Sermon: Over the Jordan with Mercy

Would you take a copy of God's word this morning and we will turn open to the book of two Samuel as we continue our way through that book. If you wanna grab a pew Bible in front of you, you can turn right to page 2 7 1 in the pew Bible 2, 7, 1. And this morning we're looking at two Samuel chapter 19 and we're looking at verses nine and we're gonna stop at verse 40 verses nine through 40 of two Samuel chapter 19.

And let's pray before we open God's word and here it read and preach this morning.

Lord Jesus, even as we just sung, we say that you are a king of deep love and we pray even this morning that you would flood this room with your love as the word goes out, that it would not simply be a dead word in our midst, but it would be living inactive. It would not simply be this poor man preaching this morning, but it would be you Lord Jesus that is preaching to us. May you search our hearts, may you search our minds.

May you search our very souls and may we find that we are basking in your love and your glory. We pray all of this in the strong name of Christ Jesus, our Lord and our savior. Amen. This morning, second Samuel chapter 19 verses nine through 40. This is the holy iner sufficient word of God. Now, Israel had fled every man to his own home and all the people were arguing throughout all the tribes of Israel saying the king delivered us from the hand

of our enemies and saved us from the hand of the Philistines. And now he has fled out of the land from Absalom. But Absalom whom we anointed over us is dead in battle now. Therefore, why do you say nothing about bringing the king back? And King David sent this message to Och and Abby Athar, the priests say to the elders of Judah, why should you be the last to bring the king back to his house when the word of all Israel has come

to the king, you are my brothers. You are my bone and my flesh. Why then should you be the last to bring the king and say to Amasa, are you not my bone and my flesh and God do so to me and more also if you are not commander of my army from now on in place of Joab. And he swayed the heart of all the men of Judah as one man so that they sent word to the king, return both you and all your servants. So the king came back to the Jordan

and Judah came to Gilgal to meet the king and to bring the king over to Jordan in Shiia, the son of Guera, the mite from Baharim hurried to come down with the men of Judah to meet King David and with him were a thousand men from Benjamin and Zeba the servant of the house of Saul with his 15 sons and his 20 servants rushed down to the Jordan before the king and they crossed the for to bring over the king's household and to do his pleasure

and shiia, the son of Gira fell down before the king as he was about to cross the Jordan and said to the king, let not my Lord hold me guilty or remember how your servant did wrong on the day, my Lord the king left Jerusalem. Do not let the king take it to heart for your servant knows that I have sinned. Therefore behold, I have come this day the first of all the house of Joseph to come down to meet my Lord. The king Abishai, the son of Zeriah

answered Shall not shimmy, I be put to death for this because he cursed the Lord's anointed. But David said, what have I to do with you, you sons of Zeriah that you should this day be as an adversary to me? Shall anyone be put to death in Israel this day for do I not know that I am this day king over Israel? And the king said to shiai, you shall not die. And the king gave him his oath. Mephibosheth, the son of Saul came down to meet the king.

He had neither taken care of his feet nor trimmed his beard, nor washed his clothes from the day the king departed until the day he came back in safety. And when he came to Jerusalem to meet the king, the king said to him, why did you not go with me? Mephibosheth? He answered My Lord, oh king, my servant deceived me for your servant said to him, I will saddle a donkey for myself that I may ride on it and go with the king.

For your servant is lame. He has slandered your servant to my Lord the king. But my Lord the king is like the angel of God do therefore what seems good to you for all my father's house were but men doomed to death before my Lord the king. But you set your servant among those who eat at your table. What further right have I then to cry to the king and the king said to him, why speak anymore of your affairs? I've decided you and Zeba shall divide the land.

Meeth said to the king, oh let him take it all since my Lord the king has come safely home. Now Barilla, the gileadite had come down from Raja limb and he went on with the king to the Jordan to escort him over the Jordan Barilla was a very aged man, 80 years old. He had provided the king with food while he stayed at maim for he was a very wealthy man and the king said to Barilla, come with me and I will provide for you with me in Jerusalem.

