2 Samuel Chapter 19:9-36

When you first ask him to forgive you of your sins somewhere in the back of your mind, you're thinking, this is great. I'm getting my sins forgiven. I can take it from here. I'm going to direct my own life. And thanks God for the forgiveness. I'll see when I die and that sort of thing. You know, God has much more in plan for their relationship than that. So then he becomes our king in the sense that we know he has a greater being. He has power. He has lobby has mercy. And then we're led into the Lord's ship. And Lordship, is that complete submission.

Welcome to Cross the Bridge with David Magee, the senior pastor of the bridge in Kernersville, North Carolina. Today in the studio, we have one of David's associate pastors, D.A. Brown. Welcome, brother.

Hey, Bob. It's great to be here. We want to take a minute to pray for some cities in our listening audience. Hope everyone prays with me. Holbrook Pace and Pinetop Winslow, Yuma, Arizona. Bentonville, Fayetteville, Arkansas. God, we pray that many in these cities would tune in and listen today. Got it. We pray that summer under the weather. Sick not feeling will that you would heal them, God, for your glory. Well, we also pray that some would give their lives to you. Receive your grace and mercy to Jesus Christ. We pray that these cities would get excited about following you and the churches would fill up. And you give the pastors wisdom and discernment and how to expound upon your word for your glory in Jesus name. Hey, man.

Hey, man. Brother, I think it's awesome that we're lifting up to the Lord. Those listeners that hear us right at this moment. And as we're going into the teaching and 2nd Samuel, Chapter 19 D.A., what are some of the lessons we should look for and take away?

Bob, it's important that God is not only our savior, Peter King, and our Lord.

So D.A.. We hear that sometimes. But what's the difference between Jesus being our savior and being our king and our Lord?

Bob, by Grace alone, were saved. But then after we get saved, it's important to listen to God's instruction in every area of our life so we can continue to be blessed and thrive in all ways.

Well, let's listen as David Magee teaches on this very subject.

In seconds, Samuel, Chapter 19, we find ourselves in the midst of this story of second time in the midst of the story of Absalom. Absalom was the son of David, who at one time was probably going to be heir to the king. But a lot of things happened. And regrettably, Absolom was probably not that heir anymore. And even if he was the heir, Absolom wasn't patient enough to allow God's timing. And so Absolom created a rebellion. He led part of the Kingdom of Israel against David. There was a big battle.

Absolom was killed. And we find David in the midst of this chapter 19, verse one. And Jilib was told, Behold, the king is weeping and mourning for Absolom. So the victory that day was turned into mourning for all the people. For the people heard it said that day the king is grieved for his son and the people still back into the city that day as people who are ashamed steal away when they flee in battle. But the king covered his face and the king cried out with a loud voice. All my son, Absalom, Absalom, my son, my son. Then John came into the house to the king and said, Today you have disgraced all your servants who today have saved your life, the lives of your sons and daughters, the lives of your wives and the lives of your concubines, and that you love your enemies and hate your friends. For you have declared the day that you regard neither princes nor servants for day. Today I perceived that of Absolom had lived and all of us had died the day then it would have pleased you. Well, now, therefore arrives. You go out and speak comfort to your servants for us. Swear by the Lord. If you do not go out, not one will stay with you this night. And that will be worse for you than all the evil that has befallen you from your youth until now.

Then the King arose and sat in the gate and they told all the people saying, there is the king sitting in the gate. So all the people came before the tent. For everyone of Israel have fled to his tent. Verse nine. Now, all the people were in a dispute throughout the tribes of Israel saying the king saved us from the hand of our enemy. He delivered us from the hand of Philistines. And now he has fled from the land because of Absolom. But Absolom, whom we anointed over us, has done battle. Now, therefore, why do you say nothing about bringing back the king?

The King David set? Does Doc and Abia thar the Precint speak to the elders of Judah saying Why are you the last to bring the King back to his house? Since the words of all Israel have come to the King to its very house? You are my brother and you are my bone and my flesh. Why, then, are you the last to bring back the key verse thirteen and say to a massa, are you not my bone and my flesh? God do so to me and more also, if you're not commander of the army before me continually place of Joab.

So he, David swayed the hearts of all the men of. Just as the heart of one man so that they said this word to the king, return you and all your servants.

