Prince of Peace

Second Samuel chapter 3 will start in verse 17 and I will go through verse 21.

To begin with and Abner conferred with the elders of Israel, saying for some time past you have been seeking David as king over you now then bring it about the Lord's promise. David saying by the hand of my servant David, I will save my people Israel from the hand of the Philistines, and from the hand of all their enemies. Abner also spoke to Benjamin and then Abner went to tell David at Hebron all that Israel and the whole house of Benjamin Allgood to do when Abner came with 20 men to David Hebron, David made a feast for Abner and the men who were withing, and Abner said to David, I will arise and go, and will gather all Israel to my lord the king if they may make a covenant with you and that you may reign over all, that your heart desires.

So David sent Abner away and he went in peace is pray. Heavenly father, we have seen David experience great victories and hurtful losses we have seen David trusting you completely and then acting like you don't even exist. The defeats always occur when his dependence on he was shallow in our passage today.

David is forced into a role that he's not used to his call to be a peacemaker is called to bring together Judah and Israel is a lot of baggage here is just trust on both sides. David knows that peace will only come to truth and transparency, honesty and love.

Father our nation is reeling from division our governments on every level are corrupt and untrustworthy. You called us not to compromise you called us to proclaim Christ you've called us to stand for truth and live for truth. We can't compromise with your word.

We can't be silent about abortion. We can't be silent about homosexuality. We can't be silent about divorce without biblical grounds. We can't be silent about transgender realism. We can't be silent about stealing and lying helpless not to waiver at the same time give us the ability to be Christlike. So our nation would hunger after what we've got 40 is in the precious holy name of Jesus that we pray. Amen may be seated on title this message, Prince of peace and where we heard that title before about Isaiah chapter 9 verse six that says they asked for unto you, a child is born, unto us a son is given, and the government shall be upon his shoulders, and you shall call his name wonderful, counselor them, the mighty God, everlasting father, the Prince of peace.

Those words were written down by Isaiah 750 years before Jesus was born, is a messianic prophecy in Isaiah refers to Jesus as the Prince of peace today.

What I would like to do is to give that title to David that might seem a little strange because we know that David was a mighty mighty warrior when nobody else in Israel would stand up against the giant Goliath is a 17-year-old kid. David did trusting on God. David went out against him with nothing but a slingshot in the stone and killed him and then Saul offered David his his daughter and effort for marriage and Saul said if you take my daughter.

Then there is a diary of 100 Philistine soldiers. David went out, kill not only 100 Philistine soldiers, but double the number and killed 200 David was fighting enemies all over the land he filed against the Jebusites and defeated them in the Amalekites and the Philistines all the opposition that came against him. He won those great great battles. Some amazing things that David did and then David when he was an older man wanted to build a temple for the Lord God Jehovah and Nathan said to our God said to Nathan you know David is not going to build the temple because Solomon will build the temple and the reason for that is that David is a man of blood. So how can I give a title that was bestowed on the Lord Jesus Christ.

The title of Prince of peace. How can I give that to David who is actually a great and mighty warrior puts it was Jesus who said that we are to turn the other cheek and go the 2nd mile it was Jesus who was getting ready to die on the cross.

He said this is like what you know I don't have to die. He said I could call Dan 12 legions of angels, and they would come and they would take me out of this world. Take me back to glory and destroy this wicked world, but I choose not to do that I choose to go to the cross and die for my people, folks, that's the Prince of peace. He is the Prince of peace. But I want you to know that he is not only the Prince of peace. He is also the Lord of glory.

He is the judge of this world and I want you to know that Jesus Christ is coming again, and it may be sooner than we think he is coming again, and when he comes again. Every arrogant, presumptuous, prideful unbeliever who is stood against him quiz Montes Lawless wafted his name is going to stand before Jesus and they are going to tremble in fear as the judgment of Christ is poured out upon them. Revelation chapter 19 verses 11 to 16. The that John said this, then I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse, the one sitting on it is called faithful and true, and in righteousness he judges and makes war. His eyes are like a flame of fire on his head are many diagrams and he has a name written that no one knows but himself. He's clothed in a robe dipped in blood in the name by which he is called is the word of God and the armies of heaven arrayed in fine linen, white and pure were following him on white horses from his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations, and he will rule them with a rod of iron. He will tread the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God the Almighty on his robe and his thigh he has a name written, king of kings and Lord of lords.

