This world is not an easy world to live in and I remember having
a conversation with a few brothers and the thought, dawned
on me just hearing the different trials and temptations that
people face. And we're facing at the time and
this. This thought ran through my mind
if this is what it's like to live with Christ.
I don't know how people do it without him.
How in the world do you live through this turbulent world?
Without Christ by your side. I don't know how it is.
I don't know how it's done, but I can tell you this with him,
all things are possible and that is what we're seeing with this
men. David as he is, as he is
enduring, a great trial and extended trial that's coming to
an ear end but not just yet. And so we come together to First
Samuel chapter 26. As we finish this chapter
together beginning in verse 13. If you don't remember what
happened last week Saul is added again.
He wants to chase David down his repentance before this proved to
be futile. It didn't mean anything his
words. Held.
No. Wait.
And David realized that saw and 3000 are right there.
Not too far from his location and he is ready to confront him
to confront him in a very similar way that he did.
When he was hiding in a cave and Saul relieve themselves.
Of providentially in that very same hole in the wall.
And so we see here now, David is ready to communicate his
concerns and to confront Psalm. But before we get into what he
is going to say, we get a description of the setting of
The confrontation. And so, in verse 13, we read
then David went over to the other side and stood far off on
the top of the hill with a great space between them and David
called to the Army. And to Abner the Son of Nur
saying, will you not answer Abner?
Then I have never answered. Who are you, who calls to the
king and David said to Abner, are you not a man who is like,
you and Israel? Why then have you not kept watch
over your lord, the king for one of the people came in to destroy
the king. Your Lord, this thing that you
have done is not good as the Lord lives you deserve to die.
Because you have not kept watch over your lord, the Lord's
anointed and now see where the Kings spear is, and the jar of
water that was at his head. Remember saw was sound asleep
with three thousand of his men surrounding him in that
Wilderness and the Blackness of that Midnight Hour David and his
assistant that. I'm at least for this Mission.
Come to saw, they find his Spear and his water jug.
They taken instead of slaying Him and Dave's going to use
these props to make the same illustration.
He made when he was in that cave.
I could have killed you but I didn't.
But look at verse 13. Look at the description.
David went over to the other side and stood far off on the
top of the hill with a great space between them.
Now we don't know how much of a distance there was but we know
that perhaps in that Wilderness there were Hills and there is a
specific landscape that provided natural Acoustics for their
communication to be clear even though they were at a distance.
But the more than that, this space, this description of this
Chasm speaks about David's precaution of Saul.
Saw has proven to be unpredictable.
Saw has proven to lack Integrity.
Saw has shown that he can say something, but he doesn't really
mean it. That one day, he appears to be a
type of person. The next, you can be the polar
opposite and David here, realizes that and so, he
distance himself in order to be safe and it's sad to see the
sight of a man who is having to frame his relationship with his
employer and his father-in-law in such a way.
But when somebody proves over and over that, they cannot be a
trustworthy individual or when they repeat the same serious
offense time and time, again, it will cause even the godliest of
men and women to be guarded. And to be distant.
And if we desire for our relationships with other people
to be filled with life and love, then it will require us to take
heed of the warnings of the scriptures.
That tell us exactly what it is. That would cause others who can
be a blessing to our lives to instead be repelled, and to
reserve their affection, and their involvement in our lives.
And guess what? It doesn't take attempted murder
to do it. There are many things in the
scriptures that tell us exactly how friends and close Companions
and potential partners for the kingdom of God, to be to be
separated from one another. Can I give you one?
It's in Proverbs 17. Verse 9 tells us very plainly.
Whoever covers an offense seeks. Love But he who repeats a matter
separates close friends. Here, who repeats him a seesaw,
cause David a step aside, and to communicate from a distance
because he was trying to kill him.
No kidding. I would send a letter.
I wouldn't even voice myself. But scripture tells us in a very
realistic way, how we can do things that may not seem as
serious as taking a sword to someone's neck.
Scripture tells us you're with other insights that all the
takes us to repeat a matter to separate close friends.
Now, this can mean one of two things, number one, to repeat a
matter. Can mean that you take something
that was shared to you personally.
And to give it to someone else who has no, no right to receive
what you have been given. And it goes back to this
principle of lacking Trust of breaking trust.
Any relationship in life that you want to be secure and to
flow with Grace and fragrance, has to be built upon the
foundation of trust. Of trust, and all of us in this
place, long / Security in our friendships and our marriages
and our leadership. And if you want to build that
with anybody, then it must be built upon.
