2 Samuel Chapter 1:1-14

Whenever we choose our own way and our life were falling short of God's best for us and sometimes we may intend well, but as we direct our own lives and don't look to the Lord to direct their life, we can fall so far short of what the Lord is intended us to do so when we choose our own way were the ones ultimately they get ripped off welcome to cross the bridge with David McGee Senior Pastor of the bridge in Kernersville, North Carolina.

He is teaching through second Samuel today and hear the studio we have one of these assisting pastors to share with us right here with you today Bob for starting a new book today. Samuel one. Blessing listening the first Samuel with our listeners and today Pastor David talk about maximum freedom, maximum blessing has to do when we obey God.

It seems like it's a little different way we obey God and with 40 is in the Bible just dues and don'ts of most adults really get to pull out from the world's agenda follow after God which gives us true freedom yesterday to talk about that great Willis listener shares first by first and second Samuel chapter 1. Turn with me to second Samuel chapter 1 Ellis talk about the fact that it's called the second book of Samuel. This title was actually given later. Originally this was one book. The book of Samuel, the Hebrew Scriptures. It was the book of Samuel when they went to do the Septuagint, which was a translation was continuing somewhere between like 300 BC to about 100 BC.

It was the Greek translation of the Hebrew Scriptures when they did that, then they divided the book into two books. First Samuel and second Samuel C really is second Samuel that then have an introduction so that's one of the first cues that this was a one book that went together was later separated and 11 necessarily have any theological meaning or implications, or anything like that.

It's simply for you to understand and to know so second Samuel verse chapter 1 verse one that came to pass after the death of Saul and David had returned from the slaughter of the amyloid kites and David stayed two days and sick like ballot this is, do up will catch up here in the closing chapters of first Samuel, what happened was, David was in Zürich lagan he was going to go into the battle with the Israelites and God saved him and kept them from that battle, and when he returned is a quiet, his family members had been kidnapped city had been looted and he was engaged in a battle with the amyloid kites and so he prayed about what to do.

God said pursuing him and he did when he got back the family members and in the stuff that they had stolen not only from that camp or from other camps and so then he comes back to the city so that's what happened.

David and his men went and waged war on these guys were victorious, verse two says on the third day, the whole it happens, the man came from Saul's camp with his close torn and dust on his head so it was when he came to David that he fell to the ground, prostrated himself.

Now we talked about this before but was understand for those who might be no it is close me and torn didn't just mean he had old closer he'd been called the Breyers or something. It means that he had worn them out of grief and out of anguish and also put dust on your hat or ashes on your head was another sign of grief. Another sign of anguish you really don't see that the New Testament very much. Would you see it often in the Hebrew Scriptures we see it here. Why don't we see in the New Testament. Well, you could say times are changing traditions or change in which no I believe that because of the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

We no longer have to terror closer put ashes on her head as I would caution you know it is you. Have you been wearing ashes on your head probably should stop that now but you know, a lot of times it week we cannot do that.

We were and we have a little bit of a bad day that we start to wear our feelings on her sleeve, you know, and then walk over to drip your face going on and we might as well have ashes on her head when God died for us so we could have the joy of the Lord. Anyway, back to the point. This guy had torn his clothes and anguish and put dust on his head and morning verse three David said to him where you come from. So I said to him.

I've escaped from the camp of Israel. Then David said to him, how did the matter go please tell me I will remind you they didn't have the Internet.

They didn't have television.

I didn't have radio so the way that they got news was some from from somebody would come from that area.

So David says please tell me because he's unaware of the way the battle went in first Samuel chapter 31 and answer in verse four The people have fled from the battle. Many of the people are fallen, and dad and Saul and Jonathan his son did also shows a very dark day for Israel not only solve their king had been killed, but they had lost the battle horribly, and Jonathan, perhaps, the heir apparent to Saul, had been killed as well, knowing we understand it, David, God had chosen David to the eye of the person in Israel Jonathan with the been there apparently so he's killed they lose the battle.

Then these Philistines are running over the country and winning back cities that had been occupied for quite some time, not only in the northern area but also in the southern areas well so this is devastating news.

Verse five. So David said to the young man who told him how do you know that Saul and Jonathan his son are dead.

The good question. Verse six.

Then the young man. He told him said as I happened by chance to be on Mount Gilboa. There was Saul leaning on his spear, and indeed the chariots and horsemen followed hard after now when he looked behind him. He saw me and called me and I answer here I am, and he said to me, who are you so I answered him, I am the malachite and he said to me again please stand over me and kill me for anguish is come upon me, but my life still remains in me. So I stood over him and killed him because I was sure that he could not live after he had fallen and I took the crown that was on his head and the bracelet that was on his arm and have brought them here to my Lord now here we have kind of I believe I did additional account to what we were told in chapter 31. I don't think there is a there is really contradiction here. I think it's kind of an addendum. Now some of the commentators, in all fairness, think that this guy was line. I'm not sure there that he was in and because there's a real spiritual lesson here. Note that were told and we talked about this before. There's no detail in the Bible. This just happenstance.

It's filler material that's thrown in their and as we look at this it so what happens if you will, but the man is in the malachite and that that comes out.

