The Verdict
Evidence Demanding a Verdict • Sermon • Submitted
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Good morning.
Today we’re going to continue in our 2-Part series entitled, “Evidence Demanding a Verdict.”
This mornings message title is, “The Verdict” in verses 12-22.
We left off last week as David comes out of the cave and confronts Saul.
Let’s read that portion of Scripture again to refresh our memories from last week.
1 Samuel 24:8–11 (NLT)
8 David came out and shouted after him, “My lord the king!” And when Saul looked around, David bowed low before him.
9 Then he shouted to Saul, “Why do you listen to the people who say I am trying to harm you?
10 This very day you can see with your own eyes it isn’t true. For the Lord placed you at my mercy back there in the cave. Some of my men told me to kill you, but I spared you. For I said, ‘I will never harm the king—he is the Lord’s anointed one.’
11 Look, my father, at what I have in my hand. It is a piece of the hem of your robe! I cut it off, but I didn’t kill you. This proves that I am not trying to harm you and that I have not sinned against you, even though you have been hunting for me to kill me.
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Elaborate
So, last week we ended with three questions.
What will Saul do?
How will Saul respond?
Will he attack, be angry, be apathetic, or will he make an attitude adjustment?
And this morning in part 2 of our series, “Evidence Demanding a Verdict,” we’ll be ansering those questions and more.
So, with that said, let’s get into this mornings message.
If you remember the entire series was broken up into 6 major points.
We covered the 1st 4 points last week, and we’ll cover the last three this morning.
Reverence and Respect—vs. 8.
Rumors—vs-9
Obedience—vs. 10.
The Evidence—vs.11.
Reliance—vs. 12-15
Recognition—vs. 16-20.
The Request—vs. 21-22.
So, let’s get into the 5th point this morning, “Reliance” in verses 12-15.
FIVE: RELIANCE—VS. 12-15
1 Samuel 24:12–15 (NLT)
12 “May the Lord judge between us. Perhaps the Lord will punish you for what you are trying to do to me, but I will never harm you.
13 As that old proverb says, ‘From evil people come evil deeds.’ So you can be sure I will never harm you.
14 Who is the king of Israel trying to catch anyway? Should he spend his time chasing one who is as worthless as a dead dog or a single flea?
15 May the Lord therefore judge which of us is right and punish the guilty one. He is my advocate, and he will rescue me from your power!”
1 Samuel 24:12 (NLT)
12 “May the Lord judge between us. Perhaps the Lord will punish you for what you are trying to do to me, but I will never harm you.
In verse 12 David says, “May the Lord judge between us.”
David’s trusting in the Lord as his judge and advocate.
Listen, Jesus our Lord is the judge of all judges.
He’s the Judge, the Jury, the Executioner, and the Rewarder.
In John 5:22 we read this.
John 5:22 (NLT)
22 In addition, the Father judges no one. Instead, he has given the Son absolute authority to judge,
Elaborate
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Ya know, it doesn’t matter if you’re a believer or an unbeliever, Jesus will be your judge and you’ll stand before Him one day.
Romans 14:10 says this about judgment.
Romans 14:10 (NLT)
10 So why do you condemn another believer? Why do you look down on another believer? Remember, we will all stand before the judgment seat of God.
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But Peter, I thought that Christians won’t be judged?
And that’s true.
As true believers we won’t be judged at the Great White Throne judgement because our sins have been erased by Jesus on the cross of Calvary.
But we will be judged in a different way at what’s called, “The Bema Seat Judgment.”
2 Corinthians 5:10 (HCSB)
10 For we must all appear before the tribunal of Christ, so that each may be repaid for what he has done in the body, whether good or worthless.
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Elaborate
The lost will be judged as well at the “Great White Throne Judgement.”
Revelation 20:11–15 (NLT)
11 And I saw a great white throne and the one sitting on it. The earth and sky fled from his presence, but they found no place to hide.
12 I saw the dead, both great and small, standing before God’s throne. And the books were opened, including the Book of Life. And the dead were judged according to what they had done, as recorded in the books.
13 The sea gave up its dead, and death and the grave gave up their dead. And all were judged according to their deeds.
14 Then death and the grave were thrown into the lake of fire. This lake of fire is the second death.
15 And anyone whose name was not found recorded in the Book of Life was thrown into the lake of fire.
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Wow. The unknown will be known; the secret will be exposed; deception will be destroyed by truth; and the hidden will be brought to light.
What a terrible day that will be for all those whose name isn’t found in the book of life!
