What’s Wrong with Being a Rebel?
2 Sam. 20
What’s wrong with being a rebel?
We celebrate some rebels as heroes. George Washington and his army fought the American Revolution to rebel against the tyranny of a British king named George III. Those of us born and bred by the grace of God south of the Mason-Dixon Line are sometimes known as “rebels” in honor of our Civil War ancestors. The good guys in the movie Star Wars were known as the Rebel Alliance and everybody cheered them on to defeat the Evil Galactic Empire. Books and films paint rebels as heroes—misfits who are always in trouble at school, always in trouble with the law, standing alone, living life on their own terms, answering to no body else, a law unto themselves.
That sounds pretty inspiring, but there’s a problem when you start translating rebellion into real life. Teachers and principals tend to frown upon students who disrupt class by disobeying the rules. Parents don’t see that rebellious son or daughter as a hero. The criminal who refuses to obey the law doesn’t get awards for his brave rejection of society’s laws. The hard-headed, hard-hearted man/women too stubborn to listen to those who love them aren’t very easy to live with.
The Bible says that one of our big problems is all of us have a rebel living in us, and if we’re not careful, this rebel will ruin us.
Romans 3:10-18 10As it is written: “There is none righteous, no, not one; 11There is none who understands; There is none who seeks after God. 12They have all turned aside; They have together become unprofitable; There is none who does good, no, not one.” 13“Their throat is an open tomb; With their tongues they have practiced deceit”; “The poison of asps is under their lips”; 14“Whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness.” 15“Their feet are swift to shed blood; 16Destruction and misery are in their ways; 17And the way of peace they have not known.” 18“There is no fear of God before their eyes.”
You and I need to be regularly reminded of the dangers of rebellion in our own hearts. This morning I want you and I to talk about what’s wrong with being this kind of rebel. Turn with me to 2 Sam. 20, and let’s answer this question: what’s wrong with being a rebel?
PRAYER
I. Rebels reject legitimate authority. (v.1-2)
When one of my sons was almost 2 years old, he and I had a great battle of the wills. Our family was living in a trailer where the door of his room was right next to the bathroom where I was working with some dan placed him in his room, and told him to stay there, and not come into the bathroom.
He almost beat me back in. I took him out again, and told him not to come in the bathroom, but stay in his room. Again he races me back. We do this one more time, until finally I set him down in his room and gave his bottom a spat. This time he didn’t follow me into the bathroom. He came to the place where the two rooms joined, and placed one foot in his room, and the other foot in the bathroom, and looked up at me, as if to say, What are you going to do now, Big Boy?
Even a 2 year old can display the essence of rebellion- a rejection of legitimate authority.
This is the same attitude we see in a character named Sheba. V. 1 really belongs with the previous chapter, which records King David’s welcome back to Israel as king. David is the rightful king of Israel, not just because everybody likes him, but because God chooses him as king. But Sheba rejects David’s authority, and at the same time, rejects God’s authority. Why?
One reason may be because Sheba is from the tribe of Benjamin—the clan of the previous king of Israel named Saul. Perhaps he’s still angry over Saul’s rejection and David’s acceptance as king of Israel. He might just be tired of all the fussing and fighting over kings that’s gone on for all these years. It’s not entirely clear why Sheba tries to start up a rebellion, but one thing is clear: this rebel has no respect for legitimate authority.
This is something all rebels share in common-a rejection of authority. “Nobody tells me what to do.” For a rebel rules are made to be broken. You don’t need anybody else’s help, or advice. Who needs a boss? Who needs parents? Who needs God? Stand with one foot in, and one foot out, and dare anybody to try and make you do anything.
That’s the face of a true rebel. Does that face ever stare back in defiance at you in the mirror? Well, what if it does? Why is that a problem? What’s wrong with being a rebel? What’s wrong is you are rejecting a legitimate authority in your life. An authority that deserves your respect, your obedience, your submission- an authority placed there by God Himself.
Why should I do what my parents tell me?
Ephesians 6:1 Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right.
Why should I do what my teacher, or the law demands?
Romans 13:1 Let every soul be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and the authorities that exist are appointed by God.
Are there exceptions to these rules? Maybe; but most of us don’t deal with the exceptions. Most of us live life under the normal circumstances addressed by the rule, and the rule is this: when you reject a legitimate authority in your life, you are rejecting the authority of God. You are being a rebel. As surely as Sheba rebelled against God because he rebelled against David.
