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Text: 2 Samuel 9:2-4, 9-12, 16:1-4, 19:24-29
Instruction from the king (2 Samuel 9:2-4, 9-12)
- In our travels through 2 Samuel we run into a man we’ve seen before named Ziba. Ziba was one of king Saul’s servants. He was sort of a ranch foreman for the house of Saul. After Saul died and David became king, David remembered the covenant he made with his best friend Jonathan, Saul’s son. David promised Jonathan that he would take care of Jonathan’s children when he became king. Jonathan had handicapped one son named Mephibosheth when David became king. David put Ziba in charge of running land management operations for Mephibosheth.
- Feelings of injustice either begin here or develop over time.
Tired of the commandment (2 Samuel 16:1-4)
- These verses look innocent enough, but Ziba is manipulating the situation. He’s lying about Mephibosheth and he’s flattering David with gifts. You find this out by reading 2 Samuel 19:24-29 when Mephibosheth gives his side of the story.
- Ziba had grown tired of the king’s commandment to care for Mephibosheth’s land. Ziba has grown weary of well-doing. And you might agree with him.
- He doesn’t feel like it’s right that his large family has to take care of Mephibosheth’s land while Mephibosheth lives in the palace. Ziba lets this competitive thought fester in his heart.
- Ziba decides to manipulate
- These types of lies show up together in the same mouth: flattery and slander.
- You flatter people above you, who you can benefit from. But you destroy people below you, who can’t help you.
- This sort of faithless mishandling of life has no boundaries. It shows up in criminal activity and it shows up in spiritual activity.
When you get tired of the king’s commandment you have a choice to love one of two things:
- Choose to love the grudge you hold
- I don’t have to tell you that doesn’t work. Everybody will end up frustrated in the end including God.
- If you manipulate people because you can’t control your envy or frustration, you’re not making the situation any better.
- Choose to love the king
- If you love me, keep my commandments. Ziba could put aside his dissatisfaction and obey David because of what it does for David.
- If dad says take out the trash, you don’t take out the trash because you love taking out the trash. You take out the trash because of what it means to dad.
- God’s children are supposed to operate on faith that works by love. I do what God says because of what it does for the LORD when I listen to Him. Now, I benefit from that, but I want to make Him happy.
- Do you know why Jesus Christ was obedient unto death? Not because he loved dying on the cross, not even because of you, but because of what it meant to God the Father. Jesus said, Father please take this cup from me, but if you won’t, nevertheless, not my will but Thine be done.
- Some of you may have given up on loving the king. You’ve chosen Ziba’s way. Today, it’s time to keep his commandments because you love him. It’s time to come down to this altar and say, Lord, I haven’t loved you. I haven’t cared about what you said. I’ve done my own will because I don’t love you, but I want to.
