1 00:00:11,200 --> 00:00:19,000 I believe the past week has sifted the church from those who 2 00:00:19,000 --> 00:00:25,500 are true and those who have been in Disguise, those who claim to 3 00:00:25,500 --> 00:00:29,500 follow Christ, those who claim to love God's word, but when it 4 00:00:29,500 --> 00:00:34,000 really is applied in culture, I think what we saw with the 5 00:00:34,600 --> 00:00:38,300 Supreme Court has really revealed even more those who 6 00:00:38,300 --> 00:00:42,100 really love God and his word. And those who, who love God's 7 00:00:42,100 --> 00:00:47,400 word when it fits their agenda, and their particular sin. 8 00:00:48,300 --> 00:00:50,200 And I want to tell you something, I believe that's only 9 00:00:50,200 --> 00:00:54,200 going to continue in the days ahead and a very short amount of 10 00:00:54,200 --> 00:00:57,500 time. You and I are going to see a 11 00:00:57,500 --> 00:01:00,500 thicker line drawn, that's going to make a greater separation 12 00:01:00,500 --> 00:01:03,600 between those who are truly Be of God and those who are not. 13 00:01:04,700 --> 00:01:08,500 And what's going to protect you. And I from deception, is the 14 00:01:08,500 --> 00:01:10,600 word of God, what's going to make you? 15 00:01:10,600 --> 00:01:15,200 And I equipped to help those who claim to follow Christ, but are 16 00:01:15,200 --> 00:01:16,900 clearly, deceived is the word of God. 17 00:01:16,900 --> 00:01:18,500 I'll prove it to you this past week. 18 00:01:18,900 --> 00:01:22,400 I'm not on social media often, but when I do go on, I just cast 19 00:01:22,400 --> 00:01:25,300 the line and see where it goes and sure enough. 20 00:01:25,300 --> 00:01:27,600 I was engaging with somebody that I've never met in my life 21 00:01:28,000 --> 00:01:31,900 who was arguing, arguing vehemently. 22 00:01:32,400 --> 00:01:35,300 About how God indeed does approve of abortion. 23 00:01:35,300 --> 00:01:37,700 And, you know, where they went to make their case the Old 24 00:01:37,700 --> 00:01:42,100 Testament and Numbers Chapter 5, am I going to turn there? 25 00:01:42,100 --> 00:01:47,300 But it just it just proved to me that there are those who totally 26 00:01:47,300 --> 00:01:49,000 reject the word of God. And there are those who go to 27 00:01:49,008 --> 00:01:52,900 the word of God, to try to justify sin and based on those 28 00:01:52,900 --> 00:01:56,200 arguments. If people don't really know the 29 00:01:56,200 --> 00:01:58,400 scriptures not only can they be let into deception? 30 00:01:58,400 --> 00:02:01,400 They can lead others into deception and so this is not 31 00:02:01,400 --> 00:02:05,300 just a study for For just nice, little bit more mature, Sunday 32 00:02:05,300 --> 00:02:08,199 school lessons. This is to have the word of God 33 00:02:08,199 --> 00:02:12,900 implanted into our hearts. So that when there is falsehood 34 00:02:12,900 --> 00:02:14,800 and there are things that are twisted and taken out of 35 00:02:14,808 --> 00:02:17,100 context, you can detect it immediately. 36 00:02:17,500 --> 00:02:20,300 You can detect it immediately because you have people who are 37 00:02:20,300 --> 00:02:23,100 going even to the Old Testament to justify current cultural 38 00:02:23,200 --> 00:02:25,900 issue. So this is a very significant 39 00:02:25,900 --> 00:02:31,400 thing for those who come here consistently You are growing 40 00:02:31,800 --> 00:02:35,000 more than you can imagine. When you're receiving the word 41 00:02:35,000 --> 00:02:38,200 of God, more than just the traditional. 42 00:02:38,200 --> 00:02:41,900 Once a week, there is a strengthening that's coming to 43 00:02:41,900 --> 00:02:44,700 you whether you see the immediate effects of it now or 44 00:02:44,700 --> 00:02:47,200 not, there is an investment that you're making. 45 00:02:47,200 --> 00:02:50,000 So this is a glorious thing and I praise God that we have people 46 00:02:50,000 --> 00:02:51,500 who want to be here on a Friday night. 47 00:02:52,000 --> 00:02:54,100 With that being said, meet me in the book of second. 48 00:02:54,100 --> 00:02:57,700 Samuel chapter three, second Samuel, chapter three. 49 00:03:05,000 --> 00:03:09,500 Pray with me. Lord we Humbly come. 50 00:03:09,500 --> 00:03:11,700 Before you we boldly come before you? 51 00:03:12,900 --> 00:03:15,800 Lord, our hearts are moved just by the fact that we get to open 52 00:03:15,800 --> 00:03:21,900 your word and feast tonight. We ask Lord that by the spirit, 53 00:03:21,900 --> 00:03:28,500 you would cancel any Any Interruption of the flesh. 54 00:03:30,200 --> 00:03:33,300 Both in the delivery of your word and the reception of your 55 00:03:33,300 --> 00:03:35,500 word. Help us receive what you've 56 00:03:35,500 --> 00:03:39,800 intended to say and for us to apply it and submit to it 57 00:03:40,100 --> 00:03:42,600 totally. We ask Lord that this would not 58 00:03:42,600 --> 00:03:46,700 just be investment of knowledge but it would be, in fact, an 59 00:03:46,700 --> 00:03:51,700 investment to our Holiness. And to our christlikeness, Lord, 60 00:03:51,700 --> 00:03:55,300 we just ask guide us tonight. And knit, our hearts not just 61 00:03:55,300 --> 00:03:58,400 together with your word but to one another, as a people who 62 00:03:58,400 --> 00:04:02,700 love the truth, be Glorified and be pleased as you see us now 63 00:04:02,700 --> 00:04:06,500 coming to you to receive from your voice and Jesus name we 64 00:04:06,500 --> 00:04:08,000 pray. Amen. 65 00:04:11,700 --> 00:04:17,300 David. Is King in Judah Abner, the 66 00:04:17,300 --> 00:04:22,100 former commander of Saul's Army has raised up one of Saul's Sons 67 00:04:22,200 --> 00:04:27,900 ashot to rule over the northern part of Israel and to take over 68 00:04:27,900 --> 00:04:31,800 the different tribes. And to convince them that Saul's 69 00:04:31,800 --> 00:04:35,700 successor is in fact, his son and not the anointed one. 70 00:04:35,700 --> 00:04:38,700 David and there are many things we learned from last week. 71 00:04:38,700 --> 00:04:40,900 But one of the things that we drew, from the previous 72 00:04:40,900 --> 00:04:45,500 chapters, how the relationship between In David and Abner is 73 00:04:45,500 --> 00:04:49,400 very much like the relationship that the believer has with sin 74 00:04:50,200 --> 00:04:53,400 Abner wasn't satisfied with just having 11 of the tribes. 75 00:04:53,400 --> 00:04:58,800 He wanted Judah and sin is very much the same way doesn't want 76 00:04:58,800 --> 00:05:00,400 just part of us and wants to all of us. 77 00:05:00,400 --> 00:05:03,600 It doesn't want to just just have an aspect of Our Lives that 78 00:05:03,600 --> 00:05:06,600 wants to control our lives. And you and I have learned from 79 00:05:06,600 --> 00:05:09,400 David and his response of how we can guard ourselves from the 80 00:05:09,400 --> 00:05:13,300 ambition of sin and that illustration between David and a 81 00:05:13,400 --> 00:05:17,200 After and how it parallels the Believers conflict with sin only 82 00:05:17,200 --> 00:05:20,800 continues as we come to this chapter and verse 1, read with 83 00:05:20,800 --> 00:05:26,400 me, there was a long war between the house of Saul and the House 84 00:05:26,400 --> 00:05:30,200 of David and David grew, stronger and stronger. 85 00:05:30,200 --> 00:05:33,900 While the house of Saul became weaker and weaker. 86 00:05:33,900 --> 00:05:36,100 What a wonderful summary. What's taking place? 87 00:05:37,500 --> 00:05:42,400 David had a long War. With the house of Saul. 88 00:05:43,700 --> 00:05:48,900 And it really lasted seven years you and I don't just have a long 89 00:05:48,900 --> 00:05:50,900 war with sin. We have a lifelong War. 90 00:05:52,000 --> 00:05:55,000 And, for many of us, that will look like 40 more years, 50, 91 00:05:55,000 --> 00:05:58,900 more years, 70, more years, 10, more years. 92 00:05:59,100 --> 00:06:03,400 All we know is that it is a lifelong battle with sin, and 93 00:06:03,400 --> 00:06:07,400 Paul makes it very clear and Galatians 5:17 something. 94 00:06:07,400 --> 00:06:10,500 So, crucial, in understanding the Christian experience that 95 00:06:10,500 --> 00:06:15,000 the desires of the flesh are against the spirit and the 96 00:06:15,000 --> 00:06:17,700 desires of the spirit are against the flesh. 97 00:06:17,700 --> 00:06:21,600 Now, this is important for these are opposed to each other. 98 00:06:22,300 --> 00:06:27,000 These are opposed to each other to keep you from doing what you 99 00:06:27,000 --> 00:06:32,300 desire to do. It is undeniably clear. 100 00:06:32,300 --> 00:06:35,400 That as long as we are in this body, there will be an inner 101 00:06:35,400 --> 00:06:40,000 conflict between the indwelling of the spirit of God, and thus 102 00:06:40,000 --> 00:06:46,900 flesh that wraps us and keeps us anchor to the things that have 103 00:06:46,900 --> 00:06:49,200 been impacted because of Adam's sin. 104 00:06:50,100 --> 00:06:53,600 We are still in this flesh. It is not a glorified flesh. 