1 00:00:03,320 --> 00:00:05,960 Welcome to the Liberty Baptist Sermon Archives. 2 00:00:06,200 --> 00:00:09,040 The message you're about to hear was preached at Liberty Baptist 3 00:00:09,040 --> 00:00:13,040 Church in Easton, MA. You can find out more about us 4 00:00:13,040 --> 00:00:17,280 or contact us at my libertybaptist.org or just look 5 00:00:17,280 --> 00:00:19,760 us up on Facebook. And now we hope that this 6 00:00:19,760 --> 00:00:22,040 message from God's Word will be a blessing to you. 7 00:00:24,480 --> 00:00:27,600 Second Samuel chapter #17 this evening. 8 00:00:27,600 --> 00:00:32,119 Second Samuel chapter #17 I was actually talking in my office 9 00:00:32,119 --> 00:00:34,040 this morning, Brother Dwight, for just a few moments. 10 00:00:34,040 --> 00:00:37,520 And as we were talking, he had pointed to a photo that I have 11 00:00:37,520 --> 00:00:40,440 next to the typewriter in my office, the typewriter that I 12 00:00:40,440 --> 00:00:42,680 don't really type anything on, but I like having it there. 13 00:00:42,960 --> 00:00:46,720 And he said, who is that person that's there? 14 00:00:47,160 --> 00:00:49,080 And I was glad to be able to kind of tell him a little bit of 15 00:00:49,080 --> 00:00:51,560 the story about Brother Steve Baker, the man who led me to 16 00:00:51,560 --> 00:00:54,000 Christ. And Brother Chuck was so kind to 17 00:00:54,000 --> 00:00:57,920 be able to at the 20th anniversary of of ministry for 18 00:00:57,920 --> 00:01:01,200 myself and my wife, to be able to collect some of those 19 00:01:01,560 --> 00:01:04,720 mementos, those videos from some pastors for the Baker who is in 20 00:01:04,720 --> 00:01:08,680 the midst of ALS, was not able to make a video, but was able to 21 00:01:08,680 --> 00:01:11,880 dictate a message for me. And Chuck again, and his 22 00:01:11,880 --> 00:01:15,280 kindness was able to print out that with the photo and put it 23 00:01:15,280 --> 00:01:17,160 together. And I have that in my office. 24 00:01:17,160 --> 00:01:20,120 But if you've been in my office any length of time, that doesn't 25 00:01:20,120 --> 00:01:21,880 mean you're in trouble if you're in my office, by the way. 26 00:01:21,880 --> 00:01:23,160 But if you've been in my office, there's. 27 00:01:23,280 --> 00:01:24,880 All kind of. Little Knick knacks and curious 28 00:01:24,960 --> 00:01:26,880 and those kind of things. And some of them don't even seem 29 00:01:26,880 --> 00:01:30,480 to sense, all things considered. It might be a pair of glasses 30 00:01:30,480 --> 00:01:34,360 that are on the bookshelf or maybe a Syracuse cup that I hold 31 00:01:34,440 --> 00:01:36,800 pens and pencils in and those kind of things. 32 00:01:36,800 --> 00:01:40,360 And maybe you'd say pastor, you just like a collector or you a 33 00:01:40,360 --> 00:01:42,120 hoarder. I mean, what exactly is it? 34 00:01:42,400 --> 00:01:44,800 Well, I have learned in the few years I've had an office, for 35 00:01:44,800 --> 00:01:46,520 many years at Liberty, I didn't have an office. 36 00:01:47,040 --> 00:01:51,160 The necessity of what it was, I work at home or even the first 37 00:01:51,160 --> 00:01:53,520 couple years when I worked out of the home here at the church, 38 00:01:53,840 --> 00:01:56,560 I had a little cart that put all my items in and I had a folding 39 00:01:56,560 --> 00:01:58,200 table. It was out in the back during 40 00:01:58,200 --> 00:02:00,480 the week and then on Sunday or Wednesday it had to go to the 41 00:02:00,480 --> 00:02:02,280 back because that's just the way that it was. 42 00:02:02,280 --> 00:02:04,640 It's been a blessing to have an office the last couple years 43 00:02:04,640 --> 00:02:07,880 because I could tell you that having, you know, meeting with 44 00:02:07,880 --> 00:02:10,440 people after church in the nursery, which is what I usually 45 00:02:10,440 --> 00:02:12,280 have to do if we have the meeting wasn't great with all 46 00:02:12,280 --> 00:02:14,480 little kids toys, no making noise and all that stuff around 47 00:02:14,480 --> 00:02:16,080 there. Say Pastor, you going somewhere? 48 00:02:16,080 --> 00:02:19,160 No, I'm going to be here in the next 45 minutes, but I am going 49 00:02:19,160 --> 00:02:20,080 somewhere. All right? 50 00:02:21,160 --> 00:02:23,560 All these random items, and they're there for a reason. 51 00:02:24,000 --> 00:02:25,960 Each and every one of them remind me of someone who had 52 00:02:25,960 --> 00:02:29,920 influence in my life, somebody that meant something to me, some 53 00:02:29,920 --> 00:02:32,920 in very small way, some in great and large ways. 54 00:02:32,920 --> 00:02:35,320 That photo of Steve Baker will be the obvious 1. 55 00:02:35,600 --> 00:02:38,800 He led me to Christ. Those glasses that are there or 56 00:02:38,800 --> 00:02:42,240 the last pair of glasses that my mother had before she passed 57 00:02:42,240 --> 00:02:45,760 away and I don't have much from my mom, but what I do is special 58 00:02:45,760 --> 00:02:48,120 to me. Those glasses there remind me of 59 00:02:48,120 --> 00:02:50,960 her influence in my life. That cup that's over there from 60 00:02:50,960 --> 00:02:52,360 Syracuse. I don't care a thing about 61 00:02:52,360 --> 00:02:56,000 Syracuse University or the city of Syracuse in general, other 62 00:02:56,000 --> 00:02:58,520 than the fact that there's some people who've been a blessing to 63 00:02:58,520 --> 00:03:00,320 me over the years. And you've heard the names 64 00:03:00,320 --> 00:03:02,920 before, Dan and Dora Woodward. He gave me that cup. 65 00:03:02,920 --> 00:03:04,920 And I don't drink coffee out of it because I don't want to drink 66 00:03:04,920 --> 00:03:07,840 coffee out of a Syracuse cup. But I will put my pens and 67 00:03:07,840 --> 00:03:10,440 pencils in there because when I see it, it reminds me of how Dan 68 00:03:10,440 --> 00:03:13,040 and Dora had been a blessing to me in my life. 69 00:03:13,680 --> 00:03:17,400 However you have been in your Christian walk, Listen, all 70 00:03:17,400 --> 00:03:20,760 glory goes to God, Amen. For whoever you are, whatever 71 00:03:20,760 --> 00:03:23,920 you have become, we know that we give the glory to God because. 72 00:03:24,000 --> 00:03:27,120 Because we are not self-made men and women, whatever we are, we 73 00:03:27,120 --> 00:03:30,360 are because of the grace of God. But let's also be equally honest 74 00:03:30,360 --> 00:03:34,120 that God has also used some people in our life to get us to 75 00:03:34,120 --> 00:03:37,480 the place where we need to go. Sure, God is the one. 76 00:03:37,480 --> 00:03:40,880 God is the one who is the driving force within our life 77 00:03:40,880 --> 00:03:43,400 because he is God. But God has used men. 78 00:03:43,560 --> 00:03:46,080 God has used women. God has used the elderly. 79 00:03:46,080 --> 00:03:48,960 God has sometimes used the very young within our lives to be 80 00:03:48,960 --> 00:03:51,200 able to teach us lessons that we need to learn. 81 00:03:51,200 --> 00:03:54,240 To teach us what it meant to be a Christian, To teach us what it 82 00:03:54,240 --> 00:03:56,720 meant to love the Lord. To teach us what it meant to 83 00:03:56,880 --> 00:04:00,080 read your Bible every day. Or to teach us why tithing was 84 00:04:00,080 --> 00:04:02,240 important. Or to teach us how to tithe. 85 00:04:02,240 --> 00:04:05,080 Or to teach us why certain things aren't supposed to be in 86 00:04:05,080 --> 00:04:07,720 your life, or why certain things ought to be in your life, or 87 00:04:07,720 --> 00:04:09,360 whatever. It could be that there were some 88 00:04:09,360 --> 00:04:13,680 people who are along the way who gave influence to us, and we 89 00:04:13,680 --> 00:04:16,240 will be wise to consider not just being receivers that 90 00:04:16,240 --> 00:04:19,720 influence, but also being givers of that influence as well. 91 00:04:20,200 --> 00:04:24,040 We're always very quick to be able to receive the blessings of 92 00:04:24,040 --> 00:04:25,120 which people give us. Why? 93 00:04:25,120 --> 00:04:26,880 Because people like to receive blessings. 94 00:04:27,120 --> 00:04:30,520 I don't know about you. I like receiving them, but at 95 00:04:30,520 --> 00:04:34,520 the same time we have to be conscious, we cognizant of the 96 00:04:34,520 --> 00:04:38,280 fact that we need to be the givers of that same blessing of 97 00:04:38,280 --> 00:04:40,800 which we receive, Particularly as we get older in the Lord, 98 00:04:40,800 --> 00:04:43,760 particularly as we get older in our Christian walk, there will 99 00:04:43,760 --> 00:04:47,440 be something within us that says I want to give back in the way 100 00:04:47,440 --> 00:04:49,640 that I received in my Christian walk. 101 00:04:49,640 --> 00:04:51,040 No, no, and that's not being arrogant. 102 00:04:51,040 --> 00:04:54,000 That's not being proud of saying I've got so much to be able to 103 00:04:54,000 --> 00:04:56,880 offer other people. We don't look at ourselves in 104 00:04:56,880 --> 00:05:00,040 that way, but we do know that God has taught us some lessons 105 00:05:00,040 --> 00:05:01,880 along the way. And those lessons He has taught 106 00:05:01,880 --> 00:05:04,680 us, we want to humbly be able to help to someone else so that 107 00:05:04,680 --> 00:05:08,360 they can teach others also. And as I look at that here this 108 00:05:08,360 --> 00:05:11,960 evening in our text in Second Samuel chapter #17 there was a 109 00:05:11,960 --> 00:05:15,680 man named Barzili, and Barzili was a gentleman. 110 00:05:15,680 --> 00:05:17,800 And remember this cast of characters that seems to be 111 00:05:17,960 --> 00:05:22,120 following David as he makes his flight out of Jerusalem, as we 112 00:05:22,120 --> 00:05:25,120 saw Ahithophel last week. And we've looked at others, and 113 00:05:25,120 --> 00:05:27,280 some we'll look at now, some we'll look at later. 