Why is that important. Well, if you remember about halfway through the book of Samuel first. After Saul had been king for a while. Samuel came to him and said this is what the Lord wants to do. He wants you to go and wipe out the Amalekites utterly destroyed. That sounds harsh, but we need understand the Amalekites were involved in all sorts of horrible stuff including the sacrifice of children. All these pagan rights, sexual things during worship.

Just a lot of weirdness in God was trying to protect his people from this influence. He waited hundreds and hundreds of years for the Amalekites to turn around and turn to him, but they never did. And so God wanted to judge them through Saul and through the country of Israel. Now what happened was that Saul didn't really list you go back you can read the story in first Samuel think 15 really 1415 16 you get the gist of the story primarily in 15 but he didn't kill them all and when Sam shows up. Samuel Gotay did you do it and Saul goes on I have blessed God man wipe them out and insanely good. So why don't I hear about your sheep because what I say similar. She you know and it's like in and who's that guy.

Let's king a guy guy got. I spared him as well and it ended up that Saul hadn't done his job at all, or as thoroughly as he been told and some of the Amalekites actually survive. That's interest is here you see that it's in the malachite that deals the deathblow to Saul because of the spiritual picture that we see here. I see this fits with the account in chapter 31 of the previous book. She Saul didn't obey because of his lack of obedience. Well, in more ways than one.

Cost him his life is crown. There's a lesson in here and it brings us to our first life lesson and that is maximum freedom, maximum blessing always come from obeying God maximum freedom, maximum blessing always come from obeying God. Whenever we choose our own way and our life were falling short of God's best for us and sometimes we may intend well, but as we direct our own lives and don't look to the Lord to direct their life, we can fall so far short of what the Lord is intended us to do so when we choose our own way were the ones ultimately they get ripped off but want to choose God's way. We're the ones ultimately are blessed your 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 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 and sign 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 continue showing verse by verse, verse 10 mentions the crown the crown the crown is the subject of Scripture that a lot of places understand that were actually referred to is King's in Scripture kind of an interesting title for us. Kinda makes the title of Jesus, King of Kings somewhat interesting that he is our King were declared king, but he's a king over us, talking about the crown.

We have been crowned if you will. If you come to Jesus and ask him to forgive you of your sins, you have spiritually speaking, a crown you want to talk about in Revelation chapter 3 verse 11 says behold I'm coming quickly holdfast what you have, that no one may take your crown is kind of an interesting concept that no one may take your crown.

So apparently there's some way in which people can take your crown which could possibly be. You know the rewards for doing spiritual good. And here's another verse talking about crown. Paul writes in first Corinthians 9 chapter 9 verse 24, 25 says, do you not know that those who run in a race all one, but one receives the prize running situate that you may obtain everyone who competes for the prize is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a perishable crown, but we for an imperishable crown to Paul in writing to the Corinthians as people who lived in Corinth, who were familiar being in Greece they were familiar with the Greek games in the contest and soak. Paul relates back to that day we could relate back to that day because you know there's all sorts of sports people in football, baseball, basketball. They sacrificed a lot to play their sport.

We look at the Olympic Games work. People live their whole lives training for these events and Paul is saying you know what, that's the way we need to approach our Christian life is with the fervor with a passion pursuing the crown friendly Matthew question is that the way that you would view your Christian life that you're passionately pursuing your life with God is that the way that people around you would define your relationship with the Lord or when they define it is somebody just got a sit in at the start line and even though the guns gone off in the races begun. They're just gonna hang out sit in their say.

Well one day all get out and start the race see weird to be active in our faith. Our faith is to be a living, vibrant faith here in that book of Corinthians. Comparing it to an athlete whose pursuing that props pursuing first place that strikes a chord in me because I tend to be somewhat of a competitive person so are crown running for our crown or someone taking your crown or are you giving your crown away here this man brings David the crown and the brace well see what happens. Verse 11. Therefore, David took hold of his own close and tore them and so did all the men who were with him and they mourned and wept and fasted until evening for Saul and for Jonathan his son for the people of the Lord and for the house of Israel is a fallen by the sword. It's interesting. David's response because even though Saul had long ago decided that David was his enemy. We can see from this verse and other verses that David never ever decided Saul was his and as is important because the AC as you see the lives of Saul and David and Saul became toxic and and better and declared David his enemy and David never took a drink of that poison if you will. He never drank from that company could've but he chose not to such a great lesson for us and their friend because we will have people in our lives that are toxic. We will have people in our lives that are better we will have people in our lives. It have decided that we are there enemy and you can make a decision you can become bitter and resentful and hateful when someone treats you like that, or you can choose the power of God the Holy Spirit not to become like that not to respond in the same way. In like manner, rise above it rise above and that's a challenge. Jesus gives us in the Bible to rise above our enemies and pray for them and bless and we see here David morning for somebody that and in this obviously means it. David's probably in line to become the king now and yet he's morning he's morning how you treat your friends and tells a little bit about your but how you treat your enemies tells a lot about you, tells a whole lot about read one business Journal thing that that said look to see how people treat the waitstaff in a restaurant and it tells you a lot about how they feel about people or the human race. See how you treat your friends really doesn't say a lot about your character or your love of God, but how you treat your enemies tells a whole lot about those things. Friends never rejoice in the calamity of your enemies never do that. Never do that. Jesus didn't. They may rejoice in your calamity. They may even hope for your calamity but you rise above it seemed David rose above and David became an incredible and godly leader that brings us to the next life lesson Jesus and David love their enemies and wish them well.

