1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:12,960 Well, I'm glad to be able to report that part of Frank's team got here in time for 2 00:00:12,960 --> 00:00:13,960 his baptism. 3 00:00:13,960 --> 00:00:16,600 At least they saw him get wet. 4 00:00:16,600 --> 00:00:18,000 So we're glad for that. 5 00:00:18,000 --> 00:00:21,880 The four guys are all graduates, right? 6 00:00:21,880 --> 00:00:25,560 As of this afternoon, just two of you. 7 00:00:25,560 --> 00:00:28,600 Two have graduated this afternoon and the other two have a ways to go. 8 00:00:28,600 --> 00:00:34,280 But we're glad you got here tonight in time to watch Frank get dunked. 9 00:00:34,280 --> 00:00:37,000 Good coach. 10 00:00:37,000 --> 00:00:40,400 And it's always a joy to see the Varbergs. 11 00:00:40,400 --> 00:00:42,000 You're about to go back to the Philippines. 12 00:00:42,000 --> 00:00:45,040 I think I overheard that much. 13 00:00:45,040 --> 00:00:48,200 Even though you're not officially a part of our missions family, we want you to know 14 00:00:48,200 --> 00:00:50,360 that we count you as a part of that. 15 00:00:50,360 --> 00:00:55,300 You are our kind of missionary and we stand for you do theologically and in your work 16 00:00:55,300 --> 00:01:00,380 and we thank God for you and for the strong testimony that you're building for the Lord 17 00:01:00,380 --> 00:01:02,160 in the Philippines. 18 00:01:02,160 --> 00:01:04,360 We welcome all of you tonight who are visiting. 19 00:01:04,360 --> 00:01:10,320 We're going to turn in the Word of God to the book of 2 Samuel and pick up basically 20 00:01:10,320 --> 00:01:12,600 where we left off last week. 21 00:01:12,600 --> 00:01:18,620 We will turn to 2 Samuel chapter 16. 22 00:01:18,620 --> 00:01:25,380 As we have studied the Word of God, we have noted that David fell short of the convictions 23 00:01:25,380 --> 00:01:30,640 that he had within his heart concerning right and wrong. 24 00:01:30,640 --> 00:01:36,600 Before we are too swift to condemn him, I think all of us need to stop and consider 25 00:01:36,600 --> 00:01:39,960 the fact that all of us do. 26 00:01:39,960 --> 00:01:46,660 All of us come short to some extent living up to our convictions. 27 00:01:46,660 --> 00:01:55,640 But because David failed as he did, he failed to deal with his compromises adequately. 28 00:01:55,640 --> 00:01:59,620 Sadly, his family suffered. 29 00:01:59,620 --> 00:02:07,720 His sons were thrown into moral confusion because of their father's failure and then 30 00:02:07,720 --> 00:02:12,560 his failure to properly handle his failure. 31 00:02:12,560 --> 00:02:20,080 That is witnessed in the fact that Amnon, his oldest, assaulted his own half-sister, 32 00:02:20,080 --> 00:02:24,920 thus repeating David's sin of immorality. 33 00:02:24,920 --> 00:02:32,120 David was very angry about that, but he did not discipline his son who had sinned. 34 00:02:32,120 --> 00:02:39,680 Absalom, who was Tamar's full brother, was embittered by this attack against his sister 35 00:02:39,680 --> 00:02:46,600 and by David's failure to deal with Amnon as he should have. 36 00:02:46,600 --> 00:02:52,460 Absalom lost respect for his father and took the matter for revenge into his own hands 37 00:02:52,460 --> 00:02:56,720 and killed Amnon. 38 00:02:56,720 --> 00:03:03,800 Absalom then nurtured rebellion still against his dad, especially when he was brought back 39 00:03:03,800 --> 00:03:10,160 to the kingdom after several years, but only half-heartedly forgiven, it would seem, by 40 00:03:10,160 --> 00:03:11,840 David. 41 00:03:11,840 --> 00:03:16,760 I think Amnon, or rather Absalom, thought this way. 42 00:03:16,760 --> 00:03:26,860 David had been fully forgiven of his sin of adultery and deceit and murder. 43 00:03:26,860 --> 00:03:28,560 God had forgiven David. 44 00:03:28,560 --> 00:03:32,520 Why couldn't David forgive his son? 45 00:03:32,520 --> 00:03:38,320 Then I think he was still bitter regarding the fact that Amnon had gotten by without 46 00:03:38,320 --> 00:03:41,960 discipline from David. 47 00:03:41,960 --> 00:03:46,180 That all led to the rebellion that we are studying about when Absalom nearly took the 48 00:03:46,180 --> 00:03:48,840 kingdom from his dad. 49 00:03:48,840 --> 00:03:52,720 There are some lessons here that I want to talk about briefly before we go on, lessons 50 00:03:52,720 --> 00:03:57,380 for parents and lessons for children. 51 00:03:57,380 --> 00:04:01,000 First to the parents, I want to say these things, and I say them to myself as much to 52 00:04:01,000 --> 00:04:03,200 any of us. 53 00:04:03,200 --> 00:04:11,120 When your family knows of your compromise and your convictions or your failures, deal 54 00:04:11,120 --> 00:04:16,680 with those openly and honestly. 55 00:04:16,680 --> 00:04:21,840 Do not try to hide them from your family, for they know better than anybody exactly 56 00:04:21,840 --> 00:04:24,440 what has taken place. 57 00:04:24,440 --> 00:04:30,240 A few weeks ago I shared with you the sad testimony of my friend who, for the second 58 00:04:30,240 --> 00:04:36,960 time, committed adultery a few months ago and is out of the ministry. 