Monday, November 19, 2007

2 Samuel 13-18: Taking Matters in His Own Hands: the Story of Prince Absalom

Presented to Nipawin and Tisdale Corps November 18, 2007
and 614 Warehouse Toronto 230 pm service, Aug 20, 2017
by Captain Michael Ramsay

We have been studying covenant lately through our sermons and our Bible studies. We have discovered particularly through 2 Samuel so far how well one’s life can go when one is walking in a proper covenant with the Lord.

Today I have come with a story: A story from a long time ago in a place far, far away. The time is about 3000 years ago and the place is the land of ancient Israel and in this story no one is walking in a proper covenant with the LORD.

“Taking Matters in His Own Hands: the Story of Prince Absalom.”[1]

Chapter One: the Son of the King.

This story is about a young man by the name of Absalom. Now Absalom isn’t just any ordinary young man. He is a beautiful man. All the features that the people of his day love including the long following hair. And he has a gift. He has a silver tongue, he does, and he can tell you just exactly what you think you need to hear.

Absolam is a prince but this Prince Absalom isn’t just any prince, he is the son of King David. One of the most powerful kings that Israel would ever have and the founder of a dynasty that would last –well – with the advent of Christ, ultimately forever. Prince Absalom’s dad, the king, was a man after God’s own heart. God loved him and in his early days he followed the Lord religiously, in his early days sought the Lord’s council in everything he did, in his early days he was walking in a strong relationship with the Lord.

But Prince Absalom wasn’t born in these early days – he wasn’t born until after David was already made King of Judah but he must have heard the stories when he was growing up. He must have heard the stories about how his father and his cousins (Aunt Zeruiah’s kids – Joab, Abishai and Asahel) how they lived there life on the edge for a long time fighting as mercenaries and committing all sorts of heroic acts. He must have heard about how David was anointed as a young shepherd boy and then rose to be King of this Kingdom. He must have heard the stories about how his dad had slain the giant Goliath and about how he was victorious in the civil war.

He must have heard all of these stories when he was young and I imagine these stories would be almost all that Prince Absalom would have of his father as his mother (who herself was the daughter of the king of Geshur) tucked him in at the night. His dad, in Absalom’s early years, was always off at work fighting wars alongside his cousins and the other ‘mighty men’ – away pursuing the foe while Absalom and his brothers grew up at home. The King was a busy man.

Chapter 2: Dad Comes Home.

It is too bad that Prince Absalom probably didn’t get to see too much of his dad in his early days but as Absalom got older, the King took his job closer to home. Some would say too close to home and some would say that he wasn’t taking the job too seriously either. Prince Absalom at this time would see his cousins bail his father out on a couple of occasions as his dad, at times, doesn’t even bother to rise from his couch until late in the day.

Absalom would hear the stories of his father’s heroics from a time when he wasn’t around but when his dad comes home, Prince Absalom would see quite a different King than that. He would see a man who takes matters into his own hands instead of relying on the Lord.

I don’t imagine it was too well hidden from Absalom, his sister Tamar, or his older half-brother Amnon, the affair that David had with Bathsheba right in their own home. Remember that? David wants Bathsheba, so instead of consulting the Lord, he takes matters into his own hands.

The princes were probably in the palace when the king had their neighbour’s wife brought to him so he could sleep with her and then they would’ve certainly learned about how his attempts to cover up this act resulted in the murder of Uriah and the deaths of many others. They would see David taking matters into his own hands instead of relying on the Lord.

Is it any wonder that when Absalom’s brother decides that he is in love with Absalom’s sister, that Absalom’s friend tells Amnon to rape her. Amnon then takes matters into his own hands and rapes Prince Absalom’s sister. This isn’t too different from dear ol’ dad now is it?

Absalom loves his sister. He loves her so much that he even names his own daughter after her. Absalom loves his sister so much and even though he tells her not to take this abuse to heart, he himself refuses to talk to Amnon for years and the King, his father; and the King, Amnon’s father; and the King, Tamar’s father, and the King does nothing…you see the time where the books of Samuel mention that David turns to the Lord for council have passed and are yet to come but they are not here. David is now taking matters into his own hands. He sons see this.

