WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:03.640 Thank you very much, Margot, and good evening, everyone. Good to see you here this evening. 00:00:04.060 --> 00:00:05.419 I want to begin with two questions. 00:00:06.379 --> 00:00:11.720 Question one, if you could win any award in the world, what would it be? 00:00:11.820 --> 00:00:14.859 What would you choose? Anything. It doesn't matter where you've got the talents, not anything. 00:00:15.240 --> 00:00:16.820 If you win it, what would you want? 00:00:16.920 --> 00:00:21.400 So you might say an Oscar, a Grammy. If you're into football, the Ballon d'Or. 00:00:22.519 --> 00:00:27.000 Maybe one of various halls of fame. If you're in this country, become a knight or a dame, whatever. 00:00:27.000 --> 00:00:37.700 However, I'd suggest that the most prestigious award to win in our world is a Nobel Prize, and in particular a Nobel Peace Prize. 00:00:38.359 --> 00:00:46.439 If you win a Nobel Peace Prize, you've been recognised by a very distinguished international group of judges 00:00:46.439 --> 00:00:51.560 as being someone who's made a real contribution to peace in our world. 00:00:51.560 --> 00:00:56.280 Someone who has made a big difference for good in our world. 00:00:57.000 --> 00:01:04.299 And so past Nobel Peace Prizers include people like Martin Luther King, Mother Teresa of Calcutta, Nelson Mandela, 00:01:04.780 --> 00:01:10.120 and others who are famous, and lots and lots I suspect most of us have never heard of. 00:01:10.719 --> 00:01:15.740 But all of them have this, that they were recognised as being peacemakers. 00:01:15.840 --> 00:01:18.480 We'll think about one of them towards the end of the service. 00:01:18.480 --> 00:01:20.700 Question two. 00:01:21.600 --> 00:01:26.680 What is the highest compliment that anyone could pay you as a Christian? 00:01:27.480 --> 00:01:31.439 What is the highest compliment anyone could pay you as a Christian? 00:01:32.100 --> 00:01:33.500 I thought of two answers to this. 00:01:34.100 --> 00:01:36.500 One is to say that you're like Christ. 00:01:36.859 --> 00:01:38.880 That's what we want to be as Christians, isn't it? 00:01:38.880 --> 00:01:44.460 We want to become more and more like our Lord, to become daily more like Christ. 00:01:44.459 --> 00:01:50.759 And the second one, which really is equivalent, is to be called a child of God. 00:01:50.839 --> 00:01:52.739 We sang about that in our first song this evening, didn't we? 00:01:52.799 --> 00:01:54.939 Being a child of God. 00:01:56.059 --> 00:02:03.399 Now all of us, if we know the Lord Jesus, are children of God, purely by his grace and by the great love that he lavished on us, 00:02:03.439 --> 00:02:05.719 as John reminds us in his epistle. 00:02:05.719 --> 00:02:14.180 But there's also a sense in which we can be recognised as children of God by what we do and by how we act. 00:02:14.560 --> 00:02:19.479 People look at us and they see something of the character of God in us. 00:02:20.199 --> 00:02:24.000 What is the kind of thing that might make people think that? 00:02:24.479 --> 00:02:30.139 Well, we don't have to think too hard because we have the Lord Jesus to tell us. 00:02:30.139 --> 00:02:36.959 Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called the children of God. 00:02:37.039 --> 00:02:42.519 Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called the children of God. 00:02:43.139 --> 00:02:51.899 Those who make peace, who bring an end to conflict and who are able to bring peace into whatever situation they are, 00:02:52.299 --> 00:02:56.119 are those who are both in our world recognised as being very good people 00:02:56.120 --> 00:03:02.700 and also spiritually, if they know the Lord Jesus, are recognised as being God's children. 00:03:03.759 --> 00:03:09.580 And this evening we're looking at a peacemaker as the key character in our chapter. 00:03:10.099 --> 00:03:11.659 A lady called Abigail. 00:03:12.819 --> 00:03:18.280 Like a lot of characters in our Bible, Abigail comes on the scene, she's there for a short period 00:03:18.280 --> 00:03:21.120 and then we hear virtually nothing of her after that. 00:03:21.120 --> 00:03:26.599 She's only mentioned ever again as the wife of David or as the father of some of his children. 00:03:27.640 --> 00:03:36.259 And yet in 1 Samuel chapter 25, she stands out as someone of outstanding wisdom and insight and spirituality 00:03:36.259 --> 00:03:39.420 and a really great example to us. 00:03:39.500 --> 00:03:43.819 Now we can learn a lot from Abigail this evening about what it means to be a peacemaker, 00:03:44.420 --> 00:03:49.640 about what it means to be God's children in our world. 00:03:49.639 --> 00:03:53.959 Before we dive into the chapter, just a little bit of context. 00:03:54.459 --> 00:04:01.039 Although it stands alone quite well, 1 Samuel 25 obviously is part of the wider narrative of Samuel. 00:04:01.359 --> 00:04:03.099 Just one or two things to note from that. 00:04:03.679 --> 00:04:07.259 The chapter is bracketed by three weddings and a funeral. 00:04:07.859 --> 00:04:10.619 Funeral at the beginning is the funeral of Samuel. 00:04:11.099 --> 00:04:15.339 Samuel who is probably the greatest Israelite since Moses, certainly since Joshua. 00:04:15.340 --> 00:04:22.840 The greatest of the judges, a priest, a prophet and the one who anointed the first two kings of Israel. 00:04:22.959 --> 00:04:24.879 And Samuel now is gone. 00:04:25.660 --> 00:04:26.379 That's significant. 00:04:26.579 --> 00:04:29.459 Although Samuel's relationship with Saul had largely broken down, 00:04:29.759 --> 00:04:32.680 to some extent Samuel is probably still a restraint on Saul 00:04:32.680 --> 00:04:36.740 and certainly an encouragement to David as the one who had anointed him 00:04:36.740 --> 00:04:42.519 and would give him the assurance that he remained God's choice for the king of Israel. 00:04:42.860 --> 00:04:44.639 So Samuel is gone. 00:04:45.460 --> 00:04:47.780 At the end of the chapter we have the three weddings. 00:04:48.460 --> 00:04:51.780 Now we're not going to get into polygamy here and the rights and wrongs of it. 00:04:52.259 --> 00:04:54.400 God's planned out there is one man and one woman, 00:04:54.840 --> 00:04:56.920 but that's not the way it was in those days. 00:04:57.500 --> 00:04:59.240 And we see three weddings. 00:04:59.240 --> 00:05:03.120 One of them is David's wife being taken away from him by Saul. 00:05:03.240 --> 00:05:09.000 Michal, his wife, who is Saul's daughter, was taken away and given to someone else in marriage. 00:05:09.620 --> 00:05:11.000 And David has two weddings. 