Sunday Recap for 06.17.18 Big Idea: All Who Desire Live a Godly Live in Christ Jesus Will Be Persecuted

Sunday Recap for 06.17.18 Big Idea: All Who Desire Live a Godly Live in Christ Jesus Will Be Persecuted

Sunday, June 17, 2018, Evident Grace Fellowship looked at 1 Samuel 18:17-30:

1 Samuel 18: 17 Then Saul said to David, “Here is my elder daughter Merab. I will give her to you for a wife. Only be valiant for me and fight the Lord’s battles.” For Saul thought, “Let not my hand be against him, but let the hand of the Philistines be against him.” 18 And David said to Saul, “Who am I, and who are my relatives, my father’s clan in Israel, that I should be son-in-law to the king?” 19 But at the time when Merab, Saul’s daughter, should have been given to David, she was given to Adriel the Meholathite for a wife.

20 Now Saul’s daughter Michal loved David. And they told Saul, and the thing pleased him. 21 Saul thought, “Let me give her to him, that she may be a snare for him and that the hand of the Philistines may be against him.” Therefore Saul said to David a second time, “You shall now be my son-in-law.” 22 And Saul commanded his servants, “Speak to David in private and say, ‘Behold, the king has delight in you, and all his servants love you. Now then become the king’s son-in-law.’” 23 And Saul’s servants spoke those words in the ears of David. And David said, “Does it seem to you a little thing to become the king’s son-in-law, since I am a poor man and have no reputation?” 24 And the servants of Saul told him, “Thus and so did David speak.” 25 Then Saul said, “Thus shall you say to David, ‘The king desires no bride-price except a hundred foreskins of the Philistines, that he may be avenged of the king’s enemies.’” Now Saul thought to make David fall by the hand of the Philistines. 26 And when his servants told David these words, it pleased David well to be the king’s son-in-law. Before the time had expired, 27 David arose and went, along with his men, and killed two hundred of the Philistines. And David brought their foreskins, which were given in full number to the king, that he might become the king’s son-in-law. And Saul gave him his daughter Michal for a wife. 28 But when Saul saw and knew that the Lord was with David, and that Michal, Saul’s daughter, loved him, 29 Saul was even more afraid of David. So Saul was David’s enemy continually.

30 Then the commanders of the Philistines came out to battle, and as often as they came out David had more success than all the servants of Saul, so that his name was highly esteemed.

And from that passage, we pursued this Big Idea:

Big Idea: “Indeed, all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted” (2 Tim. 3:12).

And we found these three thoughts from that Big Idea:

The world will be jealous of God’s favor in your life.

The world will try to distract you from God’s call in your life.

The world will fear God’s work in your life.

 

The world will be jealous of God’s favor in your life.

1 Samuel 18: 17 Then Saul said to David, “Here is my elder daughter Merab. I will give her to you for a wife. Only be valiant for me and fight the Lord’s battles.” For Saul thought, “Let not my hand be against him, but let the hand of the Philistines be against him.” 18 And David said to Saul, “Who am I, and who are my relatives, my father’s clan in Israel, that I should be son-in-law to the king?” 19 But at the time when Merab, Saul’s daughter, should have been given to David, she was given to Adriel the Meholathite for a wife.

Saul was jealous of what God was doing in David’s life.  The people sang of Saul killing thousands but David killing tens of thousands.  Because of this, Saul wanted to kill David. So Saul conspired to have David killed by giving him his daughter in hopes that David would then be killed by the Philistines.  David’s humility, however, shone through, and he refused to marry her because he didn’t feel worthy to be a part of the king’s family.

The world will try to distract you from God’s call in your life.

20 Now Saul’s daughter Michal loved David. And they told Saul, and the thing pleased him. 21 Saul thought, “Let me give her to him, that she may be a snare for him and that the hand of the Philistines may be against him.” Therefore Saul said to David a second time, “You shall now be my son-in-law.” 22 And Saul commanded his servants, “Speak to David in private and say, ‘Behold, the king has delight in you, and all his servants love you. Now then become the king’s son-in-law.’” 23 And Saul’s servants spoke those words in the ears of David. And David said, “Does it seem to you a little thing to become the king’s son-in-law, since I am a poor man and have no reputation?” 24 And the servants of Saul told him, “Thus and so did David speak.” 25 Then Saul said, “Thus shall you say to David, ‘The king desires no bride-price except a hundred foreskins of the Philistines, that he may be avenged of the king’s enemies.’” Now Saul thought to make David fall by the hand of the Philistines. 26 And when his servants told David these words, it pleased David well to be the king’s son-in-law. Before the time had expired, 27 David arose and went, along with his men, and killed two hundred of the Philistines. And David brought their foreskins, which were given in full number to the king, that he might become the king’s son-in-law. And Saul gave him his daughter Michal for a wife.

When David’s humility kept him from the royal family, Saul sought to distract David. Saul’s daughter, Michal, loved David, so Saul thought that relationship would distract David.  Distraction might cause David to die in battle.  He tasked David to bring him 100 Philistine foreskins as a bride price.  But David is not distracted, and instead brings 200 foreskins.

The world will fear God’s work in your life.

28 But when Saul saw and knew that the Lord was with David, and that Michal, Saul’s daughter, loved him, 29 Saul was even more afraid of David. So Saul was David’s enemy continually.

30 Then the commanders of the Philistines came out to battle, and as often as they came out David had more success than all the servants of Saul, so that his name was highly esteemed.

No matter what Saul tries, he can’t kill David. His humility shines through, and David continues to find favor from God.  Finally, Saul arrives at the proper place.  He is scared of David and God’s work in his life.

Christians too will be hated by the world.  The world will be jealous of God’s favor in our lives.  The world will seek to distract us from what God has called us to do.

Knowing that, Jesus gives us these promises and commands.

John 15:12 “This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. 13 Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends. 14 You are my friends if you do what I command you. 15 No longer do I call you servants, for the servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you. 16 You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you. 17 These things I command you, so that you will love one another.

18 “If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you. 19 If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. 20 Remember the word that I said to you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you. If they kept my word, they will also keep yours. 21 But all these things they will do to you on account of my name, because they do not know him who sent me.

Big Idea: “Indeed, all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted” (2 Tim. 3:12).

Truth: Being a Christians means wanting to be like Christ.  Being like Christ means you will be persecuted for your faith.  God calls persecuted Christians blessed.

Application:  Live knowing that God’s work in your life is so powerful that your faith will either cause the world to profess faith or persecute you.

Action:  Find some new area of your life where you have to purposefully be involved in the life of non-believers.

 

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