Sermon Tone Analysis

[VIDEO] II Samuel Bumper

Introduction

Welcome / Church Online

Back to our summer series on Samuel

Last week we learned that King Saul has died, and Pastor Tim challenged us to run our race and finish well.

Today, we are going to dive into the first chapter of II Samuel.

David Learns of Saul’s Death

2sam1.1-

It’s important to note that David was camped in Ziklag located deep in the southern territory, while King Saul was killed on Mount Gilboa far away, north of Judah.

If you remember, David had just finished defeating the Amalekites after returning to Ziklag and discovering that the Amalekites had raided Ziklag, captured David and his mens’ wives and children, and burned the city to the ground.

David’s distance from Saul’s battle and preoccupation with defeating the Amalekites, recovering his family, and rebuilding Ziklag means he has no idea that King Saul, the king of Israel, has died.

2sam1.2-4

For David, this news would be similar to us hearing about the planes hitting the twin towers on 9/11 or JFK being assassinated.

We can remember the exact place we were when the news was delivered.

But there wasn’t a news channel David could turn on to verify the information.

He couldn’t pull out his phone and getting on Twitter or Facebook to see if others were discussing the event.

Imagine the thoughts that might have been running through David’s head.

The king, and his son Jonathan—David’s best and closest friend—are dead.

You better have some evidence to back up this kind of claim.

2sam1.6-

2sam1.6

First, how do you just “happen” to be on Mount Gilboa in the middle of war?

His words suggest he may have been fighting alongside the Israelite army.

Yet, his lackadaisical choice of vocabulary leaves a lot to be desired — and may have tipped David off to the man’s true intentions—he excepted a reward.

2sam1.10-

Mortal Combat

It’s interesting to me that in this moment Saul ask for the man’s identity.

Would it matter at this point?

It’s ironic that the man informs Saul that he is an Amalekite.

As we studied last summer, it was Saul’s refusal and failure to completely wipe out the Amalekites, that the Lord rejects Saul as King.

1sam15.17-

Saul’s downfall as Israel’s king is bookend by enemy Amalekites.

His downfall began with the failure to destroy the Amalekites (; )

His life now ends with an Amalekite claiming responsibility for killing him ()

When you refuse to put to death the things in your life that God has commanded you to kill, they will be the death of you.

The death of your influence, the death of your ministry, the death of your joy, the death of your peace, the death of your contentment, etc.

Too often we think we’re the exception.

We continue to play in sin and dabble in the things God has called us out from.

John Piper - “Killing sin is not optional.

This is mortal combat: Sin dies or we die.

We must refuse to settle in with sin.”

prov

John McArthur - “Sin must be dealt with ruthlessly.

It must be obliterated.

It must be utterly defeated.

It must be hacked to pieces or it will revive and it will continue and it will come back to plunder your heart and again and again and again and sap your spiritual strength and rob you of your virtue.

And you cannot be merciful with Agag, and you cannot be merciful with amalek or he will turn and multiply and come back to devour.”

Sin must be dealt with ruthlessly.

It must be obliterated.

It must be utterly defeated.

It must be hacked to pieces or it will revive and it will continue and it will come back to plunder your heart and again and again and again and sap your spiritual strength and rob you of your virtue.

And you cannot be merciful with Agag, and you cannot be merciful with amalek or he will turn and multiply and come back to devour.

Quit trying to toe-the-line.

Stopping seeing how close you can get to sin.

Little boy at soccer game toeing-the-line

Matt Chandler - Too often we tell ourselves that we can control sin.

We want to manage it, train it.

But we don’t necessarily want it to die.

That’s not grace-driven effort; that’s legalism.Grace-driven effort is violent.

It is rage-filled and violent toward the residual sin inside of us.

It’s not going to give it one inch of room.