The Barilla said to the king, how many years have I still to live that I should go up with the king to Jerusalem? I'm to stay 80 years old. Can I discern what is pleasant and what is not? Can you servants taste what he eats or what he drinks? Can I still listen to the voice of singing men and singing women? Why then should your servant be an added burden to my Lord the king? Your servant will go a little way over the Jordan with the king.

Why should the king repay me with such a reward? Please let your servant return that I may die in my own city near the grave of my father and my mother, but here is your servant Chim ham. Let him go over with my Lord the king and do for him whatever seems good to you. And the king answered, Chim ham shall go over with me and I will do for him. Whatever seems good to you and all that you desire of me, I will do for you.

Then all the people went over the Jordan and the king went over and the king kissed bli and blessed him and returned to his own home. The king went on to Gilgal and chim ham went on with him. All the people of Judah and also half the people of Israel brought the king on his way. Though the grass withers and the flower fades, the word of God is forever. Thanks be to God. Amen.

This morning we continue uh, through the book of second Samuel. You may remember from last week that we ended, uh, the passage last week with the battle is over between David and his son Absalom's forces and both the northern and the southern tribes of Israel have been united together because there is only one king that is left King. David Absalom, his rebellious son who had led the nation into civil war against his father is

dead there. There is no more rival to the throne. There is one unrivaled king of Israel. And so our pastors this morning begins with Israel, the the 10 northern tribes contacting David and recognizing that David alone is king and that he should be brought back to Jerusalem because Jerusalem is the city of the kings. And so they asked the question of verse 10, why do you say nothing about bringing the king back? That is bring him back over the Jordan River.

And you'll notice how many times it was said in this text, he's coming back over the Jordan River because he was flee, forced to flee over the Jordan River because of his son Absalom.

What I want to do this morning is look at the four persons or groups of people that make up each little part of this chapter of two Samuel chapter 19. But I want to do so this morning recognizing that David is a type of the Christ to come. He's a type of the Christ to come when we say that he is a type of the Christ to come. We mean that God intentionally shaped David's life to foreshadow the greater king who was to come into the world.

Jesus And the people we encounter in the text are going to give us different insights as we look at how David relates with them. The first is a group of people, the rebellious, the rebellious. Israel has already called for David to return back to Jerusalem to come back over the Jordan River. We see that in verses nine and 10. And now in verses 11 through 15, we read that David is appealing to Judah David's own tribe which often has

Benjamin attached to it. Judah and Benjamin constitute the two southern tribes. And the other 10 tribes constitute the northern tribes. The northern tribes are often referred to as Israel. The two southern tribes are often referred to as Judah. They aren't formally divided at this point in history, but you can begin to see that there is a rub between the 10 northern tribes and the two southern tribes and the northern tribes.

Israel have pressed that. David, it's time for him to come back to Jerusalem. He's the unrivaled king crossed back over the Jordan River. So David sends messengers to Judah, verse 11, his own tribe. Why should you be the last to bring the king back to his house when the word of all Israel has come to the king? He's saying in essence they want it. They want me to come back to Jerusalem and reign. But you should be leading the way.

You are my tribe. You are my people.

But there's an issue. And the issue is this. Judah has been rebellious.

Now other portions of other tribes had joined Absalom in his rebellion against David. But Judah provided the momentum. Judah was at the very core of the rebellion. In fact, Absalom will launch his rebellion in Hebrew on David's former capital city, a city with strong historical ties to David located in Judah. And so the men of Judah, they they seem to be sheepish and calling David back to Jerusalem and rightfully so because they were rebellious,

they rebelled against him, his own people.

And yet so wonderful about this text. As this king is unique, David appeals to them by his own sovereign will is king and he determines to reach out to them for reconciliation.

