Mighty Men - The Right Crowd
Notes
Transcript
The Right Crowd - It is all about choices
The Right Crowd - It is all about choices
David’s Mighty Men - How it started
David’s Mighty Men - How it started
10 And David arose, and fled that day for fear of Saul, and went to Achish the king of Gath. 11 And the servants of Achish said unto him, Is not this David the king of the land? did they not sing one to another of him in dances, saying, Saul hath slain his thousands, and David his ten thousands? 12 And David laid up these words in his heart, and was sore afraid of Achish the king of Gath. 13 And he changed his behaviour before them, and feigned himself mad in their hands, and scrabbled on the doors of the gate, and let his spittle fall down upon his beard. 14 Then said Achish unto his servants, Lo, ye see the man is mad: wherefore then have ye brought him to me? 15 Have I need of mad men, that ye have brought this fellow to play the mad man in my presence? shall this fellow come into my house? 1 David therefore departed thence, and escaped to the cave Adullam: and when his brethren and all his father’s house heard it, they went down thither to him. 2 And every one that was in distress, and every one that was in debt, and every one that was discontented, gathered themselves unto him; and he became a captain over them: and there were with him about four hundred men.
1 Sam 21:10-22:
Running to Church - A refuge
1 God is our refuge and strength, A very present help in trouble. 2 Therefore will not we fear, though the earth be removed, And though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea; 3 Though the waters thereof roar and be troubled, Though the mountains shake with the swelling thereof. Selah. 4 There is a river, the streams whereof shall make glad the city of God, The holy place of the tabernacles of the most High. 5 God is in the midst of her; she shall not be moved: God shall help her, and that right early. 6 The heathen raged, the kingdoms were moved: He uttered his voice, the earth melted. 7 The Lord of hosts is with us; The God of Jacob is our refuge. Selah.
1 God is our refuge and strength, A very present help in trouble.
2 I will say of the Lord, He is my refuge and my fortress: My God; in him will I trust.
Psaml 46:1-7
Psalm 91:
5 For in the time of trouble he shall hide me in his pavilion: In the secret of his tabernacle shall he hide me; He shall set me up upon a rock.
Psalm 27:5
3 Be thou my strong habitation, whereunto I may continually resort: Thou hast given commandment to save me; For thou art my rock and my fortress.
Who were the men seeking refuge
1 David therefore departed thence, and escaped to the cave Adullam: and when his brethren and all his father’s house heard it, they went down thither to him. 2 And every one that was in distress, and every one that was in debt, and every one that was discontented, gathered themselves unto him; and he became a captain over them: and there were with him about four hundred men.
1 Sam 22:
People who were in distress
Pain, anguish of body or mind, calamity, misery
People who were debtors
People who were seen to have come upon misfortune, who have lost everything
They were to be pittied
Discontented
Disgruntled, anti-establishment, not happy with their current circumstances
Church should be a safe place - an asylum for those in need
Let’s look at Hebrews
This sermon is about choosing the right crowd.
The most important crowd - to you - is the church. You have to understand this. If you don’t understand this, then you are missing a huge part of what it is to be a good Christian and servant of Jesus Christ.
24 And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works: 25 Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.
How do you change your situations - Worship, just being there!
Skipping church for no reason is to forsake each other, but we are commanded to assembling yourself together - make it to church!
To provoke is to incite or to encourage towards love and work. As humans we have a need to be in community. Church is critical to filling that need.
16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.
What do you get in this city of refuge called church
wisdom - Preaching! Getting advice and assistance from the brethren
teaching - Preaching! Learning the Book
admonishing - Preaching! Seeing the sin and depravity in your life and getting it taken care of at the alter
singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord - Which is worship
Find a purpose
11 And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; 12 For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: 13 Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ:
Everyone has a role.
Discover your role
You can’t discover your role if you aren’t applying
It’s like a job, you can’t get a job if your not putting out applications. Put effort to find out what jobs are available.
In God’s economy there should be zero unemployment! The problem is not the church - it’s you!
Christ gave himself for the church - the least your can do is get involved.
For the ministry - Church services, Outreach, Sunday school, Mentoring, Companionship, Support
Prioritize - Seek the Christ
33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.
Finding a church and more importantly your role in the church is the only way you can actually fulfil the command to seek first the king of God.
Once you have your spiritual membership in church figured out, you can then focus on choosing the right friends.
Finding the Right Crowd - Neighbors are not friends
Finding the Right Crowd - Neighbors are not friends
This is one of the lessons that I try to teach my boys.
Neighbors are not friends!
