2 Samuel Series - Week 2: Faithfulness in Wickedness

 In 1996, Atlanta, Georgia was hosting the Summer Olympics. While at the games, one of the security guards noticed a strange backpack. The security guard notified the police, but as he was clearing people away from the scene, the backpack exploded, killing one person and injuring another 111 people. The FBI came into investigate, and pinned the bombing on the security guard because he fit the profile of a lone bomber. Where once he was a hero, now he was the prime suspect. He was never arrested, but the media and FBI hounded him for three months. His life unraveled, as some accused him of placing the bomb so that he could play the hero. Eventually in the Fall of 1996, he was cleared by the Justice Department of any wrong doing. The real bomber confessed and pleaded guilty in 2005. The security officer, Richard Jewell, died in 2007, fully exonerated and seen as the hero he was. 

It’s this idea of doing what’s right and still being seen as doing wrong that brings us back to our summer series in the book of Second Samuel, where we’ll be picking it back up in Second Samuel Chapter 2 verse 1. And as we open up to Second Samuel 2:1, let’s remind ourselves where we are so far. 

In week one, we covered the three sections of First Samuel, because First and Second Samuel are really one cohesive story of the transition from the era of Judges, to the era of the monarchy, and to the Davidic kingdom. In understating this, we briefly looked at one of the themes that carries over from First Samuel to Second Samuel, and that’s David’s love for Saul’s family. We saw how David grieved over Saul and Ish-bosheth, two men trying to hold onto their dynasty, and who were trying to kill David. Yet at their deaths, David mourned for them. Then we saw how David brought in and took care of the last remaining descendant of Saul, Jonathan’s son. Through all of this we saw how deep David’s love for Saul’s family was. And we walked away from last week with the understanding that, God is calling us to be people seeking the good for others, even when they seek our harm.

With that now fresh in our minds, we can move into the second chapter of Samuel, where again, we won’t cover every verse, because our purpose in these summer series is to see the big picture of the Bible. So let’s read starting in Second Samuel 2:1. 

2:1 After this David inquired of the Lord, “Shall I go up into any of the cities of Judah?” And the Lord said to him, “Go up.” David said, “To which shall I go up?” And he said, “To Hebron.” 2 So David went up there, and his two wives also, Ahinoam of Jezreel and Abigail the widow of Nabal of Carmel. 3 And David brought up his men who were with him, everyone with his household, and they lived in the towns of Hebron. 4 And the men of Judah came, and there they anointed David king over the house of Judah.

When they told David, “It was the men of Jabesh-gilead who buried Saul,” 5 David sent messengers to the men of Jabesh-gilead and said to them, “May you be blessed by the Lord, because you showed this loyalty to Saul your lord and buried him. 6 Now may the Lord show steadfast love and faithfulness to you. And I will do good to you because you have done this thing. 7 Now therefore let your hands be strong, and be valiant, for Saul your lord is dead, and the house of Judah has anointed me king over them.”

8 But Abner the son of Ner, commander of Saul's army, took Ish-bosheth the son of Saul and brought him over to Mahanaim, 9 and he made him king over Gilead and the Ashurites and Jezreel and Ephraim and Benjamin and all Israel. 10 Ish-bosheth, Saul's son, was forty years old when he began to reign over Israel, and he reigned two years. But the house of Judah followed David. 11 And the time that David was king in Hebron over the house of Judah was seven years and six months.

The after this is when he heard about Saul’s death, mourned it, and taught the people of Judah a song to remember their first king. Notice that David does the best thing he could do, he “inquired of the Lord.” Now he won’t always do this, and he hasn’t always done this, but this is one time, when he gets it right, we need to point it out. 

David inquires of God, because he’s in a place of limbo. Saul’s dead, and David had been anointed by Samuel to be king, however, what’s next? The best place to go is to God to find out what’s the next step. God tells David to move to Hebron, which is a city south of Jerusalem. He takes his whole family, including the fighting men who had been with him for years.

