2 Samuel 16:5-14 WHEN PEOPLE PUT YOU DOWN

Intro: We saw in our last study David at his lowest Point – He took a woman who didn’t belong to him/ Adultery { She Conceived

A)Tried to cover it up by sending for her husband who was out at war / invited him to dinner got him drunk sent him home to his wife

B) David was hoping that this would clear up any confusion concerning who was the father of this child – Plan didn’t work – had the husband murdered

he married the woman everything was fine very few Knew about the scandal

C) But what mattered was God Knew – Sends Nathan after 9 months to confront David – David repents – And God forgives him

1) But there was going to be consequences to David’s actions

There are always consequences to Sin /Biblical law of Sowing & reaping

A)The Law of Gravity – Goes up come down / the law of sowing & reaping states that You will reap what you sow / Flesh = Corruption /

B) David had sowed seeds of the Flesh that was going to result in corruption in his family – as several of his sons would follow his example

1) One Son the oldest – Amnon {Heir} takes a woman who doesn’t belong to him – his ½ sister Tamar { not adultery – worse RAPE

C) Tamar’s Brother Absalom – plots revenge – gets Amnon drunk & has him Murdered – { David’s house is in turmoil –

1) And it culminates when several yrs later Absalom who was handsome & witty WINS the hearts of the People & launches an over throw

D) Driving David from the Kingdom – which is where we find him in Ch.16

1) David has come full circle – he is on the run again / the first time from Saul this time from his own Son Absalom

E) First time he was an innocent victim / this time it is the consequences of his own Sin & Neglect of his Parental duty – to train his sons

When we pick up the account in Ch.16 V 5 we find David on the run.

A)David is fleeing for his life / David is a broken man

B)As David was fleeing for his life, this man named Shimei comes on the scene

1) His name is very interesting / It literally means: Hearer of reports

C) This hearer of reports had heard that David was on the run and that he was going through a difficult time

1) What did he do to David in the midst of such a difficult time?

V 5 - he came forth and cursed / V6 - And he cast stones at David

D) And in VERSES 7-8 he began to give his interpretation of WHY David was in such trouble

1) His interpretation? David You are paying the price for overthrowing Saul

You are a bloody man, and now YOU are being overthrow

NOTE: This was Shimei’s interpretation of David’s devastating situation

A)But David did NOT overthrow Saul. In fact, as we have seen in our studies, David had opportunities to kill Saul, he refused to touch the Lord’s ..

B) David was FAR from being the bloody man who overthrew Saul

C) Shimei noticed the situation – noticed the trouble that David was in & merely assumed what the Problem was

So it is today - The Shimei’s who hear reports are quick to hear a report and run with it on the basis of their own prejudiced feelings

A)On the basis Their own preconceived ideas and they begin to hurl stones and insults w/ their tongue –

B) They begin to cut & malign / they begin to ridicule / they begin to make Judgments & often times they only Know ½ of the Story

1) James 3 The tongue is a deadly weapon / spark that destroys a forest

^{NLT 2}We all make many mistakes, but those who control their tongues can also control themselves in every other way. ³We can make a large horse turn around and go wherever we want by means of a small bit in its mouth. ⁴And a tiny rudder makes a huge ship turn wherever the pilot wants it to go, even though the winds are strong. ⁵So also, the tongue is a small thing, but what enormous damage it can do. A tiny spark can set a great forest on fire.

The fire of 1871 in Chicago is said to have started in a shed when a kerosene lamp was accidentally overturned. Yet it devastated approximately 2,000 acres, left 90,000 people homeless, and destroyed 196 million dollars worth of property.

⁶And the tongue is a flame of fire. It is full of wickedness that can ruin your whole life. It can turn the entire course of your life into a blazing flame of destruction, for it is set on fire by hell itself.

⁷People can tame all kinds of animals and birds and reptiles and fish, ⁸but no one can tame the tongue. It is an uncontrollable evil, full of deadly poison. ⁹Sometimes it praises our Lord and Father, and sometimes it breaks out into curses against those who have been made in the image of God. ¹⁰And so blessing and cursing come pouring out of the same mouth. Surely, my brothers and sisters, this is not right! ¹¹Does a spring of water bubble out with both fresh water and bitter water? ¹²Can you pick olives from a fig tree or figs from a grapevine? No, and you can’t draw fresh water from a salty pool.

