Rejected for a Reason

Sermon Transcript:

(transcribed with AI)

Promontory Community Church exists to make disciples of Jesus who know, live, and share the gospel for the glory of God. Amen, amen. Well, good morning everyone. It is good to be here with you all. Happy Mother's Day to all the moms. I hope you have been celebrated already this morning and lots more to yet come. It is a day worth celebrating, isn't it? Moms, you do so much work, you do so much that is never even seen, so much behind the scenes that it is good to be reminded of just how much you do. It's hard to overestimate the impact that mothers you have, not only on your children, but on the world around us. Your efforts are most certainly felt and known, and so we are so grateful to be able to celebrate together.

Now, today is not specifically a Mother's Day sermon, although mothers are very much a good example of what we're going to see this morning. And that's because moms, I'm sure you are well familiar with this, just how many times, moms, you have had a plan. And then life intervened, right? You've had a plan about one way that, you know, everything was going to work out. Maybe you had a birth plan when you were pregnant, and you said, alright, this is how it's going to happen, and then the baby came early, late at a weird time, and the whole plan gets thrown out the window. Right, moms, you get a plan for how naps and sleep schedules are all going to work out, and this is going to be perfect, and then your kids get in the way, right? You have actual children who with their own desires, wants, and ideas. You come up with a plan for what school is going to look like, chores, discipline, how you're going to lead your children, how you're going to work perhaps, and then once again, life gets in the way.

Motherhood in many ways is a series of making plans and then changing those same plans, right? And the reason is because that's how life works for us, right? We can make a plan, but none of us know what the future holds, right? We don't know really what tomorrow is going to bring, point in case. My wife's at home today because our son is sick. It's a fun Mother's Day for her, alright. But we don't get to always make everything work exactly the way we want to, right? We make plans, and then something else comes in, and we just have to adapt once again. And sometimes it feels like everything is out of control, like everything is always chaos at all times, and yet as we open our Bibles this morning, we're going to be reminded that isn't the case. Well, our plans don't always work out exactly right. God's do. In fact, God is the one in control, even when we can't control what is going on.

We've been following the story of David, going through his life as he is going to become king. And we're gonna see his plans are most certainly about to fall apart. But it's not an accident, it's not bad luck. In fact, it's God saying, actually he had a better plan for him. So if you have a Bible with you, let me invite you to open to the book of 1 Samuel chapter 29. And in one sense we're coming to the end of our series here in David. A lot of these themes are a lot of these themes and storylines are going to be starting to converge here in these last moments.

So let me just remind us all of what we've been seeing. Right, David is anointed to be the next king, but Saul, the king, right, is not exactly happy about that. In fact, Saul has tried to kill David many, many times, so much so that David actually fled the country. He left the country and went to their sworn enemy, the Philistines. He's been living there for 1 year and 4 months, almost 1 year and a half years, he's been outside the country, basically hiding, acting like a double agent, right? It looks like he's been on the Philistines side, but secretly, he's actually been attacking all of Israel's enemies, keeping them safe. Alright? At the same time, the Philistines, now realizing Israel's a little bit weaker, gets all of their armies together and marches up to attack Israel. Right, last week we saw the story of Saul, as he faces this invasion coming to him, panicking, not knowing what to do, ends up going to a medium, only for Samuel the prophet to actually show up and say, Samuel, what not Samuel, Saul, what are you doing? In fact, Saul, you're going to die tomorrow.

And as we approach this moment, actually what we're gonna find is chapter 29 takes us back in time. Right, the scene is gonna shift, we're going back, we're gonna see where is David during all of this, because David is actually in a very tricky position. He's been playing double agent, but now the Philistines are going to attack Israel. Is David actually going to go along with that, or is his cover going to get blown? And so this morning as we open our text, that's what we're going to find ourselves, alright?

So please follow along with me. It's our tradition to stand as we read God's word. If you're able to, please stand with me. This morning is a longer reading, so if you do need to sit, please feel that freedom. We'd rather you understand and focus on God's word, alright? Here is God's word. 1 Samuel 29.

