DO YOU KNOW WHAT THE DEVIL WILL
TELL YOU SOMETIME? THE DEVIL WILL TELL YOU, “YOU ARE NOT
WORTHY.” DON'T ARGUE WITH HIM. YOU'LL LOSE THE ARGUMENT. YOU'RE
NOT WORTHY. POINT HIM TO THE BLOOD COVENANT AND BACK OUT OF
THE ARGUMENT. LET HIM TAKE UP HIS ARGUMENT WITH ALMIGHTY GOD
AND THE BLOOD COVENANT. IN TODAY'S FAST-PACED, SELF-FOCUSED
WORLD, IT'S DIFFICULT TO FIND QUALITY BIBLICAL TEACHING, MUCH
LESS TEACHING THAT SIMPLIFIES PROFOUND TRUTH SO THAT IT CAN BE
APPLIED TO YOUR OWN LIFE. FOR OVER 50 YEARS, ADRIAN ROGERS
BROUGHT THAT KIND OF PROFOUND TRUTH, SIMPLY STATED, TO EACH OF
HIS MESSAGES. JOIN US NOW FOR THIS STUDY FROM GOD'S WORD. AND
IF YOU ARE ENCOURAGED BY TODAY'S MESSAGE, REMEMBER, YOU CAN
STREAM THIS MESSAGE AGAIN, AND DOWNLOAD OUTLINES, NOTES, A
TRANSCRIPT AND OTHER RESOURCES TO GO ALONG WITH THIS MESSAGE,
ALL AT LWF.ORG. NOW, LET'S JOIN ADRIAN ROGERS. WELL, WE'RE COMING INTO THE
CHRISTMAS SEASON, AND I'M BEGINNING TODAY A SERIES OF
MESSAGES, AH, ENTITLED, “GOD IN HUMAN FLESH.” WE'RE GOING TO BE
TALKING ABOUT THE LORD JESUS IN THE, AH, COMING SUNDAYS AND
TODAY ALSO. AND TODAY I WANT YOU TO FIND AN OLD TESTAMENT PASSAGE
OF SCRIPTURE, AH, FIRST SAMUEL, AH, CHAPTER 18, AND IN A MOMENT
WE'RE GOING TO BE READING VERSE THREE. THE LORD JESUS CAME IN
THE FLESH TO MAKE FOR US A BLOOD COVENANT, AND WHAT WE'RE ABOUT
TO READ HERE IS THE STORY OF THE BLOOD COVENANT. AND YOU NEED TO
UNDERSTAND THE BLOOD COVENANT BECAUSE IT HAS BEEN MY
OBSERVATIONS THAT MOST CHRISTIANS TALK BETTER THAN THEY
WALK. THEY'RE NOT LIVING IN VICTORY. THEY BOAST OF VICTORY,
THEY SING OF VICTORY, BUT THEIR LIVES ARE NOT VICTORIOUS. A
TIGER MET A LION AS THEY SAT BESIDE A POOL. SAID THE TIGER TO
THE LION, “WHY ARE YOU ROARING LIKE A FOOL?” “THAT'S NOT
FOOLISH,” SAID THE LION WITH A TWINKLE IN HIS EYE. “THEY CALL
ME THE KING OF ALL BEASTS BECAUSE I ADVERTISE.” A RABBIT
HEARD THEM TALKING, RAN HOME LIKE A STREAK. HE THOUGHT HE'D
TRY THE LION'S PLAN, BUT HIS ROAR WAS JUST A SQUEAK. A FOX
CAME TO INVESTIGATE, HAD HIS LUNCH IN THE WOODS. AND SO, MY
FRIEND, WHEN YOU ADVERTISE, BE SURE YOU'VE GOT THE GOODS. NOW,
THERE ARE A LOT OF CHRISTIANS WHO ARE ADVERTISING, BUT THEY
HAVE MORE IN THE SHOWCASE THAN THEY HAVE IN THE WAREHOUSE. THEY
DON'T HAVE THE GOODS, AND THEIR SO-CALLED ROAR IS JUST THE
SQUEAK OF A LITTLE RABBIT. HOW WOULD YOU LIKE TO HAVE THE
GOODS? HOW WOULD YOU LIKE TO LIVE UP TO WHAT WE PROFESS AND
WHAT WE SING ABOUT? WELL, IF YOU WANT TO DO THAT, YOU NEED TO
LEARN WHAT I'M GOING TO CALL, “THE BLOOD COVENANT.” FIRST
SAMUEL CHAPTER 18 AND VERSE THREE; LOOK AT IT, “THEN
JONATHAN AND DAVID MADE A COVENANT, BECAUSE HE,” THAT IS,
JONATHAN, “LOVED HIM,” THAT IS, DAVID, “AS HIS OWN SOUL.” NOW
WE'RE TALKING ABOUT GOD IN HUMAN FLESH. AND GOD IN HUMAN FLESH
CAME TO MAKE A BLOOD COVENANT FOR YOU AND FOR ME. THERE'RE
THREE THINGS I WANT TO LAY UPON YOUR HEART THAT I WANT YOU TO
DO. FIRST OF ALL, I WANT YOU TO UNDERSTAND THE BLOOD COVENANT AS
A BIBLICAL PRINCIPLE. UNDERSTAND THE BLOOD COVENANT AS A BIBLICAL
PRINCIPLE. NOW THE BIBLE SAYS THAT JONATHAN AND DAVID MADE A
COVENANT. THE WORD COVENANT COMES FROM A ROOT WORD, WHICH
MEANS TO CUT. AND IT LITERALLY HAS THE IDEA OF A BLOOD
COVENANT. AND MANY OF US HAVE KNOWN ABOUT THE BLOOD COVENANT
SINCE WE WERE KIDS; WHEN WE USED TO GO, AH, TO THE MOVIES AND SEE
THE OLD WESTERNS WHERE THE, AH, THE COWBOY AND THE INDIAN WOULD
MAKE A COVENANT. NOW THE COWBOYS AND INDIANS WOULD BE FIGHTING.
AND THEN THERE CAME A TIME WHEN THE, AH, COWBOY AND THE INDIAN
CHIEF WOULD GET TOGETHER AND THEY'D DECIDE THERE'D BE NO MORE
WAR, AND SO THEY'RE GOING TO MAKE A COVENANT. AND WHAT THEY
WOULD DO, EACH ONE WOULD MAKE AN INCISION ON HIS RIGHT WRIST
UNTIL THE BLOOD WOULD OOZE OUT. THE COWBOY WOULD CUT HIMSELF,
THE INDIAN WOULD CUT HIMSELF, AND THEN THEY WOULD JOIN THEIR
HANDS TOGETHER AND LET THE BLOOD MINGLE AND LIFT THEM TO HEAVEN
IN A PROMINESE, A PROMISE AND A COVENANT, “THERE WILL BE NO MORE
WAR. WE ARE NOW,” WHAT? “BLOOD BROTHERS.” YOU UNDERSTAND THAT?
