Untitled Sermon

Here we go again- Trusting in God's Timing

David understood what it meant to be righteous and faithful. It meant doing things God's way, and in His timing.

Illustration

You know, sometimes you don't have to be 'extraordinary' person to do extraordinary things, you can just be an ordinary person willing to do the right thing. And that is what Joan Trumpauer Mulholland did. She was just a young gal from the south when segregation was in full swing. She attended a small church and memorized verses such as 'do unto others as you would have done to you' and sang songs like "Jesus loves the little children of the world"

One day her and a friend walked through the area of town where all the black people lived and to her surprise, they all seemed to retreat back into their homes, almost trying to 'disappear.'

This left a huge impression on her and by 19 years old she began participating in 'sit-ins', doing what she could in a non-violent way to show that segregation was not right.

She didn't set out to do anything extraordinary, only what she thought the bible taught her. Yet it cost her a lot, and she ended up being arrested, once which landed her in jail for a few months.

In our lesson today, we see David, this 'ordinary' guy that God chose to use in an extraordinary way because he had a heart like God. David wasn't perfect and as we learned last week, almost made a huge mistake that would have cost him dearly. Instead, he listened to that wise council from Abigail and acknowledged that God had used her to prevent him from doing wrong.

Then, God took matters into his own hand, and struck Nabal so that he died. David clearly saw God's hand in Nabal's death and thanked God. David has just learned a valuable lesson that is going to help him as we head into our lesson today because once again, Saul returns to pursue David and guess who tells Saul? That's right, those Ziphites that turned in David in Ch. 24.

You'll notice the title of our lesson is "here we go again" because David once again faces Saul and once again spares his life. In today's lesson however David is more proactive. This time he knows Saul is coming and he goes to seek him out.

It's almost as if we see that David we met in ch. 17, the one who faced Goliath with just a sling and five smooth stones, and won. David's encounter with Saul this time was no happen stance this time, no this time David is proactive and bravely goes down into the heart Saul's camp.

You have to try to get this scene in your mind, David is going to down into the heart of Saul's camp to Saul himself! 3000 of his best soldiers all camped around Saul. Let's turn to and read the story for ourselves!

26 Then the Ziphites came to Saul at Gibeah, saying, “Is not David hiding himself on the hill of Hachilah, which is on the east of Jeshimon?” 2 So Saul arose and went down to the wilderness of Ziph with three thousand chosen men of Israel to seek David in the wilderness of Ziph. 3 And Saul encamped on the hill of Hachilah, which is beside the road on the east of Jeshimon. But David remained in the wilderness. When he saw that Saul came after him into the wilderness, 4 David sent out spies and learned that Saul had indeed come. 5 Then David rose and came to the place where Saul had encamped. And David saw the place where Saul lay, with Abner the son of Ner, the commander of his army. Saul was lying within the encampment, while the army was encamped around him.

6 Then David said to Ahimelech the Hittite, and to Joab’s brother Abishai the son of Zeruiah, “Who will go down with me into the camp to Saul?” And Abishai said, “I will go down with you.” 7 So David and Abishai went to the army by night. And there lay Saul sleeping within the encampment, with his spear stuck in the ground at his head, and Abner and the army lay around him. 8 Then Abishai said to David, “God has given your enemy into your hand this [day]. Now please let me pin him to the earth with one stroke of the spear, and I will not strike him twice.” 9 But David said to Abishai, “Do not destroy him, for who can put out his hand against the Lord’s anointed and be guiltless?” 10 And David said, “As the Lord lives, the Lord will strike him, or his [day] will come to die, or he will go down into battle and perish. 11 The Lord forbid that I should put out my hand against the Lord’s anointed. But take now the spear that is at his head and the jar of water, and let us go.” 12 So David took the spear and the jar of water from Saul’s head, and they went away. No man saw it or knew it, nor did any awake, for they were all asleep, because a deep sleep from the Lord had fallen upon them.

