July 9, 2023 - The Risk of Christianity
Notes
Transcript
So far in these early weeks of summer - Rachel, I, and the kids have been to Cedar Point several times (passes)...
And it’s been interesting this year - because this is the year that Tia (my middle child)...
became TALL enough to ride - everything!
NOW - who thinks she rides EVERYTHING?
You’re right!
But it didn’t start that way.
Our first time there this summer - Tia was still - AFRAID...
She hadn’t BEEN ON the taller rollercoasters...
SOOOO....
She ended up going on the Millennium Force...
And THAT - changed everything!
Once she went on THAT ride - she was good to go on EVERYTHING else...
NOW - of course she’ll fall back into bouts of being afraid....BUT - by and large - she would JOIN you on any ride there.
TODAY - we will come to a section of 2 Samuel - where - FEAR - plays a part in the narrative.
And that’s GOOD for US - because EVEN now - for each of us - FEAR plays a part in our WALKS of faith.
Even now...
Even for some of us - 25 year Christians - FEAR...
keeps us from speaking for Jesus to our circles around us
keeps us from DISPLAYING Jesus to those around us...
And so - I know that this sermon today - should hit home with each of us....
Let’s dive into our passage today...
1 After this the king of the Ammonites died, and Hanun his son reigned in his place.
2 And David said, “I will deal loyally with Hanun the son of Nahash, as his father dealt loyally with me.” So David sent by his servants to console him concerning his father. And David’s servants came into the land of the Ammonites.
3 But the princes of the Ammonites said to Hanun their lord, “Do you think, because David has sent comforters to you, that he is honoring your father? Has not David sent his servants to you to search the city and to spy it out and to overthrow it?”
4 So Hanun took David’s servants and shaved off half the beard of each and cut off their garments in the middle, at their hips, and sent them away.
5 When it was told David, he sent to meet them, for the men were greatly ashamed. And the king said, “Remain at Jericho until your beards have grown and then return.”
6 When the Ammonites saw that they had become a stench to David, the Ammonites sent and hired the Syrians of Beth-rehob, and the Syrians of Zobah, 20,000 foot soldiers, and the king of Maacah with 1,000 men, and the men of Tob, 12,000 men.
7 And when David heard of it, he sent Joab and all the host of the mighty men.
8 And the Ammonites came out and drew up in battle array at the entrance of the gate, and the Syrians of Zobah and of Rehob and the men of Tob and Maacah were by themselves in the open country.
9 When Joab saw that the battle was set against him both in front and in the rear, he chose some of the best men of Israel and arrayed them against the Syrians.
10 The rest of his men he put in the charge of Abishai his brother, and he arrayed them against the Ammonites.
11 And he said, “If the Syrians are too strong for me, then you shall help me, but if the Ammonites are too strong for you, then I will come and help you.
12 Be of good courage, and let us be courageous for our people, and for the cities of our God, and may the Lord do what seems good to him.”
13 So Joab and the people who were with him drew near to battle against the Syrians, and they fled before him.
14 And when the Ammonites saw that the Syrians fled, they likewise fled before Abishai and entered the city. Then Joab returned from fighting against the Ammonites and came to Jerusalem.
15 But when the Syrians saw that they had been defeated by Israel, they gathered themselves together.
16 And Hadadezer sent and brought out the Syrians who were beyond the Euphrates. They came to Helam, with Shobach the commander of the army of Hadadezer at their head.
17 And when it was told David, he gathered all Israel together and crossed the Jordan and came to Helam. The Syrians arrayed themselves against David and fought with him.
18 And the Syrians fled before Israel, and David killed of the Syrians the men of 700 chariots, and 40,000 horsemen, and wounded Shobach the commander of their army, so that he died there.
19 And when all the kings who were servants of Hadadezer saw that they had been defeated by Israel, they made peace with Israel and became subject to them. So the Syrians were afraid to save the Ammonites anymore.
So to set up what’s happening - As you know from last week - God had set this up so that wherever David fought - He was successful...
Victory came!
And yet - David finds himself - HERE - today - in a situation that was - let’s just say - HEIGHTENED! TENSE!
To set this up - back to verse 1 of chapter 10 (our text today)
1 After this the king of the Ammonites died, and Hanun his son reigned in his place.
NOW - if we remember - it was the Ammonites who Saul defeated back in 1 Samuel chapter 11...
A BATTLE which led to Saul gaining PROMINENCE with the people of Israel!
Saul WINS that battle - AGAINST Nahash - King of the Ammonites!
Nahash - it says here - DIED… And David decides to CONSOLE Nahash’s son - Hanun.
WHY??
2 And David said, “I will deal loyally with Hanun the son of Nahash, as his father dealt loyally with me.” So David sent by his servants to console him concerning his father. And David’s servants came into the land of the Ammonites.
