Are You Down?

1 Sam 26 Are you Down? – committed

• 6 David then asked Ahimelek the Hittite and Abishai son of Zeruiah, Joab’s brother, “Who will go down into the camp with me to Saul?” “I’ll go with you,” said Abishai.
• This is a very interesting story- Saul is chasing after David to kill him. David is with these guy Abishai. Saul is getting close to David and one night they go down into the camp and everyone is asleep. David and Abishai stand over Saul and Abishai has the chance to kill Saul but instead they just take his Spear and water Jug. Next day they chastise Abner from across the valley who was supposed to be protecting King Saul- King Saul hears Davids voice and realizes that he could have been killed and realizes that David loves God and him and Saul relents and forgives David and promises he’s going to stop trying to kill him.

The committed steps up

• I’ll go with you 6 David then asked Ahimelek the Hittite and Abishai son of Zeruiah, Joab’s brother, “Who will go down into the camp with me to Saul?” “I’ll go with you,” said Abishai.
•  in the story- this guy Abishai has no idea exactly what David is going to do down there
• We find out later, but Abishai may think that this is going to be the time when he will get to whack King Saul- Kill the guy who has been attacking his leader- David
• But here’s what I love about his heart- He didn’t ask any questions. He didn’t show any reluctance. He didn’t hesitate. It was time to do something and he was down for it 100%.
• “I’ll go with you”  David- I trust you. I believe in you. I’ve seen you. If you’re going- I’m going
• One of the hardest things you’ll do in your life is step up and make a commitment to something
• People used be committed- Job, Mortgage, Marriage, Friends, Small towns- Couldn’t go other stores- you had to figure it out- You were committed to each other.
• People would have a sense of pride of ownership and involvement- My neighborhood, school

• Now? Totally comfortable with someone else doing it while we sit back and watch
• This should not be the case for the church. Not at all. A Christ followers steps up  when the Lord asks them to do so- But it doesn’t happen- Turn a deaf ear.
• Why do people enjoy challenging sermons that they have no intention to respond to?
• Church is one of the few places we tolerate this- Gun club- Commit- Work- Show up- Nope
• Abishai was DOWN. He was like- Whatever it is. I’m good with it.
• Its valorious to step up for God. Its spiritually dangerous. Its Heroic what we do for Jesus
• Some people don’t see it that way- but it truly is. Nothing more important
• Ephesians 2:10  For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.
• It shouldn’t matter what the word of God, or a pastor or member in the church asks you do to.
• “I’ll go with you” should be your answer. Cause here’s the deal- its never going to be detrimental to your spiritual walk. What do we ask? Kids? Clean? Show up? Tithe? Serve Forgive
• In war- Balloon in Civil war, wwi etc, Goes up- Run the other way? No- run towards!
• Will you be an Abishai? Will you step up? Will you commit to it? Will you step up?

2. The Committed takes correction

• Abishai said to David, “Today God has delivered your enemy into your hands. Now let me pin him to the ground with one thrust of the spear; I won’t strike him twice.”
• READ v 9-11 9 But David said to Abishai, “Don’t destroy him!
• Abishai was down to do what he was asked to do. “I’ll go with you”
• But when they got down to do what they were going to do- Abishai had his own ideas of what he thought they should do- Lets kill King Saul!
• But David rebuked him- He’s like “nah man- HE’s still God’s man- lets not do this”
• Interestingly enough- Abishai doesn’t push back against the man he agreed to go down with
• David tells him what they are doing and why they are doing it and that’s enough
• If only it was that easy in the ministry!
• So many people  are so headstrong they can’t even allow anyone to tell them nothing about nothing- In the land of Google- everyone is an expert- Baird- I know the greek- come at me
• 1 Timothy 5:20 As for those who persist in sin, rebuke them in the presence of all, so that the rest may stand in fear.- How different would the church be if we did this? Take it privately!

• Why are so many men unwilling to accept correction?
• None of us are able to fully control ourselves and need others to help us maintain our integrity
• If you look back on your lapses of integrity, usually its when you have distances yourself from people who would call you out on your lapses- You surround yourself with like-minded people
• Pro 18:1 A man who isolates himself seeks his own desire; He rages against all wise judgment
• In this scenario- Abishai was being protected from something that was going to hurt him (killing God’s anointed) David was the one to protect him from doing something that could have cost him his life or at least put him in bad standing with God
• Abishai Trusted David! He didn’t push back! He just stopped!
• Do you know what has helped us? GPS. I do exactly what it says. I never argue with it. If it tells me to turn I turn. Its constantly being updated- its constantly realigning where its sending us-
• When you follow you get to where you are going faster with less traffic, why would you fight it?

