Going Vertical - Soaring to New Heights
Introduction: Humans have an uncanny fascination with the thrill of going vertical. Something about having the pull of gravity acting upon the human body as other forces, whatever they may be, struggle upward. (Slide 2) There are those who struggle to climb the very faces of mountains. (Slide 3) There are those who can’t wait to get to the next theme park to venture skyward in whatever means possible. (Slide 4) There are those who just want to hang in an inverted position as nature’s forces exert pull downward. (Slide 5) Then there are those who go out of their way to take special risk of both life and vehicle for one more vertical trip. (Slide 6) Nothing more exhilerating than taking an afternoon with the friends and hanging onto the side of a vertical cliff. (Slide 7) Of course there are all the new bungee cord thrill rides to launch the human body vertically as fast as possible. (Slide 8) The new extreme sports fad is pushing the limits in vertical endurance. (Slide 9) Theme parks can’t keep up with the hunger for a more intensive vertical experience. (Slide 10) Man has even gone so far as to build mountains for people to seek to satisfy their vertical appetite. (Slide 11,12,13) Talk to an pilot and they will tell you that there just isn’t any experience in the world like going vertical. The thrill, the pull, the launch - it’s just beyond one’ imagination. Yet, it is something that lies inside most every human being - (Slide 14) the desire to go vertical.
I don’t know if our fascination with physically going vertical has any relation spiritually, but I will tell you that there is an innate desire built into every human (Slide 15) to go vertical. God has designed a part of us that just won’t be satisfied until we learn to go vertical - seeking out and living in God’s presence.
Text: (Slide 16-17) Isaiah 55:1-7; (Slide 18) 1 Samuel 14:6
Introduction: Isaiah’s challenge to the people was to seek God, to drink from the living water, and to make His name known. Jonathan, the son of King Saul demonstrated the kind of faith that Isaiah was attempting to inspire. Jonathan grew frustrated with living in the camp of fear and failure. So, he left camp, climbed a mountain, and looked for God.
Jonathan was a man who understood the principle of numbering his days - of making each day count for something. In our text, we discover that Jonathan was an incredible soldier who possessed an amazing faith in the Lord. On this particular day, Jonathan decided life was too precious to waste. It was on this particular day that Jonathan decided to go vertical.
Let’s catch up on what’s going on here. Israel’s army is hiding among the caves of Gibeah after having been defeated in battle by the Philistines. The Bible says that after Israel defeated the Amorites and Jonathan defeated a group of Philistines in a small skirmish, Saul foolishly declared war against the Philistines who were “as numerous as the sand” (1 Sa 13:5). Saul’s soldiers knew they were over-matched, and they “quaked with fear” (1 Sa 13:7). Saul’s arrogance in going to battle against a superior enemy without seeking the Lord’s will led to additional disobedience. In his unwillingness to wait for the prophet Samuel to arrive, this arrogant King Saul foolishly offered a sacrifice. Upon his arrival a short time later, instead of a divine blessing, Samuel, rebuked Saul saying, (Slide 19) “You have not kept the command of the LORD…your kingdom will not endure; the LORD has sought a man after His own heart.” (1 Sa 13:14). Following this word from the prophet, Israel’s army retreated to the caves of Gibeah. While Saul’s army was hiding, the Philistines raided the neighboring villages confiscating all the weapons. When we arrive at chapter 14, the Bible says that only two swords remained - Saul’s and Jonathan’s. The rest of the army had resorted to using farm tools for weapons.
It was this particular situation that Jonathan found himself in that caused him to leave camp, climb that mountain, and look for God. It was on this particular day that Jonathan decided life is too precious to waste waiting for the enemy to finally show up and destroy him. It was on this particular day that Jonathan (Slide 20) went vertical.
I challenge you today to make a decision in your life to follow that prompting that is within you and go vertical - learn to soar to new heights. Determine in your heart that you are not going to (Slide 21) simply soar upward a short distance but you intend to go all the way. Let’s examine together what it means to go vertical.
(Slide 22) Going vertical means we live constantly:
1. Searching for God
A. Jonathan found himself in a defeated, depressed, discouraging circumstance.
1. Ever been there? What did you do?
2. Jonathan decided to act - he made a choice - the Scripture quotes Jonathan as saying: (Slide 23) "let us go look for the Lord."
B. When do you get to the point where you decide to start making necessary changes in your life?
1. When you become sick and tired of being sick and tired?
2. When you stop trying to destroy your life and start trusting a loving God who can deliver you from your pit of despair?
3. Change begins and hope erupts one day when you realize like Jonathan that God does not dwell in the cave of arrogance, disobedience, and cowardice. God is on the mountain. That’s why the Psalmist said, (Slide 24) “I lift my eyes to the mountain. Where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, maker of the heaven and earth” (Ps 121:1-2).