While in Hebron, the tribe of Judah creates a rift in Israel. They crown David as their king, however, he is only over their tribe. But, as we see in verse 8-11, Ish-bosheth is crowned kind of the other eleven tribes. This makes sense because he’s the next in line to the throne. But because there are now two kings in Israel, we get this line in Chapter 3, verse 1, “There was a long war between the house of Saul and the house of David. And David grew stronger and stronger, while the house of Saul became weaker and weaker.”

In other words, the nation of Israel, within the span of a few hundred years, experienced their second civil war. The first being between the tribe of Benjamin and the rest of Israel in Judges, Chapter 20.

Dropping down to verse 12 in Chapter 2, we see the first battle of this civil war. The armies of David and Ish-bosheth meet at Gibeon, a city just north of Jerusalem. There Joab on David’s side, and Abner on Ish-bosheth’s side send their men out to fight. David’s men win, while Ish-bosheth’s lose. At the end of the battle three things happen: First, we find out that Abner kills Joab’s brother, Asahel (v.21-23), this will be important for later. Second, David wins, losing only nineteen men, to Ish-bosheth’s three-hundred and sixty (v.30-31). Finally, we get an insight into the power structure of Ish-bosheth. When describing how many men died for which side, we’re told this in verse 31, “But the servants of David struck down of Benjamin 360, of Abner’s men.”

Abner’s men? Shouldn’t it read, Ish-bosheth’s men? This let’s us know that Ish-bosheth might not be the power behind the throne. Remember what I just read from Chapter 3 verse 1? “And David grew stronger and stronger, while the house of Saul became weaker and weaker.” This is juxtaposed with verse 6 of Chapter 3 which reads, “While there was war between the house of Saul and the house of David, Abner was making himself strong in the house of Saul.”

While David is growing strong as king of Judah, Ish-bosheth is losing power. Yet under his nose, so to speak, his greatest general is gaining power. But I don’t think Abner does so through malice

Let’s pick it back up in verse 7, where we see the power struggle within Ish-bosheth’s house.

7 Now Saul had a concubine whose name was Rizpah, the daughter of Aiah. And Ish-bosheth said to Abner, “Why have you gone in to my father's concubine?” 8 Then Abner was very angry over the words of Ish-bosheth and said, “Am I a dog's head of Judah? 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 into the hand of David. And yet you charge me today with a fault concerning a woman. 9 God do so to Abner and more also, if I do not accomplish for David what the Lord has sworn to him, 10 to transfer the kingdom from the house of Saul and set up the throne of David over Israel and over Judah, from Dan to Beersheba.” 11 And Ish-bosheth could not answer Abner another word, because he feared him.

Here we see Ish-bosheth, watching as| Abner is gaining strength, and probably a little insecure, like his father Saul was, accuses Abner of sleeping with one of Saul’s concubines. Now, usually when a king died, his concubines and other possessions transferred to their successor. If Abner did in fact sleep with the concubine, it would mean Abner was making a political play for the throne. However, it doesn’t seem to be in keeping with Abner’s track record. Just in chapters 2 and 3, we know it was Abner who crowned Ish-bosheth (v.2:6), and that he tried to not kill Joab’s brother (v.2:21-22). Then when accused, Abner responds with, “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 into the hand of David.” Abner appears to be hurt by the accusations because of all his years of service to Saul’s family. And it seems that this is the final straw, because right after this, in verse 12, Abner sends messengers to David to make a covenant. 

Then in verses 17-19, Abner gathers the elders of Israel, who are following Ish-bosheth, and agrees with them to make David their king.

Following this course of action, Abner meets with David and the two agree to join forces. However, Abner doesn’t get to see this alliance come to pass, because Joab finds out about what is happening. Remember, Abner is the one who killed Joab’s brother. He tired to avoid, it but it still happened. Let’s read Joab’s response, starting in verse 22 in Chapter 3.

22 Just then the servants of David arrived with Joab from a raid, bringing much spoil with them. But Abner was not with David at Hebron, for he had sent him away, and he had gone in peace. 23 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 in peace.” 24 Then Joab went to the king and said, “What have you done? Behold, Abner came to you. Why is it that you have sent him away, so that he is gone? 25 You know that Abner the son of Ner came to deceive you and to know your going out and your coming in, and to know all that you are doing.”

