Compass Bible Church North Texas

Find out more about Compass Bible Church.

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Questions or Comments? Email us podcast@compassntx.org

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Chapters

00:00 Cold Open Banter

01:27 Listener Question: AI Robotic Dogs

07:12 1 Samuel 25

14:53 1 Samuel 26

16:43 Luke 16:19-30

20:36 Closing Prayer

21:38 Outro and Podcast Information

Hey everybody.

2

Welcome back to another edition

of the Daily Bible Podcast.

3

Good morning.

4

Good, good.

5

Morning or afternoon?

6

Good morning or afternoon or

in the case of the Truman Show.

7

Evening.

8

Evening, yeah.

9

Or Good night.

10

Do you see that movie?

11

No.

12

No.

13

You've never seen The Truman Show?

14

No.

15

Really?

16

It's worth the watch.

17

It's fascinating on the whole idea that

we live in a simulation that's not to.

18

Spoil too much of it for

you, but you should watch it.

19

Okay.

20

It did come out in the nineties, so I

don't feel too bad about spoiling it,

21

but yeah, it's one of Jim Carrey's,

I think, better performances.

22

And who's Jim Carrey?

23

Yeah.

24

The Mask?

25

No.

26

Okay.

27

Yeah.

28

Anyways.

29

Dude, sometimes I forget.

30

We're a different generation.

31

Are we?

32

We are.

33

Yeah.

34

Hey, ask your mom about the Truman Show.

35

No, we're not that far off, but still.

36

Pastor Rod, you've seen the Truman Show?

37

Yes.

38

Yes.

39

Okay.

40

Yes I have.

41

Alright, well anyways, we're

back and it is Saturday.

42

Yeah, it's Saturday.

43

It's biblical Counseling

Intensive Saturday.

44

So Pastor Lucas Pace is here with us.

45

We kicked it off last

night on Friday night.

46

Had a great turnout I trust, and

just a good time focused in on the

47

important topic of biblical counseling

and why that is, why it matters to

48

our church and some kind of practical

hands-on case study type situations.

49

So that's continuing all day today.

50

So you can be praying

for those that are there.

51

Participating in that intensive,

and then we're gonna wrap it up

52

tomorrow, in fact, after church.

53

And then he will fly

back out to California.

54

So we're grateful to have him

in town and it's just such an

55

important thing for us as a church.

56

Hey, we got a question.

57

Okay.

58

Normally, I'm not the one that gets

to introduce these questions, but

59

this time it's me, so that's exciting.

60

I, we have a question.

61

One of the people in our church

saw an advertisement for a dog,

62

but this isn't just a regular dog.

63

This is a robotic dog.

64

Okay?

65

With.

66

AI in it.

67

And this question came to this person's

mind because of some of the discussions

68

we've had about AI and how we ought

to use it and how we ought to relate

69

to it, if that's even possible.

70

And that's sort of the question

is, this product, this AI dog

71

has some appealing features.

72

You don't have to clean up after it.

73

You don't have to pay for

expensive food for it.

74

You don't have to take it to the

vet, it doesn't run outta your house.

75

It's, there's some features that

are great about it, but it also

76

provides maybe some companionship

or, something to hold on your lap.

77

Which also might have some advantages.

78

So the question is well, I

guess what do we think of that?

79

What do we think of that?

80

Is that something healthy?

81

Is that something unhealthy?

82

Should we run away in dystopian fear?

83

Should we embrace it and

get rid of our real dogs?

84

What should we do with that?

85

Yeah.

86

Granted the question is asking about

a dog and confined to just the dog?

87

The questioner is not

thinking anything beyond that.

88

I think the danger zone we get

into is when people are looking

89

for AI companions that are.

90

Humanoid that are robotic humanoid

people that would replace a spouse or

91

even perhaps children in the future.

92

Something somebody like that that we

could look to and say, okay, that perverts

93

what God's design is for human beings.

94

Human beings should have.

95

Relationships with other human

beings and should find companionship

96

and friendship and things like

that with other human beings.

97

This person is saying, Hey, is it

okay for me to have a robotic dog

98

that would be a pet that would

provide some form of companionship

99

some fun and engagement interaction.

100

They're not looking at that to

replace human companionship.

101

They still are involved in our church.

