Sep. 06, 2024

Series: AFTER GOD’S OWN HEART   9-8-24

Choosing your Friends

(2 Samuel 15-19)     

David’s LIFE:

A.   Personally - 

B.   Domestically - 

C.   Politically - 

2 Samuel 15:4 ⁴ And Absalom would add, “If only I were appointed judge in the land! Then everyone who has a complaint or case could come to me and I would see that they receive justice.”

2 Samuel 15:13–14 ¹² And so the conspiracy gained strength, and Absalom’s following kept on increasing. ¹³ A messenger came and told David, “The hearts of the people of Israel are with Absalom.” ¹⁴ Then David said to all his officials who were with him in Jerusalem, “Come! We must flee, or none of us will escape from Absalom.”

FACTS ABOUT FRIENDS:

1.  Friends are ________________, not optional.

Proverbs 27:17 ¹⁷ As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another. 

Ittia’s 

2 Samuel 15:19-21 ¹⁹ The king said to Ittai the Gittite, "Why should you come along with us? Go back and stay with King Absalom. You are a foreigner, an exile from your homeland. ²⁰ You came only yesterday. And today shall I make you wander about with us, when I do not know where I am going? Go back, and take your countrymen. May kindness and faithfulness be with you." ²¹ But Ittai replied to the king, "As surely as the Lord lives, and as my lord the king lives, wherever my lord the king may be, whether it means life or death, there will your servant be." 

Leviticus 19:33–35 (ESV) ³³ “When a stranger sojourns with you in your land, you shall not do him wrong. ³⁴ You shall treat the stranger who sojourns with you as the native among you, and you shall love him as yourself, for you were strangers in the land of Egypt: I am the Lord your God. ³⁵ “You shall do no wrong in judgment…

2.  Friends _______________ our lives, they’re not neutral.

1 Corinthians 15:33 Do not be misled: "Bad company corrupts good character." 

Lie down with _________ and you’ll get up with __________.

Proverbs 13:20 He who walks with the wise grows wise, but a companion of fools suffers harm.

Zadok & Abiathar 

2 Samuel 15:25-29 ²⁵ Then the king said to Zadok, "Take the ark of God back into the city. If I find favor in the Lord's eyes, he will bring me back and let me see it and his dwelling place again. ²⁶ But if he says, 'I am not pleased with you,' then I am ready; let him do to me whatever seems good to him." ²⁷ The king also said to Zadok the priest… You and Abiathar take your two sons with you. ²⁸ I will wait at the fords in the desert until word comes from you to inform me." ²⁹ So Zadok and Abiathar took the ark of God back to Jerusalem and stayed there. 

3.  Friends must be ___________________, they’re not automatic.

In order to ___________ a friend, you must first _______ a friend!

Hushai 

2 Samuel 15:32-37 ³² When David arrived at the summit… Hushai the Arkite was there to meet him, his robe torn and dust on his head. ³³ David said to him, "If you go with me, you will be a burden to me. ³⁴ But if you return to the city and say to Absalom, 'I will be your servant, O king; I was your father's servant in the past, but now I will be your servant,' then you can help me by frustrating Ahithophel's advice. ³⁵ Won't the priests Zadok and Abiathar be there with you? Tell them anything you hear in the king's palace. ³⁶ Their two sons… are there with them. Send them to me with anything you hear."  ³⁷ So David's friend Hushai arrived at Jerusalem as Absalom was entering the city. 

“Friendship is to be purchased only by friendship. A man may have authority over others, but he can never have their heart but by giving His own.” Thomas Wilson

Shobi, Machir & Barzillai

2 Samuel 17:27-29 ²⁷ When David came to Mahanaim, Shobi… from Rabbah of the Ammonites, and Makir… from Lo Debar, and Barzillai from Rogelim ²⁸ brought bedding and bowls and articles of pottery. They also brought wheat and barley, flour and roasted grain, beans and lentils, ²⁹ honey and curds, sheep, and cheese from cows' milk for David and his people to eat. For they said, "The people have become hungry and tired and thirsty in the desert." 

4.  Friends come in four ______________________, not one.

A. ____________________ Friends 

B. ____________________ Friends 

C. ____________________ Friends 

D. ____________________ Friends 

Joab 

2 Samuel 19:4-7 ⁴ The king covered his face and cried aloud, "O my son Absalom! O Absalom, my son, my son!" ⁵ Then Joab went into the house to the king and said, "Today you have humiliated all your men, who have just saved your life and the lives of your sons and daughters and the lives of your wives and concubines. ⁶ You love those who hate you and hate those who love you. You have made it clear today that the commanders and their men mean nothing to you. I see that you would be pleased if Absalom were alive today and all of us were dead. ⁷ Now go out and encourage your men. I swear by the Lord that if you don't go out, not a man will be left with you by nightfall. This will be worse for you than all the calamities that have come upon you from your youth till now." 

Proverbs 27:6, 17 ⁶ Wounds from a friend can be trusted, but an enemy multiplies kisses. 

5 KINDS OF PEOPLE IN OUR LIVES:

(Gordon McDonald, “Restoring Our Spiritual Passion”)

V __ P - (+ + +) Very ___________________ Person

            -  People who ________________ our spiritual passion.  

1 Corinthians 11:1 Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ.

-  Friend’s Initials: _________________  (+++) ____ pts

V __ P - (+ +) Very ___________________ Person

            -  People who _______________ our spiritual passion.    

Romans 1:11–12 ¹¹ I long to see you so that I may impart to you some spiritual gift to make you strong ¹² that is, that you and I may be mutually encouraged by each other’s faith.

-  Friend’s Initials: _________________  (++) ____ pts

V __ P - (+) Very ___________________ Person

- People who _______________ our spiritual passion. 

1 Corinthians 15:3 ³ For what I received I passed on to you…

-  Friend’s Initials: _________________  (+) ____ pts

V __ P - (0) Very ___________________ Person

-  People who _______________ our spiritual passion. 

Hebrews 5:12–14 For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you have need again for someone to teach you the elementary principles of the oracles of God, and you have come to need milk and not solid food. ¹³ For everyone who partakes only of milk is not accustomed to the word of righteousness, for he is a babe. ¹⁴ But solid food is for the mature, who because of practice have their senses trained to discern good and evil.

-  Friend’s Initials: _________________  (0) ____ pts

V __ P - (- - -) Very ___________________ Person

-  People who ______________ our spiritual passion. 

Mark 8:11–12 ¹¹ The Pharisees came and began to question Jesus. To test him, they asked him for a sign from heaven. ¹² He sighed deeply and said, “Why does this generation ask for a sign?”

                        -  Friend’s Initials: _________________  (---) ____ pts

My Total: (+/--) _______ pts