The Cost of Backsliding

Technology John West is with us here today is good to see John and Walker's order was good to see you all me stand reader call to worship place, praise the Lord. Sing to the Lord a new song his praise in the assembly of the godly let Israel be glad in his maker. Let the children of Zion rejoice in their king, let them praise his name with dancing, making melody to him with tambourine and lark for the Lord takes pleasure in his people. He adorns a humble with salvation. Let the godly exalting glory. Let them sing for joy on her bed. Let the high praises of God be in their throats and to aid swords in their hands, execute vengeance on the nations of punishment on the peoples to bind their kings with chains and their nobles with fetters of iron to execute on them the judgment written.

This is honor for all godly ones praise the low please be seated. Good Lord in prayer. Gracious heavenly father. It is good to be in your house with your people, your people are your house. Let the prayers of your people inhabit heaven father Lord, let us come to you on bended knee. Let us be humble you've given us salvation as we come to you humbly as the Psalm says Lord we thank you for lowering yourself to send your son to live on earth is him as a man, yet God to be among us to humble himself to show us the model for how we should be Lord we ask that you bless his congregation as we worship today or that you would open our hearts inspire us and help us to walk closer with you each day of our lives as we are a light in the world.

Lord help us to be that light. Help us to be salt got us through Jesus. You are good and you are holy father. We just pray that you would help us to be more holy help us in our walk under Goethe's uplift.

This let us look to you for the hope that only you can provide. You are the God of the universe. You created all you created us. Father, we honor you and praise you for you are holy, Lord, we lift up the DOP on Zillah family with passing of Alex and he is experiencing true impure worship today we praise you Lord be with Mimi and the girls pulled them, encourage them to your word. Your people. The visits Lord just being with them. Lord, we pray for John West.

Just ask you keep them healthy. Watch over him and provide for him and Rachel.

Lord, we pray for the Catherine's Teddy with Linda being sick and now a sister having cancer. The we just lift them up to you Lord that you might minister to them. We pray for the congregation Lord, that you would not watch over us. During this time of the trial and tribulation Lord, that you would provide force as jobs are being potentially eliminated is people can't work as many hours. Lord we just pray for provision.

Let your people provide you help us Lord just got us this day. We pray for us as we go get ready for communion. Later we ask that you anoint tonight service as well and father just prepare us and we just praise you for watching over us and let us come together to worship you and praise you in the precious and holy name of Jesus a man. It's so easy in this life to get overwhelmed with the sheer magnitude of battle were up against. Here we are in a fallen world. It's at enmity with God enough in a fleshly body that is bent towards sinful things with the devil who roams around like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour all of these things can be just absolutely overwhelming. Except for the fact that Jesus wins Christ has the victory he has given us everything we need to be thoroughly equipped for every good work and God in his wisdom has graciously given us one day and seven, to remind ourselves of that victory to remind ourselves that Jesus is the victor to remind us to run to grace to to run to the cross to shake off our guilty fears and take a long hard look at Jesus Christ, the author and finisher of our faith. That's what we're here to do this morning. Would you stand with me and saying, arise, my soul, arise, shake off your guilty fears and all my ACA rule that will will my name will be all will need the all me.

So, will we raise is so we had three goals in the role why he will will will will will will will will my God is the way gone now. All the all hear the call of Christ. We say that all that God has with you today about the lease against the rules allow people who is love reaching out to those in gold.

You will then have that by then when I can't be rise by the names I will see all my love and seem to be as the son of God is all microscopy with a column who has read and and and try you every 5 S. Spring Dr., Grace Reed will be in the eyes and I will line the way all when it dries me standing so I will foods men are New Testament reading this morning from Romans chapter 13 verses eight through 14.

Paul says this owe no one anything except to love each other, the one who loves another has fulfilled the law for the commandments shall not commit adultery. You shall not murder shall not steal. You shall not covet, covet, and any other commandment are summed up in this word you shall love your neighbor as yourself. Love does no wrong to a neighbor. Therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.

Besides this you know the time the hour has come for you to wake from sleep. For salvation is nearer to us now than when we first believed. The nights is foregone.

