Vengeance

If you would please take your seats.

We will begin our worship service. If we have any first visitors or noontime visitors amongst us this morning is raise your hand.

One of the ushers would be happy to bring you a pamphlet of information about register C and not external announcements. First of all, please join us tonight at 6 PM for Sunday worship service.

Chris Gregory will be preaching a sermon entitled life from a to Z from Psalm 119 verses one through eight and on Wednesday night. If you can please join us at 7 PM in the Fellowship Hall for prayer and Bible study.

Dr. Larry Oldham will continue to teach on the book of Romans believe Larry here were starting. I believe this week on the chapter 8 it's been an excellent study so for will be a potluck lunch today in the Fellowship Hall. Immediately following the worship service. Please join us in a meal and fellowship as we take this opportunity to welcome our new members here to adjoining grace, as is our custom, the new members and their families with please be asked to go first to to the line to partake of the of the food and also anyone who's needing assistance. Please also go to the front of the line know you new members you need to take advantage of this opportunity. This is a one time thing from now on, I guarantee you he will be edging your way up and fighting for position. Like everybody else, please take advantage of this day go to the front of the line tomorrow at 10 AM the women's Monday Bible study group will meet and complete their study based on the book a time for confidence they will meet in the Fellowship Hall next Sunday we will be separating/Disney celebrating the Lord's supper. That's just July 4 and will be celebrating it at the morning service and please pray for the PCA Gen. assembly meeting this week.

The Gen. assembly will be dealing with some very difficult issues and we will have several elders from Grace Church attending that meeting. I believe your leaving early Tuesday morning and will be returning on Friday evening and we ask that you pray that they have safe travel and pray also that the meeting is glorified the God. Is there any other matters or issues that need to be brought before the congregation this morning C and then I would ask you to please join me now as we prayer, prepare our hearts and our minds for worship and we have anybody here this morning that's in favor of answered prayer only show you one we've been praying for young lady for four years she's been sick for about four years and she is here with us today limit.

Thank you. Lynn is so good, so you have you with us again. A man and a man like Yolanda, I would ask you to please now stand as enjoy me and are called to worship our call to worship today comes from Psalm 46 verse 10 be still and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth. Let us pray gracious and most holy father and creator of all that gives life. We thank you for the many blessings and pleasures that you have bestowed upon us to your unconditional love for us. You have given us all that is needed to sustain life and you have shielded us from the consequences of our sin by sending your son to die on the cross and to impute his righteousness to us whether you have demanded our love, our praise and our worship and have commanded us to humbly come before you, that we may see the glories that you have given us and that we may seek the aid and comfort that we need in the fallen world in which we live. Father, we are living in a very difficult time in our country, a time of uncertainty, a time of confusion and division this morning.

We pray for the government that you have given us.

We pray for our president for members of Congress and for our justices. We pray for our governor, our state representatives, and for all our local leaders, judges and other officials. We pray for our police and civil servants and forearm first forces and National Guard.

We pray for these men and women because they serve by your authority, not ours guide and direct them each and every day that they may bring about the successful completion of their duties duties which affect the peace the justice and the well-being of our nation.

Use them to bring about your will for our country and your blessing for our church and father we pray for the pastors, the elders and the deacons here at Grace Church fill them with the Holy Spirit that they would always be true to your holy word on the beast pray this morning for Denise White and her family. Her brother Don pass this past week. Please lift them up. Father, we know that they are dealing with a very difficult situation and are dealing with a very difficult time in their lives. Father we've appraised this morning was so nice to see Linda McEachron back your church this morning we missed her father.

She's been gone for such a long time.

She has suffered so much over the past for four years or so and and and father which is thank you that you have brought her back in our midst. Father, we are your children and we submit to you our needs and our desires as well is our Thanksgiving and praises.

It is through our trust and faith in you that we know our prayers will be heard and answered guide and direct our lives in a way that all we say and do brings you praise, honor and glory and it is in the name and for the sake of our Lord Jesus Christ, that we pray.

Amen we gather to do what I call to worship calls us to do to be still and know that God is God and notice there's two commands. Therefore phlebotomy still got to stop being distracted by all the things that cause fear that causes worry that consume our affections got to focus holy completely on our God who is God's sovereign being ruler of the universe.

Let's do that as we sing to him hymns and songs and spiritual songs this morning. Let's begin. As we think.

