A King on the Run
2 Samuel 15:13-16:14
A King on the run
2 samuel 15:13-16:14
Psalm 3:1-2: O Lord, how many are my foes!
Many are rising against me;
many are saying of my soul,
“There is no salvation for him in God.”
Main Idea: What do you do when it seems that God has forsaken you?
Introduction: 2 Samuel 15:13-18
Intermission #1: 2 Samuel 15:19-22
Ittai is an island of fidelity in a sea of treachery. The irony is clear: David’s own son, ‘whom he had loaded with undeserved kindness, was conspiring against him, while this stranger, who owed him nothing in comparison, was risking everything in his cause.’
~ Dale Ralph Davis, 2 Samuel: Out of Every Adversity
Intermission #2: 2 Samuel 15:23-30
David says his restoration (should there be such) does not depend on whether he has Yahweh’s furniture but on whether he has Yahweh’s favor.
~ Dale Ralph Davis, 2 Samuel: Out of Every Adversity
Intermission #3: 2 Samuel 15:31-37
Intermission #4: 2 Samuel 16:1-4
Intermission #5: 2 Samuel 16:5-14
The question does not imply that God was the author of Shimei’s misinformation or mean-spiritedness, just that it was possible that God purposed to use Shimei, sins, bad motives and all, to humble David. And why should David be righteously angry about Shimei’s sins against him, when he himself was guilty of far greater sins? This was God’s way of putting David’s problems in their true perspective, for God had certainly not punished him as his iniquities deserved, for all the difficulties he was going through!
~ V. Philips Long, 1 and 2 Samuel: An Introduction and Commentary
Psalm 3:1-2: But you, O Lord, are a shield about me,
my glory, and the lifter of my head.
I cried aloud to the Lord,
and he answered me from his holy hill.
I lay down and slept;
I woke again, for the Lord sustained me.
I will not be afraid of many thousands of people
who have set themselves against me all around.
Arise, O Lord!
Save me, O my God!
For you strike all my enemies on the cheek;
you break the teeth of the wicked.
Salvation belongs to the Lord;
your blessing be on your people!
What does God do/what is God doing when it seems like God has forsaken you?
The Garden
Luke 22:39-53
The Garden
Luke 22:39-53
Genesis 3:19:
By the sweat of your face
you shall eat bread,
till you return to the ground,
for out of it you were taken;
for you are dust,
and to dust you shall return.
This passage & the Lenten season invites us to consider 3 realities:
I. The Temptation of Sin (22:39-40, 45-46)
Genesis 4:7b: … sin is crouching at the door. Its desire is contrary to you, but you must rule over it.
II. The Power of Darkness (22:47-53)
Through the imposition of the ashes, Ash Wednesday reminds us that death and sin cannot be completely separated. This does not mean a particular form of death is punishment for specific sins, but sin and death are partners. But if the ashes of Ash Wednesday point toward the link between sin, death, and rebellion, they also contain something else… The ashes are in the shape of the cross. That cross carries within it an entire story and the foundation of human hope. It is the story of loss and gain, of the incarnation of the truly good one, his glorious life and triumphant defeat of death. The ashes are not just a reminder of our great failure; they remind us of God’s victory over sin and death through the life, death, and resurrection of his Son.
~ Esau McCaulley, Lent: The Season of Repentance and Renewal
III. The Conqueror of Death (22:41-44)
May we not conceive that as in a garden Adam’s self-indulgence ruined us, so in another garden the agonies of the second Adam should restore us. Gethsemane supplies the medicine for the ills which followed upon the forbidden fruit of Eden.
~ Charles Spurgeon, “The Agony in Gethsemane”
Hebrews 2:9-10, 14-15: But we see him who for a little while was made lower than the angels, namely Jesus, crowned with glory and honor because of the suffering of death, so that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone. For it was fitting that he, for whom and by whom all things exist, in bringing many sons to glory, should make the founder of their salvation perfect through suffering…Since therefore the children share in flesh and blood, he himself likewise partook of the same things, that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil, and deliver all those who through fear of death were subject to lifelong slavery..
Sleight of Hand in the Sight of Man
2 Samuel 14
Sleight of hand in the sight of man
2 samuel 14
Main Idea: We can surrender control to Jesus, who alone has the power to bring about true redemption, reconciliation, and restoration.
