KING DAVID (PT. 1): GOD S TRAINING PROGRAM FOR HIS SERVANTS By Clay Sterrett David is a household word for any Christian. You cannot read the Bible very far without coming to an emphasis on King David. He wrote the majority of Psalms incredible words of encouragement for about any situation in life. In Psalm 89: 20, 27 he is called the most exalted of the kings of the earth. He also points the way to the Son of David, Jesus Himself. There are so many details we could go into about his life since we were children, we have heard many a lesson from David=s fight with Goliath [PICTURE] one of the all-time favorite Bible stories. We have also certainly heard of David=s terrible sin with Bathsheba and the bad consequences which followed. [BLANK SLIDE] My teaching this week and next week, Lord willing, will limit itself to two main subjects: o How did God train and prepare David to become the greatest king in the history of Israel? And... How does God prepare and train us to be his servants? o [next week] Why was David, with his flaws and failings, the only man in the Bible called a man after God=s own heart? Can you and I also be a man or woman after God s heart? Today, let s consider God=s training program for his servants. You cannot follow the Lord without enrolling in His school WHAT IS is the most commonly used term for followers of Christ? [RESPONSE] Disciple = a learner, a student What grade are we in? [RESPONSE] Most of us Kindergarten...maybe a few in 1 st grade. Alan Redpath, former pastor of Moody church in Chicago, wrote a book on David s life entitled, The Making of a Man of God. He said, The conversion of a soul is the miracle of a moment, the manufacture of a saint is the task of a lifetime. (Alan Redpath, The Making of a Man of God) (p. 5) We can also add that God is training us for a role in eternity in which we will be the bride of Christ and his co-regents on the earth. GOD IS PREPARING US Much more surely will those who receive [God's] overflowing grace (unmerited favor) and the free gift of righteousness reign as kings in life through the one Man Jesus Christ. (Rom. 5:17 Amplified Bible) And have made us kings and priests to our God; and we shall reign on the earth. (Rev. 5:10 NKJV) I don t comprehend what all this means but brethren God is preparing us RIGHT NOW for something that will be utterly amazing in heaven... we will be with the Lord forever and ruling 1
with Christ in his ever increasing and expanding Kingdom! So, let s be prepared! GOD S TRAINING PROGRAM FOR HIS SERVANTS 1. God trains in the natural, ordinary and obscure circumstances of life. He chose David his servant and took him from the sheep pens; from tending the sheep he brought him to be the shepherd of his people Jacob, of Israel his inheritance. And David shepherded them with integrity of heart; with skillful hands he led them. (Ps. 78:70-72) As you study biblical history and the history of the church, we will discover that the men and women that God uses were in the beginning stages often unknown and unappreciated. They were faithful in the menial, the insignificant, the routine, the regular, the unexciting daily tasks of life. At first, nobody seemed to notice or care what they were doing...but the watchful eye of the Lord was upon them. In her book, From Jerusalem to Irian Jaya, an excellent biographical history of Christian missions, Ruth Tucker covers at least a hundred individuals or organizations that had major impacts on the history of church missions. In the introduction, Tucker describes these Christian workers: Who were these missionaries who sacrificed so much to carry the gospel to the ends of the earth? Were they spiritual giants who gloriously overcame the obstacles they confronted? No. They were ordinary individuals, plagued by human frailties. Supersaints they were not... they were often marked by personality flaws and eccentricities. Yet, they were willing to be used by God despite their human weaknesses, and it was in that sense that they were able to make such an indelible imprint on the world. (Ruth Tucker From Jerusalem to Irian Jaya) David once killed a lion and bear to protect his sheep...who was watching that? [PICTURE] Who appreciated that? David could have said, What s one sheep? It s one meal. Dad would rather have me alive than have one sheep. But David was responsible and even as a teenager had come to rely on the Lord in such circumstances. But David said to Saul, "Your servant has been keeping his father's sheep. When a lion or a bear came and carried off a sheep from the flock, I went after it, struck it and rescued the sheep from its mouth. When it turned on me, I seized it by its hair, struck it and killed it. (1 Sam. 17:34-35) Young people, don t ever think suddenly one day something will hit and you will get serious about serving God... He who is faithful in the small things... right now... will be faithful in the larger. 2. God trains through personal experiences we walk through some very difficult. I love to read books, but so much training comes through real life experiences. I wish I could just read a book about patience and suddenly have it...it s not the knowledge alone that prepares a man... 2
