Risk

1 Samuel 14:1–23 NIV

One day Jonathan son of Saul said to his young armor-bearer, “Come, let’s go over to the Philistine outpost on the other side.” But he did not tell his father. Saul was staying on the outskirts of Gibeah under a pomegranate tree in Migron. With him were about six hundred men, among whom was Ahijah, who was wearing an ephod. He was a son of Ichabod’s brother Ahitub son of Phinehas, the son of Eli, the Lord’s priest in Shiloh. No one was aware that Jonathan had left. On each side of the pass that Jonathan intended to cross to reach the Philistine outpost was a cliff; one was called Bozez and the other Seneh. One cliff stood to the north toward Mikmash, the other to the south toward Geba. Jonathan said to his young armor-bearer, “Come, let’s go over to the outpost of those uncircumcised men. Perhaps the Lord will act in our behalf. Nothing can hinder the Lord from saving, whether by many or by few.” “Do all that you have in mind,” his armor-bearer said. “Go ahead; I am with you heart and soul.” Jonathan said, “Come on, then; we will cross over toward them and let them see us. If they say to us, ‘Wait there until we come to you,’ we will stay where we are and not go up to them. But if they say, ‘Come up to us,’ we will climb up, because that will be our sign that the Lord has given them into our hands.” So both of them showed themselves to the Philistine outpost. “Look!” said the Philistines. “The Hebrews are crawling out of the holes they were hiding in.” The men of the outpost shouted to Jonathan and his armor-bearer, “Come up to us and we’ll teach you a lesson.” So Jonathan said to his armor-bearer, “Climb up after me; the Lord has given them into the hand of Israel.” Jonathan climbed up, using his hands and feet, with his armor-bearer right behind him. The Philistines fell before Jonathan, and his armor-bearer followed and killed behind him. In that first attack Jonathan and his armor-bearer killed some twenty men in an area of about half an acre. Then panic struck the whole army—those in the camp and field, and those in the outposts and raiding parties—and the ground shook. It was a panic sent by God. Saul’s lookouts at Gibeah in Benjamin saw the army melting away in all directions. Then Saul said to the men who were with him, “Muster the forces and see who has left us.” When they did, it was Jonathan and his armor-bearer who were not there. Saul said to Ahijah, “Bring the ark of God.” (At that time it was with the Israelites.) While Saul was talking to the priest, the tumult in the Philistine camp increased more and more. So Saul said to the priest, “Withdraw your hand.” Then Saul and all his men assembled and went to the battle. They found the Philistines in total confusion, striking each other with their swords. Those Hebrews who had previously been with the Philistines and had gone up with them to their camp went over to the Israelites who were with Saul and Jonathan. When all the Israelites who had hidden in the hill country of Ephraim heard that the Philistines were on the run, they joined the battle in hot pursuit. So on that day the Lord saved Israel, and the battle moved on beyond Beth Aven.

Introduction:

1 Samuel

30-Your Next Step is Risky.

The Leaders Journey – Harrington, Creech, Taylor

Anxiety, most simply described, is our response to threat, whether real or perceived. The response is physiological; it is chemical…When you feel threatened, you are instantaneously supplied with additional energy in your muscle cells. Your heart rate increases, your sensitivity is heightened, and your digestive process shuts down so that blood can flow to the large muscles. Your thinking becomes focused on the threat in a kind of tunnel vision. The threatening event is immediately stored in your long-term memory so that whenever you encounter another like it, you will be prepared to respond even more rapidly.

1. Fear distorts our reality – 70% of what we have anxiety over is not real – it is perceived – Dreams become Real

Saul’s caution and possible fear.

Procrastination article

Procrastination isn’t a unique character flaw or a mysterious curse on your ability to manage time, but a way of coping with challenging emotions and negative moods induced by certain tasks — boredom, anxiety, insecurity, frustration, resentment, self-doubt and beyond.

“Procrastination is an emotion regulation problem, not a time management problem,” said Dr. Tim Pychyl, professor of psychology and member of the Procrastination Research Group at Carleton University in Ottaw

Editors’ Picks

📷

I Quit Sex for 12 Years

📷

I Quit New York

📷

Bowen Yang of ‘S.N.L.’ is a Smash.

The Challenge we have is that Life is full of Risk so, how can we live?

A Life of Faith is a Life of Risk.

