Empty Cave

Introduction:

Depression, and mental illness, seem to be the world's excuse for carrying out some of the evilest of deeds.

It’s as if they are saying that if we can control the mental illness issue, this world will be a better place to live.

Well, I’m sorry to say but the issue of depression and sometimes even mental illness have been around since the beginning. I’m sure Adam was pretty depressed when he got kicked out of his perfect environment. I’m sure Adam felt a certain type of way when he had to sweat to eat.

There is another well-known biblical character whose story we are all familiar with that suffered from a temporary bout of depression.

David from the cave of Adullam according to Psalm number 142 suffered from an extreme sense of loss.

David as a teenager was anointed by the prophet Samuel as the next King of Israel. David was the one. And his situation in the beginning looked as if he was on the right track towards that prosperous anointing. We know the story.

David was sent by his father to bring lunch to his older brothers who were out in the field warring with the enemy of Israel, the Philistines. Israel was frightened because of the boasting of a giant named Goliath that no one in all of Israel could defeat him.

David, the scrawny little kid decided that he, because the Lord was on his side, and that he had the sign of the covenant on him, circumsision, there was no way that God would allow an uncircumcised heathen to defeat his elect.

So David took rocks and a slingshot, popped Goliath upside his head with one rock, and then cut Goliath's head off.

Davids's heroism won him a job as a soldier in Israels' army and also won him favor temporarily with the king who gave his daughter to David to marry. David eventually became a champion in the Israeli army.

He was favored in the king's eye. David made the king look good. It says in 1 Samuel 18 that that favored relationship David had changed because of an incident that took place after Israel returned home from battle.

It says in 1 Samuel 18:6-9

1 Samuel 18:6–9 (ESV)

As they were coming home, when David returned from striking down the Philistine, the women came out of all the cities of Israel, singing and dancing, to meet King Saul, with tambourines, with songs of joy, and with musical instruments. And the women sang to one another as they celebrated,

“Saul has struck down his thousands,

and David his ten thousands.”

And Saul was very angry, and this saying displeased him. He said, “They have ascribed to David ten thousands, and to me they have ascribed thousands, and what more can he have but the kingdom?” And Saul eyed David from that day on.

So Saul set out to kill his most prized soldier David over jealousy. What they had together worked. But jealousy got in the way. Remember Malcolm X and Elisha Muhammad? Jerry Jones and Jimmy Johnson. Killed at least two more Superbowl runs. lol

David, the anointed one, all of a sudden found himself in a rut. Life for him had changed for the worse.

David eventually lost his wife, his job, and his home. His king was so jealous of him that he was trying to kill him. It got so bad for David that he had to settle for a cave. A dark cave. David went from the penthouse back to the outhouse.

Now can you imagine? This once-prosperous young lad was now alone and afraid in a dark cave. How could this happen to a person that God had promised to one day make ruler over Israel?

Imagine how David must have felt while in that cave. Well fortunately we don't have to imagine. David tells us how he felt in Psalm number 142.

(Read thru vv 1 thru 7 and preach the word)

Propisition: Depression has its way of settling in our minds when we find ourselves in a hopeless inescapable situation. When we just can’t find our way out is when we naturally began to give up. But for the believer, God always provides a way out, as long as we learn how to endure while going through life's pitfalls.

Interrogative sentence: How do we endure when we find ourselves seemingly trapped in a cave-like situation?

Pray to God

Why? Because God's ear is the only ear that matters at the end of the day. As a believer in Jesus, we know that because of him God hears those who put their trust in Christ Jesus. Jesus says no man comes unto the Father but by him. So that’s why we pray while enduring hardships.

Transitional Sentence. How do we pray?

Bring Our Heart Felt Complaints to God

Whether you know it or not besides maybe your mother, and she might get tired of you too, God is the only one that wants to hear all that troubles you. Phil. 4:6

Philippians 4:6 ESV

do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.

God wants you to be able to voice whatever ails you to him. Don’t just pray it in your head, say it with your lips like David did. David felt like everybody was against him, that he was the only one going through something, until God showed him otherwise. 1 Sam. 22:1-2

1 Samuel 22:1–2 ESV

David departed from there and escaped to the cave of Adullam. And when his brothers and all his father’s house heard it, they went down there to him. And everyone who was in distress, and everyone who was in debt, and everyone who was bitter in soul, gathered to him. And he became commander over them. And there were with him about four hundred men.

So David felt all alone, but only after David concluded that only God could help him did people begin to show up and join him in the cave.

Conclude That God Is Bigger Than Our Problems

You see, God wants us to keep the faith while in the midst of your cave-like situation. God wants us to trust him while in the middle of the storm. Our faith is tested when we are in dark situations that we can’t seem to see our way out. God wants to know whether your faith is genuine, or just lip service when times are good.

Conclusion: The Empty cave

Our faith as believers is strengthened by the fact that over 2000 years ago the cave was emptied. We put our trust is nothing but the fact that the cave-like tomb borrowed from a rich man, has been vacated. The cave couldn't hold him down therefore nothing in this life, not even death can hold you down. Jesus told us that in this world you would have troubles, cave-like situations. But be of good cheer because I have overcome them all. How? The empty tomb.

So don’t let the trappings of this world bring you down. Life happens to all of us. But don’t let your lying eyes fool yah nor your troubled heart lose hope.

Our hope is in the fact that the cave is vacant.

Our faith is in the fact the tomb is empty.

And that the former occupant Jesus Christ sits at the right hand of the Father as an intercessor on our behalf.

Endure the troubling storm.

So keep the faith.

Because our cave has already been emptied through the resurrection of Jesus the Christ. Amen?