Grace in a Barren Place, Part 2

Today on Insight for living from Chuck's window or something freeing about grace. It takes away all puts all the response on God's shoulders as he comes to us and says your mind just like you are crutches and all we find one of the most generous expressions every once in a while we come across a moment Scripture grace just opens up the lustration that you can never forget and that's where we come to our study of the life of David second Samuel chapter 9 is the story and describes grace for us in the life of Mr. Bush F last time we were with David. He was in an interlude of peace and quietness. He was thinking about his past and all the blessings that had been his. And I'm sure as we begin second Samuel nine.

David had thought specifically about his love for Jonathan's friend, whom he had lost in the war, David began to think about a promise he had made verse one is there yet anyone left of the house of Saul, that I may show him kindness for Jonathan's sake and zebra said to the king. There is still a son of Jonathan who is crippled in both feet walks on crutches. He's not one to carry himself in the regal dignity of the king's crib as part of the reason the story is so moving.

David was right on. He said were Izzy my beautiful is a beautiful response on David's part how badly didn't ask how it happened and he just said was a man located so the king said to him were Izzy and zebra said to the king, behold, he is in the lead and the house of Manker, the son of Abigail below the bar. He's in a place where there is unimaginable desolation David. He lives out in the. The Baron fields of Palestine. The customer was that the king would kill one who lived on from a previous dynasty, and so an individual was either exterminated or hid for his life and that's what this man had done, he had hidden himself away. The only one who knew his whereabouts was a servant of Saul names Eva shift the son of Jonathan, the summer Saul came to David and fell on his face and prostrated himself. He said he answered here is your servant. You know what to expect. David said to him, do not fear, for I will surely show grace, I will demonstrate mercy to you for the sake of your father, Jonathan and I will restore to you all the land of your grandfather Saul.

You shall eat at my table regularly continuing that respondent's expecting a sword to strike his neck. He hears the words that are believable words from a king. Dr. Kroll manager in his book the vital balance talks about a particular kind of personality because of the negativistic personality which at first says no to almost everything the kids here tonight thinking that describes my parents. That's the kind of mom and dad got not really. These are troubled patients as manager. These troubled people have never made an unsound load. They have never voted for a liberal cause or sponsored any extravagances they cannot permit themselves the pleasure of giving. He describes them as rigid crime. Chronically unhappy individuals that are insecure and often suicidal. See kids that's really not your parents do not that bad off and the grading the two. He tells the story of Pres. Thomas Jefferson, who was with a group of companions riding horseback cross-country in the came to a river.

It was swollen. A wayfarer waited until several of the party had crossed and inhaled. Pres. Jefferson and ask if he would carry him across on his horse present took him on the back of the horse and later set him down the opposite bank. Tell me ask one of the men wanted to select the president to ask this favor of the president. The man answered. I know he was the president. All I know is that on some of the faces is written the answer no and on some of the faces is written the answer. Yes, he had a guess base, so to David. People who understand grace fully have a guess base in the words of manager he saw a face across David and David looked at him and he said all my friend you going to have a place of honor that you've never had before you go to eat regularly at my table and it gets better look at it verse eight he prostrated himself and said what is your servant you should regard a dog like me. The king notice he didn't even answer him.

He calls Saul's servants even said to him all along to Saul and to all his house.

I have given to your master's grandson, you and your sons and your servants shall cultivate the land for him, you shall bring in the produce so that your master's grandson may have food. Nevertheless method will shift your master's grandson shall eat at my table regularly now. Zebra had 15 sons and 20 servants and zebra said to the king, according to all that my lord the king commands his servant so your servant will do the ship ate at the dead. David's table as one of the king's sons show that a young son. His name was Micah and all who lived in the house and zebra were servants said, some of it was shipped lived in Jerusalem, and the aid of the king's table regularly and he was lame in both his feet. End of story.

