JONATHAN - STIRRING GOD'S PEOPLE INTO ACTION (I Samuel 14:1-14) The Old Testament is alive wi examples at will help us in our every day life. It gives us examples at will give us direction as we chart our daily pa and at will help us to have a fai in God to help us have e streng to go forward in e challenges at we encounter every day. Jonaan is one of ose examples at we find at gives much insight into directing our steps. In 1 Samuel 14 we find Israel set in battle array wi e Philistines. The condition in Israel at e time was not good. They were beset on numerous fronts by e invading Philistines (1 Samuel 13:17,18), and e Israelites were defecting because of fear (1 Samuel 14:21). They were short on weapons to fight against e enemies (1 Samuel 13:19-22). And it certainly seems at as a whole ey were greatly lacking fai in God to deliver em in struggles. It is important to note at all it takes is a weak and ungodly leader at can change e whole focus and demeanor of a nation. But in is deplorable condition we find a godly man who trusted God to take care of him and deliver him and his people from e adversaries. Jonaan obviously had a different attitude toward God an his faer did. The chapter starts wi Jonaan taking e lead and making plans to attack e enemy on a small scale. In making ese plans he is careful to choose an individual at he can trust to carry out e operation. He exhibits a great fai in God in e way ese plans are carried out and since he is not acting on a direct revelation from God but simply on a fai in Him and His promises he recognizes at God may not be for is plan and he could come to a bad end. TOOK THE LEAD At e outset we see at Jonaan took e lead in doing someing at it seems everyone else was afraid to do. He saw a job at needed to be done and was determined to go ahead and get it done even if all of ose around him did not want to do e job. As we consider is example we should ink of e jobs at need to be done around us every day. Not jobs at put our life in jeopardy but simple ings at just need to be done, ings like changing light bulbs, cleaning e baptistery, fixing e leaky toilet, or turning on or off e lights. W hat about at individual at needs a visit for encouragement or a job done around e house for e elderly or infirmed. All too often ese ings are noticed by many but ignored and questions asked like, W hy doesn t someone take care of at? As we learn from Jonaan we should just learn to take e lead and get e job done. Many times leaders will strive to go ahead and do all of e ings at need to be done. It is easy to go overboard in setting e example for doing e work and not encouraging oers to get in ere and work emselves. It seems at it is important at we balance taking e lead and doing e jobs at need to be done wi helping oers to serve also. In taking e lead Jonaan chose a faiful individual to assist him in is endeavor (1 Samuel 13:1). This was a man at he was used to working wi and knew at he could trust. W e can see e faifulness of his armor bearer in verse 7 when he affirmed his willingness to do whatever Jonaan chose to do. Not stopping at anying. As we learn from oer biblical examples of is we look to Paul and John Mark. Paul even ough wrong at e time did not trust John Mark because he had turned back earlier when ey went to e work. Paul believed him to not be a faiful individual at could be Mark Them Which Walk So (Philippians 3:17) 24 Annual Mid-West Lectures Page 1 not to be sold. For information contact e 39 Street church of Christ, 15331 East 39 Street, Independence, MO 64055.
