A TENDER KING 11 SAMUEL 3:39

1. IN THIS PASSAGE WE WILL DISCOVER WHY GOD CALLED HIM " A MAN AFTER HIS OWN HEART"

A. David Had Two Problems he Had To Contend With

1. Two people both captains in his army

2. Their names - Joab and Abishai

3. They were devoted to David and good soldiers but they were to hard for him

B. We Will Briefed Survey their Story And Make Application To Ourselves.

1. Contrasting David to these men we will get a sight of ourselves and a glimpse of Jesus.

2. In the words of our text David disassociates himself from the actions of Joab who thought he was doing David a service.

C. Joab Kills Abner The Captain Of The Opposing Army Just As David Is Negotiating Peace And Bringing All Israel Back To David.

1. Joab couldn't understand David dealing so gently with his enemies.

2. He fed Abner and sent him away in peace.

II. SOME PRETEXT JOAB CALLS ABNER BACK TO HEBRON

A. He Drew Abner Aside To Speak Peacefully With Him And Then "Shoved A Blade Under His Fifth Rib"

1. He thought this pleased David but it only caused him deep grief.

2. He wept aloud at the grave of Abner his enemy

B. He Refused To Even Eat So That All The People Would Know That It Was Not of David's Mind To Slay Abner.

1. In fact David said - The Lord will reward the doer of evil according to his wackiness.

2. Years later Joab slew Amasa, Absalom's captain just as he too was changing over to David's side

3. In 1 Kings 2:5 David said Joab shed the blood of war in peace

C. This same hardness was also in Joab's brother Abishal. This same man wanted to kill Saul as he lay asleep at David's feet but David restrained him.

III. IN REPROVING THESE TWO BROTHERS AND DISSOCIATING HIMSELF FROM THEIR ACTIONS AND ATTITUDES, DAVID REVEALED HIS TRUE CHARACTER TO ALL - TENDER THOUGH

ANOINTED KING. THE PEOPLE WERE PLEASED 11 SAMUEL 3:36

A. David Demonstrated this Quality Even Before He Became King in His Attitude Toward Saul.

1. When the news came Saul was fallen in battle he greeted the news with sorrow rather than joy.

2. He uttered a moving eulogy over his old enemy

3. In 11 Sam. he says Saul and Jonathan were lovely and pleasant in their lives.

4. I can understand him saying this of Jonathan but not Saul

5. Although David suffered much at Saul's hands, he demonstrated genuine grace toward him

6. Saul and Abner hunted David in order to kill him, yet when they die he weeps and praises them 11 Sam. 3:38

B. What A Marvelous Picture Of The Grace Of God.

1. Over and over in scripture we find him tender though anointed king

2. Look at the tenderness he exhibited when his son Absalom died. it was Absalom who rose up to overthrow his

own father.

3. Yet when Absalom was killed David cried. Absalom my son, my son would God I had died for thee.

4. In that one instance alone, David was a man after God own heart.

C. For God Like David Was Willing To Give Himself On Behalf Of His Wayward Sons.

IV. WHAT A PICTURE OF JESUS DAVID BECOMES

A. In Rev. 4 We See A Throne Set In Heaven. Going On To Rev. 5:6 We Find A Lamb As

If It Had Been Slain Standing In The Midst Of The Throne.

1. It is Jesus anointed king exercising authority but doing so as the lamb.

2. After this throne is spoken of as the throne of God and the Lamb (Rev: 22:1,3)

B. The Lamb Is The Gentlest Of All God's Creatures

1. You can abuse a lamb and it will not turn and rend you like other beasts.

2. What a fit picture of Jesus, the meek and lowly in heart, He is tender though anointed king.

3. What a magnificent vision- a lamb in the center of the throne. This is not our disposition at all.

C. How Often Jesus Has To Dissociate From Us Because Of Our Hard Attitudes

1. Our Hardness can be seen in how we react to others who disagree with us. We resent them and begin to speak ill of them.

2. Certainly not tender like David or Jesus

3. If someone has a fault we think that excuses all that we say or do. Sometimes we can be unkind sometimes just plain rude.

4. Do we think there is a tiger on that throne? It must be for we certainly act in that manner.

5. When we act harshly we must think he feels the same way as we do about them and that he gives us permission to act in this fashion.

D. Not So- He Is Tender Though Anointed King

1. As king he could rightly exercise this attitude for all power is in his hands

2. What does he do with this authority - He is tender though anointed king.

V. CHECK UP ON YOUR ATTITUDES - ARE THEY LIKE JESUS

A. Remember David - Tender Though Anointed King.

B. Remember Jesus - Tender Like A Lamb Though Anointed King.

C. How About You - Are You Tender Or Hard Saved or Lost - Have You Allowed Jesus To Come Inside To Make You Like Himself.