It takes a child two years to learn to talk--it takes a man all his life to learn how to keep his mouth shut.

Benjamin Franklin A slip of the foot you may soon recover, But a slip of the tongue you may never get over.

C) This is something that we really need to heed in the body of Christ – avoid being stone throwers –

1) Point your Finger at someone else – 4 pointing back at You !!!!

The tongue is the ambassador of the heart. Representative of the Heart

A woman developed a very serious throat condition. The doctor prescribed medication but told her that her vocal cords needed total rest--no talking for 6 months! With a husband and six children to care for, it seemed an impossible order, but she cooperated. When she needed the youngsters, she blew a whistle. Instructions became written memos, and questions were answered on pads of paper she had placed around the house. The 6 months passed, and after she recovered, her first comments were quite revealing. She said that the children had become quieter, and then remarked, "I don't think I'll ever holler again like I used to." When asked about the notes, she replied, "You'd be surprised how many, written hastily, I crumpled up and threw into the waste basket before I gave them to anyone to read. Seeing my words before anyone heard them had an effect that I don't think I can ever forget."

Well As Shimei was hurling stones and insults, we read in VERSE 9 ⁹Then Abishai the son of Zeruiah said to the king, “Why should this dead dog curse my lord the king? Please, let me go over and take off his head!”

A)Great to have friends like this – David do you want me to take off him Head –

B) Now Did Abishai have the RIGHT to say this? Answer is YES because According to Ex.22:28 you were NOT to curse judges or rulers

C)And In Eccl. 10:20 it says that you are NOT to curse the rulers of your people in word or in thought

1) So In a sense, Abishai had a right to make the statement- but notice how David responds in v.10

¹⁰But the king said, “What have I to do with you, you sons of Zeruiah?

A)Now WHY did David say that? Abishai had spent much time with David

He was with David in the wilderness of Ziph

B) It was there in the wilderness of Ziph that Saul was chasing David to kill him

C)One night, while Saul was asleep and Abishai volunteered to go down with David into Saul’s camp

1) When they got to king Saul Abishai said: 1 Sam 26:8-9

Then Abishai said to David, "God has delivered your enemy into your hand this day. Now therefore, please, let me strike him at once with the spear, right to the earth; and I will not have to strike him a second time!" 9 And David said to Abishai, NO "Do not destroy him; for who can stretch out his hand against the LORD's anointed, and be guiltless?"

D)So Abishai was aware of David’s character/ but here again, when David is threatened and cursed, Abishai wants to lop off the head of someone

1) THAT is why David said: What am I going to do with you. When are you going to Learn that is not my way – not my heart

_{Now here is the thing that I want us to note today Yes it is true that we need to guard our tongues – One lesson – avoid being a Shimei}

_{A)But the other lesson is that every single one of us here at some point will find ourselves in David’s shoes – Victim of a Shimei}

_{B) When that happens what do we do? How do we respond ?}

It is here that I want us to note three practical things that David did in order to effectively deal with Shemei’s put down

1^ST He looked above and saw God’s hand VERSE 10b So let him curse, because the LORD has said to him, ‘Curse David.’ Who then shall say, ‘Why have you done so?’”

A)David tells Abishai - Don’t you see Abishai, the Lord has allowed this to take place

B) David had come to know that the Lord was in all things – But David wasn’t always like this

1) EX. When David ran into a foolish man named Nabal- (1 Sam. 25)

C) David asked Nabal for some food and supplies for his troops and Nabal said: “Who is this David, but a rebel?”

