Please meet me in second Samuel chapter 17.
I hope you're okay to pray with me again.
Lord, we invoke your name and we ask that your power would be in
the midst of this place. I thank you, Lord, for the
precious saints were able to be here we, thank you, Lord, for
the Saints who are watching glorious that in this very
moment, your word would come forth and it would do what only
you can do as James says that it would save us.
Not just in Salvation but save us from our sins.
Save us from lies. Save us from Temptation.
Save us from ideas that are not in alignment with your truth
that can lead to confusion and deception, Lord.
We pray that there would be a rescuing and at the same time
that there would be a stirring of adoration for you.
Lord, we don't want to just know things we want to know the god
of the word, please draws closer to you.
Help us Olga through this study. Love you personally and then
reflect you close. And more accurately than we did
before this meeting, we bless the name of your son and we ask
that he would be glorified in this study.
In Jesus name we pray. Amen.
Last week, if you were here, you know, that our study concluded
with a sheath offals, horrific advice for Absalom about how to
better secure the throne that he sabotaged his father's throne.
And the advice that was proposed was for Absalom to violate his
father's concubines publicly. So that the Ian would receive
that statement and that statement would be that a new
Revolution has arrived. A new government has been placed
and that it is the real deal as aggressive.
And as audacious as such a move was he thought was advice is not
going to cease here. It's going to continue into
chapter 17 and what you're going to learn very quickly is that
his proposal in these verses will prove To be more severe
than what we learned last. But I thought foes counsel here
is not the only thing that you and I are going to read if
there's going to be another set of instructions that are going
to be presented and it's going to be presented by no other than
who shy who shy who is the secret friend of David who is
strategically in the courts of Heath offal and who has the plan
to thwart? The council that he fell for,
we're coming to that point. This is a very critical chapter
for David's life for the king. Of Israel for the future of this
nation and what you and I are going to do as we examine these
opposing views is that we ourselves are going to receive
counsel meaning, as we look at these words, as we look at these
instructions, these statements, these promises, we are also
going to learn some things about our own walk with the Lord.
Because the Holy Spirit, obviously preserved, the details
of what I thought will have the same what Housh I have to say
for more than just a historical account or a colorful episode
and Bible. There's something instructive
here. And I say that, every single
week to reassure you that when you come to the Old Testament,
you're not just reading something for you to get some
more data for a Bible trivia. Okay, you're getting something
for your walk with Christ, you getting something pertaining to
your worship for him and how to navigate through this life.
As you represent his name and you're going to find that God
willing in these verses. So as we come let's read the
first three verses right? We're continuing.
There's no chapter breaks in their original text and so the
word begins in verse one with moreover.
Moreover, I thoughtful set to Absalom.
Let me choose 12,000 men, and I will arise and pursued David
tonight. I will come upon him while he is
weary and discouraged and throw him into a panic and all the
people who are with them will flee, I will strike down Only
The King and I will bring all the people back to you.
As a bride comes home to her husband, you seek the life of
only one man, and all the people will be at peace.
So I fell for just finished telling him take.
David's concubines go up to the rooftop and violate them.
That was a political statement as you learned last week.
And now he continues because I fell for, doesn't want to just
sever the potential reconciliation between Father
and Son, he thoughtful wants to eliminate David completely and
he wants to Apparently, give Absalom the assurance that you
can now completely destroy any potential future threat from
David and his men by listening to what I have to say, but
there's something deeper going on here.
Is there not we learned that last week and it's just
reinforced here again. Actually, there are three things
that I personally have observed in these verses and maybe you
will see them as well. What are some things?
Maybe you see something that I didn't see which will be great
to discover but what are some Some things that you discover
here with the first three verses with Opals advice that stand out
to you. And I know some who revisit
this. They've told us, we listen to
the study but we didn't hear what the people have to say.
It's very difficult to pass the mic around.
So I'm going to repeat what you have to say, which is going to
require something from you. Please don't let your answer be
too lengthy. And try to be as concise as
possible so that I can repeat it for future people who would do
watch who can't make it or work and they want to watch this
study later. Okay, as I make sense, just an
added rule. To our study.
What stands out to you from these first three verses?
Yes. I fell for ya.
Because it's like he's taking Revenge.
Okay? Very good.
I'll stop you there. I thoughtful is proposing that
he killed David. Let's hold on to that.
Thought any other observations? Yes.
He wants to do it now. He wants to do it immediately.
He wants to do it this very night.
So there's urgency here. Very good.
Yes. Why does he need 12,000 men to
kill one man? Interesting thought.
Yes, so he has some kind of a strategy here.
Very good observation. We'll get to that in a moment he
uses, I will quite a bit. Yes.
Very good. You guys are doing great.
Look at, look at the condition of David described here by I
thoughtful, while he is weary and discouraged.
Very good, last one. Yes.
Oh, you guys are doing so well. He promises Absalom that if all
goes through with his plan, there will be peace among the
men as a result. Very good.
You guys are excellent students of God's word.
Let's notice the first thing here notice first.
The amount of times that Absalom says, I will strongly suggesting
that he wants to be the one to lead the attack on David.
So he says, let me choose, then he goes on.
I say I will, I will, I will, I will, there's no mention of you
will. There's a mention of we will
He's hopeful wants to take on this campaign himself and it's
because I thought was motivated by personal interest and that
personal interest as you know, is stimulated by lodging
bitterness. There should be no doubt in our
minds. That the reason why this plot is
proposed is because I, he filfil wants to satisfy the thirst of
Vengeance because of what David did to his granddaughter
Bathsheba, let me have David myself.
