2 Samuel Chapter 9:1-11

To be somebody that's good. The human nature. I mean it's in your best interest to do good to somebody that's doing good how you treat somebody that gossips about offenders in the world has this thing they say practice random acts of kindness. I don't buy. Here's what I think Jesus has told us to practice intentional acts of love toward you. Towards everybody but Jesus actually names this one people, especially toward your enemy, especially towards Raymond practice intentional acts of welcome to cross the bridge with David McGee Senior Pastor of the bridge in Kernersville, North Carolina. Today we have one of the assistant pastors with the program. Thanks for the welcome, Bob ready to get into the Scriptures today and this is a big one because this is about practicing general acts of love, not just on little love droplets out there but being tension with our loved one.

Just saying on Facebook for the couple hearts on text to somebody doesn't cut it. We need to be intentional about loving God need to be intent about loving others� And continues teaching first by first and second Samuel chapter. Turn with me to second Samuel chapter 9 life of David and I learned a lot about David but also about us and our relationship with the Lord because there's a lot of lessons in the life of David that we can apply to our lives personally. Presently today, so when second Samuel chapter 9 verse one.

David said, is there still anyone who is left in the house of Saul, that I may show him kindness for Jonathan's sake, just a real quick review.

Let's remember King Saul had a few sons, one of his sons was named Jonathan.

Jonathan David and David had an incredible friendship with one another and they had a covenant that they will take care of each other. Jonathan ends up to be killed in a battle and David at this point in and one of their sons and rebelling against the authority of King David.

Now understand, usually when a king took over a kingdom, he automatically would wipe out all the remaining members of the of the prior King's family.

Why would he do that so that they wouldn't rise up in rebellion against him. That was the normal thing to do at this time in the Middle East. David and do as a matter fact, David is looking to be kind to a member of the family who claim they had been fairly cruel today, but if you remember, you know, Jonathan's father, King Saul had tried to kill David on more than one occasion. And David is looking to be kind to somebody that could be construed as a former enemy may remind you what Jesus said in Matthew chapter 5 verse 43 is Jesus said, you have heard that it was said, you shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy. But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, that you may be sons of your father in heaven, for he makes his son lives only evil and only good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust.

You love those who love you, what reward do not even the tax collectors do the same.

And if you greet your brethren only what do you do more than others, not even the tax collectors pointed words are the juices, love your enemies, do good to those in nature that's interesting startup because there was a saying at the time of Jesus, you shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy. Now the part love your neighbor that came from the Bob mellow part about hate your enemy. You want to guess who came up with that but we just felt like something needed to be added. There is mankind added that hate your enemy so we could get off the we've been looking for the house ever sent them.

You remember there's a man talking to Jesus and Jesus said you love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your mind and all your soul love your neighbor as yourself and the sky goes will okay neighbor, I understand why was asking that because he didn't think he needed the love everybody just need to figure out couple people that he needed the love what some of your doing right now.

Some are going okay. I love my neighbor. The one on the right more than the one on the left of you know I love my now it's not just talking about your neighbor that lives next door who is your neighbor member. When asked Jesus that he turned around and he told the story he told a story about the good Samaritan, and about how somebody got hurt and all the religious people walked right past didn't do anything saying you know that your neighbor to be good to somebody that's good to you.

This human nature. I mean it's in your best interest to do good to somebody that's doing good deed if your husband for you to to do something I don't know you know to help clean the house or do something like that to impress your wife or you know let's be honest to make the evening go a little smoother. You know I mean that's in your best interest and I guess maybe on some days that may qualifies doing good to those who hate you, but hopefully not every day. This is what Jesus has told us to.

This is one of things that were supposed to do. This is one of the things that make Christianity so distinctly different. Any other world religion.

Certainly the Islamic faith comes the mind and do they pray for their enemies will know well maybe they pray for their salvation. One of which can be obtained not gotten there. That's not that you know that's a little different and it so Jesus is saying, love your enemies, how you treat somebody that your enemy friend. I think we can be. Let's all be honest in your everybody in here has enemies having summer really passionate enemies I guess and summer discounting a cold enemies but everybody in her house and how you treat those enemies says a lot about you and your relationship with the Lord now this is going to be a really practical convicting Bible studies how you treat somebody that gossips about that's interesting.

