1 Kings 1:1-10 : The Self-Exaltation of Adonijah
Introduction: Kingmaking, self-enthronement, pride, self-exaltation, these are the sins that meet us as we begin the book of 1 Kings moving from the reign of David to the reign of Solomon. We are at a crucial point in salvation history. David becoming King has fulfilled an important prophecy given to Judah by Jacob, and is giving substance to the longed for deliverer promised from the foundation of the earth—the seed of the woman promised in Gen. 3:15. Just after the fall of mankind into sin God promised a deliverer who would destroy satan and his works. With David having...
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2 Samuel 24: David’s Census
INTRODUCTION: Different sins afflict different people at different times. In our youth we are tempted by everything that is new, by the lusts of the flesh and the world of experience on offer. When we are middle aged we are tempted by comfort and materialism as we settle down. What are the sins of old age? I cannot speak from experience but it appears as if we have one of those sins exhibited before us in 2 Samuel 24 when David counts the fighting men. Pride. When we come to the end of our lives and we look back...
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2 Samuel 21:1-14: God’s judgement on sin
INTRODUCTION: Welcome to what I consider to be the hardest portion in 1 and 2 Samuel to interpret. What might have been a fairly straight forward chapter in ancient times is to us a glaring affront of human rights violations. Our sensibilities are assaulted as we hear about the children and grandchildren of Saul being killed for Saul’s sin. We are horrified as we hear about David allowing the Gibeonites to impale/hang 7 of Saul’s descendants as an act of justice. Our pity is stirred to anger at the mourning of Rizpah, and we are finally bamboozled when we...
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2 Samuel 20: Worldliness in the kingdom
INTRODUCTION: This chapter has no mention of God but only one incidental references to Abel being the heritage of the Lord in v19. That captures well the tone of our chapter today. It is a parade of sins. This of course does not mean that God is not causing His will to come to pass but we are struck with the realities of worldliness in all its forms in the kingdom. So as we go through this chapter we want to note the various ways in which sin raises its head in our midst. It is the same sins...
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Proverbs 9:7; 15:15; 27:7: Eating right in 2018
Introduction: There are many New Year’s resolutions relating to food. Eating less, eating right, eating clever, we change our eating habits to improve our lives whether it is for our weight, our blood pressure, our performance, etc. Today I want to share some eating tips in relation to spiritual health. In the book of proverbs there are many texts that talk about food and eating, I would like to point you to just three. We will be considering ‘eating’ texts as they relate to sin, suffering and satisfaction. These are three areas we all need instruction in for 2018.
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Psalm 90:7-17: Wasted Time and the Wasted Life
Introduction: I want to begin this morning with a riddle. See if you can figure this out. These are the words of Gollum in J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Hobbit. Ask yourself, “what is the thing that Gollum is describing?” as I read. Here is the riddle: This thing all things devours: Birds, beasts, trees, flowers; Gnaws iron, bites steel; Grinds hard stones to meal; Slays king, ruins town, And beats high mountain down. What is it? What is the great thing that devours birds and beasts? That eventually destroys all towns? And is an enemy and slayer of great men...
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2 Samuel 16:1-14: David’s enemies – Part One
Introduction: If I had to ask you what is one of the most destructive weapons at man’s disposal; what would you name? Over and over again the bible names the tongue. James 3:6, ‘And the tongue is a fire, a world of unrighteousness. The tongue is set among our members, staining the whole body, setting on fire the entire course of life, and set on fire by hell.’ This verse tells us that the tongue is truly a weapon of mass destruction. It creates a whole world of unrighteousness, it stains the whole body, it sets on fire one’s...
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Romans 12:18: Blessed are the Peacemakers: Part Three
Outline The peace we are to pursue is a peace from the heart The peace we are to pursue is a peace with all The peace we are to pursue is a peace that has principles Introduction One of the jobs of an ambassador is to keep the peace or initiate peace proceedings. We are ambassadors for Christ. Despite the public image Christianity has often had as public enemy number one, it is the job of every Christian to seek peace with all. Paul puts it this way in Romans 12:18, ‘If possible, so far as it depends on...
