Teague Bible Church

The  Kindness Of  David       Teague Bible Church           9/29/13

II Samuel  15, 16 and 19    

 

  Four people receive  kindness, by the Spirit of God working in David

 Barzillai/  Mephibosheth /  Ittai / Shimei

 

A big difference between doing “what comes natural,” and being a “spiritual” man.

 

While any unbeliever can show kindness, we as believers must do so because of the moving of the Holy Spirit in us. Because then, and only then, will it be for the right reason, and therefore used by God to accomplish a much greater end than simply to have the person receiving that kindness  say, “Thank You.”

 

 Today the subject is “Kindness.”

 

( Proverbs 19:22a, 31:26, I Corinthians 13: 4, II Corinthians 6:6, II Peter 1:7, Galatians 5:22)

 

Many think they are kind, but it means nothing floating around in their heads. Our society is getting cruder. How can we shine out for Christ in crude times?

We have an opportunity to show our Lord working in us by His Spirit, and we can lead people to the Lord, through our “unnatural kindness.”

 

KIND-  “ Having the will to do good and to bring happiness

to others. Showing gentleness; or growing

out of gentleness or goodness of heart.”

 

“Fair- weather kindness” is easy to do. Kindness under stress; when you think you will not make it through a difficult situation, is Christ-like!

 

Today we will look at four people who received kindness through David

 

* Think of it like an exercise machine with 4 levels of difficulty *

 

 

  DIFFICULTY SETTING- EASY

 

        BARZILLAI –    II Samuel 19: 31-38

 

He gave first, and David retuned the favor. Yet even here, I would bet David had helped him before. We know Barzillai took a risk bringing supplies to David while David’s son Absolom was chasing his father around the countryside.

 

DIFFICULTY SETTING- MODERATE

 

         MEPHIBOSHETH-  II Samuel 9: 1-13 / 19:24-30 

 

You make an oath to someone to care for their children, yet you do not know if the children will be good or bad. Not a problem in this case, but a great risk. David kept his word regardless!

 

 DIFFICULTY SETTING- HARD

 

         ITTAI-  II Samuel 15:13-30

 

A Philistine- former enemy of Israel. An exile, a foreigner. Your reputation will tank on this one! You will be considered disloyal to your country!

 

This guy became a general over a third of the troops of David!  II Samuel 18:2

No matter what Ittai’s dedication level; David and Ittai could be held in question concerning their motives!

 

4.  DIFFICULT SETTING- EXTREMELY HARD

 

  ( Matthew 5: 38-48/ love enemies; do more than an unbeliever does)

 

 SHIMEI:  II Samuel 16: 5-14,  19: 18b-23

 

Shimei received an “unnatural” kindness, but David knew that Shimei was not entirely sincere. Shimei sorry about the consequences, but not the core of the issue; that his sin was against God. David knew that was the issue in the Bathsheba situation.

David also admitted sin and  he also was told  that he would not die, but it reached his heart.

Not so with Shimei ; who took this “unnatural kindness” lightly.

As a result, lost his life!  I Kings 2: 8-9, 36-46

 

Notes:

 

 

 

OUR APPLICATION:

 

Matthew 24:12  “ Because lawlessness is increased, most people’s love  will grow cold.”

 

Example:

When your body gets cold, the body protects the core. Your

fingers and toes get cold, and hard to use, and you

have less range of motion. A self- preservation mode exist.

 

 

Final Point:

 

If the Spirit of God is not allowed to work because of our selfishness, then we think only of self-preservation, because we feel threatened. Stress sets in and we forget about kindness. It is now every man for himself! We can beat this if we surrender to the work of the Holy Spirit in our lives. You were not called to just “ do what’s natural!”

 

Who could blame David if he only took care of himself? But what do we see? We see a man who surrendered to God, and trusted His God to see him through his crisis and yet always showing that “unnatural kindness,” to others in the middle of that crisis! That is the work of God!

 

You can just “do what’s natural” and get what you get, or you can go “spiritual” and be in on the greatest adventure life in God can offer!  I Corinthians 2:6-16

 

Notes:

 

 

 

 

ANNOUNCEMENTS FOR SEPTEMBER 22, 2013:

Cleaning: Week Sept. 22 —Chambers.

Nursery: Sept. 29—Linda C.

SEE YOU AT THE POLE: Wed., Sept 25 7:20am @ THS Courtyard. SAW YOU AT THE POLE @ 6pm @ FBC Mexia.