NOW - it says here that Nahash had dealt LOYALLY with David - at some point in time.
The bible isn’t SPECIFIC about what had happened between Nahash and David - and how Nahash HELPED David - BUT - if you go into chapter 17 of 2 Samuel - it seems to INDICATE that Nahash had potentially helped David...
… when he was fleeing Saul.
At THAT TIME - Nahash and David would have shared a COMMON enemy… (Saul)
And so David decides to - be nice - to Hanun (son of Nahash)
What happens?
The princes of the Ammonites come to Hanun - and convince him that David has an ULTERIOR MOTIVE for sending men to CONSOLE him.
Well - Hanun BELIEVES the princes.
And he captures David’s men - CUTS off their beards (half of them) - basically cuts all their tunics off from the waste down and sends them back ...
He - HUMILIATES the men of Israel!
And Hanun KNEW - that he and the Ammonites had become a STENCH to David....
WHICH MEANS - Hanun knew that David would respond!!
So what does Hanun do?
6 When the Ammonites saw that they had become a stench to David, the Ammonites sent and hired the Syrians of Beth-rehob, and the Syrians of Zobah, 20,000 foot soldiers, and the king of Maacah with 1,000 men, and the men of Tob, 12,000 men.
Hanun knew that David would respond - and so he HIRES an army of men - to fight for him.
v8
8 And the Ammonites came out and drew up in battle array at the entrance of the gate, and the Syrians of Zobah and of Rehob and the men of Tob and Maacah were by themselves in the open country.
So the Ammonites come out to fight on ONE side of the Israelite army...
And the HIRED Syrians came on the OTHER side of the Israelites.
So David tells JOAB - his NEPHEW - AND - the general of the Israelite Army...
…to get the men ready for battle.
v9-11
9 When Joab saw that the battle was set against him both in front and in the rear, he chose some of the best men of Israel and arrayed them against the Syrians.
10 The rest of his men he put in the charge of Abishai his brother, and he arrayed them against the Ammonites.
11 And he said, “If the Syrians are too strong for me, then you shall help me, but if the Ammonites are too strong for you, then I will come and help you.
So JOAB is gonna lead the Israeli army against the Syrians...
And his BROTHER ABISHAI was going to lead the men against the Ammonites.
So these two men - SURROUNDED by - TROUBLE...
It doesn’t look good!
NOW - before we get to v12 - I want to set it up.
And to DO THAT - I’m gonna play an AUDIO clip - while the verse is on the screen - BUT - this audio clip is from a T4G conference from over a decade ago....
And John Piper is preaching.
His main question that he’s PUTTING BEFORE THE people - is this...
Where are the men?
Where are the pastors?
Where are the women?
And so I want us to listen to this clip - and in the MIDDLE of this clip, you’ll hear John Piper reference v12.
I’m gonna play the entire the clip because I want you to feel the WEIGHT of it - and the WEIGHT of the call!
12 Be of good courage, and let us play the man for our people, and for the cities of our God; and may the Lord do what seems good to him.”
The call to US - as Christians - IS NOT - stay safe....DO the safe thing!
We’re not CALLED to self-preservation!
WE ARE CALLED to - POUR OURSELVES out…for the sake of Christ!
This verse is where we’ll land today - we’ll come back to this verse over and over again - to hear this call.
Joab says to Abishai - surrounded by the ENEMY on ALL SIDES...
Be courageous - and let us PLAY THE MAN - for our people, and for the cities of our God, and may the Lord do what seems good to Him!”
Christianity is NOT for the faint of HEART!
SLIDE: The Risk of Christianity: All In Without Fear
The Risk of Christianity
The Risk of Christianity
Back to v12
12 Be of good courage, and let us be courageous for our people, and for the cities of our God, and may the Lord do what seems good to him.”
Lay down FEAR - by BEING STRONG in the Lord...
Be RESOLUTE in HIM...
ANCHORED in Him!
ROOTED in Him!
Because when we ARE - God’s strength will fight against the FEAR that will try to CONVINCE US - to stay on the sidelines!
But listen - I GET IT - staying on the sidelines might seem MORE SAFE!
I can tell you - it’s NOT...
EVEN though getting off the sidelines can lead to REAL PAIN...
It’s not more safe!
WHY?
Because God isn’t ON THE SIDELINES!!
6 Be strong and courageous. Do not fear or be in dread of them, for it is the Lord your God who goes with you. He will not leave you or forsake you.”
God’s NOT ON THE sidelines!
6 Be strong and courageous, for you shall cause this people to inherit the land that I swore to their fathers to give them.
13 Be watchful, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong.
We’re called to FEAR the LORD - not the enemies ALL AROUND US...
And yet - there’s RISK there!
Because when we LAY down FEAR - we just might do something - “RECKLESS” for Jesus!
Maybe you KNOW - maybe you DON’T....