So what? If I decide to live my life as a rebel, I’m only hurting myself, right? Not really. You see, this passage also teaches us that
II. Rebels always hurt other people. (v. 3-13)
Not too many weeks back I heard about a terrible wreck in Clarksville. Seems a man who had already been convicted 4 times for drunk driving decided to risk a 5th conviction, and drove off in his car after having a few too many drinks. He ended up plowing into a van full of a family, killing several, and critically wounding several others. Of course, the drunk was not hurt, but is now charged with more serious crimes, including vehicular homicide.
I don’t suppose this drunkard really intended on killing anybody when he cranked his car that night. But the fact is because his rebellion cost some people their lives. This fellow illustrates another important answer to the question what’s wrong with being a rebel? Answer: because they always hurt others.
V. 3 deals with another rebel: David’s son Absalom. You might remember back in 2 Sam. 16:21-22 after Absalom chased David out of the palace, he did something that would shame his dad and consolidate his own power: he raped his father’s concubines. Now Absalom’s dead, but these women are now considered unclean by their culture. It was unthinkable for the king to again have relations with these women. Absalom’s rebellion has made these women outcasts; only David’s mercy keeps them in the palace, instead of kicking them out for good. Worse than this, they are denied the most precious right of an Israelite woman—the right to bear a child. They will live as widows for the rest of their lives, all because of the reckless ambition of a rebel.
V. 4-13 tells how another rebel named Joab spreads his own pain and death to others. You may remember that Joab had been David’s chief general, until he was replaced by this fellow Amasa. Now David gives orders to Amasa to crush this rebellion of Sheba’s. But when Amasa runs into problems, David sends Abishai instead- Abishai, the brother of Joab. At some point while Abishai is mustering the troops, Joab joins the ranks. Then Amasa shows up.
Watch this rebel in action here. Dressed in his battle armor, he rides up to the unsuspecting Amasa and greets him with a smile in vs. 9: Are you in good health my brother? They really are related to one another, Amasa being Joab’s cousin. As he steps closer, Joab allows his sword to fall out of its sheath, and in a display of affection in the East, grabs Amasa by the beard as if to greet him with a kiss. Instead, with his left hand he thrusts his sword far into the abdomen of Amasa, and his insides come gushing out.
Why did he do it? Why did he kill this man who was not only his relative, but on the same side in this war? Was Joab jealous? Was he suspicious of Amasa? The Bible doesn’t explain. But Joab certainly proves himself a rebel. He is merciless, leaving this poor man to wallow in his own blood, not even giving him a decent burial. Follow me! he shouts to David’s army, and leaves Amasa to die like a wounded animal.
Rebels always hurt others. How do I know?
I’ve talked to parents whose kids reject everything they taught them. I’ve seen their tears of pain and worry. That boy/girl is out having a good time, but mom and dad are in misery, and that rebel doesn’t even care.
I’ve talked to that wife, and that husband, whose spouse who won’t stop drinking or doing drugs, who won’t come to church with them, who won’t stop doing what’s wrong, who is too stubborn to admit they are wrong or so proud they refuse any kind of help. That kind of pain runs deep, and leaves scars not only on the spouse, but the kids.
“I’m not hurting anybody but myself.” That’s a lie. When you rebel, you hurt everybody who loves you, everybody who depends on you. Rebellion can break the hearts of the people who love you most. Rebellion even breaks the heart of God.
Isaiah 65:2 I have stretched out My hands all day long to a rebellious people, Who walk in a way that is not good, According to their own thoughts;
Who does your rebellion hurt? You may say, “I really never realized how I’m hurting the people I love. I never stopped to think about who else is suffering for my rebellion.” Now is the time to think about it. When you rebel against what’s right, against God, you are not only hurting yourself, you are hurting somebody else. Rebellion produces ripples of pain that affect everyone around you in some way. And if you don’t repent of your rebellion, you learn the hardest lesson of all. The last answer to the question, “What’s wrong with being a rebel?”
III. Rebels are on the road to destruction. (v. 14-26)
There is a rule in our house Jennifer and I have attempted to follow consistently; a rule we got from Dr. James Dobson; a rule which goes something like this: we don’t punish our kids for mistakes, or accidents. But for willful disobedience they will be punished severely. I don’t want my kids to grow up and think that you can rebel against God and against authority and get away with it because you can’t get away with it.
Flashback to this rebel Sheba, who has made it all the way to the town of Abel on the outskirts of Israel; a town known for wisdom, hiding a rebellious fool. Joab, maybe hoping to get back in David’s good graces by crushing this rebellion, gears up for the attack, though the citizens of Abel aren’t sure why they are being assaulted. This leads a wise woman of the city to call for a meeting with Joab. She wants to know why he’s come out to kill innocent people. But Joab explains to her, I’m only after one man. Send him out, and I’ll be glad to leave the rest of you alone. The wise old woman tells Joab Don’t do anything until I return.