TEAGUE ROTARY RUN: Saturday, Sept. 28th @ Teague City Park. Forms in the foyer.

SUNDAY EVENING SERVICE: Oct. 6 @ 6pm. Finger foods and nursery provided.

Follow us on Facebook or at teaguebiblechurch.org.

David and Bathsheba    II Samuel Chapter 11 and 12        9/22/13

(We cut away the first 6 minutes to save time, so the audio starts right before the “Berleburg Bible” reading below. We leave spaces so you can add your own notes in between the spaces. Usually more information in the notes for further study.)

INTRO:  Image Christianity:

“You get saved then you grow steadily upward and onward. If you have a great fall into sin that means you were never saved in the first place.”

I was raised on that message in the first few years after I was saved. It translated into an attitude of giving up on those people, even though it is clear in Scripture what to do in such situations.

Try to restore the person!  Galatians 6:1-3/ II Corinthian 2:4-8, 7:8-12

 On the other hand, we do not need to feel it is all our fault if they do not get restored. You and I  have tried to restore many, who have fallen, but who run away from the church during those times, and do not give us a chance to restore them.They then go about telling the world that the church rejected them.  Do we leave them alone or go after them? It takes real wisdom to know how to do this. The fallen one’s mood may change like the wind. If we pursue them they think we are a bother to them. If we do nothing they say we do not care. When you figure it out please let me know! Let us tell the truth about both sides of these situations. Sometimes the person was never really saved, but some are, and can be restored.

 

Reality Christianity:

     The old nature is still there. We now have power by the new nature to not be dominated by the old nature. You certainly are not condemned because you struggle. Romans 8:1.

 

You have to choose, moment-by-moment, to walk in the Spirit and not give into the thoughts created but the flesh and strengthened by the emotion of the moment. Galatians 5:16.

 

Jeremiah 17:9   The “old nature” never gets better.

God works to transform you via the “new nature.”

 

 John 6:63   “ It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing; the

words that I have spoken to you are spirit and are life.”

 

READ:     Berleburg Bible notes, 1726 A.D. 

                               Reflections on The fall of David

” We may see from this how deep a soul may fall when it turns away from God, and from the guidance of His grace. This David, who in the days of his persecution would not even resort to means that were really plausible in order to defend himself, was now not ashamed to resort to the greatest crimes in order to cover his sin. Oh God! How great is our strength when we lay firm hold on You. And how weak we become as soon as we turn away from You. The greatest saints would be ready for the worst of deeds, if You should leave them for a single moment without Your protection. Whoever reflects upon this, will give up all thought of self-security and spiritual pride.”

 

 

READ:      II Samuel 11:1-5

 

Summarize    II Samuel 1: 6-21

 

Plan 1 :   Get Uriah (one of David’s 37 mighty men) to be intimate with his wife,  thus covering the pregnancy.  Failed plan

 

Plan 2 : Get him drunk, then he will do Plan 1. Failed plan

 

Plan 3 : Put him in the thick of battle and withdraw from him.  Joab improved

on the plan (because that would be too obvious.) Finally, Uriah and several

other good men dead just to cover David’s sin. Success?

 

READ: II Samuel 11:22-27

 

David had 10 concubines, all of Saul’s wives and concubines if he wanted;  8 named wives; plus others that are not named. Sin in insanity! How could you have this much and want more? Did God approve of polygomy? NO!

Not the way any man was meant to live!

The original plan was one man with one wife. Matthew 19

 

This polygamy was allowed because the only other option was to wipe them all out; much like in Noah’s day.

The Law regulated abuses till the fullness of time came in Christ.

We all have this old nature. If left unredeemed, unchanged, by the new birth; the new nature; we would be condemned. Romans chapters  6/8

 

Now that we are saved, we are to be more transformed into Christ-likeness each day. That transformation is not yet complete in any of us. We need not muddle the truth of real justice, but imagine if God said ,“Tomorrow at 1:00 P.M. I will execute perfect justice, and anyone not pure will be destroyed!”

Who will be here at 1:05 P.M. ?

The perfect judgement that should have fallen on us, has instead fallen on Christ.  I Peter 2: 21-25, Romans 4: 16-25

 ***********************

David had lust, but his deeper sin was COVETOUSNESS! 

      More, more,  more!

