Taking the High Road

Rough, rocky, dry, lifeless ground. That is how the wilderness is defined. A territory incapable of sowing in new life. Yet God would use this place as a place of turn around. God would use the wilderness in remarkable ways.

Our series “Out of the Wilderness” continues today with a study that is a bit unlike the others we have covered thus far.

Moses was in the wilderness for taking matters into his own hands. The Pharaoh looked to kill him as punishment for the slaying of an Egyptian man. Yes Moses was trying to defend a fellow Hebrew according to scripture, but he took control instead of giving God control of the situation.

The Israelites would spend 40 years in the wilderness due to their grumbling. As they stood on the very edge of the land promised to them by God, they grumbled over the obstacles that had to be dealt with.

In both cases, the wilderness was a place of discipline. In both cases, the people were driven to the wilderness for their disobedience to God.

But God did not leave them there.

In the case of Moses, the Lord wasn’t finished with him yet! God turned it around. Moses would be redirected by God and led his people to freedom by fervently obeying the Lord’s commands.

In the case of the Israelites, God wasn’t finished with them yet! After 40 years they would go up and take the country that God had promised. The grumblers were no more, and God’s people received the promised land!

Tonight we look at the wilderness comes from a different perspective. It is not seen as a place of discipline, but rather something else entirely.

Tonight the wilderness will serve as a place of refuge. Now one might ask, “How can such a desolate, lifeless, barren territory be used as a place of safety and refuge?”

Refuge defined is not a place, but is a condition of being safe or sheltered from pursuit, danger, or trouble.

When the tornado sirens wail and the storm is on the horizon, we find refuge by going to the basement or most safe place in our home, and wait for the storm to pass. Now, if your storm shelter is anything like ours it is cold, cement walls creating a room that is dreary and damp, but, it’s safe. It’s strong. It’s not pretty, but it certainly gets the job done.

Tonight we watch someone who is described as “A man after God’s own heart” must take refuge in the wilderness for fear of losing his life.

David is in trouble. His trouble is unique in that it was caused by over achieving. He was good at what he did because he served with all his heart.

He was faithful to God in all things. He was also faithful to the king, Saul. We see a quick description of the situation in 1 Samuel 18:5-7

1 Samuel 18:5–7 NIV

Whatever mission Saul sent him on, David was so successful that Saul gave him a high rank in the army. This pleased all the troops, and Saul’s officers as well. When the men were returning home after David had killed the Philistine, the women came out from all the towns of Israel to meet King Saul with singing and dancing, with joyful songs and with timbrels and lyres. As they danced, they sang: “Saul has slain his thousands, and David his tens of thousands.”

Now, you would think that a king would be pleased with this kind of servant! David went above and beyond expectation! But pleased is not the word used to describe Saul’s reaction. We see in 1 Samuel 18:8

1 Samuel 18:8 NIV

Saul was very angry; this refrain displeased him greatly. “They have credited David with tens of thousands,” he thought, “but me with only thousands. What more can he get but the kingdom?”

It was from this moment that the tension began to rise. Saul was… jealous. In his mind, he was not about to take the backseat to a guy like David. So Saul began to look for ways to dispose of David.

In this situation, David has a choice, He can either:

Fight. Take up arms and defend his life. This means going up against Saul, the anointed king of Israel.

Take flight. Flee. Run for his life Take to the wilderness and hope Saul doesn’t catch up.

Was David in the wrong for going the extra mile? Was David trying to build up for himself a name greater than that of Saul? Was there an overthrow attempt in the making?

No. And David makes that clear in his choice to… flee.

David could have taken a stand against Saul. Remember, this is the same David that just one chapter back, stood toe to toe with a nine foot giant and won the fight! David knew how to fight, but David also knew how to pick the battles he would fight. David made a choice to not go against the Lord’s anointed. By doing so, David takes the high road.

David’s flesh was probably crawling with things like justification and human reasoning. He could have ended this pursuit by ending Saul. In fact, as we will study in a moment, David had what you might call the perfect opportunity to stop Saul for good! But David would not give in to his flesh. David, like he did in the battle against the giant, followed his faith.

