David: A Man After God’s Own Heart – Sermon #21

 

2 Samuel 19:15-17; 24; 31; 20:1

HOW WILL YOU MEET THE KING?

Intro: This chapter finds King David returning to his home and his throne in Jerusalem after a forced exile caused by the rebellion of Absalom his son.  Absalom has been killed and the king is returning to take his rightful place on the throne of Israel.  David’s return finds the people of Israel at odds over his return.  Some are prepared for the return of the king, others are not so glad to see him return.

      In this chapter, and in the first verse of chapter 20, we are presented with 5 different people who met the King.  Each individual meets King David with a different attitude and from a different point of view.  Needless to say, before we are done, we will see that while the king’s return was a time of joy, not everyone was happy to see David coming back to Jerusalem.

      Today, I want to intertwine this passage with the account of another returning King.  The Bible tells us that there is a King named Jesus who left this earth one day to go back to Heaven.  Before He left, He gave His people some precious promises that stand as a glorious hope for the people of God, 1.  John 14:1-3; 2.  Acts 1:9-11; 3.  Rev 22:20.  These promises are a great blessing for those who know and love the King.  But, they signal doom for those who do not know Him.

      Now the truth of the matter is this, not everyone will meet Jesus the same way when He returns.  Some will be excited and happy, others will be caught off guard, still others will be found lost and undone and will find that an eternity in Hell is all they have before them.  The question I have for you today is this: How will you meet the King?

      Today, I would like to look at a few of the people who met King David when he returned from exile and I would like to show you, from the accounts of these men, how many will meet King Jesus when He returns some day.  I would like to show you the ways various people will meet King Jesus when He returns.  As I preach this message, please allow the Lord to speak to you heart and look inwardly, at yourself, as you consider the question that must be answered, How Will You Meet The King?

 

  I.  V. 17                     SOME WILL BE WORRIED

A.  When David returned one of the people who met him was a man named Ziba.  This man had some real reasons to be worried when he saw the king coming.

      When David left Jerusalem, Ziba came to the king and brought him food and other necessities, 1 Sam. 16:1-4.  In the process of giving food to the king, Ziba took the time to slander the name of Mephibosheth, and by doing so he obtained all the property that belonged to Mephibosheth under false pretenses.  In short, Ziba lied to the king and attempted to deceive him.  Therefore, Ziba was worried, and rightly so, when he saw the king coming.

B.  Ziba is a picture of the folks in the church who profess love and allegiance for the King, but who, in reality, are not for Him at all!  In other words, Ziba is a portrait of the hypocrite!  Sadly, many are guilty of hypocrisy because they claim to be one thing and like another.

            Folks, this is not the way things were designed to be!  When the Lord saves a soul, He takes possession of that life, 1 Cor. 6:19-20.  The saved person loses all rights and control over his/her life.  As a result, we are expected by the Lord to live for Him, 1 Pet. 1:16; 2 Cor. 6:17.  Still, many who say they are saved refuse to get in line with the Lord!

C.  Will you be worried when Jesus comes?  Yes, if you are not living a sold out life before the Lord.  If you have chosen to be unfaithful to the Lord, His house and His work, then you have reason to worry, because when He comes, we will all stand before Him at the Judgment Seat of Christ, 2Cor. 5:10; Rom. 14:12. 

 

      (Ill. Someone may say, “Can’t I live as I please?”  Yes, but know there will be a price to pay - Eccl. 11:9; Gal. 6:7.  But, here is the real question you should be answering: “If I can live like I please, am I really saved?”  You see, along with salvation comes a desire to live for the Lord!)

 

(Ill. I will briefly mention Shimei.  He also came to meet King David and I am sure that he was worried at the king’s coming.  When David left the city, Shimei had followed after David, cursing him as he did, 2 Sam. 16:5-13.  Now, David has returned and Shimei is forced to face the King.

      Now, there are many, many people who are living life on their own terms.  They deny Jesus, mock Jesus and refuse to submit to His authority in their lives.  Still, there is coming a day when every person who has ever lived on this earth will face Jesus some day, Rom. 14:12.  The saved ones will face Him at the Judgment Seat of Christ, 2 Cor. 5:10; 1 Cor. 3:10-15.  The lost will face Him at the Greta White Throne judgment, Rev. 20:11-15.

      The best thing to do, in light of His coming, is be prepared.  If you are lost, come to Jesus today and be saved.  If you are saved, live your life in such a fashion that you will not be ashamed at His appearing.)