Neighbors
are in your school
are in your neighborhood
friends of the family
36 Master, which is the great commandment in the law? 37 Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. 38 This is the first and great commandment. 39 And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. 40 On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.
These are friends that you have a Christian obligation to treat with respect and love.
What are the two
Saul is from the
Love your neighbors - which means you are to be a light to them. Help them if possible. However, don’t confuse that with them being your friend.
This gets at the core of what outreach is all about.
Neighbors are of the world - the world which hates your by the way.
19 If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you.
If you are not a person that is shining the light of Christ to the Work, than who will.
f. Neighbors are the mission field, they are not your friends.
We are a minority out there, not the majority. We should be a witness to the world - don’t forget that.
Friends are in the Body of Christ
Friends are in the Body of Christ
However - Remember - they are friends of convenience not of choice. Friends of convenience are neighbors, and should be loved and witnessed to, but not who you bind yourself to.
David said in a passage we will look at later, “If ye be come peaceably unto me to help me, mine heart shall be knit unto you. . “ The Bible speaks of the fellowship of Christians as family .
5 So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another.
This is a mystery to the world. How you can be part of an invisible body of the church, and be bound hear to heart to your fellow believers in Christ.
How do we choose our close friends?
Why can’t we just be friends with people from school, or work, or anywhere else you might meet them?
Church first.
20 For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved.
17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. 18 He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.
17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. 18 He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.
You are not of this world - and if they are not a Christian - they are of the world.
If you are a shining the light of Christ - they will hate you, because you are a reproof of what they hate - the light!
Let’s be real here for a few minutes. I think there is a confusion on the part of the Christian, that they can live like the World.
I cannot stress this enough. For those in the world, the children of disobedience, friends and family are all they have. So there is nothing more important to them.
I cannot stress this enough. Neighbors of the world are your mission field, not your friend.
19 If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you.
16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. 17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. 18 He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. 19 And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.
20 For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved. 21 But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God.
You are not of this world - so no matter how much you want to the world to like you - they won’t.
look at
22 Then said the Jews, Will he kill himself? because he saith, Whither I go, ye cannot come. 23 And he said unto them, Ye are from beneath; I am from above: ye are of this world; I am not of this world. 24 I said therefore unto you, that ye shall die in your sins: for if ye believe not that I am he, ye shall die in your sins.
You can have lots of neighbors (friends of circumstances) using the word friend loosely, but you cannot have lots of friends, because you are not of this world.
The World hates
You can have lots of neighbors (friends of circumstances) using the word friend loosely, but you cannot have lots of friends, because you are not of this world.
Since you are not of this world, the world will hat you. If the world loves you, you are being a poor witness for Jesus Christ.
I cannot stress this enough. For those in the world, the children of disobedience, friends and family are all they have. So there is nothing more important to them.
As a Christian, your is to Jesus Christ first, and then to your family, which is an extension of the church. Church and Family are a unit. Everyone outside of that relationship is a neighbor - not a girlfriend, or boyfriend, or best friend, a neighbor - at best a friend of convenience.
14 Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness?
Friends of choice are
The right crowd is about transformation
The right crowd is about transformation
20 He that walketh with wise men shall be wise: But a companion of fools shall be destroyed.
Let’s turn back to David.
9 Two are better than one; because they have a good reward for their labour. 10 For if they fall, the one will lift up his fellow: but woe to him that is alone when he falleth; for he hath not another to help him up.
We have discussed neighbors and the need for transformation
One of the best examples of this is King David
Saul had a friend named Doeg - lets see how this friend
Let’s look at another contrast. King Saul, goes about trying to kill everyone he thinks is conspiring against him.
5 And, behold, Saul came after the herd out of the field; and Saul said, What aileth the people that they weep? And they told him the tidings of the men of Jabesh. 6 And the Spirit of God came upon Saul when he heard those tidings, and his anger was kindled greatly. 7 And he took a yoke of oxen, and hewed them in pieces, and sent them throughout all the coasts of Israel by the hands of messengers, saying, Whosoever cometh not forth after Saul and after Samuel, so shall it be done unto his oxen. And the fear of the Lord fell on the people, and they came out with one consent. 8 And when he numbered them in Bezek, the children of Israel were three hundred thousand, and the men of Judah thirty thousand.
1 Sam 11:5-
Earlier, Nahash, the Ammonite had come up against Jabesh-Gilead. Threatening them, and so Saul is called upon to save them.
How does Saul unite the kingdoms - through fear and intimidation
There is not similar account of David in the Bible, but we can contrast this with how David brought people together.
