Monday Morning Coffee with Mark

Be Like David - 1st Samuel 23

October 11, 2021 Mark Roberts Season 1 Episode 20
Monday Morning Coffee with Mark
Be Like David - 1st Samuel 23
Show Notes Transcript

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Welcome to the Westside church’s special Monday Morning Coffee podcast with Mark Roberts. Mark is a disciple, a husband, father and grand dad, as well as a certified coffee geek, fan of CS Lewis’ writings and he loves his big red Jeep. He’s also the preacher for Westside church.

Speaker 1:

Hello, and welcome to the Westside churches. Special Monday morning coffee podcast on this podcast, our preacher Mark Roberts will help you get your week started. Right with a look back at yesterday's sermon so that we can think through it further and better work the applications into our daily lives. Mark will then look forward into this week's Bible reading so that we can know what to expect and watch for. And he may have some extra bonus thoughts from time to time. So grab a cup of coffee as we start the week together on Monday morning coffee with Mark.

Speaker 2:

Good morning. Good morning. Welcome to the Monday morning coffee podcast for October the 11th, happy Columbus day. Hope that you are having a great day. Maybe you're off work. Maybe you're going to the state fair. Maybe you're just enjoying some time off whatever you're doing today. I hope it will be blessed and helped by this podcast. I'm Mark. I've gotten my Bible open and I'm ready to think with you a little bit about yesterday's sermon and how to integrate that into your life effectively and prepare you for the week in daily Bible reading, I'm coming off a great week. Last week of the Campbell road, church of Christ. I preached a special series there called recharge to help us recharge after 20 months of so much drain and fatigue and weariness and difficulty. And I'll give a shout out to that great congregation. They were tremendously encouraging and very receptive to the word of God preached, and you can find those lessons on their website and on their Facebook page. But right now it's time to think about yesterday at Westside. So good to be home and to be where I belong. And yesterday I preached from first Samuel chapter 23. So pour that cup of coffee and let's talk about being like David yesterday's sermon was about being like David, but I want to take a moment in say, don't be like Saul. If you've got your Bible open to first Samuel chapter 23, just look at all the things that are going wrong in Saul's life. And with Saul's kingship and leadership, he is unrealistic and he is completely diluting himself in verse seven. He says, God has given David into my hand. That is completely not true. And he knows better than that. He seems to have lost any sense of being the shepherd of God's people, but instead he plans to attack an entire city, verse eight. He summoned all the people to war to go down to Keela. This is reminiscent of what he did to the city of knob. Then he even uses the Lord's name in vain in verse 21. When the Ziffvites say, they'll turn David over. He says, may you be blessed by the Lord? Hey God, isn't blessing that all. And you know that in fact, Jonathan even says, verse 17, the hand of mys saw my father shall not find you. You shall be king over Israel. And I shall be next to you saw my father knows this, perhaps worst of all, solemn neglects the nation to pursue his own agenda of killing David verse 27, a messenger comes and says, hurry, the Philistines are rating the land. So salt is off chasing David for his own nefarious purposes and neglecting the nation. Neglecting his people. Don't be like Saul. Instead. We want to be like David. And those points yesterday were simple. David consults with God. He wants to know God's will we don't consult with God exactly the same way as David did, of course, but we want to know the will of God. David focuses on others. David has godly companions and David is always giving God the credit for everything that happens. So let me build out this idea of being like David, with two more thoughts, to help you first and foremost, let me just say this. You've got to do stuff. If you're going to get to do stuff that comes from verse one, they told David behold, the Philistines are fighting against Keala and they are robbing the threshing floors. Nobody told Saul. They came to David. Why? Because David had defeated Goliath. David had then led the army as a visual, into battle against the Philistines. David had shown himself to be the kind of man who could take initiative and who could do and who could help in this kind of situation. Meanwhile, salt has completely embarrassed himself by being a coward in the Goliath situation, not leading Israel into battle. David does that instead. And then in the chapter that we started last month, first Samuel chapter 22, he murders massacres, a bunch of priests in the city of NAHB. Nobody wants to be around someone like Saul, but when you show yourself faithful, like David does more people are going to show up and say, Hey, could you be faithful in this activity? Would you help us in this? Could we serve the Lord with you in doing that? Sometimes people will get their feelings hurt because they weren't asked to do this, or they didn't get tasked with that. And what I'd want to say about that is the more you do in the kingdom of God, the more you show yourself to be a servant and to have a heart for God, the more opportunities you