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David: A Man After God’s Own Heart! - For Cave Dwellers Only Grace to you and peace from God our Father, and our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, AMEN Main Theme: This summer we will study the amazing story of David – a shepherd boy who became King! Today, in our 4th week, we find David at his lowest point in his life – hiding in a cave! …and in that cave we find him at that moment when he is the most teachable and moldable! God can truly use us only after we are brought to the point where we make our “Declaration of dependence.” That moment happened when 1) David was hurt enough to admit his need! 2) He was honest enough to cry for help! 3) He was humble enough to learn from God! As David needed a refuge – (God), so do we! Why? a) …because we are in distress and sorrow accompanies us. b) …because we are sinful and guilt accompanies us. c) …because we are surrounded by adversaries and misunderstandings assaults us. Our refuge is Jesus! (Based on Chuck Swindoll’s book “David” and other research.) 1) LOW POINT! Last week we watched as David went from “Hero” to “zero”! In a downward spiral of events, he lost his job, his wife, his home, his counselor, his closest friend, and his self-respect. He had leaned on these things, and now they were gone or unavailable to him. This was the ultimate low point in his life! Because of King Saul’s jealousy, David has a price on his head – he’s a “wanted man” – and he’s on the run! So in 1st Samuel (22:1) we read “David left Gath and escaped to the cave of Adullam.” With no security, no food, no one to talk to, he sits in despair with no promises or hope that anything would ever change. He was alone in “a cave”; away from everything and everybody he loved. Everybody except God! No wonder David wrote such a sorrowful psalm at this low point in his life: 2) PSALM 142: (A Maskil of David. When he was in the cave.)
3) LOST SIGHT OF GOD? That’s how our cave-dwelling David felt: “Lord, there isn’t a person on earth that I can turn to – help me!” Can you feel the loneliness of being in that damp and dark cave? Can you feel his despair? There appears to be no escape. There is nothing remaining of the life he once knew. There is nothing left. Nothing! (pause) Ever felt this way? And yet… some how in the midst of all this gloomy darkness, David has not lost sight of God. He cries out for the Lord to deliver him! Perhaps this is what is so unique and special about David’s heart – this desire to always turn to God when life is “falling apart” is what caught God’s eye, and made him want to anoint this ex-shepherd boy to be His choice for the next King. I don’t know about you, but I often wonder – had I been in David’s sorrowful shoes, would I have not lost sight of God? 4) SUICIDE OR START ANEW? I think we would all initially agree that David is in a lousy situation! Often, people look in the mirror during tough times, and they hear that little voice that suggests to all emotional ‘cave dwellers’, “You have lost this, you have lost that! You’ve caused this, you’ve caused that! You’ve ruined everything! There is no hope! End your life!” Those conclusions are responsible for the fact that suicide took the lives of 31,484 people in 2003. There were over 787,000 suicide attempts. Suicide is the eighth leading cause of death for all U.S. men, whereas, women report attempting suicide during their lifetime about three times as often as men. Suicide is the third leading cause of death among young people ages 15 to 24. In 2003, 5,246 Americans over age 65 committed suicide. But God says, “No. No. You are in the cave. But that is no reason to give up hope! It’s simply time to reroute your life! It’s time to start anew!” And that is exactly what he does with David! 5) FAMILY AND MALCONTENTS! And David’s “spiritual reprogramming” begins in an interesting way: with the coming of relatives! (1st Samuel 22:2a) “When his brothers and his father's household heard about it, they went down to him there.” Ah great! That’s all David needs! He’s broken, and crushed in Spirit, and the whole family shows up! Now let’s face it, sometimes when you are “in the cave”, you just want to be alone! Why? Because if you don’t feel worthwhile to yourself, you certainly don’t feel worthwhile to anyone else! But want them or not – God brought David’s family anyway! And they weren’t the only ones that crawled into the cave with him. (1st Samuel 22:2b) “All those who were in distress or in debt or discontented gathered around him, and he became their leader. About four hundred men were with him.” King’s Saul rule had resulted in a lot of mistreated, over taxed, and unhappy people! So David now finds his cave being overrun with malcontents! I mean – isn’t it bad enough feeling like a lowly worm? But now 400 more worms crawl in the cave with you! What is God thinking? 