Can you imagine? Your half-brother rapes your sister and your father does nothing about it for two whole years and continuing. Well, I guess it might not seem too much of a stretch since Bathsheba, the lady with whom David had the affair, is still living in the same house with the King and Absalom’s mother.

One day though Absalom has had enough. He takes matters into his own hands. He was biding his time and his time comes. He has a plan. He invites all his brothers to a big work party. They have this great feast and Amnon, whom he hasn’t spoken to for two years is getting drunk and Absalom commands his servants – in a way sort of like his dad did with Uriah – Absalom orders his servants to kill his brother. When no one else would, Absalom takes matters into his own hands and Absalom kills the man who raped his sister.

Now David loves Amnon, who had raped Tamar and who was both Absalom’s sister and David’s own daughter. He loves him and it doesn’t say that he ever punished him for the rape of Tamar. Absalom knows this and Prince Absalom flees after killing his brother whom the King loves.

Chapter 3: Absalom Comes Home.

Prince Absalom is living in exile (in his mother’s home town of Geshur) and now the King, who refused to help Absalom to deal with his brother. And now the King - after Absalom has murdered his own brother - And now The King, David, misses Absalom. Well, cousin Joab notices this and, taking matters into his own hands, he decides to convince David to bring Absalom home and since he misses him so much and David does. Again the scriptures say nothing about any of these men consulting the Lord in how they are trying to solve these problems at all. They are rather taking matters into their own hands.

Well now David has invited Absalom back to Jerusalem but he refuses to let him come back to stay at the palace. He is just fine having him around but – parents of adult kids will probably understand – it is time for him not to be under foot anymore.

This isn’t good enough for Absalom however. He figures, well, why did dad invite me back to town if he won’t let me stay with him in the palace; so, Absalom, taking matters into his own hands, comes up with a plan – he’ll ask cousin Joab. After all Joab helped him last time he needed something. So he sends for Joab but Joab doesn’t come. He sends for him again but Joab doesn’t come. So Absalom has an idea – he takes matters into his own hands and he has his men set Joab’s barley fields on fire.

Now cousin Joab is a soldier, a general, a fighter, and the leader of David’s armies and he comes and he is mad…but Absalom’s plan works for now – Joab, albeit angrily I imagine, helps to patch things up between Absalom and David – a father and son reunite but Joab, I’m sure, has not forgotten about his barley fields.

Well Joab may be unhappy but Prince Absalom has another idea. There is no mention of anyone turning to the Lord in these stories and I imagine that Absalom’s respect for his father - who was absent all the years he was growing up and who was what he was when he was home - I imagine his respect for his dad has hit a low tide right about now as everyone is taking matters into their own hands.

His respect for his dad may be at an all time low but Absalom is now back at home and Absalom is strutting his stuff. He is letting everyone know that he is a prince in the land. He cruises around all the days in a fancy chariot with fifty guys running around ahead of him. He is living it up and letting everyone know that he is a force to be dealt with in the Kingdom.

Chapter 4: On His Own Authority

Absalom returns home to the palace and is living it up and not only that…you see, one of a King’s jobs in these days, when he is not out fighting battles is to hear the complaints of the people. The King is also a Supreme Court judge, as it were.

Absalom notices some weaknesses in the way that his father is doing this job and he thinks he can do it better on his own. He heads down personally to meet people who are coming to see the King and when they go to bow and pay their respects to Prince Absalom, he grabs them and kisses them and tells them that he understands what they are going through.

He is like an opposition party heading into an election – “If I were the premier ruler, things would be different…” and just like when David was at war with Saul’s house and he became stronger all the time, now it is Absalom of whom they might be singing songs. It is Absalom who, on his own, is stealing the people’s hearts… and is he who has a plan.

Without any mention of consulting God, he goes to his father and asks, “Dad, can I go to Hebron…I have vow to take care of.” Now you see Hebron was where David was crowned King of Judah and Hebron was where David was crowned King of all Israel and Judah. Hebron was David’s first capital. David later abandoned it and made Jerusalem his capital and now Absalom asks permission to go to Hebron.

