How Will You Meet The King?

2SAM.19:15 "HOW WILL YOU MEET THE KING?"
* This chapter finds David returning to Jerusalem after a forced exile caused by Absolom his son.
* Absolom is now dead & King David is returning to retake his rightful place on the throne-Israel.
* David’s return finds the people of Israel in various states of mind and in various states of
preparedness for his return. * In this chapter, and in the first verse of chapter 20,
* We are presented with five different people who met the king.
A) Each one meets him with a different attitude & from a different point of view.
* Needless to say, before we are done, we will see that not everyone was happy to see the king!
B) This morning, I want to intertwine this story with the story of another returning King!
* The Bible tells us that there is a King named Jesus who left this earth one day to go back to
heaven from where He originated! * Before He left, He gave His people some promises,
* that stand as a glorious hope for the people of God, but that also stand as a solemn warning
for those outside Jesus! * Notice a couple of those glorious promises:
C) John 14:1-3 "Let not ..." * Acts 1:9-11 "And when he had spoken these things ..."
* Rev.22:20 "He which testifieth these things saith, Surely I come quickly. Amen. Even so ..."
D) Now the truth of the matter is, not everyone will meet Jesus the same way when He returns!
* Some will be excited and happy, others will be caught off guard, still others will be found lost,
* and undone and will find that an eternity in hell is all they have before them!
* The question I have for you this morning is this; How will you meet the King?
E) This morning I would like to look at the lives of five of the men who met King David,
* when he returned from exile & I would like to show you, from the accounts of these men,
* how many will meet King Jesus when He returns some day!
F) As I preach this message, please allow the Lord to speak to your heart & look inwardly,
* at yourself, as you consider the question that must be answered, "How will you meet the King?"

(1) V.16-23 WILL YOU BE WORRIED? * When David returned, two of those who met him,
* were named Ziba and Shimei. * Both of these men had reason to be worried when they saw the
king coming! * Notice what they had done:
A) Let’s Consider Ziba. * When David left Jerusalem, Ziba came to the king & brought him food
and other necessities (2Sam.16:1-4). * In the process of giving food to the king,
* Ziba took the time to slander the name of Mephibosheth, and by doing so, he obtained all the
property that belonged to Mephibosheth under false pretenses.
* In short, Ziba lied to the king & attempted to deceive him. * Therefore, Ziba was worried,
* and rightly so, when he saw the king coming!
B) Let’s Consider Shimei. * When David was about four miles outside the city of Jerusalem,
* on his way into exile, he passed a village named Bahurim.
* As he & his men passed by, a man named Shimei came out & ran along the hillside cursing
David and throwing rocks at him and his men. (2Sam.16:5-13)
C) By cursing David, Shimei was guilty of blaspheme against the Lord’s anointed.
* By doing so, he was worthy of death, yet he received mercy in that David refused Abishai
permission to kill Shimei. * Shimei had enjoyed freedom while David was away,
* but when he saw the king returning,