David:The Shepherd King, #4
Life Lessons to Prepare You For Service
I Samuel 17:55-18:9
By Dave Redick
Hwy 20 Church of Christ, Sweet Home, OR
One of my hobbies is collecting significant quotations. The following words come from my database on the subject of "experience." Listen to see if some of them ring true.
"If a man could sell his experiences for what they cost him, he would never need Social Security."
"The school of experience would be more pleasant if there were a vacation once in a while."
Here's a good one that is all too true: "Experience is a wonderful thing. It enables you to recognize a mistake when you make it again."
And another: "Experience is always the hardest teacher, because you take the test before you learn your lesson."
On the important effect of experience, an English proverb: "A burned child dreads the fire."
Then one by Aldous Huxley: "Experience is not what happens to you. It is what you do with what happens to you."
Whenever God prepares one of His people to do something special for Him, He always sends him/her to two schools. The first school is that of his written Book, the Bible. The second school of God's preparatory instruction is the old "school of hard knocks," that is, the circumstances of life that He leads us through. How much is learned in these two schools depends upon how much is observed and how much gets by unnoticed. If you are one of God's children, then you are enrolled in both schools. You are probably aware of the first one. You know the importance of studying your Bible. But you may have missed the presence of the second school - the fact that God is teaching you lessons through the circumstances you are facing right now that are preparing you for service to Him.
When God called David out of the sheep pens of his father to become King of Israel, he didn't just thrust him into the job. He prepared him first. David probably learned more about God's written instruction from Samuel, the prophet, the man who anointed him to be king. But the second part of David's preparation consisted of a number of years filled with experiences from which he learned by observation.
In order to prepare David for the throne of Israel, God first put him into the palace of King Saul. There he learned about court life, but he also learned much about human nature and controlling his own spirit. In this message I want to look with you into those years of David's life spent in Saul's court prior to his own coronation as king. You will find the account in I Samuel 18.
If you are a Christian, God will be putting you into life circumstances to teach you and prepare you for service to Him. My purpose in this sermon is to heighten your awareness and power of observation so that you will be better at spotting those lessons God is trying to teach you. We'll do that by looking at some of the lessons God taught David.
We will actually begin back in chapter 17, verse 55. David has just defeated the notorious Philistine giant, Goliath. The Philistine army had been routed. The men of Israel are still on the battle field. Saul has watched the whole contest from a safe vantage point and now inquires as to some specific information about David.
(Read v. 55-58)
Now, let's test your power of observation. David was very likely disappointed with Saul's question about who he was. Do you have any idea why? Well, let me show you.
You see, Saul should already have recognized David. David had served Saul several years back as his personal musician and armor bearer.
(Read 16:14-19)
So David came to the palace.
(Read v. 21-23)
David had faithfully given his time to serve Saul in his court already. He had traveled back and forth from his father's sheep to the palace of Saul. But in the years that intervened between chapter 16 and chapter 18, Saul had forgotten him.
How do you feel when you do something special for someone that is a sacrifice to you and they don't even remember your name? Does that get under your skin? It certainly can.
The fact is (and here is one of the first lessons David learned as he is taken to Saul's palace):
I. Men Will Often Forget Your Sacrifice and Service. You Will Be Disappointed If Your Are Serving Men Rather Than God.
Some years ago I managed several branches of a company based in Nevada and Northern California. During that time I worked 60-80 hours a week. I was nearly married to that company. Several years after I left them to take another job, I went back to visit. Do you know that only one or two of the men I worked for remembered me? It kind of made me mad! All those hours and what do I get to show for it? They don't even remember who I am!
Maybe you have given many years of your life to a career and have been given the proverbial "gold watch" of retirement. How are they doing there without you working for them? Do they remember your contribution? Do they miss you? It is entirely possible, given a few years and a few more retirements, there will be no remembrance of your ever working for that company. How does that make you feel?
Moms. How many diapers have you changed over the years? How many trips have you made back and forth to school and sports practice? How many times have you sacrificed what you wanted to do for their sake? Do they remember? Do they even care? If they've never risen up and called you blessed, does it bother you just a bit?
One of the most bitter and miserable human beings I ever met was a lady in the church who staked her happiness on the recognition her grown children gave her. When I would speak to her, inevitably, the conversation would find its way around to words something like this: "I have the most ungrateful children around. They don't care a thing for me. I spent all those years sacrificing for them and what did I get. They just ignore me." (The fact is that her "poor me" attitude was so negative that her kids couldn't stand to be around her! - After an hour of listening to her diatribe, I found myself avoiding her, too!).
