Captain Jonathan and Lieutenant Armour Bearer

Fictional heroes: Jane Austen’s Elizabeth Bennet, Atticus Finch from To Kill a Mockingbird, James Bond, Sydney Carton from A Tale of Two Cities, Roald Dahl’s Matilda Wormwood, Lisbeth Salander from The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo.

Batman, Spider-Man, Iron Man, Superman, Wonder Woman.

Why?

I think when we hear heroes or see them or read about them, we think about qualities we wish we had. Courage, strength, fortitude, bravery.

Reading about everyday heroes gives us hope and lets you know that you’re not alone in the good fight.

The hero lifts us. It redeems what we try to do. The hero provides us an archetype that gives us a direction. ‘Let’s go this way. And we’ll be okay.’

We’d like to believe there’s like a hero gene in all of us.

1 Samuel 14:1-16 (Paula)

2 heroes - encourage/inspire in our own adventure in answering God’s call on our lives.

Introduction (5m)

The Salvation Army needs heroes

974 active officers in UKI. First time below 1,000. Down 273 in a decade. Now have 1.55 officers per corps. Average intake WBC = 20. Our Capt J’s need Lt. A-B’s!

Disheartening picture. In same decade, -8,933 senior soldiers, -2,338 junior soldiers, -75 corps (and following pandemic likely more to come).

BSA - LO numbers dwindling. Had to close HL for lack of HLS, etc.

We need heroes to answer God’s call

Story encourages us that God still calls/equips heroes even in most discouraging circumstances.

Captain Jonathan, a hero in disheartening circumstances

Israel at war with Philistines throughout Saul’s reign as King. Not gone well so far. Philistines victorious. Many Israelites disarmed. Some defected. Some deserted. Saul’s army of 3,000 dwindled to just 600. Dejected. Hopeless. Couldn’t imagine life getting any worse.

Captain Jonathan and Lieutenant Armour-Bearer’s response - decided on their own to be heroes

Left safety of camp, risked lives, against all odds, faced enemy - a vast army - alone. But not alone - knew God was with them.

Explanation (5m)

The Lord can win a battle with only a few

No fear - pagans!

1 Samuel 14:6 NLT

“Let’s go across to the outpost of those pagans,” Jonathan said to his armor bearer. “Perhaps the Lord will help us, for nothing can hinder the Lord. He can win a battle whether he has many warriors or only a few!”

But not teenage bravado

Courage from his faith in God. Capt J had no one except his faithful Lt. A-B, but confident that if followed God’s will then God could save with a mighty army or with no army.

Not focused on disheartening circumstances, but on taking G’s fight to the enemy

Convinced that G is of infinite power and able to do whatever is needed for his people.

Perhaps as they climbed the rocks up to the Philistines, meditated on part of God’s covenant promise with his people:

Leviticus 26:7–8 NLT

In fact, you will chase down your enemies and slaughter them with your swords. Five of you will chase a hundred, and a hundred of you will chase ten thousand! All your enemies will fall beneath your sword.

Knew G would be involved in any victory

Not counting on his own superior military skills, not even on element of surprise, but simply because God would be in what they would do.

Application (5m)

Is God calling you up to be one of the few?

Knew God could win with many warriors or only a few. May feel TSA UKI is slowly dwindling to a few. May be shocked that officer numbers fallen below 1,000 - you should be! - but G can be victorious with only a few of us.

Q is: will you be one of the few?

Will you answer call? Take initiative like Capt J & Lt. A-B? Do you know all things are possible? Do you believe G can do anything? What J taught! What Bible teaches. Does your life prove your faith that nothing can hinder the Lord?

If so, then maybe G wants you to answer the call to be one of the few. To be someone who bolsters numbers going into WBC. Become TE. Become LO.

Easy to stay like Saul did

1 Samuel 14:2 NLT

Meanwhile, Saul and his 600 men were camped on the outskirts of Gibeah, around the pomegranate tree at Migron.

Further back, up in the hills, out of the line of fire, further away from the enemy. Safe in his “barracks/citadel” if you like. What a contrast to Capt. J & Lt. A-B!

Easy for us to come to lovely building

Comfortable chairs, good music, or sit at home, coffee and slippers, watching worship on TV and think, this is not about me. Lack of officers, small sessions of cadets, lack of LO’s not my concern. Let someone else deal with that.

May think of what answering God’s call might entail not for me

For Capt. J & Lt. A-B it was hard work - hands and feet business, climbing, hard toil, risk-taking, sacrifice - and think, not for me.

But our example is Jesus

Luke 22:42 NLT

“Father, if you are willing, please take this cup of suffering away from me. Yet I want your will to be done, not mine.”

Your will versus God’s will

Your will might be to remain comfortable, happy what you’re doing, happy in line of work, but God’s will might be for you to step out and become next Capt. J or Lt. A-B.

Me

Happy - nice house, well-off, good job, enjoyed legal work, happy in music ministry. But could not ignore G’s call. In the end: I wanted God’s will to be done, not my own.

If G calling you to be one of the few, don’t delay

Say yes. Say, I want your will to be done, not mine. Step out. Take a risk. Take the initiative. Prove your faith that nothing can hinder the Lord. 974 Capt. J’s need your help. LO’s of this corps or your corps or place of worship need your help. Are you willing to join them?

It’s your choice. May God bless, guide and lead you as you make that choice ...

Next Steps

Video - Candidates Sunday 2021

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