“The Protection of the Lord” - 1 Samuel 19
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In today's NFL, the players grabbing the most headlines are quarterbacks, running backs, and wide receivers. But according to Michael Lewis' book The Blind Side, the ones who grab the second highest paychecks are left tackles.
In the book, Lewis tries to explain the importance of these anonymous, but essential, offensive linemen. He traces their emerging importance back to the career-ending injury of star quarterback Joe Theismann on Monday Night Football in 1985. More than 17 million people watched as an incredibly athletic linebacker named Lawrence Taylor blindsided Theismann, breaking his leg.
Since most quarterbacks are right-handed, the left tackle's main role is to prevent his quarterback from being hit from behind, unseen. And with the next generation of athletic linebackers and defensive ends, it takes a special person to do it. Left tackles must weigh more than 300 pounds and have long arms to block, but they must also be quick on their feet. Today, teams are willing to pay for such a player. By 2004, the average salary of a left tackle in the NFL was $5.5 million a year. Only starting quarterbacks earned more.
Trivia: Hall of fame LT who protected John Elway?
The role of the left tackle is literally to be his "brother's keeper." This is the role that God plays on our behalf, and this should be the role of every player in God's church.
Today we are
Protection. Websters: to cover or shield from exposure, injury, damage, or destruction. Are we protected in life? Do we feel protected? In our society, do we feel protected… the answers may and probably will vary. But more specifically… do we as Christians feel like we are protected by the Lord? How do we feel today about the ever growing hostility toward Christianity? Will he protect us from physical harm, emotional harm, deception, injustice, persecution, ect? I wonder if we really believe it? I wonder if at times the feelings of fear of the world outweigh our belief that the Lord will protect us? We fear offending the world more than offending the living God? What the world will do to us… ridicule, scorn, mocking, persecution, at times even assault and or death or what will happen to the people we love. We do not want to offend. Sermons and conversations lack the name of Jesus because it is offensive…
We have no problems talking about God, but mention Christ and the historic orthodox interpretations of the truths of scripture, and society becomes aggressive especially... when shedding light on certain immoral special interests of our increasing Sodom and Gomorrah like culture. But lets not be ignorant… we have seen many instances of the church today being afraid of the world so much so that we avoid subjects, we soften the intensity of scripture, we try to answer questions without answering them…like notable evangelicals we saw on Larry King, CNN, and Fox News, we saw some even flat our lie. One of our leaders whom I deeply respect, waffled under pressure in front of an audience at MIT, but later repented and apologized to the body of Christ admitting that he does struggle with the fear of man.
Christ even saw this in us when he instructed us not to fear the one who can kill the body but not the soul. Why is it, that we fear the world so? Is it really because the world is so great… or is the real answer that we are just not confident that the Lord will protect us? Ever felt this, or thought of it this way? Does the Lord protect us? Yes He does and Yes He did... and we will see it in our passage today.
Saul enters the picture urging his servants and Jonathon to kill David but Jonathon jumped in to defend David by telling him to hide in the fields and went to his father to plead for David. After a moving discourse by Jonathan, Saul relented and made a vow… “As surely as the Lord lives, David will not be killed.” Things for Saul, Jonathan, and David progressed normal and peaceful. Until the tormenting Spirit came upon Saul and while David played the Harp, Saul tried to impale him against the wall with his spear. David fled. Saul sent troops to David’s house to kill him the next morning, but Mical, his wife warned him and helped him escape. She put an Idol on the bed with a cushion of goat hair to make it look like David was sleeping and sick. The deceived soldiers reported to Saul that David was still in bed sick, then Saul told them to bring David before him so he could kill him himself. The deception was uncovered and Saul wanted to know why his daughter deceived him. But she told Saul that David threatened her. David escaped and went to go live with Samuel in Naioth. When Saul found out about it, he sent soldiers to capture David. However, Samuel was leading other prophets in prophesying. The Spirit of God came upon Saul’s men and they began to prophesy. He sent other troops and the same thing happened to them. He sent troops a third time and the same thing happened. Finally, Saul went himself. The same thing happened to Saul all the way to Naioth. In the presence of Samuel, Saul tore off his clothes and lay naked on the ground prophesying all day and all night. The people watching exclaimed, “What? Is even Saul a prophet?” Sound familiar?
