DATE: 6-29-25

As always it’s a joy to be with all of you this weekend at Gateway Church. And — if this happens to be your first time worshiping with us — if you’re joining us at our North Main Campus or are with our friends in Bucyrus — I want you to know that God loves you and that I love you too.

SERIES INTRO

We’re continuing our series where we’re looking at some of King David’s psalms that address the topic of suffering. We’ve seen that there are many aspects to suffering — many reasons for our suffering — that David touches on in his psalms. And regardless if you’re currently in a season of suffering — I think we all understand that suffering has a way of showing up in our lives — often unexpectedly — which makes it wise for us to prepare for. 

We’ve also seen that — for the follower of Jesus — suffering is an opportunity. It’s an opportunity to spiritually grow for those of us who follow a Savior who experienced suffering. Not an easy opportunity to grow — it’s often a painful opportunity — for suffering comes when life is most challenging. But — in another sense — suffering is one of the easiest times to grow — because — when life’s most challenging we’re forced to change.

And today we’re going to continue to see how our Christian faith offers a different opportunity in these hard moments of life: an opportunity to become more like our Savior — Jesus — who — in love for us — experienced suffering, trials, persecution, hardships, rejection, hatred — and he experienced all of this so we might have hope in the midst of the sorrows we face.

And I say this knowing not all of us believe in Jesus. But all of us have experienced suffering — or know others who have. And — if you’re honest — it’s frightening. Because our culture offers no good reason as to why we suffer or how to suffer well. Which is where the Christian faith comes in with unexpected hope for all of us travelers in a suffering-filled world.

This hope is what we’ve been discovering as we look at a few of David’s psalms — including today’s psalm — psalm eighty-six. So — if you have your Bible — please turn there — to psalm eighty-six. 

• While you’re finding psalm eighty-six — especially if you’re just joining us — we began this series by looking at psalm six and the relationship between suffering and our prayer life. 
• Then we looked at psalm thirty-two and the suffering we experience due to unrepentant sin in our lives. 
• Last week we looked at psalm fifty-six and the suffering we experience at the hands of others. 
• And — next week — our final week in this series — we’ll look at the important relationship between suffering and salvation. 
• But — today — we’re looking at the relationship between our suffering and our worship. 

David addresses this in our psalm for today — psalm eighty-six — when he writes…

Psalm 86 ESV

1 Incline your ear, O Lord, and answer me, for I am poor and needy. 2 Preserve my life, for I am godly; save your servant, who trusts in you—you are my God. 3 Be gracious to me, O Lord, for to you do I cry all the day. 4 Gladden the soul of your servant, for to you, O Lord, do I lift up my soul. 5 For you, O Lord, are good and forgiving, abounding in steadfast love to all who call upon you. 6 Give ear, O Lord, to my prayer; listen to my plea for grace. 7 In the day of my trouble I call upon you, for you answer me. 8 There is none like you among the gods, O Lord, nor are there any works like yours. 9 All the nations you have made shall come and worship before you, O Lord, and shall glorify your name. 10 For you are great and do wondrous things; you alone are God. 11 Teach me your way, O Lord, that I may walk in your truth; unite my heart to fear your name. 12 I give thanks to you, O Lord my God, with my whole heart, and I will glorify your name forever. 13 For great is your steadfast love toward me; you have delivered my soul from the depths of Sheol. 14 O God, insolent men have risen up against me; a band of ruthless men seeks my life, and they do not set you before them. 15 But you, O Lord, are a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness. 16 Turn to me and be gracious to me; give your strength to your servant, and save the son of your maidservant. 17 Show me a sign of your favor, that those who hate me may see and be put to shame because you, Lord, have helped me and comforted me.

Here’s where we’re headed. We’re going to begin by briefly looking at David’s suffering. Then we’ll see how — even in our suffering — worship always begins with God. And — finally — we’ll see how — when our worship begins with God — our prayers will be bold and worshipful. 

David’s suffering. Worship always begins with God. Which leads to bold worshipful prayers.

DAVID’S SUFFERING

We’ll begin by looking at David’s suffering — we’ll begin in verse three. There David writes…

Psalm 86:3 ESV

3 Be gracious to me, O Lord, for to you do I cry all the day.

Skipping to verse seven we read…

Psalm 86:7 ESV

7 In the day of my trouble I call upon you, for you answer me.

Jumping down to verse fourteen we read…

Psalm 86:14 ESV

14 O God, insolent men have risen up against me; a band of ruthless men seeks my life, and they do not set you before them.

And a few verses later — in verse seventeen — David writes…

Psalm 86:17 ESV

17 Show me a sign of your favor, that those who hate me may see and be put to shame because you, Lord, have helped me and comforted me.

Like some of the other psalms we’ve looked at — David doesn’t give us enough information to know the specific situation he’s writing about. Verse fourteen gives us the most detail — a group of individuals are seeking his life — but that’s not enough for us to nail down exactly what moment David’s describing for us — for he experienced many “people seeking his life” moments.

Regardless — whatever he’s going through has caused him to cry out to God — which he says he’s doing quite often. He calls this time in his life as the “day of his trouble” because — as I said earlier — there are people out to get him because they hate him. 

Now given that this is our fourth week in this series — and having looked at David’s history with suffering — I don’t think we need to spend any more time on the specific reasons for his suffering in this psalm. I just want to make the point — again — that if you’re suffering — if you can relate to any of what David’s describing in our psalm — if your days are full of trouble — if there are people against you — if you’re in a situation where you are endlessly crying out to God — Christian or not — if you know what it’s like to ask why me — or have ever vented to friends or on social media about the injustice you’ve experienced — if you know the life companion whose name is sorrow — then there’s something for you to learn from David today.

And — even if you’re not in sorrow right now — David’s going to give you some advice that — if taken — it’ll be a source of strength when a season of suffering comes upon you.

WORSHIP BEGINS WITH GOD (EVEN IN SUFFERING)

Now — even without knowing all the specifics of David’s suffering — we’re going to see the connection between suffering and worship. And what David’s going to show us is that worship begins with God. Even in our suffering — our worship begins with God — because worship always begins with God. 

In verse five David writes…

Psalm 86:5 ESV

5 For you, O Lord, are good and forgiving, abounding in steadfast love to all who call upon you.

Skipping to verse eight we read…

Psalm 86:8–10 ESV

8 There is none like you among the gods, O Lord, nor are there any works like yours. 9 All the nations you have made shall come and worship before you, O Lord, and shall glorify your name. 10 For you are great and do wondrous things; you alone are God.

Remember — these are the words of a man who’s in the midst of much suffering. Later — in verse thirteen — David says…

Psalm 86:13 ESV

13 For great is your steadfast love toward me; you have delivered my soul from the depths of Sheol.

And in verse fifteen he writes…

Psalm 86:15 ESV

15 But you, O Lord, are a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness.

First things first about worship. If you’re here today and you wouldn’t consider yourself a Christian — or even a religious person — you may think, “This worship stuff is only for religious people — what does this have to do with me?” Worship and suffering are much more practical to you than you might think — because — regardless if you’re a Christian or not — and regardless if you view yourself as a religious person or not — all of us are worshippers. We can’t help it. It’s like it’s part of our DNA or something.

By worship — I simply mean how we’re all prone to center our lives around something or someone. Your career or family, being seen as successful or being free to live however you want, having a romantic partner or being viewed as smart and capable, people even center their lives around not suffering — you name it — people worship it. And — to worship — means we pursue whatever it is — we make sacrifices for it — it gets our time, energy, and money. We give our lives to it — because it — whatever it is — gives us meaning and purpose — it gives us our identity. 

These its we worship have been called idols of the heart. Idols — as you probably know — used to come in the form of wood or metal statues — and you’ll still find those in many parts of the world today. But for us in the West — idols take on other forms — career, family, success, money, youth, beauty, and so on. As one pastor has said, “Nobody is truly an unbeliever. Either you trust the real God or you’re enslaved to something you treat as a god.” And this may surprise you — but non-Christians agree. 

Twenty years ago — while delivering the commencement speech at Kenyon College — David Foster Wallace — who wasn’t a Christian — said, “A huge percentage of the stuff that I tend to be automatically certain of is, it turns out, totally wrong and deluded. Here’s one example of the utter wrongness of something I tend to be automatically sure of: Everything in my own immediate experience supports my deep belief that I am the absolute center of the universe, the realest, most vivid and important person in existence. We rarely talk about this sort of natural, basic self-centeredness, because it’s so socially repulsive, but it’s pretty much the same for all of us, deep down.” That’s his way of saying, “Here’s something else we worship — ourselves.”

He goes on to say, “There is no such thing as not worshipping. Everybody worships. The only choice we get is what to worship. [Remember — he’s not a Christian. He goes on to say…] And an outstanding reason for choosing some sort of God or spiritual-type thing to worship — be it J.C. or Allah, be it Yahweh or the Wiccan mother-goddess or the Four Noble Truths…is that pretty much anything else you worship will eat you alive. If you worship money and things — if they are where you tap real meaning in life — then you will never have enough. Never feel you have enough. It’s the truth. Worship your own body and beauty and sexual allure and you will always feel ugly, and when time and age start showing, you will die a million deaths before they finally plant you…Worship power — you will feel weak and afraid, and you will need ever more power over others to keep the fear at bay. Worship your intellect, being seen as smart — you will end up feeling stupid, a fraud, always on the verge of being found out…Look, the insidious thing about these forms of worship is not that they’re evil or sinful; it is that they are unconscious. They are default-settings. They’re the kind of worship you just gradually slip into, day after day, getting more and more selective about what you see and how you measure value without ever being fully aware that that’s what you’re doing.”

So be open to the idea that you are a worshiper — even if you’re not sure exactly what it is that you worship. And — if you call yourself a Christian — be open to the idea that there are some idols of your heart that you may not be aware are vying for your worship. 

So — for all of us worshipers — I want to show us Someone who’s worthy of our worship — in fact the only Someone worthy of our worship. We find this Someone in verse five of our psalm.

Psalm 86:5 ESV

5 For you, O Lord, are good and forgiving, abounding in steadfast love to all who call upon you.

What a powerful statement, right? About this verse, one scholar has said…

The chief encouragement in prayer is knowing the character of God. David has come to know God through his Word and through his experience as a believer. The better he knows God, the more certain he is of God’s willingness to help him in his need. What an incentive this is for us to study the attributes of God—his divine characteristics as they are revealed in Holy Scripture—and to walk with God [in] faith so [we] know him better!

The character of God that David’s focusing on — while he suffers — is God’s steadfast love — which he mentions three times in our psalm. One children’s book author has described God’s steadfast love as his, “Never Stopping, Never Giving Up, Unbreaking, Always and Forever Love.”

We have our definitions of love — this is God’s definition. And this is what he means when he says he loves his people. 

It’s a love that never stops. The Christian faith teaches that there’s nothing you can do to earn God’s love — which means — and this is glorious — there’s nothing you can do to un-earn his love. When God loves you — he loves you. And there’s nothing you can do to stop him from loving you.