The day is at hand. So then let us cast off the works of darkness and put on the armor of light.

Let us walk properly as in the daytime, not in orgies and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and sensuality, not in quarreling and jealousy.

But put on the Lord Jesus Christ and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires. The word of the Lord. Let's take a moment this morning to confess our faith but use the apostles Creed and ancient created has been used by generations of Christians in this morning we join our voice to theirs. As we confess confidence in the triune God father son and Holy Ghost. Would you stand with me as we confess together Christian, do you believe I believe in God the father Almighty, the maker of heaven and earth and in Jesus Christ his only son our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Ghost, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate's was crucified, dead and buried. He descended into hell.

The third day he arose from the dead he ascended into heaven and set it on the right hand of God the father Almighty from fancy shall come to judge the quick and the dead.

I believe in the Holy Ghost, the holy Catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body and the life everlasting man standing as we sing together. The doxology pray God from whom all pray he will the will remain standing in honor of God's word is together this in your Bibles with you, they turn with me if you would take first Samuel looking chapter 22. Beginning with the first two verses David departed from their mistake to the cave of a doll and his brothers and all his father's house heard it, they went down there to him and everyone was in distress. Everyone he was in debt. Everyone was bitter and so gathered to him, he became captain over them in there with him about 400 million this pray heavenly father your word is so powerful.

It is amazing that you can take a story of David took place a thousand years before Jesus was born use that story to teach us about Jesus. David did not know our Savior's name. David did not know when Jesus would be born. David did not know what Jesus would look like with this. David did note Jesus would be born in his family line. Jesus will be the fulfillment of the Davidic covenant, Jesus would be the true King King of Kings and Lord of lords.

David was a shepherd. He knew the Lord was the great Shepherd and David knew that the day was coming when he would say this good Shepherd. This King of Kings. This Lord of lords. Psalm 23 said it this way.

Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever. Father Phyllis was David's excitement for the Messiah, bless a sermon.

Help us look past David and see Jesus Lord help me that you might keep my lips from arrow 40s and your precious and holy name of Jesus Christ we pray. Amen. You may be seated. In 1991 I was invited to preach a series of revival services at a church plant in Milford, Saskatchewan, Canada. I flew into the Saskatoon airport and the pastor met me to drive me back to the church's name was Rich Mathis really. I had never met him before, knew nothing about them that we had about a 90 mile trip back to his house and so we have some time to talk and Rich shared his testimony with me at that time he was. I had been the owner and the president CEO of a large concessions company in in California. Some of their accounts were Disneyland, the California Angels and the Los Angeles Dodgers baseball team, just to name a few� I Rich had been a wealthy man. Hey lived in a mansion, his wife and living servants.

He had his own personal Learjet that everything that money could buy, but Rich made his money in other ways as well. Some illegally, he was selling drugs and he was into prostitution making money.

That way, which at that time was 33 years old. He had a beautiful wife, two kids and everything that money could buy the Dan and Rich's heart. There was a whole, a big deep empty hole. He had no PC had no contentment. He had no joy.

It was absolutely restless so I started trying some things and he tried drugs started snorting cocaine developed a habit that was so powerful that he would take got cocaine several times a day, seven days a week started cheating on his wife and at that time everything began to fall apart his life. His wife was telling that she was the leaving and get a divorce. His help was absolutely shot.

One day, walked out of his office there.

One of the main streets in Los Angeles and he walked right out onto the curb of the streetcars went back and forth and he just put his hand in his hands. At that time his nose had been so ravaged by cocaine that vessels just started popping in his nose begin to believe is that was all going on man walked up behind me sat down beside me and put a show put his arm around his shoulder said you look like you need a friend and Rich said yeah do need a friend and so they begin to talk and he began to asking questions.

