Sermon Tone Analysis

Same Song, Second Verse - 1 Sam.

26-27

Singing: Oh the horse put his foot, put his foot on the ground.

(3x) Ain’t this a terrible song.

Same song, second verse, could get better but it’s gonna get worse.

Oh, the horse… (can go on forever as long as you can count)

I’m afraid that we can sometimes think of our lives and our struggles this way.

- I would rather that you perceive the opportunity that each day brings to grow in the Lord and be used by Him… to see your life like some of the great hymns we sing, in which each verse climbs on the foundational truth of the previous until reaching it’s peak at one day finding rest and joy in the presence of God!

While the wicked seem to go on repeating the same folly, the one who fears God, even in his weakness, learns from past experiences and is further trained in righteousness by trusting God and doing good.

As we return to 1 Samuel today, I pray that you will openly receive and apply the timeless and relevant truth that God has for us there.

After all, God himself is timeless and present.

PRAY

In our text today, we have the same song, second verse… from the Hills of Hachilah, to the Frontier of Philistia.

From the Hills of Hachilah (ch.

26)

The Fool Repeats His Folly - Saul:

The Ziphites still want to get rid of David (as in 23:19), still want to ingratiate themselves to King Saul.

And I know, you’re all shocked that Saul is still seeking David’s life.

Saul’s Men Sleep on the Job

Abishai and Joab are David’s nephews.

David still won’t let Abishai, who offered to do it himself, take Saul’s life.

God does what God does, which is to put all Saul’s men in a deep sleep.

(like the sleep of Adam when God took a rib to make Eve)

One who has faith in God is given…

Continual Opportunities for Training in Righteousness:

(Learning lessons from past experiences under God’s providential control…)

Notice what David says to Saul this time: David feels like he’s being pushed from the heritage of the Lord.

God is still doing what God does.

...Which is proving his glory by keeping his promises and providentially controlling in ways that he knows is best.

[Consider the example David sets for his men!]

David’s Endurance Wanes

He appears to lose heart in his retreat to Philistia.

(27:1)

To the Frontier of Philistia (ch.

27)

The Fool Repeats His Folly - Achish:

Right Under Achish’s Nose...

Continual Opportunities for Doing Good:

David’s Raids...

Against Israel’s enemies, but making sure Achish will never hear of it.

From David’s Day to Today… and Tomorrow:

Don’t Be a Fool!

(- In CONTEXT of ch. 2 of 2 Peter, false teachers and those they’ve deceived…)

In other words, you prove who you are.

Don’t be a fool thinking that you can “play church” and “play religion,” thinking you’re safe and can just live however you like.

You are either his by grace through faith, bought with a price (the price of Christ’s atoning death on a cross), or you remain a fool pretending not to be God’s enemy when you really have not been changed.

Again, the one who has the Spirit of God belongs to God, and the one who has the Spirit of God demonstrates a process of growing more in Christlikeness to the glory of God.

The day of the Lord will come like a thief (context of 2 Peter 3)

Now, being certain of who you are in Christ also doesn’t make everything EASY.

We face trial and we face temptation.

(aka.

we face suffering, we face worldly influence and appeal, and we face the battle with our old nature)

Don’t Grow Weary; Grow in the Lord.

Grow in keeping an eternal perspective.

Grow in fixing your eyes on and pursuing the perfect model.

Grow in dependence on his sufficiency.

Grow in understanding God’s character and in submission to His will.

Grow in diligence to Christ’s mission and in disciplined focus for ministry.

v. 2, diligence to the mission

vv.

3ff, disciplined ministry focus: Soldiers don’t get entangled in civilian affairs, athletes compete according to the rules and to get the prize, the hardworking farmer reaps the later reward from God.

Tomorrow may seem like the same song, another verse.

But bear in mind that tomorrow is a unique and precious opportunity to be trained in godliness, to elevate Jesus in your own heart and before others.