105 00:06:53,600 --> 00:06:56,700 Is a tainted flesh, but praise be to God. 106 00:06:56,700 --> 00:07:01,600 The indwelling of the spirit has come to give us some kind of Not 107 00:07:01,600 --> 00:07:03,700 just a hope. But also the strength to be able 108 00:07:03,700 --> 00:07:07,400 to be in victory, over sin and the goal of the flesh is the 109 00:07:07,400 --> 00:07:12,200 same goal that Abner had with David to hinder the advancement 110 00:07:12,200 --> 00:07:14,800 of the will of God. David was God's men. 111 00:07:14,900 --> 00:07:18,500 David's dynasty was God's program Abner knew that, and he 112 00:07:18,500 --> 00:07:23,900 wanted to resist that. Send this flesh, realizes the 113 00:07:23,900 --> 00:07:27,600 spirit in us has been given to be empowered to do, the will of 114 00:07:27,600 --> 00:07:33,200 God and sin knowing that he can't erase that seal. 115 00:07:33,600 --> 00:07:38,900 But can in fact hinder hinder you from moving forward in the 116 00:07:38,900 --> 00:07:43,500 empowerment of God in his wisdom and his fruit for your life. 117 00:07:44,700 --> 00:07:47,700 And I often quote Paul statement to the Galatians and Galatians 118 00:07:47,700 --> 00:07:52,000 5:17 to Christians who want to know if they are truly in dealt 119 00:07:52,000 --> 00:07:54,300 with the Holy Spirit. If you are in this place today 120 00:07:54,400 --> 00:07:57,700 and you struggle very much whether or not, if you are truly 121 00:07:57,700 --> 00:08:02,200 a child of God, let me give you one of my go-to versus and help 122 00:08:02,200 --> 00:08:07,100 you clarify, if this is. So here's a clear answer for the 123 00:08:07,100 --> 00:08:10,200 Assurance of somebody salvation. Look, what Paul says, I hope 124 00:08:10,200 --> 00:08:11,900 you're a Galatians 5:17. If you're not turned their 125 00:08:11,900 --> 00:08:14,900 quickly turn their quickly, Galatians 5:17, And I want you 126 00:08:14,900 --> 00:08:17,800 to see this with your own eyes so that you can be helped and 127 00:08:17,800 --> 00:08:24,900 you can help others. Look what Paul says. 128 00:08:25,500 --> 00:08:28,200 The second part of the verse for these, the spirit and the flesh 129 00:08:28,200 --> 00:08:31,400 are opposed to each other to keep you from doing the things 130 00:08:31,400 --> 00:08:34,799 you want to do. And here's what I always ask 131 00:08:34,799 --> 00:08:37,400 somebody who is struggling. Here's what I asked. 132 00:08:37,400 --> 00:08:42,299 Somebody who seems to be in this, this doubtful dread about 133 00:08:42,299 --> 00:08:47,100 where they stand with God, what do you want to do? 134 00:08:50,500 --> 00:08:53,200 In other words, what are your desires? 135 00:08:54,300 --> 00:08:57,800 If I ask somebody who's outside of Christ, what are your 136 00:08:57,800 --> 00:09:00,800 desires, I'm going to get a completely different set of 137 00:09:00,800 --> 00:09:04,100 answers than from the person who's truly regenerated by the 138 00:09:04,100 --> 00:09:07,500 Holy Spirit. And so, what you see here is 139 00:09:07,500 --> 00:09:12,900 that if you base your evidence of your salvation upon the 140 00:09:12,900 --> 00:09:15,400 struggle with sin, no wonder you're struggling with 141 00:09:15,400 --> 00:09:19,200 assurance. Because Paul here makes a very 142 00:09:19,300 --> 00:09:23,000 explicitly clear, there will be a struggle for the believer. 143 00:09:23,100 --> 00:09:25,800 The spirit of Flesh are at odds with one another. 144 00:09:26,100 --> 00:09:29,500 But what's interesting here is that the last part of it, we see 145 00:09:29,600 --> 00:09:34,000 where we should identify where we stand in our identity, what 146 00:09:34,000 --> 00:09:40,400 are your desires What are your desires in your heart? 147 00:09:40,600 --> 00:09:45,800 The legitimacy of your salvation is not in the wrestling, with 148 00:09:45,800 --> 00:09:48,800 the flesh. It's where you want to be. 149 00:09:49,300 --> 00:09:53,600 It's what you desire to do. Do you long to be holy, do you 150 00:09:53,600 --> 00:09:55,500 long to be in right? Standing. 151 00:09:55,600 --> 00:09:58,700 Not just not just positionally but practically. 152 00:09:59,000 --> 00:10:04,600 Do you want is your ambition in life to be like Jesus and to rid 153 00:10:04,600 --> 00:10:07,500 yourself of sin, even the appearance Prince of evil. 154 00:10:07,600 --> 00:10:10,200 If those sets of desires are there you are. 155 00:10:10,200 --> 00:10:14,400 In a good place. You are in a good place. 156 00:10:15,500 --> 00:10:20,100 You ask a believer? What he wants to do and it's 157 00:10:20,100 --> 00:10:22,100 going to sound different. It should sound different than 158 00:10:22,100 --> 00:10:24,500 what the world would say. You know what? 159 00:10:24,500 --> 00:10:27,800 It was like to be in the world many of you and and it was not 160 00:10:27,800 --> 00:10:30,200 to get rid of sin, it was tried to have more of sin. 161 00:10:30,200 --> 00:10:32,600 It was try to have sinned with the least consequences. 162 00:10:32,800 --> 00:10:35,400 It was trying to have some without without any kind of 163 00:10:35,400 --> 00:10:38,200 repercussions. You wanted sin, you desire, you 164 00:10:38,200 --> 00:10:41,400 thirsted for it, you hungered for it, you made your decisions 165 00:10:41,600 --> 00:10:45,200 based off, that being the passion of your life. 166 00:10:46,000 --> 00:10:51,400 But here's the thing, although identifying where where we want 167 00:10:51,400 --> 00:10:55,400 to be, what we truly desire to do is very important 168 00:10:55,400 --> 00:10:58,200 understanding where we are with the Lord, right. 169 00:10:58,200 --> 00:11:01,200 If Christ has not transform your desires then, perhaps Christ has 170 00:11:01,208 --> 00:11:05,100 not transformed you at all. But that is not the ultimate 171 00:11:05,100 --> 00:11:08,200 goal for the Christian. The Christian is not just 172 00:11:08,200 --> 00:11:09,700 satisfied with saying, all right? 173 00:11:09,800 --> 00:11:11,900 Yeah, I know I'm a righteous thing with God because I want to 174 00:11:11,908 --> 00:11:15,600 desire this and I don't desire anymore, that's just the base. 175 00:11:16,600 --> 00:11:20,300 What a mature Christian really wants to do is once they have 176 00:11:20,300 --> 00:11:22,900 those desires to deposited by the Holy Spirit. 177 00:11:23,000 --> 00:11:26,000 To now, walk in the will of God and the empowerment, the Holy 178 00:11:26,000 --> 00:11:28,900 Spirit to see those desires manifest in actual fruit. 179 00:11:29,400 --> 00:11:31,600 Now, I want to walk in this and that's why Paul is saying in 180 00:11:31,600 --> 00:11:34,600 this part portion of scripture. Walk in the spirit and you will 181 00:11:34,600 --> 00:11:37,400 not gratify the desires of the flesh, he's not just giving us 182 00:11:37,400 --> 00:11:38,800 help to say. Hey, look, if you're going to 183 00:11:38,800 --> 00:11:42,300 struggle, don't be worried. Struggle is true for the 184 00:11:42,400 --> 00:11:44,200 believer. He's not just saying that he 185 00:11:44,200 --> 00:11:46,300 wants to say. Now, let me tell you how you can 186 00:11:46,300 --> 00:11:49,200 actually be and triumphant victory over sin. 187 00:11:51,200 --> 00:11:54,500 And I believe verse 1 of second, Samuel, chapter 3 is a beautiful 188 00:11:54,500 --> 00:11:58,400 illustration of what that looks like for the true Christian, who 189 00:11:58,400 --> 00:12:01,000 is walking in the spirit. What do I mean by that? 190 00:12:01,400 --> 00:12:05,600 The House of David grew, stronger and stronger while the 191 00:12:05,600 --> 00:12:14,200 house of Saul became weaker and weaker As you and I progress in 192 00:12:14,200 --> 00:12:19,300 spiritual maturity if you want to evaluate that, here's how you 193 00:12:19,300 --> 00:12:24,500 can your strength to resist temptation becomes stronger and 194 00:12:24,500 --> 00:12:27,600 stronger. Your hatred for sin, grows more 195 00:12:27,600 --> 00:12:32,500 intense than it did last year and the allurements of the 196 00:12:32,500 --> 00:12:37,400 world, The Persuasions of the evil, one become weaker and 197 00:12:37,400 --> 00:12:40,200 weaker. That's how you. 198 00:12:40,200 --> 00:12:42,000 And I can be able to say I'm growing in. 199 00:12:42,000 --> 00:12:45,100 Jesus Christ. Yes, there are constant 200 00:12:45,100 --> 00:12:48,800 Temptations, but I can tell you that, I am not the person who 201 00:12:48,800 --> 00:12:51,900 had Outburst of anger, like I was a year ago, two years ago, 202 00:12:51,900 --> 00:12:55,900 three years ago, I can tell you that I am able to overcome the 203 00:12:55,900 --> 00:13:00,700 Temptation that when my computer screen tries to pull me into 204 00:13:00,700 --> 00:13:04,300 places into Alleyways on the web that I should not be that I can 205 00:13:04,300 --> 00:13:07,300 say no. And I can feel the strength in 206 00:13:07,300 --> 00:13:10,700 my soul to actually resist it. This is the way that you and I 207 00:13:10,700 --> 00:13:12,700 can see that we are indeed growing. 208 00:13:13,300 --> 00:13:15,700 We are growing stronger and stronger in the will of God and 209 00:13:15,700 --> 00:13:18,700 the love for the things of God and practical Holiness while the 210 00:13:18,700 --> 00:13:21,800 things that were once strong are losing its influence in our 211 00:13:21,800 --> 00:13:24,800 lives. And if you think that I'm just 212 00:13:25,800 --> 00:13:28,300 making that up based on a verse that doesn't really necessarily 213 00:13:28,300 --> 00:13:30,600 directly deal with personal Holiness. 214 00:13:30,900 --> 00:13:34,500 Then realize in one particular place in the New Testament that 215 00:13:34,500 --> 00:13:41,000 John and his first epistle, he addresses the church and within 216 00:13:41,000 --> 00:13:43,900 the church people who are at different places in their 217 00:13:43,900 --> 00:13:47,500 spiritual maturity. So I want to show you that go to 218 00:13:47,500 --> 00:13:50,700 1st John and look at this is this is so encouraging because 219 00:13:50,700 --> 00:13:54,300 it helps us be able to say. Okay, this is how I can know I 220 00:13:54,300 --> 00:13:55,500 am here. This is how I can know. 221 00:13:55,500 --> 00:13:57,600 I'm here. The sound I came here where am I 222 00:13:57,608 --> 00:14:02,400 and the spectrum of growing of growing spiritually. 223 00:14:04,800 --> 00:14:11,800 Go to 1st, John 2:12. And the same way that you and I 224 00:14:11,800 --> 00:14:15,300 can see physical development over the years. 225 00:14:15,800 --> 00:14:18,400 It is no different spiritually, okay? 226 00:14:18,400 --> 00:14:21,500 I don't know why it is for many people that spiritual growth is 227 00:14:21,500 --> 00:14:24,100 hazy. It's not hazy the same way that, 228 00:14:24,100 --> 00:14:28,200 you know, that you are growing in height from from your when 229 00:14:28,200 --> 00:14:30,900 you're 23 years old, you know, that you're growing taller over 230 00:14:30,900 --> 00:14:33,200 the years and your voice gets deeper. 231 00:14:33,200 --> 00:14:35,800 When you pass a certain point in life and certain body parts 232 00:14:35,800 --> 00:14:37,500 develop, you can see that physically. 