OPEN: The first words that a child says always seem so cute. Brad’s baby daughter’s first word was “Wow!” Other children learn to say “mommy” or “daddy.” But there is a word that children learn to say that’s not quite so cute. Do you know what it is? That’s right: “No!”
As they grow older we might overhear them say to an older brother or sister “You’re not my boss.”
In the teen years they’ll say things like “I can’t wait until I get grown, so I can do what I want to do.”
There are those who believe that we never quite grow out of that attitude. It seems that there is something deep down inside all of us that wants to say: “You can’t tell me what to do! It’s my life and I want to do what I want!”
ILLUS: A department head aboard a Navy vessel became concerned about one of his senior enlisted men (a true story). The enlisted man was a superb technician, but he had a problem showing respect to his superiors and made it obvious he didn’t like taking orders.
The department head took the seaman aside and suggested the man try something that had worked for him. ‘Whenever an officer gives you a directive that you think is stupid, just say ’Yes, Sir.’ But in your mind, think ’You’re an idiot!’ Will this work for you?"
The seaman looked at him, smiled broadly… and then replied: "Yes, sir!"
APPLY: Now that enlisted man had a problem.
In the military, there’s not much room for a rebellious attitude.
In the military, you follow orders… or you suffer the consequences.
Rebelliousness is not acceptable to the military
And rebelliousness is not acceptable to God either
God tells us that there are consequences for a rebellious attitude
Psalms 68:6 “God sets the lonely in families, he leads forth the prisoners with singing; but the rebellious live in a sun-scorched land.”
Repeatedly, throughout Scripture we read of HOW we’re to respond to people in authority over us. Paul wrote:
“Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God. Consequently, he who rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves.” Romans 13:1-2
I. Submit yourself to the “governing authorities?”
That’s easy (pause…) if you agree with them. If they make decisions that are right and moral and fair.
BUT (pause…) what if these governing authorities aren’t “good” men.
What if they make decisions I can’t agree with?
What if they what if they’re NOT righteous and moral and fair?
What if they’re mean and spiteful and dangerous …
What if they’re like… like King Saul???
King Saul has not been a “good” man. He’d been disobedient to God - and because of his disobedience, he has been plagued by an evil spirit.
Later, when Saul realized the people loved David and were singing his praises, several times he sought to kill David.
When David finally fled Saul’s presence, he stopped by the tabernacle and Ahimelech the Priest fed David and his men and offered them a place to rest. Once Saul found out about what Ahimelech and the other priests had done for David, I Samuel 22 tells us that Saul had 85 of priests slaughtered, and ordered the priestly city of Nob destroyed.
How, do you “honor” a “governing authority” like that?
How do you “submit” to something that wicked and terrible?
II. Well, that’s the question David faced.
Because of the repeated attempts on his life, David fled from the presence of King Saul and spent the next few months living in caves and fields. Eventually, when others found out about his situation, they joined him so that David ended up being surrounded by a force of 600 warriors.
At one point, he and his men fled to the south - along the Eastern shores of the Dead Sea - and found shelter in rocky hills of a place En Gedi. In the meantime, King Saul rec’d information of David’s whereabouts and gathered an army of 3000 men to pursue him.
As he was searching through this desert, Saul went into the very cave where David and his men hiding. We’re not sure whether Saul went into the cave to escape the harsh sunshine and rest, or if (as the NIV puts it) he went there to “relieve” himself (the Hebrew phrase here has a couple of possible understandings). Whichever was the case, Saul was distracted. Perhaps he took off his cloak and set it to one side.
Nonetheless, David’s men see this as an opportunity and they urge him to kill the King. This would remove the threat to David’s life and perhaps it would clear the way for David to take the throne for himself. So, David slipped up quietly and cut off a corner of the royal robe… but he didn’t kill King Saul.
However, when he returned to his men, he was so overwhelmed with shame that he had even done that small offense to the King that David rebuked his men with these words:
"The LORD forbid that I should do such a thing to my master, the LORD’s anointed, or lift my hand against him; for he is the anointed of the LORD." 1 Samuel 24:6
Later, after Saul had left the cave and begun to leave the area, David went out from the cave as well, and called to Saul with the following words from vs. 19ff
He said to Saul, "Why do you listen when men say, ‘David is bent on harming you’?
This day you have seen with your own eyes how the LORD delivered you into my hands in the cave. Some urged me to kill you, but I spared you; I said, ‘I will not lift my hand against my master, because he is the LORD’s anointed.’