2 Samuel 13:37-39: But Absalom fled and went to Talmai the son of Ammihud, king of Geshur. And David mourned for his son day after day. So Absalom fled and went to Geshur, and was there three years. And the spirit of the king longed to go out to Absalom, because he was comforted about Amnon, since he was dead.
I. The Sleight of Hand (14:1-24)
Legal Misdirection (2 Samuel 14:4-11, Numbers 35:15, 25)
Minimizes Sin (2 Sam. 14:14)
Appeals to the Nation
Nathan’s parable was designed to rouse the king’s conscience as against his feelings; the woman of Tekoah’s, as prompted by Joab, to rouse his feelings against his conscience.
~William Blaikie
This chapter should haunt the church, not to mention the individual, believing or unbelieving. It is possible to have all the signs of wisdom—plans, strategies, accomplishments—and yet be utterly devoid of it.
~Dale Ralph Davis
Psalm 19:7: The law of the Lord is perfect, reviving the soul; the testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple.
Psalm 119:104-105: Through your precepts I get understanding; therefore I hate every false way. Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.
II. The Sight of Man (14:25-15:12)
1 Samuel 9:2: And he had a son whose name was Saul, a handsome young man. There was not a man among the people of Israel more handsome than he. From his shoulders upward he was taller than any of the people.
1 Samuel 16:7: But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not look on his appearance or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him. For the Lord sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart.”
Absalom begins his rise to power. But Joab refuses to give any further help (v 28–29), and Absalom forces his hand (v 30–31). The focus on his hair, echos the story of Samson (Judges 15:3–5), another man who contrived his own downfall. Absalom claims he is still in exile (2 Samuel 14:32). So Joab mediates, and Absalom is restored to the court (v 33). Absalom calls David’s bluff with an ultimatum: accept me or execute me (v 32). And he wins. David caves in again. Absalom is treated like a royal son again. His mind is on succession.
Absalom looked the part, played the part, and plotted the part. Every aspect is controlled, and the people are manipulated.
Pretends to be kingly (v 15:1–2)
Positions himself shrewdly (v 2–4)
Potrays himself favorably (v 5–6)
2 Samuel 15:5-6: And whenever a man came near to pay homage to him, he would put out his hand and take hold of him and kiss him. Thus Absalom did to all of Israel who came to the king for judgment. So Absalom stole the hearts of the men of Israel.
Absalom is planning war, and David tells him to ‘Go in peace’ (9).
Absalom lies to obtain the king’s permission to hold a gathering at Hebron, where in 2:1–4 David was first anointed king. Then Absalom gathers leading figures in Israel to attend his enthronement (15:10–12).
The Ripple Effects of Sin
2 Samuel 13
The ripple effects of sin
2 samuel 13
Main Idea: We need a King who executes perfect justice on evil and bears the shame of sin.
I. The Consequences of Serious Sin (12:10-11, 14-23)
Though the Lord has “put away” David’s sin (12:13), there are still consequences for his flagrant disregard for God & His Word:
“The sword shall never depart from your house… I will raise up evil against you out of your own house” (12:10-11)
“The child who is born to you shall die” (12:14)
There is always a tension between our sin and our suffering in this world. We must be free to admit that sin in general has led to suffering in general, while being careful not to draw lines where God does not. Not all suffering in this fallen world is a punishment or consequence for specific sins we have committed.
Even in this sobering consequence, there are pointers to the gospel:
A son of David dies instead of the guilty; this will one day be true in an ultimate sense
Rather than David going to his son in death (12:23), Jesus reverses this direction in his resurrection, coming to us from the place of the dead.
II. The Danger of Unrestrained Lust (13:1-19)
Amnon sinfully lusts after his half-sister Tamar, frustrated that it was “impossible to do anything to her” (13:2). Unrestrained lust like this leads to objectification, dehumanization, and distorted relationships / desires.
Amnon is not smart enough on his own to get to Tamar; he needs an accomplice, and Jonadab is more than ready to help. The world is full of people like this, eager to put their wits to the service of other people’s evil. The intelligence and imagination that is generated daily in the cause of assisting others to acquire illegitimate power and indulge wrongful pleasure is astounding. By now “Jonadab” enterprises have sprung up all over the world, dedicated to helping men and women satisfy their sinful desires.