BLOOD BROTHERS. IT WAS A CO-MINGLING OF LIVES THAT THE
BIBLE TEACHES THAT THE LIFE OF THE FLESH IS IN THE BLOOD. AND,
UH, NOW THIS BLOOD COVENANT IS SOMETHING THAT THE COWBOYS GOT
FROM THEIR FOREFATHERS AND THE INDIANS GOT FROM THEIR
FOREFATHERS. IT GOES ALL THE WAY BACK TO BIBLE TIMES. NOW, MANY
TIMES AFTER THEY WOULD, AH, M, MAKE A COVENANT, THEY WOULD TAKE
SOMETHING LIKE BLACK POWDER, SOMETIMES GUN POWDER, AND RUB IT
IN THE WOUND. AND SO, WHEN THE WOUND WOULD HEAL, THE SCAR WOULD
BE VERY EVIDENT THERE. THAT SCAR WOULD BE CALLED THE MARK OF THE
COVENANT, AND IT'D BE VERY EVIDENT THAT YOU COULD SEE IT
FROM THERE ON. AND THEN THOSE WHO WERE IN COVENANT WERE CALLED
FRIENDS. NOW WE USE THE FRIEND, THE WORD FRIEND TODAY VERY
LIGHTLY, VERY LOOSELY, BUT THE WORD FRIEND IN THE BIBLE WAS A
VERY SIGNIFICANT WORD. FOR EXAMPLE IN THE BIBLE, ABRAHAM
WAS IN COVENANT WITH GOD. AND WHAT WAS ABRAHAM CALLED? “THE
FRIEND OF GOD.” AND THERE'S A NEW ATTITUDE THAT COMES FOR
THOSE WHO ARE IN COVENANT ONE WITH ANOTHER. THAT ATTITUDE IN
THE BIBLE IS CALLED LOVINGKINDNESS. NEVER FORGET IT.
LOVINGKINDNESS. YOU REMEMBER DAVID SAID TO GOD, “LORD, HAVE
MERCY UPON ME ACCORDING UNTO THY LOVINGKINDNESS.” NOW WHAT DOES
LOVINGKINDNESS MEAN? LOVINGKINDNESS MEANS I WILL DO
YOU GOOD, REGARDLESS, BECAUSE WE ARE IN COVENANT TOGETHER. YOU
CAN CALL UPON ME AS YOUR FRIEND, AND I WILL SHOW YOU
LOVINGKINDNESS, BECAUSE WE ARE NOW BLOOD BROTHERS. WE HAVE MADE
TOGETHER A BLOOD COVENANT. AND NOW THIS COVENANT NOT ONLY IS
BETWEEN THE TWO WHO MAKE THE COVENANT, BUT IT IS ALSO FROM
THEIR, IT CONTINUES DOWN TO THEIR OFFSPRING. THE CHILDREN OF
THOSE IN COVENANT ARE A PART OF THE COVENANT, IF THEY WILL
RATIFY THE COVENANT; IT CAN BE A PART OF THEM. NOW I SAID WHAT WE
NEED TO DO IS TO UNDERSTAND THE BLOOD COVENANT AS A BIBLICAL
PRINCIPLE. LET ME TELL YOU SOMETHING. LISTEN VERY
CAREFULLY. THE BLOOD COVENANT IS THE SUBJECT OF THE BIBLE. THAT'S
WHAT THE WHOLE BIBLE IS ABOUT, BLOOD COVENANT. OUR BIBLE IS
DIVIDED INTO TWO HALVES. WHAT? THE OLD TESTAMENT AND THE NEW
TESTAMENT. NOW, FRIEND, LISTEN. THE WORD TESTAMENT AND THE WORD
COVENANT ARE THE SAME WORD. IT IS THE OLD COVENANT AND THE NEW
COVENANT. THAT'S WHAT THE WHOLE BIBLE IS ABOUT. IT IS THE
SUBJECT OF THE BIBLE. AND NOT ONLY IS IT THE SUBJECT OF THE
BIBLE, FRIEND, IT IS THE SECRET OF BLESSING. ALL OF THE PROMISES
IN THE BIBLE ARE COVENANT PROMISES. AH, THE BIBLE SAYS,
“THE SECRET OF THE LORD IS WITH THEM THAT FEAR HIM, AND HE WILL
SHOW THEM HIS COVENANT.” WHEN THE LORD JESUS CHRIST MET WITH
HIS DISCIPLES FOR THAT LAST SUPPER, HE SAID IN LUKE 22 VERSE
20, AH, “THIS CUP IS THE NEW COVENANT IN MY BLOOD, WHICH IS
SHED FOR YOU.” IT'S THE BLOOD COVENANT. THIS CUP, WHEN WE COME
TO THE LORD'S TABLE, WE ARE CELEBRATING THE BLOOD COVENANT.
“THIS CUP IS THE NEW COVENANT IN MY BLOOD, WHICH IS SHED FOR
YOU.” IT'S THE SUBJECT OF THE BIBLE. IT, FRIEND, IS THE SECRET
OF BLESSING. NOW, LISTEN, IT IS THE SOURCE OF BOLDNESS. WHEN YOU
UNDERSTAND THE BLOOD COVENANT, WHEN YOU UNDERSTAND WHO YOU ARE
AND WHAT YOU HAVE IN THE LORD JESUS CHRIST, FROM THEN ON, NO
LONGER DO YOU LIVE UNDER THE TYRANNY OF YOUR EMOTIONS. NO
LONGER, FRIEND, ARE YOU BOUND, AH, TO YOUR FEELINGS. BUT NOW
YOU CAN STAND WITH BOLDNESS WITH THE BLOOD COVENANT. NOW, THERE
WERE SOME SOLEMN SYMBOLS OF THE COVENANT. YOU'RE THERE; IF YOU
HAVE YOUR BIBLES OPEN TO FIRST SAMUEL CHAPTER 18. WE READ, AH,
A FEW VERSES. LET'S READ SOME MORE. “AND IT CAME TO PASS,” I'M
READING VERSE ONE, “THAT WHEN HE HAD MADE AN END OF SPEAKING UNTO
SAUL, THAT THE SOUL OF JONATHAN WAS KNIT TO THE SOUL OF DAVID,”
NOW THEY HAVE BECOME SOUL MATES, “AND JONATHAN LOVED HIM AS HIS
OWN SOUL.” THE WORD SOUL LITERALLY MEANS LIFE. “AND SAUL
TOOK HIM,” THAT IS, AH, DAVID, “TOOK HIM THAT DAY, AND WOULD
LET HIM GO NO MORE TO HIS FATHER'S HOUSE.” THAT IS, KING
SAUL, WHO WAS JONATHAN'S FATHER, SAID, “DAVID, I WANT YOU TO BE
MY SON ALSO. YOU COME TO MY HOUSE.” AND THEN NOTICE IN VERSE
THREE, “THEN JONATHAN AND DAVID MADE A COVENANT,” WE'VE ALREADY
READ THAT. THAT ACTUALLY LIT, LITERALLY MEANS CUT A COVENANT,
“BECAUSE HE,” JONATHAN, “LOVED HIM AS HIS OWN SOUL.” NOW WATCH
THIS, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE SYMBOLS OF THE COVENANT, “AND
JONATHAN STRIPPED HIMSELF OF THE ROBE THAT WAS UPON HIM, AND GAVE
IT TO DAVID, AND HIS GARMENTS, EVEN TO HIS SWORD, AND TO HIS
BOW, AND TO HIS GIRDLE.” NOW YOU HAVE TO GET THE BACKGROUND. SAUL
IS THE KING. JONATHAN IS THE KING'S SON. THEREFORE, JONATHAN
IS THE HEIR TO THE THRONE, VERY MUCH LIKE THE CROWN PRINCE OF
ENGLAND. BUT JONATHAN LOVES DAVID. HE ADMIRES DAVID. DAVID
HAS COME FROM CH, FRESH FROM BETHLEHEM OVER, WITH A VICTORY
OVER GOLIATH. HE HAS COME FRESH FROM THE FATHER. HE HAS THE OIL,
THE FRESH OIL OF ANOINTING UPON HIM. AND JONATHAN KNOWS THAT
DAVID IS GOD'S ANOINTED AND APPOINTED KING. HE KNOWS THAT
DAVID IS REALLY THE RIGHTFUL HEIR TO THE THRONE, EVEN THOUGH
JONATHAN IS THE KING'S SON. AND WHEN JONATHAN SEES THE BEAUTY OF
DAVID, HE WANTS TO YIELD HIS LIFE OVER TO DAVID, AND HE MAKES
A BLOOD COVENANT WITH DAVID AND THEN HE SYMBOLIZES IT. NOW
NOTICE, FIRST OF ALL, HE GAVE DAVID HIS ROBE. DO YOU SEE THAT
THERE IN VERSE FOUR? THAT HE GAVE DAVID HIMSELF, HE STRIPPED
HIMSELF OF HIS ROBE? HIS ROBE IS WHAT MARKED JONATHAN OUT AS THE
KING'S SON. IT SPEAKS OF HIS POSITION. AND HE IS SAYING, AH,
“I AM YIELDING MY POSITION OVER TO YOU. AH, I WANT DAVID IN MY
PLACE.” AND THAT OUGHT TO BE TRUE OF EVERY FOLLOWER OF THE
LORD JESUS CHRIST WITH WHOM WE ARE IN BLOOD COVENANT. THAT IS,
AH, “LORD, AH, AH, I YIELD MY POSITION IN LIFE OVER TO YOU.”
