Advancing Christ's Kingdom: Grace Over Cunning and Violence
Summary
In our journey through 2 Samuel 4, we explore the profound lessons embedded in the story of David's rise to unify the tribes of Israel under his kingship. This narrative serves as a lens through which we can understand the broader biblical story of how people from every tribe and nation are brought together under the rule of Jesus Christ. The story of David's kingdom offers us insights into how Christ's kingdom advances—not through human cunning or violence, but through grace and righteousness.
The first negative lesson we learn is that Christ's kingdom does not advance through human schemes. Abner, a man full of self-confidence, believed he could establish David's throne through his own cunning. However, his plans failed, reminding us that God's kingdom is not dependent on human manipulation or deceit. This is a crucial lesson for Christian leaders today, who must remember that their gifts and influence are not what God needs to advance His kingdom. Instead, it is God who establishes His kingdom in His own way and time.
The second negative lesson is that Christ's kingdom does not advance through acts of violence. The gruesome story of Baanah and Rechab, who murdered Ish-bosheth in an attempt to gain favor with David, illustrates the futility and horror of trying to advance God's purposes through violence. David's response to their act of violence underscores the importance of righteousness over success. In a world that often idolizes success, we are reminded to prioritize righteousness, even if it means foregoing worldly success.
David's response also highlights the nature of God's kingdom as one of grace and righteousness. Unlike the ruthless men who believed that might makes right, David cared deeply about righteousness. This points us to the character of Christ's kingdom, where grace and righteousness are paramount. The story challenges us to love righteousness more than success and to trust in God's grace rather than our own efforts.
Ultimately, the advancement of Christ's kingdom is not through human effort or violence but through the work of the Spirit and the message of grace. As messengers of grace, we are called to reach out to those who do not yet know God, sharing the good news of His grace and justice. This is our mission and privilege in a world that desperately needs to know the King of grace and righteousness.
Key Takeaways:
- Christ's kingdom does not advance through human cunning or schemes. Abner's failure reminds us that God's kingdom is established by God alone, not through human manipulation or deceit. Leaders must remember that their gifts and influence are not what God needs to advance His kingdom. [05:26]
- Violence is not the way to advance Christ's kingdom. The story of Baanah and Rechab's violent act shows the futility of trying to achieve God's purposes through violence. David's response underscores the importance of righteousness over success. [06:37]
- Righteousness should be prioritized over success. In a world that often idolizes success, we are reminded to love righteousness more than success. This means sometimes foregoing worldly success to uphold what is right. [18:17]
- God's kingdom is one of grace and righteousness. David's response to Baanah and Rechab highlights the nature of God's kingdom, where grace and righteousness are paramount. We are called to trust in God's grace rather than our own efforts. [33:48]
- The advancement of Christ's kingdom is through the work of the Spirit and the message of grace. As messengers of grace, we are called to reach out to those who do not yet know God, sharing the good news of His grace and justice. [39:09]
Youtube Chapters:
- [00:00] - Welcome
- [00:14] - David's Anointing and the Twelve Tribes
- [01:06] - The Bigger Picture: Christ's Kingdom
- [01:58] - How the Kingdom Does Not Come
- [02:51] - Abner's Cunning Schemes
- [04:51] - Renouncing Disgraceful Ways
- [06:20] - Violence and the Kingdom
- [07:15] - Panic and Leadership
- [09:43] - Trusting in God, Not Man
- [12:18] - Baanah and Rechab's Decision
- [13:36] - The Act of Violence
- [15:49] - Presenting the Case to David
- [17:52] - Righteousness Over Success
- [21:07] - The Idolatry of Success
- [25:28] - Knowing God's Will
- [28:03] - Facing God's Anointed King
- [30:24] - The King of Grace
- [33:48] - The King of Righteousness
- [37:40] - How Christ's Kingdom Comes
- [39:30] - The Mission of the Church
Study Guide
Bible Study Discussion Guide
Bible Reading:
- 2 Samuel 4
- Romans 12:19-21
- Matthew 5:9
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Observation Questions:
1. What was Abner's plan to establish David's throne, and why did it fail? ([03:36])
