Is There Not a Cause?
Notes
Transcript
Is There Not a Cause?
Text: 1 Samuel 17:1–11 (KJV 1900)
Now the Philistines gathered together their armies to battle, and were gathered together at Shochoh, which belongeth to Judah, and pitched between Shochoh and Azekah, in Ephes-dammim. 2 And Saul and the men of Israel were gathered together, and pitched by the valley of Elah, and set the battle in array against the Philistines.
3 And the Philistines stood on a mountain on the one side, and Israel stood on a mountain on the other side: and there was a valley between them. 4 And there went out a champion out of the camp of the Philistines, named Goliath, of Gath, whose height was six cubits and a span. 5 And he had an helmet of brass upon his head, and he was armed with a coat of mail; and the weight of the coat was five thousand shekels of brass. 6 And he had greaves of brass upon his legs, and a target of brass between his shoulders. 7 And the staff of his spear was like a weaver’s beam; and his spear’s head weighed six hundred shekels of iron: and one bearing a shield went before him.
8 And he stood and cried unto the armies of Israel, and said unto them, Why are ye come out to set your battle in array? am not I a Philistine, and ye servants to Saul? choose you a man for you, and let him come down to me. 9 If he be able to fight with me, and to kill me, then will we be your servants: but if I prevail against him, and kill him, then shall ye be our servants, and serve us. 10 And the Philistine said, I defy the armies of Israel this day; give me a man, that we may fight together. 11 When Saul and all Israel heard those words of the Philistine, they were dismayed, and greatly afraid.
1 Samuel 17:22–29 (KJV 1900)
22 And David left his carriage in the hand of the keeper of the carriage, and ran into the army, and came and saluted his brethren. 23 And as he talked with them, behold, there came up the champion, the Philistine of Gath, Goliath by name, out of the armies of the Philistines, and spake according to the same words: and David heard them.
24 And all the men of Israel, when they saw the man, fled from him, and were sore afraid. 25 And the men of Israel said, Have ye seen this man that is come up? surely to defy Israel is he come up: and it shall be, that the man who killeth him, the king will enrich him with great riches, and will give him his daughter, and make his father’s house free in Israel. 26 And David spake to the men that stood by him, saying, What shall be done to the man that killeth this Philistine, and taketh away the reproach from Israel? for who is this uncircumcised Philistine, that he should defy the armies of the living God? 27 And the people answered him after this manner, saying, So shall it be done to the man that killeth him.
28 And Eliab his eldest brother heard when he spake unto the men; and Eliab’s anger was kindled against David, and he said, Why camest thou down hither? and with whom hast thou left those few sheep in the wilderness? I know thy pride, and the naughtiness of thine heart; for thou art come down that thou mightest see the battle.
29 And David said, What have I now done? Is there not a cause?
Introduction:
* I our text this morning, we have read about the young boy David as he found himself in a situation not too much unlike where we find ourselves today.
* The enemies of the God had come out with everything they had against God’s people.
* We find ourselves in a similar situation this morning. We live in a time in which the bible predicted would come.
Isaiah 5:19–24 (KJV 1900)
19 That say, Let him make speed, and hasten his work, That we may see it: And let the counsel of the Holy One of Israel draw nigh and come, That we may know it! 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!
21 Woe unto them that are wise in their own eyes, And prudent in their own sight! 22 Woe unto them that are mighty to drink wine, And men of strength to mingle strong drink: 23 Which justify the wicked for reward, And take away the righteousness of the righteous from him!
24 Therefore as the fire devoureth the stubble, And the flame consumeth the chaff, So their root shall be as rottenness, And their blossom shall go up as dust: Because they have cast away the law of the Lord of hosts, And despised the word of the Holy One of Israel.
* We live in a day in which those who love God are called haters, and bigots because we hold to the standards of righteousness that are set for by this Holy Book the Bible, the Word of God.
* Just as the prophet had predicted we live among a people who are wise in their own eyes, and prudent in their own sight.
* We live in a world that holds “political correctness and civil rights to a higher standard that the Word of God. The Bible has taken back seat to what evil men have determined to be right.
* As a result we live in a world, like the prophet Isaiah predicted, that calls what God says is evil good, and what God says is good, evil.
* Our world, lifted up in its self-righteousness, has declared that that sin, which God calls an abomination, the sin of homosexuality, to be a good thing, and our government has placed its blessing and legal privilege upon those who live in unrighteousness. We have called that which is evil good.
* Our world, being lifted up in self-righteous pride, has placed its blessing and legal privileges on that very sin that caused God to judge and bring destruction on His own chosen people the nation of Israel- The murder of innocent children.
* Our politicians have declared that the murder of children in the womb is a good thing, and our government has mandated that we all take part in this act of murder by forcibly taking our money to pay for abortion.
* Just as the Philistines, the enemies of God, had come out in force against the people of God in our text this morning, the battle lines have been drawn, and the battle is in full array between the enemies of righteousness and the people of God this morning.