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2 Samuel 13: Amnon and Tamar: Part Two
Sorry, no audio recording is available for this sermon. Outline Jonadab’s council Absalom’s hatred David’s permissiveness Introduction ‘The sword shall not depart from your house.’ We are in the middle of looking at the shadow of the sword of God’s judgement on David’s sin and how it is affecting his family. Last time we looked at the terrible action of Amnon raping his sister. This chapter has no redeeming aspects to it, it leaves you feeling dirty at the end of it, and this is all deliberate. When the snowball of sin begins to roll down the hill this...
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Ephesians 4:26-27: Anger management
Introduction: How does the devil destroy churches? If we were hit with an earthquake and all of our buildings were destroyed that would not undermine our standing and integrity as a church. It often happens that persecution is the thing that God uses to strengthen and purify churches, so this is often a tactic that backfires on the devil. The most effective ways to undermine the church are by diluting the truth it believes and the Gospel it preaches, dropping all reference to sin, wrath and sacrifice. We are told that a little leaven affects the whole lump and...
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2 Samuel 13: Amnon and Tamar: Part One
Outline Amnon’s lust Jonadab’s counsel Absalom’s hatred David’s permissiveness Introduction ‘The sword shall never depart from your house.’ This sword of God’s chastening hangs over David’s life as we move forward. The main way in which judgement is going to come upon David’s house is through Absalom. So although this chapter is all about Amnon and Tamar, you will notice in v1 that it begins by mentioning that Tamar was Absalom’s sister. This chapter is nothing more than the backstory as to how Absalom will rise up against David as a fulfilment of the punishment God is meting out....
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2 Samuel 12: A sinner restored
Outline Burden of sin Repentance for sin Forgiveness of sin Chastisement for sin Introduction If you know you’re a sinner; if you know the heavy weight of sin, if you have a deep desire for forgiveness and have agonised over how God sees a child who has sinned grievously against Him, then this is one of the most important chapters of the bible for you. David has committed adultery with Bathsheba, he could not trick Uriah into thinking the baby was his, so David conspired to have him killed. The last words of the last chapter are these, ‘But...
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2 Samuel 11: David and Bathsheba
Outline Preparations for sin Anatomy of sin Multiplication of sin Introduction There are only a handful of very famous sins in the bible, the fall of Adam and Eve, the betrayal of Judas, the denial of Peter, and right up there is David and Bathsheba. I feel like I cannot emphasise the importance of this chapter. David is one of the great saints of the bible, the man who earned the accolade, ‘a man after God’s own heart.’ Of all the authors of the bible, it is David’s prayers and praise that are recorded more than any other for...
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Romans 12:11: Fervour
Outline Zealous fervour Spiritual fervour Directed fervour Introduction Try and read Romans 12:11 through a 21st century mindset. Think of the pluralistic political correctness that has to insist that all views are equally valid. Think of the new militant and vocal left that is deconstructing traditional Christians truths and norms. Think of the post-9/11 allergy to religious fervour. Now hear this verse, ‘Do not be slothful in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord.’ Our age cannot hear this verse without hearing an endorsement for radicalism; fundamentalism; stabbings and shootings at night clubs and concerts. This verse would...
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Romans 12:11: Sloth
Outline The ant The garden The cartoons Introduction One of the seven deadly sins is sloth/laziness, or as the Latin has it, acedia. Why is it called a cardinal or deadly sin? We see that in the parable of the talents the wicked servant buries his talent in the ground and does not serve the Lord because he is lazy, and results in him being cast into the outer darkness, Matt. 25:26, ‘You wicked and slothful servant!’ It is this word slothful that is found in the verse we are considering this morning in Romans 12:11, ‘Do not be...
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Reflections on the Nashville Statement
Introduction A few weeks ago a number of conservative evangelical leaders came up with the Nashville statement. It is a manifesto intended to summarise the traditional, biblical view on sexual identity. About 150 prominent evangelicals signed it, such names as R. C. Sproul; John Macarthur; Al Mohler; Rosaria Butterfield; John Piper; Wayne Grudem; J I Packer, and many others. It has created quite a stir and drawn a line in the sand. There have been many so called ‘Christians’ who have responded against it, it has brought the ‘progressives’ out of the woodwork in condemnation and is forcing Christians...
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