1 And it came to pass, when he had made an end of speaking unto Saul, that the soul of Jonathan was knit with the soul of David, and Jonathan loved him as his own soul.
1 Sam 17:32-
1 Sam 17:
32 And David said to Saul, Let no man’s heart fail because of him; thy servant will go and fight with this Philistine. 33 And Saul said to David, Thou art not able to go against this Philistine to fight with him: for thou art but a youth, and he a man of war from his youth. 34 And David said unto Saul, Thy servant kept his father’s sheep, and there came a lion, and a bear, and took a lamb out of the flock: 35 And I went out after him, and smote him, and delivered it out of his mouth: and when he arose against me, I caught him by his beard, and smote him, and slew him. 36 Thy servant slew both the lion and the bear: and this uncircumcised Philistine shall be as one of them, seeing he hath defied the armies of the living God. 37 David said moreover, The Lord that delivered me out of the paw of the lion, and out of the paw of the bear, he will deliver me out of the hand of this Philistine. And Saul said unto David, Go, and the Lord be with thee.
32 And David said to Saul, Let no man’s heart fail because of him; thy servant will go and fight with this Philistine. 33 And Saul said to David, Thou art not able to go against this Philistine to fight with him: for thou art but a youth, and he a man of war from his youth. 34 And David said unto Saul, Thy servant kept his father’s sheep, and there came a lion, and a bear, and took a lamb out of the flock: 35 And I went out after him, and smote him, and delivered it out of his mouth: and when he arose against me, I caught him by his beard, and smote him, and slew him. 36 Thy servant slew both the lion and the bear: and this uncircumcised Philistine shall be as one of them, seeing he hath defied the armies of the living God.
This of course is the account of David and Goliath. David unites Israel by being a leader and setting an example of what can be done by anyone, who has the Lord.
The Lord delivered David from the lion
The Lord delivered David from the bear
The Lord will deliver David from the Philistine.
Let’s look at another contrast. King Saul, goes about trying to kill everyone he thinks is conspiring against him.
16 And the king said, Thou shalt surely die, Ahimelech, thou, and all thy father’s house. 17 And the king said unto the footmen that stood about him, Turn, and slay the priests of the Lord; because their hand also is with David, and because they knew when he fled, and did not shew it to me. But the servants of the king would not put forth their hand to fall upon the priests of the Lord. 18 And the king said to Doeg, Turn thou, and fall upon the priests. And Doeg the Edomite turned, and he fell upon the priests, and slew on that day fourscore and five persons that did wear a linen ephod.
1 Sam 22:16-
Conspiracies - everyone is against Saul.
He chose to surround himself with fools. Doeg, is a fool. Does was set over the servants of Saul. Saul put him in a position of authority.
9 Then answered Doeg the Edomite, which was set over the servants of Saul, and said, I saw the son of Jesse coming to Nob, to Ahimelech the son of Ahitub. 10 And he inquired of the Lord for him, and gave him victuals, and gave him the sword of Goliath the Philistine.
Doeg was feeding Saul information to enrage him and then with his own hand killed the priests, an horrific act. Killing 45 priests of the Lord.
Contrast this with David. Who takes everyone in. The lowest in society.
It takes wisdom to know that walking with wise men makes you wise and walking with fools make you a ______.
1 David therefore departed thence, and escaped to the cave Adullam: and when his brethren and all his father’s house heard it, they went down thither to him. 2 And every one that was in distress, and every one that was in debt, and every one that was discontented, gathered themselves unto him; and he became a captain over them: and there were with him about four hundred men.
1 Sam 22:1-
You need friends, and I would insert here, you need the “church.”
Where will you find wise counsel - the church
Where will find fellow laborers in the work you are to do - the church
Where will find the leadership that you need to do the work of the Lord - the church
20 Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; That put darkness for light, and light for darkness; That put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!
This is a beautiful picture of the church and David as a type of Christ. Who is drawn to David - the people in distress, debt, discontented - they drew themselves to David.
Isaiah 5:20
They are different. You cannot confuse the one for the other.
So what good are these four hundred men - what good could come of men in such situations?
I tell you what, that the church can take those who low, and hurt, and in need, and turn them into mighty men.
18 But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.
2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.
10 Now I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you; but that ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment.
So David calls to himself, the lowly, the hurt, the strangers, and makes them friends of choice. Get this. We saw Saul and his friends of convenience. David calls friends of choice and becomes their captain.
Is this not the same picture of our pastor calling all of us to him. Whether we be hurting, poor, issues, and he says come to the church that Christ built, hear the gospel, be transformed by the power of the Word and go from being a friend of convenience to a child of God.
