Sermons – New Life in Christ Church | Fredericksburg, Spotsylvania

Jesus first sermon in Nazareth set the paradigm for His ministry-proclaiming freedom through Jubilee. As we celebrate 50 years of missions, we must recommit to proclaiming this freedom to the nations.

How do we deal with difficult people? Relationships are often broken by conflict, mis-trust, and sin. Yet, God calls us to follow Him, act with integrity, and pursue peace inHis covenant. In our passage today, we will see how God leads His people out of con-flict and into His promises.I. Following Gods Call in Difficult Relationships (Genesis 31:1-21) Recognizing When a Relationship Has Turned - Gen. 31:1-2Seeking Gods Direction in Conflict - Gen. 31:3James 3:16-18 Wisdom from above is pure and peaceable.Seeking Confirmation from Trusted Voices - Gen. 31:4-16Proverbs 11:14, Proverbs 15:22 The value of wise counsel.Making a Clean Break - Gen. 31:17-21 II. Acting with Integrity in Conflict (Genesis 31:22-42) 1 Peter 2:15-17 Integrity silences false accusations III. The Value of Covenant Relationships (Genesis 31:43-55) A covenant establishes an ongoing relationshipA covenant defines the boundaries and expectations of a relationshipA covenant establishes accountability in relationshipsGods new covenant of grace - Jeremiah 31:31-34; 1 Corinthians 11:23-25 Conclusion and Application: - Are you handling your conflicts with integrity?- How are you trusting Gods leadership in difficult relationships?- Are you honoring the covenants you have made with God,in marriage, in church, others?- How have you seen God's love in the covenant He has made with us in Christ?

2 Samuel 16:5-14 (ESV) Shimei Curses David 5When King David came toBahurim, there came out a man of the family of the house of Saul, whose name wasShimei, the son of Gera, and as he camehe cursed continually.6And he threw stones at David and at all the servants of King David, and all the people and all the mighty men were on his right hand and on his left.7And Shimei said as hecursed, Get out, get out, you man of blood, you worthless man!8TheLordhas avenged on you allthe blood of the house of Saul, in whose place you have reigned, and theLordhas given the kingdom into the hand of your son Absalom. See, your evil is on you, for you are a man of blood. 9Then Abishai the son of Zeruiah said to the king, Why should thisdead dogcurse my lord the king? Let me go over and take off his head.10But the king said,What have I to do with you,you sons of Zeruiah? If he is cursing because theLordhas said to him, Curse David, who then shall say, Why have you done so?11And David said to Abishai and to all his servants, Behold,my own son seeks my life; how much more now may this Benjaminite! Leave him alone, and let him curse, for theLordhas told him to.12It may be that theLordwill look on the wrong done to me,and that theLordwill repay me with good for his cursing today.13So David and his men went on the road, while Shimei went along on the hillside opposite him andcursed as he went and threw stones at him and flung dust.14And the king, and all the people who were with him,arrived weary at the Jordan.And there he refreshed himself.

Where does true prosperity come from? Many seek wealth through luck, dishonesty, or personal schemes, but Scripture teaches that prosperity comes through God's blessing, wisdom, and faithful diligence. Jacob's story illustrates how God provides through hard work and trust in Him.

