Campaign 983 BC - 2 Samuel 15
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Many Christians, like most of the populace, believe the political structures can cure all our ills. The fact is, however, that government, by its very nature, is limited in what it can accomplish. What it does best is perpetuate its own power and bolster its own bureaucracies. —Charles (Chuck) Colson
Many Christians, like most of the populace, believe the political structures can cure all our ills. The fact is, however, that government, by its very nature, is limited in what it can accomplish. What it does best is perpetuate its own power and bolster its own bureaucracies. —Charles (Chuck) Colson
He said by its very nature. It is in the nature of government to perpetuate its own power and bolster its own bureaucracies. I think it’s all pretty obvious to us that this is true and yet it is amazing how much of our trust is in it. How much of our trust is really in government? I have to say that I am surprised as to the reaction of people after the last election. Riots? Beatings? Assault? Hatred? Celebrities crying on twitter? Threats? And most surprising are all of us who profess to be Christian and yet spout so much hatred and profanity all over media and social media about the elections. I am seeing Stolen hearts with the hardened seeds of rebellion. How much of our hope is really in our government?
In May of 2010, Indiana congressman Mark Souder resigned his position after confessing to an affair with a part-time staffer. In more than a dozen emails to WORLD magazine, Souder reflected on his downfall. In one email, he shares how difficult it is to keep people in power in check. "Politicians and any top professionals are skilled manipulators and smooth with words," he wrote. "Holding us accountable is hard."
When we hear the constant jokes about politics and politicians and the fact that they are funny means that we know this. Many of us can relate when Phil Collins and Genesis sings about the land of confusion. We know this and yet world turns upside down and all of the hope in the world are crushed by the election of a leader. Many of us believe what Colson had to say and we understand the reality of a sinful human being so we know the huge short comings of human governmental institutions. Are we really that surprised? So how much hope do we really have in our government? Has the world stolen our hearts like a political candidate does and has the corruption of sin in us cause us to hardened into rebellion. Are our hearts divided?
Today are we not to look to Christ in all things? Do we believe that all authority in heaven and on earth has been given to Him while He sits on the right hand of the Father watching His enemies become His foot stool? The reality is that the pattern of the world does all that it can to get us to put our hope in it rather than in the Lord? Is our hope in life more in our governments or in our Lord Jesus? Is our happiness truly dependent upon government policies, agencies, deals and political compromises?
Now governing authorities are not bad in it of itself for it is an institution set up by God. Government and Authority is a divine institution, yes, but it is not the end all save all. It is to keep the peace in the land, but it is not the way the truth and the life. Right? Sure it can create a divided country, but it all starts with the divided hearts of its citizens. Either way, it does look like in many cases today that the pattern of the world has stolen our hearts and have hardened it. I know it has just because of the way we respond to governmental issues. It does because of the crafty deception of sin and the corruption of sin in us. We could have been duped! And yet we tend to put our hope in the world instead of the Lord and we don't even know we are doing it. Chuck Colson said it right here...The fact is, however, that government, by its very nature, is limited in what it can accomplish. The world steals our hearts like the best politicians can and do, but sin causes it to become hardened in rebellion.
In today's passage we find this at work in the rebellion of Absalom. Last week we found manipulation used to bring the banished Absalom back home. It took a bit more to gain a meeting with his father. But what was important to see last week was the way the author described Absalom. He had all of the eternal qualities that we all find desirous, but he was and would be found wanting when it comes to internal qualities.
Now he desired to run for office with Campaign 983 BC. He desired to be the voice for the voiceless. For the little man, the middle man for the non-committal man. When people would come to the kingdom for help from the king, Absalom would meet them and tell them that they have a case and that they needed someone to be a judge for them. An advocate to bring them justice and to meet their needs. He also reached out to the people by joining them. Though he was royalty he did not allow the people to bow down to him but took them by the hand and kissed them. He stole their hearts.
Absalom asked to the king to go to Hebron, the very place David was anointed King, and sent out secret messages to men everywhere to stir up a rebellion against King David. He had messaged say that when they hear the horn, it means that Absalom was declared to be king and the conspiracy gained more and more momentum. So much so that it caused David the King to flee. He led a hard hearted rebellion against the king that they all loved.
After this, Absalom bought a chariot and horses, and he hired fifty bodyguards to run ahead of him. He got up early every morning and went out to the gate of the city. When people brought a case to the king for judgment, Absalom would ask where in Israel they were from, and they would tell him their tribe. Then Absalom would say, “You’ve really got a strong case here! It’s too bad the king doesn’t have anyone to hear it. I wish I were the judge. Then everyone could bring their cases to me for judgment, and I would give them justice!”