* No only did the prophet Isaiah predict that the would call what is evil good, but he also said that the day would come when the world would call that which is good evil.
* Today those who stand up for good and right are called bigots and haters. When a Christian business like Chic Filet simply catered a speaking engagement for a pro family organization, they were viciously attacked by the media and homosexual activist groups. They were called haters and bigots.
* In our text this morning the young man David was faced with a similar situation as we are this morning. David, like us, was listening to the enemies of God slander the name of God and ridicule God’s people.
* We live such at time that if you try to teach your children that the Word of God says God created the earth in six days and the rested on the seventh, you are called names like a Neanderthal and stupid.
* There is a growing movement to prosecute those parents who teach their children that the theory of evolution is not proven.
* Recently there have been cases in which attorneys have tried to accuse parents of being unfit, and a danger to the mental well-being of their children, because they teach their children the Bible condemns the sin of Homosexuality.
* As the prophet Isaiah said would happen, we live in a time in which that which is good is called evil.
I. This is the time to take a stand for God and His Word.
* I want to call your attention to our text in I Samuel 17 and verse 28:
28 And Eliab his eldest brother heard when he spake unto the men; and Eliab’s anger was kindled against David, and he said, Why camest thou down hither? and with whom hast thou left those few sheep in the wilderness? I know thy pride, and the naughtiness of thine heart; for thou art come down that thou mightest see the battle.
* David was angered by the name-calling, ridiculing and threats by the enemies of God. David began to ask the question “Doesn’t somebody stand up and do something about this man who is making fun and ridiculing God?
* Instead of being encouraged, David was reprimanded by those around him. David was accused of being full of pride and naughtiness, while those who hate God and righteousness are praised for their “Gay Pride Marches” and demonstrations. The media outlets fall over each other trying to report on issues of Abortion and Gay rights.
* When Christians, and Christian organizations, like Hobby Lobby try to stand up for what is good and right in the eyes of God, we are ridiculed and told that we need to be more politically correct.
* I want to call your attention to David’s reaction to those who criticized him this morning-
29 And David said, What have I now done? Is there not a cause?
* David determined that it was better to stand up for God and defy the haters of God and as we all know, God was with David and gave him victory over the enemies of God.
* The majority in David’s day were fearful of the enemies of God and cowered down in fear. We have those around us who are afraid to stand up for their God and his Word as well, but God is looking for some people who love him like David did and who will not be afraid to stand up for Him!
II. The real Enemy is Apathy.
* Apathy is a state of indifference, - the suppression of emotions such as concern, excitement, motivation and passion.
* We need to stir ourselves up by the Holy Spirit of God to be concerned about political issues that we face!
* We need to be excited about this work that God has given us to do! We are the salt of the earth!
* The churches of a nation are the conscious of a nation! If Christians don’t speak out for God in the political arena with passion, the voice of the enemies of God with be the only voice that anyone hears!
* An apathetic individual has an absence of interest or concern about spiritual matters. The most dangerous enemy we face this morning is the enemy of apathy!
* We have become apathetic and indifferent to the spiritual warfare that is going on all around us every day!
* It is time to say like David “Is there not a cause!”
* Yes! There is a cause! You may say what is the cause?
III. It is time to get serious about people who are going to Hell!
* Are you praying for anyone to be saved right now? If not, then I don’t thing we are really serious about the souls of men.
* There are many causes that we can get involved with in this live. Some are vegans, some fight for the rights of animals, some get involved with the civil rights of individuals., but let me ask you “Is this not the most important cause that you could ever involve yourself with this morning?”
IV. It is time to get serious about sin in our lives.
* How long has it been since you got serious with God about the sin that you have allowed in your life this morning?
* If it has been a while, then my friend I am afraid that you are not serious about the judgment of God in your life. To continue on in sin will bring the sure and swift judgment of God in your life.
* I think of the story of Akan who had disobeyed God and taken of the spoils of war. Because of the sin of Akan, his whole family was destroyed. Will your family and those you influence be destroyed because of your unconcern over the sin in your life.
V. It is time to get serious about leading our families.
* Have you been giving your loved ones the time that they need or deserve this morning, or have less important things taken you away from your responsibility to your loved ones?
* Have you been fulfilling your responsibility to lead your family in the ways of God, or have you not taken this seriously?
* Does your family see you put the Word of God and the things of God first in your live?
IV. It is time to get serious about our voice in politics.
* God is looking for men, women, and boys and girls who will take a stand against the enemies of God this morning! Will you make a decision to get off the fence on the political issues we face as a nation?
* If you don’t stand up for unborn babies who will?
* If you don’t take a stand against the homosexual agenda to recruit children into their wicked and perverted sin, then who will?
* If you don’t take a stand against the creep of Islam into the politics of America then who will?
* If you don’t stand and fight against the efforts of those who would lead this country into socialism and ultimately communism, and the outright hatred of God, then I as you who will?
* Our country and our religious freedoms are slipping away right in front of our eyes! Who will like David vow to stand and fight the enemies of God? Will you?