David, God's Hero

At all campuses of the Bible. If you take it out now open at the first table 60% of 16 is after the book of Ruth's, on page 238 in my Bible, if that helps you at all. As you are opening their say the last year I read a book called undaunted courage by Stephen Ambrose.

It is about the Lewis and Clark expedition of the early 1800s.

I Lewis and Clark it set out to find what made this thought was one contiguous waterway that connected the Atlantic and Pacific oceans for two years. This these two men and 13 battle to hunger and fatigue enemies desertion all the information they receive.

Up to this point made them think that there was once across the Continental divide, they would face about 1/2 days walk down to the Columbia River which they would then be able to ride Conoco's lazily downriver all the way to the Pacific Ocean.

The story goes that as they approach the Continental divide.

Meriwether Lewis was the first in the group to run up ahead to try to be the first one to get a glimpse of this unit is this huge claim he thought it would lead to the Pacific Ocean. Instead, he didn't see the Columbia River. I didn't see a gradual downward glide.

He became the first non-native American delay his eyes on what we now call the Rocky Mountains. Can you imagine what that moment felt like to him, Stephen Ambrose, the author of the book shows how somehow Lewis and Clark were able to deal with disappointments and setbacks like that and keep pressing on. And because of that on November 5, 1805 Lewis and Clark put their feet into the Pacific Ocean and then he turned around and started the journey back. Here is what I want you to consider as we get into things today. How do you or are there places in your life that you feel like that like you just encountered a Rocky Mountain moment when you were not expecting.

Maybe it's up Rocky Mount moment in your marriage. Maybe you suddenly got a helper for that. You just were not prepared to receive.

Maybe it's a Rocky Mount moment in your job but maybe it is an unexpected delay that's taken place in something and you can't figure out why things are happening more quickly. Or maybe it was a sudden problem that you develop with your kids that you just didn't see coming. What I want to show you today is that God has a very special way of preparing his people and that these kinds of things. These Rocky Mount and experiences are always part of this plan.

What we want is an easy guide downriver waterway into eternity. But what God usually does is he sends us into the Rocky Mountains instead. I know that frustrates us. I know it frustrates you and frustrates me, but God sees these things totally different than we do hardships and mountains are never a problem. The God God can fling them out of the way whenever he wants. God's biggest objective in this journey is not to get you to a destination you just right for you out anytime you want is biggest objective in this journey is preparing you individually like I've often told you his primary objective is not just to get you into heaven is to get the harder heaven and to you is to put his heart into you and so what is the use of these moments like this in your to see that and for signal 16 and 17.

If you're new around here, by the way were doing a series this year in which were going all the way through the whole Bible looking at sort of the high points to the we get our minds around the whole story run message number 16 from first Samuel 16 hi, let me just take a moment to catch you up on the bigger story. In case you are new this week after the terrible downward cycle of the book of Judges, Israel, the nation of Israel decides what they really need is a king, and God says to them, but I was supposed to be your king and they said well yeah but we want one that we can see and touch somebody will make us proud somebody will take care of us and lead us in the battle God says you know you're going to end up regretting that, but he agrees to it. So he tells a prophet named Samuel to go find a king, and Samuel chooses a man named Saul. Now Saul really was an obvious choice for King, he was tall he was charismatic. He was good-looking. It would've been a great warrior.

He was a great warrior.

He was very smart, he would've gone on full scholarship. Any college that he had chosen nobody was surprised when Saul was chosen to be king.

I started out pretty good, but he turned out to be king.

Like most kings.

Power corrupted his heart. He became proud and self-willed. He used his position of power not to serve the people he was leading to serve himself to begin the use and abuse people rather than serve them and he bent the laws of God. Whenever it would serve him and so God rejected him as king and he told Samuel to go and look for a new king, and so as we saw last week, God sent Samuel to the house of a man named Jesse to anoint want to his sons to be king that is Jesse, the grandson of Ruth the Moabite what Jesse answers the door there.

Samuel and Samuel says God told me Jesse that one of your sons are supposed to be king and Jesse thinks oh I know exactly which one you're talking about. If there were one of my king's outward signs are to be a king. It's gonna be my oldest Elia and so he went gets Elia brings amount for six when they came. Samuel looked on Ellie Abbott.

He thought surely the Lord's anointed is before him. Elia look tingly. He was tall he had a commanding presence.