59 00:04:36,960 --> 00:04:42,760 One thing that he told me in the conversation after that, which I respected, was that as 60 00:04:42,760 --> 00:04:49,680 soon as he repented and came to himself, he immediately got on an airplane and flew from 61 00:04:49,680 --> 00:04:56,240 California to Seattle to sit down with his son and tell his son exactly what he had done 62 00:04:56,240 --> 00:04:57,240 and why. 63 00:04:57,240 --> 00:05:03,200 His son is getting married next month, just a young man. 64 00:05:03,200 --> 00:05:09,560 I appreciated the fact that he was willing to deal openly and honestly with his son. 65 00:05:09,560 --> 00:05:16,520 He had done that the first time eventually, and the second time he did it quickly. 66 00:05:16,520 --> 00:05:20,880 That is essential if there is to be a continued respect on the part of the children for the 67 00:05:20,880 --> 00:05:22,880 parent. 68 00:05:22,880 --> 00:05:27,680 So when you compromise or you fail, deal with it openly with your family. 69 00:05:27,680 --> 00:05:29,640 Be honest with your family. 70 00:05:29,640 --> 00:05:34,880 It will only continue the respect which they have for you. 71 00:05:34,880 --> 00:05:43,800 The deceit in trying to hide and cover your failure will engender bitterness and disrespect. 72 00:05:43,800 --> 00:05:46,280 A second lesson I see for parents is this. 73 00:05:46,280 --> 00:05:50,720 Don't fail in the discipline of your children. 74 00:05:50,720 --> 00:05:54,640 That was David's great failure with his kids. 75 00:05:54,640 --> 00:06:02,800 I recognize that on the scale of one to ten, parents range in their effectiveness and discipline. 76 00:06:02,800 --> 00:06:07,640 And all of us, I'm sure, want to be as effective as possible. 77 00:06:07,640 --> 00:06:13,360 I talked to one brother pastor this last week who had two staff members who went to a certain 78 00:06:13,360 --> 00:06:19,520 seminar recently, and they came back just throwing up their hands saying, I don't know 79 00:06:19,520 --> 00:06:25,800 how anybody can live up to all the rules and regulations and the 15 steps and 25 principles 80 00:06:25,800 --> 00:06:29,160 that this man throws out to people. 81 00:06:29,160 --> 00:06:32,880 And frankly, that is the result sometimes when you go to some seminars and you read 82 00:06:32,880 --> 00:06:33,880 certain books. 83 00:06:33,880 --> 00:06:38,600 You say, how in the world can I possibly live up to that standard? 84 00:06:38,600 --> 00:06:46,720 What it amounts to, I'm afraid in some cases, is just plain old-fashioned legalism, lawkeeping. 85 00:06:46,720 --> 00:06:51,240 Nonetheless, we do want to be good parents. 86 00:06:51,240 --> 00:06:53,360 We want to be good parents. 87 00:06:53,360 --> 00:06:58,760 And we must not fail in our discipline of our children if we're going to be that. 88 00:06:58,760 --> 00:07:03,120 Especially do we have to be cautious of becoming passive toward our children. 89 00:07:03,120 --> 00:07:06,000 I think fathers in particular need to be careful of that. 90 00:07:06,000 --> 00:07:12,200 It's so easy because of the pressure that fathers face in the office, and of course 91 00:07:12,200 --> 00:07:16,840 mothers do as well who are working, to go home and just let the kids go. 92 00:07:16,840 --> 00:07:20,320 And that's something we can't allow. 93 00:07:20,320 --> 00:07:24,640 It takes work, it takes discipline on our part, but we must be faithful to discipline 94 00:07:24,640 --> 00:07:25,640 our children. 95 00:07:25,640 --> 00:07:29,800 If we don't, we'll pay a price. 96 00:07:29,800 --> 00:07:33,520 May not see it immediately, but down the road there's a price for that. 97 00:07:33,520 --> 00:07:41,320 Then a third lesson I see is that we need to evidence wholehearted forgiveness and unconditional 98 00:07:41,320 --> 00:07:45,120 love when our children blow it. 99 00:07:45,120 --> 00:07:50,960 That doesn't mean at all that we condone their wrong, but when they repent they need 100 00:07:50,960 --> 00:07:55,760 our assurance that we accept them, that we still love them. 101 00:07:55,760 --> 00:08:01,440 And even before the time they repent, they need to sense that we accept them as our children 102 00:08:01,440 --> 00:08:08,120 and as people, though we cannot accept what they are involved in perhaps. 103 00:08:08,120 --> 00:08:14,000 But especially when they return, when they come back, when they repent, we need to evidence 104 00:08:14,000 --> 00:08:20,560 wholehearted forgiveness and unconditional love that reaches out and embraces the child 105 00:08:20,560 --> 00:08:24,800 so that the child knows that our love is constant. 106 00:08:24,800 --> 00:08:28,880 David failed in that and he paid a price. 107 00:08:28,880 --> 00:08:32,220 Then a couple of remarks for children. 108 00:08:32,220 --> 00:08:36,400 First of all, expect that your parents will make mistakes. 109 00:08:36,400 --> 00:08:40,560 There are no perfect parents any more than there are perfect children, if you'll pardon 110 00:08:40,560 --> 00:08:42,180 me. 111 00:08:42,180 --> 00:08:49,680 So don't become bitter and angry when your father or your mother fail you. 112 00:08:49,680 --> 00:08:55,600 Realize that they're going to make mistakes, that they do have failures in their lives. 113 00:08:55,600 --> 00:09:00,600 Realize too that they, those failures and mistakes, do not provide an excuse for your 114 00:09:00,600 --> 00:09:04,720 doing wrong. 115 00:09:04,720 --> 00:09:08,760 Don't bear the responsibility for your own decisions. 