Now the Philistines had gathered all their forces at Aphek, and the Israelites were encamped by the spring that is in Jezreel. As the lords of the Philistines were passing on by hundreds and by thousands, and David and his men were passing on in the rear with Akish, the commanders of the Philistines said, What are these Hebrews doing here? And Akish said to the commanders of the Philistines, Is this not David, the servant of Saul, king of Israel, who has been with me now for days and years, and since he deserted to me, I have found no fault in him to this day. But the commanders of the Philistines were angry with him, and the commanders of the Philistines said to him, send the man back that he may return to the place to which you've assigned him. He shall not go down with us to battle, lest in the battle he become an adversary to us. For how could this fellow reconcile himself to his lord? Would it not be with the heads of the men here? Is not this David, of whom they sing to one another in their dances? Saul has struck down his 1,000s and David is 10,000? And Akish called David and said to him, as the Lord lives, you have been honest, and to me it seems right that you should march out and in with me in the campaign. For I have found nothing wrong in you from this day, from your for from the day of your coming to me to this day. Nevertheless, the lords do not approve of you, so go back now and go peaceably, that you may not displease the lords of the Philistines. David said to Akish, but what have I done? What have you found in your servant from the day I entered your service until now, that I may not go and fight against the enemies of my lord the king. Nakish answered David and said, I know that you are as blameless in my sight as an angel of God. Nevertheless, the commanders of the Philistines have said, he shall not go up with us to the battle. Now then rise early in the morning with the servants of your Lord, who came with you, and start early in the morning and set out as soon as you have light. So David set out with the men early in the morning to return to the land of the Philistines, but the Philistines went up to Jezreel.

Now when David and his men came to Ziklag on the 3rd day, the Amalekites had made a raid against the Negeb and against Ziklag. They had overcome Ziklag and burned it with fire and taken captive the women and all who were in it, both small and great. They killed no one but carried them off and went their way. And when David and his men came to the city, they found it burned with fire and their wives and sons and daughters taken captive. Then David and all the people who were with them raised their voices and wept until they had no more strength to weep. David's two wives who had been taken captive, Ahhinuam of Jezreel and Abigail, the widow of Nabal of Carmel, and David was greatly distressed, for the people spoke of stoning him because all the people were bitter in soul, each for his sons and daughters. But David strengthened himself in the Lord his God.

And David said to Abiathar, the priest, the son of Ahimelech, bring me the Ehad, so Abiathar brought the Ehad to David. And David inquired of the Lord, Shall I pursue after this band? Shall I overtake them? He answered, pursue, for you shall surely overtake and shall surely rescue. So David set out to the 600 men who were with him, and they came to the brook bazaar, where they, where those who were left behind stayed. But David pursued, he and 400 men, 200 stayed behind, who were too exhausted to cross the brook Bazaar. They found an Egyptian in the open country and brought him to David, and they gave him bread and he ate, they gave him water to drink, and they gave him a piece of cake of figs and two clusters of ravens, raisins, and when he had eaten, his spirit revived, for he had not eaten bread or drunk water for 3 days and 3 nights. David said to him, to whom do you belong? And where are you from? He said, I am a young man of Egypt, servant to an Amalekite, and my master left me behind because I fell sick 3 days ago. We had made a raid against the Negeb of the Cherithites and against that which belongs to Judah and against the Negeb of Caleb, and we burned Ziklag with fire. David said to him, will you take me down to this band? And he said, swear to me by God, you will not kill me or deliver me into the hands of my master, and I will take you down to this band.

And when he had taken them down, behold, they were spread abroad over all the land, eating and drinking and dancing, because of the great spoil they had taken from the land of the Philistines and from the land of Judah. David struck them down from twilight until the evening of the next day, and not a man of them escaped, except 400 young men who mounted camels and fled. David recovered all the Amalekites had taken, and David rescued his two wives. Nothing was missing, whether small or great, sons or daughters, spoil or anything that had been taken captive. David brought back all. David also captured all the flocks and herds and the people, drove the livestock before him, and said, this is David's spoil.

