Narrative Preaching: Perhaps God
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Exegetical Idea: Jonathan’s faith, trust in God's deliverance, and the divine intervention that brings victory to Israel despite Saul's leadership challenges and a risky military strategy.
Homiletical Idea: Faith is the Key to accessing god’s Victory.
Introduction:
I have told you these things so that in me you may have peace. You will have suffering in this world. Be courageous! I have conquered the world.”
Jesus told us that in this world we will experience trouble, and all of us can say that He didn’t lie.
In fact when we come to the bible it is full of people who faced troubles and difficulties, Just like we do today, but the question is what do we do when troubles come our way?
No blacksmith could be found in all the land of Israel because the Philistines had said, “Otherwise, the Hebrews will make swords or spears.”
This verse describes the situation that people of God were facing. Oppression, Depression, no Hope, being ruled by the enemy
to make the matter worse the one who they chose to lead them sat by while the suffering grew. Day by Day under oppression, longing for Hope, but not seeing it
Many times we sit in waiting, crying “how long God? How long will we suffer, how long until we see the dawn of hope on the horizon?” Yet nothing as another day passes and more oppression sinks in until it becomes the new Norm for us
We adjust our lives to the oppression and depression, just like eyes adjusting to being in the darkness
This is what life is now
Many live this way
Plato use an allegory of a cave to make this same point
The adjustment of our lives to the darkness that surrounds us
Now if this was end of the story it would be a tragedy, but no matter how bad the scenerio may get, God has a plan and God has promises
For I know the plans I have for you”—this is the Lord’s declaration—“plans for your well-being, not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.
And the people of God access these by faith
Darkness might try to set in but Faith Grabs ahold of the reality of who God is
Now faith is the reality of what is hoped for, the proof of what is not seen.
And Faith motivates the people of God to action
Jonathan said to the attendant who carried his weapons, “Come on, let’s cross over to the garrison of these uncircumcised men. Perhaps the Lord will help us. Nothing can keep the Lord from saving, whether by many or by few.”
the physical reality is “ The enemy is ruling and oppressing the people”
The Spiritually reality: God is still on the throne and He can deliver us
the odds where still stacked against Jonathan and He realized that.
Faith looks crazy:
“All right,” Jonathan replied, “we’ll cross over to the men and then let them see us. If they say, ‘Wait until we reach you,’ then we will stay where we are and not go up to them. But if they say, ‘Come on up,’ then we’ll go up, because the Lord has handed them over to us—that will be our sign.”