Nowhere Man

Good morning. It's a pleasure to be together and back with you and always wonderful to celebrate baptism. And just make sure that you give Jeffrey a hug after this and encourage him. And and thank him for for sharing that moment with us, that was pretty special. Well, are German today, we're back into first Samuel chapter 29, if you want to turn there in your Bibles. Perhaps you're familiar with the Beatles song. Nowhere Man, some of the lyrics in that say he's a real nowhere man. Sitting in his nowhere, land making all his nowhere plans for nobody one of those Beatle songs that falls into that range of like, what does it mean? Probably nothing cuz they had a lot of those. However, it does create a certain tone, feel one of loneliness maybe even loss It's a man without a home. He's out of place. And this is precisely where David finds himself in chapter 29 of 1st Samuel. He has of his own accord, slide. Israel, out of fear of Saul and he has run to the relative safety of the enemy the Philistines. So let's read this together. Now, for Samuel 29,

Says it's not the Philistines gather together. All their armies to a fact. If your lights are camping by the spring, which is in Jezreel, and the Lords of the Philistines were proceeding on by hundreds and thousands and David and his men were proceeding on in the rear with a Cash. When the commanders of the Philistines said what are these Hebrews doing here? And I said that the commanders. The Philistines will is this not David? The Servants of Saul, the king of Israel who has been with me these days or rather these years and I have found no fault in him from the day. He deserted to me until this day. But the commanders of the Philistines were angry with him and the commanders of the Philistines said to him, make the men go back at that. He may return to his place where you have assigned him and do not let him go down to battle with us or in the battle. He may become an adversary to us or with. What could this man make himself acceptable to his Lord but not be with the heads of these men? is this not David of whom they sang in the dances and sink, Saul has slain his thousands and David his ten thousands So then a cash call David and said to him as the Lord lives you have been up, right? And you're going out, and you're coming in with me, and the Army are pleasing in my side. Probably have not found evil in you from the day of your coming to me until this day. Nevertheless, you are not pleasing in the sight of the Lord's. Now there for return. Going piece that you may not displease. The Lords of the Philistines David said to a cash but what have I done? What have you found in your servant for the day? When I came before you to this day that I may not go and fight against the enemies of the my Lord the king but I can't reply to David. I know that you are pleasing in my sight like an angel of God. Nevertheless the commanders of the Philistines of said he must not go to battle with us as soon as you have risen early in the morning and have light depart. So David Rose early in the morning to return to the land of the Philistines. And the Philistines went up to jezrael. This is the word of the Lord. and it's a short chapter, thankfully,

