\\ Scriptures: 1 Samuel 22:2, 2 Corinthians 12:1-10

1 Samuel 22:1 ¶ David left Gath and escaped to the cave of Adullam. When his brothers and his father's household heard about it, they went down to him there.  2  All those who were in distress or in debt or discontented gathered round him, and he became their leader. About four hundred men were with him.

The difference between admiration and identification.

We admire people for their strength and ability but we are more encouraged to persevere when we discover that they succeed as real people with weaknesses as we have weakness.

We are attempting to make a point of identification with the world in which we live.

If we are not careful we can communicate that church is a place for people who have it all together.

Hebrews 4:14  Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has gone through the heavens, {Or gone into heaven} Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess.  15  For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathise with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are--yet was without sin.

If we are consumed with portraying our strengths to the world we may be admired but we will be largely out of touch.

We are not a perfect church – we never will be on this earth.  It will take to Lord himself to make the church as it should be and He will do it when he takes the church out of this world.  It will be the church that we never see here.  There will be no trouble makers, no gossips, no judges – only a host of people who are keenly aware of how much it cost heaven to bring them personally into relationship with the Living God.  It is nothing more and nothing less that a grateful consciousness of God’s own mercy applied to our lives that can drive the judgmental, critical spirit from the heart of another person.  When you encounter people who are overly critical, it is the evidence of a grace deficiency in their own lives.

Why do we struggle to own and admit our faults?

Ø      Protect our image

Ø      Protect our theology – especially difficult for the “holiness” crowd.  James makes a wonderful admission in his short, practical book.

James 1:1 ¶ Not many of you should presume to be teachers, my brothers, because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly.  2  We all stumble in many ways. If anyone is never at fault in what he says, he is a perfect man, able to keep his whole body in check.

Ø      Propagate our faith – good intentions but negative legacy.  We assume that if we can perform faultlessly then our impact will be greater.  It is the goal to so live and to strive for the perfect game like every pitcher who strides a top of the mound.  Sometimes a perfect game is pitched by the pitcher who knows and understands his limitations and works within his ability rather than trying to perform in sheer strength alone.  He knows how many pitches he can afford to throw and so he uses each one wisely and carefully.

It’s a mistake to equate failure with hypocrisy.

The yeast of hypocrisy is dishonesty

The power of God is manifest in our inadequacy and weakness if we remain honest about them and fully own them.

1 Corinthians 12:1 ¶ I must go on boasting. Although there is nothing to be gained, I will go on to visions and revelations from the Lord.  2  I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago was caught up to the third heaven. Whether it was in the body or out of the body I do not know--God knows.  3  And I know that this man--whether in the body or apart from the body I do not know, but God knows--  4  was caught up to paradise. He heard inexpressible things, things that man is not permitted to tell.  5  I will boast about a man like that, but I will not boast about myself, except about my weaknesses.  6  Even if I should choose to boast, I would not be a fool, because I would be speaking the truth. But I refrain, so no-one will think more of me than is warranted by what I do or say.  7  To keep me from becoming conceited because of these surpassingly great revelations, there was given me a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me.  8  Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me.  9  But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me.  10  That is why, for Christ's sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.