True Friends Get Hurt

2 Samuel 15:23-28

The Story

Zadok and Abiathar were the priests of God in Jerusalem.

When David fled from his son Absalom, they followed him, bringing along the Ark of the Covenant.

But David decided to send them back to Jerusalem.

Instead of relying on the Ark, David placed his trust in the power of God to deliver him.

David wanted their help to act as spies for him in the city of Jerusalem.

The two priests complied, turned around, and carried the Ark back into the city.

By doing so, they took a great risk, and put their lives in danger.

Lessons

True friends love you and accept you.

They desire to accompany you when you are in danger.

But if you decide otherwise, they will comply with your decision, though sometimes they don't understand you and may not agree with you.

And they stand by your decision, regardless of the risks involved, and in the process of doing so they may get hurt.

Remember...

Sinners have a true Friend in Jesus.

The Lord Jesus died on the cross to save their souls, even when they were His enemies.

The Lord Jesus called them His friends, even when they always act like His enemies.

The Lord Jesus love them, even when they are so unlovable, and often act foolishly toward Him.

The Lord Jesus stands by them, and gets hurt for them!

True Friends Offer Help

2 Samuel 15:18-22

The Story

Absalom had risen up in rebellion against his father and had driven him from the palace and from the city of Jerusalem.

2 Samuel 15 finds David on the run for his life from his own son, Absalom.

David really needed friends who could help him. And 2 Samuel 15-19 tells us about some friends who came to his aid.

One of them was Ittai.

Ittai was a commander of a group of 600 men that came to Israel from Gath in Philistia to follow David.

Ittai stepped up and demonstrated the depths of his love for the exiled king.

He pledged his absolute allegiance to him, even if it meant death for him.

Ittai was a true friend.

Lessons

As we walk through this life, there are few people who will be true friends.

Thank God for our true friends who love us when we are on top and when we hit the bottom.

Many people will only be our friends who everything is well in our lives and when they can benefit from us.

A true friend is one who loves us when we have absolutely nothing left to give.

Remember...

Jesus is a true Friend.

He is a Friend who sticks closer than brother.

He is the One who has said He would never walk out of us (Hebrews 13:5).

He is the One who has told us that He loves us regardless of our current condition (Jeremiah 31:3).

He is a Friend who cares for us when we are up and runs to our side when we are down.

Remember, Jesus is the true Friend!

The Good Lord Had Brought Him Through

2 Samuel 12:9-14

The Story

David faced the dreadful consequences of his sin.

Many sad scenes and incidents happened in his life.

But he learned to place his fate in the hands of the Lord God.

David faced his sin like a man.

And God gave him grace to make it through.

David finally came out of the dark days with a changed heart.

He was humbled to the ground.

And God restored him to the throne again.

The good Lord had brought him through.

Lessons

God will never desert His people (Hebrews 13:5).

He will go with them even when they are facing the consequences of their sins.

And He will give them grace to get through the pain and the heartache of their sins (2 Corinthians 12:9).

Remember...

The Christian life is never smooth sailing.

But when we do fail, God will help us through the processes of confession, repentance, and restoration.

And the good Lord will keep us through the dreadful consequences sin has brought into our lives.

How Sin Affects Us And Others

2 Samuel 12:9-14

The Story

David had sinned with Bathsheba.

He had covered that sin by having Uriah murdered.

But God found him out.

David had to endure the pain and tragedy in his own life and in his family.

His newborn son was struck ill and died.

His eldest son Amnon raped his half-sister Tamar.

His son Absalom grew to hate Amnon and conspired to have him killed. And he fled and ran from his father for some 5 years.

His son Absalom led a public rebellion against him. Absalom publicly disgraced his father by committed adultery with his concubines.

And his son Absalom was murdered by his nephew Joab..........................

After everything was over, David had 4 dead sons, a kingdom in shambles, disgraced wives, a tarnished reputation, a disgraced daughter, and a trusted counselor dead by suicide.

David's sin affected himself and others, and it caused him constant grief and heartache.

Lessons

Don't ever think that our sin only affects ourselves.

We never know who may be destroyed because of our sin.

Remember...

Many people are paying a high price for their sins today.

They are bearing in their body the horror of sins.

And their children continue to live in sin though they have found salvation in the Lord Jesus Christ.

Yes, we never know how sin affects us and others.

We Reap What We Sow

2 Samuel 12:9-14

The Story

David had sinned with Bathsheba.

We have seen how it was conceived.

We have seen how it was committed.

We have seen how it was confronted and confessed.

We have seen how David bore the scars and the terrible consequences of his sins.

David finally discovered the truth:

• God always instantly and completely forgives sin when there is confession and genuine repentance.

• But God does not remove the consequences of sins.

Lessons

We will reap exactly what we sow.

In fact, we will reap more than we sow.

And we will reap what we sow in this life!

The idea that if we confess our sins, we will not be punished is not true.

Remember...

Confession and repentance do not stop the consequences of sin.

We will definitely reap what we sow.

But God is gracious to us:

• We don't have to die for our sins.
• We have His help to face the consequences of sin.
• God will continue his plan for our lives.

Remember, we reap what we sow!

And it is always true.