According to Jewish tradition, some of David s earliest and loveliest Psalms come from his youth when he was out on the hillsides and valleys of Judea, watching over sheep and goats. Psalm 23 one of the most popular passages in the Bible. Let s recite it together. The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me to lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside the still waters. He restores my soul; He leads me in the paths of righteousness For His name's sake. Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; For You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; You anoint my head with oil; My cup runs over. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life; And I will dwell in the house of the LORD Forever. (Psalm 23:1-6 NKJV) Folks, very likely this was a teenager writing these words! He had a lot to learn yet, but he already had come to know the Lord! In the midst of his daily routine David had come to experience the Lord! Moms, is it possible that in the routine of your raising children and doing housework, you can experience the Lord and grow in your Christian character? Men, is it possible in the midst of a routine job, you can experience the Lord and grow in your Christian character? Young people, is it possible in the midst of the monotony and discipline of school work, you can experience the Lord and grow in your Christian character? Later, when David was given a task of being Saul=s errand boy, he was faithful Whatever Saul sent him to do, David did it so successfully that Saul gave him a high rank in the army. This pleased all the people, and Saul s officers as well. (1 Sam. 18:5) 3. God trains as we face giant opposition that is too big for us (I Sam. 17) Goliath was quite a formidable enemy [PICTURE] an estimated 9 9 ' tall; his body armor alone weighed over 125 lbs.; just the head of his spear weighed over 15 lbs. A huge man! He was verbally abusive and like the enemy of our souls was persistent every morning and every evening for 40 days he would walk out and taunt and intimidate the Israelites. Goliath represents Satan and spiritual enemies who come against us. At times we will face a Goliath in our lives something so big, intimidating, and persistent that we shrink back from it. It might be some fear or anxiety which our enemy Satan uses to intimidate us and paralyze us. David faced this enemy boldly, but not in his own strength. This was one more opportunity for David to learn in a situation that would naturally be frightening that the battle is the Lord s. 3
David said to the Philistine, You come against me with sword and spear and javelin, but I come against you in the name of the LORD Almighty, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. This day the LORD will hand you over to me, and I'll strike you down and cut off your head. Today I will give the carcasses of the Philistine army to the birds of the air and the beasts of the earth, and the whole world will know that there is a God in Israel. All those gathered here will know that it is not by sword or spear that the LORD saves; for the battle is the LORD's, and he will give all of you into our hands. (1 Sam. 17:45-47) Notice David did not engage in this battle to get public recognition or get a promotion; he did it because the name of the Lord was being dishonored; it was for the Lord s glory he did it. Brethren, when we face giant opposition; let s not shrink back in fear; let s boldly face the enemy like David did and realize the battle is the LORD s! 4. God trains as we have to wait in the desert an undesirable place. Some have estimated David was about 17 when he was anointed in a private ceremony by Samuel to be Israel s king to succeed Saul. However, it would be another 13 years before this call of God would be a reality. God had a training program to prepare David for reigning as king. He would leave the king s palace at about age 20 and would live a Robin-Hood-type-of-existence for the next ten years with a ragtag group of followers. The desert (or wilderness ) always represents a dry and weary land, and a place you would prefer not to be. Scripture indicates it s a place of testing: Remember how the LORD your God led you all the way in the desert these forty years, to humble you and to test you in order to know what was in your heart, whether or not you would keep his commands. (Deut. 8:2) David spent much of this time on the run, being pursued by Saul, sometimes living in caves. Here is one desert where David spent some time En-Gedi [PICTURE] (I Sam. 24:1). Not the most appealing campsite. It was not entirely bad there was some oasis there. But overall not a desirable place to be. Ps. 142 written during this time; it is an excellent psalm for the person who thinks no one cares for them. I cry aloud to the LORD; I lift up my voice to the LORD for mercy. I pour out my complaint before him; before him I tell my trouble. When my spirit grows faint within me, it is you who know my way. In the path where I walk men have hidden a snare for me. Look to my right and see; no one is concerned for me. I have no refuge; no one cares for my life. I cry to you, O LORD; I say, "You are my refuge, my portion in the land of the living." (Psalm 142:1-5) David later in the desert could have done something in the flesh to move things along a little faster he had at least two perfect opportunities to kill Saul then he could have been the king that God called him to. But David would not compromise and do things the world s way; he would wait for God to deliver him and raise him up in His timing. 4
