When Faith Falters

TURN to 1 SAMUEL 21

Intro:

(Q) EXPERIENCED TRUTH: “WHEN it RAINS, IT POURS”??

LIFE RUBBED SALT in WOUND...

KICKED WHILE DOWN..

THINGS COMPOUNDING—DAY, WEEK, LIFE GETTING WORSE??

**EMOTIONAL PAIN OFTENTIMES = WORSE THAN PHYSICAL PAIN.

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RECENTLY TEACHING SELAH: WHEN HURT, SAY, “I’M TOUGH.”

FUNNY TIMES @ SOCCER—TRYING to BE COMPASSIONATE.

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BEST EXAMPLE: BACK-PORCH BEE

PROBABLY DEAD

SELAH RUNS OVER W/ BIKE

SAYS, “IT’S OK BEE…JUST SAY, “I’M TOUGH”

(Q) HAVE YOU EVER FOUND YOURSELF in the BEE’S SHOES??

CAN’T EVEN STAY DEAD in PEACE!

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IF IT’S BEEN POURING in YOUR LIFE...

IF IT FEELS LIKE YOUR WOUNDS ARE FILLED W/ SALT,,

BEEN KICKED WHILE DOWN...

**ENCOURAGE: GOD’S COMPASSIONATE…MERCIES NEW EVERY DAY...

Matthew 12:20 (ESV)

JESUS “ISAIAH’S SERVANT” FROM CH. 42

20 a bruised reed he will not break, and a smoldering wick he will not quench, until he brings justice to victory;

IF YOU’RE FEELING DOWN, HE WON’T KICK.

IF YOU’RE WOUNDED, HE DOESN’T SHOW UP W/ SALT.

IF IT’S BEEN POURING, HE COMES W/ UMBRELLA.

HE’S COMPASSIONATE & GRACIOUS...

***&& HE’S MORE ACQUAINTED WITH SUFFERING THAN ANY OF US..

WE CAN GO TO HIM & FIND REST FOR OUR SOULS, GRACE to HELP in TIME of NEED.

(T) I WANT you to KEEP THESE THINGS in MIND as WE DIVE into OUR TEXT for TODAY...

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Recap:

Last Week:

DAVID on THE RUN FROM KING SAUL. (SAUL TRYING to KILL DAVID BECAUSE HE’S JEALOUS)

DAVID RUNS to JONATHAN (BROTHER-in-LAW & FRIEND)

REAFFIRMED COVENANT FAITHFULNESS to ONE ANOTHER.

DETERMINED PLAN to FIND OUT IF SAUL WAS STILL ANGRY...

AFTER SAUL NEARLY KILLS JONATHAN,, THEY REUNITE & DAVID’S ON the RUN AGAIN.

(T) This is where our TEXT PICKS UP TODAY. So, if you’d please begin by looking with me at CH. 21 VS. 1, this morning.

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Text:

Setting/Inciting Incident: David’s Flight to the Priests (v1-2)

1 Samuel 21:1–15 (ESV)

1 Then David came to Nob, to Ahimelech the priest. And Ahimelech came to meet David, trembling, and said to him, “Why are you alone, and no one with you?” 2 And David said to Ahimelech the priest, “The king has charged me with a matter and said to me, ‘Let no one know anything of the matter about which I send you, and with which I have charged you.’ I have made an appointment with the young men for such and such a place.

STORY BEGINS: DAVID FLEES to NOB…WHERE PRIESTHOOD IS.

NO TEMPLE

TABERNACLE (TENT) = PLACE of WORSHIP

FORMERLY @ SHILOH (DESTROYED & RELOCATED)

***NOB = 2-2.5 MILES SOUTH-EAST of GIBEAH (SAUL’S TOWN)

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DAVID = AFRAID

AHIMELECH = ALSO AFRAID… WONDERING “WHY’S DAVID ALONE??”

MIGHTY MILITARY FIGURE

SAUL’S SON-in-LAW.

WHY’S HE RUNNING ALONE LIKE FUGITIVE??

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DAVID REPLIES (LYING) HE’S on TOP-SECRET MISSION!

DAVID’S FEAR INTRODUCES COMPROMISE

(PERHAPS LOOKING OUT FOR PRIESTS? REGARDLESS HE’S DISHONEST)

(T) And so, our STORY BEGINS with a FEARFUL DAVID who is WILLING to COMPROMISE BECAUSE of his INCREDIBLE FEAR. And then DAVID GOES on TO SAY...,

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Rising Action: David’s Request for Food (V3-6)

3 Now then, what do you have on hand? Give me five loaves of bread, or whatever is here.” 4 And the priest answered David, “I have no common bread on hand, but there is holy bread—if the young men have kept themselves from women.”

