Grace

If you have your Bibles with you turn with me if you would just second Samuel chapter 19 we can start with verses nine through 15 and all the people arguing throughout all the tribes of Israel, saying the king delivered us from the hand of our enemies and saved us from the hand of the Philistines. Now is flat out of the land from Absalom, but Absalom we anointed over us is dead in battle. Now therefore why do you say nothing about bringing the king back King David sent this message as I document bath are the priest say to the elders of Judah.

Why should you be the last to bring the king back to his house when the word of all Israel is come to the king. You are my brothers you are my bone in my flesh. While the end should you be the last to bring back the king and say Thomas, are you not my bone in my flesh, God, do so to million more. Also, if you are not commander my army from now on. In place of Joab, and he swayed the heart of all the men of Judah's one-man so that they sent word to the king return both you and all your servants so the team came back to the Jordan Judah came back to Gill Gail to meet the king and to bring the king over the Jordan that with me as we go to our Lord in prayer. Heavenly father appraiser Martin if her this morning as he is struggling to breathe. I asked father that you have mercy on him and his wife Kim Lord you are our healer. Your great physician. We pray father that you would do for Martin with the doctors have not been able to do. I pray Lord that you give him the ability to breathe again that Lord. His lungs will begin to function as they should pray heavenly father for Joe Gales. I is its healing. Pray heavenly father for Diane Joyner's mother and dad is a two or healing. Pray heavenly father for dance son. We mentioned this morning, deeply concerned about his salvation. Lord, there is not just one in our congregation is dealing with that kind of hurt they are many and I ask heavenly father that you have mercy on all of our covenant children that Lord you would deal with the hearts of those who have not trusted you yet Lord, you do in their hearts that work that only you can do father for months we've been dealing with battles and wars and fights and skirmishes we been faced with horrible sins, adultery, murder, disloyalty, disobedience, betrayal, to name a few. But today we breathe the fresh air of grace we see David being restored is king. We see a man who could have returned filled with bitterness and anger. That's not what happened. David comes home is a loving Shepherd. He restores he forgets he tested he rewards the ministers graced Israel no time in David's life was he more like Jesus than this period of time.

His enemies are silenced. His friends are blessed. Israel gets a preview of the Messiah to come. Lord help me to preach Christ in the sole test testament text open the Scripture for us that Jesus will be exalted, and that your people at Grace Church will be motivated to love Jesus more. We asked this prayer now the precious and holy name of Jesus, for he is in Jesus name we pray. Amen. You may be seated. Absalom's day at 20,000 of his soldiers are dead. The rebellion is finished. The Civil War has ended. Now David's generals are bringing him back to Jerusalem and he might retake the throne while you talk about awkward situation. Over half the nation of Israel has had just been swept off their feet by the winsome. This of Absalom. The Scripture says that Absalom stole the hearts of Israel away from David Absalom convinced Israel that he would be a better king smarter king. I kinder king a more compassionate king than David would and many balled into that those lies of Absalom and they decided it would be better for David to die and Absalom to come to the throne. But now, Absalom is buried and is buried under a huge mound of rocks and David is headed back to Jerusalem to retake the throne.

How do you make that transition. If you're David that's a tough thing to do. How can you rule over people who have rejected you, people who have betrayed you painfully say that they hate you and I even want you dead. What is David to do well. There are a lot of people there in Israel that know exactly what art think they know exactly what David all do. And they say David you need to seek vengeance.

You need to get justice, you need to cancel these people out you need to take their jobs away from them. You need to execute their leaders. You need to do them in. Make examples of them. David you make examples of the young than this crazy stuff won't happen again.

David says no to that date is no that's not what were going to do this is not the time to seek revenge. This is the time that Israel needs healing. This is the time that Israel needs to see a king who will respond to them in genuine grace and in genuine mercy enough to go through the old and New Testament, you will see often that the Messiah is referred to as the son of David. David is a picture he is a type he is a sign he is a a symbol of Jesus Christ, the Messiah, who would come a thousand years after David died.

David is a picture of Christ 90s by no means a perfect picture of Christ, but who David was and what David did points us to Jesus. Second Samuel chapter 19 is a portfolio of grace. I don't think there's any other place in the Bible where David pictures Jesus as beautifully as he does in second Samuel chapter 19 when David slew Goliath. He pointed us to Jesus. The judge when David wrote the Psalms. He pointed us to Jesus, the prophet, when David prayed for Israel. He pointed us to Jesus. The priest, when David became the king and went to the throne. He pointed us to Jesus the King.