If you've ever sacrificed for people and then they have forgotten you, you are a schoolmate with David. You know how he felt. Now, what are you doing with that lesson? Are you bitter or are you better for it? Do you brood about it or have you learned the lesson that though men forget, God never forgets and He will reward you.
You see, men like David step right over that potential pitfall because they're serving GOD first. They know that treasure in heaven awaits them whether men remember or not. For whom are you sacrificing for, God or people? If it is people alone, you will at times be disappointed. They will let you down. If you do what you do for God, you will remain happy whether people forget or not.
Standing somewhere near that reintroduction between David and Saul that day was the King's son, Jonathan. Unlike his father, Jonathan remembered David, who had evidently become his friend back in those days when David was playing his harp for Saul. Jonathan watched David's bravery and victory against the giant that day, too, and it rekindled in him an old friendship.
(Read v. 1-4)
"Hey, David, my old friend. If you're going to the palace, you're going to need some proper clothes. You can't serve the King in those shepherd's clothes. Here, take mine! Take my armor and sword and bow and belt, too."
If you've ever had a true friend who would give you the shirt off his back, then you have had a friend like Jonathan. As loyal as the day is long. Dedicated to you. Faithful.
Now, since we have the entire account of the life of David before us, we can observe something right here that it would take David many years to fully understand as a lesson from God. Turn up the gain on your powers of observation for a moment. Here it is.
II. God Will Provide The Resources For You To Face The Adversity You Face In Your Life. One Such Provision Is Friendship.
You see, David was going to face some very hard times before he would graduate from God's school of hard knocks to the throne room of Israel. Before this chapter is even over he would face Saul's bitter jealousy and two enraged attempts on his life. He would be cheated out of the wife Saul promised to the one who killed Goliath. Finally he would be chased out of the palace and hunted down like an animal by the army of Saul in a pursuit that would last years.
When you are facing heavy duty adversity like that, you need a friend! You need someone to talk to! Someone with whom you are safe. Someone who can help you regain your perspective. Jonathan turned out to be for David all of those things only a true friend can be.
Sure, all of us can ultimately turn to God for support and help. But we need human friends, too, and God, in His providence, knowing that, often supplies them at the times we need them most.
Has God done that for you? If so, think about your friend. What would life be like without him or her?
The German poet Goethe wrote:
"The world is so empty if one thinks only of mountains, rivers, and cities; but to know someone who thinks and feels with me, and who, though distant is close to me in spirit, this makes earth for me an inhabitable garden. .
An anonymous writer said this:
"Friendship doubles our joy and divides our grief."
Walter Winchell said,
"A friend is one who walks in when others walk out."
All these things and more would describe this friend of David, Jonathan, whom God provided. (We'll look more specifically at their relationship in a later lesson).
You may think that God has left you on the hard plank of adversity without a cushion. But consider: Has He granted to you a trusted friend? If so, rejoice. God has provided!
I spoke words similar to this to a group of people one time and had a lady come up afterward in tears and tell me how she had, just a few months before, lost her best friend in death. Her husband had died. I could feel a portion of her pain. If David had been there he would have, too, because before he ascended the throne, he would lose Jonathan in death.
But God would continue to provide for Him, just as he will continue to provide for you and any of His other children.
Well, I said we would talk about David's life in Saul's court and we haven't even gotten David out of the battlefield yet! I guess we'd better do that.
(Read v. 5)
Apparently some time passed before the Israelites came back from the wars with the Philistines. During that time, David prospered in battle. I take that to mean he was victorious in whatever Saul sent him to do. Finally, Saul made him an officer in the army, and in spite of his young age, the people and Saul's men loved him! David became the "boy wonder" of Israel! But his popularity wasn't free of problems. After many months in the field, the army returned to a nation ready to welcome their "desert stormers" home. Just as in our nation people are lining the docks when the ships come home, so the Israelites lined the streets.
(Read v. 6)
What a welcome it was! The whole place was tied up in yellow ribbons! Then Saul overheard the words to one of the songs the women were singing.
(Read v. 7)
Wait a minute! What was that? As those words hit home, Saul didn't like them!