When Absalom gets there, they proclaim him king instead of his father! Absalom is a popular young man, he is a beautiful young man, and if the leaders of God’s people were chosen by general election, he would win a landslide. Support is flocking to him from his dad’s camp. Even one of David’s more popular cabinet ministers, as it were, cross the floor, his chief advisor, Ahithophel, whom everyone loves and respects, joins Absalom. Maybe things are going well in Israel, maybe they aren’t but David has been in power for many (even more than 16) years and in many people’s eyes it is just time for a change. Absalom is forming government.

David is vacating the capital as quickly as he can. If there were shredders in those days, they would be a buzzing. There isn’t a lot of time to leave. He is being outmanoeuvred by the opposition but as he is leaving something happens…

Chapter 5: The Return.

As David is fleeing, it says in the scriptures, 15 verse 31, it says David prays. David prays. In our story today there has been no mention of people seeking the Lord’s direction. No mention at all. Not Absalom, not Amnon, not Joab nor Tamar, and not even King David who was a man after God’s own heart but now David is recorded as approaching God for the first time in five chapters. David prays…

David prays that the Lord will turn Ahithophel’s council to foolishness and without dragging out my story for too many more pages suffice it to say that God answers David’s prayer. As David returns to the Lord, the Lord returns the kingdom to David. David ceases to take matters into his own hands, but instead puts matters in the Lord’s hands and in the battle that follows because the Lord turned Ahithophel’s council to foolishness, as David turns to the Lord, Prince Absalom dies, the battle is called off and the Lord then uses Joab to save David’s victory.

Prince Absalom is dead. David mourns his death for he loves his son even though his son hated him. At anytime had Absalom returned to the King probably would have continued to forgive him

Epilogue.

It is a sad note on which to end this story really, for David was a good man, a praying man who often sought the council and leading of the Lord. He went through a period though when there is no record of that devotion and he went through this period in the formative years of his sons and he paid the consequences just as the prophet Nathan had said he would for his affair with Bathsheba.

And now Prince Absalom is dead; it is too late, he is not in his father’s Kingdom anymore.

Well, it’s not too late for us. If we are taking matters into our own hands instead of praying, if we are in rebellion against God and only relying on ourselves, we can stop and return to His palace because as long as we have breath in us, we can still return to God. Just as David loved Absolam even when Absolam hated his Father, our heavenly father will accept us back with open arms – so let’s lay down our arms before it is too late.

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[1] This sermon took some very different directions as it was preached: if you heard it preached in either Nipawin or Tisdale and you think that this is different – it is. The Nipawin sermon was also somewhat different from the Tisdale one…

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Click here to read related questions: http://sheepspeaks.blogspot.ca/2017/08/2-samuel-13-questions-peace.html
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James 1:2-8: Faith is Like Riding a Bike

Presented to the Lodge in Tisdale on November 13, 2007
by Captain Michael Ramsay

I have two daughters: One is six; the other is five. Sometimes I go to the park with them. In the winter we take our sled but in the summer we often ride our bikes there. My six year-old has been riding her bike for a couple of years now and has grown quite confident. She is quite proud that she doesn’t even need training wheels anymore. She can race everywhere – zooming past her sister and I. She is an excellent bike rider. She takes some risks; sometimes she crashes but she is a great bike rider and she knows it.

My younger daughter is still learning to ride her bike. She tells us that she is also really fast. She hasn’t been riding as long as her sister and still needs training wheels. She strikes out in faith but sometimes – after a crash or getting stuck too often – she just wants to quit. She hasn’t developed the perseverance that comes from faith that she can ride her bike ‘really fast.’

My elder daughter, on the other hand, knows that even if she falls off she can get up again and get going. She has faith and this gives her confidence to preserver with her learning and as a result her ability to ride her bike grows…

This is sort of the same scenario that is playing out in the church at Jerusalem at the time of James’ writing his letter that we read from earlier.