2. How did Baanah and Rechab attempt to gain favor with David, and what was David's response to their actions? ([15:49])
3. What does David's reaction to the murder of Ish-bosheth reveal about his priorities as a leader? ([17:52])
4. How does the sermon describe the way Christ's kingdom advances in contrast to human efforts? ([39:09])
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Interpretation Questions:
1. How does the story of Abner illustrate the futility of relying on human schemes to advance God's kingdom? What does this teach about the nature of God's sovereignty? ([05:26])
2. In what ways does the sermon suggest that violence is incompatible with the advancement of Christ's kingdom? How does this align with the teachings of Jesus? ([06:37])
3. How does David's emphasis on righteousness over success challenge contemporary views of leadership and achievement? ([18:17])
4. What role does grace play in the advancement of Christ's kingdom, according to the sermon? How does this compare to the actions of Baanah and Rechab? ([33:48])
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Application Questions:
1. Reflect on a time when you relied on your own cunning or schemes to achieve a goal. How did that experience compare to trusting in God's timing and methods? ([05:26])
2. In what areas of your life might you be tempted to prioritize success over righteousness? How can you realign your priorities to reflect the values of Christ's kingdom? ([18:17])
3. How can you actively promote peace and non-violence in your community, following the example of Christ's kingdom? ([06:37])
4. Consider someone in your life who may not yet know God. How can you be a messenger of grace to them this week? ([39:09])
5. What practical steps can you take to ensure that your leadership, whether in your family, workplace, or church, is characterized by faith in God rather than reliance on human strength? ([09:43])
6. How can you cultivate a deeper understanding of God's grace in your life, and how might this impact your interactions with others? ([33:48])
7. Reflect on the concept of God's justice as presented in the sermon. How does this understanding influence your view of God's character and your own actions? ([36:09])
Devotional
Day 1: God's Kingdom is Established by His Sovereignty
God's kingdom is not built on human cunning or manipulation. Abner's attempt to establish David's throne through his own schemes serves as a reminder that God's kingdom is established by God alone, not through human efforts. This is a crucial lesson for Christian leaders today, who must remember that their gifts and influence are not what God needs to advance His kingdom. Instead, it is God who establishes His kingdom in His own way and time. Leaders are called to trust in God's sovereignty and timing, rather than relying on their own abilities or strategies. [05:26]
"For the kingdom is the Lord's, and he rules over the nations." (Psalm 22:28, ESV)
Reflection: In what areas of your life are you relying on your own plans rather than trusting in God's sovereignty? How can you begin to surrender these areas to Him today?
Day 2: The Futility of Violence in Advancing God's Kingdom
The story of Baanah and Rechab, who murdered Ish-bosheth in an attempt to gain favor with David, illustrates the futility and horror of trying to advance God's purposes through violence. David's response to their act of violence underscores the importance of righteousness over success. In a world that often idolizes success, we are reminded to prioritize righteousness, even if it means foregoing worldly success. This narrative challenges us to reject violence and embrace peace as we seek to advance God's kingdom. [06:37]
"Put your sword back into its place. For all who take the sword will perish by the sword." (Matthew 26:52, ESV)
Reflection: Is there a situation in your life where you are tempted to use force or manipulation to achieve your goals? How can you choose a path of peace and righteousness instead?
Day 3: Righteousness Over Success
In a world that often idolizes success, we are reminded to love righteousness more than success. This means sometimes foregoing worldly success to uphold what is right. David's response to the violent act of Baanah and Rechab highlights the nature of God's kingdom, where grace and righteousness are paramount. We are called to trust in God's grace rather than our own efforts, and to prioritize righteousness over worldly achievements. [18:17]
"Better is a little with righteousness than great revenues with injustice." (Proverbs 16:8, ESV)
Reflection: Are there areas in your life where you are prioritizing success over righteousness? What steps can you take to realign your priorities with God's values?