So yes, Jesus is indeed the Prince of peace, but we need to understand. He is also the judge of this world and he will show no mercy to those who rejected him and rejected his truth today what I want to do is all a look at David in the role that God is given him at this particular time to be a Prince of peace therefore points on share with you this morning. Number one, Joab and enemy of peace look with a verses 18 to 23 now then bringing about the Lord's promise David saying the hand of my servant David, I'll save my people Israel from the hand of the Philistines, and from the hand of all their enemies. Abner also spoke to Benjamin and then Abner went to tell David at Hebron all that Israel and the whole house of Benjamin and thought good to do when Abner came with 20 men to David at Hebron.

David made a feast for Abner and the men who were whizzing and Abner said to David, I will arise and go and gather all Israel to my lord the king, and that they may make a covenant with you and that you may reign over all, that your heart desires.

So Davidson Abner way and he went in peace. Just in the service of David arrived Joab from arrayed bringing much for whizzing, but Abner was not with David at Hebron, for he had sent him away and gone in peace when Joab and all the Army that was with them came.

It was told Joab, Abner, the son of nurse came to the king, and he is lifting any letting go and he's gone in peace Abner had capitulated and he turned his back on is the chef who he had proclaimed to be the king of Israel and now he was given his allegiance not to issue a chef any longer. But now to David he came to David and make a trip all the way to Hebron where David was and he said to David, I want you to be the king not only of Judah but over all the 12 tribes of Israel and they gather together for a a peace treaty, a covenant of peace. I gathered together to to do this and it was done in Hebron will David finished it up late work after the all the details of surrender and then David allowed him to leave and loud out and Abner to go in peace. And once that happened, Joab came back Joab was not.

They are did not know any of this was going on.

He had been out on a raid and he came back with the great bounty to give to David. He had not heard anything about what was going on here when he got back, the first thing that he heard was this David is entered a peace treaty with Abner.

David has let Abner go in peace, and Joab was absolutely livid will look at verse 24, 25, Joab went to the king, and said what if you done behold Abner came to you, why is it that you send them away so that he is gone. You know that after the son of nurse came to deceive you and to know your going out your coming in and you know all that you are doing well Joab so angry I think he was angry for three primary things. Number one. Abner had killed his brother as a hail Abner did not want to do that. Abner bagged asked hail to quit pursuing him, but at asked hail didn't and Abner took his sword and he pierced it into the the belly of asked hail and he killed any lifting they are in the street is but Brooke broken bloodied body just lying in the street a little bit later the meat. The soldiers from Judah came and the Scripture describes them as being almost in shock.

They got there and they look at his body lying on the ground and they just stop and they're not doing anything, but just looking.

I can imagine Joab just looking down at his brother tears just rolling down his cheeks is terribly horribly upset about this. Mary gets back home. And David is entered into a covenant of peace went with Abner and David has let him go in peace. We taste something Abner is not a happy camper. He hates a Joab hates Abner and not only does he hate Abner buddies very angry at David, I don't know about you but I understand that part number two Joab was angry with David because he felt that Abner could not be trusted. Abner had been chasing David in and David's men around for several years now trying to kill David. Then Abner lifts up issue a shift and declares him to be the king of Israel and then he turned his back on them when things don't go well and just gives his allegiance to David Joab says to David, this man's not trustworthy.

This man is not sincere. He's going to use this against us, he's going to deceive us. You should not have trusted him thoroughly. I think Joab may have been concerned about his job. Joab was a chief military officer David Abner was also a great military leader. I thought you think Joab may have thought to himself, would David may just demote me and he may promote him.

Abner to be the new general, the new military chief Atia Joab had much reason to be angry Abner, getting the handshake of peace from David was terribly upsetting to him. I point to a wicked murder.

Look at verses 26 to 30 when Joab came out from David's presence. He sent messengers after Abner and they brought him back from the cistern of syrup but David did not know about it and when Abner returned to Hebron.

Joab took him aside into the midst of the gate to speak with him privately and very striking him in the stomach so that he died. The blood of asked hail his brother. Afterward, when David heard of it. He said I my kingdom forever guiltless before the Lord to the blood of Abner the son of nerve may fall upon the head of Joab is up in all the father's house and by the house of Joab never be without one who has a discharge of his left wrist holds the spindle revolves by the sword who are lax bread so Joab and Abba shot his brother killed Abner because he put their brother asked hail to death in the battle of Gibeon being very unhappy with David's peace plan with Abner Joab decided to take matters into his own hands and he sent messengers to go tell Abner that there needed to be a meeting back in Hebron and he needed to come immediately. David knew nothing about this meeting.