They know that God is all-powerful, that He knows everything, and that His will will be done on earth as it is in heaven (Matt. 6:10). They should know that he wants every good thing for them (Phil 1:6) just as everything He created was indeed good (Gen. 1:21) and as it says in our text today that all good things are from God (James 1:17) BUT they are experiencing trials now and they may be lacking some of the faith that comes from perseverance.

In this letter, James is asking them to persevere so they will get better at riding their bikes of faith and have the trust that they will be okay. They, in Jerusalem, are not necessarily so sure here that they will be. The trials here are experienced much like someone new to a bicycle. They have the opportunity to either waver and give up or to persevere and grow in faith.

A specific trial they are experiencing in Jerusalem now is persecution and through that a testing of their faith. - here is a very important point actually from James 1:13-14 – God tests them. He does not tempt them. “For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone.” So, what’s the difference between testing and tempting? This: in a fair test you can pick any answer. When God tests, he wants us to pick what is right but he lets us choose. Temptation, on the other hand, is when we are faced with that test and the devil or our own evil desires try to make us pick the wrong answer.[1]

Today in Tisdale, we are still tempted by our own evil desires and we need the faith that comes from perseverance. What are some of our temptations? Maybe a piece of cake that violates a specific diet of ours; maybe too much TV – not just the shows on it but the time that it can take up that would be better spent doing something for God .

What other of God’s tests can the devil try to use to tempt us away from our faith? Maybe pride that we can do things on our own. This is a bad one…I heard an interesting point in a sermon a year ago or so[2] – has everyone seen those WWJD, What would Jesus do, bracelets? They are a great proclamation of our faith. The preacher suggested that it would be even better if they instead read, “Jesus, what should I do?” This would put the emphasis on God’s power to solve our problems rather than our own ability to emulate Him.

There are many other trials in our life through which the devil may attempt to tempt us away from God. We can value our family, friends, or the things that the Lord has given us stewardship over more than we value the Lord himself. We can spend so much time doing other things that we neglect God and our Bible study. There are many ways that we can be tempted to waver on our bicycles of faith.

You see, the less time we spend on our bikes of faith, the less confident we feel. But as we are exercising our faith -praying everyday and noticing what God is doing on a daily basis; as we are reading the Scriptures, our confidence grows and we won’t start to falter or doubt. We will grow in faith instead.[3]

This is good news for us. James tells us that these tests that are from the Spirit are actually good news. It is these tests that develop our perseverance and he says, 1:4, “perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.” James is encouraging the believers in Jerusalem. They have some serious trials: everything they know, their jobs, even their very lives are in jeopardy. These are serious trials[4] and James is encouraging them through these for it is through these trials from God that they will indeed be strengthened so that they can resist the devil and the gain wisdom needed to flee all temptation (cf. James 4:7; 2 Tim 2:22).

And about this strength, this wisdom to resist and flee temptation, there is even more good news, James 1:5 records that “if any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him.” God will provide the wisdom. God will do it. The more we face the trials, the more our perseverance and indeed our faith itself will grow. We need not falter. We need not doubt. We need not necessarily ask, “What would Jesus do?” We just need to stay the course. We need to persevere. We need to finish the test and then, through a non-wavering faith, they will pass.

We just need to persevere. We need not falter. We need not doubt. We need not scramble around trying to figure out exactly what Jesus would do in every situation. He is here. We can ask him; we can persevere. The more that we practice, the more we will believe. The more our deeds reflect our claims, the stronger we will be.

It is like My youngest daughter, she knows she can ride her bike – and fast. Her faith is still growing though. As she perseveres more and more and is picked up off the ground and then picks herself off the ground and then one day she will be ready to take her training wheels off even, like her sister.

It is the same with us here as we persevere in our Bible study, in our prayers, in our faith. As we persevere, our faith grows. These tests (friends, TV, food, whatever they happen to be) are not a threat. Passing them is a means by which God give us the strength to carry on. As we let the Lord take us through trials our perseverance is developed, our faith is developed. These tests are what God uses to draw us closer to Him. So I encourage you then to persevere. Turn off the TV sometimes, if you need to –you can read your Bible instead. Persevere. Avoid gossip and idle talk – pray instead. Persevere. Spend time with God and persevere.
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[1] Ex: when the devil tempted Jesus in the wilderness: The Spirit led him to the test but the devil provided the temptation (Matt. 4:1-11, Luke 4).
[2] Captain Gord Taylor. Salvation Army, Maple Creek, Summer 2006.
[3] James 1:7-8: “He who doubts is like a wave on the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. That man should not think he will receive anything from the Lord….”
[4] Their service of the Lord was leading to “brother being pitted against brother” cf. Mark 13: 12-13.