You being a trustworthy individual. and when that is
shattered, It causes great pain and there's nothing more
exhausting. There's nothing more troubling
and painful than feeling suspicious about a person.
God cares about our relationships with one another
he does and so he gives us incredible wisdom of how we
can't protect and how we can nourish those things that God
wants us to enjoy for the sake of his glory.
And I wonder when looking at this proverb in light of God,
because he is a personal being Is there any wonder why he
continually declares his faithfulness to us?
Is there any wonder that he proves his trustworthiness?
Then when he says something he means it.
Then when he promised something he will never break it, That
faithfulness that God has invites us to open our hearts
without reservation. It causes us to be transparent
and causes to arrest and knowing I can trust my God, I believe
him. When he says that he will do it,
if you recorded it, he promised me that he'll never change.
He's the same yesterday today and forever.
And if we strive to be like, our God, like our father, then, we
must also be like him and his faithfulness.
To be committed to our word to be serious with what people
entrust to us. And so scripture tells us that
even by repeating a matter that shouldn't be repeated.
We can we can fracture friendships, we can fracture our
marriages, we can fracture, our Partnerships will another in the
kingdom of God, but to repeat a matter.
Mainly means, I don't think it mainly means that, but I believe
it mainly means That someone to resurface a past wrong to
somebody who has offended them or offended, another person to
repeat a matter means to to unburied something and to berate
somebody with that failure of the past, when it's already been
dealt with when it's already been communicated and it's
already been forgiven, it's something that has been cast
behind your back. But to repeat a matter is to
continually smear it in someone's face for whatever
reason it can be out of wanting to make somebody feel that guilt
again to manipulate, and whatever the case may be, But if
you want to know, one, sure way of wounding a relationship with
someone just bring up their past the past that they have repented
of the past that they've asked forgiveness for bring that up
again. And that is a sure way of
causing someone to to be reserved emotionally and even
physically to distance themselves from you.
And again, I think about our relationship with the Lord, what
causes our relationship to the world to be so sweet and what
causes it to move forward and to advance into grow?
Well, I'll tell you one thing, he never brings up the past,
does he? If at any time, your thoughts
are being brought back to a past failure, I can tell you this.
It's either one of two things, it's yourself or it's the devil.
But it's never gone. Because once you repent, once
you give that at once, you confess it to the Lord, he
assures you, this is never going to be in our conversation again.
That is a glorious thing about our God.
But we worship him for it and we love it, but we're not willing
to give it to others. How can that be?
You, and I, if we want to secure these things that God has gifted
us with an in one, another, these relationships then be like
him, be like him. And so, this is one of many
examples of how, like, David is showing his here in this
physical posture, we can cause people even the most lovely
people to push away from us. God forbid verse 14, finally,
the serenity of the sleep of these men who are surrounded
We're surrounding Saul, rather is about to be broken by the
echoing voice of David, on a top him, some Hill.
And instead of it being addressed to the main source of
the problem, who was Saul, we read that David called to Abner
the commander of Saul's Army. And that's interesting because
we're wondering, why would you do that?
What does AB to have to do with anything?
Is in your main issue, with this man, Saul?
Are you trying to cause more problems than you need in your
life? David?
David is not addressing Abner to try to shame him for just shame
sake. He's not trying to expose him to
embarrass him. David is being very tactical, he
was being very wise as he is confronting Abner from a
distance. What he is.
In essence trying to do is expose saws, poor judgment.
Why do you think that is? Why do you think that David is
confronting Abner's failure to defend his King?
And he idea Why would you do that?
What is he trying to? What's he trying to accomplish
here? Because we read it, right?
You failed, you deserve to die. You didn't keep watch over your
lord, the king, you didn't, you didn't protect the Lord's
anointed remember Abner's responsibility with other
soldiers was while the king sleeps you stay awake.
You're not going to bed, there is a night, watch going on to
make sure that there's no intrusive enemy coming in to
assassinate the man. And all of the men are sleeping.
This is a Monumental mistake. And David addresses it because
David wants to show Saul that the person that you thought
would be, the most faithful to you was not.
And the person who was going to be in, has been the most
faithful to you is the one that you're trying to kill.
He's indirectly telling Saul look at the people who were
supposed to give their lives for you, and they fail to do so.
And the one who could have taken your life Is in fact, the most
Reliant one in your life. So, so who's the real friend
here, Saul Abner. The one who clearly
disappointed, you or me, the one who has given himself to you in
one way or another. And that's exactly what's
Happening Here. Saw was supposed to realize this
and he's doing it in what and such a marvelous way David is
doing it. So brilliantly.