114 00:05:27,280 --> 00:05:30,320 As David's returning as Mephibosheth, we'll be looking 115 00:05:30,320 --> 00:05:33,080 back again at him and his servant Zeba. 116 00:05:33,360 --> 00:05:36,240 But as we look at all of these different people that are this 117 00:05:36,240 --> 00:05:39,440 rogues gallery that are around him, some good and some not so 118 00:05:39,440 --> 00:05:43,080 good as he's making his flight, we see Barzili tonight. 119 00:05:43,400 --> 00:05:48,600 And he's a man who had great means and he was a great man who 120 00:05:48,600 --> 00:05:51,920 had much of his own. But yet, he realized, instead of 121 00:05:51,920 --> 00:05:55,440 just keeping it all for myself, I want to be an influence to 122 00:05:55,440 --> 00:05:58,080 somebody else. And help them along the way as 123 00:05:58,080 --> 00:05:58,960 well. Would you stand? 124 00:05:58,960 --> 00:06:01,480 Please for Second Samuel chapter #17 we're just going to read 3 125 00:06:01,480 --> 00:06:03,080 verses. I've gone light on you today on 126 00:06:03,080 --> 00:06:07,040 verses while you're standing up. So of course I've paid you back 127 00:06:07,040 --> 00:06:09,400 by preaching longer, but other than that, that's OK. 128 00:06:09,400 --> 00:06:11,040 Second Samuel chapter 17. I'll say this. 129 00:06:11,040 --> 00:06:13,400 I talk about the time a lot. There's nobody in this church 130 00:06:13,400 --> 00:06:15,680 that ever talks to me about the time in the in the pulpit. 131 00:06:15,680 --> 00:06:18,240 I'm so thankful for that, that you just want to hear the Word. 132 00:06:18,280 --> 00:06:21,200 And I take that seriously. I mean, I want to make sure 133 00:06:21,200 --> 00:06:22,840 that, you know, we're not circling the same, you know, 134 00:06:22,840 --> 00:06:25,160 runway 7 or 8 times. We got to land the plane when it 135 00:06:25,160 --> 00:06:27,080 needs to land. But it's the same time. 136 00:06:27,360 --> 00:06:29,320 If there's something that needs to be said from the word, you're 137 00:06:29,320 --> 00:06:31,520 always so wet, ready to listen. That means a lot to me. 138 00:06:31,520 --> 00:06:34,080 It really, really does. Second Samuel chapter 17, verse 139 00:06:34,080 --> 00:06:38,360 #27 says this. And it came to pass when David 140 00:06:38,360 --> 00:06:42,640 was come to Mahanam that show be the son of Nahash of Raba, the 141 00:06:42,640 --> 00:06:46,320 children of Ammon and Maker, the son of Amiol of Lodibar and 142 00:06:46,320 --> 00:06:50,800 Barzilli the Gileadite of Rogelem brought beds and basins 143 00:06:50,800 --> 00:06:53,800 and earthen vessels and wheat and barley flour and parched 144 00:06:53,800 --> 00:06:57,560 corn, beans and lentils and parched pulse and honey and 145 00:06:57,560 --> 00:07:01,960 butter and sheep and cheese of kind of cows for David and for 146 00:07:01,960 --> 00:07:03,880 the people that were with him to eat. 147 00:07:04,040 --> 00:07:09,200 For they said this people is hungry and weary and thirsty in 148 00:07:09,200 --> 00:07:10,960 the wilderness. Now you're blinking. 149 00:07:10,960 --> 00:07:13,080 You miss it there. Verse #27 Here's that man 150 00:07:13,080 --> 00:07:15,160 Barzili High. We're going to learn more about 151 00:07:15,160 --> 00:07:17,240 him in an adjoining passage here in just a moment. 152 00:07:17,400 --> 00:07:19,760 But he was obviously a man who had some great means. 153 00:07:19,960 --> 00:07:22,920 He was obviously a man who had some things at his disposal. 154 00:07:23,120 --> 00:07:25,320 But instead of holding on to him, he decided to give his 155 00:07:25,320 --> 00:07:28,440 influence to somebody who was. And need and we wanted to look 156 00:07:28,440 --> 00:07:29,560 at that a little bit more here tonight. 157 00:07:29,560 --> 00:07:30,880 Why don't you be seated as we pray together. 158 00:07:35,080 --> 00:07:37,240 Heavenly Father, we do thank you for this night and I do thank 159 00:07:37,240 --> 00:07:39,000 you again for how you're work in our midst. 160 00:07:39,880 --> 00:07:43,040 I do pray that you help me to be able through your spirit to give 161 00:07:43,040 --> 00:07:46,720 your word and the way, the method, the mode of which you 162 00:07:46,720 --> 00:07:49,240 desire me to. Lord, may I just be a vessel to 163 00:07:49,240 --> 00:07:51,080 be able to teach some of the things of which I've learned 164 00:07:51,400 --> 00:07:54,920 over the years. And may your word be what truly 165 00:07:54,920 --> 00:07:57,080 lodges and hearts. We can tell stories, we can get 166 00:07:57,080 --> 00:07:59,240 personal antidotes, but those don't change lives. 167 00:07:59,240 --> 00:08:02,480 They might give light to your word and how we apply it, but 168 00:08:02,480 --> 00:08:04,400 truly it's your word that changes lives. 169 00:08:04,720 --> 00:08:07,200 So may that be what sticks in people's minds and hearts 170 00:08:07,200 --> 00:08:09,240 tonight. And we ask it in Jesus name, 171 00:08:09,800 --> 00:08:11,880 Amen. Once again, like a hit the fell 172 00:08:11,880 --> 00:08:16,240 last week, Barzilia I was one of those men who star Brown star 173 00:08:16,360 --> 00:08:19,840 shone very bright. For a few chapters and then he's 174 00:08:19,840 --> 00:08:22,120 gone just like that. In fact, we only find him in 175 00:08:22,120 --> 00:08:25,320 three different texts of narrative in his own life. 176 00:08:25,320 --> 00:08:28,600 There's also two passages that mention him briefly in Nehemiah 177 00:08:28,600 --> 00:08:31,240 and Ezra. But as far as the narrative of 178 00:08:31,240 --> 00:08:34,480 his life, he is only mentioned here in Second Samuel chapter 179 00:08:34,480 --> 00:08:37,880 #17 as well as two other passages we're going to read 180 00:08:37,880 --> 00:08:40,760 tonight as well. And as we met him, we're meeting 181 00:08:40,760 --> 00:08:44,400 him again as David is on this process of leaving the Jordan, 182 00:08:44,520 --> 00:08:47,200 or rather leaving Jerusalem and he's going to approach the 183 00:08:47,200 --> 00:08:49,280 Jordan River. As he he does so, he is going to 184 00:08:49,280 --> 00:08:52,280 cross the Jordan River and go into the land that is sometimes 185 00:08:52,280 --> 00:08:56,040 called the land of Gilead that would be on the eastern side of 186 00:08:56,040 --> 00:08:58,560 Jordan. Going will afford David a little 187 00:08:58,560 --> 00:09:00,760 bit of protection. It will afford him a little bit 188 00:09:00,760 --> 00:09:03,040 of space from Absalom and his forces. 189 00:09:03,040 --> 00:09:06,040 Remember who Shy has bought David some time by giving the 190 00:09:06,040 --> 00:09:09,440 counsel of saying don't just go after them while on the run. 191 00:09:09,560 --> 00:09:12,360 Make sure you gather as many people from Israel as possible. 192 00:09:12,440 --> 00:09:16,120 Spread the word far and ride Absalom about this rebellion of 193 00:09:16,120 --> 00:09:18,360 which you're starting. And who Shy gave them that 194 00:09:18,360 --> 00:09:21,200 council, knowing that if he spread the word far and wide, 195 00:09:21,200 --> 00:09:24,040 not only would Absalom gain sympathizers, but, well, David 196 00:09:24,040 --> 00:09:27,080 would gain sympathizers too. And it would give David the time 197 00:09:27,080 --> 00:09:30,600 that they needed to be able to dig in and truly be able to have 198 00:09:30,600 --> 00:09:34,040 a fighting force ready to meet Absalom at the proper time. 199 00:09:34,040 --> 00:09:37,440 But as we see that there's this time when David in his flight 200 00:09:37,600 --> 00:09:39,880 has need. Because I imagine that even if 201 00:09:39,880 --> 00:09:42,000 they raided the pantries before they left and even if they 202 00:09:42,000 --> 00:09:44,440 grabbed whatever they could before they got out of town, 203 00:09:44,520 --> 00:09:47,000 they're going to run out of these supplies very quickly. 204 00:09:47,200 --> 00:09:50,160 Remember David and his royal caravan, there's probably at 205 00:09:50,160 --> 00:09:53,560 least 600 who were there. We saw that he had 600 armed 206 00:09:53,560 --> 00:09:55,960 guards with him. And so when you consider his 207 00:09:55,960 --> 00:09:58,200 royal family, you consider the people that we're following. 208 00:09:58,400 --> 00:10:01,280 Could there have been 1000 or more that are taking flight with 209 00:10:01,280 --> 00:10:03,040 David, it would have been very possible. 210 00:10:03,200 --> 00:10:05,520 These people need to be fed. These people need to sleep. 211 00:10:05,520 --> 00:10:08,120 These people need water. They need sustenance of all 212 00:10:08,120 --> 00:10:10,600 kinds. And so we're introduced to these 213 00:10:10,600 --> 00:10:13,560 gentlemen here at this place of Mahanayum. 214 00:10:13,560 --> 00:10:15,800 Now, you may have heard of Mahanayum before. 215 00:10:15,800 --> 00:10:18,040 Mahanayum is on the eastern side of Jordan. 216 00:10:18,240 --> 00:10:21,080 What's interesting about Man AM is the last time we read about 217 00:10:21,080 --> 00:10:24,360 this place, it was when that gentleman named Ishbosheth came 218 00:10:24,360 --> 00:10:26,160 to power. You remember Ishbosheth that 219 00:10:26,160 --> 00:10:29,800 after David should have become the king of all of Israel, that 220 00:10:29,800 --> 00:10:33,880 there was Abner who set up this this man who really was a man of 221 00:10:33,880 --> 00:10:35,960 very low character named Ishbosheth. 222 00:10:36,320 --> 00:10:40,480 He was probably very likely an illegitimate son of Saul, not 223 00:10:40,560 --> 00:10:43,600 one that was in the proper line. And of course, even if he was in 224 00:10:43,600 --> 00:10:47,280 the proper bloodline of Saul, we know that the Kingdom had been 225 00:10:47,280 --> 00:10:49,720 promised to David anyway. It really wasn't up to what Saul 226 00:10:49,720 --> 00:10:51,120 thought. It really wasn't up to David 227 00:10:51,120 --> 00:10:52,600 thought. It was really what up to God had 228 00:10:52,600 --> 00:10:54,800 said. And David was the next anointed 229 00:10:54,800 --> 00:10:56,920 king. But Ishbosheth was set up in 230 00:10:56,920 --> 00:11:00,080 this place called Mahanam. And interestingly enough, maybe 231 00:11:00,080 --> 00:11:02,200 David could have got to that place and wondered, do I have 232 00:11:02,200 --> 00:11:04,800 any support here? Maybe I there's some lingering 233 00:11:04,800 --> 00:11:08,080 hard feelings from the past of these people who were not 234 00:11:08,080 --> 00:11:11,520 following me in my reign in those early seven years before 235 00:11:11,520 --> 00:11:14,160 Ishbosheth ended up being assassinated. 