102

They're still plugged

into a community group.

103

They still have other friends.

104

They still have family in their life.

105

This is just a day to day.

106

Is there anything that I would

be crossing any lines with that?

107

And I guess off the top of my

head, I can't think of anything

108

that I would say this is a danger

to the person other than just to.

109

Keep in mind the clear distinction

between that which is manmade

110

and that which is God made.

111

I would say there is a difference between

a robotic dog and a living breathing dog.

112

Not that one is superior to the other,

but just in the sense of that which God

113

has created, I think the one that is a

living being is a greater testimony to the

114

creator than the one that comes out of the

box with instruction and assembly manual.

115

And, directions.

116

Second and third, John come to mind.

117

Second John verse 12.

118

He closes his letter by saying,

though I have much to write to you,

119

I would rather not use paper and ink.

120

Instead, I hope to come to you and talk

face-to-face that are joy may be complete.

121

He says something very

similar in his third letter.

122

Third John verse.

123

14 says, I hope to see you soon

and we will talk face to face.

124

In fact, to be the verse before that,

he says, ed, much to write to you, but I

125

would rather not write with pen and ink.

126

I wanna see you face to face.

127

And so embodied relationship is the

quinine of being a full human being.

128

We need each other, we

need human relationships.

129

And so before I would

advise getting an AI buddy.

130

I would say you have to make sure

that you're getting your relationship

131

cup fulfilled with people.

132

And if that's not happening,

then I could see how something

133

like this could be so tempting.

134

Mm.

135

Because it can, in many respects,

fundamentally replace a live

136

and embodied relationship.

137

So I would say you have to make sure

that if you're going to go this route,

138

that you get lots of people interactions.

139

And if you're anywhere near saying, I

don't think I am, I'm not sure, then I

140

think that would be our first highest

encouragement to make sure that you're

141

involved with other people, make

some friendships, build friendships

142

with other families dial up a friend,

call FaceTime, all those things.

143

And then.

144

After your relationship cup

is filled and whether and what

145

that looks like, it's up to you.

146

There's a lot of ambiguity about how much

and how much time should I be spending

147

and how long should my phone calls be.

148

There's no answers to that, but whatever

that is, it's sufficient number.

149

Beyond that, though I'm perfectly

fine saying, yeah, have an ai, cat

150

and dog have an AI robot helper.

151

I'm obviously a big

fan of AI intelligence.

152

I've been using it a ton.

153

That's.

154

Redundant, but you get my point.

155

I like those things.

156

I wouldn't be opposed to having

something like that for the kids and

157

something fun that can help them do

math or science or whatever else.

158

But I would be very clear that it's

not the same thing even as a live

159

embodied dog or a live embodied

cat, those are also different.

160

And they have their own personalities.

161

They have life and end

dates or, they die.

162

That by itself is helpful.

163

Do they go to heaven?

164

I'm just kidding.

165

I didn't Different question.

166

Huh?

167

I'm just kidding.

168

I'm just kidding.

169

That there's a movie

that says All dogs do.

170

It says nothing about

cats, but anyway I am.

171

Open to the idea and even somewhat

optimistic about having it have a

172

utility in someone's life with the

extreme caution to say, but make sure

173

you've got real relationships with

real people and even real animals.

174

I don't think those are bad.

175

Obviously they're good for a lot of

different reasons, not to, not the least

176

of which being they're teaching reasons.

177

So those are some of my initial thoughts.

178

Pastor Mark, everyone's been

dying to hear your thoughts

179

definitively give us an answer.

180

No.

181

I agree few ways.

182

The only thing I would add or,

comment on is that we run a risk,

183

especially in American society,

of doing that with a regular dog

184

as is treating you like a people.

185

Yeah.

186

You're treating dogs like people.

187

Yeah.

188

Is already a risk.

189

Right.

190

Forget the AI component, but I do

think the risk is similar, right?

191

If to your point, if we're replacing

those human relationships with

192

other image bearers, with really

anything else, we're in trouble.

193

Right?

194

So that would be my

only additional comment.

195

All right.

196

Ask and answered.

197

Whoever you are, person anonymous.

198

All right, let's jump into our

daily Bible reading for today.

199

We're in first Samuel 25 through

26, and Luke 16, 19 through 31.