Notice here that David is very strategic. He sent out some spies to ascertain Saul's exact location and then asks both Ahimelech the Hittite and Abishai, Joab's brother if they would like to go with him up to the camp at the top of a hill, would have provided Saul with maximum protection, not to mention Abner his chief body guard along with 3000 soldiers are going to be lying close to Saul.

Can you imagine? Abishai took up the challenge and off they went! They walk right up to Saul! ARe you kidding me? No sentries on duty? No one on the night watch?

And to top it off, David and Abishai have a discussion as Abishai wants to kill Saul with his own spear, you know that spear he had hurled at David twice!

But you know what?

David had just experienced God's grace as he was not only prevented from making a grave mistake of killing all the men in Nabal's household, but was avenged by God himself when God struck Nabal down.

He was even more resolved now from that experience to do things God's way and in his timing, so for point #1 we need to

1. Commit to do things God's Way and in His timing (vv.9-12)

look back at v. 10

10 And David said, “As the Lord lives, the Lord will strike him, or his [day] will come to die, or he will go down into battle and perish.

Once again, David had the same temptation to kill Saul and remove the very source of all his pain and misery, his number #1 enemy.

Can you imagine how David must have felt by this point? He had been on the run for a long time! He was tired, he had 600 men to care for, two new wives, and his number one enemy, the whole reason he was on the run, was lying right there in front of him, completely vulnerable.

To Abishai's point, David could have thought that God had given him into this hand, but he knew better. He knew he wasn't to put out his hand against the Lord's anointed, even though he too had been anointed by Samuel. He knew he was to take over Saul's reign, yet he chose to not take matters into his own hands. Instead he relied on God to avenge him of his enemies.

Notice that spear of Saul's is mentioned 4x. That spear was a symbol of power and authority and in Ch. 22 when Saul was sitting under that tamarisk tree with that spear in his hand. That very spear that Saul had hurled at David himself twice and once even towards his own son Jonathan. Now that would have been ironic, David to kill Saul with his own spear. David definitely didn't like that spear

Yet David chose that spear for a different reason. Instead of killing Saul with that spear, instead he chose to use it and his water jug as proof of how close he had been to the king and how he could have in fact killed him.

David a reminder of once again how God had spared him from Saul's hand.

So let me ask you, when you are undergoing your own times of waiting, that trial that seems to keep going and going and going, and you are tempted to take matters into your own hands, what stops you? Who stops your? David was tempted to take Saul's life twice

Hopefully you hang onto promises like

. 28 And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.

The Holy Bible: English Standard Version. (2016). (Ro 8:27–28). Wheaton: Standard Bible Society.

Hopefully you see the big picture of why we go through trials through such passages as which tells us that...

10 And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you

also tells us why we go through trials

2 Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, 3 for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. 4 And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.

So How, how do we get through this time?

So what are some practical ways you can be successful in overcoming temptation?

1. Memorize such passages as

13 No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.

2. Don't put yourself in any compromising situation

3. Be careful of the time you spend on social media, TV, movies, etc. Watch what you take in- ask yourself have I spent as much time in God's word as I have on facebook, instagram, etc?

2. Pray for strength

3. Accountability- Find someone to help hold you accountable.

It's interesting that in our lesson, we are told that God caused the deep sleep to fall over Saul and his men, but not necessarily David and Abishai!

Think about it, David and Abishai literally 'walk' right into the middle of the camp and have a full blown conversation, and perhaps a little bit of a debate regarding 'to kill or not kill' Saul! Why wasn't there a sentry or any one up on the night watch?

We'll never know for sure if David was aware of God's direct hand as the text doesn't tell us, but one thing we know for sure is that Yahweh is personally involved to protect and defend David.

David is growing more in his faith in God of being involved in his life, leading, guiding and protecting him, without him always being aware of God's direct participation.