But here's the thing, when we look at saw Saul's choice or his
failure to choose David to be by, his side is a reflection,
it's an illustration of The Sinner who chooses other things
above Christ. This is a picture here of
someone who fails to realize the glories in.
Jesus Christ, the friendship and Jesus Christ, the faithfulness
of Jesus Christ. And they choose to put their
Refuge, they choose to put their security, their salvation,
perhaps in another God, or perhaps in the ways of the
Flesh. And what saw is realizing here
is what by the grace of God, The Sinner will realize sooner than
later. And hopefully sooner not in
eternity, that these things that we thought we can trust, will
ultimately fail us. Like Abner your favorites in the
worldly pleasure that you thought would quench your soul,
the relationships that are centered around Beauty and
sensuality and network for the sake of prosperity.
All these things like Abner will fail you, they will.
And sometimes it takes a rude, awakening.
A slap in the face like Saul here, waking up in the middle of
the night. Realizing I could have been
killed realizing this person or this thing that I've given my
life to my vulnerability, to my heart to my life too.
Did not live up to its promises. And sometimes people sitting
here week after week. They're going to need that rude
awakening before they hear what the preacher has to say.
I hope you don't have to come to that point.
Because at the same time, Saul is going to realize what I hope
you might realize if you're that person in this place.
Then as he wipes the stuff out of his eyes and he sees that his
spear is missing and his personal mug is not in his
bedroom. There.
He sees David. There, he sees the man who is
actually true who actually lives up to his commitment and his
Assurance in his promises. And you need to realize that
David is a representation of Christ himself.
You will not know another like him.
You will not know another Master like him.
I know you've been told that he will Lord over your life, and he
will take joy from you and he will give you the second and
third best, I've heard of her people.
What of God makes me marry somebody that I want to marry.
Like what does that? What have got makes me move to a
place. I don't want to move.
What is that? What of God makes me pursue a
career that that I don't want to do but I have to do because he's
God you don't know. God I'm sorry you don't know.
God. Because there is no one who will
provide for you. Protect you flood your soul with
satisfaction like Jesus Christ. No one.
And you don't need to have sleepovers with sin before you
realize that. You can do it now.
You can know what at this moment, you can ask him to open
your eyes to believe it, and he will do it in a way where he
will leave you marked for the rest of your life. the more I
grow in life, the more I realizing how disappointing life
is really, and I read that Psalm earlier, because just some past
reflection, nothing else, brings the soul, rest, then simple
devotion, personal worship discovering who God is nothing.
and Saul, hopefully will realize What the sinner should realize
without wasting another day? Abner field sauce in will fail
you your dreams, your Pursuits will fail.
You The one whom God has anointed is who you need and
that is the person of Jesus Christ.
Let's read on, shall we? First 17, Saul, recognizes
David's voice and said is this your voice?
My son, David. And David said it is my voice.
My Lord O King now. You and I are going to come to a
portion of scripture that's going to read very familiar to
what we've seen, just two chapters ago.
Remember when David was in the cave, he cuts up corner of
Saul's robe. Saw goes out of the cave.
He walks a little bit and then David comes and he addresses him
it's going to be a very, very similar encounter here you.
And I when we read through the scriptures will see repetition,
we will see Parables repeat themselves in the gospels.
We will even see when you read like First Kings and then you
read Chronicles, you like I've seen this before.
This before but the Holy Spirit knows what he's doing.
Whenever there is something that seems to be similar or even
seems to be identical realize that that repetition is by
Divine Design. Do not ignore it.
Do not skim over it, do not be light with it.
If anything be all the more attentive and diligent to read
between the lines to compare to see, why is it that the Lord is
bringing this up again? Because as you do that, as you
contrast, the text What you will see is differences.
And in the differences, you will find great insights.
So again you come to this portion of scripture, okay?
Here it is again. David's going to confront them.
It's gonna be the same thing. I know the story saw is not
going to kill them and but wait, be careful.
When you read slowly and you flip back and forth, you'll see
the differences and and then you'll be able to say oh wow,
okay, oh what a difference. All this is not as similar as I
thought. It takes time, it takes effort,
but it's worth it. Saul recognizes David's voice
and said, is this your voice? My son, David.
That's all say something similar.
Before he did this David say something similar and David
said, it is my voice. My Lord O King.
What's missing here? There's nothing missing from
Saul's address. There is something missing in
the way. David responds.