1) When David heard that Nabal had insulted him, he told his men: “Put on your swords men”

D) He was ready to massacre that man & every man in the Village but When Nabal’s wife (Abigail) heard that David was after Nabal, she said: 1) David, please forgive my husband, his name means fool and that is

exactly what he is”

E) David had learned to Respond rather than react – We react in the flesh to a situation – We respond in the Spirit as we allow the HS to lead us

1) David has matured... He has deepened..... and he say is able to respond rightly

Sailors in the northern oceans have frequently observed icebergs traveling in one direction in spite of strong winds blowing in the opposite direction. The icebergs were moving AGAINST the wind, but how? The explanation is that the iceberg, with nine tenths of it’s mass below the water, was caught in the grip of strong currents that moved them in a certain direction no matter which way the winds raged.

In the Christian life, no matter how hard the put downs come, the believer that has a depth of living in the currents of God’s grace will always respond and move in the right direction

NOTE: The Lord allows us to experience put downs NOT to DESTROY us, but rather to DEVELOP us You can LEARN from criticism

A)QUOTE: Many Christians are more willing to be destroyed by praise than to be saved by criticism

B) I have seen that to be so true. Men that NEVER wanted to face criticism

1) “That’s just your opinion”..... “”I don’t want to hear from you, I’ll just listen to the Lord”

C) Then they launch out into the ministry. The faults that they never wanted to hear about will end up being their destruction

1) They are willing to march off to their death to the applause of men more than hearing a criticism that the Lord has allowed to surface

D) It is a wise man or woman – who when Criticized will sincerely take that Criticism to the Lord and say – Lord show me how much of this is true

1) David said: WAIT Let him speak, he can’t do it without God’s permission

E) David was willing to Look Above and see if the Lord’s hand was in this

2^nd He not only looked ABOVE and then he LOOK ABOUT and saw his own blunders VERSE 11

And David said to Abishai and all his servants, "See how my son who came from my own body seeks my life. How much more now may this Benjamite? Let him alone, and let him curse; for so the LORD has ordered him.

A)David says “Look about Abishai.... My son Absalom wants to kill me..... I have failed with my own son.....

1) How much more should this Benjamite put me down?”

B) David had allowed rape and murder (Absalom had Amnon and bitterness to exist in his family.

1) Now he was owning up to the Damage that it caused

C)APPLICATION: When someone puts YOU down, LOOK AROUND

See the mistakes that you have made/ own up to them

1) And seek to learn from them

D)And remember However brutal the put down is that is coming at you, it is not nearly as bad a as you deserve

1) IF you are really honest, THEN you will realize that you deserve a lot more than some Shimei has said

What if every one of your thoughts of this last week, every unheard word that you spoke, every attitude of your heart, every ungodly action, was made public this morning on a huge screen this morning?

A)There is not one of us who would not just want to die

B) THAT is how you can deal with the Shimei’s of our life

Rom. 7:18 For I know that in me, (that is, in my flesh)there dwells NO GOOD THING

C) Remind MYSLEF that although What is being said is brutal, but I deserve much worse

1) When you realize that there is no good thing in your flesh, you no longer seek to defend your flesh or protect your flesh- You are free

D) So David He looked ABOVE Saw the Lord and then he LOOKED ABOUT and saw his own blunders,

3^rd He LOOKED AHEAD v.12

It may be that the LORD will look on my affliction, and that the LORD will repay me with good for his cursing this day."

A)He was looking ahead to the reward that was coming because he was quietly taking these put downs

B) Listen God NOT only is our paymaster for our service, He is a paymaster for our suffering Matt. 5:11

¹¹“Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake. ¹²Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

C) Good to remember we being attacked God understands and He will reward you in due time

So THREE simple things to due when people put you down

A)LOOK ABOVE (realize that God allowed it)

B) LOOK ABOUT (Realize your blunders and you won’t be hard on the Shimei’s)

1) LOOK AHEAD (God sees and will reward in an appropriate time)

Now there are those who think that it is their calling in the Body of Christ to be a Shimei { Be Critical cast insults & throw stones

A) Let's take a look and see what happened to Shimei VERSE 13

¹³And as David and his men went along the road, Shimei went along the hillside opposite him and cursed as he went, threw stones at him and kicked up dust. ¹⁴Now the king and all the people who were with him became weary; so they refreshed themselves there.