The man was a preacher and the man said to him I want to introduce you to the best friend you could ever have, and begin to share the gospel with him to get his New Testament within the gospel with rich right there on that street curb where cars are going back and forth. Rich Mathis really trusted Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. It was just incredible transformation. The Lord immediately brought the addiction of cocaine in all the drugs in his life and immediately just didn't work within his marriage brought their marriage back together and the pastor took Rich under his wing and begin to discipling and then he began to take Bible courses in upfront in the mail and took this Bible courses for two years. After about two years he found out that this area in Milford Saskatchewan was needing a church. He sold his company for a dollar and he moved all the way it up to Milford, Saskatchewan to plant this church. The first people that came to Christ and his church were some Vietnamese refugees who are unemployed and he said will start a little company so they are in his basement, he started an assembly line and taught them how to make fishing lures. It became very lucrative and share the gospel with these Vietnamese and many of them came to Christ. Let me tell you that I was the core that church, but he'd grown a good bit since I got there and I'm telling that was an exciting week for me the these people were excited about Jesus and in that revival service. They not only came excited, but they brought their friends and their family.

They were bogged down with religiosity. They were just excited about Christ. Jesus was real of these people to pull them up out of the muck in the mire of the drug culture and and and the homeless saying they were spiritually immature.

They were emotionally immature. They were ecclesiastical he ignorant limiting this they were in love with Jesus. I remember why we were there that week a man came by the house and he said to Rich. He said I need to make some money and Rich said we just got your job last last month you don't have some money by now, so I didn't work out so Rich went to talk to his boss's boss actually look a city came in late every day. He wouldn't do anything. I told him to do. He was just lazy that I can have somebody like that working for me and letting go. So Rich went back and he talked of this man and he told this man, the one going to give any money and he told him what his boss and say the man was infuriated and said you be sorry for this, and he went out in the community and begin to just tell everybody knew that that Rich was nothing but a phony, and the church was nothing but a fraud.

Rich finally got news about that that week and I was with Eamon. I remember his eyes just welling up with tears turned when he went into his bedroom. He was there for about 1/2 hour and he came back out. Had this big smile on his face was one of what in the world, and it happened and he said alright I'm ready, let's go, and we got in the car went to witness to somebody that he wanted me to talk to on the way back I said Rich I can ask a question, I said how did you get over that hurt so quickly. He said well he said before I left Canada, God gave me a verse that's become a a life verse for me is in second Corinthians chapter 5 verse 15 and he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and rose again. He said that people disappointed.

The apostle Paul people disappointed Moses. He said people disappointed Jesus and he said if people disappoint me. That's okay as long as I am pleasing him I'll never forget riding back to flying back to Charlotte that next Monday and thinking to myself this friend that I had just met in Milford Saskatchewan is growing in the Lord. Let me ask you a personal question. Are you growing in the Lord when when you get your feelings hurt when somebody does something that missed treat.

She how you handle it when when you don't get appreciated for something he'd done might be something great that you've done for somebody. How do you handle that today we look at a tough time in David's life and yet is a time we see David just spiritually growing like crazy. As we saw last week.

David just gone through a time of backslidden backsliding God discipline David because of that, and through this discipline through this chastisement. David went through some suffering and through that, David repented and God use that in David's life to just strengthen him unbelievably.

So here we have a story today where were we see God healing and maturing of backslidden believer.

I got five points I want to share with you. Number one is a picture of Christ look with me at verses one and two data departed from there and escape to the cave of a doll on and when his brother and all of his father's house heard it, they went down there to him and everyone was in distress and everyone he was in debt and everyone was bitter and so gathered to him and he became commander over them and there were with him about 400 million kind of book is the Bible.

I want you know that all the history and the Bible is true with the Bible is not primarily a history book. I want you know that all the science and the Bible is true. The Bible is not primarily a science book. I want you to know that all the prophecy in the Bible is true with the Bible is not primarily a prophetic book, but the Bible first and foremost is a Jesus book. It was Jesus himself.

He said in John five 3980 said search the Scriptures with a test to find of me and then in Luke chapter 24 verse 25 to 27 when Jesus is resurrected from the dandies walking together with the two disciples on the Emmaus Road. They don't recognize him yet Jesus said this to them of foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken, was it not necessary that Christ should suffer these things and enter into his glory and beginning with Moses and all the prophets, he interpreted them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself brothers and sisters. The word of God is a Jesus book 1st Samuel chapter 22 says tells us that God is using David to point us to Jesus is using David to point us to Christ.