All praise to God who reigns and a I may be wrong all in and will pass it where Paul is encouraging Corinthian church to give generously to give sincerely, even as a live concert set an example is a are gathering a collection of the saints. This reads to get a second review chapter 8 beginning at verse seven. But as you excel in everything and faith in speech and knowledge in all earnestness and in our love for you see that you excel in this act of grace also. I say this not as a command, but it's approved by the earnestness of others, that your love also is genuine.

You know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you by his poverty might become rich in this matter. I give my judgment. This benefits you will year ago started not only to do this work, but also to desire to do so. Now finished doing it as well so that your readiness in desiring it may be matched by your completing it out of what you have with the readiness is there, it is acceptable according to what a person has not according to what he does not have Fred do not mean that others should be eased and you burdened with that as a matter of fairness. Your abundance at the present time should supply their need, so that their abundance is supply your need. There may be fairness, as it is written, whoever gathered much had nothing left over, and whoever gathered little had no lack, so the word of God, our God is a generous God. So we are to be generous people, God of course is generous with his mercy. He's generous with his grace and thank God that he is because we need that mercy.

We need that grace we are sinners who stand condemned outside of the grace of God, but in Christ we have forgiveness we have mercy church. It's good and right in our worship of this gracious God, to run to him and confess our sins, let's do that together as we pray, would you pray with me, gracious God, our sins are too heavy to carry to real to high and too deep to undo. Forgive what our lips trembled to name what our hearts can no longer bear in what has become for us a consuming fire of judgments set us free from a past we cannot change open to us a future in which we can be changed and grant us grace to grow more and more in your likeness and image.

Through Jesus Christ the light of the world. Amen. A moment now to silently confess your particular sins to the Lord's, and out of these words from second Chronicles 714 if my people who are called by my name humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land. We desperately need forgiveness.

Christ is a fountain of forgiveness that never runs dry. Let's sing about Christ are living water.

Would you stand with me as we sing in all the a as I and I will will will and will and in and in and in and in a law prayer Lord, gracious heavenly father is your Lord's day, they become your house to worship you or thank you for everything you give us our many blessings. Your abundance of grace immerses a new each day. Your Holy Spirit dwells within us in your holy Word to give history.

Thank you Lord what I pray for Pastor Doug this morning to deliver your message keep his lips. Mayor and or take these ties and these offerings were about to receive them to work to further your kingdom.

Again, thank you for this day sounds and you give us in the rain that we are blessed with. Pray these things your son's precious and holy night all is a way and in a Jesus like this morning in your Bibles with you turn with me to second Samuel chapter 13 start verses 23 and 24, after two full years Absalom that she fears that Bill Heiser which is near Ephraim and Absalom invited all the king's sons and Absalom came to the king and say, behold, your servant has sheet shares. Please let the king and his servants go with your servant, that with me as we get our Lord in prayer. Ellie father we come before your throne today and want to lift up Andrew Jackson to you as he is here in our service today beginning ready in just a couple of hours to go to boot camp at Parris Island to be a Marine. I thank you Lord for his willingness to serve thank you heavenly father for his witness here in the Harrisburg Concorde area Lord that witnesses get ready to be furthered in areas Lord that that may not know anything about Christ. I pray Lord that you would just use him as a powerful witness with the then you me and that he makes his Marines Lord is he goes in areas that of the world. Pray father that you just be with him got and direct him, Lord, that his life might really count for Christ sake of family father day that you would just bless the family you created the family before you created social groups, nations or governments. The testimony of Scripture repeatedly tells us that when families fail, then cultures, governments, and nations are quick to follow. We been studying the life of David. For every year and we been wild and his faith. We have been blessed by the inspired words of the Psalms.

We have been encouraged by his courage and we been challenged by his worship as we look at this family life. There seems to be a disconnect. He's broken God's commands and taken on multiple lives he cheated on his wife with a married woman and he's been a horrible father is not planning the principles of God's word in the hearts of his kids. He refuses to discipline them consistently. He lets him live like pagans, life of David as a stark reminder to us that is very possible to be a public success in a family failure. Today we look at a piece of David's failed fatherhood that brought sorrow to his family, his nation in the world. Lord, he's David CN to awaken us to our own CN that we might repent. 40 is the holy and precious name of Jesus that we pray. Amen.

You may be seated. Last week we looked at David as a king and then David as a father, and what we saw was a man who is experiencing public success and family failure what we come to find out is that part of the S a great part of it had to do with God's chastening David because of his CN David a committed adultery with Bathsheba and then he had taken her husband are her husband, Uriah the Hittite and conspired to have him killed in order to cover over his CN. When that happened, God sent Nathan the prophet to David to confronting Nathan came spoke to David shared with him the story of the rich man who went to the poor man's Hal stole his pet lamb brought his pet lamb back slaughtered it and ate it along with a friend and when David heard the story he was absolutely livid.

