THE PROBLEM WITH PLAYING WITH SIN

THE PROBLEM WITH “PLAYING” WITH SIN

2 Samuel 2:8-17 (KJV) 8  But Abner the son of Ner, captain of Saul's host, took Ishbosheth the son of Saul, and brought him over to Mahanaim; 9  And made him king over Gilead, and over the Ashurites, and over Jezreel, and over Ephraim, and over Benjamin, and over all Israel. 10  Ishbosheth Saul's son was forty years old when he began to reign over Israel, and reigned two years. But the house of Judah followed David. 11  And the time that David was king in Hebron over the house of Judah was seven years and six months. 12  And Abner the son of Ner, and the servants of Ishbosheth the son of Saul, went out from Mahanaim to Gibeon. 13  And Joab the son of Zeruiah, and the servants of David, went out, and met together by the pool of Gibeon: and they sat down, the one on the one side of the pool, and the other on the other side of the pool. 14  And Abner said to Joab, Let the young men now arise, and play before us. And Joab said, Let them arise. 15  Then there arose and went over by number twelve of Benjamin, which pertained to Ishbosheth the son of Saul, and twelve of the servants of David. 16  And they caught every one his fellow by the head, and thrust his sword in his fellow's side; so they fell down together: wherefore that place was called Helkathhazzurim, which is in Gibeon. 17  And there was a very sore battle that day; and Abner was beaten, and the men of Israel, before the servants of David.

BEFORE THIS DAY THERE HAS BEEN A LOT OF WATER UNDER THE BRIDGE.

AFTER THE DEATH OF SAUL, ABNER MAKES ISHBOSHETH KING OVER ISRAEL.

Abner—was first cousin of Saul, commander of the forces, and held in high respect throughout the country.

DAVID WAS MADE KING IN HEBRON AND JUDEA FOLLOWED HIM.

OUR TEXT: WE HAVE THE TWO GENERALS MEETING BY A POOL IN GIBEON.

ABNER…..WITH ISHBOSHETHS MEN

JOAB…….WITH DAVID’S MEN

CAN YOU FEEL THE TENSION IN THE AIR?

2 Samuel 2:14 (KJV) 14  And Abner said to Joab, Let the young men now arise, and play before us. And Joab said, Let them arise.

THE BIBLE DOSENT SAY WHAT THEY PLAYED, BUT I DON’T THINK THEY MEANT TO KILL EACH OTHER.

PLAYED--#7832 TO LAUGH (IN PLEASURE, BY IMPLICATION, TO PLAY) TO MAKE MERRY

BIBLE DOSNT SAY HOW LONG THEY PLAYED, BUT I’M SURE IT WAS VERY TENSE (HARD FEELINGS)

24 YOUNG MEN DIED WHILE PLAYING

A BATTLE BROKE OUT & 380 MEN DIED

WIVES WERE MADE WIDOWS

CHILDREN WERE MADE FATHERLESS

I’M PREACHING ON “THE PROBLEM WITH PLAYING”

PLAYING WILL GET OUT OF CONTROL!

IN 2005 TWO DADS GOT INTO A FIGHT AT LITTLE LEAGUE BALL GAME. (ONE DAD KILLED THE OTHER)

ABNER FLEES FROM THE BATTLE & ASAHEL, JOABS BROTHER RUNS AFTER HIM.

BIBLE SAYS ASAHEL CAN RUN LIKE A DEER

2 Samuel 2:20-23 (KJV) 20  Then Abner looked behind him, and said, Art thou Asahel? And he answered, I am. 21  And Abner said to him, Turn thee aside to thy right hand or to thy left, and lay thee hold on one of the young men, and take thee his armour. But Asahel would not turn aside from following of him. 22  And Abner said again to Asahel, Turn thee aside from following me: wherefore should I smite thee to the ground? how then should I hold up my face to Joab thy brother? 23  Howbeit he refused to turn aside: wherefore Abner with the hinder end of the spear smote him under the fifth rib, that the spear came out behind him; and he fell down there, and died in the same place: and it came to pass, that as many as came to the place where Asahel fell down and died stood still.

MAYBE TRYING TO KNOCK HIM OFF BALANCE?

JOAB AND ABISHAI PURSUE AFTER HIM TILL THE SUN WENT DOWN.

2 Samuel 2:25-26 (KJV) 25  And the children of Benjamin gathered themselves together after Abner, and became one troop, and stood on the top of an hill. 26  Then Abner called to Joab, and said, Shall the sword devour for ever? knowest thou not that it will be bitterness in the latter end? how long shall it be then, ere thou bid the people return from following their brethren?

SO JOAB TURNS BACK TO FIND THAT HIS BROTHER HAS BEEN KILLED BY ABNER.

CHAPTER 3 KING ISBOSHETH GETS ANGRY WITH ABNER

ABNER MEETS WITH DAVID IN AN ATEMPT TO BRING BOTH SIDES TOGETHER.