Then David came to the 200 men who had been too exhausted to follow David and who had been left at the brook bazaar. And they went out to meet David and to meet the people who were with them. And when David came near to the people, he greeted them. Then all the wicked and worthless fellows among the men who had gone with David said, because they did not go with us, we will not give them any of the spoil that we have recovered, except that each man may lead away his wife and children and depart. But David said, you shall not do so, my brothers, with what the Lord has given us, he has preserved us and given into our hand the band that came against us. Who would listen to you in this matter? For as his share is who goes down into the battle, so shall his share be who stays by the baggage. They shall share alike. And he made it a statute and a rule for Israel from that day forward to this day.

When David came to Ziklag, he sent part of the spoil to his friends, the elders of Judah, saying, Here is a present for you from the spoil of the enemies of the Lord. It was for those in Bethel, in Ramoth of the Negeb, in Jetter, in Orora, in Sithmoth, in Ishmoa, in Rakhal, the cities of the Jehurimaelites, the cities of the Kennites in Horma, in Boroshan, in Athak, in Hebron, for all the places where David and his men had roamed.

Thus far the reading of God's word, you may be seated. Whew. Well done, well done. That is the final long reading we are going to do, alright, no more, you've done it, well done, you can pat yourself on the back. But once again, we have one of these just incredible stories of what God is doing through David, even though nothing went exactly as David had planned. In fact, Dave had all kinds of plans at the beginning of this, that just get completely sidelined. Why? Well, because God actually had a better one for him. Right? David is sent home from this battle he thought he was going to be in, only to find his home, his family's been attacked, and he needs to go and rescue them. We find out actually God had a better plan for what David would be doing. David couldn't see the whole picture, but God could. Alright, God's plan was perfect to show his strength in the midst of David's weakness. So the blessings of the Messiah might be shared to all.

So as we walk through this story, what I want us to see is that actually God is the one in control. And if that's true, it means we actually can be generous with the gifts he has given to us. Alright? So let's just walk through our story here, starting with this perfect plan of God. Right, at the beginning of chapter 29, right, David is living amongst the Philistines, and we find out he's done a good job, alright? Akish, he's one of the five Philistine lords, he loves David. He has already made him his personal bodyguard, he trusts David, he is all on David's side. However, as soon as they start to muster all the army, right, and they start going through all the troops, and they're about to go and fight the Hebrew people, they look back and they're. Who are they? Right? Verse 3, the commanders of the Philistines said, what are these Hebrews doing here? It's a good question. We're about to go to war with them, why are they in our army? Right?

And here's where Akish, he jumps in, oh, David's been amazing, he's been so good. I mean, I can't believe how good he has been to us. He should definitely be here. And the rest of the Philistines just look at him and go, what are you thinking? Why would we ever trust this guy? Sure, he might have deserted from his country, but what would be his best ticket back into the good graces of Saul? By killing all of us, right? Don't let him come in. And what's amazing is, this has already happened before. All the way back, 1 Samuel chapter 14, this exact scenario actually played out. So, again, before when the Philistines were attacking Saul, it says, now the Hebrews, who had been with the Philistines before that time, and had gone up with them into the camp, even they also turned to be with the Israelites who were with Saul and Jonathan. This exact scenario has already happened once before to the Philistines, and they're going, we actually need to learn from our mistakes. It's amazing, somebody has common sense in this story, right?

And so they say, look, alright. We're not gonna kill this guy, cause Akish really seems to like him, but they can't be here. Kick him out. And so Akish has to go back and he's so apologetic. I mean, David, I would take you with me in a heartbeat. And it's hard to know exactly whether David is just playing along at this moment or what. But verse 8 he says,

but what have I done? What have you found in your servant from the day I entered your service until now, that I may not go and fight against the enemies of my lord the king.

Right, David's like I, but I was so ready to go to fight with the enemies of my king. It's so interesting because David seems to, I think intentionally use a bit of vague language there, right? The only person he has ever called my lord and my king is Saul. I think David is fully planning to betray the Philistines, in fact, I think as the Philistine commanders look at David, they go, I know exactly what he's about to do. This is the guy who is literally famous for killing us. Of course he's going to kill us. Why would we trust him?

