Turn with me to 2 Samuel chapter 15. At the end of our text that we're looking at tonight is verse 30. It's key to what I want us to understand from this passage here. And David went up by the ascent of Mount Olivet, or Mount Olives, and wept as he went up, and had his head covered, and he went barefoot. And all the people that was with him covered every man his head, and they went up weeping as they went up." So this description here details a great sorrow, a great mourning, and a great humility that is put upon David. It says that he wept as he went up, He had his head covered and he went barefoot.

And we know that David is acknowledging his sin. The Lord is chastening David because of his sin with Bathsheba, committing adultery with Bathsheba, another man's wife, Uriah. And then he slew Uriah, he murdered him in order to hide his sin. And so the Lord is chastening David and he knows that he's brought this great trouble on himself and upon the city of Jerusalem and those that love him and stood with him through this. This is a trouble for them all.

But there's seen in this ascent as David's going up by the ascent on Mount Olives here, things that I do believe should encourage our faith. They encourage our faith when we ourselves are chastened of the Lord or we ourselves are experiencing a time of affliction, of persecution, of great difficulty, whatever the reason is for it. This should encourage our faith. I'm reminded of what we read in Acts chapter 14 verse 22. This is speaking of Paul and Barnabas who had gone on their missionary journey and they're now making their way back through the churches and they're encouraging the believers that had heard them when they first preached the gospel to them and were told that they went confirming the souls of the disciples and exhorting them to continue in the faith. and that we must, through much tribulation, enter into the kingdom of God. We must go through much tribulation. This is how the Lord reveals the truth of his word.

If everything was rainbows and ponies, if everything was always going well, we wouldn't lean upon the Lord. We wouldn't seek the Lord for his grace and understanding of him. We wouldn't look to the Lord. We would be trusting in ourselves. We would be confident in ourselves, just like we are when things are typically going well.

And so the Lord gives us tribulation. He gives us afflictions. He allows these things because this is where we grow in the Lord. This is where we gain a knowledge and an understanding of the true and living God. And so this is about growth. This is about growing in the Lord here.

This is about trusting your God even when you are being stripped of vain fleshly confidences, when you're being stripped of things that deceive and blind and unnecessary things, and when we suffer, this is to teach us to trust the Lord, that what he's doing in it is for my good. It's for my good. And you may trust the Lord. Don't look at it as though God's against you.

It's the Lord is for his children. When he's chastening you, the scriptures say that he doesn't chasten those that are not his children. If you be without chastisement, you're a bastard, he says. He says you don't have a father. If you're not being chastened, but whom the Lord loveth, he chasteneth. He chasteneth. And so he loves David, and this is about drawing David near to him. This is about drawing him closer to the Lord, to see the hand of the Lord, to see how the Lord provides and delivers his children according to this word of promise.

It should be noted that this is the first time that I could find that this is the first mention of the Mount of Olives in scripture. This is the first time where the scriptures speak of Mount Olivet or the Mount of Olives. And therefore, you are right if you think, well, it probably holds some kind of significance. And it does.

What we see here in David is also a picture of what we see in the Lord. Not everything that David goes through, but there's a lot in here that should make us think of Christ, because that's the only place, anywhere it's mentioned in scripture, again, it's speaking of Christ.

It's speaking something of the Lord Jesus Christ, which he came and accomplished for his people. Something that is significant about our Lord and his suffering for us, who, though, if you think about it, though he were a son, though he is the son of God, who came according to the will of the Father in the flesh, right? Though he were a son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered. which the Lord himself suffered. And we're told in Luke 24, verse 46 through 48, this is the risen Savior speaking to the disciples, giving them his commission to the church of what they are to do in the world. And he said unto them, Thus it is written, and thus it behooved Christ to suffer." David is suffering, and here he's saying, it behooved Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead the third day. And that repentance and remission or forgiveness of sins should be preached in his name among all nations beginning at Jerusalem, and ye are witnesses of these things. of the suffering of Christ, which he bore for his people to put away our sins.

And so Mount Olivet, for example, is a place where our Lord spent a lot of time teaching his disciples. It's where he would resort to when they would come into Jerusalem. He would go to this place oftentimes with his disciples to rest. Why? because the Son of Man hath no place where to lay his head. You and I, after services here, will go home. We'll go to our couches, our beds, our comfortable spaces. The Lord had nothing like that. He didn't have a house. He didn't have anything like that at all.