He shows himself to be a reconciling king. He communicates to Amasa who had commanded Absalom's army that they are of the same tribe. They're bone, a bone, flesh of flesh. And he says to him, listen, I'm going to put you in charge of the army instead of Joab. You were in charge of Absalom's army. Joab was in charge of my army, but now I'm going to replace Joab with you because Joab is no longer trustworthy. Too many times has he acted in his own interest

and he has proven himself to be angry and impulsive in and vindictive not doing what David has commanded it to do. So David is ready to point a new right hand man and unite the nation. He's a reconciling king.

There's a wonderful statement in verse 14. And he swayed the heart of all the men of Judah's one man, so that they sent word to the king, return both you and all your servants. And so it is David crosses over the j Jordan to return to Jerusalem, his palace and to return to his throne. He's reconciled The people though they were so undeserving

at which they placed their hope in and their expectation in and even their faith in was dashed. It was destroyed. And now this king, he has every right to destroy them,

But he doesn't. He reconciles them.

So surely one of the greatest beauties of Christ stricken God says in Isaiah one, children have I reared and brought up, but they have rebelled against me. Who are those children of Isaiah one? Isaiah tells you, Isaiah 53, every single one of us, oh, oh, we like sheep have gone astray. We have turned everyone to his own way. Paul was say in Romans five, while we were enemies of God, we have not been neutral. There's no neutrality. It doesn't exist.

We've been in rebellion against the rightful king of the world. We're enemies as he says in Ephesians two, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, that's Satan, the devil and are by nature children of wrath. We placed our hope in, we placed our faith in this prince of the power of the heir. The devil we're rebellious,

but our king, our king is a reconciling king

by sovereign will and choice and action were reconciled.

Listen to these passages. Romans five, God shows his love for us that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. We were reconciled by to God by the death of his son. Two Corinthians five. All this is from God who through Christ reconciled us to himself. God was in Christ reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, Ephesians two, but now in Christ Jesus, you who were once far off have been brought near by the blood

of the Christ, by the blood of Christ that he might reconcile us both to God in one body, through the Christ we were rebels and therefore enemies and enemies deserving of his wrath, of his judgment of destruction.

But he, he, by his sovereign will and his sovereign choice, he moves towards us and the person of his son, the king. And he slays the prince that we had trusted in, not by a sword, by the blood of the cross, instead of destroying us, he chooses by that sovereign will to reconcile to himself. We're brought near, we're given peace, and now we're under his good and godly reign aing to reconciling king.

Second, notice David's interaction not only with the rebellious but with the sinner in verses 16 through 23 with the sinner

Shiia, the binge mite was a sinner through and through. He's one of the first to meet David as David is headed back to cross over the Jordan. And there is a good reason that he is one of the first to greet David because he knows he is in trouble.

You'll remember shiai from before in chapter 16 when David was forced to flee from Jerusalem and flee Absalom. It was Shiia who stood along the path on the way and he hurled insults at David and he threw rocks at David's head and he threw dirt at David as he was fleeing the city. And he called him a man of blood. He called him a worthless man. He committed sin after sin against David. And now in our text he comes to the king

before David crosses the Jordan and he pleads with him, let not my Lord hold me guilty or remember how your servant did wrong on the day my Lord left Jerusalem. What an ask, what boldness

it goes a step further. Verse 20, confessing for your servant knows that I have sinned.

Shiai is a despicable human being. He is a true viper in the nest. And yet he appears to be a repenting viper. I If it's not out of conviction, he does so outta self-preservation in the text and abishai, the son of Zuriah wants nothing to do with it. Let's kill him. Let's put him to death. This is justice, this is right. And it would be just, it would be right sinner.

David says the shim shockingly, verse 23, you shall not die. And then he seals it with an oath. Sinner abishai. Once revenge, David extends mercy.