The I mean the steams come in office. He says I can't believe that this man would do such a horrible thing. What an injustice is been done to you. Bring that man to make and we will deal with them.

I will deal with them right now.

And right in the middle of David's ranting and raving. Nathan the prophet lifted up his finger pointed it in David's face and said David Vale are the man you are the rich man in the story David Laura David you are the one he stole a man's wife then had her husband killed the cover of your sin and David just failed the pieces emotionally, spiritually and mentally. He just failed a Paces may begin to confess his CN and eight repented of his CN. He begged God for forgiveness and then Nathan telling God has forgiven you, but there will still be consequences of your sin, and a second Samuel chapter 12 verses 10 through 11 we find out what those consequences are.

Listen to this. Nathan said now therefore, the sword shall never depart from your house because you despise Mina taken the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be your wife thus says the Lord.

Behold, I will raise up evil against you out of your own house and I will take your wise before your eyes and give them to your neighbor, and he shall live with your wives, and the site of this son me and hear me out his way. If we as men neglect our family duties in order to climb the ladder of success we may obtain wealth and popularity, and maybe even fame. But the result will be frustration and bitterness in our closest and most important relationships only say this I respect a man who works hard. I respect a man who puts out effort to work and goes the 2nd mile and sinks for excellence in his life as he worked. I think that's a good thing.

I think it's a godly thing I guess. Second, when I hear amount hear me and talking about burnout and then do anything for me but me and we cannot and we must not neglect our families. For if we do and what happened to David can happen to us. So this week I was to look at two things. First of all personal vengeance and secondly fatherly apathy got four points I want to share with you. Number one is murder murder. Look with me at verses 23 through 2:29 full years Absalom had cheap shares at Bill Heiser, which is near Ephraim and Absalom invited all the king's sons and excellent came to the king, and said, behold, your servant, as she fears please let the king and his servants go with your servant. The king said Absalom know my son. Let us not all good list would be burdensome to you depressed him, but he would not go but gave him his blessing. Then Absalom said if not, please let my brother Amnon go with us and the king said to him, why should he go with you. Absalom Presti materially let Amnon and all the king's sons go withing then Absalom commanded his servants, Mark. When Amnon's heart is married with line and when I say to you, strike Amnon then killing do not fear that I not commanded you. Be courageous and be valiant so the servant of Absalom did.

Amnon is Amnon commanded that all the king's sons arose and each mounted his mule and fled for two years, Absalom had skewed over the right of his sister time are Amnon had set up time are, and he had set her up in a in a vulnerable situation.

He brought her into his own bedroom.

He locked the bedroom and then he did with her what he wanted to do with her and he did it against her will. And then as soon as he got what he wanted his last turned to anger and hatred against her and he kicked her out of his room and he kicked her out of his life.

It was a man who had done horrible things to a young lady he stole her virginity. He destroyed her reputation and he essentially just sat back and laughed about it as if it was no big deal. Big brother Absalom comes home he sees time are in a state of absolute depression, tears rolling down her cheeks.

Her face is red with embarrassment and shame. Her dress is torn and it looks like somebody has put her through a hell on earth did this to her. Was it an Amalekite or an Ammonite wanted to get back at David.

No. Was it one of the time. Ours boyfriends no. Was it a servant who just thought he could get away with it.

No I wasn't.

It was David's son or half-brother Amnon verse one of chapter that twit. Chapter 13 tells us that the Amnon Art verse 12 chapter 12 says that Amnon love Taymor love Taymor makes share with you what Roger Ellsworth said about this idea Amnon loving Taymor said love is of course the word that Amnon would have used to describe what he was feeling for Taymor but it was in reality far from love another word. Also, beginning with ale jumps more readily to mind that word is lust.

Gordon Canty says of Amnon's love the ingredients of the genuine love or altogether lacking. There is no self giving commitment. No seeking of the others highest good nonsensitive devotion, not even a hint of romance.

There is only naked physical lust and utterly self-centered disregard for Taymor's personal integrity, welfare and blessedness. Amnon is consumed not by what he could do for her.

By what he wanted desperately to do to her he wanted sex as simple as that.