2 Samuel 13:39-14:17 (ESV) 39And the spirit of the kinglonged to go outto Absalom, becausehe was comforted about Amnon, since he was dead. Absalom Returns to Jerusalem 14Now Joab the son of Zeruiah knewthat the king's heart went out to Absalom.2And Joab sent toTekoa and brought from there a wise woman and said to her, Pretend to be a mourner and put on mourning garments.Do not anoint yourself with oil, but behave like a woman who has been mourning many days for the dead.3Go to the king and speak thus to him. So Joabput the words in her mouth. 4When the woman of Tekoa came to the king,she fell on her face to the ground and paid homage and said,Save me, O king.5And the king said to her, What is your trouble? She answered,Alas, I am a widow; my husband is dead.6And your servant had two sons, and they quarreled with one another in the field. There was no one to separate them, and one struck the other and killed him.7And now the whole clan has risen against your servant, and they say, Give up the man who struck his brother, that we may put him to death for the life of his brother whom he killed. And so they woulddestroy the heir also. Thus they would quench my coal that is left and leave to my husband neither name norremnant on the face of the earth. 8Then the king said to the woman, Go to your house, and I will give orders concerning you.9And the woman of Tekoa said to the king,On me be the guilt, my lord the king, and on my father's house; let the king and his throne be guiltless.10The king said, If anyone says anything to you, bring him to me, and he shall never touch you again.11Then she said, Please let the king invoke theLordyour God, thatthe avenger of blood kill no more, and my son be not destroyed. He said,As theLordlives,not one hair of your son shall fall to the ground. 12Then the woman said, Please let your servant speak a word to my lord the king. He said, Speak.13And the woman said, Why then have you planned such a thing againstthe people of God? For in giving this decision the king convicts himself, inasmuch as the king does not bringhis banished one home again.14We must all die; we arelike water spilled on the ground, which cannot be gathered up again. But God will not take away life, and he devises meansso that the banished one will not remain an outcast.15Now I have come to say this to my lord the king because the people have made me afraid, and your servant thought, I will speak to the king; it may be that the king will perform the request of his servant.16For the king will hear and deliver his servant from the hand of the man who would destroy me and my son together fromthe heritage of God.17And your servant thought, The word of my lord the king will set me at rest, for my lord the king islike the angel of God to discern good and evil. TheLordyour God be with you!

2 Samuel 13:11-33 11And when she had brought them unto him to eat, he took hold of her, and said unto her, Come lie with me, my sister. 12And she answered him, Nay, my brother, do not force me; for no such thing ought to be done in Israel: do not thou this folly. 13And I, whither shall I cause my shame to go? and as for thee, thou shalt be as one of the fools in Israel. Now therefore, I pray thee, speak unto the king; for he will not withhold me from thee. 14Howbeit he would not hearken unto her voice: but, being stronger than she, forced her, and lay with her. 15Then Amnon hated her exceedingly; so that the hatred wherewith he hated her was greater than the love wherewith he had loved her. And Amnon said unto her, Arise, be gone. 16And she said unto him, There is no cause: this evil in sending me away is greater than the other that thou didst unto me. But he would not hearken unto her. 17Then he called his servant that ministered unto him, and said, Put now this woman out from me, and bolt the door after her. 18And she had a garment of divers colours upon her: for with such robes were the king's daughters that were virgins apparelled. Then his servant brought her out, and bolted the door after her. 19And Tamar put ashes on her head, and rent her garment of divers colours that was on her, and laid her hand on her head, and went on crying. 20And Absalom her brother said unto her, Hath Amnon thy brother been with thee? but hold now thy peace, my sister: he is thy brother; regard not this thing. So Tamar remained desolate in her brother Absalom's house. 21But when king David heard of all these things, he was very wroth. 22And Absalom spake unto his brother Amnon neither good nor bad: for Absalom hated Amnon, because he had forced his sister Tamar. 23And it came to pass after two full years, that Absalom had sheepshearers in Baalhazor, which is beside Ephraim: and Absalom invited all the king's sons. 24And Absalom came to the king, and said, Behold now, thy servant hath sheepshearers; let the king, I beseech thee, and his servants go with thy servant. 25And the king said to Absalom, Nay, my son, let us not all now go, lest we be chargeable unto thee. And he pressed him: howbeit he would not go, but blessed him. 26Then said Absalom, If not, I pray thee, let my brother Amnon go with us. And the king said unto him, Why should he go with thee? 27But Absalom pressed him, that he let Amnon and all the king's sons go with him. 28Now Absalom had commanded his servants, saying, Mark ye now when Amnon's heart is merry with wine, and when I say unto you, Smite Amnon; then kill him, fear not: have not I commanded you? be courageous, and be valiant. 29And the servants of Absalom did unto Amnon as Absalom had commanded. Then all the king's sons arose, and every man gat him up upon his mule, and fled. 30And it came to pass, while they were in the way, that tidings came to David, saying, Absalom hath slain all the king's sons, and there is not one of them left. 31Then the king arose, and tare his garments, and lay on the earth; and all his servants stood by with their clothes rent. 32And Jonadab, the son of Shimeah David's brother, answered and said, Let not my lord suppose that they have slain all the young men the king's sons; for Amnon only is dead: for by the appointment of Absalom this hath been determined from the day that he forced his sister Tamar. 33Now therefore let not my lord the king take the thing to his heart, to think that all the king's sons are dead: for Amnon only is dead.