So, we should not believe for a second.
That the reason why I thoughtful is standing in the presence of
Absalom is because he's somewhat convinced that Absalom is the
legitimate King appointed to be the ruler of the people of God,
in fact, by virtue of a slip-up, we actually have evidence of
what a heath offal really believe that about this whole
predicament about this whole Feud about this whole conflict
that anybody Catch it. Let's look back again here, and
verse 2 at the end. He says, at the end of verse 2,
I will strike down Only The Who The king.
Hold on. I thought, I thought Absalom was
the king, isn't that? Why you are where you are?
No, he refers to David as the king.
Goes to show what he really believed about who the true king
was. And it's it's sad to see that
even though he knew the truth, he was still willing to side
with Rebellion. He was still willing to side
with falsehood and I believe here, we have a little glimpse,
a little insight of who it is and why it is some people are
deceived and embrace wickedness. There is a great amount of
people who are deceived because they are naive.
And there are others who are willing to walk in deception,
not because they're concerned about what's true, what's not
true, but because whatever system of belief, they are
ascribing to will ultimately gratify the flesh.
This will satisfy my Personal Agenda, my personal interest, my
personal itch, And so they give themselves over to something,
just like, I hate filfil again. Not because they care about
what's right or what's wrong, but because they're motivated by
self-interest. you know, I've talked to many atheists
throughout my walk with the Lord, and I've come to this
conclusion, that most atheists, if not almost all of them except
for a few Most atheists are atheist not because of the
evidence supposed evidence but because of the implications of
what it means to admit that there is a God who has a moral
standard. That's why they're atheist
because to ascribe to an idea that there is a God who has
objectively provided Truth For Humanity, demands accountability
and I don't want accountability. I want my sin.
So don't be duped by all the smoke screen of scientific
evidence and all the other things that they try to persuade
people with. It's fascinating to me how most
of these people are very angry at something that doesn't exist.
It's amazing how when you when you even when you push on the,
the real reason why it is that they don't want to even
entertain the possibility of a god being true.
It comes down to this. I want to be the god of my own
life. I want to be the master of my
own fate. I'm telling you there's probably
only a handful of people that I've encountered with that were
in that place of unbelief because they just needed some
questions answered. You can answer as many questions
for so many and they would still not be satisfied because
ultimately they want to satisfy themselves, not please God.
I thoughtful presents that as an example.
Here he is driven by bitterness and he wants to satisfy that
bitterness and to him. It didn't matter of David was
the true king or not David was the object of his desire.
And you know, what Paul says something about those who are
walking as enemies of Christ. He says that there are, there
are people who are walking as enemies of the Cross of Christ.
Why? Because in Philippians 3, 19,
their God is their belly. And their minds are set on
Earthly things. Right.
And that is why for some no matter how much truth you give
them, no matter how many answers you give them no matter how much
evidence you provide for them. They will not change.
They will not budge because ultimately they are anchored.
In one thing I want to please myself and not please this God
that you're proposing to me. There's a second thing in some
of you have mentioned that we can't move forward here without
acknowledging something that you and I have learned in the past
few studies. At this point of David's life,
look at the description of David.
Again, I thoughtful wanted to attack him at this point because
he knew that David was weary. He knew that he was Couraged.
And remember, when Zeba and shammai approach David in the
wilderness, we concluded those very two things about David when
he was deceived by ziba and slandered, by shammai, right
that he was emotionally dejected and he was physically depleted.
And we know obviously see here, that that's confirmed by, I feel
foes human wisdom and he realizes this is the time.
Now to overtake him, this is the time not to come after him and
Satan is no. Friends.
Just to reinforce some of the you and I learn about that.
Satan is no different. He looks for an opportune time.
He considers the whole man, you are, you are Spirit, soul and
body, right? And what we do with this body,
can affect what happens to our soul.
And so the enemy considers the whole man and he evaluates when
and how to come and to pounce, right?
And if it's true, that discouragement is one of his
sweetest opportunities for him. If it's one of the the footholds
He uses and enjoys the most, then we have some insight of how
to do Warfare. We have some insight of know how
to Shield ourselves against his tactics and to help our brothers
and sisters out in Christ. And here's the one thing I want
to drive into your heart, encourage one another often
often. Guys, there's enough garbage out
there, there's enough discouragement out there in the
world, right? Let the house of God be a
charging station of Hope. Let that be what we should
expect when we come into this place.
So just lay off on the drama, we have enough at work.
Some people here are not and Christian households.
They have enough drama at home. We see enough of it, on our
YouTube headlines and all the things that pop up on our
phones, it's all out. There may this place be an oasis
and what that will require my brother and my sister is for you
to be filled with God's word so that your counsel and your
encouragement can be laced with the promises of God, because
there's no greater encouragement than that.
And at the same time, it will also require us to reveal our
wounds from from time to time and to expose ourselves to
others so that we can receive the sweet counsel of a friend.
Scripture says that he who isolates himself, what is he
doing? He's escaping all sound
judgment. There is an importance in
community, as you're going to see here, there's importance of
coming together and if Satan feeds off of discouragement, and
let's give them nothing to work with.
Right. And one of the ways in which we
can do that is by pouring out such a small thing to do, right?