There plenty of Amnon types about today consumed by lust that mess for masquerades as love they pressurize young women to satisfy their lust by assuring them that they love them to such me and I love you really means. I love myself and I want you young ladies listen to this word counsel. If a man truly loves you. He will be willing to commit himself to you in the bonds of marriage and will gladly wait for you until that time comes when Taymor told Absalom who did it. He was absolutely incredulous. This is what are you telling me that it was our brother.

My brother your brother that did this to you. Are you sure that's right into sobs.

She said yes. I'm sure that it's right. Verse 21 we are told when gay King David heard about this terrible thing that he was angry, who told them of that. Was it Taymor was it Absalom. We don't know you tolling but all we know is this David knew it. He knew that his son Amnon had committed rape and incest and the victim was his own daughter. Taymor netted David go to Amnon at that point in time and share with him the gravity of his sin did he go to Amnon and say to him.

How could you do this, do you not realize what you've done. You've committed rape and incest.

You have violated your own sister and broken her heart did David say I'm your father and on the king of Israel. You not have any more respect for me than that.

David say you even he used me to to lower this young lady my daughter into your bedroom and then did he go further than that and he said you not realize Amnon, this is a capital offense you not realize that Leviticus 18 Leviticus 20 and Deuteronomy 27 says that that that doing this is a crime that should be punishable on death David you all that but David said nothing to Amnon. Now Taymor has moved into the home of Absalom. Absalom now is going to be his sister's protector. He's going to be her defender while David has done absolutely nothing. David is not be in the strong shoulder for his daughter to crown is not given her counsel is not prayed with her is not put his arms around her and loved her is not helped her through this terribly terribly difficult time. He's pretty much just left her on her own.

Absalom waited and waited and waited till finally two years have passed after two years passed he said well if David was going to do something he would've done it by now. I guess he's gonna do nothing. So if if it's left up to me to seek justice and I guess it's left up to me.

If David won't take the bull by the horns. I will take the bull by the horns and I will deal with this situation something.

We also probably need to consider is whale is that Amnon was the oldest son of David Amnon was the legal ire to the throne that when David died he would be the next king of the of Israel that Absalom was the second oldest was Absalom thinking here if Amnon is out of the way things out of the picture. Please not around, and I will be the next king, the throne will come to me, we don't know if that's what was in his mind or not but knowing the reputation that he had the kind of character or lack of character that he had. He very well may have been thinking those thoughts wanted Absalom wait so long for doing anything.

I think he was given as they have a chance is given David the opportunity to do something and David did nothing. I think he was also building a sense of false security into the heart of Amnon after two years Amnon's probably thinking himself with. If nobody's done anything by now the nobody's gonna do anything and I'm safe and everything is fine with me. So Absalom came up with a plan.

It was a time for the annual feast that would take place after the sharing of the sheet and Absalom went to is that his daddy David and he said they that I want you to get your whole royal court in all of your friends and all of your sons and bring them to this party. This things that I'm going to throw listen to what Richard Phillips said about this.

He has great insight. He said this request gave the impression of Absalom showing respect to his father's real intentions being plugged by his deceit. David begged off the invitation. However, siding the expense that his son would incur by having the royal entourage at TN but the king said Absalom know my son. Let us not all go to less would be burdensome to you, Absalom pressed his father to attend, but David still refused. It seems likely that Absalom anticipated this answer, allowing him to draw closer to his real intent. Then Absalom said if not, please let my brother Amnon go with us.

This request trouble. David, who could not of been ignorant of the friction between the two sons. So he asked why should he go with you, perhaps fearing David's initiative. Absalom pressed forward for his own offensive Absalom pressed him until he let Amnon and all the king's sons go withing.

In this way, Absalom succeeded in getting his father's blessing on the bloodshed he planned for David's house. We can only wonder whether Absalom intended accrual parallel to the assault against his sister two years earlier.

As David had sent Taymor to Amnon's supposed sick chamber.

David nail sent Amnon to Absalom's faults feast.

Here's a question I when I asked, should Absalom have just let this go. Judy is said to his sister time are whale CS. I'm sorry but these kind of things happen in life, you should have been more careful. Sorry that you got molested and taken advantage of. Sorry that David did nothing about it but hey, that's life. So, let it slide. Is that what he should've done absolutely not. If I had been Taymor's brother.

I would've felt just as angry as Absalom did I tell you guys what we need to realize that the Lord has called us to be protectors and defenders of our family, especially the. The female portion of our family. We need to be there protectors we need to be there defenders we need to be watching over them and protecting them. Should he have gotten angry absolutely should've gotten angry. But the problem was used his anger in a very godless way.

