Weekly message: Aging doesn’t guarantee immunity from sin or free from error By Rev. Katherine Liu Bruce

Weekly message: Aging doesn’t guarantee immunity from sin or free from error

By Rev. Katherine Liu Bruce                                                                Date: 2/21/2024

Christian Arts Ministries: Biblical precepts & Gospel music; Pastoral ministry & Counseling

 

My friends, have you even pondered about what words will be used in the eulogy to sum up your life? What do you think those who survive you will write as your epitaph? What phrase or form of words is written in memory of you as an inscription for a tombstone? What legacy have you passed down to those who survive you? What final words will you encourage them?

As I have grown in age sixty, I often wonder if I can live longer to seventy or eighty years old to serve the Lord. And constantly I ask the Lord, “Do not take away thy Holy Spirit from me, until I proclaim your might to the young generations to come. And pass down Messiah ministry and my Biblical precepts preaching and teaching, Gospel music and worship albums that I composed and produced as legacy to the young generations to come. And keep me humble before God, practice reverence before God, fear God and shine evil.”  For age alone is no guarantee of maturity or freedom from error. As Elihu said to Job, “The experts have no corner on wisdom; getting old doesn’t guarantee good sense.”(Job 32:9). NIV translated, “It is not only the old who are wise, not only the aged who understand what is right.” A spiritual leader must be careful of each step and decision making. The longer we walk with the Lord, the more we are guaranteed immunity from sin? No, this is not the case. Until we are with the Lord, we will never be immune from sin’s appeal. Often those who fall the hardest are those who have walked with God the longest.

We know that the real battle for our lives occurs in the mind. When the apostle Paul wrote of Satan’s work, he said, “We are not ignorant of his schemes.” (2 Cor.2:11) The Greek term rendered “Schemes” has in its root the word “mind”. A paraphrase might read, “We are not ignorant of his ability to get into our minds and direct our thoughts.” This was exactly what happened to King David, when he grew older. In 2 Samuel 24 & 1 Chronicles 21 we are given a vivid account of a tragic example of this when King David, in the latter years of his life, committed a sin that affected thousands of lives. Sin pays a terrible wage and brings sorrow and grief to others.  

Ø  Go, number Israel and Judah

King David’s last battle and his first battle both were with Philistines and both involved giants. King David killed Goliath in the first battle; in this last one, a brother of Goliath was killed, as were several other who are called “descendants of the giants in Gath.” After the battle and the victory, David was vulnerable. We are most vulnerable immediately after victory. That’s when Satan sets his traps. Satan pushed David in his private thoughts and said, “Why don’t you number these people? Let’s see how big the kingdom is. Why not inventory how vast your land has become?” King David said to Joab his commander of the army,

 “Go, number Israel and Judah”; “Go and count the Israelites from Beersheba to Dan. Then report back to me so that I may know how many there are.” (1 Chronicles21:2;2 Samuel 24;1).)

Although Joab wondered why the King wanted to do that? And said,

“Now may the Lord your God add to the people a hundred time as many as they are, while the eyes of my lord the king still see; but why does my lord the king delight in this thing ?” (1 Chronicles 21:2)  

Joab as commander offered a wise counsel, “O king, I hope that God multiplies the nation of Israel a hundred times during your lifetime, but why do you want insist on doing this?”   but King David didn’t get it, nor listened to him, in 1 Chronicles 21, provided more insight into the decision. “Then Satan rose up against Israel and incited David to take a census of Israel.” (1 Chronicles 21:1) . The final decision is the king prevails against the general. Joab must do what King David’s order, unquestioned in his authority. King David at this point, he didn’t seek God’s counsel, or search Scriptures before he made this decision. He simply decided to do it. This was a dangerous oversight and was unaccountable to anyone around him.

Ø  God’s displeasure in what he had done King David repented sin

After King David had numbered the people, his heart troubled (2 Samuel 24:10) deep inside David’s inner man was a disturbing reminder of God’s displeasure in what he had done. And God was displeased with this thing, so He struck Israel.” (1 Chronicles 21:7) . King David was a sensitive man. Was conscience-stricken after he had counted the fighting men, and he said to the Lord, ““I have sinned greatly in what I have done, But now, O Lord, please take away the quilt of your servant. I have done a very foolish thing.” In Chronicles 21:8 he stated, “I have sinned greatly, in that I have done this thing. But now, please take away the iniquity of Thy servant, for I have done very foolishly. (2 Samuel24:10; 1 Chronicles21:8)

 When we have done wrong and we begin to see the devastation that results from our sin, we cannot let it rest- at least not very long if we are sensitive to God’s dealing with us. Many are the stubborn saints who knowingly step out against God’s will only to run faster and faster, refusing to listen to the troubles heart down inside. Regrettably, those in greatest power are often those who listen the least to that inner, aching voice. Have you ever been troubled by something in your spiritual walk? If so, what have you done about it? Have you ignored it and just kept going in the same direction? Or did you come to a dead stop and say, “I was wrong. God is dealing with me about this, and I know what He wants me to do about it.”

