Sermon notes from Sunday 1 October 2017
2 Samuel 9 verses 1 - 5
Here in these verses we are reminded of
David the king and we are reminded here of something of the expedition he is
in. In these verses David has gone to
the house of Saul seeking for any remaining family of Saul. Saul was by ths time dead and his 3 sons also
were killed in battle. David wants to
make amends to the house of Saul. He
wanted to inquire if he could show kindness to anyone left of Saul`s house. It is to this picture of kindness we want to
turn to. There is a greater picture than
that of David showing kindness and mercy.
We see God and his great salvation, whenever God would take of his own
beloved son and send him in to this world and die on a cross at Calvary. That men would do the worst to him that was
possible. That Jesus would give his life
a ransom for many. That is what he has
done for you tonight. He has laid down
his life for you tonight. Look at this
expedition of David.
A search instigated. Notice where this search began - in the heart
of David. The servant Ziba did not cry
out and ask David to show his mercy to Saul's remaining family. It began in David`s heart. He wanted to show mercy and kindness to
anyone left in Saul`s family. He was
enjoying a time of relative peace and rest from all the nations around
him. "Then David sent and fetched
him" verse 5. As we gather tonight
were did the search for sinners begin - in the very heart of God. He has a tremendous love for you as a
sinner. John 3 verse 16. God was reaching out to sinners. In Genesis 3 Adam and Eve were in the Garden
of Eden, they had everything they ever needed, lacked for nothing. Satan entered into that Garden and sin
entered into the world as a result. Did
God turn his back as a result? Not a
bit. God came down into the Garden, in
the cool of the day to renew that fellowship with Adam. Adam is no longer waiting for that
fellowship. He realises that that
relationship is broken. He is running
after him, comes to where he is. The God
of heaven comes into the meeting like this, comes right to where you are. God draws alongside, right to where you are,
he comes seeking and searching for you tonight.
The search for sinners began in the heart of God. You can sit in meeting after meeting and
listen to God`s word preached, hear all sorts of texts, something special
happens when the Holy Spirit opens up your heart and you realise you are
lost. You will never get upset until
that moment, then you begin to worry and become concerned at that point. You can become converted. There will be no conversion without the
conviction. The search for sinners began
in the heart of God. He didn't need to
be informed in the Garden of Eden of what had happened there. He knew already. He knows how you stand in the light of
eternity but still he comes and stands before you. Isaiah speaks of the consequences of sin in
chapter 59 verse 2 "but your iniquities have separated between you and your
God and your sins have hid his face from you that he will not hear." As far as God is concerned tonight there is a
division between you and him. That can
only be dealt with when you trust Jesus as your Saviour. In the days of Noah the hearts and minds of
people were only evil continually. A
world that had rebelled, rejected him.
Their minds were only evil continually.
God was going to send a mighty flood but he found one man, commanded him
to build an ark and all who came into the ark would be saved. Only 8 were saved. That takes us down to Calvary`s cross where
Jesus suffered and bled and gave himself a ransom for us. For that Christ died and he rose again for
our sins. In Jericho Zacchaeus climbed
up the tree to see Jesus. Jesus stopped
at the tree and told him to come down, he was searching but Jesus was also searching
for him. He wanted to see the Lord for
who he was and what he had done but the Lord knew all about him. The Lord had to go through Samaria because
there was a woman that needed to be saved.
The scope that was involved - verse 1 "is there yet any that is
left." Notice David`s question, his
words of request. There were no
restrictions in this situation. The
search was wise and the search was open.
David was looking into this family.
He was not concerned whether they were male or female, sick or well, old
or young, whether liked him or not. He
just asked the question "is there any left." The scope of God`s salvation is wider and
greater "for God so loved the world."
The width and scope of his salvation.
He is not willing that any should perish. A sceptic spoke to the preacher "I
cannot understand the meaning of one verse of scripture." The preacher replied "there are many I
do not understand, which one are you talking about." The sceptic replied "In Romans it says
Jacob have I loved but Esau have I hated."
The preacher looked him in the eye and said "neither do I and
multitudes like us, some things are hard to explain but I would like to come at
it from a different angle. My problem is
this - it is the other part of it, "Jacob have I loved." When I consider how the God of heaven could
love a boy like Jacob or how he could ever love a boy like me. It is hard to understand how God could ever
love a sinner on his way to hell, who had turned his back on God but God gave
him an opportunity to be saved. Did you
ever consider the scope of God`s love?
In converting Saul of Tarsus - such bitterness in his heart going out
with hatred in his heart, going out to put people to death yet God met him on
the road to Damascus. We might say God
knew the man Saul was educated and could use him mightily. Did you ever contrast him with the thief on
the cross dying, taking his last breath, having his last thought then he looked
at the Saviour "Lord remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom." Jesus looked at him and said "today thou
shalt be with me in paradise." A
decision for eternity in his dying breath - that God would reach out for him. Maybe you think God couldn't and wouldn`t
love me but he can. If you are ever
going to live until you are worthy you will never reach out to Christ. He is reaching out to you tonight. Sin separates us from God. We have all sinned. Sin doesn`t matter because there is no depth
of sin.
The sympathy here that is imparted. How would he do that? He asked "that I may show him kindness." I want to show kindness. David`s plea to Saul`s house was to find
those he could adopt. Whenever we were
born into the world we were born as sinners, born into sinners family, born
into the devils family itself. Something
had to happen that we would be removed from that family. Had to be an adoption, a new family had to be
found. That is what Christ has done for
us tonight through his love, mercy and sympathy. It didn't matter to David that this man was
lame on his feet. Ziba pointed it
out. It didn't matter to David whether
he would be of any benefit or use to him.
He was going to show sympathy to him for Jonathan`s sake. He was bringing him into his family. It doesn't matter what our sin is. He died for our sins that he might bring us
into his family. It seemed to be
important to Ziba that he was lame on his feet.
Jesus was not deterred when he realised what was before him in
Gethsemane, there he would be beaten and abused and crucified, dying on a
wooden cross. It did matter to him. It didn't dampen his spirit. Even when he saw his disciples sleeping, when
he saw the crowd coming to arrest him, seeing Judas at the head and then kissed
him, when they tore the hairs out of his face, ripped his back apart with awful
lashes, when nailed to awful tree, he lifted up his voice "Father forgive
them for they know not what they do."
You and I have rebelled and rejected him. He would save us to the utmost. Paul said he was the chief of sinners.
There is a security here that is
implied. David says "that I may
show him kindness for Jonathan`s sake".
Jonathan and him were great friends, they made a vow "when you
become king will you look out for my family." David was making it good now. "Be ye kind one to another, forgive one
another even as Christ himself hath forgiven you." That is security. When you come and ask God for forgiveness of
sin he is able to save to the uttermost, to save them that come to him. That is the security you have, of your sins
forgiven. Jesus said "I am the way,
the truth and the life, no man cometh unto the father but by me." How does it stand with you tonight? When David sat in that house that day and
asked "is there any one left" the honest reply came back "yes
but he is lame on his feet." If God
is honestly here tonight and he is asking "is there any here that are not
saved?" will you be honest with him tonight? Will you come to him tonight? Will you trust him and him only as your
Saviour and Lord?
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