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Let's pray Lord God, we ask that you would bless your word wherever it is proclaimed make it a word of power and peace. To convert those not yet your own to confirm those who have come to saving faith may your word pass from our ears to our hearts from our hearts to our lips and from the lips to our lives as You've promised.

Your word may achieve the purpose for which you've sent it. We ask this all through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Amen.

The Scandal of Grace and the Forgiveness of Sins

Okay, so we are in 2nd Samuel and I'll try to go in order this week so last week we did chapter 2 before chapter 1 and Think of that song this senior moment. So if you remember from last week Saul is dead.

Jonathan's dead. Mephibosheth is dead and Abner Without any office has anointed David to be the not David but anointed one of the sons of Saul to be the king of Israel. He had no authority to do so and Abner is in rebellion to God's Word.

But as I said last week, this story is actually one of repentance and it actually speaks pretty well of One of the themes we talked about in our sermon today and that is the scandal of the forgiveness of sins the scandal of grace.

It's actually quite scandalous that people who are outright treasonous Rebels against Christ can be forgiven. I mean do you think of it this way did Abner? What what what should Abner have done upon the death of Saul?

He should have bent the knee to David. Did he know? He didn't instead without any authority whatsoever. He anointed a new king over Israel so the kingdom remains divided and there's been now a battle fought between David's guys and Abner's fellows and people have lost their lives there's a lot of rancor and hatred and disunity and discord in Israel and What does Abner?

Deserve.

Deserves to be hung by a tree. You have this carcass hung up for everybody to see. As an example of this is what you do with with people who are treasonous traitors of this type. But we're gonna note as we read this text Abner is not going to be strung up on a tree as he deserves.

Instead Abner through the word is going to repent. Not only is he going to repent he's going to actually be forgiven by David and Treated as a brother Treated as a prince.

Now.

Remember that one of the brothers of Joab Has died as a hell has been killed by Abner and they're bearing a grudge. Do you think they're gonna be on board with this Abner being forgiven thing? No, and so in this story, we actually kind of see a microcosm of the fact that Christ forgives the worst of sinners and That that forgiveness is boundless.

It is limitless and that there are no asterisks. That's a word right. Yeah, I I like to follow baseball, right. And Sometimes when somebody wins a championship or there's been scandal or the season hasn't been quite right.

They technically they go into the record books. But when they go into the record books, they have a what an asterisk. You think of you know, the fellow who years ago, you know became the home run king, you know.

Right, right. He he hit the 70 home runs in a year, right? Well, he was taking steroids. So he was in the record books, but he had an asterisk.

That.

Well bonds.

No.

No, no, no, he played for st. Louis, yeah. Josh pay attention to this. We want to make it a lot sound like we're smart. So when we can't find the answer squish the video audio together to hide the evidence.

But you there was an asterisk, right? So when People are forgiven by God. Is there an asterisk?

No.

Thank God. Now we say that for ourselves, but what about that person? It's tougher. It is tougher. Is it I. You're being honest? All right, so we sit there and we'll say well it's not so tough to not have an asterisk for the town.

Whore the town drunk.

The.

Guy who went to prison for knocking off a convenience store. Or that fellow who Whose marriage blew up. But what about like the pastor who has a terrible fall from grace, right? Public sins.

What about that guy?

You know, what about somebody who was you know? Just start start naming the thing. But as soon as you start putting an asterisk on anybody's forgiveness What are you doing? You're judging and you're you're who.

But who are you judging? Yeah, you're not judging the person who committed the sin. You're actually judging Christ who forgave it. That's the issue, huh? Yeah, that's a biggie.

Yeah.

Yes, it's okay for you Jesus to forgive these people this group but to forgive that group. You know Nazis that's a little too much you can't forget. Right you start as soon as you start throttling it.

The person you're judging is not the sinner who committed the sins. You're forgiving the Jesus who forgave them and That's a very dangerous place to be in because now you have become the one who gets to decide Who gets forgiven and who doesn't and it's not based on the biblical standard.

What? Right, it's not okay. So when I took my ordination vows, I took my ordination vows. I promised that I would forgive the sins of the penitent and In my ordination vows it I did not say I'll forgive the sins of the penitent as long as the sins are not this that or the other thing.