See, my father, look at this piece of your robe in my hand! I cut off the corner of your robe but did not kill you. Now understand and recognize that I am not guilty of wrongdoing or rebellion. I have not wronged you, but you are hunting me down to take my life. May the LORD judge between you and me. And may the LORD avenge the wrongs you have done to me, but my hand will not touch you.
III. How does God desire us deal with those in authority?
Well, what did David do? David was a man after God’s own heart. If we want to know how we submit to those in authority, then David’s example is an excellent place to look.
So… how did David “submit” to King Saul?
As I was studying this passage, three things became obvious to me:
1st – David’s submission to King Saul did not include giving the King what he wanted
Saul wanted David dead.
But, David didn’t comply – he didn’t allow King Saul to take his life.
And… once it became apparent that Saul’s home was a dangerous place to live… David refused to live there.
ILLUS: I’ve often been asked if a woman should live in a home where her husband abuses her. Well, the Bible doesn’t address that… but David’s situation is proof to me that God’s people are not required to remain in dangerous and life threatening situations. If a woman’s life is in danger… she needs to leave. Scripture does not require that a woman live in that kind of situation.
Submitting to those in authority does not mean that you always give them what they want. If what a person in authority wants is immoral or illegal or just plain wrong… we are NOT obligated to obey them in those matters.
In the New Testament we read of the time Peter and John were arrested and brought before the Sanhedrin. These rulers of Israel sternly commanded the Apostles “… not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus. But Peter and John replied, ‘Judge for yourselves whether it is right in God’s sight to obey you rather than God. For we cannot help speaking about what we have seen and heard.’” Acts 4:18-19
They were willing to face the consequences of their decision. However, submission to earthly authority was overridden by their submission to the Will of God. The Apostles were respectful of these earthly rulers… but they would not disobey God.
Which brings us to our 2nd point –
2nd - David’s submission to the King was based on respect for the office of the King
When David addressed the King, he called him:
· My Father
· My master
· The Lord’s Anointed
There were no insults… no put downs… no name calling.
Why was David be so respectful of this evil and spiteful King? Because David was a man after God’s own heart. David had meditated on the Law of God – day and night - and in that Law was this command: from Exodus 22:28
"Do not blaspheme God or curse the ruler of your people.”
David was a man after God’s own heart… and so he wasn’t about to curse King Saul.
ILLUS: Several years ago, Major General Harold N. Campbell gave a speech in the Netherlands at a banquet for US Air personnel. In his speech he accused then-President Clinton of being a
gay loving,
pot-smoking,
draft dodging
womanizing Commander in Chief.
Does anybody remember what happened to this General? He was given “early retirement” – which a euphemism for the fact that he was “canned”, “let go,” fired.” And that’s exactly what he deserved.
Whether that General was correct in his accusations or not was not relevant. You do NOT bad mouth the ruler of your people. They military won’t honor such behavior… and neither will God.
In the book of Acts, we’re told of the time that Paul stood before the Sanhedrin, and Ananias the High Priest ordered that Paul be slapped because Paul had said that he’d “fulfilled (his) duty to God in all good conscience..." (Acts 23:1)
In anger, Paul shouted out:, "God will strike you, you whitewashed wall! You sit there to judge me according to the law, yet you yourself violate the law by commanding that I be struck!" (Acts 23:3)
Now, notice - what Paul said was true. It WAS a violation of the Law to command him to be struck before the Sanhedrin. But, then we’re told
“Those who were standing near Paul said, ‘You dare to insult God’s high priest?’" (Acts 23:4)
And Paul was aghast. He replied:
“Brothers, I did not realize that he was the high priest; for it is written: ‘Do not speak evil about the ruler of your people.’" Acts 23:5
(pause…)
· And so, we find that “submitting” to those in authority over us does not require that we give them everything they ask…if they are requesting something that is immoral, illegal or wrong.
· But, it does REQUIRE us to speak respectfully of them. We are not allowed to curse them, insult them, or belittle them.
3rd – Submission to those in authority means that we must determine not to hurt them.
David declared to Saul – “May the LORD judge between you and me. And may the LORD avenge the wrongs you have done to me, but my hand will not touch you.” (1 Samuel 24:12)
ILLUS: When my dad was a young man, he worked in a factory. The supervisor in his area was an arrogant, pushy man who loved authority. It seemed nobody liked him, including dad.