So how can someone get their name in the book of life? Elaborate
Listen, David depended upon God as his judge and avenger.
And because of this he didn’t take matters into his own hands by taking revenge.
He trusted the Lord to take care of those who were lying about him and trying to kill him.
* Let me share 5 things with you about revenge and vengeance that you can study about in your free time.
We are not to take revenge. Romans 12:19; Proverbs 24:29
Vengeance belongs to God. Romans 12:19; Psalm 94:1,2
Vengeance will be executed upon the evil and unbelievers. 2 Timothy 4:1
Vengeance will be executed on those not believing in the Gospel. 2 Thessalonians 1:7-9
If you reject Jesus you will suffer God's vengeance. Hebrews 10:26-31 *
Now, in verse 14 we see David contrasting himself to King Saul.
IOW why would the King of Israel do such an unworthy thing by chasing after a “Flea” with 3000 of his men?
This was David’s way of telling King Saul that his actions were unjust and foolish. Elaborate
David goes on telling Saul in verse 15, “Lets just let the Lord be the Judge” of whose right and whose wrong, and punish the guilty one.
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But David didn’t stop there.
With his tremendous faith and trust in God he makes this bold statement, “God will rescue me from your power!” Elaborate
So, now let’s see how Saul responds to David as we come to our 6th point, “Recognition” in verses 16-22.
SIX: RECOGNITION—VS. 16-22
1 Samuel 24:16–22 (NLT)
16 When David had finished speaking, Saul called back, “Is that really you, my son David?” Then he began to cry.
17 And he said to David, “You are a better man than I am, for you have repaid me good for evil.
18 Yes, you have been amazingly kind to me today, for when the Lord put me in a place where you could have killed me, you didn’t do it.
19 Who else would let his enemy get away when he had him in his power? May the Lord reward you well for the kindness you have shown me today.
20 And now I realize that you are surely going to be king, and that the kingdom of Israel will flourish under your rule.
21 Now swear to me by the Lord that when that happens you will not kill my family and destroy my line of descendants!”
22 So David promised this to Saul with an oath. Then Saul went home, but David and his men went back to their stronghold.
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Here we see that David got through to Saul.
IOW Saul was so moved at what David did that he knew he was wrong, and then he bagan to cry.
You see, the evidence that David presented to Saul demanded a verdict… a verdict of inocence. Elaborate
Let’s list 4 things that Saul recognized as David confronted him.
David as a Son.
His Shortcomings.
The Goodness of Davd.
The Will of God in David’s life.
A. David as a SON—24:16
1 Samuel 24:16 (NLT)
16 When David had finished speaking, Saul called back, “Is that really you, my son David?” Then he began to cry.
Saul recognizes David as part of his family and begins to cry.
The king is crying!
IOW a change was taking place here in Saul’s life.
It’s not going to last long, but long enough to save David’s life in this situation.
It seems as though David’s words touched Saul’s heart. And this illustrates a truth found in Proverbs 15:1.
Proverbs 15:1 (NLT)
1 A gentle answer deflects anger, but harsh words make tempers flare.
Elaborate
Look, Saul was melted by the power of love.
Peter said this in 1 Peter 4:8.
1 Peter 4:8 (NLT)
8 Most important of all, continue to show deep love for each other, for love covers a multitude of sins.
* Look what took place in Saul’s life as a result of David’s Love.
Malice was confronted with mildness.
Jeers were countered with gentleness.
Hatred was hampered by humility.
Bitterness was buried with blessing.
What were the results in Saul’s life?
Saul’s temper was transformed into tears.
Saul’s hate changes into a heart that was broken.
Saul’s anger was soothed. *
Evil was overcome by good, and that’s what Romans 12:21 speaks of.
Romans 12:21 (NLT)
21 Don’t let evil conquer you, but conquer evil by doing good.
Elaborate
A test of our maturity is the ability to respond in kindness to our enemies.
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Isn’t it hard to do good to those who hurt us, especially when our flesh wants to ring the neck of the person who’s being a (fill in the blank) towards us.
* You see, when we’re hurt, we’re not happy, we feel miserable, sad, and mad that we’ve have been had. *
And if you think about it, I’m sure that’s how David felt many times in his life regarding Saul.
Ok, Peter, I’ve got three questions for you.
How do I love my enemy?
How did David love Saul?
Does the Bible really say we have to be nice to our enemies?
Well, the answer to these questions are really two-fold.
So, first we’re going to talk about some of our responsibilities to our enemies.