5 And David answered the priest, “Truly women have been kept from us as always when I go on an expedition. The vessels of the young men are holy even when it is an ordinary journey. How much more today will their vessels be holy?” 6 So the priest gave him the holy bread, for there was no bread there but the bread of the Presence, which is removed from before the Lord, to be replaced by hot bread on the day it is taken away.

DAVID’S BEEN RUNNING for HIS LIFE...

HIDING in FIELD FOR DAYS

PRESUMABLY FAMISHED.

SNICKERS: “YOU AREN’T YOURSELF WHEN YOU’RE HUNGRY”

** NOT SUPPOSED to MAKE DECISIONS WHEN HUNGRY, ANGRY, LONELY, TIRED...

ANYONE ELSE FIND IT’S HARDER to BE SALT & LIGHT WHEN YOU’RE HUNGRY & TIRED?

DAVID in DIRE NEED… && PRIESTS ONLY HAVE HOLY BREAD

HOLY BREAD = SET APART/RESERVED FOR PRIESTS ONLY

DAVID WILLING to COMPROMISE AGAIN.

DAVID LIES

NOW OVERSTEPPING BOUNDARIES of HIS ROLE.

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PRIEST DECIDES to BEND RULES on 1 CONDITION: DAVID (& MEN) CEREMONIALLY CLEAN PER LACK of SEXUAL ACTIVITY...

UNDER OT LAW, SOME THINGS RENDERED TEMPORARILY CEREMONIALLY UNCLEAN— SEXUAL INTERCOURSE MADE LIST.

PRIEST ALLOWS DAVID to EAT:....MORAL LAW SUPERCEDING CEREMONIAL LAW… SPIRIT of LAW OVER LETTER of LAW.

**ALLOWING DAVID to STARVE = MORE WRONG THAN SHARING HOLY BREAD.

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DALE DAVIS: GIVING of BREAD = ACT of GOD’S GRACE & MERCY

DAVID DIDN’T DESERVE IT...

ON RUN, PRESENTLY WITHOUT FAITH

LYING

WILLING to COMPROMISE

WASN’T AUTHORIZED to HAVE IT…NOT a PRIEST.

GOD STILL PROVIDED FOR & PROTECTED DAVID.

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EASY to JUMP to JUDGEMENT…WE MUST ALL REMEMBER WE’RE ALL RECIPIENTS of GRACE—UNMERITED FAVOR.

ANYTHING GOOD in US = RESULT of GRACE

ANYTHING GOOD WE DO = RESULT of GRACE

OUR LIFE & EXISTENCE = RESULT of GRACE.

RECIPIENTS of GRACE SHOULD BE CAREFUL in RENDERING JUDGEMENT on OTHER RECIPIENTS, FOR THAT’S ACTUALLY JUDGING GOD...

(T) And THEN the TEXT SAYS,,

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More Tension: The Sighting of David by Doeg (v7)

7 Now a certain man of the servants of Saul was there that day, detained before the Lord. His name was Doeg the Edomite, the chief of Saul’s herdsmen.

DAVID on RUN = LARGELY in HIDING/SECRET...

DOEG, EDOMITE (NOT ISRAELITE) && SERVANT of SAUL,, SEES DAVID & WILL LATER INFORM SAUL.

DAVID LOOKING OUT FOR SELF—DESIRES to GET OUT OF DODGE...

(T) So, DAVID has BEN FED, David has been LIKEWISE FOUND, WHAT WILL HE DO NEXT? The SCRIPTURE SAYS,,

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Rising Action: David’s Request for Weapons (V8-9)

8 Then David said to Ahimelech, “Then have you not here a spear or a sword at hand? For I have brought neither my sword nor my weapons with me, because the king’s business required haste.” 9 And the priest said, “The sword of Goliath the Philistine, whom you struck down in the Valley of Elah, behold, it is here wrapped in a cloth behind the ephod. If you will take that, take it, for there is none but that here.” And David said, “There is none like that; give it to me.”

DAVID LOOKING FOR FOOD && WEAPONS

HOW MANY THINK: “I’D RATHER HAVE SWORD && NOT NEED IT,, THAN NEED it && NOT HAVE IT?”