Abner thought that David did call the meeting and so Abner comes he meets with Joab. I can imagine Joab put his arm around his shoulder. Walking over toward the gate as we just need to talk a minute Abner and then he reaches down in his sleeve and he pulls out a dagger, a pops it into his into his belly and several times just jabs it into his belly and he kills Abner in the same way that Abner killed his brother asked hail.

I can almost picture that seen in my mind as Abner is just false them to the ground is breathing bleeding profusely is an unbelievable pain and Joab standing over him, taunting him. This is this is what you get for killing my brother this is what happens to you. This is what you get for chasing David around trying to killing paybacks, fainted Abner well by now you just enjoy a paternity inhale. This murder was wicked on many levels. First, it was cowardly to slay a man under the pretense of peace, John Calvin said if there'd been a drop of reason and humanity in him he ought to have stopped himself from committing such cruelty Terry Rader who said this, the man doesn't make the moment in the moment doesn't make the man. But the moment tells us what kind of man we are and has true primarily Joab see him because he would not submit himself to his God-given authority is God-given authority here was David. David is the king and he is talking to David in yelling to him screaming at him like David's nothing but a dog why did you do this, David implying that David had had no right to enter into a peace treaty with Abner that David should have killed him.

But the Bible tells us to be subject to the governing authorities.

Hebrews chapter 13 verse 17 says this obey your leaders and submit to them, for they are keeping watch over your souls, as those who have to give an account.

David had a very careful laid out plan to try to bring peace to to Israel. So put Israel and Judah together. Part of that plan was to enter into a peace treaty with Abner and make peace with him. That was part of it. We take a moment and speak to the leadership here in our church. In Matthew chapter 23 Jesus is speaking primarily to the Pharisees, but the disciples are they are there here in it to the disciples and just been recently arguing about who was going to be greatest in the kingdom what positions they will have in the kingdom and Jesus says to them. He said the greatest among you shall be your servant, and he is exalted will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted with his teaching, and ruling elders must realize that God's call in our lives is to be servants to you as the church and we are to look on that service is an absolute privilege before God. Richard Phillips had some powerful words to say to the church and its response to its leadership. He said Joab's problem was that everything he said in contempt of Abner was equally true himself with this in mind, we should be wary of condemning Joab's murderous deed without searching for similarities similarly simple motives in our own hearts, do we find ourselves quick to criticize the careful, prayerful deliberation of our spiritual leaders. When decisions are made that are plainly contrary to God's word.

We may be forced to oppose or reject leaders and churches and denominations. Yet pastors and elders are often criticized over matters merely of judgment and prudence in applying God's word the matter that divides many churches have little to do with biblical doctrine or ministry rather focus on church decorations, music styles or differences in personality, Paul urges believers to be eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. The first step in this direction is a spirit of humility and submission to ordained leadership in the church.

I agree with Phillips layer our elders and our deacons in this church need your support and we kidded not praise God for that puts in the light of our nation's changing direction right now I want you to think about what could happen to the church. Hear me out. I believe that the church in America is getting ready to experience persecution like we have never seen before and I think we are going to be shaken like we have never seen before. I believe the persecution is coming in ways that is going to is going to really shake us. I believe that those that are phony in the church are going to organ a bailout. I think they're gonna renounce her faith.

I think those that are true are going to go through deep persecution and is going to bring about great purification and our life. I believe that possibly what's coming. Maybe right here in America right here in Harrisburg is that there may be persecution that that we experience that is going to do a mighty work and it may be our greatest hour.

It may be the time when God uses us to bring revival to this nation but that's happening in China right now and China right nail that there are people coming to Christ in unbelievable ways under horrible terrible persecution. That's what happened in the early church. That persecution came in the true people of God fill deeper in love with Jesus and they've ever been before.

Pray for your pastors here pray for your ruling elders here pray for your deacons here and I know that you've been doing that, I thank God for the attitude that you've had is a church through this crazy coronavirus mass. You didn't pay out. You continually to sacrificially give and you supported us. I praise God for that.