200

So first Samuel 25 opens with a rather

abrupt and short and non ceremonious.

201

Announcement that Samuel has died.

202

And I find that to be fascinating

because Samuel is such a key figure.

203

He's such a fascinating figure.

204

But whoever recorded this and wrote

this down for us, didn't see fit to

205

write much about his death or the

mourning process that took place there.

206

We do know that Samuel and Saul were

estranged, and so that's perhaps why

207

there's not a whole lot of pomp and

circumstance around Samuel's death

208

because the guy that's in charge.

209

Is not really keeping close

relationship with Samuel anymore.

210

And then David, who Samuel had transferred

his loyalty to, or allegiance to David's

211

on the run for his life at this point.

212

So, just really briefly, Samuel dies.

213

Meanwhile it does flashback over to David.

214

David is with his men.

215

Remember this Motley crew that he's

assembled and they are in the wilderness

216

here and they are helping a particular

shepherd and they're helping his.

217

His crew out in the wilderness and

driving away raiders and keeping

218

predators at bay and everything else.

219

And they're keeping watch just out of

the charity, the goodness of their heart.

220

And then it comes time

for the shearing season.

221

Now the shearing season would've been

marked by feasts and celebration.

222

This is a big deal.

223

This was kind of bringing in

the harvest of the animal.

224

And so the animal was going to produce

a great income, a great wave of finances

225

by selling the wool and manufacturing

and everything else like that.

226

So this was a time of great celebration.

227

David sends his men to this

man al to say, Hey can you lend

228

us, can you give us some food?

229

Because we lent ourselves

to protect your men.

230

You can check with them.

231

We've been with them the whole time, and

Naval basically says, who is this David

232

Guy and why should I care about them?

233

Thanks, but no thanks.

234

See you later.

235

Well, this gets back to David.

236

David becomes enraged at this.

237

This is not an honorable thing to do.

238

Pastor Rod, you've been talking a lot

about this culture in society, being a

239

culture and society of honor and shame.

240

This was an act of dishonoring to

David and to his men when they had done

241

so much to care for NAL and his men

by keeping watch of these shepherds.

242

So David goes out with a war party

and he's ready to take them out.

243

Meanwhile.

244

Abigail, this man's wife catches wind

of what he had done to David, and she

245

is not only embarrassed, but she's

also fearing for what David's response

246

will be and it seems rightly so.

247

So she goes out with basically

a peace offering to David to

248

say, please don't do this.

249

But she also not only pleads, please

don't do this because of her own

250

concern, but she even shows that

she understands that David is.

251

In line to be the next king of Israel.

252

And so that tells us that Napal was

even more foolish, as his name would

253

imply, is what his name means there.

254

Because Napal would've known these things

too because she says the Lord is gonna

255

bless you and you don't need to carry

this blood guilt on your conscience

256

by doing something that you shouldn't

do by killing innocent people here.

257

'cause David wanted to

take out the whole crew.

258

So God uses Abigail here.

259

To intervene and prevent David

from making a grave mistake.

260

But Nabal afterwards finds out

what his wife has done, and then

261

the next morning the Lord takes

him out and ends up killing him.

262

So, this is justice is done, but it's

done in a unique roundabout way here

263

when Nal really offends the future king.

264

Before we dive into that account, I just

want to, I just don't understand this.

265

How did Samuel go on to write multiple

more chapters of this book and then an

266

entire, another book, yo, after he died?

267

What's going, what's going on with that?

268

He said, and it's all called him up.

269

He's just like, you know,

I'm just gonna stay here.

270

I got some more writing to do.

271

No, it would be helpful, I

think really would happen.

272

Yeah.

273

How, how, why is that so, why is that

the way our Bible names these books?

274

Yeah, well, they probably wouldn't

have been divided into first and

275

second originally, but would've

been one volume or one anthology.

276

Same with Kings and Chronicles.

277

And so we've divided them up

and it being the book of Samuel

278

Samuel's an integral character.

279

He's the bridge character between the time

of the judges and the time of the Kings.

280

And so I think that's probably

why the book bears his name.

281

He may have had a hand in writing a

portion of it, at least the front part,

282

but certainly to your point, pastor Mark,

from this time on, we have another author

283

and we don't know who that author is.

