2 Samuel 13:14-15 (5/10/18)

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2 Samuel 13:14-15 (5/10/18)

Love or Lust?

May 10, 2018 • Benham Brothers

* Amnon was the crown prince - the king’s oldest, next in line for the throne.
* But he couldn’t control his appetite.
* He may have known about his dad’s sin and thought, “If dad got away with it then I can too.”
* But he operated out of lust and raped his half sister.
* Love is willing to wait.
* Lust has to have it NOW.
* Love focuses on God to bring us what we need.
* Lust focuses on what we need to do to get what we want.
* When you operate by love you experience gratitude when you get it.
* When you operate by lust you experience guilt when you get it. (at least for a time - if you continue in the sin the guilt goes away)
* vs 15 - Notice his response when he was done - he hated her after more than he wanted her before.
* Why? Sin is fulfilling a God given need in a God forbidden way.
* When you meet a need in a wrong way you don’t experience fulfillment and a sense of GUILT will come over you.
* When you meet a need in a right way you experience fulfillment and a sense of GRATITUDE will come over you.
* It’s like eating healthy.
* KEY - The one thing a man needs more than anything is respect.
* Amnon knew what Tamar felt about him after he was done, and he probably felt the same thing about himself - shame, disgrace, unworthy of respect.
* But instead of repenting he had to get rid of the source of his guilt - her!
* How did it end for Amnon? DEATH.
* vs 20 - Tamar’s brother Absalom also operated out of lust.
* He saw this as his opportunity to seize the throne by killing Amnon.
* How did it end for Absalom? The same way it did for Amnon - DEATH!
* Death is always the result of operating out of lust.

2 Samuel 1:10-15 (5/11/17)

May 11, 2017 • Benham Brothers

* Saul had killed himself. * This presented an opportunity for this young Amalekite to get in good with the king. * He saw an opportunity. * He took credit for something he didn’t do. * Because of this he lost his life. * The temptation to take credit comes from a man-pleasing spirit. * We want others to accept us and approve of us. * We need to always give God credit for what He does. * Otherwise it will become our place of death.

2 Samuel 1:11-12 (8/2/23)

August 2, 2023 • Benham Brothers • 2 Samuel 1:11–12

John Maxwell said that “everything rises and falls on leadership.” That’s one of the truest statements ever made. We see this taking place amongst David’s mighty men. Their response to Saul’s death shows us the great leader David was. Backstory - Saul, the enemy of David and the current king sitting on the throne that was rightfully David’s, died in battle. How would David’s men respond? You would think that they’d be happy, excited that their leader was now going to be their king. Earlier, when Saul went into the cave where David was hiding, one of the men said, “This is a great day! God has delivered your enemy into your hand!” (1 Samuel 26) So we know David’s men wanted Saul dead. When news came of Saul’s death… Vs 11-12 - “Then David took hold of his clothes and tore them, and so did all the men who were with him. They mourned and wept and fasted till evening for Saul and his son Jonathan, and for the army of the Lord and for the nation of Israel, because they had fallen by the sword.” David was broken over Saul’s death because, even though Saul was his enemy, he was still God’s appointed man as king. It’s why David refused to kill him himself. David’s heart broke. Because of that, David’s men’s hearts broke as well. Everything rises and falls on leadership. This is so good for parents. Whatever we model for our kids they will magnetize it. EX: If you sow the seeds of bitterness, your kids will swing from the branches. EX: If you sow a little gossip, your kids will reap a lot! Proverbs 22:6 - leadership is the ability to create an appetite in others. What appetites are you creating in those who follow you?

2 Samuel 3:1 (5/9/19)

May 9, 2019 • Benham Brothers

* When you do God’s work you’ll experience warfare. * Strength comes through strain. * So if you’re straining but not getting stronger you need to see if you’re doing God’s work or your own. * David’s and Saul’s house were in a war against each other. * David’s house grew stronger, but Saul’s grew weaker. * This is because David was doing God’s work. * When you work for the Lord you have energy for the task. * You’ll still need rest, but you won’t get burned out. * It’s like exercise - the more energy you exert the more you get in return.