He had the blue steel eyes. I know you're expecting you to put up a picture of Nicolas Cage year, but I'm not gonna do it. Verse seven but the Lord said to Samuel do not look on his appearance rather than the height of his stature, because I have rejected him to the Lord. Samuel sees not as man sees man looks on the outward appearance, but God the Lord looks on the heart. Now all Samuel really should have known better. Should he not Samuel. Don't you remember Saul remember Saul, are you really going to make that mistake again.

Samuel you choose Ellie Abbott just because he looks tingling. If you trace the story of Ellie about from here you see that he turns out to be really critical and arrogant and very untrusting of God. God says is saying all looking for something different. My king listen all when God looks for leaders even look at what we look at and he rarely values what we typically value. He's not out of the pretty face God never looks at somebody and says wow that is a great dresser or impressive resume, or deny nice body. The looks of the beauty here is the only place he looks out of the beauty here and here alone living this ask you before we move on how much time you spend preparing the beauty of this right here under some of us spend so much time working on the exterior part of our lives which has no value at all to God. We spent our time working out, making sure we dress correctly saying all the right things. Some of you spent on the significant amount of time this morning getting that part ready you come in today with this prepare is what God looks at his purity and humility and compassion. People who are quick to ask for forgiveness, quick to admit what the right when admit when the wrong quick to forgive others when they have been wrong while I just sent Samuel should've known all this, but even the best prophets forget than from time to time, so God says a Samuel note not chosen this one. And so Samuel then says to a very surprised Jesse. Well, God is not chosen this one you have another son, verse 10, and Jesse made seven of his sons passed before Samuel and Samuel said to Jesse, the Lord is not chosen any of these single-sided Jesse are all your sons here not, seems like a dumb question to me. Are there any kids that you have forgotten about. And I suggest he says research because there's one more, but he is no king. I promise you, there remains the youngest in bold. These keeping the sheep now youngest in the Hebrew is the word pocket tone which Hebrew scholars say literally means right he was wimpy and skinny as it had a kid that had a run around in the shower to get wet and he's out keeping the sheep which was the lowest of all the little jobs in Israel.

This was the equivalent of a 20 toilet cleaning job single-sided Jesse send then get him, for we will not sit down until he comes here now. Is it me or does Samuel strike you as a little bit ornery as an older man is like how many sons and I asked you to get Jesse all of them we are the sit down to you this one back doors and stand right here until you bring them to me so some drugs turn out across the field. Yvonne David gets in verse 12 since and brings a man now. David was ready and he had beautiful eyes and was handsome writing. Some say this means in Hebrew that he was redheaded and freckled. Others say that that word means that he was dirty, disheveled tan and smelled like a pastor how one word could potentially mean both things.

I have no idea, but we at least know we had pretty eyes. The point is even look like a king. He doesn't look like a ferocious man-of-war, which is what they wanted and again he looks like a right kid. The baby face think Justin Bieber or bow wow or Jonas brother or our own Jonas brother that we have room Justin Bieber. This is king David verse 12 the Lord said, arise, anoint them for this and see verse 13 and from that day on the spirit of the Lord will rest upon David. David strength was not in the company inward awesomeness that he has, in fact, he doesn't have that much inward awesomeness.

God chose him because he was gonna be weak in himself and therefore he could be full of the spirit of God because when you're full yourself not only for the spirit of God when you're emptying yourself. You can be full of him and that's why God uses them for single 17. This brings us now to be most famous Bible story of all time.

The story of David and Goliath know everybody thinks they know the story.

Everybody thinks they know the main point of the story but I'm telling you, there are some deep Bible things hidden in this story that will unlock not just the meaning of the Bible. The entire meaning of your life and in my experience not to be critical.

Very few people understand what's actually going on in this passage, first single, 17 verse one out of listings gathered their armies for battle by really quick.

Who were the Philistines, the Philistines were the bad guys at the short answer, but there were a group of people still living in the land of Canaan that Israel had failed to drive out. Ironically, in our culture we say that so-and-so is a Philistine weenie that they are culturally backwards. That's ironic, because in those days the Philistines were the most culturally sophisticated advanced civilization of the time they were the first ones ever work with metal that's why was the Iron Age and they were at the forefront of that. So they had metal for their weapons. They had metal for their chariots, which gave them superior weapons, the Israelites are all fight with rocks and wooden slingshots so Israel was intimidated by them. Verse three the Philistines stood on the mountain, one-sided Israel cinnamon on the other side of his big valley between have actually been to this place is a pretty unbelievable spot. Verse four there came out from the camp of the Philistines, a champion named Goliath whose height was six cubits in a span which would have made him in our measurements. About 9 foot six he would have barely missed the basketball goal with his head when he walked by. Verse five he Goliath had a helmet of bronze on his head. He was armed with a coat of mail which did mean that he had a bunch of postcards attached to them. It meant that he had a shirt on, that was made out of metal panel in case you didn't know that and that weight of the coat was 5000 cycles bronze in the bronze armor in his legs and a javelin of Ron Sloan between his shoulders, not why did he bring a bronze medal. Good Israel and have any of that at this point.