Remember David is still choosing the path of respect, even though
this man failed to prove his repentance and he had all the
right to be infuriated. He had all the right to approach
him with superiority with harshness perhaps even with
scorn. But instead, David doesn't want
to just be Guiltless with his sword.
He wants to be blameless with this tongue and so he chooses to
address him with honor because of his office because of his
seniority, whatever the case may be, at the same time, David does
not say he does not give a certain title to Saul.
I encourage you to compare it to First Samuel 24 and to see what
is missing. I'll give you a little bit of
time to figure it out. Go back to 1st Samuel, 24, Look
from verse 8, down a few verses and see if it if it comes up.
My Lord O King. Yes, five more seconds.
Aha, very good. Did you say the same thing?
Look at verse 11 of 1st Samuel, 24.
See my father. See the corner of your robe in
my hand. First day at 26, he does not
refer to him as my father. Now to us that that would mean
because Saul is treating him like everything but a son,
right? But there is something that
happened that we did not touch on when we explore the chapter.
There is something that happened that canceled out the
possibility. For David to refer to him with
this term of endearment. It's the last verse of 1st
Samuel 25, we didn't touch on it, but it's worth noting.
And first Samuel 25 verse 44, saw had given me how his
daughter, David's wife to polity.
The son of lionfish, who is of gallium.
Can you imagine that? So as David is wandering, in the
wilderness, saw, strategically separates his wife from him and
gives his daughter to someone else.
This man was so filled with hatred that he wanted to attack
David in any way possible. And so he came after his
marriage. He severed that relationship and
he even causes his daughter to pursue an adulterous
relationship, Think what? What kind of man would be sick
enough to do this? I'll tell you a man who is just
filled with jealousy. A man who's filled with such
Envy. It's amazing.
The lengths that even a hidden feeling can take someone and it
reinforces the thought does it? Not it reinforces the truth that
oftentimes when a man thinks that he is sinning with someone
or against just one person that the consequences of such a thing
go far beyond what you had hoped or planned.
He just had something against David, but he didn't just come
after David. That sin wants to erode
everything it wants to corrupt as much as possible.
And so, it reaches into David's marriage, it reaches into his
family life. We're now his family have to
escape Bethlehem and wander and and foreign places sin, cannot
be contained. In terms of its consequences, it
will spread like cancer. The more it is fed.
It has to be burned out by the power of the Holy Spirit.
And so, we come to this point where now even David you want to
add to the pain of his journey. David loses his wife.
He loses his wife because of his father-in-law's sin.
If you feel the horror of it, good, never forget it.
These things are given to us to make us feel such things.
So he says my Lord my king, he doesn't call them, then call him
my father. And so we read on and we see
something quite interesting here.
Saul recognizes David's voice and said, is this your voice?
My son, David. The words are the same.
But when David heard it, he also saw something else.
Let me put it this way when Saul said it and in chapter 24.
Is this your voice? My son, David.
Something else was in that, that is missing.
Now and again, go back to chapter 24 and compare it,
compare the question. To this chapter in this verse
and see what stands out. You have to go a little further
and chapter 24 to see it. Look for that question and
finish the verse and see what is different.
When you have it, just say it out loud.
Anybody catch you yet? Yes.
Yeah, there's that and but I'm saying look for Saul's
questioning and see what's different with Saul's
questioning and inquiring of this is David's voice compared
to chapter 26. Ah, did you see it?
Let's look at it verse 16. Is this your voice?
My son, David 24:16, and saw lifted up his voice and wept.
Come back to 26:17. Saul recognizes, David's voice.
And said, is this your voice? My son, David, no weeping.
No crying, no Brokenness. Now, emotions are not the
greatest indication of what's happening in.
Someone's heart, they're not, they're not the strongest Clues
and not the strongest signs, because people weep all the time
and it just it just surface-level conviction worldly
sorrow at the same time. We cannot totally ignore the
value that emotions play. Here we see something quite
interesting Saul is being exposed for the same sin that he
had his attempting to commit that he did back in chapter 24.
He's being now confronted for the very same thing, but his
heart is responding to it differently.
It is. There seems to be a coldness and
you're going to see that as you read on there, the right words,
but there seems to be a questionable element to how he
is confessing his sin. Could it be that overtime saws
heart was getting harder and harder and harder?
I argue. Yes.
And that often happens to a person who continues to persist
in the same wrong at one point. You've heard me say this before
at one point there was there was a discomfort and a disturbance
with it and then now there's a tolerating and there's less
agitation. It's almost like it becomes part
of you to the point where you can't even feel the weight of
the seriousness of any Weren't that is that is a result again
of ignoring a conscience, not being in the presence of God's
light in his word and letting yourself be dealt with and
managed by the flesh. Saw cannot even cry about it
anymore. And it's scary when you hear
people talk about their sin, even in the form of confession,
I've seen horrific things and I'm not talking about the sin
itself, but the way it's communicated.