Additionally, his love for you never gives up. Though we may reach our breaking point — or turn our backs on God — and distrust him and question him and doubt him and betray him — he never gives up on us. He pursues us. He calls us back. He whispers to us — in our sorrow and grief — I love you.

His love for us is unbreaking. God’s love is an always and forever love. From eternity past to eternity future — those whom God loves — he eternally loves.

This is just one attribute of God that’s meant to change the way we worship him. For our God is also compassionate, and faithful, and all-knowing, and all-powerful, and just, and righteous, and merciful, and slow to anger, and good, and kind, and eternal, and Creator, and so much more — which is why our worship must begin with God. For — when it begins with him — our worship will be spiritually red hot — on fire — regardless of our circumstances — yes — even when we’re suffering.

Don’t believe me? You don’t have to take my — or even David’s — word for it. Take Job — who after the tragic death of all of his children and the loss of all of his wealth…

Job 1:20–21 NLT

20 Job stood up and tore his robe in grief. Then he shaved his head and fell to the ground to worship. 21 He said, “I came naked from my mother’s womb, and I will be naked when I leave. The Lord gave me what I had, and the Lord has taken it away. Praise the name of the Lord!”

Or take Paul and Silas who — while locked in chains in prison — at…

Acts 16:25–26 ESV

25 About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them, 26 and suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken. And immediately all the doors were opened, and everyone’s bonds were unfastened.

Or take Hannah — who though childless and ridiculed by others because of it — continued to pour out her soul before the LORD in prayer. And — after the fulfillment of the promise given to her — that she would have a son — she prayed…

1 Samuel 2:1–2 NLT

1 “My heart rejoices in the Lord! The Lord has made me strong. Now I have an answer for my enemies; I rejoice because you rescued me. 2 No one is holy like the Lord! There is no one besides you; there is no Rock like our God.

Or take the prophet Habakkuk who was given a prophecy of judgment for the people of Judah. Habakkuk received a hard word about the punishment the people of God were going to experience. And yet his book ends with these words.

Habakkuk 3:17–19 NLT

17 Even though the fig trees have no blossoms, and there are no grapes on the vines; even though the olive crop fails, and the fields lie empty and barren; even though the flocks die in the fields, and the cattle barns are empty, 18 yet I will rejoice in the Lord! I will be joyful in the God of my salvation! 19 The Sovereign Lord is my strength! He makes me as surefooted as a deer, able to tread upon the heights. (For the choir director: This prayer is to be accompanied by stringed instruments.)

The words in parenthesis tell us this was a song to be sung in worship by the people of God. “When there’s no fruit on the trees — when there’s a famine in the land — when all of the herds have died — I will still rejoice in the God of my salvation.” That’s some red hot, spiritually on fire, kind of worship, right?

“But, come on Josh. Those were people in the Bible. Of course they could worship God in the midst of suffering. Don’t you have to be a super spiritual hero to make it in the Bible anyway?” You don’t have to be a super spiritual hero to make it in the Bible — but here are some non-biblical folks who show us that this kind of worship — while suffering — is possible.

Take Horatio Spafford who — after his four daughters drowned in a shipwreck — penned the hymn It is Well with My Soul as he traveled by ship to meet his wife. One of the lines in the hymn states “Whatever my lot, thou has taught me to say, it is well, it is well, with my soul.”

Or take Corrie ten Boom who was imprisoned in a concentration camp because she and her family had helped around eight hundred Jews flee from the Nazis. Her family was betrayed and were arrested. Corrie smuggled a Bible into the concentration camp and held worship services. She famously said, “There is no pit so deep that God’s love is not deeper still.” If God’s steadfast love could meet Corrie and others imprisoned in a Nazi concentration camp — might it be possible for his love to meet you in whatever dark pit of suffering you find yourself in?

WHICH LEADS TO BOLD WORSHIPFUL PRAYERS

The examples could go on — but I think you get the point. For many — because of the God they worship — the God who’s revealed himself in this book — they were able to worship even as they suffered. And when we follow in their steps — by worshiping the same “steadfast-loving us always-God”  — we will find ourselves praying big, bold, worshipful prayers. We’re back in verse one where David writes…

Psalm 86:1–4 ESV

1 Incline your ear, O Lord, and answer me, for I am poor and needy. 2 Preserve my life, for I am godly; save your servant, who trusts in you—you are my God. 3 Be gracious to me, O Lord, for to you do I cry all the day. 4 Gladden the soul of your servant, for to you, O Lord, do I lift up my soul.

Jumping to verse six we read…

Psalm 86:6–7 ESV

6 Give ear, O Lord, to my prayer; listen to my plea for grace. 7 In the day of my trouble I call upon you, for you answer me.

Skipping to verse eleven David writes…

Psalm 86:11–12 ESV

11 Teach me your way, O Lord, that I may walk in your truth; unite my heart to fear your name. 12 I give thanks to you, O Lord my God, with my whole heart, and I will glorify your name forever.

Finally in verse sixteen we read…

Psalm 86:16–17 ESV

16 Turn to me and be gracious to me; give your strength to your servant, and save the son of your maidservant. 17 Show me a sign of your favor, that those who hate me may see and be put to shame because you, Lord, have helped me and comforted me.

Pay attention to how David begins his big, bold, worshipful prayer. He begins with humility — acknowledging that he’s poor and needy. Now — remember — he’s king David. The giant slaying hero who God appointed as leader over his people. This is no man in an ordinary position — this is like being the president of our country — and yet David begins his prayer displaying God-honoring humility.

How do your prayers begin?

Once Jesus told a parable — a short story meant to teach a moral truth — to…

Luke 18:9–14 ESV

9 some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and treated others with contempt: 10 “Two men went up into the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. 11 The Pharisee, standing by himself, prayed thus: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other men, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. 12 I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I get.’ 13 But the tax collector, standing far off, would not even lift up his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me, a sinner!’ 14 I tell you, this man went down to his house justified, rather than the other. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted.”

In Jesus’s day, everyone would’ve assumed that a tax collector would need to humble himself before God — but a Pharisee? If anyone was a super spiritual hero of the day it was a Pharisee. Yet Jesus makes it clear that everyone must approach God in prayer with humility. Something David — though a king — understood. And if it’s fitting for a king to humble himself before God — I think it’s safe to conclude that the same is true for all of us non-kings and queens.

Bold prayers are still humble prayers. Boldness and humility are not enemies — they’re friends — partners — boldness and humility are characteristics of those whose worship of God begins with who God is — as we saw earlier.

“But, wait. Josh, you may’ve gotten ahead of yourself. Don’t you see how David describes himself in verse two? He says, ‘I am godly’ and that doesn’t sound very humble to me — that sounds just like the Pharisee.” David isn’t making a self-righteous statement — he’s simply saying that he trusts in God. In today’s language David would say, “I’ve put my trust in Christ alone.” That’s not what the Pharisee was doing.

Yet David knows how his heart is fickle. Our hearts chase after many lovers and gods — even after we’ve put our trust in Christ. That’s why David prays — in verse eleven — for God to unite his heart to fear his name. Remember — men are after David. They want him dead and obviously don’t want him to be their king — there’s division in the land. Yet here — as he prays — David shows that he’s just as concerned for his divided heart as he is for the divided nation. His desire is that his whole heart would be committed to trusting in God’s promises and doing God’s will.

What’s the bigger concern for you — which gets the greater attention of your prayer life? Divisions around you — political divisions, racial divisions, relational divisions, religious divisions, and so on — or the division within your own heart? Does it even bother you — for this is true of you just as it’s true of me — that your heart isn’t fully committed to trusting God’s promises and accomplishing the will he has for you? That even though you long to love the Lord with all of your heart, soul, mind, and strength — yet — you know you live with a heart that’s divided.

Those who are humble before God — who — even in suffering — worship him — will ask God not only to relieve them of their suffering — which they do ask for in prayer! — but also to teach them. To teach them about their divided heart. To help them walk in truth even as they suffer. To not allow their suffering to give voice to the lies that chirp in our ears: “If God loved you — you wouldn’t be suffering like this.” “See, you’re not a good person. Good people don’t go through what you’re going through.” “You’re unloveable. You’re unforgivable. You’re worthless. You’re ugly. You deserve this.” 

CONCLUSION

The way to combat these lies is to know God’s Word. For this book tells us wonderful, life-changing, hope-in-the-midst-of-suffering truths. Who God is. Who we are. What God is doing in the world. What Jesus accomplished in his life, death, and resurrection. And where all of history is headed.

I know that for many — the Bible is intimidating. So — if you don’t know where to begin — let me encourage you to grab a copy of this booklet — how to make the most of your devotional time — at the Resource Center at your campus. You can also get a digital copy on our website — gatewayepc.org. 

Here’s another step you can take to grow in your understanding of who God is: Worship with us weekly. Every week your heart faces a battle — it goes to war. Will an idol of your heart get your allegiance and worship or will the one true God? I know that we get sick. I understand that we go on vacation. But the vast majority of people who don’t worship weekly aren’t missing because they’re sick or on vacation — they miss because an idol has demanded their worship. We don’t call it worship — but go back to what I said earlier and see if you can find a better word. And on a day you find yourself in the midst of suffering — none of those idols will give you what you need. And you may even find yourself wondering where the One true God went off to — when the truth is — he never went anywhere. The question is: Where’d you go?

But know that — even in our wandering — and even with our divided hearts — God is so good, and kind, and patient, and gracious, and forgiving, and — yes — loving — that he always welcomes his children back into his loving arms when we return to him. Even when our suffering’s caused by our own hands — even when it’s caused by others — and even when there’s no one to blame for our suffering — the God who is good and forgiving — who abounds in steadfast love to all who call upon him — is with us. His name is Jesus. And may you turn to him right now — receive his love — and worship him even in your suffering. Let’s pray.

PRAYER

Father, as we pray to you we want to begin by acknowledging who you are. As we’ve been reminded today — you are good and your steadfast love endures forever. What hope is found in knowing that you are good. Not a tyrant. Not wicked. Not unfair. Good. And your steadfast — never stopping, never giving up, unbreaking, always and forever — love endures for us today, tomorrow, and always.

Holy Spirit, comfort those in need of comfort. Point all of us in the direction of knowing who you are more clearly and accurately. Reveal to us the idols of our hearts — false gods vying for our worship and demanding our devotion. Call us to repentance and help us to do so as we trust that you always forgive those who come to you repenting of their sins.

And — Jesus — all of this great and glorious good news is possible and true because of you. What you accomplished in your perfect life, death, and in your Satan, sin, death, and Hell defeating resurrection. We have hope and can worship you — even in suffering — because you — in love — first suffered for us. And you are with us in our suffering. And you love us through our suffering.

Father, Son, and Holy Spirit — call many to believe, trust, rest, and worship you today. And we pray all of this in Jesus’ name. Amen.

BENEDICTION (Prayer teams available | DEVO BOOKLET | Suffering and need prayer)

May you go worshiping the One true God — for he is good — and his steadfast love for you endures forever. Amen.

God loves you. I love you. You are sent.

DATE: 6-22-25

As always it’s a joy to be with all of you this weekend at Gateway Church. And there’s one thing I want you to know — and this is true if you’re worshiping with us for the first time — if you’re joining us at our North Main Campus or are with our friends in Bucyrus — I want you to know that God loves you and that I love you too.