And so they kick him out and basically say, David, you don't get to come. Right? And you can imagine David going. Oh. I've spent 16 months here, undercover, hiding out among these people, and this was my chance. This was my chance to get back, to actually be with this, to actually save my own people. I could be the hero of this story. Right, I could come in, cut them off from the from the back, and we could win the battle. Now I don't even get to be there.

And we need to see this moment because how many times has that happened to us? How many times have we come up with a plan and thought, this is good, in fact this is gonna be a great moment only for things to go completely wrong. We blame bad luck, we blame unfortunate circumstances or bad timing. We actually have to remember from a biblical perspective, there's no such thing as luck. Either good or bad, there's no chance, there's no happenstance, there's no randomness. What we have here is the hand of a sovereign God who is moving David intentionally away from this battlefield. This is not bad luck, this is God's plan. In fact, Proverbs 16 tells us,

the heart of a man plans his way, but the Lord establishes his steps.

David had a plan for what was going to happen, and God says, yeah, but you're walking home. Right? God had said no to David's plan. In fact, God does the same thing to our plans all the time. And here's what we need to recognize. God actually has a reason for why he does that.

See, in our story, we actually know something about this battle David doesn't know. Right, we've already been told Saul is going to die in this battle. Right, this is going to be the end of Saul. David doesn't know that. In fact, everything he's been doing all throughout this whole story has been protecting the people of Israel and even Saul himself. And so if David had actually gone into this battle, let's say his plan succeeds, he goes in, he double crosses the Philistines, he saves them, but Saul dies. Now what is everyone going to think? Well, here's a man who fled to another country, led an army against to kill the king, so that he can become the new king, and then double crosses them at the end. I mean this would have been the same boring political intrigue story that's been told 1000 times before in 100 different ways. This just looks like any other political coup in history. This is not what God's plan is for his anointed king. In fact, David would not have even wanted that to be the outcome, we've seen it over and over again, he's not wanting to hurt Saul.

And so God's plan puts David on the other side of the country, so that no one would ever be able to say that it was David's doing. In fact, God puts him on the other side of the country, rescuing the people of God, because that's what God's king is supposed to look like. See, as frustrated as David might have been in that moment, there was a very good reason for God saying no. Hear me, it's the same thing when we go through that. When God says no to it, God actually has a good reason. We might not always be able to see it, sometimes, you know, it takes a few days, sometimes it takes a few years, decades even, other times we're not gonna see the reason why until we come to eternity. But God does have a good reason.

Right, my wife and I, we decided we were gonna start having kids 14 years ago. God said, no. In fact, God said no for a very long time. And it was genuinely a painful time. Try to ask why is this the case? Why will God not answer our prayers? Until about 5 years ago when we adopted our two kids. They have a home. They've heard about Jesus, because God said no to our plans. Had it not been for God saying no, our lives, their lives would have looked very, very differently. It took us almost 10 years to see that reason, and sometimes we don't see it till we're in eternity, but God does have a plan for us. In fact, we can trust that God knows. Things sees things far beyond what we are able to. Romans 11, Paul writes,

oh, the depths of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God, how unsearchable are his judgment, how inscrutable his ways. For who has known the mind of the Lord or who has been his counselor.

We can trust actually, God knows things, even if we can't see it, even if we don't know the reason for why, the answer is no, God is the one in control. When God says no, place your trust in the perfect plan of God.

See, God had a plan for David not being in that battle, and it was to show God's strength in David's weakness. Look back to me at the beginning of chapter 30. Because as David returns home, he finds what I'm sure was his greatest nightmare. Right, when verse one says when David and his men came to Ziklag, that's his home city, on the 3rd day, the Amalekites had made a raid against the Negeb and against Ziklag. They had overcome Ziklag, burned it with fire, and taken captive the women and all who were in it, small and great. They killed no one, but carried them off and went their way. Right, it takes 3 days for David to actually make it back to his home, and you can imagine as he is walking down, he starts to see on the horizon just smoke rising from where he's going. You can imagine everyone's heart as they're walking, eventually probably almost getting to a run at the end because they can see the city where they've been living is now just covered in smoke, everything is burned and torn down.