AFTER ABNER LEAVES SOMEBODY TOLD JOAB “YOU JUST MISSED ABNER, HE WAS TALKING TO DAVID”

2 Samuel 3:26-27 (KJV) 26  And when Joab was come out from David, he sent messengers after Abner, which brought him again from the well of Sirah: but David knew it not. 27  And when Abner was returned to Hebron, Joab took him aside in the gate to speak with him quietly, and smote him there under the fifth rib, that he died, for the blood of Asahel his brother.

I CAN ONLY IMAGINE WHAT WENT THROUGH THE MIND OF ABNER, AS HE LAY DYING:

MAYBE HIS OWN WORDS “LET MEN PLAY”?

“I DIDN’T MEAN FOR THINGS TO GO THIS FAR”

“YOU CANT PLAY WITH SONS OF ZERUIAH”

“HOW DID THINGS GET OUT OF CONTROL?”

THAT’S THE PROBLEM WITH PLAYING WITH SIN, IT ALWAYS GETS OUT OF CONTROL.

LOOK AT DAVID

PLAYED WITH LUST ON THE ROOFTOP

HE TOOK BATHSHEBA AND LAID WITH HER

HE DIDN’T WANT TO KILL URIAH, BUT THAT’S THE PROBLEM WITH PLAYING.

THEN HIS BABY DIES

I CAN HEAR DAVID SAY “I DIDN’T MEAN FOR THIS TO HAPPEN”

LET BRITAN OR FRANCE LOSE A CLOSE SOCCER GAME. (BURN CARS, BUST WINDOWS ETC)

STORY: LIZ WOOLEY TRIED TO SUE THE MAKERS OF THE GAME “EVERQUEST” AFTER HER SON COMMITTED SUCIDE.

He shot himself because of the game," says his mother.

She says he was completely addicted to it.

"He couldn't stay off it. That's how strong that game is.

You can't just get up and walk away," she says.

In the end, she says, the game became his life.

LOOK AT JUDAS

STARTED WITH TAKING A LITTLE HERE AND THERE.

ENDED WITH HIM CLIMBING A TREE WITH A ROPE IN HIS HAND.

LOOK AT SAMSON

HE JUST LIKES TO FIRT WITH WOMEN. HARMLESS RIGHT?

HE PLAYED AROUND ONE TIME TO MANY

HE WOKE UP ONE MORNING WITH DELILHA SAYING “THE PHILISTINES BE UPON THEE”

HE DOES WHAT HE’S ALWAYS DONE, HE SHAKES HIMSELF

BUT ITS DIFFERENT THIS TIME, THE SPIRIT OF GOD IS GONE!

CAN YOU HEAR HIM IN PRISON, EYES GONE, “I DIDN’T MEAN FOR THINGS TO GO THIS FAR?”

STORY: I PREACHED FOR A MAN WHOSE WIFE COMMITTED ADULTRY WITH A MAN IN THE CHURCH.

WHEN I ASKED WHAT HAPPENED, HERES WHAT I WAS TOLD

“WHILE I WAS BUSY SHAKING HANDS THIS MAN WAS HELPING MY WIFE WITH THE BABY”

“HE WOULD HELP HER WITH THE DIAPER BAG”

IF YOU FLIRT WITH THE DEVIL HE WILL MAKE A PASS AT YOU!

HOMES HAVE BEEN DESTROYED

FAMILES FOREVER TORE UP

KIDS SUFFER

STARTED WITH JUST HARMLESS “PLAYING”

TALK TO LADY AT WORK BUT GROUCH AT YOUR WIFE

Proverbs 26:18-19 (KJV) 18  As a mad man who casteth firebrands, arrows, and death, 19  So is the man that deceiveth his neighbour, and saith, Am not I in sport?

DON’T POINT A GUN AT ME AND SAY “I’M ONLY KIDDING”

LOOK AT PETER

HIS PRIDE GOT HIM IN TROUBLE

“NOT I, I’LL GO WITH YOU ALL THE WAY”

STORY: two proud Texans that were trying to impress each other with the size of their ranches. One asked the other, "What's the name of your ranch?"

He replied, "The Rocking R, ABC, Flying W, Circle C, Bar U, Staple Four, Box D, Rolling M, Rainbow's End, Silver Spur Ranch."

The questioner was very impressed and exclaimed, "Whew partner! That's sure some name! How many head of cattle do ya'll run?" The rancher answered, "Not many. Very few survive the branding!"

VERY FEW EVER SURVIVE THE BRANDING OF PRIDE.

ILLUSTRATION: MUHAMAD ALI TOLD A STEWARDESS THAT “SUPERMAN DON’T NEED A SEATBELT” SHE REPLIED “SUPERMAN DON’T NEED NO PLAN”

PLAYING GAMES AT CALVARY

GAMBLED FOR HIS GARMENTS

HOW CAN YOU PLAY GAMES AT A TIME LIKE THIS?

OUR TEXT: ALL 24 YOUNG MEN DIED

NOBODY WINS PLAYING GAMES WITH SIN