SERIES INTRO

We’re continuing our series looking at some of King David’s psalms that address the topic of suffering. There are many aspects to suffering — many reasons for our suffering that David touches on in his psalms — and each of these are important for us to consider because — whether or not you’re currently in a season of suffering — suffering has a way of showing up — often unexpectedly — which we’d be wise to prepare for. Yet — for the follower of Jesus — suffering is an opportunity. For suffering’s an opportunity to spiritually grow for those of us who follow a Savior who experienced suffering.

Now — for sure — suffering is not an easy opportunity to grow — often suffering comes when life is most challenging. But — in another sense — suffering is one of the easiest opportunities to spiritually grow — because — when life’s most challenging we’re forced to change in some way.

And I say this knowing that not all of us believe in Jesus — but all of us have experienced suffering or know others who’ve experienced it. And — if you’re honest — it’s scary. Because there’s no good answer offered by our world, society, or culture as to why we suffer — and even more importantly — how to suffer well. There’s just a huge hopelessness — thus many turn to coping mechanisms to numb themselves — drugs, alcohol, binge watching Netflix — or give up on life altogether in a seemingly never-ending depression.

But is that all there is — is that the best offer on the table in a world full of suffering? It’s not — thank God it’s not.

So let’s continue to see how our Christian faith offers a different opportunity in these hard moments of life: an opportunity to become more like our Savior — Jesus — who — in love for us — experienced suffering, trials, persecution, hardships, rejection, hatred — you name it — he experienced it so that we might have hope in the midst of the sorrows we face.

This is what we’re exploring in this series as we look at some of David’s psalms — including today’s psalm — psalm fifty-six. So — if you have your Bible — please turn there — to psalm fifty-six. And while you’re finding psalm fifty-six — if you weren’t with us — we began this series by looking at psalm six and the relationship between suffering and our prayer life. And — last time — we looked at psalm thirty-two and the suffering we experience due to unrepentant sin in our lives. In the coming weeks we’re going to look at the important relationship between our suffering and worship — as well as the relationship between suffering and salvation. But — today — we’re looking at the suffering we experience that’s caused by others. David addresses this in our psalm for today — psalm fifty-six — when he writes…

Psalm 56 ESV

1 Be gracious to me, O God, for man tramples on me; all day long an attacker oppresses me; 2 my enemies trample on me all day long, for many attack me proudly. 3 When I am afraid, I put my trust in you. 4 In God, whose word I praise, in God I trust; I shall not be afraid. What can flesh do to me? 5 All day long they injure my cause; all their thoughts are against me for evil. 6 They stir up strife, they lurk; they watch my steps, as they have waited for my life. 7 For their crime will they escape? In wrath cast down the peoples, O God! 8 You have kept count of my tossings; put my tears in your bottle. Are they not in your book? 9 Then my enemies will turn back in the day when I call. This I know, that God is for me. 10 In God, whose word I praise, in the Lord, whose word I praise, 11 in God I trust; I shall not be afraid. What can man do to me? 12 I must perform my vows to you, O God; I will render thank offerings to you. 13 For you have delivered my soul from death, yes, my feet from falling, that I may walk before God in the light of life.

Here’s where we’re headed. First, we’re going to look at suffering we experience that’s caused by others. Then we’ll remind ourselves of the outcome of our suffering. Finally, we’ll look at the in-between time — the time between the moment that’s the cause of our suffering and the day we will no longer suffer — this lengthy in-between time.

SUFFERING CAUSED BY OTHERS

So — first — let’s look at suffering that’s caused by others. And we’ll begin with David’s reason for writing this psalm. We’re back in verse one where David writes…

Psalm 56:1–2 ESV

1 Be gracious to me, O God, for man tramples on me; all day long an attacker oppresses me; 2 my enemies trample on me all day long, for many attack me proudly.

And in verse five we read…

Psalm 56:5–7 ESV

5 All day long they injure my cause; all their thoughts are against me for evil. 6 They stir up strife, they lurk; they watch my steps, as they have waited for my life. 7a For their crime will they escape?

So what’s happening in David’s life that’s caused him to write these words? Though added after the psalm was written, the introductory section helps us understand what David’s referring to. The introduction says…

TO THE CHOIRMASTER: ACCORDING TO THE DOVE ON FAR-OFF TEREBINTHS. A MIKTAM OF DAVID, WHEN THE PHILISTINES SEIZED HIM IN GATH.

Your Bible probably has something similar just above the psalm. The words for us to focus on are “when the Philistines seized him in Gath.” That’s our context clue pointing us to when this all took place in David’s life. And it points us to the book of First Samuel — chapter twenty-one. 

Jonathan — Saul’s son — has finally realized that his dad wants to kill David. And — just as he promised David — he meets David and warns him that his dad definitely wants to kill him. Which leads to David going on the run. And here’s what happens.

1 Samuel 21 NLT

1 David went to the town of Nob to see Ahimelech the priest. Ahimelech trembled when he saw him. “Why are you alone?” he asked. “Why is no one with you?” 2 “The king has sent me on a private matter,” David said. “He told me not to tell anyone why I am here. I have told my men where to meet me later. 3 Now, what is there to eat? Give me five loaves of bread or anything else you have.” 4 “We don’t have any regular bread,” the priest replied. “But there is the holy bread, which you can have if your young men have not slept with any women recently.” 5 “Don’t worry,” David replied. “I never allow my men to be with women when we are on a campaign. And since they stay clean even on ordinary trips, how much more on this one!” 6 Since there was no other food available, the priest gave him the holy bread—the Bread of the Presence that was placed before the Lord in the Tabernacle. It had just been replaced that day with fresh bread. 7 Now Doeg the Edomite, Saul’s chief herdsman, was there that day, having been detained before the Lord. 8 David asked Ahimelech, “Do you have a spear or sword? The king’s business was so urgent that I didn’t even have time to grab a weapon!” 9 “I only have the sword of Goliath the Philistine, whom you killed in the valley of Elah,” the priest replied. “It is wrapped in a cloth behind the ephod. Take that if you want it, for there is nothing else here.” “There is nothing like it!” David replied. “Give it to me!” 10 So David escaped from Saul and went to King Achish of Gath. 11 But the officers of Achish were unhappy about his being there. “Isn’t this David, the king of the land?” they asked. “Isn’t he the one the people honor with dances, singing, ‘Saul has killed his thousands, and David his ten thousands’?” 12 David heard these comments and was very afraid of what King Achish of Gath might do to him. 13 So he pretended to be insane, scratching on doors and drooling down his beard. 14 Finally, King Achish said to his men, “Must you bring me a madman? 15 We already have enough of them around here! Why should I let someone like this be my guest?”

Now the psalm’s introduction says that David was seized — but he isn’t seized how we might have assumed. He’s on the run and ends up in the Philistine city of Gath which — by the way — is the hometown of Goliath — the Philistine hero who David had killed. So — guess what? The Philistines in Gath don’t trust David — so he has to act insane in order to escape from them. Later — in chapter twenty-seven — David returns to Gath and appears to live in relative peace — though he’s never fully trusted by some of the Philistine commanders. 

But this is a moment in his life when others want him dead — Saul and his army — and the Philistines don’t trust him — which can help us understand what he’s describing in our psalm: People are against him. He’s on the run. Saul wants him dead. Plainly — he’s experiencing suffering caused by others.

Like David — have you ever experienced someone else’s actions putting you in a situation you never wanted to be in? And — we’re not talking about accidents today — we’re talking about intentional actions by others who wanted to cause you harm. Suffering that comes with a face attached to it — an individual with a name who’s hurt you. This is the kind of suffering David’s writing about in our psalm. Again — we’re not talking flat tires on your way to a job interview kind of suffering — we’re talking about words spoken behind your back by people you trusted — where voices turn into weapons that cause you harm — or the hand that hit you — or the friend who stole your money.

This kind of suffering is different, isn’t it?

Back to David — his pain isn’t vague — it’s quite specific. Back in verses one and two — twice he describes his situation as if he’s being trampled on. The Hebrew word means to be crushed or having the wind knocked out of you. It implies violence and aggression. David’s suffering makes him feel like he’s being squeezed — not cared for.

Later — in verse one — he says an attacker oppresses him. He’s describing an on-going, relentless kind of situation. This isn’t a one time experience — but a continual oppression done by the hands of others.

In verse five he says that they “injure his cause”. Other Bible translations say, “They cause me trouble” (NET), “they twist my words” (NIV), or “they smear my reputation” (MSG). The idea — here — is that his opponents are taking his words and making them mean something he never intended. 

Can you relate? Have you ever had someone take your words and use them against you? It’s bad enough just being misunderstood — but here the twisting of words is intentional and meant to cause harm.

Finally, these enemies of David “lurk and watch his steps.” They’re plotting to get him. 

So David’s on edge — and rightly so. His paranoia is backed by a real threat.

This is the suffering he experienced by the hands of others. A kind of suffering not unusual and — unfortunately — quite relatable for many today. But here’s where David will simultaneously challenge and encourage us. Especially if you’re not a Christian — pay attention to how David’s response differs from what’s common today.

Christian or not — how do we often respond when we experience this kind of suffering? We think…

• No one sees or cares about what I’m going through.
• I shouldn’t be going through this.
• Why doesn’t anyone believe me?
• We may get vengeful.
• And — for the Christian we can add questions like — where’s God? Or why is God silent?

That’s what we do — but what did David do? How did he respond to the suffering he experienced that was caused by others? Back to the opening words of the psalm.

Psalm 56:1 ESV

1 Be gracious to me, O God…

David prays. He takes the pain he’s experiencing — because of others — straight to God. We looked at prayer in the first sermon in this series on suffering — but prayer is important enough that we don’t want to just start with it — we want to remind ourselves of its importance throughout this series. 

But David doesn’t just pray, “Be gracious to me, O God…” — no — his prayer starts with…

Psalm 56:1 ESV

1 Be gracious to me, O God, for man tramples on me; all day long an attacker oppresses me;

“God, I need your grace right now. Amen.” Nope. That’s not his prayer. He gets right to it. “God, I need your grace right now because people are doing bad things to me.” 

I wonder how many of us pray like this? I wonder how many of us think that God can handle us praying like this? Now I’ll put this caveat in here — because someone’s going to bring it up if I don’t — yes — you need to make sure that your suffering isn’t because of sin in your life — go listen to the last sermon in this series — but let’s not be a people who are so “your suffering must be caused by your sin” focused that we never allow suffering in someone’s life to be caused by the sins of others.

Yes, our prayers will be a bit more messy. Yes, it may get uncomfortable in your Life Group when someone prays like this. But is this psalm — and others like it — just for David to pray? Or is it an example for how God’s people can pray when we experience suffering at the hands of others? 

I believe it’s an example teaching us how to pray — which is why it’s a challenge for all of us. For not only are we to pray acknowledging the reality of the cause of our suffering — like David — we’re also to pray and endure suffering with hope that the outcome of our situation has been guaranteed.

Otherwise, how do we have an answer to David’s open-ended question in verse seven?