PROBLEM: NOT CUSTOMARY of DAVID…FOR in PAST,, DAVID RECOUNTED GOD’S FAITHFULNESS…NOW FEAR HAD OUTGROWN FAITH...

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REMEMBER DAVID GOING to FIGHT GOLIATH??

RECOUNTED: GOD DELIVERED FROM BEAR & LION

REJECTED SAUL’S ARMOR

WENT OUT W/ SLING & STONE.

“LORD DELIVERS NOT W/ SWORD or SPEAR”

DAVID COULD LOOK @ GIANT PHILISTINE W/ EYES of FAITH…BUT COULDN’T LOOK THAT WAY @ SAUL...

HERE’S THE THING:

DAVID = STILL ANOINTED to BE NEXT KING

KNOWS SAMUEL’S WORD

NOW HAD HISTORY:

DELIVERED FROM LIONS & BEARS

&& GOLIATH

&& COUNTLESS PHILISTINE SKIRMISHES

&& SAUL’S SPEAR & MESSENGERS

SUDDENLY—HISTORY ISN’T ENOUGH...

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GREATEST IRONY! SWORD PROVIDED = SWORD of GOLIATH...

***SURELY THIS SHOULD HAVE STIRRED DAVID’S FAITH!! WHAT BETTER MEMORY!

DAVID UNSHEATHED THIS SWORD && KILLED GIANT W/ OWN SWORD!!....... HOW COULD HE FORGET????

***IF ANYTHING SHOULD’VE BEEN a TESTIMONY to GOD’S FAITHFULNESS IT’D HAVE BEEN THIS SWORD!

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MENTIONED BEFORE: WHEN GOD BRINGS YOU THROUGH DIFFICULT TIMES, SET UP MEMORIALS & STIR FAITH FOR FUTURE.

PERSONAL COLLECTION: “BY GRACE of GOD,, I CAN DO HARD THINGS”

WHAT BETTER TESTIMONY COULD YOU HAVE THAN GOLIATH’S SWORD....YET DAVID is FEARFUL...

(T) So, DAVID’S STRUGGLING, and FOR GOOD REASON. I certainly DON’T BLAME HIM FOR BEING FEARFUL of his life, because it was in one sense a legitimate fear. Yet, AT THE SAME TIME WE DO WONDER WHY DAVID WASN’T STIRRING UP HIS FAITH to FACE this FEAR. Will David at any point today get this right? The text goes on to say in VS. 10,,

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Rising Action: David’s Flight to the Philistines (V10-11)

10 And David rose and fled that day from Saul and went to Achish the king of Gath. 11 And the servants of Achish said to him, “Is not this David the king of the land? Did they not sing to one another of him in dances, ‘Saul has struck down his thousands, and David his ten thousands’?”

DAVID FLEEING—GOES to LAND of PHILISTINES!! (W/ GOLIATH’S SWORD!)

&& NOT ONLY THIS…GOES to ACHISH, KING of GATH (GOLIATH’S HOMETOWN!)

ENEMY of MY ENEMY = MY FRIEND??

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BUT DAVID HAS a REPUTATION THERE....

KILLED HIS 10-THOUSANDS

THE GIANT SLAYER

KILLED 200 FOR AWFUL BRIDE-PRICE

EVEN CALLED the KING of THE LAND!

DAVID’S REPUTATION PRECEDED HIM…GOD HAD MADE HIM a SUCCESS & WAS WITH HIM..

(T) So, we wonder with David fleeing to the land of the Philistines IF THEY’RE GOING to LET BYGONES BE BYGONE? Perhaps David thinks that all the thousands of Philistines he killed can just be WATER UNDER the BRIDGE and that they can move on and become friends. Well, we’ll see what happens next, if you look with me at verse 12.

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Climax: David’s Fear & Changed Behavior (V12-15)

12 And David took these words to heart and was much afraid of Achish the king of Gath. 13 So he changed his behavior before them and pretended to be insane in their hands and made marks on the doors of the gate and let his spittle run down his beard.

14 Then Achish said to his servants, “Behold, you see the man is mad. Why then have you brought him to me? 15 Do I lack madmen, that you have brought this fellow to behave as a madman in my presence? Shall this fellow come into my house?”

CRAZY! KING DOESN’T SAY ANYTHING && DAVID’S SCARED BECAUSE HE HEARS THEIR TESTIMONIES....

***DON’T YOU THINK THAT THEY SHOULD HAVE HAD REASON to FEAR DAVID THOUGH??

LIVING GOD on HIS SIDE...