Now the civil war is coming to an end. The two factions, the two groups fighting against each other because they recognize the kingship of David and notice again. David, wait for the invitation to be their king. David had the right to be king, but he waited for the invite. Me draw a parallel for you. God created us. God is within his rights to demand that we worship him and we declare him king. King of all the king of Glory. But does he do that? No, he doesn't. No, he doesn't. He waits for us to make the invitation to him to become our king. It's really an amazing thing if you think about it. God, with all that power, all that force waits for us to invite him to be our king. There's some of the attributes of God. You look and we go, you know what? He's just different than me.

This is one of those in me, because I know that if I had that kind of power, then I would probably turn circumstances and situations to make people treat me as their king.

Housekeeping, my God, is within his rights to do that. But he doesn't do that. He waits for you to invite him to be your king. Which kind of begs the question, is he your king? Is he your king? We use that king word. You're an American. If you grew up here in America, you've got no idea what I'm talking about. I'm not talking about is he your president, somebody that you can vote in and out every four years. I'm talking about is he your king, somebody that is forever on the throne, somebody that doesn't have to listen to your critique, but somebody that you're totally submitted to. If every time got ask you to do something, he creates a situation, go, God, why are you doing this? What are you doing this where? I need to know all the details. He's not really your king because I understand as a servant to a king, that's not a right, that a servant has to go to the king and go, OK, King, I need I'll do this by need to know why you're asking me to do that. That's not the relationship of a servant to a king. Here's what's on chapter one hundred. Verse three says no, that the Lord he is God. It is he who has made us and not we ourselves. We are his people in the sheep of us pasture. He created us. He made the heavens and the earth. And still he waits patiently for us to invite him to be our king. He is even willing to forgive us of our sins as we come to and say, Jesus, I believe in you. Please forgive me of my sins. Justice done for believing. And still, some of it stopped short of making him our key life lesson. God should be our savior, our King, and our Lord. God should be our savior, our king and our Lord. He usually goes in that order. He becomes your savior and your you know, when you first ask him, we forgive you of your sins. Somewhere in the back of your mind, you're thinking, this is great. I'm getting my sins forgiven. I can take it from here. I'm going to direct my own life. And, you know, and thanks God for the forgiveness. I'll see when I die. And that sort of thing. You know, God has much more in plan for the relationship than that. So then he becomes our king in the sense that we know he has a greater being. He has power, he has love, he has mercy. And then we're led into the Lord's ship. And Lordship, is that complete submission. It's interesting. Couple of times in couple of places in New Testament, the disciples say to him, no, lord, what's your two words that should never go together? Because if he's your lord, you don't tell him no. And if you're telling me no, then he's not your Lord. There's an old saying either he's Lord of all or he's not Lord at all. So a lot of us say, well, Lord, you can be you can be Lord of my life while I'm sitting in church. I'll be totally dedicated to you. But after that, it's all me back then again and again. God wants to be Lord of every part of your life. A lot of us think, OK, where are you going? I don't give God financial aid. We'll give him 10 percent and enough to pay my dues. I'm done. No, no, no, no, no. God wants us to be stewards, good stewards of a hundred percent of all that we have. Why? Because he's the one that has blessed us in that way. And so these are lordship issues. These are kingship issues.

Because if you understand he's your lord and your king, you're going to have a heart to express gratitude through serving other people, through worshiping God, through attending a fellowship, through I mentioned tithing, through tithing. Yes, through these things. And you re not doing those things.

Then you have to ask yourself, well, is he really mucky or am I still somewhere between Savior and King? He's waiting for that invite for it. Verse fifteen. Then the king returned and came to the Jordan and Judah came the googol to go to meet the King to escort the king across the Jordan and Shemya, the son of Garah Benjamin, who was with my room. Hurried and came down with the men of Judah to meet King David. There were a thousand men of Benjamin with him and Zeba, the servant of the House of Soar, and his fifteen sons and twenty servants with him, and they went over the Jordan before the king. Then a ferryboat went across to carry over the King's household and to do what he thought. Good. Literally in the Hebrew that ferryboat is crossing play. So really in the original language, just not we're not sure of. It's actually a ferry boat or just a place on the Jordan that the cross. It's the same in ten. But let's look at some look. The first two people that pop up Zieba and Chimere.

Now, if you've been with us for a few weeks, when David was leaving Jerusalem, Shemya was the one that came out and threw rocks at him and started cursing. And Zeba was the one who came out. He was the servant of my ship, my fibbers chef. And he came out, said, hey, you know what, my Fibi chef, he's willing to take over the throne as well as absolute. We're going to find out that that was a lie.