I Have authority to forgive sins of the penitent. I also have authority to retain the sins of the in penitent, right?

So.

Regardless of the magnitude of the sin at least in our eyes Christ Can and does forgive people freely. And again this gets to the scandal of grace and What's really scary is when you get people in church offices who will say?

You don't get an absolution because I don't think you're penitent enough. I haven't seen enough Tears, I haven't seen enough Fruit from your repentance yet. What are they doing. They're literally damning up the grace of Christ.

You don't want to do that. That's really kind of the motif that we're gonna be working in here. So we're gonna see Abner straight up Treasonous fellow who deserves to no doubt die for his treason against the true king.

No doubt about it, and that's not what's gonna happen. And so that creates the scandal here. 2nd Samuel chapter 3 verse 1 then reads there was a long war between the house of Saul and the house of David.

How needless that is right? David grew stronger and stronger while the house of Saul became weaker and weaker. 2nd Samuel chapter 3 now verse 2 the sons of and sons were born to David at Hebron. The first was I am non of a Hanoam of Jezreel and the second Hillyab of Abigail the widow of Neville of Carmel the third Absalom the son of Macha The daughter of Talmai the king of Gesher.

So you're gonna note here. This is kind of fascinating here. First mention of her.

Macha.

Absalom will later Try to have his father killed and kicked out of office and take his place. So we're gonna see here that while David is in Hebron Macha the daughter of Talmai king of Gesher. This is a political marriage.

Political marriage now, we don't understand how these necessarily work in our context in the United States but think of it this way back in the ancient world you go back to ancient Europe or you know, even medieval Europe and When I was in college and I had to take European history, I was lost.

I mean I yeah, yeah, because all the intrigue isn't is among the different royal families and so you got Spain fighting with England and this thing going on with the the Duke regent of Whatever right and you just your head spins because number one, you don't know the geography number two.

You've never heard of these people and number three is like this reads like a soap opera and I'm bored to tears by soap operas but we kind of understand that in in that context that if two nations were hostile to each other one of the ways in which to prevent hostilities would be that a king would take his daughter and give her in marriage to The prince of the king of the land where there was hostilities with this kind of thinking that well now that they're married.

Now that they're married the chances of that of that Regent attacking us is bad because his wife would give him grief. Well, you're gonna kill my father. You're gonna attack my people out there. You see how to get the idea so we see here that David now while he's in Hebron has Gotten married to a princess the princess of Of the who's the daughter of Talmai the king of Gesher?

The fourth is Adonijah the son of Haggith and the fifth Shephatiah the son of Abital and the sixth Aetherium of Agla David's wife. These were born to David in Hebron. No, they're all his wives. There are technically all his wives.

Well, no in this particular case, it's the the immediate reference is the is the is the child who was born of Agla. She's also one of his wives. So they're all wise but it just in that particular sentence.

It's dealing with the one child who was born to this particular wife. So there we go now I need to give you a little bit of history also. I may have mentioned this before but it bears repeating in this context in the ancient Near East in this era in this age that a king was the best way I can describe it is that a King and his wives was similar to a lion and his pride of lionesses.

It was kind of like that and I'm kind of pulling on a naturalistic metaphor and.

That.

This is an important thing that when a king died or Somebody was making a run at Trying to usurp the king and become king himself. That one of the ways that occurred so if a king dies the fellow who succeeds him By having mating privileges with his harem That that is seen as an act of him saying to the world I'm king.

Or if somebody's making a run at the king sleeping with his wives and concubines Would be a way of telegraphing his intent to overthrow him. I know it's just weird because it's like where did that come from?

I don't know. It does.

Okay.

Yes. Yeah, and this is why I liken it to a pride of lions because technically this is how a lion pride works. If you if you know how male lions when when they're adolescent and they start to get their manes they're not strong enough to take over a pride and it's not until a lion is older in a pride and his loses his strength that he's then usurped by a younger lion and.

That with that goes mating privileges with the females. Yeah, I've seen this on some animal thing that I was flipping channels. It's like yeah. Anyway, you kind of get the idea. Yeah, so it's like that.

So the animal kingdom has come now into human kingdoms. So you got to know that little subplot here in order to kind of get what comes next. Right on. Okay. I grew up in Southern, California. So the only bulls I saw were in cartoons.

So.