Psalm 56:7 ESV

7 For their crime will they escape?

Will they go unpunished? Will they get away with this? A question that demands an answer if the Christian faith offers any hope to us.

THE OUTCOME

Now — for anyone worried about what may happen to our prayers if we’re honest like David — well — this raw honesty must come with the same hope that David has: hope in knowing that the outcome of our situation is guaranteed. For David’s hope — even in the midst of his suffering — even as he asks, “will they get away with this” — is that God will act. 

• David’s hope isn’t in getting revenge against those who’ve harmed him. 
• His hope isn’t being able to manipulate the situation so that others see what’s really going on. 
• His hope isn’t even in his name being cleared of the words that have been twisted. 
• His hope is in none of that.

Let’s stop and pause and ask ourselves: When our suffering is caused by others — what’s our hope in? 

You know what your hope’s in because it’s what you dream about happening. Be honest — what do you hope will happen? If you’re not suffering right now — I’m sure you either have before or can imagine what it’d be like — so what would your hope be in?

Instead of revenge or others knowing what’s really going on or his name being cleared — David’s hope is in something much more secure: He hopes in God’s justice and presence.

We’re in verse seven where David writes…

Psalm 56:7–9 ESV

7b In wrath cast down the peoples, O God! 8 You have kept count of my tossings; put my tears in your bottle. Are they not in your book? 9a Then my enemies will turn back in the day when I call.

And in verse thirteen we read…

Psalm 56:13 ESV

13 For you have delivered my soul from death, yes, my feet from falling, that I may walk before God in the light of life.

David’s hope is in God’s justice and presence. First, he hopes in God’s justice. In verse seven — can you believe he writes this — David says, “In wrath cast down the peoples, O God!” Other Bible translations say something like, “In your anger bring them down” (NET/NIV/NLT). 

Can we pray like this? Not only can we — we must! For this is not a prayer of vengefulness — this is a prayer calling on the Judge of the earth to be just — which is who he’s told us he is.

Let me reveal a lie you may be believing. When you’ve been wronged — sinned against — harmed by others — it’s not wrong to desire justice. Though we’re to watch taking justice into our own hands — praying to God to be faithful to who he’s said he will be — just — is a God-honoring response by those who trust him. This isn’t a prayer of, “God, give me the chance to get even with them” — that’s not what this is. This is a prayer of, “God, I trust you to do what’s right. You’ve seen what they’ve done. You’ve seen what I’ve done. May you judge justly.” Trusting in God’s justice means we believe that evil does not win.

Second, David hopes in God’s presence. Part of the guaranteed outcome of his present suffering — and this is something David has great confidence in — is in God’s presence with him in his suffering. We see this in verse eight when David writes about God keeping count of his tossing and putting his tears in a bottle and that God has recorded all that he’s experienced in a book. This is David’s way of expressing the intimate presence of God in his life — the same intimate presence that all who trust in Jesus experience.

The phrase “you’ve put my tears in your bottle” is meant to comfort us — for it reminds us that — God so treasures our pain that he holds on to every tear we’ve cried. You see — those lies we so easily believe — for example — that we’re forgotten — no, no, — you’re not forgotten. Not even your tears have gone unnoticed by your ever present and loving Savior. May God’s nearness to you not only comfort you — but inspire you to praise your loving God even in your suffering.

THE IN-BETWEEN

And it’s to the time of suffering that we now turn. What I’m calling the “in-between” time. The time between the incident that caused our suffering and the outcome we just looked at. We’re in verse three.

Psalm 56:3–4 ESV

3 When I am afraid, I put my trust in you. 4 In God, whose word I praise, in God I trust; I shall not be afraid. What can flesh do to me?

And skipping to verse nine we read…

Psalm 56:9–12 ESV

9b This I know, that God is for me. 10 In God, whose word I praise, in the Lord, whose word I praise, 11 in God I trust; I shall not be afraid. What can man do to me? 12 I must perform my vows to you, O God; I will render thank offerings to you.

The in-between time is the time we’re most familiar with, isn’t it? This is the time of suffering.

David says, “When I’m afraid, I put my trust in you.” Notice that he says, “When I’m afraid” not “if I’m afraid.” David admits that he’s afraid. 

Did you know that being afraid isn’t necessarily sinful? Sometimes we think that being afraid is always sinful, don’t we? To be sure — fear can lead us to sin if we don’t point our fear in the right direction: to God. That’s why David says — three times! — “When I’m afraid, I put my trust in you.”

“But, OK, David. How does that work exactly? Because when I’m afraid…I panic.” For someone else it’s, “When I’m afraid…I get angry.” For others it’s, “When I’m afraid…I give up.” And “What can man do to me?” Um…the list is pretty long David. Man can…

• Fire me.
• Slander me.
• Falsely accuse me.
• Molest me.
• Beat me.
• Rape me.

So what about all of that David? How do we trust God when we’re afraid?

The first thing to know about trust is that trust is a conscious decision. It’s active — not passive. And trust is strengthened similar to a muscle — through daily exercise. The exercises that build our trust in God have been called spiritual disciplines in church history. And these take the same dedication and devotion as does wanting to build physical strength in the gym. 

You can go to the gym once a month, do a bunch of bicep curls and — guess what — if you only do this once a month you’re not going to see any change. Which makes me question why we’re shocked that our trust in God is so weak. Any recent research on Bible reading, prayer, worship attendance, or other key “building our trust in God” activities — whether by Pew Research Center, Barna Group, or Lifeway Research — reveal statistics like…

• 39-45% of us read our Bible weekly. 11-14% read our Bible daily. Leaving 35-40% of self-identified Christians rarely or never reading their Bibles. About 85% of us read our Bibles about the equivalent of going to the gym once a week or less. Do you think this is strengthening our trust in God?
• We do better with prayer — 60-65% of us pray daily. 
• Worship attendance sees a big drop — 25-30% of us worship weekly. 20-25% of us worship once or twice a month. Leaving 40-50% of self-identified Christians seldom or never worship services. And — because you may be wondering about it — researchers now take into account online worship attendance. 
• When it comes to serving in the church, 20-25% regularly serve. 30-35% occasionally serve. And 40-50% rarely or never serve.
• Only 10-15% practice fasting as a spiritual discipline.
• 5-10% of Christians tithe or give 10% of their income to a local church.
• 30-35% of Christians are in a small group that focuses on discipleship.
• And under 20% practice Bible memorization.

None of these spiritual disciplines are a silver bullet but — through regular practice of them — just like regularly going to the gym — you will see progress. Meaning — by doing them — you will experience growth in your trust in God. But if you wait until you feel like doing any of these spiritual disciplines — just like waiting until you feel like going to the gym — you’ll never get started. Instead — as many can attest — by making these spiritual disciplines regular habits — though at first they didn’t necessarily enjoy or feel like doing them — after some time — they found that their desires had changed. And suddenly they’re no longer disciplines of duty — but disciplines of delight.

So — if like David — you want to do more than just survive your suffering — if you want to thrive even as you suffer — you must be relentless in practicing spiritual disciplines — including worshiping God with his people. For worship is your response to the outcome that you’ve put your hope in: rescue. And — not just rescue from your present suffering — but a rescue from eternal suffering.

For worship is the response when one believes the truth…

Psalm 56:9 ESV

9b This I know, that God is for me.

This is our anchor in the storm of suffering. An anchor the apostle Paul describes this way…

Romans 8:28–39 NLT

28 And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them. 29 For God knew his people in advance, and he chose them to become like his Son, so that his Son would be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters. 30 And having chosen them, he called them to come to him. And having called them, he gave them right standing with himself. And having given them right standing, he gave them his glory. 31 What shall we say about such wonderful things as these? If God is for us, who can ever be against us? 32 Since he did not spare even his own Son but gave him up for us all, won’t he also give us everything else? 33 Who dares accuse us whom God has chosen for his own? No one—for God himself has given us right standing with himself. 34 Who then will condemn us? No one—for Christ Jesus died for us and was raised to life for us, and he is sitting in the place of honor at God’s right hand, pleading for us. 35 Can anything ever separate us from Christ’s love? Does it mean he no longer loves us if we have trouble or calamity, or are persecuted, or hungry, or destitute, or in danger, or threatened with death? 36 (As the Scriptures say, “For your sake we are killed every day; we are being slaughtered like sheep.”) 37 No, despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us. 38 And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love. 39 No power in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord.

This is God’s powerful love on display. And — when we trust in God’s love for us — fear will not have the final word. Suffering will not have the final word. Even us getting revenge will not have the final word. His love will have the final word.

CONCLUSION

Today David’s given us an example and an invitation. An example of how we can suffer at the hands of others and do so with hope. We do so by being honest in our prayers — by trusting God for the outcome — and while we’re in the in-between time — by building our trust in him. 

That’s the example — here’s the invitation: If you’re in a season of suffering because of what someone’s done to you — how will you now respond to your suffering?

I know that you may feel trampled, and that your words have been twisted, and that you’re surrounded by those who oppose you — but where will you find hope?

Jesus — who came to earth to be Immanuel — which means “God with us” — on the night of his crucifixion was slandered by others. His words were twisted. He was surrounded by his enemies. He was trampled on as he was beaten and whipped. All because he was betrayed by the kiss of a friend. Jesus knows what it means to suffer at the hands of others.

Yet Jesus also knew that his Heavenly Father was for him. And that his Father in Heaven would deliver him from death. And three days later the tomb was empty and his enemies — and ours — were forever defeated.

And — through faith in Jesus — we know — we know, we know — and you can know too — that God is for us. And not just us — but he’s for me. And he will be for you — if you turn to Jesus in faith — trusting in his love for you — which is what I want us to pray for right now. Let’s pray.

PRAYER

Heavenly Father, be gracious to all of us — for we’re all in need of your grace — whether we’re suffering or not. But for those suffering because of what others have done — we pray especially for your great grace to shower over them. Even now — we ask — may they know they’re recipients of your love.

Holy Spirit, protect your people. How many times are we unaware of your protection and — only when suffering comes upon us — do we question your protection. Forgive us — we ask — both for not appreciating your protection that often goes unrecognized and for doubting your goodness and love for us when we experience suffering.

And — Jesus — because of all that you’ve done — in your life, death, and resurrection — we can say with certainty: This I know, God is for me. And you are causing everything — including our suffering — to work together for our good. And nothing in all of creation — not even those who have caused our present suffering — will ever separate us from your love.

Father, Son, and Holy Spirit — may we rest in your love. May we make you look glorious in our suffering. And may those who are suffering — Christian or not — turn to you — right now — for their hope. And we pray all of this in Jesus’ name. Amen.

BENEDICTION (Prayer teams available | Suffering caused by others)

May you go knowing that God is for you and loves you — even in your suffering. Amen.

God loves you. I love you. You are sent.

Release Date: Apr 27, 2021

Predestination Questions 

We received many questions from several different listeners all asking about similar topics. What follows are those questions lumped together into 4 Big Ideas. We tackled parts of Ideas #1 & 4 in part 1 of our Predestination Q&A and address #2 & 3 today. 