He should've confronted David to begin with and begged David to go and deal with his son Amnon and discipline him and do something about the terrible sin that he's committed if David would've done that he should've gone to Amnon himself and confronted him face-to-face. He should've stood before Amnon and and he.

This would've given Amnon the opportunity to confess to repent and to apologize to Taymor for what he had done, and to pay restitution to her, it would've given him all that opportunity and then if Amnon would've said no. Then Absalom should have just gone right to the priest or he should've gone right to to the prophet Nathan and say look this is what my my brother has done. It is a sin against my sister.

It is a sin against Israel and he is unrepentant. Something needs to be done about the you is the priest you as a prophet need to do something about this so that the people in Israel won't think that it's okay for him that it's okay for us to should've done that he should've gone to Taymor and should have talk to Taymor about forgiveness he should've gone to her and he could've shared with her. Deuteronomy chapter 32 verse 35 of the Lord said, vengeance is mine, I will repay, saith the Lord. He should've told her that God that we serve.

Yahweh is the sovereign God of this universe and if that issue is not settled in a human way by God's law, then God will deal with that issue himself.

That would've been a godly righteous response.

Absalom did not do that.

Instead, he deceives his daddy uses his daddy to carry out his plan and he gives Amnon in the process. This false sense of security. So Amnon will be caught off guard and then he went out and he got them engaged in this party got them drinking and he knew that the alcohol would come to break down his defenses and then Absalom says to his servants to take his life kill him in cold blood just like David ordered Uriah the Hittite to be killed Absalom orders Amnon to be killed by the servants of the words. Let someone else do your dirty work for you. Verse 28. Listen to Absalom's command to the servants, he said strike Amnon then killing wait till he gets drunk. Do not fear. Have I not commanded you. Be courageous and valiant.

Make no mistake about it folks.

What he is doing here is very wicked, he is using biblical God inspired words to to get the servants to do evil enter murder for him. Joshua chapter 1 verse nine is one of my favorite verses in the Bible. I love that verse and if you have gone through an operation, chances are I've been in the hospital with you and prayed with you and oftentimes I will give you that verse right before you go through an operation because it's so helpful was that bursae goddesses have I not commanded you. Be strong and of good courage, be not afraid or dismayed for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go, but Absalom is using. I think that very verse he's using God's covenant language to embolden his servants to murder so they obeyed Absalom and they killed Amnon when the other brother saw it, they said we better get out of here and they jumped on their mules and they took off out of their some hundred 33 verse one says this behold how pleasant and how pleasant and good it is when brothers dwell together in unity. What we see going on here is the exact opposite.

The other brothers are scared to death that what happened, Amnon is going to happen to them folks what we have here is cold-blooded murder appoint to his vengeance. Look at verse 28, 29, again then Absalom commanded his servants, Mark.

When Amnon's heart is Mary with wine and when I say to you, strike Amnon then killing do not fear. Have I not commanded you. Be courageous and be valiant so the servants of Absalom. Did Amnon as Absalom had commanded that all the king's sons arose in each manages mule and fled. Have you ever heard a professing Christian excuse wicked and sinful behavior by saying my God is a God of love, what is that mean does that mean if if God is a God of perfect love that he is not a God of perfect justice and perfect holiness. No, it doesn't mean that the Scriptures is holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty, but who does that mean it means that God hates sin, and he hates it so much.

These made a divine obligation on himself that all sin must be punished all season. Theologians call this the retributive justice of God, we give you a few biblical examples. Genesis chapter 6 verse five God looked out over the world and saw the wickedness of the world and come and commanded that the world be destroyed by flood, then over in Exodus chapter 7 and going forward, we have the about the Lord cast in the 10 plagues on Egypt. Why, because of the wickedness of of the Pharaoh and the wickedness of Egypt and then at Joshua chapter 7 we had the little city of AI defeating the great army of Israel have in the world did they do that they did it because the Lord allowed them to do it because of Aiken sin and then not only did that take place within Aiken was stoned because of his sin. What people say about that is all.

That's just the Old Testament is not the God we serve is not okay is the God that created the universe. The Godhead is been there forever as he changed. No, he hasn't changed. I am the Lord, I change not God says in the book of Malachi, but God has a change. God is exactly the same as he always is. He's the same God in the Old Testament as he is in the New Testament it was Jesus Christ himself. He said that a safety or not.