But it's an interesting one. David having played as real, as I said, before his own accord, aligning himself with the enemy of his own people is now kicked out of battle. This is the second time that this song has come back to haunt David way back in in chapter 18. They sang, the song of David originally the first time he fled from Saul and he he made his way to the same Philistine. King King akish. It was his then the king's servants though that bring up this song, the first Samuel chapter 21 and says, but the Servants of a Koosh said to him is this not David, the king of the land, they not sing of this one as they danced sang. Saul has slain his thousands and David his ten thousands, Make a call. Then in response to this, David decided to act insane. It was either that or potentially get killed. And so he went a little bit nuts and got himself, booted out of the king's presence because he said, I don't want this insane person here, be escaped. Now, here we are again, though, except, for over a year that David has been with the Philistines serving them from their point of view and things seem to have been going, okay. But this time it's the commanders of the Philistines, not quite the word that we might use their actually, like, the kings of the different regions of which actress has one, but it's the other kings of these regions that are coming with this. The concern then I guess rightfully. So if you think about it, I mean, if we looking at hindsight, David's Behavior has been disingenuous at best. He's convinced the king. These been raiding, his own people this whole time, instead of others so much. So that on top of this glowing recommendation that we see from the King here, he is also said that the inverse 12 of 4 Samuel. 27 piece short Lemay himself. Speaking of David odious among His People Israel. Therefore, he will become my servant forever. Lies that David told about what he's been doing. And where are you been going? We're starting to to come back and haunt him. And his commentary on 1st Samuel. Richard Phillips makes this pretty bleak and sobering comment on the relationship between David and the candy says this. The only reason akish praised David was at the Philistines. David had betrayed his own people and he was wickedly serving as a periodical. Traitor and raiding the people of Israel Annette there for. You can never go home that he was stuck in his service. To the king of gas. In other words. David's praise from a cash resulted from his dishonest manipulation. And from actions approval of the wickedness that he thought David was performing, praise. Like, this is not the Commendation the games approval from God. Kind of this great interpretation of this Web of Lies that happened. It just Builds on each other and it gets so complicated. Clearly believe David, 100% thought it was a sucker. This guy was made himself odious to his own people. He's mine now I got his there's nowhere else you can go But I wonder if the other kingdoms may not have been quite as trusting as this one. Perhaps, they remember the events from chapter 14 when Jonathan and his armor Bearer, attacked the Philistines and then this happened But now the Hebrews, who are with the Philistines previously, who went up with them all around in the camp, even they also turned to be with the Israelites who were with Saul and Jonathan. So they were either captives or they had at some point deserted but now that Saul and Jonathan were coming and looking like they were stronger, they turned on their captor, the perhaps that was in there, they're mine it could have been that certainly or just a simple common-sense Miss trusting of their enemy. Sky is not really with us. Why would they want this former is related warrior in general, who have been praised in song? Everyone knew who David was. Why don't they want him marching in the battle? I mean it that makes total sense to me. Irregardless David and his men that were sent packing. So as much as he wanted to, he couldn't stay not seemingly. Welcome or safe anywhere. David was indeed an nowhere, man, yet it wasn't merely circumstance that brought this on. So the question that we were asking ourselves today was why was David? This is nowhere, man, what brought this on? And it was kind of multifaceted. I'm going to give you four reasons this morning and then a title together in a way that you may not necessarily expect. First of all, David was physically displaced. This is kind of the most obvious why he wasn't in his homeland. He was elsewhere is far from his people. He was far from the things that he knew far from a land where they worshipped God. He was physically displaced in and that played a huge role at, perhaps, you're familiar with this quote, from Lord of the Rings, not all those who wander are lost. That's not about him, okay? David was super lost. He was wandering. And he was lost, not only physically, but spiritually. He may have had this this city that was given to him as a flag to go back to. But we all know that home is not just a place for you to sleep where you hang your Shield so to speak. It means much more in feeling unwelcome even uncomfortable in in the place that he was at, is enough to remove any sense of home. Feeling. David was certainly reveling in that feeling right now but it wasn't merely his physical location. That was off. David was also a nowhere man, because his trust was misplaced. This is when we're about to start to see that it wasn't just about him and where he physically was See his actions show. He didn't, trust God.

