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Advent HOPE Kettering

Tim Riesenberger

Truth that Transforms the World

Loving Father in heaven, Lord, I just want to thank you and praise you for this new Sabbath day you've given us.

And Father, I don't have anything to say, but I know that you do.

And I pray that you would speak through me about the most important thing in the world, the truth that transforms the world.

I pray that I would just be a mirror to reflect the image of Jesus Christ, for in his name we pray, amen.

So starting with a simple question, does God love you?

How about the angels that surround his throne?

Does God love the people who don't know about him yet?

How about the people who do know, but choose not to serve him?

Pretty non-committal answers most of the time.

This goes like, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, maybe?

I always get several no's on the last 2 questions.

So if God loves you, we'll just stick with that 1.

This question went through my head on July 9, 2007, when my life was changed.

And God brought me to a story of the Old Testament that may not be familiar to some of you.

It's 2 Samuel 14, verse 25, and we'll meet somebody named Absalom.

And now in all Israel there was no 1 who was praised as much as Absalom for his good looks.

From the sole of his foot to the crown of his head there was, what?

So what would be just 1 word to describe Absalom?

But perfection does not go to the inside many times.

2 Samuel 15 verses 1 through 6, we find Absalom at the gate of the city, and you can read the context there, I didn't put the whole verse up here, but there's a long line of Israelites and they are waiting for the king to do what for them?

My neighbor's goat gets into my yard all the time, destroys my prized flowers.

And he keeps telling me, I swear by my beard, it will never happen again.

But it just keeps happening over and over again.

And at this point, I just need him to give me restitution.

Now, the problem is that there's a lot of inefficiency.

So Absalom just walks through the line and kind of talks to each person.

And instead of affirming his father as king, he says, oh, that who was made judge?

And in doing this, we're told that Absalom stole the hearts of the men of Israel.

And if you remember the story, does David stay in Jerusalem to fight?

No, he actually flees Jerusalem with a few of his loyal subjects and on his way out there's someone that follows him.

There's a gentleman who's throwing rocks and stones and dust at him and says, that's right, you better run because God is now getting you back for all the bloodshed that you spilled in the house of Saul.

You know, David was in the cave of Adullam at 1 point, and Saul was where?

And it bothered David's conscience that he even cut the hem of his robe off.

Another time, Saul was asleep at his feet.

And even 1 of his own men said, listen, you don't have to kill him.

He's like, I won't strike him twice, just once right through to the ground.

His men are like, how can this guy curse the king?

And David says to Abishai and to all his servants, behold, my son who came out of my own body is seeking my life.

How much more now may this Benjamin do it?

Let him alone, let him curse, for the Lord has bidden him to curse.

It may be that the Lord will look on mine affliction, and that he will requite me good this day for his cursing." So Absalom was trying to kill his father.

I mean, a very unnatural sort of relationship.

Absalom is now set up in the kingdom in 2 Samuel.

And Absalom asks for advice from someone named Ahithophel.

So Ahithophel was actually 1 of the first people to defect to Absalom's side because of course he was looking to even the score with the house of David.

So Ahithophel gives this advice and say, here's a bright idea.

Why don't you just sleep with all your father's wives that have just stayed here to take care of the house?

And so they did this not in private but on the top of the house Now Ellen White shares that in doing this Absalom added to his sins of rebellion and murder the sin of incest but don't think about it too long.

We come to the battle now, 2 Samuel 18, verses 1 through 5.

As David's men are marching out to battle, do you remember which side has the greater force?

In fact, the servant of the Lord describes David's army as a little handful compared to Absalom's vast soldiers.

So they're going out to what is probably the last fight they will have.

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Truth that Transforms the World

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