But when David forgave Israel, who had betrayed him and gave them grace. He pointed us to Jesus the Savior, but don't ever study the life of David and not focus on Jesus for points only share with you today. Number one is restoring grace. Look at verses 9 to 14 and all people argument that all the tribes of Israel, saying the king delivered us from the hand of our enemies and saved us from the hand of the Philistines, and now he is flat on the land from Absalom but Absalom, whom we anointed of Russ's dad in battle. Now therefore why do you say nothing about bringing the king back in King David sent this message to Sadock and Abbas are the priest saying the elders of Judah.

Why should you be the last to bring the team back to his house. When the Lord of all, Israel is come to the king. You are my brothers you are my bone in my flesh. Why then should you be the last to bring back the King and say to a Masa, are you not my bone in my flesh. God do such a million more.

Also, if you are not commander by Army from now on. In place of Joe way and he swayed the heart of all the men of Judah as one man so they sent word to the king return both you and all your servants so the king came back to Jordan and Judah came to kill Gail to meet the king to bring the king of the Jordan, when Israel and Judah received news that Absalom had died.

It was an old no moment for for Israel.

They put all their eggs in the wrong basket they had turned away from David and went after him to killing and they had tried to put Absalom on the throne. Now, Absalom is dead and David is ready to retake the throne. What are they going to do. They were scared to death that David was going to enact a vengeance that he was going to seek justice, that he was going to do that man that he would execute them and they knew that they deserved it in you that is what a picture that is of us before we came to know Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior before we came to Christ. What we like. We were people who said we don't want Jesus ruling and reigning over us know we don't look that we love our pleasure, our stuff and RCN and we believe our pleasure, our stuff and RCN gives us great joy and great happiness.

And then the Lord did a mighty work in our life. Any work us up spiritually and he shows us that pleasure and stuff and CN were just false idols that I don't bring us joy if they just bring a sadness and death that my brothers and sisters is a spiritual dilemma.

We are guilty and we knew that we were guilty and everybody else knew that we were guilty.

Most of all, God knew that we were guilty. What should that due to its only get to that point it should fill us with the fear of God it all to make a shake in our boots we don't deserve God's grace we don't deserve God's mercy. We don't deserve a second chance.

We don't deserve it. We deserve God's justice we deserve. Hail well what happened.

Jesus said I love you anyway, he said, and I died for you.

I suffered your hail for you. I took your punishment. I borne your misery on the cross. Now you don't have to run from God. Now you can run to God, amazing grace, how sweet the sound that saved a wretch like me I once was lost but now am found, was blind but now I see was grace that taught my heart to fear and grace my fears relieved how precious did that grace appear the hour I first believed to Woody David do David sent Sadock, the high priest, along with another priest. His name is about far.

He sent them to Judah's very interesting that he sent them to Judah first wanted to go to Judah first, Judah was David's tribe and was his family was his kinfolk that was his people of all the people in Israel and Judah should've been the one that stuck by him, but they did not they betrayed so Sadock and Abbas are going to the tribe of Judah, and they say to the tribe of Judah, David wants to be your king, and he wants your loyalty and he wants your love and want your love and to assure you of that love is going to take a Masa and he is going to raise him to be the commander over his whole army he's going to remove Joab to kill David's son Absalom Hayes to replace him with a Masa who is a Masa a Masa had been the commander of Absalom's troops and in the one who is sinking after David to killing and now David is going to make him the commander of his army. I think this probably shot Judah as it is David going to trust a traitor. The AA date David is going to trust a man who was trying to kill him. David could have ordered a Masa's execution could've put him to death for treason to the sandstone him, behead him take his life doing then he could've said that instead he gives him the second most powerful position in all the land. When Jesus died for us. His death is called a propitiation. That word is a big theological word that means appeasing the wrath of God. RCN was so vile it was so wicked. It was so important to God. That is, separated us from God and it made us his enemies. Justice had to be served because God is a perfectly just God but asked the just answer or RCN was hailed it was hailed when Jesus died on the cross, he suffered our hail force that was a substitutionary atonement but propitiation is included in this, the shed blood of Jesus satisfied the wrath of God against us. That is an amazing thing and created a reconciliation between God holy God in his sinful man we read you what. Second Corinthians 5 2120 and 21 says therefore we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us.

We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God for our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin that in him we might become the righteousness of God is what David is doing for Judah is reconciling Judah to himself only ask you something, who took the initiative here. Was it Judah 09.

It was Dave who took the initiative in your salvation when they tell you you did it was God's window seeking after God.