26 When Joab came out from David's presence, he sent messengers after Abner, and they brought him back from the cistern of Sirah. But David did not know about it. 27 And when Abner returned to Hebron, 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. 28 Afterward, when David heard of it, he said, “I and my kingdom are forever guiltless before the Lord for the blood of Abner the son of Ner. 29 May it fall upon the head of Joab and upon all his father's house, and may the 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!” 30 So Joab and Abishai his brother killed Abner, because he had put their brother Asahel to death in the battle at Gibeon.

So Joab does not like that David made a peace agreement with his brother’s killer. So, he takes matter in his own hands and kills Abner. 

Now David’s response is to mourn Abner’s death. Now, as far as we know, Abner appears to do everything honorably. Even supporting Ish-bosheth over David is honorable, because, technically, David’s not Saul’s successor. We’re no longer in the Judges era, where anyone could succeed. In the era of monarchy, it’s through the linage of the king, and that linage runs and that’s Ish-bosheth, not David. So Abner is honorable in crowning Ish-bosheth. And we see that honorable nature, when he tries to avoid killing Joab’s brother.

So David mourns Abner, and actually chastises Joab and his men for killing him. Starting in verse 33 it reads, “And 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 (v.3:33-34).’”

David’s upset that Joab would kill Abner, who David considered righteous, and calls those who did it wicked. In fact the chapter ends with David’s servants trying to get him to eat, but he’s too upset, and in verse 38 we read, “And the king said to his servants, ‘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 Zeruiah, are more severe than I. The Lord repay the evildoer according to his wickedness!’ (v.3:38-39)”

David views Joab as a evil men, performing a wicked act. Yet, as we’ll see later on, when David does his own wickedness, he brings Joab in on his plans to murder someone. 

But that’s later in David’s story. For now, David sees what Joab and his brother did was wicked, and so he mourns for Abner.

As we step away from this series of events in Chapters 2 and 3 of Second Samuel, we can look at Abner, who tried to be an honorable and righteous man, yet was murdered by wicked men. And here’s the reality, you could be the best person, do all things right, and still end up the victim of evil. Yet God is calls us to trust in his faithfulness, when the wickedness comes against us.

Jesus said this in John 16:33, “I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.” There are two things that are guaranteed to the disciple of Jesus: We will have tribulation. That means we’re going to experience hardships. And in the midst of that tribulation, Jesus’ words bring peace.

The path of Jesus isn’t like some preachers will tell you. It’s not blessings of material things. It’s not us telling God that we deserve this or that, and him giving us it. The path of Jesus, is God, who created all things, being with us in the day-to-day of this life. If we think that we are good and shouldn’t experience evil, remember Jesus was the best of the best. The Scriptures state in Hebrews 4:15, “For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin.” Unlike us who sin all the time, Jesus never succumbed to it, yet the most righteous, the person who live in perfect perfection, was brought down by wickedness.

In fact Jesus said, “Remember the word that I said to you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you. If they kept my word, they will also keep yours. (Jn 15:20)”

No matter how close we get to God, or how good we do in this world, wicked people will do wicked things. We need to accept that reality and do what God has called us to, do not respond to evil with evil, but with good (Rom. 12:17).

Wickedness will come against God’s people, but he calls us to trust in his faithfulness, when the wickedness comes against us.. This is why Paul writes in Second Thessalonians 3:3, reminding us, “But the Lord is faithful. He will establish you and guard you against the evil one.” That evil one could be the wicked devil, or the person seeking to cause us harm. We must trust God with those who are wicked, and stand in his goodness. 

Its hard to respond to wicked people with the goodness of God, because what we want is to pop them upside the head. And there are times for that, but God is seeking his people to respond to wickedness with his goodness.

So my challenge is this, last week, I challenged you to pray for one person that you see bringing harm to others. This week, I want to challenge you to write a letter to that person. Now, I’m not asking you to send it, but what I am asking you to do, is write a letter to that person who is causing or has caused harm, and communicate the Gospel to them. Tell them about how God created them, how our sins separate us from him, how sins can’t be removed by good deeds, how Jesus died to remove those sins, how anyone who trusts in Jesus has eternal life, and how that eternal life can begin today and lasts into eternity. After you write what the Gospel is, then write a prayer of blessing for them. Ask God’s blessing in their lives, that they would turn from wickedness and to him. 