233 00:14:37,600 --> 00:14:40,500 So it is spiritually, there are things that That should be 234 00:14:40,500 --> 00:14:43,300 tangibly evident and you can even see for yourself and 235 00:14:43,300 --> 00:14:44,400 others. Should be able to say. 236 00:14:44,400 --> 00:14:47,500 I can see that. And John here, he addresses 237 00:14:47,500 --> 00:14:51,100 different pockets of people on the spectrum of where they are 238 00:14:51,100 --> 00:14:54,200 and spiritual maturity. Look at verse 12, I'm writing to 239 00:14:54,200 --> 00:14:57,700 you little children. I'm writing to you little 240 00:14:57,700 --> 00:15:00,600 children because your sins are forgiven for his namesake. 241 00:15:00,600 --> 00:15:02,600 The first group of people that John addresses are little 242 00:15:02,600 --> 00:15:07,900 children, little children. And some would say well this is 243 00:15:07,900 --> 00:15:09,800 just speaking about those who are actually little children. 244 00:15:09,800 --> 00:15:12,400 I say he's speaking to those who are spiritually little children 245 00:15:13,100 --> 00:15:17,900 those who are infants in Christ when you and I first get saved 246 00:15:17,900 --> 00:15:22,900 we are known as babes in Christ and what's amazing is how John 247 00:15:23,300 --> 00:15:27,300 identifies what occupies the affections, and the thoughts of 248 00:15:27,300 --> 00:15:30,700 little children in Jesus Christ. Not little children actual age, 249 00:15:30,700 --> 00:15:34,200 please be reminded little children and spiritual spiritual 250 00:15:34,200 --> 00:15:39,300 age who first Walk into being born again and into the kingdom 251 00:15:39,300 --> 00:15:41,000 of God. You know what it is that 252 00:15:41,000 --> 00:15:43,300 enthralls little children. You know what it is? 253 00:15:43,300 --> 00:15:48,200 That brings a person to rejoice and praise and be overwhelmed as 254 00:15:48,200 --> 00:15:51,000 a little child and God the Revelation that their sins are 255 00:15:51,000 --> 00:15:55,200 forgiven. Your sins are forgiven for his 256 00:15:55,200 --> 00:15:58,000 namesake and you know that, right? 257 00:15:58,000 --> 00:16:03,100 You know, the jolt of Joy when that truth of being Redeemed by 258 00:16:03,100 --> 00:16:06,100 the blood of Jesus Christ that you have the gift of eternal 259 00:16:06,100 --> 00:16:10,900 life, it just swallowed up every other thing you were so consumed 260 00:16:10,900 --> 00:16:15,300 with that, you came singing and you could not stop singing. 261 00:16:15,400 --> 00:16:17,400 You want to tell everybody about it. 262 00:16:17,400 --> 00:16:21,400 Just the simple gospel truth that your sins are forgiven. 263 00:16:22,300 --> 00:16:25,500 Now, that is not to say that. As you grow that, you move from 264 00:16:25,500 --> 00:16:27,800 that truth or you lose joy in that truth. 265 00:16:27,800 --> 00:16:34,700 But it is to say this, that as you do grow, something is going 266 00:16:34,700 --> 00:16:37,800 to be added, you are going to grow into something else. 267 00:16:37,800 --> 00:16:42,200 And so, what he does now is he addresses fathers and young men? 268 00:16:42,200 --> 00:16:45,700 He dresses little children, children, young men, father's. 269 00:16:45,700 --> 00:16:47,800 I just want to go to the young men for the sake of the Bible 270 00:16:47,800 --> 00:16:50,000 study. So you scroll down to verse 14. 271 00:16:50,000 --> 00:16:52,000 Look, what you read here, I write to you. 272 00:16:52,300 --> 00:16:55,600 Fathers. Because, you know, him who is 273 00:16:55,600 --> 00:16:58,600 from the beginning. Now, look at this, I write to 274 00:16:58,600 --> 00:17:03,000 you young men is a young man, the same as a little child. 275 00:17:03,700 --> 00:17:09,700 No, I write to you young men because you are strong because 276 00:17:09,700 --> 00:17:12,700 you are strong and the word of God abides in you. 277 00:17:12,700 --> 00:17:15,599 Now, look at this and you have overcome the evil one. 278 00:17:17,900 --> 00:17:22,099 So now, John is addressing the young men and this is what they 279 00:17:22,099 --> 00:17:24,200 are characterized by one main thing. 280 00:17:24,200 --> 00:17:28,300 You ready? The ability to overcome the evil 281 00:17:28,300 --> 00:17:33,600 one? As you grow in faith and some of 282 00:17:33,600 --> 00:17:36,600 you can testify to this when you're first saved. 283 00:17:37,500 --> 00:17:40,400 Spiritual warfare is not so much of a reality, is it? 284 00:17:41,700 --> 00:17:43,700 It's almost like there's a special Grace where there's 285 00:17:43,700 --> 00:17:47,400 like, like just like a baby, there's just this this disgrace 286 00:17:47,400 --> 00:17:51,000 to just see everything as a miracle and it's almost as 287 00:17:51,000 --> 00:17:52,500 though. You're so sensitive to the 288 00:17:52,500 --> 00:17:55,400 things of God and then something begins to happen as one year 289 00:17:55,400 --> 00:17:57,800 goes by and you're still, you're still walking consistent with 290 00:17:57,800 --> 00:18:00,600 their two years three. Now, you begin to see things. 291 00:18:01,000 --> 00:18:04,400 Now, you begin to see Satan at work and, and push back. 292 00:18:04,400 --> 00:18:07,800 And you see the ugly things with in Ministry and you see Warfare 293 00:18:07,800 --> 00:18:13,700 and young men, they fight Right, young woman in the faith, they 294 00:18:13,700 --> 00:18:17,000 doubt enter into a struggle to the reality of spiritual 295 00:18:17,000 --> 00:18:19,300 warfare. That becomes more real that 296 00:18:19,300 --> 00:18:23,600 becomes more frequent. But what's amazing here is that 297 00:18:25,000 --> 00:18:28,400 Not only are they engaged in spiritual warfare but they are 298 00:18:28,400 --> 00:18:34,100 able to actually actually walk in victory over the Temptations 299 00:18:34,100 --> 00:18:37,000 and the lies of Satan. No. 300 00:18:37,000 --> 00:18:40,800 John's thoughts about the spiritual phases here. 301 00:18:42,600 --> 00:18:45,300 Do not mean that your physical growth will parallel, your 302 00:18:45,300 --> 00:18:49,900 spiritual growth. So you can have people who are 303 00:18:50,000 --> 00:18:52,300 physically father's, but they're spiritually still little 304 00:18:52,300 --> 00:18:57,100 children. And you can have young men, 305 00:18:57,100 --> 00:19:01,800 young women who spiritually can be like fathers and mothers. 306 00:19:04,200 --> 00:19:07,500 But what's amazing here is, when you see the young men, something 307 00:19:07,500 --> 00:19:10,600 is added to them. They are able to overcome the 308 00:19:10,600 --> 00:19:13,300 evil one. So this is how, you know, that 309 00:19:13,300 --> 00:19:15,600 you've graduated from being a little child. 310 00:19:15,700 --> 00:19:17,200 This is what occupies little children. 311 00:19:17,200 --> 00:19:20,600 They are just consumed with the Forgiveness of Jesus Christ. 312 00:19:20,600 --> 00:19:23,900 And they stay there, they stay there, they don't grow from that 313 00:19:23,900 --> 00:19:31,700 knowledge, they are able to explore and see more into the 314 00:19:31,700 --> 00:19:35,600 mind of God, the will of God, the character of God, Hebrews 315 00:19:35,600 --> 00:19:40,600 tells us repentance Faith, baptism the laying on of hands, 316 00:19:40,600 --> 00:19:44,800 Eternal judgment. Those are Elementary things and 317 00:19:44,800 --> 00:19:47,900 he says, let's move on from that, not to ignore it, not to 318 00:19:47,900 --> 00:19:50,600 incorporate it, but you got to build off of that. 319 00:19:51,300 --> 00:19:52,300 And here I want to tell you something. 320 00:19:52,300 --> 00:19:56,100 There are people who have been in the faith for 15 years and 321 00:19:56,100 --> 00:19:58,600 spiritually. There's still little children 322 00:19:58,600 --> 00:20:02,300 because their knowledge doesn't go beyond and the gospel. 323 00:20:03,400 --> 00:20:06,300 It doesn't go beyond what Jesus Christ did on the cross for you. 324 00:20:07,400 --> 00:20:11,400 It doesn't go beyond your sins, being forgiven and here's how 325 00:20:11,400 --> 00:20:14,600 you know that you've grown at least to the next phase, you 326 00:20:14,600 --> 00:20:17,500 don't just Relish in the fact that you're forgiven, you now 327 00:20:17,500 --> 00:20:20,400 know what Christ purchased for you to overcome. 328 00:20:22,100 --> 00:20:26,400 To resist sin to become more like Jesus. 329 00:20:27,800 --> 00:20:32,800 And so I want to tell you today, it's so important that growth is 330 00:20:32,800 --> 00:20:36,100 identified the way the Bible calls you to identify it. 331 00:20:36,300 --> 00:20:39,100 I don't want you to be in great one for 40 years. 332 00:20:40,200 --> 00:20:43,800 I don't want you to remain in the same place for 10 years and 333 00:20:43,800 --> 00:20:45,300 how do we grow it? So simple. 334 00:20:45,300 --> 00:20:48,400 It's so wonderful. It's in the very same verse and 335 00:20:48,400 --> 00:20:52,700 the word of God abides in you abides, in you. 336 00:20:53,100 --> 00:20:56,600 That's how you go from a little child to a young man. 337 00:20:56,800 --> 00:21:00,700 The scriptures is something that you now listen, he says, abides 338 00:21:00,700 --> 00:21:06,400 in you, you will never grow if you visit the Bible, If the 339 00:21:06,400 --> 00:21:09,300 Bible is something that you just touch on once every two weeks, 340 00:21:09,600 --> 00:21:13,100 once every three weeks twice, every two that you're never 341 00:21:13,100 --> 00:21:16,700 going to grow, you will remain a little child abide means to live 342 00:21:16,900 --> 00:21:19,900 to remain to stay. So you take this word and you 343 00:21:19,900 --> 00:21:23,200 read it, you take this word and you eat it, you digest it, you 344 00:21:23,200 --> 00:21:27,100 study it, you meditate on it, you memorize it and you apply 345 00:21:27,100 --> 00:21:30,200 it. And it over time, as you do that 346 00:21:30,200 --> 00:21:35,300 consistently, you will grow, you receive strength and then you 347 00:21:35,308 --> 00:21:37,100 will be able to overcome the evil one. 348 00:21:37,500 --> 00:21:41,400 I'm telling you, it's so sad. I've used this illustration 349 00:21:41,400 --> 00:21:44,000 often. Any any true parent would be 350 00:21:44,000 --> 00:21:49,300 devastated if their physical child remained in one grade for 351 00:21:49,300 --> 00:21:52,300 several years. Nobody would say. 352 00:21:52,300 --> 00:21:54,400 Yeah, it's okay, just to happens, you know, it's a common 353 00:21:54,400 --> 00:21:58,500 thing, but we do it spiritually. We do it spiritually. 