Secondly, we’ll see how to implement our responsibilites.
Let’s start with our responsibilities to our enemies.
* 1) Some Responsibilities to Our Enemies
a. Return lost possessions....
Exodus 23:4 (NLT)
4 “If you come upon your enemy’s ox or donkey that has strayed away, take it back to its
owner.
Elaborate
b. Don’t Rejoice when your enemies fall....
Proverbs 24:17 (NLT)
17 Don’t rejoice when your enemies fall; don’t be happy when they stumble.
Elaborate
c. Refresh him when he is weak...
Proverbs 25:21–22 (NLT)
21 If your enemies are hungry, give them food to eat. If they are thirsty, give them water to drink.
22 You will heap burning coals of shame on their heads, and the Lord will reward you. Elaborate
d. Respond with kindness...
Matthew 5:44 (NLT)
44 But I say, love your enemies! Pray for those who persecute you!
Elaborate
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So we’ve covered some of our responsiblities towards our enemies. Now, let’s talk about how we implement them practically.
2) How Does A Person Do All This With His Enemies?
a) Rely on the Lord for protection and refuge.
Psalm 57:1 (NLT)
1 Have mercy on me, O God, have mercy! I look to you for protection. I will hide beneath the shadow of your wings until the danger passes by.
Elaborate
b) Rest in God's commands and promises. What the Lord commands, obey it. What He promises He will perform.
Romans 12:19 (NLT)
19 Dear friends, never take revenge. Leave that to the righteous anger of God. For the Scriptures say, “I will take revenge; I will pay them back,” says the Lord.
21 Don’t let evil conquer you, but conquer evil by doing good.
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Elaborate
c) Realize you could be like your enemy if it was not for God's grace. This thought will keep your head from swelling.
1 Timothy 1:15 (NLT)
15 This is a trustworthy saying, and everyone should accept it: “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners”—and I am the worst of them all.
Elaborate
d) Remind yourself that God was patient with you, loved you, and forgave you. You need to do this with your offenders.
Lamentations 3:22–23 (NLT)
22 The faithful love of the Lord never ends! His mercies never cease.
23 Great is his faithfulness; his mercies begin afresh each morning.
Colossians 3:13 (NLT)
13 Make allowance for each other’s faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others.
Elaborate Both
e) Remember that a reward is promised to you.
Luke 6:35 (NLT)
35 “Love your enemies! Do good to them. Lend to them without expecting to be repaid. Then your reward from heaven will be very great, and you will truly be acting as children of the Most High, for he is kind to those who are unthankful and wicked.
Elaborate
f) Routinely pray for them. The Lord can change their heart.
Matthew 5:44 (NLT)
44 But I say, love your enemies! Pray for those who persecute you!
Elaborate
g) Rejoice in the benefits of the offense.
Psalm 76:10 (NKJV)
10 Surely the wrath of man shall praise You; With the remainder of wrath You shall gird Yourself.
Christians were persecuted terribly in the Roman Empire. But that persecution led to a great revival!
Elaborate
h) Review your offender as God's agent or tool.
Genesis 50:20 (NLT)
20 You intended to harm me, but God intended it all for good. He brought me to this position so I could save the lives of many people.
Joseph did this and it kept him from being bitter. David also did this with Shemei, which we’ll come to later on in 2 Samuel.
Elaborate
i) Re-invest your life into your enemy.
Matthew 5:39–41 (NLT) *
39 But I say, do not resist an evil person! If someone slaps you on the right cheek, offer the other cheek also.
40 If you are sued in court and your shirt is taken from you, give your coat, too.
41 If a soldier demands that you carry his gear for a mile, carry it two miles.
Elaborate
Saul not only recognizes David as a son, but the 2nd thing he recognizes are his shortcomings. Now let’s talk about Saul’s Shortcomings in verse 17.
B. Saul's SHORTCOMINGS—24:17
1 Samuel 24:17 (NLT)
17 And he said to David, “You are a better man than I am, for you have repaid me good for evil.
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Saul said to David, "You’re a better man than me.”
Isn’t that interesting.
You see, what Saul didn’t say truly shows his heart.
IOW what Saul didn’t say was, “You’re a righeous man and I’m wicked.”
Listen, bad people have no problem admitting they’re not as good as others.
And Saul still believes he’s good, just not as good as David.
People do the same thing today.
They may admit that they’re not as good as some but they still say, "I'm still Ok! I'm good!”
“There is nothing really wrong with me!"