Big Idea 1 – Predestination: It is my understanding that God wants all people to be saved (1 Tim 2:4), but we know that not all people are saved. If salvation is 100% up to God with zero human involvement, why doesn’t he choose to elect and save everyone? Does the word “all” actually just mean “some?” Similarly…if God predestined some to be saved, then he must have also predestined some to be condemned to hell. Why would God predestine humans, whom he created in his image and loves, for eternity in hell? 

Big Idea 2 – Losing salvation: Back in Romans 6 we learned that God gave us freedom from sin and he also gave us freedom for righteousness. So how does this relate to the example of the person who was resuscitated by God’s grace after being dead, drowned at the bottom of the sea. Can that saved person then, refuse life by wading back into the mire? What about the basketball player in your sermon…was he saved based on committing his life to Christ when he was younger despite his change later in his life?

God’s will and our will (8:45):

• Proverbs 19:21
• Psalm 33:10-11
• Proverbs 16:9
• Daniel 4:34-35
• James 1:18
• 1 Samuel 26:17-21
• Acts 9:1-19a
• Genesis 50:20
• Isaiah 10:5-19
• Habakkuk 1:5-11
• Acts 2:22-24
• 1 Chronicles 13:2-3
• Psalm 145:19
• Acts 15:28
• 1 Thess 4:3
• 1 Thess 5:16-18
• 2 Peter 3:9
• 1 Timothy 2:1-4
• 1 Timothy 4:10
• Romans 6:17-20
• Ephesians 2:1-5
• Colossians 2:13
• 1 Tim 5:6
• 2 Tim 2:23-26
• Titus 1:15-16

Limits to our freedom (45:15)

“Choose whom you will serve” passages (53:35):

• Deut 30:16
• Joshua 24:14-16
• 1 Corinthians 10:13
• Philippians 2:12-13
• Romans 7:15-25

Big Idea 3 – Free Will: Is it Gateway’s belief that a person has no choice or free will in accepting the call of God? I have always believed that all who God creates are chosen and all are called but some do not accept the call and therefore do not have salvation. You did mention at the end of your sermon that how we respond to God’s call to salvation is important, but you didn’t really expand on that. What are we actually doing when we “accept Christ into our hearts?” It feels like there is some free will in our response to God’s call.

Big Idea 4: Why evangelize? If the golden chain of salvation is unbreakable, and those he foreknew, he predestined, called, justified, and glorified, then why do we need to share the gospel? Are some people doomed hopelessly to deny Christ no matter how much they hear about him? (58:55)

• Rom 10:10-17
• Matthew 28:18-20
• Mark 16:15
• Acts 1:8

Date: 11/1/2022

Questions

Do you believe loved ones in Heaven can see what’s going on down here on earth? And do they only see the good?

1. The closest description we have to this is in the book of Revelation where we read, “Now when the Lamb opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been violently killed because of the word of God and because of the testimony they had given. 10 They cried out with a loud voice, “How long, Sovereign Master, holy and true, before you judge those who live on the earth and avenge our blood?” 11 Each of them was given a long white robe and they were told to rest for a little longer, until the full number was reached of both their fellow servants and their brothers who were going to be killed just as they had been.” (Revelation 6:9-11 NET)
   1. This doesn’t tell us that these saints see what’s happening on earth, but they have some awareness that they’re still waiting for things to be finished down here.
2. But — other than one parable of Jesus about a rich man and Lazarus, which isn’t meant to describe how things are, but teaches a lesson about salvation.
3. All that to say, we don’t know what people in Heaven know about things going on here on Earth.

Did people who trusted God, before Christ came to earth, have access to the Holy Spirit.

1. We see evidence of the Holy Spirit at work in people in the Old Testament, but not in the same way that we see in the New Testament. A few examples from the OT would be…
2. Numbers 27:18 NLT – The Lord replied, “Take Joshua son of Nun, who has the Spirit in him, and lay your hands on him.
3. Judges 3:9-11 NLT – But when the people of Israel cried out to the Lord for help, the Lord raised up a rescuer to save them. His name was Othniel, the son of Caleb’s younger brother, Kenaz. 10 The Spirit of the Lord came upon him, and he became Israel’s judge. He went to war against King Cushan-rishathaim of Aram, and the Lord gave Othniel victory over him. 11 So there was peace in the land for forty years. Then Othniel son of Kenaz died.
4. 1 Samuel 10:10 NLT – When Saul and his servant arrived at Gibeah, they saw a group of prophets coming toward them. Then the Spirit of God came powerfully upon Saul, and he, too, began to prophesy.
5. 2 Samuel 23:1-2 NLT — These are the last words of David: “David, the son of Jesse, speaks — David, the man who was raised up so high, David, the man anointed by the God of Jacob, David, the sweet psalmist of Israel. 2 “The Spirit of the Lord speaks through me; his words are upon my tongue.”
6. Ezekiel 36:26-27 NLT — And I will give you a new heart, and I will put a new spirit in you. I will take out your stony, stubborn heart and give you a tender, responsive heart. 27 And I will put my Spirit in you so that you will follow my decrees and be careful to obey my regulations.
   1. This is the promise seen as fulfilled in the New Covenant.
7. So we do find examples of Old Testament folks being empowered by, influenced by, led by the Holy Spirit. Usually the example in the OT is a leader of some sort — though the Ezekiel passage shows a future time when the Spirit will be upon all of God’s people — which is what we see in the NT. 

Inscriptions from Egyptian sites prove that Joseph did what the Bible claims. What’s more, there are texts that mention his sons, Ephraim and Manasseh. Why don’t we spread this info?

1. When it comes to apologetics — defending the Christian faith — one kind of apologetics is evidentialism. Where evidence is presented to defend the truthfulness of our faith. Archaeological findings fall into this category. 
2. The difficulty with all apologetics is that you can’t argue someone into believing in Jesus. Some will have their presuppositions challenged and their unbelief will be chipped away at. But no amount of evidence or arguing opens the eyes of a person’s heart or gives life to their dead spirit. God alone does this. 
3. The questioner asks, “Why isn’t the info spread?” I’d suggest that the info has spread because you’re asking about it and we’re talking about it. But some folks get really excited about archaeological evidence, while others get excited about language stuff, and others could care less about either but still love Jesus just as much. So it may not seem to be getting the headlines that you’d like it to, but there’s no conspiracy or anything — in the Christian faith — to hide such evidence.
4. As a side note, some of my favorite series on Rightnow Media are the history stuff — which very much falls into the evidential apologetics category.

Sanctification vs salvation: Our group often discusses faith vs works. Is it possible to be saved and do nothing but believe? Isn’t that the core mercy and glory and awesomeness of salvation? (Obviously not ideal, but parable of the vineyard workers – Matthew 20:1-16)

1. Let’s address the parable first. All of the workers in the parable — even the last one’s hired — did some work. The parable doesn’t teach that there are some folks who did nothing and were paid at the end of the day — all of them worked. So I think we have to take it out of the conversation as the parable isn’t answering what the original question is asking about faith vs works.
2. Can we be saved and have no evidence or change? My answer is no. Well — it’s not my answer — it’s directly from the Bible. Salvation always comes with change. Faith is always accompanied by works.
   1. James 2:14-26 NLT – What good is it, dear brothers and sisters, if you say you have faith but don’t show it by your actions? Can that kind of faith save anyone? 15 Suppose you see a brother or sister who has no food or clothing, 16 and you say, “Good-bye and have a good day; stay warm and eat well” — but then you don’t give that person any food or clothing. What good does that do? 17 So you see, faith by itself isn’t enough. Unless it produces good deeds, it is dead and useless. 18 Now someone may argue, “Some people have faith; others have good deeds.” But I say, “How can you show me your faith if you don’t have good deeds? I will show you my faith by my good deeds.” 19 You say you have faith, for you believe that there is one God. Good for you! Even the demons believe this, and they tremble in terror. 20 How foolish! Can’t you see that faith without good deeds is useless? 21 Don’t you remember that our ancestor Abraham was shown to be right with God by his actions when he offered his son Isaac on the altar? 22 You see, his faith and his actions worked together. His actions made his faith complete. 23 And so it happened just as the Scriptures say: “Abraham believed God, and God counted him as righteous because of his faith.” He was even called the friend of God. 24 So you see, we are shown to be right with God by what we do, not by faith alone. 25 Rahab the prostitute is another example. She was shown to be right with God by her actions when she hid those messengers and sent them safely away by a different road. 26 Just as the body is dead without breath, so also faith is dead without good works.
   2. Luke 3:7-9 NLT – When the crowds came to John for baptism, he said, “You brood of snakes! Who warned you to flee the coming wrath? 8 Prove by the way you live that you have repented of your sins and turned to God. Don’t just say to each other, ‘We’re safe, for we are descendants of Abraham.’ That means nothing, for I tell you, God can create children of Abraham from these very stones. 9 Even now the ax of God’s judgment is poised, ready to sever the roots of the trees. Yes, every tree that does not produce good fruit will be chopped down and thrown into the fire.”
      1. Only two kinds of trees.
         1. One without fruit (works) = not saved. 
         2. One with fruit (works) = saved. 
         3. What we want to believe is that there’s a tree without fruit (works) that still = saved. And that’s not biblical.
   3. Martin Luther is attributed as saying, “We are saved by faith alone, but the faith that saves is never alone.”
   4. Part of the question is about the core mercy, glory, and awesomeness of salvation. So what is the core mercy and glory and awesomeness of salvation?
      1. It’s not that God saves us and then expects nothing of us (no change). 
      2. The core of salvation is that God saves sinners. He rescues those imprisoned. He raises the spiritually dead to life. He seeks and saves the lost. 
      3. These biblical ideas tell us that there’s a change that takes place in the person. For you can’t be loved by God in Christ and not be changed. Otherwise, you’re saying that your old, spiritually dead, rebellious against God life and behaviors and morals and views had no need of being changed. And that’s not true! That’s exactly why Christ came to earth, lived, and died. Not just to love us, but to change us because of his love. 

How responsible are we/individuals at interpretation of the scripture? Historical interpretation of the bible (ie, justification for slavery, etc) is not a science and what happens when we are wrong (which we are bound to be wrong) even with the best intent?

1. James 3:1 NLT – Dear brothers and sisters, not many of you should become teachers in the church, for we who teach will be judged more strictly.
2. You are just as responsible as I am (Josh) for your interpretation of Scripture. Especially if you’re passing on your interpretation of Scripture to others. And not just in a formal way, but even when we say, “Well that’s not what I think the Bible teaches…I think…” or use a similar phrase. 
3. Let our faith history humble us so we strive to know Scripture so well that we don’t fall into temptation where we interpret Scripture unfaithfully — on purpose or not — to justify behaviors or beliefs that are in opposition to Scripture. I mention our faith history, because much of what we believe — that is false or opposed to Scripture — has been dealt with by previous generations of Christians. Knowing our history. Knowing the doctrines of our faith. Knowing the Westminster Confession of Faith, and so on…all help us to interpret the Bible faithfully as we stand on the shoulders of faithful brothers and sisters who’ve come before us.
4. Having said that, it’s important to know that biblical interpretation is both an art and a science. We believe in objective truth — God means something specific in his Word to us. The goal of interpretation is to get to that: What does God mean here in this text? Yes, whoever the human author is also matters, but ultimately the entirety of Scripture is God’s Word — he is the singular Author of it all — and we’re to seek his meaning of the text.
   1. The science of interpretation would be rules like: 1) God won’t contradict himself in his Word. 2) His Word is truth and truthful. 3) His Word is perfect and without error. 4) His Word is clear (the issue isn’t with the Bible; any interpretation issue is due to our falleness and limited understanding). 5) God’s Word is sufficient. 6) God’s Word is authoritative.
   2. The art comes in interpretative questions like: 1) The apostles often interpreted the OT through the life, death, and resurrection of Christ. But they didn’t give us a commentary on every verse in the OT. So how far can we take their interpretative method of the OT?
      1. Can we only interpret Christ in the OT when it’s explicit in the NT?
      2. Or can we take the principles of the interpretation of the OT in the NT and apply it to verses that don’t have NT commentary? 