354 00:21:59,900 --> 00:22:04,000 You have people in the Pew for 5 years, 8 years, 10 years, 15 355 00:22:04,000 --> 00:22:07,500 years and they're in the same place they never grow and we 356 00:22:07,500 --> 00:22:10,500 seem to all be okay with it, it's not normal. 357 00:22:11,000 --> 00:22:14,700 There should be progression. We should grow stronger 358 00:22:14,700 --> 00:22:16,500 stronger. While the things of this flesh, 359 00:22:16,600 --> 00:22:19,000 the things of the enemy, the things of this world have a 360 00:22:19,000 --> 00:22:22,000 weaker influence in our lives. Okay, we're still in verse 1, we 361 00:22:22,000 --> 00:22:25,300 gotta move on here, let's go to verse 2, second Samuel 3 verse 362 00:22:25,300 --> 00:22:29,900 2. And Sons were born to David at 363 00:22:29,900 --> 00:22:35,000 Hebron his firstborn was em. None of em you know mm of 364 00:22:35,000 --> 00:22:39,200 Jezreel and a second hilly above Abigail, the Widow of neighbor 365 00:22:39,200 --> 00:22:43,700 of caramel and a third Absalom. The son of Maha the daughter of 366 00:22:43,700 --> 00:22:47,100 tell my king of gesture and the fourth added, I just the son of 367 00:22:47,100 --> 00:22:51,800 Hadith and the fifth shifa, Thalia the son of a beetle and 368 00:22:51,800 --> 00:22:55,000 the 6 e 3, mm of egg Le David's wife. 369 00:22:55,000 --> 00:22:58,700 These were born to David and Hebron So what we're being told 370 00:22:58,700 --> 00:23:01,200 you this verse is that David's government. 371 00:23:01,200 --> 00:23:03,500 His military is not the only thing that's increasing his 372 00:23:03,500 --> 00:23:10,200 personal family is growing. We are given a detailed account 373 00:23:10,200 --> 00:23:13,200 of the increase here of his wise and of his children. 374 00:23:13,200 --> 00:23:17,200 He entered into Hebron with how many wives who remembers. 375 00:23:20,100 --> 00:23:22,400 How many wives did he come in to have brown with before he became 376 00:23:22,400 --> 00:23:25,500 king to? And now we see here that there's 377 00:23:25,500 --> 00:23:28,000 an additional four and by the end of the chapter, we're not 378 00:23:28,000 --> 00:23:29,100 going to complete this chapter tonight. 379 00:23:29,100 --> 00:23:32,500 No way, the end of the chapter, we have a total of seven wives. 380 00:23:33,600 --> 00:23:37,400 Total of seven wives now David's decision to marry all these 381 00:23:37,400 --> 00:23:39,200 women. Whether it was motivated by lust 382 00:23:39,200 --> 00:23:44,900 or political power could be, both is problematic for many 383 00:23:44,900 --> 00:23:47,200 reasons. We've touched on polygamy in the 384 00:23:47,200 --> 00:23:50,200 Old Testament, many times in our study before we won't come back 385 00:23:50,200 --> 00:23:53,700 to it now. But the guilt of David's 386 00:23:53,700 --> 00:23:57,600 polygamy is even more severe because of his position as a 387 00:23:57,600 --> 00:24:00,600 king. Why Who remembers? 388 00:24:02,500 --> 00:24:07,000 Who remembers what Moses said to the Israelites before they even 389 00:24:07,000 --> 00:24:09,400 had one king of what they need to do. 390 00:24:09,900 --> 00:24:11,800 And holding that King accountable, when he becomes a 391 00:24:11,800 --> 00:24:13,800 ruler of God's people, what was one of the laws? 392 00:24:17,100 --> 00:24:18,100 Yeah. Right down the law. 393 00:24:18,100 --> 00:24:19,900 Your own copy. That's true. 394 00:24:22,600 --> 00:24:27,800 There is another thing though. Deuteronomy 17 17. 395 00:24:27,800 --> 00:24:31,800 Our brother made it clear that a king should not have multiple 396 00:24:31,800 --> 00:24:35,300 wives. Now, that is true for all people 397 00:24:35,300 --> 00:24:37,300 but especially for a king because the king would have a 398 00:24:37,308 --> 00:24:40,800 temptation to make political alliances by marrying. 399 00:24:40,800 --> 00:24:43,600 The daughter of a foreign ruler so that they would be at peace. 400 00:24:43,600 --> 00:24:46,900 So it was an additional Temptation and God didn't want 401 00:24:46,900 --> 00:24:50,200 his Kings to put their faith in their alliances. 402 00:24:50,200 --> 00:24:53,800 They wanted he wanted their kings to have faith in his 403 00:24:53,800 --> 00:24:56,500 leadership and his empowerment and wisdom alone. 404 00:24:56,900 --> 00:25:00,200 And here's what's amazing here. When David marries these woman, 405 00:25:01,000 --> 00:25:05,200 you don't see any immediate condemnation or broke a rebuke 406 00:25:05,200 --> 00:25:08,500 from the author, but what you will see is that it's going to 407 00:25:08,508 --> 00:25:11,000 get very, very ugly down the road. 408 00:25:12,600 --> 00:25:15,900 The calm around his choice. Here is deceptive. 409 00:25:17,100 --> 00:25:23,300 This is going to, in fact be the seed of great thorns and the 410 00:25:23,300 --> 00:25:28,000 garden of David's life. I believe, remember, we're going 411 00:25:28,000 --> 00:25:32,000 to see this in this book that David's Infamous scandal with 412 00:25:32,000 --> 00:25:38,100 Bathsheba, Is connected to the early forms of a lack of 413 00:25:38,100 --> 00:25:43,300 self-control that you see here. Does that make sense? 414 00:25:43,900 --> 00:25:48,000 Let me put it this way because David would not honor God's will 415 00:25:48,000 --> 00:25:52,400 for his marriage that we see in Genesis, Jesus quotes Genesis as 416 00:25:52,400 --> 00:25:55,800 a standard of marriage because David, there's an honor God 417 00:25:55,800 --> 00:25:59,700 standard for his marriage. Is there any reason why he would 418 00:25:59,700 --> 00:26:06,600 honor anybody else's marriage namely Uriah If he doesn't have 419 00:26:06,600 --> 00:26:10,200 any conviction about his own, how is he going to have any 420 00:26:10,200 --> 00:26:11,900 conviction about somebody else's? 421 00:26:12,700 --> 00:26:18,300 And so what you see here is the early forms Of a lack of 422 00:26:18,300 --> 00:26:21,200 self-control, lack of understanding, where down the 423 00:26:21,200 --> 00:26:24,500 road it's going to manifest and bitter fruit. 424 00:26:26,000 --> 00:26:30,000 And what's sad here? Is that as you see this? 425 00:26:31,800 --> 00:26:34,500 The sons that are mentioned here are going to be the reason for 426 00:26:34,500 --> 00:26:38,100 his heartache for majority of this heartache at least which 427 00:26:38,100 --> 00:26:40,800 son's here are going to cause trouble for David down the road. 428 00:26:42,500 --> 00:26:46,000 Absalom number one. Who's number two? 429 00:26:46,600 --> 00:26:49,800 Well there's so many before Absalom and then what did and 430 00:26:49,800 --> 00:26:53,500 then do. Yeah, heard it. 431 00:26:53,500 --> 00:26:55,300 So everybody thinks this is what I'm saying. 432 00:26:58,100 --> 00:27:02,100 He raped his half, sister Tamar, who was whose full sister 433 00:27:03,000 --> 00:27:07,600 Absalom, what does Absalom do? Because of that kills Antonin, 434 00:27:08,100 --> 00:27:09,800 but he doesn't just kill. And then what does he do? 435 00:27:10,200 --> 00:27:14,000 He attempts to usurp the Throne of his father, right? 436 00:27:14,000 --> 00:27:16,400 He fails, he dies, who comes next? 437 00:27:18,100 --> 00:27:22,300 To cause havoc in the Kingdom, there's one more. 438 00:27:23,700 --> 00:27:25,500 Adonijah. If you said adonijah, you are 439 00:27:25,500 --> 00:27:30,000 right adonijah who seeks to seize the throne before Solomon 440 00:27:30,000 --> 00:27:32,200 occupies it because he is the rightful Heir. 441 00:27:33,100 --> 00:27:36,100 So you see three out of this list are going to cause so much 442 00:27:36,100 --> 00:27:38,100 problems for David. And I just David for all of 443 00:27:38,100 --> 00:27:40,200 Israel would you like to know why? 444 00:27:41,700 --> 00:27:43,500 Would you like to know why does anybody have an idea? 445 00:27:43,500 --> 00:27:46,300 Why David's Sons, at least the majority of them were 446 00:27:46,300 --> 00:27:52,100 troublesome? Was David a good King? 447 00:27:53,600 --> 00:27:57,700 Yeah, so many times, the profits have pointed back to David as a 448 00:27:57,708 --> 00:28:02,300 standard that they failed to keep up with in terms of his 449 00:28:02,300 --> 00:28:04,800 relationship with God was David a good dad. 450 00:28:06,700 --> 00:28:13,700 They have proof of that. And we have so much proof to say 451 00:28:13,700 --> 00:28:15,300 that he was a good King. But do we have any proof that he 452 00:28:15,308 --> 00:28:23,800 was a good dad or a bad dad? There was a sword in his family, 453 00:28:23,800 --> 00:28:25,400 as a result of his sin with Bathsheba. 454 00:28:25,400 --> 00:28:28,500 Absolutely, that is part of the reason why there would be so 455 00:28:28,500 --> 00:28:30,600 much trouble in his kingdom in his own family. 456 00:28:30,600 --> 00:28:33,400 Yes, it was a consequence, but there was another thing. 457 00:28:33,400 --> 00:28:35,700 There's a failure on David's part, and another way. 458 00:28:40,900 --> 00:28:45,200 We're onto something. When Tamar was violated the 459 00:28:45,200 --> 00:28:50,600 David intervene, no, here is a blatant statement. 460 00:28:52,400 --> 00:28:56,900 Of David's leniency with his children. 461 00:28:56,900 --> 00:28:59,900 Go to 1st Kings, go to chapter one. 462 00:29:00,400 --> 00:29:05,000 Look at verse 52, verse 6, and you will see a direct commentary 463 00:29:05,200 --> 00:29:08,000 on the failure of David's part as a dad. 464 00:29:08,300 --> 00:29:12,800 First Kings, chapter 1, verse 5, First Kings chapter 1, verse 5. 