Jesus Christ Crucified, Risen, Reigning and Coming Again

The Lord Jesus is for you, not because you are so righteous and perfect. He is for you because you need a Savior. He is for you because by yourself you cannot stand against the wiles of the devil. He is for you because you cannot see all things as He sees them.

         So, whatever your past, whatever your thoughts, whatever your actions, whatever your words, if you have embraced the Lord Jesus Christ, trusting in His name as your salvation, then this Table is the Table of Life for you.

Jesus Christ crucified is here offered to you that your sins be cleansed as white as snow. Jesus Christ risen is here offered to you that you might be justified, declared righteous in His eyes with no debt of guilt before Him. Jesus Christ ascended and ruling is here offered to you that you might rule and reign with Him until all His enemies are subdued beneath His feet. Jesus Christ coming again is here offered to you so that you might have hope that all crooked things; sin, sorrow and death, will one day be set straight.

         By faith, receive Jesus Christ, crucified, risen, reigning and coming again.

Grace. Get It.

Our sermon today is Spear Spared Saul. Again and again, God reveals His kindness, mercy and grace to Saul. Saul escapes, not by his own cunning or strength, not by David’s incompetence or the Lord’s ignorance. David is capable of killing Saul. God knows exactly what is going on. However, Saul is still spared.  God leaves lots of room for grace but Saul won’t get it. He refuses the Lord repeatedly.

We see that the Lord is slow to judgment and quick to forgive. But we also see in Saul that the Lord’s judgment, while slow, is also sure. For those who steadfastly and repeatedly refuse the Lord, there is a day of reckoning. For Saul, that day is hastening on. So, learn the lesson. Understand God’s offer in Jesus Christ. Today if you will hear His voice, harden not your hearts, for today is the day of salvation. His grace is once again here offered. Get it.

Don't Be a Dolt

Remember that being foolish is not a matter of smarts. Nabal was smart enough but his doltishness lay in his inability to be wise. He was a fool and showed himself a fool by refusing to listen to the wisdom of others.

         First of all, he would not listen to his wife. That is the first kind of fool. He would not listen to his own men and advisors. Strike two. He would not listen to those the Lord put in his path to bring him to reformation, David and his men. Strike three. The result was that God took him out.

         Abigail was a godly woman. Her actions in this matter were good and right. She saved her household and the lives of many men by refusing to listen to her husband.

         Ladies, if your husband cannot be spoken to, then you need to speak to someone who can hold him accountable. This is not only your right. It is your duty.

         Men, do not be like this. Listen to your wife. Listen to the men around you. Listen to God. Don’t be a dolt.

Nabal, Abigail and David

In 1 Samuel 25, we have another chapter of great contrasts. We again see the contrast of David and Saul, even in the persons of Nabal and Abigail.

David is in need of help. He has helped Nabal, as a wall protecting his shepherds and his livestock.

He now needs help from Nabal and comes to him with words of peace, peace, peace, a three-fold blessing.

But Nabal is a worthless fellow and returns David’s good with evil. He insults David and the insult works.

David is incensed and he speaks war. Gird, gird, gird on your swords. We will kill Nabal and all his house. I will avenge these insults.

But a beautiful and wise woman intervenes. Abigail comes to David and speaks, speaks, speaks, to him. She says many and wise words and this mitigates the anger of David.

David comes to his senses and speaks another three-fold blessing upon Abigail. Blessed by God for sending you. Blessed be your wisdom and discernment. Blessed be your person.

The result of Abigail’s wisdom was death to her husband. He was thrice dead. Dead when he found out Abigail had sent a blessing to replace his cursing. Then ten days later, the Lord smote Nabal and he died. Then David found out that Nabal was dead and thanked God for it.

The Wisdom of God

A wise woman once saved her household from a foolish husband. A foolish woman once ruined her household by heeding a serpent. A wise man restrained his hand from striking the Lord’s anointed. A foolish man cursed the Lord’s anointed. A wise man answered the invitation to the Lord’s banqueting table. A foolish man showed up without wedding garments. Wisdom cried out from the streets. Fools closed their ears.

         We are gathered here in the presence of the Lord. In His wisdom, He extended grace to us who did not deserve it. He held out His hands to us with bread and wine and all good things. The wise man receives that which is offered. The fool refuses the glory of the banquet. The wise man is filled up with Christ through the foolishness of the cross. The fool sees merely bread and wine. 

The wise man receives these elements in faith and gets life in Jesus Christ. So, let us eat and drink and be filled with the wisdom of God.