Have you forgotten about the time he risked his life to kill the Philistine giant and how the Lord brought a great victory to all Israel as a result? You were certainly happy about it then. Why should you murder an innocent man like David? There is no reason for it at all!”
So Saul listened to Jonathan and vowed, “As surely as the Lord lives, David will not be killed.”
Afterward Jonathan called David and told him what had happened. Then he brought David to Saul, and David served in the court as before.
The grass withers, the flower fades but the Word of our God stands forever.
The Friend
The Miss
The Spouse
The Holy Spirit
The Gospel
The first thing we will look at is how the Lord will protect us with our friends who sticks closer than a brother; who cares about us and will intercede on our behalf. The second thing way the Lord protects us is with a miss; yes sometimes the Lord will cause our enemies to miss their target. The third way, is by our husbands and wives believe it or not. The fourth way, is by the mighty power of the Holy Spirit. Finally we will see how a friend, a miss, a husband, and the Holy Spirit protected us from the greatest enemy of all.
That scriptures affirm that the world does hate us and desires to harm the people of God, but it is the Lord who protects us from their hands (for the world will have no power over us unless it has been given from above) and he also protected us from an eternal harm that was coming for because of love, grace, the power of the Spirit, and intercession… we escaped the wrath of the God.
I. The Friend
- Protected by our friend who sticks closer than a brother
A. As we look at this chapter, we will see the salvation of the Lord 4 times. And each one with significance in their own right. First up… a friend.
B. Jonathan was a friend who loved David with all of his heart. He interceded for his friend against the wrath that was coming for him. He saw what his Father was going to do and he made an amazing argument. A Rational, Moral, and Theological argument.
C. Reason – David is not your enemy, he risked his life to save us all by facing Goliath. Moral – He has helped you always, he is innocent, why do you want to murder an innocent man (Thou shalt not murder). Theological – Do you remember that it was the Lord who saved us? Jehovah Nissi brought us victory and you were happy. What a smart way to intercede… how great was it for David to have one so skilled in intercession.
D. This brought Saul to his senses. Saul was convinced and made a vow that he would not bring harm upon David. Is this not an amazing thing this friend has done for David. Now it is common for preachers to bust into how we all need to be a friend like Jonathan. When you see a hurting brother sing…Keep smiling, keep shining Knowing you can always count on me, for sure That's what friends are for. Which is true, don’t get me wrong...but there is something more to see here. What a striking picture of what Christ did for us. Our friend that sticks closer than a brother. Wonderful way the scriptures bear witness to Christ.
E. Like David there was wrath coming for us… The wrath of God was coming for us. And Christ saw what his Holy Father had to do to a sinful people and Christ like Jonathan interceded for us. Brilliantly.
Therefore he is able, once and forever, to save those who come to God through him. He lives forever to intercede with God on their behalf.
F. Interestingly here, unlike Jonathan did, Christ does not argue for things we have done. He argues in accordance to what he has done. He says, I have always obeyed you perfectly, I am innocent, Am I not your beloved Son with whom you are well pleased. You will be glorified! We will have victory over Hell, Death, and the Grave. This is how Christ protected us and even still.
G. Christ continues to protect us like He protected us… All of this, I give to them and I will give my life for them. Do not condemn them, condemn me. I will suffer your righteous indignation. He interceded for us like Jonathan did.
Who dares accuse us whom God has chosen for his own? No one—for God himself has given us right standing with himself. Who then will condemn us? No one—for Christ Jesus died for us and was raised to life for us, and he is sitting in the place of honor at God’s right hand, pleading for us.
H. And he does this for us… Why? Because we are His friends.
I no longer call you slaves, because a master doesn’t confide in his slaves. Now you are my friends, since I have told you everything the Father told me.
