1 Samuel 25; Foolish Fellas, a Wise Woman, and a Gracious God

Introduction

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At the age of 15, I had the first sense of a call to ministry. Over the next three years, my church and Holly’s church affirmed my calling and ordained. When I graduated high school, I knew I wanted to go to Boyce college, but it was too expensive, we couldn’t move to Louisville KY, I couldn’t work full-time and go to school full-time. So, I became a member of Holly’s church and became a Sunday School teacher there. I served how I could there. However, Holly knew that I was called to pastoral ministry. She also knew that I didn’t have any plans to actively pursue God’s call on my life. I knew that I should be looking for opportunities, but I had every excuse ready for why I shouldn’t be looking for an opportunity.

One day, Holly told me I was either called to ministry or I wasn’t. We knew that God called me to ministry. So I better stop talking about being a pastor and start working toward being a pastor. Because of Holly’s wisdom, I enrolled at Boyce College and began applying for any ministry position on the SBC job board.

Not only did Holly call me to stop sining by being lackadaisical with God’s call on my life, but she also set a whole new trajectory for the life of our family. By her encouragement, we have been able to serve two churches. Because of her support and wisdom, I am the first member in my family to graduate from college.

Need

We need to listen to God’s wisdom in our lives. We often forget to realize that God can speak to his people through his people. If we expect God to live within his saints then we must expect him to speak through his saints.

Topic

Referent

1 Samuel 25

Organization

Foolish Fellas (vs. 1-13, 43-44)

A Wise Woman (vs. 14-31)

A Gracious God (vs. 32-44)

Sermon in a sentence:

God’s wisdom guards us from sin.

Foolish Fellas (vs. 1-13, 43-44)

v. 1 - Samuel’s tragic death

First, the prophet/judge of God is dead.

Saul did not reconcile with Samuel during his life.

The king should have used Samuel to listen to the qol of the voice of the Lord.

The king should have listened to the wisdom of the prophet but he didn’t.

vs. 2-3, 10-11

Nabal is first described by what he has then who he is.

He has a dream job, all the money he needs, he comes from a great family, and the trophy wife too. But he is harsh and badly behaved.

Nabal should have shown David gratitude, but he isn’t required to.

Brothers and sisters, let us not be Nabals. Jesus tells us that the world will know us because of our love for one another. Paul tells us that our lives should be marked by the fruit of the Spirit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, and self-control. He also tells us that as far as it is up to us that we are to live at peace with all mean. The Bible never gives the Christian the option to “do you”. You know what I’m taking about. People will say things like, “Well, you do you and I’ll do me” or “Well thats who I am.” No, the Bible calls us to be new creations in Christ!

v.13 David is ready to raise his hand against his enemy

Last week, we saw that chapters 23-24 used this word 20 times.

David would not raise his hand against Saul, God’s anointed, even if Saul was willing to raise his hand against David.

The righteous king David is now willing to become a murderer because he has been offended.

Samuel’s death signifies what a dark day has fallen upon Israel. Likewise, David’s sin here demonstrates that not only is the current king going to fail, so is David.

Abigail and Bathsheba have many similarities.

both are beautiful women

married to different men

the men pose a threat to the king

David is willing to kill both men

A Wise Woman (vs. 14-31)

14-17 and 23-31

Abigail is told of Nabal’s response by her own people.

The servants respect her and know that you can talk to her.

Abigail is always in a hurry (vs. 18, 23,

Proverbs 31

God can speak to his people through his people.

A Gracious God (vs. 32-42)

Save’s David from killing Nabal

Also a political issue

God used Abigail to provide for David and his men

God doesn’t strike David for having multiple wives.

Romans 2:4 “4 Or do you presume on the riches of his kindness and forbearance and patience, not knowing that God’s kindness is meant to lead you to repentance?”

Conclusion

Jonathan Griffiths

Preaching in the New Testament: An Exegetical and Biblical-Theological Study God Speaks through His Word

God continues to speak today through the words that he once spoke. Scripture is not simply a depository and record of words that God spoke at some time in the past; it is the script that he continues to speak today. Scripture presents itself as a living thing.

We could turn to a number of places within Scripture to see this principle established and affirmed, but the handling of Old Testament Scripture in the book of Hebrews is particularly striking in this regard. The writer of Hebrews repeatedly treats Old Testament texts as being spoken by God in the contemporary context. So he can introduce quotations from psalms written centuries before with the words ‘he [that is, God] says’ (

Application

Husbands:

Listen to your wife this week. Ask her if there is anything that you have not been willing to consider.

Wives,

Be willing to speak up.

Be willing to ask yourself, “Does my life demand respect from my husband?”

Members:

Listen to God’s wisdom by listening to the people that God has placed in your lives.