6) GOD HAS A PLAN! Just this! Though David doesn’t get this at first – God has a plan! God has taken a dark, smelly cave and turned it into a place of training for David and those who will someday be known as “David’s mighty men of valor.” One day this motley crew will become his mighty men in battle, and later his cabinet when he becomes King. Of course, our depressed David only sees more mouths to feed, and a lost people in need of leadership. When you are “in the cave” – the temptation to walk away from such “needy people” must have been strong! But amazingly David slowly accepted the situation and made the best of it. How could he have known that what looked like chaos and confusion was all a part of God’s amazing plan of turning David into a kind of Robin Hood. And while his “Sherwood Forest” was the rugged Judean Wilderness, David would now have “on the job training” in commanding a group of mavericks – which would later make him an excellent King! God has a plan! If David is to successfully deal with a thankless, coarse, thoughtless body of malcontents, (that are overwhelmed with their own needs), then David has to start leaning completely on God! 7) LOOKING UP! The challenges placed upon David appear to have the right effect! He starts looking up to God! Listen to David’s “attitude change” when writing Psalm 57:1-3 (which is introduced with these words: A Mikhtam of David, when he fled from Saul in the cave.)
Looks like David is down emotionally, but looking up to God for refuge! 8) DECLARATION OF DEPENDENCE! Later in verses 5, 7, and 11, we read…
David has gone from loneliness and self-pity, to praising God and asking for the Lord’s grace and help in meeting the needs of himself and the people! With no concept of how his words will affect his future, David cries out his “Declaration of Dependence!” Does God respond to David’s cry for help? Absolutely! Though his group of mavericks and malcontents look rough now, David will be empowered to train them, discipline them, and inspire them to become skilled hunters and courageous fighters. He is spiritually enabled to turn their eyes upward, and shows them how to magnify God and trust in Him! God uses David to teach them how to make their “Declaration of Dependence!” …enabling them to depend solely and completely on God! Have we done the same? Have we in the past or present found ourselves “in the cave” and turned our eyes towards heaven and screamed out our “Declaration of Dependence?” 9) ADMIT THE NEED! Because of God’s grace and mercy, all are given a chance to change. How? Well, let’s reflect on “How a major change took place in David’s life and attitude:” First, 1) Because David hurt enough to admit his need. One of the problems affluent, comfortable Americans deal with is that many have not “hurt enough” to admit their need for God! Or if they have hurt enough, they don’t admit it to anyone. Most of us don’t mind sharing with others our personal stories of success and positive experiences – but we rarely are bold enough to be open, personal, and vulnerable by admitting feelings of inferiority, insecurity, and despair! But when our pride is shattered by a “cave experience” – we finally arrive at the point where we can honestly face our weaknesses and frailties, and be ready to admit our need for God! David’s life was about to change for the better because he had hurt enough to admit his need! 10) CRY OUT FOR HELP! Secondly, 2) He was honest enough to cry out for help! Sadly, our society as a whole looks down on those who ask for help! Even in the church, families and marriages in trouble tend to slip away “out the back door” and disappear rather than letting anyone know they need help. They leave with the intent of “getting their act together” and then coming back – wholesome and healthy! People in our church fall upon tough times financially, and I’m sometimes the last person to know – why? Because no one wants to admit they need help! Our pride stops us from being honest! Fact is, this church is nothing but “a hospital for broken sinners” – and yet, as much as we Christians want to help others in need, we are sometimes ashamed to admit out loud we need help! The major change that took place in David’s life came about because he understood that God honors vulnerability! He did then, and God still does today! So if you are in “a cave” in your life, and you want that to change – cry out for help! Trusting in God, David cried out for help, and God began to mold his character and life in a way that made David the greatest King in Israel’s history! 