00:05:11.540 --> 00:05:16.860 And the significance of these two weddings is that he marries women from the tribe of Judah 00:05:16.860 --> 00:05:22.540 and so confirms his political status among the tribe. 00:05:22.639 --> 00:05:23.920 He is seen as one of them. 00:05:23.920 --> 00:05:28.379 And when it comes to being king later on, it's Judah who first recognised David. 00:05:28.900 --> 00:05:33.800 And no doubt what happens in this chapter, to some extent, has an influence on that. 00:05:34.620 --> 00:05:37.900 More broadly, as we look at the chapter in the context of 1 Samuel, 00:05:38.379 --> 00:05:43.379 we see it as somewhere where David is confirmed in his knowledge that he will be the king. 00:05:43.939 --> 00:05:45.460 And he is also challenged. 00:05:46.100 --> 00:05:48.580 And it is a maturing process for David, 00:05:48.960 --> 00:05:52.100 as he is led to recognise the wrong that he almost did 00:05:52.100 --> 00:05:57.540 and to understand a bit more about what it takes to be God's chosen king. 00:05:57.840 --> 00:06:00.620 So it is a chapter of some significance in the book, 00:06:00.700 --> 00:06:02.680 but we don't want to focus on that this evening. 00:06:03.040 --> 00:06:07.400 Let's focus on the narrative and let's see what we can learn from it. 00:06:10.100 --> 00:06:15.800 So we have, first of all, what I've called the truculence of a miserly man. 00:06:15.800 --> 00:06:20.180 Triculence is someone who is very awkward, almost for the sake of being awkward, 00:06:20.639 --> 00:06:24.220 and is very aggressive in their dealings with others. 00:06:24.439 --> 00:06:26.939 And I think that's a good description of Nabal. 00:06:27.600 --> 00:06:30.780 So the first thing we learn about Nabal in the early verses of the chapter 00:06:30.780 --> 00:06:33.259 was that he was very wealthy. 00:06:33.980 --> 00:06:37.480 Before we even know his name, we're told about his wealth, 00:06:37.580 --> 00:06:40.420 the thousand goats and three thousand sheep that he had. 00:06:40.420 --> 00:06:45.140 He was a man who in this world's terms had done well. 00:06:46.460 --> 00:06:48.379 And yet when we come to verse 3, 00:06:48.939 --> 00:06:51.240 and we find out a bit more about Nabal, 00:06:51.640 --> 00:06:57.759 the comment on him was that he was a surly man and mean in his dealings. 00:06:58.460 --> 00:07:00.780 And that wasn't just the opinion of the writer to Samuel. 00:07:01.240 --> 00:07:02.740 As we go through the chapter, 00:07:03.259 --> 00:07:07.280 we find that his own servants, his wife, David, 00:07:07.279 --> 00:07:10.079 everyone has a similar view of Nabal, 00:07:10.459 --> 00:07:13.819 that he is really an idiot, a fool, 00:07:14.199 --> 00:07:17.299 and someone who is really difficult to deal with. 00:07:17.639 --> 00:07:20.519 A very unattractive character. 00:07:21.899 --> 00:07:25.039 But it's this man that David comes looking for help. 00:07:25.179 --> 00:07:27.179 David and his band of men, 00:07:27.639 --> 00:07:29.099 quite a big band by this stage, 00:07:29.139 --> 00:07:31.219 as we saw when he put his army together, 00:07:31.819 --> 00:07:35.979 they were dependent on the goodwill of people like Nabal. 00:07:35.980 --> 00:07:37.600 They were outlaws. 00:07:38.100 --> 00:07:41.180 And they were dependent on others to be able to provide with them 00:07:41.180 --> 00:07:42.960 with what they needed. 00:07:43.620 --> 00:07:45.220 And they had made this deliberate decision. 00:07:45.620 --> 00:07:47.660 They weren't going to take things for themselves. 00:07:47.800 --> 00:07:50.560 So David very deliberately had taken nothing from Nabal. 00:07:50.860 --> 00:07:53.120 Rather, he had protected Nabal's flocks 00:07:53.120 --> 00:07:57.000 and made sure that others didn't come and take from them. 00:07:57.780 --> 00:08:01.879 And so David sends a very polite message to Nabal. 00:08:02.220 --> 00:08:03.300 And it really is polite. 00:08:03.300 --> 00:08:05.699 He talks about himself as Nabal's son. 00:08:06.160 --> 00:08:08.460 He talks about what he has done for Nabal. 00:08:08.800 --> 00:08:10.220 And he very politely asks, 00:08:10.319 --> 00:08:11.600 well, at this time of festival, 00:08:12.020 --> 00:08:15.319 when you're rejoicing at all that you've been given by God, 00:08:15.720 --> 00:08:19.580 can you spare something for me and for my men? 00:08:20.879 --> 00:08:23.800 And Nabal, if he was in tune at all 00:08:23.800 --> 00:08:26.019 with the traditions of Eastern hospitality, 00:08:26.280 --> 00:08:27.259 of Middle Eastern hospitality, 00:08:27.660 --> 00:08:29.540 he would have provided for David. 00:08:29.540 --> 00:08:30.939 That was what you did. 00:08:31.400 --> 00:08:32.960 If someone came to you and needed you, 00:08:33.019 --> 00:08:34.080 didn't send them away, 00:08:34.480 --> 00:08:36.480 you provided for them. 00:08:37.460 --> 00:08:39.639 But Nabal was having none of it. 00:08:40.680 --> 00:08:43.440 And Nabal made these really rude 00:08:43.440 --> 00:08:48.820 and quite violent comments about David. 00:08:48.820 --> 00:08:51.920 Who is this son of Jesse? 00:08:52.560 --> 00:08:53.960 As if he was a nobody, 00:08:54.140 --> 00:08:55.640 someone people had never heard of, 00:08:55.720 --> 00:08:57.460 even though he was a national hero, 00:08:57.940 --> 00:08:59.480 not just for killing Goliath, 00:08:59.540 --> 00:09:02.360 but for all his other exploits for the nation. 00:09:03.120 --> 00:09:04.920 He then talks about him as a servant 00:09:04.920 --> 00:09:06.580 who's broken away from his master. 00:09:07.220 --> 00:09:08.980 As if, again, he is a nobody, 00:09:09.420 --> 00:09:10.200 he is worthless. 00:09:10.720 --> 00:09:11.920 Why should he help him? 00:09:12.379 --> 00:09:13.340 And so says, well, 00:09:13.340 --> 00:09:14.860 why should I give him 00:09:14.860 --> 00:09:17.139 what I've built up for myself? 00:09:17.580 --> 00:09:21.300 I don't want to help this man David at all. 00:09:21.879 --> 00:09:24.040 He was a really miserly man. 00:09:24.460 --> 00:09:25.600 And on top of that, 00:09:25.660 --> 00:09:27.240 he was very aggressive. 00:09:28.120 --> 00:09:29.259 And at a human level, 00:09:29.519 --> 00:09:31.180 it's not at all surprising 00:09:31.180 --> 00:09:33.800 that David got quite upset about it. 00:09:34.280 --> 00:09:35.639 To be treated in this way, 00:09:35.899 --> 00:09:37.400 such a deliberate insult, 00:09:37.820 --> 00:09:39.519 it was no surprise that David felt, 00:09:39.519 --> 00:09:43.080 well, I need to go and do something about. 