Right.

Abner’s Treason and the Politics of David’s House

Second Samuel chapter 3 verse 6. There was a war between the house of Saul and the house of David. Abner was making himself strong in the house of Saul and you're gonna see how now Saul had a concubine whose name was Rizpah the daughter of a aha and ishbosheth said to Abner.

Why have you gone into my father's concubine? Notice the text said that Abner was making himself strong in the house of Saul. There's a real simple reason why he Had sex with Rizpah is.

Because.

He was making himself strong. It's not that he had that Wibbly-wobbly feeling inside for her and they wanted to make a house together and put up a white ticket fence. It was because of political intrigue.

He was making himself strong in Saul's house so Abner. Okay typical when people are confronted with their Sins, he was angry very angry over the words of ishbosheth and said am I a dog's head of Judah?

Try that one out with your neighbors sometime when you're insulted, you know, am I a dog's head of Oslo, you know the interesting retort. To this day. I keep showing steadfast love to the house of Saul your father to his brothers And to his friends and have not given you yet into the hand of David and yet you charge me today with a fault.

Concerning a woman actually the charge was that you're Making a run at being King yourself. God do so to Abner and more also if I do not accomplish for David what Yahweh has sworn to him to transfer the kingdom from the house of Saul and set up the throne of David over Israel and over Judah and From Dan to bear Sheba now note here.

This is the first rumblings of Abner's repentance and the first rumblings are he's going to do the right thing for the wrong reason. Which is kind of fascinating what's the reason why he's now going to transfer the kingdom to David.

Because he's ticked that he's been called on the carpet by ishbosheth regarding Rizpah. He's angry and incensed about it and this is an honor culture and he's feeling dishonored. So first mention of this he's he's now beginning to think he's going to do the right thing.

But for the wrong reason but note here that he's made it clear that in his breath are the actual words of God. Did not the Lord swear to David to transfer the kingdom to him and so he's remembering now God's Word and Repentance is worked through the Word of God.

It doesn't just come out of nowhere. It works through the Word of God. So he's remembering what God said. He's it's now on his mind. It's in his heart. It's on his lips and Still he's gonna do the he's setting out to do the right thing for the wrong reason.

But this is going to change. This is going to change because God's Word is now going to work repentance in him. So Abner Sent messengers to David on his behalf saying to whom does the land belong? Make your covenant with me and behold my hand shall be with you to bring over all of Israel to you.

Right thing wrong reason and notice he wants to cut a deal. It's cutting a deal here. I'm gonna bring all of Israel over to you. So make a covenant with me. We can work this out. I Know it's not his to give and yet again, he's doing the right thing.

But the reason why is still off. So David said good I will make a covenant with you. But one thing I require of you that is that you shall not see my face. Unless you first bring the call Saul's daughter when you come to see my face.

Then David sent messengers to ishbosheth Saul's son saying give me my wife McCall for whom I paid the bridal price of 104 skins to of the Philistines actually he paid to Who's counting and ishbosheth sent and took her from her husband Paul TL the son of Laish?

But her husband went with her weeping after all after her all the way to Bahrain. Then Abner said to him go return and he returned a little bit of a note here scripture actually talks about that if a woman has committed adultery and returns to her husband it would be an Actually a bad thing in this particular case, although this was against her will she's been with Paul TL now and She's been an adulteress the whole time.

And so when you read the Church Fathers on this and you can't push too hard on it they see in this some kind of picture if you would of the church and Christ. You know the estranged wife now being brought back to Christ although she's technically an adulteress and of him forgiving her for her adulteries and Desire and desiring for the relationship to be restored.

You can't push too hard on it because you're gonna see that McCall. She's gonna end up dying childless. You know later in the story, but at this point you can kind of see there's a picture if you would of the church we are all born dead and trespasses and sins enemies of God and Christ and Christ bleeds and dies for us and Washes away our sins and restores the relationship and we are the bride of Christ collectively.

You see how that works. So kind of a it's an interesting typology then then and I get it I get it. It's you can't push too hard on it. I think that's a good way of you know. Kind of like focusing it on Christ and meditating on that particular theme in Scripture is beneficial.

All right next.

The Prodigal Son and the Joy of Repentance

Abner conferred with the elders of Israel saying for some time past you have been seeking David as king over you now then bring it about for Yahweh has promised David saying and now watch this direct quote.

