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Section 27 of David and His Friends. This is a LibriBox recording. All LibriBox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer, please visit LibriBox.org. David and His Friends.

A series of revival sermons by Louis Albert Banks. The King's Ferry Boat. And there went over a ferry boat to carry over the king's household. 2 Samuel 19, verse 18 The river Jordan has seen some wonderful sights.

It was in Jordan that John the Baptist baptized his converts, people who came out from the city in multitudes to hear the certain preacher of repentance, coming largely out of curiosity, but saying because he gripped their consciences with hooks of steel. It was there that Jesus came to offer himself for the baptism of John,

and when John saw him coming to be baptized of him, he was astonished and protested to Jesus that it would be more appropriate for him to be baptized by Christ. But Christ assured him that it was his purpose to fulfill all the law, and John consented to perform the Holy Sacrament with reverent hands.

It was as Christ was leaving the Jordan that the heavens opened and the Holy Spirit descended in the form of a dove, alighting upon Christ. And a voice out of the heavens said, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.

There have, however, been few scenes on the Jordan more interesting than that in which this fairy boat plays a part. David was on his way home to Jerusalem to take up again the reins of government after the death of Absalom. Everything possible had been done to make the return of King David a memorable and impressive event. All Judah came to Gilgal to go and meet the king and conduct him over the Jordan. Even Shimei, who had been full of abuse of David when he fled before the rebellion, led

by Absalom, came now to make his confession of sin and be forgiven. He had with him a thousand men of Benjamin to join in his protestations of feature allegiance. It was arranged that David should cross the Jordanian state and a ferryboat had been provided to carry over the king and his household. And so this ferry boat, the only one mentioned in the Bible,

is intimately associated with this interesting and happy return of David to power and glory in Jerusalem. It has occurred to me that this figure might be very appropriate and helpful for us to use in studying the preparations which God makes to float his children over the troubles and difficulties and sorrows of their earthly experience. Every man, woman, or child, when invited to become a Christian, is invited to become a member of the household of the King of Kings.

And when we become members of God's household, He charges Himself with our transportation and protection through all the journey of our lives. We might certainly, without straining to find illustration, see suggested here the King's ferry boat, which carries us across the Jordan of our condemnation and brings us to the land of forgiveness.

We have certainly abundant reason for this thought in the case of Shimei, who made his peace with David that day. He had been, in the time of David's great emergency, when he needed soldiers, a basin wicked traitor. He had not only refused to serve David and give him his loyal support, but he had done everything to show his contempt for him.

But now that Absalom was dead and David was coming back to power, there was only one hope for Shimei and that was to fly to David and surrender himself completely to the king's mercy. Any other course was simply suicide. When David came back into full power, he would make short work of Shimei and his little band

if he sought to bring them to justice as he would necessarily have to do. Now, Shimei was no fool. Though he had been mean, and he determined to take the straight course that gave him his one chance of salvation. There was, of course, no certainty that David would act mercifully in the matter.

Shimei had no excuse to offer, and if he had had a man like Saul to deal with, his head would have paid a forfeit. But there was one hope. And that was the surrender unconditionally to David and promised allegiance for the future. So there was Shimei waiting at the ferry landing.

There was no lagging back. There was no waiting to be hunted down and have the halter around his neck before he asked for mercy. He was a wise man to come and give himself up. The very first man that David looked on at the ferry was Shimei. and he fell on his face before the king in humility and cried let not my lord impute iniquity unto me neither do thou remember that which thy servant did perversely the day that my lord king went out of jerusalem

that the king should take it to his heart for thy servant doth know that i have sinned therefore behold i am come the first this day of all the house of joseph to go down to meet my lord king Abishai, one of the leaders of the time, thought this a good opportunity to get vengeance on Shimei and protested against mercy. He said to the king, Shall not Shimei be put to death for this, because he cursed the Lord's anointed? But David had had enough war and bloodshed and death,

and he was prude enough to see that out of this man, who now so completely surrendered himself to him, might easily be developed a loyal, stout-hearted friend. And so David said, Shall there any man be put to death this day in Israel?

For do not I know that I am this day king over Israel? And the king said to Shimei, Though shalt not die. So I bring to any poor sinner here the king's ferry boat, on which ye may safely ride across the Jordan of your sins

to the blessed shore of forgiveness. It is surrender to God and unconditional acceptance of Christ Jesus as your Savior. You have no more to plead of your own merit than this wicked Shimei had to plead before David. You have sinned against God. You have sinned against light and knowledge.

You have known your Master's will and yet you have refused to do it. You have neglected a great salvation. You have grieved the Holy Spirit. You have trampled under your feet in indifference the blood of the atonement. The condemnation of God's broken law hangs over your head.

You cannot fight against God. There is only one thing left for you to do, and that is not to lag behind, not to wait until your many sins put the halter about your neck and drag you to judgment, But to come frankly, openly, promptly, and throwing yourself on your face at the mercy seat, surrender yourself unconditionally to God and beg pardon through Jesus Christ.

It is the king's very boat. It has been prepared at great expense for his household, and it will carry you safe to salvation. It is large enough and strong enough to carry every poor sinner on earth that will come aboard. All things are now ready. Come.

We may see also suggested in this the way God carries His people across the river of their needs. God's Word assures us that the Lord is not unmindful of the necessities of our human lives. Christ says, things. But seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you. We are assured in God's word that the man who will surrender himself to do the will

of the Lord shall be floated over the needs of life far better than he can himself conceive possible. The man who trusts God is a great deal better taken care of than he who proposes to neglect God and look out for his number one. I was reading an Indian story the other day, in which Chief Muglock and an Indian trader named Calvin

undertook to get the better of each other. The chief came to stay all night at the traders. In the morning, the Indian said, Me dream last night. Ah, said Calvin, what did my red brother dream?