In the name of honoring God, David chose to flee to the wilderness.

In all of our choices, in all of our conversations, conflicts, and confrontations, as believers in Christ we are called to take the high road. This is especially true when our flesh wants to go the other direction.

What this means is we never back down from God’s truth.

What this means is we never stop shining God’s love.

David made the choice to honor God… even if it meant leaving comfort behind for the wilderness. He finds his escape from the hand of Saul in the wilderness. David placed honoring God above everything else.

David displays an amazing attitude…

What David displays for us in the taking of the high road is an attitude Jesus talks about in Matthew 5:5. Jesus said “Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.”

To be meek is not to be confused with being weak, or powerless or wimpy. Meek defined is strength under control. In who’s control? In the believers case… God’s control.

Giving God lordship over our lives means giving Him lordship of ALL of our lives. This includes our weaknesses and strengths. We give it all to God. We submissively follow His ways.

David demonstrates this amazingly while running for his life in the wilderness. With Saul on his heels, David and his men hide in a cave. Saul and his three thousand men begin to search the area and Saul decides to stop and rest… in the very same cave David was hiding in! David and his men were far enough into the cave that Saul was completely unaware of their presence.

David’s men quickly see an opportunity. Now’s the chance! We can end this easily! Instead, David approaches Saul undetected and cuts off a corner of his robe. Immediately after doing this David, as 1 Samuel 24:5 reads, was conscious-stricken for doing what he did.

David could have ended Saul’s life, and all he did was cut a corner off his robe. Yet David backed down and told his men in 1 Samuel 24:6-7

1 Samuel 24:6–7 NIV

He said to his men, “The Lord forbid that I should do such a thing to my master, the Lord’s anointed, or lay my hand on him; for he is the anointed of the Lord.” With these words David sharply rebuked his men and did not allow them to attack Saul. And Saul left the cave and went his way.

Talk about strength under God’s control! Talk about faith, not flesh, in the lead! Talk about taking the high road!

Why is such an example so important to us today? Because anybody can take the low road. Anybody can say destructive things, do destructive things, or behave in destructive ways in reaction to others. This world does not need one more toxic person running around operating as their flesh would tell them to operate. The low road may feel justifiable, warranted, and reasonable, but it is not the Lord’s way of handling things!

David, in his meekness, allowed the Lord to handle the situation as He saw fit. He immediately submitted to God the moment he felt convicted of his actions. And the results of doing so are amazing. He revealed himself to Saul and look at Saul’s response in 1 Samuel 24:17-19

1 Samuel 24:17–19 NIV

“You are more righteous than I,” he said. “You have treated me well, but I have treated you badly. You have just now told me about the good you did to me; the Lord delivered me into your hands, but you did not kill me. When a man finds his enemy, does he let him get away unharmed? May the Lord reward you well for the way you treated me today.

David had sparred his life. Did this ultimately end the struggle between David and Saul? No. But the two parted ways that day, alive, and with a lot to think about. David would remain meek. In fact, David would do something like this again in 1 Samuel 26. David would take the high road. David would honor God by upholding God’s truth and love no matter what. He did so even when his life was on the line.

Practical and applicable…

David’s flight through the wilderness was not something he wanted to do or looked forward to doing, but was necessary. His main objective, his ultimate priority, was to honor God with his actions, NO MATTER WHAT. Even if it meant losing his life.

So what’s the pay off? What’s the “prize”, if you will, for taking the high road? This rout is not about earning an earthly prize or even saving face. It’s about honoring God.

What if Saul, after David called his name, turned around and ended David’ life that day at the cave? Did David lose? Did David take the high road for nothing? No. As wrong as Saul’s pursuit was, David’s heart remained in the right place. You never “lose” when you keep honoring God the main priority.

And notice too, by honoring God first, David’s respect for Saul never wavered. When he approached the king he did so with humility and reverence.

Where else have we seen this level of dedication and commitment? Who else displayed an amazing example of taking the high road, honoring God by remaining in His will no matter the cost? Jesus. Our Lord and Savior.