It's such a small thing but it holds Dynamite power.
It can, it can blow away anxiety, Blow Away fear Blow
Away concern. And just a few words, the
ministry of encouragement. Well you may not be a preacher.
May not be a prophet. You may not be an evangelist.
You may not be a musician, but everybody here can encourage.
All right? I evil said he's discouraged.
Let's come now, let's throw him into a panic before he finds
strength and hope. All the enemy is no different,
please remember that. And please remember, when you
are discouraged to escape That place that state as quickly as
possible. Find a way to encourage yourself
in the Lord call a brother, call, the sister call a leader,
open your heart, pray with someone and you will know
lasting protection against the the schemes of Satan.
Lastly, another thing. Look at how he thoughtful
mentions, as we heard from our sister, a promise.
If everything goes well, according to his plan and the
promise was this, all the people at the end of verse 3 will be at
peace. Temptation, always promises us.
Some level of reward for our compliance with sin always
whether that's advancement and promotion, whether that's
lasting gratification, whether that's a peace of mind, whether
that's material gain or escape from trouble, whenever there is
premeditated Disobedience. It is always accompanied with
false promises always, And idea here is to see past through
that. I mean who would have thought
that the death of a righteous man of a faithful leader would
promote Tranquility in society. Yeah best of false peace among
the wicked but not the true and Lasting peace that comes from
reflecting God's justice and his law.
So remember that when Temptation comes your way and you meditate
on it, the reward that's attached to.
It is just as much of a lie as the Temptation itself.
Don't forget that. In verse 4, we read and the
advice seemed right in the eyes of Absalom and all the Elders of
Israel. What we expected that, why did
we expect that? Because we know how chapter 16
ended in the last verse of chapter 16, we are told we were
given a commentary about a, he fulfills Council.
It was Godlike. It was highly esteemed.
It was sought after it was trusted.
And so to see this response to this proposal as no shock to us
but what is a shock is verse 5. Then Absalom said call who shy
the our kite also and let us hear what he has to say.
Why you guys already made a unanimous decision?
It's already settled, it's right.
That seems good and yet all of a sudden we see that there's this
inspiration and in the man's heart to seek a second opinion
from who shy and so he summons him now humanly speaking.
This doesn't make sense, it doesn't?
You have the best counselor, the top guy who gave some every, all
the elders are nodding their head, they all give of their
thumbs up and in something in Absalom says, well it doesn't
hurt to hear another perspective so fetch for who shy humanly
speaking. It doesn't make sense but when
you put God in the equation it really does make sense.
Did we forget the prayer that David prayed while he was in the
wilderness? And when he learned that I
thoughtful joined forces with Absalom, what was this summation
of his prayer? Was a very short prayer, Lord,
turn the wisdom of. I feel fun to what foolishness,
if you want to reference for that second Samuel 15:31 when
David learned what happened with a heath offal, His reflex was a
cry, and he sighed a supplication to heaven.
And he said, oh Lord, please turn the counsel of ahithophel
into foolishness. And what you're seeing here in
verse 6, of chapter 17 is God answering that prayer.
God is fulfilling what David requested.
And here's the point that I want to make upon meditation prayer.
Does the unexplainable really does prayer is a force that you
cannot imagine, but you have every right to utilize if you
understand what it can do to some degree.
If you just believe God's word about prayer can do prayer
prayer. Can touch the most unlikely
heart. Prayer can reach and arrive,
where no, man, can go, right? Prayer can intervene in the most
classified political conferences.
Prayer. Can also direct the future of
Nations and prayer. I love this point about prayer
prayer, out lives, the lives of those who prayed them.
Prayer is powerful. I wonder if that is what the
Holy Spirit intended to teach us at this moment to connect what
David prayed to Chapters earlier to this moment.
Seeing the Fulfillment of it for you to realize at least one
thing that a man broken and shattered, wandering in the
wilderness. Praying can affect the plans and
the counsel of wicked men in high places.
Yeah, that's Old Testament. God answered prayer differently
than why did James use an Old Testament figure to encourage
New Testament Christians. Elijah was a man with a nature
like ours and when he prayed something happened to Nature
itself, I mean if if you're telling us that we're in the new
dispensation, and God answers prayer differently, don't use.
Elijah of all examples to inspire Christians to pray.
A man who was also a prophet who entered into palaces and
courtrooms and who saw God do Mighty things when he prayed and
you and I are encouraged to do the same.
Another thing about prayer is that God remembered David's
prayer You might have forgotten that he prayed that prayer in
chapter 15, but God did not forget so much has happened.
So many updates between 15 and 17.
And yet, we know that God heard that cry held onto it and at the
perfect time answered it. God remembers When you pray, God
holds onto you. You might have forgotten that
you've prayed something God. Didn't?
This is how faithful the Lord is and he does it for his glory.
Prayer has power. God remembers prayer.
Can I ask you a question? How many times?
Did Abraham rescued. Lot from Sodom.
How many times? Good twice.
The first time. How did it happen?
Well, this is when initially lot decide to move into Sodom bad
move, bad move, chapter 13, chapter 14.
There's a war that breaks out between five Kings and for
kings, and who's caught up in the conflict lot.
Because Sodom was one of those kingdoms apps.
Rather Abraham is Uncle heard about it and he recruits 318
trained men and they go into the camp and they rescue lines,
right? By the strength of the arm God
did help them. It was a miraculous thing for
318, men to come into an army to bring out lat.