~ Eugene Peterson, First & Second Samuel
Amnon’s “love” for Tamar quickly turns to hatred; after he violates her body, he violates her soul in a cold, evil, & ‘godless’ manner: “Put this woman out of my presence” [lit. ‘this thing’]. Tamar’s appearance of ashes & a torn robe outwardly displays her pain, misery, and shame.
Tamar asks, “Where could I get rid of my disgrace?” Her question is left unanswered in the text… However, there was one who later came & entered her pain & shame. Jesus Christ was killed, not for revenge, but to bear her shame on the cross and to offer her a new robe of righteousness to replace her torn robes of disgrace. How Tamar felt after the assault is shockingly similar to what Jesus experienced leading up to and during his crucifixion. Jesus entered her pain and shame as Tamar’s substitute to remove the stain of sins committed against her, and he rose from the dead to bring her healing and hope.
~ Justin & Lindsey Holcomb, Rid of My Disgrace: Hope & Healing for Victims of Sexual Assault
1 Corinthians 6:18-19: Flee from sexual immorality. Every other sin a person commits is outside the body, but the sexually immoral person sins against his own body. Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.
III. The Problem of Inadequate Anger (13:20-33)
Tamar is also failed by the deficient response of those around her. Though Absalom and David are rightly angered about this wickedness, they both have an ‘inadequate’ anger:
As both the King of Israel & a father, David was in the God-ordained means & position to deal with this evil; however, his anger fails to move him to righteous action and appropriate justice.
Absalom “takes this matter to heart” (13:20), but takes vengeance into his own hands with no restraint (cf. Rom. 12:19)
There is an “amplification” of the sins of David with both of his sons, with Amnon’s sexual sin and abuse, and Absalom’s murder of his brother. David’s own sin has led to a loss of moral credibility to properly act and bring God’s Word and will to bear.
David is the christ, God’s anointed king, Israel’s greatest king. But in the end, he’s a let-down. 2 Samuel leaves us longing for a king who will exercise justice without hypocrisy—a king with moral authority. We need a king who can say to the baying crowd as again they accuse the victim, “Let him who is without sin cast the first stone” (John 8:7). We need Jesus. But King Jesus does more than execute justice. He also covers our shame. “Where could I get rid of my disgrace?” asks Tamar before her rape. The answer will be at the cross. At the cross, Jesus not only atoned for our guilt; he also removed our shame. He puts right both the wrong we have done and the wrong that has been done to us. He clothes us in his righteousness and makes us children of God.
~ Tim Chester, 2 Samuel for You
This entire account is an invitation to take up the posture of lament, crying out “how long, O Lord?” (cf. Ps. 13:1, 35:17, 79:5) as we await the return of Christ who will “judge the living and the dead,” when everything hidden will be revealed (Lk. 12:2), and the eternal Kingdom of perfect justice will be established.
The Hope of Repentance
2 Samuel 12
THe Hope of repentance
2 samuel 12 and psalm 51
Main Idea: God’s grace and steadfast love invites us to humble and honest repentance.
I. Relenting to God’s Word (2 Sam. 12:1-7a)
The Lord sends his Word through the prophet Nathan to open David’s eyes from his blindness of his sin. Nathan’s “parable” brilliantly provokes David:
He appeals to the ‘shepherd’ theme that is central David’s life
The poor man treated his lamb like a “daughter” (Heb. ‘bath’)
David rightly recalls the Word of God about fourfold restoration (Ex. 22:1)
Hebrews 4:12-13: For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart. And no creature is hidden from his sight, but all are naked and exposed to the eyes of him to whom we must give account.
Nathan is not just a prophet of the Lord in this action, but also a faithful friend who risks his own life to confront King David in truth and in grace (cf. Prov. 27:6, James 5:16).
Nathan knew what stout defenses mind and mouth can muster against a frontal assault. So instead of sitting down and calling David a filthy womanizer and a cruel murderer he began with, ‘Sir, I want to tell you about a situation …’ He so suckered the king into the case that David judged himself… Nathan’s strategy is nothing but the ingenuity of grace. His technique is the godly scheming of grace that goes around the end of our resistance and causes us to switch the floodlights on our own darkness.