There's no Brokenness there's no concern.
There is no sense of what have I done.
It can just be about. Yeah and it's there's a
difference between that and being comforted to know that God
will forgive you. There is a difference there.
Look at how David responded to his sin, and you'll know exactly
what I'm talking about. There is a healthy level of
being broken over sin. There's an unhealthy, but
there's a healthy and, and Sawyers demonstrating concerning
concerning elements of a heart that is becoming.
I see. and so David responds to him even though there's no
tears, And he says, here in verse 18.
Why does my Lord pursue after his servant?
For what have I done, what evil is on my hands?
Now, therefore let my Lord the king hear the words of his
servant if it is the Lord who are stirred you up against me,
may he accept an offering? But if it is, men, may they be
cursed before the Lord for they have driven me out this day that
I should have no share in the heritage of the Lord saying go
serve other gods. So now he confronts him and he
questions. It's a wonderful thing to ask
questions. He asked questions then he says
before you answer, let me actually continue here.
Why are you doing this? Let's do the process of
elimination is God encourage you to do this?
And one way you can interpret, this is this, because of that
evil spirit, that the Lord has allowed to torment you.
Is that why? If it is May accept your
offering of repentance? If that's not the case, if it's
not the Lord, if it's not that spirit that he is allowed to
chastise, you, can I ask you this?
Is it men. Are you listening to people
again? Are you listening to their
slander and their lies that are stirring you to act in this way?
And look, what he says is quite fascinating, he says, if it is
men, may they be cursed, may they be cursed.
Why? Why such a serious indictment?
Why call of judgment? He gives the reason why he says
for they did what they've driven me out this day that I should
have no share in the heritage of the Lord saying go serve other
gods. You know what, David's complain
to us for him to call upon a curse for these people.
His complaint was not that he was experiencing physical
discomfort. It was not that he lost his
home. It was not that he didn't have a
position anymore. Remember, nobody knows how long
he was in the wilderness but some estimate it was not.
Just weeks or months. It was years.
That's a long time to be living in caves.
But his main grievance is nothing of the sort.
The real reason why he was stirred up with this righteous
indignation was because these men have caused them to be in
Exile. Making him distant from the
people of God. Who worship God in the house of
God. And that is what he wanted, more
than anything else. This is what the sin of these
people have caused me to do to, not be able to come into the
presence of the Lord, and to worship him with other Godly
Saints. That's my complaint.
Isn't that fascinating? I find it quite fascinating.
You know why? Because David's pain.
He Reveals His passion. David's complain to your
reveals, what he cherishes the most in life.
David here in expressing his frustration.
Is revealing what he Longs for the most.
And as I read this, I think That shows really what you and I
treasure in life. Some people are more grieved by
the loss of a job than the loss of sensitivity to God's presence
and leading some people grieve, more of friendships being
tampered with than being in God's house with God's people.
You know, when I read this, I thought to myself of that
initial phase of this whole cobit thing when the whole world
was shut in and nobody can go anywhere and churches across the
world close their doors for us. Season.
Can I ask you a question because we all experience it together in
that time? What was the most frustrating
thing? To you.
What disturb you the most in that season?
What was it? That was taken from you that
cause you to want the world to open up again.
Was it God's house? Was it being with God's people
to sing? God's Praises was it to hear
God's word preached in person as it should be.
Or is it that you couldn't go to your favorite restaurant
anymore? And you couldn't go on vacations
as frequently as you once did. Or you cannot explore this or
that or go to the mall, whatever the case, maybe I can tell you
something, whatever your heart was aching.
For during that time reveals what you love the most in this
life. And in David's case, when he was
put into quarantine in one way, oh, he's I want to be in that
place. I want to smell the sacrifices
on the altar. I want to worship with that
choir. Like we heard in Psalm 42.
I want to lead the people of God and procession so that we can
praise God out loud. That's what I'm longing for.
That's what I'm making for in this life.
One way that, you know, that your satisfaction is in God
alone, is that if everything was taken from you, you would be
just fine. It's true and one way to know
that your satisfaction is not in God alone, is that when things
are taken or things are stolen or things are rotting, whatever
the case, maybe your world seems to fall apart.