God came seeking after us. Listen, you're not a child of God, destined for heaven because you're wiser or because you're smarter because you're more spiritual or because you were born in the right family. If you are destined for heaven. If you are headed for heaven right now let me tell you why is because God reached down from heaven.

He reached down from heaven he open your spiritual eyes.

The open your spiritual ears open your spiritual heart. He brought conviction of sitting on into your life and then through you to himself through the shed blood of Jesus brothers and sisters when you stand before God in the and and in heaven, and Heaven's Gate, and they say you, why should you be nurtured into heaven, you're not going to point back to your goodness and your wisdom you you're not gonna point your accomplishments and your achievements, you're not going to say will.

This is why I merit merited God's favor. You gonna say this, Jesus paid it all. Jesus paid it all. He took my CN and gave me his righteousness, he took my Helen suffered by hail and gave me his heaven.

Your salvation is a work of God from start to finish.

David met with Judah. He met with him in a place called Gail Gail that was important deal.

Gail is a little place right there on the Jordan River and when Joshua was getting ready to go in and take the promise land first place he went was Jill Gail while he was there he renewed the covenant of God with Israel. Now, that's where they are now and the word Jill Gail means rolled away folks God was sand Israel today.

I have rolled away. Your approach so David is saying that he is forgiving them for their betrayal and he is rolling away the barriers and the blockages that separated them during Absalom's mass.

I want you to know this lost person turned from his sin, and trust Jesus and Jesus alone for his salvation in Jesus rolls away the judgment and replaces it with grace. Roger Ellsworth said the following. The truth is that we all from time to time become infatuated with some Absalom and recklessly pursue it without regard to God's will, even as Israel of old did the God does not wash his hands of us. He would be justified in doing so, but he patiently bears with us, forgives us and restores us to fellowship with himself instead of rolling instead of ruling over his people with a rod of iron.

Christ like David desires to rule in our hearts and so restores his sinful people by appeals of mercy and grace so would Judah that was restoring grace. Second point is there is forgiving grace. Look at verse 16 through 23 and shimmy out the son of Darrell the Benjamite from a horrible hurry to come down for me. Other Judah to make King David and with him were a thousand men from Benjamin and Sybil, the servant of the house of Saul, with his 15 sons and 20 servants rushed into the Jordan before the king and across afford to bring over the king's household to do his pleasure shimmy out the son of Gareth fell down before the king as he was about to cross the Jordan and said to the king, let not my Lord, hold me guilty or remember how your servant did wrong on the day my lord the king left Jerusalem, do not let the king take it to heart, your servant knows that I have sinned.

Therefore, behold, I have come this day the first of all the house of Joseph to come down to meet my lord the king. They shot the son as a rule I answered, shall not shimmy be put to death for this because he cursed the Lord's anointed.

But David said what about to do with you sons as a rule that you should this day be as as an adversary to me.

Shall anyone be put to death in Israel this day for do not know that I am this day king over Israel. The king said to shimmy you shall not die and the king gave him his oath member, shimmy the Earnestine Bass of the Old Testament.

Do you remember when David and his men were fleeing from Absalom and shimmy. I was up on the hill that overlooked for David and his men were walking, Jimmy starts cursing David screaming at him, accusing him of things he didn't do I and telling him that he was threatening David's life.

Then he starts throwing rocks at David take this guy was like a five-year-old spoiled brat, yet he was a commandery in a thousand soldiers that were under his command. But now, Absalom is dead. David is headed back to Jerusalem to once again rule is king and shimmy makes his way to David. He says what in the world have I done and now what am I going to do. He couldn't deny what he had done David and always me and remember a very vividly what this goofball had done that he had done all kinds of things against David. Cursed him. He had accused him of trying to kill Saul. He had threatened his life. And then he's throwing rocks at David trying to bash him in the head. He couldn't deny that there were thousands of witnesses there that saw him do just that. So he could have said well what is this not a big deal this is. I didn't really do anything all that bad. Couldn't do that because he knew this was treason. So he decides to be honest, to be humble and to be broken, or at least he wanted to appear to be honest, humble and broken so he goes before David he bows down before him and he says I am guilty. I've sinned a lot about you choose. You things that you didn't do.

I threatened your life. I threw rocks at you.

I am guilty. He says David all I can do is beg for your mercy. All I can do is ask you to have grace on me. I am repeating that I am broken. I'm just asking that you saved my life spare musky in David.

Please don't execute me now know that. He said all that, but I have serious doubts whether he really meant it.

I think he got got called and he was just trying everything he could to save his skin. Ralph David's Cynthia's.