(Read v. 8-9)
You see, Saul's anger and suspicion had their root in more than just his jealousy and envy over David getting more attention than he was getting. This turn of events thrust something back into Saul's mind that he had tried hard to forget - tried to believe wasn't true. A few years before this Samuel had predicted that the kingdom would be torn from him and given to someone else because of his disobedience. It had to do with the King Agag issue in which God instructed Saul to take no prisoners and no spoil in the war with the Amalekites. Saul had disregarded that order, blatantly disobeyed God, and saved the choicest spoils and the Amalekite King himself.
Samuel's words had been clear:
"For rebellion is as the sin of divination, and insubordination is as iniquity and idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the Lord, He has also rejected you from being king."
God had spoken! Saul's kingdom was going to be taken away and given to another because of his sin. But, you see, it didn't happen right away, so Saul, like many of our contemporaries who also live in willful disobedience, had begun to believe that it wasn't going to happen.
Ecclesiastes 8:11 says,
"Because the sentence against an evil deed is not executed quickly, therefore the hearts of the sons of men among them are given fully to do evil."
The Agag incident was years ago. The kingdom still belonged to Saul. Furthermore, with the sudden appearance of David, the kingdom was actually stronger, not weaker. The old prosperity was returning! The Lord was with them in battle again! Why, with men like David, maybe the dreaded announcement of the prophet could be avoided! Then this issue with the women's singing cropped up. Are you observing the principle that must have eventually dawned on David? Here it is:
III. Though Those Who Live Against God Will Grasp At False Assurances, God's Pronounced Judgment Will Surely Come.
Our country today is full of mockers and revilers who are brazenly saying things in public places that would never have been said a generation or two ago. The homosexuals have not only come out of the closet, they're invading our closets! Radical feminism openly denounces God's order for the family. Afternoon talk shows parade every kind of perversion before the eyes of the people and declare that only prudes and backward people don't indulge in them. God is laughed at and mocked. Jesus is used as a swear word. But the clock is ticking. It is ticking down to judgment. No man or woman will be able to stop it when it comes upon him like a flood.
Slowly, but ever so surely, the wheels of God's justice ground on toward the kingdom of Saul. As we shall see, David's popularity and influence over the people grew as God prepared him to be the new King. Saul's influence eroded away at the same, deliberate, even pace. As Samuel warned Saul, to no avail:
"The Glory of Israel will not lie or change His mind; for He is not a man that He should change His mind."
Listen to me...If you are in willful, known sin and rebellion to God, then the clock is ticking on you. Oh, you may not like to think about it. You may be successfully keeping it out of your mind right now. Things may seem to be going well for you. But it is a day closer to you now than it was yesterday. Saul's false sense of security wouldn't help him avoid judgment. Neither will yours.
By the way, why does God do it that way - that is, why does He take so much time? Why doesn't He just settle things right away? Does He care so little that He is negligent? Hardly! Peter answered that question in his second letter. Listen to his words:
"The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance. But the day of the Lord will come..." (II Peter 3:9-10, NIV)
You may at this very moment be on a roll. Everything is going your way. You are willfully disobedient to God. So you think, "Hey, this isn't so bad. I can get away with it! That stuff about judgment is just a bunch of bunk! I'm better off than most Christians I know!"
That may be so. It was so for Saul, for awhile. But his march into eternal ruin did not cease, and neither will yours unless you repent.
Conclusion
How are your powers of observation. Are you learning? Did some of the lessons in David's experience get by you?
What lesson is God teaching you in your life right now? Are you looking for it? Are you learning it? Remember, that if you are a Christian, you are in two schools: The school of his Book (which we have been in this morning) and the school of your experience. Nothing happens by accident. God has it planned so you will learn if you pay attention. Do it!
How about these lessons we've seen this morning? Are you stuck in bitterness because somebody overlooked you or forgot you or didn't pay you enough attention when you sacrificed? You're in good company. The man after God's own heart was treated that way, too, but it didn't get him down. Don't let that disappointment turn you bitter. Realize that God notices even if man doesn't and get better instead of bitter.
Did you think that God had forgotten you in the adversity you're facing right now? Think again. If you have a close friend who cares, that is God's special provision for you in your trouble. Thank Him for it!
Are you headed toward judgment, out of line with God, but falsely secure? I hope you'll remember the lesson we learned today and pull out before it is too late.
Dave Redick is Minister of the Hwy 20 Church of Christ in Sweet Home, Oregon and Editor of The Preacher's Study. He may be reached at pstudysupport@comcast.net.
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All Scripture quotations and references are from the New American Standard Version unless otherwise stated.