September 8, 2010

September 8, 2010 2 Samuel 2

So where is the glory? We start out well. David seeks the Lord to find out where he should settle. As a result David settles in the heart of southern Judah, far from the heart of Benjamin from whence came Saul. The people of Judah come and anoint David king, much to the chagrin of the close followers of Saul and Benjamin. Following the ceremony David is informed of the heroic act of the men of Jabesh Gilead. David wisely sends messengers to Jabesh Gilead to express his pleasure and gratitude in their action. This is more than a genuine thank you. It is also a political move on David’s part to try to bring peace and unity to a hurting nation. Jabesh Gilead as you recall is one of Saul’s ancestral homes. It is also located east of the Jordan River and much further north. Geographically if David could coax them to support him, it would go a long way to unifying the nation under him. Things go south from here, literally and figuratively.

Abner, Saul’s general, responds by taking Ishbosheth, Saul’s son, and anointing him king over Israel. Abner did not consult the Lord; he merely followed human tradition. Abner takes him to Mahanaim to anoint him king. Why Mahanaim? Mahanaim is also east of the Jordan and further south. It was geographically a road block for David to unify or expand the kingdom. Also, Mahanaim was rich in cultural/religious history. Mahanaim was named by Jacob/Israel. It means two armies or two camps. Jacob named it on the night in which he wrestled with God and his name was changed to Israel. It held cultural value to the people of Israel. Without consulting the Lord, Abner’s actions were wise and calculated. It was a brilliant move. But his eyes were on his own glory, not the glory of the Lord.

To this point there is no record of warfare between David’s men and Ishbosheth’s men. Joab ventures with a detachment of his army up to Gibeon. Gibeon is in the heart of Benjamin. What is Joab doing there? The two detachments meet at the pool of Gibeon. The pool of Gibeon is dug through 35 feet of solid rock and is 37 feet in diameter. That would make its circumference 116.24 feet around. The two detachments could easily have stood around its circumference and be separate from each other. Abner suggests a contest between the young men. Joab accepts. What are they thinking? They are focused on their own glory, not the glory of the Lord. As one could predict, it lead to murder and war between Judah and Israel. It lead to the death of Joab’s youngest brother. It lead to a deep grudge on Joab’s part toward Abner. It wasn’t good. That is what happens when we cease seeking the glory of the Lord and seek our own glory. For this reason let us remember: Indeed we serve a glorious King. Speak His glory to someone today!

--Pastor john

2 Corinthians 1

The glory of the Lord Jesus Christ is that He is the God of all comfort. How can He comfort us? First, He has experienced an unimaginable physical pain. He suffered (going to and upon the cross) pain of horrendous magnitude. Any physical pain we experience, he has experienced. He is able to comfort us in our physical pain.

Second, He knew financial deprivation. "Foxes have holes . . . but the Son of Man has no where to lay His head." He is able to comfort us in our poverty.

Third, He has suffered unimaginable emotional pain. The only physical father he knew died when He was somewhere between 12 & 30. One of His best friends died while he was away on a ministry trip. He was constantly misunderstood. He was depressed as He considered His coming agony in the Garden of Gethsemane. He was betrayed by Judas and denied by Peter. He is able to comfort us in our emotional pain.

Fourth, He experienced unimaginable spiritual pain. On the cross He experienced the open wrath of His Father. It was so great that He cried in desperation, “My God, my God why have you forsaken Me?”. He is more than able to comfort us in our spiritual pain. To comfort doesn't mean the pain is suddenly taken away. It means He comes along side to strengthen us giving us ability to endure until the pain is gone.

Some years ago I went through an extreme (for me) emotional upheaval. One of the elders of my church became convinced that I had no leadership skills. He eventually called to the other elders for my resignation, or he would resign. The outcome was he resigned. But it still left me in a tremendous state of emotional & spiritual weariness and sorrow. It also left me as the center of attack of a few others who supported him.

It was impossible to study for my sermon that week. Sunday morning came and as worship began, it was difficult to enter into His gates with joyful singing. I was flooded with emotions of great sorrow and weariness. I resolved to place my attention on Christ and not on my emotions and to sing to Him. As I sang, a new thing happened. He comforted me. As I sang, I felt as though He were speaking to me and saying, "I love you." The sorrow and weariness did not leave. It was still there. But in the midst of it, I experienced His comfort. Tears began to well up. At times I could not physically sing. It was not because of the sorrow and weariness that I felt, but rather because of the comfort I was receiving. He was communicating His love to me. It was overpowering, even while I felt sorrow and weariness.

I really don't know if the sermon was good or bad. But I know it was His comfort that carried me through. If any were comforted from the sermon, it was His doing. For as the suffering of Christ abounds in us, so our consolation also abounds through Christ. Indeed we serve a glorious King! Speak His glory to someone today!

--Pastor John