David is a type he is a picture assembled a foreshadowing of Jesus to come a thousand years before Jesus was born little manger in Bethlehem. God was using David to point us to Jesus himself.

David is not a perfect picture because David is a sinner but I tell you what. There's no way in the world. You can read verses one and two here and not think about Christ. I so what's going on David backslidden knobby told a lie to Ahimelech. Then he ran for protection and it is a go to because to Gath, and he goes to King Philistine king name I quiche and he wants help and he wants protection from them. It was there that God deeply convicted David and David repented and then David went to a doll into a series of caves where he was going to stay there while Saul was trying to hunting down and killing that in these verses we see a picture of our world. Folks there two kingdoms there to people's there are two kings who were those two kings in our world today is King Jesus and Satan.

Jesus is King of Kings and Lord of lords. Jesus Christ is the one who is now seated at the right hand of God the father.

Jesus is the one who is coming back to this earth to save his people and to destroy the wicked and we hear of the other King. The other King is Satan. Paul calls him the God of this world, the prince of the power the air Jesus tells us that his purpose is to kill, steal and destroy the excitement. Saul is a picture of Satan is a picture of that came. He is a murderer. He is jealous, self-centered is an enemy of God. David is a picture of Jesus is a man after God's own heart.

He's a he's a he's a good Shepherd. He is a a king who sacrificially loves his people to look at the followers of Solomon followers of David, this is really interesting to me to begin with all the citizens of Israel were followers of Saul and that's like us.

We were naturally born into God's kingdom, we were born in sin, we are by nature children of wrath.

Paul said this about us and in the third chapter of Romans. He said this, there is none righteous, no not one. There is none that understand there is none that seeks after God there is none good, no not one.

They have no fear of God before their eyes and brothers and sisters, whether you realize it or not, that's the way we were before our conversion.

That's what we were. We were eating in the world. We were in Satan's kingdom and came to Jesus, but most people that live in our world today never get on that kingdom. They live in they die in the kingdom of Satan. Many stayed with Saul back in that day they were content with his injustices in his wickedness. They were content with that.

There was no desire to look any further. Saul's kingdom promised great things, but it he didn't deliver. In fact he delivered heart ache hardships and anxiety. Proverbs 1315 says it will the way of the transgressor is hard most of the people of Israel were content to live live under Saul's phone to live under his dominion, and you know that's the way it is. Our world today. Most of the people in our world today are content to live under Satan's thumb. Why is that because they love their sin more than they hate Satan's bondage has said that he is look at those who follow David. What does it say about here. They are discontent. They are in debt. They are bitter in spirit.

They are hurting. I got all these problems in their lives. There is not getting your needs met.

So what are they good. I decide to follow David follow David who was it that was filed to follow Jesus when he walked this earth 2000 years ago it was fishermen tax collectors.

It was a woman who was demon possessed name Mary Magdalene.

It was a great group of women is a great group of men is the religious leaders absolutely hated these people came to Jesus and they were absolutely transformed by his power, but such important Roger rails worked in a beautiful job in explaining to us why some people follow Saul some people follow David why some people follow Jesus and some people follow Satan listen carefully to what he said. How is it that citizens of Saul's kingdom become dissatisfied and disillusioned with it is a result of their own keen insight and understanding the Bible attributes alter the grace of God is God who creates disillusionment with Satan's kingdom is God who convicts a sinner of sin, righteousness, and judgment.

It is God who causes the center to see the depth and guilt of his sin. It is God who makes the center to understand that he can never hope to stand in God's holy presence while steel in his scenes a few weeks ago on a Saturday morning I was studying in my office at home and I need a drink of water. So I got up to go to the kitchen as I was going to the living room. I looked over and saw Cindy she was sitting in a chair.

She had a Bible in your hands, and tears rolling down her cheeks as it Cindy what's the matter, and she said I just been read in first Samuel chapter 6 where they were taken. The ark of the covenant back to Israel and there were 70 men who went over just spiritually careless and looked into the ark of the covenant and the holiness of God and the glory of God and the power of God was so great that they were all killed right there on the spot in the me in a bestial mash cried out and they said who can stand before this holy God.