This was the location from which our Lord entered triumphantly into Jerusalem when he rode on a foal, a colt, the foal of an ass. When he came in on a donkey into Jerusalem triumphantly and they worshipped him before he was rejected and then crucified by the people. This is the place where our Lord, after the Passover, he went out to this garden in Gethsemane, in the Mount of Olives, and he prayed concerning the cup that he was about to drink for his people, the cup of God's wrath, in the room instead of his people. And so much did that weigh on him that we're told that he sweat great drops of blood. It was that intense. upon him that he sweat great drops of blood.

This is the place from which our Lord ascended into heaven after his resurrection. And he appeared to his disciples and he from this place ascended into heaven when his redemption work was accomplished. And so when we look at our Lord, we see how he was faithful unto the Father from the very beginning. And every step he took was, as it were, an ascent back to this place, up to this place, from which he would return to his Heavenly Father.

This was a step in that direction there, but only after much suffering and sorrow and difficulties and opposition against him. So as we're going through this, we're going to look and see the work of Christ. We're going to see what Christ works in his people for our good, who suffer and who have of suffering and difficulties. So let's read in our text here, 2 Samuel 15, picking up in verse 24 and 25.

And Lozadok also and all the Levites were with him, bearing the ark of the covenant of God. And they set down the ark of God and Nebiathar went up until all the people had done passing out of the city. And the king said unto Zadok, carry back the ark of God into the city. If I shall find favor in the eyes of the Lord, he will bring me again and show me both it and his habitation.

All right, so David is going out of Jerusalem now because his son Absalom is conducting a coup against him. He's looking to put his father to death and take his father's throne, and then he'll be the king of Israel. And so David, hearing that all of Israel, the hearts of the people, is with Absalom, his son, his own son, David now leaves Jerusalem. He's going out of Jerusalem, lest there be war there and bloodshed. in Jerusalem.

And so they're going out and the priests of the temple are going up with the Ark of the Covenant. They're carrying it the way they're supposed to carry it. They get up there to the hill. Everybody passes through and David comes and says, all right, take it back. We're not going to bring this with us out into the wilderness.

And what it shows us is that David's concern is for the church. His concern is for what's best in the interest of the Church, not to bring this thing out. You might think, well, wouldn't David want to have the Ark of the Covenant with him? Wouldn't that be special for him to have the Ark of the Covenant? Well, no, because it's not a good luck charm, right?

The flesh thinks of, oh, well, let's get all the religious things we can get. We'll wear our crosses, we'll bring out the ark, we'll do all these religious things, and then surely God will be merciful to us and favorable. That's how the flesh thinks.

But these aren't good luck charms. We don't need these things. And David doesn't need these things. David trusts the Lord. He knows that the Lord will defend his people, with or without the ark. He doesn't need the ark there. He's doing what's right. And so he sends it back to Jerusalem. And what it speaks of is David's faith. He's not trusting in outward things. He's not trusting in the form of religion.

What he does or doesn't do, he's trusting the Lord who promises, I'll be with my people. I will always do what is right. The Lord will always do what is right. He'll always do what is good and right for his people, even when we don't see it or understand it. He will always do what is right and good for his people. I'm going to have to put this down. Oh, you know what it is? It's just this thing. It looked like it popped out, yeah. All right. Excuse me.

All right, so he knows that the Lord is always going to do what is right for his people. As Job once said, though he slay me, yet will I trust him. The Lord can slay you. The Lord can take our lives, and yet we know it's for the good of his people. He could take all that we have. I mean, I'm not saying it's easy. I'm not saying that that's what we're asking for or want, but we may trust the Lord in knowing that he does whatsoever is right and good. All things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. And so he's trusting the Lord.

Now you think about it. David is being chastened for his sin. And what do men do when another man stumbles and falls into sin? sometimes greatly before them, especially as someone as a leader here, like David, he's the king, and the kingdom very likely knew through whispers and back channels and talking what David had done in taking Bathsheba and then murdering her husband, right? And so what do people do?

Well, in this case, David had some that were faithful to him, that trusted the Lord, that knew the Lord chastened him, and was dealing with David. But then there were others, like the carnal men, like Absalom and Ahithophel, who were quick to cut him off and seeking to destroy him. And so, when you think about it, Absalom, David's own son, was ready to put his father to death. I don't know if it's because of that sin, Absalom was just a wicked man anyway. He was a scheming man who sought to do things for himself, but there were others like Ahithophel that was ready to join with him, probably because of what he had done in taking his granddaughter Bathsheba, in the way that he did. But unlike the wicked who think they need to put their hand to the work and do the work that God alone must do, and unlike them who were seeking his life, David shows sweet fruit, fruit of the spirit here.