Jonaan - Stirring God s People Into Action (1 Samuel 14:1-14) trusted in e heat of e battle and so ended up choosing Silas (see Acts 13:13; 15:36-39; 2 Timoy 4:11). In e work of e church today we should be careful to choose faiful individuals who we are confident will help us in e work at we have to do, people at will be ere when e going gets tough and at we can trust to back us up as we strive to serve e Lord. Remember at evil communications corrupt good manners, (1 Corinians 15:33). Anoer ing at we can see in Jonaan is e training at he had received. It seems clear as we look back at history in is period at e members of e royal family were trained to do e job at ey would need to do. Jonaan was inline to be e king and would be well trained in e tactics of battle. W e can see his clear inking and learning in e tactics of battle as he laid out his plans to his armor bearer. In e church we should also be careful to train our young people, boys and girls, to do e jobs at need to be done in e kingdom. The jobs are many and varied but all very important. Jobs at range from seeing and doing e menial jobs to leading e assembly and teaching e lost. Each job is essential. W e should not neglect to train e older as well. In my experience many of our older members have never been trained to do e work. But if you can get em to give in to training ey can take at and go forward and work and grow even more by eir experience. Isn t at what Moses did wi Joshua. Isn t at what Jesus did wi e apostles. W e MUST train up ose who come after. It is also exciting to notice at e strong godly leadership of Jonaan spurred oers on to action. In I Samuel 14:21 we see e defectors coming back to fight on e side of e Israelites. In verse 22 we also see ose who were waiting around are now ready to go to battle and get e work done. It is amazing how one individual who will go before and show e way (Romans 12:10) can spur on so many to do e work. Strong, confident leadership has a profound effect on oers. In e work of e church each of us should be challenged to step out and get a job done. Not lingering back and doing noing for fear of failure and reprisals. I was always taught at if you are doing someing you will make mistakes. The big mistake at is often made is at we do noing. W e will give account of how we used what God has given us cp. I Corinians 4:2. By going ahead and working on a job we will motivate oers to get in ere wi us and help to get it going. Keep in mind at you play an important role in e fai of oers. PLANNING As we proceed in e account of what Jonaan did we see at he was careful to plan out his pa. Planning is a crucial aspect of accomplishing anying at needs to be done. The old saying, To fail to plan is to plan to fail is all too true. Planning of course takes foreought and effort. Jonaan laid down a plan of action in verses 8-10 at he intended to follow and wiin at plan were variables at would determine e course of action along e way. He clearly recognized at ere were different ings at could take place and he considered what he would do if eier of ose options occurred. Mark Them Which Walk So (Philippians 3:17) 24 Annual Mid-West Lectures Page 2 not to be sold. For information contact e 39 Street church of Christ, 15331 East 39 Street, Independence, MO 64055.
Jonaan - Stirring God s People Into Action (1 Samuel 14:1-14) As we consider e work of e church today e scriptures teach us also at we should plan e Lord s work. Just as Jonaan was doing e Lord s work and needed to carefully consider e pa to take we must do e same. Notice passages like Matew 28:19, 20. Here Jesus commands us to go and teach all nations, en to continue to teach ose who obeyed e gospel. Inherent in is command is e clear need to make plans. Then in Acts 13:1-4 we see e breren making ese plans to see at it gets done. W e see at ey fasted and prayed about e task and en commissioned em to do e job. W e see planning in reaching out to e lost in e world in Colossians 4:5. It says to walk in wisdom. W isdom is e proper use of e knowledge at we have. Breren, at is planning and we must make plans to reach out and influence e lost. W e have been given e greatest job on e face of e ear. People are lost and dying every day and we have been given e marching orders to go and teach em e saving message of Jesus Christ. If we are to achieve at goal we must plan. W iin ose plans Jonaan made some human judgments. These are ings at he did not have a specific command for. Keep in mind at e whole plan was according to God s plan to conquer e nations around em (Deuteronomy 7:2). He knew at God wanted is job done and at He left some of e details up to human judgment. The same must be done in our plans of living e Christian life and reaching out to oers. In our plans for doing e Lord s work we will make some human judgments. Just keep in mind at our plans should be wiin God s will (cp. 1 John 5:14), and ey must be based on God s W ord, 2 Timoy 3:16,17. W hen it comes to ose areas of human judgment remember at God s W ord gives us all ings at pertain to life and godliness (II Peter 1:3). So it should be used to determine if e meod or decision will be acceptable to God. W iin ose human judgments on Jonaan s part (bo would be acceptable to God, or at least not sinful), were criteria at would determine e direction at he would take. According to e doors at opened or closed a determination was made as to what direction to take. Paul used similar criteria in determining e direction at he would take in Colossians 4:3 when he desired open doors to preach e gospel. W hat kind of plans are we making? Do we have plans to reach e lost of our community, our friends or e world beyond? Jesus teaches at we are supposed to in Matew 9:36,27. Pray insinuates planning wi God s help and laborers insinuates work. W e can pray but we must do our part in e plan (Matew 28:19). Do we make plans to build up e local church? Too often we just let it happen. That simply means it won t. W e must plan proper teaching at will edify and grow strong Christians. W e must plan proper avenues of encouragement and fellowship among breren. Time togeer apart from worship services is very important to keep people encouraged. W e are social creatures. The religious world around us is capitalizing on is aspect and growing. I realize at people like to be entertained and at is not e purpose of e church but time togeer is essential for continued grow. The church in Acts 2:42,46 spent time togeer and grew. Mark Them Which Walk So (Philippians 3:17) 24 Annual Mid-West Lectures Page 3 not to be sold. For information contact e 39 Street church of Christ, 15331 East 39 Street, Independence, MO 64055.