Sunday, November 11, 2007

Greater Love Has No Man Than To Lay Down His Life For His Friends (John 15:13)

Presented to the community of Nipawin at the Remembrance Day Ceremony, November 11, 2007, and to the community of Swift Current at the Remembrance Day Ceremony, November 11, 2009 and 2012
by Captain Michael Ramsay (Padre, Royal Canadian Legion #56)


Greater love has no man than to lay down his life for his friends, John 15:13.

On November 11, 1918, the armistice was signed to end the Great War, the war to end all wars – the First World War. Canadians, our friends and our family, in service to God, King, and country, marched overseas to lay down their lives for our friends

Greater love has no man than to lay down his life for his friends.

On November 11, 1813, almost 200 years ago now, Canadians repulsed an horrific enemy invasion, with the help of our friends, the British and the First Nations. We laid down our life for our family. They laid down their life for us, their friends.

Greater love has no man than to lay down his life for his friends.

On November 11, we remember also our friends and families, some of whom are here today, who headed overseas again, in what is remembered now as World War II, in service to God, King, and country to lay down their lives for their friends. Many of us have friends and family who marched out of Saskatchewan here to offer their lives up for their friends. My uncle from Silver Stream never spoke of the day they were surrounded by the Germans until he died a couple of years ago.

My own grandfather returned home to Saskatchewan from California when war broke out so that he could serve God, King and country in the war. He eagerly grabbed some friends from Cut Knife and they drove over the Rockies to enlist. Not all of them that enlisted that day with my grandfather, I believe, lived to see the end of the war.

Greater love has no man than to lay down his life for his friends.

The Salvation Army and other volunteers were present in both these wars – in the trenches -offering both support and the love of God to the soldiers.

Greater love has no man than to lay down his life for his friends.

At the conclusion of the Second World War some allies turned foes and some foes turned friends in the Cold War that ensued and again Canadians headed overseas – this time to Korea – to offer our lives on behalf of our allies and to lay down our lives for our friends. We remember these heroes here today.

Greater love has no man than to lay down his life for his friends.

As this cold war progressed, Canadians continued to stand beside our allies but we also donned blue berets for the first time, intentionally standing between warring factions, some with legitimate grievances, protecting and reconciling populations, and still offering our lives for our friends. We are here to remember them today.

Greater love has no man than to lay down his life for his friends.

2000 years ago, Jesus died on the cross so that we all may live.

Greater love has no man than to lay down his life for his friends.

Through the real horrors of the wars a great thing happened: Canada’s primary foes during 1814, 1914, and 1944 are now some of our closest friends and allies. Our soldiers laid down their lives for us, their friends. And they laid down their lives so that we could be reconciled to our brothers. Canada is reconciled to her old foes and united with them more than ever because of the sacrifice of our friends, siblings, parents, grandparents, and our veterans. Thank you.

Greater love has no man than to lay down his life for his friends.

And it was through Jesus’ death and resurrection that we all may experience this same reconciliation with God.

Jesus has laid down his life for us his friends. Many of our servicemen and women, whom we remember today, have laid down their lives for us, their friends.

And today our soldiers continue to fight for our friends. Today we are still fighting for peace and today our soldiers are still laying down their lives so that one day the dreams of World War I can be realized; one day ‘the war to end all wars’ will finally have been fought and their will be no more need for tears or for brave young men and women lay down their lives for their friends.

Today we are here to remember those who have laid down their lives for us, their friends.

Let us pray.

“Thank you Lord for the sacrifice of all those who have served this country in the wars of the 20th Century and beyond. Thank you that they, like you, died so that we may live. Thank you that they offered their lives for us. Let us not forget. Amen.