465 00:29:12,900 --> 00:29:16,700 This is when adonijah sprung up and started to cause problems, 466 00:29:17,400 --> 00:29:23,400 verse 5 now, adonijah, the son of Hagee exalted himself, I will 467 00:29:23,400 --> 00:29:27,200 be king and he prepared for himself chariots and Horsemen 468 00:29:27,300 --> 00:29:30,400 and fifty men to run before him. Now, look at this verse six. 469 00:29:30,600 --> 00:29:35,800 His father had never at any time, displeased him by asking, 470 00:29:35,800 --> 00:29:39,700 why have you done thus? And so Do you see it? 471 00:29:40,900 --> 00:29:43,400 His father had never disciplined him. 472 00:29:44,200 --> 00:29:46,500 His father had never admonished him. 473 00:29:46,800 --> 00:29:49,700 His father had never sat him down as his, why are you doing 474 00:29:49,700 --> 00:29:51,500 this? How could you do this? 475 00:29:51,700 --> 00:29:55,700 You have to be disciplined for this, that was completely absent 476 00:29:55,700 --> 00:29:58,200 and I'm sure it was not just with adonijah but with all of 477 00:29:58,208 --> 00:30:00,600 his children he didn't raise them up. 478 00:30:01,400 --> 00:30:03,200 He didn't raise them up and righteousness. 479 00:30:03,300 --> 00:30:06,400 He failed to give the necessary attention that a child would 480 00:30:06,400 --> 00:30:10,900 need especially in a specific window of time where the roots 481 00:30:10,900 --> 00:30:13,100 of their character are developed. 482 00:30:14,800 --> 00:30:18,400 So, David was a great king, great administrator, great 483 00:30:18,400 --> 00:30:23,100 warrior bad father. And how could he be when you 484 00:30:23,100 --> 00:30:25,800 have several wives? All sharing the same, man. 485 00:30:26,700 --> 00:30:30,000 How do you do that? How do you give equal attention? 486 00:30:31,300 --> 00:30:34,200 Most people struggle with one wife, one husband, one 487 00:30:34,200 --> 00:30:37,300 household. You can just imagine the 488 00:30:37,300 --> 00:30:41,700 complexities would jealousy and this kids issues and that child 489 00:30:41,700 --> 00:30:44,800 wants their father's attention and who knows probably. 490 00:30:44,800 --> 00:30:47,300 So overwhelmed that he just backs off of it completely and 491 00:30:47,300 --> 00:30:48,900 leaves it completely to these mothers. 492 00:30:49,800 --> 00:30:53,800 But that that vacuum, that vacancy there of a father, 493 00:30:54,100 --> 00:30:56,000 contributed to the rebellion of their children. 494 00:30:56,600 --> 00:30:59,100 That is so important to understand because when you see 495 00:30:59,100 --> 00:31:04,800 this This Valley in general. What you also see down the road 496 00:31:05,000 --> 00:31:07,500 is that he was a distracted and disconnected. 497 00:31:07,500 --> 00:31:12,300 Father. And you cannot ignore, you 498 00:31:12,300 --> 00:31:15,900 cannot ignore the strong lesson about the importance of the 499 00:31:15,900 --> 00:31:19,600 family unit. And its impact in society. 500 00:31:20,900 --> 00:31:24,200 What I mean by that, when you put all the pieces together, you 501 00:31:24,200 --> 00:31:27,300 cannot deny that there was a direct influence between the 502 00:31:27,300 --> 00:31:30,600 trouble and David's house and the stabilization of the nation 503 00:31:30,600 --> 00:31:35,200 of Israel. All of these Sons cause trouble 504 00:31:35,200 --> 00:31:38,900 to the nation. Yeah, the problem started at 505 00:31:38,900 --> 00:31:42,300 home and we're within the household, but had a ripple 506 00:31:42,300 --> 00:31:47,700 effect into the streets into into into it cause even a Civil 507 00:31:47,700 --> 00:31:50,900 War at one point and it is no difference. 508 00:31:51,100 --> 00:31:52,600 It is no difference for Any Nation. 509 00:31:52,700 --> 00:31:56,800 The strength of Any Nation is dependent upon the foundation of 510 00:31:56,800 --> 00:32:00,500 the family institution. You can't separate those two 511 00:32:00,500 --> 00:32:02,900 realities. And what's so important to see 512 00:32:02,900 --> 00:32:06,700 is that you can add to it by saying that the strength of a 513 00:32:06,700 --> 00:32:10,100 local church. Church is greatly supported 514 00:32:10,100 --> 00:32:13,900 about the robustness of the inter familiar relations of 515 00:32:13,900 --> 00:32:17,000 individual Christian homes. Let me prove it to you, if you 516 00:32:17,000 --> 00:32:20,800 don't think that's the case. Then why is it that Paul says, 517 00:32:20,800 --> 00:32:24,500 if a pastor cannot rule his home, he has no business ruling 518 00:32:24,500 --> 00:32:29,100 a local congregation. Because you can't have a sick 519 00:32:29,100 --> 00:32:33,300 home and a healthy Church. If we really believe that may 520 00:32:33,300 --> 00:32:37,000 God, give us wisdom, then where should most of our energy and 521 00:32:37,000 --> 00:32:41,200 our programs, and our teachings go to, at least outside of the 522 00:32:41,200 --> 00:32:43,400 word of God, the whole counsel of God families. 523 00:32:44,800 --> 00:32:48,100 Nurturing marriages giving people a help and how they can 524 00:32:48,100 --> 00:32:51,400 interact and know how to involve their children involved. 525 00:32:51,400 --> 00:32:54,300 Their lives and their schedules. We need to build Healthy 526 00:32:54,300 --> 00:32:57,300 Families because that will have a direct impact on the church 527 00:32:57,300 --> 00:32:59,200 and that will have a direct impact on society. 528 00:33:00,000 --> 00:33:02,700 I'm telling you, most of our news headlines can be solved if 529 00:33:02,708 --> 00:33:05,600 we put most of our taxpayer dollars into building healthy 530 00:33:05,600 --> 00:33:09,100 homes. All the foolishness in the 531 00:33:09,100 --> 00:33:11,900 craziness it all statistically points. 532 00:33:11,900 --> 00:33:15,800 Back to fatherlessness, you know this and here we are spinning on 533 00:33:15,800 --> 00:33:16,900 our heads. Wondering what we're going to 534 00:33:16,900 --> 00:33:19,400 do. Change all the laws you want. 535 00:33:19,400 --> 00:33:21,300 If you don't have healthy marriages, you're not going to 536 00:33:21,300 --> 00:33:22,800 have healthy kids. If you don't have healthy kids, 537 00:33:22,800 --> 00:33:24,900 you're not going to have a healthy Society. 538 00:33:26,400 --> 00:33:30,100 I wish David believe that. What would have become of his 539 00:33:30,100 --> 00:33:32,900 kingdom? If he truly gave the attention 540 00:33:32,900 --> 00:33:36,900 that he did to his army and to his War plans and to his 541 00:33:37,100 --> 00:33:39,300 whatever it was, what would it be? 542 00:33:39,300 --> 00:33:43,100 If he gave this kind of heartfelt, Devotion to his 543 00:33:43,100 --> 00:33:45,000 children? I'm sure his kingdom would be 544 00:33:45,000 --> 00:33:47,700 different different thing, a blessing. 545 00:33:48,800 --> 00:33:51,400 But because he failed to do so Israel paid for it, not just 546 00:33:51,400 --> 00:33:54,000 him. So we come back to to our 547 00:33:54,000 --> 00:33:57,800 chapter and verse 6. Wow, there was war between the 548 00:33:57,800 --> 00:34:00,900 house of Saul and the House of David Abner was making himself 549 00:34:00,900 --> 00:34:06,300 strong in the house of Saul. Now, saw how to concubine whose 550 00:34:06,300 --> 00:34:11,600 name was rizpah. The daughter of AI and is beset, 551 00:34:11,600 --> 00:34:14,199 set to Abner. Why have you gone into my 552 00:34:14,199 --> 00:34:19,000 father's concubine? Then after was very angry over 553 00:34:19,000 --> 00:34:22,400 the words of ishka. Chef and said, am I a dog's head 554 00:34:22,400 --> 00:34:26,900 of Judah to this day? I keep showing steadfast love to 555 00:34:26,900 --> 00:34:30,600 the house of Saul, your father to his brothers and his friends, 556 00:34:31,100 --> 00:34:33,300 and have not given you into the hand of David. 557 00:34:33,300 --> 00:34:36,900 And yet you charge me today with a fault concerning a woman. 558 00:34:37,900 --> 00:34:42,199 Let's stop there for a moment. In verse 1, you and I learned 559 00:34:42,199 --> 00:34:45,500 that the house of Saul was becoming weaker and weaker. 560 00:34:45,500 --> 00:34:47,199 There are different reasons for that. 561 00:34:47,800 --> 00:34:50,699 The obvious reason, was that the House of David had God on their 562 00:34:50,699 --> 00:34:56,900 side but I'd like to look at the verses that we just read as just 563 00:34:56,900 --> 00:34:59,500 one Insight. Because what's about to happen 564 00:34:59,500 --> 00:35:04,000 right now will bring a final And lethal blow to this 565 00:35:04,000 --> 00:35:07,300 establishment and it began with a confrontation. 566 00:35:07,300 --> 00:35:10,700 It really began and ended with a confrontation is for Seth, 567 00:35:10,700 --> 00:35:15,000 approaches Abner and he accuses them of a specific sin. 568 00:35:15,000 --> 00:35:18,300 Why did you sleep with one of my father's concubines? 569 00:35:19,900 --> 00:35:24,900 Now, this sin here is beyond just sexual immorality. 570 00:35:24,900 --> 00:35:28,200 This is more than a scandal within leadership. 571 00:35:30,300 --> 00:35:34,200 In the days of David, what would happen is when the king died, he 572 00:35:34,200 --> 00:35:36,600 would transfer many things to the successor. 573 00:35:36,600 --> 00:35:38,500 One of the things he would transfer was Haram. 574 00:35:39,400 --> 00:35:43,500 He would transfer these concubines his wives over almost 575 00:35:43,500 --> 00:35:46,100 in a way, like, it was kind of property, right? 576 00:35:46,800 --> 00:35:49,900 And so that would be brought over to the successor. 577 00:35:50,900 --> 00:35:55,900 Now, if anybody overstepped his bounds and went to violate one 578 00:35:55,900 --> 00:36:00,100 of these weeds concubines or sleep with Them, it was more 579 00:36:00,100 --> 00:36:03,900 than just saying you know, I'm trying to satisfy my lust. 580 00:36:03,900 --> 00:36:08,000 This was a political move. It was a said, saying I want 581 00:36:08,000 --> 00:36:11,600 control, I'm claiming your property to be my property and 582 00:36:11,600 --> 00:36:17,200 it was, it was in a sense, a declaration that I have a desire 583 00:36:17,200 --> 00:36:21,300 for equal Authority as the king and we can prove that in 584 00:36:21,300 --> 00:36:24,100 scripture. Remember when Absalom tries to 585 00:36:24,100 --> 00:36:27,800 overthrow, David, David and his men move out into the Wilderness 586 00:36:28,000 --> 00:36:31,000 and he received Eyes. Take your father's concubines 587 00:36:31,100 --> 00:36:34,800 and sleep with them on the roof and make a public spectacle that 588 00:36:34,800 --> 00:36:38,200 you are now the King by doing such a thing adonijah. 