*Content Warning: This sermon contains content about abuse/sexual abuse.

2 Samuel 13:1-22

“If you are neutral in situations of injustice you have sided with the oppressor.” - Desmond Tutu

What is sexual abuse? Where an older or more powerful person uses a less powerful person for their sexual pleasure...

Book Referrals:
"Studies in the Sermon on the Mount" by Martyn Lloyd-Jones
"The Sermon on the Mount" by Sinclair Ferguson

Matthew 5:2-12
2 And he opened his mouth and taught them, saying:
3 “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
4 “Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.
5 “Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.
6 “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.
7 “Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy.
8 “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.
9 “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons[a] of God.
10 “Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
11 “Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. 12 Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

Acts 11.19-26

“Encouragement = The act of inspiring others with renewed courage, a renewed spirit, or renewed hope”

1. Encouragement is celebrating others,
2. Encouragement is challenging others, and
3. Encouragement is clearing the way for others

1. Encouragement is Celebrating others
(v. 23) When he came and saw the grace of God, he was glad,

(Hebrews 10.24-25) And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, 25 not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.

2. Encouragement is Challenging others
(v. 23) and he exhorted them all to remain faithful to the Lord with steadfast purpose.
(Hebrews 3.12-13) “See to it, brothers, that none of you has a sinful, unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God. But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called Today, so that none of you may be hardened by sin's deceitfulness.”

3.Encouragement is Clearing the way for Others
(v 25) So Barnabas went to Tarsus to look for Saul, 26and when he had found him, he brought him to Antioch. For a whole year they met with the church and taught a great many people.

Luke 2:39-52
Jesus Obeyed and Fulfilled the Law
Jesus Grew as Fully Human
Jesus Must be in the Things of His Father

And the child grew and became strong, filled with wisdom. And the favor of God was upon him.
Luke 2:40

And Jesus increased in wisdom and in stature and in favor with God and man.
Luke 2:52

1. Are you seeking to grow spiritually, mentally and physically, like Jesus?
2. Are you being a diligent learner in God’s Word, like Jesus?
3. Is being with your Heavenly Father your number 1 priority, like Jesus?
4. Is following God’s purpose and will for your life above all other things, like Jesus?

Applications:
1. Read and Study the Word
2. Get involved in a SP Group
3. Pursue time with mentors, asking questions
4. Read books about Biblical Truth
5. Pray

Confession:
Eternal God, our judge and redeemer,
we confess that we have tried to hide from you,
for we have done wrong.
We have lived for ourselves
and apart from you.
We have turned from our neighbors
and refused to bear the burdens of others.
We have ignored the pain of the world
and passed by the hungry, the poor, and the oppressed.
We have allowed good intentions and high sounding words to be substitutes for loving others in costly ways.
In your great mercy, forgive our sins
and free us from selfishness,
that we may choose your will
and love as you would love;
through Jesus Christ our Savior.

Assurance of Pardoning Grace
If you, O Lord, kept a record of sins, O Lord, who could stand? But with you
there is forgiveness; therefore you are feared. O Israel, put your hope in the Lord,
for with the Lord is unfailing love and with him is full redemption. He himself will
redeem Israel from all their sins. Ps. 130.4-5, 7-8

Psalm 1: Blessed is the man[a]
who walks not in the counsel of the wicked,
nor stands in the way of sinners,
nor sits in the seat of scoffers;
2 but his delight is in the law[b] of the Lord,
and on his law he meditates day and night.
3 He is like a tree
planted by streams of water
that yields its fruit in its season,
and its leaf does not wither.
In all that he does, he prospers.
4 The wicked are not so,
but are like chaff that the wind drives away.
5 Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment,
nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous;
6 for the Lord knows the way of the righteous,
but the way of the wicked will perish.

Confession: Jesus our Savior, help us. We are slow to learn and prone to forget; we are pained by our graceless hearts, our prayerless days, our wasted hours, our unspent opportunities. We repent of holding onto your precious Gospel and not giving it away to others. We are blind while the light shines around us: take the scales from our eyes, grind to dust our hearts of unbelief. Make it our highest joy, Jesus, to study You, meditate on You, gaze on You, sit like Mary at Your feet, appeal like Peter to Your love, consider like Paul all things but rubbish for the sake of knowing You, and to count the cost of making and multiplying disciples. Amen.

Assurance of Pardon: As far as the east is from the west, so far does he remove our transgressions from us.
Psalm 103:12

Matthew 2:1-12 - Unlikely Converts: The story of the Three Magi

“Many times those who are nearest to the means of grace are furthest from the ends of grace”. -Matthew Henry

“He came to his own, but His own received Him not, but to all who did receive him. He gave the power to become children of God.” John 1:11-12.