• Things you should allow to correct you
• One- The word of God- 2 Timothy 3:16 All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness,
• Two-Your brother in the Lord Luke 17:3 So watch yourselves. “If your brother or sister sins against you, rebuke them; and if they repent, forgive them.
• Three- Your pastors- Hebrews 13:17 Have confidence in your leaders and submit to their authority, because they keep watch over you as those who must give an account. Do this so that their work will be a joy, not a burden, for that would be of no benefit to you.
• Four God– Hebrews 12:6 because the Lord disciplines the one he loves, and he chastens everyone he accepts as his son.”
• Dude! If you’re wrong you’re wrong! Don’t fight it! Admit it! I’m wrong! I need correction!
• Are you so prideful that you can’t allow anyone to correct you?
• I let my kids correct me if I’m wrong. I stabbed my son with knife- my bad!

The committed does their  Job

• An interesting part of this story is when David stands on the other side of the valley and calls out Abner-  He literally calls out his manhood- His inability to do his Job YOU HAD ONE JOB
• READ v 15-16 15 David said, “You’re a man, aren’t you?. 16 What you have done is not good.
• Man- he handles him in this! He’s mocking him! You didn’t guard the king, you didn’t protect him, it wasn’t good, you must die and your men must die
• I GOT HIS SPEAR AND HIS JUG.  Maaaaaan. These dudes are in  trouble!
• I remember losing my weapon in Bosnia one time- Forgot it in the chow hall- Had just been there. RUNNING AS FAST AS I COULD. It’s the worst feeling in the world.
• ABNER HAD ONE JOB Commitment- is being committed. You do what you set out to do
• ABNER LACKED COMMITMENT. He FELL ASLEEP AND DIDN’T WATCH OVER THE KING
• Are you an  Abner or an Abishai? Are the failures of your life on the other side of the valley screaming out “YOU’RE A MAN AREN’T YOU?”
• Your life shouldn’t be a tale of broken commitments over and over.
• 2 Timothy 2:15 Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.
• You have one job as a man- Love God. Obey his commandments.
• That’s it. You don’t have to be good at a sport. You don’t have to be good at a hobby. You just have to love God and follow his commandments
• Deuteronomy 4 ²⁹ But if from there you seek the Lord your God, you will find him if you seek him with all your heart and with all your soul.
• You have a job- Love your wife. Love your Kids. Love your Church. Obey your pastor. Provide for your family. Live a life of integrity. DO YOUR JOB Be an Abishai not an Abner

The committed Admit when you’re wrong

• Many relationships struggle for people  because they refuse to repent and admit that they were wrong, are wrong, or need to change
• Wont apologize to spouse, kids, boss, friend. Never look inside of themselves or consider that there may be something inside of them that may need to change.
• ²¹ Then Saul said, “I have sinned. Come back, David my son. Because you considered my life precious today, I will not try to harm you again. Surely I have acted like a fool and have been terribly wrong.”
• A committed person is willing to admit when he is wrong. He knows that he needs to admit it
• Many  refuse to bow the knee and admit they are wrong, not just to God, but to his fellow man
• Many a relationship have been hurt and destroyed because of unwillingness to admit fault
• Proverbs 28:13 He who covers his sins will not prosper, But whoever confesses and forsakes them will have mercy.
• I have spent a lot of time with men who have sinned and have not confessed it and I will tell you that it eats them up
• As a pastor, I know whats going on, or sometimes I do- but I see 20-20 when it finally comes out
• Unrepentant sin will destroy you- towards God- towards your fellow man
• You live in silence and in the darkness and Satan uses it against you and you think you can fix it on your own but you can’t

• Admit your faults-  Don’t be that person that suffers in silence. FIRST STEP TO SALVATION- ADMIT
• Saul admitted that he was wrong. He admitted that he wasn’t where he needed to be and that he wasn’t doing what he was supposed to do
• Here’s what the Bible says James 5:16 Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.
• There’s a power in confession. Find a brother or sister that you can trust get to the ROOT
• And any many who doesn’t hold another mans confession deserves to die- DON’T GOSSIP
• Confess to a pastor. Confess to God. He will set you free. He will forgive you.

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committed