589 00:36:38,200 --> 00:36:40,500 There's something very similar. He goes to Bathsheba and First 590 00:36:40,500 --> 00:36:44,900 Kings chapter 2, when Solomon becomes king and he asks for one 591 00:36:44,900 --> 00:36:50,000 of Solomon's concubines and Solomon understood what he meant 592 00:36:50,000 --> 00:36:55,000 by that and has him killed. And so this is less about A 593 00:36:55,000 --> 00:37:00,100 scandal sexually and more about a political struggle for power. 594 00:37:01,900 --> 00:37:03,600 Why is this important to understand? 595 00:37:03,600 --> 00:37:06,300 The house of Saul became weaker and weaker. 596 00:37:06,400 --> 00:37:10,600 If you and I want to protect our individual respective homes, if 597 00:37:10,600 --> 00:37:14,400 you and I want to protect this church home, then let's receive 598 00:37:14,400 --> 00:37:18,400 some insight and how we can prevent internal erosion. 599 00:37:19,100 --> 00:37:20,700 And here's one way we can see it. 600 00:37:21,800 --> 00:37:25,700 Wherever there is selfish ambition, there is disorder and 601 00:37:25,700 --> 00:37:30,600 any organization. Whenever there is a lust, not 602 00:37:30,600 --> 00:37:35,000 just sexually a Lust For position, a lust for power, 603 00:37:35,000 --> 00:37:42,100 whatever the case may be, what you will inherit inevitably is 604 00:37:42,100 --> 00:37:46,100 destruction. There will be problems that you 605 00:37:46,100 --> 00:37:50,500 cannot even imagine the weakness of its passats kingdom was, was 606 00:37:50,500 --> 00:37:54,700 for many reasons, but as I said earlier, one man's apparent 607 00:37:54,700 --> 00:37:58,000 craving would bring a deathblow to any potential. 608 00:37:58,000 --> 00:38:00,900 This Kingdom becoming something effective long-term. 609 00:38:02,200 --> 00:38:05,100 The New Testament speaks of the same thing. 610 00:38:05,500 --> 00:38:07,700 I've quoted this verse many times, but I want to I want to 611 00:38:07,707 --> 00:38:12,900 tell you about two evil twins to evil twins, that live in a lot 612 00:38:12,900 --> 00:38:16,000 of people's congregations and even their own homes. 613 00:38:16,400 --> 00:38:21,600 James 3:16 Says for where jealousy and selfish ambition 614 00:38:21,600 --> 00:38:23,400 exist. Those are the two evil twins 615 00:38:24,300 --> 00:38:27,900 jealousy and selfish ambition, wherever they exist wherever 616 00:38:27,900 --> 00:38:29,300 they are. Tolerated, wherever they're 617 00:38:29,300 --> 00:38:32,900 living wherever they are. Not resisted and Dealt with, and 618 00:38:32,900 --> 00:38:37,700 it's early forms for where jealousy and selfish ambition 619 00:38:37,700 --> 00:38:39,400 exist. What do you have there will be 620 00:38:39,400 --> 00:38:42,300 disorder and every vile practice. 621 00:38:46,500 --> 00:38:50,700 Abner clearly had a desire to secure his position and maybe 622 00:38:50,700 --> 00:38:53,400 over time, he now wants to grow in his position and take over is 623 00:38:53,400 --> 00:38:56,500 besides place if that is indeed true. 624 00:38:57,100 --> 00:38:59,600 And this is now about to now split up because he's about to 625 00:38:59,600 --> 00:39:01,800 now make his pledge of allegiance to David. 626 00:39:02,500 --> 00:39:07,200 It started with his his desire be coming out of control, for 627 00:39:07,200 --> 00:39:11,500 his ambition, to be met. And I want to tell you that that 628 00:39:11,500 --> 00:39:14,000 will be true for any place, especially in Ministry. 629 00:39:15,100 --> 00:39:17,200 And I what I love to do is whenever I see command like 630 00:39:17,200 --> 00:39:21,400 this, that that puts that puts a sober understanding of the 631 00:39:21,400 --> 00:39:25,800 potential of what we can do. I like to flip it, positively to 632 00:39:25,800 --> 00:39:28,500 see the potential fruit if you do it in the opposite way. 633 00:39:28,800 --> 00:39:31,800 So this verse says, for where jealousy and selfish ambition 634 00:39:31,800 --> 00:39:34,800 exist, there will be disorder and every vile practice. 635 00:39:35,000 --> 00:39:36,900 I look, and I said, well what's the opposite of jealousy? 636 00:39:36,900 --> 00:39:44,300 And selfish ambition, any ideas? I think the opposite of jealousy 637 00:39:44,300 --> 00:39:49,000 is what thing honor. You don't covet something that 638 00:39:49,000 --> 00:39:50,700 doesn't belong to you. You don't feel threatened by 639 00:39:50,700 --> 00:39:51,800 somebody. Who does something that you 640 00:39:51,800 --> 00:39:54,600 would want to want to. Do you honor them, you see them 641 00:39:54,600 --> 00:39:57,100 as an asset, you see them, as an addition, you see them as a 642 00:39:57,107 --> 00:39:59,900 partner. What's the opposite of selfish? 643 00:39:59,900 --> 00:40:02,300 Ambition. Humility. 644 00:40:03,900 --> 00:40:06,600 It's not about what you want, isn't about your drive, your 645 00:40:06,600 --> 00:40:09,600 passions, your dreams. It's about a greater goal. 646 00:40:09,900 --> 00:40:12,500 It's about God's kingdom his name and wherever you have to 647 00:40:12,500 --> 00:40:14,800 fit in the slot to make it run properly. 648 00:40:14,900 --> 00:40:17,700 You will fit in that slot. So let me put it this way, 649 00:40:17,800 --> 00:40:21,600 wherever there is honor and humility. 650 00:40:22,600 --> 00:40:28,600 What's the opposite of disorder? Hoarder orders, good right there 651 00:40:28,600 --> 00:40:31,000 will be order. And what is this? 652 00:40:31,000 --> 00:40:35,000 A every vile practice. I like to say every good, every 653 00:40:35,000 --> 00:40:38,700 good practice, every good thing where there is honor and 654 00:40:38,700 --> 00:40:43,800 humility, there will be order and every good thing May honor 655 00:40:43,800 --> 00:40:45,900 and humidity live in our hearts in this church. 656 00:40:47,700 --> 00:40:49,400 So we come now the verse 8 and 10. 657 00:40:50,700 --> 00:40:53,500 We read verse 8. Let's continue with Abner's 658 00:40:53,500 --> 00:40:55,900 words. God do so in verse 9 to have 659 00:40:55,900 --> 00:40:58,200 there and more. Also if I do not accomplish for 660 00:40:58,200 --> 00:41:01,900 David, what the Lord has sworn to him to transfer the Kingdom 661 00:41:01,900 --> 00:41:04,400 from the house of Saul and set up the Throne of David over 662 00:41:04,400 --> 00:41:06,900 Israel. Over Judah from Dan to Beersheba 663 00:41:07,100 --> 00:41:10,200 and look at this verse 11 and it's bichette could not answer 664 00:41:10,200 --> 00:41:13,800 Abner another word because he feared him tell me, what kind of 665 00:41:13,808 --> 00:41:18,300 man is for Seth was Abner's reaction. 666 00:41:18,300 --> 00:41:22,200 Here is not what we would, probably think for someone who 667 00:41:22,200 --> 00:41:27,000 was caught for potential treason. and people are divided 668 00:41:27,100 --> 00:41:31,100 on, whether or not Abner really did do what he was accused of 669 00:41:32,100 --> 00:41:37,000 Some say he's defensive here and others would say he's not really 670 00:41:37,000 --> 00:41:41,200 disregarding the charge, but he's offended by the fact that 671 00:41:41,500 --> 00:41:43,300 he would be challenged for something. 672 00:41:44,500 --> 00:41:47,000 After all that he has done for this Manish bichette. 673 00:41:48,400 --> 00:41:50,700 Where do you stand? Do you think there's any clues 674 00:41:50,700 --> 00:41:52,300 in here that Abner actually did do this? 675 00:41:52,300 --> 00:41:55,200 Or do you think this is just a false accusation? 676 00:41:57,800 --> 00:42:00,200 What are some reasons for us to believe that he did do it or 677 00:42:00,200 --> 00:42:06,700 potentially, did it? Look at verse 6 again. 678 00:42:08,300 --> 00:42:10,400 Abner. The second part was making 679 00:42:10,400 --> 00:42:15,000 himself strong in the house of Saul. 680 00:42:15,900 --> 00:42:19,000 Makes you wonder that over the years of Abner has built a 681 00:42:19,008 --> 00:42:21,700 loyalty base, and he knew that he had the support of the 682 00:42:21,700 --> 00:42:25,200 majority of the tribes, that he felt confident enough to make 683 00:42:25,200 --> 00:42:29,000 such a bold move thinking that somehow it might even, it might 684 00:42:29,000 --> 00:42:32,700 be on to his benefit because he has a support of majority. 685 00:42:33,600 --> 00:42:35,300 Look at verse 11 again and ishka. 686 00:42:35,300 --> 00:42:38,200 Seth could not answer Abner another word because he feared 687 00:42:38,200 --> 00:42:40,600 him. This guy was a coward. 688 00:42:40,600 --> 00:42:44,600 This guy did not have, he did not have courage Abner knew that 689 00:42:44,600 --> 00:42:47,100 because he made him a king and he made it more like a puppet 690 00:42:47,100 --> 00:42:50,000 kind of figure because he was using him to, to do something 691 00:42:50,000 --> 00:42:52,700 for Abner. It's very difficult to believe. 692 00:42:52,700 --> 00:42:56,200 If this was issued with his character, say, is force of ten 693 00:42:56,200 --> 00:42:58,300 times in a row. Give me mercy, please. 694 00:42:59,400 --> 00:43:02,000 It's very difficult to believe that if this King was this kind 695 00:43:02,000 --> 00:43:07,000 of man, that he would have the courage to confront him. 696 00:43:07,000 --> 00:43:09,400 For something that wasn't true. It would make more sense. 697 00:43:09,400 --> 00:43:12,800 If he actually had evidence that he did do this, with the hope 698 00:43:12,800 --> 00:43:15,600 that this evidence was would shut the mouths of Abner and he 699 00:43:15,600 --> 00:43:17,800 would be able to put him in his place. 