Matthew Henry said this. He said, the less we have to do with those who are of an angry revengeful spirit and who put us upon doing what is harsh and rigorous, the better. Do you remember in Luke nine when Jesus is getting ready to enter a Samaritan village, he sends messengers ahead of him into that Samaritan village and he asks the Samaritans to prepare themselves for him coming into the village. And we're told in the text in Luke nine

that the Samaritans refuse to receive him wanted nothing to do with this king. You remember John and James, the two brothers, they will say to Jesus, do you want us to call down fire from heaven to consume them?

Jesus doesn't want revenge like they want. Revenge extends mercy like abishai. They receive the rebuke. Jesus calls them sons of thunder, no doubt because of the revengeful spirit.

David's kingdom is going forward as he crosses a Jordan, not by vengeance, but by extending mercy.

As David's kingdom goes forward, so does Christ,

the greater David and the greater king extends his kingdom in this world by extending mercy to sinners.

A king is a merciful king

Preach after the first service. And one of our elders came up to me and he said, Jason, I thought at this point in the sermon you would've had a Civil War illustration. And I said, well, I used one a couple weeks ago and I didn't wanna do too much of that. And he said, well, it didn't, hasn't stopped you before. Uh, so let me give you a Civil War illustration.

It's fascinating. The end of the Civil War, both Lincoln and Grant will be magnanimous and extending mercy.

Robert E. Lee Pickett, long Street Hood, let alone Quare and others expected that as generals of the Southern Army, they would be hung they'd be put to death. Grant at Appomattox Courthouse. He, he enters into this, this truce with Lee and he allows all of Lee and all of the soldiers to go home with their horses and with their guns because they needed him for

Huntington's mercy Lincoln before he is shot and before radical Republicans take over, he wanted to extend mercy to the south, not vengeance.

Our king is much greater than Lincoln, much greater than Grant, much greater than David. He said, I I came not to call the righteous. Jesus said, but sinners to repentance, mercy. He said, those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick, ex kingdom is so different from the one we would create. Pharisees could not understand. How can he sit with tax collectors and sinners? How is that possible?

None could comprehend. How could he touch a sinful woman? We are shocked that he would extend mercy to a persecutor of the church like soul of Tarsus, that he would forgive a denier and a sinner like Peter, that he would extend mercy to a sinner like me, like you.

But that's how his kingdom goes forward. By mercy to sinners,

our king is a merciful king.

Third, we encounter the weak, the weak. In verses 24 through 30. Mephibosheth you will remember was the son of Jonathan who was the son of Saul. And when he was young Mephibosheth, when Jonathan and Saul had died, Mephibosheth's nurse and all of Mephibosheth's family and servants had to flee. And as they were fleeing the palace, just like David will do, years later as they were fleeing the palace, that nurse picked up Mephibosheth as a toddler.

And as she was running, she dropped him. And when she dropped him, he became lame in both of his feet. And from that fade forward, he was lame in both of his feet. You remember that when David first ascends to the throne, he inquires, is there anybody left of the house of soul? And when he hears that Mephibosheth is still alive, he invites Mephibosheth to the palace and he gives Mephibosheth by grace all of the lands of soul.

And then he does even better. And he says, look, you always have a place at the king's table with me. You are always part of my house. It's one of the greatest pictures of grace in the entire Old Testament.

And yet you also remember that Mephibosheth did not flee when David was forced to flee Jerusalem. He stayed. And you'll remember Zeba, his servant went to David and explained to David, this is the reason Mephibosheth didn't stay loyal to you. Why he didn't flee with you. Because he expects and hopes that he will be restored to the throne and his line will be restored to the throne in Jerusalem.

But here in our text, you'll look back to verse 16, Zeba, that servant is one of the first to meet David upon his return. And there's a reason because Zeba is not quite who we thought he was.