31 - A Life of Faith is a Life of Risk.

Jonathan Characterization: Risk Taker or Believer in God? -

Jonathan wasn’t content to just sit back in the stalemate. His faith in God’s ability led him to take action that involved risk. “It may be that the Lord will work for us, for nothing can hinder the Lord from saving by many or by few.” (14:6)

brother’s wife, John the Baptist risked calling him an adulterer. For this John got his head chopped of. And he had

done right to risk his life for the cause of God and truth.

Jesus had no criticism for him, but only the highest praise

().

Paul risked going up to Jerusalem to complete his ministry

to the poor. He was beaten and thrown in prison for two years

and then shipped of to Rome and executed there two years

later. And he did right to risk his life for the cause of Christ.

How many graves are there in Africa and Asia because thouRisk is Right.535345.i02.indd 37 12/7/12 2:39 PM

38 RISK IS RIGHT

sands of young missionaries were freed by the power of the

Holy Spirit from the enchantment of security and then risked

their lives to make much of Christ among the unreached peoples of the world!

And now what about you? Are you caught in the enchantment of security, paralyzed from taking any risks for the cause

of God? Or have you been freed by the power of the Holy Spirit

from the mirage of Egyptian safety and comfort? Do you men

ever say with Joab, “For the sake of the name, I’ll try it! And

may the Lord do what seems good to him”? Do you women

ever say with Esther, “For the sake of Christ, I’ll try it! And if

I perish, I perish”?

Tere is more than one danger in calling Christians to take

risks. For one, we might become so fxated on self-denial

that we are unable to enjoy the proper pleasures of this life

that God has given for our good. Another danger, which is

worse, is that we might be drawn to a life of risk for self-exalting reasons. We might feel the adrenaline of heroism rising. We might scorn the lazy and cowardly and feel superior.

We might think of risk as a kind of righteousness that makes

us acceptable to God. What would be missing from all these

mistakes is childlike faith in the sovereign rule of God and in

his triumphant love.

Tis is very diferent from heroism and self-reliance.

When we risk losing face or money or life because we believe

God will always help us and use our loss, in the end, to make

us more glad in his glory, then it’s not we who get the praise

because of our courage; it’s God who gets the praise because

of his care. In this way risk refects God’s value, not our valor.

Quote in Discipleship Essentials about Risk. - How are we to grow in the knowledge of Christ? By faith in God, who is absolutely good, we plug in to the power of the Holy Spirit and set off on a risky adventure to follow wherever Jesus Christ leads.

- God will call us to do things for his glory that are risky. Life is full of risk. Relationships are risky. Giving is risky.

32 - Risk and Reward Charts....

33 - You miss out on seeing God Glorified, You miss out and growing in your faith, You miss out on fully participating in God’s mission and your contribution.

- We activate faith when we are willing to take risks. “And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.” ()

When King Herod divorced his wife in order to take his brother’s wife, John the Baptist risked calling him an adulterer. For this John got his head chopped of. And he had done right to risk his life for the cause of God and truth. Jesus had no criticism for him, but only the highest praise

brother’s wife, John the Baptist risked calling him an adulterer. For this John got his head chopped of. And he had

done right to risk his life for the cause of God and truth.

Jesus had no criticism for him, but only the highest praise

Paul risked going up to Jerusalem to complete his ministry to the poor. He was beaten and thrown in prison for two years and then shipped of to Rome and executed there two years later. And he did right to risk his life for the cause of Christ. How many graves are there in Africa and Asia because thousands of young missionaries were freed by the power of the Holy Spirit from the enchantment of security and then risked their lives to make much of Christ among the unreached peoples of the world! And now what about you? Are you caught in the enchantment of security, paralyzed from taking any risks for the cause of God? Or have you been freed by the power of the Holy Spirit from the mirage of Egyptian safety and comfort? Do you men ever say with Joab, “For the sake of the name, I’ll try it! And may the Lord do what seems good to him”? Do you women ever say with Esther, “For the sake of Christ, I’ll try it! And if I perish, I perish”?

Paul risked going up to Jerusalem to complete his ministry

to the poor. He was beaten and thrown in prison for two years

and then shipped of to Rome and executed there two years

later. And he did right to risk his life for the cause of Christ.