She said I was bowled over at that point in time with the grace of God. She said I can stand before this holy God. Not because I'm good.

Not because I deserve it.

Not because I'm holy because I'm not because Jesus Christ took my place because Jesus Christ with my substitute because Jesus Christ was my propitiation because Jesus Christ suffered my hail for me. She said I am worthy to stand before a holy God. Not because of anything within me, but because the blood of Jesus that washed me clean and imputed to me, the righteousness of Christ as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the children of God, even to those who believe on his name who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. Back to Roger Ellsworth. He said it is God who points the sinner to the garment of perfect righteousness that is been provided by Jesus Christ, the son of God. It is God who causes the sinner to see that Satan is a defeated foe and he is destined to an eternity of woe and that he, the sinner must either break with Satan or share his was is of course possible for a person to become disillusioned and dissatisfied with the things of this world and not be undergoing a work of God's grace, but everyone who experiences a true work of grace will experience this discontent. There is a period of intense struggle, but finally the sinner who by God's grace becomes discontented and disillusioned with Satan's kingdom makes the break and flees to Jesus Christ is to be sure and less costly decision. Those who left Saul's kingdom to join David left behind many comforts and conveniences an individual life that entail sacrifice and suffering, but the peace and joy of being a follower of David far surpassed the hardships involved, so it is with all those who, by the grace of God leads Satan's kingdom for Christ. They must leave the world behind and enter upon a life of cross bearing, but the peace and joy. The followers of Christ fine far outweigh the difficulties of the Christian life. Having that pointed out, may I ask you a question. Which kingdom do you belong to is not a middle kingdom is two kingdoms there's a kingdom of God is the kingdom of Satan. You either belong to Christ. Are you belong to Satan, you're either Christian or you are lost. You are the seed of the woman or you are the seed of the serpent you belong to Christ, or you belong to the devil. Folks God doesn't divide by race. God doesn't divide by ethnicity God doesn't divide by social status. God doesn't divide the education God doesn't divide by gender.

God divides through his son Jesus Christ. He is the one that brings us together as his people. Doesn't matter what color you are, not matter how much money you have done matter what kind of education you have. What matters is the us you know this Christ to you knowing if you are in the kingdom of darkness. My counsel to use the run to Christ run the price right now. Run to him.

Confess your sins to him, repent of your sins and then submit your life to the Lordship of Christ. In verse two.

The Scripture says that all these people that were in debt that were just in despair that were just so unhappy with this world they came to David to follow him and what David did for them. David became their Capt. they submitted their life to his leadership and brothers, sisters, that's the way it is in God's kingdom and God's kingdom. It works this way we step out from the bondage of Satan, and we step in under the Lordship of Jesus Christ we give up this idea of temporary happiness in this world can give. We turned away from that and return to eternal joy that Christ gives and then what we do we step back and we make this statement, it was all a sovereign work of God's grace.

God gets the glory. And he gets all the glory point to a commitment to obedience. Look at verse 335 and David went there to miss of low I have any said to the king of Moab.

Please let my father, my mother stay with you till I know what God will do for me and he left them with the king of Moab and I stayed with them all the time that David was in the stronghold. Then the prophet dad said to David, do not remain in the stronghold apart and go into the land of Judah. So David departed went into the forest of her wrath. When Saul made a commitment to kill David. David knew that his family could be in trouble. This all might try to kidnap one in his family and then he would take him in and try to use that to say, David. If you don't come to me and let me kill you, I will kill your family member. So David didn't want that happening so he grabbed his family, brothers and sisters and and dad and he took them all the way to a place away away a place of safety, way up. Once he was there safely. Then David met another man is he was a prophet of God's name was Gad and Gad. The prophet came to David since God has a word for you. You are to leave this place. You can't stay here any longer and you were to go back to Judah and what did David do. He immediately obeyed the Lord and he went just as soon as God said it. He went so when you been in the back slats laden condition what you do, how you get out of it is you get your run to Christ, you confess your sin, you repent of your sin and then you make a heartfelt commitment to be obedient to him. There is no other shortcut there is no other alternate route.

