Sermon Tone Analysis

Years ago, Monroe Parker was traveling through South Alabama on one of those hot, sultry Alabama days.

He stopped at a watermelon stand, picked out a watermelon, and asked the proprietor how much it cost.

"It's $1.10," he replied.

Parker dug into his pocket, found only a bill and said, "All I have is a dollar."

"That's ok," the proprietor said, "I'll trust you for it."

"Well, that's mighty nice of you," Parker responded, and picking up the watermelon, started to leave.

"Hey, where are you going?" the man behind the counter demanded.

"I'm going outside to eat my watermelon."

"But you forgot to give me the dollar!"

"You said you would trust me for it," Parker called back.

"Yeah, but I meant I would trust you for the dime!"

"Mack," Parker replied, "You were't going to trust me at all.

You were just going to take a ten-cent gamble on my integrity!"

Understanding trust and forgiveness would be tremendously helpful for us today, especially Christians.

Though we cannot go through all of possible implications of trust and forgiveness there are a couple we would like to clear up today.

Do we recognize the difference between trust and forgiveness and do we trust that there is forgiveness?

One more time.

One of the common problems we face today is the inability for us to tell the difference between trust and forgiveness.

When a person has been offended many times the offender will ask for forgiveness, the offended will forgive the person, but is having a hard time trusting the offender.

So, many times the penitent offender will accuse the offended of not forgiving.

The reality is trust is seen now more like a gamble.

And if it is understood as forgiveness… ah then there is the confusion.

Forgiveness is a command from the Lord and must be given.

However, trust must be earned… trust must always be earned.

But on the other hand, why do we still struggle with trusting those who have more than earned it?

Even those who have never let us down.

Why do we struggle trusting our Lord?

Especially, not being able to trust that there is forgiveness for us?

We act as if trusting the Lord is more like gambling.

A ten cent gamble is one thing, but He wants me to gamble my whole life, thats different.

So we continue to struggle with these issues… Not able to tell the difference between trust and forgiveness and not trusting that there is forgiveness.

The answer for them both is what we will explore in our passage today.

Last week, David was, by the grace of God, thwarted by Abigail from a murderous rampage after her husband Nabal had offended the King of Israel.

What we also saw was the wrath of David being appeased by Abigail with principles that we could apply in our own conflict resolutions.

But more important, we see that these principles were used by our Lord to appease the wrath of God.

Today… we get a little déjà vu.

Some of the Ziphites went to Saul to tattle on David telling Saul where he was.

Saul took 3000 of his green berets to hunt down David.

Once again Saul decided to camp right where David was hiding.

Saul was asleep in the middle of a ring of soldiers surrounding him who were themselves asleep.

Abashai asked David to let him kill Saul right there with his own spear and end it already.

He again proclaimed to David that the Lord has given Saul once again into his hands.

No we shall not kill him.

He is in the Lord’s hands.

But take his spear and the jug of water beside Saul’s head and let’s get out of here.

No one saw them leave because it was the Lord that put them all into a deep sleep.

Once David was at a safe distance he called out to Abner who was the captain of Saul’s army and told him to wake up.

He began to taunt Abner in his failure to protect the king and how he and his men should all die because they failed to protect the anointed one of the Lord.

Where is the kings spear and jug of water?

Saul awoke and heard the voice of David and called out to him.

David confronts Saul with his offense of the law of God before the Lord Himself.

He then offers an offering for the sin that has taken place and a curse for those who have taken David away from the blessing of the Lord urging David to go serve other gods.

He expresses his humility before him comparing himself to but as a flea.

Saul repents once again.

He urged David to come home with him for he has been terribly wrong.

David told Saul to send someone up so that he could retrieve that infamous point making spear praying that the Lord will show him kindness they way he showed kindness to Saul.

Saul then blessed him.

But David did not go back with Saul.

He went on his way and Saul went home.

1 Samuel 26:

The grass withers, the flower fades, but the Word of our God stands forever.

1. Between Trust and Forgiveness

Between Trust and Forgiveness

2. Trust that there is Forgiveness

The first thing we will examine today is the difference between trust and forgiveness and how we tend to confuse the two.

And finally, we will look at how we struggle with trusting the Lord that there is forgiveness for us.

Thesis: In our times of desperation we can be tempted and drawn into difficult decisions concerning trust and forgiveness, but it is the Word of God that serves as our foundation for wisdom in living and the evangelization of this world for the glory of God trusting that there is forgiveness.

I. Between Trust and Forgiveness

Do we realize that there is a difference between trust and forgiveness?

A. The déjà vu give reason for us to notice something very important.

Let us note that there is a difference between trust and forgiveness.

And in our lives as Christians, making this distinction is often necessary and helpful for our general life and for discerning tactics and ways of the world.

B. Let’s think back and try to remember 2 chapters ago… or two weeks ago.

We studied another situation like this one.

David spared Saul’s life.

Saul repented and poured out blessings on David.

But was David going to go back to the palace with Saul?

Obviously, David had forgiven Saul.

But there was no way he was going to go home with Saul.

C. Forgiveness is a command for sure.

We are commanded to let go of our resentment and anger toward someone or something and to not demand or bring restitution or retaliation to the offense.

Forgiveness is commanded.

Right?

Matthew 6:

E. Forgiveness is one of those things that is not an option.

Absolutely not.

F. I think we all understand this point and is what’s demanded and rightfully demanded of us as children of Christ.

But what about trust?

Though forgiveness must be given, but trust still should be earned or earned back.

Christ does not desire us to be a fool!

G.

This is why David did not go back home with Saul the first time… because here we go again.

Saul is looking to kill him once again.

Saul is guilty of a false repentance singing I’m never gonna dance again guilty feet have got no rhythm.

And in this passage, Saul asks David to go home with him.

But he does not.

Though he let go of his offense, anger, resentment, and does not require and restitution, retaliation or payback, he was not going to put his life and the life of his men in the hands of an untrustworthy man.

The Lord desires us to be forgiving not foolish.

Psalm 118:8-9

H.