Let us be a people, who have the goodness of God in our lives, pour it out from our inner being so that the world may know the God we serve. Amen.

2 Samuel Series - Week 1: Seeking God’s Goodness for Others

  One of the misconceptions I run into with people, who have, in some aspect, been connected to the ministry here, is the idea that I’m mad at them. See, we get three kinds of people who come through the ministry: Those who reject the Gospel, those who embrace it, but are not faithful in following it, and those who embrace and continue to walk faithfully. When I run into those who, even though they are not faithful followers but still would say they are a Christian, they tend to expect me to be upset with them, because they know and I know they aren’t following Jesus the way they were taught.

Now don’t get me wrong, I am disappointed that they are not following Jesus faithfully, but that doesn’t mean I’m mad at them. In fact, I desire the best for them, I know that means a close walk with Jesus, but I still care for them, and want God’s blessing on them because he is faithful to them, even if they are not faithful to him.

My love for those who come through the ministry stays consistent from before they professed Jesus, to after they do, and all the messiness that comes with it. I try to seek God in the area where the actions of people, whether for the Lord or not, do not stop me from caring for them. So if you are a person that thinks I’m mad at you, because you know you’re not faithful walking with Jesus, know that my hope is that you will someday become faithful with Jesus, but even if you don’t, I still care for you because God still cares for you. 

This brings us to our new summer series where we’ll be picking up in the book of Second Samuel, Chapter 1, verse 1. And as we open up to Second Samuel 1:1, we’re actually picking up in the middle of the story.

Last year we walked through First Samuel, and in the Hebrew Bible, these two books are one. By separating the two from each other, we make a distinction that wasn’t originally intended. These two books are meant to be understood in the light of each other. Though its name sake, Samuel, dies relatively early in the first part of First Samuel, this book is named for the legacy of Samuel, and covers the two kings he anointed. When combined, it shows not only the transition from the Judges era to the monarchy, but how quickly man’s governance of himself can spiral out of control, even with God’s hand picked leader.

So in order to understand Second Samuel, we need to review First Samuel. First, Samuel, or the first half of the book of Samuel, is divided into three parts: Samuel and the end of the Judges, Saul and the first monarchy of Israel, and the rise of David the future king.

From the first section we learned that, God calls all of his people to abide in his holy will. It’s to live in the will of God that makes a person a part of the people of God. We saw how Samuel kept faithful to God’s will even when it caused him personal pain, and when it caused division in the land of Israel.

In second section, where the book transitions from the Judges era to the monarchy of Saul, we learned that God calls us to freely accept his will, and not rebel against him, because there are consequences for being outside the will of God. We saw this in the life of Saul who, though he was anointed to be the under-king to God, decided to step outside of that role, allowing himself to think he was greater than he was. This led to him to abandoning the will of God, and eventually loosing his dynasty.

The finally section saw the rise of God’s chosen king, David. In that third section we learned, God desires us to eagerly follow him in humble trust that is confident that he will work things out as we seek and obey him, with a mentality of repentance. David’s life was a cycle of mountain tops with God, and valleys away from him. David would be faithful for a time, but then do some dumb sinful stuff. That cycle continues into Second Samuel. Like the Judges before him, his sin multiplies on top of its self. However, unlike the judges, who only served for a period of time, the monarchy’s rule lasts beyond one person. That means where the judges could be replaced by a more godly person, a bad king’s descendants may be on the throne for generations. In the second half of the greater book of Samuel, we will see how generational sin grows and impacts those who follow.

With that quick review of First Samuel, we can not turn our attention to Second Samuel. Where, today, we’re going to look at one aspect of who David is. That aspect is that, David loves Saul’s family in a way that no one else understood. In order to see this aspect of who David was, we have to look at three points in the book of Samuel. So we'll look at chapters 1, 4, and 9 today. We won’t be reading all of these chapters, so part of your homework is to re-read these in their entirety. Now, let’s jump into Second Samuel, Chapter 1, starting in verse 1.