116 00:09:08,760 --> 00:09:12,840 Don't try to lay a guilt trip on your parents. 117 00:09:12,840 --> 00:09:14,640 Realize they're going to make mistakes. 118 00:09:14,640 --> 00:09:21,680 Accept them as human beings who make mistakes and love them anyway as they love you. 119 00:09:21,680 --> 00:09:27,960 And secondly, show maturity by loving them and learning from their example. 120 00:09:27,960 --> 00:09:30,780 You may even learn from their negative example. 121 00:09:30,780 --> 00:09:35,880 You may say to yourself, boy, when I get married and have a family, I'm never going to do that. 122 00:09:35,880 --> 00:09:41,080 Well, I suppose all of us have made that statement along the way somewhere and the thing is that 123 00:09:41,080 --> 00:09:44,120 we usually end up doing those very things. 124 00:09:44,120 --> 00:09:50,360 Nonetheless, if there are negative things that you see in your home, learn from the 125 00:09:50,360 --> 00:09:52,640 negative. 126 00:09:52,640 --> 00:09:56,360 Set that before you as a lesson as to what you want to do better. 127 00:09:56,360 --> 00:09:57,820 But don't reject your parents. 128 00:09:57,820 --> 00:10:03,960 Love them nonetheless and show maturity in your part by accepting them for who they are. 129 00:10:03,960 --> 00:10:07,280 Absalom failed to do that. 130 00:10:07,280 --> 00:10:10,200 It led to tragedy in his life. 131 00:10:10,200 --> 00:10:15,800 Our text indicates that Absalom's rebellion was initially successful. 132 00:10:15,800 --> 00:10:22,760 Right at the end of chapter 15, it says, Absalom came into the city of Jerusalem. 133 00:10:22,760 --> 00:10:23,860 Why did he do that? 134 00:10:23,860 --> 00:10:29,400 Because he was marching on the city with his followers and David had taken off across the 135 00:10:29,400 --> 00:10:33,240 Mount of Olives to escape his son. 136 00:10:33,240 --> 00:10:39,560 Now as we look into chapters 16 and 17 and 18 tonight in our study, we'll find three 137 00:10:39,560 --> 00:10:45,220 instructions regarding life that are important for us to get a hold of. 138 00:10:45,220 --> 00:10:52,160 Those instructions come in the form of a lesson, a warning, and finally an example. 139 00:10:52,160 --> 00:10:57,240 Let's talk first about a lesson for those who experience hardship. 140 00:10:57,240 --> 00:11:00,800 David is going through a hard time. 141 00:11:00,800 --> 00:11:06,560 The fact that it was partly the consequences of his own sin did not ease the hardness of 142 00:11:06,560 --> 00:11:07,680 it. 143 00:11:07,680 --> 00:11:10,000 This was tough on David. 144 00:11:10,000 --> 00:11:17,480 He was having to flee for his own life because of the threat of his son. 145 00:11:17,480 --> 00:11:22,480 Before I give you the lesson that I see here regarding those who experience hardship, let 146 00:11:22,480 --> 00:11:26,240 me just say a couple of things about hard times. 147 00:11:26,240 --> 00:11:35,660 In the midst of hard times, there will be those seeking to take advantage of your hardship. 148 00:11:35,660 --> 00:11:41,520 That may sound cruel, and it is, but when you go through a hard time, you can just almost 149 00:11:41,520 --> 00:11:46,160 count on it that there will be those seeking to take advantage of you during that time. 150 00:11:46,160 --> 00:11:50,920 David faces that immediately in chapter 16 when David had passed a little beyond the 151 00:11:50,920 --> 00:11:53,480 summit of the Mount of Olives. 152 00:11:53,480 --> 00:12:00,320 Behold Zeba, the servant of Mephibosheth, met him with a couple of saddle donkeys, and 153 00:12:00,320 --> 00:12:03,440 he had it loaded down with these goodies mentioned. 154 00:12:03,440 --> 00:12:07,000 The king said to Zeba, why do you have these? 155 00:12:07,000 --> 00:12:11,780 He said, therefore the king's household to ride on, and so that you'll have something 156 00:12:11,780 --> 00:12:17,880 to eat and drink, for whoever is faint in the wilderness will have something to drink, 157 00:12:17,880 --> 00:12:18,880 he says. 158 00:12:18,880 --> 00:12:22,240 And the king said, where is your master's son? 159 00:12:22,240 --> 00:12:25,360 In other words, he's asking, where is Mephibosheth? 160 00:12:25,360 --> 00:12:27,040 Now who is Mephibosheth? 161 00:12:27,040 --> 00:12:28,760 You recall? 162 00:12:28,760 --> 00:12:30,800 Back in chapter 9, we studied about him. 163 00:12:30,800 --> 00:12:33,720 He is the son of Jonathan. 164 00:12:33,720 --> 00:12:34,720 Remember that? 165 00:12:34,720 --> 00:12:37,240 Jonathan was David's dearest friend. 166 00:12:37,240 --> 00:12:38,240 He died. 167 00:12:38,240 --> 00:12:44,600 And David said, is there anybody in Jonathan's household left to whom I may show kindness? 168 00:12:44,600 --> 00:12:45,600 Mephibosheth lived. 169 00:12:45,600 --> 00:12:48,520 He was brought to David. 170 00:12:48,520 --> 00:12:50,680 David blessed him. 171 00:12:50,680 --> 00:12:53,400 David gave him the right to eat at his own table. 172 00:12:53,400 --> 00:12:59,400 He received him really as one of his own sons on behalf of his dear friend Jonathan. 173 00:12:59,400 --> 00:13:03,320 And he said to Mephibosheth, who had been Jonathan's servant, now you be Mephibosheth's 174 00:13:03,320 --> 00:13:06,600 servant and take care of his things. 