It's wonderful. It's a great testimony.
But what was the second time? Genesis, 19.
The Lord and to Angels visits Abraham in Genesis 18 and
Abraham receives Revelation about what's going to come to
Sodom and Gomorrah. So what does he do?
Did he get 318 men again as you get the sword as you get
Javelin? What does he do?
He prays He stands before the presence of God and he
intercedes on behalf of his nephew lot.
And we were told there after lot is rescued at the end of Genesis
19 and the Lord remembered Abraham The Lord remembered
Abraham, I love that Peril. I love how God gave us two
stories of lot being rescued. The first one was with the
sword, the first one was with weapons and men and strength,
right? Flesh.
It's not - it's just a different tactic.
And yet when that same man needed to rescue the same end,
he relies on prayer and it was just as effective as an army.
It was just as effective as Weapons, it was just as
effective as a strategy to go in physically to come out, prayer
went and prayer did what we often think, only our ideas and
our abilities can do does more than that.
Pray. Pray often, I'm going to end
this Bible study in a certain way.
I'm going to ask you by faith to actually pray about something
before you leave this place because we're not here to just
acquire information, we want to respond to the truth that we
receive pray. How much do you pray?
How much do you believe in prayer?
How much do you believe prayer can do all be reminded today,
that you can even sigh a prayer, you can be distracted and yet in
a little Mustard Seed Faith, utter a prayer, God will hear it
and you can change the heart of Kings.
So they called for who shine and who shy comes, and look at verse
7 and Housh, I said to Absalom. Let's read verse six and one who
shot came to Absalom. Absalom set to him.
Thus has I fofa spoken, shall we do as?
He says, if not, if not you speak.
Very direct. If I was hoosh, I personally I
would be intimidated. Why would he shy be intimidated,
any idea? Okay, so you already had a
consensus. Everybody agreed with what I
feel for have to say. Yes that is part of it.
Let's add to that when a Absalom came into Jerusalem and he was
met by who shies long live the king long live.
The king was Absalom suspicious, he was suspicious.
It's like this is how you treat your friend?
Is this your loyalty to your friend?
And who shy cleverly presented? His apparent shift of loyalty
without being too detailed. So some suspicions subsided and
here's the here's the Dilemma, not only do you have the popular
vote? If you have who shy now standing
against the Council of IE thoughtful, he might revive
those initial intuitions that Absalom had him put himself in
danger. This is a critical point for his
shy. This is actually a dangerous
place for his shy. The danger is that in this
moment, depending on how he answers can expose himself and
put himself a great harm, but there's another danger.
The danger is this to miss out on a golden opportunity to make
a difference for why he originally was sent to this
place. A very unique instance, a very
unique moment but the principle can be applied to Believers and
what they should expect in their pilgrimage believer.
There will be times if you're a Really loves the gospel and
wants to be used by the Lord. There will be times where you'll
be put in situations in which you will have the opportunity to
speak up and it might cost you something to speak up.
There will be times where you have the opportunity and you
might be the only source. The only voice of reason to
oppose evil. And to propose God's view, God's
will God's truth on a matter, whether it's controversial or
not. And in those decisions, you have
to make a choice before you make that choice.
And that choice is, am I willing to do this no matter what?
It cost me now we've all been in those different situations.
I'm sure in the past if you walk with the Lord long enough, even
in the early phases of walking, with the Lord, you felt the
pressure to remain quiet. While there is falsehood being
presented or blasphemy being uttered.
Whether that's at work, whether that's in the classroom, whether
that's at the family gatherings. We've all felt the intimidation
to just remain quiet and let it pass by.
Although you know that you must say something.
Can I can I give you a word of encouragement to help you
overcome those hurdles of your visited by them again, right.
Ask yourself this one simple question.
It's very simple. And and train yourself to ask
this question. When you walk into the places
that God has placed you, Why am I really here?
It's not deep but it's really helpful.
What is this? All really about?
Why did God in his Providence? Put me here with this
opportunity for this season, at this time, what is it?
Is it like who shine who shine was sent by the king to go there
with a specific Duty? Do I have the Heavenly Mandate
of the Gospel in the Forefront of my thinking, or are my goals
and our, my Pursuits muddied with temporal causes and
rewards. See oftentimes, they're the
obstacles and the hurdles to our witness have to do with things
tied to to the stuff under the sun reputation preservation.
Promotion. And this is a very important
word of advice here and exhortation.
We're now, we're seeing companies asking you to use
certain pronouns certain titles for things that are obviously,
in blatantly a violation of God's word.
So be encouraged by this, right? Ask yourself this.
What am I really doing? What is this really all about?
And if you're Christian, you can answer that easily.
I'm an ambassador. I am a representative of the
Lord Jesus Christ. And my purpose in life is not to
be prettier, not to be more in shape, not having more
comfortable retirement not to make as many friends as
possible. Not to be successful person.
It is to preach the gospel, that's your goal in life.
No matter what you do, what your gifts are that is ultimately the
reason why you're here. And if you can convince yourself
of that over and over, I'm telling you it will energize a
holy boldness. Because if that's your purpose,
then it doesn't matter what happens here, doesn't matter
what happens to you, it doesn't ultimately affect why you're
here and where you're going, so let that strengthen you.
Well I might lose my job, okay? He's going to take care of you.
Well, I might lose this person might make things awkward.
That's fine. What's going to be more?