The world has this thing they say practice random acts of kindness.

I don't buy. Here's what I think Jesus has told us to practice intentional acts of love toward shoe towards everybody but Jesus actually names this one people group, especially toward your enemies, especially toward your enemies.

Practice intentional acts of love as we go through this chapter with some really cool thing is going to be a little bit different because we look at some practical application stuff then at the end of the chapter I'm after I get to the last verse.

Just so you don't slam sure about dragons and less personal perverted out to show you some parallels later in this chapter that are that are intriguing with David and what he finds verse two there was a servant of the house of Saul, whose name was Simon. So when they had called him the David, the king said to him, are you zebra he said that your service verse three. Then the king said, is there not still someone of the house of Saul, to whom I may show the kindness of God as Eva said to the king there still a son of Jonathan who is laying in his feet again.

Let's remember, David had a very special relationship with Jonathan. They were they were very close friend and ask, is there anybody in the house of Saul uses thereby left in the family job as anybody left in the house and when he heard that there was that Jonathan still had a son. His heart must've soared and he thought all this is this is great now here's the phrase the kindness of God, who may show the kindness of God.

What a great question to whom master the kindness of God. We ought to write that on refrigerators and people in your life all the time that you can show the kindness of God to people in the grocery store. People restaurant people working with school and the notice Romans chapter 12 verse 20 says this, therefore, here on enemy is hungry, feeding if he is thirsty, give them a drink for in so doing you will reap coals of fire on his head. Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

What is its main heat coals of fire on his head.

Well, simply put, is common expression that really make will make them ashamed of themselves. If you will because of your goodness against their meanness about let's go back to what happens in this chapter do what Jesus is told, Jesus told us to love our enemies. Some of you are probably going yeah can't do it. Try your right and assess you, you can in your own human strength.

Jesus is now told you to do something that's just flat and possible candidate, but you're not off the sea because when Jesus tells you to do something is no longer impossible to Jesus went around telling people to do all kinds of things that were impossible.

Jesus went up to a lame man and said get up and walk. Jesus went to a blind man and said receive your site. Jesus told a deaf man that here. That's not enough. Jesus told a dead man to come out of the great.

So when Jesus says to do something. It's no longer impossible.

Now it's gone from the realm of impossibility to the realm of possibility.

So you're sitting there going was just not possible to love your enemies and your human strength your right but you know I just took that crutch away from because when Jesus says you can do it, guess what you can do it when you want to do it. Probably not. This is not know this is not to get you and I get to teach these messages where you talk about heaven love of God and talk about forgiveness and there's a lot of pain meds, and there's a lot of what is not willing messages is where bioneers at least talk about that guy hate yeah that's what I'm talking about two years. The thing Jesus tells people who we are, were self-centered, you realize that we are what the term is egocentric, we are self-centered buyer following human nature. That's what happens when you when you get up in the morning what you think of first you think of yourself.

That's what happened to me next.

You know always I use the photograph analogy, but it works so well using it when somebody hand you a photograph and you're in that photograph and there's other people that photographs by Angela first person you look at it you nobody answer that allowed the two and then in then you know what you do you judge whether that's a good photograph or not you look everybody else's venture can have their shut but if you look good man is a good photograph right there.

Yes sir, can you email me that everybody else looks good in your eyes are closer some paladin come across well you know it's bad by the original. The businesses harbor this morning he woke up he thought what am I going to where they want to eat because we are built.

Buyer following human nature to be self-centered. Jesus is go beyond in love your enemies be radically different amazing thing we see David living it out in the story you're listening to Pastor David McGee on cross the bridge will be back with more than just a moment but first, if you haven't been to our website@crossthebridge.com yet what you waiting for go to cross the bridge.com to learn more about how listeners like you are helping get the life-changing truth of God's word to more people to the radio, Internet and mobile technologies across the bridge.com you can also check out our broadcast schedule.

Listen to more teaching from Pastor David@up for Pastor David's free daily devotional and there's more thereto, so visit cross the bridge.com today. Now here's Pastor David as he continues showing verse by verse Galatians chapter 5 verse 22 says this but the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long-suffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentlemen. This self-control. Against such there is no law.