284

We're not sure, but for the rest

of First Samuel and certainly

285

all second Samuel, somebody else

is recording the details here.

286

Yeah, and I can't prove any of this.

287

This isn't something I can necessarily

verify about this book in particular,

288

but Samuel is the initial author

of it, and so he's setting up how

289

this record keeping is done, right.

290

At the very least, it's appropriately

named because he's the one who initiates.

291

This project of writing this account,

and so it's appropriate that it

292

continues to be named Samuel even.

293

So, we think of Psalms

in a similar way, right?

294

David did not write all the Psalms,

but he was the one who was the kind

295

of architect, the grand architect of

the project and kinda established how

296

it should be put together and recorded

and how things should be included or

297

what should be included or excluded.

298

Absolutely.

299

Same with Proverbs and Solomon.

300

Yeah.

301

Yeah, anything on, on, on this situation?

302

It's.

303

A fascinating scene by the way.

304

David takes Abigail to be his wife.

305

That is something David does, that is

not something David is commanded to do.

306

So again, we've pointed out a

few times the idea of polygamy.

307

'cause it even talks in the chapter how

David took more wives in addition to her.

308

These are not things that, that

God is telling David, you need

309

to do this or you should do this.

310

And so David is obeying God

by, by taking these wives.

311

This is a record of what David

has done and what he chose to do.

312

So David takes Abigail into his.

313

For lack of a better term,

harem his kingly harem here.

314

He has multiple wives at this

point, and she becomes another one.

315

But Abigail is notable.

316

She's recognized.

317

She's a woman that is held in high

esteem in the pages of scripture

318

for this particular story that we

read about here in one Samuel 25.

319

Yeah.

320

I would only say that Abigail's

the only hero in Chapter 25.

321

Yeah.

322

Yeah.

323

There's two knuckleheads who are

both feuding for different reasons,

324

and even King David, the one who is

called the man after God's own heart.

325

He does not shine here as

being exemplary in character.

326

He makes this tragic and not tragic

vow, but it's this foolish vow.

327

Mm-hmm.

328

And so he's like, I'm just gonna take

this guy out and all as a family,

329

and it's very uncharacteristic

of him, and yet God preserves him

330

from doing such a foolish thing.

331

The other fool, of course,

Naval being named after a fool.

332

He's doing foolishly by not honoring

David and his men who have protected

333

him and have cared for him.

334

So the only one who stands out here

as being exceptional is Abigail.

335

She's the peacemaker,

she's the go-between.

336

She's the only one with enough

sense to say, this is not right.

337

Men, please don't act in these ways.

338

So I think is really cool that

God chose to highlight her.

339

Both of the men are fantastic

contrast to her exemplary attitude,

340

but we do see David repent, right?

341

Even if he is a knucklehead.

342

At least he doesn't follow through after

being confronted with these things.

343

He doesn't have a heart attack and die.

344

God doesn't judge him that way.

345

You're right, he does repent.

346

Yeah, that is point definitely

his favor to your point, right?

347

He acts uncharacteristically

at the beginning, right?

348

Of what we know of David and what

we'll know of him going forward.

349

This even goes back to our conversation

about how do you trust pastors, right?

350

David messes up, but he has a

character that causes him to listen

351

to Abigail when she confronts him,

right when she rebukes him for his sin.

352

He is held accountable in a proper

way and turns from it, right.

353

Yeah, he does celebrate even the

fact that she stops him from from

354

trying to accomplish or working

in salvation with his own hand.

355

He says in verse 33 from blood

guilt in the same sentence, which

356

he recognizes he would've done

foolishly had he had acted out.

357

Yeah.

358

On the vow, he made a vow, which

was not just like, Hey man I'm

359

really mad at you, and he's gonna.

360

It's is not, it's a considered, I'm

committing myself to this act of violence.

361

Yes.

362

So help me, God, woo.

363

Got hot real quick.

364

And then she's like, cool down

though a little bit what a

365

blessing our women are to us.

366

If you have a good woman in your

life, you need to just pause

367

right now and send them a text.

368

At least if they're in the, if

they're in person with you, just go

369

grab her and give her a smooch and

tell her that you love her and that

370

you thank God for giving her to you.

371

What a blessing.

372

Amen.