1 After the death of Saul, when David had returned from striking down the Amalekites, David remained two days in Ziklag. 2 And on the third day, behold, a man came from Saul's camp, with his clothes torn and dirt on his head. And when he came to David, he fell to the ground and paid homage. 3 David said to him, “Where do you come from?” And he said to him, “I have escaped from the camp of Israel.” 4 And David said to him, “How did it go? Tell me.” And he answered, “The people fled from the battle, and also many of the people have fallen and are dead, and Saul and his son Jonathan are also dead.” 5 Then David said to the young man who told him, “How do you know that Saul and his son Jonathan are dead?” 6 And the young man who told him said, “By chance I happened to be on Mount Gilboa, and there was Saul leaning on his spear, and behold, the chariots and the horsemen were close upon him. 7 And when he looked behind him, he saw me, and called to me. And I answered, ‘Here I am.’ 8 And he said to me, ‘Who are you?’ I answered him, ‘I am an Amalekite.’ 9 And he said to me, ‘Stand beside me and kill me, for anguish has seized me, and yet my life still lingers.’ 10 So I stood beside him and killed him, because I was sure that he could not live after he had fallen. And I took the crown that was on his head and the armlet that was on his arm, and I have brought them here to my lord.”

11 Then David took hold of his clothes and tore them, and so did all the men who were with him. 12 And they mourned and wept and fasted until evening for Saul and for Jonathan his son and for the people of the Lord and for the house of Israel, because they had fallen by the sword. 13 And David said to the young man who told him, “Where do you come from?” And he answered, “I am the son of a sojourner, an Amalekite.” 14 David said to him, “How is it you were not afraid to put out your hand to destroy the Lord's anointed?” 15 Then David called one of the young men and said, “Go, execute him.” And he struck him down so that he died. 16 And David said to him, “Your blood be on your head, for your own mouth has testified against you, saying, ‘I have killed the Lord's anointed.’”

Second Samuel opens, where First Samuel ends, with the death of Saul. To David, Saul’s death was not a moment of victory, it was a tragedy. Throughout David’s relationship with Saul, from him playing music for the king, to the killing of Goliath, to winning many battles in the king’s name, David cared very deeply for Saul and his family. We saw this when David, on two separate occasions, spared Saul’s life, when he could have easily have taken it. In fact, David was so against taking Saul’s life, that when he met this man who put Saul out of his misery, because Saul was in the process of committing suicide on the battlefield, David had the man executed for taking the life of God’s anointed king. 

This love for Saul and his family, leads David into a song of lament in verses, 19-27. In the introduction to that lament of David over Saul and Jonathan’s deaths, the writer tells us, “…and [David] said it should be taught to the people of Judah … (v.18)”

It wasn’t just a song for David, but a song to teach the people to not despise or degrade Saul. David’s love for this family continues throughout the rest of Second Samuel. 

Later on in chapter 4, Saul’s son, who is crowed king of Israel, is murdered, and his head is brought to David. Let’s pick that situation up in Chapter 4, verse 7, “7 When they came into the house, as he lay on his bed in his bedroom, they struck him and put him to death and beheaded him. They took his head and went by the way of the Arabah all night, 8 and brought the head of Ish-bosheth to David at Hebron. And they said to the king, “Here is the head of Ish-bosheth, the son of Saul, your enemy, who sought your life. The Lord has avenged my lord the king this day on Saul and on his offspring.” 9 But David answered Rechab and Baanah his brother, the sons of Rimmon the Beerothite, “As the Lord lives, who has redeemed my life out of every adversity, 10 when one told me, ‘Behold, Saul is dead,’ and thought he was bringing good news, I seized him and killed him at Ziklag, which was the reward I gave him for his news. 11 How much more, when wicked men have killed a righteous man in his own house on his bed, shall I not now require his blood at your hand and destroy you from the earth?” 12 And David commanded his young men, and they killed them and cut off their hands and feet and hanged them beside the pool at Hebron. But they took the head of Ish-bosheth and buried it in the tomb of Abner at Hebron.”