Awkward is if that person knew that you knew the truth and you
didn't tell them and it costs them their Eternal Soul.
That's more Awkward trust me. At the same time I get it.
There are some people who hear this kind of message and they
feel it guilt. And they feel this this sense
that I gotta touch every passing person.
And I got a minister to at least one, two, three people a day.
That's not the case. They're still called to wisdom.
And who shine here is is going to implement wisdom in his
approach. I'm not saying go wild and be
crazy and just stand on cars, and yell, and stand in the bus
and just shout at people and stand in the office at lunch
break and don't do that please. At the same time, don't Let the
threats or the intimidations of this world silence, you?
This is going to this could potentially cause who shies
life. But why is he shy even here?
To begin with because King David said, go back.
I need you there. And I need you to represent me.
I need you to help me just remind yourself of that when you
wake up and you get into your car and you grab your coffee and
you go to work. Lord, help me.
Remember, it's more than a paycheck, it's more than a
paycheck. God will help you will give you
wisdom and so this is what happens.
He's about to speak up and he realizes, this is an opportunity
that I might not have. Again, this is a vital
opportunity because of a, he fulfills advice has received
David? Might be finished verse 7.
That who should I set the Absalom this time?
The So, that I fell for has given is not good.
Very wise men. Why do you think this is wise?
Because he's not altogether discrediting?
He thoughtful, he's saying this time.
It's not good. I like who shine.
He says this time, it's not good and then we read here in verse
8. He shy said, you know, that your
father and his men are Mighty Men and that they are enraged
like a bear robbed of her Cubs in the field.
Besides, your father is expert in war.
He will not spend the night with the people behold.
Even now he has hidden himself and one of the pits or In some
other place. And as soon as some of the
people fall at the first attack, whoever hears it will say there
has been a Slaughter among the people who follow Absalom.
What we see here is something very, very interesting.
The first thing that he says, is you look at verse 8, is that he
reminds Absalom That the task ahead is not as simple as a
heath opal made it to be right? This is more difficult and this
is more challenging than what you may think it is.
And he says a few things about his father, your father is a
mighty man, and he has mighty men with him.
He's an expert in war and they are mad.
They've been driven from their home, they've been driven from
their their families, their friends, their positions, the
Comforts their livelihood, they are not at the best place right
now. They are extra motivated to deal
with us. And so, he encourages Absalom to
plan carefully, he encourages Absalom more than that, to
really count the cost of what he is about to do.
And the tactic here. The strategy here though who
shies motive is different has been used by the Lord.
Jesus Jesus. Also in his call to
discipleship. Encouraged and charge people to
sit down and think before they actually Endeavor to commit
themselves to his cause, and he actually uses two illustrations,
very short Parables side-by-side to communicate to illustrate.
What it is that he requires of his hearers before they actually
make any type of confession. What are those two
illustrations? Do, you know what I'm speaking
about? While you're thinking about it,
turn to Luke 14 there. The answer will be in verse 28.
But if you know before, then what are the two Parables?
That Jesus is use that Jesus used in order to communicate,
the need to contemplate before committing to his cause anybody
have an idea. Okay, you're that's another one,
right? He uses that when it when it
came to Luke chapter 9 and several different people came up
saying, I want to follow you and one said, you know, I really
want to do this and he's like, you don't understand what you're
getting yourself into in terms of comfort and Leisure.
The other one says, I want to bury my father, he told another
one, follow me and there's all these excuses and delays but
it's not. That's not what I'm referring
to. There's another two sets of
Parables a little lengthier than that that Jesus uses while
you're there. So you know it, look at verse
28. Eight.
Of Luke 14 for which of you Desiring to build the Tower.
There's not first sit down and count the cost, whether he has
enough to complete it, otherwise when he has laid a foundation
and is not able to finish all, who see it.
Begin to mock him saying, this man began to build and was not
able to finish. Then in verse 31 or what?
King going up to encounter another king and War will not
sit down first. And the deliberate, whether he
is able with ten thousand to meet him, who comes against him
with Tony thousand. And if not, while the other is
yet a great way off, he sends a delegation asks for terms of
peace to parables. They both have something in
common their different ideas, but they share something in
common and Jesus actually reveals it.
What is it? What are they both share in
common the Builder and the King they both have to sit down
there. Both expected to sit down and
count both of them. Sit down.
And meditate reflect evaluate what it is that you're really
going to do often times and modern gospel presentations.
We get people to reach the heat of emotion.
We put, we make things happen. So that there is, there is more
heart than there is head, and then we call for people to make
a decision. When they don't really realize
what they're getting themselves into urgency is undeniable with
the gospel. But urgency with
self-reflection, urgency with self-evaluation, urgency with
thoughtfulness urgency with Clarity, on the part of the
messenger to remind you to tell you to inform you.
What it is, it means to follow Jesus and for that person to
really contemplate their life and what they're willing to do
with this message and though they share the parable share,
The economy, there's two differences, the Builder.
Had to think about whether or not they can afford to commence
this project. Can I really give what it takes
for me to do this very thing? Am I willing to make the
expenses necessary to go full force with this thing?
Whereas the King has a different way of thinking, the King on the
other hand, is not necessarily counting what it might cost him
to move forward. The king is contemplating,
whether or not he should resist or make terms of peace with
opposing Force. So the king had to think I have
10,000 this king who wants to come against me, has 20,000,
will I go to war or will I submit to his demands?