What became of these men called to David
8 These be the names of the mighty men whom David had: The Tachmonite that sat in the seat, chief among the captains; the same was Adino the Eznite: he lift up his spear against eight hundred, whom he slew at one time. 9 And after him was Eleazar the son of Dodo the Ahohite, one of the three mighty men with David, when they defied the Philistines that were there gathered together to battle, and the men of Israel were gone away: 10 He arose, and smote the Philistines until his hand was weary, and his hand clave unto the sword: and the Lord wrought a great victory that day; and the people returned after him only to spoil. 11 And after him was Shammah the son of Agee the Hararite. And the Philistines were gathered together into a troop, where was a piece of ground full of lentiles: and the people fled from the Philistines. 12 But he stood in the midst of the ground, and defended it, and slew the Philistines: and the Lord wrought a great victory. 13 And three of the thirty chief went down, and came to David in the harvest time unto the cave of Adullam: and the troop of the Philistines pitched in the valley of Rephaim. 14 And David was then in an hold, and the garrison of the Philistines was then in Beth-lehem. 15 And David longed, and said, Oh that one would give me drink of the water of the well of Beth-lehem, which is by the gate! 16 And the three mighty men brake through the host of the Philistines, and drew water out of the well of Beth-lehem, that was by the gate, and took it, and brought it to David: nevertheless he would not drink thereof, but poured it out unto the Lord. 17 And he said, Be it far from me, O Lord, that I should do this: is not this the blood of the men that went in jeopardy of their lives? therefore he would not drink it. These things did these three mighty men. 18 And Abishai, the brother of Joab, the son of Zeruiah, was chief among three. And he lifted up his spear against three hundred, and slew them, and had the name among three. 19 Was he not most honourable of three? therefore he was their captain: howbeit he attained not unto the first three. 20 And Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, the son of a valiant man, of Kabzeel, who had done many acts, he slew two lionlike men of Moab: he went down also and slew a lion in the midst of a pit in time of snow: 21 And he slew an Egyptian, a goodly man: and the Egyptian had a spear in his hand; but he went down to him with a staff, and plucked the spear out of the Egyptian’s hand, and slew him with his own spear. 22 These things did Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and had the name among three mighty men. 23 He was more honourable than the thirty, but he attained not to the first three. And David set him over his guard. 24 Asahel the brother of Joab was one of the thirty; Elhanan the son of Dodo of Beth-lehem, 25 Shammah the Harodite, Elika the Harodite, 26 Helez the Paltite, Ira the son of Ikkesh the Tekoite, 27 Abiezer the Anethothite, Mebunnai the Hushathite, 28 Zalmon the Ahohite, Maharai the Netophathite, 29 Heleb the son of Baanah, a Netophathite, Ittai the son of Ribai out of Gibeah of the children of Benjamin, 30 Benaiah the Pirathonite, Hiddai of the brooks of Gaash, 31 Abi-albon the Arbathite, Azmaveth the Barhumite, 32 Eliahba the Shaalbonite, of the sons of Jashen, Jonathan, 33 Shammah the Hararite, Ahiam the son of Sharar the Hararite, 34 Eliphelet the son of Ahasbai, the son of the Maachathite, Eliam the son of Ahithophel the Gilonite, 35 Hezrai the Carmelite, Paarai the Arbite, 36 Igal the son of Nathan of Zobah, Bani the Gadite, 37 Zelek the Ammonite, Naharai the Beerothite, armourbearer to Joab the son of Zeruiah, 38 Ira an Ithrite, Gareb an Ithrite, 39 Uriah the Hittite: thirty and seven in all.
What’s the end of all these things - The KING
Let’s close withe reading the passage of
1 Now these are they that came to David to Ziklag, while he yet kept himself close because of Saul the son of Kish: and they were among the mighty men, helpers of the war. 2 They were armed with bows, and could use both the right hand and the left in hurling stones and shooting arrows out of a bow, even of Saul’s brethren of Benjamin.