175 00:13:06,600 --> 00:13:08,600 And so that was his role. 176 00:13:08,600 --> 00:13:11,920 And so really David is saying, where is Mephibosheth? 177 00:13:11,920 --> 00:13:15,360 And Zeba lies. 178 00:13:15,360 --> 00:13:17,720 He says, behold, he's staying in Jerusalem. 179 00:13:17,720 --> 00:13:25,240 For he said, today the house of Israel restore the kingdom of my father to me. 180 00:13:25,240 --> 00:13:26,920 He is deceiving David. 181 00:13:26,920 --> 00:13:32,320 He is saying he's back in Jerusalem waiting for Absalom to come because he's sure that 182 00:13:32,320 --> 00:13:36,600 once you're gone, the people of Israel say, let's get somebody from Saul's family back 183 00:13:36,600 --> 00:13:37,600 on the throne. 184 00:13:37,600 --> 00:13:41,840 And he's the only candidate. 185 00:13:41,840 --> 00:13:43,680 Had Mephibosheth said that? 186 00:13:43,680 --> 00:13:47,440 No, not at all. 187 00:13:47,440 --> 00:13:49,160 What is Zeba up to? 188 00:13:49,160 --> 00:13:54,000 He's seeking to take advantage of David and his master. 189 00:13:54,000 --> 00:13:59,720 He is lying about his master, seeking to get next to David for a blessing as David's in 190 00:13:59,720 --> 00:14:00,840 this hard time. 191 00:14:00,840 --> 00:14:07,360 And David, not knowing any better, quickly gives everything that belonged to Mephibosheth 192 00:14:07,360 --> 00:14:08,360 to Zeba. 193 00:14:08,360 --> 00:14:09,960 Look at verse 4. 194 00:14:09,960 --> 00:14:12,640 And Zeba's response was, I prostrate myself. 195 00:14:12,640 --> 00:14:16,600 Let me find favor in your sight, oh my Lord the King. 196 00:14:16,600 --> 00:14:20,280 And so he says, thank you very much. 197 00:14:20,280 --> 00:14:21,280 And David moves on. 198 00:14:21,280 --> 00:14:22,880 Now it seems as though that's the end of it. 199 00:14:22,880 --> 00:14:23,880 It's not. 200 00:14:23,880 --> 00:14:28,680 We're going to come back to this fellow and he's going to be taken care of appropriately. 201 00:14:28,680 --> 00:14:32,720 But at this point, I just want you to notice in passing that David's going through a hard 202 00:14:32,720 --> 00:14:36,400 time and here's somebody seeking to take advantage of him. 203 00:14:36,400 --> 00:14:40,000 You can count on that happening in your case. 204 00:14:40,000 --> 00:14:42,400 Be careful during the hard times. 205 00:14:42,400 --> 00:14:47,280 There's a second thing I want you to notice, and that is that when you're passing through 206 00:14:47,280 --> 00:14:52,320 a hard time, there will be those hoping to see you fail. 207 00:14:52,320 --> 00:14:54,280 That's right. 208 00:14:54,280 --> 00:14:59,560 You say, well I don't know anybody like that, or maybe you're saying, yeah I know a lot 209 00:14:59,560 --> 00:15:01,960 of people like that. 210 00:15:01,960 --> 00:15:07,240 When you go through a tough time, there are going to be those standing around on the sidelines 211 00:15:07,240 --> 00:15:11,920 just waiting to see you fall flat on your face. 212 00:15:11,920 --> 00:15:15,160 It is true with David. 213 00:15:15,160 --> 00:15:18,840 David went a little further to Behurim, that was just a little bit further over on the 214 00:15:18,840 --> 00:15:23,080 other side of the Mount of Olives, and there came out from there a man of the family of 215 00:15:23,080 --> 00:15:30,600 the house of Saul whose name was Shimei, the son of Gera. 216 00:15:30,600 --> 00:15:36,640 He came out cursing continually as he came, and he threw stones at David and at all the 217 00:15:36,640 --> 00:15:40,360 servants of King David and all the people and all the mighty men were at his right hand 218 00:15:40,360 --> 00:15:41,360 and his left. 219 00:15:41,360 --> 00:15:47,120 And thus Shimei said when he cursed, get out, get out, you man of bloodshed and worthless 220 00:15:47,120 --> 00:15:48,120 fellow. 221 00:15:48,120 --> 00:15:51,680 Now you couldn't say any more nasty thing. 222 00:15:51,680 --> 00:15:57,480 The Lord has returned upon you the bloodshed of the house of Saul in whose place you've 223 00:15:57,480 --> 00:15:58,480 reigned. 224 00:15:58,480 --> 00:16:01,840 And the Lord has given the kingdom into the hand of your son Absalom. 225 00:16:01,840 --> 00:16:07,440 Behold, you are taken in your own evil, for you are a man of bloodshed. 226 00:16:07,440 --> 00:16:10,560 He says all kinds of nasty things to David. 227 00:16:10,560 --> 00:16:16,960 The text goes on later to say that he followed David and his entourage a little further up 228 00:16:16,960 --> 00:16:18,720 on the ridge. 229 00:16:18,720 --> 00:16:23,600 He would throw stones down on him, curse at them and say things like as recorded in verses 230 00:16:23,600 --> 00:16:25,680 seven and eight. 231 00:16:25,680 --> 00:16:29,560 Here's a guy who's saying, you deserve it, you dirty dog. 232 00:16:29,560 --> 00:16:31,600 I love to see you fail. 233 00:16:31,600 --> 00:16:36,920 Can you imagine how David might have felt? 234 00:16:36,920 --> 00:16:43,480 Actually Abishai, David's nephew, one of his generals, had an excellent idea. 235 00:16:43,480 --> 00:16:47,100 He wanted to put Shimei on a diet program. 