This guy is superior in every possible way. The shaft of the sphere was like a weaver's beam and he stood and shouted to the ranks of Israel, why have you come out to draw up for battle. Am I not a Philistine… This is meet the Philistine right here and are you not just servants of salt choose a man for yourself. Let it come down to me and if he is able to fight with me and tell me and will be your servants but if I rebel against him and kill him that you shall be our servants. This is what they called representative warfare. One person fights on behalf of the Army and if your representative wins you when verse 16 says it every morning and every evening.

Goliath did this for 40 days every morning at breakfast. Verse 10. Give me a man that we may fight together and at night when around the campfire roast and s'mores are smoking a pipe for doing whatever Jimmy Amanda comes out says again is really intimidating.

Verse 11 we sold all Israel heard these words of the Philistine they were dismayed and greatly afraid. I meanwhile back at the ranch. Verse 20.

Jesse sends ready David out to see his brothers of the battle with some crackers and cheese all David's brothers were in the Army, which is how we know by the way David was a teenager because the cut off for the Army agent is age of 20 years old today with metal dumping the Army, which means he was a teenager. His teenage David rises up early in the morning. He leaves the sheep with a keeper.

He found a sheep center like a responsible young man with any text that the lunch ripples that his daddy had given him and takes into his brothers. He is essentially a teenager making a doughnut run for his daddy. That's what's going on here. So he brings a snatched of his seven older brothers who were doing the fighting and to be technical here fighting is probably not the best term because up to this point there fighting consist basically of yelling insults of the other team. Yet we are dumb. Your mom is a Goliath and and that kind of thing there sort of things. Verse 23 has David talk with them.

Behold, the champion, the Philistine of death Goliath by name came out of the ranks of the Philistines of the same words as before, but this time David Arden jumped on verse 32. And David said to Saul that no man's heart fail because of him, your servant me ready. Little David out if I can Philistine.

And Saul said to David, you got here, the condescension in this.

You were not able to go against this Philistine to fight with them, for you are but a youth and he is been a man of war from his youth. In other words, David.

This guy has been fighting and killing people for longer than you have been alive. He's got socks older than you, David. Verse 34 in Rio, but David said to Saul, your servant used to keep sheep for his father and I used to. I mean this morning I was PVC for my father. And then there came a lion and a bear enter the land from the flock and I went after him and struck him and delivered it out of his mouth.

Emily arose against me. I caught him by his beard that struck him and killed him not first appeared what it bears look like in those days is the question I asked him verse 37 the Lord who delivered me from the ball.

The lion from the ball of the bear will deliver me. Also, from the hand of the Philistine. And Saul said to David go in the Lord be with you. In other words, good luck Diane man have a good time without verse 42, when the Philistine looked and saw David.

He disdained them, for he was but a youth with his freckles and his floppy hair. Verse 43 the Philistine said to David, am I a dog and my dog to come out to me with sticks seriously. You set out Sheldon Cooper from Big Bang theory to come and fight me what you think. This was a so you think you can dance contest verse 44, the Philistine said to David, me and I will give your flesh to the birds of the air and of the beast of the field. Then David said to the Philistine. See the problem there is you come to me with a sword in the spirit of javelin are all made of bronze and a pretty impressive and the colonized, by the way, but I come to you in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, you have defied answered this very day the Lord will deliver you into my hand and I will strike you down and cut off your head. That's not bad for a novice trash talker. He asked me and I will give the dead bodies of the host of the Philistines this day to the birds of the air to the wild beasts of the earth that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel notice by the way there's your audience. Number one, all the earth. Verse 47 and that all this assembly may know that the Lord saves not with sword and was fear. Notice the two audiences. One is the world to know that God exists and that he answers prayer. The other is the church approved other people in the church all the cowards on the sidelines that God is trustworthy for the battle David says is the Lord's and he will give you and our enemies and approve that right here verse 48, when the Philistine arose and came and drew near to me, David. David ran quickly toward the battle line and even Philistine data put his hand in his bag and took out a stone and slung it and struck the Philistine on his four head. The stone sank into his four-headed Goliath thought well this was the last thing to ever enter my mind and he felt see what I did there and he fell on his face to the ground.