11) LEARN FROM GOD! And thirdly, 3) He was humble enough to learn from God. It’s tragic, but some of us live in a perpetual cave because we never learn from God! Not David! He allows God to turn the cave into a training ground. He learns from God how to take malcontents and sinners (like us) and patiently mold them into something wonderful! Does that sound like anyone you know? Perhaps a Savior that works patiently with broken, whiny, frustrated, self-centered souls in need of divine leadership and wisdom? Remember: the conversion of the soul is the miracle of a moment, but the making of a Saint is the task of a life-time! But God doesn’t give up just because we find ourselves “in a cave.” It is in the cave, that God does some of His best work! It’s in the cave where we learn from God! 12) REFUGE! Friends, think about this: What is it about discouragement that strips our lives of joy and leaves us feeling vulnerable and exposed? Well, one of the reasons is this: We don’t have a refuge! That’s why we get discouraged! Everyone needs a shelter or a safe harbor to pull into when we feel weather beaten and blasted by the storm! But these are hard to find! Anyone know why there are so many bars and taverns in this country? They are places of refuge! Someone once wrote: The neighborhood bar is possibly the best counterfeit there is to the fellowship Christ wants to give his church. It’s an imitation, dispensing liquor instead of grace, escape rather than reality, but it is a permissive, accepting, and inclusive fellowship. It is unshockable. It is democratic. You can tell people secrets and they usually don’t tell others or even want to. The bar flourishes not because most people are alcoholics, but because God has put into the human heart the desire to know and be known, to love and be loved, and so many seek a counterfeit at the price the price of a few beers. With all of my heart I believe that Christ wants His church to be… a fellowship where people can come in and say, “I’m sunk!” “I’m beat!” “I’ve had it!” We all need a shelter! We all need a refuge! 13) WHERE? WHO? GOD! Friends, where do you turn when the bottom drops out of your life? Where do you go when your spouse is talking separation or divorce? …or your daughter runs away for the 4th time and you are afraid she is pregnant? How about when you have lost you job and it’s your fault? Or financially you have blown it? Where do you go when your parent is an alcoholic? Or you find out your spouse is having an affair? Where do you turn when you flunk you exam or mess up that important interview? Who do you turn to when you break the law and are tossed into jail? We all need a listener, someone who understands! Someone who knows what it is to be in a cave!! Who do we turn to when there’s no one to tell your troubles to? …where do you find encouragement? David turned to the living Lord, and found Him to be a place of rest and repair. Cornered, bruised by adversity, struggling with discouragement and despair, he wrote these words: Psalm 31:1 “In you, O LORD, I have taken refuge”. Failing in strength, wounded in spirit, David cries out his need for a refuge! And God became that refuge! 14) DISTRESS AND SORROW! Why do we need a refuge? It’s simple: like David, we need a refuge because 1) we are in distress and sorrow accompanies us! If not right this moment – praise God – but I’ll bet you can remember those feelings in the recent past! Remember how red your eyes were from crying? Do you remember how heavy your burdens felt, and how small your shoulders were? Do you remember the depression and despair that snuck in the back door of your soul and held you captive in distress and sorrow? That’s why we need a refuge. 15) SIN AND GUILT! And secondly, we need a refuge 2) because we are sinful and guilt accuses us! There’s a lot of pain woven in those words! Our self-centeredness often hurts us and others and ….is embarrassing! Who of us can easily choke out the words, “It’s my fault!” or “I’m to blame!”