236 00:11:14,360 --> 00:11:17,760 But he gets there and David is treated well, quite well in 237 00:11:17,760 --> 00:11:21,280 fact, so much so that it says in verse #28 they brought beds and 238 00:11:21,280 --> 00:11:24,160 basins and earthen vessels and wheat and barley and flour, 239 00:11:24,440 --> 00:11:27,040 parched corn and beans and lentils and parched pulse and 240 00:11:27,040 --> 00:11:30,360 honey and butter and sheep and cheese, for kind for David and 241 00:11:30,360 --> 00:11:31,560 for the people that were with him. 242 00:11:31,560 --> 00:11:33,600 And interestingly enough, they brought enough for both their 243 00:11:33,600 --> 00:11:35,400 needs and even some of their wants. 244 00:11:35,600 --> 00:11:38,680 I mean, this is quite a luxurious and quite a sumptuous 245 00:11:38,680 --> 00:11:42,440 amount of food and supplies that are being brought to them. 246 00:11:42,720 --> 00:11:45,160 Sure, they could have slept on bed rolls, but instead they 247 00:11:45,160 --> 00:11:47,360 slept on beds. They had basins. 248 00:11:47,360 --> 00:11:49,920 Those basins would have been just to be able to hold water, 249 00:11:49,920 --> 00:11:52,520 to take care of the general needs of cooking and cleaning 250 00:11:52,760 --> 00:11:56,280 and even personal cleanliness. The earthen vessels would have 251 00:11:56,280 --> 00:11:58,320 gone along with that. Different types of grain. 252 00:11:58,320 --> 00:12:02,080 Not just grain, but different types of grain, Cheese and 253 00:12:02,080 --> 00:12:04,640 butter, dairy products. Honey. 254 00:12:05,200 --> 00:12:07,400 Honey is not. Necessary, but yet they had 255 00:12:07,400 --> 00:12:09,720 their needs taken care of and also their wants. 256 00:12:09,920 --> 00:12:13,400 These men didn't just go to meet the need. 257 00:12:13,400 --> 00:12:16,240 We can even put it this way, they went above and beyond, They 258 00:12:16,240 --> 00:12:19,280 gave far beyond even what was necessary because they wanted to 259 00:12:19,280 --> 00:12:21,480 be a blessing to the King while he was on the run. 260 00:12:21,480 --> 00:12:25,320 And their thought process is there at the end of verse #29 261 00:12:25,320 --> 00:12:29,120 they said the people is hungry and weary and thirsty in the 262 00:12:29,120 --> 00:12:31,000 wilderness. Now this isn't my message, but 263 00:12:31,000 --> 00:12:34,080 you will do well if you see people who are around you that 264 00:12:34,080 --> 00:12:37,560 are hungry or thirsty or weary in the wilderness of life. 265 00:12:37,760 --> 00:12:40,680 You say, well you mean talking about just trying to help people 266 00:12:40,680 --> 00:12:42,240 on the street. A lot of times the people who 267 00:12:42,240 --> 00:12:44,160 are on the street. Aren't helped by you handing 268 00:12:44,160 --> 00:12:46,400 them some money. In fact, sometimes you can hurt 269 00:12:46,400 --> 00:12:48,600 their cause by just handing them a dollar bill. 270 00:12:48,600 --> 00:12:52,320 Because I was just a few days ago walking in a area not too 271 00:12:52,320 --> 00:12:55,240 far from here and I saw someone who was homeless who had all of 272 00:12:55,240 --> 00:12:59,040 their their goods around them sleeping there on the ground and 273 00:12:59,080 --> 00:13:01,680 with those goods that sleep on the ground with. 3 or 4 things 274 00:13:01,680 --> 00:13:04,000 of beer. And I thought that's what 275 00:13:04,000 --> 00:13:07,040 happens often times if you just hand someone cash, just loose 276 00:13:07,280 --> 00:13:08,920 out there on the street. I'm not saying not to buy 277 00:13:08,920 --> 00:13:11,360 someone a Wendy's hamburger. I'm not saying handing someone a 278 00:13:11,360 --> 00:13:13,680 sandwich, those kind of things. But you got to be careful that 279 00:13:13,680 --> 00:13:16,280 you are not helping someone in their addiction to rather 280 00:13:16,280 --> 00:13:18,960 further their addiction just by handing them loose cash and 281 00:13:18,960 --> 00:13:21,200 telling them let it go. I know sometimes that could pull 282 00:13:21,200 --> 00:13:24,040 in your heartstrings, but please be careful in understanding 283 00:13:24,040 --> 00:13:25,920 these things. But I do think that sometimes 284 00:13:25,920 --> 00:13:29,440 because we see that scenario that I just told you about just 285 00:13:29,440 --> 00:13:31,640 a few days ago in my own life, and certainly we've all 286 00:13:31,640 --> 00:13:34,000 witnessed many times, I think sometimes times we are hard 287 00:13:34,000 --> 00:13:36,840 hearted, if we're not careful to the needs of those who are 288 00:13:36,840 --> 00:13:40,320 hungry and those who are thirsty and those who are weary. 289 00:13:40,640 --> 00:13:43,800 Now, I will say that we may not come across people often times 290 00:13:43,800 --> 00:13:46,240 that are truly hungry and and thirsty. 291 00:13:46,240 --> 00:13:48,480 I mean, here in the United States of America, people talk 292 00:13:48,480 --> 00:13:52,080 about how there's, you know, these food deserts and there's 293 00:13:52,080 --> 00:13:55,320 people that don't have food. There's more food in this nation 294 00:13:55,320 --> 00:13:57,560 than any other nation in the history of the world. 295 00:13:58,120 --> 00:13:59,720 I'm not saying there aren't places where there are need. 296 00:13:59,720 --> 00:14:01,800 There certainly are. We do need to be sensitive to 297 00:14:01,800 --> 00:14:03,920 those things. But there is an abundance here 298 00:14:03,920 --> 00:14:05,760 in this nation. But there are people who are 299 00:14:05,760 --> 00:14:09,440 weary and they're everywhere. There are people who weary here 300 00:14:09,440 --> 00:14:11,320 tonight. Somebody saying, pastor, I'm 301 00:14:11,320 --> 00:14:12,520 tired now. I'm not talking about being 302 00:14:12,520 --> 00:14:15,400 tired of the. Of the body, probably tired of 303 00:14:15,400 --> 00:14:17,320 spirit. They're weary. 304 00:14:18,400 --> 00:14:20,320 You look around you. Need to be. 305 00:14:20,320 --> 00:14:25,160 Aware because you know you can help someone in their hunger and 306 00:14:25,160 --> 00:14:27,560 thirst and they'll be hungry and thirsty again. 307 00:14:28,480 --> 00:14:30,320 If you look around and help someone who's weary in their 308 00:14:30,320 --> 00:14:33,360 soul, you can be someone that could be a true blessing to 309 00:14:33,360 --> 00:14:35,960 someone else. Here's Barzili and some others 310 00:14:35,960 --> 00:14:38,560 who saw that need, and they didn't just meet the need, but 311 00:14:38,560 --> 00:14:40,440 they went above and beyond the need. 312 00:14:40,720 --> 00:14:45,800 Even producing things like cheese, butter, honey, they 313 00:14:45,800 --> 00:14:47,960 weren't necessary. Different types of. 314 00:14:47,960 --> 00:14:52,120 Grain one would have been enough, but they said we want to 315 00:14:52,120 --> 00:14:54,640 go above and beyond. This is the king, we're going to 316 00:14:54,640 --> 00:14:56,520 help him. What's the 1st place that we see 317 00:14:56,680 --> 00:14:58,520 of this Barzili? But the second place I want to 318 00:14:58,520 --> 00:15:01,520 see is a couple chapters later. This is in Second Samuel chapter 319 00:15:01,520 --> 00:15:04,840 #19 and I know I've referenced this before, but after David 320 00:15:04,840 --> 00:15:07,240 wins the victory against Absalom, and I know we've 321 00:15:07,240 --> 00:15:10,360 referenced this already, David is going to go back to 322 00:15:10,360 --> 00:15:12,760 Jerusalem. And as such, he's going to meet 323 00:15:12,760 --> 00:15:16,760 a lot of those same people that he saw on the way out when he 324 00:15:16,760 --> 00:15:19,120 was leaving Jerusalem. He's going to come and encounter 325 00:15:19,120 --> 00:15:22,160 them once again. And as he does so, Barzili is 326 00:15:22,160 --> 00:15:24,840 one of those men. So look at Second Samuel chapter 327 00:15:24,840 --> 00:15:29,440 19, Lu verse #31 it says this. And Barzili the Gileadite, 328 00:15:29,440 --> 00:15:32,360 remember that land of Gilead, that's where he's from, came 329 00:15:32,360 --> 00:15:36,840 down from Rogelem and went over Jordan with the king to conduct 330 00:15:36,840 --> 00:15:40,120 him over Jordan. Now Barzilii was a very aged 331 00:15:40,120 --> 00:15:42,880 man, even 4 score years old. Now I'm not touching that there 332 00:15:42,880 --> 00:15:45,480 other than it says the Bible says the man was old and he was 333 00:15:45,480 --> 00:15:47,640 80 years old. OK, that's what it says. 334 00:15:47,800 --> 00:15:50,920 You can take it for what it is. And he's proved he provided the 335 00:15:50,920 --> 00:15:56,000 king of sustenance while he laid at Mahanam, for he was a very 336 00:15:56,000 --> 00:15:58,680 great man. And the king said unto Barzili, 337 00:15:58,680 --> 00:16:02,320 I come now over with me, and I will feed thee with me in 338 00:16:02,320 --> 00:16:03,720 Jerusalem. Now just stop right here. 339 00:16:03,960 --> 00:16:06,960 So David is now going back to Jerusalem. 340 00:16:07,080 --> 00:16:10,920 He is restored to his throne. And as he's conducting himself 341 00:16:10,920 --> 00:16:13,400 back, Barzili, I says I'm going to get you to Jordan and I'm 342 00:16:13,400 --> 00:16:15,640 going to go over with you. But I'm going to go back home 343 00:16:16,120 --> 00:16:20,520 and mentions here that he was a man who was aged even 4 score 344 00:16:20,520 --> 00:16:22,800 years old. He had provided for the king of 345 00:16:22,800 --> 00:16:25,320 sustenance and he was a very great man. 346 00:16:25,680 --> 00:16:29,680 And so David says to him, he says, listen, stop, come with 347 00:16:29,680 --> 00:16:32,120 me. You don't need to live out here 348 00:16:32,120 --> 00:16:34,480 in what would have been considered the country. 