That is how we too live our lives as Christians, we live by faith

11 Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen (Heb 11:1)

We don't literally 'see' all that God is doing for us, but he is there guiding, directing, protecting and involved in all the details of our lives.

I love as one commenator wrote:

Yahweh tends to be that kind of God, One who reaches out to his tired and wearied servants and in the midst of their discouragement grants them some plain token, some small evidence, that he has not forgotten his word and promises to them. David is more convinced than ever of the general truth of God’s activity, though he is unaware of the specifics.

There was one guy in the bible who was given more than a token, he was given a 'behind the scenes' however and that was Elisha's servant in .

God did however allow one servant to 'see' him working when the Syrians had surrounded the city where Elisha was. The king of Syria was super frustrated with Elisha because he was literally telling the King of Israel everywhere the Syrians had sought out to attack Israel.

He thought for sure there was a traitor in their midst, but he servants told him, no, It's that prophet in Israel, Elisha, it's like he hanging out in your own bedroom taking down every word you say!

So they surrounded the city and and the servant of Elisha was freaking out! He told Elisha, 'what are we going to do?' and Elisha prayed that God would allow him to 'see' what God was doing and he did, and the mountain was 'full' of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha.

For a brief moment, Elisha's servant got to see what Elisha had seen all along.

Transition

So David that kind of glimpse into God's power when he heard about Nabal and the manner in which he had died. It gave him just what he needed to help get him through yet another attempt at his life by Saul.

Yet there was something still very troubling to David. Being on the run wasn't easy and there was one thing in particular he was missing out but we need to turn back to our text to find out what that is, so let's pick it back up in vv/13

2. Make Church a Priority

You must Make Church common place..routine You've got to go to Church

Church friends are the best (vv.19-20)

13 Then David went over to the other side and stood far off on the top of the hill, with a great space between them. 14 And David called to the army, and to Abner the son of Ner, saying, “Will you not answer, Abner?” Then Abner answered, “Who are you who calls to the king?” 15 And David said to Abner, “Are you not a man? Who is like you in Israel? Why then have you not kept watch over your lord the king? For one of the people came in to destroy the king your lord. 16 [This] thing that you have done is not good. As the Lord lives, you deserve to die, because you have not kept watch over your lord, the Lord’s anointed. And now see where the king’s spear is and the jar of water that was at his head.”

17 Saul recognized David’s voice and said, “Is [this] your voice, my son David?” And David said, “It is my voice, my lord, O king.” 18 And he said, “Why []does my lord pursue after his servant? For what have I done? What evil is on my hands? 19 Now therefore let my lord the king hear the words of his servant. If it is the Lord who has stirred you up against me, may he accept an offering, but if it is men, may they be cursed before the Lord, for they have driven me out this [day] that I should have no share in the heritage of the Lord, saying, ‘Go, serve other gods.’ 20 Now therefore, let not my blood fall to the earth away from the presence of the Lord, for the king of Israel has come out to seek a single flea like one who hunts a partridge in the mountains.”

The Holy Bible: English Standard Version. (2016). (1 Sa 26:13–20). Wheaton: Standard Bible Society.

So David call's out Abner and tells him he deserves to die, but right after that, in vv. 19-20 do we see another huge dilemma that this chase has caused. With Saul trying to kill him, and him being in constant hiding, he was unable to 'go to church' to the tabernacle. Saul was interfering with David's ability to worship and give sacrifice to God.

Remember, this is still during the time of the tabernacle, in which the purpose of the tabernacle was to provide a place for the Lord to “dwell among them” his people even after they left Sinai (; cf. also ).

If you remember back in In we see the first time the Tabernacle is Erected, and in vv.34-37 we see the glory of the Lord filling the tabernacle like a cloud by day and fire by night. The Israelites 'schedule' was based on when the cloud was taken up.

