:55,900 world? He's more important than that. 549 00:33:55,900 --> 00:33:58,300 Job is more important than the promotion is more important than 550 00:33:58,300 --> 00:34:02,800 the brand new Chi. Jesus is the most important 551 00:34:02,800 --> 00:34:05,800 thing. And we need as a church. 552 00:34:05,800 --> 00:34:09,000 And and in this world, you know, we're very privileged at the 553 00:34:09,000 --> 00:34:10,400 moment. We're running Alpha and we're 554 00:34:10,400 --> 00:34:13,600 seeing people come to the Lord there because there is confusion 555 00:34:13,600 --> 00:34:16,500 in our world. There's one thing great about 556 00:34:16,500 --> 00:34:18,800 this covid-19, no matter what you believe about it. 557 00:34:18,900 --> 00:34:21,300 I listen to people talking about conspiracies and all sorts of 558 00:34:21,300 --> 00:34:23,199 stuff, no matter what you believe about it. 559 00:34:23,400 --> 00:34:25,699 People don't know what's going to happen next. 560 00:34:27,100 --> 00:34:29,400 And we Christians have the answer. 561 00:34:30,900 --> 00:34:35,300 We Christians have Jesus Christ who gives hope cleans the 562 00:34:35,300 --> 00:34:39,800 confusion heals the bitterness. And we need to be out there and 563 00:34:39,800 --> 00:34:43,100 I really reiterate what Matt said about the community get out 564 00:34:43,100 --> 00:34:45,400 there. You know, one of the things that 565 00:34:45,400 --> 00:34:50,199 I've found with our in our community is often the common 566 00:34:50,199 --> 00:34:53,500 comment was, you know, churches come into our community for six 567 00:34:53,500 --> 00:34:55,500 months and then none of us go to church. 568 00:34:55,500 --> 00:34:58,500 So they leave us. We've been working for six years 569 00:34:58,500 --> 00:35:00,000 with these people in our community. 570 00:35:00,300 --> 00:35:04,900 We are only now, starting to see results because you stick with 571 00:35:04,900 --> 00:35:07,400 them. You build them as I get them 572 00:35:07,400 --> 00:35:09,800 behind anything in the community, whether it's an 573 00:35:09,800 --> 00:35:13,200 opportunity to share. But to overcome bitterness. 574 00:35:13,200 --> 00:35:14,400 I got a sorry. I got off. 575 00:35:14,400 --> 00:35:16,800 My subject. Overcoming bitterness is coming 576 00:35:16,800 --> 00:35:21,200 to Christ and surrendering to the Lord, Jesus bowing before 577 00:35:21,200 --> 00:35:25,500 him. Admitting we are a sinner man 578 00:35:25,500 --> 00:35:29,400 missing that we need him admitting in the one wonderful 579 00:35:29,400 --> 00:35:31,700 thing about crisis. When you call on his name. 580 00:35:32,100 --> 00:35:33,300 Do you read through the down? The Romans? 581 00:35:33,300 --> 00:35:37,600 It says this you will be saved, you will have eternal life. 582 00:35:38,000 --> 00:35:41,900 You will be a child of God. What is another area that I 583 00:35:41,908 --> 00:35:46,900 think we need to do as well? Forgive. 584 00:35:48,200 --> 00:35:52,400 As Christ, forgave you. Put on there and it's God's 585 00:35:52,400 --> 00:35:56,100 chosen ones. Holy and beloved compassionate 586 00:35:56,100 --> 00:35:57,700 Hearts. Kindness humility. 587 00:35:57,700 --> 00:36:00,700 Meekness and patience bearing with one another. 588 00:36:01,400 --> 00:36:05,000 And if one has a complaint against another forgiving each 589 00:36:05,000 --> 00:36:08,000 other as the Lord has forgiven you. 590 00:36:09,000 --> 00:36:15,600 So you also must forgive Honestly, it's not hard to 591 00:36:15,600 --> 00:36:19,300 understand, is it? Why do we struggle? 592 00:36:21,300 --> 00:36:26,900 Why do we struggle in this area? We need to come before the Lord 593 00:36:26,900 --> 00:36:31,500 and ask him to help us forgive and we will all have to do. 594 00:36:31,500 --> 00:36:33,500 It is things in our lives that we know. 595 00:36:33,900 --> 00:36:37,900 We need to forgive other people. It may not be all the time. 596 00:36:37,900 --> 00:36:40,000 But there may be things that happen in our lives that we 597 00:36:40,000 --> 00:36:43,200 start saying. Not going to have anything to do 598 00:36:43,200 --> 00:36:47,900 with that person anymore. You know. 599 00:36:50,900 --> 00:36:56,000 I did, I did some things that were not right and we got 600 00:36:56,000 --> 00:37:02,000 separated from him and Basically us kids hated him except their 601 00:37:02,000 --> 00:37:03,600 youngest was. She didn't really know what had 602 00:37:03,600 --> 00:37:04,900 happened. He was doing the basketball 603 00:37:04,900 --> 00:37:08,000 happen when it went down my brother. 