00:09:43.340 --> 00:09:44.060 It's this. 00:09:45.580 --> 00:09:46.759 Lesson for us from Nabal, 00:09:46.820 --> 00:09:48.000 I don't want to dwell on him. 00:09:48.800 --> 00:09:49.940 As Christians, 00:09:50.080 --> 00:09:51.519 as believers in the Lord Jesus, 00:09:52.120 --> 00:09:53.420 there are two things I think 00:09:53.420 --> 00:09:55.000 it is very important we show 00:09:55.000 --> 00:09:56.980 in all our dealings with others. 00:09:57.480 --> 00:09:59.259 One is to be generous. 00:09:59.379 --> 00:10:00.720 Now, I'll be thinking last few Sundays 00:10:00.720 --> 00:10:03.740 about that and about your attitude towards money. 00:10:04.139 --> 00:10:05.560 And we are called to be generous, 00:10:05.759 --> 00:10:08.600 particularly to those who are in need. 00:10:09.100 --> 00:10:11.820 And then the second thing I think we're called to do 00:10:11.820 --> 00:10:14.860 is to treat everyone with respect. 00:10:15.480 --> 00:10:17.379 Not to show particular respect 00:10:17.379 --> 00:10:19.440 to those who have lots of things, 00:10:19.560 --> 00:10:20.660 to those who are powerful, 00:10:20.900 --> 00:10:22.420 to those who don't really need it, 00:10:22.700 --> 00:10:24.480 but to show respect to everyone 00:10:24.480 --> 00:10:27.660 and to treat them with real dignity. 00:10:28.120 --> 00:10:30.700 That, after all, is what our Saviour did. 00:10:30.800 --> 00:10:32.040 When Jesus was on this earth, 00:10:32.100 --> 00:10:34.280 he didn't differentiate between people. 00:10:34.279 --> 00:10:37.139 He treated everyone with respect. 00:10:37.939 --> 00:10:38.980 And in these regards, 00:10:39.299 --> 00:10:42.319 we need to be the complete opposite of Nabal. 00:10:42.699 --> 00:10:45.179 Not miserly, not truculent, 00:10:45.480 --> 00:10:47.620 but generous and treating people 00:10:47.620 --> 00:10:50.740 with real respect and with dignity. 00:10:52.799 --> 00:10:54.120 So let's leave Nabal behind 00:10:54.120 --> 00:10:56.199 and let's look at Abigail. 00:10:56.379 --> 00:10:57.299 And I've called this section 00:10:57.299 --> 00:10:59.819 The Influence of a Wise Woman. 00:10:59.820 --> 00:11:02.240 So David's servants come back 00:11:02.240 --> 00:11:04.480 and they tell David what Nabal said. 00:11:04.580 --> 00:11:04.960 David said, 00:11:05.040 --> 00:11:06.100 Well, I'm having none of this. 00:11:06.400 --> 00:11:07.620 Let's get our swords out. 00:11:07.960 --> 00:11:09.420 And he takes some of his men 00:11:09.420 --> 00:11:10.960 and they're on their way 00:11:10.960 --> 00:11:12.400 to destroy Abigail 00:11:12.400 --> 00:11:14.320 and to kill all the men 00:11:14.320 --> 00:11:16.020 and no doubt to take his land 00:11:16.020 --> 00:11:18.300 and his property as well. 00:11:19.180 --> 00:11:21.040 And Abigail hears about it. 00:11:21.120 --> 00:11:22.100 There's a servant here 00:11:22.100 --> 00:11:24.600 who has a small but very significant role 00:11:24.600 --> 00:11:26.380 in relaying to Abigail 00:11:26.380 --> 00:11:27.400 what has happened 00:11:27.399 --> 00:11:30.840 and in prompting her into action. 00:11:31.360 --> 00:11:31.759 But Abigail, 00:11:31.939 --> 00:11:33.600 as soon as she hears what's happened, 00:11:34.019 --> 00:11:36.840 she realises she needs to do something. 00:11:37.059 --> 00:11:38.620 She can't just let this pass, 00:11:38.899 --> 00:11:40.480 otherwise disaster is coming 00:11:40.480 --> 00:11:41.819 on their household. 00:11:42.480 --> 00:11:44.299 So she gets all this food together, 00:11:44.679 --> 00:11:45.500 much more, I think, 00:11:45.579 --> 00:11:46.639 than David asked for, 00:11:46.740 --> 00:11:47.659 perhaps expected, 00:11:48.240 --> 00:11:49.439 and she goes out 00:11:49.439 --> 00:11:52.000 and she goes to meet David. 00:11:53.079 --> 00:11:54.379 And as Abigail comes 00:11:54.379 --> 00:11:55.519 and she talks to David, 00:11:55.519 --> 00:11:58.419 I think she looks in three directions. 00:11:58.519 --> 00:11:59.279 She looks backwards. 00:11:59.879 --> 00:12:01.139 She looks at what's happened 00:12:01.139 --> 00:12:03.319 and she recognises 00:12:03.319 --> 00:12:05.279 that a wrong has been done to David, 00:12:05.480 --> 00:12:07.840 albeit she didn't know about it at the time. 00:12:08.199 --> 00:12:09.919 She recognises a wrong has been done 00:12:09.919 --> 00:12:11.799 and that that idiot Nabal 00:12:11.799 --> 00:12:12.860 has done something 00:12:12.860 --> 00:12:14.100 which is very foolish 00:12:14.100 --> 00:12:17.039 as well as being very mean. 00:12:17.779 --> 00:12:18.639 She looks at the present 00:12:18.639 --> 00:12:19.799 and she presents to David 00:12:19.799 --> 00:12:21.879 all the things she's brought with her 00:12:21.879 --> 00:12:23.879 to try to make restitution 00:12:23.879 --> 00:12:25.500 for the wrong that's been done 00:12:25.500 --> 00:12:28.539 and to try to forestall David 00:12:28.539 --> 00:12:29.799 as he would seek to go 00:12:29.799 --> 00:12:32.120 and to destroy Abigail. 00:12:33.059 --> 00:12:35.120 And then, perhaps most important of all, 00:12:35.399 --> 00:12:36.539 she looks to the future 00:12:36.539 --> 00:12:39.159 and she recognises David 00:12:39.159 --> 00:12:41.039 as the one who is going to be king 00:12:41.039 --> 00:12:42.600 and she says to him, 00:12:42.639 --> 00:12:44.000 you can be sure that the Lord 00:12:44.000 --> 00:12:45.539 is going to be with you. 00:12:45.919 --> 00:12:47.000 You will achieve 00:12:47.000 --> 00:12:49.419 what the Lord has called you to achieve. 00:12:49.419 --> 00:12:50.299 And she says, 00:12:50.360 --> 00:12:52.379 well, don't do something stupid now 00:12:52.379 --> 00:12:54.699 that's going to destroy that. 00:12:55.819 --> 00:12:57.500 Let me look at it a slightly different way. 00:12:58.719 --> 00:12:59.559 Making peace. 00:12:59.639 --> 00:13:00.879 You'll see where I'm going pretty quickly, 00:13:00.939 --> 00:13:02.339 I think, in this. 00:13:02.819 --> 00:13:04.519 What happened with Abigail? 00:13:05.559 --> 00:13:07.039 So the first thing is 00:13:07.039 --> 00:13:08.319 that she recognised 00:13:08.319 --> 00:13:10.419 that there was a danger. 00:13:11.399 --> 00:13:12.919 David's righteous wrath 00:13:12.919 --> 00:13:14.059 had been ignited 00:13:14.059 --> 00:13:16.559 and unless something was done, 00:13:17.079 --> 00:13:18.980 Nabal was going to pay the penalty 00:13:18.980 --> 00:13:21.379 for the wrong that he had done. 00:13:22.019 --> 00:13:24.759 As Nabal had insulted David 00:13:24.759 --> 00:13:27.519 and had treated him very badly, 00:13:28.060 --> 00:13:29.860 so he was going to face judgement 00:13:29.860 --> 00:13:31.840 for what he had done 00:13:31.840 --> 00:13:33.659 if nothing was done about it. 00:13:34.019 --> 00:13:36.940 Abigail recognises the danger. 00:13:39.120 --> 00:13:40.399 Second thing she does 00:13:40.399 --> 00:13:42.480 is she becomes the servant. 