1 Now these are they that came to David to Ziklag, while he yet kept himself close because of Saul the son of Kish: and they were among the mighty men, helpers of the war. 2 They were armed with bows, and could use both the right hand and the left in hurling stones and shooting arrows out of a bow, even of Saul’s brethren of Benjamin. 3 The chief was Ahiezer, then Joash, the sons of Shemaah the Gibeathite; and Jeziel, and Pelet, the sons of Azmaveth; and Berachah, and Jehu the Antothite,
8 And of the Gadites there separated themselves unto David into the hold to the wilderness men of might, and men of war fit for the battle, that could handle shield and buckler, whose faces were like the faces of lions, and were as swift as the roes upon the mountains; 9 Ezer the first, Obadiah the second, Eliab the third,
8 And of the Gadites there separated themselves unto David into the hold to the wilderness men of might, and men of war fit for the battle, that could handle shield and buckler, whose faces were like the faces of lions, and were as swift as the roes upon the mountains;
1 Chron 12:8-
14 These were of the sons of Gad, captains of the host: one of the least was over an hundred, and the greatest over a thousand.
1 Chron 12:1-
1 Now these are they that came to David to Ziklag, while he yet kept himself close because of Saul the son of Kish: and they were among the mighty men, helpers of the war. 2 They were armed with bows, and could use both the right hand and the left in hurling stones and shooting arrows out of a bow, even of Saul’s brethren of Benjamin. 3 The chief was Ahiezer, then Joash, the sons of Shemaah the Gibeathite; and Jeziel, and Pelet, the sons of Azmaveth; and Berachah, and Jehu the Antothite, 4 And Ismaiah the Gibeonite, a mighty man among the thirty, and over the thirty; and Jeremiah, and Jahaziel, and Johanan, and Josabad the Gederathite, 5 Eluzai, and Jerimoth, and Bealiah, and Shemariah, and Shephatiah the Haruphite, 6 Elkanah, and Jesiah, and Azareel, and Joezer, and Jashobeam, the Korhites, 7 And Joelah, and Zebadiah, the sons of Jeroham of Gedor. 8 And of the Gadites there separated themselves unto David into the hold to the wilderness men of might, and men of war fit for the battle, that could handle shield and buckler, whose faces were like the faces of lions, and were as swift as the roes upon the mountains; 9 Ezer the first, Obadiah the second, Eliab the third, 10 Mishmannah the fourth, Jeremiah the fifth, 11 Attai the sixth, Eliel the seventh, 12 Johanan the eighth, Elzabad the ninth, 13 Jeremiah the tenth, Machbanai the eleventh. 14 These were of the sons of Gad, captains of the host: one of the least was over an hundred, and the greatest over a thousand. 15 These are they that went over Jordan in the first month, when it had overflown all his banks; and they put to flight all them of the valleys, both toward the east, and toward the west. 16 And there came of the children of Benjamin and Judah to the hold unto David. 17 And David went out to meet them, and answered and said unto them, If ye be come peaceably unto me to help me, mine heart shall be knit unto you: but if ye be come to betray me to mine enemies, seeing there is no wrong in mine hands, the God of our fathers look thereon, and rebuke it. 18 Then the spirit came upon Amasai, who was chief of the captains, and he said, Thine are we, David, And on thy side, thou son of Jesse: Peace, peace be unto thee, And peace be to thine helpers; For thy God helpeth thee. Then David received them, and made them captains of the band. 19 And there fell some of Manasseh to David, when he came with the Philistines against Saul to battle: but they helped them not: for the lords of the Philistines upon advisement sent him away, saying, He will fall to his master Saul to the jeopardy of our heads. 20 As he went to Ziklag, there fell to him of Manasseh, Adnah, and Jozabad, and Jediael, and Michael, and Jozabad, and Elihu, and Zilthai, captains of the thousands that were of Manasseh. 21 And they helped David against the band of the rovers: for they were all mighty men of valour, and were captains in the host. 22 For at that time day by day there came to David to help him, until it was a great host, like the host of God.
1 Chron 12:8
1 Chron 12:14
15 These are they that went over Jordan in the first month, when it had overflown all his banks; and they put to flight all them of the valleys, both toward the east, and toward the west. 16 And there came of the children of Benjamin and Judah to the hold unto David. 17 And David went out to meet them, and answered and said unto them, If ye be come peaceably unto me to help me, mine heart shall be knit unto you: but if ye be come to betray me to mine enemies, seeing there is no wrong in mine hands, the God of our fathers look thereon, and rebuke it. 18 Then the spirit came upon Amasai, who was chief of the captains, and he said, Thine are we, David, And on thy side, thou son of Jesse: Peace, peace be unto thee, And peace be to thine helpers; For thy God helpeth thee. Then David received them, and made them captains of the band.
1 Chron 12:15-
Conclusion:
Conclusion:
The Right Crowd is about Church - finding a place of refuge and hope
The Right Crowd is about differentiating between neighbors and friends
The Right Crowd is about transformation
The Right Crowd is about the KING - Jesus Christ