D.  The return of Jesus doesn’t have to be anticipated with worry and fear, but know that many will be caught off guard by the return of Jesus, but it need not be so.  Jesus Himself warned us to be ready, Matt. 24:44.

 

II.  V. 19-30                    SOME WILL BE WAITING

A.  Among those who came to meet David was a man named Mephibosheth.  This was the man who had been misrepresented by his servant Ziba.  When Mephibosheth comes out to meet the king, we see that he hasn’t washed or shaved since the day David left Jerusalem.  He has apparently spent his time in mourning over the king’s absence and in waiting for his return.  There is a very good reason for this. 

            Mephibosheth’s story is told in 2 Sam. 9:1-13.  He was a descendent of Saul and as such was the enemy of David.  David had every right to kill Mephibosheth, but instead, David spared the crippled man and took him into his own family and treated him as one of his own sons.  Mephibosheth’s love was based on what the king had dome for him, He longed for nothing more than to see the king.

 

      (Ill. When David did return, he acted a little unfairly in regard to Mephibosheth, v. 29, but the love of Mephibosheth is seen in the fact that he cared not about his land or property, he only cared about being with the king.)

 

B.  Not every Christian will be worried when Jesus comes.  There are some who spend their lives waiting for Jesus to return.  To their hearts there will be no sweeter sound than to hear that trumpet blast and the shout from Heaven, “Come up hither!”  Some of you are looking for Him right now!  I want every one who is looking for the Lord Jesus to know that one day your heart’s cry will be answered.  Jesus will do as he said and He will return in power and glory and take His people to be with Him in Heaven, 1 Thes. 4:16-17; 1 Cor. 15:51-52.  Yes, praise His wonderful Name, Jesus is coming again.

C.  Will you be waiting when He returns?  When the truth of what the Lord has done for you dawns in your soul, you will be possessed by a love for Him that cannot be explained.  When you consider that He has forgiven every sin, removed the penalty of your sins and even broken power of sin; how could you not want to see Him?  When you remember that He loves you and keeps you and blesses you with more than is ever deserved, it will touch your heart and will cause you to long for His return.  My friends please do not let the return of Jesus catch you looking at the world and all its treasures.  Instead, strive to found looking for Jesus when He returns.  Are you looking for Jesus Christ today?  If so, then rejoice, for He might return today.  The King is coming, keep watching and keep waiting for He will return, Heb. 9:28.

 

III.  V. 31-40                   SOME WILL BE WORKING

A.  Barzillai was another of those who came to meet David when he returned to Jerusalem.  Barzillai meets the return of the king with great joy and happiness.  He is glad that the king has returned and even though he is 80 years old, he still comes down to welcome the king home.  Not much is known about this man the Bible calls “great”, 2 Sam. 19:32.  However, the Bible does give us one glimpse into his life.  It seems that when David was away in exile that Barzillai was faithful in his service to the king and was instrumental in seeing that the king’s needs were met, 2 Sam. 17:27-29.  When the king returns, we find that same spirit active in the life of this faithful man.  He is still serving the king when he returns.  Yes, Barzillai was old, yet he kept working for the king.

B.  Will you be found working when our King returns?  In truth today, there are a lot of Christians who are AWOL today.  They have been saved but they refuse to serve the Lord with faithfulness.  They are afflicted with what the Bible terms “divers diseases”, Matt. 4:24.  Notice some of these afflictions:

1.  Sundayitis - (Also known as “Morbus Sabbaticus”) - This baffling condition produces symptoms that are only seen on Sunday.  It produces acute laziness in the person afflicted.  It causes them to sleep in, or it can make them spend the day in the mountains or at the lake.  This strange disease never seems to affect singings or eating meetings, but only those services where the Word of God is featured.  Symptoms are usually worse from 9 AM to 12 PM.  During the afternoon, the sufferer feels better until 5 or 6 PM when the symptoms return.  The patient is almost always better by Monday morning allowing him to return to work, but sadly he usually suffers a relapse on Wednesday that keeps him away from prayer meeting.

2.  Black Tongue – Characterized by idle gossip.  This disease usually ties the tongue securely in the middle, leaving to loose on both ends.  This affliction makes the sufferer very disagreeable because they usually don’t have a kind word to say about anybody.

