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Thank You So Much for the Opportunity to Share with You This Morning from the Word of God

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Thank You So Much for the Opportunity to Share with You This Morning from the Word of God II Samuel 16:5-14 Dealin' with Dead Dogs Licking Valley Church of Christ January 31, 2021 Thank you so much for the opportunity to share with you this morning from the Word of God. I count it a privilege to know and minister alongside your minister, Gus. Gus and I started out in Bible college together back in 1975. He and his roommate, Jay lived on the 2nd floor right above Kevin Mack and me. We would communicate with each other - either by them stomping on the floor or us banging on the ceiling. That would signify that it was time to open our windows and to look up or down while conversing. I don't care to remember all of the gory details, but there was a time when I believe I indicated that I wanted to visit them up in their room. "Come on up!" They invited. Like a dummy, I reached up my hands through our window stretching up toward theirs. They actually agreed to my non-verbal request by pulling me up to their 2nd story dorm room and I ascended without the use of steps! Our relationship has toned down considerably over the years. I appreciate so much Gus's love for the Lord and His people. His ministry here has been an encouragement, not only to the folks of this congregation, but to so many others of us. I also appreciate your theme for the beginning of this year: Goliath Must Fall - Winning the Battle Against Your Giants. I've listened to a couple of sermons from the series and also watched this week's Louie Giglio episode that some of your small groups are using. I've decided that it was best to do a bit of research - not only on today's passage and Biblical persons, but also on Goliath and David. Surely if I dug deep enough I could find out something that you weren't aware of. Here it is: How many of you knew that David was actually older than Goliath, the giant? (Show of hands) Now I don't have an actual Bible verse or any archaeological evidence that proves this, but I know for a fact that at least on one occasion, David rocked Goliath to sleep! Let's look at another incident in the life of David several years after his victorious battle against the Philistine giant. David battled against several nations and kings. The Lord gave this king victory over so many nations and their kings. It seems as though his most serious battles were from within himself and his own family members. David is now on the move, as his son Absalom attempts to take over the throne. And now, to add insult to injury, here comes a real scoundrel by the name of Shimei to confront David. II Samuel 16:5-14 How do you deal with "Dead Dogs" like Shimei? Several times in the Old Testament we have individuals mentioned by the name Shimei. This one stands out. He is a Benjamite from the same clan of King Saul and is extremely loyal to King Saul. In my estimation, he's not too bright. Even as King David and all of his mighty troops are in a state of retreat, Shimei throws stones at them, showers them with dust, as he looks down on them from his place on high and curses David. He blames David for all of the bloodshed in the household of King Saul and it seems even indirectly for the death of King Saul. Looking at him from our point of view - he doesn't stand a chance. He seems so very puny in comparison with David the king and all of the guard surrounding him. They seem to be on opposite hillsides. It would appear that David might be downwind and down in terms of elevation from this rascal. He sees David at a low point in his life and takes advantage of it. The descriptive term, Dead Dog, seems to characterize the guy fairly well. He doesn't stand a chance. He's a lowlife who deserves to die. And then there's they guy who refers to Shimei as a "dead dog." It's one of David's most powerful men, Abishai. Abishai was extremely loyal to King David. Abishai is a valiant warrior; he is chief over David's 30 mighty men. He is the man who counsels David to kill the sleeping King Saul when they sneak up on him. Abishai was willing to put his own spear through the evil king. David refused to allow any harm to come to the Lord's anointed. Abishai and his brother work together to murder Abner, the commander in chief of Saul's army. Abishai was impetuous and a man who immediately sought revenge. Finally, you know King David. He's a man after God's own heart. He's made his share of mistakes - and sins. He's a man of much bloodshed - so much so that he is not permitted to build the temple of the Lord. You know of his sin with Bathsheba. But in today's text, he shows a great deal of restraint and shows us how to handle situations of anger. We see one who stirs up a great deal of turmoil and one who causes anger to arise. He deserves to die. We see one who immediately wants to get revenge and is ready to take matters into his own hands. And then there is David. Examine this passage and a few others and realize how God wants us to deal with our own anger. Now I don't know about you, but all of this really doesn't apply to me! Anger simply is not an issue. I show a great deal of restraint, except in certain instances. Tailgaters annoy me just a bit. Ask my wife. I'm going at least the speed limit and here he or she comes. They think just because they are bigger or younger they can increase my speed by almost pushing. I've been known to immediately let up on the gas pedal just a bit. I hate to admit it, but if they zoom over into the other lane to pass me and there's a car just slightly ahead of my opponent, I might be tempted to speed up just a bit, so that passing is an impossibility. Or if some sweet parishioner makes a comment right before the service is about to begin: "Dan, this is the third time I've told you about the soap in the ladies' rest room." (Like my job description highlighted restroom maintenance!) Or another sweet soul: "Are you preaching on this same topic again??" I'm tempted to somehow nail them during the sermon. Is it the same for you as it is for me? Family members know exactly which buttons to push to get us riled. And so very often, we want to retaliate. Need we mention the workplace? And often there are those Abishai-type cheerleaders, who would encourage us to get even. So what did David do and what does our Creator instruct us to do? 1. David Remembered his own sins. David could have handled this rascal singlehandedly. Think of what David has done in the past. He's handled a bear, a lion, and Goliath! He knows how to inspire an army to fight diligently. He has valiant warriors who will give their lives for this king. They are most ready, at David's command, to destroy anything or anyone who might threaten the king. They are secret service - magnified a few times. But that's not where we find this king. He looks at where he stands with his own Creator. David has had some serious times of self-examination. He's taken the time to meditate on his own life, his shortcomings and the magnificent mercy of the Lord. After the entire incident with Bathsheba and Uriah, David is finally convicted of his own sin and is repentant, crying out to the Lord. Psalm 51:1-4 Have mercy on me, O God, according to your unfailing love; according to your great compassion blot out my transgressions. Wash away all my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin. For I know my transgressions, and my sin is always before me. Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight, so that you are proved right when you speak and justified when you judge. There is definitely a time of weekly examination when you and I gather around the Lord's table. We find out who we really are and where we really stand in the presence of the Lord. When that truly happens, our entire perspective changes toward others - who may have wronged us. Even when they are in the midst of wronging us, remember where we stand with God. The story is told of a young couple who moved into their first apartment in town. The primary view out of the kitchen window was into the neighbor's yard where the clothesline stood. Each morning the young wife looked at the laundry hanging on the line next door. She was disgusted. "Just look at her clothes on the line. They always are spotted and soiled. They don't look clean. I'm not even sure her clothes have been washed!" One day the same woman noticed a huge change. "She finally got it right. She must have changed laundry detergent or got a new washing machine.
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