~ Dale Ralph Davis, 2 Samuel: Out of Every Adversity.
II. Taking Responsibility for Sin (2 Sam. 12:7b-13, Psalm 51:1-5)
With David now condemned by his own judgment, Nathan rightly diagnoses the fact that David “despised the word of the Lord” (12:9), essentially “despising” God himself (12:10). David has abused God’s kindness and generosity toward him and instead did what was “evil in his sight.”
Despite the consequences & discipline of the Lord that will result from this sin (12:10-12, 14), David humbly and simply takes the first step of repentance: “I have sinned against the Lord” (12:13a; cf. Lk. 18:13-14).
David’s expanded repentance in Psalm 51 shows he grasps the seriousness of his sin, acknowledging:
Sin is against God (51:4)
Sin is comprehensive (51:1-2, 5; cf. Eph. 2:1-4)
Sin is pervasive (51:3)
2 Corinthians 7:9–10: As it is, I rejoice, not because you were grieved, but because you were grieved into repenting. For you felt a godly grief, so that you suffered no loss through us. For godly grief produces a repentance that leads to salvation without regret, whereas worldly grief produces death.
There is an eternal difference between regret and repentance. Regret feels bad about past sins. Repentance turns away from past sins. Most of us are content with regret. We just want to feel bad for a while, have a good cry, enjoy the cathartic experience, bewail our sin and how selfish/stupid/sorry we are. But we don’t really want to change… Here’s one way to distinguish between worldly grief and godly grief: one mobilizes you into action and the other immobilizes you. Godly grief is a fruitful and effective emotion. We are not meant to wallow in this grief. It is supposed to spur us to action, to change, to make right our wrongs, to be zealous for good works, to run from sin and start walking in the opposite direction. But worldly grief makes you idle and stagnant. You don’t change. You don’t grow. You don’t fight against the deeds of the flesh. Instead, you ruminate on your mistakes and obsess about what people’s opinions and ponder what might have been.
~ Kevin DeYoung, “Godly Grief
III. Experiencing Renewal and Restoration (2 Samuel 12:13b, Psalm 51 6-19)
As David takes up full ownership of his sin, he simultaneously appeals to God’s mercy and “steadfast love” (51:1- Heb. ‘hesed’), which is shockingly offered to David through Nathan: “The Lord also has put away your sin; you shall not die” (2 Sam. 12:13b; cf. Rom. 2:4).
David makes a series of pleas for God’s forgiveness, cleansing, and inward renewal, showing his humble willingness to be changed by God (Ps. 51:6-12). All of these pleas are answered at the cross of Jesus Christ, where “by his wounds you have been healed” (1 Pet. 2:24-25).
Just as sin never impacts just you alone, the same is true of repentance (Ps. 51:13-19); God’s renewing and restorative grace in David’s life leads him to “teach transgressors your ways,” urging “sinners to return to you,” and true worship to be experienced among God’s people.
A broken and contrite heart is a heart that knows how little it deserves yet how much it has received. To know only the first truth is to be self-loathing, to know only the second is to be self-satisfied - and both kinds of hearts will be self absorbed… David came to hate his sin but not himself.
~ Tim Keller, The Songs of Jesus
The Avalanche of Sin
2 Samuel 11
THe Avalanche of sin
2 samuel 11
Main Idea: We must resist the sin that crouches at the door by humbly clinging to Christ.
I. The Root of Sin (11:1-3)
Even though David has been blessed by the Lord and has successfully been established as the King “after God’s own heart,” the seeds of sin have already been sown. We see this in 2 ways:
David’s taking of many wives and concubines, like the kings of the nations (cf. 2 Sam. 5:13-14, Deut. 17:17)
David’s idleness and inactivity (11:1-2a), from a place of success and comfort
The root of David’s sin was not in seeing Bathsheba; it was in entertaining in his heart something that the Lord had forbidden. Sin was “crouching at the door” (Gen. 4:7), and David welcomed it in his heart.
James 1:14: But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire…
Matthew 5:27-28: You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lustful intent has already committed adultery with her in his heart.
Mark 7:20-23: And [Jesus] said, “What comes out of a person is what defiles him. For from within, out of the heart of man, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, coveting, wickedness, deceit, sensuality, envy, slander, pride, foolishness. All these evil things come from within, and they defile a person.