David knew, no such thing. Because everything was taken
from this man, even his own pillow, and the only thing that
was running through, his mind was, oh, I want to be able to go
through those Gates Again. I want to be able to see those
priests minister to the Lord. All I want to be able to be as
close to that Ark as possible. That was his cry.
And so he brings us before Saul revealing his his godliness.
And we read here in verse 20. Now, therefore let not my blood
fall to the Earth away from the presence of the Lord.
For the king of Israel has come out to seek a single flee like
one who hunts a Patridge in the mountains.
Then Saul said, now, here's solid responding to this.
This is now his, his confession supposedly, he's about to Now
respond to what he has responded to before.
And he says something here, I have sinned returned.
My son David Frye will no more. Do you harm?
Because my life was precious in your eyes this day behold, I
have acted foolishly and have made a great mistake.
Pretty impressive stuff. So You know why?
Because yes, he confesses again but he's saying something
different than he did before. What did he say before?
Anybody remember what he said when he was confronted by David,
if you go to verse 7 of chapter 24 you'll get it and it's not
the same as what he is saying here.
If anything, this seems like to be a more sincere confession
because before what does he say this?
Somebody figure it out. what did you say to David before when he
was confronted, you are more righteous than I There is no
mention of his sin in chapter 24.
Now he's saying I have sinned I have sinned.
Like this is great. This is an improvement.
This is a move forward. He doesn't just say I've sinned
because I've acted foolishly I made a great mistake so he's not
trying to. He's not trying to hide his sin
by just emphasizing on David's Superior righteousness.
He just speaking plainly. I have sinned.
That sounds more like a sincere confession in chapter 24 and he
says I've acted foolishly. Let me make this point sin and
foolish. Our neighbors. when a person
lives in sin know that they've allowed foolishness to pay rent
in their hearts, Sin and foolishness go hand-in-hand
because a foolish person does not consider the damage and a
destruction of their decisions. They do not calculate such
things. Let me give you an example, the
sin of adultery for example, right?
Scripture speaks about this among other sins.
I want you to just hear this. In Proverbs 6:22, we are told he
who commits adultery lacks sense.
Why he does it destroys himself. So, a person who is caught up in
the flesh, a person who is caught up in lust and they act
upon it. The scripture says they lack
sense, because they don't realize the potential
destruction that can come to the reputation to their marriage.
To somebody else's. Marriage is all things
redeemable. Absolutely.
Can God forgive all things? You better believe it.
But yet still, God May forgive the sin but not the consequence
of this in consequence of this. Since sometimes comes, Alice and
so here, we see that he acts foolishly confesses it because
sin and foolishness hold hands. It's very difficult to separate
the two. You can never sinned wisely.
You could think that you're smart and your sin but you can't
separate the two. Remember that?
Remember that. but another important difference from this
confession, Stands out. Is the what invitation, for
reconciliation? I have sinned return my son
David. He didn't say that in chapter
24, he just asked, make sure that when you become king that
you leave my descendants alone, this time, he's saying, come
home, come back. I'll give you your job back.
I'll let you come back to what was normal before we can restart
return. My son David That's like that's
wonderful. That's even it's even more
exciting. This is great.
But it's concerning. Return.
My son, David, what is the right answer?
What should they would do? Believers who think black and
white would say go. You're supposed to reconcile is
that not the pursuit of forgiveness isn't at the end
goal that forgiveness would restore absolutely.
That is true. But the call to forgiveness is
not the same as the call for reconciliation.
Listen, our faith is all about forgiveness.
Forgiveness for the believer is not optional.
In fact, I mean, add to that. Forgiveness should not be
delayed our hearts to release somebody else from their
offense. Not harboring bitterness not
meditating upon harm to be done to them.
In fact, being willing to love them, in a sense of acting good
upon them when the opportunity arises that, that's there's no
discussion that there's no debate, there's no at what if
But though, forgiveness is immediate not reconciliation.
Depending upon the severity of the sin.
Will determine whether reconciliation can be immediate
or it can be a process. And that's that's totally okay,
with God. Is the end goal always to be
reconciled? Yes.
Is that always the case? No, because sometimes the most
harmful thing you can do is try to restore something too
quickly. What do you mean by that?
Well, because although all sin is condemned by God, not all sin
have the same consequences. Sometimes it can go deeper it
can it can go further. It can it can be more crushing
more devastating and because of that it doesn't excuse a lack of
forgiveness but it does permit for reconciliation to be
approached with a certain time and a certain patients in order
for it to be genuine and safe. It's all losing his temper here
with David. Is that what he's asking
forgiveness for did he just have an outburst of anger and saying
look I lost my cool man. I'm sorry just let's just let's
just hug it out. Come here.