The tabernacle was erected in the very center of the camp and was to be at the heart of everything they did. Eventually, after they entered the promised land, it was stationed at Shiloh and was there intially when we enter the book of 1 Samuel where Elkanath and his two wives Peninnah and Hannad would go up to each year to worship and sacrifice to Yahweh.

Then tragically the ark of the covenant gets captured by the Philistines in Ch.4 but gets returned to Israel is used as more of a good luck charm when Israel goes out to battle the Philistines and then the ark is returned in Ch. 6 but some of the men of Beth-shemesh get killed by God for looking upon the ark. Then out of fear they ask the inhabitants of Kiriath-jearim to take the ark, so they took it to the house of Abinadab, and his son Elezar was charged to take care of it and it stayed there for 20 years. Then we fast forward to ch. 21 to see David going to Nob where the priests live, so it's assumed that the tabernacle gets stationed there.

After their entry into Canaan, it was stationed successively at Shiloh (), at Nob () and at Gibeon (). Eventually Solomon brought it up to the Temple ().

the temple had not yet been built. The Israelite males were required to make a pilgrimage to the tabernacle 3 times a year to celebrate certain festivals. There were all sorts of tithes and they were making animal sacrifices to atone for their sins.

David reasoned that being forced out of Israel kept him from attending the Jewish festivals, worshipping at the tabernacle, and enjoying the fellowship of God’s people.

So David was really bummed that he was going to miss out on "church" so

So for point #2 You need to Make Church a Priority

What's your excuse for not attending church? Are you making church a priority?

Who's your Saul trying to get in your way?

David had a real physical enemy chasing him, but how about you? Do you think just attending online is enough?

24 And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, 25 not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.

The Holy Bible: English Standard Version. (2016). (Heb 10:24–25). Wheaton: Standard Bible Society.

As it's growing harder to be a Christian, don't we need each other even more?

42 And they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers

The Holy Bible: English Standard Version. (2016). (Ac 2:42). Wheaton: Standard Bible Society.

Fellowship is so important! We need each other and what better place than here at church

church friends are the best!

There is another thing we get when we go to church, we get encouragement!

is about a pilgrim longing for the joy of participating in the worship at the temple. In this psalm you can see the yearning this pilgrim has for the temple

I would like to read through a few of the verses for you

My Soul Longs for the Courts of the Lord

84 To the choirmaster: according to The Gittith. A Psalm of the Sons of Korah.

1  How lovely is your dwelling place,

O Lord of hosts!

2  My soul longs, yes, faints

for the courts of the Lord;

my heart and flesh sing for joy

to the living God.

3  Even the sparrow finds a home,

and the swallow a nest for herself,

where she may lay her young,

at your altars, O Lord of hosts,

my King and my God.

4  Blessed are those who dwell in your house,

ever singing your praise! Selah

5  Blessed are those whose strength is in you,

in whose heart are the highways to Zion.

6  As they go through the Valley of Baca

they make it a place of springs;

the early rain also covers it with pools.

7  They go from strength to strength;

each one appears before God in Zion.

8  O Lord God of hosts, hear my prayer;

give ear, O God of Jacob! Selah

9  Behold our shield, O God;

look on the face of your anointed!

10  For a day in your courts is better

than a thousand elsewhere.

I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God

than dwell in the tents of wickedness.

11  For the Lord God is a sun and shield;

the Lord bestows favor and honor.

No good thing does he withhold

from those who walk uprightly.

12  O Lord of hosts,

blessed is the one who trusts in you!

The Holy Bible: English Standard Version. (2016). (Ps 84:title–85:title). Wheaton: Standard Bible Society.

Pilgrimages and festivals are almost universal features of religious life. They are concerned with the physical aspects of religion: journey, temple courts, feasting, liturgies, fellowship with fellow pilgrims, and the like. These physical aspects, however, have meaning because they bear spiritual realities with them. The experiences of pilgrimages and festivals stay with the worshipers when they return to everyday life. They have seen what they would never have seen had they stayed at home.

bears witness to a strong and living faith which longs for the “living God” (v ) and the context of holiness, life, and love in the temple courts and beyond.