Finally they make it to there, and it says everyone just began to weep. These 600 battle hardened men are on their knees crying their eyes out because everyone they've loved has now been dragged off. Their only comfort in that moment would have been there they didn't find any bodies. It must mean they were alive, at least for the moment. And as their weeping turns into, or as their weeping comes to an end, their sorrow begins to turn to blame. David, this is your fault. David, you're the one who led us here. David, you're the one who said, yeah, we should go attack these people. Well, guess what, they found out where we were and they came after us. David, this is your fault. In fact, verse 6 says David was greatly distressed, for the people spoke of stoning him. Cause they were bitter in soul each for his son and sons and daughters. Right, this is a desperate moment where people are looking for someone to blame, and for the first time David's own men are now turning against him. David's life is genuinely in trouble because tempers are flaring as everyone is exhausted.

In many ways, we actually find Saul and David in this moment, in very similar situations. Both of them have made less than desirable choices that have led them into a problem. Both of them are fearing for their lives in that moment. Both of them are facing a moment of indecision and trying to figure out what to do next. The difference is, however, Saul in his foolishness chooses to consult this medium. We saw how disastrously that went last week. But David seeks after God. The end of verse 6 says,

but David strengthened himself in the Lord his God.

David's refuge is to go to God, to be in his presence, and please notice here, this is before David begins to ask what he needs to do next. This is not David saying, well I, God's the only one who can tell me what to do, no, no, this is David going and saying, God is the only one I need to be with right now. To actually to be in God's presence is what I need most. To simply rest in his presence. David writes Psalm 24, maybe thinking about a time like this. But he writes,

though an army encamp against me, my heart shall not fear, the war rise against me, yet I will be confident. One thing I have asked of the Lord, that I will seek after, that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord and to inquire in his temple.

I love the juxtaposition of these two verses. On the one hand, David is under some very real threat to his life, and so what is his greatest desire in that moment? It's not strength, it's not rescue, it's not power, it's none of those things. What does he ask? I simply want to be with you. What I want more than anything else, even as my life is in danger, is to be in the presence of God. That is my greatest desire. Right, do you wanna know the difference between him and Saul? Saul goes to God and says, look, God, I just need an answer, just tell me what to do. David goes, God, you're the one I want to be with. I actually just wanna be in your presence. Hear me, it's not that God doesn't bless, it does, it's not that God doesn't give us direction and answers, but David says, but to be with God is greater than all of those things. David sought to be with God as his greatest comfort and joy.

Right, it's like a child who falls down on the street, scrapes up their knee. What do they do? They go run crying to their mum. Why? Because they need their mum to explain that there are, you know, blood platelets that will cause a clot to form and the bleeding will stop. They need a hug and you kiss. And then they go run off. Why? Because what they needed in that moment was not an explanation of what was going to happen next, they needed to know someone loved them and cared for them. Hear me, we grow up, but we don't grow out of that need. As we're in our weakest moments, we don't need God to say, here's all the answers to everything that's happening. What we need is God to be with us, who knows us, who cares for us. Seek after God first, not just his blessings.

Yeah, there are so many blessings that God has for his people. He is abundant and lavish with them, and yet the greatest of them is that we can know God. Paul prays in Ephesians chapter 3. He prays

that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith, that you being rooted and grounded in love, may have the strength to comprehend with all the saints, what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.

Right, here is our greatest prayer, not that we can know all the answers, but that we can be known by God. Hear me, this is the blessing for everyone who trusts in Jesus, that we have the freedom to approach God Himself without fear, without worry, because our sins have been forgiven. For everyone who trusts in Jesus Christ, our sins are wiped away. We can approach the presence of God Himself to know Him is our greatest joy and our greatest strength. That the God of all the universe should care for us. That we might be filled with all the knowledge of God. Before David asks anything of God, he simply seeks to be with God. Is that our response? When we're at our weakest moments. Where do we run? Hear me, the call is run to God. In Jesus Christ, that is our greatest privilege to be in the presence of God. Our greatest joy, our greatest strength, our greatest hope for the future is found in knowing God.