? We all carry self-inflicted wounds, and search for a place to hide our shame. What we need is a refuge that can help us deal positively with our sin and the guilt that accuses us! 16) ADVERSARIES/MISUNDERSTANDINGS! And thirdly, we need a refuge 3) because we are surrounded by adversaries, and misunderstandings assault us! Sometimes just the whispers of others can turn us into wounded, bleeding mice in the jaws of a hungry cat! Sometimes the thoughts of others are more than we can bear! Gossip leads us to despair! Discouraged people don’t need more critics, or add on guilt, or piled on stress. In a world of adversaries and misunderstandings, we need a refuge! 17) CHRIST IS OUR REFUGE! The good news is Christ is here this morning that we may have a safe harbor, a place to hide and heal. …that we may have a willing, caring, all-powerful, all-wise, all-loving partner. Jesus comes that we may have a close and intimate friend who offers to be our shelter. ...someone who can take the cave we find ourselves in and move us to a “Declaration of Dependence” that will free us to become what God originally designed us to be! The Lord comes today to be the One that David called “my Strength”, “my Mighty Rock”, “my Fortress”, “my Stronghold”, and “my High Tower”. You and I may know Him today by another name: Jesus! And He is still available… especially to cave dwellers; lonely people needing someone to care. Christ is our refuge! Praise God! AMEN Sermon/Confessional Prayer: Dear Heavenly Father, we confess that there are times when we reach a low point in our lives and we even lose sight of you. Forgive us when despair, self-pity, and loneliness prevent us from turning to you in our time of need. Help us instead to cry out to you for help, and empower us to believe that you can take our cave experiences and use them to remold us, to reroute our life, to give us a new beginning. Lord, forgive us for not understanding how freeing it is to make a sincere and heartfelt “Declaration of Dependence”. Forgive and remove any pride or obstacle within us that prevents us from leaning humbly and completely on you! Empower us to bypass any counterfeit places of refuge, and turn always to you to be our ultimate refuge! And then empower us to boldly show others who are experiencing loneliness and despair the same divine shelter and love found in your heart! And now Lord, although you know us better than we know ourselves, listen as we share in a moment of silence, those other parts of our lives that need to be forgiven, washed clean, healed, and recommitted to you! (made anew.) (Silence) Lord, your servant David experienced low points in his life, but instead of giving up – he turned his focus to you and cried out for help! Help us to do the same in similar situations! Be with us when distress and sorrow follows us, when sin and guilt accuses us, and when adversaries and misunderstandings assault us! Be our shelter, our safe port in the midst of life’s storms. In Jesus Name We Pray. AMEN Assurance of Forgiveness: Friends, listen to the good news: The Lord, who lovingly offers himself to you as the perfect refuge, …that Lord has mercifully heard your confession and eagerly forgives you all your sins. Go now, and remember: when the brokenness within, and the brokenness around us assault us and drive us into the cave of despair – turn to Him! There is always hope! There is always a new beginning awaiting you! There is always a loving and powerful friend to turn to times of need! Praise God! AMEN Opening prayer: Dear Heavenly Father, many of us come here this morning with recent scars, new frustrations, and fresh troubles that we neither expected nor welcomed! But never-the-less, deserved or undeserved, new storms stand before us and threaten to take our joy away. We need a shelter! We need a safe harbor to rest in. We need someone who is willing to listen to our woes, understand our concerns – some one who cares! We need someone with the power and wisdom to actually be able to do something positive about it! We need you, Lord! And here you are! Ready to hear our sins and graciously forgive and wash them away! You welcome us to this place, ready to clean and heal our emotional, spiritual, and physical wounds – that we may be restored, refined, and strengthened as your Holy Spirit comes and lives within us! With open arms you embrace those of us who have been forgotten, ignored, abused, or neglected! You offer the greatest and most unconditional heart to those who have walked alone, been misunderstood, or been beaten down. Patiently you have waited while those of us who were prideful and self-reliant have insisted on doing it our way. Thank you for never giving up on us and being our divine refuge! Lift us up, empower us, and turn our eyes and hearts upward, always to you – our gracious Lord and Savior! In Jesus Name We Pray! AMEN! |
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