What is the biggest threat to our church?

1. Biblical illiteracy
2. Individualism/anti-authority
3. Greed
4. Sexual immorality
5. Apathy
6. Fear
7. Political passion/zeal
8. Unholiness

Date: 10/22/2023

Justin’s questions:

• 1) Ruth was a Moabite, outside of God’s chosen people. Do you think God used outsiders like Ruth occasionally to show, even before Jesus, He could and would use those people that demonstrated faithfulness, even it was unexpected and outside of the Jewish people?
  • That’s one possible reason. 
  • Another option, which came to my mind, is God’s demonstration early in the Bible that his chosen people would include all nations (not just the Israelites). The Israelites were his chosen nation — chosen to be a light to the world — to attract non-Jews to the One true God. So we catch glimpses of this in Israel’s history — Rahab and Ruth, are two examples — but ultimately the nation of Israel failed to be the light they were called to be. 
  • Thus, Jesus came as the true Light of the world and would have conversations with, for example, a Samaritan woman by a well one day to make clear that God seeks worshipers of all people who worship in Spirit and in truth.

• 2) The Israelites were not to intermarry with foreigners, yet Boaz marries Ruth. Was this overlooked by the fact the elders wanted to care for Naomi / Ruth?
  • Boaz was fulfilling the role of kinsmen redeemer as Ruth was already married into a Jewish family through her first husband. So I don’t know that Boaz was breaking the foreign wife rule as much as fulfilling his role as kinsmen redeemer. That’s not to say that Ruth being a foreigner wasn’t an obstacle — it was! — but more of a culturally acceptable obstacle rather than a Jewish law one.

• 3) Since we can judge quickly on looks, how can we get better at not doing this? What can lead two friends, for instance, to getting beyond the surface and getting to know each other’s hearts?
  • Pray: God give me eyes to see myself and others as you see us through Jesus Christ. Help me to see them as they will be for all eternity and not simply as who they are now.
  • It’s amazing how this prayer has changed my view of people. You’ll still see their flaws and shortcomings, but you’ll see God’s grace in their lives and who he’s guaranteed them to become.
  • Getting beyond surface level requires having a passion for Jesus and each other that’s beyond surface level. I think that often a lack of passion for Jesus and each other is due to our passion being spent elsewhere.

• 4) You (Josh) encouraged us to not let words bounce off of us. How do you practice this or how would you encourage others in this? For example, you tell us that you love us and God loves us each and every week. How do you let these words not become just another phrase for you?
  • Know yourself. For example, I know that I’m way too quick to dismiss encouraging words and will hold on way too long to criticism. So I’m learning to receive encouragement from others — especially when someone thanks me for my ministry and how God is using me. I don’t want to be ungrateful to God for how he uses me and I’ve found that my response to others’ encouragement is directly related to my gratitude to God for using me. 
  • As far as loving you all, a practice that’s been really helpful over the past few years has been writing a few thank you cards each week to folks who serve at Gateway. I have Ed and Morgan, over at our North Main Campus, and Becca, here at County Road 9, send me a volunteer to thank and how they serve each week. I also watch for 1-2 folks myself and then I write the thank you cards before this podcast goes live. This practice has increased my love for the congregation as I get to pause and celebrate every week the faithfulness of God’s people here at Gateway.

• 5) At what point did we as Christians start to realize that the entire Bible was about Jesus?
  • I think Luke understood this and that’s why he made sure to include it in the last chapter of his gospel. 

• 6) In today’s society, we can react to our leaders’ downfalls in near-real time. Do we have any inkling to how the Jewish people responded to David’s sins? In what ways can Christians respond to leaders’ sin?
  • There were times when they experienced the consequences of his sins. (The whole census situation.)
  • There were times when their behavior was David’s consequence for his sins (his sons rebelled against him for the throne). 
  • How can we respond?
    • Pray. For the leader. For whoever’s been hurt. For your own heart as another’s fall can easily lead to our pride. For those who will be disenfranchised from the faith.
    • Remember that Jesus is the One who never fails — not your favorite pastor, Christian celebrity, author, or whoever. Sometimes we set up folks to not be able to survive a fall because we’ve lifted them too high.
    • Study church history. I once heard a pastor say, “Let all your heroes be dead Christians. That way you know their whole story.” 

Matt’s questions:

• Pronunciation of Eli’s sons’ names
  • Hophni and Phinehas
• Distinction between Samuel, Kings, and Chronicles
  • Samuel – Samuel, Saul, and David
  • Kings – covers the rest of the kings of both Judah and Israel — from Solomon on.
  • Chronicles – Retells the history of the kings, but with a distinct positive view of David (none of his flaws are mentioned, unlike in Samuel). There’s a theological reason for this, which I’ll explain in a couple of weeks when we get to First Chronicles.
• Finding moral truths in the OT…how do we not go too far or fall short in looking at moral/ethical issues (both good and bad) in the lives of these OT characters
  • I don’t know that this is an OT issue as much as a literary genre issue (because the same question is true for the NT). 
  • The question really is about historical narrative parts of the Bible in both the OT and NT — how do we not go too far or fall short looking at the moral/ethical issues in the lives of the people?
    • One, know that sometimes (often?) teaching us a moral/ethical lesson isn’t the point of the historical narrative genre (that’s often the point in epistles). Historical narratives are just telling us what happened without making many judgments about the behavior of the people (other than historical consequences due to their behavior. That’s why, for example with David, you have to take his entire life into account — including his psalms — and not just a historical moment in order to figure out a lesson that we’re to learn. 
    • Instead of looking for a moral/ethical lesson, another approach is to allow the historical narrative to answer other questions, such as:
      • Fallen humanity – when the focus of the text is on sin or suffering, faithfulness or disobedience
        • “Here’s another example of why we need a Savior!”
        • “Here’s why God sent his Son into the world!”
        • Falleness shows our need for Jesus.
      • Typological revelation – a type or shadow whose substance is Christ
        • A real person, place, object, or event that God ordained to act as a predictive pattern or resemblance of Jesus’ person and work.
        • A good study Bible will give you cross-references between the OT and NT.
      • Narrative progression – The OT is the backstory of Jesus.
        • How is this story important in the flow of redemptive history?
        • How does this story help us make progress toward Jesus?
        • Find the story’s “threat” to God’s covenant promise of redemption. Then show how God resolves the threat so that his promise moves on all the way to fulfillment in Jesus.
      • Theological theme – straightforward theological themes, attributes of God, etc…
        • Connect the theme to the person/work of Jesus.

Release Date: February 28,  2023

Questions

I have an odd question. I am seeing and hearing some about 1 Enoch and how this collection of writings from yr 2/3 BC was supposedly referred to in Jude and how some believe that Jesus referred to it in a rebuke of the sadducees question about the wife with multiple husbands. I have done a little research and realize it is not considered inspired and not included in the Hebrew or vast majority of Christian Bibles. My question is, does the book contradict the canonical Christian Bible, and if not, is it a reliable source for information in early jewish theology. Meaning, definitions of the sons of God and daughters of men and where the nephilim came from? (2:05)

What should tithing look like for teenagers? (7:20)

Can you tithe things like time or service? (9:05)

What does racketeering mean? (11:00)

If someone claims faith in Christ and is a believer but leaves the faith or doesn’t live a glorifying life to God, is his or her inheritance still guaranteed? (11:55)

Beyond the tithe, what can giving generously look like? How do you know who or what to give to? (16:00)

As teenagers, what are some practical ways they can start giving generously? (20:15)

I know I heard one asked on this topic….10% of net or gross for tithing (23:10)

Why are there all these different ancient cultures with the same creation and flooding accounts? (29:00)

In Genesis 35: 11, God promises to Jacob that kings shall come from him, however in 1 Samuel 8 when the men of Israel ask Samuel for a king, God tells Samuel that the people have rejected him [God] as king. So what is going on here? The text is very clear that the people wanted a king for the wrong reasons, but is God very subtly foretelling of Israel’s rejection to Jacob? Is this a moral failure on Jacob’s behalf? Would it have been righteous of him to affirm that only God is to be king over his offspring? Obviously hindsight is 20/20, but seeing how most of the kings of Israel and Judah were evil, is this an instance of a generational sin? (31:20)

SCRIPTURE: 1 Samuel 16:1-13 (ESV)

‌DATE: 10-15-23

It’s good to be with all of you this weekend at Gateway Church. And there’s one thing I want you to know — and this is true if you’re worshiping with us for the first time or are joining us at our North Main Campus — I want you to know that God loves you and that I love you too.

SERIES INTRO

‌We’re continuing our Finding Jesus series today. This is a series where I introduce you to a book of the Bible that you may or may not be familiar with. I’ll give you an overview of the book — followed by a closer look at a particular section of it. And then I’ll show you how to find the one story the whole Bible is telling — the story of Jesus. 

And — in this iteration of our Finding Jesus series — we’re looking at the books referred to as the history section. What these books have in common is that they cover historical events in the life of God’s people. 

Some of the books cover hundreds of years while others cover a brief period of time — but — together — they tell the history of God’s people. And — today — we’ll be looking at the book of First Samuel. So if you have your Bible, please turn with me to First Samuel chapter 16.

In previous weeks we’ve looked at Joshua, Judges, and Ruth — and in coming weeks we’ll look at 2nd Samuel, 1st and 2nd Kings, and 1st and 2nd Chronicles. ‌

BACKGROUND OF FIRST SAMUEL

‌Here’s the first thing you should know about First Samuel. It — and Second Samuel — are really one book. They’re split into two parts due to them originally being written on scrolls. Scrolls were much more limited in length than the books we’re used to reading. So this period of history was recorded on two separate scrolls — and that explains why we have a First and a Second Samuel in our Bibles.

So what about the man — Samuel — the books are named after him — so what do we know about him? Before we get to Samuel — we need to understand where we are in the history of God’s people.

The books of history pick up where the books of Moses end. After having been rescued out of Egypt — the people are led by Moses to the outskirts of the Promised Land. They send spies into the land to scope out their new home — only to be given a report from the majority of the spies that caused the Israelites to distrust God’s promise to them. So the people wander in the wilderness for forty years. Moses — along with Joshua and Caleb — the two spies who trusted in God’s promise — once again arrive at the outskirts of the Promised Land with the next generation of Israelites — but Moses’ time on earth had come to an end. And God appoints Joshua to be the leader of the Israelites.