Then David ran, and stood over the Philistine and took assorted drew it out of his sheath David and you have a sword. All the children. Many cut off his head when the Philistines saw that there champion was dead. They fled the men of Israel and Judah rose with a shout, and pursued the Philistines and they plundered all their care. All right, here's the big question what's is the main point of this story. I know you heard the storm was the main point out is that of the bigger they are the harder they fall.

That literally is probably comes right from the sort of people get about. There's always hope for the underdog.

So never stop believing in yourself.

Don't stop believing hold onto that fee will enter whatever is either a boy or how about about this if you trust God, give you victory over Alda Giants in your life. Like maybe a really good football team that you're about to play or maybe a lousy job, or maybe cancer or this is the main point God is appointed you to conquer the giant of mediocrity and dominate in your workplace I've heard all of these as the explanation for this story right. Are those the main point of the story. What you think, ladies and gentlemen, this is the audience participation part of the program. What do you think no.

Let me teach you something about Bible interpretation. This is a mistake.

The people most often make with the Bible the story of David, like all stories in the Bible is not David. You that's not the way goes in the Bible. It is David Jesus you don't ever cut out the middleman. At least in this form will cut out the middleman will get to what it means for the Giants in your life in a minute but this book that we talk about every week. This book 1st and foremost is not a book about you.

It's not even a book about your life. It is a book about him is not written to give you a bunch of heroes whose examples are supposed to emulate as much as it is to give you a Savior that you're supposed to adore and hope it Jesus was the small unassuming shepherd boy who fought the real giant Satan. Our sin and the curse of death. He fought as our representative on our behalf while we all stood on the sidelines like cowards doing nothing to help them as our representative.

Jesus live the life we were supposed to live and that he died the death that we were condemned to die in our place and just like David Jesus was opposed by all of his brothers and he was abandoned by everybody at the moment a battle he walked out on that field all alone any conquer the giant all by himself, and now we his brothers stood like cowards on the sidelines.

He went and did it.

We get to share in the plunder of his victory. Even though we did not even lift a finger to help the real giant in our lives are real. Goliath was our alienation from God and the penalty we owed because of our sin and that is something that Jesus knocked out for us on the field of battle all by himself.

So David Jesus, now you might not we do that now you can understand what it means for your life.

Number one because Jesus is taken out, the real giant of my life I can bravely face all the lesser giants to write this down if you take a note still little A here in Christ.

I want to be afraid of death noise cancer comes in for some of you has if cancer comes ultimately I don't have to be afraid of it because even if it kills me. Jesus is taken the sting out of death in the moment of death, I can say like Paul for me to live is Christ and it dies nothing to gain that King David righted himself this way gave though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death I will fear no evil for thou are with me. The valley of the shadow of death, all I will ever go through is the valley of the shadow.

I will even go to the Valley of death out of the valley of the shadow of death. Yet what's this until just before this is one my favorite illustrations are proper use of double times a year to restore the little girl whose mother died when she was 12 years old and she's on her way from the funeral to gray siding and a course just overcome with grief and she's thinking about the pastor set the funeral.

He quoted the 23rd Psalm wears a gate will divide the shadow of death over no evil Germans were daddy and she said that was it mean to go through the valley of the shadow of death or downfall for a minute about how to explain it to her and he suggested that moment a semi tractor-trailer went by on the right-hand side with so much on it made it shadow come across her car not turned up my daughter and I said I said is a sweetheart, you had to choose, would you rather get hit by that rocker get hit by it. Shadow she's one rather get hit by the shadow of course he said yeah he said Jesus was hit with the trunk of your mom's death so that all the whatever Passover is the shadow easy.

Jesus took the real sting out of death, which was alienation and separation so that now when you go through cancer when you walk into death's doorstep. What you can to deal with is only the shadow because Jesus actually took the full impact of it in Christ and not to be afraid of death in Christ. I don't have to be afraid of the future flight out of control. So if you lose your job you got something more secure than money to hang onto and nothing is more secure is God's personal promises to take care of you again here. So David wrote of the Lord is my shepherd, Saul never really be a need. He makes me lie down in green pastures. He prepares a table full for me that before me in the presence of my enemies. Not comforting.