B) Note the order: At first he threw stones and then hurled insult, but then he cast dust

1) Casting dust was the way a man would say: “I wish you were dead”

So He went from casting insults to wishing David were dead

C) That is exactly what happens when you are a Shimei You throw stones & insults until eventually it eats at you & you wish the person was dead

1) THAT is why we are NOT to give place to bitterness

QUESTION: Do you think that Shimei was a happy man?

A)Do you think he was the kind of guy you wanted to have a cafe mocha with? / Do you think that he was the kind of guy you invited to parties

B) NO! There is something about stone throwers & dirt throwers that is ugly

1) NOTE: When you throw dirt, it blows back in your face

You get dirtied{ People see you that way – DIRTY

C) Look at his end 2 Sam. 19:16-20 / 21-23

David says Let’s let by-gones be by-gones David forgave Shimei

Does this CHANGE Shimei at all? 1 Kings 2:1-3; 8-10

A)David’s LAST words to Solomon were: “Bury Shimei” WHY?

B) I believe it is because David had the maturity to deal with Shimei

1) But his young son, Solomon, was on the throne and he knew that Shimei would spell TROUBLE for Solomon

C) Because Shimei had NEVER changed

Is it at all possible that you are like a Shimei?

A)Do you find yourself WRONGLY viewing someone else’s situation?

Do you find yourself hurling insults and casting dirt?

B) If so, you will find yourself becoming an increasingly bitter person

C) IF you are critical of your spouse or your brothers in Christ, THEN repent

There is ONE more thing that I want to add to the practical ways of responding when people put you down

A)LOOK ABOVE (to see the hand of God, LOOK ABOUT ( to see your own blunders), LOOK AHEAD (to see God’s reward)

B) LOOK AFRESH at Jesus Read to you from 1 Peter 2:21-25

²¹For to this you were called, because Christ also suffered for ^£us, leaving ^£us an example, that you should follow His steps:

²² “Who committed no sin,

Nor was deceit found in His mouth”;^£

²³who, when He was reviled, did not revile in return; when He suffered, He did not threaten, but committed Himself to Him who judges righteously; ²⁴who Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness—by whose stripes you were healed. ²⁵For you were like sheep going astray, but have now returned to the Shepherd and ^£Overseer of your souls.

Jesus was without sin -You and I can’t say that of ourselves

Yet, He was PUT DOWN

A)Jesus experienced PUT DOWNS, yet he NEVER answered back in malice

B)Been said We may regret much of our speech, but we will probably NEVER regret our silence

Prov. 10:19 In the multitude of words sin is not lacking: But he that restrains his lips is wise

James 1:19 Let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath

C) Jesus was SLOW to speak -He DIED not defending Himself

NOT defending HIS reputation or HIS ministry

1) He said: Father forgive them

Lesson for us A CORPSE does NOT criticize{ We are called to die to self

A)You can THROW STONES and HURL INSULTS and CAST DIRT at a corpse, but it will NOT retaliate

B) APP: IF you are retaliating to put downs, THEN you are NOT dead yet

1) We are to reckon ourselves to be DEAD and BURIED with Christ

C) BUT Rob - If I don’t put down the people that are putting me down.... defend myself..... then my reputation will be shot DIE

D)BUT- If I don’t stand up for my rights, then my ministry will be ruined DIE

1) NOTE: The secret of life is death

E) The world does NOT understand that When you die to reputation, the pressure is off / When you finally say:

1) I am crucified with Christ, it is then that you do NOT have to defend

yourself or protect yourself / You are FINALLY alive

The secret is to DIE to self... Get your eyes off yourself and get your eyes on Christ

Matt. 10:39 He that keeps his life will lose it; and he that loses his life for My sake shall find it

A)Do you find yourself LOST today?/ It is because you are NOT dead to self

You are still complaining about how YOU are being treated

B) The Spirit filled life is NOT one of emotional gratification

It is self extermination / It is the end of self

C) NOTE: That is NOT a ONE time thing / It is a DAILY experience

Paul the apostle said: I die daily

CONCLUSION

A)When people put you down, remember what David did

Look above, look about, look ahead

B) Make sure that YOU are not a Shimei

C) Look afresh at Christ