2 Samuel 15, I want to begin reading at verse 13,

and I'm going to read all the way through verse 31.

So hang with me here and if you would please picture these events

as we see them in Scripture,

let your imagination be plugged in this morning

and get this thing going in your head.

Verse 13, a messenger came and told David

the hearts of the men of Israel are with Absalom.

Now recall because we're going to have to push rewind here this morning

and remember that Absalom has tried and tried and tried to get through to his father

who refused to deal with a family problem openly.

So now what we've seen is this.

Absalom has decided if he can't get to his father through the home,

he'll get to his father through his throne.

So he set himself up at the city gate

for frustrated people who were trying to get a word to the king

and he basically said he doesn't have time to hear you.

But here I am.

I will gladly hear whatever you have to tell me.

And patiently, he put in years at that city gate until one by one

he began to win the hearts of the people away from his father.

I want you to see then it says in verse 14,

...