00:13:42.680 --> 00:13:44.580 She humbles herself. 00:13:45.300 --> 00:13:46.100 I don't know if you noticed 00:13:46.100 --> 00:13:47.940 as we were reading what Abigail said, 00:13:47.940 --> 00:13:50.360 I think in almost every verse 00:13:50.360 --> 00:13:51.780 in what she says, 00:13:51.980 --> 00:13:53.320 she talks about herself 00:13:53.320 --> 00:13:55.260 as David's servant. 00:13:56.160 --> 00:13:57.040 Now, Abigail was someone 00:13:57.040 --> 00:13:58.860 who probably had much higher social status 00:13:58.860 --> 00:14:00.800 at that point than David did. 00:14:01.300 --> 00:14:02.640 She was the beautiful wife 00:14:02.640 --> 00:14:03.840 of a wealthy man. 00:14:04.280 --> 00:14:05.400 David was an outlaw 00:14:05.400 --> 00:14:07.220 and yet Abigail comes 00:14:07.220 --> 00:14:09.700 and she humbles herself before David 00:14:09.700 --> 00:14:11.820 and again and again 00:14:11.820 --> 00:14:13.360 she refers to herself 00:14:13.360 --> 00:14:15.060 as his servant. 00:14:15.680 --> 00:14:17.139 She recognised the danger, 00:14:17.820 --> 00:14:19.820 she became the servant. 00:14:22.019 --> 00:14:23.240 Third thing she did 00:14:23.240 --> 00:14:25.379 was she accepted the blame. 00:14:25.460 --> 00:14:26.460 Now, there was no blame 00:14:26.460 --> 00:14:27.899 really attaching to Abigail. 00:14:27.899 --> 00:14:28.180 Abigail. 00:14:28.539 --> 00:14:29.600 She didn't know 00:14:29.600 --> 00:14:30.980 what her husband was doing, 00:14:31.100 --> 00:14:31.860 she had no way 00:14:31.860 --> 00:14:32.980 of knowing about it 00:14:32.980 --> 00:14:34.659 and yet it's almost as if 00:14:34.659 --> 00:14:35.200 she says to David, 00:14:35.279 --> 00:14:36.080 well, I should have known 00:14:36.080 --> 00:14:36.980 and should have been able 00:14:36.980 --> 00:14:40.080 to do something about it. 00:14:40.080 --> 00:14:42.340 So in verse 24 she says, 00:14:42.700 --> 00:14:43.420 my Lord, 00:14:43.639 --> 00:14:47.060 let the blame be on me alone. 00:14:48.100 --> 00:14:50.440 So the wrong that Nabal had done, 00:14:51.000 --> 00:14:53.379 Abigail takes on herself. 00:14:53.840 --> 00:14:55.759 She accepts the blame. 00:14:57.100 --> 00:14:59.540 She then paid the price. 00:14:59.960 --> 00:15:00.960 She brought all this 00:15:00.960 --> 00:15:02.120 that was needed 00:15:02.120 --> 00:15:04.960 to get rid of David's wrath, 00:15:05.060 --> 00:15:06.000 to make him recognise 00:15:06.000 --> 00:15:07.020 that what he was doing 00:15:07.020 --> 00:15:08.560 was a foolish thing 00:15:08.559 --> 00:15:10.159 and he was given 00:15:10.159 --> 00:15:11.659 everything he asked for 00:15:11.659 --> 00:15:14.039 and probably much more beside. 00:15:14.559 --> 00:15:16.219 Abigail paid the price 00:15:16.219 --> 00:15:17.819 to make recompense 00:15:17.819 --> 00:15:19.779 for Nabal's failure. 00:15:21.439 --> 00:15:23.259 And then the final thing she did 00:15:23.259 --> 00:15:25.519 was she pleaded Nabal's cause 00:15:25.519 --> 00:15:27.079 before David. 00:15:27.979 --> 00:15:29.379 She pointed out to him 00:15:29.379 --> 00:15:30.799 that it would not be right 00:15:30.799 --> 00:15:32.739 if he took the vengeance 00:15:32.739 --> 00:15:34.379 that he had intended to. 00:15:34.459 --> 00:15:35.500 The price had been paid, 00:15:35.599 --> 00:15:37.199 he had got what he had asked for, 00:15:37.200 --> 00:15:38.720 it would do him no good, 00:15:39.040 --> 00:15:41.259 it would do her household no good. 00:15:41.600 --> 00:15:44.080 She pled the cause of herself, 00:15:44.420 --> 00:15:46.860 her husband and her household. 00:15:48.020 --> 00:15:49.640 Now of course where I'm coming to on that 00:15:49.640 --> 00:15:51.420 is that these five things 00:15:51.420 --> 00:15:55.100 are exactly what the Lord Jesus did as well. 00:15:55.680 --> 00:15:58.520 He recognised the danger that we were in, 00:15:58.580 --> 00:16:00.200 that having rejected God, 00:16:00.640 --> 00:16:02.140 having insulted God 00:16:02.140 --> 00:16:03.420 by going our own way 00:16:03.419 --> 00:16:04.819 rather than his way, 00:16:05.159 --> 00:16:08.299 we were subject to God's righteous wrath. 00:16:09.079 --> 00:16:10.699 The Lord Jesus became the servant. 00:16:11.339 --> 00:16:12.879 He took on the form of a servant, 00:16:13.299 --> 00:16:14.919 he lived a life of humility, 00:16:15.559 --> 00:16:16.759 he humbled himself 00:16:16.759 --> 00:16:18.439 to come into our world, 00:16:18.639 --> 00:16:19.779 to live our life 00:16:19.779 --> 00:16:21.679 and to live it sinlessly. 00:16:22.419 --> 00:16:23.759 He accepted the blame, 00:16:24.199 --> 00:16:25.439 he had done no wrong 00:16:25.439 --> 00:16:27.360 but he took our sins 00:16:27.360 --> 00:16:28.480 on himself. 00:16:29.079 --> 00:16:30.059 He paid the price, 00:16:30.439 --> 00:16:31.240 he paid the price 00:16:31.240 --> 00:16:31.980 that we were due 00:16:31.980 --> 00:16:33.240 for the wrong we'd done, 00:16:33.500 --> 00:16:34.580 he took the punishment 00:16:34.580 --> 00:16:36.019 that was ours. 00:16:36.759 --> 00:16:37.960 And of course he still 00:16:37.960 --> 00:16:39.980 pleads our cause before God, 00:16:40.320 --> 00:16:41.100 pleading on the basis 00:16:41.100 --> 00:16:42.060 of his righteousness 00:16:42.060 --> 00:16:45.700 and on his sacrifice for us. 00:16:46.419 --> 00:16:48.320 So Abigail the peacemaker 00:16:48.320 --> 00:16:50.220 is a wonderful picture 00:16:50.220 --> 00:16:52.740 of Jesus the peacemaker. 00:16:53.080 --> 00:16:55.279 So much more of a peacemaker 00:16:55.279 --> 00:16:57.299 in all that he has achieved. 00:16:58.000 --> 00:16:59.080 So as we were looking at 00:16:59.080 --> 00:17:00.300 in Colossians recently, 00:17:00.840 --> 00:17:02.060 and it'd be slightly selective 00:17:02.060 --> 00:17:03.160 in these verses 00:17:03.160 --> 00:17:05.200 but to pick out the bones of them, 00:17:05.340 --> 00:17:06.400 Colossians chapter 1, 00:17:06.779 --> 00:17:08.380 God was pleased to reconcile 00:17:08.380 --> 00:17:10.200 all to himself, 00:17:10.340 --> 00:17:11.000 all things, 00:17:11.420 --> 00:17:12.519 by making peace 00:17:12.519 --> 00:17:13.579 through his blood, 00:17:13.640 --> 00:17:14.519 that's Jesus' blood, 00:17:14.880 --> 00:17:16.559 shed on the cross. 00:17:17.420 --> 00:17:19.160 Jesus became our peace 00:17:19.160 --> 00:17:21.100 when he went to the cross 00:17:21.100 --> 00:17:22.960 and when he took our place, 00:17:23.059 --> 00:17:24.319 accepted our blame 00:17:24.319 --> 00:17:25.920 and paid the price 00:17:25.920 --> 00:17:27.740 that we were due. 00:17:27.740 --> 00:17:30.279 Abigail is a wonderful picture 00:17:30.279 --> 00:17:33.500 of Jesus the peacemaker. 