There is no reason to hold that shimmy. I had undergone any massive change of heart. He had committed a tactical error call treason and now he must save his skin if he can. He does not submit to David out of love but out of policy. He recognizes the reality of power and politics and adapts himself accordingly. If this was his attitude shimmy out represents many today who come to church, not out of a genuine devotion to Christ, but out of self-interest. There are business connections to be made in the narthex or transparent source files that can be mollified by attending worship member Vichy when shimmy I was cussing David person when he was accusing David when he was threatening David's life when he was throwing rocks at David Vichy. I want to David generals right deciding Vichy acid, David King, I can't deal with this let me go getting I will go up there right now I will chop his head off. I will feed his carcass to the buzzards. By this time next week you'll be a week old. Just let me go.

And David says no, no, Jimmy is being used of God in my life like heavenly Sandpiper theists) all things in my life that don't look like God said he's like my thorn in the flesh member Paul talking about his thorn in the flesh in second Corinthians 12 thorn in the flesh he said was a messenger of Satan sent to buffet him prayed about it three times begging God to take it out of his life and and God says no. He said Paul understand this.

My grace is sufficient for you. I'm leaving it in your life because it's being used in your life as much as you hate it to make you more like Jesus. But this is what shimmy I was dealing with here. I mean what David's dealing with about shimmy is that shimmy is a horrible man that he is being used as my thorn in the flesh to make me more like God. And after that a Vichy I just kinda backed off. He says I understand. But now were in a few days later and Absalom has died. Now they're back in Jerusalem and a Vichy is looking right in the eye of shimmy again. The criticism verse 21 a Vichy sales shall not shimmy be put to death for the S because he cursed the Lord's anointed David just can't shake his and he says look look a Vichy team has no threat to us.

He's asked for forgiveness and I'm going to give it a turns around to shimmy and he says you will not die.

What do we say David was. We said David was a type of picture symbol assigned of Jesus Christ who would come thousand years after Jesus after David had died having shimmy out. Look at David at this point I don't think he looked at him as an enemy any longer. I think he looked at them as a Savior thousand years after David died. There was a a Pharisee who was traveling from Jerusalem to Damascus.

His name was Saul of Tarsus as he was traveling he was going for the purpose of getting permission slips to kill Christians in all the way. All of a sudden, Jesus Christ the resurrected Lord in all of his glory appeared before Saul. The glory blinded Saul, he fell down in the ground weeping and looking up to Jesus calling the Lord and right there on that road. He was converted to Christ, not because he was seeking forgiveness, not because he was outlived looking for Jesus because he wasn't. He was converted because Christ came to him with a merciful call to salvation later.

Paul said it this way, Christ Jesus came in the world to save sinners through my chief David Speyer chimney's life, not because of his integrity, not because of his sincerity because of David's grace pardoning and forgiving grace like my .3 is a testing grace.

Look at verse 24 through 30. Emma finishes the son of Saul came down to meet the king he had neither taken care of his feet or trimmed his beard and washed his close from the day the king departed till the day came back and safety when he came to Jerusalem to meet the king.

The king said to them, what did you not go with me for a shift. He answered my Lord I king my servant deceived me, for your servant said to him I will settle donkey for myself that I may ride on it. Go with your king, for your servant is lying here slandered your servant to my lord the king. But my lord the king is like the angel of God to therefore what's due. Therefore, what seems good to you from my father's house were but me and doomed to death before my lord the king, but you set your servant among those who eat at your table. What further right have the in the cries of the king and the king said to him, why speak any more of your affairs.

I decided you exhibit shall divide the land for which you said to the king, letting take it all. Since my lord the king has come safely home remember him a few of the shift.

Jonathan son five years old.

Jonathan is just died in battle for the shift is been carried by his servant servant fall zoning breaks both of his legs is laying for the rest of his life almost total in the immobility will these people start talking to him about about David and now David is king and you are an heir to the throne.

David's can be after you to kill you, and so he runs down to a place called Lodi bar Lodi bars the wilderness he gets down there and eat several years he's there. He just grows in his hatred toward David wants David. David David finally hears that there is a son of Jonathan still live in David since his troops to go getting the streets getting and they bring them back double for the fish thinks that that's done in order that they might execute him, but Davidson processing. David brings a man he walks over to them. He hugged his neck and he says LeFevre just don't be afraid you are now part of my family you will live in my palace and the special running you will eat at our table with the family. Jonathan was my covenant brother my best friend.