Is that what he's doing here? No the guys trying to kill him.
He's trying to kill them. And so we can't be so
black-and-white to say. Go ahead.
David. Oh, I know, he's told you over
and over again that he wouldn't do it and he free but just you
gotta do it. Is that wise?
That's not wise. God wants us to exercise wisdom
and all things, including reconciliation.
I want to show you how sin, as an example, how some sent have
more lasting consequences than others, go to the Book of Exodus
very quickly here. It's actually found in the ten
plagues believe it or not I'm sure there's many other
illustrations we can use but here is one to consider.
Let's go to the second plague. Let's go to Exodus chapter 8.
And verse 13. Now remember there are certain
plagues that when Pharaoh asked for forgiveness and when he
asked for the plaque to cease, Moses would intercede and in a
moment that plague would be dealt with.
I mean, in a moment but when you come to the plague of the frogs,
something interesting happens, even though God answered
immediately, and destroyed those frogs in order to bring relief
to Egypt, look at verse 13, And the Lord did according to the
word of Moses, the frogs died out in the houses, the
courtyards and the fields and they granted them together.
Rather they gathered them together in heaps and the land
stank. I can show you other plagues
where God blew a win in One Direction.
And the moment that Moses interceded, he blew even a
stronger wind, the other direction.
So that those things can be removed.
In this case when the frogs were were put to death, we are told
look how interesting this is that they had to their shovel
these frogs and make piles and there was a stench There was a
stench afterwards and I believe that's a great picture of how
some sins stink more than others.
Some sins leave and odor, and comparison to others that though
there still sin are not as severe.
And so we have to understand that we have to be very
realistic about these things because I've even had
conversations with people who might have done someone wrong in
a certain way and they pressure and they they want immediate
restoration to normalcy. And as much as that is the goal.
There are some things that take time There's some things that
take time and we have to be patient and understanding of
that when trust is broken, it takes time to rebuild it.
Among other things and David realizes that because we might
want to throw stones at the man. But let's just register the fact
that perhaps, if he had went back into the camp or even go
back to the Palace, that would have been his last, his last
moment. Things could have changed
overnight. And so this is much more complex
than we would like it to be. We have to consider the history
of Saul does this man keep his word.
Does he does. He actually honor what he says?
No, Then we got to be careful here.
What are the circumstances? How do we move about this?
The best way? I hope that helps because
sometimes we oversimplify things.
And we do ourselves harm and we do other people harm as well.
I want you to see how David responds to the invitation
that's all gives to return with him.
First, look, what he does here. In verse 22.
He hears him out he respects him and David answered and said here
is the Spiro King? Let one of the young men come
over and take it so he's not like I'm coming down there.
Is it returned? Okay, he doesn't run into his
presence. He doesn't even call Saul to
come up. To take his possessions.
He says that one of your young servants come here and grab it.
The David become bitter is David not looking for reconciliation.
All you got to do is read the rest of the scriptures.
And this chapter to realize that this man is free from
resentment. But he's not stupid either.
And he's cautious and he's careful and you and I are called
to do the same, but let me let me make this warning because
some people love what I'm about to say.
That although we must be careful.
We must not refuse reconciliation either.
Because there are some people who will take what I'm saying.
And say that's right. That means I'll never have to
talk to that brother and sister again. oh, really That is not
the case because the goal is always reconciliation.
God wants us to have our relationships restored, but the
pressure for a person to do something that would not allow
for healing and try to attempt a close companionship, after a
serious offense, or series of sharp things occurring to them.
Is just as wrong. So we see here that he does not
give his possession directly to him.
And David was, right, David was right and his assessment, all
you have to do is go to the next chapter very quickly.
Look here in verse 4 of chapter 27.
We're going to read this, I can't wait for this chapter.
But look at verse for David actually leaves, Israel, at this
point, we'll get to that next week.
But look what it says here in verse 4.
And when it was told saw that David had fled to gath, he no
longer sought him. Implying, what he was seeking
after him. After all of that return, uh, he
was still willing to kill him. So what happens?
Well, David gives his final words because this is the last
time David and Saul are going to encounter one another.
This is it. And look what he says here.
In verse 24, I want to highlight this before we close behold, as
your life was precious this day, David is speaking as your life
was precious this day in my sight.
So may my life be precious in the sight of the Lord, and may
He deliver me out of all tribulation.
The saw your life was precious to me and you know what?