373

Yep.

374

Yeah.

375

Well, chapter 26 then we find

David and his right hand man again,

376

or at least one of them, Abbasi.

377

They come across the camp of King

Saul, and Saul happens to be asleep,

378

and we find out in this passage,

actually, this is a unique sleep.

379

This is a deep sleep asleep from the Lord.

380

So David and Abishai, they

sneak down into the camp.

381

They are standing right

over the top of King Saul.

382

The man that's trying to kill David, just.

383

Think about the cave, right?

384

The cave a few chapters ago.

385

Saul's in there.

386

The men are thinking, this is the time

Abishai says to David, this is it.

387

The Lord has delivered him

into your hand once again.

388

And then I love what Abishai says.

389

Let me strike him.

390

I will not strike twice.

391

Abishai is a bold man.

392

He's a courageous man.

393

He's a man that, that trusts

in his military ability.

394

David says, no.

395

He says, we're not gonna

do this same thing.

396

I'm not gonna raise my hand

against the Lord's anointed.

397

I think David is doing this intentionally

in order to try to get Saul.

398

To see that David does not

have ill will towards him.

399

I think David wants restoration

here and we find that even as David

400

sneaks back up with him having

taken the spear in the water jug.

401

And he calls out to Abner.

402

He calls out to Saul's bodyguard and

basically says, Hey are you a man Abner?

403

Because this is what has just happened.

404

Look, where's the spear?

405

Where's the water jug?

406

That was by your master's head.

407

They're not there.

408

I have them.

409

Saul hears, the voice, recognizes,

it says, is that you, my son again?

410

And David has this impassioned plea to

Saul saying, Saul, why are you chasing me?

411

I am nothing but a flea.

412

I'm not after your life.

413

You need to stop this foolishness.

414

Let's put an end to all of this.

415

Put it behind us.

416

So again, here, David is

not going to act rashly.

417

He's not gonna act impetuously.

418

He's not gonna take

things into his own hands.

419

He's gonna trust the Lord's timing.

420

The Lord is the one that

said, I've anointed you.

421

I'm going to make you king.

422

And David was aware this was not

the way that it was gonna happen.

423

So chapter 26 is another example

of David's trust in the Lord as he

424

finds himself with an opportunity

to really grab the bull by the

425

horns and do things his own way.

426

All right.

427

Let's flip over then to our

New Testament reading in Luke.

428

We're gonna be in Luke chapter

16 verses 19 through 31.

429

Luke 16, 19 through 31.

430

Is a fascinating pery here.

431

It's a fascinating event.

432

There's questions whether

or not this was a.

433

A parable.

434

He has been teaching in parables

and yet it's not signaled that way.

435

It doesn't say, and Jesus told him

a parable saying, and so this is the

436

story of the rich man in Lazarus.

437

And Jesus paints a picture

of a situation on earth.

438

You have this wealthy man who goes

nameless and the poor man named

439

Lazarus and the Lazarus was a

beggar outside the poor man's house.

440

Or outside the rich man's house.

441

The rich man oppressed

and ignored Lazarus.

442

Meanwhile, both men die and have

to settle their accounts with God.

443

Well, Lazarus is the one who's right with

God, and he goes to be in Abraham's bosom

444

as it's pictured here, depicted here.

445

And the rich man, he goes

into the torments of hell.

446

Now, in this parable or in this

story, rather Lazarus is there

447

with Abraham, the Richmond's

able to see into the place where.

448

Lazarus is, and Lazarus can

see into the torments of hell.

449

I don't know that I would press

that so far as to say that's gonna

450

be true of us when we're in heaven.

451

I think we've talked about it before.

452

We may have an awareness of the torment

of those that are suffering in hell,

453

because that's part of what we will

what will fuel our worship of God is

454

seeing his just wrath being poured out.

455

And yet I don't know that it's

gonna look exactly like this.

456

Rather, I think Jesus' point in this

parable is what he says towards the end

457

here when he looks at Lazar at the rich

man and says, you have Moses or your.

458

Your family has Moses in the prophets.

459

They need to believe Moses in the

prophets, and if they believe them,

460

then they'll believe basically me.

461

So again, in the context of all the Jewish

leaders, as the tensions are heightening

462

here, Jesus is trying to make the point.

