“Has Anybody Seen My Milk Cows?”
Date: November 16, 2003 A.M Service
Place: Allendale Baptist
Text: 1 Samuel 6:1-14
Background chapter 4
Introduction
This morning I would like to direct you to an unusual passage of Scripture as I see it. This to me is a strange passage but I believe has great application for each of us. Let me set the stage of events leading up to this story.
In chapter 4 we are told that Israel went to battle their arch-enemies, the Philistines. This seems to be an ongoing accurance with these two nations. But one thing that stands out to me here in this passage is that Israel went out on their own strength. Verse 2 tells us that the Philistines defeated Israel. Israel lost some 4000 men of the army in the field.
Once again trying to settle things their own way, someone got the smart idea to sent back to the town of Shiloh and bring the ark of the covenant of the Lord of hosts. Remember the Ark of the Covenant was the symbol of the presence of God. When the Israelites crossed over into the Promised Land, the Ark of the Covenant went before them. I believe what we see here is exact ally what many Christians and even churches do with the Lord. We try to do things what may seem to be right but we do them in our own strength or say this is what we should do. Now here me, fighting the enemies of the Lord is a noble task, but if God is not in it, it will fail. And the Israelites did what many of us would do; “we were defeated, now let’s get God involved.” But notice they did not put the Ark of the Covenant in its rightful place. They just brought it along as a trophy.
Verse 10 of chapter 4 tells us that once again the Philistines defeated the army of God and lost 30,000 foot soldiers. Then the Philistines took the Ark of the Covenant. They had taken the presence of God away from God’s people because of their selfishness.
Chapter 5 gives us the story of what happened when this pagan nation placed the presence of God in the midst of their temple before their own false god. The Bible tells us the next morning when the Philistines went to check on the Ark of the Covenant, that the Philistine god, Dagon, had fallen over and was on it’s face before the Ark of the Covenant. They set Dagon up again, and the next morning the same thing had happened; Dagon was on it’s face before the Lord, but this time it’s hands and the head were broken off. Only the torso was left of the idol. What does God’s Word tell us? “Every knee shall, every tongue shall confess, that Jesus Christ is Lord.”
The Bible goes on to tell us that “The hand of the Lord was heavy upon the Philistines and HE ravaged them and struck them with tumors.” Wanting to rid themselves of this plague, the Philistines called upon their lords; the priests and theologians.
These men tell the Philistines that to stop the curse they must send the Ark of the Covenant away with a trespass offering on a new cart. They make images of their tumors out of gold along with five golden rats. If the cart goes away back to the land of the Israelites, then they will know that this was the God of Israel that has caused these things.
Here is what I want you to notice this morning. They are told to take two milk cows to carry away the Ark of the Covenant. Now isn’t that strange? Milk cows are going to be used of God to carry the ark of the covenant of the Lord back to God’s people. Now I don’t know much about milk cows but this they aren’t good for much. I believe that’s where many of us are today. We may see ourselves as milk cows; and ask the question what can I do for the Lord? You may be on the spiritual side and have that holier than thou attitude and look at others and say what do they have to offer or what can they do for the Lord?
Now I know most of you are saying this morning, “Milk cows cannot nor do not have the capability to make their own decisions.” Maybe not but we do and when it comes to making up our minds and making our own decisions some of us are just as dumb as milk cows.
I want you to see some very interesting things about these milk cows:
I. Were Separated
• From the other cows. Cows like to around other cows. How does this apply to us? As Christians we should desire to be around other Christians. God has separated us for His purpose and for His glory. This means He has sanctified us to Himself. Why in the world would we want to be anywhere that would not bring honor and glory to the One that has saved us and separated us? The Bible tells us that we are to be “in the world but not of the world.” But is that really the way we are? For most of us even when we get involved in the church we want to bring the world with us. My dear friend we can’t. God has separated us for Himself.
• From all known circumstances. Stay with me again. These milk cows did not know what they were doing, I understand. They had no idea what was happening to these Philistines and the circumstances that were around them. Let me just say this; don’t let the circumstances be the determining factor of whether or not you serve the Lord. Again, let me stop preaching and start meddling. For some of us the only time we come to church is when things are bad. OR the only time some of us tithe is when we have, as we see it, enough money to tithe. Can I stop now
• From their own way. Let me ask this question; do you think these milk cows would have rather been doing what they wanted to do? Chewing their cud? Lying around in the barn waiting to be milked? Sure they did. Let me ask this question would you be more faithful if God would let you do or let you serve Him in the ministry you wanted? I told the Lord I would preach and pastor only if He would not send me to a certain place. I wanted to stay right where I was, close to my friends and family. For a while it seemed that the only churches that would even consider me as a pastor were churches along way from Conroe Texas. But when I finally said, God I’ll go and do whatever and wherever you say, He lead me not even 9 miles from my home church. He kept me in the same town where my mother and Teena’s mother are.