Continuing the series called Counseling from the Whole Counsel of God, today we consider trials of various kinds (1:2) and Gods design for such trials. All peoples are created to worship (Genesis 1:26-27; Romans 1:20-21). Instinctively, we give ourselves (our thoughts, feelings, choices, actions; i.e., our worth) to the people and things valued most. And the ways we spend ourselves demonstrate who or what we worship. James 1:1-5 reveals a prescription for godly worship in the midst of and even because of these trials of various kinds (1:2).

Sometimes we have to make a change which means we will feel alone, like when we leave home, start something new, or experience loss. Jacobs journey in Genesis 28 reminds us that even when we feel alone, God is with us. These are the times we must find assurance in Gods presence, promises, and purposes. How should we respond spiritually when we need to step out on our own?

Isaacs family had been torn by manipulation, deception, rejection, and mistrust. After theevents of Genesis 27:1-40 the family was a mess and our passage today shows theresponse to the mess they were in, with some good responses and some poor responses.When we find ourselves in a mess, what do we do? This passage gives us a picture of goodresponses and bad, and reminds us of our God who is greater than our messes.

2 Samuel 13:1-21 Amnon and Tamar 13NowAbsalom, David's son, had a beautiful sister, whose name wasTamar. And after a time Amnon, David's son, loved her.2And Amnon was so tormented that he made himself ill because of his sister Tamar, for she was a virgin, and it seemed impossible to Amnon to do anything to her.3But Amnon had a friend, whose name was Jonadab, the son ofShimeah, David's brother. And Jonadab was a very crafty man.4And he said to him, O son of the king, why are you so haggard morning after morning? Will you not tell me? Amnon said to him, I love Tamar, my brother Absalom's sister.5Jonadab said to him, Lie down on your bed and pretend to be ill. And when your father comes to see you, say to him, Let my sister Tamar come and give me bread to eat, and prepare the food in my sight, that I may see it and eat it from her hand.6So Amnon lay down and pretended to be ill. And when the king came to see him, Amnon said to the king, Please let my sister Tamar come andmake a couple of cakes in my sight, that I may eat from her hand. 7Then David sent home to Tamar, saying, Go to your brother Amnon's house and prepare food for him.8So Tamar went to her brother Amnon's house, where he was lying down. And she took dough and kneaded it and made cakes in his sight and baked the cakes.9And she took the pan and emptied it out before him, but he refused to eat. And Amnon said,Send out everyone from me. So everyone went out from him.10Then Amnon said to Tamar, Bring the food into the chamber, that I may eat from your hand. And Tamar took the cakes she had made and brought them into the chamber to Amnon her brother.11But when she brought them near him to eat, he took hold of her and said to her, Come, lie with me, my sister.12She answered him, No, my brother, do not violateme, forsuch a thing is not done in Israel; do not do thisoutrageous thing.13As for me, where could I carry my shame? And as for you, you would be as one ofthe outrageous fools in Israel. Now therefore, please speak to the king, for he will not withhold me from you.14But he would not listen to her, and being stronger than she, he violated her and lay with her. 15Then Amnon hated her with very great hatred, so that the hatred with which he hated her was greater than the love with which he had loved her. And Amnon said to her, Get up! Go!16But she said to him, No, my brother, for this wrong in sending me away is greater than the other that you did to me.But he would not listen to her.17He called the young man who served him and said, Put this woman out of my presence and bolt the door after her.18Now she was wearinga long robe with sleeves,for thus were the virgin daughters of the king dressed. So his servant put her out and bolted the door after her.19And Tamarput ashes on her head andtore the long robe that she wore. Andshe laid her hand on her head and went away, crying aloud as she went. 20And her brother Absalom said to her, Has Amnon your brother been with you? Now hold your peace, my sister. He is your brother; do not take this to heart. So Tamar lived, a desolate woman, in her brother Absalom's house.21When King David heard of all these things, he was very angry.22But Absalom spoke to Amnonneither good nor bad, for Absalom hated Amnon, because he had violated his sister Tamar.