349 00:16:34,480 --> 00:16:38,600 Gilead was more of a of an outskirts area where it was not 350 00:16:38,600 --> 00:16:42,080 really where the main hub of activity would have been in the 351 00:16:42,120 --> 00:16:46,120 western side, Jerusalem and all of those areas there and this 352 00:16:46,120 --> 00:16:48,520 would have been more rural. In fact, we saw that it was more 353 00:16:48,520 --> 00:16:53,000 of a rural pasture type land, which is why the 2 1/2 tribes 354 00:16:53,000 --> 00:16:54,840 thought that this would be a great place for them to have 355 00:16:54,840 --> 00:16:57,440 cattle is why they desired to go there in the 1st place. 356 00:16:57,560 --> 00:16:59,720 So David says you don't need to live out here in the sticks 357 00:16:59,720 --> 00:17:01,120 anymore. OK, maybe he didn't put it that 358 00:17:01,120 --> 00:17:02,520 way. That's kind of the general idea. 359 00:17:02,520 --> 00:17:05,400 You don't need to live out here. Come with me and I will take 360 00:17:05,400 --> 00:17:07,800 care of you. And Barzili, I said to the king 361 00:17:07,800 --> 00:17:11,800 in verse #34 How long have I to live that I should go up with 362 00:17:11,800 --> 00:17:15,280 the king under Jerusalem? I am this day 4 score years old 363 00:17:15,280 --> 00:17:18,560 again, 80 years old. And can I discern between good 364 00:17:18,560 --> 00:17:20,040 and evil? Now he's not saying that he 365 00:17:20,040 --> 00:17:23,720 doesn't understand what is being able to take place in life and 366 00:17:23,720 --> 00:17:26,920 has no spiritual discernment. Understand as we go on what he's 367 00:17:26,920 --> 00:17:30,440 trying to say. Can I serve it, taste what I eat 368 00:17:30,440 --> 00:17:33,400 or what I drink? Can I hear any more the voice of 369 00:17:33,400 --> 00:17:37,320 singing men and singing women? Wherefore should then, should I 370 00:17:37,320 --> 00:17:40,440 serve it be yet a burden unto my Lord the King? 371 00:17:40,840 --> 00:17:43,240 So he says, David, this is incredibly generous to you. 372 00:17:43,520 --> 00:17:46,120 You understand I'm on the back end of life. 373 00:17:46,320 --> 00:17:49,040 You understand that when it comes to the issues of life, 374 00:17:49,040 --> 00:17:51,840 whether they be good or they're bad, it doesn't make much of a 375 00:17:51,840 --> 00:17:53,760 difference to me. He says you can feed me the most 376 00:17:53,760 --> 00:17:56,320 sumptuous fare, but I'm not going to be able to taste it the 377 00:17:56,320 --> 00:17:59,200 way that I used to. He says I can hear the most 378 00:17:59,200 --> 00:18:02,320 incredible singing, but I'm not going to be able to hear it the 379 00:18:02,320 --> 00:18:05,160 way that I used to. Old age is setting upon me. 380 00:18:05,160 --> 00:18:08,560 I'm not going to be able to enjoy the dainties of which you 381 00:18:08,560 --> 00:18:11,920 are telling me that I will be able to enjoy in Jerusalem. 382 00:18:11,920 --> 00:18:14,920 David, it's incredibly generous of what you're offering me 383 00:18:14,920 --> 00:18:18,000 because of what I did for you. But I would have to decline. 384 00:18:18,080 --> 00:18:22,480 But he actually continues on. And he says in verse #36 thy 385 00:18:22,480 --> 00:18:25,080 servant will go a little way over Jordan with the king. 386 00:18:25,280 --> 00:18:28,520 And why should the king recompense it me with such a 387 00:18:28,520 --> 00:18:30,400 reward? Why would you pay me back in 388 00:18:30,400 --> 00:18:33,760 such a way? But he says this, Let, my 389 00:18:33,760 --> 00:18:37,480 servant, I pray thee, turn back again, that I may die in my own 390 00:18:37,480 --> 00:18:39,560 city, and be buried by the grave of my. 391 00:18:39,560 --> 00:18:44,840 Father and of my mother. But behold, I serve at Chim Ham. 392 00:18:45,480 --> 00:18:49,520 Let him go over with my Lord the king, and do to him what shall 393 00:18:49,520 --> 00:18:54,480 seem good unto thee. David, or rather Barzili makes a 394 00:18:54,480 --> 00:18:57,600 little bit of A twist here. He says, David, if it's all well 395 00:18:57,600 --> 00:19:00,120 with you, you don't need to pay me back for what I did. 396 00:19:00,560 --> 00:19:02,040 I did it because it was the right thing to do. 397 00:19:02,560 --> 00:19:03,920 I did it because you were the king. 398 00:19:04,520 --> 00:19:07,320 And if it's all the same, I want to go home because I want to be 399 00:19:07,320 --> 00:19:11,080 buried in my ancestral land. I want to be buried next to my 400 00:19:11,080 --> 00:19:14,600 father's. But if you were truly genuine 401 00:19:14,600 --> 00:19:17,280 about what you've just said, I have a servant here. 402 00:19:17,760 --> 00:19:20,400 His name's Chim Ham. Chim Ham's a young man. 403 00:19:21,040 --> 00:19:25,320 Chim Ham can taste his food. Chim Cam can hear music. 404 00:19:25,840 --> 00:19:28,560 Chim Ham can appreciate the things of life. 405 00:19:28,840 --> 00:19:33,480 And if you were going to do any good to me, would you instead do 406 00:19:33,480 --> 00:19:36,040 it? For my servant here, will you 407 00:19:36,040 --> 00:19:38,760 conduct him across with you? Will you take him with you? 408 00:19:38,920 --> 00:19:41,680 Can he sit at your table? Whatever you are going to do for 409 00:19:41,680 --> 00:19:44,720 him, for me, will you do it for him instead? 410 00:19:45,400 --> 00:19:48,920 What an incredible man. Who would really say? 411 00:19:49,120 --> 00:19:50,520 The king would have taken care of him. 412 00:19:50,800 --> 00:19:55,880 He says, no, I think I'm good. This young man here, he could 413 00:19:55,880 --> 00:19:58,360 use it more than I could. Will you take care of him? 414 00:19:59,040 --> 00:20:01,200 And David answers the verse #38 Chim. 415 00:20:01,200 --> 00:20:03,400 Ham. Shall go over with me, and I 416 00:20:03,400 --> 00:20:05,960 will do to him that which shall seem good unto thee. 417 00:20:05,960 --> 00:20:09,280 In fact, David kind of twists it around, doesn't it? 418 00:20:09,680 --> 00:20:12,960 Barzili says you do with him whatever you think is right. 419 00:20:13,600 --> 00:20:17,120 And David says, Barzili, you're such a great man, I'll do to him 420 00:20:17,120 --> 00:20:20,360 whatever you think is right. In fact, if you think this is 421 00:20:20,360 --> 00:20:22,400 good, I'll do it if you think there's something. 422 00:20:22,400 --> 00:20:24,160 Specific I should do for him I will do it. 423 00:20:24,160 --> 00:20:27,600 You are such a great man that I think this is appropriate for me 424 00:20:27,600 --> 00:20:29,880 to do. I will do to him that which 425 00:20:29,880 --> 00:20:33,600 shall seem good unto thee, and whatsoever thou shalt require of 426 00:20:33,600 --> 00:20:35,680 me that. Will I do for thee? 427 00:20:36,080 --> 00:20:37,520 And all the people went over Jordan. 428 00:20:37,800 --> 00:20:41,160 And when the king was come over, the king kissed Barzili and 429 00:20:41,160 --> 00:20:44,840 blessed him, and he returned unto his own place. 430 00:20:45,440 --> 00:20:48,320 There's three things I see about this man Barzilia, and we saw it 431 00:20:48,320 --> 00:20:51,680 actually back up in verse #32 and the first was that he was a 432 00:20:51,680 --> 00:20:54,080 man of maturity. Did you see when it says in 433 00:20:54,080 --> 00:20:56,800 verse #32 I know I kind of skirted over it and laughed 434 00:20:56,800 --> 00:21:00,120 about a little bit that he was a very aged man, even 4 score 435 00:21:00,120 --> 00:21:02,920 years old again, 4 score. And seven years ago, what? 436 00:21:02,920 --> 00:21:04,840 We know that from the Gettysburg Address, don't we? 437 00:21:05,000 --> 00:21:07,280 But we know that would be 87 years, 4 score. 438 00:21:07,440 --> 00:21:10,360 A score is 20 years. That would be 80 years, this man 439 00:21:10,560 --> 00:21:12,400 of 80 years. And of course, with life 440 00:21:12,400 --> 00:21:15,880 expectancy as such, that time, he was a very age man. 441 00:21:15,880 --> 00:21:19,600 He would have been at that time. And as such, he was a man of 442 00:21:19,600 --> 00:21:22,080 maturity. Now, I will say this this 443 00:21:22,080 --> 00:21:24,600 evening, just because you're older doesn't mean you're 444 00:21:24,600 --> 00:21:28,880 mature. And just because you're young 445 00:21:28,880 --> 00:21:32,920 doesn't mean you're a dummy, because maturity doesn't always 446 00:21:32,920 --> 00:21:36,760 come with age. Maturity ought to come with age. 447 00:21:37,480 --> 00:21:40,840 Maturity ought to befit the graying hairs on our head. 448 00:21:40,840 --> 00:21:44,640 But yet at the same time, maturity and age don't always go 449 00:21:44,640 --> 00:21:47,920 together. From 16 verse 31 says the hoary 450 00:21:47,920 --> 00:21:52,440 head is a crown of glory if it be found in the way of 451 00:21:52,440 --> 00:21:54,480 righteousness. The hoary head that the hair of 452 00:21:54,480 --> 00:21:59,640 Gray that comes upon us, it is a crown of glory if it be found in 453 00:21:59,640 --> 00:22:02,480 the way of righteousness. Just earning these Gray hairs by 454 00:22:02,480 --> 00:22:04,320 living life doesn't mean that you're mature. 455 00:22:04,920 --> 00:22:06,640 It doesn't mean that you're living godly. 456 00:22:07,280 --> 00:22:11,400 What it does mean is you've gone a few turns around the sun, but 457 00:22:11,400 --> 00:22:14,960 what does it mean? It means you should be wiser if 458 00:22:14,960 --> 00:22:17,800 you do what you're found in the way of righteousness. 459 00:22:18,320 --> 00:22:19,880 Barzili, I was a man of maturity. 460 00:22:19,880 --> 00:22:23,000 He obviously had a great spiritual understanding. 