Those who can destroy the body but cannot destroy the soul, but fear that one who can destroy both body and soul inhale and where was the greatest act of God's judgment ever seen the greatest act of God, pouring out his wrath was seen at Calvary's cross.

When Jesus is hanging from the cross and what happened is Jesus hanging there, God the father took every sin that you and I will ever commit, or have ever committed, and transferred them into the person of Jesus. The Scripture says that that Jesus became sin for us, who knew no sin that we might become the righteousness of God in him. In other words, it was a substitutionary atonement. What Jesus hanging on that cross. He became our sin so that God could judge it in the wrath of God is being poured out on Christ. It is so great that his heart literally ruptured in his chest cavity. That's how we finally died the wrath of God was so powerful only use I don't want to did have to be that way. What why did it matter that much.

Here's the answer because I God is holy, holy, holy, and that sin had to be paid for people in the white churches think that condoning homosexuality and transgender is him, pedophilia and pornography, couples just living together outside of marriage. They think condoning that is being kind and being loving.

I want you to know it is not being kind and loving these things are not just differences in chosen lifestyles. These things are sin is a new moderator of the Southern Baptist convention that was elected this week and he gave a statement.

When the first statements he made was this, he said, God is love. And when God speaks about homosexuality. He speaks in a whisper. In other words he was saying this homosexuality thing is not really that big a deal. When God speaks on it just kind of whispers me tell you something. The Scripture says that homosexuality is an abomination before God. That's not a whisper that's a shout.

Folks that we need to understand what's going on here.

We need to realize that, like Paul said that homosexuality is the very last stage of reprobation and when he says that that's not a whisper that's a shout and people need to know that if there sin is not repented of and and forgiven and washed by the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ. If that doesn't happen, they will spin forever in an eternal hail with no hope and I want you to know this. That's not just the opinion of a hardheaded preacher that is biblical truth. So how are Christians supposed to deal with this. Christians today are being called names were being canceled out in some places the world Christians are being put in prison for their talk. Some people are being put to death because a standing for the truth. So what are we to do. Are we to prepay evil for evil, the answer to that is no in Romans chapter 12 verse 19 the Lord said, vengeance is mine, I will repay, saith the Lord. Excuse me for reading again but Richard Phillips said this so whale he said Absalom should also have appeal to his half brother to repent of his sin while doing his best to show kindness if Amnon had confessed and repented Absalom should have for given him and encouraged his sister to do the same while urging Amnon to take concrete steps to remedy his sin. If Amnon refused to repent.

Absalom should have contended himself in the knowledge of God's wrath and eternal punishment in the final judgment while doing his best to care for his sister trusting his own and her needs to the Lord. The fact that Absalom took matters into his own hand proves that his motives were self-serving and they fail to honor the sovereignty of God .3 is tears liquid meant versus 33, 36 while they were on the way knees came to David, Absalom is struck down all the king's sons are not one of them is left. Then the king arose and tore his garments and lay on the earth and all his servants who were standing by tore their garments. John a day of the sun, she Mia David's brother said let not my Lord suppose they killed all the young men the king's sons, for I am not alone, is dead by the command of Absalom. This is been determined from the day he violated his sister Taymor now therefore let not my lord the king. So take it to heart as to suppose that all the king's sons or dad for Amnon alone is dead but I Absalom fled the young man who kept the watch lifted up his eyes and looked, and behold, many people were coming from the road behind the other side of the mountain. Johnny Depp said to the king, behold, the king sons of calm is your servant say it so it has come about as soon as he finished speaking, behold, the king sons came lifted up their voices and wept in the king. Also, in all of his servants went very bitterly. David received news it was false knees.

He was told that all of his sons had been killed. That would have included Absalom and Solomon and David believe that report, he tore his clothes, he fell down on the ground weeping and and wailing and crying like a baby would then use come from.

I think the news probably came from John a day of I think he wanted to get that message to David before he talked to Wayne, and I think he thought that would kinda soften the blow a little bit that would make things easier for him when he told David what the real truth was.

So finally, Johnny Depp gets there and Johnny Depp say is no day that all of your sons is not been killed. Only one of them and that is Amnon. Remember this Johnny Depp was. He was the nephew of David, his brother Shelia son was Johnny Depp is also the one who conspired along with Amnon to have Kmart violated, he took a big part in that help set everything up. Now Amnon is dead and now is conspired along with Absalom and and what is he do. He has conspired with Absalom to try to smooth things over with David. He says David just calm down, it's okay.