BUT NOT ONLY DID JONATHAN GIVE DAVID HIS ROBE, HE ALSO GAVE HIM
HIS GARMENTS; THAT IS, HIS CLOTHING. NOW, THE ROBE SPOKE OF
HIS POSITION; HIS CLOTHING SPOKE OF HIS POSSESSIONS. THE BIBLE
SAYS IN, EH, CHAPTER 18 AND VERSE FOUR, “HE STRIPPED HIMSELF
OF HIS GARMENTS, AH, EVEN, AND GAVE THOSE ALSO, AH, TO DAVID,”
BECAUSE WHAT HE'S SAYING TO DAVID IS, “DAVID, I'M IN
COVENANT WITH YOU, AND ALL THAT I HAVE BELONGS TO YOU, BECAUSE
IF IT WERE NOT FOR YOU, I REALLY WOULDN'T HAVE ANYTHING. YOU WON
THE VICTORY FOR ME.” WHAT HE WAS SAYING IS, “DAVID PAID IT ALL,
AND ALL TO HIM I OWE,” JUST LIKE WE SING, “JESUS PAID IT ALL, AND
ALL TO HIM I OWE.” BUT NOT ONLY DID HE GIVE HIS ROBE, WHICH
SPEAKS OF HIS POSITION, AND NOT ONLY DID HE GIVE HIS GARMENTS,
WHICH SPOKE OF HIS POSSESSION, HE GAVE HIS SWORD AND HIS BOW
AND HIS GIRDLE.” HIS GIRDLE IS WHAT HE HUNG HIS WEAPONS ON. NOW
WHEN HE GAVE HIS SWORD AND HIS BOW, AH, TO DAVID, WHAT HE IS
SAYING, “THIS REPRESENTS MY POWER, MY POWER. I KNOW HOW TO
USE THIS BOW, BUT I HAVE NO LONGER ANY RIGHT TO
SELF-DEFENSE. I YIELD THAT OVER TO YOU. AND, AND, DAVID, YOUR
BATTLES ARE MY BATTLES. MY WEAPONS OF WAR NOW BELONG TO
YOU. MY POSITION IS YOURS! MY POSSESSIONS ARE YOURS! MY POWER
IS YOURS! I GIVE IT OVER TO YOU! WE ARE NOW BLOOD BROTHERS!”
THAT'S WHAT THE COVENANT MEANT. AND NOW THEY ARE IN COVENANT
BECAUSE COVENANT AND COMMITMENT, LISTEN, COVENANT AND COMMITMENT
GO HAND-IN-HAND. NOW WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT NOW IS THE
BIBLICAL PRINCIPLE OF A BLOOD COVENANT. LET'S MOVE TO THE
SECOND POINT. YOU READY? ALL RIGHT, NOW LISTEN. I WANT YOU TO
NOT ONLY UNDERSTAND THAT PRINCIPLE, BUT I WANT YOU TO SEE
HOW THE BLOOD COVENANT IS A STEADFAST PROMISE, EMPHASIS ON
THE WORD STEADFAST, STEADFAST. THAT IS, WHEN YOU'RE IN
COVENANT, THAT IS AN UNBREAKABLE COVENANT. NOW LET ME TELL YOU
WHAT HAS HAPPENED. AT FIRST, SAUL LOVED DAVID, BUT THEN WHEN
DAVID RECEIVED SO MUCH PRAISE, SAUL BECAME INSANE WITH
JEALOUSY, AND NOW SAUL THE KING WANTS TO KILL DAVID. AND SO
THERE GOES OUT A ROYAL EDICT THAT DAVID IS TO BE KILLED. NOW
JONATHAN HEARS ABOUT THAT AND JONATHAN TELLS DAVID, HE SAID,
“DAVID, YOU HIDE YOURSELF. MY FATHER WANTS TO KILL YOU.” AH,
JUST GO TO THE, AH, NINETEENTH CHAPTER AND LOOK IF YOU WILL IN
VERSES ONE AND TWO, “THEN SAUL SPAKE TO JONATHAN, HIS SON, AND
TO ALL HIS SERVANTS, THAT THEY SHOULD KILL DAVID. BUT JONATHAN,
SAUL'S SON, DELIGHTED MUCH IN DAVID; AND JONATHAN TOLD DAVID,
SAYING, “S, SAUL, MY FATHER, SEEKETH TO KILL THEE; NOW,
THEREFORE, I PRAY THEE, TAKE HEED TO THYSELF UNTIL THE
MORNING, AND ABIDE IN A SECRET PLACE, AND HIDE THYSELF.” NOW
REMEMBER NOW, THAT JONATHAN IS IN A CLOSER RELATIONSHIP TO
DAVID THAN HE IS TO HIS OWN NATURAL FATHER; JUST AS WE IN,
IN CHRIST ARE CLOSER MANY TIMES TO OUR BROTHERS AND SISTERS IN
CHRIST THAN WE ARE, AH, TO THOSE WHO ARE NATURAL MEMBERS OF OUR
FAMILY. AND SO JONATHAN SAYS, AH, “DAVID, MY FATHER WANTS TO
KILL YOU. HIDE YOURSELF.” AND IF YOU READ THAT STORY NOW, DAVID
IS HUNTED LIKE A WILD PARTRIDGE ON THE HILLS OF JUDEA. AND SAUL
IS OUT THERE AND ALL OF THE, EH, EMPHASIS OF THE KINGDOM IS PUT
TO A NARROW FOCUS: FIND DAVID, KILL DAVID; FIND DAVID, KILL
DAVID; FIND DAVID, KILL DAVID. AND DAVID NOW IS FLEEING FOR HIS
LIFE. BUT THERE'S A BATTLE, AND SAUL AND JONATHAN ARE BOTH
SLAIN; AND DAVID, WHO IS GOD'S ANOINTED AND APPOINTED KING,
COMES TO THE KINGDOM. HE IS NOW APPOINTED KING. WHEN THIS
HAPPENS, THERE IS BLIND PANIC IN THE KINGDOM. CAN YOU IMAGINE? UP
UNTIL THIS POINT, EVERYBODY IS SAYING, “FIND DAVID, KILL DAVID,
KILL DAVID, KILL DAVID.” AND NOW DAVID IS THE KING. AND THEY'RE
WONDERING, WHEN NOW IS THE RETALIATION ABOUT TO BEGIN? WHEN
IS THE RETRIBUTION ABOUT TO BEGIN? WHEN IS DAVID GOING TO
TAKE VENGEANCE ON HIS ENEMIES? NOW, IN THE CHANGE OF KINGDOMS
THERE'S PANIC, I SAY, IN THE ROYAL HOUSEHOLD. AND THERE'S A
NURSE THERE WHO SEES JONATHAN'S SON. NOW REMEMBER THAT DAVID HAS
MADE A COVENANT WITH JONATHAN. THIS NURSE IN THE ROYAL NURSERY
CHAMBER SEES THIS LITTLE BABY BOY THERE. HIS NAME, A STRANGE
NAME; I'VE NEVER HEARD A CHILD NAMED THIS NAME, MEPHIBOSHETH.