It's interesting when you notice the English the choosing here but the further the spirit is love is a singular through the Spirit is love seat was really listing all the fruits of the spirit said, but the fruits of the spirit are and would've given the list that so this is the fruit of the spirit is love.

And this is what love looks love looks like joy and peace, long-suffering, and kindness and goodness and faithfulness and gentleness and self-control. Against such there is no that means when we are filled with the Holy Spirit. We should be kind and gentle.

We should be kind and gentle.

The Hebrew word here said there there's an interesting word picture it's in part of it is is giving doing it on on behalf of God reverencing it reverencing the Lord, but there's also picture in this kindness of God to others where you you really the Hebrew word picture view is your neck inbound to somebody that is less than or equal when somebody is mean to you. You don't want to be nice to them.

Why is that because they've been mean to you follow this when there mean to you they really say I live a horrible life miserable. Is anybody out there have something to live for a reason to live.

The reason the.when somebody is miserable and mean to you that's really what they're saying yes. The first reaction is to be on your such a jerk but there's an opportunity in their the kindness of God.

The amplified Bible in this verse. I like the way this is the unfailing salt, unlimited mercy and kindness of God unfailing unsolved unlimited mercy and kindness of God and will just give her sit in this chair because I am teaching to myself to because I'm sitting here thinking the same thing. You're the guy I'm seeing these names and Sandy spaces pop so don't think that I'm appear on you guys need to do this is convicted as you are. This is something that we need to do now here's the sad thing? Christians know further gentleness in their kindness were not widely known for telling everybody when they are wrong and how messed up well. John 316. Most people know that versus God so loved the world he gave his only that whoever believes in him should not perish but have everlasting life goes on to say forgot. I didn't send his son into the world to condemn the world, it was mostly following Jesus.

Jesus didn't come into the world to condemn now you know when I was a young Christian I read that verse in a thoughtful, well in Jesus is not going to. There's my ministry, although condemn the world, praise God. Some new and sadly enough, there's a lot of Christians. There's a lot of followers of Jesus and think their ministry, the people are looking for kindness. They're looking for mercy working for hope was freedom verse so the king sent him where is he and Zima said to the king. Indeed, he is in the house of my care, the son of Emile and load the bar to get off the list.

Too much but slow to bar means a place with no Pastor. This man was hiding out from David thinking that David was going to kill Olivia remember the video we watched videos. Psalm 23 backwards or actually I think I read it and it took Psalm 23 the Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want.

And it turned it around and turn around to such minutes and you know what I don't have a shepherd and I'm always in need, describes the world shepherd like you and I do in following Jesus, the deepest desires of their heart, their deepest needs to be forgiven. The walking relationship with the Lord to worship God. They don't have.

Think about that everybody's fighting battles. You don't know about respondent King David sent, and brought them out of the house in the care of the son of Emile load the bar now when the favorite chef, the son of Jonathan, the son of Saul had come to David, he fell on his face, and prostrate frustrated himself and then David said for the show and he answered, here's your server why you need understand something for the shift.

She said it was for the shift fall on his face like that from the date because he fully expected to be executed. That's why he thought he had been brought today.

I'm sure this guy you know that Zima probably told him hey David wants to be good to you and is probably yeah right good to me and so he fell in the court of the king, he fell on his face when I think in the way that David said his name. The finish, and he said here's your servant now.

I think sometimes we approach God just like this.

We think well gonna come to God he's going to kill me because of what I've done for years. Be honest with Iran. From what I term the big stick.

God, here's what I mean by that that I had wander off from God and and and I thought when I first came back to God. The first two issues of business would be God rubbing my nose in it and God given me a beating like the which I've never experienced and I was running from you that I want that was running from the big stick. God, little did I know I was already taken.

The beating of being separated from God. God wanted to welcome me back into relationship with him just like the prodigal son's father did. What a beautiful story, you notice a product. The father, the prodigal son Dennis. I will look at you now ye you blew all the money you stupider not thought you were not going up the beach is at what he said now he ran out there said he saw when he was still a long ways off. That means he was looking he was waiting, he was sitting at the window waiting for him to return and when he saw in his heart leapt with joy. There's part of me still looks a God like that.

