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August 9, 2026 |
Resources Sermon Notes |
When circumstances scream “Flee,” the wise remain loyal to their king. In 2 Samuel 15, as David flees Absalom’s rebellion, the Philistine commander Ittai the Gittite faces a classic pressure point. David offers him an easy exit: “Go back… this is not your fight.” Instead Ittai answers, “As the Lord lives, and as my lord the king lives, wherever my lord the king shall be, whether for death or for life, there also will your servant be.” His loyalty to the living God and God’s king later earns him command of one-third of David’s army.
The sermon draws the parallel to Peter in John 6, when many disciples turned back from Jesus. Peter’s response—“Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life”—echoes Ittai’s settled resolve. Four truths emerge for every follower of Jesus: Your allegiance is to who or what you believe offers life; true allegiance is revealed the moment an easy exit appears; easy exits are always dangerous dead ends; and staying with the True King is public, costly, and rewarding.