It's just your son, Amnon, that is been killed all the rest of your sons are just fine books. Johnny Depp is a reminder to us.

Be careful who you choose to be your friends. Be careful who you choose to be your counselors. The careful who you choose to tell you the people who you consult with people who have no use for God will not really care whether you get hurt or not. By the time Johnny Depp quits talking the other brothers come riding up and they give their report.

Amnon has a has been murdered, and Absalom is fled, and he is gone to the the of the area of gesture and that's where he's hiding out nail. He had there for three years.

Verse 36 is that the king and all the servants wept bitterly to listen what John Calvin said about this plethora of tears that were being shed. He said when David mourned it was, not only for the wicked deed which Absalom and committed it was. Not only that Amnon had died. Primarily, he wept because it was his own sin.

That was the root of the problem folks sin will take you further than you want to go.

It will keep you longer than you want to stay and it will cost you more than you want to pay .4 is lessons this look at verse 37 to 39 Absalom planning went to town May the son of a my hued king of gesture and David mourned for his son.

Day after day so Absalom planning went to get sure and was they are three years in the spirit of the king long to go out to Absalom, because he was comforted about Amnon since he was dead.

I think one of the greatest lessons to be learned in this passage is this message to parents your children need discipline. If your children don't get discipline.

It can lead them to see into rebellion and ultimate failure. If David and Dale with Amnon CN against time, our God mind about apps Amnon to repentance and change the course of his life. If David is going to tame our and and cared for her, and loved on her. He could've Bruce helped her to be restored physically, emotionally and spiritually, and David should have gone to Absalom and helped him to defuse his anger we share with you a few Proverbs. These are for dad to listen carefully.

Proverbs 1324 whoever spares the rod hates his son that he love CM is diligent to discipline him. Proverbs 22 verse 15 foolishness is bound up in the heart of the child in the rod of discipline will remove it far for running.

Proverbs 22 verse six train up a child the way he should go and when he is old he will not depart from it. Proverbs 2915 the rod in the truth. Give wisdom, but a child left to himself brings shame to his mother. Proverbs 2917.

Discipline your son and he will give you rest.

He will give delight to your heart Roger elsewhere said this and I'll close undisciplined living ungodly counsel unacknowledged evil unexercised authority. That is the devil's brood has concocted it many times them to the centuries and is served up a big platter full for our own day and age is a day in which we refused to discipline our sales. It is a day in which we readily listened ungodly counsel.

It is a day in which we refused to address the sense nesting in our hearts but nurture and nourish them is a day in which those in authority, often refuse to exercise it, and when it is exercised is despised, the more we eat of this brew the more pain we are going to feel. May God help us even nail to turn from it and embrace the wholesome healthy food of the word of God is pray. Heavenly father we just covered some important Proverbs teaches how to be godly dad's these Proverbs written by Solomon David, son.

I have to believe that Solomon had his own dad in mind when he wrote these challenging words. David is example of fatherhood was not the example that Solomon needed to follow Solomon had first-hand experience of what dance or not to do, Lord, may we leave this place today with the resolute spirit give us the determination to be godly dad's and granddad's. If we leave the training of our children to the school system to the social media into a government whose pushing us toward atheism and cultural suicide. We are doomed to failure. Give us the intestinal fortitude to teach our kids. Truth and the discipline thing him with seriousness and love. 40 is in the precious holy name of Jesus that we pray. Amen Jane and call you up and when we got some presentations take place right now.

We do have several members.

New members to our present to the congregation this morning in this is always an exciting time in the life of our body as we see the Lord adding to our number. We see the fulfillment of God's promise that he will build his church. The gates of hell cannot stand against it. This is been an exceptional year in many ways of fund growth numerical growth at Grace Church. We had a quick turnaround between our last two new members classes just out of necessity. And so we we welcome that you can just look around and see the how few empty seats there are right now is a testimony to that with the Lord is been good to Grace Church and were so grateful for these new lives that he's brought our way and we look forward to seeing how they acclimate to Grace Church and begin to use the gifts that God has given them to bless all of us to edify his his people so I want to call your name. These people have gone through all the prerequisites for membership. They've attended the six week on the membership class. They all sat down with a couple of elders for the time of examination of the profession of faith and so we welcome these new faces into our membership here.

Grace Church only call your computers come and stand facing the congregation as I call your name Gwen Carol Bill and Linda Fulton's Joe and Betsy Gail Jimmy and Tricia Hoffman, Christopher Nicholas Ray K. I'm sorry K Rushkoff, John and Cindy Sheppard's and Tom and Catherine Pruden. We have one more lady who's not here today. I will present her. Another time, but some Jan I was not able to be your soul.