463

Everything that you hold

fast to is pointing to me.

464

I'm the one, I'm the one that

you need to turn to and trust in.

465

And so he's trying to make that

point with the story that he tells

466

between these two individuals.

467

One of the things that I think is

interesting to note here is that

468

we assume that a lot of our friends

and family would certainly become

469

Christians if there was just some

amazing, miraculous display of God's

470

power at work to say, boom I'm the man.

471

I told you Yeah I'm true.

472

As if to say that the resurrection

itself weren't enough, but here we

473

have an agreement with scripture that.

474

Or not in agreement, but really

a pushback to us to say it

475

really isn't about the miracles.

476

It's not about these extraordinary signs.

477

People are not convinced by these things.

478

Jesus did all kinds of signs in miracles.

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He's raising the dead.

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He's healing the sick, he's

putting ears back on heads.

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He's doing all sorts of things and

people are still not just reluctant,

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but just rebellious against

that, saying That's not enough.

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Do some more things.

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You fed us in the

wilderness in these ways.

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Feed us again, give us some more bread.

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There's never.

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The soul that is rebellious against the

Lord is never satisfied at what he offers.

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And that's why Jesus here points

them, the brothers of this

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dead man to the word of God.

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He says, if they're not gonna respond to

Moses and the prophets, they're not gonna

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respond to even the resurrection, even

if you were to go back from the dead.

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And of course, Jesus proves this again

by himself, resurrecting from the dead.

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People still don't believe

him, and even today.

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If there's gonna be any doubt

cast on the Christian faith, it

495

is gonna be, well, who was Jesus?

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Did he even really exist?

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Did he really rise from the dead?

498

And I think this parable helps us to

understand that the battle we face

499

with others is not an intellectual one.

500

It's not about whether or not

there's enough scientific proof

501

or evidence or data to back.

502

Whether Christianity's credible,

it certainly is, and I think it's

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been proven over and over again.

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The question is a matter of the will.

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It's not a matter of the intellect,

but the will, the willingness to submit

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to what we know to be true Allah.

507

Romans one, everybody has a sense

that there is a God that we are

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accountable to him, but not everybody

wants to admit that and confess

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to that and say, I need a savior.

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We are in inherently proud and

we wanna do things our own way.

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And this parable helps us to

see this is what it's about.

512

It's not about the intellect.

513

It really is about the will

and the heart before God.

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That's a great point.

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Well, let's pray and then

we'll be done with this episode

516

of the Daily Bible Podcast.

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What would give us a heart for the lost?

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Lord.

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We, as Pastor Robert was just saying,

it, it's not a matter of us being able

520

to walk on water ourselves or raise the

dead ourselves or do the miracles even

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that the early apostles did ourselves.

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It's a matter of the message of the

gospel and seeing those that are lost.

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Decide to put their trust and their

faith in Jesus as the Lord and Savior.

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We know that's a decision

they have to make.

525

And yet we also know that's a decision

they can't make apart from you.

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And so we're gonna ask God that you would

show favor to us as we go out, as we share

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the gospel, as we pursue the loss that

you would show favor to us by helping us

528

to present the gospel clearly and that

they would respond in faith in repentance.

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We'd love to see more people saved

in our area, more people showing up

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to church, more people filling up

our baptismal tanks because they have

531

responded in faith and repentance.

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And so make us a fruitful

church evangelistically by not.

533

Causing us to be sensational with

miracles and everything else, Lord

534

but by causing us to be faithful

with the message that does save.

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And we pray this in Jesus' name.

536

Amen.

537

Hey, keep in your Bibles, y'all,

and tune in again tomorrow, which

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is Sunday for another edition

at the Daily Bible Podcast.

539

Good night.

540

See you folks.

541

Bye.

542

Edward: Thank you for listening to another

episode of the Daily Bible Podcast.

543

We’re grateful you chose to

spend time with us today.

544

This podcast is a ministry of

Compass Bible Church in North Texas.

545

You can learn more about our

church at compassntx.org.

546

If this podcast has been helpful,

we’d appreciate it if you’d consider

547

leaving a review, rating the show,

or sharing it with someone else.

548

We hope you’ll join us again

tomorrow for another episode

549

of the Daily Bible Podcast.