236 00:16:47,100 --> 00:16:52,080 He had a method for removing 10 pounds of ugliness right from his neck up. 237 00:16:52,080 --> 00:16:55,960 He said, let me go over now and cut off his head. 238 00:16:55,960 --> 00:16:58,120 David said no. 239 00:16:58,120 --> 00:17:03,080 Basically what he says is no, God is in this. 240 00:17:03,080 --> 00:17:04,560 God is somehow in this. 241 00:17:04,560 --> 00:17:06,600 Let him go. 242 00:17:06,600 --> 00:17:11,160 David doesn't respond like we might think he would. 243 00:17:11,160 --> 00:17:13,920 David says God is in it. 244 00:17:13,920 --> 00:17:17,520 Just be aware that there are those hoping to see you fail when you go through a hard 245 00:17:17,520 --> 00:17:18,520 time. 246 00:17:18,520 --> 00:17:22,120 I know that's tough to realize. 247 00:17:22,120 --> 00:17:25,840 When you're promoted at work, there will likely be those standing around saying, I can't wait 248 00:17:25,840 --> 00:17:29,160 till he fails in that new job. 249 00:17:29,160 --> 00:17:34,920 If you're a student chosen to do a certain thing for your school, there will be those 250 00:17:34,920 --> 00:17:39,000 who didn't get chosen who will stand around and say, I can't wait till he falls flat on 251 00:17:39,000 --> 00:17:40,360 his face. 252 00:17:40,360 --> 00:17:42,600 He deserves it. 253 00:17:42,600 --> 00:17:46,240 God is humanity and his sinfulness, his ugliness. 254 00:17:46,240 --> 00:17:54,560 But listen, does God help any of us from being that person who has that kind of an attitude? 255 00:17:54,560 --> 00:17:58,480 The lesson that I see regarding David is this. 256 00:17:58,480 --> 00:18:08,040 How people around us misunderstand or misjudge our circumstances is not important. 257 00:18:08,040 --> 00:18:14,120 When we go through hard times, we need to concentrate on finding God's purpose in it. 258 00:18:14,120 --> 00:18:18,800 Even what Shimei said to David had a nugget of truth. 259 00:18:18,800 --> 00:18:23,120 David was a man who had shed blood. 260 00:18:23,120 --> 00:18:27,000 He was being punished for his sin. 261 00:18:27,000 --> 00:18:31,760 Some of the things he said were exaggerated, totally misunderstood, but there was a nugget 262 00:18:31,760 --> 00:18:32,760 of truth there. 263 00:18:32,760 --> 00:18:35,400 That's good for us to remember too. 264 00:18:35,400 --> 00:18:44,720 Even our most vile critics often have something legitimate to say to us. 265 00:18:44,720 --> 00:18:50,400 So when you're passing through a hard time, just remember how those around you may misunderstand 266 00:18:50,400 --> 00:18:53,880 or misjudge you is not really important. 267 00:18:53,880 --> 00:18:57,160 Do not care what they think. 268 00:18:57,160 --> 00:18:58,480 That's the bottom line. 269 00:18:58,480 --> 00:19:01,080 Care what God thinks. 270 00:19:01,080 --> 00:19:05,840 Focus on finding God's purpose in what you're experiencing. 271 00:19:05,840 --> 00:19:08,560 Now secondly, I want you to notice a warning. 272 00:19:08,560 --> 00:19:15,120 A warning to all of those who would oppose God's purposes. 273 00:19:15,120 --> 00:19:24,720 Those who would oppose God's purposes need to learn that to do that invites certain ruin. 274 00:19:24,720 --> 00:19:28,960 If you want to see your life go down the tubes. 275 00:19:28,960 --> 00:19:37,080 If you want to see it wasted and ruined, then get in opposition to what God is doing. 276 00:19:37,080 --> 00:19:38,080 You'll be run over. 277 00:19:38,080 --> 00:19:49,160 May I remind you of Haman, who some 600 years after this would seek to put all the Jews 278 00:19:49,160 --> 00:19:52,520 in Persia to death. 279 00:19:52,520 --> 00:19:56,520 He was going to kill them all and he could not wait to get his hands on Mordecai. 280 00:19:56,520 --> 00:20:00,800 He was going to hang them on those gallows. 281 00:20:00,800 --> 00:20:05,240 But it was Haman who went to the gallows. 282 00:20:05,240 --> 00:20:07,920 Or to back up a few hundred years from David's time. 283 00:20:07,920 --> 00:20:09,400 Do you remember Pharaoh? 284 00:20:09,400 --> 00:20:15,880 The man who stood in God's way and said, no, I will not let the people of Israel go. 285 00:20:15,880 --> 00:20:20,000 He ended up losing not only his son, but his entire army. 286 00:20:20,000 --> 00:20:22,320 He was a ruined Pharaoh. 287 00:20:22,320 --> 00:20:26,920 And we see it in our story here. 288 00:20:26,920 --> 00:20:30,520 Back up a few months, remember Saul. 289 00:20:30,520 --> 00:20:32,640 God announced to Saul what his purpose was. 290 00:20:32,640 --> 00:20:35,440 He said, Saul, you have disobeyed me. 291 00:20:35,440 --> 00:20:40,080 Therefore, the kingdom is taken away from you and I will give it to a man better than 292 00:20:40,080 --> 00:20:44,480 you. 293 00:20:44,480 --> 00:20:51,440 And rather than accepting that and repenting as he should have, Saul said, over my dead 294 00:20:51,440 --> 00:20:56,360 body, in essence, and it was. 295 00:20:56,360 --> 00:20:58,320 Ultimately he killed himself. 296 00:20:58,320 --> 00:21:01,680 Do you remember Ishmael? 297 00:21:01,680 --> 00:21:04,400 Saul's son. 298 00:21:04,400 --> 00:21:13,480 When David came to the throne down there in Hebron, he opposed David. 299 00:21:13,480 --> 00:21:18,440 And there was war between the house of Saul and the house of David. 300 00:21:18,440 --> 00:21:19,440 David grew stronger. 301 00:21:19,440 --> 00:21:21,120 Saul's house grew weaker. 302 00:21:21,120 --> 00:21:23,720 And the Ispasheth was murdered. 303 00:21:23,720 --> 00:21:27,880 Do you remember Ahithophel? 