Here again, we see that David cared very deeply for Saul’s family, even though it was Saul’s other son who was making war against him. People thought that David wanted Saul dead, they thought he wanted Saul’s family dead, but the reality was, David didn’t want any of it. He was happy being a faithful servant to God’s appointed king, even though he knew God had anointed him to be Saul’s replacement. 

In David’s eyes, no one should take the role of God to slain God’s anointed. It’s interesting that in both cases, Saul’s and Ish-bosheth, it is not God who commands their deaths, but people acting, thinking they are doing David’s will. In both cases, these people are then put to death, because they are not acting in either God’s will, nor the will of David.

But David’s love for Saul’s family doesn’t end there. At the beginning of Chapter 4, we’re told this in verse 4, “4 Jonathan, the son of Saul, had a son who was crippled in his feet. He was five years old when the news about Saul and Jonathan came from Jezreel, and his nurse took him up and fled, and as she fled in her haste, he fell and became lame. And his name was Mephibosheth.”

We’re not told anything more about him until Chapter 9, verse 1, “And David said, “Is there still anyone left of the house of Saul, that I may show him kindness for Jonathan's sake?” 2 Now there was a servant of the house of Saul whose name was Ziba, and they called him to David. And the king said to him, “Are you Ziba?” And he said, “I am your servant.” 3 And the king said, “Is there not still someone of the house of Saul, that I may show the kindness of God to him?” Ziba said to the king, “There is still a son of Jonathan; he is crippled in his feet.” 4 The king said to him, “Where is he?” And Ziba said to the king, “He is in the house of Machir the son of Ammiel, at Lo-debar.” 5 Then King David sent and brought him from the house of Machir the son of Ammiel, at Lo-debar. 6 And Mephibosheth 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.” 7 And 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, and you shall eat at my table always.” 8 And he paid homage and said, “What is your servant, that you should show regard for a dead dog such as I?”

9 Then 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. 10 And 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 grandson shall always eat at my table.”

Like his father, Jonathan, Mephibosheth is humble before David. And to the boy, David pours out the love he has for Saul’s whole family onto this final descendant. In a lot of coups, new rulers decimate the previous ruler’s family, so that they can’t overthrown them. Yet, David doesn’t do that. Instead he cares for the very family that sought his death.

This is one of the godly traits we see in David. He is not a very vengeful person, though he does act vengefully. His intent isn’t to destroy, but to honor. He sought the good for Saul’s family, not evil, though they acted in evil against him. 

It is a lesson that Jesus seeks to teach us. Jesus said in the Sermon on the Mount, “43 “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ 44 But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, 45 so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven. For he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. (Matt. 5:43-45)”

Peter would pick up this idea and write in his first letter, “Do not repay evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary, bless, for to this you were called, that you may obtain a blessing. (1 Pet. 3:9)”

Likewise Paul would understand this teaching and write in Romans 12:17-21, “17 Repay no one evil for evil, but give thought to do what is honorable in the sight of all. 18 If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all. 19 Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.” 20 To the contrary, “if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink; for by so doing you will heap burning coals on his head.” 21 Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.”

Now this type of position, when not balanced by justice, can lead to indifference, which we will actually see in David’s life, but that cannot stop us from responding to the evil around us with the goodness of God through us.

And that’s one of the lessons that God is trying to teach us through David’s life: we are to be people seeking the good for others, even when they seek our harm. The greatest good we can seek is that they would turn to Jesus, repent, and be restored to relationship with him, and with us.

My challenge for you then this week, is to pray for the good of those who you feel are out to do harm. It might be the opposite political party. It might be a business, or a family member. It might be another country, or another religious group. We need to pray for people who would subjugate and kill us if they had the opportunity, because, as Jesus said on the cross, they do not know what they do.

Let us be the people of God, who walk in his goodness, and who’s goodness flows out from us to other people. Amen.

Easter Sunrise Service - The Unmundaneness of the Empty Tomb - Revamped

  We’re here this morning, in the midsts of uncertain times. Wars, and rumors of wars, both in the military sense, and the economic sense swirl around us. Increase in prices at the grocery store and at the gas pump, reek havoc on our normal routines.

We all expected another recent time of uncertainly. Covid wrecked our normal routines in ways that we are still feeling today. I once heard a commentator say about Covid, “We will never go back to the way things were. This virus, is a 9/11 moment, where the world will forever be changed.” And it’s true. We are a different society, our world feels different.