BUT...
The more risks you take for Jesus - the more SCARS you’ll end up with.
Is it WORTH it to you?
But that’s not the only call from Joab today!
SLIDE: The Risk of Christianity: All In for the Sake of Others
The Risk of Christianity
The Risk of Christianity
back to v12
12 Be of good courage, and let us play the man for our people, and for the cities of our God; and may the Lord do what seems good to him.”
All throughout Scripture we see this call TO CHRISTIANS - to...
LOVE ONE ANOTHER - well!
To love one another in such a way - with such a CRAZY KIND OF LOVE - that the world would LOOK AT THIS LOVE...
AND DECLARE - wow - these people BELONG to JESUS!!
34 A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another.
35 By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”
HOW did Jesus love us? He LAYED His life DOWN for US!!
He was - ALL IN - for us!
He gave ALL of Himself - FOR US!
And we’re CALLED to LOVE the same way!!
This isn’t for the FAINT of HEART!!
There’s RISK here!!
And it ENTAILS US - getting OFF the couch!
GETTING OUT OF THE BOAT.... where it SEEMS MUCH MORE SAFE...
And getting OUT onto the WATER!!
There’s RISK there!!
You just might - GET HURT!!
But the CALL IS CLEAR -
Get OFF the SIDELINES!!
Get INTO the game!!
Someone I know once said...
SLIDE:
Some love to call the sidelines home
No not me, I’ll never bow
Sidelines are for cowards and for words alone
So much more than that is what is needed now
Sometimes in life - we find ourselves - in the fire
And yet someone else - IN LOVE - chooses to JOIN US - there!
Christianity is a call - to WALK....TOWARD....SUFFERING… (and MANY if not MOST times - the suffering of OTHERS)
And BECAUSE it IS!!....
… WE ALSO - if we choose to love others well - will find ourselves feeling the HEAT of the fire.
AND - at times - GET BURNED
Christianity - HURTS
We look at the apostle Paul’s life - and we might shake our heads...
HOW AND WHY did he live that way?
What MADE HIM - GET STONED - and then get back up and head back toward the STONING??
Here’s the answer!
22 To the weak I became weak, that I might win the weak. I have become all things to all people, that by all means I might save some.
Paul was - ALL IN - for the sake of others!
He was a BLANK check - under God - and that’s RISKY!!
As YOU HOPEFULLY know - our hearts are “DESIRE” factories...
And more often than not - we DESIRE other things - OVER God!
We desire:
Sports more than God - and so we GIVE ALL OF OURSELVES - to sports
Fame more than God - and so we GIVE ALL OF OURSELVES - to that pursuit
MONEY more than God - and so we GIVE ALL of ourselves - to that pursuit!!
As Joab said in our passage today...
12 Be of good courage, and let us play the man for our people, and for the cities of our God; and may the Lord do what seems good to him.”
He’s saying - YES it’s RISKY… (the ENEMY might be ALL AROUND)
But can we BE COURAGEOUS!…and give ALL of ourselves - to LOVE OTHERS well!
To love our brothers and sisters in Christ in such a way - that we LAY OURSELVES down - for THEIR sake!??
That we RISK OURSELVES - for their sake...
Risk OUR GOOD - for THEIR Good!
Just know - it takes getting off the sidelines!
But that’s not ALL that Joab says here...
12 Be of good courage, and let us be courageous for our people, and for the cities of our God, and may the Lord do what seems good to him.”
SLIDE: The Risk of Christianity: All In for the Sake of His Name
The Risk of Christianity
The Risk of Christianity
Back to v12
12 Be of good courage, and let us play the man for our people, and for the cities of our God; and may the Lord do what seems good to him.”
“Let us play the man - for the cities of our God...”
Let us play the man - for the things that BELONG to Jesus!!
Let us play the man - for the NAME of Christ!!
For HIS SAKE!!
Why does God do what He does?
6 I will say to the north, Give up, and to the south, Do not withhold; bring my sons from afar and my daughters from the end of the earth,
7 everyone who is called by my name, whom I created for my glory, whom I formed and made.”
So why were you made? Why were the people gathered in Jerusalem on the first Palm Sunday made?For God's glory
Why does God forgive?
25 “I, I am he who blots out your transgressions for my own sake, and I will not remember your sins.
We are forgiven, for God's sake.
We are forgiven, for His glory.
9 Pray then like this: “Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name.
10 Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.
The first petition on your lips when you pray is that God's name be made great...in the world....and Jesus is teaching us to pray this way.
Therefore, God is teaching us to pray for the glory of God.
Why does God supply us with strength?
11 whoever speaks, as one who speaks oracles of God; whoever serves, as one who serves by the strength that God supplies—in order that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ. To him belong glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.
If you serve, you are to serve in the strength that God supplies, so that He gets the glory....not you.