Inside the walls of the city, Sheba is already planning his escape. If these folks can just hold Joab off a little longer, he’s sneak out and get away. Who cares what happens to them?
The old woman makes her way back to the crowd and explains the situation. Joab doesn’t have a quarrel with any of us. He only wants this stranger here. Send his head out, and he’ll go back home. Sheba’s face goes white. You can’t be serious! Can’t we talk about this? Give me some time to get away! Can’t we make some kind of deal?
In a few more minutes, Joab sees what’s he’s looking for come sailing over the walls of the city. One of his men brings it to him. He confirms it’s his man, and then he and his army head back to Jerusalem. This rebel problem has been solved.
Do you suppose this is how Sheba expected his story to end? Probably not. He would rather have gone on to become somebody great, somebody big, somebody important. Instead his own pride brought his destruction. If he had never rebelled against David, he could have lived to a ripe old age. But rebellion stole his future from him.
What about this other rebel, Joab? He seems to get away with his rebellion. But later on, the Bible tells us in 1 Kings 2:28-35 that Joab’s rebellion catches up with him, too.
This is one of the biggest answers to the question: what’s wrong with being a rebel? Because it’s not very smart. You never really get away with it. Rebels are on the road to destruction.
You don’t have to do what the teacher or coach tells you- you can walk out and impress all your friends with your bravado. But quit school, and you can kiss that diploma good-bye.
When you get tired of that boss ordering you around, you can tell him what you think and clock out. But you’ve got to make a living somehow, you end up with nothing.
You can only get caught breaking the law so many times before they take away your license or send you to jail, where you most certainly will develop a habit of obeying rules.
You can even thumb your nose at God for awhile—but not forever. Sooner or later, you will answer to Him. Sooner or later rebels come to the end of the road and meet the Judge.
There is a rebel in each one of our hearts—a part of us that doesn’t want to obey, surrender or submit to anybody—not even God. But being a rebel is foolish. It’s not very smart, because rebels are traveling on a road that leads to disaster and destruction.
On Oct. 22, 1999 professional parachutist Jan Davis was practicing the dangerous sport of BASE jumping—parachuting off fixed objects lke high cliffs or towers. She was making her jump off the 3200 foot granite cliff of El Capitan in Yosemite National Park. She knew BASE jumping had been outlawed because of 6 others who had died doing the same thing she was doing. Her own jump was meant as protest, to prove that BASE jumping was safe. Yet still she stood at the top of the mountain and leapt off, and as her husband and several others watched, her parachute did not open properly, and Jan Davis feel for 20 seconds before she crashed to her death. Jan Davis paid for her rebellion with her life.
Does this sound foolish to you? Of course. But it’s no more foolish that willfully rebelling against God and the legitimate authorities He has set up in the world. What will your rebellion cost you? I don’t know. All I really know is that when you and I rebel, we are travel the road to destruction.
But you and I don’t have to stay on this road. Rebellion is a choice we make. We’ve all made that choice many times in our lives. But we don’t have to keep making that choice, and we don’t have to live with the guilt of our rebellion. God has done the most amazing thing when He sent Jesus Christ to die on the Cross not for good people, not for obedient people, but for rebels like you and me. He died to transform rebels into children of God.
In his book Pursuit, evangelist Luis Palau tells the story of his nephew whom he calls Kenneth. Kenneth lived most of his adult life in open rebellion against God as a homosexual. But in his early 20s his rebellion caught up with him, and he contracted AIDS. Not long after the diagnosis, he met with Palau and announced Jesus Christ had forgiven him for all his sins. Palau was skeptical. Kenneth, how can you say that? You rebelled against God, you made fun of the Bible, you hurt your family terribly! And now you say you’ve got eternal life, just like that? His nephew looked him straight in the eyes and replied, Luis, when the doctor told me I had AIDS, I realized what a fool I have been. I did repent, and I know God has had mercy on me. I know the Lord Jesus has forgiven me. Several short months later, at age 25, Palau says, Kenneth went to be with the Lord—saved like the thief on the cross from his rebellion by the grace of God.
What so wrong about being a rebel? The rebellion I’m talking about has nothing to do with Confederate flags or Southern heritage. I’m speaking of an attitude of the heart. An attitude that dishonors God, that hurts others, that puts you on the road to destruction. But Jesus Christ died to save you and I from our rebellion. He dies to transform rebels like you and me into His loving children.
I wonder if you can admit this morning the rebellion in your own heart? How many of you realize the danger and pain you are bringing to others to yourself, and to God this morning? Right now is the time to lay down your arms, and surrender to the Lord Jesus Chris. Will you come and bow before Him, and submit your life to Him today? Why don’t you come now?