He's humbled. He's broken. He's contrite. He's saddened. He knows that what he's done is sinful and wrong. And so he's showing blessed fruit of humility under the chastening of the Lord so that he casts himself entirely upon the Lord to help him and trust. If I'm going to come back here, it's going to be because the hand of the Lord, it's because God is bringing me back. It's because he wants me back here, and if he wants it, he'll do it. He's gonna bring me back safely. And so David says in verse 26, but if he thus say, I have no delight in thee, behold, here am I. Let him do to me as seemeth good unto him. And so we see him resigned to what the will of the Lord is in this.

You consider the trial of Job. Job was tried of the Lord. The Lord took all his children, the Lord took all his goods, his cattle, destroyed all around him, and yet he trusted the Lord. And Job said this in Job 9, verse 12, Behold, he taketh away who can hinder him? Who can stop the Lord? Who shall say unto him, what doest thou? The Lord's able to do what he's going to do.

I know that we beat ourselves up over things. We think, well, if I had only not done this and if I'd just done that, we'll tear ourselves up. But the reality is the Lord does what he purposes to do for his glory and honor. And it's a sweet thing that what he does for his people is to turn our hearts and make us to bow before him.

It's a fruit of his spirit. It's his grace that works that in us so that even though we would never choose it that way in the flesh, but the Lord works good in our hearts so that we trust the will of God and his hand in it. Again, Job 23. Verse 13-15 But he is in one mind, and who can turn him? And what his soul desireth, even that he doeth.

For he performeth the thing that is appointed for me, and many such things are with him. Therefore am I troubled at his presence when I consider I am afraid of him." Meaning, there is an understanding and a respect that we have that the Lord is able to do whatsoever He will do. And therefore, we're mindful of the very fact that he's God and I'm not. And I'm not the one in control, he's in control. And he can do whatsoever he is pleased to do. Lord, give me a heart and make me willing. Conform me to your will. Conform me to your will and make me thankful in that, and so carnal man doesn't see this, right?

He boasts of his choices, he boasts of his works, he speaks of what he can and will do, but the scriptures declare God is sovereign, not man. And God's not subject to man's will, man's fickle will that we change all the time. He's not subject to do what we want him to do. The scriptures tell us that we who believe Christ are chosen of God in Christ Jesus before the world began according to the good pleasure of God, according to his own good pleasure. We are what we are and none can say to him, what doest thou? Romans 9, 15, and 16. For he saith to Moses, I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy. I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion. So then it's not of him that willeth. It's not our decision. It's not our will. It's not our choosing. It's not of him that runneth, not my works and how diligent I am and how hard I strive to do this or that, but of God that showeth mercy.

If God breaks you and chastens you for your sin, and in that chastening leads you to Christ in it so that you cry out to the Lord Jesus Christ for mercy. Lord, save me, the sinner. That's a mercy of God. That's him being merciful and compassionate to you.

If you can hear of Christ and care nothing for it and go on your way and have a happy life, so to speak, as men count happiness, and die in your sins and go to hell, what is that? What is that? That's nothing. But if you are stripped down and broken and made contrite for your sin like David here, and you cry out and confess, Christ is all, he's all my righteousness. Lord, receive me in Christ for his sake. Lord, I have no righteousness. I have nothing to boast of, nothing to bring you, but for Christ's sake, that's a mercy. That's the compassion and grace of God for you, sinner.

That's what he does for all his people. He breaks us and brings us to see our need of him and to confess the Lord Jesus Christ. And so God was showing mercy to David. He didn't take David's life, right? When the prophet Nathan came to him and exposed David's sin, David said, I have sinned.

And he knew he was worthy of death. He had said, the man that did this thing, is going to die, shall die. That's what he said. The man who's done this thing shall die. And then Nathan said, you are the man. You're the man that you just condemned. And David said, I've sinned against the Lord. He knew it. He knew it, and he was ready to be killed. And Nathan said, and the Lord hath put away thy sin.

You shall not die. You shall not die, but you'll be chastened, but you will be chastened. And so David knew that the Lord was merciful to him and that he was fulfilling his word to him. And God chose to work repentance in David's heart through that chastening, a sweet, deep, deep repentance, a true repentance that man can't make up and pretend to do. Only God can bring it, right?

