(2 Sam. 23:8-12) "where was a piece of ground full of lentiles..."
The passage is describing the character of the men who came to be known as "David’s mighty men."
It describes briefly their heroic acts and some of the conquests they performed.
One of these mighty men was Shammah.
He was attacked while standing on a hill of lentiles (beans), and he defended his ground.
It was no more than a hill of beans, but he defended it.
> It was just a hill of beans, but he held his ground.
> It wasn’t worth a hill of beans, but he stayed and fought for it.
There were some who thought Shammah was foolish for risking his life for a hill of beans.
> But, it was much more than the beans; It was more than the hill.
> His HONOR was at stake!!
> Honor was the kind of thing that David’s mighty men were known for.
> Acts of heroism, and courage, that went beyond the call of duty.
> Heroic acts that got the attention of the king of Israel, and of the God of Israel.
It was just a hill of beans.
Some probably thought, "That peace of land is not worth risking your life to defend?"
> But, Its the principle of the matter.
> Its worth fighting for, because its our land; and our beans!
Many men have given their lives in defense of the American flag.
> Not in defense of a piece of cloth, but in what the piece of cloth represents.
> To many men and women who risk their lives, and to them who gave their lives in the defense of the American flag;
> It was worth dying for; it was worth fighting for.
Shammah saw what looked like just a hill of beans, to everyone else, But to him it was something worth fighting for.
I spoke this morning about the state of the Church.
The Church has become as savorless salt to be trodden under the foot of men.
> Christianity without Christ!
We have lost our convictions and we don’t want to do anything to get them back.
> We have dropped our standards, and justify it in Jesus’ name.
A preacher began reading the 5th book of the New Testament, known as "The Acts of the Apostles."
As he read he began to see what real Christianity was meant to be.
> It was nothing like his church.
> Nor was it like any church he had ever been to in his life.
He began to see such a vast difference between the New Testament church of today...
> And the Church described in the Book of Acts.
When the Disciples of Christ began to go throughout Judea preaching...
It was said of them: "These men that have turned the world upside down have come hither also..."
> They were known as the men that turned the world upside down.
What have we done?
> What effect have we had on our community?
In the days of the Apostles the people were AMAZED.
> Today the church wants to be Amused!
> We want a 30 minute sermon...
An old Methodists Preacher’s daughter told about her father’s preaching:
If he preached and no one was saved, he would become unconsolable.
> He would throw himself on his bead fully clothed and sob, and sob, and sob...
> He would weep and cry so fiercely that we feared for his health.
> He would cry out loud to God saying Why? Why? Why?
When the Apostle Peter preached ONE sermon 3000 people were saved.
> This morning all over America there were more than 3000 churches with men preaching...
> But, whereas Peter preached ONE sermon and had 3000 saved;
> We had 3000 sermons preached with NOT ONE SAVED!
The Church used to be a lifeboat, now we are a cruise ship.
Were not marching to Zion; we’re sailing there with ease.
The early church Agonized, We organize!
> No man is greater than his prayer life.
> To stand before men for God is one thing, but to stand before God for men is another.
I. (Micah 6:1-3) God calls creation as a witness.
A. The LORD hath a controversy with his people, and he will plead with Israel.
1. God is blaming the world for the situation we are in.
> God does not hold the world accountable for the deplorable situation in America...
2. God holds HIS PEOPLE accountable.
> If My PEOPLE which are called by My NAME...
B. (v. 3) God asks what He has done to deserve this treatment from His people?
1. What have I done to weary thee?
2. Testify against me.
C. All through the book of Acts the Church was Praying.
1. In Luke’s Gospel over and over we find Jesus Praying.
> Every act that Jesus did, Luke tells us He was praying...
2. The weakest meeting of the Church is the prayer meeting.
> Prayer is the hardest part of the Christian’s life!
> Prayer is warfare! Prayer is a battle!
> To some the prayer meeting is not as important as Sunday morning.
> To some, prayer is not worth a hill of beans...
> But, what we need are Shammah’s who will stand and fight on the bean hills of PRAYER!
II. (Joel 2:17) Let the priests, the ministers of the LORD, weep between the porch and the altar...
A. (Acts 6:1-4) Ministry of the Word and to Prayer.
1. You are to do the witnessing...
> You are to do the visiting...
> You are to take care of the physical needs...
2. I am to give myself to Prayer and Studying the Bible!
> I must do my own personal evangelism, but the Church (people in the pew) are to do the work of the ministry.
B. I am to stand between the Porch and the Alter and WEEP!
1. Oh God why? Why? Why?
2. Preachers are to WEAP between the porch (front door) and the alter!