461 00:22:23,000 --> 00:22:27,240 When he saw the anointed king was in trouble, he didn't run to 462 00:22:27,240 --> 00:22:29,760 Absalom and try to join in with him like a hetaphal. 463 00:22:30,240 --> 00:22:31,520 So I got to take care of my king. 464 00:22:32,640 --> 00:22:35,200 I've got some items here, I've got some beds, I've got some 465 00:22:35,200 --> 00:22:37,160 basins, I've got some honey, I've got some butter. 466 00:22:37,320 --> 00:22:41,520 Hey honey, clear out the fridge. The king needs some help. 467 00:22:42,360 --> 00:22:44,360 Why did he understand that? Because he was a man of 468 00:22:44,360 --> 00:22:47,400 maturity, but he was also a man of means as well. 469 00:22:47,400 --> 00:22:48,840 I mean, that's very obvious, isn't it? 470 00:22:48,920 --> 00:22:51,040 When you look at that list, that's obviously someone 471 00:22:51,040 --> 00:22:53,840 particular that time who had a lot of means. 472 00:22:53,840 --> 00:22:56,200 And it says even 4 score years old. 473 00:22:56,200 --> 00:22:59,840 And he had provided the king of sustenance while he laid it. 474 00:22:59,840 --> 00:23:01,600 Mayhem. Now, he wasn't the only one. 475 00:23:01,720 --> 00:23:04,960 There were other names that were attached in chapter #17 as well. 476 00:23:05,120 --> 00:23:07,720 But it's obvious that this is the man who stands out from the 477 00:23:07,720 --> 00:23:11,000 bunch because he's the one that we continue to follow on through 478 00:23:11,000 --> 00:23:14,160 the biblical narrative. But he was a man who provided 479 00:23:14,160 --> 00:23:18,160 these very expensive items and very likely for what I would 480 00:23:18,160 --> 00:23:22,640 commit to be over 1000 people, men, women and children, hungry 481 00:23:22,640 --> 00:23:24,880 soldiers. And he's able to provide for 482 00:23:24,880 --> 00:23:27,320 them and to be able to provide their needs. 483 00:23:27,320 --> 00:23:31,120 It's obvious that this man had a lot of financial wealth. 484 00:23:31,480 --> 00:23:34,560 Now understand this this evening, not everybody has a lot 485 00:23:34,560 --> 00:23:37,320 of financial wealth. I wish I could say to this 486 00:23:37,320 --> 00:23:39,440 evening that you know, I'm preaching to the group of 487 00:23:39,440 --> 00:23:43,440 Fortune 500, you know, and CEO's this evening and we're all just 488 00:23:43,640 --> 00:23:44,960 look, that's not the way that is. 489 00:23:44,960 --> 00:23:47,240 I understand that. I also know that I don't know 490 00:23:47,240 --> 00:23:49,800 everyone's net worth. I also know I don't want to know 491 00:23:49,920 --> 00:23:51,880 everyone's net worth. I don't want you to know my net 492 00:23:51,880 --> 00:23:53,280 worth. All right, we don't need to know 493 00:23:53,280 --> 00:23:55,520 that about one another. That's really not anyone's 494 00:23:55,520 --> 00:23:57,320 business. But I have learned over the 495 00:23:57,320 --> 00:23:59,880 years just to be able to preach in just a general way. 496 00:24:00,280 --> 00:24:02,840 And I'm not preaching as if you have a lot of means this 497 00:24:02,840 --> 00:24:04,960 evening. You know the amount of monetary 498 00:24:04,960 --> 00:24:06,880 value of which you have in your hand. 499 00:24:06,880 --> 00:24:10,600 But I will say this, if you have any amount of means at your 500 00:24:10,600 --> 00:24:14,160 hand, understand that you have a great gift from God. 501 00:24:15,360 --> 00:24:19,640 Baby, you worked hard. I pray that you have maybe you 502 00:24:19,800 --> 00:24:23,280 made some smart choices and investments and I pray that you 503 00:24:23,280 --> 00:24:25,600 have. But even if you had worked hard 504 00:24:25,600 --> 00:24:28,600 and even if you had made some good investments, it was God and 505 00:24:28,600 --> 00:24:31,560 his grace that shined upon you in your life to give you the 506 00:24:31,560 --> 00:24:33,280 strength to be able to do what you're doing. 507 00:24:33,400 --> 00:24:36,720 To be able to make the Wiz wise investments to do that which 508 00:24:36,800 --> 00:24:39,160 putting from this account to that account to this business, 509 00:24:39,160 --> 00:24:41,720 to that business, to that stock, to that stock to be able to give 510 00:24:41,720 --> 00:24:44,320 you what you have. Understand that if you have any 511 00:24:44,320 --> 00:24:48,240 type of means in your life, whatever it is, allow God to be 512 00:24:48,240 --> 00:24:50,920 able to use that to be a blessing with other people. 513 00:24:50,960 --> 00:24:53,800 Barzili in his old age could have just hoarded it all and 514 00:24:53,800 --> 00:24:56,680 say, well, David's got plenty, he should be fine. 515 00:24:56,720 --> 00:24:59,520 Well, David may had plenty, but he didn't have it in the desert. 516 00:25:00,360 --> 00:25:03,840 David May had a lot of food, but it was back in Jerusalem and he 517 00:25:03,840 --> 00:25:06,920 was at Mahanam and that food at Jerusalem is not going to help 518 00:25:06,920 --> 00:25:10,880 him when Absalom. 'S eating it and Barzili, I said 519 00:25:11,760 --> 00:25:14,920 King needs some help. I'm going to help him out with 520 00:25:15,040 --> 00:25:18,400 my means. Now, you might say, well, 521 00:25:18,400 --> 00:25:21,720 pastor, I don't have any means. So I don't know how this helps 522 00:25:21,720 --> 00:25:23,320 me. And maybe you don't have much, 523 00:25:23,320 --> 00:25:25,480 but I will say we have more than we realize. 524 00:25:26,760 --> 00:25:29,840 We certainly have more than many on this planet. 525 00:25:31,000 --> 00:25:33,840 There's not many of us that don't buy a coffee every once in 526 00:25:33,840 --> 00:25:35,480 a while and don't think anything of it. 527 00:25:36,320 --> 00:25:38,480 I mean, there are times probably in all of our lives where 528 00:25:38,640 --> 00:25:40,280 getting a coffee would have been a luxury. 529 00:25:41,200 --> 00:25:43,640 But for most of us now we're at the place that if you, you know, 530 00:25:43,920 --> 00:25:46,680 you buy a coffee, you're probably not going to go 531 00:25:46,680 --> 00:25:49,080 bankrupt. You're not going to hear that 532 00:25:49,080 --> 00:25:52,400 sound like on Wheel of Fortune as soon as you drive away from 533 00:25:52,400 --> 00:25:54,120 the Duncan drive through. You know what I'm saying. 534 00:25:56,440 --> 00:25:58,760 But understand, even if you don't have a lot of means, 535 00:25:59,400 --> 00:26:03,440 that's OK. A few verses here for you. 536 00:26:03,440 --> 00:26:09,760 Psalms 37 verse 16 a little that a righteous man hath is better 537 00:26:09,760 --> 00:26:13,280 than the riches of many wicked. You may not have a lot of means, 538 00:26:13,280 --> 00:26:15,360 but if you've got the Lord, you've got more than anybody. 539 00:26:16,280 --> 00:26:19,600 Part of 15, verse 16 better is little with the fear of the Lord 540 00:26:19,840 --> 00:26:22,520 than great treasure and trouble there. 541 00:26:22,520 --> 00:26:26,280 With part of 16, verse 8, better is a little with righteousness 542 00:26:26,440 --> 00:26:28,960 than great revenues without right. 543 00:26:29,880 --> 00:26:32,920 Whatever you have, just use it for the Lord. 544 00:26:34,000 --> 00:26:38,320 You may not have heads and basins and butter and cheese and 545 00:26:38,320 --> 00:26:41,640 all of these different things as he did in this extravagant 546 00:26:41,640 --> 00:26:43,120 amount of way. I got enough for our family. 547 00:26:43,120 --> 00:26:45,240 And sometimes it feels like we're feeding an army, but I'm 548 00:26:45,240 --> 00:26:48,800 not feeding an army. And here's this man who had it 549 00:26:48,800 --> 00:26:51,120 all. He says someone else needs it. 550 00:26:51,880 --> 00:26:53,240 I'm OK. Why? 551 00:26:53,240 --> 00:26:55,600 I think he had a fundamental understanding. 552 00:26:55,720 --> 00:26:58,320 Of what Jesus taught in the New Testament, that we're truly just 553 00:26:58,320 --> 00:27:01,200 stewards of that which we have. That what's been put in your 554 00:27:01,200 --> 00:27:03,000 hand really isn't yours in the 1st place. 555 00:27:03,000 --> 00:27:06,000 It all belongs to God. And so you're just the one 556 00:27:06,000 --> 00:27:09,000 that's using the accounts and you were the one that's taking 557 00:27:09,000 --> 00:27:10,320 these things and you're trying to be. 558 00:27:10,320 --> 00:27:13,160 Wise in that which God has given you, but truly it's God who's 559 00:27:13,160 --> 00:27:16,240 enriched us. He was a man of maturity. 560 00:27:16,240 --> 00:27:19,080 He was a man of means, but He was also a great man as well. 561 00:27:19,360 --> 00:27:23,080 Did you see at the end of verse #32 it said For he was a very 562 00:27:23,120 --> 00:27:25,520 great man. Now, you might think that that's 563 00:27:25,520 --> 00:27:28,000 because of his money. And certainly maybe we could say 564 00:27:28,000 --> 00:27:30,840 that he was a great man because of the amount of money he had. 565 00:27:31,040 --> 00:27:34,200 But I also believe the wording here allows us to see that he 566 00:27:34,200 --> 00:27:38,080 was a great man not necessarily because of what he had, but 567 00:27:38,080 --> 00:27:40,160 because of what he did with what he had. 568 00:27:40,640 --> 00:27:43,200 I will run that by, again, he wasn't necessarily a great man 569 00:27:43,200 --> 00:27:46,240 because of what he had, but he was a great man because of what 570 00:27:46,240 --> 00:27:50,160 he did with what he had. Because again, it says in verse 571 00:27:50,160 --> 00:27:54,840 #32 that he was a great man, but before it he says he provided 572 00:27:54,840 --> 00:27:58,040 the King's sustenance while he laid at Mahon AM, for he was a 573 00:27:58,040 --> 00:28:01,040 great man. It was not just about the 574 00:28:01,360 --> 00:28:06,400 provision, it was about that the man provided the provision in 575 00:28:06,400 --> 00:28:09,560 the 1st place and that's what made him great. 