What a fantastic account agreements. Every time I read it I get a yes phase written across my because I see a demonstration of what grace is all about the picture what life would be like at the supper table with David. Okay the meal is fixed in the dinner bell rings and having some guests that night.

Well, alone, members of the family in later years, Amnon clever, witty, come to the table 1st and then there's said Joab. One of the guests muscular tanned skin is bronzed from the sun bearing the marks of warfare masculine attractive. There's Absalom from the from the crown of his head to the sole of his feet.

There is not is not a blemish on their esteem are beautiful beautiful daughter David Solomon.

He's been in the study all day.

He finally makes his way to the table but as they all sit around waiting, waiting to hear this clump clump clump clump for the ship slides here and is one sage put it, the tablecloth covered his feet and he said there around the table, as one of the king's son.

Oh let us see. But you know that doesn't stop you know that story is still going on to show you several anthologies between the life of a fib. A shift with the king and a child of God with his Lord.

I find no less than eight analogies number one. Once the fib a shift enjoy fellowship with his father. It was uninterrupted sold man, we read that Adam walk with the Lord in the cool of the evening, and he enjoyed an uninterrupted fellowship with his creator and in that fellowship. He knew a face-to-face relationship that we've never known that is like at a new, that's the first analogy fib a shift once knew what it was like to be related to the king's number two when disaster and fear came. The nurse fled and myth of the ship suffered a fall left and crippled for the rest of his days got the analogy when sin came the disaster of fear struck man. He began to hide the first responsive man when sin came was hiding from God, not running to him finding reasons for not being with God and man became a spiritual invalid and will be so forever on earth number three David the king out of sheer love for Jonathan demonstrated grace to the cripple. So God out of love for his son Jesus Christ and the death he paid demonstrates grace to the believing sinner he still seeking people who are cripple who are lost in trespasses and sins, but today there walking with God because the Lord increase set his heart out of love for his son upon those individuals. Number four. The cripple had nothing deserved nothing. In fact, didn't even try to win the king's favor. He was hiding from the king so man deserved nothing had nothing and could offer God nothing. We were hiding. When he found us reminds me of the words of the song that used to be very popular. I was straying when Christ found me that describes our lives. Some of you can look back.

Not too many years ago to times when you were addicted to drugs when you were involved in a fast moving feudal life moving from one skirmish to another, from one guilt experience to another spending one confusing night after another, wondering where it all is going to lead you offered nothing to God. You had nothing that you could give p.m. Not one.

Good work that you could say genuinely revealed righteousness. And yet the king said, is hard on you.

That's grace. That's what God does for us which we don't deserve and can never repay. That's grace there's something freeing about grace. It takes away all commands and it puts all of the response on God's shoulders as he comes to us and says your mind take you just like you are crutches and all number five David restored method will shift from a place of barrenness to a place of honor. He took this cripple from a hiding place in which there was no pastureland and he brought into the place of plenty right into the very court room of the king. The analogy is clear God the father has done that for us. God has taken us from where we were and brought us to where he is, in fact, to a place of fellowship that only Adam once knew he restored us to what we once had an atom number six David adopted him into his family and he became the king's son, and God has done that for the believing sinner adopted occasionally I will have individuals who have adopted their children write me and ask for some biblical insight regarding whether or not it was wise for them to do that they have questions. Some individuals what happened much more earlier than it does lately because adopting is difficult now that is with any kind of choice in mine and it's a great delight to write them back in to say you've made a decision that just like the decision, God made he goes through adoption all the time is every one of his children, his adopted he has chosen us brought us into his family and said you sit at my table. You enjoy my food, I give you my life, not a Christian here tonight that isn't adopted as a family member of God, and you can understand what the fib a shift experienced a little better than those born in the David's family could maybe here in adopted child and if you are then you probably would better understand what I'm trying to say because I was born into the family which I was raised something very special about knowing that your parents chose you and took you and love you and gave you what they had, rather than leaving you with what you would've had in that kind of life the fib a shift had nothing but crutches and he was given the plenty of the king is another. The cripple's lamp was a constant reminder of grace every time he lived one place to the next, from one step to the next. He was reminded.