HARD TO SAY, EVEN, MEPHIBOSHETH. THAT'S THE NAME OF THIS LITTLE
BABY. NOW REMEMBER THIS LITTLE BABY IS IN THE NURSERY. HE IS
JONATHAN'S SON, AND JONATHAN AND DAVID ARE IN BLOOD COVENANT
TOGETHER, BUT NOW JONATHAN IS DEAD AND DAVID IS THE KING. THIS
NURSE, ALL SHE KNOWS IS, AH, THAT THERE, THERE'S ANOTHER
KING. HE'S GOING TO COME AND HE'S GOING TO TAKE VENGEANCE. SO
SHE TAKES THE LITTLE BABY OUT OF THE CRIB AND BEGINS TO RUN TO
HIDE THE BABY. NOW SHE'S A VERY HEAVY WOMAN. SHE TRIPS AND FALLS
AND HER BODY FALLS ON THIS LITTLE BABY. AND THE LITTLE
BABY'S LEGS GET TWISTED BENEATH THE WEIGHT, AND HE IS, HE'S
CRIPPLED. THERE'S NO ORTHOPEDIC SURGEON THERE TO SET THE LITTLE
LIMBS AND MAKE THEM STRAIGHT. AND SO SHE RUNS WITH THIS CHILD,
NOW CRIPPLED, BUT SHE WANTS TO HIDE HIM FROM DAVID AND FROM THE
VENGEANCE THAT DAVID WOULD HAVE, AND SHE GOES OUT TO A PLACE, THE
NAME OF THAT PLACE IS LODEBAR, L-O-D-E-B-A-R, WHICH LITERALLY
MEANS, “A PLACE OF NO PASTURE.” YOU CAN USE YOUR IMAGINATION. IT
WAS A DRY, DUSTY, DINGY HIDEAWAY ON THE BACKSIDE OF NOWHERE,
BECAUSE SHE'S TRYING TO HIDE THIS LITTLE BABY. AND THIS BABY
GROWS UP CRIPPLED. “WHY AM I HERE, NURSE?” “YOU'RE HERE
BECAUSE THERE'S SOMEBODY TRYING TO KILL YOU.” “WHY AM I
CRIPPLED?” “BECAUSE WE WERE RUNNING FROM HIM.” “WHAT'S GOING
TO HAPPEN?” “YOU JUST BETTER HOPE HE NEVER FINDS YOU.” AND
THERE HE IS GROWING UP WITH THIS LESSON: FEAR DAVID, HATE DAVID;
FEAR DAVID, HATE DAVID. AND THERE HE IS DRAGGING HIS
CRIPPLED LIMBS BEHIND HIM, AH, EE, AH, EE, EATING DUST,
BREATHING DUST, DRINKING FROM A TIN CUP, A PRINCE IN EXILE. AND
NOW DAVID IS THE KING. AND THEN DAVID SAYS SOMETHING EXTREMELY
INTERESTING. DAVID KNOWS THAT HE MUST FULFILL THE COVENANT THAT
HE HAS MADE WITH JONATHAN. SO, LOOK IF YOU WILL NOW IN SECOND
SAMUEL THIS TIME. JUST FAST FORWARD TO SECOND SAMUEL CHAPTER
NINE, AND NOTICE THESE AMAZING WORDS. NOW DAVID IS NOW THE
KING. MEPHIBOSHETH, JONATHAN'S SON, IS IN EXILE. “AND DAVID
SAID,” I'M READING SECOND SAMUEL CHAPTER NINE VERSE ONE, “AND
DAVID SAID, 'IS THERE ANY YET THAT IS LEFT OF THE HOUSE OF
SAUL, '” NOW HERE'S THE KEY WORD, WATCH IT, “'THAT I MAY SHOW HIM
KINDNESS FOR JONATHAN'S SAKE?' AND THERE WAS OF THE HOUSE OF
SAUL A SERVANT, WHOSE NAME WAS ZIBA. AND WHEN THEY HAD CALLED
HIM UNTO DAVID, THE KING SAID UNTO HIM, 'ART THOU ZIBA?' AND
HE SAID, 'THY SERVANT IS HE.' AND THE KING SAID, 'IS THERE NOT
YET ANY OF THE HOUSE OF SAUL?'” ABOUT THIS TIME THEY WERE
THINKING, “UH, HUH, HA, HA, HA, HERE IT COMES; I WAS WONDERING
WHERE THE, WHEN THE PURGE WOULD BEGIN.” “'IS THERE NOT ANY LEFT
OF THE HOUSE OF SAUL, '” BUT NOW LISTEN TO THIS, “'THAT I MAY
SHOW THE KINDNESS OF GOD UNTO HIM?' AND ZIBA SAID UNTO THE
KING, 'JONATHAN HATH YET A SON, WHICH IS LAME ON HIS FEET.'” NOW
DAVID WANTS TO SHOW KINDNESS, THE KINDNESS OF GOD, TO
MEPHIBOSHETH. HE'D NEVER MET HIM BEFORE, BUT HE IS IN COVENANT
WITH MEPHIBOSHETH'S FATHER, JONATHAN. AND SO DAVID SAYS, “GO
FETCH HIM. GO BRING HIM.” AND SO THEY, THEY SEND A ROYAL
ENTOURAGE, THE KING'S HORSES, THE KING'S MEN, OUT TO LODEBAR.