 

Example: Ahab wanted Naboth’s  vineyard!  I Kings 21

 

God always knew Israel would want to look like the other nations and have a king, so He spoke through Moses via prophecy to established rules about it. Deuteronomy 17

(Samuel spoke in even more detail about this. I Samuel 8)

 

 Rules for the king of Israel **********************

  Deuteronomy 17: 14-20 (paraphrase)

 “Don’t multiply horses,,,wives,,,or riches. It will turn your heart away from God! Constantly study the Word of God so you know His will for you and the nation. The result will be that you will humbly rule, looking out for the good of even the most insignificant citizen-brother.”

II Samuel 12: 1-15

 

About a year goes by and David experiences the agony of guilt expressed  in Psalms 32 and 51

The man in rich man inNathan’s story must give restoration, but no death sentence for it; but David was condemned on two counts; both carry a death sentence!

Remember he is not just a warrior-king, but over the supreme courts of the land also!   II Samuel 8:15

(This is not the last time David is told a parabolic story to help a message sink into him. Though not about sin perhaps. II Samuel 14)

We are this way also, needing the indirect approach to show we condemn in others what we practice ourselves! Romans 2. So blind to what we do, we have to see ourselves through the eyes of others via a movie, story, or anything indirect.  If too direct, we just bow up and deny it or blame someone or something else! But if we follow the Spirit we confess and repent and are restored.

 

I though the sin was against Bathsheba and Uriah? 

          God really takes it personal!

 

Example: Acts 9: 4-5 

 

As in Psalms 51, all sin is ultimately, and personally against God.

There was immediate and full confession and repentance; so there was immediate forgiveness and assurance. Check Psalms 103.

 

David did not add to his sin by doing what we do many times, and that is not like the person anymore who told us the truth!

“Kill the messenger”  is usually standard practice for those who do not walk with God closely.

He loves Nathan, and Nathan stays involved with the Davidic family.

Even in David’s fall, he knows to give no excuses and accepts responsibility. He does not run away, but accepts what must now come. I feel sorry for him and what the future brings for him. He will continue to be powerfully used by the Lord.

 

READ :  II Samuel 12:21-25

 

A man cannot live without hope! The temporal judgments were severe, but He had hope!

 QUESTION: Why was David restored and not Saul?

Saul never had a heart for God. He was acted “upon” by the Spirit, but He never surrendered to have the Spirit come inside of him like David did; and of whom it was said, “the Spirit of God came on David and never departed.”

QUESTION : Why was Peter restored and not Judas?

                                        About the same answer

***************************

Final:  The battle is real and the stakes are high! 

 

I Corinthians 10: 11-13

 

“ Now these things happened to them as an example, and they were written for our instruction, upon who the ends of the ages have come. Therefore let him who thinks he stands ( the person who thinks he is a “naturally” good person) take warning so that he does not fall! No temptation has overtaken you but such as is common to man; and God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will provide the way of escape also, so that you will be able to endure it.”

 

FIFTH QUARTER THIS FRIDAY

Join us after the football game for this week’s Fifth Quarter hosted by the First United Methodist Church in Teague. Adults: We need volunteers to help set up, manage, and clean up. Please be at FUMC before the football game ends to help, and wear your TBC t-shirt. We can use all the help we can get. And be sure to invite any youth that you know to attend….it’s always a great time for youth and adults alike.

See you there!

 

II Samuel 7:1-29        Teague Bible Church                9/15/13

 

We now come the heart of the book. A passage very much concerned about you and your future. That God answers prayer is important; how God answers prayer is much more intriguing and reaches beyond what we would have ever imagined! David focused on loving and honoring God and was given part in the greatest adventure the world will ever know. One of his descendents becomes the Savior of the world!

But before we get to this revelation about a future son of David, let’s read the passage below and then ask a good question.

 

 Read II Samuel 7:1-7

 

 Where does God live?   Dwell/ Tabernacle?

      Steven’s answer   Acts 7:48-50

       Paul’s answer    Acts 17:24-25/ I Timothy 6:16

        Wilderness –   God’s presence in the tabernacle

          Temple–  In the upcoming days of David’s son, Solomon

            In Christ–  II Corinthians 5: 19   “,,,God was in Christ,,,”

             In us; as believers–  I Corinthians 3:16, 6:19/ Revelation 13:6

               In heaven–  Revelation 21:22

 

 

 

v.6   “,,,but I have been moving about,,,”   dynamic, mobile, living, involved !

 

Example: Ezekiel  1: 4-28  Fire/smoke/eyes/wings/wind/wheels/

                                               mobile/ bio-mechanical vision!