C. Jonathan realized the Lord was not in the caves of Gibeah where his father had set up camp.
1. He needed to go where God was working.
2. Henry Blackaby writes: (Slide 25) “You can’t go with God and stay where you are.”
3. You’ve got to be willing to go, look and search for divine activity.
Application: The main point of this story is not to propose a military strategy of picking a fight with a superior enemy, but rather to show Jonathan’s actions reveal the godly principle of “going with God.” God is constantly calling His followers to GO! Most of the time they had no clue where. God told Abraham to go to a new land. God called Moses to go back to Egypt. God told Joshua to follow closely because they were going a way they had never been before. We find the “go principle” in the final instructions given by the Lord Jesus who promised to be with us always, when we “go into all the world to make disciples” (Mt 28:18-20). Vertically inclined people seek the Lord where He may be found. In order to participate in God’s divine activity, we must be willing to go.
(Slide 26) Going vertical means that we learn to:
2. Select Our Friends Carefully
A. Searching for God can be difficult at times, but you don’t have to go it alone.
1. Woven into this story is the importance of selecting or choosing our friends wisely.
2. Oftentimes, the company we keep determines success or failure.
3. Pr 12:26 says: (Slide 27) “The righteous use caution when choosing friends because the way of the wicked leads them astray.”
4. Paul stresses right friendships in 1 Co 15:33: (Slide 28) “Bad company corrupts good morals.”
B. Jonathan found one man in the camp who shared a kindred spirit.
1. This man recognized true courage, godly leadership, and triumphant faith.
2. This man told Jonathan: (Slide 29) “I am with you heart and soul.” (14:7).
C. Friends will build you up not tear you down; friends will inspire confidence not inflict criticism; friends will encourage bold faith not discourage taking risks; friends will support with heart and soul; not just those who stick around for the party.
Application: Jonathan was surrounded by people with excuses. They all had their reasons for staying stuck in the cave of defeat and despair. The Philistines were too strong. They were out of weapons. They were just following their arrogant King. It is the government’s fault. No one can deny that these men faced enormous challenges, but we serve a God who does the impossible. To experience the power of God you must sever ties with those who prefer to hide in dusty caves and join heart and soul with those who will climb mountains for the glory of God.
(Slide 30) Going vertical means that we always:
3. Strive for Victory
A. Jonathan not only wanted to get out of the caves; he wanted victory over his enemy.
1. He desired a life of excellence and success.
2. Mediocrity was never an option, so Jonathan climbed.
3. He did the unthinkable to accomplish the impossible.
4. It was once said: (Slide 31) “The greatest indictment of Christians is not that we fall short of the mark, but we have quit striving to reach the mark.”
Application: Jonathan’s climb paints a powerful picture of victory being available to those who are willing to move to a higher level of faith, those who are willing to leave a comfort zone, those who are willing to risk being different from the crowd, and those who embrace the call of God upon their life.
B. Victory is ultimately accomplished by God.
1. Jonathan clearly states that he will not fight unless he perceived, “that the Lord has given them into our hands.” (14:10), but he also understands that he has a role to play in the defeat of the Philistines.
2. Taking risks and climbing mountains is not the same as training for the thrill seeking, death defying, X-treme Games.
3. When Peter walked on water, he stepped out of the boat only after Jesus commanded him to come out on the water.
4. Jonathan steps out or climbs up to fight with confidence that he has received a word from God.
Application: Victory is rarely a spontaneous event. It usually comes after significant preparation, undetered determination, and purity before God. In all honesty, most people simply refuse to pay the price for victory. But, the sad reality is that the price of failure is far greater. Defeat, discouragement, fear, depression, and missed opportunity, are incredible costs compared to the dedication to climb. What is the cost of a 15-20 minute daily walk compared to a heart attack? What is the cost of some night classes to complete your degree compared to the nagging guilt of not finishing what you started? What is the cost of winning a soul to Christ compared to an occasional act of ridicule? Success has a price, but so does failure. Which price do you want to pay?
Conclusion: (Slide 32) We were created to climb higher, run faster, and fly farther by the power and purpose of God. Jeremiah said that God’s plans were to prosper us not to harm us and to give us hope and a future. Climbing is a matter of attitude not age, academic training, or some external circumstance. Victory is not for the tame and timid; it is reserved for those few who walk to the beat of a different drummer.
We are called to be vertically inclined followers of Christ who look to the mountains and set our minds on things above. (Click) Isaiah is challenging us to: (Click) seek God, (Click) drink from the living water and (Click) make His name known to all mankind.
(Slide 33) God is calling you to take your mind off of the horizontal: your fears, frustrations, disappointments, problems, failures, past - and (Click) go vertical.
Disclaimer: Parts of this sermon may have been gleaned form other sources of sermons. Please feel free to use this message as the Lord leads.