I loved him, and because that I'm adopting you as my son the for the truth was so excited he was absolutely overjoyed, but now Absalom has done some horrible things and and later when Absalom rebelled against David Nanda pack up and they had to leave and they had to go very quickly. And as they were leaving the for bishops is trying to get up on his horse and he's lame and he can't do it & his own servant will not helping any leasing they are on the ground and all over the people of David leave and but for the shift is left behind and then simply goes to Davidson the finishes hate you. He's a trader. He is lined up with Absalom and is just a horrible thing. David can hardly believe it. So after Absalom's death, David comes back on the first people he wants to see is my favorite shift. He goes touring in the for the shift is so depressed.

He is Heyer's dirty his clothes are filthy.

His beard is just all matted and and he hadn't changed clothes since David left. He is totally depressed and David says the for the shift. Why did you not come with me and the for vicious Helsing about Zuma's lying, deception, and he said Sybil wanted me to look like a trader so that Sybil could get the land that you have given to me. David is shocked even know who to believe. Judy believes emotionally believe my favorite shift is okay this is what I'll do. I just put the land in half have to Zuma have to move favorite shift within the cyst says this no let him take it all just give it all to wing it is. I'm not concerned about the land he said I'm just concerned that you are my King, and that your my adopted dad.

He said, letting take it all, letting take it all. I love that. Would to God that every Christian I know had that had achieved take the whole world just give me Jesus zipper had been helpful to David helping them get supplies in this, things are David pretty much trusting. So what did she David trust your mother finish with her or or similar. And then all of a sudden the fitness you said this, David. All I want is you and David mu that my favorite shift was real me ask you something brothers and sisters you Christianity real is your salvation. Certain do you know beyond a shadow of a doubt that you belong to him and he belongs to you then.

Is this true in your life that you come to the point in your life where Jesus is your treasure and you can say take the whole world just give me Jesus. My fourth point is rewarding grace. Look at verse 31 through 34 bars allow the Gilead Gilead I to come down from Magellan and he went on with the kings of the Jordan to escort him over the Jordan Barzilai I was a very aged man 80 years old. He provided the king with food while he stayed at Mahaney him free was a very wealthy man. And the king said to Barzilai. I come over with me and I will provide for you with me in Jerusalem, but Barzilai said to the king. How many years have I do still live that I should go up with the king of Jerusalem to the story blesses my socks off. It knocks the biscuits off my table, it rings my bail. That gives me the warm fuzzies hears us all my enemies, and only in here and he loves God and he loves David and he he just wants to do what's right before the Lord is also wealthy only in but he's not a stingy old geezer is a man who sees people that have needs and he reaches out and inmates as needs. As soon as he can. When David went into exile he took supplies to David and his men. He took food to David and his men every time he sees a need. He sacrificially gives you know what we got some Barzilai is right here in our church. We got people who do that very same thing you know you are. If I see you in the hall and I call you Barzilai then understand that's a compliment a real compliment. David wanted to bless Barzilai so so he said I tell you what I want to do. I said I want you come with me back to Jerusalem and I will reward you.

They are materially and Barzilai.

I said, I appreciate that you said you don't have to do that. AAA said I've got all that I need take that reward that you would get a gift to me and give it to someone else. That's what you need to do I look in the question that he asked can just be blessed by the us watching the king repaying the with such a reward while do you hear that no entitlements no selfishness.

He just says I don't deserve a reward I just done with the Lord led me to do as the attitude we all die here was a man who understood that he was saved by grace through faith plus nothing brothers and sisters. That's the way it is for any true Christian.

We are saved by grace through faith plus nothing. What about rewards will their coming.

God rewards us for faithfulness, for obedience and for generosity.

Listen to have Jesus addressed this in Matthew chapter 25 versus 35 to 40 and I'll close with this, but I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you close me. I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me. Then the righteous will answer and say, Lord, when we see you hungry and feed you are thirsty and give you drink. When did we see you a stranger welcome you, or naked and close you and when did we see you sick or in prison, and visit you. The king will answer them. Truly I say to you as you did it. One of the least of these my brethren, you did it underpay amazing grace, how sweet the sound saved a wretch like me spray father.

What a glorious passage we had before us today sometime your war challenges us. Sometimes it convicts us sometimes it comforts us. This passage captivates us. David is pouring out grace. This is not something you can do on his own. This is something the Holy Spirit of God is doing through wing. The natural man wants to kill his enemies. David wanted to love them. The natural man seeks revenge, but David offers forgiveness.

This passage David is not just a picture of the king is a picture of the Savior, Lord, thank you for the picture in the life of David, but thank you. More the reality in the person of Jesus Christ.

We praise you Jesus for your abundant astounding and amazing grace may we be wild by force. In Jesus name we pray. Amen