576 00:28:10,160 --> 00:28:12,440 I know I used this quote a few weeks ago. 577 00:28:13,040 --> 00:28:15,240 Couldn't get it out of my head again while studying this 578 00:28:15,240 --> 00:28:18,440 message from Jim Elliott. He is no fool who gives away 579 00:28:18,440 --> 00:28:22,560 what he cannot keep. To gain what he cannot lose that 580 00:28:22,560 --> 00:28:26,040 when we invest in those things that are spiritual, we're wise. 581 00:28:26,680 --> 00:28:28,720 And here's a man who saw the big picture. 582 00:28:29,240 --> 00:28:31,400 And that means that he wasn't just a man of means and he 583 00:28:31,400 --> 00:28:34,520 wasn't just a man of maturity, but he was also a man of morals. 584 00:28:35,400 --> 00:28:38,320 When I say he's a great man, he was at the Bible says he great. 585 00:28:38,320 --> 00:28:42,000 He's a man of morals. He saw the big picture for what 586 00:28:42,000 --> 00:28:45,880 it was, he saw life for what it truly ought to be, and he was a 587 00:28:45,880 --> 00:28:49,840 man who allowed that which God had put in his hand to be a good 588 00:28:49,840 --> 00:28:53,960 influence to someone else who needed it in a great time of 589 00:28:53,960 --> 00:28:57,280 need. This man didn't mind giving away 590 00:28:57,280 --> 00:29:01,120 his means to help the king, and he had no problem lifting up 591 00:29:01,120 --> 00:29:04,640 someone else who needed help. Let's not just focus on the fact 592 00:29:04,640 --> 00:29:07,960 he helped the king, he also helped a young man who was his 593 00:29:07,960 --> 00:29:11,400 servant at that time. How many people? 594 00:29:11,400 --> 00:29:15,680 Really took care of their servants and took concern for 595 00:29:15,680 --> 00:29:18,840 their servants. And here is David who hands him 596 00:29:19,160 --> 00:29:22,720 a golden ticket. If you will come with me, your 597 00:29:22,720 --> 00:29:23,720 life. Will be at ease. 598 00:29:24,280 --> 00:29:26,120 Come with me. There'll be nothing that you 599 00:29:26,120 --> 00:29:29,440 need anymore. And certainly he could have gone 600 00:29:29,440 --> 00:29:31,360 to Jerusalem and enjoyed something. 601 00:29:32,360 --> 00:29:35,000 It's not as if he's he is being humble here. 602 00:29:35,000 --> 00:29:37,800 It's not as if he had gone there and would have enjoyed nothing 603 00:29:37,800 --> 00:29:40,320 of living in Jerusalem. He would have been there in the 604 00:29:40,320 --> 00:29:41,400 city. He would have been there with 605 00:29:41,400 --> 00:29:42,840 the temple. He would have been there in the 606 00:29:42,840 --> 00:29:46,960 presence of the king. But he said, you know, this 607 00:29:46,960 --> 00:29:49,920 would mean a lot to me, but you know who would mean a whole lot 608 00:29:49,920 --> 00:29:55,440 more to It's got Jim Ham here. Thank you for what you've done 609 00:29:55,440 --> 00:29:58,240 for me. But, David, will you help him? 610 00:29:58,840 --> 00:30:02,640 And he used his influence to be able to help someone else who 611 00:30:02,640 --> 00:30:06,840 was younger, someone else who was greener, someone else who 612 00:30:06,840 --> 00:30:11,640 was not a man of means, and help pull him up all along the way. 613 00:30:13,680 --> 00:30:18,280 And this issue comes down to not so much money as it does just 614 00:30:18,280 --> 00:30:22,240 being aware that we are influenced and influencing the 615 00:30:22,240 --> 00:30:25,120 people around us. Again, I know you don't want to 616 00:30:25,120 --> 00:30:27,200 think of yourself in that way, and honestly, I don't want to 617 00:30:27,200 --> 00:30:29,960 think of myself that way as just walking into church and saying 618 00:30:29,960 --> 00:30:31,640 let me see who I can influence today. 619 00:30:31,640 --> 00:30:33,880 Let me see who I can lead along the way. 620 00:30:33,880 --> 00:30:36,400 There's something kind of arrogant about that if you truly 621 00:30:36,400 --> 00:30:38,680 walk in with that kind of air about you. 622 00:30:38,960 --> 00:30:41,280 But at the same time, there is something that should be within 623 00:30:41,280 --> 00:30:45,200 our minds that we should be receivers and not and rather 624 00:30:45,200 --> 00:30:47,040 givers. Say it right, Adam. 625 00:30:47,240 --> 00:30:49,520 That we should be. Givers and not receivers. 626 00:30:49,520 --> 00:30:53,160 When we come to church, that when we come to church, it's not 627 00:30:53,160 --> 00:30:56,040 just sitting in the Pew. And saying Gimme, Gimme, Gimme, 628 00:30:56,040 --> 00:30:57,480 Gimme, Gimme, Gimme, Gimme, Gimme, Gimme. 629 00:30:57,480 --> 00:31:00,480 Give me all right I. Was afraid he was going to say 630 00:31:00,480 --> 00:31:02,960 something. All right, this just, I'm going 631 00:31:02,960 --> 00:31:05,920 to come down and I'm going to plop down here in the front row. 632 00:31:05,920 --> 00:31:07,640 Actually, nobody sit in the front row, but I would pretend 633 00:31:07,640 --> 00:31:10,280 I'm a plop down the front row. I just give me Lord. 634 00:31:10,280 --> 00:31:11,800 Give me Lord. I hope somebody comes up to me 635 00:31:11,800 --> 00:31:13,320 and talks to me. I hope somebody has a blessing 636 00:31:13,320 --> 00:31:14,800 to me. I hope someone encourages me. 637 00:31:14,920 --> 00:31:16,280 I hope someone helps me. I hope someone. 638 00:31:16,280 --> 00:31:17,600 I hope, I hope, I hope, I hope, I hope. 639 00:31:17,840 --> 00:31:21,400 And it's all about you. But when we come into the House 640 00:31:21,400 --> 00:31:24,560 of God, you ought to be, you know what, I've had a tough 641 00:31:24,560 --> 00:31:27,000 week. I bet some other people had some 642 00:31:27,000 --> 00:31:29,840 tough weeks. I'm going to go around with, 643 00:31:30,320 --> 00:31:32,920 talk to people, go around, be a blessing. 644 00:31:33,200 --> 00:31:35,960 Not that I'm going to try to impart a life lesson to 645 00:31:35,960 --> 00:31:37,560 everybody that I talked to. You. 646 00:31:37,560 --> 00:31:39,240 Hey, Vincent, you know, let me. Let me. 647 00:31:39,240 --> 00:31:41,920 Teach you a few things before service tonight and I probably 648 00:31:41,920 --> 00:31:43,880 could get away with that because I'm a pastor, but I'm not going 649 00:31:43,880 --> 00:31:45,560 to do that. Even I won't do that. 650 00:31:46,320 --> 00:31:48,800 But you just get around and you concerned about people because 651 00:31:48,800 --> 00:31:51,960 you're concerned about people. Just love on people because you 652 00:31:51,960 --> 00:31:55,160 love people and you hear them talk and you'll learn 653 00:31:56,000 --> 00:31:59,440 conversations will happen. And you don't have to be as 654 00:31:59,440 --> 00:32:02,440 mature as Barzili. You don't have to be 80 years 655 00:32:02,440 --> 00:32:04,200 old. You don't have to have as much 656 00:32:04,480 --> 00:32:08,360 means and money as Barzili. He was a man of incredible 657 00:32:08,360 --> 00:32:10,520 wealth. We can't compare to today, but I 658 00:32:10,520 --> 00:32:13,400 know we're probably not feeding that many people on a regular 659 00:32:13,400 --> 00:32:16,000 basis, no matter how much our grocery bills may be. 660 00:32:17,840 --> 00:32:21,520 But we can, with that which we have in our hand, be able to 661 00:32:21,520 --> 00:32:25,880 help others in a way that we're not just trying to take from 662 00:32:25,880 --> 00:32:29,480 people in the Christian life. We're also trying to be givers. 663 00:32:32,320 --> 00:32:34,680 And I know that could be, you know, handing somebody a $20 664 00:32:34,680 --> 00:32:36,880 bill because they might have some issues or something like 665 00:32:36,880 --> 00:32:38,040 that. But I'll be honest with you, 666 00:32:38,040 --> 00:32:41,000 it's really so much more than that because money can come and 667 00:32:41,000 --> 00:32:42,480 money can go. And certainly there have been 668 00:32:42,480 --> 00:32:44,160 times people have blessed us with finances. 669 00:32:44,360 --> 00:32:46,760 Somebody handed us something at just the right time to pay just 670 00:32:46,760 --> 00:32:48,240 the right bill to help us with something. 671 00:32:48,400 --> 00:32:51,160 I'm not minimizing that at all. It's a blessing when the body 672 00:32:51,160 --> 00:32:53,320 takes care of issues like that as it does. 673 00:32:53,600 --> 00:32:55,760 But I can tell you there are times I've come into this 674 00:32:55,760 --> 00:32:59,760 building so low. I come in this building low, 675 00:32:59,760 --> 00:33:02,880 sometimes low enough that I could feel lower than a snake in 676 00:33:02,880 --> 00:33:06,240 a tire track just there in the ground. 677 00:33:08,360 --> 00:33:13,000 And someone came to me and talked to me and helped me. 678 00:33:13,000 --> 00:33:17,400 It was a blessing, let me tell you, a few years ago here. 679 00:33:17,400 --> 00:33:19,160 And you know, Diane's gone through a lot of health issues 680 00:33:19,160 --> 00:33:22,400 and she's struggling right now, certainly not to the stage that 681 00:33:22,400 --> 00:33:24,440 she has in years passed by God's grace. 682 00:33:24,800 --> 00:33:27,160 But if you continue to pray for we, we appreciate that. 683 00:33:27,840 --> 00:33:29,720 But there was one night we're getting ready for the Lord's 684 00:33:29,720 --> 00:33:31,200 Supper. The Lord's Supper is a big deal. 685 00:33:31,640 --> 00:33:34,560 You know, we, we do it once or twice a year, usually here at 686 00:33:34,560 --> 00:33:36,280 liberty. It's a big deal. 687 00:33:36,280 --> 00:33:39,400 And I remember getting ready to church and probably about two or 688 00:33:39,400 --> 00:33:40,640 three years ago and she's crying. 689 00:33:40,640 --> 00:33:41,880 I said, well, what, what's the management? 690 00:33:41,880 --> 00:33:45,160 I, I can't come. And I knew in her heart, it 691 00:33:45,160 --> 00:33:47,680 wasn't that she didn't want to come or anything. 692 00:33:47,680 --> 00:33:51,040 She just physically could not come and do the things that she 693 00:33:51,040 --> 00:33:53,680 wanted to do. And it broke my heart. 