Stop Lament
Notes
Transcript
When my kids were younger, they were playing with their cousins. They said to their cousins, “Hey lets play funeral”.
In the first 7 years of ministry here, I did so many funerals and they were not easy funerals. It was some tuff stuff as to the reason I was doing the funeral.
One of my most favorite places to attend or do a funeral is in my hometown. It’s expensive but let me tell you they know how to do a funeral.
The visitation happens and the last 15 min of the visitation they read the names of the cards on the flowers and the person from the funeral home also tells you what the name of the plant is.
The day of the funeral they escort the family in last and the whole room will stand as the family comes in as they honor and respect the family. The service is not rushed and if you can’t make it you can tune in live on their live feed. After the funeral is over they dismiss and then have time for the family. After that, the family is led outside and the casket is brought out.
The procession is not taking back roads. They go right down main street and stop all traffic in town even at rush hour. The city police lead the way to the cemetery and make sure all traffic stops. Occasionally you will see a worker on the side of the road stop working and take their hat off until the funeral passes by.
Funerals are big deals in Lebanon and I think we need to keep this tradition alive and its healthy
1 After the death of Saul, David returned from defeating the Amalekites and stayed at Ziklag two days.
2 On the third day a man with torn clothes and dust on his head came from Saul’s camp. When he came to David, he fell to the ground and paid homage.
3 David asked him, “Where have you come from?” He replied to him, “I’ve escaped from the Israelite camp.”
4 “What was the outcome? Tell me,” David asked him. “The troops fled from the battle,” he answered. “Many of the troops have fallen and are dead. Also, Saul and his son Jonathan are dead.”
5 David asked the young man who had brought him the report, “How do you know Saul and his son Jonathan are dead?”
6 “I happened to be on Mount Gilboa,” he replied, “and there was Saul, leaning on his spear. At that very moment the chariots and the cavalry were closing in on him.
7 When he turned around and saw me, he called out to me, so I answered: I’m at your service.
8 He asked me, ‘Who are you?’ I told him: I’m an Amalekite.
9 Then he begged me, ‘Stand over me and kill me, for I’m mortally wounded, but my life still lingers.’
10 So I stood over him and killed him because I knew that after he had fallen he couldn’t survive. I took the crown that was on his head and the armband that was on his arm, and I’ve brought them here to my lord.”
11 Then David took hold of his clothes and tore them, and all the men with him did the same.
12 They mourned, wept, and fasted until the evening for those who died by the sword—for Saul, his son Jonathan, the Lord’s people, and the house of Israel.
Pray
(Give some background and context to this passage)
David has been anointed King of Israel.
King Saul before David has repeatedly tried to Kill David
Saul’s son Jonathan has loved and cared for David
Here in 2 Samuel 1 David gets word that Saul and Jonathan is dead. In one battle David lost his greatest enemy and his best friend.
Grief and loss can be difficult and I think in our never stop society that we have lost the ability to stop and lament or grieve.
Not stopping to lament or grieve is costing us. Our body, emotions, spirit were designed for times of lament. When we fail to lament or grieve it increases anxiety, worry, pride and fear.
In his book Emotionally Healthy Discipleship Peter Scazzero speaks of the importance of acknowledging our grief. He goes on to explain that grief acknowledges a loss of control. It lets us know that we are not in control and that is something we don’t like. We want to be in control of everything. It is healthy for us to admit that we are not in control and that God is
3 I will give you the treasures of darkness and riches from secret places, so that you may know that I, Yahweh, the God of Israel call you by your name.
Pumping gas you here advertisements about how to celebrate the passing of someone you have loved. You can send them off in a firework display or hot air balloon anything to make it quick and less painful.
Perhaps we are missing the treasures of darkness and riches from secret places, so that we may know that He is Yahweh the God of Israel who called you by name.
This goes beyond personal lament or grief there are also times of National lament or grief. You will see this in scripture when a Nation goes through tragedy or disaster there is Lamenting or grief.
