Don't Give God Lip Service
PPT 1 Message Title
PPT 2 text
1Sa 26:25 Then Saul said to David, "Blessed are you, my son David; you will both accomplish much and surely prevail." So David went on his way, and Saul returned to his place.
I am taking a little liberty with the text, but if you know the story of these two men, you will realize that my message is biblically accurate.
My liberty is simply this: the text describes literal truth, I am applying it figuratively, which is still true of both men's lives. The literal is David continued in his nomadic life and Saul returned to the seat of his government. The figurative is David continued moving forward spiritually, while Saul returned to his sinful pattern of life.
The story in context is that Saul, jealous of David and knowing that he would be king after him, is scouring the earth looking for David to kill him, and thus remove the threat (supposed) to his throne.
Saul and his men have come to where they heard David was hiding, and had pitched their tents while they searched the surrounding area to find him. That night as Saul and his men slept, David and his cousin Abishai snuck into Saul's encampment. Finding him fast asleep, Abishai proposed killing Saul on the spot, stating that God had delivered him into David's hand. David refused saying that Saul was God's anointed and he wouldn't lift his hand against God's choice to be the leader of His people. Instead they took Saul's spear, and jug of water and snuck a short distance away. At a safe distance they revealed themselves and David publicly rebuked Saul's commander in chief (Abner) for not properly protecting his king. Then David tells Saul he could have killed him, but he didn't because he wishes him no ill will, and anyone who tells him otherwise should be cursed before the Lord, for they are lying. Saul realizing David could have killed him, and that he has been wrong to chase him with murderous intent says, 1Sa 26:21 Then Saul said, "I have sinned. Return, my son David, for I will not harm you again because my life was precious in your sight this day. Behold, I have played the fool and have committed a serious error."
The chapter concludes with this mornings text. Saul stating that David will accomplish much and prevail, then David went on his way, and Saul returned to his place. Want I want to propose to you today is that Saul not only returned to his capital, but he also returned to his evil ways. The very next event we read in the life of Saul, is him going to the witch of Endor for counsel, because we are specifically told that God wouldn't speak to him anymore. Both facts are reflective of the truth that he never really repented like he told David he had. The next event after Saul's meeting with the witch of Endor is his death, and that of his son Jonathan at the hands of the Philistines. The bible indicates his death at the hands of the enemy was a punishment for his sinful life. (1 Samuel 28:16-19). Not something we would expect to read in scripture, if Saul had really repented as he stated in chapter 26.
David for his part does something very stupid after his meeting with Saul in chapter 26. Here is our story in context:
PPT 3 text
1Sa 26:25 Then Saul said to David, "Blessed are you, my son David; you will both accomplish much and surely prevail." So David went on his way, and Saul returned to his place.
1Sa 27:1 Then David said to himself, "Now I will perish one day by the hand of Saul. There is nothing better for me than to escape into the land of the Philistines. Saul then will despair of searching for me anymore in all the territory of Israel, and I will escape from his hand.
Now with that as a background I want to make a few brief points:
1. Beware of a low after a high.
2. Don't serve God with just your lips, but your heart also.
3. It is not how you start out, but how you end up that counts.
1. Beware of a low after a high.
David had acted heroically and taken the high road spiritually, but in the very next verse he succumbs to a serious case of depression. Note: God had just wonderfully shown him that not only was He watching his six, but that he could take Saul out anytime He wanted to. David's faith should have been at an all time high, but in fact it was at an all time low. This reminds me of Elijah at Mount Carmel. God miraculously puts a water soaked sacrifice on fire, he also rids the country of 450 false prophets in a matter of moments. The next thing we read is Elijah fighting suicidal thoughts and thinks that Jezebel was going to get him. It is a strange curiosity of life that after victory we must be especially careful of defeat/temptation being close on it's heels. It may simply be a matter of human physiology that we expend so much emotional/mental collateral that we are left empty after a victory. But I think, it is often more of a spiritual rebound attack of the enemy. Either way, be on your toes, especially after a moment of celebration.