How many graves are there in Africa and Asia because thouRisk is Right.535345.i02.indd 37 12/7/12 2:39 PM

38 RISK IS RIGHT

sands of young missionaries were freed by the power of the

Holy Spirit from the enchantment of security and then risked

their lives to make much of Christ among the unreached peoples of the world!

And now what about you? Are you caught in the enchantment of security, paralyzed from taking any risks for the cause

of God? Or have you been freed by the power of the Holy Spirit

from the mirage of Egyptian safety and comfort? Do you men

ever say with Joab, “For the sake of the name, I’ll try it! And

may the Lord do what seems good to him”? Do you women

ever say with Esther, “For the sake of Christ, I’ll try it! And if

I perish, I perish”?

There is more than one danger in calling Christians to take risks. For one, we might become so fixated on self-denial that we are unable to enjoy the proper pleasures of this life that God has given for our good. Another danger, which is worse, is that we might be drawn to a life of risk for self-exalting reasons. We might feel the adrenaline of heroism rising. We might scorn the lazy and cowardly and feel superior. We might think of risk as a kind of righteousness that makes us acceptable to God. What would be missing from all these mistakes is childlike faith in the sovereign rule of God and in his triumphant love. This is very diferent from heroism and self-reliance. When we risk losing face or money or life because we believe God will always help us and use our loss, in the end, to make us more glad in his glory, then it’s not we who get the praise because of our courage; it’s God who gets the praise because of his care. In this way risk reflects God’s value, not our valor. - Risk is Right, John Piper.

risks. For one, we might become so fxated on self-denial

that we are unable to enjoy the proper pleasures of this life

that God has given for our good. Another danger, which is

worse, is that we might be drawn to a life of risk for self-exalting reasons. We might feel the adrenaline of heroism rising. We might scorn the lazy and cowardly and feel superior.

We might think of risk as a kind of righteousness that makes

us acceptable to God. What would be missing from all these

mistakes is childlike faith in the sovereign rule of God and in

Tim Vink - Reformed Christians should be the most courageous because we believe in the Soveriegnty of God.

his triumphant love.

Tis is very diferent from heroism and self-reliance.

When we risk losing face or money or life because we believe

God will always help us and use our loss, in the end, to make

Risks - Move in the direction of the 3 year plan, Renovate our building, start Missional Communities, simply showing up to participate. - Our conversations we are going to start next week.

us more glad in his glory, then it’s not we who get the praise

because of our courage; it’s God who gets the praise because

Risks you may be holding off on - What is keeping you from taking the first step in your God-Given Vision, the Your part. You are afraid you will fail, You are afraid people will think poorly of you? You are afraid that God might not show up?

of his care. In this way risk refects God’s value, not our valor.

What is holding you back from implementing a budget if you want to get out of debt so you can give more?, What is holding you back from talking to your kids more about Christ? What is holding you back from calling a support group to tackle that addiction? What is holding you back from participating in Christ’s mission?

- Procrastination Article Advice - Take one small step and Trust God’s Power.

Consider the next action: This is different than the age-old advice to break up a task you’re tempted to avoid into bite-sized chunks. According to Dr. Pychyl, focusing only on the “next action” helps calm our nerves, and it allows for what Dr. Pychyl called “a layer of self-deception.” At the start of a given task, you can consider the next action as a mere possibility, as if you were method acting: “What’s the next action I’d take on this if I were going to do it, even though I’m not?” Maybe you would open your email. Or perhaps you would put the date at the top of your document. Don’t wait to be in the mood to do a certain task. “Motivation follows action. Get started, and you’ll find your motivation follows,” Dr. Pychyl said.

Conclusion: What is your next step? Pray, Ask for the Lord’s timing, and get started.

Reference the Reformed Confessions: The Reformed Confessions are statements of faith written to clarify the Gospel at times when the Church was in crisis. Heidelberg Catechism: Q&A 1, 20-23, 53, 64, 86, 91 Belgic Confession: Article 22, 24 Canons of Dort: Head I, Articles 2-6, 12; Heads III & IV, Article 14; Head V, Articles 9-13

Reference the Reformed Confessions: The Reformed Confessions are statements of faith written to clarify the Gospel at times when the Church was in crisis. Heidelberg Catechism: Q&A 1, 46-54, 62-64, 86, 91, 116-129 Belgic Confession: Article 14, 24 Canons of Dort: Head III & IV, Articles 6-16; Head V, Article 12