Now the actual Word of God the direct quote from the Prophet Samuel is now in the lips of Abner. By the hand of my servant David I will save my people Israel from the hand of the Philistines and from the hand of all of their enemies.

And When you hear a prophecy like this By the hand of my servant David, I will save my people.

You.

Can't help but think there's got to be like a twin fulfillment here. One pointing to David and the old the the ultimate fulfillment of a prophecy like this pointing to Christ. Because this is a salvific theme and that's oftentimes house how prophecies work.

So now Abner is actually he's gone back checked his notes. He knows exactly what the Lord has said. God's Word is on his lips and God's Word does not return to him void and now the Word of God is now working in him and you're gonna see that he's going to change from doing the right thing for the wrong reasons and He's already beginning to do this to do the right thing for the right reasons recognizing that it was the Lord who established David and Tacitly in public Recognizing that he's been working against that and that's kind of what the gist of this little speech is here.

Right. So Abner also spoke to Benjamin. Then Abner went to tell David at Hebron all that Israel and the whole house of Benjamin thought good to do when Abner came with 20 men to David at Hebron. David made a feast for Abner and the men who were with him.

Huh? Which parable does this sound like? Sounds exactly like the prodigal son. Does it not? Okay, let's take a look at that real quick because I think it's worth Reviewing because the themes are unmistakably identical.

Hang on a second here. I spilled that wrong. Unfortunately, it's a user error. Luke 15 1. This is a picture of repentance. The tax collectors and the sinners were all drawing near to Jesus. Oh, we got to put a stop to that.

At least that's how the Pharisees thought right and the Pharisees and the scribes grumbled saying this man.

Receives sinners.

That's weird because if Jesus were to eat at a Pharisee's house would he be eating with sinners. Yeah, so, you know, it's kind of the theme here against the self-righteous. So Jesus told them this parable and it's important to note parable here is in the singular.

This is one parable three chapters. Chapter one what man of you having a hundred sheep if he has lost one of them does not leave the 99 in the open country go after the one that is lost until he finds it and when he has found it he lays it On his shoulders rejoicing and when he comes home He calls together his friends and his neighbors saying to them rejoice with me for I have found my sheep that was lost.

So I tell you there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over 99 righteous persons who need no repentance. So the angels have a party every time a sinner repents and sinner. Repentance is here likened to a shepherd finding a lost sheep picking the sheep up putting on a shoulder.

Carrying it back to the sheep pen and you can say that little sheep is going. Hey, look at me. I'm repenting. Right the whole time. Who's the active agent in the repentance then? God is working that in the sheep.

Okay, and if you miss the point chapter two of the one parable or That what woman having ten silver coins and this is the day when they did not have nice hardwood floors floors were made out of dirt. Okay, having ten silver coins if she loses one coin does not light a lamp sweep the house seek diligently until she finds It and when she has found it she calls together her friends and neighbors saying rejoice with me.

I have found the coin that I had lost. Just so I tell you there is joy before the angels of God over one sinner who repents by the way. What did the lost coin do to be found? Nothing. Right, so you notice here.

One parable three chapters opening chapters make it clear who the active agent is in repentance. It's God. Now we get to chapter three. There was a man who had two sons. The younger of them said to his father father Give me the share of property that is coming to me and he divided his property between them.

Not many days later the younger son gathered all that he had and took a journey into a far country and there he squandered his property on reckless living. So just so you kind of get the gist of what's going on here.

Honor culture son basically says to dad dad. It really upsets me that you're not dead yet. Since you're not doing me any favors and dying anytime soon. I don't really love you. I just want what you have.

Would you just give me the inheritance now and we'll just I'll wait for you to die later. That's kind of the gist of the subtext of what he's saying. What a lovely son. Lovely son. All right. Just has the best bond with his dad, right.

So when he'd spent everything so he spends his property and reckless living important to note here. It doesn't actually say what he does except for its reckless living. It doesn't define what reckless living is.

Not sure what that is. Maybe he was at the racetrack. Who knows when he had spent everything a severe famine arose in the country? He began to be in need so we went and hired himself out to one of the citizens of that country who sent him into his fields to feed pigs and He was longing to be fed with the pods that the pigs ate and no one gave him anything.