2. Don't serve God with just your lips, but with your heart also.
This is not the first time Saul had repented and expressed regret for his actions towards David. In 1 Sam 24 Saul goes into a cave to relieve himself, while in there David cuts a piece of his garment off, and later shows it to Saul saying he could have killed him if he wanted to, and that Saul shouldn't listen to people who say otherwise. The parallels in the two stories are remarkable. Saul weeps and says: 1Sa 24:16 Now it came about when David had finished speaking these words to Saul, that Saul said, "Is this your voice, my son David?" Then Saul lifted up his voice and wept. 1Sa 24:17 And he said to David, "You are more righteous than I; for you have dealt well with me, while I have dealt wickedly with you.
He then goes on to secure a promise from David not to kill Saul's descendants. The scene ends with this verse 1Sa 24:22 And David swore to Saul. And Saul went to his home, but David and his men went up to the stronghold.
Literally Saul returns home, but David goes to the stronghold. Figuratively Saul returns to his evil ways, but David goes to his secure place in God.
Saul had no problem or difficulty coming up with promises and crocodile tears, but he always returned the way he was. He was good at lip service, bad at real change. David and Saul in this story remind me of a parable of Jesus where he talks about two sons in Matthew 21. The father asks them to go work in the vineyard, the first said he would go but didn't, the second said he wouldn't go but afterward changed his mind and did. Jesus then asks this question and gives this reply:
Mt 21:31 "Which of the two did the will of his father?" They *said, "The latter." Jesus *said to them, "Truly I say to you that the tax-gatherers and harlots will get into the kingdom of God before you.
In our story Saul says he will but doesn't. As you will see, David shortly says he won't but then later changes his mind and does the Father's will. Saul had skin deep professions of faith, but soul deep reality of being the servant of sin. David had skin deep sin, but in his heart of hearts he served God. God is not looking for people who profess one thing and do another. Saul had a habit of being the dog that returned to his vomit. He is the abuser that promises change but doesn't. The drunk who swears off the bottle for a week. Even such people can change but lip service will not get it done, that is why the bible advises rend your heart and not just your garments. Joel 2:13 Rend your heart and not your garments. Return to the LORD your God, for he is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love, and he relents from sending calamity. (NIV)
After this encounter it says David went on his way, and Saul returned to his place.
Taking a little license with the text it says David went forward, or on his way, but Saul returned to his pig pen life. He returned to where he was. He returned to his way of living. Had he the opportunity He would try again and again to kill David.
Are you going on your way, or returning to the same old place?
3. It is not how you start out, but how you end up that counts.
Now here is the crazy part: Observe the reaction to David and Saul in these events in chapter 26.
Saul speaks blessings and David speaks curses!!??
Saul says, "you will accomplish much and prevail..." Saul is speaking a great future for David.
David says, "I will perish one day by the hand of Saul..." My goose is cooked, there is no hope for me.
Pastor, I thought you were preaching on David went on his way, this sounds like David went on the wrong way.
Saul had skin deep salvation, but heart deep wickedness.
David had skin deep doubt, but heart deep salvation. David went on His way, he is like the man in Jesus parable who said he wouldn't go but changed his mind and did, and Saul is like the man who said he would go, and changed his mind and didn't. David did go forward, this was a detour, Saul pledged to be different but never changed at all.
What are you below the skin? Are you going on your way, or are you returning to your place. What is it that happens around these altars? Skin deep, or soul deep?
What of your marriage vow, skin deep, or soul deep? Did you really mean for better or for worse. Single people find someone who is a promise keeper not simply a promise maker. Find a David and avoid a Saul.
David in chapter 30 will pick up his sword again. He will return to Israel and the purposes for God for his life. He never fully fell away, he simply spent a season with God's plans on his back burner. In 1 Samuel chapter 30 He encourages himself in the Lord. He speaks the promises to himself, he encourages himself with the promises, he returns to the fight. Saul died far from God, though he made showy efforts to the contrary. David gathers his men and returns to Israel.
I want to preach on doubt for a few minutes.
Doubt is a lie that slanders God.
Doubt accuses God of perjury. Isn't that really what David did in 1 Sam 27:1, I will never get to the throne Saul will kill me. God didn't tell the truth. Again I say, doubt is accusing God of perjury.