You miss out when you miss church

So for David, being forced out of Israel again, meant he was losing out, missing out on time to worship God and fellowship with fellow believers.

David is disheartened as he is coming to the realization that Saul is not going to stop!

2 sam-- david wants to build the temple, set's up solomon for success

So you too must make church a priority!

But we start to see Davids resolve again

So what is David going to do now? He's a fairly safe distance away from Saul and his men, He still has Sauls' spear and jug of water, he's got that 'proof' that he could have killed him again, yet David does something unexpected...

let's turn back to our text piciking it up in v..21 and find out

3. Trust that God will reward your Obedience (vv.23-24)

21 Then Saul said, “I have sinned. Return, my son David, for I will no more do you harm, because my life was precious in your eyes [this] [day]. Behold, I have acted foolishly, and have made a great mistake.” 22 And David answered and said, “Here is the spear, O king! Let one of the young men come over and take it. 23 The Lord rewards every man for his righteousness and his faithfulness, for the Lord gave you into my hand [today], and I would not put out my hand against the Lord’s anointed. 24 Behold, as your life was precious [this] [day] in my sight, so may my life be precious in the sight of the Lord, and may he deliver me out of all tribulation.” 25 Then Saul said to David, “Blessed be you, my son David! You will do many things and will succeed in them.” So David went his way, and Saul returned to his place.

The Holy Bible: English Standard Version. (2016). (1 Sa 26:21–25). Wheaton: Standard Bible Society.

David gave that spear and water jug back! But wait, why would he do that? He had all this momentum going and it's almost as if he has a change of heart.

The adrenaline wears off and he once again realizes that God had his back, hes' got his life in his hands, so even though he's talking to Saul it's really more of him talking to God. Notice that he almost ignores Saul's admittance of guilt in v.22!

let's look back at v. 23-24

23 The Lord rewards every man for his righteousness and his faithfulness, for the Lord gave you into my hand [today], and I would not put out my hand against the Lord’s anointed.

24 Behold, as your life was precious [this] [day] in my sight, so may my life be precious in the sight of the Lord, and may he deliver me out of all tribulation.”

He doesn't ask Saul to leave or ask him for mercy..

David understands that God will reward his obedience and so too will God reward ours so for Point #3

3. Trust that God will reward your Obedience

David had his mind made up, he was committed to be obedient to do things God way, and in God's time and he was fully confident that God would reward him.

Sound familiar? Paul says something very similar in about the Spiritual law of sowing and reaping

7 Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap. 8 For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life. 9 And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up.

David was not giving up, he was just resolved to do it right, he resolved to obey even when he was uncertain of how much longer he would be on the run in the situation. In fact, to his dismay, he will end up going back to Gath in the Philistine territory to get away from Saul.

What about you?

What are you doing to not give up? To not grow weary of doing good?

It's a perfect time to focus on passages such 8

5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart,

and do not lean on your own understanding.

6  In all your ways acknowledge him,

and he will make straight your paths.

7  Be not wise in your own eyes;

fear the Lord, and turn away from evil.

8  It will be healing to your flesh

and refreshment to your bones.

a. Trust God - ,

b. Acknowledge-

c. Seek God's Wisdom

d. Fear

e. Turn from evil

Notice in v. 23 David says that even though Yahweh had given him into his hand, he knew that didn't mean he had the green light to kill him because that was not God's will, his plan or his timing.

It was yet another opprotuntiy///.. to see if David would take matters into his own hands, and he did not. He realized that his ultimate trust had to be in God and God alone and because he had been righteous and faithful, God would ultimately deliver and reward him for his obedience.

It was all making sense to him, even though he didn't a 'physical' victory that day, he had a spiritual one and it was huge!

ill