Ø  God gave him three choices

King David was in great distress, by the grace and mercy of God, God gave him three choices, the opportunity to choose the consequences of following wrong. “The Lord spoke to Gad, David’s seer, go and speak to David, saying,

“I offer you three things; choose for yourself one of them, that I may do it to you.” So Gad came to David and said to him, “Thus says the Lord, ‘take for yourself either three years of famine, or three months to be swept away before your foes, while the sword of your enemies overtakes you, or else three days of the sword of the Lord, even pestilence in the land, and the angel of the Lord destroying throughout all the territory of Israel.’ Now therefore, consider what answer I shall return to Him who sent me.” (1 Chronicles 21:9-12)

 At this moment, King David must be sorrowful and the tremendous guilt he felt down inside was almost more than he could bear. He responded, “I am in great distress; please let me fall into the hand of the Lord, for His mercies are very great. But do not let me fall into the hand of man.” (1 Chronicles 21:13). King David’s choice resulted in those who were under his leadership had to pay the price. How miserable David must have felt, his failure caused those who followed him, trust in him pain and loss and brought the devastation of his own act of foolishness.

“So the Lord sent a pestilence upon Israel from the morning until the appointed time; and seventy thousand men of the people from Dan to Beersheba died. (2 Samuel24:15).  

Then God sends an angel to destroy Jerusalem. King David saw the death angel sweep across the land,

“He… lifted up his eyes and saw the angel of the Lord standing between earth and heaven, with his sword in his hand stretched out over Jerusalem. Then David and the elders, covered with sackcloth, fell on their faces.” 

And David said to God,

“Is it not I who commanded to count the people? Indeed, I am the one who has sinned and done very wickedly, but these sheep, what have they done? O Lord, my God, please let Thy hand be against me and my father’s household, but not against Thy people that they should be plagued.” (1 Chronicles 21:16-17).

Ø  Sin pays a terrible wage

King David saw the horror, devastation and the payment he had to pay of his own iniquity. There were 70,000 grieving families whose lives were marked by King David’s compromise with pride. He is a broken man facing the responsibility of his own iniquity, and he throws himself upon the mercy of God. The Lord saw and was sorry over the calamity, and said to the destroying angel “It is enough…” (1 Chronicles 21:15). Then the angel of the Lord commanded Gad to say to David, that David should go up and build an altar to the Lord on the threshing floor of Ornan the Jebusite.( 1 Chronicles 21:18). And David went up according to the word of Gad, just as the Lord commanded. King David bought threshing flooring from Ornan the Jebusite for a price, and built an altar to the Lord. “The Lord commanded the angel, and he put his sword back in its sheath.” (1 Chronicles 21:27). So the plague was held back from the people.

Ø  King David’s final words to his son Solomon

 King David served the Lord forty years as Israel’s leader, the significant commands and final words he said to his son Solomon was,

“Know the God of your father,  and serve Him with a whole heart and a willing mind; for the Lord searches all hearts, and understands every intent of the thoughts. If you seek Him, He will let you find Him; but if you forsake Him, He will reject you forever.” (1 Chronicles28:9) 

 

“Be strong and courageous, and act; do not fear nor be dismayed, for the Lord God, my God, is with you. He will not fail you nor forsake you until all the work for the service of the house of the Lord is finished. (1 Chronicles 28:20)  

King David wants his son to know God above all else, get to know Him deeply. And serve the God of your father; serve Him with whole heart devotion and a willing mind. Don’t make God force you to worship Him, do it wholeheartedly and willingly, hold nothing back. Seek God, do not forsake God. King David passed down an unforgettable legacy in Solomon’s mind. And Solomon must have witnessed in his father an intense passion for God. The Lord searches every heart and understands every motive behind the thoughts. If you forsake Him, He will reject you forever. Finally, King David assured and encouraged Solomon to rule the people, be strong and courageous, do not fear nor be dismayed, for the Lord God, my God, is with you.    