We are to deal drastically with sin. We must not pamper it, flirt with it, enjoy nibbling a little of it around the edges. We are to hate it, crush it, dig it out.
~ D.A. Carson, Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount & his Confrontation with the World
II. The Ruin of Sin (11:4-13)
David behaves like Adam & Eve in the Garden of Eden; both are paradigmatic stories for how sin works:
He sees (11:2 | Gen. 3:6a)
He desires (11:3 | Gen. 3:6b)
He takes (11:4 | Gen. 3:6c, 1 Samuel 8:10-18)
He covers up (11:6ff | Gen. 3:8)
An idolatrous attachment can lead you to break any promise, rationalize any indiscretion, or betray any other allegiance, in order to hold on to it. It may drive you to violate all good and proper boundaries. To practice idolatry is to be a slave.
~ Tim Keller, Counterfeit Gods
As David feeds his sinful desire and attempts to deal with it himself, he becomes increasingly ‘calloused’ (Eph. 4:19, 1 Tim. 4:2), ‘dulled’ to the impacts of his sin on himself and others. Uriah is ironically presented as the faithful one to the Lord at every turn in this horrible account.
III. The Results of Sin (11:14-27)
James 1:14-15: But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death.
Romans 6:23a: For the wages of sin is death…
We are all four steps from murder… Sin can take you down paths you would never have dreamed of walking. Nobody decides one day to have an affair. Nobody decides one day to steal from their company. But if you neglect your duty, if you gratify your eyes, if you indulge your fantasies, if you fail to flee temptation—then that may be where you end up. “I would never do that,” you may be thinking. But please don’t think you’re better than David… David didn’t think of himself as a potential murderer. He didn’t wake up at the beginning of 2 Samuel 11 with murder on his mind. It was a thousand miles from his thoughts. Yet murder is where he ended up. He didn’t get there in one step. But it only took four steps.
~ Tim Chester, 2 Samuel For You
The way the narrative is written, then, tells us that the silence of God does not indicate the absence of God… Yahweh may be silent but he is not sightless. David may have Bathsheba’s flesh and Uriah’s blood, but he will have to face Yahweh’s eyes.
~ Dale Ralph Davis, 2 Samuel: Out of Every Adversity
IV. The Remedy for Sin (12:1a)
The only hope for sinners is to run to the true and better King who does not abuse his power, who is faithful to his covenant promises to his bride, who was tempted in every way, yet without sin, and who is sent to die for sinners. King Jesus is the only one who can set us free from the consequences and power of sin in our life.
Romans 5:6-8: For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. For one will scarcely die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die— but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
A Dead Dog at the King's Table
2 Samuel 9
A dead dog at the king’s table
2 samuel 9
Main Point: The kindness of God should be humbling and prized, not arrogantly despised.
I. The Covenant Remembered (9:1-5)
The covenant promise is fulfilled in the initiative of grace, for the covenant itself is all of grace! God always makes the first move. Were he not to do so, we would remain as we are, dead in our sins and oblivious to the gospel. The same principle may be applied to personal relationships. If you want to be of help to someone, if you want to befriend a neighbor, if you want someone to come under the sound of the gospel, you must be ready to take the initiative. You have no right to expect someone else to do it for you. This is what grace is about—reaching out to bless even your adversary’s household, without your being asked, or their deserving it! David owed Mephibosheth nothing; Christ owes us nothing; but praise God that Jesus came to save sinners like us and that, by his grace, the Davids reach out in compassion to the Mephibosheths of this world.
– Gordon Keddie: Triumph of the King: The Message of 2 Samuel
II. The Covenant Restores (9:6-8)
Today’s counsellors and psychiatrists would probably set this down as ‘a poor self-image’ or ‘low self-esteem’ induced by disability and deprivation. And perhaps there was an element of this in Mephibosheth’s self-deprecatory remark. Nevertheless, it needs to be said that there are times when self-deprecation and low self-esteem are justified because they are a realistic assessment of our true condition before God.