AH, HAH, I CAN SEE MEPHIBOSHETH AS HE DRAGS HIS CRIPPLED LIMBS
TO THE WINDOW AND HE LOOKS OUT. THERE ARE THE KING'S MEN. THERE
ARE THE KING'S HORSES. THERE IT ALL IS. AND HE SAYS, “OH! HE'S
FOUND ME!” THEY COME PUSH OPEN THE DOOR. “ARE YOU
MEPHIBOSHETH?” “YES.” “COME.” “WHY?” “THE KING WANTS YOU.” HE
SAYS, “THIS IS IT. I'VE HAD IT.” HE'S BROUGHT BEFORE KING DAVID.
HE CASTS HIS CRUTCHES ASIDE. HE, HE FALLS ON HIS FACE, AND HE
BEGINS TO TREMBLE LIKE A, A BIRD IN A TRAP, CAUGHT. THERE HE IS
ON THE FLOOR, AND DAVID SAYS TO HIM, WITH A NOTE OF LOVE IN HIS
VOICE, LOOK IF YOU WILL IN SECOND SAMUEL NINE VERSE SEVEN,
“AND DAVID SAID UNTO HIM, 'FEAR NOT; FEAR NOT; FOR I WILL SURELY
SHOW THEE KINDNESS, '” NOW WATCH THIS, “'FOR JONATHAN THY
FATHER'S SAKE, AND I WILL RESTORE UNTO THEE ALL THE LAND
OF SAUL, THY FATHER; AND THOU SHALT EAT BREAD AT MY TABLE
CONTINUALLY.'” HA, HERE'S WHAT HE SAID TO THIS MAN WHO'S
EXPECTING DEATH, “I WANT TO RESTORE YOUR INHERITANCE. I WANT
YOU TO E, DINE AT MY TABLE. I WANT YOU TO BE LIKE MY SON.”
WHEN MEPHIBOSHETH HEARS THIS, HE CAN HARDLY TAKE IT IN. HE CAN'T
UNDERSTAND IT. LOOK IN VERSE EIGHT, “AND HE BOWED HIMSELF,
AND SAID, 'WHAT IS THY SERVANT, THAT THOU SHOULDEST LOOK UPON
SUCH A DEAD DOG AS I?'” “I'M A DEAD DOG. I'M AS GOOD AS DEATH.
WHY WOULD YOU WANT TO GIVE ME BACK MY INHERITANCE? WHY WOULD
YOU WANT ME TO EAT AT YOUR TABLE? WHY WOULD YOU WANT ME TO
BE AS YOUR SON?” I CAN IMAGINE DAVID EXPLAINING IT AND SAYING
TO HIM, “NOW MEPHIBOSHETH, I WANT YOU TO UNDERSTAND, IT'S NOT
A MATTER OF YOUR WORTHINESS. HEH, AS A MATTER OF FACT, I'M
NOT EVEN DOING THIS FOR YOUR SAKE. I'M DOING THIS FOR THE
SAKE OF YOUR FATHER, JONATHAN. I AM IN A BLOOD COVENANT WITH
JONATHAN. I AM BOUND BY A BLOOD COVENANT.” NOW AT THIS MOMENT,
MEPHIBOSHETH HAS A DECISION TO MAKE. HE UP UNTIL THIS POINT HAD
SEEN DAVID AS A KI, AS THE KING, AS AN ENEMY, AND AS A THREAT.
AND HE'S BEEN RUNNING FROM HIM. NOW HE HAS A DECISION TO MAKE.
IF HE WANTS TO, HE CAN RATIFY THE COVENANT. NO LONGER IS DAVID
AN ENEMY; NOW DAVID IS A FRIEND. NO LONGER IS HE OUT OF
FELLOWSHIP WITH DAVID; HE'S IN FELLOWSHIP WITH DAVID. NO LONGER
IS HE RUNNING FROM DAVID, HE IS RUNNING TO DAVID. HE MUST CHANGE
HIS MIND ABOUT DAVID, AND HE MUST ACCEPT THE COVENANT BY
FAITH. NOW NOTICE. HE MUST CHANGE HIS MIND ABOUT DAVID AND
HE MUST ACCEPT THE COVENANT BY FAITH. DO YOU KNOW WHAT THAT IS?
IT'S THE TERMS OF SALVATION IN THE NEW TESTAMENT: REPENTANCE
AND FAITH. REPENTANCE MEANS A CHANGE OF MIND. WHEN WE CHANGE
OUR MIND, WE TAKE A NEW KING INTO OUR LIVES, AND HIS NAME IS
JESUS. NOW, OF COURSE, MEPHIBOSHETH RATIFIED THE
COVENANT, SOMETHING HE HAD TO LEARN ABOUT. ONCE HE RATIFIED
THE COVENANT, THERE IS A TRANSFORMATION THAT TAKES PLACE.
I WANT YOU TO SEE THE TRANSFORMATION. LOOK IF YOU WILL
IN, IN, AH, SECOND SAMUEL CHAPTER NINE BEGINNING IN VERSE
NINE, “THEN THE KING CALLED ZIBA, SAUL'S SERVANT, AND SAID
UNTO HIM, 'I HAVE GIVEN UNTO THY MASTER'S SON, '” THAT IS, TO
MEPHIBOSHETH, “'ALL THAT PERTAINETH TO SAUL AND TO ALL
HIS HOUSE, '” THAT IS, “I'M GIVING HIM ALL OF THE WEALTH
THAT HIS GRANDFATHER KING HAD.” “'THOU, THEREFORE, AND THY SONS,
AND THY SERVANTS, SHALL TILL THE LAND FOR HIM, '” JUST TAKE CARE
OF ALL OF THIS LAND THAT BELONGS TO HIM NOW, “'AND THOU SHALT
BRING IN THE FRUITS, THAT THY MASTER'S SON MAY HAVE FOOD TO
EAT; BUT MEPHIBOSHETH, THY MASTER'S SON, SHALL EAT BREAD
ALWAY AT MY TABLE.' NOW ZIBA HAD FIFTEEN SONS AND TWENTY
SERVANTS.” CAN YOU IMAGINE THE TRANSFORMATION? SEE WHAT A DAY
BROUGHT FORTH. YESTERDAY HE WAS LIVING IN LODEBAR, DRY AND DUSTY
ON THE BACKSIDE OF NOWHERE, DRAGGING HIS CRIPPLED LIMBS
BEHIND HIM, EATING AND BREATHING DUST, AND NOW, THIS MORNING, HE
AWAKENS ON SILKEN SHEETS. HE'S IN THE PALACE. HE HAS SERVANTS
WHO ARE COMING, SAYING TO HIM, AH, “WOULD MEPHIBOSHETH LIKE TO
AWAKEN THIS MORNING? AH, IS MY LORD MEPHIBOSHETH READY FOR HIS
BATH THIS MORNING? WHAT WOULD MY LORD MEPHIBOSHETH LIKE FOR
BREAKFAST THIS MORNING? THE KING AND HIS SONS ARE WAITING FOR YOU
TO BREAKFAST. YOU'RE COMING TO BREAKFAST IN THE PALACE.”
MEPHIBOSHETH CAN HARDLY TAKE IT IN. THERE HE IS, NOW IN THE
PALACE, NOW A KING'S SON. HE COMES DOWN TO BREAKFAST AND
THERE'S THE KING. HE'S SITTING ON THE RIGHT HAND OF THE KING.