                                                ( And this is a toned- down  theophany, or else it would have

                                                    killed Ezekiel; check I Timothy 6:16 again) 

 

Read II Samuel 7:8-17

 

v.11 (paraphrase) “ I don’t need a house but, because of your seeking me with a whole

            heart,  I am going to build you a  ‘house.’”

                ” House” means a “Dynasty” that last forever, not a physical house.

                     David already has a fancy physical house. ( II Samuel 7:2)

 

v.13   Solomon will build it.

 

Question: Why not David? Did David do something wrong? NO.

It was his job to be a warrior-king, but the temple must be build by a man of peace. The temple represents a peaceful communion between God and man. At the moment, there was no war, but it starts again. In Solomon’s time you have an unparalleled time of peace, appropriate to the building of a temple. I Chronicles 22:6-13

 

 v. 15   “,,,but my lovingkindness shall not depart from him,”

             Not a conditional promise; even with all the bad kings to come, and Israel’s

               disobedience, this promise will be fulfilled because of God’s plan

                 for the ultimate Son of David; The Lord Jesus Christ!

 

Question For Today:

                 So what is the big story in all this,

                    that stretches through time and reaches me?

 

 Answer:  Matthew 1: 1,  22:41-46, Ephesians 3:4-6,

                         Romans 1:1-4, Galatians 3:26-29

                The ultimate son of David is God Himself in the person of His Son!

                  We come into that kingdom by a gift of grace, waiting only to be

                      received by faith.

 

David’s Humble Prayer****************

 

Read II Samuel 7: 18-24

 

v. 18   His predominate thought about himself. He had a godly confidence based on

              the magnitude of who God is. He thought about it a lot! He does not start

                this prayer with what he needs, but with how great God is. We need to fix

                  our gaze on God and glance at our problems. How often we gaze at our

                     problems and glance at God.

 

Question:

What do you repeat a lot in your prayers? Do you really pay attention to what you are saying, and do you ever become overwhelmed with who you are addressing? God is awesome! Do your prayers reflect that?

 

v. 19  “ And this is the custom of man,”

 

                Question : What does that mean?

 

                      I Chronicles 17:17 (parallel passage to I Samuel 7:19)

                        “ This was a small thing in Your eyes, O God; but You have spoken of Your servants house for a great while to come, and have regarded me according to the standard of a man of high degree, O Lord God.”

 

Point: “Men appoint other men to positions of power and honor who are worthy. You  O Lord, in contradistinction to that, appoint people who are nobodies in the eyes of men, and make something out of them! Is this your usual way of dealing with men? With such unparalleled grace?” I Corinthians 1:26-31

 

 

 

 

v. 20    “Again what more can David say to you? For you know your servant,

                O Lord God.”

    WOW! David is overwhelmed that the One who knows every detail of his life still

            wants him and enjoys spending time with him.

 

v. 23     “And what one nation on the earth is like Your people Israel”  

 

  You will search in vain to find some kind of “natural” moral or “natural” intellectual superiority in the Jewish people. It started with a guy named Abraham, who simply took a chance that what God was telling him would come to pass. There were no Jews before him; no law system to come later with Moses; no rite of Jewish circumcision. But God declared him righteous, before all these things were in place, that is, because of his faith! ( Romans 4)

 

Check out   Deuteronomy 9:4-6  ( 7:7-8)

 

     “,,,do not say in your heart when the Lord your God has driven them out before you,  ‘because of my righteousness the Lord has brought me in to possess the land, ‘ but it is because of the wickedness of these nations that the Lord is dispossessing them before you,,, in order to confirm the oath which the Lord swore to your fathers, to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.”  

 

The point is concerning the unique way God gathered up an existing people, who were in captivity, and helpless, when he started to work with them in mass.

 

v.23  Note the emphasis on what God has done!

 

    “for Himself’- people/ “name for Himself”/ “for You”/ “for Your land”/ “You have redeemed for Yourself”/ etc.

 

v. 28  “Now O Lord God, You are God, and Your words are truth.” ( John 17:17)

 

 

 

 

ANNOUNCEMENTS FOR SUNDAY, SEPT. 15, 2013

Cleaning: Week Sept. 15 —Twittys.

Nursery: Sept. 22—Bev.

SEE YOU AT THE POLE: Wed., Sept 25 7:20am @ THS Courtyard. SAW YOU AT THE POLE @ 6pm @ FBC Mexia.

TEAGUE ROTARY RUN: Saturday, Sept. 28th @ Teague City Park. Forms in the foyer.

SUNDAY EVENING SERVICES:

Oct. 6 @ 6pm. Finger foods and nursery provided. A lot of sharing, good time to get to know each other!