694 00:33:53,680 --> 00:33:56,360 And I'll tell you, we were at a place in the church where about 695 00:33:56,360 --> 00:34:00,800 a couple months before, we had just a fairly large contingent 696 00:34:00,800 --> 00:34:04,320 of people that had left. You think of COVID and you think 697 00:34:04,320 --> 00:34:05,760 of all the different things that happened. 698 00:34:06,280 --> 00:34:08,719 And I'm at the place. I sat in my office after church 699 00:34:08,719 --> 00:34:14,120 and I just felt like, AM I, I'm just wasting my time here? 700 00:34:15,920 --> 00:34:17,760 Am I just spinning my wheels? You know, this might be a little 701 00:34:17,760 --> 00:34:19,880 too real for some of you, but this is just what it is, OK? 702 00:34:21,159 --> 00:34:22,960 I'm the pastor, right? So I'm supposed to be, I'm 703 00:34:22,960 --> 00:34:24,280 supposed to be encouraging you all. 704 00:34:24,840 --> 00:34:26,760 But I'm, I'm after church. I'm thinking this is. 705 00:34:26,760 --> 00:34:28,320 And it was one of those nights, you know, after the Lord's 706 00:34:28,320 --> 00:34:30,840 Supper, we say, you know, we always just leave quietly 707 00:34:30,840 --> 00:34:32,800 because we want to reflect. And it was one of those nights I 708 00:34:32,800 --> 00:34:35,239 was so glad to tell everybody to leave because I didn't want to 709 00:34:35,239 --> 00:34:38,280 talk to nobody. And I had someone come in, I'm 710 00:34:38,280 --> 00:34:40,280 not going to say who, but I had someone come into my office and 711 00:34:40,280 --> 00:34:44,920 sit down. And I, I don't know that this 712 00:34:44,920 --> 00:34:47,560 person came with the idea of, you know, hey, let's, let's 713 00:34:47,560 --> 00:34:49,480 encourage the pastor. I need to teach him something. 714 00:34:49,480 --> 00:34:52,679 I need to be, you know what? He just sat with me and I talked 715 00:34:53,560 --> 00:34:56,920 and he listened. I belly ached a little bit. 716 00:34:58,080 --> 00:35:01,480 I shared my heart a little bit. He listened. 717 00:35:02,920 --> 00:35:07,840 That was a big help. You say you mean I can do 718 00:35:07,840 --> 00:35:11,160 something like that? You could change the course of 719 00:35:11,160 --> 00:35:16,320 someone's life in smaller, great ways by even just paying 720 00:35:16,760 --> 00:35:19,720 attention. If you can't pay someone's 721 00:35:19,720 --> 00:35:26,640 bills, you can pay attention and the House of God should be the 722 00:35:26,640 --> 00:35:29,280 place. So we're all able to use the 723 00:35:29,320 --> 00:35:33,280 influence that we have to be able to help one another, to 724 00:35:33,280 --> 00:35:38,200 give people that which they need in the times when they're weary 725 00:35:39,000 --> 00:35:43,440 and hungry and thirsty, or at the times when there's someone 726 00:35:43,440 --> 00:35:46,400 who's young and so green, they don't know which way is up in 727 00:35:46,400 --> 00:35:48,720 the Christian life. They ask questions that you, and 728 00:35:48,720 --> 00:35:50,680 I think that's crazy that somebody even asked that 729 00:35:50,680 --> 00:35:53,120 question, but they're so young, but you use your influence to be 730 00:35:53,120 --> 00:35:56,280 able to help them and to be able to bring them along the way like 731 00:35:56,280 --> 00:36:00,240 a Barzilli. I have a good friend you, he's 732 00:36:00,240 --> 00:36:01,840 preached here before. It's been a few years named Jeff 733 00:36:01,840 --> 00:36:03,240 Copes. He's the vice president of 734 00:36:03,240 --> 00:36:06,640 Heartland Baptist Bible College. He's been one of the, I'd 735 00:36:06,640 --> 00:36:10,720 probably say on on a list of three of the most influential 736 00:36:10,720 --> 00:36:12,880 men in my life. And he's influential to me not 737 00:36:12,880 --> 00:36:15,280 just because he's the vice president of a college. 738 00:36:15,520 --> 00:36:19,240 It's just because he has taken thought for my life over the 739 00:36:19,240 --> 00:36:21,160 years. And there are times I don't know 740 00:36:21,160 --> 00:36:24,200 what to do. And I call him and he gives me 741 00:36:24,200 --> 00:36:27,040 counsel, not what I want to hear, but what I need to hear. 742 00:36:27,920 --> 00:36:29,880 I'll tell you one of the things I learned from Jeff Coates. 743 00:36:29,880 --> 00:36:32,040 And there's a reason why I do what I do in my office. 744 00:36:32,440 --> 00:36:34,720 He has in his office at Heartland Baptist Bible College. 745 00:36:34,720 --> 00:36:37,040 And I think probably Kaylee has seen it before. 746 00:36:37,040 --> 00:36:38,800 There's a wall of actually, I know you have because you've 747 00:36:38,800 --> 00:36:42,000 seen it with me. His wall of influence picture of 748 00:36:42,000 --> 00:36:46,920 6 couples, people that have been influential in his spiritual 749 00:36:46,920 --> 00:36:50,360 life. It's a reminder to him, not just 750 00:36:50,360 --> 00:36:52,280 that these people been influential to him. 751 00:36:52,680 --> 00:36:57,000 Barzili eyes, if you would, but that he is to be able to be that 752 00:36:57,520 --> 00:37:00,800 for the other people that come into his office as well and 753 00:37:00,800 --> 00:37:03,200 think about that. There's six people who on that 754 00:37:03,600 --> 00:37:06,320 Jeff Copes grew up in Walpole this area. 755 00:37:06,640 --> 00:37:10,000 He went to Walpole High. He had nothing to want to do 756 00:37:10,000 --> 00:37:12,160 with the Lord. He was a rebel not just because 757 00:37:12,160 --> 00:37:13,960 he went to Walpole High. They are the rebels, but he was 758 00:37:13,960 --> 00:37:15,840 a rebel in the very real sense of the word. 759 00:37:16,440 --> 00:37:19,800 And God got a hold of his heart in a major way and changed his 760 00:37:19,800 --> 00:37:22,320 life forever. And so those six people 761 00:37:22,320 --> 00:37:25,360 influenced Jeff Copes. There's 12 people, there's six 762 00:37:25,360 --> 00:37:30,120 couples influence Jeff Copes. Who then has influenced me, who, 763 00:37:30,120 --> 00:37:33,640 whether you realize it or not, has influenced you through the 764 00:37:33,640 --> 00:37:36,440 lessons that I have learned that I'm able to bring to you through 765 00:37:36,440 --> 00:37:40,040 the Bible. And you see how that circle just 766 00:37:40,040 --> 00:37:43,640 continues to grow. But we use our influence instead 767 00:37:43,640 --> 00:37:45,920 of having the awe shucks. Well, I can't really do nothing 768 00:37:45,920 --> 00:37:48,120 for nobody, I guess. I reckon. 769 00:37:49,080 --> 00:37:51,560 I guess that's more Oklahoma than anything talk that we would 770 00:37:51,560 --> 00:37:55,480 up here, but God has uniquely put you in a place to be a 771 00:37:55,480 --> 00:37:58,240 Barzili and you say, well, I'm not rich. 772 00:37:58,760 --> 00:38:02,840 You're rich in spiritual things. I'll say that again. 773 00:38:02,840 --> 00:38:06,320 You're rich in spiritual things. God has blessed you so greatly 774 00:38:06,320 --> 00:38:08,440 spiritually. There's people that you want to 775 00:38:08,440 --> 00:38:10,000 be able to help and need to be able to help. 776 00:38:10,000 --> 00:38:11,160 I've made it my point over the years. 777 00:38:11,160 --> 00:38:13,360 When I was a youth pastor, I wanted to invest in teens. 778 00:38:13,360 --> 00:38:16,040 I'm thankful for that now. I have I. 779 00:38:16,720 --> 00:38:19,000 I have younger preachers that I love being able to talk to or 780 00:38:19,000 --> 00:38:21,240 talk to about preaching and keep in touch with them. 781 00:38:21,240 --> 00:38:23,640 There's several in the area that I do on a regular basis. 782 00:38:23,840 --> 00:38:25,200 And God's laid on my whole heart. 783 00:38:25,200 --> 00:38:27,920 Some older preachers, preachers that already retired and it's 784 00:38:27,920 --> 00:38:30,480 like they kind of get forgotten. And to be able to call them 785 00:38:30,480 --> 00:38:33,200 every couple months or to text them or just to check on them 786 00:38:33,440 --> 00:38:34,800 and those kind of things, they weren't you. 787 00:38:34,840 --> 00:38:37,440 Aren't you so good, pastor? No, I'm just saying people have 788 00:38:37,440 --> 00:38:39,480 been good to me, so I want to be good to other people. 789 00:38:40,560 --> 00:38:42,880 People have helped me along the way to be what I am. 790 00:38:42,880 --> 00:38:44,800 And so I want to help other people along the way. 791 00:38:45,280 --> 00:38:49,320 I want to be able to be a Barzili I to help the king when 792 00:38:49,320 --> 00:38:52,920 he needs trouble and to help the the ones who are maybe lowered 793 00:38:52,920 --> 00:38:55,320 down who need to be brought up along the way. 794 00:38:56,000 --> 00:38:58,560 That it's not about enriching myself, it's about helping other 795 00:38:58,560 --> 00:39:00,840 people. Can I help you as a pastor? 796 00:39:00,960 --> 00:39:03,640 My philosophy on these types of things? 797 00:39:03,640 --> 00:39:05,720 And you may wonder, well, pastor, you know, why do you do 798 00:39:05,720 --> 00:39:07,320 this a certain way? Why do you do this a certain 799 00:39:07,320 --> 00:39:09,320 way? Why do you come to church early 800 00:39:09,320 --> 00:39:11,320 and why do you stay late? Do you know why? 801 00:39:11,320 --> 00:39:14,160 Because I have found that I can influence people just as much, 802 00:39:14,160 --> 00:39:18,040 if not more, if I come early and I stay late as I can from this 803 00:39:18,040 --> 00:39:21,120 pulpit. I'm not saying the word of God 804 00:39:21,120 --> 00:39:23,600 is not powerful. There's nothing more, no force 805 00:39:23,600 --> 00:39:26,440 more powerful than the word of God, the preached word of God. 806 00:39:27,600 --> 00:39:30,920 But there are conversations that happened before church and after 807 00:39:30,920 --> 00:39:33,160 church. I hear things. 808 00:39:33,800 --> 00:39:35,280 I mean, I'm listening to your conversations. 