Many have a very superficial trust in Jesus. It is way easier to keep things superficial because it doesnt demand too much from us. But the danger is great, that we would miss the kingdom of heaven. If we are going to have any assurance that we will go to heaven, we must be sure we know Jesus truly, and not just superficially. How can we discern if our relationship with Jesus is genuine?

When He came, Jesus brought something new to the world - the gospel of God's grace. As Jesus closes out His Sermon, He charges His disciples to look at what He brings and how it is better than everything He is replacing (2 Timothy 4:3-4). What we need is a Shepherd (John 10:1015) and Jesus challenges us to compare the results of His work (John 13:3435) to the results of the religious leaders of His day (Matthew 7:15). We must believe it. How do we identify a message that leads to life?

2 Samuel 9 (ESV) David's Kindness to Mephibosheth 9And David said, Is there still anyone left of the house of Saul, that I mayshow him kindness for Jonathan's sake?2Now there was a servant of the house of Saul whose name wasZiba, and they called him to David. And the king said to him, Are you Ziba? And he said, I am your servant.3And the king said, Is there not still someone of the house of Saul, that I may showthe kindness of God to him? Ziba said to the king, There is still a son ofJonathan; he is crippled in his feet.4The king said to him, Where is he? And Ziba said to the king, He is in the house ofMachir the son of Ammiel, at Lo-debar.5Then King David sent and brought him from the house of Machir the son of Ammiel, at Lo-debar.6AndMephibosheth the son of Jonathan, son of Saul, came to David and fell on his face and paid homage. And David said, Mephibosheth! And he answered, Behold, I am your servant.7And David said to him, Do not fear,for I will show you kindness for the sake of your father Jonathan, and I will restore to you all the land of Saul your father, andyou shall eat at my table always.8And he paid homage and said, What is your servant, that you should show regard fora dead dog such as I? 9Then the king called Ziba, Saul's servant, and said to him, All that belonged to Saul and to all his house I have given to your master's grandson.10And you and your sons and your servants shall till the land for him and shall bring in the produce, that your master's grandson may have bread to eat. But Mephibosheth your master's grandsonshall always eat at my table. Now Ziba hadfifteen sons and twenty servants.11Then Ziba said to the king, According to all that my lord the king commands his servant, so will your servant do. So Mephiboshethate at David'stable, like one of the king's sons.12And Mephibosheth had a young son,whose name was Mica. And all who lived in Ziba's house became Mephibosheth's servants.13So Mephibosheth lived in Jerusalem, forhe ate always at the king's table. Nowhe was lame in both his feet.

Matthew 7:12 (ESV) The Golden Rule 12Sowhatever you wish that others would do to you, do also to them, for this isthe Law and the Prophets."