Under Joshua’s leadership, the Israelites entered the Promised Land and — after Joshua — there was a brief time when the people faithfully served and worshiped God. But — as we saw in the book of Judges — the people turn their backs on God — they commit apostasy again and again. Yet God demonstrates his love and faithfulness to his people by raising up judges who act as saviors for the Israelites — the judges deliver God’s people from the consequences of their rebellion as they turn the people back to God.

And — it’s during the time of the judges — that the story of Ruth takes place. A love story of an outsider welcomed into the family of God. And the book of Ruth ends by telling us that the son born to Ruth would have a descendant who would be king of God’s people. Back in the book of Judges — there’s a repeated phrase — “in those days there was no king in Israel” — foreshadowing what was to come. And the books of Samuel record the transition between the time of the people being led by judges to them being led by a king.

OVERVIEW OF FIRST SAMUEL

So that’s the big picture of what’s going on — now let’s dive deeper into the content of the books of Samuel. The two books of Samuel focus on three key individuals. There’s the prophet Samuel — who the books are named after — Saul — the first king of Israel — and David — the man who follows Saul as king.

We’ll cover the content of First Samuel today — and Second Samuel next time. In the first three chapters of the book — we’re still in the time of the judges. And we’re introduced to a woman named Hannah who’s in a difficult situation.

1 Samuel 1:1–8 (NLT)

¹ There was a man named Elkanah who lived in Ramah in the region of Zuph in the hill country of Ephraim. He was the son of Jeroham, son of Elihu, son of Tohu, son of Zuph, of Ephraim. ² Elkanah had two wives, Hannah and Pen-inn-uh. Pen-inn-uh had children, but Hannah did not. ³ Each year Elkanah would travel to Shiloh to worship and sacrifice to the Lord of Heaven’s Armies at the Tabernacle. The priests of the Lord at that time were the two sons of Eli—Hophni and Phinehas. ⁴ On the days Elkanah presented his sacrifice, he would give portions of the meat to Pen-inn-uh and each of her children. ⁵ And though he loved Hannah, he would give her only one choice portion because the Lord had given her no children. ⁶ So Pen-inn-uh would taunt Hannah and make fun of her because the Lord had kept her from having children. ⁷ Year after year it was the same—Pen-inn-uh would taunt Hannah as they went to the Tabernacle. Each time, Hannah would be reduced to tears and would not even eat. ⁸ “Why are you crying, Hannah?” Elkanah would ask. “Why aren’t you eating? Why be downhearted just because you have no children? You have me—isn’t that better than having ten sons?”

For those who think the Bible is irrelevant — I’d like to point out that there’s much we husbands can learn from Elkanah’s response to his wife’s grief. It’s neither compassionate — nor wise — to tell your wife to cheer up — because — “Sure, I know you want to be a mom, but — if you can’t have kids — you should be thankful that you’ve got me!” 

Now — we’re told that Elkanah loved Hannah — so I’m guessing that he didn’t mean to be inconsiderate — but his intentions are drowned out by the words he speaks. And — yet — there is Someone who’s been waiting for just the right time to show compassion towards Hannah.

1 Samuel 1:9–20 (NLT)

⁹ Once after a sacrificial meal at Shiloh, Hannah got up and went to pray. Eli the priest was sitting at his customary place beside the entrance of the Tabernacle. ¹⁰ Hannah was in deep anguish, crying bitterly as she prayed to the Lord. ¹¹ And she made this vow: “O Lord of Heaven’s Armies, if you will look upon my sorrow and answer my prayer and give me a son, then I will give him back to you. He will be yours for his entire lifetime, and as a sign that he has been dedicated to the Lord, his hair will never be cut.” ¹² As she was praying to the Lord, Eli watched her. ¹³ Seeing her lips moving but hearing no sound, he thought she had been drinking. ¹⁴ “Must you come here drunk?” he demanded. “Throw away your wine!” ¹⁵ “Oh no, sir!” she replied. “I haven’t been drinking wine or anything stronger. But I am very discouraged, and I was pouring out my heart to the Lord. ¹⁶ Don’t think I am a wicked woman! For I have been praying out of great anguish and sorrow.” ¹⁷ “In that case,” Eli said, “go in peace! May the God of Israel grant the request you have asked of him.” ¹⁸ “Oh, thank you, sir!” she exclaimed. Then she went back and began to eat again, and she was no longer sad. ¹⁹ The entire family got up early the next morning and went to worship the Lord once more. Then they returned home to Ramah. When Elkanah slept with Hannah, the Lord remembered her plea, ²⁰ and in due time she gave birth to a son. She named him Samuel, for she said, “I asked the Lord for him.”

And Hannah takes her son back to Eli the priest and does just what she vowed to do — thus Samuel finds himself being trained under Eli. But before we get to Samuel and Eli — I must point out that — in response to God’s faithfulness to her — Hannah sings a beautiful song of praise. And her song hints at themes to come in the books of Samuel. 

• The humble will be exalted and the proud will be brought down. 
• Hannah praises God for he is the One who reverses stories: the childless becomes a mother — those in trouble are delivered. 
• These themes will be important for later generations of God’s people who will find themselves living in exile. 

After Hannah’s story — we’re introduced to a rival nation — the Philistines. There’s a battle between the Israelites and Philistines and — instead of trusting in God — the Israelites put their trust in a symbol of God’s presence and power — the ark of the covenant. But God is no fool — he realizes that they’re trusting in the ark as if it’s a good luck charm — thus God allows the Philistines to defeat the Israelites — and the ark is stolen.

Back to Eli — the priest who Hannah left Samuel with — Eli is an interesting man. He’s not exactly a villain but neither is he a hero. For example, one night — when the Lord calls to Samuel — Eli gives the young boy great advice. And even when the word the Lord had given Samuel was not good news for Eli and his family — Eli accepted it as the word of the Lord. So there’s an aspect of faithfulness to Eli.

Yet we learn that Eli’s sons make a mockery out of the priesthood and the holy sacrifices they oversaw — but Eli never puts an end to their behavior — essentially he turns a blind eye to what they were doing. So there’s an aspect to Eli of unfaithfulness — we humans are complicated, aren’t we?

Now — back to the war with the Philistines — after Israel was defeated and the ark had been captured…

1 Samuel 4:12–18 (NLT)

¹² A man from the tribe of Benjamin ran from the battlefield and arrived at Shiloh later that same day. He had torn his clothes and put dust on his head to show his grief. ¹³ Eli was waiting beside the road to hear the news of the battle, for his heart trembled for the safety of the Ark of God. When the messenger arrived and told what had happened, an outcry resounded throughout the town. ¹⁴ “What is all the noise about?” Eli asked. The messenger rushed over to Eli, ¹⁵ who was ninety-eight years old and blind. ¹⁶ He said to Eli, “I have just come from the battlefield—I was there this very day.” “What happened, my son?” Eli demanded. ¹⁷ “Israel has been defeated by the Philistines,” the messenger replied. 

“The people have been slaughtered, and your two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, were also killed. And the Ark of God has been captured.” ¹⁸ When the messenger mentioned what had happened to the Ark of God, Eli fell backward from his seat beside the gate. He broke his neck and died, for he was old and overweight. He had been Israel’s judge for forty years.

Not the death of his sons — but the ark being stolen — is what led to Eli’s death. Eventually the ark is returned to the Israelites. Some time later, the people come to Samuel — who’s now getting up there in age — and they ask him to appoint a king over the nation. And there’s a very sobering statement at this moment.

1 Samuel 8:7 (NLT)

⁷ “Do everything they say to you,” the Lord replied, “for they are rejecting me, not you. They don’t want me to be their king any longer.

Which leads us to the second key individual — Saul — the first king of Israel. From outward appearances — Saul is the kind of man we all want to be king. Look at how he’s described when we first meet him.

1 Samuel 9:2 (NLT)

‌² His son Saul was the most handsome man in Israel—head and shoulders taller than anyone else in the land.

Handsome and tall — what more do we need to know? Well — he has some serious flaws — like the inability to admit when he’s made a mistake — which will lead to his demise — for he disqualifies himself to be king by blatantly disobeying God’s commands. And — when called to repentance — he refuses. So Samuel confronts Saul and tells him that God will replace him as king. Which leads to the third key figure — David.

The passage we’re going to focus on is when David is anointed as the next king of Israel — but before we get to our passage — let’s quickly cover the rest of First Samuel. 

Once Samuel tells Saul that God will replace him as king — Saul begins a downward spiral that you can read about in the rest of the book. From being a cowardly leader and not trusting God to provide victory over the giant Goliath — to chasing after David and trying to murder him multiple times out of jealousy and anger — Saul — instead of humbling himself before God — continues to resist God’s will and suffers the consequence of his pride and rebellion.

This results in First Samuel ending — and Second Samuel beginning — with Saul’s death in battle.

1 Samuel 31:3–6 (NLT)

³ The fighting grew very fierce around Saul, and the Philistine archers caught up with him and wounded him severely. ⁴ Saul groaned to his armor bearer, “Take your sword and kill me before these pagan Philistines come to run me through and taunt and torture me.” But his armor bearer was afraid and would not do it. So Saul took his own sword and fell on it. ⁵ When his armor bearer realized that Saul was dead, he fell on his own sword and died beside the king. ⁶ So Saul, his three sons, his armor bearer, and his troops all died together that same day.

‌A sad ending for the first king of Israel. From the heights of being crowned king — to the depths of despair and misery simply because he refused to repent, humble himself, and submit to the will of God.

MAIN PASSAGE

And — now — let’s now turn to our passage where a new king is anointed and see how this helps us find Jesus. We’re in First Samuel chapter sixteen — beginning in verse one.

1 Samuel 16:1–13 (ESV)

¹ The Lord said to Samuel, “How long will you grieve over Saul, since I have rejected him from being king over Israel? Fill your horn with oil, and go. I will send you to Jesse the Bethlehem-ite, for I have provided for myself a king among his sons.” ² And Samuel said, “How can I go? If Saul hears it, he will kill me.” And the Lord said, “Take a heifer with you and say, ‘I have come to sacrifice to the Lord.’ ³ And invite Jesse to the sacrifice, and I will show you what you shall do. And you shall anoint for me him whom I declare to you.” ⁴ Samuel did what the Lord commanded and came to Bethlehem. The elders of the city came to meet him trembling and said, “Do you come peaceably?” ⁵ And he said, “Peaceably; I have come to sacrifice to the Lord. Consecrate yourselves, and come with me to the sacrifice.” And he consecrated Jesse and his sons and invited them to the sacrifice. ⁶ When they came, he looked on Eliab and thought, “Surely the Lord’s anointed is before him.” ⁷ But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not look on his appearance or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him. For the Lord sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart.” ⁸ Then Jesse called Abinadab and made him pass before Samuel. And he said, “Neither has the Lord chosen this one.” ⁹ Then Jesse made Shammah pass by. And he said, “Neither has the Lord chosen this one.” ¹⁰ And Jesse made seven of his sons pass before Samuel. And Samuel said to Jesse, “The Lord has not chosen these.” ¹¹ Then Samuel said to Jesse, “Are all your sons here?” And he said, “There remains yet the youngest, but behold, he is keeping the sheep.” And Samuel said to Jesse, “Send and get him, for we will not sit down till he comes here.” ¹² And he sent and brought him in. Now he was ruddy and had beautiful eyes and was handsome. And the Lord said, “Arise, anoint him, for this is he.” ¹³ Then Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the midst of his brothers. And the Spirit of the Lord rushed upon David from that day forward. And Samuel rose up and went to Ramah.