809 00:39:35,280 --> 00:39:39,040 I'm just saying you tell me things, you share your heart, 810 00:39:39,960 --> 00:39:43,120 and I'm able to be able to use that as a way to hopefully be an 811 00:39:43,120 --> 00:39:47,360 influence in your life. You can't do that if you come in 812 00:39:47,360 --> 00:39:49,840 at service start and you leave as the last. 813 00:39:49,840 --> 00:39:56,560 Amen. Be an influence, be a help, be 814 00:39:56,560 --> 00:40:00,520 an investment to people. Remember I mentioned that there 815 00:40:00,520 --> 00:40:02,360 were three times, Barzili, I was mentioned. 816 00:40:02,920 --> 00:40:05,040 I've only looked at 2:00. There's one more. 817 00:40:05,040 --> 00:40:07,600 It's only one verse. That's the First Kings chapter 818 00:40:07,600 --> 00:40:08,400 2. Will you turn there? 819 00:40:09,760 --> 00:40:12,600 I know we've been jumping all over Second Samuel and 1st Kings 820 00:40:12,600 --> 00:40:15,320 the last couple weeks, but the only way for us to be able to 821 00:40:15,320 --> 00:40:16,880 look at these characters is to do so. 822 00:40:17,080 --> 00:40:23,200 First Kings chapter 2, David's about to die, Solomon is about 823 00:40:23,200 --> 00:40:28,040 to become king, and there's this one verse that's mentioned, and 824 00:40:28,040 --> 00:40:32,680 that verse is this. But show kindness under the sons 825 00:40:32,680 --> 00:40:37,000 of Barzilii the Gileadite, and let them be of those that eat at 826 00:40:37,000 --> 00:40:39,720 thy table. For so they came to me when I 827 00:40:39,720 --> 00:40:43,360 fled because of Absalom thy brother. 828 00:40:45,720 --> 00:40:50,000 I would submit to you that it's likely Barzili is now dead 829 00:40:51,080 --> 00:40:54,480 because he is not mentioned, but the sons are. 830 00:40:56,160 --> 00:41:03,520 And here's Barzili I who thought I could take up this offer and 831 00:41:03,520 --> 00:41:07,840 go with David, but I'm going to use my influence to help David. 832 00:41:08,360 --> 00:41:09,960 That's how he got the offer in the 1st place. 833 00:41:10,200 --> 00:41:13,360 But I'm also going to use that influence to to parlay it into 834 00:41:13,360 --> 00:41:16,560 an offer for my servant to be able to go to live the life that 835 00:41:16,560 --> 00:41:18,360 I know I really can't fulfill myself. 836 00:41:19,720 --> 00:41:26,880 So what ends up happening? Well, Barzili, his sons end up 837 00:41:26,920 --> 00:41:34,240 receiving the same treatment that Chin Ham received, and they 838 00:41:34,240 --> 00:41:37,400 received it from King Solomon, who would have been the richest. 839 00:41:37,880 --> 00:41:40,200 Of all the kings it would have, he would have made Barzili look 840 00:41:40,200 --> 00:41:44,040 like a pauper. So as Barzili, I used. 841 00:41:44,040 --> 00:41:48,200 His influence and instead of accruing to himself, he just 842 00:41:48,200 --> 00:41:49,600 tried to be a blessing to other people. 843 00:41:49,800 --> 00:41:53,280 You know what happened? He was blessed in the sense that 844 00:41:53,280 --> 00:41:57,680 he was able to turn that into a blessing for his family. 845 00:41:58,880 --> 00:42:03,120 And many, many more people were blessed because he did what he 846 00:42:03,120 --> 00:42:05,800 did. If he hadn't, I don't know 847 00:42:05,800 --> 00:42:08,040 necessarily that his family would have received because 848 00:42:08,040 --> 00:42:11,240 David is saying the blessing that I wanted to give him has 849 00:42:11,240 --> 00:42:12,640 been delayed. He's dead now. 850 00:42:12,800 --> 00:42:15,400 So what we need to do is we need to bless his heirs. 851 00:42:16,040 --> 00:42:19,720 We bless the family. And I want you to understand 852 00:42:19,720 --> 00:42:23,960 this tonight. A man of influence who uses his 853 00:42:23,960 --> 00:42:28,120 influences by for others will always be taken care of by the 854 00:42:28,120 --> 00:42:32,440 king. A man of influence who uses his 855 00:42:32,440 --> 00:42:36,040 influence for others will always be taken care of by the king. 856 00:42:36,920 --> 00:42:38,600 Well, Pastor, what if I give too much? 857 00:42:40,320 --> 00:42:41,960 I don't know that any of us are in danger of that. 858 00:42:43,400 --> 00:42:46,720 But what if I give too much? And I'm not talking about you 859 00:42:46,720 --> 00:42:50,840 giving recklessly, but if you give by faith and you consider 860 00:42:50,840 --> 00:42:53,400 that to be something that's dangerous, understand if you 861 00:42:53,400 --> 00:42:57,240 give by faith and God is leading, use your influence 862 00:42:57,520 --> 00:43:00,720 wisely and you'll always be taken care of by the King. 863 00:43:01,720 --> 00:43:05,040 Well, pastor, when do I come? When do I come to church? 864 00:43:05,080 --> 00:43:06,440 And. And you're telling me I'm 865 00:43:06,440 --> 00:43:08,440 supposed to be caring about other people when I come to 866 00:43:08,440 --> 00:43:10,000 church. And I'm coming to church and I'm 867 00:43:10,000 --> 00:43:14,120 tired and I'm thirsty and I'm, I'm, I'm hungry and I'm coming 868 00:43:14,120 --> 00:43:15,160 in. I'm helping other people. 869 00:43:15,160 --> 00:43:18,920 Who's gonna help me? You use your influence for 870 00:43:18,920 --> 00:43:22,680 others and you will be taken care of by the King. 871 00:43:25,240 --> 00:43:26,720 Amen. Diane and I have made it our 872 00:43:26,720 --> 00:43:30,440 point with our children to teach them that the ministry is about 873 00:43:30,480 --> 00:43:34,640 people, about caring about people, and there are times it 874 00:43:34,640 --> 00:43:38,320 wasn't easy for us as a family. I mentioned before about driving 875 00:43:38,320 --> 00:43:39,680 Uber and doing those kind of things. 876 00:43:39,680 --> 00:43:41,760 There were times I wasn't there as a father the way that I 877 00:43:41,760 --> 00:43:42,840 wanted to be because I was going. 878 00:43:42,840 --> 00:43:45,600 There's times I put a lot of pressure on Diane and on the 879 00:43:45,600 --> 00:43:48,880 children because I was here and there and everywhere. 880 00:43:49,080 --> 00:43:51,680 But we tried to emphasize with them during that, that when it 881 00:43:51,680 --> 00:43:54,080 comes to the ministry, that the ministry is not a negative. 882 00:43:54,080 --> 00:43:56,840 It's a net positive. Because whatever we give, God 883 00:43:56,840 --> 00:44:01,280 has blessed over and above. And time would not, time would 884 00:44:01,280 --> 00:44:05,000 fail me to be able to tell you of all those things that we said 885 00:44:05,000 --> 00:44:10,640 we could not do because of the ministry that God has repaid us 886 00:44:10,680 --> 00:44:14,840 over and over and over and over and over again. 887 00:44:15,720 --> 00:44:18,720 But not just in our lives. Now we're seeing it in our 888 00:44:18,720 --> 00:44:23,600 children's lives as well. Because there's a Barzili I who 889 00:44:23,600 --> 00:44:28,240 says, no thanks, I love you king, but I want to help others. 890 00:44:28,920 --> 00:44:32,560 And now the richest king, whoever lived is taking care of 891 00:44:32,560 --> 00:44:37,200 his family. Something to be said for not 892 00:44:37,200 --> 00:44:40,240 just hoarding influence to yourself. 893 00:44:41,320 --> 00:44:42,880 So what? What am I, what am I saying to 894 00:44:42,880 --> 00:44:46,280 you tonight? Because I need to be done. 1st 895 00:44:46,280 --> 00:44:49,560 is remember the people who have been influential in your life. 896 00:44:50,320 --> 00:44:54,560 Find a book, write them down, put their names in the front of 897 00:44:54,560 --> 00:44:57,320 your Bible. Get a journal and write what 898 00:44:57,320 --> 00:45:00,040 they have done. Remind yourself, put them in a 899 00:45:00,040 --> 00:45:02,400 place, find photos, find mementos. 900 00:45:02,400 --> 00:45:04,280 That's what I've done. I don't have a wall of 901 00:45:04,280 --> 00:45:08,720 influence, but I have mementos of people, pastors, people from 902 00:45:08,720 --> 00:45:12,480 churches, family members that have been influential my life 903 00:45:12,760 --> 00:45:14,480 and I have them in there just to remind me. 904 00:45:14,560 --> 00:45:17,280 Almost everything that's in that office is a reminder of 905 00:45:17,280 --> 00:45:20,440 somebody, something or somewhere where there's been influence on 906 00:45:20,440 --> 00:45:22,880 my life. And not everything because 907 00:45:22,880 --> 00:45:24,080 there's a couple of coffee mugs in there. 908 00:45:24,080 --> 00:45:33,120 I just like them. But the bass pro Remember who 909 00:45:33,120 --> 00:45:36,440 has been an influence in your life, and as you remember that, 910 00:45:36,880 --> 00:45:40,760 be an influence to someone else. Oh, Pastor, Well, I just. 911 00:45:41,000 --> 00:45:42,400 I don't really have anything to offer. 912 00:45:42,480 --> 00:45:44,640 Stop. That's false humility. 913 00:45:45,800 --> 00:45:47,600 Are you saying God hasn't blessed you? 914 00:45:48,680 --> 00:45:50,360 Are you saying God hasn't taught you? 915 00:45:51,160 --> 00:45:53,240 Are you saying God hasn't spiritually enriched you? 916 00:45:53,400 --> 00:45:55,640 If he hasn't. Don't share anything by all 917 00:45:55,640 --> 00:45:58,920 means, but. Since he has. 918 00:46:00,080 --> 00:46:03,840 You need to be a Barzili and help someone in need. 919 00:46:04,680 --> 00:46:10,040 Pull someone up who is down and use the maturity and the means 920 00:46:10,320 --> 00:46:15,200 to be a great man for God, and not a great man because you have 921 00:46:15,200 --> 00:46:19,720 means, but great because you're willing to use them in service 922 00:46:19,720 --> 00:46:22,040 for the King. Thank you for listening to the 923 00:46:22,040 --> 00:46:24,680 sermon from the pulpit of Liberty Baptist Church. 924 00:46:25,000 --> 00:46:28,280 If this message was a blessing to you, or if there's any way we 925 00:46:28,280 --> 00:46:31,400 can serve you, please let us know by contacting us at 926 00:46:31,560 --> 00:46:36,280 info@mylibertybaptist.org. Or you can visit us this Sunday 927 00:46:36,480 --> 00:46:40,200 at 800 Washington St. in Easton, MA. 928 00:46:40,440 --> 00:46:43,280 May the Lord bless you as you grow in His Word.