This is the only way it can happen is a heartfelt commitment to be obedient to the Lord to love him with all your heart.

David did that and that takes us to .3 the persistence of the enemy versus 6010 Ness all heard that David was discovered in the men who were withing solace and negativity under the timbre string on the height with his spear in his hand in all the servants are standing, abounding, and Saul said to his servants, instead, abounding here. Now people of Benjamin Willis, son of Jesse. Give everyone of you feels and vineyards will make you all commanders of thousands and commanders of 100 that all of you have conspired against me. No one discloses to me when my son makes a covenant with the son of Jesse, none of you sorry for me to make you sick. Here's the here's the king of Israel, saying, you feel sorry for me. My word or discloses to me that my son is stirred up my servant against me to line white as this day then answered no way the Edomite who stood by the servants of Saul I saw the son of Jesse coming to Nob to Ahimelech, the son of a how to and inquired of the Lord for him getting provisions engaging the sword of Goliath brothers and sisters when rollup our battle be over when will all slots of us of Satan stop in our lives. I shared a little bit of the story with this group couple weeks ago a few weeks ago when when Laura sang the song he will hold me fast, but let me just share the complete story with you, young man. Call me up on the phone is in his early 40s, married he's got children wonderful Christian man that go to this church, but his wife is suffering with cancer and it's progressing and he call me any said Doug.

He said my wife is is going through a very difficult time right now Satan is just just attacking her with doubts she's doubting her salvation and any any said she she didn't have a dramatic conversion experience and she can't give you a a certain date for a spiritual birthday.

I know this lady.

She loves the Lord. She's a faithful member in the church. She's a good wife. She's a good mom.

She loves the Lord with all of her heart and when I heard that out.

I just was infuriated.

Look what Satan is doing to this poor woman is going through this time of sorrow in this cancer right now and she's babbling all this and Satan knows that he can't do anything about her going to heaven, but in these time of hurt for her. He's going to throw darts down into her mind trying to bring destruction into her life.

I said okay this is what you do is to get a second Timothy chapter 1 verse 12 and read the store repulsive front, whom I believe they persuaded that he is able to keep that which I've committed unto him against that day. I said then show her that it doesn't say Rhonda when I have believed it doesn't say I know where I have believed. He says I know whom I have believed I prayed with and got off the phone with Dan laid in bed us thinking about the situation.

I'll send my wife comes in with her cell phone and she says don't you hear the song and she plays a song for me by Selah music group is a song he will hold me fast. I lay there not be a tears roll down my cheeks. The song went off as it send that her right now. Get that to her immediately because she needs to understand that our confidence is not in hell strongly. We hold onto Jesus, but on how strongly Jesus holds on to us the attacks of Satan will not and brothers and sisters until our death or until the second coming here. Saul was searching for David. He berates his army for not doing enough to help them kill David in the right in the middle of this guy named Joe exit Edomite steps up to the need to tell you something because I was down in Nob and I saw David down there. Nob and David was commiserating with with Ahimelech the high priest and he was talking to him.

There they were working up a conspiracy. The working of treason against you. Saul and he wants to take the things that you have done for him and he will to turn them around and he said David got food from from from Ahimelech. David got Goliath's own sword.

David got all of this now thickens inner into a treasonous conspiracy to do you win he completely totally lied about what Ahimelech had done. He totally misrepresented him and Saul was so mad that he was ready right the indigo to Nob to kill Ahimelech puts first Peter chapter 5 verse eight says, be sober, be vigilant for your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour point force the cost of backsliding versus 11 to 19 then the king sent to someone Ahimelech the priest, the son of a how to all the fathers hails the priest to read Nob and all them came to the king and Saul said here now how to any answered here I am, my Lord, and Saul said to him, glad you conspired against me. You and the son of Jesse, and that you've given them brand the sword and inquired of God for him so that he is risen against me to line weight is at this day. Then Ahimelech answered the king and who among all your servants is so faithless David who is the King's son-in-law and Capt. over your bodyguard and honored in your house is today. The first time that I've inquired of God for him no, let not the king impute anything to his servant to all the house of my father, for your servant has known nothing of all this much or little and the king said, you shall surely die.