So we have a Jewish boy feeding pigs, that's just the lowest of the low. But when he came to himself, he said how many of my father's hired servants have more than enough bread. But I perish here with hunger.

I will arise go to my father and I will say to him father I've sinned against heaven and before you I am no longer worthy to be called your son. This is most certainly true. Treat me as one of your hired servants.

Notice. He's trying to cut a deal. The confession is correct, but he wants to cut a deal which means he's still kind of in charge but watch what happens. So he rose came to his father. But while he was still a long way off his father saw him felt compassion very strong in the Greek.

His plug needs of my were just wrenched within him and he ran and he embraced his son and kissed him and The son said to him father I have sinned against heaven and before you and I am no worth no longer worthy to be called your.

Son.

Full stop. That's the confession of sins. This is most certainly true. But watch this the father said to servants quick. Bring the best robe put it on him put a ring on his hand his shoes and his feet.

Bring the fatted calf kill it. Let us eat and celebrate for this. My son was dead and is alive. He was lost and is found and they began to celebrate. They began to party like it was BC 99. That's grace.

Was there an asterisk?

Nope.

Full rights as son full honor full forgiveness full pardon and. How do you think the older son is gonna like that? He won't. Next part his older son was in the field. He came drew near to the house. He heard music and dancing and he called one of the servants and asked what these things meant.

He said your brother has come your father has killed the fatted calf. Because he's received him back safe and sound and he was angry and refused to go in. Who's he angry at? His father. That's who he's angry at.

The person who is scandalized by the gospel is angry at Jesus. How dare you forgive him or her? Because remember the context was this. The Pharisees were incensed.

That what?

Jesus was eating with sinners. He was angry. He refused to go in. His father came out and entreated him and notice. His father is being insulted by this son. And being dishonored by him in his behavior.

But he asked he answered his father. Look these many years. I have served you. I Never disobeyed your command yet. You never gave me even a young goat that I might celebrate with my friends. Notice that this the son is describing himself not as a son, but as a slave or a servant.

It's not interesting. But when this son of yours Came who has devoured your property with prostitutes. Yeah, I I don't. It didn't say that in the text. That's weird kind of slander there. You killed the fatted calf for him and he said to him son You're always with me and all that is mine is yours.

It was fitting to celebrate and be glad for this. Your brother was dead and is alive. He was lost.

And is found.

This is the motif. This is the doctrine. This is the theology that is in our Old Testament text. So here you have Abner the treasonous fellow who's caused Israel to be split. Who's put ishbosheth in an office as king with no authority to do so.

This is the fellow who deserves to die. He's killed. He's killed. Asahel and Joab and Abishai are gonna get vengeance on him. And this is the fellow now who because God's Word is working in him is Laying down his arms rallying all of Israel and gonna transfer the kingdom to David and David gives him asterisk free.

Pardon and.

It's.

Scandalous.

Absolutely.

Scandalous.

So just then 2nd Samuel 3 Oh verse 20 Abner came with 20 men to David at Hebron. David made a feast for Abner and the men who were with him. Abner said to David I will arise and go. I will gather all of Israel to my lord the king so that they may make a Covenant with you and that you may reign over all that your hearts desires.

So David sent Abner away. He went. Bach. Shalom in peace Peace Shalom. He went in peace and that's what forgiveness does. It gives us Shalom with Christ. Go in peace. This is not going to sit well.

With Joab.

So just then the servants of David arrived with Joab from raid Bringing much spoil with them, but Abner was not with David at Hebron for he had sent him away and he'd gone in Chile in peace. Bach Shalom.

When Joab and all the army that was with him came It was told Joab Abner the son of Ner came to the king and he has let him go and he has gone. Bach Shalom, he's gone in peace and Joab goes what?

What.

So Joab went to the king and he said what have you done? Who's he blaming David? What have you done? Oh Abner came to you. Why is it that you've sent him away so that he's gone? You know that Abner the son of Ner came to deceive you and to know you're going out and you're coming in and to know All that you're doing.

Oh, isn't that interesting? Joab wasn't even there. He didn't hear any of the words of Abner. He didn't see his demeanor didn't see the sincerity of what he is doing and he's straight-up lying about him and It's basically ascribing to his motives the worst of intents what he's really planning on doing.

