Kingsport Sovereign Grace Church,
located at 905 Yadkin Street in Kingsport, Tennessee, would
like to invite you to listen to a message of sovereign grace
by their pastor, Gabe Stoniker. And now, Pastor Gabe Stoniker. I invite you to turn with me
this morning to Hebrews chapter 11. Our text is going to be 2
Samuel 23, but I want to read a verse of Scripture first from
Hebrews chapter 11. Verse 13 says, these all died
in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen
them afar off and were persuaded of them and embraced them. and confessed that they were
strangers and pilgrims on the earth. Now our text is 2 Samuel 23 verses
1 through 5 and I want us to read that together. It says, Now these be the last
words of David. David the son of Jesse said,
And the man who was raised up on high The anointed of the God
of Jacob and the sweet psalmist of Israel said, The Spirit of
the Lord spake by me, and his word was in my tongue. The God
of Israel said, The Rock of Israel spake to me, He that ruleth over
men must be just ruling in the fear of God, and he shall be
as the light of the morning. when the sun rises, even a morning
without clouds as the tender grass springing out of the earth
by clear shining after rain. Although my house be not so with
God, yet he hath made with me an everlasting covenant ordered
in all things. And sure for this is all my salvation
and all my desire, although he make it not to grow. David died in faith, not having
received the promise, but he saw it afar off and was persuaded
of it and embraced it and confessed that he was just a stranger and
a pilgrim on the earth. Verse one says, now these be
the last words of David. Last words. Those are important
words, aren't they? Important words. A man's last
words. When a man realizes his time
is up, it's over. That's it. And he has just enough
energy and just enough time to say one more thing. We've all
seen the movies, the old man or the dying man pulls a young
man in and he says, son, make sure you listen to this. When a man says his last words,
that's the moment when he's going to cut straight to the heart
of the matter. And he's going to tell what he
believes is the most important thing in life. Verse one says,
now these be the last words of David. David knew he was a dying
man speaking to dying men and women. Verse one says, David,
the son of Jesse. David was a man. the son of Jesse,
just a regular man. God said he was a man after God's
own heart, but David was just flesh and blood, just like you
and me, just a regular man. When David took a stone and put
it in a sling and started running toward Goliath, He had no idea
where that stone was gonna go. You know that? We read that story
of David and Goliath and we think, oh, what a great victory. You know David had no idea where
that stone was gonna go. He's just a man. He didn't know if it was gonna
miss Goliath altogether. He didn't know if it was gonna
kill him instantly. He didn't know if it was just gonna make
him mad. Just a man. Just a man. Listen to James chapter
5. James chapter 5 verse 17 says,
Elias, Elijah was a man subject to like passions as we are. He was a man. He went through
the same things, same weaknesses, same fears, just a man. Listen to Hebrews 11, verse 17. It says, by faith, Abraham, when
he was tried, offered up Isaac. And he that had received the
promises, offered up his only begotten son. His only begotten
son. Abraham had no idea what the
outcome of that was gonna be. His son is tied up on an altar,
and Abraham has a knife in his hands, and he had no idea what
was about to happen. Verse 24, By faith Moses, when
he was come to years, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's
daughter, choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people
of God than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season. Moses had
no idea what the repercussions of that were going to be. None. Verse 29 says, By faith they
passed through the Red Sea, as by dry land, which the Egyptians
a-saying to do, were drowned. Until God told Moses to strike
that water, he had no idea what he was going to do. No idea. The Israelites said, Moses, the
Egyptians are after us. Here they come. They're going
to kill us. What are we going to do? Moses
thought, I don't know. I don't know. Stand still. Stand still and see the salvation
of the Lord. God knew, didn't he? God did. These were just men. David was just a man. But our
text back in 2 Samuel 23 says, David was the man who was raised
up on high. David in his last words has taken
this opportunity to tell how great things the Lord has done
for him. Great things. He said, I was
an object of God's grace. He said, I was nothing. I was
a beggar on a dunghill. I was nothing but a shepherd.
God made me a king. Isn't that something? God made
me a king. First Samuel chapter two, verses
six through eight say, the Lord killeth. The Lord killeth and maketh alive. If anybody dies, the Lord did
it. If anybody lives, the Lord did
it. It says, he bringeth down to
the grave and bringeth up. Well, that doesn't sound like
the Lord I know. Well, that is the Lord of Scripture.
He holds the keys of hell and death. He is sovereign over all
things. He kills. He makes alive. He wounds. He heals. Verse 7 says, The Lord maketh
poor and maketh rich. He bringeth low and lifteth up. He raiseth up the poor out of
the dust, and lifteth up the beggar from the dunghill, to
set them among princes, and to make them inherit the throne
of glory." Isn't that something? Amazing! In Revelation 1, John
said, He hath made us kings and priests unto God. David says, this is the most
important thing I have to say, how great things the Lord has
done for me. That's the most important thing
I have to say. That's the only thing I have
to say, how great things the Lord has done for this sinner.