Listen, it takes the Holy Spirit to help us see ourselves as we REALLY ARE, AS GOD SEES US. So how does God see us?
What does man say, and what does God say?
1) Man says, “I’m not so bad.” GOD SAYS:
Romans 3:23 (NLT)
23 For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard.
Elaborate
2) Man says, “I’m good. I’m OK.” GOD SAYS:
Isaiah 64:6 (NLT)
6 We are all infected and impure with sin. When we display our righteous deeds, they are nothing but filthy rags. Like autumn leaves, we wither and fall, and our sins sweep us away like the wind.
Elaborate
3) Man says, “I’ll get myself to Heaven my own way.” GOD SAYS:
John 14:6 (NLT)
6 Jesus told him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me.
Elaborate
4) Man says, “Look at me, my accomplishments. I did it all by myself. I don’t need God’s help in my life at all.” GOD SAYS:
John 15:5 (NLT)
5 “Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing.
1 Corinthians 1:29 (NLT)
29 As a result, no one can ever boast in the presence of God.
31 Therefore, as the Scriptures say, “If you want to boast, boast only about the Lord.”
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So, we’ve talked about the first 2 items that Saul recognized about himself.
David as a son and his shortcomings.
Now let’s talk about the 3rd one Saul recognized, “The goodness of David.”
C. The Goodness of David—24:18-19
1 Samuel 24:18-19 (NLT)
18 Yes, you have been amazingly kind to me today, for when the Lord put me in a place where you could have killed me, you didn’t do it.
19 Who else would let his enemy get away when he had him in his power? May the Lord reward you well for the kindness you have shown me today.
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Listen, Saul admits that David showed him Good for Evil and spared his life.
BUT he doesn’t repent or seek forgiveness.
Listen, Saul even realizes that God gave him up to David.
But Saul is still fighting against God.
You know what, Saul knew that he was acting like a fool and he’ll continue to do so in the future.
Saul sheds tears.
But tears and confession aren’t of any value if there’s no repentance behind them.
Emotion isn’t of any value if it doesn’t lead to obedience.
And this was Saul.
He saw the goodness of David but ultimately ignored it after this event.
Elaborate
For us, tears and emotions are great and wonderful to experience.
But emotion and tears that don’t lead to obedience and Scriptural truth only lead us deeper into sin and rebellion.
And this is exactly what happend to Saul.
So, Saul recognized David as a Son.
He recognized his shortocmings.
And he recogized the goodness of David.
And the 4th item that Saul recognized was “The Will of God in David’s Life.”
D. The Will of God in David’s Life—24:20
1 Samuel 24:20 (NLT)
20 And now I realize that you are surely going to be king, and that the kingdom of Israel will flourish under your rule.
Back in 1 Samuel 23:17 Saul already know that David was going to be king.
And now as a result of what just took place, Saul really knows that David will be king.
So, now that Saul know’s this he has some requests for the soon to be King David.
And that brings us to our last point for this morning, “The Request” in verses 21-22.
7) THE REQUEST—VS. 24:21-22
1 Samuel 24:21–22 (NLT)
21 Now swear to me by the Lord that when that happens you will not kill my family and destroy my line of descendants!”
22 So David promised this to Saul with an oath. Then Saul went home, but David and his men went back to their stronghold.
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So, in that culture it was a commom practice to wipe out a family of a former king if that family was a different family.
So, Saul pleads for his family.
At this point in time Saul’s heart is soft and tender.
And it seems that Saul felt that David was a man of honesty and integrity.
He knew that if David made a promise, he would keep his word.
* You see, David had a good name because of his devotion to the Lord. *
Proverbs 22:1 (HCSB)
1 A good name is to be chosen over great wealth; favor is better than silver and gold.
Proverbs 16:7 (NLT)
7 When people’s lives please the Lord, even their enemies are at peace with them.
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Elaborate
David makes an oath to Saul that he’ll spare his family and decendants.
But David doesn’t trust Saul.
And that’s why he and his men went back to their stronghold.
Listen, David gave Saul “Evidence that Demanded a Verdict.”
He showed Saul that he was a man of integrity.
Now the question for us this morning is this.
Is there evidence in our life to convince others that we’re a true follower of Jesus?
* IOW when people look at our life, what verdict would they come to based on the “Evidence” you’ve given and shown to them? *
PRAY FOR MESSAGE
CLOSING SONG
Praise God from whom all blessings flow.
Praise Him all creatures here below
Praise Him above ye heavenly hosts
Praise Father, Son and Holy Ghost
AMEN!
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