00:17:34.720 --> 00:17:35.700 And all of us are called 00:17:35.700 --> 00:17:36.799 to be peacemakers. 00:17:36.880 --> 00:17:37.259 As I said, 00:17:37.319 --> 00:17:38.579 we're called to be like Christ, 00:17:39.000 --> 00:17:40.660 we're called to be children of God 00:17:40.660 --> 00:17:42.120 and a child of God 00:17:42.120 --> 00:17:43.900 is a peacemaker. 00:17:44.779 --> 00:17:45.599 And as we read through 00:17:45.599 --> 00:17:46.359 the New Testament, 00:17:46.620 --> 00:17:47.859 again and again, 00:17:48.079 --> 00:17:49.859 we're told how important it is 00:17:49.859 --> 00:17:51.359 that we live at peace with people 00:17:51.359 --> 00:17:54.660 and that we make peace for others. 00:17:55.279 --> 00:17:56.640 So Ephesians chapter 4, 00:17:56.640 --> 00:17:57.200 Paul says, 00:17:57.320 --> 00:17:58.100 make every effort 00:17:58.100 --> 00:17:59.620 to keep the unity of the spirit 00:17:59.620 --> 00:18:02.200 through the bond of peace. 00:18:02.800 --> 00:18:03.500 Colossians 3, 00:18:03.580 --> 00:18:04.600 let the peace of Christ 00:18:04.600 --> 00:18:05.580 rule in your hearts 00:18:05.580 --> 00:18:07.680 since as members of one body 00:18:07.680 --> 00:18:10.180 you are called to peace. 00:18:10.900 --> 00:18:11.520 Hebrews 12, 00:18:11.600 --> 00:18:12.300 make every effort 00:18:12.300 --> 00:18:13.620 to live at peace with everyone 00:18:13.620 --> 00:18:14.980 and to be holy. 00:18:15.420 --> 00:18:16.540 Without holiness, 00:18:17.040 --> 00:18:19.000 no one will see the Lord. 00:18:19.620 --> 00:18:20.620 James chapter 3, 00:18:21.060 --> 00:18:22.860 peacemakers who sow in peace 00:18:22.859 --> 00:18:24.379 reap a harvest 00:18:24.379 --> 00:18:26.039 of righteousness. 00:18:26.959 --> 00:18:28.279 Christians are called 00:18:28.279 --> 00:18:30.119 to be peacemakers. 00:18:30.759 --> 00:18:31.539 How sad it is 00:18:31.539 --> 00:18:32.159 in our churches 00:18:32.159 --> 00:18:33.359 when people fall out 00:18:33.359 --> 00:18:34.759 and can't get on 00:18:34.759 --> 00:18:35.500 with one another 00:18:35.500 --> 00:18:36.859 and the peace 00:18:36.859 --> 00:18:37.519 and the unity 00:18:37.519 --> 00:18:38.579 that we should have 00:18:38.579 --> 00:18:40.179 is destroyed. 00:18:40.959 --> 00:18:42.039 If we have that situation, 00:18:42.139 --> 00:18:43.059 if we're in that situation 00:18:43.059 --> 00:18:43.500 ourselves, 00:18:43.579 --> 00:18:44.500 we need to make peace 00:18:44.500 --> 00:18:45.719 with whoever it is 00:18:45.719 --> 00:18:47.219 that we have the problem with. 00:18:47.860 --> 00:18:48.900 If we see others 00:18:48.900 --> 00:18:50.360 in that kind of situation, 00:18:50.460 --> 00:18:51.120 we need to think 00:18:51.120 --> 00:18:52.400 what can we do 00:18:52.400 --> 00:18:54.400 to help make peace 00:18:54.400 --> 00:18:55.700 in our church. 00:18:56.140 --> 00:18:56.839 But more widely 00:18:56.839 --> 00:18:57.600 in our world, 00:18:58.100 --> 00:18:59.059 Christians are called 00:18:59.059 --> 00:18:59.799 to be those 00:18:59.799 --> 00:19:01.380 who pursue peace. 00:19:01.839 --> 00:19:02.839 And in our workplace, 00:19:03.299 --> 00:19:04.339 around our homes, 00:19:04.400 --> 00:19:04.900 among those 00:19:04.900 --> 00:19:05.940 we associate with, 00:19:06.519 --> 00:19:07.620 if there are issues 00:19:07.620 --> 00:19:08.600 between people, 00:19:09.000 --> 00:19:09.579 then Christians 00:19:09.579 --> 00:19:10.220 should be those 00:19:10.220 --> 00:19:11.400 who are able to go in 00:19:11.400 --> 00:19:13.519 and doing the kind of thing 00:19:13.519 --> 00:19:14.400 that Abigail did, 00:19:14.460 --> 00:19:15.860 that our Lord himself did, 00:19:15.859 --> 00:19:17.500 we should be those 00:19:17.500 --> 00:19:19.559 who are able to make peace. 00:19:19.979 --> 00:19:20.659 So let's resolve 00:19:20.659 --> 00:19:21.259 to go out 00:19:21.259 --> 00:19:22.879 and as far as we can 00:19:22.879 --> 00:19:24.240 to be peacemakers 00:19:24.240 --> 00:19:25.419 this week. 00:19:27.299 --> 00:19:28.059 One more thing 00:19:28.059 --> 00:19:28.779 I want to talk about 00:19:28.779 --> 00:19:29.359 just now 00:19:29.359 --> 00:19:30.839 is the providence 00:19:30.839 --> 00:19:32.799 of our gracious God. 00:19:33.419 --> 00:19:34.319 Because very clearly 00:19:34.319 --> 00:19:35.139 in this chapter, 00:19:35.539 --> 00:19:37.500 we see the hand of God 00:19:37.500 --> 00:19:38.419 at work. 00:19:38.500 --> 00:19:39.259 And it's pointed out 00:19:39.259 --> 00:19:40.899 particularly by Abigail 00:19:40.899 --> 00:19:42.519 as she talks, 00:19:42.859 --> 00:19:43.839 as she pleads 00:19:43.839 --> 00:19:45.259 with David. 00:19:45.859 --> 00:19:47.779 If David had gone ahead 00:19:47.779 --> 00:19:49.339 with what he planned to do, 00:19:49.699 --> 00:19:50.639 it could have been 00:19:50.639 --> 00:19:52.139 disastrous for him. 00:19:52.839 --> 00:19:53.419 It would have been 00:19:53.419 --> 00:19:53.719 something, 00:19:53.819 --> 00:19:54.759 as Abigail says, 00:19:54.819 --> 00:19:55.719 that he would have looked 00:19:55.719 --> 00:19:56.779 back on for the rest 00:19:56.779 --> 00:19:57.439 of his life 00:19:57.439 --> 00:19:58.359 and wondered, 00:19:58.519 --> 00:20:00.199 why did I act in this way 00:20:00.199 --> 00:20:02.879 with so little provocation? 00:20:03.759 --> 00:20:04.359 This, remember, 00:20:04.439 --> 00:20:04.859 is David, 00:20:04.979 --> 00:20:06.019 who in chapter 24, 00:20:06.139 --> 00:20:06.599 and we'll see again 00:20:06.599 --> 00:20:07.839 in chapter 26, 00:20:08.219 --> 00:20:09.000 spared the life 00:20:09.000 --> 00:20:10.079 of his sworn enemy, 00:20:10.539 --> 00:20:10.879 Saul. 00:20:11.359 --> 00:20:12.359 He wasn't willing 00:20:12.359 --> 00:20:13.579 to take the life of Saul 00:20:13.579 --> 00:20:14.899 because he recognised him 00:20:14.899 --> 00:20:16.500 as God's chosen king. 00:20:17.240 --> 00:20:18.039 And yet he was willing 00:20:18.039 --> 00:20:19.359 to take the life of Nabal, 00:20:19.439 --> 00:20:20.099 who'd done a much 00:20:20.099 --> 00:20:21.099 smaller thing 00:20:21.099 --> 00:20:22.299 to him than Saul, 00:20:22.720 --> 00:20:24.220 and alongside that, 00:20:24.539 --> 00:20:25.419 to take the lives 00:20:25.419 --> 00:20:26.159 of all those 00:20:26.159 --> 00:20:27.419 with Nabal. 00:20:27.579 --> 00:20:28.500 It would have been 00:20:28.500 --> 00:20:29.099 disastrous 00:20:29.099 --> 00:20:30.119 in terms of David's 00:20:30.119 --> 00:20:31.439 authority to be king, 00:20:31.939 --> 00:20:33.139 disastrous geopolitically 00:20:33.139 --> 00:20:34.299 in terms of how 00:20:34.299 --> 00:20:35.240 he would have been seen 00:20:35.240 --> 00:20:36.639 in the tribe of Judah 00:20:36.640 --> 00:20:38.820 and further afield. 