Try to remember to do her her next week and I'm trying to think of anybody not here that I've called Jim okay so will present them as well so there's three people missing from this group, but will will get back with them at some point, folks, we welcome you Grace Church of so good to have all you have enjoyed getting to know you these last several weeks and then ask you the five membership valves and just ask for you to affirm these by replying yes. You acknowledge yourselves to be sinners in the side of God justly deserving his displeasure and without hope, save in his sovereign mercy.

Do you believe in the Lord Jesus Christ as the son of God and Savior of sinners and do you receive an rest upon him alone for salvation as he is offered in the gospel you now resolving promise in humble reliance upon the grace of the Holy Spirit's that you will endeavor to live as becomes the followers of Christ, do you promise to support the church in its worship and work to the best of your ability and then do you submit yourselves to the government and discipline of the church and promised to study its purity and peace. While it is my delight to welcome you to membership to Grace Church and have a word of prayer for you and then you can go back to your seat after after our last song were to dismiss from here will let these folks go to the line.

First, we have a have a lot of food up there in the fellowship hall.

Everyone's welcome to stay and enjoy this time of fellowship.

Make sure to introduce yourself to these new faces and and will just make them feel special and fill part of our body. You go back to your seats. Thank you so much as they go back. When we pray for for each of these this morning follow.

You are so good to to grow our church.

I wanted so encouraging to see how you use the means of grace. The preached word of the fellowship of your people. The sacraments prayer or use all these things to change lives and to draw people to Christ the Lord. We've we've seen evidence of that this morning as you have drawn many to to Christ and into Grace Church or they can be a part of this body as we fellowship together and serve and worship together or I pray for each of these these new lives that have have come into our body, that you would use the various spiritual gift things that you have entrusted with each one, or use those gifts for the edification of Grace Church. I pray that we would serve you well, that we would serve together in unity and we would all be heading in the same direction together and I Lord that the world would look at our body here at grace and see a group of people very diverse and yet Lord, the common denominator being the Lord Jesus Christ our King, our head, or may they see our love for one another and know by that love that we are your disciples, or may they see our good works as your people and may they glorify you God in heaven. Thank you again for for this body for how you have protected us for how you have preserved the gospel in our midst, and in the midst of a culture were or the emphasis on the gospel is waning. I word where truth is being relative iced Lord, we pray that you would continue generations in the future to preserve the gospel witness here Grace Church, may we be faithful, Lord, we know you'll be faithful.

You have promised that and we we thank you for the church of the bride of Christ of which we are apart.

We thank you that you have five have made us a part of this wonderful bride of Christ. We bear his name.

Well it is in that name that we pray.

Amen ask you to stand with me as we conclude our service this morning. The church's one foundation is Jesus Christ our Lord. He is our rock. He is the anchor for the soul but never changes list look to him as we close or, worse, on one day and in the all in and all the on the and on and all will know when on all come in and be in your with us this morning. The new members don't you go it right now and you live there for everybody else gets there.

Great have everybody here today and let me encourage you to be back with us tonight. Chris Gregory is going be preaching the night of Psalm 119 longest chapter in the Bible that he will be preaching, but a part of it. It is looking forward hearing what he's got to say want to bless the food nail.

So instead of a regular benediction.

We don't do a blessing so bear with me as we get our Lord in prayer. Heavenly father, we come before you today praising you thanking you for your goodness. Thank you Lord for these new members that we perceive this morning and pray father that they would fit very quickly and feel that camaraderie and that Cornelia that fellowship Lord that that we want them to experience that Lord you have for us at grace Lord, we do have something special to grace where family here and we praise you for that. Lord, for you have made us the family and what is important since Jesus and Lord may not always be the case here. Grace Church father, we thank you for Linda be in here this morning with us and thank you Lord for answered prayer for her and that she is doing so much better, and pray for continued strength in an over that you just be with her maker completely whale heavenly father we pray for our our men that are headed out to the Gen. assembly on Tuesday we pray father for a safe trip for them.

Give them traveling mercies, pray Lord that you give our denomination wisdom, some the decisions that would be made. This time, and Lord, may we stand for truth and they would be a denomination that always stands for truth heavenly father I pray for the food that's been so graciously prepared for us today and asked you take it and I am blessed the nurse when our bodies force in Jesus holy and precious name that we pray a man