Heroes of the OT
David
1 Chronicles 12:16-18
February 1, 2008
We are starting a new series called Heroes of the OT. I think this series is going to have a powerful impact and could really affect some change in our live—if we can really buy into what God is saying and apply it. I believe this is a great opportunity to invite people to hear God speak and to worship. Even though anyone will be able to jump in at any time, I also believe that you won’t want to miss some of these heroes. After all, people have been reading about these heroes for several thousands of years. Thousands of years! Think about that. That in itself is amazing!
Each of these heroes will tie into and build on the ideas about following Jesus in holistic community. Basically, we’ll see how each hero impacts one of those seven areas if not more than one.
I want to begin with a question. Which person in the Bible do you look up to? Which person do you resonate with? Why? I am including the NT as well. Who is your hero? Who would you want to be like? Or who has the qualities that you would to emulate?
In seminary, every student was asked this question and it was sort of a psychological test that with the other tests could reveal some possible issues of the student and point to the fitness of the student for pastoral ministry. For example, I said, “Jesus.” Because as a potential pastor, I thought that was what I was supposed to say. But if my scores on other tests would have been different, this could have support to indicate a messiah complex or at least a person with unrealistic expectations of himself or herself and others. “To be like God.” Pretty dangerous.
But when pressed to go deeper, I really resonate with David as well as Moses. Certainly, there are many, many others. But David especially is meaningful because he reminds me that even the best of us (after all he was called a man after God’s own heart) can fail. Even the best of us can fail miserably but God can always redeem any situation. So we are going to look at David as our first hero.
There is so much we could examine with David. We could make a series on David alone. But I want to lift up one quality to emulate of David. We find an indication in 1 Ch. 12:16-18.
There were also men from the tribes of Benjamin and Judah who joined David in his wilderness fortress. When David went out to meet them, this is what he said: "If you have come in peace and to help me, you are most welcome to join this company; but if you have come to betray me to my enemies, innocent as I am, the God of our ancestors will see through you and bring judgment on you."
Just then Amasai chief of the Thirty, moved by God’s Spirit, said,
We’re on your side, O David,
We’re committed, O son of Jesse;
All is well, yes, all is well with you,
And all’s well with whoever helps you.
Yes, for your God has helped and does help you.
So David took them on and assigned them a place under the chiefs of the raiders.
Legend has it that a certain college philosophy prof asked one question on his final exam. He picked up a chair, put it on his desk, and wrote on the board, "Using everything we have learned this semester, prove that this chair does not exist."
The students dug deep and wrote like crazy for a whole hour, some of them churning out 30 pages of heady philosophical debate and logic.
But one student turned in his paper after less than a minute. Turned out he was the only one to get an "A."
What did he write so quickly that turned out to be just the right answer?
Just two words—"What chair?"
I have one word for us today. One word from God based on David’s life. Loyalty. David inspired loyalty.
David Inspired Loyalty
David was a kid that heard a giant Philistine mocking God and the people of God. Come out and fight me. The winner of our fight is the winner of the battle. Your puny, pathetic god can’t help you. Your god is as puny and pathetic as you are. But as a kid, David knew that what was at stake was God’s honor so he volunteered. He shamed these full-grown men by going out to face the giant warrior with some rocks and a sling. And God prevailed as David slew that giant.
David eventually would serve King Saul who became jealous of David’s success on the battlefield and his talents as a musician. But even as an enemy of the state, David had great and mighty men that flocked to his side. Mighty men who became giant killers in their own right. Eventually, David would become king over Israel succeeding Saul. David had many loyal men.
Once David lamented how he would like a drink of water from the well at Bethlehem, three of his men broke throw the Philistine enemy line, got some water, and brought it back to him. They risked their lives so that their leader might have a special cup of water.
This is a huge concept for us: loyalty. It is huge because loyalty in my opinion is narrowly practiced on our society. It is present but usually limited to loyalty to oneself. And loyalty affects a very special area of our lives: the social arena. Loyalty or lack of loyalty has a major impact upon our relationships: how we treat others, how we expect others to treat us, and how we deal with others.
Even in the name of spirituality and God, people claim ultimate loyalty to themselves. And I think all of us are guilty at some point in our lives of this. We pledge allegiance. But not to God or even to the flag but to ourselves. I pledge allegiance… to me and only to me. My wants, my needs above God with health, wealth and happiness to me.
If we are loyal to something other than ourselves, then it might be to some sports team. Maybe you’re a Cubs fan or a Browns fan. Maybe a Steelers fan? It’s easy to be a fan when your team is doing well. But the true test of loyalty comes when your team loses.
I’m a Cincinnati Reds fan. When they lose, I just can’t stand it. I don’t like it. But I still want them to win. I still want the Reds to win the World Series. But what does loyalty to a sports team really matter? What does it cost me? Maybe a little pride. Maybe some frustration. Win they lose, we say, “There always next year.” But even when we win, there is always next year.
We need loyalty to something that matters. This kind of loyalty to something other than ourselves, changes lives. So how did David do it? I have three ideas for us to consider.
• Trustworthy
We need to be trustworthy to inspire loyalty and we need to be trustworthy to inspire others to become loyal to God. David trusted in the Lord. People saw it. At least in the beginning, they knew that God was with him. People knew that they could depend on him. He fought battles. He slew giants. He fought on the front lines. He did what was right in God’s eyes at first.
