Listening and Obeying

2 Samuel 2:1-11
Darrin Mariott, Lead Pastor

Big Idea: To grow in Christ, we must see the priority of listening to God’s voice and obeying His Word.

2 Samuel 2:1-11
1 After this David inquired of the Lord, “Shall I go up into any of the cities of Judah?” And the Lord said to him, “Go up.” David said, “To which shall I go up?” And he said, “To Hebron.” 2 So David went up there, and his two wives also, Ahinoam of Jezreel and Abigail the widow of Nabal of Carmel. 3 And David brought up his men who were with him, everyone with his household, and they lived in the towns of Hebron. 4 And the men of Judah came, and there they anointed David king over the house of Judah.When they told David, “It was the men of Jabesh-gilead who buried Saul,” 5 David sent messengers to the men of Jabesh-gilead and said to them, “May you be blessed by the Lord, because you showed this loyalty to Saul your lord and buried him. 6 Now may the Lord show steadfast love and faithfulness to you. And I will do good to you because you have done this thing. 7 Now therefore let your hands be strong, and be valiant, for Saul your lord is dead, and the house of Judah has anointed me king over them.” 8 But Abner the son of Ner, commander of Saul’s army, took Ish-bosheth the son of Saul and brought him over to Mahanaim, 9 and he made him king over Gilead and the Ashurites and Jezreel and Ephraim and Benjamin and all Israel. 10 Ish-bosheth, Saul’s son, was forty years old when he began to reign over Israel, and he reigned two years. But the house of Judah followed David. 11 And the time that David was king in Hebron over the house of Judah was seven years and six months.

I. David Listens (v. 1)

A. Now that Saul is dead and the time for mourning has passed, David decides to move forward and pursue what God has ordained for him. But David is not rash. Rather than rush headlong to the throne, David first turns to the Lord (v. 1).

A. We see David:

1. Has a zeal for the Lord (cf. Ps. 69:7-9) – David’s zeal informed his pursuit of God’s will.
Psalm 69:7-9
7 For it is for your sake that I have borne reproach,that dishonor has covered my face. 8 I have become a stranger to my brothers,an alien to my mother’s sons. 9 For zeal for your house has consumed me,and the reproaches of those who reproach you have fallen on me.

2. Seeks the Lord (v. 1; cf. Ps. 105:4) – Unlike Saul, David relies on the Lord and looks to Him for guidance and wisdom.
Psalm 105:4
4 Seek the Lord and his strength; seek his presence continually!

C. If we are to grow in our knowledge of and relationship to Christ, then it is essential we develop the discipline of listening to the Lord. We develop this through:

1. Being Jesus’s disciple (cf. Jn. 10:1-4).
John 10:1-4
1 “Truly, truly, I say to you, he who does not enter the sheepfold by the door but climbs in by another way, that man is a thief and a robber. 2 But he who enters by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. 3 To him the gatekeeper opens. The sheep hear his voice, and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. 4 When he has brought out all his own, he goes before them, and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice.

2. Reading God’s Word (cf. Ps. 119:105).
Psalm 119:105
105 Your word is a lamp to my feetand a light to my path.

3. Prayer (cf. Phil. 4:6; Col. 4:2).
Philippians 4:6
6 do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.

Colossians 4:2
2 Continue steadfastly in prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving.

4. Solitude (cf. Mk. 1:35).
Mark 1:35
35 And rising very early in the morning, while it was still dark, he departed and went out to a desolate place, and there he prayed.

II. David Obeys (v. 2)

A. In pursuing God’s calling on his life, David will face hurdles and challenges that could trip him up and knock him off-track. How will he deal with these obstacles? Obedience.

B. We see David:

1. Obeys the Lord (v. 2; cf. Js. 1:22-25) – David doesn’t just inquire of the Lord; he does what God says.
James 1:22-25
22 But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. 23 For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks intently at his natural face in a mirror. 24 For he looks at himself and goes away and at once forgets what he was like. 25 But the one who looks into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and perseveres, being no hearer who forgets but a doer who acts, he will be blessed in his doing.

2. Is thoughtful and shrewd (vv. 4-7; cf. Matt. 10:16) – God calls us to use wisdom and discernment in dealing with others.
Matthew 10:16
16 “Behold, I am sending you out as sheep in the midst of wolves, so be wise as serpents and innocent as doves.

C. David’s obedience to the Lord does not mean he will not face opposition and challenges, he will (vv. 8-11). So, David must persevere in doing what’s right in God’s eyes. This is a lesson for all of us to learn as well.