00:20:39.440 --> 00:20:40.640 So it was very much 00:20:40.640 --> 00:20:41.680 God's grace 00:20:41.680 --> 00:20:43.800 that David was stopped 00:20:43.800 --> 00:20:44.720 from doing 00:20:44.720 --> 00:20:46.840 this terrible thing. 00:20:47.560 --> 00:20:48.800 And stopped by this 00:20:48.800 --> 00:20:49.840 wonderful, 00:20:50.160 --> 00:20:50.960 wise woman, 00:20:51.400 --> 00:20:51.980 Abigail. 00:20:52.759 --> 00:20:54.220 As she talks to him, 00:20:54.560 --> 00:20:56.080 and as she reminds him 00:20:56.080 --> 00:20:56.940 of who he is, 00:20:57.280 --> 00:20:58.660 and who he will be, 00:20:58.960 --> 00:20:59.780 and what the Lord 00:20:59.780 --> 00:21:01.259 has called him to, 00:21:02.000 --> 00:21:03.160 and she says, 00:21:03.759 --> 00:21:04.700 verse 31, 00:21:04.700 --> 00:21:05.840 my master will not 00:21:05.840 --> 00:21:06.740 have on his conscience 00:21:06.740 --> 00:21:07.940 the staggering burden 00:21:07.940 --> 00:21:09.380 of needless bloodshed 00:21:09.380 --> 00:21:10.519 or of having 00:21:10.519 --> 00:21:11.700 avenged himself. 00:21:11.860 --> 00:21:12.460 And then David, 00:21:12.559 --> 00:21:13.900 in verse 32 onward, 00:21:14.299 --> 00:21:15.720 recognises the wisdom, 00:21:15.880 --> 00:21:16.580 the good judgment 00:21:16.580 --> 00:21:17.779 of Abigail, 00:21:18.400 --> 00:21:19.420 and that the Lord 00:21:19.420 --> 00:21:21.460 has been in this. 00:21:22.420 --> 00:21:23.559 What do we learn from that? 00:21:23.900 --> 00:21:24.620 One thing I think 00:21:24.620 --> 00:21:25.519 we need to learn 00:21:25.519 --> 00:21:26.700 is that we need 00:21:26.700 --> 00:21:27.460 to be willing 00:21:27.460 --> 00:21:28.660 to have our faults 00:21:28.660 --> 00:21:30.460 pointed out by others. 00:21:31.080 --> 00:21:32.019 If there is something 00:21:32.019 --> 00:21:32.720 in our lives 00:21:32.720 --> 00:21:33.380 that is wrong 00:21:33.380 --> 00:21:34.299 and someone comes 00:21:34.299 --> 00:21:35.059 unlovingly, 00:21:35.119 --> 00:21:35.599 graciously, 00:21:36.000 --> 00:21:37.159 points it out to us, 00:21:37.519 --> 00:21:38.399 we should examine 00:21:38.399 --> 00:21:39.440 our hearts and say, 00:21:39.579 --> 00:21:40.859 is that really 00:21:40.859 --> 00:21:42.039 the way I am? 00:21:42.480 --> 00:21:43.279 And if it is, 00:21:43.319 --> 00:21:44.059 we should be willing 00:21:44.059 --> 00:21:45.119 to repent of it 00:21:45.119 --> 00:21:46.319 and to praise God 00:21:46.319 --> 00:21:47.240 for someone who cared 00:21:47.240 --> 00:21:48.180 enough about us 00:21:48.180 --> 00:21:49.919 to point it out. 00:21:50.919 --> 00:21:51.659 The other thing 00:21:51.659 --> 00:21:52.799 I think we take from it 00:21:52.799 --> 00:21:54.299 is that when we get 00:21:54.299 --> 00:21:55.859 into this kind of situation, 00:21:55.940 --> 00:21:56.579 not that we're anything 00:21:56.579 --> 00:21:57.460 directly equivalent, 00:21:57.599 --> 00:21:58.659 but the kind of situation 00:21:58.659 --> 00:22:00.220 where we might be tempted 00:22:00.220 --> 00:22:01.639 to do something foolish, 00:22:01.839 --> 00:22:03.139 to defend ourselves, 00:22:03.140 --> 00:22:04.640 or to get back 00:22:04.640 --> 00:22:05.060 at someone 00:22:05.060 --> 00:22:06.060 who has wronged us, 00:22:06.400 --> 00:22:07.520 we need to remember 00:22:07.520 --> 00:22:09.340 that we can leave things 00:22:09.340 --> 00:22:11.200 in God's hands. 00:22:11.700 --> 00:22:12.560 That is what Abigail 00:22:12.560 --> 00:22:13.040 was saying, 00:22:13.100 --> 00:22:13.580 isn't it? 00:22:13.780 --> 00:22:14.680 Even in her reference 00:22:14.680 --> 00:22:15.200 to Nabal 00:22:15.200 --> 00:22:15.960 and what she says 00:22:15.960 --> 00:22:17.700 and what she maybe 00:22:17.700 --> 00:22:18.420 foresaw 00:22:18.420 --> 00:22:19.240 would happen to him. 00:22:19.300 --> 00:22:19.820 Nabal, of course, 00:22:19.880 --> 00:22:20.660 is dead by the end 00:22:20.660 --> 00:22:21.259 of the chapter, 00:22:21.680 --> 00:22:22.640 but it was very much 00:22:22.640 --> 00:22:24.360 leave things in God's hands. 00:22:24.780 --> 00:22:25.680 You don't need 00:22:25.680 --> 00:22:27.280 to do it yourself. 00:22:27.700 --> 00:22:28.180 And when someone 00:22:28.180 --> 00:22:28.880 wrongs us, 00:22:29.100 --> 00:22:29.759 rather than try 00:22:29.759 --> 00:22:30.839 to get back at them, 00:22:31.200 --> 00:22:32.379 really, really important 00:22:32.379 --> 00:22:33.180 that we leave it 00:22:33.180 --> 00:22:34.000 in God's hand 00:22:34.000 --> 00:22:35.559 and know that he is 00:22:35.559 --> 00:22:37.019 the righteous judge. 00:22:37.599 --> 00:22:38.059 Again, in this, 00:22:38.140 --> 00:22:38.859 we have the example 00:22:38.859 --> 00:22:40.779 of the Lord Jesus. 00:22:40.839 --> 00:22:41.440 I thought the verse 00:22:41.440 --> 00:22:41.779 of the scream, 00:22:41.819 --> 00:22:42.200 I don't. 00:22:42.319 --> 00:22:43.279 Let me read it to you. 00:22:43.640 --> 00:22:45.500 1 Peter 2, verse 23. 00:22:46.259 --> 00:22:46.980 When they hurled 00:22:46.980 --> 00:22:48.059 their insults at him, 00:22:48.099 --> 00:22:49.500 he did not retaliate. 00:22:50.000 --> 00:22:50.680 When he suffered, 00:22:50.779 --> 00:22:51.879 he made no threats. 00:22:52.559 --> 00:22:52.940 Instead, 00:22:53.599 --> 00:22:54.940 he entrusted himself 00:22:54.940 --> 00:22:57.940 to him who judges justly. 00:22:58.620 --> 00:22:59.840 If that kind of thing 00:22:59.840 --> 00:23:00.779 happens to us, 00:23:01.259 --> 00:23:02.120 let's not try 00:23:02.120 --> 00:23:02.880 to take the law 00:23:02.880 --> 00:23:03.940 into our own hands 00:23:03.940 --> 00:23:05.779 and to get vengeance 00:23:05.779 --> 00:23:06.980 or justice 00:23:06.980 --> 00:23:07.960 at ourselves 00:23:07.960 --> 00:23:08.880 in that sense. 00:23:09.340 --> 00:23:10.380 Let's trust God 00:23:10.380 --> 00:23:11.640 who knows best 00:23:11.640 --> 00:23:12.820 and who ultimately 00:23:12.820 --> 00:23:14.360 is the judge. 00:23:15.480 --> 00:23:16.140 Finished with, 00:23:16.360 --> 00:23:17.180 let's come back 00:23:17.180 --> 00:23:19.140 to the Nobel Peace Prize. 00:23:19.779 --> 00:23:20.340 As I've said, 00:23:20.420 --> 00:23:21.080 there are many winners 00:23:21.080 --> 00:23:22.080 of the Nobel Peace Prize 00:23:22.080 --> 00:23:24.220 we've never probably heard of. 00:23:24.220 --> 00:23:25.200 And that may be true 00:23:25.200 --> 00:23:26.360 of last year's winners. 