That is a hard definition, you would like me to say that doubt is a reasonable reaction to extreme circumstances in life, people want to be coddled in their unbelief.
Doubt is sister to atheism.
Atheism says God doesn't exist, doubt denies God's goodness, or that His promises/word will be fulfilled.
What David said in a fit of despair was wrong.
First it was contrary to the facts of his life. He had seen God deliver and protect him over and over again. Saul never laid a finger on him.
Also, in the story before us, David had just walked in on Saul whom God had placed in a supernatural sleep, and taken his spear and water bottle, while he was surrounded by his whole army! God had just proven He was able and willing to keep David from Saul's murderous plots. Yet David says, right after God supernaturally protected him, Saul is going to get me.
It was also contrary to facts we know in hindsight, but that David couldn't see in foresight. Doubt will so cloud your vision of the future that all you will see is your own negative projections.
Saul would shortly soon seek the guidance of a witch, because he knew God had forsaken him. This action would lead to Saul's death. It was just a few months away. David was snatching defeat from the jaws of victory.
Saul's reign would soon end, and David's would soon begin. The Palestinians at that moment were in final preparations by God to kill Saul.
David was a stones throw from the throne. The fulfillment of God's promise was just a few feet from him, I wonder if it got delayed for 2 years because of David's unbelief and fleeing to the Philistines for protection.
Doubt says you will never get there.
Secondly, what David said in a fit of despair was contrary to what David had previously proclaimed as a believer:
PPT 4-6 text
1Sa 26:8 Then Abishai said to David, "Today God has delivered your enemy into your hand; now therefore, please let me strike him with the spear to the ground with one stroke, and I will not strike him the second time."
1Sa 26:9 But David said to Abishai, "Do not destroy him, for who can stretch out his hand against the LORD'S anointed and be without guilt?"
1Sa 26:10 David also said, "As the LORD lives, surely the LORD will strike him, or his day will come that he dies, or he will go down into battle and perish.
1Sa 26:11 "The LORD forbid that I should stretch out my hand against the LORD'S anointed; but now please take the spear that is at his head and the jug of water, and let us go."
How did David fall so quickly? How did he so quickly go from God will get Saul, to he will get me?
Because he was saying one thing with his lips to man, he was saying quite the opposite to himself.
We just read what he was saying to his men, now here is what he is saying to himself:
PPT 7 text
1Sa 27:1 Then David said to himself, "Now I will perish one day by the hand of Saul. There is nothing better for me than to escape into the land of the Philistines. Saul then will despair of searching for me anymore in all the territory of Israel, and I will escape from his hand."
Notice what David was saying to himself. He was mentally forgetting the past deliverances, and the power and promises of God.
Notice also that this took place because he was talking to the wrong person.
1 Sam 27:1 David said in his heart.
David often is heard to be enquiring of the Lord, or saying "bring hither the ephod." He also had several prophets who travelled with him. To none of these did he ask counsel or advice, he doesn't talk to anyone but his own doubting self, that will get you in trouble every time.
When a person is doubting God, they stop talking to Him and start talking to themselves.
It is as if they have had a great struggle over God's words and they can't handle talking to Him anymore. Whenever you are avoiding talking to God, you are in the wrong.
The world says, "seeing is believing."
God says, "believing is seeing."
Are you going to go on, or return to the pit. David turned things around, because he had His seed in him and could not live in unbelief. It is not how you start out it is how you end up. David spent 16 months living in Gath (Goliath's home town!!!!) When you listen to doubt you will often wind up in the company of those who are like minded. But David didn't stay there in 1 Sam 30 he realized what was going on and he begin to climb out of the hole he was in. The text says, "he encouraged himself in the Lord." He got in the mess by discouraging himself, he got out of the mess by remembering the promises and grace of God.
Sometimes, even the Lord's David's spend time living with the Philistines. I am by no means excusing it, just trying to say you don't have to stay there. Sauls return to their vomit, David's smarten up and run from it.
Summing up:
1. Beware of a low after a high.
2. Don't serve God with just your lips, but your heart also.
3. It is not how you start out, but how you end up that counts.
Close: I want to go on my way. I don't want to serve the Lord with lip service. I have lived in the land of the Philistines long enough. I don't want to be a Saul.