THERE ARE THE KING'S SONS. THERE'S THAT TABLE GROANING WITH
FOOD. THERE'S THAT WHITE LINEN TABLECLOTH, AND HIS LIMBS ARE
UNDER THE TABLECLOTH, CAN'T EVEN BE SEEN AT ALL. HE'S SITTING
THERE WITH THE REST OF THEM. MEPHIBOSHETH IS THINKING, “I
CAN'T UNDERSTAND THIS. I DON'T DESERVE THIS. YET, IT'S BECAUSE
OF A BLOOD COVENANT. IT IS A COVENANT THAT MY FATHER MADE
WITH DAVID. HA, HA, HA. I CAN'T COMPLETELY UNDERSTAND IT, BUT I
CAN'T DENY IT. HERE I AM. PASS THE BISCUITS!” [AUDIENCE
LAUGHTER] AND AS DAVID PASSES THE BREAD TO MEPHIBOSHETH,
THERE'S A SCAR ON DAVID'S WRIST. THE MARK OF THE COVENANT. AND IT
DAWNS ON HIM: THE POWER OF A BLOOD COVENANT. WHAT A
TRANSFORMATION TAKES PLACE. THE NEXT TIME, DEAR FRIEND, WE HAVE
THE LORD'S SUPPER, YOU'LL UNDERSTAND WHAT JESUS SAID,
“LIKEWISE, ALSO THE CUP AFTER SUPPER, SAYING, 'THIS CUP IS THE
NEW COVENANT IN MY BLOOD, WHICH IS SHED FOR YOU.'” NOW HERE'S
THE THIRD AND FINAL THING I WANT TO LAY UPON YOUR HEART, WHAT I
WANT YOU TO DO. I WANT YOU THIS CHRISTMAS SEASON TO UNDERSTAND
THE SAVING POWER OF THE BLOOD COVENANT. GOD WAS MADE FLESH
THAT THERE MIGHT BE A BLOOD COVENANT WITH YOU. THE SAVIOR IS
PICTURED. TEN, 2000 YEARS AGO, JESUS ENTERED INTO A BLOOD
COVENANT WITH GOD THE FATHER FOR THE SONS AND DAUGHTERS OF ADAM.
ON THE CROSS, A BLOOD COVENANT WAS MADE. YOU SAY, “WHO WAS ON
THAT CROSS?” GOD AND MAN. GOD AND MAN. THE BLOOD OF GOD AND
THE BLOOD OF MAN WERE MINGLED ON THE CROSS. YOU SAY, “BUT GOD
DOESN'T HAVE BLOOD.” HE DID WHEN JESUS WAS ON THIS EARTH. ACTS
CHAPTER 20, PAUL TOLD THE EPHESIAN ELDERS, “FEED THE
CHURCH OF GOD, WHICH HE HATH PURCHASED WITH HIS OWN BLOOD,”
WITH GOD'S OWN BLOOD. THE BLOOD THAT COURSED THROUGH THAT INFANT
IN MARY'S WOMB WAS THE BLOOD OF GOD, BECAUSE HE'S THE
VIRGIN-BORN SON OF GOD, AND WE'RE GOING TO TALK ABOUT THAT
NEXT WEEK. BUT JESUS WAS MAN ALSO. HE CALLED HIMSELF, “THE
SON OF MAN.” HE WAS A HUMAN, AS FULLY HUMAN AS IF HE WERE NOT
GOD AT ALL; AS FULLY GOD AS IF HE WERE NOT HUMAN AT ALL. AND ON
THAT CROSS, WHEN THAT BLOOD FLOWED, THERE WAS A COVENANT
BEING MADE BETWEEN GOD AND MAN. THE BLOOD OF GOD AND THE BLOOD
OF A HUMAN WERE MINGLED THERE UPON THAT CROSS. THE SAVIOR IS
PICTURED HERE IN THIS STORY. BUT NOT ONLY IS THE SAVIOR PICTURED,
THE SINNER IS PICTURED. MEPHIBOSHETH, FRIEND, PICTURES
YOU. HE PICTURES ADRIAN. THINK OF HIM. HE WAS DEFORMED. HOW WAS
HE DEFORMED? HE WAS CRIPPLED BY A FALL. WE'RE ALL CRIPPLED BY
THE FALL. WHEN ADAM FELL, WE FELL WITH HIM. MEPHIBOSHETH WAS
SO CRIPPLED THAT HE COULD NOT COME. HE HAD TO BE FOUND. HE HAD
TO BE SOUGHT. HE HAD TO BE BROUGHT. HE HAD TO BE TAUGHT. SO
WITH ALL OF US. FRIEND, THANK GOD THAT GOD SOUGHT US, JUST AS
DAVID SOUGHT MEPHIBOSHETH. HE WAS DEFORMED. HE WAS DETHRONED.
HE WAS HEIR TO A KINGDOM, BUT HE'D LOST HIS KINGDOM. GOD
CREATED MAN TO RULE AND TO REIGN HERE UPON THIS EARTH. WE WERE
MEANT TO RULE, BUT WE LOST OUR INHERITANCE. NOT ONLY WAS HE
DEFORMED, NOT ONLY WAS HE DETHRONED, BUT HE WAS DEAD. HE
WAS AS GOOD AS DEAD. THE SENTENCE OF DEATH WAS UPON HIM,
FOR HE SAID, “WHY SHOULD YOU LOOK UPON SUCH A DEAD DOG AS I
AM?” LISTEN TO ME, MY PRECIOUS FRIEND, WITHOUT JESUS YOU ARE A
DEAD DOG! “THE WAGES OF SIN IS DEATH.” “THE SOUL THAT SINNETH,
IT SHALL SURELY DIE.” MEPHIBOSHETH, DEFORMED,
DETHRONED, DEAD, AND DECEIVED. WHY WAS HE DECEIVED? WELL, HE
FEARED DAVID. HE HATED DAVID. HE THOUGHT DAVID WAS HIS ENEMY WHEN
DAVID WAS REALLY HIS FRIEND. WHY? BECAUSE HE WAS IN
IGNORANCE. HE DIDN'T UNDERSTAND THE BLOOD COVENANT. I WAS ON AN
AIRPLANE ONE TIME. I SAT DOWN BESIDE A MAN. HE GOT ON WITH SO,
A CUPFUL OF ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGE. I DON'T KNOW WHY THEY LET HIM ON
THE PLANE WITH IT. I COULD TELL HE WAS A LITTLE LOUD, A LITTLE
BELLIGERENT, SO I JUST THOUGHT I'D BE QUIET AND WAIT FOR MY
MOMENT. I WAS READING A BOOK BY VANCE HAVNER CALLED REPENT OR
ELSE. [AUDIENCE LAUGHTER] AFTER AWHILE HE STARTED THE
CONVERSATION. HE SAID, “IS THAT A, IS THAT A TRUE BOOK?” I SAID,
“WHAT DO YOU MEAN A TRUE BOOK?” HE SAID, “WHAT IS THAT ABOUT,
REPENT OR ELSE?” I SAID, “WELL, IT'S A BOOK ABOUT GOD. IT TELLS
US IF WE DON'T REPENT OF OUR SIN, WE'RE GOING TO DIE AND GO
TO HELL.” HE SAID, “GOD? GOD? MISTER,” AND HE LIFTED HIS
VOICE. HE SAID, “LET ME TELL YOU WHAT I THINK ABOUT GOD.” HE
SAID, “LET ME TELL YOU WHAT I THINK ABOUT THE DEVIL, AND LET
ME TELL YOU WHAT I THINK ABOUT EVERYBODY ELSE.” AND BY THIS
TIME, EVERYBODY IN THE PLANE WAS LOOKING AT THE TWO OF US.