‌GOD’S CHOSEN KING

‌Don’t judge a book by its cover — except we all do — and book publishers know it. In fact — we judge nearly everything by outward appearances. From our culture’s definition of beauty — to studies that show we vote for the more physically attractive political candidate — to Critical Race Theory where everything in society is supposedly based on outward appearances of race, class, and gender — to the billion dollar porn industry — we’re discipled by our culture to make judgments based on what our eyes can see — to make judgments based on — if we’re being honest — what are very shallow details. We’re like the Israelites — “give us the tall and handsome candidate to be our king” — regardless of whatever else may come with the physically attractive package.

In the church world we’re attracted to a person’s great teaching gift, or healing ministry, or how much of a Christian influencer they are — knowing little — and most likely — nothing of what’s going on in their heart. And then we’re surprised when another popular Christian personality has a moral failure.

Now — we’re all limited in who and what we can know — but what can be so disturbing is how — and this is true for Christians or not — how simply due to someone’s outward appearance or talents — their deep flaws — flaws that often cause harm to others — are known AND overlooked.

Well thank God that he is not like us! For God looks at — and knows — our hearts. And his knowledge of our heart — not what we show on the outside — but what’s going on inside of us — is what he evaluates and how he determines what our role in his story will be.

But in our verses we see that Samuel — a prophet of God — even falls for the outward appearance trap. He’s been sent by God to anoint the next king of Israel and what’s his first thought when he arrives at Jesse’s house? He sees Eliab — Jesse’s oldest son — and thinks “there’s the next king.” But God tells Samuel that he’s looking for the next king in all the wrong places — “stop focusing on outward appearances.”

And — after having gone through all of Jesse’s sons who are present — Samuel asks, “Is that everyone?” And it seems as if Jesse has fallen for the outward appearance trap as well. Why do I say that? Because he still has one son left! But it’s his youngest son — the one who takes care of the sheep — “Surely he won’t be the next king.”

“But — Josh — notice how David’s described. Ruddy. Beautiful eyes. Handsome. All outward appearance descriptions.” Yes they are, but we know this isn’t what God was looking at when he chose David — for he’s already told us that he looks inwardly. And this youngest son of Jesse — a seeming afterthought to his father — is a boy whose heart God knew could be used for great things in the story he was authoring — the history of his people.

And — after being anointed by Samuel — the Spirit of the Lord rushes upon David — anointing him with God’s very presence — empowering him for the preparation that was to come — facing a giant — a life on the run with Saul wanting him dead — a story David was not seeking — but had been called to.

Now — it’s hard to talk about David — and him being a man after God’s heart — without acknowledging his adulterous and murderous affair with Bathsheba. What does this part of David’s life teach us? It teaches us that being a man or woman after God’s heart doesn’t mean we’re sinless and perfect — but it does mean that we’re repentant and humble. 

When Saul was confronted by Samuel for his sin — Saul remained proud and unrepentant. But when David is confronted by Nathan — for his sin of adultery with Bathsheba and the murder of her husband — David responds with the words, “I have sinned against the LORD.” (2 Samuel 12:13)

Later he would write…

Psalm 51 (NLT)

¹ Have mercy on me, O God, because of your unfailing love. Because of your great compassion, blot out the stain of my sins. ² Wash me clean from my guilt. Purify me from my sin. ³ For I recognize my rebellion; it haunts me day and night. ⁴ Against you, and you alone, have I sinned; I have done what is evil in your sight. You will be proved right in what you say, and your judgment against me is just. ⁵ For I was born a sinner— yes, from the moment my mother conceived me. ⁶ But you desire honesty from the womb, teaching me wisdom even there. ⁷ Purify me from my sins, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow. ⁸ Oh, give me back my joy again; you have broken me— now let me rejoice. ⁹ Don’t keep looking at my sins. Remove the stain of my guilt. ¹⁰ Create in me a clean heart, O God. Renew a loyal spirit within me. ¹¹ Do not banish me from your presence, and don’t take your Holy Spirit from me. ¹² Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and make me willing to obey you. ¹³ Then I will teach your ways to rebels, and they will return to you. ¹⁴ Forgive me for shedding blood, O God who saves; then I will joyfully sing of your forgiveness. ¹⁵ Unseal my lips, O Lord, that my mouth may praise you. ¹⁶ You do not desire a sacrifice, or I would offer one. You do not want a burnt offering. ¹⁷ The sacrifice you desire is a broken spirit. You will not reject a broken and repentant heart, O God. ¹⁸ Look with favor on Zion and help her; rebuild the walls of Jerusalem. ¹⁹ Then you will be pleased with sacrifices offered in the right spirit— with burnt offerings and whole burnt offerings. Then bulls will again be sacrificed on your altar.

David humbles himself — he repents of his sin — he sees the grace of God in his life through Nathan’s rebuke. He doesn’t harden his heart — he doesn’t play the victim — he doesn’t blame shift. To be a man or woman after God’s heart doesn’t mean you’re perfect — it doesn’t mean you won’t sin — it doesn’t mean you won’t sin in really big, devastating ways — but it does mean that you will humble yourself and repent.

How are you responding to sin in your life? How are you responding to the Nathan in your life who God is using to lovingly and graciously call you back to him? With pride or humility? With repentance or self-righteousness? Know that God opposes the proud, but he gives grace to the humble. (James 4:6)

So how do we cultivate our hearts so that we’re a group of men and women after God’s own heart? Not proud men and women — but a humble people — who know that outward appearance has its place — but that our inward appearance — our godliness and joy and love for Christ — matters infinitely more.

CULTIVATING HUMBLE HEARTS

‌First, it begins by knowing that God loves you and responding to his love. Friends it’s so easy to dismiss God’s love for us. Even if you hear — I don’t know — a pastor tell you all the time that you’re loved by God — what do you do with these words? Do you dismiss them? Do they bounce off you? Does a voice in your head say, “Not me. God maybe tolerates me, but he doesn’t love me.” Or do you receive and rest in his love? Do you respond to God’s love by trusting him and taking him at his Word? God is not a liar and if he says he loves you — he does. 

‌Second, we cultivate our hearts through prayer and being in God’s Word. Prayer is intimate communication with the God who loves you and created everyone and everything. Prayer is a time of listening — not just talking — for he is the God who spoke all things into existence, who’s given us his words to us — in the Bible. And — the better you know this book — the more clearly you’ll hear God’s voice and discern that it is his — and not yours or the world’s voice — that you’re hearing. 

This Word is without error, it is sufficient, it is authoritative, it teaches us everything necessary for life and godliness. It is living and active and it gives life — spiritual life and nourishment to the people of God when they read, study, memorize, meditate on it, and apply it to their lives.

Knowing God’s love — responding to his love — prayer — his Word — nothing fancy — nothing new — ordinary means by which God shapes our hearts so that we’re the godly men and women he’s created and redeemed us to be.

FINDING JESUS

And now we turn to what this series is all about: How do we find Jesus? I want to show you two ways to find him. First, let’s see how David’s anointing to be king connects to Jesus. Do you remember what happened to David when Samuel anointed him to be king?

1 Samuel 16:13 (ESV)

¹³ Then Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the midst of his brothers. And the Spirit of the Lord rushed upon David from that day forward. And Samuel rose up and went to Ramah.

The Spirit of the Lord rushed upon David. This reminds me — and maybe reminds you — of an account in Luke’s gospel. Having returned from forty days in the wilderness — and being tempted by Satan — Jesus begins his ministry.

Luke 4:16–22 (ESV)

¹⁶ And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up. And as was his custom, he went to the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and he stood up to read. ¹⁷ And the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was given to him. 

He unrolled the scroll and found the place where it was written, ¹⁸ “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed, ¹⁹ to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.” ²⁰ And he rolled up the scroll and gave it back to the attendant and sat down. And the eyes of all in the synagogue were fixed on him. ²¹ And he began to say to them, “Today this Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.” ²² And all spoke well of him and marveled at the gracious words that were coming from his mouth. And they said, “Is not this Joseph’s son?”

Jesus is in his hometown — Nazareth — and he reads from the prophet Isaiah. And though the people only see Jesus outwardly — “isn’t this Joseph’s son” — Jesus says that the Spirit of the Lord is upon him. Which — for me — makes me think of the Spirit of the Lord rushing upon David — anointing him for his calling as king.

That’s one way to find Jesus. 

A second way to find him — is this idea of judging others by outward appearances. The same prophet Jesus just quoted — Isaiah — also said this about God’s promised Messiah — the Savior who would be king.

Isaiah 53:2b (NLT)

^2b There was nothing beautiful or majestic about his appearance, nothing to attract us to him.

When Jesus was here on earth, his outward appearance wasn’t all that impressive. If he was running for political office — we wouldn’t have voted for him — because — survey says — we vote for the person with a beautiful appearance — and that’s what people did in Jesus’ day too. 

• Most looked at him and saw nothing special because they were making a judgment based on his outward appearance. 
• Meanwhile — if they’d only been able to see his heart — they would’ve seen that they were standing in the presence of God.
• When they looked at him as he hung on that cross — they wouldn’t have mocked him — or jeered at him — or said ridiculous things like, “Come down — save yourself — then we’ll believe you” — no — if only they’d had eyes to see they would’ve seen the horror — and the beauty — of the situation: they were murdering God. 
• And they would’ve seen their hatred — and would’ve seen his love. 
• Yet they didn’t have eyes to see — for their hearts didn’t long for God.

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CONCLUSION

What do your eyes see when you look at the cross of Christ? Do you see his love for you? Do you see how God’s chosen King — in love — gave his life — so you might receive life — new life — the abundant life — a humble and repentant life? May you humble yourself before him and receive his love — may we all allow him to pour out his anointing oil of grace and mercy upon us. Jesus humble us — so that we are men and women whose hearts long and love you. Let’s pray.

PRAYER

‌Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, anoint all who hear my voice with the oil of your grace, mercy, and forgiveness. Give us eyes to see the infinite beauty, the amazing grace, and the limitless love that you have for us.

Spirit, give us eyes that desire to look beyond outward appearances and — instead — make it our priority to cultivate hearts that long for you. Empower us to do the grace-fueled work of pursuing godliness — which is of great value.

Jesus, thank you for your kindness, gentleness, patience, and mercy towards us. Thank you for loving us and for being our reason for hope and joy. Thank you for being our rest. Thank you for not judging us by our outward appearances — but for knowing our hearts and giving us new ones — and promising us that the work you’ve started in us will reach its perfection. This promise is guaranteed and sealed by your blood — the blood of God’s chosen King. Amen.‌