I'm only a sinner saved by grace. This is my story. To God be the
glory. I'm just a sinner saved by grace.
That's all I am. That's all I am. Now our text
says, 2 Samuel 23 verse 1, David was the anointed of the God of
Jacob. The anointed of the God of Jacob.
1 Samuel 16 verse 11 says, Samuel said unto Jesse, Are here all
thy children? And he said, There remaineth
yet the youngest. And behold, he keepeth the sheep.
That's David. And Samuel said unto Jesse, send
and fetch him for we will not sit down till he come hither.
And he sent and brought him in. Now he was ruddy and with all
of a beautiful countenance and goodly to look to. And the Lord
said, arise, anoint him for this is he. Then Samuel took the horn
of oil and anointed him in the midst of his brethren and the
spirit of the Lord came upon David from that day forward."
When he was anointed, the Spirit of the Lord came upon David from
that day forward. And notice what that produced
in David. Our text over in 2 Samuel 23 verse 1 says, he was the sweet
psalmist of Israel. The sweet psalmist of Israel,
the Spirit of the Lord caused grace to pour from his lips. Grace. Why are the Psalms so
sweet? Why are the Psalms so sweet? Here's why. It's because the
subject of every single Psalm is the Lord Jesus Christ. Every
one of them, every single one, the spirit of the Lord was upon
him. Everything he wrote about was
the Lord. Everything he loved was the Lord. The spirit of the Lord was upon
him. And David says in our text, verse two, the spirit of the
Lord spake by me and his word was in my tongue. David says,
the things I have written in the form of Psalms are the words
of God. They are the words of God. And
I say this morning on the radio, The things that I speak, not
every word that comes out of my mouth, let's let that be clear,
right off the bat, not every word that comes out of my mouth,
no way, I'm a sinner, I'm a sinner. But the words that I declare
from this book, The words that I speak from this book are the
words of God. They are not the words of Gabe.
They are not the words of David. They are the words of God. Well, David uses his last words
to say in verse three, the God of Israel said, the rock of Israel
speak to me. He that ruleth over men must
be just ruling in the fear of God. David said, the Lord told
me somebody's coming to take the throne forever. Oh, make sure you hear this.
Oh, make sure you hear this. Somebody's coming to rule this
throne forever. The king is coming. And he that
ruleth over men is gonna be just. Just. And he's gonna rule in
the fear of God. Verse 4 says, And he shall be
as the light of the morning, when the sun riseth even a morning
without clouds, as the tender grass springing out of the earth
by clear shining after rain. Let's see where the Lord told
David this. Go with me to 2 Samuel chapter 7. 2 Samuel 7 verse 12 says, When
thy days be fulfilled, and thou shalt sleep with thy fathers,
I will set up thy seed after thee, which shall proceed out
of thy bowels, and I will establish his kingdom. He shall build an
house for my name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom
forever. I will be his father, he shall
be my son. If he commit iniquity, I will
chasten him with the rod of men, and with the stripes of the children
of men. But my mercy shall not depart away from him, as I took
it from Saul, whom I put away before thee. and thine house
and thy kingdom shall be established forever before thee. Thy throne
shall be established forever. According to all these words
and according to all this vision, so did Nathan speak unto David. So David knew the promised one
is coming. He knew that someone from his
seed, his seed, was gonna take over the throne forever and be
the savior of his people. David in his last words was saying,
somebody's coming. Oh, make sure you hear this.
The king is coming. The king is coming. If we leave this world before
he returns, we will rise out of the ground and see him just
like everyone else when he does return. The king is coming. The king is coming. Fear him. All who do not bow to him are
going to be judged by him. Make sure you hear this. The
king is coming. The king is coming. David told everybody the king
is coming. But David was just a man. He
didn't know how. He didn't know when. And you
know, with every son and grandson that came along, he was looking
for the promise. The promise was from his seed,
his line. David watched him like a hawk
to see, is this the one? Is this boy the one? And every
time sin would rule and he'd say, no, That's not the one. No. So he says in his dying words,
2 Samuel 23 verse five, although my house be not so with God,
so far, no one in my house has fulfilled the promise yet. We're
all sinners. I haven't physically seen the
Messiah yet. Verse five, he said, yet, He
hath made with me an everlasting covenant. Ecclesiastes 3 verses
14 and 15 say, I know that whatsoever God doeth, it shall be forever. Nothing can be put to it, nor
anything taken from it. And God doeth it that men should
fear before him. That which hath been is now. And that which is to be hath
already been. And God requireth that which
is past. What God does is forever. David said, he's made an everlasting
covenant with me. And this covenant is ordered
in all things and sure. David says, let it be known.