00:23:26.579 --> 00:23:27.319 I don't know how many of us 00:23:27.319 --> 00:23:28.740 could say who last year's winners were. 00:23:28.779 --> 00:23:29.400 I'll tell you. 00:23:29.940 --> 00:23:31.559 There's a woman from Iraq 00:23:31.559 --> 00:23:34.220 called Nadia Murad. 00:23:34.700 --> 00:23:36.100 And there was this gentleman 00:23:36.100 --> 00:23:37.180 who is from 00:23:37.180 --> 00:23:39.640 the Democratic Republic of Congo. 00:23:40.059 --> 00:23:40.880 His name is 00:23:40.880 --> 00:23:42.539 Denis Mukwege. 00:23:43.620 --> 00:23:44.480 Denis Mukwege 00:23:44.480 --> 00:23:45.900 is a really interesting character. 00:23:45.980 --> 00:23:46.259 I should say, 00:23:46.339 --> 00:23:46.880 they both won 00:23:46.880 --> 00:23:48.019 the Nobel Peace Prize 00:23:48.019 --> 00:23:49.660 for the work they had done 00:23:49.660 --> 00:23:51.339 to counter sexual violence 00:23:51.339 --> 00:23:52.660 as a weapon of war. 00:23:52.720 --> 00:23:53.160 And I'll come back 00:23:53.160 --> 00:23:53.860 to what that means 00:23:53.859 --> 00:23:55.139 in a few minutes. 00:23:56.319 --> 00:23:57.179 Denis Mukwege 00:23:57.179 --> 00:23:58.279 is a doctor 00:23:58.279 --> 00:23:59.619 who grew up 00:23:59.619 --> 00:24:00.500 in a Christian home. 00:24:00.559 --> 00:24:01.179 His father was 00:24:01.179 --> 00:24:02.839 a Pentecostal pastor. 00:24:03.559 --> 00:24:04.659 When he was a boy, 00:24:04.899 --> 00:24:05.859 he went with his father 00:24:05.859 --> 00:24:07.039 to another boy 00:24:07.039 --> 00:24:07.939 who was dying 00:24:07.939 --> 00:24:09.579 and they prayed with him 00:24:09.579 --> 00:24:11.019 but there was nothing more 00:24:11.019 --> 00:24:11.899 they could do. 00:24:12.000 --> 00:24:13.199 And Denis said to his father, 00:24:13.500 --> 00:24:13.619 well, 00:24:13.699 --> 00:24:15.240 why couldn't you help him more, 00:24:15.699 --> 00:24:16.099 Dad? 00:24:16.559 --> 00:24:17.719 And his father said, 00:24:17.939 --> 00:24:19.159 I couldn't do it 00:24:19.159 --> 00:24:20.439 because I'm a pastor, 00:24:20.759 --> 00:24:22.199 not a doctor. 00:24:22.200 --> 00:24:23.980 And at that point, 00:24:24.299 --> 00:24:25.080 Denis decided 00:24:25.080 --> 00:24:26.480 he was going to take up medicine 00:24:26.480 --> 00:24:28.519 and he was going to spend his life 00:24:28.519 --> 00:24:29.700 trying to help people 00:24:29.700 --> 00:24:31.440 and to heal them. 00:24:32.019 --> 00:24:32.620 So he did. 00:24:32.700 --> 00:24:33.180 He grew up 00:24:33.180 --> 00:24:34.519 and he took a medical degree 00:24:34.519 --> 00:24:35.660 and he decided 00:24:35.660 --> 00:24:36.519 to specialise 00:24:36.519 --> 00:24:37.840 in gynaecology. 00:24:38.340 --> 00:24:39.240 And the reason for that 00:24:39.240 --> 00:24:39.720 was there was 00:24:39.720 --> 00:24:41.140 such a high death rate 00:24:41.140 --> 00:24:42.180 after birth 00:24:42.180 --> 00:24:43.279 among women 00:24:43.279 --> 00:24:45.019 in the Democratic Republic 00:24:45.019 --> 00:24:46.100 of Congo. 00:24:46.099 --> 00:24:47.899 But as he started 00:24:47.899 --> 00:24:48.759 to practise, 00:24:49.279 --> 00:24:50.519 Denis came across 00:24:50.519 --> 00:24:52.359 a terrible situation. 00:24:53.019 --> 00:24:54.279 Woman after woman 00:24:54.279 --> 00:24:55.679 who had been raped 00:24:55.679 --> 00:24:56.919 and mutilated 00:24:56.919 --> 00:24:58.579 as part of the war 00:24:58.579 --> 00:24:59.599 in Congo. 00:25:00.199 --> 00:25:01.159 And he decided 00:25:01.159 --> 00:25:01.980 that he was going 00:25:01.980 --> 00:25:03.139 to devote his life 00:25:03.139 --> 00:25:04.539 to helping these women, 00:25:04.659 --> 00:25:05.179 to helping them 00:25:05.179 --> 00:25:05.839 physically 00:25:05.839 --> 00:25:07.339 as a surgeon 00:25:07.339 --> 00:25:09.319 but also caring for them 00:25:09.319 --> 00:25:10.480 and helping them 00:25:10.480 --> 00:25:11.039 on the road 00:25:11.039 --> 00:25:12.079 to recovery. 00:25:12.679 --> 00:25:13.379 And he established 00:25:13.379 --> 00:25:14.039 a hospital 00:25:14.039 --> 00:25:15.339 and amazingly 00:25:15.339 --> 00:25:17.200 about 50,000 women 00:25:17.200 --> 00:25:18.259 have been through 00:25:18.259 --> 00:25:19.099 that hospital. 00:25:19.599 --> 00:25:20.240 All women 00:25:20.240 --> 00:25:21.099 who had been raped 00:25:21.099 --> 00:25:22.339 and mutilated 00:25:22.339 --> 00:25:24.579 as part of the war. 00:25:25.859 --> 00:25:26.680 In 2012, 00:25:27.339 --> 00:25:28.440 Denis decided 00:25:28.440 --> 00:25:29.379 he was going 00:25:29.379 --> 00:25:30.379 to take a stand 00:25:30.379 --> 00:25:31.279 in the country 00:25:31.279 --> 00:25:31.740 against him. 00:25:31.819 --> 00:25:32.519 He felt the government 00:25:32.519 --> 00:25:34.319 wasn't doing enough. 00:25:35.220 --> 00:25:36.220 And at that point, 00:25:36.599 --> 00:25:38.279 he was kidnapped 00:25:38.279 --> 00:25:39.480 and there was 00:25:39.480 --> 00:25:40.139 an attempt made 00:25:40.139 --> 00:25:41.480 to execute him, 00:25:42.159 --> 00:25:43.059 to assassinate him. 00:25:43.059 --> 00:25:44.940 He managed to escape 00:25:44.940 --> 00:25:46.139 and he went 00:25:46.139 --> 00:25:46.759 to Europe, 00:25:46.879 --> 00:25:47.379 to Belgium. 00:25:48.559 --> 00:25:49.539 While he was there, 00:25:50.359 --> 00:25:50.899 the woman 00:25:50.899 --> 00:25:51.879 who had helped 00:25:51.879 --> 00:25:53.039 raised money 00:25:53.039 --> 00:25:54.379 for his flight back. 00:25:55.039 --> 00:25:56.200 These were poor women 00:25:56.200 --> 00:25:56.799 who had nothing 00:25:56.799 --> 00:25:57.500 in this world 00:25:57.500 --> 00:25:58.799 but they said, 00:25:59.000 --> 00:25:59.980 it's really important 00:25:59.980 --> 00:26:01.460 we have this man. 00:26:02.099 --> 00:26:02.720 And he felt, 00:26:02.899 --> 00:26:03.399 well, there's nothing 00:26:03.399 --> 00:26:04.519 I can do but go back. 00:26:04.619 --> 00:26:05.960 This is God calling me 00:26:05.960 --> 00:26:07.099 to go back 00:26:07.099 --> 00:26:08.500 and to help these women. 00:26:08.599 --> 00:26:09.159 So he did 00:26:09.159 --> 00:26:10.319 and he is still there 00:26:10.319 --> 00:26:11.440 under very armed guard 00:26:11.440 --> 00:26:12.940 but still trying to help, 00:26:13.039 --> 00:26:14.240 trying to achieve justice 00:26:14.240 --> 00:26:15.259 for these women 00:26:15.259 --> 00:26:17.320 and to help them physically. 00:26:18.140 --> 00:26:18.660 And he says 00:26:18.660 --> 00:26:19.480 the reason why 00:26:19.480 --> 00:26:20.460 he does that 00:26:20.460 --> 00:26:21.759 is his faith 00:26:21.759 --> 00:26:22.820 in Jesus. 00:26:24.299 --> 00:26:24.880 Let me put up 00:26:24.880 --> 00:26:25.660 something he said. 00:26:25.740 --> 00:26:27.039 This is Dr. Dennis 00:26:27.039 --> 00:26:27.740 Mookwege. 