Saul had said, my bad for the second time. True, get it. And he repented, he told David, I'm sorry that I tried said you don't do it anymore. And David's immediate response. When that conversation was over, was not safe. I'm not safe until it is on the cord. He left it shows that a really strong lack of trust. God has protected them up to this point but for some reason, there's a disconnect here David just didn't think that he was safe. So we he trusted in his own wisdom. He trusted in his own decision-making capabilities. He didn't bring this to the Lord. Now we've seen David do this multiple times before he kind of goes back and forth. Sometimes he's like, I've got to ask God about this and sometimes he's like now I got it. It's like every other chapter David is is doing one thing or another reminds me of my friend and middle school, who I was only in classes with every other year. So every other year we were best friends. And so well, I guess I'll see you in here. You know, this is David every other chapter or so, he's making good Godly choices. And then the next time we see him, he's just kind of off on his own. It's actually a pretty good representation of us. People are not consistent. David is a good representation of that, we think of him, making his own choice to kill the ball. After he didn't provide David and his men with with food and supplies. Thankfully Abigail stepped in, that was a whole mess of its own, though. But David's trust was misplaced. He's starting to separate himself from God but also his loyalty was misplaced. Connect with trust that you have to presume that if David wasn't going to turn on the Philistines, which is what they thought which we don't know for sure that was an option. But if that wasn't the case, what was he going to do? He was about to go fight alongside the Philistines against his own people just to keep up. This this ruse he didn't want to he didn't necessarily have any beef with his people. He wasn't even trying to kill Soul. Why would he want to go March against his own people? Except for the fact that he was in a position? He couldn't get out of This is a huge betrayal of God, not only his people but have God if this is the reality to fight against God's chosen. People speaking of God in this David's Faith was misplaced. Now, it's very important to draw this line. David had not lost faith in God. He was not like Saul Saw you looking wonder if you was ever really truly with God to begin with. But David, even though we've got these Roller Coaster Waves, these fluctuations in faithfulness always goes back. So it's important to remember that. But in this case, again type of, trust loyalty and Faith. David is Faith in himself. He's not putting his faith in God. He's putting his faith in his own mind. Spring this weekend, man. He's trusting the kid. These people is trusting, the lies he has faith. And himself dangerous. It was so so dangerous. And God was, as we can see from scripture not a choice, not a part of his decision-making in any of this. David was completely out of sorts. He was lost is on the wrong path. Home and do it the wrong plan with the wrong people. But what's wonderful about this short and pretty straightforward chapter is under the surface There's some pretty remarkable things going on. I'm going to start to consider that is when I called us to twist the greeting in it, a good book. And you think you know what's happening and then it, it takes it a Twist, see the reality. We all know this. David didn't the reality though in, this is that God was at work the whole time. God is Sovereign this was not the surprise to him. He wasn't going on man. That I didn't think David was going to do that. I was at work and this isn't like I said not really a Twist if we're paying attention. We sort of see God in the works of this the whole time but we can observe in the life of David that God is constantly at work in his life. He was living. the way that most of us do, God was always faithful to see when you're in the midst of it. It's hard to see clearly that phrase. It can't see the forest for the trees. That's what David was. He may and some moments in his Darkness or his loneliness. Thought, man, as God got it, go anywhere. Never mind anywhere. Seems that David was a Nowhere Man scared to be where he belongs, not where he wanted to be. And he was operating a part from God's wisdom. This is this is as far from the right path that you can get for David. The God was watching over him. Let's think about this for a moment. He aligned himself with the enemies of God. David made a choice based on his own fear, his own wisdom. He lied to the king so that he can have his own space to go and raid and do whatever he wanted to. Have an answer too many questions. And that lie led to the king of thinking. David was a traitor, a chump. Some of that he could just make his servant for the rest of his life. And now David's on his way to fight his own people. All of these things could have brought catastrophic consequences. Think about it for me. What would have happened? If David is gone to battle? First of all, obviously, you could have died. You have been slain. There's always that Danger. If he had March though against his own people, how would that have affected his reputation? Do you think to the people love to David? He did things and he won victories and he let him to. Wait, it's all never did. So he had favored among the people, but if he marched against them, you think that favor would have continued? I highly doubt it. See also God work in this moment to preserve David. He could have died in battle and he preserved his reputation as king. All very important things. But two things were were happening here and things that I think each of us have either struggled with or are struggling with, or we will struggle with and that simply that he was running from God and he was trying to live in two different worlds. Two different worlds.

Like I said, I sure most of us can relate in some way to these two things. The undeniable truth. Take the first one into consideration. Is that we can't run from God. It's a phrase but it's not. It doesn't make any sense that he's God. And when we do try, and depending on why God will respond to our running from him in one of two ways, either Justice Mercy. This is what we see throughout scripture. Let's think about Justice for just a moment. We all ran from God in many different sorts of ways. Foolishly sometimes. We think we can hide our sins from God. Does he warned the Israelites back and numbers? 32 verse 23 said, but if you will not do so behold, you have sinned against the Lord and be sure your sin will find you out. You think of examples of people purposefully hiding their Sin from God? The first one I think that any of us would think of it. Be Adam and Eve. They send. They knew they weren't supposed to do that and they physically kid from God, probably. The only people in history that can say they physically head from God. You think of Judas? And his suicide, that was him running. From God. Running the wrong way. We can also run from God by denying his call on our life. I think of Jonah. Got a called him to go down to mentally didn't want to even think those people were deserving of God. And so he ran away. God had him swallowed by a big fish and spat back when he needed to go the very specific thing. That's what think of Gideon got a called him to be a leader of his people. Getting that I had not that guy, he demanded proof that God had the right man. He was running from the call that God had on his life. Scriptures, very clear that this is a pointless endeavor. This is what Isaiah 29 says, woe to those. Who deeply hide their plans from the Lord and whose Deeds are done in a dark place and they say who you turned things around. So the Potter be considered as equal with the clay that what is made with saywitz maker. He did not make me your what is formed say to him who is formed? He has no understanding also, we think of Jobe Because there is no Darkness or deep shadow where the workers of iniquity May hide themselves. Also, Jeremiah from my eyes are on all their ways. They are not hidden from my face. No worries. There Nick would be concealed from my eyes. Glassy a man hide himself in hiding places, so that I do not see him declares the Lord. Fill the heavens and the Earth declares the lord. It's pointless got himself says, I see you. I see you. We can be thankful that is those who are called and chosen of God that even when we foolishly run from God, to try to hide our sin, he will still forgive us. We may have Justice. There may be consequences for our actions for our sin here on Earth, but through Christ, live, Eternal, forgiveness, and Grace. And that is the other response. And when we run from God, Grace. Grace it. It's when he ignores our desire to be separate from him. And he watches over us. Anyway, are times when we have to step up and face the consequences of our choices. But there are also times when he protects us from harm and we didn't even know what's happening and that's according to his will even if we're far from him or Disobedience. And this is what we see with David. as I said before, I think about the possible consequences for David going forward of what it was going to do and yet God, Protected him. As opposed to the sobering, thought of God, always finding out about our sin, which is true. This idea of Grace and God Watching Over Us, with care, and protection should bring incredible Comfort to us. Even in the times when we don't feel that we need or even want protecting up and realize after the fact that we only got through our ordeal unscathed because of the grace of God. David eventually, recognize this precious protection of God and Shirley had that firmly in mind. When he wrote Psalm 139,

