“Mighty Men of the King”
Sermon Series
A Man after God’s Own Heart
Part 3
Date: November 2, 2003 A.M. Service
Place: Allendale Baptist
Text: 1 Samuel 22:1-2
Introduction
This morning we will continue in our study of the life of David. David although a sinner; a man who commits two of what we would see as the most disgusting of sins, is called in Scripture, a man after God’s own heart.
Before we have our reading of the Scripture, let me give you a little background.
• King Saul, the people’s choice, has disobeyed God. Not only is he being removed from the throne but God’s Spirit is dealing with him.
• David has been anointed as the new King, God’s choice.
• David has been brought into the Kings palace to play his harp and sing for the Saul, but after David has killed the giant and won battle after battle, victory over victory, Saul has become jealous of David, and has tried to kill him.
• In fear for his own life David, escapes Saul’s persecution.
• David has found friendship with Saul’s son, Jonathan, who helps with his escape.
• David makes his way to a city called Adullam, which some say translates, a place of refuge.
• Adullam is located some 17 miles southwest of Jerusalem. Here it seems David makes his headquarters in a cave.
As we look at this man on the run, I wish this morning to look not only his life, but also men that are lead to follow and serve along side of him. I want us to look at what the Bible calls David’s Mighty Men.
This morning I want to try and answer two questions: Who are they? And if time allows, what do they do?
Read 1 Samuel 22:1-2
Prayer
• We are told there are 37 mighty men that are listed in 2 Samuel chapter 23. We will look at a few of them as we close this morning.
• In chapter 22 we are told that some 400 come to David but later on we are told that there are some 600.
• The Bible refers to these men of David, this seemingly small army.
• The Hebrew word used to describe this men is the word gibbor meaning mighty or powerful.
• As we look at who they are this morning we will see they do not begin with the characteristics of powerful, mighty men. But we will notice they were powerful in the sense that they were in the will of God and they were doing God’s will.
I need to tell you this morning and remind you that David is used here as an illustration of Christ.
• David is being rejected. David is in this time from the anointing and being chosen to be King until he would assume the throne.
• During this time David is being disciplined and trained of God to be the man of God He desires him to be.
• As David made his escape from Saul and came to this city of Adullam some 400 men came to him.
Let’s begin to look at these Mighty Men and find the answer to our first question; who are they?
I. Those Who Were In Distress.
Someone in distress can be defined in one of theses three ways.
A. Someone in pain.
• Now all of these three point may sound repetitive but please stay with me.
• These men that came to David were rejected by the world and rejection brings with it pain; physical pain; emotional pain and spiritual pain.
Distress can also be defined as …
B. Someone in grief.
• Someone in distress may going through a period of grief in their life.
A distressed person could be…
C. Someone in need.
• My dear friend you do not have to look very far, to find someone in need.
• Just like these men that came to David, there are men and women today who are in distress, who feel the burden of sin in their life; who feel the pain of sin in their life; who feel the grief from sin in their life and that feel the need of relief from that sin in their lives.
• They need to come to the only one that can bring deliverance.
• They need to come to the Savior. They need to come to Jesus and enlist under His banner, under His Kingship and authority.
• John Bunyan, the writer of the great book “The Pilgrim’s Progress” said that when he came to Christ he did not come just as a simmer, but there was borne in upon him the conviction that he was a sinner from the crown of his head to the soles of his feet, that he was sick with sin, that he was like a putrid, running sore in God’s sight. And in distress he went to Christ.
Not only were theses distressed but they were also…
II. Those Who Were In Debt.
• In those days, someone that was in debt and could not repay that debt would be in danger of being sold into slavery
• Someone I heard the other day said our nation is in so much national debt, that if it was broken down by person, each American citizen would owe several thousands of dollars to repay that debt. Now I don’t know about you, but I don’t have a couple thousand dollars to spare and if I did I sure would not give it to the government.
• But my dear friend can I say to you that every one of us is in debited to God for our sin and this also is a debt we cannot repay.
• Many around us and some here this morning are a slave to the sin of this world and the sin that is in our life.
• But Praise the Lord, Jesus paid our sin debt on the Cross at Calvary.
• You and I were hopelessly and helplessly in debt, and Jesus went to the Cross and paid our debt and that has bought us forgiveness and grace and mercy. It has bought us an opportunity of a relationship with God through Jesus.
• All we must do is confess our sins and by faith place them under the blood of Jesus.
Not far from New York, in a cemetery lone,
Close guarding its grave, stands a simple headstone,
And all the inscription is one word alone-
Forgiven
No sculptor’s fine art hath embellished its form,
But constantly there, through the calm and the storm,
It beareth this word from a poor fallen worm-
Forgiven
It shows not the date of the silent one’s birth,
Reveals not his frailties, nor lies of his worth,
But speaks out the tale from his few feet of earth-
Forgiven
The death is unmentioned, the name is untold,
Beneath lies the body, corrupted and cold,
Above rests his spirit, at home in the fold-
Forgiven
And when from the heavens the Lord shall descend,
This stranger shall rise and in glory ascend,
Well-known and befriended, to sing without end-
Forgiven
Can you say this morning, “I am forgiven?”
I tell you this morning I am a forgiven sinner; Jesus has forgiven me.
That’s the only way to have your debt canceled.
Not only were these distressed and in debt but they were…
III. Those Who were Discontented.
A. Discontented means not satisfied.
• This would also be needles of me to say, but, there are many around us today and some in this church this morning that are discontented, not satisfied with their lives.
• Some are not satisfied with what the world calls success.
• They are singing that old Rolling Stones song, “I can’t get no satisfaction.”
• They find no hope and no purpose in and for their lives.
• They are restless.
• My dear friend let me say again, with out the King of kings; without coming to Jesus you will never be happy.
• You will never find fulfillment and contentment.
These mighty men were an awesome bunch. Quickly turn to 2 Samuel 23 and read along with me what these mighty men did:
Verses 8-23
As we see this picture of David Jesus is also building an army of mighty men that will be willing to be used not for their own glory but for the glory of the Lord.
Close
I want you to know something this morning, some of the greatest rewards that will be given to saints of God in heaven will not be given to the Billy Graham’s who has seen thousands and thousands come to a saving knowledge of Jesus in his ministry. It will not be the ones that have given thousands and thousands of dollars to the greatest and largest churches and ministries in the Southern Baptist Convention.
My dear friend, it will be the unsung, unidentified and unnamed heroes and heroines of the faith. Those that the world looks at and says they do not have much if anything to offer.
My dear friend, Jesus Christ, the Son of God, wants to put to use souls that are distressed, in debt and discontented.