When people tried to bow before him, Absalom wouldn’t let them. Instead, he took them by the hand and kissed them. Absalom did this with everyone who came to the king for judgment, and so he stole the hearts of all the people of Israel.
The grass withers, the flower fades, but the Word of our God stands forever.
Stolen Hearts
2. Hardened Hearts
3. New Hearts
In our passage today, we will first look into how our hearts can be stolen by the manipulation and deception of ungodly leadership and second, how our hearts become hardened against the true and beloved King because of the effects of sin in the world and the corruption of sin within us. Finally, we will see how the Lord our King saves our hearts by giving us new hearts all promised to us in the New Covenant according to the Gospel of Jesus.
Thesis: Though sin and the pattern of this world cause our hearts to be stolen away from the arms of our King and our hearts to be hardened against the love of our King, it is the power of the Holy Spirit, through the power of the Gospel, that softens our diamond hard hearts and shows us that Christ is our real treasure and where our treasure is there our heart will be also.
I. Stolen Hearts
- Is the world stealing our hearts today? It resonates and relates.
A. Not only was Absalom dashing in appearance, with him able to grow 5 pounds of hair every year. He also went out to buy horses and chariots probably added for bling to the surface of the jett-setting GQ prince of Israel.
B. But as we saw, it was not just him showing off. Those running a campaign know that it will take more than just good looks to win the office. You gotta resonate and relate with those who you intend to lead. You have to win them over. Absalom went to the court house where the people were to hear them out. To sit with them and hear their problems and concerns. To show them that he is interested in hearing them out and that their needs and wants are important. He needs them to know he understands them; agrees with them.
C. He continues to affirm them. He Resonates. You have a great case here. You have a good point. You need justice in your situation. He affirmed them. And now what was the brilliant political move here. The "Unfortunately" clause. You have a great case here my friend, but unfortunately there is no one assigned here to bring your case before the king. Does this not lead someone to nominate? This is showing the short comings or to breed dissatisfaction in the incumbent. "You’ve really got a strong case here! It’s too bad the king doesn’t have anyone to hear it." He Resonates.
D. Absalom was clear and emphatic that he would stand up for them. To stand up for their rights. Oh that I were to be a judge. I would stand up for you. I would make it right. He is brilliantly politicking. Stealing their hearts. Here is another point of interest… Now remember he was not an actual judge... he only said that he would do it, if it were so. Was he really going to do it all? We don't know. Just like when we vote for someone today, we don't know if they are gonna do it or not.
- Dr. Davis writes... Absalom didn’t have to make those hard and often unpopular judgments; he only had to claim he would. He only had to suggest he wanted to have a government that cares. The Goal was to resonate to come to agreement not necessarily fix it.
E. The other thing he does is relate. He relates. He works on relating to the common man. He desires to become "A man of the people." Sound familiar? He was the son of a king... when people came into his presence, they would normally bow before him because he was the prince of Israel.
F. He would not let them do it. Showing the sign that he is flattering them in that they are important enough or he is not as important that bowing therefore is not necessary. It was an equaling moment. This would make the people feel as if they are important to him. A bringing up of a person. Just like if a person of high status pays attention to us, it makes us feel good or important. This is the reason why we name drop. Another important political task... shake hands with the people. But Absalom did one better. He relates. Not only do I understand and agree with you… the reason why I do is because… I am you.
G. He kissed them. He showed them real affection. Dr. Davis writes… An office-seeker will loosen his tie, unbutton his collar, roll up his sleeves, don a farmer’s hat with ‘Dekalb’ on the front, brave the slop by the hog pen, put one foot up on the fence rail, and be photographed in earnest conversation with an Iowa farmer about the latter’s needs and problems. That photograph is meant to say, ‘See! Here’s a fellow who gets down where the people are—down with the hogs and the corn; he’s not isolated in some air-conditioned office in Des Moines.’ That was Absalom’s technique. Should someone suggest the Hilton for lunch, Absalom would say, ‘Naw, Burger King’s fine with me.’ He was down where the people are.
An office-seeker will loosen his tie, unbutton his collar, roll up his sleeves, don a farmer’s hat with ‘Dekalb’ on the front, brave the slop by the hog pen, put one foot up on the fence rail, and be photographed in earnest conversation with an Iowa farmer about the latter’s needs and problems. That photograph is meant to say, ‘See! Here’s a fellow who gets down where the people are—down with the hogs and the corn; he’s not isolated in some air-conditioned office in Des Moines.’ That was Absalom’s technique. Should someone suggest the Hilton for lunch, Absalom would say, ‘Naw, Burger King’s fine with me.’ He was down where the people are.