5. God trains as we live with needy and possibly difficult people. (I Sam. 21-30) As a young man, David was living in the company of Saul, a king who was irrationally fearful of him, influenced by demons, very jealous of David, and who eventually tried to kill him. Later, as David was fleeing from Saul and living in the wilderness, notice his company of men: All those who were in distress or in debt or discontented gathered around him, and he became their leader. About four hundred men were with him. (1 Sam. 22:2) Later Scripture mentions:... all the evil men and troublemakers among David's followers... (1 Sam. 30:22) Wow! What a fellowship! What great company! Let me ask you has God allowed any difficult people to be a part of your life? They might be family members, someone ornery at work, or even a brother or sister in Christ who rub you the wrong way but you can t seem to escape from... Is it possible...that this person or persons somehow is being used by God to develop more godliness in your own life? Is this difficult person part of the Rom. 8:28 equation that all these things are working together FOR YOUR GOOD?! By the way, some of these rag-tag group of followers would eventually become some of David s mighty men described in 2 Samuel 23. God can take very needy people and transform them into mighty men of valor! 6. God trains us in times of greatest disappointment and despair. (I Sam. 29-30) In Chapters 27 we see one of the lowest times in David s life he had joined up with the Philistines, who were usually one of Israel s enemies, then in Ch. 29, even these Philistines rejected him because they didn t fully trust him (vv.4-5). Then Following this rejection, as he travels back to his home base in Ziglag, look what happened: Now the Amalekites had... attacked Ziklag and burned it...david s two wives had been captured... David was greatly distressed because the men were talking of stoning him; each one was bitter in spirit because of his sons and daughters... (1 Sam. 30:1-5) What would you say was the worst day of your life? Imagine in this case going bankrupt, your house being burned down, your family has been kidnapped, and your best friends are threatening to blame you for all of it...even kill you! One author wrote a book based on this passage. His book was entitled, What to do on the Worst Day of Your Life. Maybe some of you have had an experience you would call The worst day of my life. How did you respond? How would any of us respond? The best response to this question is found in v. 6. 5
But David strengthened himself in the LORD his God. (1 Sam. 30:6 ESV) BUT! If no person is ever there to encourage you, remember this verse! Is there someone here today who has been thinking: o I m ready to throw in the towel. o It can t get any worse... o I ve lost everything... and o Where are my Christian brothers and sisters? No one seems to care. And, they think I m somehow at fault! There are times in which no human being on earth will be able to help you. There is only one place to turn...and that s the Lord. We can say, What has come against me is terrible...but, I will strengthen myself in the Lord my God! What does it mean to strengthen yourself in the Lord? I believe it can mean: o We take the attitude, Lord, if you don t do something, it won t get done... o Lord, I can t see anything good coming, BUT I am trusting in you to help in this time of trouble! o We also take David s attitude and continue to praise the Lord... David wrote Psalm 34 when his life was in great danger I will bless the LORD at all times; his praise shall continually be in my mouth... Oh, taste and see that the LORD is good! Blessed is the man who takes refuge in him!... Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the LORD delivers him out of them all. (Psalm 34:1, 8, 19 ESV) David turned his attention to the Lord in his lowest times...and so can we. I believe this incident in I Sam 30 where David seemed to lose it all was another part of God=s training school for David; because... This incident took place THREE DAYS BEFORE HE WOULD BE ANOINTED KING. Satan will try his utmost to discourage us before great things are about to happen. So, if you feel you are at the bottom, don t give up, don t get embittered by the rejection, the disappointment, the alienation; rather LET US ENCOURAGE OURSELVES IN THE LORD OUR GOD! By the way, as you read I Sam 30, you will see after David encouraged himself in the Lord, they regathered themselves, sought the Lord, God gave a battle plan and in v. 19 it says they recovered everything, including their wives. REVIEW 6 points [SLIDE] Do you see your circumstances as part of God s training in your life? In such times you can either selfishly react and become bitter or vengeful, or you can allow God s character to grow in your life. 6
[OPTIONAL] Reflect on these truths as we close with a song to listen to. PLAY HIDDEN VALLEYS (written by Kelly Willard, sung by Steve Green) PRAY: Thank you Lord, you have called every one of us to be in your training program. Help us to see all of life s experiences, even our suffering and disappointments, as part of your training process. In our own hidden valleys, we want to be faithful and even have a song in our hearts. Prepare us, O Lord, that we might be your loyal servants, ready vessels for the Master s use. NEXT WEEK, Lord willing, we will look at why David was called a man after God s own heart. -------------------------------------------------- Hidden Valleys In a hidden valley just over the hill A young shepherd boy surrenders his will As he lifts his voice in praise to his King Only the lambs will hear and follow as he sings In a hidden valley a faithful one leads No one looking on, he cares for their needs For he knows the One who tries the heart So he is steadfast and content to do his part Chorus: Hidden valleys produce a life song Hidden valleys will make a heart strong Desperation can cause you to sing Hidden valleys turn shepherds to kings In a hidden valley a leader is born He has faced the fierce and weathered the storm So with humble heart and love for his God He becomes royalty with just a staff and rod Chorus Words by Kelly Willard; Sung by Steve Green 7