But it's interesting that the first two people that pop up are a little treacherous, didn't really support David as he was being temporary, displaced from his through worse 18 than a ferry boat went across to carry over King's household to do what he thought.

Good. Now, Jimmy, the son of Garah, fell down before the king when he'd crossed the Jordan. Then he said to the king, Do not let my Lord impute iniquity to me or remember what wrong your servant did on the day that My Lord, the King left Jerusalem, that the King should take it to heart. For I, your servant, know that I have sinned. Therefore, here I am, the first to come today of all the house of Joseph to go down to me.

My Lord, the King, you know, had mixed feelings as I was reading these verses, because he assured shimmy up, pops up, and some of what he's saying is good. He's going, you know, I messed up. I was wrong. But then I started really looking at what he was saying and there's something missing.

He says, I have sinned, but he never says, know, David, I was wrong. We please forgive me. Why do I mention that? Well, because sometimes in Christianity, there's this thought that as long as we realize that something's wrong, then we're good, we're OK, we're fine. As long as we realize that it's wrong, as long as we feel bad about it whenever we do it, then then everything's OK, as a matter of fact, really. That's the mark of a really good service in church. And as long as you feel bad about something when you go to church, then it's been a good church to say, man. I don't think so. There's a verse in the Bible. It's an important verse. It says it's the goodness of God that leads many to repentance. And when we talk about the goodness of God and God being loving, God being kind, God be merciful, God being gracious, there's something when we hear that, we we know that it's OK to come to God. So, God, you know what? I messed up and I'm sorry. Please forgive me. And I think Shemya understands he's got this audience with David and he starts the conversation, but he stops short.

You're listening to Pastor David McGee on Cross the Bridge. He'll be back with more in just a moment. But first, if you haven't been to our Web site at Cross the Bridge dot com yet, what are you waiting for? Go to cross the bridge dot com to learn more about how listeners like you are helping get the life changing truth of God's word to more people through the radio, Internet and mobile technologies at Cross the Bridge dot 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 there, too. So visit. Cross the bridge dot com today. Now, here's Pastor David as he continues sharing verse by verse, verse 21.

But Abbassi, the son of Zechariah, answered and said she'll not she may not be put to death for this because he curse the Lord's anointed Ambrish. You got it. Is he Zellous?

If you remember before when shimmy I came out was Kerson daven thrown rocks. Adam Avariciously. Let me take him out. I'll take him out for you, David.

And Davidsen. No, don't do it. Don't. David system some similar this time. Verse 22. David said What have I to do with you? You sons of Zoriah, that you should be adversaries to me today.

Show any man be put to death today in Israel for do not know that today I am king over Israel. Mm hmm. This is interesting. I think once again, here's something that we can grab onto. David says, you know what? Who's this guy? He came out throwing rocks at me before and saying words. And now he comes out and he's saying words again. And you're asking if I want to take him out. You know what? We don't need to take him out. But notice what David says. For do I not know that today I'm King Ovarian. Sir David knew who he was. There was a confidence in who he was that this little guy shimmy I. Coming out. Didn't. Didn't matter. And in essence, David says, you know, I know who I am. I'm not worried about this guy.

And I know that in my life. And I've seen it in the lives of others that at times and were real insecure, the little things and they bug us. But when we know who we are in the Lord, the little things, they don't matter. When we. You know who we are in the Lord, the little things don't matter, it doesn't matter some much comes up because to get, get, get, get, get, you know, because there will always be people coming up in Kentucky. And you're just guessing. You know what? I know who I am and the Lord. I know who I am and the Lord. You're not going to bug me because I understand there are people out there that they're just they're just hope and they can ruin your day. I don't live. They wake up in the morning and think, well, I've got to ruin some money. Oh, they're so biog ruined their day. You know, I don't know what the mentality is, but you have to allow them to mesh your day up and it comes back to an unknown certainty about who you are and the law, because when you know who you are and the Lord, you know, your past is pardoned, you know, God's looking after you. Presently, you know, your future is secure. What does it matter if somebody is doing this?

At the end of the day.