Let me be remembered for this. Verse five, this is all my salvation
and all my desire. What he's saying is this is all
my hope. I had nothing to it. I take nothing
from it. My all is in his covenant. I'm a sinner saved by grace and
my only hope is in this covenant. Verse five says, although, or
even though, he make it not to grow. Even though I've not seen
the fulfillment of it yet. The song says, my hope is built
on nothing less than Jesus' blood and righteousness. I dare not
trust the sweetest frame. but wholly, completely lean on
the Lord Jesus Christ's name. On Christ the solid rock I stand,
all other ground is sinking sand. Those were David's last words. Oh, may those be our last words. I want those to be my last words.
Well, let me ask this question. Did the Lord God keep his promise? This covenant he made, did he
keep it? He said, somebody's coming. Who
was he talking about? Who will reign on the throne
forever? And who does David represent?
Well, turn with me over to Revelation 22. Revelation 22 verse 16 says,
I, Jesus, have sent my angel to testify unto you these things
in the churches. I am the root and the offspring
of David. I'm the root of David. I came
before David. I'm David's God and the offspring
of David. I'm the promised one. And he
says, I'm the bright and morning star. I'm that high noon sun. I'm the judge of the earth. And
I am that sunrise, that morning star that comes with healing
in His wings. David represents the Lord Jesus
Christ. And let's read our text as it
being His words. Verse 1 says, Now these be the
last words of Christ. He is the first and the last. He changeth not. His words in
the beginning are the exact same as his words in the end. He is
the same yesterday, today, and forever. Verse 1 says, Christ
is this son of Jesse. Listen to Isaiah 11, verses 1
and 2. And there shall come forth a
rod out of the stem of Jesse. and a branch shall grow out of
his roots, and the Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him,
the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, the Spirit of counsel and might,
the Spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord." That's
Jesus Christ. Our text, verse 1, says, He is
the man who was raised up on high. The song says, lifted up
was he to die. It is finished was his cry. Oh, but now in heaven, he's exalted
high. He is the anointed of the God
of Jacob. John said, I saw the spirit descend
from heaven like a dove and it landed on Jesus Christ. He is
the Prince of Peace. the sweet psalmist of Israel. The words that David wrote are
the words of Christ. The grace that poured from David's
lips was the grace of Christ, the words of Christ. He said
in verse two, the spirit of the Lord spake by me and his word
was in my tongue. The God of Israel said, The rock
of Israel spake to me. He that ruleth over men must
be just, ruling in the fear of God. And he shall be as the light
of the morning, when the sun riseth, even a morning without
clouds, as the tender grass springing out of the earth by clear shining
after rain. And he says in verse five, oh,
here's the good news of the gospel. If a person really wants to know
what is the gospel, what is the gospel? What is the truth? Here
it is. Our Lord says in verse five,
although my house be not so with God, my house, my people, my
creation, my chosen, my elect, my house, although my house be
not so with God, although they have fallen from God, although
they've sinned against God, rebelled against God, although my house
be not so with God, yet he hath made everlasting covenant with
me." With me. With man it's impossible, but
with God all things are possible. Our Savior said man couldn't
keep this covenant, but God didn't make this covenant with man.
He made it with me. God the Father made this covenant
with God the Son. And I'm here to tell you it's
perfect. It is finished. It is ordered
in all things. Everything is working together
because of this covenant. And it is sure. It is sure in
Isaiah 46 verse 11, the Lord said, I have spoken it. I will
also bring it to pass. I have purposed it. I will also
do it. He says in verse five, this is
all my salvation, my salvation. Did you know that salvation has
nothing to do with you? Did you know that? Salvation
has absolutely nothing to do with you and nothing to do with
me. This is all my salvation. Salvation is of the Lord. Salvation
is of the Lord. And listen to this, he says,
and all my desire. All my desire. Why did our Lord
do all this? You know why? He wanted to. He said, I will, that where I
am, they may be also. That's what I want. He did it
for the joy set before him. He delights to show mercy. He
said, it's my pleasure. It's all my desire. Verse five
says, although he make it not to grow. He's saying to his people,
you are washed. You are sanctified. You are justified
and you are holy in this covenant, in my salvation, in my desire,
even though you can't see it, you can't think it, and you can't
feel it yet. Ask a believer, do you feel like
you're growing in grace? If he's honest, he's going to
say, I feel like I'm worse than the day I started. Beloved, now
are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall
be, but when He shall appear, we're going to be just like Him.
Just like Him. Thank God for these wonderful
last words. Until next Sunday morning, may
the Lord bless His Word. You have been listening to a
message by Gabe Stoniker, pastor of Kingsport Sovereign Grace
Church in Kingsport, Tennessee. If you would like a copy of this
message or to hear other messages of Sovereign Grace, you can write
to our physical mailing address at 905 Yadkin Street, Kingsport,
Tennessee 37660 or log on to our website at kingsportsovereigngracechurch.com. If you would like to come and
worship with us, our service times are Sunday morning Bible
study at 10 o'clock a.m., worship at 10.45 a.m., and 6 o'clock
p.m. Wednesday evening at 7.30 p.m. Please tune in next Sunday morning
at 8.30 for another message of God's free and sovereign grace.