I want to look at four times Jesus displayed meekness when we could have easily turned the tables on the situation. Four times Jesus submitted to the will of the Father FULLY AWARE of what it was leading to.

In the Garden of Gethsemane, when Jesus was arrested Peter drew his sword and attacked one of the soldiers. Jesus’ response was… amazing. Matthew 26:52

Matthew 26:52 NIV

“Put your sword back in its place,” Jesus said to him, “for all who draw the sword will die by the sword.

Before the Sanhedrin, at His trial, accusation after accusation came His way. The witnesses could not get the false claims to stick to Jesus so they kept trying. Jesus remained silent. He only speaks of His identity when asked is He is the Christ, the Son of God. Matthew 26:64

Matthew 26:64 NIV

“You have said so,” Jesus replied. “But I say to all of you: From now on you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Mighty One and coming on the clouds of heaven.”

On the cross, one thief who was also crucified, begins to verbally chastise Jesus. The other comes to His defense. Jesus, remains on mission. Jesus takes the high road. Luke 23:39-43

Luke 23:39–43 NIV

One of the criminals who hung there hurled insults at him: “Aren’t you the Messiah? Save yourself and us!” But the other criminal rebuked him. “Don’t you fear God,” he said, “since you are under the same sentence? We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong.” Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” Jesus answered him, “Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise.”

And let us not forget the prayer Jesus prayed in His final moments. He could have called ten thousand angels. He could have lashed out in His defense. He could have done a lot of things differently that day, but instead, Jesus prayed. Luke 23:34

Luke 23:34 NIV

Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.” And they divided up his clothes by casting lots.

Everyone who bears the name of Jesus have been called to be Christ-like. We have been called to be the light of world by Jesus Himself. We have been called to honor God in everything we say and do. We have been instructed to live by faith, not flesh.

This cannot be done if believers choose to take the low road instead of the high road! And interestingly enough, the call to be the salt and light of the world came right after Jesus covered the beatitudes in His Sermon on the Mount... Right after He said in verse 5 “Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.”

Conclusion

David could have killed Saul, but he remained on point. He remained on mission not to go against God’s anointed. Jesus could have stopped what was coming His way but His desire was not to honor His flesh, but to honor His Father. He prayed to His Father three times in Matthew 26 saying “may your will be done.”

The high road sometimes means suffering. The high road might take us to a place we do not want to go. For David, it was the wilderness. A rough, dry, rocky, lifeless territory. For Jesus it was a cross, the symbol of suffering and shame.

The results of both situations are truly amazing.

David would later become king of Israel. God took care of it all.

Jesus would give His life as a ransom for many. His blood became the payment for all sin. He is King of Kings and Lord of Lords and is sitting at the right hand of the Father awaiting to return to conquer the enemy once and for all.

What will result when you choose to take the high road in difficult situations? What will happen when you decide to honor God, to uphold His truth and to operate in His love no matter what?

You continue the ministry of Jesus on this earth. You honor the will of the Father by upholding His ways no matter the cost. And people will notice.

I won’t promise that people will honor your decision. Like Saul, there are those who will continue on a low road no matter what you choose to do. But this isn’t a sermon concerning ourselves with how others will act. This is a sermon asking how you will choose to act.

Prayer

Salvation. The only road that leads to God. The path was made clear for us. Jesus is the only way to the Father. Jesus presents all with the opportunity to receive forgiveness of sin and the gift of eternal life.

Will you choose to live for Him today?

Choosing the right road.

I promise you this: the high road isn’t always easy. In fact, if we choose to follow in the footsteps of Jesus we know suffering is ahead. Jesus said it would be this way. Live a righteous life in an unrighteous world is difficult to say the least. But with God’s help, and the Holy Spirit living within us, we can continue to journey closer to God leaving the way of the world behind.

It’s a battle of flesh and faith. Will you honor the Lord by operating in HIS truth and with HIS love? Maybe you’re listening and this is hitting home… you’re in the middle of a battle and you need God’s help in taking the high road. I’d like to pray for you tonight and encourage you. Honor God with your actions and choose the direction His Spirit leads you to go.