Reminds me of three countries
First is Haiti
They are an impoverished nation
They have civil unrest with politics and gangs
They deal with the coronavirus
Their president is assassinated
More civil unrest
Earthquake yesterday morning over 300 dead
Tropical storm set to hit tomorrow
You could try to stay positive and push through but at some point you must stop and lament.
Next Afghanistan
The news coming out of the Christian community in Afghanistan is absolutely heart wrenching
Christian’s getting letters of warning that they are coming after them
Young daughters being taken into captivity
I can’t just ignore this and press through. You must stop and lament or grieve for our brothers and sisters in Christ
and yes United States
We have faced a lot of grief this year. The week of vacation for us before I left I got the phone call that Dwight Green passed away, Setting in the parking lot of a thrift store I got the phone call that Cynthia Bray passed away, I was also helping Ron and Linda Weber with the funeral services of Linda’s brother in law Ed Buttricks and Jim’s dad passed away and since I have gotten back I got a phone call from the McGough family to help with a service this Saturday.
The division is very strong with lots of opinions and divisions about all things
At some point, you have to acknowledge and lament these things. Failure to do so will result in more anxiety, fear and worry.
13 David inquired of the young man who had brought him the report, “Where are you from?” “I’m the son of a foreigner,” he said. “I’m an Amalekite.”
14 David questioned him, “How is it that you were not afraid to lift your hand to destroy the Lord’s anointed?”
15 Then David summoned one of his servants and said, “Come here and kill him!” The servant struck him, and he died.
16 For David had said to the Amalekite, “Your blood is on your own head because your own mouth testified against you by saying, ‘I killed the Lord’s anointed.’ ”
I thought about skipping this part because it is more death and makes us go, what!?!?
He is probably super prideful and excited that Saul is dead so he comes running to David
Reminder that Saul wanted to kill David and here David says to kill this man because he killed the Lord’s anointed.
Lament
Lament
17 David sang the following lament for Saul and his son Jonathan,
18 and he ordered that the Judahites be taught The Song of the Bow. It is written in the Book of Jashar:
19 The splendor of Israel lies slain on your heights. How the mighty have fallen!
20 Do not tell it in Gath, don’t announce it in the marketplaces of Ashkelon, or the daughters of the Philistines will rejoice, and the daughters of the uncircumcised will gloat.
Don’t tell it to the enemies of Israel
21 Mountains of Gilboa, let no dew or rain be on you, or fields of offerings, for there the shield of the mighty was defiled — the shield of Saul, no longer anointed with oil.
Admitting death
22 Jonathan’s bow never retreated, Saul’s sword never returned unstained, from the blood of the slain, from the bodies of the mighty.
23 Saul and Jonathan, loved and delightful, they were not parted in life or in death. They were swifter than eagles, stronger than lions.
The optimism and praise of Jonathan and Saul
24 Daughters of Israel, weep for Saul, who clothed you in scarlet, with luxurious things, who decked your garments with gold ornaments.
25 How the mighty have fallen in the thick of battle! Jonathan lies slain on your heights.
My mind goes to the economics that the daughters of Israel experienced under the leadership of Saul and David says to remember and weep for Saul.
26 I grieve for you, Jonathan, my brother. You were such a friend to me. Your love for me was more wonderful than the love of women.
27 How the mighty have fallen and the weapons of war have perished!
I know this is not a popular message in todays churches. I think it is needed.
I don’t think our spirit, bodies, minds and souls have the capacity to keep running past the dark places. We must stop
It is my desire to allow some time this morning and space for us to just lament or grieve
Peter Scazzero ask some reflection questions that bring us to a place of lament. I want to give you these to help you identify and pay attention to your emotions.
What are you angry about?
What are you sad about?
What are you anxious about?
What are you glad about?
The goal of this exercise is to lead you back to the dark spaces
3 I will give you the treasures of darkness and riches from secret places, so that you may know that I, Yahweh, the God of Israel call you by your name.
So that you may know that I Yahweh, the God of Israel calls you by your name.
Scazzero says it is essential that we pay attention to our pain in God’s presence as expression of prayer to him. When we do this, we realize that God loves and accepts us for who we are.