A section of that says, where can I go from your spirit? Where can I flee from your presence? Bison to Heaven. You were there. I make my bed and she will behold. You weren't there? I take the wings of the Dawn. I dwell in the remotest part of the sea. Even there. Your hand will lead me in your right. Hand will lay hold of me. If I say surely the darkness will overwhelming in the light around, you will be nights. When the darkness is not dark to you and the night is as bright as the day. Darkness and Light are like to you for you. Formed my inward Parts, you wove me in my mother's womb. I will give thanks to you for. I am fearfully and wonderfully, made, wonderful. Are your works? And my soul knows, it very well. My frame was not hidden from you. When I was made in secret and skillfully wrought. In the depths of the earth, your eyes have seen my unformed substance and in your book, we're all written the days that were ordained for me. When is yet there was not one of them?

Skillfully said. Thinking we can run or hide from our All-Seeing all-knowing. God is is ridiculous, but that doesn't stop us because it I guess that the bad dad joke that I would use to tie in the sermon is where can we hide from God? Nowhere, man, you get it. That's what I want. Tell that joke cuz it's a bad one. We think about the other issue that we talked about running from God, what about living in Two Worlds.

Living in Two Worlds. You see, David is trying to do this. He was straddling the line between what he knew he had to do, and what he thought he had to do, what was the right thing. What was the, the wrong thing? Was he a servant of God or was he a servant of the Philistines? Are the enemies of God. This is very representative of what so many Christians do today. At the most innocent, they hear the words of Paul saying that he was trying to be all things to all people. And they attempt to make that work.

Perhaps it is an attempt but it doesn't usually farewell. At most dangerous, these Christians water down or hide their faith. They're desperately afraid of offending anybody so they don't take a stand for anything. Especially God. They long to be like the world and to be liked by the world. This is not how we are called to live my friends. Jesus told us that we are to be a city on a hill, a light in the darkness, not hiding or lighter, shying, away from our faith. Because what message does that send to those around us? While we tried desperately not to offend for the gospel, would go with the flow but we're really doing is denying the truth of our salvation. It says, if we are ashamed of God, Never call perhaps this tense moment between Jesus and Peter. This is Peter trying to live in Two Worlds. Not quite understanding. And Market it says, and he began to teach them that the son of man must suffer. Many things should be rejected by the elders and the chief priests and the scribes and be killed. And after 3 days, rise, again, and as he was saying, the matter plainly and Peter took him aside and began to rebuking But turning around and seeing his disciples, he rebuked Peter and said, get behind me. Satan for you are not. Setting your mind on God's interests that man's and he summoned the crowd. It is disciples and he said to them. If anyone wishes to come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me for whoever wishes to save his life, will lose it. But whoever loses his life, for my sake, in the gospels will save it for, what does a profit? A man to gain the whole world and forfeit his soul from what one man give in exchange for his soul or whoever is ashamed of me. And my words in this adulterous and sinful generation. The son of man will also be ashamed of him when he comes in the glory of his father with the Holy Angels. Pretty straightforward. It's pretty strong as well-intentioned as pure may have been. Jesus stated the truth. I plainly to him. He says you're not setting your mind on God's interest but on man's Peter wasn't thinking about Christ the Messiah and what must be done. He was thinking, no, don't say that. We need you, we love you. You're not going to die. He was probably think, you know, Jesus needs a little encouragement right now. He's being kind of a downer. He didn't understand, I don't think really what he was doing.