He's here to spy this all out because he's gonna come and slaughter you knew what what. Joe I have trust in him. I Mean David trusted trusted Abner. David trust in him. Uh-huh. David held a feast for him.

The one who was lost has been found. He's not he's not he's not listening to Joab so when Joab came out from David's presence He sent messengers after Abner and they brought him back from the cistern of Sarah but David did not know about it and When Abner returned to Hebron Joe had Joab took him aside into the midst of the gate to speak with him privately and There he struck him in the stomach so that he died.

For the blood of Asahel his brother. Remember Asahel died when Joab took the back end of his spear To get him to stop and they went right through his stomach and ended up dying. So now this is a vengeance killing.

Total vengeance killing. David knew nothing about it. David didn't sanction it and you can see that when Joab left the presence of David he'd gotten nowhere with David. So he's acting all on his own. Forgive this fellow.

How dare.

You.

Have a feast for him. How?

Dare.

You.

So he struck him in the stomach so that he died for the blood of Asahel his brother. Afterward when David heard of it, he said I and my kingdom are forever guiltless before Yahweh for the blood of Abner the son of Ner.

May it fall upon the head of Joab and upon all of his father's house. I made a house of Joab. Never be without one who has a Discharge or who is leprous or who holds a spindle or who falls by the sword or who lacks bread?

So Joab and Abishai his brother killed Abner because he had put their brother Asahel to death in the Battle of Gibeon.

And.

This is a huge curse, by the way. This is a cursed reserve for the most of it most impenitent. Refusing to forgive those who have been forgiven. To treat somebody as unforgiven who is forgiven is a grievous sin in the eyes of God.

There's a grievous sin in the kingdom of God. You see it.

Terrible.

David's.

Actions next are beautiful because how much Repentance has Abner had time to demonstrate prior to his assassination. Almost none. All we see was his intent to make things, right? And he was on his way to undo his own sin.

He hadn't even had time to basically make things right.

Not at all and.

How is David going to treat him remember he is a treasonous.

Murderous.

Rebel who's divided the kingdom and Through his treason deserved to die but watch how he's treated in his death. So David said to Joab and to all the people who were with him tear your clothes put on sackcloth.

Mourn before Abner and King David followed the beer. David takes Abner's funeral and turns it into a state funeral. The king himself following the casket Right behind it. They buried Abner at Hebron. The king lifted up his voice and he wept at the grave of Abner and all the people wept.

Remember Jesus weeping at Lazarus's tomb. The king lamented for Abner saying Should Abner die as a fool dies. Your hands were not bound your feet were not fettered as one falls before the wicked. You have fallen.

And all the people wept again over him. Then all the people came to persuade David to eat bread while it was yet day, but David swore Saying God do so to me and more if I taste bread or anything else until the Sun goes down.

He weeps he laments he fasts. And all the people took notice of it and it pleased them as everything that the king did pleased all the people. So all the people in all of Israel understood that day that it had not been the king's will to put to death Abner the son of Ner.

And the king said to his servants Do you not know that a prince and a great man has fallen this day in? Israel You have got to be kidding me notice he goes.

From.

Treasonous rebel. All the way to Prince. That's crazy. But I'll tell you what. It gives me hope gives me hope It shows me the limitless Boundless nature of Christ's forgiveness and mercy and his pardon is without asterisk.

And it's humbling and.

It's beautiful. You get a picture of the results of the cross here in King David. Unfortunately, there's way too much Joab in me. Do you not know that a prince and a great man has fallen this day in Israel and I was gentle today though anointed King these men the sons of Zariah are more severe than I.

Yahweh repay the evildoer according to his wickedness from a political point of view. What Joab did? By the world standards was very helpful for David. It helps establish his kingdom gets rid of the man who is blocking the kingdom from being united.

But the circumstances mean everything. David is behaving like Christ here Joab like. Sinful grudge-bearing, huh. Murderous thugs. Yeah.

No.

Absolutely not. No. So this is where you you have to keep the right in the left-hand kingdom separate in your mind so the idea then is that the left-hand kingdom has been given the sword for the purpose of punishing the evildoer and This keeps evil at bay so let's say that Some fellow, you know, he goes on a murdering spree kills a bunch of people.