– Gordon Keddie: Triumph of the King: The Message of 2 Samuel
III. The Covenant Exceeds Expectations (9:9-13)
David is not merely fulfilling the letter of his promise to Jonathan. Mephibosheth is not merely tolerated. He’s not just given provisions. He’s invited into a relationship with David. Eating is a powerful symbol of friendship. That was true then and it’s still true today. That’s why Jesus eating with “tax collectors and sinners” was so controversial. God’s king was eating with God’s enemies as a sign of God’s grace. It is the same today. Christ does not merely tolerate us. He invites us into a relationship of intimacy and friendship. And that is powerfully symbolized in the invitation to eat at his table in the Lord’s Supper. Christ says to you, Eat at my table.
– Tim Chester: 2 Samuel for You
A House Forever
2 Samuel 7
A house forever
2 samuel 7
Main Idea: God relates to us on the basis of grace and establishes his eternal Kingdom in Christ.
I. A Grand Proposal (7:1-7)
As the Lord gave David “rest” from his enemies, it feels like the Kingdom of God has been established:
The Lord’s presence is dwelling with his people, as the ark is brought to Jerusalem (2 Sam. 6)
God’s chosen king (“a man after his own heart” - 1 Sam. 13:14) is on the throne
God’s people are in the promised land
However, “at every major point in redemptive history, God does what nobody expects” (D.A. Carson). The Lord gently rejects David’s offer because of his incarnational presence, his divine nature (cf. Is. 66:1, Acts 17:24-25), and his unrelenting grace.
II. A Gracious Promise
In a great reversal, the Lord graciously reminds David what he has done to bless him and what he will do for and through him to bless others.
A. God’s Grace to David (7:8-11)
The Lord promises to David:
A great name (7:9; cf. Abraham, Gen. 12:2)
A secure place (7:10a; cf. Ex. 15:17)
Enduring peace (7:10b-11a; cf. Rev. 21:25)
A “house” (dynasty) (7:11b)
B. God’s Grace Beyond David (7:12-17)
The promises of God look forward in the near term to Solomon, and in the far-term to Jesus Christ. He is promised:
An “offspring” (lit. ‘seed’) who will be established on the throne (cf. Gen. 3:15, Gal. 3:16)
This son will build a house for God’s name (Mt. 16:18, 1 Pet. 2:5)
The Lord will be to him as a Father (cf. Heb. 1:5, Lk. 1:32-33)
God’s covenant promise to David is ‘indefectible’ because death does not annul it (7:12-13), sin cannot destroy it (7:14-15), & time will not exhaust it (7:16) ~ Dale Ralph Davis, 2 Samuel: Out of Every Adversity. Though the Lord will discipline Davidic kings who go astray, he will not remove his covenant “steadfast love.”
There are two ways in which God could give David an eternal house. It could be that every descendant would be successful in producing a male heir—something that has always created problems for every human royal house. Or it could be that someday, a descendant would be born who would never die. According to the New Testament, this is what happened: the promise of an eternal house/seed is fulfilled in Jesus Christ, descendant of David, who because of his resurrection is an eternal person. And through the coming, person, and work of Jesus Christ, an eternal kingdom has already begun.
~ Peter Gentry & Stephen Wellum, God’s Kingdom through God’s Covenants
III. A Gospel Prayer
In response to this glorious and gracious covenant promise, David “sits” in the tabernacle before the Lord in a posture of humble prayer and whole-hearted worship.
This may be the most critical act that David ever does, the action that puts him out of the action. By sitting down, David renounces royal initiative. He takes himself out of the driver’s seat and deliberately places himself prayerfully before God the King… What we do not do for God is often far more critical than what we in fact do. God is the beginning, center, and end of the world’s life—of existence itself. But we are often unaware of God’s action except dimly and peripherally. Especially when we are in full possession of our powers—our formal education complete, our careers in full swing, people admiring us and prodding us onward—it is hard not to imagine that we are at the beginning, center, and end of the world, or at least that part of the world in which we are placed. Ambitious building projects, whether architectural or moral or programmatic, are dear to the religious spirit. But it is precisely at these moments that we are likely to need prophetic interference... We need to quit whatever we are doing and sit down. In sitting down, we let the dust raised by our furious activity settle; the noise generated by our building operations goes quiet; we become aware of the real world, God’s world. Christians are characteristically afraid of being caught doing too little for God. But there are moments, far more frequent than we suppose, when doing nothing is precisely the gospel thing to do.