700 00:43:18,800 --> 00:43:23,200 Now these are just speculations. Others would say well no Abner 701 00:43:23,800 --> 00:43:27,100 if you really wanted the throne he wouldn't he wouldn't say I'm 702 00:43:27,100 --> 00:43:30,300 going to David's side. He would say, you know, I have 703 00:43:30,300 --> 00:43:32,700 the right and if he could overcome a specific with the 704 00:43:32,700 --> 00:43:34,700 support of the people, he could have, he could have done more 705 00:43:34,700 --> 00:43:36,100 things. Like what we see in the book of 706 00:43:36,100 --> 00:43:39,700 Kings kill, King's assassinate them, whatever, but no, he backs 707 00:43:39,700 --> 00:43:41,000 off his, okay? If you're going to accuse me of 708 00:43:41,000 --> 00:43:42,900 this, then I'm out of here. See you later and he walks away. 709 00:43:44,000 --> 00:43:51,900 or, or Is it possible? That is beset with made this up? 710 00:43:53,800 --> 00:43:57,800 Because he saw that Abner was becoming strong and he realized 711 00:43:57,800 --> 00:44:00,700 this is a threat to me. And so, let me accuse him of 712 00:44:00,700 --> 00:44:04,600 this and, and with the hopes that maybe he will be offended 713 00:44:04,600 --> 00:44:06,400 and he will leave and or something. 714 00:44:07,600 --> 00:44:11,900 We can speculate, can we not? We can go on and on about what 715 00:44:11,900 --> 00:44:14,800 and how, and who and her. And we're not going to do that. 716 00:44:14,900 --> 00:44:18,600 Because the main point here to draw from these passages was the 717 00:44:18,600 --> 00:44:22,900 reason for Abner's desire and decision to transfer his support 718 00:44:23,000 --> 00:44:27,900 from this King to David. Was Abner doing the right thing 719 00:44:27,900 --> 00:44:32,400 to choose to be on David's side. Yeah. 720 00:44:33,200 --> 00:44:35,100 So right decision. Was it for the right reason, 721 00:44:35,100 --> 00:44:39,900 though. I don't think so. 722 00:44:41,900 --> 00:44:43,300 I don't think he's doing it for the right reason. 723 00:44:43,300 --> 00:44:44,900 What reason do you think he's doing this for? 724 00:44:48,700 --> 00:44:54,300 Number one Revenge. Despite this man you're going to 725 00:44:54,308 --> 00:44:57,400 tell me I did this. If it's true then you're going 726 00:44:57,400 --> 00:45:00,700 to actually confront me, you pipsqueak, right? 727 00:45:00,700 --> 00:45:02,200 You're going to come you little coward and you're going to 728 00:45:02,207 --> 00:45:03,300 actually come from me after all that. 729 00:45:03,300 --> 00:45:06,000 I've done for you if it was true if it wasn't true. 730 00:45:06,000 --> 00:45:07,800 That's even a greater offense, you're going to accuse me of 731 00:45:07,808 --> 00:45:09,400 this, after all that I've done for you. 732 00:45:10,700 --> 00:45:14,200 And so he says I'm going, I'm going to the other side and I 733 00:45:14,207 --> 00:45:16,100 need to teach you a lesson. I'm going to make you regret 734 00:45:16,100 --> 00:45:21,300 what you just did, okay? Secondly, Remember verse one, 735 00:45:21,400 --> 00:45:25,600 the House of David was what becoming stronger and the house 736 00:45:25,600 --> 00:45:27,800 of Israel. Seth was what becoming weaker 737 00:45:27,800 --> 00:45:31,800 and weaker? Do you think Abner knew that Was 738 00:45:31,800 --> 00:45:37,500 he not a professional General? Could it be that Abner realized 739 00:45:37,800 --> 00:45:43,700 that his plan is failing? And he realizes this ship is 740 00:45:43,700 --> 00:45:48,900 sinking. And because of that, the king 741 00:45:48,900 --> 00:45:53,100 comes up, brings up this. This, this accusation and Abner 742 00:45:53,100 --> 00:45:55,500 sees this as an opportunity to jump ship. 743 00:45:56,700 --> 00:45:59,600 Okay, you're going to accuse me and he makes a whole spectacle. 744 00:45:59,700 --> 00:46:02,000 He doesn't try to reconcile. It doesn't try to defend 745 00:46:02,000 --> 00:46:03,000 themself. She's all right. 746 00:46:03,300 --> 00:46:07,400 And he leaves so that he doesn't seem like he's betraying, but 747 00:46:07,400 --> 00:46:09,800 that he has a story on a side, you know, you made me think 748 00:46:09,800 --> 00:46:11,900 that, you know, he caused this and spreading rumors about me. 749 00:46:11,900 --> 00:46:15,900 So I'm out of here and he joins David side hoping to secure 750 00:46:15,900 --> 00:46:20,900 something and David's blessed Dynamic Dynasty. 751 00:46:23,000 --> 00:46:27,100 And that's what you see because he sends Messengers to David and 752 00:46:27,100 --> 00:46:28,500 he says, make a covenant with me. 753 00:46:28,500 --> 00:46:29,600 We're going to read that in a moment. 754 00:46:29,600 --> 00:46:31,900 Actually, this reader right now. Verse 12 and Abner, sent 755 00:46:31,900 --> 00:46:34,300 Messengers to David on his behalf saying to whom does the 756 00:46:34,300 --> 00:46:38,100 land belong, make your Covenant with me and behold. 757 00:46:38,100 --> 00:46:41,900 My hand shall be with you to bring over all Israel to you. 758 00:46:45,100 --> 00:46:49,000 There's no repentance here. There's no apology, there's no 759 00:46:49,000 --> 00:46:52,700 confession of wrong for years. You were causing trouble for 760 00:46:52,700 --> 00:46:56,800 David bass in your own words. You knew that David was God's 761 00:46:56,800 --> 00:47:01,300 man from the beginning and you still deliberately Caused 762 00:47:01,300 --> 00:47:04,700 obstacle and problems because you had an ambition greater than 763 00:47:04,700 --> 00:47:07,000 God's glory. And now all four is sudden, when 764 00:47:07,000 --> 00:47:09,100 you realize that your plan is failing, you're going to join 765 00:47:09,100 --> 00:47:12,600 The Winning Side. This is this is arrogant. 766 00:47:13,400 --> 00:47:18,200 This is so, obviously, despicable and Paul would say 767 00:47:18,600 --> 00:47:21,700 that the motive of many Servants of Christ. 768 00:47:22,900 --> 00:47:27,900 Are also no different than Abner's didn't he say to the 769 00:47:27,900 --> 00:47:30,600 Philippians? Some indeed preach Christ out of 770 00:47:30,600 --> 00:47:35,400 envy and rivalry. Some indeed preach Christ out of 771 00:47:35,400 --> 00:47:38,900 envy and rivalry. Paul knew that Paul knew that 772 00:47:38,900 --> 00:47:41,400 people went into Ministry. Paul knew that people preached 773 00:47:41,400 --> 00:47:44,400 and taught the word of God, spread the gospel not out of 774 00:47:44,400 --> 00:47:49,500 Goodwill, but out of envy and rivalry, it was a sport for some 775 00:47:49,500 --> 00:47:51,100 preachers. We want a bigger church. 776 00:47:51,100 --> 00:47:53,400 We want a bigger conference. We want a bigger Bible study, we 777 00:47:53,400 --> 00:47:55,700 want more numbers. It was just kind of six 778 00:47:55,700 --> 00:48:01,100 competition and Paul knew that so, we have to understand that, 779 00:48:01,100 --> 00:48:05,200 not everybody who serves God is really serving God, but it's not 780 00:48:05,200 --> 00:48:09,000 up to us to judge people for that because in the same passage 781 00:48:09,000 --> 00:48:11,500 Paul says, but I Rejoice. Why does Paul Rejoice still? 782 00:48:12,400 --> 00:48:14,100 Because Christ is being preached. 783 00:48:15,100 --> 00:48:20,200 Christ is being preached. You have to see beyond if the 784 00:48:20,200 --> 00:48:23,100 sea Beyond what's happening in people's hearts, you have to see 785 00:48:23,100 --> 00:48:27,600 how even despite that God's name is still being glorified. 786 00:48:27,700 --> 00:48:30,100 And Paul says in that I could that's a mature Christian man, 787 00:48:30,600 --> 00:48:32,900 that is a mature disciple of the Lord. 788 00:48:32,900 --> 00:48:37,000 Jesus Christ, amateur servant of God, even even though he knew 789 00:48:37,000 --> 00:48:38,900 people were not in the right place, he says that that's up to 790 00:48:38,900 --> 00:48:41,200 Christ, that's up to Christ to deal with them. 791 00:48:41,300 --> 00:48:45,300 I'm seeing the fruit, I'm seeing the result of what's taking 792 00:48:45,300 --> 00:48:47,000 place here and I can still praise the Lord. 793 00:48:47,100 --> 00:48:50,500 And that's incredible to me, Abner is not doing it for the 794 00:48:50,500 --> 00:48:52,900 right reason. He wants to make peace. 795 00:48:52,900 --> 00:48:56,200 David is up for it verse 13. He said good, I will make a 796 00:48:56,200 --> 00:48:59,400 covenant with you. Look if this means peace, If 797 00:48:59,400 --> 00:49:03,600 this means that this civil thing can come to an end then good. 798 00:49:03,800 --> 00:49:07,000 I'll make a covenant with you. It doesn't try to dig deep into 799 00:49:07,000 --> 00:49:09,500 his motives and reasons. But look what he says here. 800 00:49:09,500 --> 00:49:11,200 He wants to see if he's really serious. 801 00:49:12,200 --> 00:49:14,700 But one thing I require of you that is you shall not see my 802 00:49:14,700 --> 00:49:16,400 face. Unless you first bring Mahal 803 00:49:16,400 --> 00:49:18,700 Saul's daughter? When you come to see my face? 804 00:49:18,700 --> 00:49:21,300 Wow, we haven't heard that name in a long time. 805 00:49:23,500 --> 00:49:28,000 Okay, you want peace. Go get my first wife. 806 00:49:29,300 --> 00:49:34,300 How was David's first wife? Did David divorce. 807 00:49:34,300 --> 00:49:36,500 His wife? Did she divorce David? 808 00:49:36,600 --> 00:49:41,500 What happened? Despite David's all takes his 809 00:49:41,500 --> 00:49:43,700 wife and gives her to another man. 810 00:49:44,200 --> 00:49:48,600 David did not forget about it. And really, this timing is even 811 00:49:49,300 --> 00:49:52,000 more brilliant than if he had done it earlier. 812 00:49:52,000 --> 00:49:54,200 Because now at this point with the contention, with all the 813 00:49:54,200 --> 00:49:57,800 things happening in Israel, what greater way to show that the 814 00:49:57,800 --> 00:50:01,200 house of Saul is joined to the House of David by marrying or at 815 00:50:01,200 --> 00:50:06,200 least three stablishing, a union with Saul's daughter, go get 816 00:50:06,200 --> 00:50:08,000 her. I want her. 817 00:50:09,200 --> 00:50:11,900 Abner doesn't hesitate so what he does. 818 00:50:11,900 --> 00:50:16,300 Is verse 14, David sent Messengers to ishka. 