Like Father Like Sons (Part 1):
The Power of Inordinate Desire
2 Samuel 13:1-20
Characters:
Amnon:
And after a time Amnon, David’s son, loved her. 2 And Amnon was so tormented that he made himself ill because of his sister Tamar, for she was a virgin, and it seemed impossible to Amnon to do anything to her (2 Samuel 13:1-2 ESV)
Jonadab:
And Jonadab was a very crafty man. 4 And he said to him, “O son of the king, why are you so haggard morning after morning? Will you not tell me?” Amnon said to him, “I love Tamar, my brother Absalom’s sister.” 5 Jonadab said to him, “Lie down on your bed and pretend to be ill. And when your father comes to see you, say to him, ‘Let my sister Tamar come and give me bread to eat, and prepare the food in my sight, that I may see it and eat it from her hand.’ (2 Samuel 13:3-5 ESV)
15 This is not the wisdom that comes down from above, but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic. James 3:15 (ESV)
20 Whoever walks with the wise becomes wise, but the companion of fools will suffer harm. Proverbs 13:20 (ESV)
7 Points of Application:
- We need to remember the destructive pursuit of self-gratification. Lust and love can be easily confused. Lust differs from love in that it is selfish and insensitive to the other person.
- We need to be discerning and not put ourselves or others in compromising situations.
14 Where there is no guidance, a people falls, but in an abundance of counselors there is safety. Proverbs 11:14 (ESV)
- We must accept no as an answer. NO MEANS NO!!
- We need to teach our young men to respect women and their rights.
Paul calls us to treat:
2 . . . the younger women as sisters, in all purity. 1 Timothy 5:2 (NASB)
- The passive inactivity of parenting only hurts the children one claims to love.
9 Open your mouth, judge righteously, And defend the rights of the afflicted and needy. Proverbs 31:9 (NASB)
- The destructive nature of sin will have far reaching consequences.
- A father's sinful ways may establish patterns for sinful actions in the lives of his children.
26 Like a muddied spring or a polluted fountain is a righteous man who gives way before the wicked. Proverbs 25:26 (ESV)