But the reality is, throughout history we have seen that humanity always returns to a mundane existence even after great change. Remember the slogan after 9/11, “We will never forget?” We have. But life goes on living, and we adjust to what now becomes common place, to the new normal.

This same return to a mundane existence was with the women as they approached the tomb of Jesus that first Resurrection Sunday. One week prior, there were shouts of “Hosanna” in the streets. A new king was bringing an everlasting kingdom to the world. The Jews would finally be freed after centuries of being trampled underfoot. 

But four days later, the Romans put an end to that hope. Jesus, the one who was celebrated as this new Jewish king, was killed in the most vicious and isolating way possible. Crucified as a thief and mocked in his kingship.

Now, as the women approached Jesus’ tomb, the mundane of Roman oppression, the mundane of lost hope, the mundane of waiting for another Messiah, hung on their hearts. We might think, “No, they were waiting for his resurrection.” But that’s not the case. We’re told in Luke 24:1 that, “they went to the tomb with the spices they had prepared.”

Those spices, were to finish the burial ceremony of Jesus, that was so rushed just three days prior. The mundane reality of death and loss, hung heavy on them. Mundane, not that death is something we talk about flippantly, but mundane in the fact that it is the only constant of this life. 

The glorious change that they expected to happen when Jesus was made king, gave way as the women were making their way to the tomb. The mundane reality that they had come to except their beloved Jesus to radically change, lay dead before them in the tomb.

But as they approached the tomb, the mundane began to break yet again. The stone was already rolled away. The Roman guards seem to be gone. The tomb was empty, Jesus’ body was no where to be found. And then, two magnificently robed beings stood by them. The very presences of these two, sent the women into fear, and they fell down at the beings’ mercy.

Yet again, as one of the dazzling men spoke, the mundane shattered because of Jesus. “5 Why do you look for the living among the dead? 6 He is not here; he has risen! Remember how he told you, while he was still with you in Galilee: 7 ‘The Son of Man must be delivered over to the hands of sinners, be crucified and on the third day be raised again (Luke 24:5-7).’ ”

The words shattered the women’s mundane world. Death had not won this day. Jesus, who was crucified, had indeed risen from the dead and now walked among the living. The words of Jesus, as spoken by these magnificent men, roared in their ears, and they returned to the other disciples. 

But these disciples were lost in their own mundaneness. Their hope, as was the women’s, shattered and the world around them returned to it’s regular paces. Even when the women entered the other disciples’ presence, the mundane was more real, than the experience that the women had. In fact, the disciples looked upon the women and their talk of Jesus raised from the dead, as ramblings, as wishful words of hysteric women.

All but two. Peter the one who had betrayed Jesus, by denying him three times, and John, who understood the love that Jesus had for him, but was powerless when Jesus was taken to the cross.

These two men ran out of the room towards the tomb. John arrived at the tomb first, but he stood outside as Peter entered in. There in the tomb was the burial cloth of Jesus neatly folded, but no body. Peter and John were amazed (Luke 24:12 & John 20:3-8). Could the mundane truly be broken? Could Jesus truly have been raised?

Later, Jesus would gather his disciples together and send them out to carry his gospel to the world. 

We are gathered today, because the mundane was broken almost 2,000 years ago. It’s really easy for us to look around with an expectation of the mundane. Even in this time of social turmoil, we desire the mundane. Where we can just back to our regular schedule. Back to doing things like we’ve always done them.

But Jesus calls us out of the mundane. Jesus calls us away from the things that are ever present in our view. Things like worry, distrust, anger, fear, self-focus. These things lead to the most mundane act that happens in this world, death. A tragic and horrendous occurrence that rocks our world, but then life goes on. Every generation before us, has gone on to the grave, and even when we’re confronted with the rattling of our mundane world with the reality of death, we still just accept it. We still continue in our mundaneness.

Yet, God calls us away from that acceptance. God calls us into the breaking of the mundane world, and into his life. A life that throws off the sins of this world. The focus on self, the worry that calls to us, the anger we hold towards others. God calls us to experience the resurrection daily in our lives. 