304 00:21:27,880 --> 00:21:37,080 Ahithophel was David's trusted counselor and you may recall the grandfather of Bathsheba. 305 00:21:37,080 --> 00:21:40,080 And when he had the opportunity, he turned on David. 306 00:21:40,080 --> 00:21:42,700 We studied it last week. 307 00:21:42,700 --> 00:21:46,160 He went with Absalom and his crowd. 308 00:21:46,160 --> 00:21:50,760 Now the story is taken up in our text. 309 00:21:50,760 --> 00:21:55,200 Absalom entered into Jerusalem here in the last part of chapter 16. 310 00:21:55,200 --> 00:22:07,960 Ahithophel encouraged him to perform a vile act in taking his father's concubines in public 311 00:22:07,960 --> 00:22:08,960 and lying with them. 312 00:22:08,960 --> 00:22:10,440 And he did that. 313 00:22:10,440 --> 00:22:14,560 By the way, that was explicitly the fulfillment of what God said would happen to David as 314 00:22:14,560 --> 00:22:18,480 a result of his sin. 315 00:22:18,480 --> 00:22:20,360 That was Ahithophel's advice. 316 00:22:20,360 --> 00:22:22,720 It was not godly advice. 317 00:22:22,720 --> 00:22:25,240 It was not moral advice. 318 00:22:25,240 --> 00:22:30,640 But you notice in verse 23 it says that the advice of Ahithophel which he gave in those 319 00:22:30,640 --> 00:22:34,520 days was as if one inquired of the word of God. 320 00:22:34,520 --> 00:22:42,720 In other words, what he said was so practical and seemed so right to the point that it was 321 00:22:42,720 --> 00:22:44,920 as though God himself had spoken it. 322 00:22:44,920 --> 00:22:47,680 It does not mean that it was godly and right. 323 00:22:47,680 --> 00:22:55,440 But what he did was to claim David's throne by this act of immorality. 324 00:22:55,440 --> 00:22:57,320 And then Ahithophel gave some further advice. 325 00:22:57,320 --> 00:23:02,280 He said, Absalom, give me 12,000 men right now. 326 00:23:02,280 --> 00:23:09,520 I am going to chase David down in the wilderness and kill him. 327 00:23:09,520 --> 00:23:13,640 Now that might have worked because David was disorganized. 328 00:23:13,640 --> 00:23:14,960 He was fleeing for his life. 329 00:23:14,960 --> 00:23:19,040 He was running through the wilderness to get away. 330 00:23:19,040 --> 00:23:27,880 Had there been a party of 12,000 sent after him, chances are that they would have succeeded. 331 00:23:27,880 --> 00:23:32,960 Step to front stage one counselor of David named Hushai. 332 00:23:32,960 --> 00:23:34,120 Remember him? 333 00:23:34,120 --> 00:23:35,120 He wanted to go with David. 334 00:23:35,120 --> 00:23:36,120 He was an aged man. 335 00:23:36,120 --> 00:23:39,920 David said, No, go on back and be my spy. 336 00:23:39,920 --> 00:23:44,160 And you try to thwart the counsel of Ahithophel who has turned against me. 337 00:23:44,160 --> 00:23:51,040 So now Hushai steps up and he says, No, Absalom, let me give you some advice. 338 00:23:51,040 --> 00:23:55,920 What I think you ought to do is let David go on because if you attack him now and he 339 00:23:55,920 --> 00:24:00,800 happens to win the first battle, people are going to see that you have been defeated. 340 00:24:00,800 --> 00:24:04,800 You are going to lose your momentum. 341 00:24:04,800 --> 00:24:08,120 So the best thing to do is let him go on. 342 00:24:08,120 --> 00:24:13,000 Then call all the troops from all over Israel, converge on him and kill him then. 343 00:24:13,000 --> 00:24:16,200 Now what he was really trying to do was buy David some time. 344 00:24:16,200 --> 00:24:21,600 That is what he needed more than anything else. 345 00:24:21,600 --> 00:24:28,560 But he also said, Absalom, I would encourage you to lead the troops. 346 00:24:28,560 --> 00:24:31,560 Now that was the thing that appealed to Absalom. 347 00:24:31,560 --> 00:24:34,960 Ahithophel said, Give me 12,000 men. 348 00:24:34,960 --> 00:24:37,960 Let me kill him. 349 00:24:37,960 --> 00:24:41,360 Hushai said, You lead the troops and kill David. 350 00:24:41,360 --> 00:24:43,800 Absalom's ego was appealed to. 351 00:24:43,800 --> 00:24:47,440 He said, You know, I like the plan. 352 00:24:47,440 --> 00:24:49,680 I take your advice. 353 00:24:49,680 --> 00:24:53,400 God used that. 354 00:24:53,400 --> 00:24:59,120 David was given time to get across the Jordan to regroup. 355 00:24:59,120 --> 00:25:08,600 Ahithophel who stood in the way of God's purposes went home, his advice being scorned and killed 356 00:25:08,600 --> 00:25:12,520 himself. 357 00:25:12,520 --> 00:25:18,280 They consider Absalom. 358 00:25:18,280 --> 00:25:23,080 Absalom went after David at a certain point. 359 00:25:23,080 --> 00:25:31,560 He made the terrible mistake of engaging David in rough terrain in a forest, a forest that 360 00:25:31,560 --> 00:25:36,760 was thick and heavy and which David and his commanders knew. 361 00:25:36,760 --> 00:25:39,920 And they knew how to fight in there. 362 00:25:39,920 --> 00:25:44,160 Absalom and those who followed him did not know how to fight. 363 00:25:44,160 --> 00:25:52,040 And the result was a quick victory and total victory for David's troops. 364 00:25:52,040 --> 00:25:57,560 Now when David sent his troops out, he announced to his three generals so that every soldier 365 00:25:57,560 --> 00:26:05,200 in all of his group heard, Spare the life of Absalom, my son. 366 00:26:05,200 --> 00:26:07,400 Do not kill him. 367 00:26:07,400 --> 00:26:09,240 They all knew that. 368 00:26:09,240 --> 00:26:17,080 But word came to David's leader, Joab, that Absalom was caught. 