I. Amazing? We are friends of Christ, who made a covenant with us, who does for us what Jonathan did for David. He is a friend who sticks closer than a brother… he was a friend of sinners and he had promised us that He will never leave us nor forsake us. He said that he will no longer call us servants, but will now call us friends and because our friend is the living God no weapon form against us shall prosper and every tongue that rise against us will be condemned. What a friend that sticks closer than a brother… what a friend we have in Jesus … all our sins and grief to bear.
II. The Miss
A. David evaded the spear of Saul. It missed him and hit the wall. This is a simple thing here. David evaded it several times now. It had to. David was the promised king. This was the plan, God plans will always be fulfilled. That is why today the world and your enemy will never be able to take your life until it is time. He will protect you and, with the shield of faith, you will extinguish the fiery darts of the enemy
- David evaded the spear of Saul. It missed him and hit the wall.
A. This is a simple thing here. David evaded it several times now. It had to. Why? David was the promised king. This was the plan, God plans will always be fulfilled. That is why today the world and your enemy will never be able to take your life until it is time. He will protect you and and keep you.
B. But at the same time, we see something more here than just God saving us from physical harm. Listen to God’s Word…
“Don’t be afraid of those who want to kill your body; they cannot touch your soul. Fear only God, who can destroy both soul and body in hell.
C. Watch the beauty in this. But in light of our sin and eternal condemnation, we are not going to escape this spear like David escaped Saul’s. It missed David and hit the Wall. But it did miss us. The spear did miss, but hit something. It hit our Lord Jesus. It did not hit David because the plan of God was not to have the spear hit David or us, but have the spear hit… Christ.
One of the soldiers, however, pierced his side with a spear, and immediately blood and water flowed out. All of this to fulfill the plan of God. “Then I will pour out a spirit of grace and prayer on the family of David and on the people of Jerusalem. They will look on me whom they have pierced and mourn for him as for an only son. They will grieve bitterly for him as for a firstborn son who has died.
One of the soldiers, however, pierced his side with a spear, and immediately blood and water flowed out.
“Then I will pour out a spirit of grace and prayer on the family of David and on the people of Jerusalem. They will look on me whom they have pierced and mourn for him as for an only son. They will grieve bitterly for him as for a firstborn son who has died.
D. Judgement of the wrath of God missed us and nailed Jesus to the cross, wounding Him for our transgression, bruised him for our iniquities, the chastisement of our peace was upon him and with his wounds, like the spear in His side… we were healed.
One of the soldiers, however, pierced his side with a spear, and immediately blood and water flowed out. All of this to fulfill the plan of God. “Then I will pour out a spirit of grace and prayer on the family of David and on the people of Jerusalem. They will look on me whom they have pierced and mourn for him as for an only son. They will grieve bitterly for him as for a firstborn son who has died.
“Then I will pour out a spirit of grace and prayer on the family of David and on the people of Jerusalem. They will look on me whom they have pierced and mourn for him as for an only son. They will grieve bitterly for him as for a firstborn son who has died.
III. The Wife
- When the two become one
A. The Wife – This is a curious story. We see the commitment and love that Mical has for David in doing all that she did deceptively. Did we not see this before? Seems to echo Rahab when she lied to protect the spies… this all justifies Faith and love. Right? We have to deal with details later.
B.
B. Mical did show that this was not out of faith in Jehovah, why did she have idols in the house in the first place? But it showed the love that she had for David. What did we learn here? We can thank God that we can all count on our spouses who love us to lie for us in order to protect us.
C. We spend so much time looking into the negatives things in our significant other’s that we forget all of the moments that truly counted … all of the times they sacrificed. Remember Mical deceived her way out of everything, but she really did put her life on the line because she loved David.
D. Like the love we have for our wives and husbands are to be deeply sacrifical, just like the husband of church did that very thing. How did the Lord protect us here? With the sacrifice of the husband...
For husbands, this means love your wives, just as Christ loved the church. He gave up his life for her
E. Christ the husband of the Church, gave up his life, a sacrifice for the love that He has for His people. What a beautiful thing called marriage. And now we eagerly await the return of our king for the marriage feast.