H. Like Ariel sang... I wanna be where the people are I wanna see, wanna see them dancing'. I think you get my point. He relates.
I. This is where all the resonating and relating comes together. v.6 - "and so he stole the hearts of all the people of Israel." This is not intended to be a good thing by the author. It’s not like it is used today. It means that he duped the people. He deceived the people. He tricked them into trusting him, for following him... in other words... voting for him.
In 1987, The New York Times reported on a radioactive contamination accident in Brazil caused four deaths and left 112,000 people with radioactive contamination. Several houses had to be destroyed and the International Atomic Energy Agency labeled it as "one of the world's worst radiological incidents."
The incident began when a private radiotherapy institute moved to a new site and unknowingly left behind a container of radioactive material inside an obsolete unit used for cancer treatments. Two men illegally entered the partially demolished building and disassembled the unit. The container with radioactive material was deemed to have scrap value so they wheeled it home. There one of the thieves punctured a small hole in the container's thick window "allowing him to see a deep blue light coming from the tiny opening he had created."
The thieves sold the container to Devair Alves Ferreira, the owner of a local scrapyard. He "noticed the blue glow from the punctured capsule. Thinking the capsule's contents were valuable or even supernatural, he immediately brought it into his house. Over the next three days, he invited friends and family to view the strange glowing substance."
As Mr. Ferreira and several other workers took the machine apart. … Inside, they found the shiny bluish dust which, they later told doctors, glowed in the dark. Attracted by the pretty powder, several people handled it, examined it, and even rubbed it on their skin. Soon many people became very sick. A medical physicist used a device to confirm the presence of radioactive materials and alerted the authorities.
J. Do we realize that this happens to us today? Not just with politicians and governments, but the world. What happens to us when the world and its patterns lure us into its ways by promising and not delivering. The deceptions do continue today. It promises happiness, success, wealth, prosperity or better yet .... promises for power, pleasure, profit and popularity. It is rubbing off on us. We hear the same kinds of slogans and propaganda from the pulpits of many of our churches today… instead of hearing what the bible says of those who desire to live a godly life will be persecuted, but those who desire to live a godly life will have power, pleasure, profit and popularity.
K. The problem is that many of these things are lies. They are deceptions. The intent is to deceive us, to dupe us or to steal our hearts. The arguments and temptations are so good and crafty that it will cause us to be indifferent with all that we know is true. So crafty that we would even doubt the very word of God. As crafty as the Devil in his temptation of Adam and Eve. The deceitful promises of the world that pulls us away from our commitment to Christ. Our very devotion. Sure the world resonates with us, relates with us, but it cannot restore us. Sure the world can sympathize with us, it can sooth us, but it cannot save us. Sure Absalom could hear the people, plead their case, make them feel like he could, even though he had no power to do so. He just had to make them believe that he did.
L. How many of us today are deceived like this. Those who make promises and fooled us into thinking that they actually had the power to do something about it. Story of former members of Central Baptist and the healing lady.
But I fear that somehow your pure and undivided devotion to Christ will be corrupted, just as Eve was deceived by the cunning ways of the serpent.
L. There are deceptions in this world as crafty and as skilled as Absalom and its whole point is to lead us away from Christ. They want to steal your heart.
Jesus told them, “Don’t let anyone mislead you, for many will come in my name, claiming, ‘I am the Messiah.’ They will deceive many.
M. There is so much out there trying to steal our hearts away from our Lord Jesus. There are forces and people in the world that are trying to deceive us. Think of all of the things trying to weaken your commitment to Christ. Your devotion to Christ. You know what they are. All of that which keep you from following hard after the Lord. What are those things in our lives stealing our hearts? They resonate and relate to rip you off. But it gets worse.
II. Hardened Hearts
- Are our stolen hearts now hardening? Hardened Hearts cause rebellion.
A. Absalom stole their hearts and received a commitment to him so much so that they would go against their king. The beloved king David. And they did. He sent out secret messages to all the people to declare him king of Israel. And they did. Implicit in the sound of the horn was a call to arms for whatever it was that Absalom wanted. Even a rebellion against the beloved king David. And they did. Hardness leads to rebellion.
B. What is also extraordinary is that Absalom was able to take 200 men from David, even though they did not know his intentions. But we find that there were more and more who would join in the conspiracy against the beloved king David. We even saw that Ahithophel would be seduced by Absalom and turn against the beloved king David. David was a beloved king and would be beloved by the people for year and years and there were some who would even turn on the beloved king. They did. Why? Because their hearts were hardened against David and ultimately the Lord.
C. Hardened hearts aka stubbornness are the foundation to rebellion.
“But they say, ‘That is in vain! We will follow our own plans, and will every one act according to the stubbornness of his evil heart.’