There will be a short teaching and/or a Questions and Answers time covering  any subject you have on your mind.

Follow us on Facebook or at teaguebiblechurch.org.

SIGN- UP LIST goes around this week and next for Potluck Sunday Night  9/29/13.

NOTE!  Will be at 312 Juliet St. PETTY’S HOUSE  6:00 P.M.

One of our goals at Teague Bible Church is to teach the Word of God accurately and make sure it is understood. Also, to make sure it can be applied to our daily lives and makes sense in practically ways each day. You can help us in this goal of applying the Word of God to our daily experience by answering these three questions.

1. What Do You Wonder About?

2. What Do You Worry About?

3. What Do You Wish For?

Jonathan and David    8/18/13     I Samuel passages

 

   I Samuel 13:1-3, 14:1-6/ 13-16   Jonathan a warrior, and a man of faith in God

         14:45   Jonathan loved by the people

              18:1-4   David had just defeated Goliath. I think David had been inspired by the

                             acts and attitude of Jonathan we saw in Chapter 14.

                                  The Hebrew means their hearts were “chained together’ in the

                                      most incredible friendship ever recorded. (ck.Genesis 44:30)

 

Real friends encourage each other to do good, and honor God ( not gossip, criticize, talk about “stuff” all the time.)  Some relationships are build only on the fact that those involved had similar life situations, parallels, at the time of building the relationship. But David and Jonathan had a relationship based on their love for the Lord, so it grew over time, and was not stuck in the past, or depended on “external” situations and “external” similarities to keep them friends.

 

Example: Remember the old High School annual and how your “friends” said they

                   would stay in contact and be friends forever? Their intent was good, but you

                      see why it could not last. Some ever get upset with people if they change

                          and grow. As believers we should expect our Christian

                            friends to change for the better, and encourage them in it.

                              Philippians 4:8   Hebrews 10: 23-25

 

I Samuel 19: 1-7   Jonathan later stood with his father in death, but here we see him

                                 confronting his father because truth must be held and honored!

I Samuel 20: 1-6   Saul lied; he continues to want David’s death.

                                Jonathan keeps David safe

I Samuel 20: 41-42   No father-of-the-year –award for  Saul !

I Samuel 20:41-42   Great friends! Everybody wants this, but few pay the price to have it. You have to talk about deeper things, and you have to not hide weaknesses to have this level of friendship. Gossips do not have deep friendships. Guess who that gossip “friend” is talking about when you are not around? If you can keep a trust, and be vulnerable to that trustworthy person, and stop pretending you have it all together, then this is yours!

 

   Example:  In talking to men at our men’s retreats,  it becomes clear that men may have had a good friend or two in high school ,but now they focus on their family alone. That is wonderful and is a priority. However, there are available to them other trustworthy men, wanting to have brotherhood, or friendships, that run deeper than what they have now.

   Only fellowship around the Lord can satisfy the soul. And fellowship with the Lord in isolation is not God’s full plan. We are the body of Christ; spiritually organic in connection to the Lord Himself. Men need other men to feed their hearts. Women need other godly women to feed their hearts. God designed it that way!

 

I Samuel 23:15-18   Last time they talk to each other before Jonathan is killed.

      “He went to David at Horesh, and encouraged him in God.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

       

 

One recurring question I have received over the years has been, “Do you have a Sunday evening service?” You all know we use many Sunday nights for different things through each year.

Wanted to get your response to having, “October Nights” services just for the 4 Sunday nights in October. It would start at 6:00 P.M. and end before 7:30 P.M.

The format would be flexable. Mainly a brief 10-15 minute teaching. We plan to have a  Q and A session to ask those questions you always wanted to ask about anything relating to the Bible and life.

We could have a bit of food. Nursery provided. A share time perhaps. Music at times. Prayer time. I have already had several from the community say they would be there for something like this where there could be Q and A. My best response has been from those who are not sure about their  relationship with God.

I just wanted to run this by the Outreach Counsel and everyone who is part of our fellowship. Text me or contact me.  Pastor Jimmy Petty

 

SEE YOU AT THE POLE: Wednesday, Sept. 25th 7:20am at the Teague High School Courtyard. Support our students as the Lions for the Lord show God’s Light to our community. And join us Wednesday evening at First Baptist Church in Mexia at 6pm for the SAW YOU AT THE POLE wrap-up celebration. Hope to see you there!

SEE YOU AT THE POLE 2013