God's Help May Be Hidden (1 Samuel 26:1-25)

SERMON TITLE: God’s Help May Be Hidden (I Samuel 26:1-25)

[Summary of 1 Samuel Ch. 26 on http://twitter.com/biblesynopsis

“1Sam26/While Saul’s army slept David took Saul’s spear. From afar he showed it and proclaimed his care for Saul. Saul agreed and left.”]

READ 1 Samuel 26:1-26:25 aloud to the congregation.

INTRODUCTION:

Every day your life hangs by a thread, and God is constantly allowing you to live. Every time you come home safely after driving, you should thank God. Every time you eat a meal and don’t accidentally choke to death, be thankful. When a final accounting is made of our lives some day, I think we may well be astounded to find out how many times God intervened to protect us. Let’s look at one extraordinary example of this in the life of King David. This is an example of the hidden help God sometimes provides.

CORE OF SERMON:

David and two other guys snuck around at night amidst King Saul and his 3,000 carefully selected soldiers, all of whom had been hunting David. They took King Saul’s spear and water bottle, which were right beside him, and neither Saul nor any of the 3,000 soldiers woke up to sound the alarm. Even in a James Bond movie if someone did this the audience would have a hard time believing it possible. Why was it possible? Here’s the reason: “So David took the spear and the cruse of water from Saul’s bolster; and they gat them away, and no man saw it, nor knew it, neither awaked: for they were all asleep; because a deep sleep from the LORD was fallen upon them.” (I Sam. 26:12 KJV) We have no record of David having prayed for help immediately before this, although he may have. All we know is that God helped him. David, unlike the divinely inspired writer of I Samuel, may not have been aware of the strange miracle of deep sleep God sent.

CONCLUSION:

Let’s be thankful for God’s hidden help. Let’s give thanks for things He prevents from happening (like 3,000 soldiers waking up!), not just for things he allows to happen. He cares for even the sparrows, and He certainly cares for us (Luke 12:6-7).

[Note: a brief explanation of the plan of salvation would be appropriate at this point if there are unsaved people in the audience.]