Water Worth Pouring Out.

2 Samuel 23:13-17 11/13/16

Well folks, I have to tell you, I’m glad the elections over. About half of the country is happy and about half of the country is mad. The POPULAR VOTE was split just about right down the middle.

Joke: I wanted to tell you the story of a man who had lived in a small town and had been a staunch Democrat all his life. Now, he was 90, and his health began to fail. His doctor told him: “George, I’m sorry to tell you this, but, from the state of health, I’d say you’ll not live out the year."

The next morning, the old man asked his son to take him to the courthouse so he could change his registration from Democrat to Republican.

"But Dad," protested his the son, "you started this town’s Democratic Party and attended every function. Why would you want to become a Republican?”

The old man replied: "Son, if someone has to die, it might as well be one of them."

Let’s turn in our Bibles to 2 Samuel 23.

Let me ask you two questions this morning.

What are you willing to do for God?

Some might say, “Oh I would do anything for God.” And maybe you would.

Here’s the second question. What are you willing to do with what God has given you?

And your answer might be, “God can have anything and everything He wants.” I hope so. I hope this is what you would say.

These two questions are pretty important and they deserve an honest answer.

But here’s the problem. Saying something and doing something are two totally different things.

Let’s read 2 Samuel 23 verses 13-17.

“And three of the thirty chief went down, and came to David in the harvest time unto the cave of Adullam: and the troop of the Philistines pitched in the valley of Rephaim.

14 And David was then in an hold, and the garrison of the Philistines was then in Bethlehem.

15 And David longed, and said, Oh that one would give me drink of the water of the well of Bethlehem, which is by the gate!

16 And the three mighty men brake through the host of the Philistines, and drew water out of the well of Bethlehem, that was by the gate, and took it, and brought it to David: nevertheless he would not drink thereof, but poured it out unto the Lord.

17 And he said, Be it far from me, O Lord, that I should do this: is not this the blood of the men that went in jeopardy of their lives? therefore he would not drink it. These things did these three mighty men.

18 And Abishai, the brother of Joab, the son of Zeruiah, was chief among three. And he lifted up his spear against three hundred, and slew them, and had the name among three.

19 Was he not most honourable of three? therefore he was their captain: howbeit he attained not unto the first three.”

In 1 Samuel 2o, David is fleeing from King Saul. We all probably know the story how that Jonathan, Saul’s son and David’s best friend shot some arrows to let David know what Saul’s plan was for him. He wanted to kill him. So David fled from Saul and in chapter 22 we see where David wound up in the Cave of Adullam. This is where he amassed his family and a group of men who would be loyal to him. It seems they were kind of a rag tag band of 400 men. It tells us in verse 2, of 1 Samuel 22,

“And every one that was in distress, and every one that was in debt, and every one that was discontented, gathered themselves unto him;”

THIS IS WHERE IT ALL BEGAN. And through all of the challenges that came along, and all of the trials that David and this group faced, God’s hand of protection was there on them. Now David is once again in the Cave of Adullam. Over 20 miles away from David’s hometown of Bethlehem. And David is LONGING, I MEAN REALLY LONGING for a drink from the well at Bethlehem.

I want us to take a look this morning at this story and see what three of David’s Mighty Men did and then I want us to see what David did with this Treasure that these men brought back to him.

Let’s Pray Brother ______ would you lead us?

The 23rd chapter of 2 Samuel starts with a PSALM of David. It’s NOT one of the Psalms that you will find included in the Book of Psalms that were written and used in temple worship. Many believe that this was a private psalm or song of David that he used in his private worship. After this psalm, David goes on to tell us about his mighty men and the things that they did.