604 00:37:09,000 --> 00:37:15,700 For 30 years did not talk to my father because he was angry, he 605 00:37:15,700 --> 00:37:18,300 was bitter. And I can only say it was 606 00:37:18,300 --> 00:37:21,000 because I became a Christian that I actually forgave my dad. 607 00:37:22,100 --> 00:37:24,800 I was 19 there. Seven years later that I 608 00:37:24,808 --> 00:37:27,700 actually ended up for giving my father, but it was only because 609 00:37:27,700 --> 00:37:28,900 of Christ. I couldn't do it. 610 00:37:29,900 --> 00:37:33,400 I couldn't do it. My brother had to wait on my 611 00:37:33,400 --> 00:37:37,300 father was in Tehran, a hospital dying before he realized. 612 00:37:39,100 --> 00:37:43,700 You know, so often we hold on to the stuff and all the Lord is 613 00:37:43,700 --> 00:37:46,000 saying forgive doesn't mean you forget. 614 00:37:46,300 --> 00:37:49,800 I think people have a wrong understanding of forgiveness. 615 00:37:51,100 --> 00:37:52,700 It doesn't mean that you will forget it. 616 00:37:53,300 --> 00:37:57,300 We don't forget stuff, our mind. Is that breit, that, that great 617 00:37:57,300 --> 00:38:00,400 that God has made it. We won't forget stuff that you 618 00:38:00,400 --> 00:38:01,800 make an effort to forgive people. 619 00:38:04,100 --> 00:38:06,400 That might mean going up and just talking to that person. 620 00:38:08,500 --> 00:38:10,000 It doesn't mean that Justice stops. 621 00:38:10,000 --> 00:38:13,000 If there's something has been done wrong, Justice continues, 622 00:38:13,400 --> 00:38:19,000 but you can forgive It doesn't mean that you have to be best 623 00:38:19,000 --> 00:38:25,800 mates again. although, you may be But it does mean freedom for 624 00:38:25,800 --> 00:38:30,100 you, because when buttons and Grudge takes and grudges take 625 00:38:30,100 --> 00:38:32,700 over our life. It's not the person. 626 00:38:32,700 --> 00:38:35,300 We're bitter to that has struggles. 627 00:38:35,300 --> 00:38:39,000 It's us, it's you. And I, we are the one that 628 00:38:39,000 --> 00:38:42,300 struggles But continuing on their lives and, and their 629 00:38:42,300 --> 00:38:46,400 potential, and we are controlled by what we've seen, what we and 630 00:38:46,400 --> 00:38:50,000 our business. But it doesn't mean you have 631 00:38:50,000 --> 00:38:53,300 freedom and you can do what God wants you to do. 632 00:38:54,000 --> 00:38:57,500 It does mean that you can live to your potential as a Christian 633 00:38:58,300 --> 00:39:01,100 whether it's in Ministry and full-time Ministry, whether it's 634 00:39:01,100 --> 00:39:05,200 at work ministering at work, whether it's at University 635 00:39:05,200 --> 00:39:08,000 Ministry, and you can live your life to its potential. 636 00:39:09,900 --> 00:39:13,100 But a starts. With forgiveness. 637 00:39:16,100 --> 00:39:17,400 We're going to the Lord's Supper. 638 00:39:17,400 --> 00:39:21,100 I understand from here. Not encourage you in? 639 00:39:21,100 --> 00:39:26,400 It's not be an Epsilon. Let's not allow it. 640 00:39:27,400 --> 00:39:30,600 To destroy us. If you have to forgive a parent, 641 00:39:31,400 --> 00:39:35,300 a child, a friend, a mate, do it. 642 00:39:36,900 --> 00:39:40,900 Because you will experience. What? 643 00:39:40,900 --> 00:39:45,400 It's like to be free and that you have the opportunity. 644 00:39:46,600 --> 00:39:52,500 Absalom didn't Acres, maybe you can take its prey father. 645 00:39:52,800 --> 00:39:58,100 We see in the life of Absalom the total bitterness he felt 646 00:39:59,200 --> 00:40:01,300 because of what happened to her sister. 647 00:40:04,000 --> 00:40:07,200 And it controlled his life, the point to his destruction. 648 00:40:08,700 --> 00:40:11,100 But Lord, you have given us the opportunity today. 649 00:40:12,800 --> 00:40:16,700 To come to you. The call on your name. 650 00:40:17,800 --> 00:40:20,100 And have that strength to forgive those around us. 651 00:40:22,200 --> 00:40:25,800 Lord, I pray that each of us will take that opportunity and 652 00:40:25,800 --> 00:40:28,400 live their Christian Life that you've asked us to live 653 00:40:28,800 --> 00:40:32,800 forgiving. As you forgave us completely. 654 00:40:35,000 --> 00:40:37,800 Without condition. Good. 655 00:40:37,800 --> 00:40:41,900 May, each of us today consider people that we may need to 656 00:40:41,900 --> 00:40:45,800 forgive. And freely, forgive them. 657 00:40:48,400 --> 00:40:53,000 Seeking the now. Talking to them. 658 00:40:55,500 --> 00:40:59,700 Freeing us from any Grudge and bitterness and our lives. 659 00:41:00,500 --> 00:41:02,000 Father. We know we can do this. 660 00:41:02,000 --> 00:41:05,400 Only through you therefore we call on your name again. 661 00:41:06,300 --> 00:41:12,200 Say Lord strengthen us. Encourage us and help us. 662 00:41:14,400 --> 00:41:16,300 In Jesus name, amen. In Jesus name, amen.