And so what you have here is really a complete picture of
contemplation at first. We ought to always think At
least. Initially, am I willing to go
full force with this? Am I willing to give everything
that I have? Whatever is required of me to
fulfill my call to discipleship, but the second presentation, the
second Parable is a different process.
Its this. Am I willing to resist this king
or make terms of peace with him? What I mean by that is the first
idea presents us. The cost of following Jesus
because there is a cost of following him, right?
This second, one has a different emphasis the cost of not
following him. Do I think that I can overpower
overthrow reject stand as an enemy to this coming King and
think I can succeed or will I bow the knee and surrender
before it's too late there is a cost to following Christ.
There's a greater cost of not following you.
And the person who hears, the gospel should think about both
paths and they're willing to pay the price to follow Lord or I
willing to pay the price to resist him and reject him have
my way. And Jesus.
Plain description, your shows that that's a, that's a failing
idea because this King has 20,000, you have ten, you will
not be able to overcome, he will be king, he will be Lord, you'll
receive worship whether you give it to him or not.
I thoughtful. Didn't present that kind of
argument who shy does. And he says absent realize what
you're up against and really think about it and plan
accordingly and then he goes into verse 9, you heard it.
He makes a different emphasis. He reminds Absalom now of the
planned counter-attack that is prepared by David and his men
because they are experienced Warriors and have Absalom is not
ready. The men that will be sent out
with a he Pho. Pho will be taken by surprise
and they will have consequences for the morale of the rest of
the people who are on his side. And so who shy is reminding
Absalom What you and I need to be mindful of concerning our
foe, right? The principal is alive and well
for us though, this is specific to a context.
The principal's still applicable.
We have an enemy, we have a foe and he's not inexperienced, he's
not inexperienced and listen, he is not unprepared to come
against the people of God from different angles.
And I'm afraid. That people who believe in
spiritual warfare because the scriptural thing.
Don't understand. The mechanics of spiritual
warfare, it happens all the time.
Paul says we do not wrestle against flesh and blood and
that's where many Christians fail already.
Because when they experience certain trials or persecution or
irritation from fellow professing Christians, what do
they do? They fight against flesh and
blood? You already.
You're already lost at the ABCs of spiritual warfare.
If you can't see past the understanding that we don't
wrestle against people, we wrestle against cosmic, power,
spiritual forces, principalities in high places.
If you can't get that, that's the ABCs.
And there's more to that. And here's what Paul says.
And, you know, this very well, he tells the Corinthian Church
in 2nd Corinthians 2 and he says, in verse 11 so that we
would not be outwitted by Satan. So that we would not be
outwitted by Satan. Why?
For we are not ignorant of his designs.
So, Paul expected Christians, not just pastors, not Apostles,
not prophets. Christians, who go to work?
Who make a living and humble ways.
You are not ignorant of Satan's designs, right?
Corinthian Christians. Okay, what was the context in
which Paul said that, anybody know.
Why did Paul say that at this point in 2nd Corinthians chapter
2? Let me remind you second
Corinthians chapter 2. This is his second letter to the
Corinthians. There was a man that was
excommunicated from the church. The very same church that he
wrote In First Corinthians, he was excommunicated from the
church because of unrepented said, because of a gross sexual
violation, he was he was having affairs with his father's wife
and the people did not care. They tolerated it and Paul says,
get them out. Get him out, which is important
because for those who believe that Christians can be possessed
and that it's the spirit of lust that comes over you called and
said, I'm going to cast that demon that Spirit of lust out of
that man. He says no he needs Church to
this, play needs to go, just throw that out there.
Forever might be watching. And so this man.
Ends up leaving the congregation, right?
The people were obedient to Paul's Authority, but in second
Corinthians chapter 2, you learn something.
You learn that the same man repents And the same man is
broken over his sin and he's seeking forgiveness.
He's seeking reconciliation with a very same church.
That was faithful and confronting his sin, and Paul is
urging them. Forgive him.
Paul is urging them, please restore him reassure him of your
love for him, and then he throws in that verse 4.
We are what we should not be outwitted by saying for we are
not ignorant of his designs. I want you to think about how
conniving the devil is when the people were willing to let the
man remain in his sin, Satan had Victory to some degree.
Satan would have enjoyed destroying that congregation by
allowing A little leaven to leaven the whole lump, right?
And once the people stepped in obedience and dealt with that
person's sin, Satan was right there to ensure that they would
not continue in obedience and what sense when this man
repented. The enemy who was willing to
allow this man to justify his sin and was pleased to see this
church justify. His sin is now ready to convince
them. Not to forgive this man for his
sin. And to withhold mercy and
restoration from this. Very same man. so, his schemes
Were right there, every step of the way.
When the sin was tolerated in some way, he was there.
When the scene was repented of and this man was broken over his
sin, he was right there to make sure that this man would not
know the Forgiveness of Christ through the people of God.
He's very, very conniving and his schemes were not just
hovering over this local church. They're equally at work in this
individual. what I mean by that again, when he was living in his
sin, that's a wonderful victory for the enemy.
That's just one other person who's failing in his testimony
for Jesus Christ. Satan.
Applauded at Satan. Love this Satan.
Encouraged it. And the same man, who overcame
And repented, we read here that the enemy was seeking to crush
him, not by his sin, but by his remorse, for his sin, excessive
sorrow and despair. Do you see how he's so
conniving? And he's so present.