will get, SOLs getting less. David's getting more. The second thing that I'd want to say is we just need to realize in our life there's going to be Ziffvites. You remember these[inaudible] verse 19, the, as if I went to Saul and they said, it's not David hiding among us. They give David up. They sell him out. And in our world, we're going to encounter[inaudible] people who sell us out, who betray us, who hurt us, who try to pull us down? The answer to that is we need Jonathans that's again, verse 17, maybe verse 16, Jonathan Saul's son rose went to David and strengthened his hand in God, Ziffvites. I heard us weaken us if they can. So we'll go. We're going to need some Jonathans to build us up and strengthen our hand in God, that person in your life who's functioning as a Jonathan May not be the coolest person or the most popular person or the person who's wealthy and dresses in the ladies' fashions. It may not be the person who has a giant following on Instagram or Facebook. But if you have someone in your life who is serious about following God, and whenever you're around them, they just make you into a better servant of God. They encourage you. They're example raises the bar for you. If you're around a Jonathan, then what you need to do is say, Hey, look, that's Jonathan for me. And I want to be around that person more. You want to say to that person, let's get coffee. You want to say to that person, let's get lunch. You want to say to that person, I'm facing a decision. What do you think God wants me to do in this situation? Ziff fights are such a drag, but Jonathan's are such a lift. Get some Jonathans they help you cope with and overcome the Ziff fights in this world. Well, there you go. There's some thoughts from yesterday's preaching. Oh, I got to tell you, it was really nice to be back in the pulpit at west side where I, I just feel like I belong there where I want to be so very much wonderful to be with you and to think about first Samuel chapter 23, let's put away the old Testament. Now in turn to the gospel of Matthew, let's talk about daily Bible reading for this week. Let's jump into our daily Bible reading from the gospel of Matthew we're, reading Matthew chapter 10 and 11, nice clean sharp edges this week. And this really is a section where there's lots about Jesus's authority. Remember in chapter eight, we are reading this last week in chapter eight. Actually I think this is even maybe the week before the faith is of the Centurion in eight five, where he says, I'm a man of a it. And that then translates over into chapter nine and verse six, where Jesus heals the paralyzed man and says, the son of man has authority on earth to forgive sins. In verse eight says that the crowd glorified who had given such authority to man now in chapter 10, which we're going to read the first 15 verses of today on Monday, we get more about Jesus's authority. He has authority in word verses five, six, and seven and authority Indeed's verses eight and nine. And we're even going to see Jesus delegating that authority here as he sends out the 12 apostles. So we get for the first time in Matthew, the list of the apostles names, I'm an apostle technically is one sent with authority and the term isn't really a special term in new Testament times, just for the 12 men that Jesus selected, it's used widely in the new Testament. It can mean a messenger like in John 13 verse 16, Jesus has even said to be an apostle and Hebrews three verse one, some preachers are referred to in that way in Romans 16, seven, usually, however, in the Bible, it's going to mean the 12 apostles 12 probably coming from the 12 tribes of Israel. Jesus was fulfilling the old Testament. He is continuing God's work in the new Israel. So he sends them out verse five. And I think that really does prepare the way for what's going to happen at the close of the book in Matthew chapter 28 in verse 19. And they go only to Israel, really the Gentiles that we've seen so far who have come to Jesus have come of their own initiative. And Jesus really is the savior of Israel. First. Furthermore, it would really store up a lot of bad feelings if they went to the Gentile. So this is going to be the mission, and this is how the mission is going to be conducted. We'll see that repeated in the book of acts. Of course, it's the Jews first, the gospels to the Jew first, and then the Gentiles on Tuesday, we continue in chapter 10 or reading verses 16 to 33. And what we read yesterday and on Monday really expects a good reception. Most of this now doesn't sound nearly so kind, and we're really getting into the instructions Jesus's giving to the apostles, notice ten five, these 12 Jesus sent out, instructing them. And then in chapter 11 in verse one, when Jesus had finished instructing his disciples. So this really is what the apostles need to know. And Jesus is looking at a time when the break between the church and the synagogue is going to be final Christians. Aren't going to be tolerated or allowed in the synagogues. And there's going to be so much animosity in much persecution between Jews and between Christians. As you look for some old Testament connections, please note outside of verse 21. You want to just write maybe in the margin of your Bible, Micah seven and six, because that's what Jesus is alluding to there and alludes to again in verses 35 and 36, I will say a word or two here about verse 23. When they persecute you fleeting in the next town for Julliard saying to