He took advantage of the weak Mephibosheth. And David crosses back over the Jordan and is in Jerusalem. Mephibosheth is brought to the king and we find that he's asked by David verse 25, why did you not go with me? Mephibosheth? Mephibosheth answers Zeba my servant. He deceived you David. And he deceived me. You see, I'm lame. And I asked him to prepare a donkey for me so that I could flee with you. And he said he would prepare the donkey,

but he got on the donkey and he went to you and he told you, slandered against me and told you that I was betraying you when it was just the opposite.

Who's telling the truth? Well, it seems pretty clear in the text. The febru is the truth teller Here,

the narrator is letting you know. He, he didn't trim his beard. He he didn't trim his toes. He didn't even change his clothes when David was forced to flee from Jerusalem. And he didn't do so until David came back. Why? Because he was in a state of mourning. He was weak, but he did what he could. He mourned for the Covenant King and he prayed for him until he came back. He did what he could in his weakness

when I was a church planter, was raising support to plant a PCA church here in East Lansing and had to raise support for five years. And there was one dear couple that I administered to in Dallas that, uh, were gung-ho about us planting this church or seeking to plant this church. And they were both two of the top surgeons in the country. And so they pledged $20,000 a year for each of the five years. And it was a quite a gift. I was very thankful for it.

You know what I was even more thankful for was each month there would be a check for $30 that would come in the mail. And it always came with a little prayer note. And the prayer note was how this person was praying for me and praying for the church plant. And I so appreciated that $30 because it was from a widow who had nothing. She, she just gave from her weakness, just gave what she could. If Febu chef gave what he could in the midst

of his weakness, even here in the text, he doesn't protest a David. He doesn't demand from David. He simply yields to him. He says, do therefore what seems good to you. Verse 27, he goes on to state how David has provided for him, how he bestowed upon him such grace that he brought him into his household. And David's response is to undo what he did for ze for zebra. Now it seems he can't undo it all. Maybe it's out of principle.

Maybe it's because he doubts about who is towing the truth. But he gives half of the lamb back to Mephibosheth. He gives him grace. Mephibosheth receives grace. He didn't deserve that land to start with.

And surely his loyalty could have been doubted. And he receives grace upon grace.

David is a gracious king.

How much more gracious to the weak is the greater king Four. Jesus extends grace to the man possessed by demons. In Mark five, he heals a woman weak from a loss of blood over her entire life. He lifts Jairus's daughter from her deathbed. He deals gently with the weak, a bruise reed. He will not break a smoldering flame. He will not extinguish. He says, come to me. All you who are weary and heavy laid in an eye will give you rest.

He is our strength when we are weak. He is a strong tower. He's a fortress. He's a refuge in which we hide ourselves in. We hide under the shadow of his wing like young chips, chicks under a mother inn.

He grants grace in the midst of our weakness.

He's a gracious king or king, Finally encounter the faithful in verses 31 through 40, the faithful Brazil. I the gileadite was simply faithful. No doubt he was not a perfect man. He was simply faithful. You'll remember he supported the covenant King David when David and his men were on the run and they had to flee from Absalom. And when they crossed that Jordan River, were told in chapter 17 that Barz provided beds and basins, earth

and vessels, wheat, barley, flour, parch, grain beans, lentils, honey curds, sheep, cheese. It's just exhausting reading the list.

He was faithful. And now David wants to reward him by bringing him back to Jerusalem with him and bringing him back into the city with him so that now David can provide for him.

Brazil I is 80 years old and he confesses he has no need for more. He can simply rest in the shadow of a life well lived. His remaining days, I'll tell you a, a clear conscience is one of the

softest promises for a good future

provides peace for the soul. He's happy, he's happy to stay in his home. He does ask that chim ham. Apparently his son would receive a blessing from David the king's favor and David grants it. But what I want you to see is the beautiful verse 39. It's a very sweet text they're told. And the king kissed barilla and blessed him. And he returned to his home. He receives the affectionate love of the king.

It's as if Barilla heard from his king. Well done, my good and faithful servant and just receives his affectionate love. And for that's enough. He doesn't need anymore.