IV. The Spirit of God
- The Spirit of the lord rushes upon.
A. The Spirit of the Lord rushed upon the soldiers and they began to Prophesy and finally Saul came in essentially saying… “If you want something done right, you got to do it yourself” and in an incredible turn of events the Spirit of God rushed upon Saul in judgment this time. He uncontrollably declared the mighty deeds of God like the other prophets with no clothes lying on the ground. The Lord judged Saul and the other soldiers, not through any means… Jonathan, Mical, but the direct hand of God. Sometimes He does not use means… it is His hand of protection.
B. Sometimes we need to understand that the Lord uses means… but in this instance. It was the Lord himself. And what a powerful display it was. Think about it… In a sense Saul was saying… if you want something doesn’t right you gotta do it yourself. Now we see God in a sense saying the same thing. Here it was judgment on Saul to protect David. But for us all… it was a gracious gift. He gave His Son, God incarnate, to accomplish all that would bring us salvation. He did it Himself. Salvation belongs to the Lord.
V. The Gospel
- He will protect us, like He has already protected us.
A. How does the Lord protect us? In the same ways he has always protected us. The problem we face is that many times He does not protect in the ways that we feel like He should. Many times the things we want to be protected from are things we need to endure, to suffer, the overcome, to learn from to make us mature complete and not lacking in anything. That would not be protection that would be enablement.
B. Many times the problem is we face is we fear the world because our christian friends are not being obedient to the Lord in loving their neighbor, the negative darts of the enemy seem to be getting trough and hitting us, our spouses do not seem to be loving sacrificially, and the Spirit of the Lord seems far from us. Nevertheless, we must always remember that He will never leave us nor forsake us, he exceedingly able, and not one hair on our head will fall without Him knowing, for the world will have no power over us unless it has been given from above… so if they do it is because the Lord has allowed it.
C. Do we not believe in the promises that the Lord has given? Is that why we despair? Yes. Oh we of little faith. Sin causes us to doubt that the Lord has our best interests in mind. Sin causes us to doubt that He will do anything to help. Sin causes us to think that there is no hope in the Lord. Sin causes us to fear the world more than God.
D. What is the truth… the truth is. He has protected us, is protecting us and will protect us to the end of the age. Again, sin causes us to exchange truth for a lie. It affects us all. Jesus knew it would even after we became Christians… when He taught us to pray… we ask the Lord to forgive us our trespasses.
E. And because of sin… our real enemy was looming large before us. All have sinned and fallen short… and the wages of sin is death. We were children of wrath. Like the wrath of Saul the Wrath of God was coming. But we have good news for us today. Not only does the Scriptures affirm that he protects us, it shows us that He has already protected us from the real enemy the one who could kill both body and soul! We were saved from wrath.
F. Our friend and husband in loving sacrifice took the spear for us. Jesus died for our sins according to the scriptures… the saying is trustworthy. He became sin who knew no sin. He came to seek and save that ...
G. It is a promise for us today… if you have come in an hearing this and something in you has changed… you now believe. There are promises… that if you confess. All who call upon the name. Salvation is here for us today.
H. He will protect us. He will protect His people. So now we can affirm with the Psalmist 121
A song for pilgrims ascending to Jerusalem.
I look up to the mountains—
does my help come from there?
My help comes from the Lord,
who made heaven and earth!
He will not let you stumble;
the one who watches over you will not slumber.
Indeed, he who watches over Israel
never slumbers or sleeps.
The Lord himself watches over you!
The Lord stands beside you as your protective shade.
The sun will not harm you by day,
nor the moon at night.
The Lord keeps you from all harm
and watches over your life.
The Lord keeps watch over you as you come and go,
both now and forever.
This is one one and only Lord. Our awesome King of Kings Our Lord Jesus.
1 Thessalonians 5:23-24
Now may the God of peace make you holy in every way, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless until our Lord Jesus Christ comes again. God will make this happen, for he who calls you is faithful.