[AUDIENCE LAUGHTER] AND HE SAYS, “GOD,” SAID, “I HATE HIM.” HE
SAID, “THE DEVIL, I DON'T CARE FOR HIM,” AND HE SAID, “I DON'T
CARE FOR ANYBODY ELSE.” HE SAID, “THERE'S MY GOD RIGHT THERE,”
AND HE HELD UP THAT CUP OF WHISKEY. “THAT'S MY GOD.” AND HE
SAID, “AS FAR AS HE IS CONCERNED,” TALKING ABOUT GOD,
“HE CAN GO TO,” AND I'M NOT GOING TO FINISH THE SENTENCE
BECAUSE THE CHILDREN ARE HERE. AND HE SAID, “AS FAR AS THE
DEVIL IS CONCERNED, HE CAN GO TO THE SAME PLACE.” AND HE SAID,
“AS FAR AS ALL THESE PEOPLE ARE CONCERNED, THEY CAN GO TO THE
SAME PLACE.” AND HE SAID, “I'M GOING TO DRINK THIS TILL I DIE,
AND THAT'S WHERE I'M GOING.” [PHEW] I JUST THOUGHT I BETTER
BE QUIET FOR AWHILE. [AUDIENCE [LAUGHTER] I WAITED TILL HE
SETTLED DOWN. HIS NAME WAS MONTOYA. AND I SAID, “YOU DON'T
HATE GOD.” HE SAID, “YES, I DO.” I SAID, “NO, YOU DON'T.” HE
SAID, “HOW DO YOU KNOW I DON'T HATE GOD?” I SAID, “YOU DON'T
KNOW ENOUGH ABOUT HIM TO HATE HIM.” SEE, WHAT HAD HAPPENED TO
THIS MAN, HE TOLD ME, HIS WIFE HAD GOTTEN INTO A FALSE CULT.
THE MEMBERS OF THAT FALSE CULT HAD TOLD HIM BECAUSE HE WAS NOT
A MEMBER OF THAT FALSE CULT THAT SHE SHOULD LEAVE HIM AND TAKE
THE CHILDREN ALSO. AND THAT WAS THE GOD, THE CARICATURE OF THE
GOD THAT HE KNEW, WHICH WASN'T THE GOD OF THE BIBLE AT ALL. I
JUST SAID, “MISTER, YOU DON'T HATE GOD. YOU HATE YOUR IDEA OF
GOD. LET ME DRAW A PICTURE OF YOU.” AND I GOT A, A YELLOW PAD
AND BEGAN TO DOODLE AND MADE SOME CIRCLES AND TALKED ABOUT
BODY, SOUL, AND SPIRIT, AND THEN I TALKED ABOUT HOW JESUS DIED,
AND SO FORTH. BEFORE WE GOT OFF THAT PLANE, HE'D PRAYED AND
ASKED CHRIST INTO HIS HEART. [AUDIENCE: AMEN] [AUDIENCE
APPLAUSE] WE GOT OFF IN THE PHOENIX AIRPORT. HE FOUND ME AND
PUT A BEAR HUG ON ME AND SAID, “MISTER, I LOVE YOU. I LOVE
YOU,” BECAUSE HE'D FOUND CHRIST, FOUND THE SAVIOR. HE, I THOUGHT
SO MUCH OF THE STORY OF MEPHIBOSHETH. HERE WAS A MAN;
THOUGHT HE HATED GOD. HE THOUGHT GOD WAS HIS ENEMY. AND THERE'RE
PEOPLE LIKE THIS WHO COME TO CHURCH [THUMP] AND THEY LISTEN
TO A PREACHER PREACH [THUMP] AND THEY FIND THEMSELVES RUNNING
FROM GOD AND FEARING GOD AND AFRAID OF GOD. GOD IS LOVE. GOD
LOVES YOU. AND GOD HAS MADE WITH HIS SON, THE LORD JESUS, A BLOOD
COVENANT ON YOUR BEHALF. NOW LET ME SHOW YOU ONE OTHER THING.
SALVATION IS ALSO PICTURED, AND I'VE GOT TO HURRY. NOW NOTICE
WHAT OUR SALVATION IS. WHAT DO WE HAVE? WELL, REMEMBER, FRIEND,
THAT OUR SALVATION IS BECAUSE OF WHAT JESUS DID. REMEMBER WHAT
JON, UH, WH, WHAT DAVID SAID? “IS THERE ANY LEFT OF THE HOUSE
OF SAUL, THAT I MAY SHOW HIM KINDNESS,” NOW LISTEN TO THIS,
“FOR JONATHAN'S SAKE?” REMEMBER THAT? “THAT I MAY SHOW HIM
KINDNESS FOR JONATHAN'S SAKE.” WHAT DOES EPHESIANS CHAPTER FOUR
VERSE 32 TELL US? “BE YE KIND, TENDERHEARTED, FORGIVING ONE
ANOTHER,” NOW LISTEN, “EVEN AS GOD FOR CHRIST'S SAKE HATH
FORGIVEN YOU.” SEE? ARE YOU GETTING IT NOW? “EVEN AS GOD FOR
CHRIST'S SAKE HATH FORGIVEN YOU.” YOU'RE NOT WORTHY! I'M NOT
WORTHY! WE'RE DEAD DOGS! WE'RE DEFORMED! WE'RE UNDER THE
SENTENCE OF DEATH! WE'RE FEARING GOD AND HATING GOD! BUT GOD
[CLAP] IS IN A COVENANT WITH HIS SON, THE LORD JESUS, AND GOD,
FOR CHRIST'S SAKE, HATH FORGIVEN US. IT'S NOT A MATTER OF OUR
WORTHINESS. AND NOTICE WHAT MEPHIBOSHETH HAD NOW. HE HAD THE
KING'S FORGIVENESS. RATHER THAN JUDGMENT, HE HAS A FORTUNE
RESTORED. HE HAD THE KING'S FELLOWSHIP. IF YOU WERE TO READ
SECOND SAMUEL NINE, FOUR TIMES HE SAYS, “I WANT YOU TO SIT AT
MY TABLE, MEPHIBOSHETH.” REMEMBER THAT EVERY TIME WE COME
TO THE LORD'S TABLE. REMEMBER THAT WE DON'T COME TO MOURN A
CORPSE; WE COME TO FELLOWSHIP WITH A FRIEND. WE COME TO THE
LORD'S TABLE. TO EAT WITH A PERSON IS THE MOST INTIMATE
FELLOWSHIP THAT HUMAN BEINGS CAN HAVE. AND, AND HE SAID HERE
THAT, “HE SHALL EAT AT MY TABLE CONTINUALLY,” AS ONE OF THE
KING'S SONS, CONTINUAL AND INTIMATE. WE HAVE THE KING'S
FORTUNE. HE SAYS, “RESTORE TO HIM EVERYTHING OF, OF HIS
RIGHTFUL INHERITANCE.” LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, BECAUSE OF THE
BLOOD COVENANT, THE MEEK SHALL INHERIT THE EARTH. GOD GAVE IT
TO ADAM. ADAM LOST IT. JESUS HAS RESTORED IT! WE'RE HEIRS OF GOD
AND JOINT-HEIRS WITH THE LORD JESUS CHRIST. NOT ONLY DO WE
HAVE THE KING'S FORGIVENESS, NOT ONLY DO WE HAVE THE KING'S
FORTUNE, NOT ONLY DO WE HAVE THE KING'S FELLOWSHIP, BUT, FRIEND,
WE'RE IN THE KING'S FAMILY. DAVID SAID, “MEPHIBOSHETH, I
WANT YOU TO BE LIKE ONE OF MY SONS.” “BEHOLD, WHAT MANNER OF
LOVE THE FATHER HATH BESTOWED UPON US, THAT WE SHOULD BE
CALLED THE SONS OF GOD.” NOW LOOK AT ME. NOW, I, I MUST MAKE
AN APPLICATION AND CLOSE. DO YOU KNOW WHAT THE DEVIL WILL TELL
YOU SOMETIME? THE DEVIL WILL TELL YOU, “YOU ARE NOT WORTHY.”