Jeremiah 18:12
But because you are stubborn and refuse to turn from your sin, you are storing up terrible punishment for yourself. For a day of anger is coming, when God’s righteous judgment will be revealed.
D. This is a reason why the deception and the falling in with the pattern of this world is detrimental. Not only does it weaken our devotion to Christ, it hardens our hearts to actual rebellion. Many times when we are deceived it may just begin with little things not reading our bible or praying as much. Not going to church or bible studies as much. Not fellowshipping with other Christians as much. Many times, it leads to rebellion. Because our hearts are being stolen by the world and harness against God seeps in. Rebellion. Shane, I know, but what has God done for me lately. Nothing. So, I am taking matters into my own hands. Looking to others who want to help. They want to help. Funny now we have real problems now.
E. Now we find ourselves in blatant disobedience. In hostility. In unusual self-centeredness or selfishness. Hatred, fornication, profanity, you name it. Not only are we not being or doing what God requires, we are now doing what God forbids. Have our hearts been hardened today? We know we are not doing what we are supposed to (Hearts were stolen), now are we doing what we are not supposed to do?(Hearts were hardened).
Lee Eclov shares the following true story about a conversation between Max, a first grader in Lee's congregation, and Max's dad, Todd.
Dad: Max! Why didn't you answer me when I called you?
Max: I didn't hear you, Dad.
Dad: What do you mean you didn't hear me?
Max does not respond.
Dad: How many times didn't you hear me?
Max: I don't know, maybe three or four times.
F. One of the ways we seen this manifested recently is the reaction to the election. And I am talking about the church. We have got to pray that the Lord will give us the strength to guard our hearts. It all starts with the world stealing our hearts. The temptation to go astray. The sinful desires to fall away. The passions of the flesh that covet, that scheme, that lust with the eyes. There is so much in the world coming after us… coming after our hearts. They want to steal our hearts, that is why we have got to guard our hearts!
Guard your heart above all else,
for it determines the course of your life.
- In a nutshell… stolen hearts lead to rebellion. Oh, what a horrible course of life to lead a life of rebellion against the Lord.
III. New Hearts
- And I will give you a new heart, and I will put a new spirit in you.
A. In light of all this. The reality is that stolen and hard hearted hearts are the fundamental materials for the flesh or our sin nature. For many of us, we can relate. I'm sure there was a point even last week where we did not do something that we know we were supposed to do. And many of us can think of things we did that we were not supposed to do. This is the reality of sin and remaining in in the heart of a believer.
B. This is the reality of sin. It is the reality of the real seduction of the pattern of this world. It is the reality of weakness of the flesh. It is the reality of how easily we can be deceived. Again it is the reality of sin. And the Word of God declares that the wages of sin is death. The consequence here is not 4 more years of a president you don't like; it is eternal destruction in utter darkness. But there is hope. And it is not in government. It is found in Christ and in Christ alone. All have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. The wages of sin is death. The punishment for rebellion in our heart is hell. A place of weeping and gnashing of teeth. Is there hope for us today? Yes. It is the Gospel of Jesus.
C. Jesus came for our hearts, to seek us and save us. He came to give us new hearts. This king, unlike Absalom, was not just able to resonate by penetrating our hearts with His words. Unlike Absalom, He was not just able to relate, by taking the form of a servant and becoming like men. Unlike Absalom, He was able to do something about our problems. Jesus was able to save us.
And I will give you a new heart, and I will put a new spirit in you. I will take out your stony, stubborn heart and give you a tender, responsive heart. And I will put my Spirit in you so that you will follow my decrees and be careful to obey my regulations.
Ezekiel 36:
D. This is the essence of the New Covenant. This is the beauty of this thing called covenants. This is the forgiveness, love, mercy and grace given to us by the cross of Christ. He gives us an undivided heart and he will hold us and keep us. Yes, this is good news for us today. We have hope for the day... it is found in Christ and in Christ alone.
E. We have peace in our hearts because Jesus died for our sins according to the scriptures and he was buried and he was raised on the 3rd day. He became sin who knew no sin... therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ...
F. If this is the first time hearing the good news of the kingdom of Christ. The scriptures declare that if you confess with your mouth and believe in your heart that Jesus... All who call upon the name of the Lord... Do you believe that Jesus is the Christ...? If you do you will have life in His name.
G. For everyone else, we need to remember that all that we do and say must be founded upon the truth of the gospel. Our motivation must be the Gospel. The way we forsake sin, guard our hearts, and be transformed is to love our Lord. The more we love our king; our treasure; the less our hearts will be stolen; the less our hearts will be hardened. He gives us an undivided heart. He resonates, He relates and He restores.