But the Lord has been faithful to Grace Church and you have been faithful to him that was not true of Joab's murder of Abner had the potential of doing much harm to his people and to his King David. That takes me to .3. A blessed peacemaker. Look at verses 31 to 39 and David said to Joab and all the people are withing carrier close put on sackcloth and mourn before Abner and King David followed the beer they buried Abner at Hebron and the and the king lifted up his voice, and wept at the grave of Abner and all the people wept and the king lamented for Abner saying should Abner dies a fool dies your hands were not by on your feet were not fettered as one falls before the wicked. You have fallen, and all the people wept over him again.

Then all the people came to persuade David eat bread while it was yet day but David swore saying God do so to million were also pate spray or anything else till the sun goes down, and all the people took notice of it and it please them is everything that the king did pleased all the people saw all the people and all Israel understood that day that it not been the king's will to put to death. Abner, the son of nerve and the king said to his servants do you not know that a prince and a great man is fallen, this day in Israel and I was gentle today though anointed king.

These me and the sons room are more severe than I the Lord will repay the evildoer, according to his wickedness. Jesus said blessed are the peacemakers for they should be called the sons of God. David's desire was to unite the tribe of Judah, along with the other 11 tribes of Israel. They that would be no easy task, and now Joab has tricked Abner and then murdered him that was going to make unification much much tougher.

So what should David have done different. Number one he should have realized that Joab was still hurt and angry over the death of his brother.

When David made peace with Abner Joab wouldn't even around and it may Joab feel that David didn't really care about and then once again, I think Joab was concerned that maybe Abner would come in and take his job.

David could've prevented a lot of this data could have said to Joab look your jobs not in jeopardy.

My allegiance is not Abner my allegiance is to you, he could have done that. Number two. Think of this when Abner offered David the 11 tribes of Israel and said to David, you will be our king David immediately thought back to all wrong that had been done to him. He said Saul stole my wife. He took my wife that I had had killed hundreds Philistines, actually 204 he took my wife and gave her to another man that is a wrong that needs to be righted, and he said you bring my wife back to me. That's what David did.

David had been offended and he wanted retribution.

He wanted something for that and he wanted his wife back and you know here was Joab who had also been offended. And yet David didn't even think about Joab. Joe had been hurt.

Just like David had Abner kill Joab's brother yet. David could have wisely brought the two in set them down together and talk with them. He could have jumped on Abner right there in front of Joab said what you did was wrong. It was a travesty and you need to make it right with this man unit you need to maybe pay restitution to him by the livestock. Maybe real estate do something to kill let him know that you, this was a tragedy. That's not what you wanted, not what you wanted to do that didn't happen. David did not do that and the Joab took matters into his own hands and what did he do, he murdered Abner Richard Phillips address this whale. He said AA and he said this peacemaking usually involves difficult and prayerful ministry to reconcile embittered parties and put long-held grievances to rest. Furthermore, having given Abner assurances of safety and peace. It was incumbent on David to take action to fulfill this promise, especially when Joe Evans announced David's peace and departed in anger.

David had an obligation to take positive steps to secure the reality of this piece for those under his care.

In John 618 33 Jesus said the as these things have I spoken to me that in me you might have peace in the world you will have tribulation, but be of good cheer, for I have overcome the world. You know, we expect unbelievers to oppose us. We expect the world to stand against us. But when it's people in our church are people in our family that stand against us hurt is a million times worse. 25 years ago a list of the sermon that John MacArthur preached on the subject of betrayal, and John said that there was a young man teenage young man that came to his church and after the service was over the young man came to Amon Tilling that he wanted to be saved. John share the gospel with them young man prayed withing trusted Christ as his Lord and Savior started going to that church.

After about three weeks. The John MacArthur found out that the young man was homeless and he went to him. He said look we got extra bedroom in our house.

Won't you come and live with us and the other men, young men moved in with John fitting three meals a day, putting all the way through high school. They have should college they are on campus. The King's College after he finished high school, John paid his tuition and sitting all the way through college. He graduated from college and got a great job in one long after that that he turned on John and started line to line abounding and not only line abounding, but just viciously gossiping against them absolutely broke John's heart. The elders went to this young man they begged him to stop any wooden they finally had excommunicating of the church.

John and in the midst of that sermon that he was preaching begin to just stop.

He got choked up anyway out.

He said this was the most unexpected and most hurtful thing that I've ever had to deal with.