Confession: Almighty and gracious Father in Heaven, You are a Holy God, and yet my life abounds with apologies not made, forgiveness not offered, appetites not restrained, parents not honored, spouses not cherished, children not trained, hungry not fed, envy unchecked, tongues unbridled, eyes unguarded, time wasted, talents wasted, treasure wasted. Lord Jesus, deliver me from these chains, from the rebellion of my old ways that still hang on, from the sugar of sin as well as its poison, so that I may come to you, cast myself on you, trust in you, and be delivered by you.

Assurance of Pardon: “Yet this I call to mind and therefore have hope: Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed for his compassions never fail; they are new every morning. Great is your faithfulness.” Lamentations 3:21-22

Psalm 51: The Message
- Generous in love—God, give grace!
Huge in mercy—blot out my bad record.
Scrub away my guilt,
soak out my sins in your laundry.
I know how bad I’ve been;
my sins are staring me down.
- You’re the One I’ve violated, and you’ve seen
it all, seen the full extent of my evil.
You have all the facts before you;
whatever you decide about me is fair.
I’ve been out of step with you for a long time,
in the wrong since before I was born.
What you’re after is truth from the inside out.
Enter me, then; conceive a new, true life.
- The sacrifices acceptable to God are a broken spirit;
a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.

1. What is Gospel Brokenness?
2. What does God promise people who are broken over their sins?

For this is what the high and exalted One says—
he who lives forever, whose name is holy:
“I live in a high and holy place,
but also with the one who is contrite and lowly in spirit,
to revive the spirit of the lowly
and to revive the heart of the contrite.
Isaiah 57:15

Confession:
Father in Heaven we confess our willingness to be loved but also our reluctance to love. We confess our readiness to accept your forgiveness also our refusal to forgive. We confess our eagerness to receive your offer of redeeming love, but also our resistance to follow you without question. Father, forgive us for our failures,
help us respond as we should. During this Advent season come to us anew, and by your grace, help us to
open our hearts to receive you with joy, as the Shepherds did, with obedience as Mary did, with adoration as the Wise Men did, with love, even as you have loved us. Amen.

David and Bathsheba
1. The Compromise: 2 Sam 11 v. 1-5
2. Cover up: 2 Sam 11 v. 6-27
Cycle of sin: Deception, Desire, Deed, Dependence, Dominance, Deadness
3. Confrontation: 2 Sam 12
4. Confession: 2 Sam v. 13/ Psalm 51
5. Cleansing: 2 Sam v. 12
"Nathan replied, 'The LORD has taken away your sin. You are not going to die.'"
6. Christ

Confession: Lord, though you should guide us, we inform ourselves; though you should rule us, we control ourselves; though you should fulfill us, we console ourselves. We think your truth too high, your will too hard, your power too remote, your love too free. But they are not! And without them, we are of all people most miserable. Now heal our confused minds with your word, heal our divided wills with your law, heal our troubled consciences with your love, heal our anxious hearts with your presence, all for the sake of your Son, who loved us and gave himself for us. Amen.

Assurance of Pardon: "Come now, let us reason together, says the Lord: though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall become like wool." Isaiah 1:18

Luke 22:39-46

Jesus Loved while being tired, stressed and under pressure:
1. Jesus loves the 3 Apostles – Peter, James and John
2. Jesus loves his betrayer, Judas
3. Jesus loves all 11 of his Apostles
4. Jesus loves his enemy, Malchus

"This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you." John 15:12

Application:
1. We need to Repent of Our Unloving Hearts
2. We need to Run to and Rest in the love and power of Jesus.

"My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness. Therefore, I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me." 2 Corinthians 12:9

Call To Worship Speaker: Lift up your heads, O gates! And be lifted up, O ancient doors, that the King of glory may come in. Who is this King of glory? The LORD, strong and mighty, the LORD, mighty in battle! Lift up your heads, O gates! And lift them up, O ancient doors, that the King of glory may come in. Who is this King of glory? The LORD of hosts, he is the King of glory! Psalm 24:7-10


Confession: Almighty Father, God of gods and Lord of lords, Father to the fatherless, Husband to the widow, Defender of the helpless, Judge of all the earth, have mercy on us. We have not sought freedom for the oppressed, even though you freed us. We have not bound up the broken even though you healed us. We have not forgiven others even though you forgave us. We withhold kindness from the needy even though you freely gave us your own Son. We are without excuse, but not without hope. By your power and grace, account our sins to Jesus’ bloody death and amend our ways by the power of his glorious resurrection. Amen

GRACE =
God’s
Riches
At
Christ’s
Expense

1. God gives you grace based on someone else’s performance.... not yours.
2. There is more grace in Christ than there is Sin in you.
3. Grace malfunctions if you use it for personal consumption only.... it is meant to undeservedly flow into your life and then flow through you to other undeserving people.
4. God’s grace radically re-narrates your story