Later, something happened. He changed. Maybe it was success. Maybe it was power. Whatever it was, David flopped and failed miserably. His predecessor, King Saul, started off well too (although not as well as David) but Saul foundered and failed. But their was a difference, David when confronted with his bad choices and his sin, repented. David still paid an incredibly high price for his sin but he did repent and seek to change his ways, make amends, and even undo as best as he could his sinful choices.
Are you trustworthy? Probably not. At least not completely. But Jesus is and Jesus is certainly worthy of all our trust. And following Jesus completely empowers us to become the trustworthy person that God desires and has designed us to be. And even if we do disappoint and fail others, God can redeem us if we like David humble ourselves before Him.
There is no greater foundation to build strong relationships than being a trustworthy follower of Jesus. This is the very first and incredibly important step of creating a sense of loyalty around us. Following Jesus means that I surrender every thing I have and everything I am to his ways and I then seek his guidance, strength, and power to put those ways into practice.
Too many people give lip service and they know what they need to do, but we don’t actually do it. Do it for God. Do it for your family. Do it for yourself. You’ll never experience the true depth of community without being a trustworthy follower of Jesus. You certainly won’t inspire loyalty.
• Vision
Loyalty to David was born out of vision for better way. David knew a holier, better way of following God. He knew that a nation who truly followed God’s ways would always come out on top. He had a vision to be free from Philistine tyranny. This was something that the people longed for. He knew such a victory ultimately would give God greater glory in a dark and floundering world.
My friends, we need to be loyal not to a person or a preacher or an organization but loyal to God’s church and to God. We need to believe in something that is greater and bigger than ourselves. This is what the church supposed to be about. We have a calling, a mission, to change this world one life at a time. We are called by God to see that lives are changed through a people called the church. This is a people who are not perfect but broken. We are weak but in our weakness we find His strength. We don’ have all the answers but we certainly know the One who does.
Loyalty to oneself or even to the American dream always falls short. It will never fulfill us. Ever wonder why people pastors? Ever wonder why I am a pastor? It is not for the pay. It costs more than any money can ever reimburse. It is not for the power. It is not for the kicks. It is not for the medical benefits.
When I was in seminary, I had some conversations with some fellow students, with a good mentor and friend Ron Mabry, with a Dr. Stafford and the credentialing team in Indiana. Through these interactions God was speaking to me and asking me where my loyalties to lie? Is it to the Church of God? Do I really believe in the calling and mission of our group? If not, then I had better find a better one. But I do. I don’t agree with some things within our human organization but I certainly agree with the ideals and principles. I am convinced by God that what we stand for and what we are called to be as a body are much bigger and grander than anything that any of us could do on our own. I believe that our role as the Church of God is hugely important. And I believe that we are important to God.
I believe we have a huge potential in this congregation as part of God’s Church. We need to look beyond ourselves and see that we each have an essential part to play in what God is doing. We need to “see the church” as the old timers used to say. See what God is doing. See the power that is evident if we have eyes to see. We need to buy into this thing that God is doing and give our whole heart and lives to it. Loyalty to something bigger than ourselves. Unfortunately many times we are loyal to those things and ways of doing things that sometimes really reflect more of a loyalty to ourselves rather than God.
David said, “If you’ve come to help me in what God is doing, welcome. If you’ve come to betray me and pursue your own agenda, then you will pay. God will see to that. You can’t stop what God is doing.”
One last thing for inspiring loyalty:
• Responsibility
Like David, we need to take responsibility when we mess up and not blame someone else or make excuses like Saul. But not only that, we need to let others take responsibility even when they mess up. David’s supreme commander of his army, Joab, messed up when he took matters in his own hands and killed this guy named Abner. Joab had good intentions. He was given enormous responsibility. But Jo abused his position by taking matters in his own hands. Sometimes people mess up. Sometimes we mess up.
Just recently, on my trip to Anderson some things didn’t go well. It should have taken 6.5 hours so I left at 7:30 to get there at 2. My defense was schedule for 4:30. It snowed a little but outside of Columbus, I got stuck for almost three hours not moving at all while an accident was cleaned up. I was anxious and worried and angry. I was upset. This meeting was five years in the making. And I was very upset. I didn’t know what could be done about the meeting. Would I have to reschedule and bring one of the committee members back in on my dime?
Have you ever been so stressed out that you didn’t have an ounce of compassion in you at that moment? Maybe you’ve given and given but find that you just don’t have any more to give. Maybe the phone is ringing yet again and you just don’t have it in you to answer it. Maybe there is a letter with a return address that you dread.
I tell you this not because I’m proud of it but because it happens to all of us even David. David committee adultery and then had his girlfriend’s husband killed and then tried to cover it all up.
As I sat there fuming, I knew that someone had been injured but I just couldn’t find it at that moment to pray for that person. And I tell you this so that you know that yes, eventually I prayed for that person. Eventually we got moving. Eventually things worked out for the meeting to happen the next day which went fine. God reminded me that I’m not all that. I can admit that to Him and to you. Maybe that shocks you. Then I would ask just where do your loyalties lie. Who are you really loyal to? Joab’s loyalty to David was a great strength but also a great weakness because when David conspired to have this loyal soldier killed to cover his sin, Joab went along with it.
Are you truly loyal to God and the Church that God has established? Are loyal to the Church as the people of God and are you convinced that we have an incredible and divine purpose to fulfill? Or is church simply a good place to come hang when it is convenient? Is it just a good thing to do?