He said every time I think about it just brings me to to to my knees and prince and in tears. That's what David wants to stop. David knows what strife and division and jealousy can do. So when David hears about Abner's murder. What does he do, he plunges himself into a plan, a plan to promote peace. His first concern was that those 11 tribes of Israel know that he had nothing to do with his murder and he lets them know this was not my idea. This is not what I wanted to happen. This was Joab that did this in verse 28. He says this I and my kingdom are forever guiltless before the Lord for the blood of Abner the son of nerve. David publicly denounced Joab sin even asked God to put a curse on Joab's family because what he did. It was Joab sin that bad yet absolutely was that bad he is, is his brother had been killed in war. Abner told his brother to not pursuing. Abner did not want to killing but his brother came.

It was either kill or be killed, and it was an act of war when it happened was not not an act of war when Joab killed Abner. It was a deceptive thing.

He tricked him to AEP. He came to him in the guise of peace and then killed and he did it require he did it in Hebron, you know, Hebron was.

Hebron was a city of refuge. It was a city where no retaliation was ever supposed to take place and there is week yielding. David did not order Joab's execution. It was a crime here that was punishable by death. It was a crime that he could have died for and probably should have died for, and David did not do that one ought I think Joab had a lot of loyal soldiers and David probably knew that it was not politically expedient for him to do so and so, what did David say David said will let the Lord handle it. The Lord deal with Joab. I think it was a copout. David put politics before faith in it costing once again Richard Phillips commentators criticize David for not obeying God's word by punishing his subordinate, certainly this indecision would come back to haunt David while Joab would often serve David Whalen the years to come, his insubordination would occur again. It is similarly a mistake when divisive or unruly church leaders are permitted to retain their office without proper discipline, usually on the grounds of the discipline process is too painful and disruptive under normal circumstances, it is better to faithfully exercise proper discipline without taking counsel of the years before David simply was not able to rein in Joab completely.

If so, we know that he resented Joab. From that time onward, Joab's punishment finally came when David was given his dying instruction to his son and successor King Solomon. By the end Joab had been implicated in the plot of Adonijah to steal the throne from Solomon.

When David ordered his death for this continued insubordination. He threw it in the grounds of Joab's long unpunished guilt in the slant of Abner. Then David gave Abner an honorable burial right there in Hebron. He followed the beer, the, the casket followed all the way out to the burial place. And then he spoke, he preached he gave the eulogy and talked about the things that add redundant or right instead and and stated that Adler's death was of a wrongful death that should never have happened that it was a foolish death and then after that he mourned and he fasted the rest of that day. People of Israel saw that and they realize that David was doing everything he could to bring about peace .4 is the true Prince of peace.

Isaiah 96 for unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given, and the government shall be upon his shoulder and he shall be called wonderful Counselor, the mighty God, the everlasting father, the Prince of peace in Colossians chapter 1 verse 19 through 20.

We are told what true peace is for it please the father that in him should all fullness dwell and having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself by him. Jesus brought peace by the shedding of his precious sinless club that is called an atonement.

It reconciled sinful man to a holy God is also called a propitiation and that means that when that blood was shed, and it was applied to the hearts of sinful man that it appease the wrath of God.

Our world is not understand the horror of peoples enmity against God, and we had this idea will our sins not that big a deal. It didn't really matter that much. God's loving God is just going to overlook RCN and and, turned his back on it, he can't do that our God is a God of perfect justice RCN had to be dealt with in the only way it could be dealt with. The only one you and I could be reconciled to a holy God is for the precious sinless blood, righteous blood of Jesus to be shed on our behalf, so that that blood could wash away RCN and put us in the right relationship with God enclosing the me ask you this.

Do you know where you going when you die. Are you sure that you're going to heaven when you die you know it beyond a shadow of a doubt, if not would you come to the Prince of peace. Would you come to Jesus. Would you repent of your sins, turn from your sin turned to faith in him surrender to his Lordship, Jesus said he comes to me I will in no wise cast out a spray heavenly father, we thank you for the Prince of peace. We thank you for Jesus coming to this earth with the specific purpose of dying on the cross to bring reconciliation between sinful man in a holy God that atonement to the shed blood of Christ was our only hope we had nothing to offer you, but our attempts at righteousness that you said like filthy rags before you. Nothing could clear the enmity between us and you accept the spotless sinless blood of Jesus Jesus our Prince of peace.

He calls us to be peacemakers. In these days of confusion and frustration. We've been angered by lies and corruption help us to refuse to compromise. And yet, may we be so filled with the love of Christ, that we may fulfill your calling to make peace, empower us to do your work. Forgive us when we fail. May our dependence be on you forcing Jesus holy and precious name we pray. Amen