Michiana Covenant Presbyterian Church

There are three basic stories in the book of Kings. 1 Kings begins the three stories: 1) the story of the kingdom of Solomon and the building of the temple in Jerusalem (1-11) 2) the story of the Northern kingdom – the rebellion of Jeroboam – and the building of the golden calf shrines at Bethel and Dan (12-16) 3) the story of Omride Dynasty – the line of Omri and his son, Ahab – and the building of the temple of Baal in Samaria (16-22) These three stories then end in reverse order. And, of course, at the very center of the book of Kings are the prophets Elijah and Elisha. Their narrative is woven into the story of the Omrides. And at the very heart of the book of Kings you find two resurrections and an ascension. First, Elijah raises the Sidonian widow's son. Resurrection comes first to a Gentile – and not just any Gentile – a member of Jezebel's people! Last, Elisha raises the Shunammite's son – resurrection comes to the Gentile first, but also to the Jew! And at the very heart of the book is the ascension

[Sung Psalm: 2] If you live according to the flesh you will die. If you return to the pattern of life of the old man, living simply to please yourself, then you will die. But if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live. As Paul had said in verse 11, "If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit who dwells in you. The life that is at work in you is nothing less than resurrection life. The resurrection of Jesus Christ is already at work in you. Notice how confident Paul is: he says that if you live according to the flesh you will die, but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live. After all, if the Spirit is in you then you will put to death the deeds of the body. You will become more and more like Jesus. How can Paul be so confident? Because the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you...

In chapter 23 we heard David's final song. David saw himself as the son of God. He is the one who was seated on God's throne - anointed with God's Spirit. And he is the "sweet psalmist of Israel" - the singer who both teaches Israel in song, and who speaks to God on behalf of Israel. David sees that the future of his house (the future of justice) is secure because God has promised to establish his son on his throne forever. And when the Son of David rules in the fear of God, then all of humanity flourishes in his presence! We also heard about the thirty mighty men – the warriors who assisted the LORD's Anointed in establishing the Kingdom of Christ...

[Sung Psalm: 102] Romans 8 is delightful for many reasons! But preeminent among them is that Romans 8 is one of the clearest and most beautiful portraits of the Holy Spirit found in scripture! The work of Christ and the work of the Holy Spirit are intimately bound together. Verse 1 says it so beautifully – "There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus." Those who are in Christ are no longer under the law. The law cannot condemn those who are in Christ, because Christ has delivered us from this body of death. Through his atoning sacrifice – through his death on the cross – Jesus has taken the penalty for our sin. But that same work is attributed to the Holy Spirit in verse 2: For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death. Paul says that we can no longer consider ourselves apart from Christ! The law of the Spirit of life (the ruling power of the Holy Spirit) has set you free from the law of sin and death (the ruling power of sin and

[Sung Psalm: 80] Do you sometimes think that the flesh is too strong? Do you think that the power of sin is too overwhelming? that it is too much for you? Another way of saying it is: "do you get so caught up in Romans 7 that you never make it to Romans 8?" Because the point of Romans 8 is that Christ brings not only freedom from the guilt of sin, but also freedom from its power. This is why – many years ago – I started saying in the declaration of pardon: "believer in Jesus Christ, you are free from the guilt and the power of sin." Paul has just finished saying that "I died" through the holy, righteous and good law. Not that the law brought death (7:13): "By no means!" It was sin that brought death. But the law condemns sin – and so therefore condemns me. That is why Paul opens Romans 8 with his marvelous statement, "There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus."

"Now these are the last words of David..." "Last words" does not mean that this is final thing that David said. Rather, it means that this is David's epitaph – his final song – the conclusion to David's life and labors. And this is important for our passage tonight, because David is reflecting on the predictive word that God gave him – and that was written down in the book of Samuel; and reflecting on the redemptive act of God in establishing his kingdom. The story that is coming next (in the opening chapters of the book of Kings) is the building of the temple. There is a way in which David's words – God's words through David – God's covenant with David – are setting up the temple (like how God's covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob set up the Exodus/Tabernacle). And so it is not surprising to find David open his song with a reflection on the just king...

We saw last time how chapter 21 brings the narrative of David full circle, in his dealings with the house of Saul and with the Philistines. Chapter 22 is now David's song of praise to God for his great deliverance – his salvation from beginning to end...