As great as David was, so much more so as the affectionate love of the king

and Zephaniah three, we have that wonderful truth proclaimed that he will rejoice over you with gladness. He will exalt over you with loud singing.

He rejoices over you with gladness. He sings over you. I, I wonder if that's how you think of Christ the king. And as he looks out upon you as his people that he rejoices over you, smiles over you. Do you seem frowning? Disappointed in you. Discouraged by you.

Rejoicing over you. Gladness.

How does love, love? And we'll be the recipients of our king's affectionate love for all eternity.

Think about it here. Our, our our love, the love that we experience from Christ. It's through a mere dimly lit it. It is, it is conditioned to our capacity. And it's limited in so many ways, so many reasons for that. That's why Polk and pray that great prayer where he says, you know that he prays for the church there, that they would know the height and the depth and the length and the breath of the love of Christ. It's an unending prayer 'cause it's an unending fountain.

And yet in glory, what will happen to you and I if we are in Christ is that our, our capacity, our capacity will grow day after day for all of eternity.

So that you can more and more know and see. And if we can say it this way, feel, experience, dwell in the love of Christ,

the love of Christ, which Samuel o Ruthford said is a C without a bottom and without shores.

It's one of my favorite pictures in the scriptures. That what a sweet moment where in the upper room, John is laying there with Christ at the table and we're told that he has his head upon his chest.

John will call himself throughout the the gospel of John. He'll call himself the disciple whom Jesus loved

the disciple of Christ. Can you say that? Do you see yourself as that? I'm the disciple Jesus loves.

And yet how much more shall we know His love and glory surpassing what John experienced in that moment eternally. So as Spurgeon said this, if Christ loved you without beginning, he will love you without any without end. Amen. Our, our king is an affectionately loving king.

David crossed over the Jordan in peace. The king had come back. Christ will cross over into history again. In his first coming, it was with mercy that he extended in a second coming, the kingdom will be consummated and he will come in glory and judgment.

So

rebels, Judah hesitated. Don't you hesitate.

You know he's king. He's the unrivaled king.

There's no neutrality. It doesn't exist.

Stop pleading it.

Invited, invite him in. You invite the king in. He stands at the door, knocks

for the sinner. You confess quickly. Shimmy. I rightfully ran to the king.

You, you don't wait. You run to him. You don't wait until he comes in the consummation of his kingdom and he sits enthroned on in heaven on earth. He's sitting enthroned above. Now he's king. Now you run to him. Now you say, that seems so frightful my sinner.

Here's the good news. He's a merciful king.

There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. None. Our king is a reconciling king. Our king is a merciful king for the weak. You're not disqualified.

Are you chronically discouraged? Are you feeble in soul? Are you fragile in body? Are you sluggish in spirit? Are you weary in life? Our king is a gracious king.

He's not put off by weakness. He's not irritated with the lowly He came for such for you. For me.

He's a gracious king.

For the faithful you live for the affectionate love of the

kingz. I did not need anything more. He had the king's affection and he rested.

So you keep being quietly, faithful,

resolved, serve your king until your last dying breath. And look to him with love ever knowing the abundance of love that he's pouring out upon you day after day after day. And will for all of eternity bask in that love.

A kind of king reconciles, rebels, spares, sinners, blesses the weak, embraces the faithful. A king Our king. King Jesus.

Do you know that king?

I hope so. Let's pray.

Our Father, we are thankful for so great a king who even now sits enthroned above and rules and reigns over us.

There is truly no king like our king and your son hallow. Be his name. And we look forward to the day when his kingdom shall be consummated. And may it be true of every single soul in this room that before he crosses back over, we have all found ourselves reconciled, experiencing the mercy and the grace and the love of this king before he comes in glory. I mean we live for his praise. We pray this all in the strong name of our king of kings

and Lord of lords Jesus. Amen.