you, you will have not gone through all the towns of Israel before the son of man comes well, that's a little difficult. It sounds like the son of man will come before they finished their preaching work. Well, obviously Jesus did not come. So what is Jesus referencing here? And there's been a variety of different explanations posed, but I think probably the best way to think of this is to think of this in terms of coming in judgment. We'll talk much more about that in Matthew chapter 24, but we've already talked about that this year in Luke, in Luke chapter 21 with the destruction of Jerusalem in the parallel passage in mark chapter 13. So you're familiar with those kinds of ideas. Uh, coming is not always the second coming capital T capital S capital C. Sometimes God comes in judgment. And I think here Jesus is referencing that particularly since that judgment on Judea and all in the Jews, really, it really compromised their political power in acts. We see them using the Roman authorities for that matter in the gospels, they use the Roman authorities to kill Jesus. And then in acts, we see them manipulate and use Roman authorities to hurt the church. And after the rebellion of 1867 was culminated in 1870 with the destruction of Jerusalem. They really are not a political player. You can't be a political player when you've just revolted against the Caesar. So I get that. That's a difficult passage, but I think that's probably the very best explanation there. Jesus goes on then to say, don't be afraid. Verse 28 and 29 because of God's sovereign Providence trust in the Lord. Oh, how we need to hear that today? One writer said, people say that God cares about the big things, but not the little details, but Jesus says otherwise on Wednesday, then we'll complete this chapter on Wednesday. We're reading Matthew chapter 10 verses 34 to 42. And I think we're seeing here some of that common thinking verse 34, that the Messiah would bring peace. But Jesus is reinforcing that he's going to bring division. There's going to be trouble. There's going to be trials. There's going to be adversity. And if you love your family members, verse 37 more than you love God, you're not going to be able to be a disciple. In fact, verse 38, if you don't take up your cross and follow me, you're not worthy of me. Remember taking up the cross was the mark of one who was already as good as dad. It's not tragedy and troubles. No unbelievers have all of those taking up the cross is the unique responsibilities of discipleship where we deny ourselves and do what Jesus wants even at great personal cost. Notice how that particularly fits the context right here. Then on Thursday, we'll read verses one to 19 of chapter 11. And again, mark that transition statement, chapter 11, verse one, when Jesus had finished instructing his 12 disciples and up to this point, the ministry of Jesus has been quite successful, but there's a change of tone here. There's going to be much more hostility towards Jesus and towards his disciples, but that will not mean the kingdom is not coming. The kingdom is coming despite being attacked and despite being ignored. And in that vein, Jesus gets a question here from a very unexpected quarter. It is John, the Baptist who sends to Jesus and says, Hey, I'm not so sure about you. And that really causes people. Some upset. People get really queasy about that. And I have seen a ton of explanations of how John the Baptist was not really losing faith and why he was doing this and what it really means. And I think all of that is nonsense. John, the Baptist is in prison. Jesus is not busting him out. Jesus is not leading a revolution. Jesus is not leading a rebellion against Roman authorities who have unjustly in prison. John Jesus is not doing the things that a lot of people thought the Messiah was going to be doing. And I believe that in the cauldron of adversity, that being in prison was, and must have been for someone like John, the Baptist, who seems to have lived outdoors and loved it. Now he's in a dungeon. Uh, I think his faith is rocked. I think he's needing to know, have I made a mistake? Are you really the Messiah that it seems to me is the best explanation and the most natural reading of what's going on here. And what Jesus says, verse four is you need to look at the evidence, look at the evidence. And then in verse five, he's piecing together Isaiah 28, 9 verses 18 and 19, Isaiah 35 verses five and six, a little bit of Isaiah 61, 1 to say, Hey John, I am doing the things the Messiah does. And you need to think more carefully about what the Messiah was prophesied to do. And I think that's going to help John and that ought to help us as well. Verse 12 then is a troubling verse. And in these podcasts, I really like to try to work through things that are difficult or maybe a little bit wrinkle either. Let's see if we can iron this out. Verse 12, from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven has suffered violence and the violent take it by force. There's a variety of different translations. I would encourage you to read from different translations. That can be very, very helpful. And there are some very technical issues of Mount the translation, whether it means suffers violence or has been coming violently. There is a tense and new Testament Greek called middle voice, and that would change that translation. We don't even have middle voice like that in English gets pretty complicated in a hurry. I think what I'm just going