And David wrote it this way in Psalm 51.6.

Behold, thou desirest truth in the inward parts. We can fool one another, but we can't fool God. We just can't fool Him. David is trusting and committing all his care to the Lord, not in an outward form by taking the ark with him, but sending it back to Jerusalem and knowing, if the Lord wills, I'll come back and I'll see the ark and I'll see the place, his temple, and I'll worship the Lord then with the people of God. but I'm trusting the Lord to do this. And so he put great confidence in the Lord, and he trusted the brethren that the Lord gave him. It says in verse 27 through 29, the king said also unto Zadok the priest, art not thou a seer? He's saying, you're a wise man, you understand these things. Return into the city in peace, and your two sons with you, Ahimaaz thy son, and Jonathan the son of Abiathar, See, I will tarry in the plain of the wilderness. I'm going to wait. I ain't going to be too far. I'm not going to run far away. I'm going to be right in the wilderness plain over there until there come word from you to certify me."

Zadok, therefore, and Abiathar carried the ark of God again to Jerusalem, and they tarried there. And then this brings us to verse 30. David went up by the ascent, right, he went up by the ascent of Mount Olivet and wept as he went up and had his head covered and he went barefoot and all the people that was with him covered every man his head and they went up weeping as they went up. And so this is a description of great humiliation, of great stripping, of being broken here.

He's inwardly, he's suffering, and outwardly, he's suffering all around. I mean, it's, no one wants to be driven out of their abode, right? No, it's, I mean, you're just going out into the wilderness with your wives, your kids, and whatever you could grab and take with you. And we know why he's there, right?

His sin has brought this upon, like when you get down to it, it was because of his sin, and that's weighing on his heart, it's weighing on his mind there, And in that sense, he's like us. We identify with that. We can relate, because we're sinners. We know. We know how we get ourselves into trouble and how we do things that we know we ought not to do. And we do them, and then comes consequences and difficulties because of it.

But this is a picture of Christ. But Christ knew no sin. Neither was Gael found in his mouth." He's perfect, he's without sin, and yet we do see a picture of Christ in this, who came to this place, the Mount of Olives, on the night in which he was betrayed and then crucified the next day. And so, unlike David, our Lord's suffering wasn't in knowing that he had done anything wrong. That isn't why he suffered. The suffering he was bearing, What caused him to sweat great drops of blood and feel it in his whole body was knowing that he was going to be drinking the cup of God's wrath for his people. He never committed sin. We are desensitized. We have a certain understanding. We know when we've been chastened and tried for our sin, but the Lord never sinned.

And so it wasn't like he had any familiarity with that, but he knew he was going to bear the wrath of God, his father, against the sin of his people, which he bore, which he took to himself. And we're told about this when he went a little farther and fell on his face and prayed saying, oh my father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me, nevertheless, not as I will, but as thou wilt. And it's showing his faithfulness to do it. And I believe he prayed that prayer. to teach us, because He willingly went to the cross. He willingly did this.

He came into this world for this very purpose, but I believe the reason why He said this and it's recorded for us is that we know there is no other way of salvation. If there was another way, Christ would have been spared. If there was any other thing that you or I could do to save ourselves, the Son of God would not have had to do this. And that's why it's recorded there. That's why he prayed it. And the disciples recorded his prayer so that we know there is one way of salvation, the Lord Jesus Christ. There's not anything that you or I can do to save ourselves. There's no law we could keep. If there was, it would have been given, Paul said.

But this is showing that this is the only way of salvation and so our Lord Jesus Christ willingly took that cup filled with the wrath of God which was being poured out for our sins the sins of his people you that that now hope on the Lord Jesus Christ and cry out to him have mercy on me Lord save me right your sins were put in that cup and the wrath of God was was put there in that cup for your sins and Christ was about to drink it. And so that the debt I owe for my sins, Christ satisfied that debt by drinking all that wrath dry and put the cup upside down. Not a drip came out. There's no drip left for his people whatsoever. It's paid in full. And that's it. It's put away. The debt is paid.

For the wages of sin, what I earned, the wages of sin is death. But the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ, his son, through the Lord Jesus Christ, our Lord. And so the Lord Jesus Christ did this for undeserving sinners who did not merit God's love, who did not merit God's favor, who did not merit God's grace. Otherwise, it wouldn't be grace. It would be works. Instead, it's grace.