I am in a place because of the grace of the king and nothing else. But so it is with the father. The continued problem with sin is a continual reminder of grace every time you claim that verse. If we confess our sins he is faithful and just to forgive us and to cleanse us every time you do that you're reminding yourself.

Grace is available. That's when the Lord just covers your feet with his tablecloth. He says hep C.

Your mind, I chose you because I wanted to. There's one more when the fib shift sat down at the table of the king. He was treated just like another son of the king. No preference for those born in the king's family and I want to step into the future and say in closing that that's the way it will be when we feast with our Lord often pictured what suppertime would be like around the table of heaven. Can you imagine sitting near Paul and Peter and John asking James to pass the potatoes and talking to Isaac Watson, Martin Luther, the great reformers Zwingli and Calvin Savonarola plus, Wycliffe, some of the evangelists of the past that forged out a new path so that the whole Western world, the United States might hear those who carried the message on horseback.

Wesley preached from horseback travel in his lifetime.

225,000 miles. His pulpit was a satyr he preached. Without the ability of having near him public address systems, and on occasion addressed as many as 5000 you be there. Some would tell you he wouldn't, but he'll be there will be there and then along with all his grades always tremendous people that have made history you'll slide under the table, Lord, look at you say with that. Look, your mind, there is important to me is Joab, Absalom's and the team Mars.

Your record is clean. Here's the me what a moving story we have heard today in as we conclude these moments together. I'd like to ask you to bow please and prayer. You have heard today. One analogy after another related to the grace of God and the moving story of a man who really did not deserve even to be remembered who was remembered and placed in the position of incredible privilege. All because of the grace and the heart of the king that is exactly what our God has done for every one of us will perhaps not for you, yes you, maybe you find yourself still crippled, still broken still unattractive and unlovely and will distant from the one who made you all of this is the consequence of sin.

That is, but the good news is that you need not remain in that condition. The fib chef you recall took the king at his word and took his place at the king's table full of gratitude.

God is able to make of you something beautiful and good. Even though there is nothing either beautiful or good right now that is in yourself and the way that happens is through a relationship you can have with the Lord Jesus Christ by receiving him as your own Savior and Master. Well, there can be a transformation that starts from within and works its way to the outside where you become beautiful within and all the way through your life. You are being transformed to beautiful throughout. So as I pray I ask you today to trust in the one who can transform your life, even Christ to our father, thank you for taking all of our confusion, and all our mass in life and for understanding us and accepting us as we are, as we have often song in years past we had nothing to offer you, but brokenness and strife, but with our adoption into your family.

You have made something beautiful out of our life.

And Lord God. It will take us all of eternity to express to you in any adequate matter what your grace means to us and so we delight today. Our father in the privilege of expressing our joy to others and through words and through songs and through statements of praise to you, as we let you know our gratitude I pray for those who have lost their way, who have lost their hearts find themselves in a broken down and barren condition. Living far away from you and I pray that you will bring them by your grace to yourself and your love draw them and make your grace filled and overwhelm them with gratitude. All of us find ourselves there today because of Christ, whose family we live and in whose name I pray, grace, and a barren place. That's the title Chuck Swindoll gave to his story today it's founded on the magnificent story that unfolds in second Samuel chapter 9. This is inside for living. If you'd like to learn more about this ministry, we invite you to visit us online@insideworld.org. If you are among those who receive Chuck Swindoll's newsletter called insights. I want to make sure you saw the recommended reading list for your entire family. This is a wonderful season for recreational reading and the newsletter clearly illustrates a wide variety of great options in the event you don't receive the newsletter in the mail. You can easily access this information by going to Insight.org/summer draw your attention to one of Chuck's most popular books because it will help your entire family grow deeper in their Christian walk. It's called growing strong in the seasons of life. This classic volume of 144 readings will help you grow closer to God in whatever stage of life you have.

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