GIANT-SLAYER...

KILLED THOUSANDS...

&& DAVID SHOWED UP W/ GOLIATH’S SWORD…WHAT BETTER REMINDER WOULD THEY NEED!

DAVID CAVES to FEAR && PRETENDS to BE MADMAN!

RICHARD PHILIPPS: DAVID’S CRAZY ACTIONS CULMINATE W/ HIM ACTING LITERALLY CRAZY!

WHAT a HUMILIATING WAY to LEAVE…WHAT DISGRACE....

GIANT-KILLER NOW a MADMAN????

DAVID TODAY CONSISTENTLY FAILING & RESPONDING IN FEAR...

***YET GOD IS CONTINUALLY MERCIFUL.

GOD PROVIDES BOTH FOOD & WEAPONS FOR DAVID

GOD SPARES DAVID’S LIFE (IN SPITE of BAD ACTING!)

(T) So, once again, DAVID is ON THE RUN... David in the past has run from Saul’s spear, he’s run from his own house, he’s run to Samuel, he ran to Jonathan, he ran to the priests at Nob, he ran to the Philistines, and now David is on the run, heading somewhere else. So, WHERE DOES HE GO? The text goes on to say,

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Setting/Inciting Incident: David’s Flight to Adullam & David’s Army (V1-2)

1 Samuel 22:1–5 (ESV)

1 David departed from there and escaped to the cave of Adullam. And when his brothers and all his father’s house heard it, they went down there to him. 2 And everyone who was in distress, and everyone who was in debt, and everyone who was bitter in soul, gathered to him. And he became commander over them. And there were with him about four hundred men.

IN SPITE of EVERYTHING DAVID’S DONE WRONG…GOD’S BEEN MERCIFUL.

GOD REAFFIRMS DAVID’S CALL to LEADERSHIP BY ASSEMBLING an ARMY FOR HIM...

DAVID = FUGITIVE...

GOD SENDS REST of ISRAEL WHO WERE DOWN on LUCK,, & REJECTED.

THEY KNEW THEY’D FIND SOLACE W/ DAVID

ARMY of MISFITS.

(T) So, in the MIDST of DAVID’S FEAR & REBELLION, GOD ESTABLISHES HIM, once again. God gives David an army of around 400 men who will be loyal to him. And THEN the TEXT SAYS,,

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Resolution: David’s Flight to Moab (v3-4)

3 And David went from there to Mizpeh of Moab. And he said to the king of Moab, “Please let my father and my mother stay with you, till I know what God will do for me.” 4 And he left them with the king of Moab, and they stayed with him all the time that David was in the stronghold.

DAVID FLEES to ANOTHER ENEMY NATION: MOAB.

&& DAVID TAKES FAMILY—SURELY UNDER THREAT in ISRAEL.

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KING of MOAB = 1ST KING to ACCEPT DAVID.

DALE DAVIS WONDERS: DOES THIS HAVE to DO W/ LINEAGE, FOR DAVID’S GREAT-GRANDMOTHER, RUTH = FROM MOAB

DID GOD USE the TRIALS of NAOMI & RUTH to SAVE DAVID DECADES LATER??? POSSIBLY! GOD’S PROVIDENCE = BEYOND COMPARE, AMAZING!!!

1ST TIME—GOD is BROUGHT INTO STORY...

DAVID DETERMINES, HE’LL STAY UNTIL HE KNOWS WHAT GOD WILL DO FOR HIM...

(T) And now our TEXT is GOING to CLOSE in VS 5 this morning,

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Conclusion: David’s Flight to the Forest (v5)

5 Then the prophet Gad said to David, “Do not remain in the stronghold; depart, and go into the land of Judah.” So David departed and went into the forest of Hereth.

PROPHET FROM GOD—GAD ENCOURAGE DAVID to RETURN to LAND of JUDAH...

**GOD’S CALL WAS FOR DAVID to RULE in ISRAEL, NOT to HIDE in MOAB...

SO HE RETURNS to LAND of ISRAEL in FOREST of HERETH...

(T) And so we can learn from this passage today, the idea that,

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Homiletical Idea:

When God’s people are filled with fear and find themselves faithless, God always remains faithful.

WHY? BECAUSE GOD WORKS OFF of GRACE...