And he willingly did this for his people, whom the Father gave him before the foundation of the world as his eternal inheritance. Just as for the believer, Christ is our eternal inheritance, so his people are his eternal inheritance. And he delights in that. And that blows my mind that he should delight in me, a worthless sinner who has nothing to give him except for what he's given me, which is a thankful heart.

I had to thank him and to follow him and to serve him all the days of my life, to not disown him, but to confess him before men and to own him as all my righteousness and hope to stand before God. And he says, you that confess me before men, I'll confess you before my father. I'll confess you before the angels of heaven. I'll confess you in the heavenly hosts that you're mine. That he'll speak for us and receive us forever and deliver us forever from death.

And so from this Mount of Olives, our Lord Jesus Christ went there. When he saw it on this mount, he wept for Jerusalem. and then went forward for his people to accomplish their redemption. On this mountain, he came down on that colt into Jerusalem before they betrayed him and turned him over. From this mountain, our Lord knew where he was going after he crossed the Brook Kidron, and we saw that last week, what that meant.

And he went into this Mount of Olives knowing that Judas, the betrayer, knew that he would be there because he always went there with his disciples. He knew that the betrayer would come there to arrest him and turn him over to them, who would give him a mock trial, and turn him over to the Gentiles, to the Romans, to be tried for insurrection and be crucified as an insurrectionist. But he did no wrong. He did no wrong.

And so, something we read of this betrayal of David, then, is reminiscent of what our Lord did. It says in the next verse, and this is the final verse here, but 31, one told David, saying, Ahithophel is among the conspirators with Absalom. And David said, O Lord, I pray thee, turn the counsel of Ahithophel into foolishness. And so if Absalom, David's son, pictures the Jews who rejected Christ, who rejected their own, the Messiah, who rejected him and didn't receive him, then Ahithophel, David's dear friend and counselor, is a picture of Judas, who would betray our Lord.

And so our Lord knew he was going to be betrayed. David didn't know, but David was still coming to see just the depths of how wicked our hearts is. That's why believers will say, I'm more wicked now than when I first believed. Because we see the depths, we see how broad our sin is, we see the games we play, and now we think we're being tricky and we're not. The Lord knows our hearts and he shows us just how wicked our own hearts can be.

And so Ahithophel was a terrible foe for David. We're not going to get into that tonight. But David knew that if anybody can bring an end to me, it's Ahithophel. Because Ahithophel was a wise man. They said of Ahithophel, when he spoke, it was as if God was speaking. those days and so he understood it and and so he laid this out before the Lord he prayed Oh Lord I pray thee turn the counsel of Ahithophel into foolishness.

And the Lord did that we will see that another time but I want you to turn to Psalm 3 because David wrote Psalm 3 at this time so go over to Psalm 3 it's a short Psalm but I want to read it and just make a few comments on it Psalm 3, and let's begin in verse 1. Lord, how are they increased that trouble me? Many are they that rise up against me. You know what, let me just get it here in the scriptures because I think I just want to read what it does say there.

A psalm of David when he fled from Absalom his son. So this is what he wrote when he fled from Absalom, his son. And so he's praying, Lord, many there be that rise up against me. And at this time, there were many with Absalom. There were many that joined with Absalom, that agree with Absalom. Yes, let's put David, our king, who's been faithful to us for 30 years, let's put him to death there.

And so They were rejecting David. Well, that's what the Jews did with Christ. They rejected Christ. They rejected him. Many, there be, verse 2, would say of my soul, there is no help for him in God. Selah. And what they're saying is, this is too much. It's too overwhelming for David to survive this. He's not going to come out of this. Everybody's against him. We've got the counsel of Ahithophel with us. And he's going to be taken.

It's just a matter of days or hours. Well, this is what they said of Christ. If thou be the Son of God, come down now. If God delights in him, he can bring him down. Let's see if he'll bring him down. If he be the King of Israel, let him come down now from the cross and we will believe him.

Except Christ, I mean, he could have, but then we'd still be in our sins. He would have bypassed and not drank the cup of wrath. of God for His people. So He had to stay there on the cross. But thou, O Lord, art a shield for me, my glory, and the lifter up of mine head. And so we see here that the things which are impossible for man are very possible with the Lord.