There are, you still looks a godlike while I don't know part of it was probably bad teaching for teaching no teaching or just a misconception of who God is, why is it we avoided when we mess up when he's the very one.

We need to be run into when we must chef was laying we know that second Samuel chapter 4, tells a little bit about the storage unit turned back there will turned back there. Second Samuel chapter 4 verse four. This is Jonathan, Saul's son had a son who was lame in his feet. He was five years old when the news about Saul and Jonathan came from Jezreel and is nourished to came up and fled. And it happened that she made haste to flee that he fell and became Lane. His name was Phylicia.

Imagine what that was like he was laying he could walk and this is in the harsh world if you will love the Middle East's men must've known a lot of pain. That's another thing I understand everybody that you meet everybody in this room has some kind of secret pain that nobody else knows about. That's the reality you have pain in your life which I'm not aware and I have pain in my life of which are not aware that this part of human nature, said the same year enemies have secret pain in their life. There's things going on in their life. You're not aware of that are harmful or painful why he is saying that well I say that to awaken some form of compassion and you towards them. Just imagine what their secret pain might be. Verse seven said. David said to him, do not fear, for I will surely show you kindness for Jonathan.

Your father say and will restore to you all the land of Saul your grandfather and you shall eat bread at my table continually continually can tenderly announce interesting this Hebrew word is tall need. It's been used before now.

From Genesis, the second Samuel is been used 35 times already in the Bob every time before now that it was used it was used in an act of worship to God, the words they offered the fire before the Lord continually. They offered the shewbread before the Lord continually. Why do I bring that up because this active David porch with membership was an act of worship is on the God he was doing it for God.

It was an offering to the Lord next life lesson, we are kind of people. As an offering to the Lord. We are kind to people as an offering to the Lord if you're being nice to somebody so that they're going to be nice back your mission point of what Jesus said. Jesus said a lot of them that hate you, pray for them despitefully use you, you're just being nice to soften somebody up so then you can maybe win them to the Lord.

That's not the point. Hopefully that will happen but you might not be the one to win them to the Lord. You might not even get to share with them, but maybe you soften them.

Verse eight says.

Then he bowed himself, and said what is your servant that you should look upon such a dead dog is my finisher knew he didn't deserve this kind. This kindness and David was showing to.

He knew he heard that he didn't deserve it. The king called the Zima saucer and send them I'm given to your master son all that belonged to Saul and to all his house. You therefore in your sons and your servant shall work the land for shall bring in the harvest that your master son may have food to eat, but my favorite chef your master son showing bread at my table always. Now Ziemba had 15 sons and 20 servants than Zima said to the king, according to all that my lord the king is commanded to serve, so will your servant, do as permission membership said the king, he shall eat at my table like one of the king's sons key thing in here when you think CIBA is thinking at this point he's blown away.

He's looking at David whose exercises such grace and mercy and kindness before somebody that is noticed before somebody that has been part of the enemies if you will, against David and Zima soaking it in. See, there's people to watch us. They watch how we treat people who are mean to, and maybe their watch and trying to figure out what we say we believe we think is real friend. You know for sure that your sins have been forgiven. You can know right now only Jenna short, simple prayer simply telling God you're sorry and asking him to help you to live for him.

God want you to pray this prayer so much that he died to give you the opportunity and the ability to ask him to forgive you.

Please pray this prayer with me out well right now. Dear Jesus, I believe you died for me that I could be forgiven and I believe you were raised from the dead that I could have a new life not done wrong things I have sent and I'm sorry. Please forgive me of all those things. Please give me the power to live for you. All of my days in Jesus name, amen friend of you prayed that prayer according to the Bible you've been forgiven you've been born again. Jesus said he would not turn anybody away who comes to him and he came for those people who knew they needed forgiveness.

Those who were sick, not the righteous to congratulations for you just made the greatest decision that you will ever make. God bless you, if you prayed that prayer with David for the first time we'd love to hear from you. You can visit crossed the bridge.com to receive our first steps package with helpful resources to help you begin your walk with Christ. You can also write to cross the bridge at PO Box 12, 515 Winston-Salem, NC 27117 and share how God is working in your life.

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