One day, the supervisor came walking through dad’s department and noticed a can of parts laying on the floor next to one of the machines.
“Get rid of that can” he ordered dad.
“You don’t want me to do that,” dad protested. “Those are valuable.”
In a flash of anger, the supervisor forcefully repeated his order and walked away.
Dad told me that he took that can out to the garbage heap and – for a moment – he was tempted to throw them in such a way that they’d be scattered all over the place. Instead, he placed the can at the edge of the garbage heap and returned to his work.
A few days later the plant was visited by the owners, and as they walked thru the factory, dad noticed that they didn’t look happy. The supervisor frantically approached dad and quietly asked if he knew where those parts were they he’d ordered thrown away the day before.
The supervisor now knew that the parts were indeed valuable and it was obvious his job might be on the line. Dad walked out to the garbage heap and handed the can to the supervisor… and saved the man’s job.
Now, I don’t think dad was a Christian at that time… but what he did was right. He had an opportunity to embarrass and hurt a man of authority - who nobody respected. But he refused to take the opportunity. In essence, dad had declared “my hand will not touch him.” And instead of hurting the man, he saved the man’s reputation and job.
CLOSE: In the Old Testament, David is our model of how we ought to behave. He was the “man after God’s own heart, and his behavior in situations like this one tell us how we can please God in our actions. But in the Jesus is our model out of the New Testament… I wonder if He showed the same kind of attitude toward authority?
In I Peter 2:13-23 we’re told
”Submit yourselves for the Lord’s sake to every authority instituted among men: whether to the king, as the supreme authority, or to governors, who are sent by him to punish those who do wrong and to commend those who do right. For it is God’s will that by doing good you should silence the ignorant talk of foolish men.
Live as free men, but do not use your freedom as a cover-up for evil; live as servants of God.
Show proper respect to everyone: Love the brotherhood of believers, fear God, honor the king.
Slaves, submit yourselves to your masters with all respect, not only to those who are good and considerate, but also to those who are harsh. For it is commendable if a man bears up under the pain of unjust suffering because he is conscious of God. But how is it to your credit if you receive a beating for doing wrong and endure it? But if you suffer for doing good and you endure it, this is commendable before God.
To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps. "He committed no sin, and no deceit was found in his mouth." When they hurled their insults at him, he DID NOT RETALIATE; when he suffered, he made no threats. Instead, he entrusted himself to him who judges justly.
How could Jesus endure the horrors of the cross? Because He trusted Himself to Him who judges justly. That’s exactly what David did. 1 Samuel 24:12 tells us that David told Saul: “May the LORD judge between you and me. And may the LORD avenge the wrongs you have done to me, but my hand will not touch you.”
That’s what makes the difference between us and those we work with in the factory who don’t entrust themselves to God. They who don’t trust God follow their own insights and guidance rather than submit respectfully to those over them. As a result the workplace becomes a site of anger and frustration and conflict.
But when we look to God and await His intervention, we can know His peace and sense His control.
I know it’s not easy to live under the authority of people who are not wise. Who are not righteous. Who are not good men/ women. But when I have applied the example of David and of Jesus to those situations… God showed Himself faithful and – in time – dealt with the situations I faced.
That what we see happened for David in his life… and it was what we see happened for us when Jesus entrusted Himself to the One who “judges justly”. Peter continues:
“He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; by his wounds you have been healed. For you were like sheep going astray, but now you have returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.”
SERMONS IN THIS SERIES (A Man After God’s Own Heart)
Measuring Up - 1 Samuel 16:1-16:13
Be Prepared/ Scout Sunday - 1 Samuel 17:1-17:53
A Friend After Your Own Heart - 1 Samuel 18:1-18:5
A Heart To Honor Authority - 1 Samuel 24:1-24:22
An Obedient Heart - 2 Samuel 6:1-6:15
A Heart To Worship - 2 Samuel 6:12-6:23
The Heart Of A Shepherd - Psalms 23:1-23:6
The Over-exposed Heart - 2 Samuel 11:1-11:5
The Undeserving Heart - Psalms 51:1-51:1
The Weakened Heart - 2 Samuel 3:17-3:39
The Heart Of A Father - 2 Samuel 13:1-13:39
A Heart to Build - 2 Samuel 7:1-7:17
The Dead Dog Syndrome - 2 Samuel 16:5-16:14