DAVID in TODAY’S TEXT = WHOLLY UNDESERVING…YET GOD = MERCIFUL/GRACIOUS

GOD CONTINUED to PROTECT DAVID

GOD PROVIDED FOOD & WEAPONRY

GOD CONTINUED to SPARE DAVID

GOD PROVIDED DAVID an ARMY

ENCOURAGE: GOD is A FAITHFUL GOD!

IF YOU’VE FALTERED & FALLEN SHORT…GET BACK UP… GOD is FAITHFULLY MERCIFUL.

IF YOUR FAITH is WEAK,, GOD = FAITHFUL GOD...

FEAR ESSENTIALLY SAYS: “MAYBE GOD WON’T BE FAITHFUL THIS TIME”

BELIEVERS SHOULD BE ABLE to POINT to GOD’S PAST FAITHFULNESS…to BUILD FAITH FOR FUTURE...

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Gospel:

TODAY’S TEXT: WE SEE GOD = INCREDIBLY FAITHFUL.

FAITHFUL to PROVIDE for DAVID’S NEEDS…

NATURAL BREAD WHEN STARVING...

GOD HAS PROVIDED FOR ALL of US,, EVEN GREATER NEED...

JESUS CHRIST = BREAD of LIFE…SENT FROM HEAVEN...

HE’S the SUPPLY THAT SATISFIES OUR SOUL’S EVERY LONGING… HE’S the WATER YOU CAN DRINK && NEVER THIRST AGAIN.

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LIKEWISE, WE SAW DAVID HAD an ARMY ASSEMBLED to HIM of THOSE the WORLD REJECTED...

***GOD is DOING the SAME THING TODAY...

TAKING THOSE WHOM the WORLD HAS REJECTED && MAKING THEM A PEOPLE, CHOSEN FOR HIS OWN PURPOSES...

****REJECTION BY WORLD DOESN’T MEAN REJECTION BY GOD...

WHAT MATTERS to GOD = WHETHER OR NOT YOU’VE RECEIVED CHRIST

John 1:12 (ESV)

12 But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God,

IF YOU PLACE YOUR FAITH in THE SAVIOR TODAY,, YOU CAN BE SAVED… YOU CAN BE ACCEPTED AS A CHILD of GOD!

IF YOU PROFESS HIM AS LORD....

& BELIEVE in YOUR HEART THAT HE DIED FOR YOUR SIN &

WAS RAISED…

YOU CAN BE SAVED...

&&& THIS IS ALL of GRACE.

GRACE COMES THROUGH a PERSON: JESUS CHRIST...

YOU CAN RECEIVE the CREDIT FOR HIS PERFECT RIGHTEOUSNESS THROUGH FAITH...

2 Corinthians 5:21 (ESV)

21 For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

YOU CAN HAVE YOUR SOUL’S DESIRE FILLED TODAY… & NEVER HUNGER & THIRST AGAIN..

***IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS,, TALK to US AFTER SERVICE.

(T) And now, in closing, I’d like to share a few takeaways with you all today,

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Takeaways:

LEARN ABOUT GOD?

GOD = INCREDIBLY FAITHFUL GOD.

HE WILL FULFILL HIS PROMISES

Philippians 1:6 (ESV)

6 And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.

THANK GOD HIS FAITHFULNESS TO US ISN’T DEPENDENT UPON OUR PERFECT FAITHFULNESS to HIM.

LEARN ABOUT US?

WHEN TRIALS COME OUR WAY,, WE SHOULD RESPOND in FAITH…NOT FEAR… & GO to GOD AS OUR REFUGE & STRONGHOLD NOT OTHER THINGS...

&& IF YOU FEEL LIKE a BRUISED REED or A WICK ABOUT to LOSE FLAME…KNOW THAT HE WON’T KICK YOU WHILE YOU’RE DOWN.

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App:

TODAY’S TEXT:

DAVID CONSISTENTLY FORGOT GOD’S PAST FAITHFULNESS...

DAVID RESPONDED W/ FEAR...

DAVID RAN to NATURAL SOLUTIONS & STRONGHOLDS

Hebrews 4:15–16 (ESV)

15 For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. 16 Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

RECOUNT the GOODNESS of GOD to YOU FROM the PAST… & GO to GOD DURING TIMES of NEED…BELIEVING HE’LL BE FAITHFUL AGAIN...

KNOW THAT YOU WON’T BE REJECTED

THERE’S HELP AVAILABLE, BUT YOU MUST REACH OUT.

OUR GOD is AN INCREDIBLY FAITHFUL GOD,, && HE’S DESERVING of OUR TRUST, AMEN??

CLOSE in PRAYER