Me dream you gave me fine big rifle, one the white man then had in his hands. The trader instantly passed the rifle to the chief saying, If you dreamed it, you must have it. Next morning, Galvin said to the chief, I dreamed last night.

What you dream? asked McGlock. I dreamed you gave me the Chickasaw stallion, which the chief was then riding. If you dream, you must have him, said the chief, and the horse was straightway transferred to the trader. The next morning the Indian remarked, I dream last night.

What did my red brother dream, was the inquiry. I dream, answered Mogulok. You give me a red coat to wear and much calico. If you dreamed it, you must have it, said Galfin. and the Indian received the red coat and the calico.

Next morning, it was Galfin's turn. He said to the chief, I dreamed last night. What you dream was Mogulak's inquiry. I dreamed, replied Galfin.

You gave me ten miles of land around the Ogeechee old town. Whoa, said the Indian. If you dream, you must have them. But I dream with you no more. But we shall never reach the limit of God's infinite grace and mercy by our most exaggerated dreams of good.

Does not Paul assure us that God will supply all our need, according to His riches and glory by Christ Jesus? And again he says, I hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love Him. Do not think you are too busy or have to be engaged too much about other things to be a Christian.

The one ferry boat that is sure to float you across the river of life's needs is a genuine, whole-hearted Christianity. You may also see in this the king's ferry boat across the river of trouble and sorrow. How abundant are the promises of God that those who join his household shall be ferried safely across all the sorrows and troubles of life. The God who planned an ark to save Noah and his family,

because they trusted in him and were faithful to him, has never left one of his loyal children to go down in the deluge without help. Paul assures us that all things work together for good to them that love God. Jesus stands with open arms of welcome and cries to all troubled and tried ones.

I know there are some people among us, and all of us have had experience at it. perhaps at one time or another, who call themselves Christians and who mean to be Christians, and yet are in deep anxiety and trouble. But I do stand here to maintain today, in the light of all the observation and experience of human history, that the difficulty is not with the king's ferry boat, but with ourselves.

If any member of David's household had jumped overboard from the ferry boat and attempted to wade across Jordan, it would not have been the fault of the boat. And so if we sometimes lose our faith and refuse to trust God and be guided by His Spirit

and keep His commandments and find ourselves wading the cold Jordan of trouble, shivering and alarmed, let us not slander the king's ferry boat, but rather let us clutch at the lifeline which is thrown to us and climb aboard again this day and commit all our ways unto the Lord.

We may see also in this figure our king's ferry boat across the river of death. God does not leave his saints to die alone. David's idea of dying was passing through a valley of shadows, down into the river of darkness. But the passage was made comfortable because the good shepherd was there.

with his rod and his taft comfort and help. There is something yet brighter and more cheerful in the words of Jesus in his promise to come to receive us in person and take us to our heavenly home. Two days before Mr. Moody's death,

there was placed in his room, unknown to him, a stenographer who took every word that fell from the good man's lips. And in the last moments he said, Earth recedes. Heaven opens before me. You say this is death? There is nothing awful here.

It is sweet, this place. Do not call me back. God is calling me. I must go. There is no valley here. It is all beautiful, beautiful. So Moody found, as millions of God's people have found before,

that the king's ferryboat is roomy and splendid and safe in carrying the king's household across the Jordan of Death to the shores of that beautiful country which eager hearts expect. The ferryboat will not be lonely in crossing any of these streams, for Christ is captain,

and there are no rules that keep us from speaking to him while he is on duty. We may hold sweet communion with him all the way, On the ferry boats which ply between Liverpool and the Cheshire side of the Mersey is the notice. Passengers are requested not to speak to the captain or seersman while crossing the river. Reverend Henry Burton was once crossing that ferry and seeing this notice was struck with the difference between

this rule and that which obtains on the king's ferry boat which carries God's people. Inspired by it, he wrote a very beautiful poem, which I pray God the Holy Spirit may use to our great good and comfort. There is a stream that we all must cross, the river of human years,

now lying calm in the summer light, now splashed with the rain of tears. Out from the hills of God it flows, and onto the shoreless sea, where the noontime sun no shadow froze,

and time is eternity. But why should I faint or falter? Why are these doubts and fears? I shall go and speak to the captain as I cross the river of years. There is a stream that we often cross, the river of earthly change, as we leave the moorings of the past and we seek the new and strange. But the shore is veiled by a misty cloud, and we cannot see it well, and the voices of the storm are loud as we hear the minute bell. But why should I fear and falter,

or shrink from the new and strange? I shall go and speak to the captain as I cross the river of change. There is a stream that we all must cross, the river of death so cold, when the lights of earth are seen no more, and the green moss turns to mold, when a hand of ice shall push our bark out on the swelling tide, when friends will leave us alone in the dark, alone on the waters wide. But why should I fear and falter, or cry with bated breath?

I shall go and speak to the captain when I cross the river of death. Say, have you made friends with the captain? Have you looked in his loving face? Have you heard his voice of pardon? Have you tasted of his grace?

Oh, why do you slide and grieve him, counting his love but dross? Will you sin on and leave him? When the river of death you cross, O speak, speak now to the captain, Speak in your sighs and tears,

And he will speak and stand by you, All down the river of years. End of section 27 Read by Christelle, Canberra City, 24th of September, 2021