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What’s the Deal? (1 Samuel 18:17-30 NKJV)
– King Saul was anointed king through the Prophet Samuel, but has since turned into a selfish, fearful, and cowardly man, who no longer served God, but only himself.
– The Spirit of the Lord had left Saul, and a young boy named David was chosen by Samuel to be the next king. He stayed humble about it, and continued in his job shepherding the flocks in the fields.
– When Israel’s army was confronted by their enemy Goliath and the Philistines, everyone including Saul was greatly afraid, and Saul made a deal for anyone who would be brave enough to kill Goliath.
– 1 Samuel 17:25, So the men of Israel said, “Have you seen this man who has come up? Surely he has come up to defy Israel; and it shall be that the man who kills him the king will enrich with great riches, will give him his daughter, and give his father’s house exemption from taxes in Israel.”
– David, of course, is the one who killed Goliath, but the promise wasn’t fulfilled right away.
– Cowardly Saul continued to send courageous David out to win his battles for him, but when he saw that the people loved and respected David more than him, he turned on David and wanted him dead.
* Have YOU ever had a boss or family member, or someone you trusted treat you unfairly? Someone that no matter what you did it, it was never enough, and you could never win with them?
– Let’s look in today scriptures to see how David deals with this situation…
Read 1 Samuel 18:17-30
1. What’s the deal?
– Example: This made me think of, Lucy holding the football for Charlie Brown, but always pulling it away right as he was about to kick it. Every time! I thought she was supposed to be his friend?
– She would promise him that she wouldn’t trick him this time, and would finally trust her.
– She wanted Charlie to fail, but I think because she was his friend, he always tried it again.
– Saul kept holding out the prize for David, then pulling it away like that football.
– Verse 17, Then Saul said to David, “Here is my older daughter Merab; I will give her to you as a wife. Only be valiant for me, and fight the Lord’s battles.” For Saul thought, “Let my hand not be against him, but let the hand of the Philistines be against him.”
– She was already supposed to be his from Goliath, now Saul wants to make him do more?
– He had been fighting all of Saul’s battles already? What more does Saul expect?
– Saul just wanted David to get killed, and he gave the oldest daughter to someone else.
– Verse 21, So Saul said, “I will give her to him, that she maybe a snare to him, and that the hand of the Philistines may be against him.” Therefore Saul said to David a second time, “You shall be my son-in-law today.”
– Again, Saul it trying to bait David into trusting him, only so he can betray him!
– Now Saul wants David to kill 100 Philistines and bring back trophies of his kills as a price to marry Saul’s other daughter. “But Saul thought to make David fall by the hands of the Philistines.”
– GOOD GRIEF! David finally got a wife, but only after doing twice as much as was asked of him.
– David’s reaction to this unfair treatment is the real message coming out of today scriptures.
– David stayed humble:
– Verse 18, So David said to Saul, “Who am I, and what is my life or my father’s family in Israel, that I should be son-in-law to the king?”
– Verse 23 David says, “I am a poor and lightly esteemed man”. This after he had been prophesied the future king, fought all of the king’s battles as the women sang, danced, and praised his victories.
– Psalm 25:9 (in David’s own words), “The humble He guides in justice, And the humble He teaches His way.”
– 1 peter 5:6-7, Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time, 7 casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you.
– David chose to NOT get mad or be offended:
– We see no description of David offended, or demanding any rights or what he was owed.
– We live in a culture of offence that demands its rights, and looks for ways to be offended.
– The American Christian culture has joined in! Example: “Easter Worshippers”. We are more focused on the Media failing to call the victims “Christians”, than we are on the atrocity itself.
– Christians on Facebook have become obsessed with pointing out the failures and hypocrisies of everyone else, and have lost sight of our goal which should be to show them Jesus.
– Is being “right” more important to you than being “holy”? Are you expecting the world to treat us fairly? Don’t expect the world to justify you or your choices.
In the Media is the most dangerous place for Christians! If they take a stand against sin, the media will bash them. If they sound soft on sin or lukewarm, Christians will bash them.
– God is big enough to fight those battles! Let God be our defender!
– God said, “I have found David the son of Jesse, a man after My own heart, who will do all My will.”
– If we want God to say that about us, maybe we should be following David’s example.
– David was not offended, or demanding of his rights and fair treatment because he was looking ahead to the promises of God. David expected something only God could give him. A greater reward.
2. David expects the greater reward.
– We teach the Men of FVC the biblical definition of manhood. (Ask the men what it is. Coin?)
– Reject Passivity, Accept Responsibility, Lead Courageously, and Expect the Greater Reward.
– David is fulfilling these principles, and Saul is not. David is fighting Saul’s battles, etc…
– A real man/woman doesn’t measure worth by earthly accomplishments, but by an eternal destiny.
– Col. 3:23-24, And whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men, 24 knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance; for you serve the Lord Christ.
– If your mindset is on serving the Lord, you won’t become offended when men don’t recognize your efforts.
– Gal. 6:9, And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart.
– 1 Cor. 15:58, Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.
– The “greater reward” is seeing souls saved, having eternal life in heaven, and like in Matthew 25:21, one day hearing, “Well done, good and faithful servant. You were faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.”
– David did more than was required because he knew there was more on the line than just appeasing Saul’s requests.
– He expected the greater reward because he knew God’s promises don’t change!
3. God’s promises don’t change.
– God told David, through the prophet Samuel, that he would one day be king. David trusted God enough to know that he didn’t have to try and make it happen on his own strength. (waited 15 yrs)
– Psalms 37:7-8 (In David’s own words), Rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for Him; Do not fret because of him who prospers in his way, Because of the man who brings wicked schemes to pass. Cease from anger, and forsake wrath; Do not fret—it only causes harm.
– Psalm 27:14, Wait on the Lord; Be of good courage, And He shall strengthen your heart; Wait, I say, on the Lord!
– Psalms 18:2-3, The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer; My God, my strength, in whom I will trust; My shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold. 3 I will call upon the Lord, who is worthy to be praised; So shall I be saved from my enemies.
– Apply these truths to your life! Learn from David as an example as one after God’s own heart.
– Don’t worry about the unfair treatment of men. Do you work as unto the Lord!
– Expect a greater reward than man can give you. Look to the promises of heaven.
– prayer –