Theological principle and Application

1)      Aging doesn’t guarantee immunity from sin or free from error

For age alone is no guarantee of maturity or freedom from error. As Elihu said to Job, “The experts have no corner on wisdom; getting old doesn’t guarantee good sense.”(Job 32:9). “It is not only the old who are wise, not only the aged who understand what is right.” A spiritual leader must be careful of each step and decision making. The longer we walk with the Lord, the more we are guaranteed immunity from sin. No, until we are with the Lord, we will never be immune from sin’s appeal. Often those who fall the hardest are those who have walked with God the longest.

2)      Be aware of Satan’s schemes, keep humble before God, for God rejects pride, but gives grace to the meekness. “For the accusers of our brothers, who accuse them before our God day and night, have been hurled down. They overcame him by the blood of Lamb and by the word of their testament.” (Revelations 12:10-1) if My people…will humble themselves…then will I …heal their land (2Chro.7:14) as a traditional hymn “If my people’s hearts are humbled” says, “if my people’s hearts are humbled, if they pray and seek my face if they turn away from evil, I will not withhold my grace. I will hear their prayers from heaven; I will pardon every sin. If my people’s hearts are humbled, I will surely heal their land. Then my eyes will see their sorrow, then, my ears will hear their plea. If my people’s hearts are humble I will set their nation free. If they turn away from evil, I will not withhold my grace.  

3)      Always put the Lord God first and seek His face, strength and help by prayer and petition.  When you are in the high authority position, don’t make any decision by your own canal mind, daily seek God’s face, and His strength, and select a godly counsel group, and listen to the wise counsel for each important decision making.

4)      Make sure that God is with us. The Lord is with King David. God let him saw the angel of the Lord standing between earth and heaven with his drawn sword in his hand stretched out over Jerusalem. God opened Kind David’s eyes and saw the destroying angel. King David, was a man heart of God’s own heart, the Lord is with him and instructed him by sending him Samuel, Nathan, and Gad, the prophets and the seers.

5)      Make our hearts home for Christ; serve Him with wholehearted devotion.

 In this era, not many people can see the angel of the Lord standing between earth and heaven. But we, born again Christians, will be led by the Holy Spirit, and make hearts home for Christ, let the Spirit of Christ dwells in us, speaks to our inner being when we meditate upon His Word, read the Bible (Old Testament & New Testament) and keep praising and worshipping the Lord. Our inner being will know and affirm that God is with us.  As King David’s final words to his son Solomon, “Be strong and courageous, and act; do not fear nor be dismayed, for the Lord God, my God is with you. He will not fail you nor forsake you until all the work for the service of the house of the Lord is finished.”; “Know the God of your father, and serve Him with a whole heart and a willing mind; for the Lord searches all hearts, and understands every intent of the thoughts. If you seek Him, He will let you find Him; but if you forsake Him, He will reject you forever.” (1 Chronicles28: 20,9).

 

Bibliography,

 

           Dyer, Wayne, Your ErroneousZones  New York: Avon Books, 1976.

      

          King James, The Holy Bible, Cleveland, OH: The world publishing company

   

          Ryrie, Charles C. The Ryrie Study Bible (NIV).Chicago, IL: The Moody Bible Institute,       1986.

    

         Swindoll, Charles R. David. Dallas, TX: Word Publishing, Inc, 1997.  

 

 

Weekly message: A qualified King (2 Samuel 16-19; Luke 6:22-23,28, 32-37) By Rev. Katherine Liu Bruce

 Weekly message: A qualified King (2 Samuel 16-19; Luke 6:22-23,28, 32-37)

By Rev. Katherine Liu Bruce    2/17/2024

Christian Arts Ministries; Biblical precepts & Gospel music; Pastoral ministry & Counseling

 

 

Cultivating a forgiving spirit is a very real problem that every one of us wrestles with. Today, in our society, we need a heart of full forgiveness and grace in our family relationship, in our work, school, and church relationship. My friends, have you ever pondered, what element to be a good king, a good leader, and good disciples of Jesus Christ in order to resolve the conflict? And lead our nations to a better place to live? What do we need? Today, let us discover the 2 Samuel chapters 16 to chapter 19 to renew our vision. What caused King David to be called a man of God’s own heart? A qualified King, there are four characteristics 1) Christlike grace. 2) Complete forgiveness. 3) A soft heart. 4) An awareness of our own failures and our own need for forgiveness.  

When his son Absalom conspired against him and usurped the throne, David fled from his own son, and ran for life barefoot, and a broken heart. The whole countryside wept aloud as all the people passed by. The king also crossed the Kidron Valley, and all the people moved on toward the desert.