[Sung Psalm: 130] Perhaps no other passage in all of Scripture has perplexed the church more than Romans 7. The early Fathers could not bring themselves to believe that Paul was talking about his current experience – and struggled to resolve the apparent contradiction between what Paul described as the normative Christian identity of Romans 6 and the experience of Romans 7 – because they recognized the struggle of Romans 7 as their own struggle! Some have said that Paul is describing his own Christian experience. Others have said that Paul is describing the experience of new believers, who have not yet come to full maturity as Christians. Others have said that he is describing himself before coming to Christ. Others have said that Paul is describing the Jewish pre-Christian experience. And that's only a few of the options! I don't think that you'll be surprised when I say that I'm not entirely satisfied with any of them...

In our text tonight we see the story of David moving in reverse. As David's story began with Goliath and Saul, so now it will end with Goliath and Saul. As David began going out before the troops, tonight David will no longer go out. He is growing old. I have titled tonight's sermon "from Beginning to End" in order to show how our text brings resolution in each of the three major areas of David's life: - his relationship to the house of Saul (21:1-14), - his relationship to the Philistines (21:15-22), and then his relationship to Yahweh – which will look at next time in chapter 22. And we, who are united to the house of David in our Lord Jesus Christ, need to remember that this is our story as well. In Jesus we have the faithful and victorious king, whose deliverance is due to God alone...

[Sung Psalm: 81] The session decided yesterday to take the next six weeks – the next 40 days – as a time of corporate lament and grieving. The last couple years have been a really hard for everyone. Everyone is grieving in their own way. Our goal for this time is not so much to look backward and relive the past – but to look forward and ask what we can learn, how we can grow – and also, how we can comfort and encourage one another during this season. When you have been through a traumatic situation, it's important to process and talk and pray together. And it seemed fitting to start this season of lament with Romans 7...

2 Samuel 20 may be one of the least commented upon chapters in the Bible. I think it is the most forgotten episode in the life of David. The chapter begins and ends with the blowing of a trumpet – and a call for every man to return to his tent. But the meaning of "return to your tent" is very different at the end than it was at the beginning! At the beginning, Sheba is saying "We have no portion in David" – Return to your tent – rebel against David! At the end, Joab is saying "Everyone go home – and if you do, you will be in submission to David." The same action can have very different meanings. The same words can mean opposite things – depending on context...

[Sung Psalm: 34] Paul has said that the dominion of Sin and Death was broken by the death and resurrection of Jesus. If the dominion of sin has been broken, if the reign of sin and death is over, then we are no longer under law. The law no longer has power over us. But this does not mean that we can do whatever we want. In the ancient world everyone acknowledged that they were under someone's authority. In the modern world we do not acknowledge it – but it is still true! If you have a job, you also have a boss! If you are the boss – you still have all sorts of authorities you have to obey! And Paul points out that this is also true in the spiritual world: You are no longer under the law. You are no longer enslaved to sin. Sin will have no dominion over you. But grace will have dominion! Christ has set us free from the power of sin and death. But that does not mean that you are your own master. No, you have now become slaves of God – slaves of righteousness. You are under the dominion of grace - the kingdom

We ended last time with David hearing the news of Absalom's death, and crying out "O my son, Absalom, my son, my son Absalom! Would that I had died instead of you, O Absalom, my son, my son!" The LORD's anointed is grieving over the usurper–the rebellious son. How should we think about all this? It's complicated. Especially when you see how the New Testament makes all sorts of connections to the death of Christ – you should start to see David and Absalom as a picture of Christ – just as much as Abraham and Isaac was! David – the LORD's Anointed – wishes that he could die in his rebellious son's place. Think not only of how our Lord Jesus did die in our place – but also how the apostle Paul says he wishes that he could be accursed for the sake of rebellious Israel. So yes, it's complicated. At least, it's complicated to everyone except Joab...