to say here is probably the best idea is that the kingdom is coming with power. It's forcefully advancing Ian. And what it's going to take is forceful men, courageous people to press the kingdom forward, but that's hard and I'm not entirely certain about that. Probably wouldn't want to be dogmatic about that. And, and, and that's a pretty different take than what, for example, the English standard has there read some other translations and see what you think of that? The reading then for Thursday closes with this business about we played for you and you just won't have it in what Jesus is. Speaking of here is playing children's games. The girls play the flute, but the boys won't dance men dance at weddings in the Jewish traditions. And then the boys sing a funeral song, but the girls won't cry. Women were in charge of doing the morning. And what you says is you just never satisfied. You don't want to play happy and you don't want to play sad. You just can't be satisfied. And that leads them to Jesus saying at the end of verse, 19 wisdom is justified by our deeds. And that is also kind of a wrinkly little statement. And maybe what that means is that wisdom is proven right by her actions and in context, then that would be the actions of Jesus. And so that would show that both by the way, Jesus lived. And also of course, in context, by the way John, the Baptist live, they showed the way of right living in the way of God. So wisdoms children here is Jesus and John, what they did, they justify the way of wisdom. They prove that right by how they conducted themselves and how they acted. That takes us to the end of the week on Friday. Let me get another little bit of coffee here. Wonderful coffee on Friday. We're going to read the end of this chapter verses 20 to 30. And I will post video on Facebook that we'll work through that reading and do that reading. I'm not going to do that reading anymore live. I think there's been some misunderstanding about that. That if I don't see it live, it's not going to be there. And there's no point to go look for it. And so people are missing that. I'm going to start posting those videos. So on Friday, uh, usually around 10:00 AM, that video is going to go up. But for the podcast, I will have you notice here that this is very strong judgment kind of language in verse 23, that speaks of Capernaum being exalted know you're going to be brought down. The mighty works that have been done in Sodom. If they, if mighty works like this had been done in Sodom, they would have repented and remained. And I think there's something to be said here about judgment being based on opportunity and that when you've been exposed to the teachings and work and life of Jesus, the Christ Capernaum, you're just culpable for more. Maybe those of us who are listening to a podcast and reading our Bible need to consider where that places us, that leads them to one of the most famous set of scriptures anywhere, any time, the amazing invitation of Jesus coming to me, all who labor and are heavy Laden, I will give you rest for 28. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me for, I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you'll find rest for your souls. My yoke is easy and my burden is light. This invitation is found only in Matthew. So that makes it important for us. As we read in the gospel of Matthew, what exactly are the burdens to your all who labor and are heavy Laden verse 28? That is probably Pharisaical Judaism. Jesus will say more about that in Matthew chapter 23 in verse four, all of the rules and regulations and rituals that they bound on people as if God had given that to Moses. And it was part of God's law, all those crazy, tiny, detailed ideas, all of that just wore people out. And Jesus says, that is not what this is about. That is not how we do business with God. I'm bringing something completely different. Take the yoke of discipleship and you can re-ask rest for your souls. Verse 29 is directly out of Jeremiah six in verse 16. And it's tremendously important that people somehow don't make this into a statement that Jesus is freeing folks from in some way, being careful in their obedience. No, Jesus is all about obedience. He's the last word in obedience. What Jesus is doing is freeing you and me and the people who are listening there in that day to religion full up of human opinion and human traditions being bound as if they were from God. That's what Jesus says has to go the way of Christianity, the way of Christ. Isn't like that. Be free of that and calm follow Jesus according to his word. Well thank you for listening. If you love the Monday morning coffee podcast, we'd love for you to subscribe, rate, follow, and give a review on iTunes or what a rap you're listening to, or probably best to just to simply tell a friend about the show that would help us out tremendously. So until next time, may your coffee be delightful. May your Monday be short and may the Lord be with you today all day, happy Columbus day. See you next week.

Speaker 1:

Thanks for listening to the west side church, your price bypass Monday morning coffee with BARR, more information about west side. You can connect with us through our website, just christians.com and our Facebook page. Our music is from upbeat dot that upbeat with two P U P P D E a T, where creators can get reviews. Please share our podcast with others. And we look forward to seeing you again with a cup of coffee, of course, on next Monday,