And yet. I understand. I understand. I get rattled sometimes myself. But it comes back to understanding who we are and the Lord. I have to choose to focus on the good things that God is bringing into my life, on the good things that God is doing through my life involving other people and friend. There's a choice because you're going to have shimmies in your life. You have the choice to listen to the Shemya or not listen to the Shemya. That's your choice. Here's what the Bible says, Philippians. Chapter four, verse eight nine says it now. Dear brothers and sisters, let me say one more thing as it closes letter. Fix your thoughts on what is true and honorable and right. Think about things that are pure and lovely and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise. Keep putting into practice all you learn from me and heard from me and saw me doing. And the God of peace will be with you. As is interesting verses, because he says, do this, focus on these things. And as you focus on these things, the peace of God will be with you.

Now, what's what would be the flip side? Don't focus on these things. Focus on what is wrong. Focus on what is false. Focus on what is ugly and sour in your life.

Focus on things that are just outright sorry and not worthy of discussion. And you're not going to have any peace in your life. Now, that means something entirely different. Each and every person to a certain degree.

Some of us have no business watching the evening news because every time you watch the evening news, you can be doing great. Philon blast feeling good about God in your life and you sit down and watch the news and 30 minutes later you're like, Oh my God.

And everything's gone wrong. Why? Because you're focusing on things that you shouldn't be focusing on and the news people say there's no no slam on them.

They understand that sensationalism and bad things sell the news show. If they just came on and said everything is great in the world today, let me ask you a question. How many times did you tune in for that broadcast? Not many. And it affects us first.

Twenty three. Therefore, this the king said the Shemya, you shall not die. And the king swore to him. Now move ship. The son of Saul came down to meet the King, and they had not cared for his feet, nor trimmed his mustache or washed his clothes from the day the king departed until the day he returned in peace. It was a type of mourning. He won, just being weird and unclearly. It was a type of mourning. He was really looking forward to the king's return.

We should be looking forward to the king's return. How much anticipation is there in your life for the return of Jesus Christ? Now, I understand some days more than others, but there should be a general sense of man, I can't wait till Jesus gets back. I just can't wait. I just can't wait till the return of the king was 25.

So it was when he'd come to Jerusalem to meet the king that the king said to him, Why did you not go with me with Furbish? Now, let's remember, Zeba had come out and said, membership is after the throne, only verse twenty six. And he answered, My Lord King, my servant deceived me for your servant, said I will sell a little donkey for myself, that I may ride on it and go the king because your servant is Lane was twenty seven and he is slandered your servant to my Lord, the King. But My Lord, the King is like the Angel of God. Therefore do what is good in your eyes. Angel of God also would be messenger of God.

And you know, we looked at that place where the guy rode. He came to give David a message and really didn't have a message.

Make sure you have a message in your life. And your primary message is talking about the love of God and the forgiveness of God, what God has done in your life. And that kind of button creates all of us to be messengers. Verse twenty eight for all my father's house were but dead men before my Lord, the king.

Yet you set your servant among those who eat at your own table. Therefore, what right have I still to cry out any more to the king?

So he's saying, you know, whatever you want to do, David.

And let's remember that David, maybe in a rash moment, told Zebo that he could have everything that Lefebvre chef owned when Zebo was talking about that a famous chef was in a conspiracy against him.

Probably a rash decision. But here's what happened was twenty nine of the king said him. Why do you speak any more of your matters? I have said you and Zeba divide the land. So. Now he has half, then Murphy Bishop said to the king, rather, let him take it all in as much as my Lord, the king has coming back in peace to his own house. So we see the heart of it. Finish off my finish shows. I don't care about the land. I'm just glad that you're back. I'm glad that you're here.

It's interesting, as you see David coming back in that all these injustices, they're getting righted. I think there's a bigger picture going on. If you're going to this life and you're thinking this life is just it's not. If you're thinking that our judicial system is able to enforce justice to a complete degree, friend, it ain't going to happen. Now, does that mean we'll never have justice? Absolutely not. We will have justice when he who is just returns, then we will have justice.

David's walking in and he's correct and all these things. And we have to understand that there's some things that won't be corrected until the return of Jesus Christ versus 31 and Barzilai. The Gilli that came down from Roger Leam and went across the Jordan with the king to escort him across the Jordan. Now, Barzilai was a very aged man, 80 years old, and he had provided the king with supplies when it stated man name for he was a very rich man. Keep your finger right there. Let's go back to Second Samuel, Chapter 17. Let's read a couple versus at the end of Chapter 17. Just to remind ourselves who Barzelay was. Chapter 17, verse 27. Now happened when David had come to manning the show, be the son of their hash from Rabbah of the people of a mature, of the son of Amy. A little from Loda Better and Barzilai, the Gillet from rottenly brought beds and basins, earthen vessels and wheat, barley and flour parts, grain and beans, lentils and part seeds. Honey incurred sheep and cheese of the herd for Dave and the people who were with him to eat for they said the people are hungry and weary and thirsty in the wilderness.