He says he's not concerned. If his life is precious to saw,
he realizes that it's not But he says, made my life, be precious
in the sight of the Lord. I believe that David's continual
awareness of the presence of God and all that he did, and a
knowledge of God's ability to reward or judge was the
ingredient to the success that he knew in life.
Even solid mit's it. Look at verse 25 and Saul said
to David Blessed, Be you my son David, you will do many things
and will succeed in them. As much as this man, I hated
David. He realized because of the
principles because of how you express your convictions and
what you live by. There is no doubt that you will
be successful in life. I cannot I cannot fight that as
much as I'm trying to fight against you.
And that principle is true for you and I believe it if you and
I live with the knowledge of God watching us recording leading
all these things. If we live in his presence we
will be the safest and we will be the most satisfied.
Do you realize that the reason why Saw made such a tragedy out
of his life is because he lived the exact opposite he could care
less. If he was a precious in the
sight of God, he could care less what?
God Would do or would not do the man lived for other people.
He lived for his impulses and that's why he was spiraling
down, more and more as we continue in this book.
So you see two paths, right before us parallel one heading
up one heading down one key difference.
One person lived with the knowledge of God's presence, the
other one could care less, whether one can care less.
And great men. Great woman of God though.
They are known though, they may not be known the way that they
have known. Such Sweetness in life, is
because they were only concerned about living in the sight of
God. That is how you will know,
maximum Holiness and that is how you will know maximum happiness.
There's a famous saying, I'm not really a fan of it.
You might have said it. This is not a personal offense
to you and I'm not aware that. Anybody has said it's I've known
it for years. Jesus Christ did not die to make
you happy. He died to make you.
Holy have you heard it? So is that that's my choice.
Holy or happy? I would like to rephrase and say
Jesus Christ died to make you holy so you can be happy big
difference. It's not like I have a 4K if I
if I become holy then I'm less happy and if I run really no
happiness, then I shouldn't be holy, you won't get that in the
Bible. That might be clever saying, but
it's not true. Great Men.
Great woman have lived in the sight of God and I want to show
you one example and then we're done, it's in the New Testament.
Luke 1, it's about John the Baptist very, very small
description that we might miss but it is huge and implication
and promise. In Luke 1.
Let's begin in verse 13. But the angel said to him, do
not be afraid. Zechariah for your prayer.
Has been heard and your wife, Elizabeth will bear you a son,
and you shall call his name John.
And you will have joy and gladness and many Will Rejoice
at his birth. Verse 15 for.
He will be great before the Lord.
He will be great before, who, before crowds before Herod,
before Rome know before the Lord.
And how did that man, live. How did he live for him to live?
Great before God's face? There's my man.
There's my servant, he had one outfit in one diet.
We would look at him and say what a poor fellow.
Look how much sacrifice that is to serve God.
People think you're crazy you have to live out in the
wilderness and look at all the people questioning him and
calling him cuckoo. Yeah and the sight of others
perhaps so in the sight of God great And you and I have to
determine who do we want to live before?
Do we want to be great before men who want to be great before?
God, if you choose tonight to be great before God, let me give
you a heads up. You might not get the same
evaluation from Men. But which one matters most,
which one means more, you determine that and I hope you
make the right choice, David lived in the presence of God.
And look at how it is let him up to this point.
Look at all the rewards that are weighted him in his own life
because he had established that conviction and look at the mess
that's all made out of his own. As much as David has been.
So inspirational to this point. It's in chapter 27 that you and
I will see what weariness. And trial can do if we don't
receive strength from a continual trust in God Lord we
thank you for this Bible study. Louis, thank you for these
truths. We thank you for these insights.
We thank you for this time exploring, these wonderful,
wonderful things that you have reserved for us in the
scriptures. Lord, we ask that we would
Implement them by your grace and mercy.
We pray that these things do. They might have cut our hearts
would bring us. New Life.
New Hope New desires. But we pray.
That we would be concerned about what you have to say about our
lives. Loi pray, he would give us
wisdom and our relationships wisdom and our decisions.
But oh God, we pray that you would do a work in our hearts
like you did in this man that while he had lost everything.
His main concern was you. Worshiping you loving you being
with God's people. Lord may we value the things of
God to such a degree. Because in that will we know
great, great pleasure, great Delight.
Superior satisfaction. Lord, we worship you.
We worship you in our conviction.
We worship you in our comfort. We Worship You, Even in our
questions, we worship you because you've given us greater
Clarity. We worship.
You. You are a good God.
You are so faithful. The god of David is our God.
Glory. Be to your name, and Jesus name
we pray. Amen.
The stand and worship of Lord.