The Giver gets the glory!
Why does God lead us?
3 He restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.
Why does God do all that He does?
SLIDE:
God does all that He does, to display His glory for the full and lasting enjoyment of all who embrace Christ as their highest treasure.
THEREFORE - we are called to do the same!
Be COURAGEOUS - for His Namesake! - WHY?
SO THAT He might be GLORIFIED!!
16 In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.
Can we go ALL IN on this?
It can certainly be RISKY to live this way!!
And so a REASON we RISK ourselves…is because when we DO THAT - we display His majesty…HIS WORTH!
And this whole premise comes together - with the last statement found in v12
back to v12
12 Be of good courage, and let us play the man for our people, and for the cities of our God; and may the Lord do what seems good to him.”
SLIDE: The Risk of Christianity: All In on God’s Will Not My Own
The Risk of Christianity
The Risk of Christianity
Back to v12
(how does it end?)
12 Be of good courage, and let us be courageous for our people, and for the cities of our God, and may the Lord do what seems good to him.”
“May the Lord do what seems good to HIM!”
Joab says - LIKE JONATHAN...
Oh we’re gonna fight - and we’ll SEE WHAT GOD DOES!!
WHO KNOWS...
But let’s not SHRINK from the FIGHT!
If we DIE - we’ll ENTER HIS PRESENCE...
…having POURED out our lives - for His people!!! having DEFENDED His people!!
...having defended His NAME!!
So THAT’S HOW we will live…
We will BE COURAGEOUS in the face of persecution - WHY?
…because His people - are worth it.
…because His NAME - is WORTH IT!
SO often -
we do the math...
we calculate the percentages...
we apply man’s LOGIC - to God’s providence…and when the math doesn’t add up IN OUR MINDS - we walk away
SO - listen - your time is almost up here...
This isn’t for the faint of heart!
SLIDE: QUESTION...
What is there waiting for you, out on the waves, one step out of the boat that you’re in?
Listen - there IS SOMETHING - right out on the waves - one step out of the boat you’re in!!
What’s the CALL?
Men! - PLAY the man for the people of God - for the cities of our God and MAY the Lord - DO what seems good to Him!
Ladies - PLAY the WOMAN for the people of God - and for the cities of our God - and MAY the LORD - do what seems good to Him!!
SUMMARY
What have we seen today?
The Risk of Christianity
All In Without Fear
All In for the Sake of Others
All In for the Sake of His Name
All In On God’s Will and Not My Own
Now - before we pray and call it a day...
Question - How do we DO THIS?
The call today has been what?
In a nutshell - it’s been - MAN-UP!!
BE COURAGEOUS!!
BE STRONG!!
Now normally - that kind of talk - will send me looking for my SUPERMAN cape...
“Let’s go - Let’s DO THIS!!”
But we need to know - that would be the worst thing I could do.
If I want to go...
ALL IN...
without fear
for the sake of others
for the sake of His Name
on God’s will and NOT my own!!
Then I need - NOT to POSTURE UP - and TAKE THE MOUNTAIN!
NO - I need to become - WEAK - so that in HIS STRENGTH - I might become STRONG!
I heard a message this week from Paul Washer - and it rocked me.
That message was titled this:
God is Creating Weakness in Your Life
See - when we hear a MESSAGE like this....or we read of Joab, with the ENEMY ALL AROUND, saying this:
“Be courageous - and Let us PLAY the MAN for our people, and for the cities of our God, and may the Lord DO what seems good to Him!”
We MAY THINK - MAN - I’m TOO WEAK to do anything like that!!
We may think - MAN - I’m TOO WEAK to ever sacrifice MYSELF for the sake of others!
I’m TOO WEAK to ever - go all IN and RISK myself - to truly help someone else.
But listen to Paul Washer here…he says:
SLIDE:
Your problem is never that you are too weak. As a matter of fact, what God does in our lives, from the moment we are born again and until we die, is He is constantly working to create weakness in us. The problem is not that you are weak; the problem is that we don't know how weak we are; because that weakness would drive us to prayer. Just as being truly incarnate drove our Savior to prayer.
Oh how true this is!
As believers in Jesus Christ - we live in a river - flowing under the power and movement of the Holy Spirit.
The Spirit of God will often want to take us down this river - TO THE RIGHT - right toward the suffering of others...
And what do we DO - when we REFUSE to be CARRIED along by the CURRENT of God in our LIVES?
We sink our FEET down into the bottom of that river - and - IN OUR OWN STRENGTH - we RESIST where God wants to take us!
We would rather stay on the sidelines.
Instead - we need to LIFT UP our feet - Become WEAK - and let the SPIRIT TAKE US where HE wants to take us...
EVEN if that means - into the FIRE ITSELF!
I’d like to close today - with the clip from John Piper today!
SLIDE: John Piper Clip
Amen!