Day 4: The Nature of God's Kingdom
David's response to Baanah and Rechab highlights the nature of God's kingdom, where grace and righteousness are paramount. Unlike the ruthless men who believed that might makes right, David cared deeply about righteousness. This points us to the character of Christ's kingdom, where grace and righteousness are paramount. The story challenges us to love righteousness more than success and to trust in God's grace rather than our own efforts. [33:48]
"For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking but of righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit." (Romans 14:17, ESV)
Reflection: How can you embody the values of grace and righteousness in your daily interactions with others? What practical steps can you take to reflect God's kingdom in your life?
Day 5: The Mission of Grace
The advancement of Christ's kingdom is not through human effort or violence but through the work of the Spirit and the message of grace. As messengers of grace, we are called to reach out to those who do not yet know God, sharing the good news of His grace and justice. This is our mission and privilege in a world that desperately needs to know the King of grace and righteousness. [39:09]
"And he said to them, 'Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation.'" (Mark 16:15, ESV)
Reflection: Who in your life needs to hear the message of God's grace and justice? How can you intentionally share this message with them this week?
Quotes
The first negative answer to the question, how does the kingdom come, in other words, the first how the kingdom doesn't come, was in the story that we looked at last week, and we learned there that Christ's Kingdom does not come through the cunning of human schemes. That was the point of second Samuel in chapter 3. [00:02:41]
Why? Because the kingdom does not advance by the cunning of men's deceitful scheming, and that is right at the center of the story of Abner. That's why we have in the New Testament in regards to the Ministry of the church, our ministry for Christ today, we have these words: we renounce disgraceful and underhanded ways. [00:04:39]
Christ's Kingdom does not come through the cunning of human schemes, and we all need to take that to heart today, and especially when it comes to Christian leadership. Here's how it speaks to us: any leader who thinks that his or her gifts or influence or program or ministry is what Christ needs to get his kingdom moving forward better go read the story of Abner. [00:05:24]
Christ's Kingdom does not advance through acts of violence. That's not how it comes, never. Christ's Kingdom never advances through acts of violence, and what we're looking at today is a gruesome story of how some men thought it could advance David's Kingdom through an act of violence, a morbid miserable gruesome act of violence. [00:06:37]
The first calling of any leader is to exercise faith in God. When the early church wanted to appoint their very first leaders in Acts in chapter 6 and they were looking to select people who would give leadership to ministry, the very first person they chose was a man by the name of Stephen, and we're told about him that he was full of faith. [00:08:12]
If you love success more than righteousness, you won't care how you get success, but if you love righteousness more than you love success, you will sometimes forego a success that you could have had because you say the path to it is not one that I can go down. It's simply not right. [00:18:37]
The figure of Christ crucified invalidates every thought that takes success as its standard. Neither the triumph of the successful nor the bitter hatred which the successful arouse in the hearts of the unsuccessful can ultimately overcome the world. You see all these divisions in society, the successful, the unsuccessful, the hatred that's generated. [00:21:07]
The Living God is able to establish my kingdom. The living god in whom I have put my trust has stood with me in every adversity I have ever faced in my life. You guys think that I need you to establish my kingdom by a brutal act of violence. You do not know the Living God. [00:28:34]
Christ Himself will establish his kingdom, and it will happen as his people reach out with grace, and that's our calling, and that's our privilege, and that is the great need of the world today. After all these chapters in second Samuel, we cannot come back to where we were in the beginning. [00:37:40]
Christ's Kingdom will advance throughout the world by the work of his spirit in claiming men and women to freely embrace His grace because they realize their own need before his justice. And how will they know that there is grace? Because the message of grace is entrusted to people like us. [00:39:09]
Father, in this brutal and violent world, we thank you for Christ, your anointed king. We thank you that he's the king of grace and that is the king of justice, and we are overwhelmed with the sense and the marvel of this fact that you have made us your people messengers of your grace. [00:39:42]
Please help us in our spheres of influence individually and together that your kingdom may marvelously move forward among those who right now do not really know who you are and have no really unreal understanding of what you desire and what pleases you, and grant that in a world of such violence and strife. [00:40:13]
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