369 00:26:17,080 --> 00:26:19,600 I mean, he was literally caught. 370 00:26:19,600 --> 00:26:21,640 He was caught in a tree. 371 00:26:21,640 --> 00:26:31,440 He was riding his mule and somehow got his head, probably his long hair, entangled in 372 00:26:31,440 --> 00:26:33,760 some branches on a tree. 373 00:26:33,760 --> 00:26:39,240 The mule went on and left him hanging there helplessly in the tree. 374 00:26:39,240 --> 00:26:42,080 And he could not get himself free. 375 00:26:42,080 --> 00:26:52,200 Now the scene is amusing to be sure, but it's also tragic because Joab orders some men to 376 00:26:52,200 --> 00:26:53,200 kill Absalom. 377 00:26:53,200 --> 00:26:55,040 And they said, hey, wait a minute. 378 00:26:55,040 --> 00:26:56,380 You remember what David said. 379 00:26:56,380 --> 00:26:57,380 Not me. 380 00:26:57,380 --> 00:26:58,380 I'm not killing him. 381 00:26:58,380 --> 00:27:08,840 And finally, Joab himself killed young Absalom, put a spear through his heart. 382 00:27:08,840 --> 00:27:20,680 Cut him down from the tree and put his body in a deep pit and piled rocks up. 383 00:27:20,680 --> 00:27:26,840 Beware of opposing the purposes of God. 384 00:27:26,840 --> 00:27:32,120 Seek to understand the direction God is moving with all of your heart and get moving in that 385 00:27:32,120 --> 00:27:34,440 direction. 386 00:27:34,440 --> 00:27:37,280 Follow him. 387 00:27:37,280 --> 00:27:43,400 Finally, I want you to look at an example. 388 00:27:43,400 --> 00:27:47,760 An example to those who would know God's heart. 389 00:27:47,760 --> 00:27:52,040 You may recall that David was described as a man after God's own heart. 390 00:27:52,040 --> 00:27:58,120 We're going to see why here in part. 391 00:27:58,120 --> 00:28:08,840 David rather pathetically was sitting at the gates of the city where he was, waiting for 392 00:28:08,840 --> 00:28:18,160 some word from the battle, eagerly wondering what would happen, hoping that his son would 393 00:28:18,160 --> 00:28:20,280 be coming to him. 394 00:28:20,280 --> 00:28:28,720 And finally, the first messenger came and blessed the Lord. 395 00:28:28,720 --> 00:28:34,200 And David said, is it well with the young man Absalom? 396 00:28:34,200 --> 00:28:37,720 Notice he didn't say did Joab win the battle. 397 00:28:37,720 --> 00:28:42,120 He said, is my son alive? 398 00:28:42,120 --> 00:28:52,080 I'm looking now in chapter 18 and verse 29. 399 00:28:52,080 --> 00:29:00,800 And Nehemiah has answered, when Joab sent the king's servant and your servant, I saw a 400 00:29:00,800 --> 00:29:03,400 great tumult, but I did not know what it was. 401 00:29:03,400 --> 00:29:07,040 And the king said, stand over here. 402 00:29:07,040 --> 00:29:09,360 And then the Cushite arrived. 403 00:29:09,360 --> 00:29:15,320 And again he blesses David and the Lord. 404 00:29:15,320 --> 00:29:20,880 And the king said to the Cushite, verse 32, is it well with the young man Absalom? 405 00:29:20,880 --> 00:29:28,560 And the Cushite answered, let the enemies of my Lord the king and all who rise up against 406 00:29:28,560 --> 00:29:34,000 you for evil be as that young man. 407 00:29:34,000 --> 00:29:40,160 And with that remark, David knew that his boy was dead. 408 00:29:40,160 --> 00:29:49,120 In verse 33, you see one of the great laments in all of literature. 409 00:29:49,120 --> 00:29:56,820 It is the heart of a father broken. 410 00:29:56,820 --> 00:30:02,680 The king was deeply moved and went up to the chamber over the gate and wept. 411 00:30:02,680 --> 00:30:13,640 And thus he said as he walked, oh my son Absalom, my son, my son Absalom, would I had died instead 412 00:30:13,640 --> 00:30:20,040 of you, oh Absalom, my son, my son. 413 00:30:20,040 --> 00:30:23,200 You say, why would David feel so deeply? 414 00:30:23,200 --> 00:30:26,120 I'll tell you why. 415 00:30:26,120 --> 00:30:27,920 First place, he loved his boy. 416 00:30:27,920 --> 00:30:31,960 Do you love your children? 417 00:30:31,960 --> 00:30:33,720 He loved Absalom. 418 00:30:33,720 --> 00:30:50,200 But I think that David knew that Absalom was dead because of his failure. 419 00:30:50,200 --> 00:30:58,680 He knew that Absalom had paid a price because his dad had failed him. 420 00:30:58,680 --> 00:31:04,640 And David's heart was broken. 421 00:31:04,640 --> 00:31:08,720 Here's where I see the example of God's heart. 422 00:31:08,720 --> 00:31:15,180 Because although Absalom rebelled against him, David dearly loved him. 423 00:31:15,180 --> 00:31:21,840 And his death, although it was a just death, was not the king's desire. 424 00:31:21,840 --> 00:31:26,960 And do you understand that to be the heart of God? 425 00:31:26,960 --> 00:31:36,600 You see, God is a loving God and He loves the world and He loves you. 426 00:31:36,600 --> 00:31:41,320 God does not enjoy seeing sinners perish. 427 00:31:41,320 --> 00:31:50,400 He does not enjoy seeing justice give the sinner what he deserves because of his great 428 00:31:50,400 --> 00:31:54,060 heart of love. 429 00:31:54,060 --> 00:31:58,000 God is gracious and merciful and forgiving. 430 00:31:58,000 --> 00:32:00,440 And that is His heart toward the sinner. 