819 00:50:16,300 --> 00:50:20,100 Seth's all son saying, give me my wife Mahal for whom. 820 00:50:20,100 --> 00:50:23,700 I pay the bridal price of 100 foreskins of the Philistines and 821 00:50:23,700 --> 00:50:27,900 is beset sent and took her from her husband, Paul T eldest, son 822 00:50:27,900 --> 00:50:30,900 of lionfish. But her husband, this breaks me. 823 00:50:30,900 --> 00:50:33,600 Every time I read this verse, it kind of makes me sad, but her 824 00:50:33,600 --> 00:50:38,000 husband went with her weeping after all the way to the rim. 825 00:50:38,600 --> 00:50:41,800 Then Abner set them go return and he returned. 826 00:50:42,100 --> 00:50:46,600 Sad sight, huh? Years have gone by and this man 827 00:50:46,600 --> 00:50:49,200 married McCall, the memories that they had together the 828 00:50:49,200 --> 00:50:51,900 friendship that they had together and all for sudden a 829 00:50:51,900 --> 00:50:54,000 knot comes on the door and you have the general of the army 830 00:50:54,000 --> 00:50:56,900 with all these soldiers saying David is asking for me, haha, 831 00:50:56,900 --> 00:51:00,300 time to go pack your bags. This man's life is just 832 00:51:00,300 --> 00:51:03,200 shattered before him and you can just imagine as they're 833 00:51:03,200 --> 00:51:08,900 traveling on horse or whatever by Chariot or walking at this 834 00:51:08,900 --> 00:51:11,900 this husband is scaling along the path, begging for them to 835 00:51:11,900 --> 00:51:15,300 make a decision for his benefit. Begging them to not do Do this 836 00:51:15,300 --> 00:51:17,300 and they're just ignoring him. Finally, I've not had enough to 837 00:51:17,300 --> 00:51:19,300 stop it. Go back and he goes back. 838 00:51:19,900 --> 00:51:24,000 Kind of makes you feel sympathetic towards this man. 839 00:51:25,500 --> 00:51:27,700 And this may sound harsh but understand where I'm coming 840 00:51:27,700 --> 00:51:32,300 from. It really is his fault. 841 00:51:33,700 --> 00:51:39,900 To a certain extent. Isn't it is, what business do 842 00:51:39,900 --> 00:51:44,300 you have marrying somebody? That has a husband. 843 00:51:47,200 --> 00:51:51,700 He agreed to this. He said, sure, he violated God's 844 00:51:51,700 --> 00:51:54,100 law and just like, with David and his children. 845 00:51:54,200 --> 00:51:56,600 The results did not immediately surface. 846 00:51:56,600 --> 00:52:00,900 But down the road, they eventually came To haunt him. 847 00:52:02,200 --> 00:52:07,300 And what's important to understand from this, Is pal tol 848 00:52:07,300 --> 00:52:10,500 had obviously confidence to make such a decision based on 849 00:52:10,500 --> 00:52:14,600 something. And here's what I argue, Saul 850 00:52:14,600 --> 00:52:19,000 was The Mastermind behind us saw, says take my daughter and 851 00:52:19,000 --> 00:52:20,800 here's Palio saying you're the king. 852 00:52:22,000 --> 00:52:24,500 If the king says, it's okay. Then surely it must be. 853 00:52:24,500 --> 00:52:26,000 Okay, do you see where I'm going with this? 854 00:52:27,400 --> 00:52:32,300 So, I will take her. Because I have, I have not just 855 00:52:32,300 --> 00:52:36,000 the king, I have his permission the law, so to speak. 856 00:52:36,900 --> 00:52:39,300 This man has the authority over the land and if he says, it's 857 00:52:39,300 --> 00:52:43,300 fine, then surely it's fine. So, he takes an illegitimate 858 00:52:43,300 --> 00:52:46,900 wife. And he tries to build a future 859 00:52:46,900 --> 00:52:49,900 with her and tries to no blessing with her. 860 00:52:52,200 --> 00:52:55,400 And here's what this man and others fail to understand, there 861 00:52:55,400 --> 00:53:01,200 is a higher Court. There is a greater law than all 862 00:53:01,200 --> 00:53:03,200 the laws and all the courts of the land. 863 00:53:04,400 --> 00:53:08,300 And listen. I don't care how Supreme the 864 00:53:08,300 --> 00:53:13,400 Supreme Court is, there is the court more Supreme And it 865 00:53:13,400 --> 00:53:16,500 doesn't matter what they legitimize or what they 866 00:53:16,500 --> 00:53:19,500 legalized, or what they make illegal, what they say is wrong. 867 00:53:19,900 --> 00:53:24,400 God's law is always in effect, always. 868 00:53:24,800 --> 00:53:28,500 And here's the simple summary of His law across all generations, 869 00:53:28,500 --> 00:53:31,500 all cultures, if you obey God, you will be blessed. 870 00:53:31,700 --> 00:53:35,500 If you disobey God, you will be cursed, it's as simple as that. 871 00:53:36,800 --> 00:53:39,500 So, you have many people today, who find great comfort that 872 00:53:39,500 --> 00:53:41,900 culture, approves of it government, approves of it, my 873 00:53:41,900 --> 00:53:44,400 state approves a bit. So surely must be, right? 874 00:53:44,500 --> 00:53:47,800 You have to realize that there is a Higher Throne. 875 00:53:49,500 --> 00:53:54,200 And that Throne governs over all Thrones and God's law overrides 876 00:53:54,200 --> 00:53:56,400 all laws. And if a nation wants to be 877 00:53:56,400 --> 00:54:01,600 blessed, it will align itself to the law of God, Psalm 9 tells us 878 00:54:02,000 --> 00:54:08,500 that the Nations will go to XI ol, all who forget, God, And 879 00:54:08,500 --> 00:54:13,300 unfortunately here that although people tell here, patio here got 880 00:54:13,300 --> 00:54:15,500 permission from saw. He didn't get God's permission. 881 00:54:18,400 --> 00:54:21,600 And we save ourselves just like this man for Many, Many Tears. 882 00:54:22,200 --> 00:54:24,600 When we honor this word above everything else. 883 00:54:25,600 --> 00:54:27,900 When we place his word is supreme authority, we protect 884 00:54:27,900 --> 00:54:31,000 ourselves from much heartache, much pain, much regret much 885 00:54:31,000 --> 00:54:34,100 sorrow and this is a clear example of that. 886 00:54:35,300 --> 00:54:38,000 And so this man, lost his wife. No, he didn't lose his wife. 887 00:54:38,100 --> 00:54:41,500 David is getting his wife back and if he had understood that 888 00:54:41,500 --> 00:54:44,400 from the beginning and he would have saved himself from much 889 00:54:44,400 --> 00:54:46,100 trouble. And if David would have learned 890 00:54:46,100 --> 00:54:53,400 that lesson himself, When he understood that, you can't take 891 00:54:53,400 --> 00:54:55,600 somebody or something that doesn't belong to you without 892 00:54:55,600 --> 00:54:58,600 repercussions. Oh, if he had just learned from 893 00:54:58,600 --> 00:55:03,800 this, unfortunately, like many of us, we only learn when we 894 00:55:03,800 --> 00:55:07,500 feel the bite of it. When it's in sermon form. 895 00:55:07,500 --> 00:55:10,700 It's inspirational for the moment but it tends to leak out. 896 00:55:11,900 --> 00:55:16,500 until that thing gets to us and leaves a mark, it doesn't have 897 00:55:16,500 --> 00:55:21,200 to be Doesn't have to be because we can be strong as John tells 898 00:55:21,200 --> 00:55:25,000 us by getting the word of God in us and believing it and applying 899 00:55:25,000 --> 00:55:27,600 it so that we can overcome the evil one. 900 00:55:28,300 --> 00:55:49,000 Can we pray? Louis, thank you for this Bible 901 00:55:49,000 --> 00:55:52,900 study. Lord. 902 00:55:52,900 --> 00:55:55,800 It is our desire to be stronger in Jesus. 903 00:55:58,200 --> 00:56:04,800 It is our desire to grow. It is our longing. 904 00:56:06,600 --> 00:56:12,500 At this flesh. Would be subject to the spirit. 905 00:56:14,800 --> 00:56:16,800 But we thank you for the wonderful lessons that you have 906 00:56:16,800 --> 00:56:18,500 presented to us through these verses. 907 00:56:20,800 --> 00:56:25,900 And Lord, we want. We want order in our lives. 908 00:56:29,100 --> 00:56:31,000 Lord, if there's anything in our lives. 909 00:56:33,900 --> 00:56:38,000 That is so obviously outside of your will but we are not seeing 910 00:56:38,000 --> 00:56:41,500 the consequences of it yet, would you by your grace 911 00:56:41,500 --> 00:56:45,500 highlight the blind spots? Or the things that we have. 912 00:56:46,600 --> 00:56:51,300 Deceived ourselves with so that we can escape the sting of it. 913 00:56:53,900 --> 00:56:57,800 Lord, we don't want to be like Abner and serve you when it's 914 00:56:57,800 --> 00:57:02,700 beneficial to us. We want to serve you at all 915 00:57:02,700 --> 00:57:06,100 times. No matter what, we get out of 916 00:57:06,100 --> 00:57:11,100 it. And so Lord, we are heading into 917 00:57:11,100 --> 00:57:14,600 a day where more and more to be branded as a Christian. 918 00:57:17,500 --> 00:57:23,500 Will be much more difficult. Than it was 20, 30 40 years ago, 919 00:57:24,100 --> 00:57:27,900 but we want to declare to you tonight that we are staying in 920 00:57:27,900 --> 00:57:30,900 the ship. And we will honor you by your 921 00:57:30,900 --> 00:57:33,700 mercy and Grace until you call us home. 922 00:57:35,500 --> 00:57:38,800 And Lord, our desire is not to have something within your 923 00:57:38,800 --> 00:57:44,300 kingdom, but for you are King to be pleased to do what you desire 924 00:57:44,300 --> 00:57:47,300 for us. Lord, we thank you for this 925 00:57:47,300 --> 00:57:51,600 place. Where honor and humility rain, 926 00:57:52,400 --> 00:57:57,300 May you strengthen that in us so that we would see greater order 927 00:57:57,500 --> 00:57:59,300 in our relationships with one another. 928 00:57:59,800 --> 00:58:02,900 We see greater order in our Ministries. 929 00:58:04,300 --> 00:58:08,600 And that we would say every good practice, wonderful fruit. 930 00:58:11,100 --> 00:58:13,700 Although there is much we can say, but we will sing it to you. 931 00:58:14,500 --> 00:58:18,300 And we finally say before we say, Amen, that we submit to 932 00:58:18,300 --> 00:58:21,900 your word. That your court is what we 933 00:58:21,900 --> 00:58:27,200 appeal to your court is who we submit to your word. 934 00:58:27,200 --> 00:58:31,900 Your law, your will We Will Not Bow to Caesar, we will serve 935 00:58:31,900 --> 00:58:35,100 Christ and Jesus name we pray. Amen.