~ Eugene Peterson, First & Second Samuel
As David humbly prays to the Lord, he gives thanks for God’s:
Past grace toward the undeserving (7:18-21)
Present grace for the redeemed people of God (7:22-24)
Future grace, asking with “courage” that the promises of God would come to pass (7:24-29)
Prayer is nothing but the promise reversed or God’s word turned inside out and formed into an argument and retorted back again upon God by faith.
~ William Gurnall
Unveiling Salvation
Revelation 7
*Due to some technical difficulties, we do not have a recording of this week's sermon. The notes are available below. We apologize for any inconvenience.
Unveiling salvation
Revelation 7
Main Idea: Our hope is found in the fullness of Jesus’ salvation.
I. Powerful Protection
These servants are being marked by the blood of the Lamb so they will not face the wrath of the Lamb.
~ Andrew Sachs
God’s blessing and protection is given freely to those who place their faith in Jesus.
II. Covenant Congregation
144,000 = 12 tribes of Israel x 12 apostles x 10 x 10 x 10
God is bringing all His people to Himself.
III. Gospel Consummation
Salvation for all believers.
The prayer in Revelation 6 of “How Long?” is answered here.
IV. Blessed Assurance
This is a poetic picture of what all who have been marked by the blood of the Lamb, all who have been sealed to Christ by the Holy Spirit, all who have patiently endured the tribulation of living for Christ in a hostile world, can expect. We can expect that we will not only be protected in the final judgement; we will enjoy the protective presence of God for all eternity. Nothing and no one will be able to harm us. All of our needs will be provided for. All the pain of the past will be wiped away-not through an impersonal declaration but personally and lovingly, as God himself will wipe away our tears. We’ll be safely in the fold of our shepherd, the Lamb.
~ Nancy Guthrie
Our hope is found in the fullness of Jesus’ salvation.
Full of Grace & Truth
John 1:14
Full of Grace & Truth
John 1:14
Main Idea: Christmas is the good news that God has come to us full of grace and truth.
I. God Has Come
Christianity tells us that the ‘Word’ (‘logos’; see John 1:1) has come as a person. Christmas tells us that God is not content being studied as a concept or being theorized about from a distance; He has gone to great lengths so that we might know him personally,
The “word became flesh” tells us the glorious, mysterious reality of the incarnation; Jesus, “the only Son from the Father” is both fully man and fully God.
“The birth of Christ was the incarnation of God: it was God taking upon himself humanity— a mystery, a wondrous mystery, to be believed in rather than to be defined… Infinite, and an infant — eternal, and yet born of a woman — Almighty, supporting the universe, and yet needing to be carried in a mother’s arms — King of angels, and yet the reputed son of Joseph — Heir of all things and yet the carpenter’s despised son.”
~ Charles Spurgeon, “His Name – Wonderful!”
“Dwelt among us” lit. means “pitched his tent” or “tabernacled” among us. The tabernacle helps us understand some key things about Christ:
God’s Presence: “The Word became flesh and blood, and moved into the neighborhood” (John 1:14, The Message)
God’s Glory: An encounter with God’s glory is dangerous in the Bible, but in Christ we have “seen his glory.”
God’s Forgiveness: The tabernacle was the place where atoning sacrifices for sin were made. “Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!” (John 1:29)
II. Full of Grace & Truth
Jesus comes full of both grace and truth; he does not “balance” these two attributes out, but embodies both of them fully, at all times, essentially and inseparably.
God’s glory, grace, and truth come together in a cosmic way at the crucifixion of Christ. Jesus is “glorified” on the cross (cf. John 13:31-32), where we are simultaneously told the truth about our sin and offered “grace upon grace” (John 1:16) We must look to the cross to appreciate the meaning of Christmas.
“The crucial significance of the cradle at Bethlehem lies in its place in the sequence of steps that led the Son of God to the cross of Calvary… the Christmas message is that there is hope for a ruined humanity – hope of pardon, hope of peace with God, hope of glory – because at the Father’s will Jesus Christ became poor and was born in a stable so that thirty years later he might hang on a cross. It is the most wonderful message that the world has ever heard or will hear.”
~ J.I. Packer, Knowing God