Yeah, it's an interesting thing whenever you're in life and occasionally you do go through the desert. But even in the desert, the Lord sets a table out for you.

The Lord will set a table for you even in the wilderness, and bless you and take care of you. So this is what this guy had done in verse 33 and the king said to Barzilai, Come across with me and I will provide for you why you are with me in Jerusalem, Barzilai said to the king. How long will I have to live? That I should go up with the king to Jerusalem? I am the day 80 years old can discern between the good and bad. Can your servant taste what I eat or what I drink? Can I hear any longer the voice of singing men and singing women? Why then, should your servant be a further burden to my Lord the King? Your servant will go a little way across the Jordan with the King. And why should the King repay me with such a reward?

So you see his pure heart. He was just blessed. David, the blessed David. He just he I believe he he knew that David was God's man and he just wanted the blessing. He wasn't after anything. There wasn't any any agenda with him. He's just like, you know, what David's out here is men are hung around with taking bunch of food. I'm a blessing.

You know, it's a good thing to do.

It's a good thing to do to bless other people, to be a blessing to other people. A lot of times are very concerned about being blessed, but we should be more concerned about blessing others, especially as Barzilai saw David in this place. It was a tough place. And Barzilai, I thought, you know, I'm going to God bless this man. And he isn't a man of hard time. I'm going to God bless whether it's a small kindness or big kindness. We should be kind of people. Here's what the Bible says. First Corinthians 13 for says, Love suffers long and is hard. Love does not envy. Love does not parade itself is not puffed up, we're told in another place in a. Chapter four was thirty two says and be kind to one another. Tender hearted, forgiving one another even as God in Christ forgave you. Kindness being kind of people to be a blessing to one another. Here's the life lesson. We should be kind to one another. Especially when someone is down our BITA. The Bible talks about us being kind and we look at the life of Jesus. Jesus was an extremely con person. He was very sensitive to the needs of people around him.

I think that's important for us to walk in and as we're following Jesus.

And so in the midst of this, you know, the king says the barzelay, she's you know, you've been such a blessing me. Let me buy you dinner. I mean, let me feed you.

It's a that I say, you know, I'm very old. I don't want to make the trip to Jerusalem. Can't really taste food anymore. I can't hear music very well. I'll just stay here and God bless you. You know, I mean, he just, you know, so he appreciate the hospitality of David. But he wasn't going to go with him.

And again, we see that pure in his motivation.

Friend, you know for sure that your sins have been forgiven. You can know right now only Legian a 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, dad, for me. That I could be forgiven. And I believe you were raised from the dead. That could have a new life. Now, I've done wrong things. I have sinned. 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.

A man friend of you prayed that prayer. According to the Bible, you've been forgiven. You've been born again. So congratulations, friend. You just made the greatest decision that you will ever make.

God bless you if you pray that prayer with David for the first time. We'd love to hear from you. You can visit cross the bridge dot com to receive our first steps package with helpful resources to help you begin your walk with Christ. Or you can write to cross the bridge at P.O. Box 12 515. Winston-Salem, North Carolina two seven one one seven. And share how God is working in your life. Well, D.A., before we go.

What are some ways that we can bless our listeners if you're not able to make it to your home church this Sunday? Why not join us for our livestream at 10:00 a.m. Eastern Time or on Thursday nights at seven p.m. Eastern Time? Does visit cross the bridge dot com and click on our livestream link? There you experience a live service from Davis Home Church, the bridge in North Carolina. Again, that Web site is Cross the Bridge dot com.

That sounds good. Pastor Day. And again, it's been great to have you with us on the program today. But tell us, what else can our listeners find on Cross the Bridge dot com?

Each day you can wake up with encouragement from Pastor David to the word of God with his email devotional life lessons to consider a daily reading plan and a thought to meditate on throughout your day from the heart of David Magee.

Those are terrific. And it's easy and it's free. So folks sign up today at Cross the Bridge dot com. And thank you for listening. We hope you'll join us again next time as we continue studying verse pipers through second Sam.