Ahimelech you and all your fathers hails the king said to the guard is to the banning attorney kill the priest of the Lord because their hand also is with David.

They knew that he fled did not disclose it to me. But the servants of the king would not put out their hand to strike the priest of the Lord. Then the king said no and you turn and strike the priest doing the Edomite turn and struck down the priest and he killed on that day. 85 persons who wore the linen effort in Nob the city of the priest. He put to the sword, both man and woman, child and infant ox donkey. She he put to the sword all of that was a consequence of David backsliding and telling a lie. If David had been truthful if he had said to Ahimelech Saul is chasing these after me wants to kill me.

Then Ahimelech could make a decision on what he wanted to do because I said David you need to go right now get out of here so I will be in danger regular, said David, I'll be with you, but I'm going to go with you. You gotta protect me and I'll follow you, and I'll get out here to will that chance was never given to Ahimelech because David lied to him and that live calls the entire town of Nob their lives.

As we saw last week Saul commanded no exit Edomite to kill 85 priest, only one got away and then he killed all the men all the women. All the children all the babies and even all the livestock in Nob folks Saul was a type of Satan. Though egg is a picture of demonic activity would to God that you and I would realize the war that we are in books were not on the playground.

This is a battleground that we are own backsliding opens the door persist tannic deception. We think we can send without consequences, and we think that way we are dead wrong.

How many marriages at the end it in a split in the divorce because somebody thought, well, just a little innocent flirting at at my workplace is not a big deal. It is a big deal. Many people became drug addicts, because everybody else is saying well we're doing it is nothing wrong with it. Everybody's doing it. David's lies led to deaths of everybody in Nob .5 is sorrow that matures us.

Look at verse 20 through 23.

One of the sons of Ahimelech, the son of a how to named by far escaped and fled after David and Abbas are told David that Saul would kill the priests of the Lord and David said to buy a car. I knew you on that day when Joe exit Edomite was there that he would surely kill Saul. I've occasion the death of all the persons of your father's house. Stay with me. Do not be afraid you six, my life secure life with me. You shall be in safekeeping. David's backsliding open to spiritualize and when he saw his weakness. It drove him to repent. He did repent God restoring and God strengthened David and look what he does here is this guy bath.

Remember who you by far is the son of Ahimelech who is a high priest. He's only one that got away and he got away. Randy Davies tremblant and shaking with fear.

You know what is good to be thinks for sure is gonna be kill to and David puts his arm ranting and loves owning and he says send you stay right here with me. I'm going to protect you in meeting with me you can to be in safekeeping you have anything to worry about while you see what's happening. God is maturing David.

He is growing him up in God. During that time David wrote a Psalm Psalm 52. I will read you what he said in verses eight and nine, he says, but I'm like a green olive tree in the house of God. I trust in the steadfast love of God for ever and ever. I will thank you for ever because you have done it. What a lesson for us when we fall in when we have backslidden don't stay that way.

Don't quit, but by the grace of God, get up and let the rest of your life count for Christ sake the schedule Lord in prayer.

Heavenly father, we praise you today because you are a merciful father you love us, not because we are good or righteous or deserving you love us because your son's blood was washed is washed away our sins.

Your son died as our substitute. It was a double imputation. He took our sins, he gave us his righteousness, and even when we fall. You promise never to leave us nor forsake us. We thank you for the transparency of Scripture, we thank you for using David's up-and-down life to give us hope through suffering you spiritually mature David. Now we pray that you will mature us, help us not to view suffering is detrimental to our spiritual growth. Help us to suffer, while in through suffering glorify you. We pray that when we come to the end of our journey, we will be able to say it was worth it all for us in Jesus precious name we pray this time to celebrate with our Lord's supper on my ask your elders if you would come forward and M will ask if you would to help us today if you could. Eugene is going fishing this morning, so. Scott call force thinking can be seated with is a very special time in a worship of the Lord. He has promised his presence and in a special way in a spiritual way.

