Thank you. Whether we want to admit it or not, sin is often alluring.

Although it sometimes provides a season of enjoyment, it ultimately promises satisfaction that it cannot fulfill.

And today on Truth for Life, Alistair Begg explains why sin always ends in tears.

We're following the ongoing saga of alienation and disruption found in 2nd Samuel, Chapter 14.

Thank you. found in 2 Samuel, 14. Well, our heading for this morning, I've decided, is a royal shambles.

We continue to be in the midst of lust, death, alienation, yearning, bereavement, rape, murder, and toxic family

relationships. And so, as daunting as it is, we need to get down to the task. And so what we're going to do

is try and work our way all the way to the end. If you want some kind of

outline, we're going to consider Joab's concern, the woman's conversation, the king's compliance,

and finally, the king kisses Absalom. First of all, then, the concern of Joab. We know that David as the king

has failed to execute justice. He at the same time, the king has not only failed to show justice,

but he is unwilling to show mercy, as we discover in this unfolding drama. In fact, the king fails to show any decisive direction

in relationship to this unfolding shambles. And so it falls to Joab to seek to break the impasse.

That's his concern. Secondly, to the woman's conversation.

And this is the substantial part of this chapter, and it's long. And of course, you will recognize that what is happening here is akin to what we already saw back in chapter 12 when Nathan,

the prophet, comes to David, and he doesn't come

to him straight out and say, what you did was wrong, he tells him a parable in order to bring

him to the point where the parable brings about a sense of conviction on the part of David,

and then he plays the ace, and he says, you're actually that man. Now, what's going on here

is very similar. She is going to seek the king's help with a problem that isn't real,

in the hope that it will help him with a problem that is real. And her appeal is straightforward. I need your help. Save me,

O King. I need your help. Oh, he says, yes, of course. I'd be glad. Now, I've imagined that the king

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