And so the Lord demonstrates this by delivering David. David isn't taken by them. He isn't killed. He doesn't die. He is restored as the king of Israel, and the coup won't last much longer at all, I think a day or two more. And so the days seem dark for him right now, but it's soon going to be over. and he's going up the ascent of the Mount of Olives and his head is bowed and it's low now but confesses, God is the lifter up of mine head.

Now in that, don't lose sight of Christ because it's a picture of Christ who is the head of the body, right? He's the head and he was lifted up, he was raised up. Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly that God hath made the same Jesus whom ye have crucified both Lord and Christ. He is the Christ, our head is lifted up. He is raised again from the dead.

David writes, I cried unto the Lord with my voice, and he heard me out of his holy hill, Silah. All right, just as we'll see soon, David prayed and Ahithophel's counsel was turned to foolishness. Well, how much more the Lord who prayed, Lord, let this cup, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me, Nevertheless, not what I will, but what thou wilt." The Lord heard. our Lord's prayer and he saved him, he delivered him, he raised him from the dead who saved us and delivered us from eternal death by his death and sacrifice.

Verse five, I laid me down and slept, I awaked for the Lord sustained me. Well, first this speaks of David who went to sleep that night in the plain not known if he was going to be taken in his sleep and killed there in the field. but he trusted the Lord and he slept. Well, this also pictures Christ, who was not spared from death, but gave his life willingly, shed his blood for the forgiveness of our sins, and died and was buried and rose again on the third day, according to the scriptures, knowing that he was trusting the Father, knowing that the Father would not leave him in death, but would raise him up from the dead, justifying all who believe on the Lord Jesus Christ.

He says, I will not be afraid of ten thousands of people that have set themselves against me round about. Arise, O Lord, save me, O my God, for thou hast smitten all mine enemies upon the cheekbone. Thou hast broken the teeth of the ungodly. In other words, God silences all those who accuse and speak against his people.

In that day, now we may be humbled, Now we may be charged with folly and things, but in that day, when God judges the earth, all those who trusted Christ will never be ashamed. We won't be ashamed for trusting him. We shall be received of the Lord in that day. Salvation belongeth unto the Lord. Thy blessing is upon thy people, Selah. And so the Lord is making his people to see through the trials to trust him.

He spared not his own son, but delivered him up for us all. that we who believe him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For our Lord Jesus Christ has triumphed gloriously, and from that time that he came to this earth, he was ascending up that Mount of Olives, as it were, to return to the throne of his father, to faithfully do everything that was necessary to provide for his people and to deliver them. Let me just close here with Acts chapter 1, verse 9 through 12, because I had said that it was from this place that our Lord ascended unto the Father, at the close of it. Because this is just a picture of that ascent, as we see in what he works in us, how we are being drawn to the Lord, being drawn to him. And we shall be delivered from this world and be accepted and received in Christ. in our eternal inheritance in him.

And so Acts 1.9, And when he had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up, and a cloud received him out of their sight. And while they looked steadfastly toward heaven, as he went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel. In other words, there are two witnesses to bear good and faithful testimony, which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? This same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven. Then returned they unto Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet." That's where they were. They were in the Mount of Olives when this happened, which is from Jerusalem, a Sabbath day's journey.

And so I confess I'm not sufficient to fully explain the beauty in this, but it pictures our Lord. his faithfulness to do all that the Father sent him to do, to speak all that the Father sent him to say, and to heal and do the works that the Father sent him to do, and ultimately to go to the cross as the Lamb of God, the sacrifice of God's people, to put away our sin for all those given to him of the Father.

And we know who they are because the Father reveals faith in them. that looks to the Lord Jesus Christ, that has no confidence in this flesh. No confidence in me or you. Our confidence is in the Lord Jesus Christ to save us just as he promises to save us, because it's in his word and it's what he does. Amen.

Our gracious Lord, we do thank you for your grace. We do thank you for your faithfulness. We thank you, Lord, for your willingness to suffer and to die and to be buried for us, who have no righteousness of our own and nothing to give to you. But Lord, we thank you for your sacrifice and ask, Lord, that you would give to us, Lord, of your grace and your spirit that we of you may give back to you, that we may serve you and follow you all the days of our life, that, Lord, you would teach us and lead us even as you taught and led David. through the chastening. Lord, how faithful and merciful you were to him. We pray for that same mercy and compassion and faithfulness to us for Christ's sake. And Lord, we pray that you would give us more and more light to see him, to know him, to believe him. It's in Christ's name that we pray and give thanks. Amen.