Sermon begins at 32:05. We can listen to the voices of rage and anger in our lives. We can hear the shouts of the world around us, or we can listen to God’s voice of love. David learned in his lessons with Saul and Nabal that God avenges, God lifts up and we need to trust Him for justice and peace.
David Part One: Forgiveness: The Voice of Love
Glenn Barteau
When you look at the news, you are aware that the voice of God’s love is drowned
out. This tragedy in South Carolina when the guy shoots people in church is a lesson
in itself. When we live in this world, the pastor had such a beautiful heart. Whatever
he spoke, the shots fired were louder, and the hatred that grew silenced God’s love.
We see the teachings of Christ, but we feel hurt or wounded and we react in ways
that don’t reflect our core values. Perhaps we are unkind and selfish.
It is easy to quiet the voice of God amidst the clamor of hate and angst in this world.
I want to talk about three reasons we hear the voice of God’s love in our lives.
Two stories David struggles with David and look at 1 Sam 24-25.
The first reason it is hard to hear the voice of love over the voice of others.
Second king of Israel, after Saul. David meets Saul, and takes him under his wing,
and David loved Saul. Of course Saul is threatened by David, and attempts to kill
him.
Chapter 25, Saul in his jealousy and insecurity, took about 300 men hunting down
David. David has 600 men. Saul is narrowing in on him. 1 Samuel 24-Saul is in the
crags in the mountain of wild goats. V. 3 Saul went in relieve himself. David is in the
back of this cave. Saul leaves his men to go into cave. Saul has been hunting him
down.
v.4 “The men said, this is the day the Lord spoke of,
At first this may seem benign. David said he doesn’t want to be the guy to kill the
king, God has to lift him up. David cuts off the piece of his robe. Understand the
symbolism, God’s anointing to be king. Undermines Saul appointing him to be king.
It was a half measure of conscience compromise. He gave into these voices, his
conscience is grief stricken. David is falling to the ground.
His men tell him to just do it. There are voices in our own lives, out of anger, we
know what that peer pressure is like. Encourage you to say things that are unkind.
The voice of love hindered. We are getting into the thick of the political season.
Every four years, keep a clean campaign, positive campaign. We hate all of this stuff.
Everyone gets ugly. Why do they do that? It works. On our psyche. Any candidate
doesn’t need to get them to like you, but just to the competition.
The voice of love is sometimes hard to hear.
It’s hard to hear the voice of love over the wrongdoing ot others. Saul weeps, he
realizes he really loves him. Saul is reverting to trying to get him.
In Carmel, David protects Nabal from the Philistines. When the sheep are sheared,
everyone gets paid. He sends someone to get paid. Nabal actually answers David’s
men. V. 10 “Who is this David? Who is this son of Jesse. Many have broken away
from their masters. What are you going to do. I don’t even have to pay you”. V.11
Why should I take my bread and water and give it to you? Total betrayal. What
about when someone’s done something wrong by you?
My car was driving down Ina, and a lady rear-ended me. We pull off and she was so
evil. “My husband owns a body shop. Let my husband fix this thing.” So I called and
made an appointment with the body shop. Her ex, was an employee, not the owner.
“Let me call my wife…”
The second time, wife, “You’ll have to call my wife.” I call her and she returns none of
my phone calls. I’m calling the insurance company. “We never give out policy
numbers.” “We don’t have a policy number for her.” She lied to me. She is a
Tucsonan, and she lied, just like a jerk from California.
I’m calling the cops. I wanted justice. Then they called the cops. The wreck happened
a few months ago. And she moved away. The voice of love was silenced. David’s men
turned and went back. David said to his men. ‘Put on your swords! 400 men went up
with David. David is furious. This is wrong. I agreed to good and he has traded my
good for evil. It’s this feeling of anger.
Jesus talked about love that does not reciprocate.
The voice of love is hard to hear over the hate and angst in our own heart.s
Two months after the accident. Same Cherokee, rear view, mirror, the kid doesn’t
see me, the kid in a truck hits the dent from before. “I’m gonna bust this guys chops.
I want to put the screws to him. I had had enough. “
Daivd has been on the run from Saul and now Nabal stiffs him. David becomes more
and more angry. He begins speaking in the third person. V. 22 “May God deal with
me ever so severely….if one man is left alive.
The narrator does something unique here. Hebrew a male –ish, Adam. This word
literally means one who pees standing up.
“Middle schooler, boy I love this sermon.”
I want you to think about this. It’s connecting it to another story. Saul back in the
cave. Connecting David’s actions with Saul with David’s action in the cave. He is
conscience-stricken over this act. The author is showing us. David is about to do that
same thing-everyone. Willing to kill innocent people. He’s got this rage going on.
Being pulled into this place. Injustices put aside-his own hatred rages. We’ve all had
those moments. That’s the last thing we want to do. Here’s David. He’s ready to
slaughter .
A character is introduced.-Abigail. Her story-she knows her husband is a fool. She
says “I’m going to handle this. Grabs the food truck. …”Guys, let’s talk about this.”
Engages David with tremendous respect and humility. It calms him with a voice of
love.
Something so soothing about this voice of love. Now back to my second accident.
This kid-comes out with the pile of papers, “I’m so sorry. Here’s my registration,
insurance. His driver’s license was shiny new. Been driving for like six weeks.
“Mister, I’ll pay for it.” He really did no damage to it. This was one of those moments.
God gave me grace. Okay. I said, “You know, I had this damage two months ago.” His
grace, humility.
Abigail comes as this powerful voice of love.
v. 29 Three things: She speaks to letting God be God. Even though someone is
pursuing you. The life of David will be protected by God. This thing is between Nabal
and God.
You don’t be the fixer of this situation. I’m the person feels a little bit of punishment.
God is God and I am not. I need to let God handle this. Abigail points David back to
his call When the Lord has done for my master and the Lord will make you the king
of Israel, you will be king. You may not look kingly, God called you, made you be
king. Be kingly right now.
We are sons and daughters of God. We belong to Christ. That is our truest identity.
Speaks to the character of David v.33. My Master will not have on his conscience the
avenging of blood, you get to live a life of peace.
The voice of God wants us to be the person He wants you to be. I still want good for
others. From the time Dylan identified., one Facebook post. He is the victim, he was
shot seven times, what he saw, what kind of post would he write?
Embitter others? He didn’t. He said, “I don’t know you, but when I search the newsnI
know there’s a chance you will see this message.I don’t look at you with eyes of
hatred, or judge you by your appearance or race.But I look at you as a human being
that made a horrible decision to take the lives of 9 living and breathing people.
Children do not grow up with hatred in their hearts. In this world we are born color
blind. Somewhere along the linek you were taught to hate people that are not like
you, and that is truly tragic. You have accomplished nothing from this killing, but
planting seed of pain that will forever remain in the hearts of the families that lost
their lives and countless hearts around our country. If you’re still out there and you
have your phone with you…Give your heart to Jesus and confess your sins with a
heart of forgiveness. He is the only one that can save your soul and forgive you for
the terrible act that you have done. I love you Dylann…even in the midst of the
darkness and pain you’ve caused, but more importantly, God loves you.
The rest of his post walks you through how to receive Jesus Christ as your Savior.
In the wake of the gunshots, there was a voice of love that was louder than that.
Listen for that voice.