3.  Spiritual Paralysis - This sad condition doesn’t affect any other of life except the Lord’s work.  People can hunt, fish, go on vacation, etc.  They usually look well and can attend church will little problems.  The only symptom is inactivity.  This disease usually causes the afflicted to refuse all jobs in the church.  The most common phrase heard from those afflicted is, “Get someone else.”

4.  Sore Eyes – This disease causes the sufferer to be on the constant look out for something wrong.  This affliction causes the one affected by it to see only the bad in every person and situation they encounter.  This disease usually accompanies “Black Tongue.”

5.  Spiritual Indigestion – Causes upset stomachs and produces lots of gas. This disease is almost always triggered by the preaching of the Word of God.  The sufferer has a strong desire for spiritual milk.  When they are fed strong meat, the symptoms usually return.

6.  Spiritual Malnutrition – The sufferer is unusually weak in the faith and cannot seem to develop a consistent walk with God.  This disease is caused by a lack of Bible study and overindulgence in worldly pleasures.

7.  Spiritual Bruises – Causes extreme soreness in the area of bruise.  When the preacher preaches on faithfulness, tithing, obedience, surrender, etcetera, this disease becomes easy to diagnose. This is the easiest of the spiritual diseases to detect because the patient will yell when the sore spot is touched.

8.  Cirrhosis Of The Giver - This all too common affliction produces severe tenderness in the area immediately around the wallet and the checkbook.  It causes the sufferer to feel compelled to give as little as possible to the Lord and His Kingdom’s work.

     

(Ill. There are some in this room that are afflicted with one or more of these diseases.  My question for you is this; will you be found working when Jesus returns?  Barzillai was faithful to David and he kept living, giving and working until the king returned.  Can the same be said of your life?  It should be said about every child of God - 1 Cor. 4:2.)

   

C.  Thank God, there are some who are still working!  They love the Lord and are still in His vineyard laboring for the Master. May I remind those of you who have decided to remain faithful to the Lord that He will bless your faithfulness to Him?  The day will come when He will receive you into His blessed presence and reward you openly, Matt. 25:23.  Do not give up the fight.  Keep doing what you are doing!  Stand your ground for Jesus and if everyone falls around you, if others leave the battlefield, you just keep fighting for the glory of the Lord.  Those who stand will receive the victory, 2 Sam. 23:11-12.  Will you be found working when the King comes?  (Ill. Luke 12:40-48.)

 

IV.  20:1                           SOME WILL BE WITHOUT

A.  There was one other fellow who met David when he came back.  His name was Sheba.  He is described in verse 1 and a “son of Belial.” This phrase refers to “a person who is a rebel or a wicked man.”  This man Sheba had one thing on his mind and that was overthrowing the king.  He wanted to see David ousted from the throne.  He hated David and tried to lead Israel in rebelling against King David.  In response, David’s generals went after Sheba and he was finally killed, 2 Sam. 20:22.

B.  This man Sheba represents all of those are enemies of the Lord Jesus Christ.  Now, many may feel that they are not His enemies, but the truth of the matter is that every person who is not in a personal relationship with Jesus is the enemy of God, Rom. 8:7.  When King Jesus returns, these people will find themselves in the same position as Sheba, They will find themselves shut out of the Kingdom and shut out of an eternity in Heaven.  Will you be without when Jesus comes? 

            If you are not saved, you will find yourself on the outside of salvation, on the outside of Heaven, on the outside of hope and on the outside of the mercy and grace of God.  (Ill. The parable of the 10 Virgins - Matt. 25:1-13.)  If the Lord comes and finds you lost in sin, then there is no place for you but Hell - 2 Thes. 1:8-9.

C.  The good news today is that the return\n of Jesus doesn’t have to catch you off guard.  You can be ready and you can be saved today.  You see, 2,000 years ago a man named Jesus went to a cross and gave His life in the place of yours.  If you will receive Him as the sacrifice for your sins, then God will save you soul and take you to Heaven when you leave this world, Acts 16:31; John 3:16; Rev. 22:17.  Then, when Jesus does come, you will be ready.  Do not be like Sheba and find yourself lost forever.  Be saved and have a blessed eternity.

 

Conc: How will you meet the King?  If Jesus came today, and He could, would you be worried?  Would you be found waiting?  Would you be found working?  Or, would you be found without?  Like it or not, Jesus is coming again and when He does, He will find you in one of these four situations.  Which will it be for you? 

      Right now is the moment of decision.  Right now is the time to come to the Lord and to make things right with Him.  Will you do what you need to do so that when King Jesus comes you will be able to meet Him without fear?