We should do the same Jesus and David love their enemies and wish them well. We should do the same. That's a difficult thing.

And Jesus challenged us not just to love our friends, not just the lovers. We we got along with those people that we enjoy their company are those people that we liked.

But in Matthew chapter 5 Jesus tells us this chapter 5, verse 43 says you 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 spiritually use you and persecute you, that you may be the sons of your father in heaven, for he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. For any of you love those who love you, what reward have you do not even the tax collectors do the same. And if you greet your brethren only what he do more than others do not even the tax collectors do so. So in that passage, Jesus is challenging us to not only just to love our enemies, but to pray for them and to bless them. In other words, Frank to wish them well to wish them well and when you can come to the place where you wish your enemies well the power of God is at work in your life because humanly speaking that just usually doesn't happen so when you do that is the power of God at work in your life now, as we see David doing this was Saul we see that that is the power of God at work in the life of David. Verse 13 then David said to the young men who told him where you from and answered. I am the son of an alien now Molokai. So David said to him, how was that you were not afraid to put forth your hand to destroy the Lord's anointed scouting question is interesting question and I'm I'm reasonably sure got a call to scout off guard.

This guy thought he was bringing David good news probably thought David was going to reward and will talk about that second but this is a real cutting question why because David himself.

Even though Saul was hunting down and try the killing David himself never raised a hand to Saul never once in Scripture do we say see that David ran his mouth about Saul. Let's all let me tell you about that Saul and do that and again that pointed to the character of David. David never really stopped and thought, well, you know, got I'm not sure I really I really agree with your choice in making Saul king, David was content in knowing that God made Saul king, and that was the end of the discussion. And so we need to understand when God appoints and anoint somebody into leadership that God is spoken.

That's it. David understood this, because David understood this.

God felt freedom to bless David and the raise him up in leadership why because he understood this concept. A lot of times I think ministries are thwarted in people's lives because they never submit to the authority that God has placed in their life and and certainly if you're not willing to submit to authority, then God will not usually grant you authority because you don't understand about submission and so David asked how could you do this, how could you do this couple versus 41st Timothy chapter 5 verse 19 says do not receive an accusation against an elder accept from two or three witnesses. Now what that person means is that if somebody comes to you and says hey you know I saw the L of an elder in the church doing now, sir, pastoring a church doing that that you don't listen to that unless two or three people have seen that same thing, and he reported that see in the Bible talks about how we should go from there. But be careful about listening to somebody complain or or start rumors from one source because a lot of times.

Believe me, in my experience, I've seen a lot of times those sources. No bear out his truth another verse. First Timothy 517 says let the elders who rule well be counted worthy of double honor, specially those who labor in the word and doctrine. Double honor is what it talks about so those who are in spiritual authority. We need to be careful about speaking against them, whether they're a pastor, or whether there an elder in this church at the Bible is warning us about that and it's interesting why Saul was royally messing up.

David still was not lifting his hand or running his mouth about Saul and what this reveals really reveals the character flaws of Saul and it reveals the integrity of David.

So if you're able to pray for somebody that you see struggle and are in some situation and keep your mouth shut, that speaks very highly about your integrity is what the Bible says in verse 15, and David called one of the young men and said go near an executed and he struck him so that he died this man thought he was bringing David good news and it seems he thought David would be happy with the news and it's interesting as we see this played out because there something that we see with our human, I think there's something much deeper going on.

Matthew question who the crown from Saul and gave it to David was at this man. No, not really. It was God. God was in the process of removing the crown from Saul and this man intervened or gotten away or got in the middle. It was but it was God who was removing the crown from Saul who placed the crown upon David was at this man, absolutely not. It was God it was God but this man intervened who had anointed David long ago to be the leader, the people God had but this guy intervened and tried to make things happen in an and get it done in his own way and when we get we have to be careful that we have to be careful that because obviously this man was a graffiti was engraved there taken Saul's life and take the crown, given the David is playing a partition of plate you know there's a lesson because we are tempted sometimes to make a judgment call on what God has done with authority and passing of authority were told in Psalm 75, seven, says it is God who alone who judges he decides who will rise and who will fall there is such freedom.

You can get this for such liberation brings us to the lifeless praying interest in knowing God decides who is in authority, praying and rest in knowing God decides who is in authority friend you know for sure that your sins have been forgiven. You can know right now only gender short simple prayer simply telling God you're sorry and asking him to help you to live for him. Please pray this prayer with me out loud 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 can 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 it friend if you prayed that prayer according to the Bible. You've been forgiven you've been born again, so 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.

Now before we go in the world it seems chaotic at every turn. Jesus wants you to experience peace this year want you to experience his shalom, which is wholeness, joy and hope. No matter what the circumstances are that you face every day meal.

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