Seek after God, and you will find he brings so many blessings. After David has strengthened himself in the Lord, he actually then asks God a question, verse 8.

David inquired of the Lord, shall I pursue after this band? Shall I overtake them? He answered, pursue, for you shall surely overtake and shall surely rescue.

David finally asks a question, and God answers right away. David now has a direction, he knows what to do, having the confidence of being in the presence of God. Now he goes and he begins to chase after this band. Right, he takes his 600 men, and you have to remember, these guys are tired. They've already spent 3 days' march getting to Ziklag, then they have cried their eyes out, and then David says, OK, we gotta run. We're gonna go, we're gonna chase after these guys. And so they get a little bit out of the city, they make it to this brook, this sort of river they have to cross, 200 of them are so exhausted they can't go on. So they drop all the bags, alright, you guys are in charge of this, and 400 of them now continue on.

On the way they find a servant who was left behind sick, this Egyptian guy who apparently has no love lost for his old master, and basically says, you wanna know where they are? Great, I will tell you, don't let me go back to him, right? He says, they're down this way. David and his men come, they find them just lazing about all over the place, right, they're eating, they're drinking, they're dancing, they're just relaxing, enjoying all the spoil that they have taken, and David and his men, exhausted as they are, charge down and wipe them out. Right, they wipe out the Amalekites, in fact, so completely, this is the last time we will hear about them in the Bible for the next 400 years. They won't resurface in our story till King Hezekiah. Verse 18, says

David recovered all that the Amalekites had taken, and David rescued his two wives. Nothing was missing, whether small or great, sons or daughters, spoil or anything that had been taken, David brought back all.

Hear me, the point we're supposed to see here is not how great a warrior David is, but how much God has done. This is God's strength in the midst of David's weakness. This was God who gave them the victory. In fact, this is what David knew all the way back in 1 Samuel 17, staring face to face with Goliath. David said,

all this, that all this assembly may know that the Lord saves, not with spear or with sword, for the battle is the Lord's and he will give you into our hand.

It's the same thing here. Who won that battle? God. 400 tired men, exhausted, was not the answer. It was that God was in control, just as God had stopped him from going into battle with the Philistines, so he strengthened David in this. David's strength in his most desperate situation was not his own ability, but trusting what God was able to accomplish. It is God's strength in his weakness.

And see, this is why David ultimately responds the way he does at the end, in sharing the blessings of the Messiah. See, I would argue probably in most stories, that's the end, right? David won the battle, he rescued everyone, and happily ever after. But it's interesting because we get almost no information about the battle, they won, alright. But then we get a long explanation of what actually happens afterwards. Right, you remember, the Amalekites had not just robbed them, they in fact they had been robbing everyone up and down the country. They had a whole lot with them, and so when they defeat them, well now guess what, they have a whole lot with them now.

And so they returned back to the men who were left by the river. And now comes greed into the picture. Verse 22 says,

then all the wicked and worthless fellows among the men who had gone with David said, because they did not go with us, we will not give them any of the spoil that we have recovered, except that each man may lead away his wife and children and depart.

Now in one sense, doesn't that sound right? You didn't do the work, you don't get the credit, you don't get the benefit. Right, you do the work, you get the benefit. I mean that sounds right, doesn't it? And so David then comes in and goes, absolutely not. Right? Cuts them down, in fact, we're kind of told these are worthless and wicked fellows, right, kind of tipped off, this is not exactly the right response. But we might have to ask the question, well, why is that? Cause that sounded fair for a moment.

And here's what we're meant to see. What God has freely given, we must freely give. What God has given freely, we should not hold on to ourselves. In fact, David gives his reason, verse 23, he says,

you shall not do so, my brothers, with what the Lord has given us. He has preserved us and given into our hand the band that came against us.