This call that we have is Believers, isn't one to be taken lightly. That was a compromise cuz you can't have it both ways. As Jesus also said, Matthew 12, he who is not with me is against me. He who does not gather with me scatters. Remember also what said in James brother of Jesus says this, you adulteresses, do you not know that friendship with the world is hostility toward God? Therefore, whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God. Or do you think that the scriptures speak to no purpose? He jealous, Lee desires the spirit with, which she has made to dwell in US?

Friendship with the world. Is hostility toward God. I was always taught to give my love my attention to the less of that. Each, they would get. Now as an ADT guy, I always have to give my attention to at least a couple of things are. I'll go a little bit crazy. But if we think about this in human terms, if we're really trying to give all of our attention to work and all of our attention to our families, neither one is going to get the best of us. And maybe some of us have been in that situation.

We live in Two Worlds, we try to straddle that line and be loved and accepted by both. But both get a half-hearted attempt at who we are. Put that into our spiritual life. God is supposed to be our high. Number one top priority is called us. He saved us. if we try to give him our best and please man, how do you think that's going to go? We see how it's going. We see it all around us. We see churches that have decided that the Bible isn't exactly true. Jesus stuff is fine but all these other, all these other things, it's take it or leave it. They're trying to please the world, they're trying to go with the flow with a really doing is giving into their own sinful nature. It's very dangerous. Jesus spoke of this double mindedness. We talked about greed is what he says, in Matthew 6, no one can serve two masters. For either, he will hate the one and love the other or he'll be devoted to one and despise the other. You can't serve both God and wealth. That's very true. But it comes to apply to everything. We can't 100% serve God, the way we are called to and serve anything else. My friends were living at a time or more and more. Our faith is looked upon as foolishness. It's silly fairy tales it's what they say. We also live in a time where truth? Isn't really truth. There is no bedrock. There is no Foundation. And we see the way that the world is devolving. this is a time when, if we Don't stand up and proclaim the name of Jesus who will? Is David attempted to go his own way to run from God, to live in these two worlds, that really was only by the grace of God? They didn't lose his reputation, is future thrown or even is life. ultimately, David in spite of his mistakes, loved the Lord. As I said before he, he truly love the Lord, he didn't actually turn away completely the way. That's all did. David was very much a fault written sinful humans, like each of us. Better than being a king. He's very relatable. And the thing that made David wonderful is that he sees the error of his ways time and time again. We seen this morning how God protected David in spite of his sinful ignorance. Even use the Philistines to do it. David was on his way sin against his own people to send against God. And God, use the Philistines, just stopped him from doing that amazing. The way that God can work. But even knowing that we need to remember to never Test the Lord. We can't count on this longing to see how far I can get before. God pulls me back, he won't always we don't have a blank check to do what we wish. And know that God will always bail us out. This is the world, there are consequences for our actions. And so my challenge to all of us this morning for you for myself is to take a good honest, look at our hearts and ask a question, are we running from God? Are we trying to live in two different worlds? Is this something that is Weighing on us this morning? David found himself a Nowhere Man, like the Israelites wandering in the desert for their sin. No home, no place.

God remain constant though with them and with David and we need to remember even if both of these things, apply to us, even if actively we are running from God hiding, our sins trying to live in Two Worlds. We're one person at home and wear a different person at work. Or school. or with other members of our family, even if this is true about us, Our Good Shepherd. Will still leave the 99 to rescue us.

Paul says, we are found in Christ. Pray together.

Lord, when we study your word, when we look at these accounts, have these men and women who sometimes succeed, sometimes fail very easy for us. I would never do that if I was in that position. Here's what I would do. We paint the best picture of ourselves. Write our own. around Hero Stories, but the reality is, They're just like us. And we just like them. Befall away time again. We run from you, we try to straddle that line between serving you and serving everything else.

Lord, we know that, when we try to come to grips with these things on our own, we will fail. We need you. Need your strength. We need your wisdom. So grateful for your holy spirit that you've given us to guide us to convict us when we are starting to walk down that wrong path or give us the wisdom to listen. Give us the wisdom to open up your word and not think it's suggestions. Not think that we can cut and paste parts that we like that. Apply to us that that we think are okay and then ignore others. Lord that's not how it works.

That's the way the world looks at you. I pray God for the strength for all of us. To take the hard stance on truth. You are true. That's what you said to are the, the way, the truth, and the life.

And we thank you for calling us. Help us to continually. Daily moment-by-moment, put our faith in you to depend on you. To give you the Sovereign control that you have already.

Thank you for your grace. Thank you for your love to us. And thank you always for your word. We asked all of this in Jesus precious name. A man. As worship team.