Jonaan - Stirring God s People Into Action (1 Samuel 14:1-14) As e church do we make plans to bring back e erring? The W ord of God clearly demands at we try to bring back e erring. (Cf. Galatians 6:1; James 5:19,20) W iin ese commands it is clear at we must do some planning to bring about e desired end. As e Lord s church we comprise an army (Ephesians 6:10-20). Being an army gives us a purpose. That purpose is to win souls to e Lord and to aid em in going to heaven. As an army wi a purpose we must have a plan for e pa of attack. If we are to be efficient and have e success at we desire we have to plan. W e plan for kids college, retirement, and new car and a house to live in. W e make plans to have a better paying job and to make our business more profitable. W e even plan for a vacation and how we are going to make time to see a ball game. W hy not plans to furer e kingdom of God. Are we not supposed to seek first e kingdom of God (Matew 6:33). If we do not plan we will fail in our mission. TRUSTED GOD As we follow rough wi e account of Jonaan we also see at he had a great fai in God. He trusted him to care for him in difficult situations and wi is trust he went ahead and did e job at needed to be done. Keep in mind at he had made some human judgments in is plan. In oer words he did not have a direct us saye e Lord for e criteria at he used for carrying out is plan. But it was still wiin e accepted plan of God and did not contradict His will. So he trusted in God to take care of him in e process. The Bible has much to say about e fact at we must have a fai in God to take care of us in our life, such as in James 1:5-8. W iin e framework of fai in God is e realm of providence. W e do not understand is subject to any great degree, most likely because God revealed what He intended to reveal and if we totally understood providence where would be e fai in God to care for us. W iin e realm of providence we do know some ings. W e know at God does not miraculously intervene and tell us what to do, or force us to do someing. Miracles have ceased and we have a free will to do as we choose. W e know at e Holy Spirit does not work separate from e W ord of God to reveal ings to us. God revealed rough e Spirit and en was quiet. W iin e realm of fai Jonaan put himself at risk. W e can see is in verse 11 where we can see at ey had been in hiding but now ey are exposed. He exposed himself and his armor bearer to e possibility of being hurt, captured and/or killed. W e also know from verse 6 at Jonaan had no way of knowing for sure at God was going to deliver him in is plan. He clearly said to his armor bearer, it may be at e Lord will work for us. This is in e imperfect and shows e realm of possibility. It was possible at e Lord would deliver em and it was possible at He would not. But He had a great fai in God at whatever came about he would still be under God s care. But e key is at Jonaan did not know e outcome. He did know ere was a job to do wiin God s will and at God had promised to care for em and help em. Quite frankly, where is e fai if ere is no risk? W here is e fai if ere is no danger of failure? In e Lord s work today we seldom have e danger of being killed because of e job at hand like Jonaan faced in his day. Our risk is very different. But like Jonaan we must have a great fai in God which necessitates risk to ourselves. Mark Them Which Walk So (Philippians 3:17) 24 Annual Mid-West Lectures Page 4 not to be sold. For information contact e 39 Street church of Christ, 15331 East 39 Street, Independence, MO 64055.