• Tied to a cart. As I see them being tied to the cart, this speaks to me that we must be tied to the church. My dear friend you can do a lot of things and be involved in a lot of organizations. But as Christians God desires you and I to be involved in the work of the ministry of the local church. Find the place you need to be. Find the church He has for you to be used in. Get there and faithfully serve Him.
• Galatians 1:15 Paul tells us; “But when it pleased God, who separated me from my mother’s womb and called me through his grace, to reveal His Son in me, that I might preach Him among the Gentiles…”
II. Were Submissive
• To the Work of the Lord
• They were dedicated to God
• James 4:7 says we are to; “Submit to God…”
• We must place ourselves under the authority of the Lordship of Jesus Christ. Submitting is again the hardest thing we must do.
III. Went Straight
• Verse 12“The cows headed straight for the road to Beth Shemesh”
• The Lord has a plan and a path sent out for each and every one of His children. The Bible tells us “He has established our steps.” God’s purpose is to reveal His will for our lives ours is to seek it and then be obedient to His will. When we faithfully follow the Lord He makes our ways straight; I did not say always smooth, but straight. These milk cows went neither to the right nor to the left, but straight.
• One of the interesting things about harnessing cows or horses is that the team must work together. If on of the cows pulls harder or faster than the other guess what will happen. They will not plow or go in a straight path. Someone said to me recently this is why they believe the church seems to be going in a circle. The church today seems to be plowing up the same ground. Some are pulling more than others. Some are not pulling their fair share of the cart.
• Now you take to hard headed, stupid milk cows that want to go in two different directions, what would happen? Well, in my opinion, not much. Let me be silly for just a minute. These milk cows are Christians. One wants to minister in one direction the other in a different direction and another style. They decide they will stop and pray… and they pray and they pray. Never coming to a decision and the work comes to a stand still.
• I know there are some things I say that just do not make sense but folks, when it comes to ministries God has called us to, such as evangelism and outreach, God does not care which night our church has visitation. He has commanded us as the body of Christ to go and make disciples. It really does not matter when during the service the preacher gets in the baptistery with someone that has made a profession of faith. It can be before the service, during the service or after the service. It can be in the morning service or the evening service or Praise God on Wednesday evening prayer service. We are told to baptize them.
IV. Were Satisfied
• They did not complain
• They must not have been Baptist
• We must remember it is a pleasure and a privilege to be picked by God.
V. Weren’t Seen
• Verse 13
• No spot light
• No credit
• No pat on the back
• No bonus
• No one took them to Sunday supper; well I take that back… they were about to…
• The people of God were so excited and even though they continued to go about their normal business and working they waited expectantly for the presence of the Lord to return.
• Now how would you feel… you are that sacred cow that has brought the Ark of the Covenant back to the people of God and you are not even recognized. No one pays any attention to you; no one builds a building in your honor and puts your name on it; no one paints your picture and places it on the front wall of the foyer of the tabernacle. How dare them just notice that God is back in the presence of the people of God!!!
VI. Were Sacrificed
• They were expendable. Now I do believe that these two particular cows were specifically chosen for this task, but what if they had refused? Would they have been replaced? Possibly. Would God have chosen two of the other cows? I believe so.
• But notice what happens when they do get noticed. The people of God bust up the cart; build and altar and sacrifice the two milk cows.
• But listen to me… when you are doing the work of the Lord; when you are faithfully following Him… your life does not matter anyway. Romans 12:1-2 tells us that we are to “present our bodies as a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service.”
• Dear Christian friend that is what is acceptable to God, that we live our lives as a sacrifice to Him; for His glory… not ours.
• Stay with me here. If these two cows had a mind and could fully understand what they had just done, they would have unyoked themselves, walked over to that altar and placed themselves on the altar. Because in essence that is what they did. That is what we do when you are accomplishing the will of God in our lives. We place ourselves on the altar before God and our desire should be “I sacrifice my self, my life and all I am to you Lord. Now consume me.
That is where I want to be… that is where each and everyone of us should desire to be. IN a place where we are separated for the use and glory of God. To be totally submissive to the will of God. As we go to be straight in the will of God. To be satisfied where we are in God’s will. Not have the desire to be seen by others but Jesus to be seen in us. And ultimately to live a life of sacrifice to the Lord.
Invitation