And he always seeks an opportunity to wedge himself in
whether that is with the Toleration of sin.
Or being merciless regarding people sin.
So we need the wisdom of the Holy Spirit, we need a
sensitivity to the word of God. And, you know, I was meditating
on this this afternoon and I thought to myself there's
there's so many profound truths that just shoot forth from that,
from that tax and that truth. And here's one of them how
essential the local churches for us as individuals.
Think about this for a second, the local church was used by God
to confront this man sinned. And the local church was also
used by God to comfort. This man regarding his sin, you
can't do all that. You think you can do without the
people of God, you're a fool. If you think so.
This man teaches me that God uses the local church to not
only promote Holiness but to promote the loving kindness of
God, that is how God expresses this to us, as individuals
through the members of his body. And this man would know that he
would know the loving rebuke of God's truth to the people who
uphold the truth. But he would also know the balm
of healing from the very same people, when this man learned
his lesson, turn from his wrong and fell into their arms, it's
the church, the local church. A healthy God-fearing wise
church is so necessary. For each of us, never forget
that. Never forget that.
There are many people who want to make many decisions about
their life moving here. Taking a job there.
Can I ask you something in your decision process and you're
thinking is there any place or what priority does the local
church have in your life? I'm so encouraged, when I meet
people that say, We feel like God is calling us here.
And, and then, in the very same breath, there's a local church,
that preaches God's word Faithfully, that has godly
people who want to imitate him and we're so excited to be part
of that Community. Like that's how Christians
think. We don't go places and move
places and do things for for just the same reasons that the
Gentiles do. That's not how we operate,
right? Nothing just throwing out there.
So, what happens? We see that t reminds him of the
strategies of David and we also have to be mindful the
strategies of the evil one. Now, let's come here.
We're closing very soon. In verse 11 of second Samuel 17,
it says, but my counsel is that all Israel be gathered to you
from Dan to Beersheba as the Sand by the sea from multitude
and that you go to battle in person.
So we shall come upon him and someplace where he is to be
found and we shall light upon him as do falls on the ground
and of him and all the men with him.
No one will be left. Okay?
This is where we see a strong contrast between the counsel of
ahithophel and the Council of who shy.
What stands out to you in the concluding remarks of this, man.
How many men did hoosh? I?
Advise, I thoughtful or Absalom to take the whole nation.
Take them all from Dan to Beersheba.
Don't just take 12,000. Take as many as you can.
So absalom's hearing something different Absalom is hearing.
Yeah the more the merrier, the more number the greater our
strength. The more number, the more
intimidating will be to my father and his mighty men.
And who shies mine? What is he thinking?
Let's buy some more time. It's going to require much more
time for you to gather all these men from the different tribes of
Israel. And that's precisely what he is
doing. He wants David and his men to be
better prepared for what is inevitable and that is an attack
from Absalom. Delay.
In this sense is good, it's good for David, but delay can be
deadly depending on what we hold off on.
Apart from salvation, there are many things that the Lord Jesus
calls us not to wait on there. Are many instructions to wait
upon the Lord. There are many things that you
don't need to pray about. You just don't you saying, what
do you mean by that? Well, there's some things that
are so clear in the scripture that the pray about it would
just to hinder you from doing what, you know, you're supposed
to do. Here's one thing you're supposed
to do when there is anger, when there's animosity, when there's
potential Strife, when there's tension with a brother or
sister, what are you supposed to do?
Matthew 5, 25 says. To meet with your accuser and to
settle with them quickly. Matthew 525, quickly settle the
matter with your accuser quickly.
And so there is emergency protocol in some regards right
or else like we just heard we give we give footholds to the
enemy. And so we should be equally
mindful of the things that call for us to rush into and things
that we should wait on God for. And so this concept of delay is
important for us, it was important for David.
It's important for us in different ways and concerning
our Warfare and unfortunately, some Believers don't realize
that and they don't understand that their delay in certain
areas, can actually empower the enemy more and more as each day
goes by, but there's a second thing.
What else stands out to you from who shies concluding remarks?
In comparison to Eiffel. We all very good.
What was I thoughtful saying over and over again?
Let me choose 12,000 men and I will, I will, I will, I will now
shy comes and he does say we but he does something else.
I want you to look here at the end of verse 11, he says you go
to battle in person. I've always said I'll do it.
I'll be more than willing to do it when he's shy comes.
Oh, you shy. Hey absolutely gather all the
men but don't let those men go without you lead that great
Army, make your presence known go in there and show yourself.
Let there be no confusion about who is going to receive credit
for this Victory would be shy is doing is appealing to absalom's
Pride. He's seeking to further inflate
his ego and he knows that Absalom is a man who cannot
refuse the opportunity of potential vainglory, right.
And so Absalom is getting excited.
He likes this because again, it just feeds his own Pride, it
feeds his own self-esteem, and he's willing to he's willing to
do this. And he does comply, he does
agree with it. And we look here at verse 14,
and we read and Absalom and all the men of Israel said, the
Council of who shy the, our kite is better than the Council of a
heath offal. And it's not because of anything
other than what we read following that for the Lord had
ordained to defeat the Good Counsel that he thoughtful.
This was a decree by God. Was it an arbitrary decree?
No. God didn't just decree this
randomly God, decreed this because God has a law.
There are many things in his law that applied to this day and one
of the things in his law is this that he exalts the humble and he
brings down the proud. In fact, James says that he
opposes the proud that were deposed in.