Jonaan - Stirring God s People Into Action (1 Samuel 14:1-14) W e must trust in God when it comes to giving as we have prospered. It is amazing to me at as Christians we make bold decisions when we want to purchase a cell phone or TV service. W e sign big contracts at involve a lot of money. W hen it comes to a boat or oer big purchase for entertainment we bravely sign on e dotted line and step forward in fai promising at e money will be ere and trusting at we will have a job to pay for e promise. W e sign on e dotted line for a house or car. These ings are a step in fai. But of little value eternally often no value eternally. But when it comes to purposing in our heart to give so much to God we cringe and say at we cannot or give a small pittance at is a slap in God s face. SEEK FIRST GOD S KINGDOM. Lay up treasures in heaven!!! Step forward in fai. I believe at e reason people give little or none to e Lord s work is because ey have not given emselves to e Lord (2 Corinians 8:5). W hat about as e leadership of e Lord s church. W hen we consider e projects at need to be done all too often we lack fai to step forward and trust in God to provide. W e do not have fai to go forward unless ere is money ere and to spare for emergencies. W hat a shame! W hat a lack of fai!! Jesus praised e widow who gave two mites in Mark 12:44. She gave all her living. That means at she trusted God to provide her next meal. As e church do we have fai? Are we striving to go forward in e W ork of e Lord on fai or do we wait till we have a big bank account to be able to do anying. God commanded at e Israelites step forward on fai in Malachi 3:10. They were not giving to God as ey should. They seemed to be basing eir giving on e fact at ey lacked. But God put it into a different realm. He told em to trust Him and go ahead and give and in turn God would en provide for em. They had to go forward in fai. You and I can learn from is at we like Jonaan and e Jews in Malachi need to go ahead and make e sacrifices necessary, putting ourselves at risk, taking chances in e Lord s work and do what needs to be done, trusting God to get us rough. Do not confuse e comfort zone wi fai In e Lord s work we must trust in God as we stand firm on God s W ord. Too many feel at ey must ignore sin in breren in order to keep numbers up. Too often departure from acceptable worship is pursued in e name of attracting more people to a so called fai in God. We must do what is acceptable to God and trust him to send laborers into e harvest. God will not bless e church if we are not an acceptable vessel. But if we cease to be an acceptable vessel it seems likely at Satan will bring a delusion to cause us to ink we are acceptable to God. Stand firm. As we go about our everyday activities trust in God to help you rough. Do what God expects and trust Him to bring ings around to good rough His providence (Romans 8:28). W e do not need to know how God s providence works we just need to trust Him to do what He says He will do, all e while putting Him and His will first in our lives. W e can trust Him by not allowing a job to interfere even if it means losing at job. W e can trust him by not allowing our entertainment to interfere, even if it means not having some fun at we desire. W e must trust him and not allow our family members or friends to interfere wi our service to God. I challenge all to go forward in what is right and acceptable in God s sight and trust Him. Even in e midst of adversity and danger and struggles. And when ose ings come and make life difficult say wi Paul Most gladly erefore will I glory in my infirmities, at e power of Christ may rest upon me Mark Them Which Walk So (Philippians 3:17) 24 Annual Mid-West Lectures Page 5 not to be sold. For information contact e 39 Street church of Christ, 15331 East 39 Street, Independence, MO 64055.
Jonaan - Stirring God s People Into Action (1 Samuel 14:1-14) (2 Corinians 12:9). This was not a miraculous power but a trust in God s providential care to get us rough e difficulties and to make us stronger by having to trust in Him. Mark Them Which Walk So (Philippians 3:17) 24 Annual Mid-West Lectures Page 6 not to be sold. For information contact e 39 Street church of Christ, 15331 East 39 Street, Independence, MO 64055.