2 Samuel (ESV) TheLord'sCovenant with David 7Now when the king lived in his house and theLordhad given him rest from all his surrounding enemies,2the king said toNathan the prophet, See now, I dwellin a house of cedar, but the ark of God dwellsin a tent.3And Nathan said to the king,Go, do all that is in your heart, for theLordis with you. 4But that same night the word of theLordcame to Nathan,5Go and tell my servant David, Thus says theLord:Would you build me a house to dwell in?6I have not lived in a housesince the day I brought up the people of Israel from Egypt to this day, but I have been moving aboutin a tent for my dwelling.7In all places whereI have moved with all the people of Israel, did I speak a word withany of the judges of Israel, whom I commandedto shepherd my people Israel, saying, Why have you not built me a house of cedar?8Now, therefore, thus you shall say to my servant David, Thus says theLordof hosts,I took you from the pasture, from following the sheep, that you should be princeover my people Israel.9And I have been with you wherever you went and have cut off all your enemies from before you. And I will make for you a great name, like the name of the great ones of the earth.10And I will appoint a place for my people Israeland will plant them, so that they may dwell in their own placeand be disturbed no more.And violent men shall afflict them no more, as formerly,11from the time that I appointed judges over my people Israel. AndI will give you rest from all your enemies. Moreover, theLorddeclares to you thattheLordwill make you a house.12When your days are fulfilled andyou lie down with your fathers,I will raise up your offspring after you, who shall come from your body, and I will establish his kingdom.13He shall build a house for my name, andI will establish the throne of his kingdom forever.14I will be to him a father, and he shall be to me a son. When he commits iniquity,I will discipline him with the rod of men, with the stripes of the sons of men,15but my steadfast love will not depart from him,as I took it from Saul, whom I put away from before you.16And your house and your kingdom shall be made sure forever before me.[c]Your throne shall be established forever.17In accordance with all these words, and in accordance with all this vision, Nathan spoke to David. David's Prayer of Gratitude 18Then King David went in and sat before theLordand said,Who am I, O LordGod, and what is my house, that you have brought me thus far?19And yet this was a small thing in your eyes, O LordGod.You have spoken also of your servant's house for a great while to come, and this is instruction for mankind, O LordGod!20And what more can David say to you?For you know your servant, O LordGod!21Because of your promise, and according to your own heart, you have brought about all this greatness, to make your servant know it.22Therefore you are great, OLordGod.For there is none like you, and there is no God besides you, according to all that we have heard with our ears.23And who is like your people Israel, the one nation on earth whom God went to redeem to be his people, making himself a nameand doing for themgreat and awesome things by driving out before your people,whomyou redeemed for yourself from Egypt, a nation and its gods?24And you established for yourself your people Israel to be your people forever. And you, OLord, became their God.25And now, OLordGod, confirm forever the word that you have spoken concerning your servant and concerning his house, and do as you have spoken.26And your name will be magnified forever, saying, TheLordof hosts is God over Israel, and the house of your servant David will be established before you.27For you, OLordof hosts, the God of Israel, have made this revelation to your servant, saying, I will build you a house. Therefore your servant has found courage to pray this prayer to you.28And now, O LordGod, you are God, andyour words are true, and you have promised this good thing to your servant.29Now therefore may it please you to bless the house of your servant, so that it may continue forever before you. For you, O LordGod, have spoken,and with your blessing shall the house of your servant be blessed forever.

The sixth and last oracle of Malachi concludes this sermon series from the book ofthis prophet and reveals the distinctives of true disciples of the LORD and followersof Christ.

We need to remember what our mission is for the world. It is easy to become discouraged, to compromise, or to become fearful when basic Christian truths are rejected and ignored. We may become quiet or obnoxiously loud. As we look at 1 Peter 3 and the book of Daniel, we will remember our call to live faithfully as Christians in a hostile world by standing firm in our convictions, devoting ourselves to God, and boldly proclaiming the truth of the gospel, trusting that Christ is Lord, even when the world resists us.

God called the great King David of Isreal a man after his own heart, even after he did some very bad things in his time as king. How is this possible? And what does it teach us about our own priorities in this world. What makes a leader after God's own heart?