431 00:32:00,440 --> 00:32:04,520 Yes, He will judge because He is holy. 432 00:32:04,520 --> 00:32:11,040 But His heart is one of great compassion for men and women. 433 00:32:11,040 --> 00:32:16,240 I just wonder if our heart is like the heart of God. 434 00:32:16,240 --> 00:32:21,880 We look out at people who are miserable in their sin and suffering the wretched consequences 435 00:32:21,880 --> 00:32:24,880 of their wickedness. 436 00:32:24,880 --> 00:32:35,240 We stand back with our arms folded rather smugly and say, well, they deserve it. 437 00:32:35,240 --> 00:32:38,920 How unlike the heart of God that is. 438 00:32:38,920 --> 00:32:46,000 I believe that David's heart here is a reflection of the heart of the Lord Himself. 439 00:32:46,000 --> 00:32:52,520 My friend, God can be merciful and gracious to the sinner because of the work of Jesus 440 00:32:52,520 --> 00:32:55,000 Christ the cross. 441 00:32:55,000 --> 00:33:05,600 When He bore the suffering and the hell of every sinner, took it upon Himself. 442 00:33:05,600 --> 00:33:07,120 That was the Father's plan. 443 00:33:07,120 --> 00:33:09,120 Did He delight to see His Son in agony? 444 00:33:09,120 --> 00:33:11,200 Of course not. 445 00:33:11,200 --> 00:33:16,920 My friend, He loved you so much. 446 00:33:16,920 --> 00:33:19,440 Dare I say it? 447 00:33:19,440 --> 00:33:27,880 He would rather see His Son suffer than to see you suffer in hell. 448 00:33:27,880 --> 00:33:31,320 That's the heart of God for you, my friend. 449 00:33:31,320 --> 00:33:37,320 How have you responded to God's love, God's compassion? 450 00:33:37,320 --> 00:33:42,460 If you've never received it tonight, I hope you will. 451 00:33:42,460 --> 00:33:46,120 David reaped what he had sown, yes. 452 00:33:46,120 --> 00:33:52,400 God was using the consequences of his sin to spank His Son, and yet God dearly loved 453 00:33:52,400 --> 00:33:54,840 him. 454 00:33:54,840 --> 00:33:59,320 Believe me in my study of David in these chapters, I am not in the least sense putting David 455 00:33:59,320 --> 00:34:00,320 down. 456 00:34:00,320 --> 00:34:03,960 David was a great man. 457 00:34:03,960 --> 00:34:11,320 This is like a fine piece of statuary that had a flaw, but one flaw in it. 458 00:34:11,320 --> 00:34:15,000 But then which of us is flawless? 459 00:34:15,000 --> 00:34:21,600 I think any of us has to humble himself next to David, the man after God's heart, the 460 00:34:21,600 --> 00:34:27,240 man who shepherded the people of Israel, not only by the skillfulness of his hands according 461 00:34:27,240 --> 00:34:31,880 to Psalm 78, but by the integrity of his heart. 462 00:34:31,880 --> 00:34:34,440 Isn't that great? 463 00:34:34,440 --> 00:34:39,000 That's how God evaluated David's heart, one of integrity. 464 00:34:39,000 --> 00:34:42,800 Oh, God is a gracious God. 465 00:34:42,800 --> 00:34:51,720 He does not allow us to sin and get away with it, but He does forgive and restore. 466 00:34:51,720 --> 00:34:53,800 Thank God for that. 467 00:34:53,800 --> 00:35:01,080 Let's bow together. 468 00:35:01,080 --> 00:35:08,840 I wonder this evening if the heart of God may not be broken over someone who is here. 469 00:35:08,840 --> 00:35:20,760 It is as though God Himself were saying regarding you, Oh my son, my daughter, God sees you 470 00:35:20,760 --> 00:35:28,160 walking in rebellion and disobedience, and yet His heart of love feels for you so tenderly, 471 00:35:28,160 --> 00:35:31,020 so deeply. 472 00:35:31,020 --> 00:35:38,360 Would you tonight give yourself a fresh to Him? 473 00:35:38,360 --> 00:35:52,800 Lord Jesus, Son of David, David's God, we worship you. 474 00:35:52,800 --> 00:36:03,720 We bless you for the grace, for the heart of compassion that is yours. 475 00:36:03,720 --> 00:36:19,760 God I pray that you would make our hearts tender, able to feel with those who are suffering. 476 00:36:19,760 --> 00:36:27,920 God we pray that we may be men and women, as was David after your own heart. 477 00:36:27,920 --> 00:36:36,240 We bless you for the grace and the mercy that you show toward us. 478 00:36:36,240 --> 00:36:42,200 Help us to respond to that fully as we ought to. 479 00:36:42,200 --> 00:36:45,520 To love you as you love us. 480 00:36:45,520 --> 00:37:09,240 Amazing grace, how sweet the sound that saved a wretch like me. 481 00:37:09,240 --> 00:37:22,120 I once was lost, but now am found. 482 00:37:22,120 --> 00:37:33,640 Was blind, but now I see. 483 00:37:33,640 --> 00:37:37,640 I wonder if with our heads bowed and our eyes closed, if we could have the organ and piano 484 00:37:37,640 --> 00:37:41,280 just play through that one time. 485 00:37:41,280 --> 00:37:49,120 As they do it, if there is someone here who needs to pray with someone else, talk with 486 00:37:49,120 --> 00:37:53,680 someone else, you need help, I'm going to ask you to slip up out of your seat and come 487 00:37:53,680 --> 00:37:55,280 right here to the front. 488 00:37:55,280 --> 00:37:58,600 We're not going to sing, the instruments are only going to play. 489 00:37:58,600 --> 00:38:04,240 It will be a brief time, but it will give you an opportunity if tonight God is speaking 490 00:38:04,240 --> 00:38:08,640 to your heart to respond to him. 491 00:38:08,640 --> 00:38:35,880 Would you all pray that God would have his way in every life?