Sermon Tone Analysis

Abigail (Mothers Day) I Samuel 25

Turn in your Bibles to .

Today being mothers day, it seems appropriate to take a pause from Colossians and look at one of the amazing women in the Old Testament.

Here to read our long scripture passage today are our scripture readers ... I Sam 25:1-42

Have a mom read I Sam 25:1-42

Hook - Today’s culture celebrates a woman who is loud and who is proud.

When we look at Abigail we see just the opposite.

We see someone who is strong and humble.

In fact her husband Nabal is the proud one.

Big Idea - God has a powerful plan to use women in His Kingdom for His glory.

Today we will look at 5 observation on Abigail’s life.

Big Idea - The

Observations on Abigail -

God will spiritually use me to bring Him glory despite the obstacles in my life.

Some women today have obstacles in their life.

Something they have to fight through to keep from being held back.

although wealthy, Abigail was no stranger to obstacles.

Abigail effected serious change even though she lived in a culture that had a very low view of women and female influence.

-Woman in Bible times had very view rights: could not inherit property, could not choose who they married (arranged marriages), rarely every had a job outside the home, would in many cases live with her husband and her in laws, were very dependent on men for their protection, were restricted in worship at the Temple due to monthly cleanliness laws.

A bad husband could get away with treating his wife like property.

Certainly could not vote and rarely had money of their own to spend.

Being a woman in Bible times was very tough.

Some would say it was oppressive.

This was not just in the Hebrew culture, but look at the history of women over the centuries and you will see this situation throughout most cultures.

-Ladies, you may think that you could never be used deeply by God to effect others lives because of your gender or race, or something that has been difficult in your past, but God is able to overcome.

Illustration my mom - My mom grew up as the youngest girl in a very poor family.

There was a season in her life that she suffered abuse (not verbal and not violent).

Despite being very poor, despite living with the wounds of abuse - she embraced God’s grace in the Gospel.

To this day, she is my greatest cheerleader when it comes to depending on God’s grace....

-If you are a Christ follower we will know that God does have a plan for your to be used in His kingdom.

Benediction and Final Greetings

20 Now may the God of peace, who through the blood of the eternal covenant brought back from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great Shepherd of the sheep, 21 equip you with everything good for doing his will, and may he work in us what is pleasing to him, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory for ever and ever.

Amen

God will spiritually use me to bring Him glory despite the obstacles in my life.

God equips us with what we need to do His will.

God will spiritually use me to bring Him glory despite the obstacles in my life.

Transition - the 2nd thing that we see in this passage is this (more specific of the 1st point).

2. I can be used by God in a powerful way despite having a difficult home life.

vs. 3, “…Nabal was harsh and badly behaved”

vs. 25, Abigail calls him foolish, His name Nabal means “fool’.

Nabal was a Calabite - a people known for their doglike and shameless character.

Not only could Nabal’s male servants get through to him, Abigail didn’t even try to warn him of pending death.

She knew he was a hard foolish man.

Do not make the mistake to mix up foolish and smart.

Nabal was very smart in his business dealings, but due to his arrogance, selfishness, and lack of understanding of relationships he was a fool.

I don’t think it is stretch to make the case that Nabal was a difficult man to live with at home.

You may have a difficult home situation.

Every married woman in this room has an imperfect home situation.

Every husband in this room is imperfect in some way.

Truism - My present repressive condition and my past situation does not define my ability to follow God’s leading.

-Even though things at home are difficult, God can still use you to impact the spiritual lives of others.

He will if you let him.

I can be used by God in a powerful way despite having a difficult home life.

Transition - We see that Abigail was not only a person that was not held back, but a person of action.

3. I must choose wise action over the distraction of wealth and beauty.

Abigail did not allow wealth or her beauty blind her from from wisdom or the situation surrounding her.

14 But one of the young men told Abigail, Nabal’s wife, “Behold, David sent messengers out of the wilderness to greet our master, and he railed at them.

Verse?

The servant continues in verse 17.

14 But one of the young men told Abigail, Nabal’s wife, “Behold, David sent messengers out of the wilderness to greet our master, and he railed at them.

17 Now therefore know this and consider what you should do, for harm is determined against our master and against all his house, and he is such a worthless man that one cannot speak to him.”

I’m not wealthy!

Yes you are.

At least 80% of the people in this room are currently in the 10% of the wealthiest people in the world.

18 Then Abigail made haste...

Jonathan, What does Abigail making haste to save someone’s life have to do with wealth and beauty?

Answer - Many times (not always), but many times.

The wealthy and beautiful think, “That’s not my problem.

Let someone else deal with it.

I have too much to risk.”

David was after Nabal’s men.

Abigail was safe - but Abigail still took action.

In Bible times the men were called to protect the women from harm and fight to the death to protect their family.

Abigail risked her life for the life of the men associated with her shrewd husband.

Abigail was a woman of wise action.

She chose to not let her beauty or wealth keep her for risking her life for others.

I’m not wealthy!

Yes you are.

At least 80% of the people in this room are currently in the 10% of the wealthiest people in the world.

The rest of us are in the top 20% of wealthiest people in the world.

David had taken sinfully vengeance in his own hand and had committed to killing every man who worked for or was enslaved to Nabal.

Truism - Comfort and or beauty can make us very self centered and self oriented.

Example - Next week we are going to have a missionary named Andy speak to us.

This main focus of his ministry is to a group of Christian orphan boys in India that live in an area where there .16%

Christians.

His hands are full with running his orphanage.

He finds out about another Christian ministry not in his area that minister to Christian women who have had acid thrown in their face by their husbands to intentionally disfigure them.

This ministry to Christian woman is raising money for plastic surgery.

These woman think they are worthless.

They are full of shame because of what has happened to them.

Andy is partnering with this ministry to help the ladies.

Andy the missionary has his hands full with his Christian orphanage.

He doesn’t need more to do.

He didn’t say, That’s not my problem.

It’s too much to risk.

Someone else will handle it.

Abigail made a decision to not let her beauty and wealth blind her to life.

She didn’t sit back and let other people take care of her.

She didn’t allow comfort and ease blind her to the lie of, “This is someone else’s problem.”

Abigail chose wise action.