And we can only begin this journey, by accepting Jesus’ as our Savior. His death and resurrection are not a passing blip on human history. The world did not just keep moving forward as it always had. Kingdoms and nations were radically changed by this event. Jesus stands in the course of time, as the crux of everything. There is nothing in this world that hasn’t been touched by the work of Jesus. 

He calls us out of the mundane and into the work he has for us. The work of God that tells us that there is more to this world than the mundane. More to experiencing the creation, than we could ever imagine. More to loving others than we have ever done. More to ourselves that we could ever realize, because we are called to a relationship with our Creator. But it all begins at the empty tomb, because at the empty tomb the mundane is shattered. The one common event for every person, death, is broken and every day after it, the mundane can never truly be the same. Because Jesus is risen!

So where are we right now? Are we trapped in the mundane of life? Are we trapped in worry, anger, uncertainty, fear? Jesus has come to break through the mundane of these trappings, but we must come to the empty tomb. We must come to a realization of why there was a crucifixion, that we are sinners. We desire ourselves over others. We desire our life over God’s. And we follow what makes us happy, rather than God’s will. This is why Jesus had to die, because we have created a gulf between ourselves and God, that we cannot cross. But God can, Jesus came to us to build a bridge through the cross back to God. Back to the life that we were created to live. And the exit point of that bridge is the empty tomb. The empty tomb which leads to new life in God, where worry, fear, selfishness, and even death has no power over us. And the mundane things of this life, are renewed in the light of God’s work around us.

All we have to do is accept that the tomb was empty. A few years back, I took time and gave all the reasons why the tomb wasn’t empty on that first Resurrection Sunday. But all of them fell short. The tomb was historically empty, looking at the evidence, no one can deny that. So now we must make a choice, do I accept that Jesus is risen, or do I not? Do I accept the mundaneness of this life, and my ultimate destiny of everlasting death, or do I accept that Jesus shattered the mundane and that I can live a life that breaks every facet of the mundane?

The empty tomb lays bear before us, even now, calling us to make a choice that has eternal ramifications. We must deal with it. I have accepted that Jesus left that tomb. I accept this because of historical evidence, of philosophical evidence, and personal evidence. And each of us must ask ourselves what happened then?

If the tomb wasn’t empty and Jesus isn’t risen, then the mundane of this life will continue until the earth passes away into cosmic dust, as a mundane event that has no reason behind it. 

But if the tomb was empty because Jesus is indeed raised, then there will be a day, when Jesus returns and calls us to account of what our choice was with his empty tomb.

To the Christians here today, are you living in the reality that the empty tomb shattered the mundane. That you are called to share the gospel with those around you, before it’s to late for them? That no virus, or war, or anything else holds fear over you? Let today spur you onto praying for people to receive the gospel and to share it with them in the coming weeks. Stand firm in your trust in Jesus, and let it show to the world around you, that your Jesus broke the mundane of this world.

To the one who isn’t following Jesus, I want to call you to repentance. That means that you come to an understanding that you are, what God calls, a sinner. That means that you have fallen short from God’s perfection that you were created to uphold. You’re not alone, I am there with you. Each of us has fallen short of God’s perfection, because we go after our own wants rather than God’s. And by doing so, our lives reflect the destruction it brings. Even if one lie, or one angry thought passes from us, we have put ourselves away from God’s perfection. But that’s why Jesus had to come and die for us. God himself comes and dies for us, to bridge the gulf between God’s perfection and our sinfulness. Jesus took all our sin on himself, even though he didn’t deserve it, just so we could have the opportunity to come back to God. And this is that opportunity, and all we have to do is bow our heads and say something like this, “God I’m a sinner, and I am undeserving of the gift Jesus offers me through the cross. Jesus I accept the empty tomb, that you are risen. Come and save me, and guide me as I follow you the rest of the days of my life.”

If you prayed that prayer, then the mundane has shattered in your life. I would love to pray for you to be used by God as he created you to be used. To work with him to shatter other people’s mundane lives. Let us all look back at the empty and no longer live this life as if it’s simply mundane, but in the reality that God truly changed the world and there is no going back. Amen.