DON'T ARGUE WITH HIM. YOU'LL LOSE THE ARGUMENT. YOU'RE NOT
WORTHY. POINT HIM TO THE BLOOD COVENANT AND BACK OUT OF THE
ARGUMENT. LET HIM TAKE UP HIS ARGUMENT WITH ALMIGHTY GOD AND
THE BLOOD COVENANT. YOU SAY, “WELL, I DON'T FEEL IT.” IT'S
NOT A MATTER OF YOUR FEELINGS; IT'S A MATTER OF THE BLOOD
COVENANT. “WELL,” YOU SAY, “SOMETIMES I FAIL.” WE ALL DO.
COME WITH THE BLOOD COVENANT AND REMIND GOD OF HIS
LOVINGKINDNESS, “HAVE MERCY UPON ME ACCORDING UNTO THY
LOVINGKINDNESS.” FRIEND, WHEN YOU'RE IN THE BLOOD COVENANT,
ENJOY THE FELLOWSHIP OF HIS PERSON. SHARE THE WEALTH OF HIS
POSSESSIONS. AND REST IN THE SHADOW OF HIS PROTECTION. AREN'T
YOU GLAD FOR THE BLOOD COVENANT? [AUDIENCE: AMEN] AREN'T YOU
GLAD? WELL, WHY, WHY CHRISTMAS? WHY CHRISTMAS? BECAUSE, FRIEND,
JESUS CAME TO EARTH TO SHED HIS BLOOD TO MAKE A BLOOD COVENANT
THAT WE MIGHT ENJOY WHAT WE HAVE WITH OUR LORD. WOULD YOU BOW
YOUR HEADS IN PRAYER? HEADS ARE BOWED AND EYES ARE CLOSED. AND
WHILE HEADS ARE BOWED AND EYES ARE CLOSED, REMEMBER
MEPHIBOSHETH? WHEN HE WAS FACED WITH THE LOVE OF GOD, HE HAD TO
BELIEVE AND RATIFY THE COVENANT. HE HAD TO TAKE DAVID AS HIS KING
NOW. THERE'S A CHANGE OF KINGS. HE HAD TO YIELD TO DAVID. ARE
YOU WILLING TO YIELD TO JESUS? THAT'S CALLED REPENTANCE AND
FAITH. REPENTANCE TOWARD GOD AND FAITH IN OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST.
THAT'S WHAT SAVES. TURN FROM YOUR SIN AND PUT YOUR FAITH IN
JESUS. DO IT NOW. LET ME LEAD YOU IN PRAYER. WOULD YOU PRAY
THIS PRAYER? “DEAR GOD, I AM A SINNER AND I'M LOST AND I NEED
TO BE SAVED. FATHER GOD, I AM SO GRATEFUL THAT JESUS SHED HIS
BLOOD FOR ME. AND I KNOW, GOD, THAT YOU WILL FORGIVE ME FOR
JESUS' SAKE. BECAUSE OF HIS SHED BLOOD AND BECAUSE OF THE
COVENANT MADE AT CALVARY. NOW, LORD JESUS, JUST AS I AM,
WITHOUT ONE PLEA, BUT THAT THY BLOOD WAS SHED FOR ME, OH LAMB
OF GOD, I COME TO THEE. I COME. I DO. AMEN.” FRIEND AREN'T YOU
SO GLAD THAT WE ARE FREE TO CHOOSE? THE BIBLE SAYS, “CHOOSE
LIFE.” AND FOR YOU IT IS DECISION TIME. WOULD YOU PRAY
THIS PRAYER AFTER ME, “LORD JESUS, THANK YOU FOR YOUR
REDEEMING LOVE; COME INTO MY HEART, FORGIVE MY SIN, AND SAVE
ME. BE IN MY HEART DAY BY DAY AND BRING ME HOME TO HEAVEN.”
FRIEND, PRAY THAT; MEAN IT AND TRUST HIM WITH ALL OF YOUR
HEART. AND IF YOU DO, WRITE TO US. WE WOULD REJOICE TO HEAR
ABOUT YOUR DECISION AND WE'LL SEND YOU SOME LITERATURE,
ABSOLUTELY FREE, TO HELP YOU TO GET STARTED IN YOUR CHRISTIAN
LIFE. WE HOPE THAT TODAY'S MESSAGE HAS
BEEN AN ENCOURAGEMENT TO YOU AS WE'VE STUDIED GOD'S WORD
TOGETHER. FOR MORE RESOURCES FROM ADRIAN ROGERS, INCLUDING
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MESSAGE, PLEASE VISIT OUR WEBSITE, LWF.ORG. YOU CAN ALSO
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NEXT TIME AS WE CONTINUE THIS POWERFUL SERIES OF MESSAGES FROM
ADRIAN ROGERS. THANKS FOR JOINING US FOR TODAY'S PROGRAM,
WE'LL SEE YOU NEXT TIME. 2020 HAS BEEN A YEAR OF GREAT
CHALLENGE, A YEAR OF PANDEMIC AND SOCIAL UNREST THAT HAS
ROCKED US TO THE CORE INDIVIDUALLY AND COLLECTIVELY.
WHILE IT'S BEEN A DIFFICULT YEAR, WE'VE WITNESSED SOMETHING
AMAZING AT LOVE WORTH FINDING MINISTRIES THAT REALLY SHOULDN'T
SURPRISE ANY OF US. GOD IS BRINGING PEOPLE, THROUGH THEIR
STRUGGLES, TO HIMSELF. ISN'T THAT JUST LIKE OUR GREAT GOD! WE
ARE SO BLESSED TO BE A PART OF THIS FRUITFUL HARVEST IN THIS
UNUSUAL YEAR. NOW, WE NEED YOUR HELP TO FINISH THE WORK, TO
FINISH STRONG IN 2020. THERE'RE ONLY A FEW WEEKS LEFT IN THIS
CRITICAL SEASON; TAKE TO THE FIELDS WITH US! PLEASE GIVE A
GENEROUS YEAR-END GIFT; LET'S FINISH 2020 KNOWING WE'VE DONE
ALL WE CAN DO TO BRING PEOPLE TO JESUS AND MATURE THEM IN THEIR
FAITH. AND LET'S KEEP ON WORKING UNTIL CHRIST RETURNS.