This is a sacramental meal in which Christ is communing with his bride, the church, and it is incumbent upon me as a minister of the gospel to to give fair warning that if you were here this morning and you're not in Christ are not a part of that holy bride Jesus Christ is purchase that you we ask that you abstain from these elements of Scripture says it to to eat and drink these elements in an unworthy manner works to take them while being outside of Christ is to incur the judgment of the Lord.

But by all means, if you don't know the Lord Jesus Christ. Watch as the gospel is visibly demonstrated before your very eyes.

This morning we read from Matthew 26 as we remind ourselves again that this is not some novel invention of man Jesus Christ himself has instituted the Lord's supper. That means that these elements these material things that were about to ingest mean what Jesus says they mean Matthew 26 as the description of the upper room the first Lord's supper and he says now as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and after blessing it broke it and gave it to the disciples and said, take, eat, this is my body, and he took a cop and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them, saying, drink of it, all of you for this is my blood of the covenant which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. Doug has been reminding us throughout the series on David that David in the Old Testament is a picture of foreshadowing a type of Christ means we can read the stories of David and we can see clues about the coming Messiah. We should read the stories of David through the lens of what the ultimate David David's greater son Jesus Christ has accomplished. I just want to reread that second verse of our sermon text him this morning through that lens first Samuel 22 verse to everyone who was in distress.

Everyone who was in debt. Everyone who was bitter and soul gathered to him and he became commander over them, folks.

We're the ones who were in distress.

We're the ones in debt sins debt against a holy God. We're the ones who were bitter of heart and and murderous and hard and lustful and adulterous in our minds. We are the ones who need King David Messiah and anointed one to be our commander, Capt., our Savior and Redeemer. That verse reminds me of Matthew 11 Christ's own invitation where he says come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.

Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.

My yoke is easy and my burden right. This is the Christ, to whom we come this morning church would you take a moment to bow silently in his presence and confess any sin. Ask God's spirit to search you to try you use this as an opportunity to repent and return to the Lord Jesus were Jesus you are the anointed one, of God, the one sent from the glories of heaven to walk this earth to keep the law perfectly in our stead and to die our death absorbing appeasing the wrath of God against us. Thank you Lord Jesus for saving sinners like us. Thank you that you have promised your sweet presence now in this meal. I pray that you would use it to bless your church to assure us that we are in your hand. You will not let us go, that nothing can snatch us from your Paul put on your name or Jesus as we take bread this morning.

Remember to look to Jesus. He is the author and the finisher of our faith is my brothers and offer a prayer of thanks for the breath, salvation son, Jesus Christ.

Thank you, yourself sin place the body of Christ taken eat the sacrificial system.

The Old Testament made it clear through the types and shadows what the New Testament makes explicit without the shedding of blood there is no remission, no washing away. No covering for sin. Praise God. There has been shedding of blood and that of a perfect Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ so that we can know forgiveness part redemption in him. When asked my dad to stand and say a prayer of thanks for the cup will light the blood of Christ taken drink would you stand with me as we close our time of worship this morning singing of the grace of God.

Marvelous, infinite, matchless grace with Singh's grace is gone wrong and in and is all on all will all law and see all will will you and and and and and and all, thank you for coming worshiping with us today. For me, could you be back Wednesday night.

Wednesday night Eugene still be starting a new topic.

Tell you what that is yet but it's going to be an intriguing topic and you will enjoy it in the first service I forgot to announce this been waiting for the Sunday night service since March and I forgot it, but tonight we are starting back or Sunday night service to be 6 o'clock and for the next six weeks will be doing it specially for the new members will be the new members class we will be doing some singing and will worshiping your and everybody's invited so 6 o'clock tonight. Love to have you back for that. Specially you that are become new members. Also, let me encourage you to remember Saturday is Alex. The occupant to list a funeral service be held 11 o'clock here. Family and friends will meet here at 10 and just be praying for that family, Alex, as you notice from the Congo and is just sweet sweet man of God and just pray for his family that taken it real hard that the Lord would give them the strength and encouragement piece that they need. During this time.

In closing, let me encourage you with these words, and he died for all, that those who live might no longer live for themselves but for him who for their sake died and was raised from the dead and all God's children said