[Sung Psalm: 19] Is it true? Sin shall not have dominion over you? You know the problem well: you seek to obey God and live a life that is pleasing and holy before him, but you continually fall into sin. Then you repent and confess your sin to God with the promise of new obedience, but then you fall again, and the cycle of sin and repentance wears you down. "How could God forgive me for the same sin, over and over?" you ask. Paul answers: "Our old self was crucified with him, in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin." Yet in my experience, the struggle continues. I do not feel that my old self is dead - it seems all too alive and well for a corpse. It's all well and good to talk about progressive sanctification, to say that these things take time, but that does not remove the horrible fact that I am still sinning - and often times it is quite deliberate. Children, don't you find yourselves doing things which hurt your parents or your brothers a

We heard at the end of chapter 16 that Ahithophel's counsel was esteemed as the word of God. When Ahithophel speaks, kings listen. Ahithophel, the grandfather of Bathsheba, was the wisest counselor in Israel. He apparently sought revenge for how David had treated his granddaughter's husband, Uriah. And now he comes to Absalom and asks for the honor of getting his revenge personally. Ahithophel's counsel is terse, clear, and pointed: Let me choose 12,000 men, and I will arise and pursue David tonight. (This is still the same day that David has left–the same day that Absalom came to Jerusalem - the same day that Absalom slept with David's concubines before all Israel.) I will come upon him while he is weary and discouraged and throw him into a panic, and all the people who are with him will flee. I will strike down only the king, and I will bring all the people back to you as a bride comes home to her husband. You seek the life of only one man, and all the people will be at peace. The death of one man will brin

[Sung Psalm: 51] Man was created to be the steward of all creation; all creation rejoiced in his rule, and he was the spring, the fountainhead, of all humanity. But Adam's sin poisoned the spring - and now the foul waters of sin and corruption flow through us. When Adam lost the gifts which God had given him, he lost them not only for himself, but for us all. Are you guilty in Adam? It's not – "are you guilty for Adam's sin? – but rather, are you guilty in Adam's sin? Did Adam's sin constitute us – as the human race – as sinners? We don't like to hear this. How can it be fair for God to condemn me for what Adam did? He sinned – and because he sinned, I get a life of misery and corruption. How is that fair??!! If you think in terms of modern individualism, it's not fair. If everyone should be judged strictly and solely based on their own merits, then God is not fair. And for that I say, "Thanks be to God!" Why do I say that? Because if it is unfair for God to find you guilty in Adam, then it would also be unf

It is a little frustrating reading sermons about David. There are all sorts of good moral applications out there, such as: - David should have been devoted to God's kingdom–so should you! - David should have been a good father–so should you! But there is little understanding of how the narrative of David is all about the gospel! Our story tonight is all about the cross. Certainly David has created the mess that he is in. But he is the LORD's anointed. And God has ordained that he will prefigure the sufferings of his great son, Jesus. And if David pre-figures our Lord Jesus – then it is equally accurate to say that sometimes we post-figure Christ! That's what Paul means by speaking of sharing in the sufferings of Christ. Obviously, like David, much of our suffering is self-inflicted. But David reminds us that even though much of our suffering happens because of our own foolishness, God uses even that suffering to conform us to the image of his Son...

[Sung Psalm: 119:113-120] The literary structure of Romans 5:1-11 centers on verse 6. Notice verse 1 "we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have also obtained access…" Compare with verse 11, "we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation." The next parallel is verses 3 and 11 "More than that, we rejoice" (v3) "More than that, we also rejoice" (v11) You can also see the connection between the love of God in verse 5, and the love of God in verse 8. At the very center of verses 1-11 is verse 6 – which is one of the shortest sentences in the whole book of Romans! Romans is famous for its long sentences! There are frequently 5-10 verses all composing one sentence! So when you get a really short one, you should pay attention! For Christ, while we were still weak, at the right time, for the ungodly, died. While we were still weak – he died. At the right time – he died. For the ungodly – he died. Christ came to us in our wea

I really, really wish that I could call this sermon, "the return of the prodigal son" – ubt I can't. Because Absalom is the opposite of the prodigal son. The prodigal son returns in humility. Absalom returns with arrogance and pride...

[Sung Psalm: 102] When was Abraham justified?! Last time, we saw in Genesis 15 that Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned to him as righteousness – it was counted to him (or imputed to him) as righteousness. So you might say that Abraham was justified in Genesis 15. But, of course, Abraham had believed God many years earlier, back in Genesis 12. So Abraham was justified at least by Genesis 12. In Romans 4, Paul will talk about the episode in Genesis 17 in terms of Abraham's justifying faith. And in James 2, James will point to Genesis 22 – the offering of Isaac, as a part of Abraham's justification. This is because the one act of justification – whereby God declares you righteous in his sight, forgiving all your sins, only because of the righteousness of Jesus Christ, imputed to us and received by faith alone – that one justification – is experienced by us over and over again. You see – justification is not a "more and more" sort of thing. You can't be any more justified. You either are justified or you a