The Greek is a military term. Meaning God will actually raise
up a rank against the person who harbors and holds onto his
pride. That that to me is one of the
most frightening verses in the New Testament.
You know why? Because I already have the devil
fighting against me. I have Satan fighting against me
and you, I have the flesh, I have this world.
The last thing I need to fight against me as God.
Right. I needed to be on my side and I
want to be on his side. And the one thing that will
cause God to oppose a man is when he is proud.
And so because of absalom's Pride God had determined his
destruction. And he's actually going to use
the very Pride that he hates to destroy.
Absolutely. For the Lord, had ordained to
defeat the Good Counsel of a thoughtful.
I look at this so that the Lord might bring harm upon
absolutely. Remember the prayer that David
prayed O Lord, turn the counsel of ahithophel into foolishness.
Was in this long elaborate strategy that he asked of God,
no is a simple prayer. And what I see here is that
after praying that God was willing to answer, he's going to
defeat the Good Counsel but there's something added to that
so that the Lord might bring harm upon Absalom, David didn't
pray for that. In fact, when you see that
there's a war that will break down the neck, Chapter David
wanted to preserve Absalom. Remember, he asked whatever you
do, don't kill my son, remember that seems heartfelt, but the
very mess that David is in is because when he should have
implemented discipline, he didn't and Absalom cause of
Revolt, right? So no matter how strong David's
feelings were for his son. God knew what he needed.
And what he needed was for his son to be removed from his life.
David didn't pray that but God knew he needed that and when I
want you to understand is that when you pray, God always does
more than what you asked, that's what Ephesians tells us, right?
That he is able to do abundantly more than we can ask or imagine.
And so even with our limited view on things even even with
our little faith that we got, even though we have a linear one
dimensional perspective on matters.
When we partner with God, he does and he performs more than
we thought we needed or we knew we needed and we should trust
them in those things. And so, I'm encouraged to see
that that the Holy Spirit included that the Lord might
bring harm upon Absalom. That wasn't part of the prayer,
but that was a needed part of David's life.
And the Lord knew how to provide exactly that.
And so, I'm grateful that even in the New Testament were told
that we don't know how we ought to pray.
We don't know how we ought to pray, but the spirit of God,
intercedes for us. You know what that means.
It means this that when you pray and you don't have the right
words or you don't know how to exactly pray about the
situation. The Holy Spirit, takes your
fragmented, even sometimes your ramblings, your incoherent cries
and he perfectly presents it before.
The throne of grace. And God perfectly answers.
It all. He asked of you is that one
simple step of faith. God, I need you.
God, I don't know where to go from here.
I don't know how to deal with this God.
I think that the answer to this is this prayer.
Would you would you do that? Sometimes God doesn't in his
wisdom. Sometimes God does and often
times he doesn't, he does more. He does more.
Here's how I want us to end our time tonight.
I want you in all sincerity in your heart.
There's so much more in this, but we're going to pause to do
something. That is, I think, important from
time to time to respond immediately to what we learn
Just in your heart whatever you're dealing with at this very
moment, whatever it is that you're asking God for it could
be, it could be anything. To believe in the power of
Prayer. And you might be facing a
situation where somebody's heart.
Has no heartbeat. It's cold, as can be as dead as
can be as confused as can be. And there's Absalom, right?
He had no reason to ask for secondary Council and yet he
did, There's Something inspired in his heart to reach out.
Yes, it was for his discipline because he was unrepentant, but
let's pray the way Abraham prayed, not for the destruction
of those that we care for necessarily, but for their
Redemption, their rescue, their deliverance, and God will
remember your prayer, he will. So, in this, in this very
moment, I'm going to ask you before we sing a song before
anybody even comes up to the play.
Jay. To believe a fresh in the power
of intercession in supplication. Say God, I might be tired.
It might be the end of a work week, but what I heard, I
believe, and I want to present this to you and trust that you
will remember this and that you will bring it to fruition.
Can we do that? I'm going to join you.
I'm going to put my microphone down.
And I'm going to sit in that Pew and and do that very same thing.
Come up here. And called for us to worship
together. I grab the mic again
intentionally this quickly. To encourage you that you can
pray a short prayer 's and they are just as significant to God.
Scripture says Rejoice always pray without ceasing give thanks
in all circumstances for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus
for you. Make it a habit to pray.
Always as you walk as you drive, as you work with your hands as
you type on your computer to remain in communication with
your heavenly father, I'm going to ask the worship team to come
in and help us lead us in a final song.
And I want to encourage you to Worship the Lord Jesus tonight
with many things that were said, but with the one Revelation that
he remembers our prayers, he hears our cries, he is working.
When we don't see him working, he is faithful to his word.
Amen. Would you stand?
Hello. We do pray together.
Now thanking you for your goodness and we asked o God that
you would be exalted. As we end this night in your
presence with God's people, thanking you for the truths that
were laced in this chapter and Lord we are reminded again of
the powerful purpose of the local church in our lives that
you have ordained for your people in line.
Local assemblies. To push us into further
Holiness. And to receive us.
When we are broken or help us. Love your church, your bride,
your people, a fresh. We glorify you.
And we exalt thee, As we sing to you, in Jesus name, amen.
To push us into further Holiness.
And to receive us. When we are broken or help us.
Love your church, your bride, your people, a fresh.
We glorify you. And we exalt thee, As we sing to
you, in Jesus name, amen.