1 Samuel 27 (CSV) David Flees to the Philistines 27Then David said in his heart, Now I shall perish one day by the hand of Saul. There is nothing better for me than that I should escape to the land of the Philistines. Then Saul will despair of seeking me any longer within the borders of Israel, and I shall escape out of his hand.2So David arose and went over, he andthe six hundred men who were with him,to Achish the son of Maoch, king of Gath.3And David lived with Achish at Gath, he and his men, every man with his household, and David withhis two wives, Ahinoam of Jezreel, and Abigail of Carmel, Nabal's widow.4And when it was told Saul that David had fled to Gath, he no longer sought him. 5Then David said to Achish, IfI have found favor in your eyes, let a place be given me in one of the country towns, that I may dwell there. For why should your servant dwell in the royal city with you?6So that day Achish gave himZiklag. Therefore Ziklag has belonged to the kings of Judah to this day.7And the number of the days that David lived in the country of the Philistines was a year and four months. 8Now Davidand his men went up and made raids againstthe Geshurites,the Girzites, andthe Amalekites, for these were the inhabitants of the land from of old,as far as Shur, to the land of Egypt.9And David would strike the land and would leave neither man nor woman alive, but would take away the sheep, the oxen, the donkeys, the camels, and the garments, and come back to Achish.10When Achish asked, Where have youmade a raid today? David would say, Against the Negeb of Judah, or, Against the Negeb ofthe Jerahmeelites, or, Against the Negeb ofthe Kenites.11And David would leave neither man nor woman alive to bring news to Gath, thinking, lest they should tell about us and say, So David has done. Such was his custom all the while he lived in the country of the Philistines.12And Achish trusted David, thinking, He has made himself an utter stench to his people Israel; therefore he shall always be my servant.

Continuing a sermon series from the book of Malachi, this fifth oracle brings charges against Gods people for their robbing God, which is not simply the breaking of the eighth commandment, but their failure to give Him glory. The LORD God who does not change invites His people to test Him by their faith and see the blessing of submitting themselves to Him in every area of life, so that your light [may] shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven. (Matthew 5:16 ESV)

1 Samuel 27 (CSV) David Flees to the Philistines 27Then David said in his heart, Now I shall perish one day by the hand of Saul. There is nothing better for me than that I should escape to the land of the Philistines. Then Saul will despair of seeking me any longer within the borders of Israel, and I shall escape out of his hand.2So David arose and went over, he andthe six hundred men who were with him,to Achish the son of Maoch, king of Gath.3And David lived with Achish at Gath, he and his men, every man with his household, and David withhis two wives, Ahinoam of Jezreel, and Abigail of Carmel, Nabal's widow.4And when it was told Saul that David had fled to Gath, he no longer sought him. 5Then David said to Achish, IfI have found favor in your eyes, let a place be given me in one of the country towns, that I may dwell there. For why should your servant dwell in the royal city with you?6So that day Achish gave himZiklag. Therefore Ziklag has belonged to the kings of Judah to this day.7And the number of the days that David lived in the country of the Philistines was a year and four months. 8Now Davidand his men went up and made raids againstthe Geshurites,the Girzites, andthe Amalekites, for these were the inhabitants of the land from of old,as far as Shur, to the land of Egypt.9And David would strike the land and would leave neither man nor woman alive, but would take away the sheep, the oxen, the donkeys, the camels, and the garments, and come back to Achish.10When Achish asked, Where have youmade a raid today? David would say, Against the Negeb of Judah, or, Against the Negeb ofthe Jerahmeelites, or, Against the Negeb ofthe Kenites.11And David would leave neither man nor woman alive to bring news to Gath, thinking, lest they should tell about us and say, So David has done. Such was his custom all the while he lived in the country of the Philistines.12And Achish trusted David, thinking, He has made himself an utter stench to his people Israel; therefore he shall always be my servant.

Psalm 2 (ESV) The Reign of theLord's Anointed 2Why dothe nations rageand the peoples plot in vain?2The kings of the earth set themselves,and the rulers take counsel together,against theLordand against hisAnointed, saying,3Let usburst their bonds apartand cast away their cords from us. 4He whosits in the heavenslaughs;the Lord holds them in derision.5Then he will speak to them in hiswrath,and terrify them in his fury, saying,6As for me, I haveset my KingonZion, myholy hill. 7I will tell of the decree:TheLordsaid to me,You are my Son;today I have begotten you.8Ask of me, and I will make the nations your heritage,andthe ends of the earth your possession.9You shallbreak[b]them witha rod of ironand dash them in pieces likea potter's vessel. 10Now therefore, O kings, be wise;be warned, O rulers of the earth.11Serve theLordwithfear,andrejoice withtrembling.12Kissthe Son,lest he be angry, and you perish in the way,for hiswrath is quickly kindled.Blessed are all who take refuge in him.