00:26:28.420 --> 00:26:29.820 He says to Christians, 00:26:29.960 --> 00:26:30.660 we are called 00:26:30.660 --> 00:26:32.340 to impact our world 00:26:32.340 --> 00:26:33.920 for the glory of Christ. 00:26:34.799 --> 00:26:36.140 In the face of opposition 00:26:36.140 --> 00:26:38.180 and the devastating effects 00:26:38.180 --> 00:26:38.779 of sin, 00:26:38.779 --> 00:26:40.579 we may feel helpless. 00:26:41.539 --> 00:26:42.519 What can we do? 00:26:43.480 --> 00:26:44.279 On one hand, 00:26:44.299 --> 00:26:44.920 it is true, 00:26:45.420 --> 00:26:46.480 we cannot change 00:26:46.480 --> 00:26:47.619 the world around us 00:26:47.619 --> 00:26:49.480 but God can. 00:26:50.399 --> 00:26:51.299 And he's calling us 00:26:51.299 --> 00:26:52.180 to be his agents 00:26:52.180 --> 00:26:53.339 of transformation. 00:26:54.339 --> 00:26:55.559 We need to be bold 00:26:55.559 --> 00:26:56.279 and intentional 00:26:56.279 --> 00:26:57.879 in fulfilling that mandate 00:26:57.879 --> 00:26:59.579 because God wants 00:26:59.579 --> 00:27:00.720 to work through us. 00:27:01.519 --> 00:27:03.039 He calls us to be salt 00:27:03.039 --> 00:27:04.279 and light 00:27:04.279 --> 00:27:07.180 in our broken societies. 00:27:07.180 --> 00:27:09.320 can I ask that we take 00:27:09.320 --> 00:27:10.340 that away as something 00:27:10.340 --> 00:27:11.180 to think about 00:27:11.180 --> 00:27:12.539 and to ponder on 00:27:12.539 --> 00:27:13.480 this week. 00:27:14.120 --> 00:27:15.120 We thought of a woman 00:27:15.120 --> 00:27:16.039 who very much 00:27:16.039 --> 00:27:16.840 was salt 00:27:16.840 --> 00:27:17.820 and light 00:27:17.820 --> 00:27:19.160 in her society. 00:27:20.120 --> 00:27:21.440 We thought of a saviour 00:27:21.440 --> 00:27:22.640 who was the agent 00:27:22.640 --> 00:27:23.640 of transformation, 00:27:24.240 --> 00:27:25.420 as Tenec Mookwege 00:27:25.420 --> 00:27:26.400 calls it, 00:27:26.779 --> 00:27:27.900 who came into this world 00:27:27.900 --> 00:27:29.019 to take our place 00:27:29.019 --> 00:27:30.240 and to have changed 00:27:30.240 --> 00:27:31.039 our lives 00:27:31.039 --> 00:27:32.000 completely. 00:27:33.080 --> 00:27:34.799 What can I do 00:27:34.799 --> 00:27:36.579 in my situation 00:27:36.579 --> 00:27:38.419 to serve Christ, 00:27:38.940 --> 00:27:40.259 to be salt and light, 00:27:40.799 --> 00:27:41.859 to be a peacemaker 00:27:41.859 --> 00:27:44.099 and to help others? 00:27:44.639 --> 00:27:45.680 Probably not going to be 00:27:45.680 --> 00:27:46.559 that dramatic 00:27:46.559 --> 00:27:48.519 of the kind of thing 00:27:48.519 --> 00:27:49.099 we've been thinking 00:27:49.099 --> 00:27:50.000 about this evening 00:27:50.000 --> 00:27:51.460 but is there something 00:27:51.460 --> 00:27:52.980 I can do this week 00:27:52.980 --> 00:27:54.559 to bring about peace 00:27:54.559 --> 00:27:55.700 and justice 00:27:55.700 --> 00:27:57.079 in the area 00:27:57.079 --> 00:27:58.279 where I am 00:27:58.279 --> 00:27:59.899 and so to be seen 00:27:59.899 --> 00:28:00.519 by others 00:28:00.519 --> 00:28:01.399 as someone 00:28:01.399 --> 00:28:02.180 who is truly 00:28:02.180 --> 00:28:03.259 a child 00:28:03.259 --> 00:28:04.380 of God. 00:28:04.799 --> 00:28:05.600 Let's pray together. 00:28:08.799 --> 00:28:09.380 Our Father, 00:28:09.440 --> 00:28:09.799 we thank you 00:28:09.799 --> 00:28:10.180 for your work 00:28:10.180 --> 00:28:10.740 to us this evening. 00:28:10.860 --> 00:28:11.240 We thank you 00:28:11.240 --> 00:28:11.880 for this woman, 00:28:12.000 --> 00:28:12.320 Abigail, 00:28:13.060 --> 00:28:14.240 and for the 00:28:14.240 --> 00:28:15.460 tremendous wisdom 00:28:15.460 --> 00:28:16.160 that she had 00:28:16.160 --> 00:28:16.799 as she was faced 00:28:16.799 --> 00:28:17.320 with this 00:28:17.320 --> 00:28:18.860 terrible and potentially 00:28:18.860 --> 00:28:20.160 disastrous situation 00:28:20.160 --> 00:28:21.779 and how she was able 00:28:21.779 --> 00:28:22.620 to be a true 00:28:22.620 --> 00:28:23.460 peacemaker 00:28:23.460 --> 00:28:25.480 and to confirm 00:28:25.480 --> 00:28:26.860 David in his faith 00:28:26.860 --> 00:28:28.200 and to help him 00:28:28.200 --> 00:28:29.100 understand more 00:28:29.100 --> 00:28:29.640 your way 00:28:29.640 --> 00:28:31.120 and to save 00:28:31.120 --> 00:28:32.200 her family 00:28:32.200 --> 00:28:34.500 from imminent disaster. 00:28:35.120 --> 00:28:35.940 We thank you more 00:28:35.940 --> 00:28:36.820 for the Lord Jesus 00:28:36.820 --> 00:28:38.060 and for the way 00:28:38.060 --> 00:28:38.600 that he came 00:28:38.600 --> 00:28:39.600 into our situation 00:28:39.600 --> 00:28:40.860 and he took 00:28:40.860 --> 00:28:41.560 our blame 00:28:41.560 --> 00:28:42.600 and he paid 00:28:42.600 --> 00:28:43.120 the price 00:28:43.120 --> 00:28:43.940 that was ours 00:28:43.940 --> 00:28:45.160 so that we could 00:28:45.160 --> 00:28:45.880 be at peace 00:28:45.880 --> 00:28:46.960 with God. 00:28:47.520 --> 00:28:47.920 And we pray 00:28:47.920 --> 00:28:48.600 to help us 00:28:48.600 --> 00:28:49.720 to be peacemakers 00:28:49.720 --> 00:28:51.140 to where we are. 00:28:51.860 --> 00:28:52.300 That whatever 00:28:52.300 --> 00:28:53.880 situations we may face 00:28:53.880 --> 00:28:54.480 where there is 00:28:54.480 --> 00:28:55.120 conflict 00:28:55.120 --> 00:28:56.580 and where there 00:28:56.580 --> 00:28:57.280 are difficulties 00:28:57.280 --> 00:28:58.200 between people, 00:28:58.200 --> 00:28:59.460 but we may be 00:28:59.460 --> 00:29:00.340 those who display 00:29:00.340 --> 00:29:00.920 the character 00:29:00.920 --> 00:29:01.559 of Christ 00:29:01.559 --> 00:29:02.840 and are able 00:29:02.840 --> 00:29:04.360 to be his agents 00:29:04.360 --> 00:29:05.680 and to work 00:29:05.680 --> 00:29:06.240 for good 00:29:06.240 --> 00:29:07.440 in our world. 00:29:08.220 --> 00:29:09.039 Help us truly 00:29:09.039 --> 00:29:09.960 to be peacemakers 00:29:09.960 --> 00:29:11.100 in whatever situation 00:29:11.100 --> 00:29:12.460 you have placed us 00:29:12.460 --> 00:29:13.860 that we may honour 00:29:13.860 --> 00:29:15.640 and glorify your name. 00:29:15.940 --> 00:29:16.640 Thank you for our time 00:29:16.640 --> 00:29:17.059 together. 00:29:17.580 --> 00:29:18.200 We commit ourselves 00:29:18.200 --> 00:29:18.819 to you and pray 00:29:18.819 --> 00:29:19.420 for your blessing 00:29:19.420 --> 00:29:20.299 throughout this week 00:29:20.299 --> 00:29:21.580 as we ask in the name 00:29:21.580 --> 00:29:22.360 of the Lord Jesus. 00:29:23.240 --> 00:29:23.539 Amen. 00:29:23.539 --> 00:29:23.640 Amen.