Ø  Shimei son of Gera, he cursed and pelted David with stones

As King David approached Bahurim, a man from the same clan as Saul’s family came out from there. His name was Shimei son of Gera, and he cursed as he came out. He pelted David and all the king’s officials with stones, though all the troops and the special guard were on David’s right and left. As he cursed, Shimei said,

“Get out, get out, you man of blood, you scoundrel!  The Lord has repaid you for all the blood you shed in the household of Saul, in whose place you have reigned. The Lord has handed the kingdom over to your son Absalom. You have come to ruin because you are a man of blood!” (2Samuel 16:5-8)

Shimei has not only thrown rocks and cursed David; he has lied three times in his personal attack. David now has a choice; he can be offended, get mad, become resentful and take revenge on this man. But instead of fighting back, King David was incredibly calm, and acknowledged “the Lord’s in it”. He didn’t get offended, and never took it personally, even didn’t even yell! David may have seen a touch of his old immature self in Shimei as those rocks came whizzing by. He responded totally differently with the time when he was young and faced Nabal’s rejection. In this time, he has grown older, after he committed adultery with Bathsheba, the Lord sent Nathan to comfort him, and he repented his sin, “I have sinned against the Lord.” Nathan replied, “The Lord has taken away your sin. You are not going to die. But because by doing this you have made the enemies of the Lord show utter contempt. The son born to you will die.” (2 Samuel 12:13-14).

King David suffered a child lost and a dysfunctional family, his daughter Tama was raped by his own son Amnon, Amnon was murdered by his son Absalom, and his wives was taken advantage of in public by Absalom, his own son. Absalom conspired against him and expropriated the throne. He was in the pit of destruction, and in the deepest heartbroken consequences. In this desperate moment, with guilt crushing on top of David, in the pit of self-deprecating thoughts, a man named Shimei came out of nowhere to add to his misery. Shimei was the kind of person who kicks you while you’re on your face, down and out. You’re at the very ultimate, lowest pit and along come a Shimei. 

Then Abishai the son of Zeruiah said to the king, “Why should this dead dog curse my lord the king? Let me go over now, and cut off his head.” ( 2 Samuel 16:9).

But the king said, “What do you and I have in common, you son of Zeruiah? If he is cursing because the Lord said to him, ‘Curse David, who can ask, ‘why do you do this?’”

  David then said to Abishai and all his officials, “My son, who is of my own flesh, is trying to take my life, how much more, then, this Benjamite! Leave him alone; let him curse, for the Lord has told him to. It may be that the Lord will see my distress and repay me with good for the cursing I am receiving today.” (2 Samuel 16:10-12).

So David and his men continued along the road while Shimei was going along the hillside opposite him, cursing as he went and throwing stones at him and showering him with dirt. The king and all the people with him arrived at their destination exhausted and there he refreshed himself.

The king commanded Joab, Abishai and Ittai, be gentle with the young man Absalom for his sake. There the army of Israel was defeated by David’s men, and the casualties that day were great-twenty thousand men. The battle spread out over the whole countryside and the forest claimed more lives that day than the sword. Now Absalom happened to meet David’s men. Absalom is defeated and dies. Absalom was riding his mule, and as the mule went under the thick branches of a large oak, Absalom's hair got caught in the tree. He was left hanging in midair, while the mule he was riding kept on going. Joab took three javelins in his hand and plunged them into Absalom’s heart while Absalom was still alive in the oak tree. And ten of Joab’s armor-bearers surrounded Absalom, struck him, and killed him. (2 Sam.18:5-15).

    It’s not God’s will for Absalom to sit on the throne, even though he intended to take over his father David’s throne. Absalom died and was removed from the throne, although David didn’t want Absalom to die. The people are turning back to King David as their leader. He won over the hearts of all the men of Judah as though they were one man. They sent word to the king, “Return, you and all your men.”(2Sam.19:14). Then the king returned and went as far as Jordan. They moved his household goods back over the Jordan to Jerusalem, in a hurry to get the rightful king back on the throne. It’s a day of coronation. David had come from the lowest level back up to the highest mountaintop and he was rejoicing as he is about to be enthroned once again as the king.

Ø  Shimei asked for forgiveness

Shimei, son of Gera, the Benjamite from Bahurim, hurried down with the men of Judah to meet King David. Shimei has not only thrown rocks and cursed David; he has lied three times in his personal attack. At this point, with him were a thousand Benjamites, along with Ziba, the steward of Saul’s household, and his fifteen sons and twenty servants. They rushed to Jordan, where the king was. They crossed at the ford to take the king’s household over and to do whatever he wished.  When Shimei son of Gera crossed the Jordan, he fell prostrate before the king and said to him,

“May my lord not hold me guilty.  Do not remember how your servant did wrong on the day my lord the king left Jerusalem. May the king put it out of his mind. For I, your servant know that I have sinned, but today I have come here as the first of the whole house of Joseph to come down and meet my lord the king.” (2 Samuel 19:18-20)’

The Abishai son of Zeruiah said, “Shouldn’t Shimei be put to death for this? He cursed the Lord’s anointed.” (2 Sam.19:21).

David replied, “What do you and I have in common, you sons of Zeruiah? This day you have become my adversaries! Should anyone be put to death in Israel today? Do I not know that today I am king over Israel?” So the king said to Shimei, “You shall not die.” And the king promised him on oath. (2 Sam.19:22-23).

King David regained the favor, honor, and loyalty from the Shimei, the house of Joseph. (The tribe of Ephraim the offspring of Joseph’s son) a large tribe and representative of the ten northern tribes because of his soft heart and forgiveness to Shimei. King David had his own failures, God forgave him, and he understood the importance of forgiveness, therefore, he said to Shimei, “ You shall not die” . The statement was the same as the Lord said to him through Nathan, God’s forgiveness transformed King David’s heart to forgive Shimei. David became a man of God’s own heart. 

Ø  Theological principles  of forgiveness in New Testament

Jesus’ sermon about the characteristics of disciples, he said,

 “Blessed are you when men hate you, when they exclude you and insult you and reject your name as evil, because of the Son of Man. Rejoice in that day and leap for joy because great is your reward in heaven, for that is how their fathers treated the prophet…But I tell you who hear me, love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. 

If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners’ love those who love them. And if you do good to those who are good to you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners do that? If you lend to those from whom you expect repayment, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, expecting to be repaid in full. But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked. Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful. Do not judge and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned.  Forgive and you will be forgiven.(Luke 6:22-23,28, 32-37).

 King David had done exactly what the Lord Jesus Christ’s teaching. “Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you, forgive and you will be forgiven.” (Luke 6:27-28,37). He is qualified as King to lead Israel because of a heart of forgiveness. Nathan said, “Your sin has been taken away, you will not die”, the Lord transformed him into a soft heart to forgive Shimei who cursed him, stoned him and accused him. He became a man, heart of God’s own heart. And he said to Shimei with the same words, “you will not die” while Abishai son of Zeruiah said, “Shouldn’t Shimei be put to death for this? He cursed the Lord’s anointed.” (2 Sam.19:21). Therefore, complete forgiveness is an element to be a good king and disciples. And be aware of our own failures and our own need for forgiveness. Putting ourselves in the other person’s shoes often helps us objectify their reaction.

      Moreover, we need Christlike grace. While Jesus was hanging on the cross, he looked at His accusers and prayed, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing (Luke 23:34).  This is how our Lord Jesus Christ viewed His enemies. Savior Jesus Christ came to save the sinners. Grace is God giving Himself in full acceptance to someone who does not deserve it and can never earn it and will never be able to repay. This is what makes the story of King David and Mephibosheth (Jonathan’s son) so memorable. A strong and famous king stoops down and reaches out. King David said to Mephibosheth, “Do not fear, for I will surely show kindness (grace) to you for the sake of your father Jonathan and will restore to you all the land of your grandfather Saul: and you shall eat at my table regularly.” (2 Samuel 9:7). That’s the way it is with the Father, our conditional problem with sin is a continual reminder of His grace. Every time we claim that verse, “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins ad to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” (1 John 1:9).
Jesus Christ chose us in our sinful and rebellious condition and in grace took us from a barren place and gave us a place at His table and in love allowed His tablecloth of grace to cover our sin. 

 Repentance and forgiveness lead Christians to live a victorious life and overcome the enemy. My friends, when Jesus invites you to come to the table of mercy, or come to the Lord’s feast table, don’t reject Him, no matter how much wrong you have done, how unworthy you are? How unclean you think you are? Come, Jesus provides you the tablecloth of grace to cover your sin.

 

Bibliography,

 

           Dyer, Wayne, Your ErroneousZones  New York: Avon Books, 1976.

      

          King James, The Holy Bible, Cleveland, OH: The world publishing company

   

          Ryrie, Charles C. The Ryrie Study Bible (NIV).Chicago, IL: The Moody Bible Institute, 1986.

    

         Swindoll, Charles R. David. Dallas, TX: Word Publishing, Inc, 1997.