That is the moment all my enemies are trying to kill me got fixed me a five course meal right in the middle of it and they can't touch me. Surely goodness and mercy. David says are going to follow me all the days of my life I can get away from it when I wake up it's there and I get when I get up in the morning when I go to bed at night you can never separate me from it. I'll dwell in the house of the Lord forever never be abandoned house never be alone.

Never be forsaken, so if I lose my job. It's not the end of the world because you want to know what really would be the end of the world, losing your relationship with God and standing in judgment before him, and since Jesus took care of that you can be confident that he'll take care of this situation to just ask yourself what would feel like the end of the world are you was like the end of the world, losing a job losing a loved one to get hurt in a relationship. I know people in our church pull back from being in relationships because they are really hurt in a relationship and I think I just can't have that ever happened to me again into the hearts damage and again trust that you love seeing Christ.

You can go you can go back into those relationships with his lesson.

Even if you get hurt again. That will be the end of the world. Why, because Christ took into himself. The real end of the world for you. Christ is giving you true life. I like that joblessness cannot threaten a life that friends cannot damage an ally for cancer can even tell so gave though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, or the valley of joblessness or poor health or a bad marriage. I will not be afraid, because thou art with me your rod and your staff, which are instruments of production. They're the ones that bring comfort to me and they're always fighting for me and you never go to sleep. There is this C in Christ. I don't have to fear the disapproval of others. I have the absolute approval of the only ones opinion really matters until just before the for most of my life I've been captive the what other people thought about me will see in Christ. I know that even if he will reject me, even people like me are the absolute approval of the only ones opinion really matters anyway will sometimes even as I preach, even in the very moment of reaching I will have the stock. I look out and partially it's some of your faults because there are some of you that are extraordinary sermon listeners about five of you every offense and what I mean by that is, you smile and whenever I make I Conti you not like this and I was like, I am still awesome right now and always figure out who you are and also get you the entire Thompson Wright was between you and the other network like that Barb was really bad sermon listeners enterprise and it is considered like this can look on her face and how much are they mad are they what's going on and also like feel like having a really terrible at this based on a person's expression. I'm very terrible for each half he should probably do some but also my life and I give you disk you can overcome it just like I don't think these people love the guy got right there like on the guy does not make like I might come up and punch me after the thing is over, and in the middle of that kind of thought when the Holy Spirit helps me I could those other quick glimpse like what is all happening in your head as you preach you free to same thing five times, you watch what happens in your mind so as I'm as I'm not I'm seeing as I get this image of God the father, like right here just got in heaven. He stated right up there to get this image of him looking out over heaven watching me for each and then I can picture him like call me Angel McMullen was about a customer watches them around the like don't look, it's JD.

He's trying to preach again and as usual he's going way too long in his production team to kill them, but that's my boy.

That's my boy.

He's doing exactly what I told him to do and I'm proud of, and suddenly get this big feeling of like confidence again and I'm like, if the he smiled at me. I wouldn't care about your frown to go on with the board itself to skip put your head down and care what you do because he's happy he's listening. He's into it and if I got his respect. I can endure your scorn seeing Christ. I don't have to be afraid of the disapproval of others by the way, this is also how you gain the courage to be honest about your faults to admit that you don't always have it together retain the secret of those people who can admit that there messed up and run everybody else. The secret is they know that are accepted by Christ. And I know that if I'm confident in Christ.

I don't need you to think that I'm perfect and awesome in order for for for me to know you why because Christ accepts me in so I can be weak and I can be vulnerable because ultimately your admiration is not my life. Jesus is my life.

Real courage is not the assurance that everything to go smoothly real courage and come from finding your inner awesomeness of your snowflake your rainbow, your schedule is not fine and that real courage and come from not having difficulties or know another way is to be smooth. Real courage is knowing that you have a God that is better than life and a God that is larger than death constantly stays beside you, and since surely my goodness in my mercy are gonna follow you, you can't get away from it all the days of your life wherever you go. That's Ramana go review my goal before I go on to the second thing here we ask, do you know Christ likeness to seizure representative but you got to receive him as your representative. He went out and I feel that he fought for you.

He restored God to you, but you have the person receive him as Savior and Lord hears is like a big thing number two because she's one is battling trust codify my lesser battles for me also see Old Testament stories like this one due to things as I showed you first and foremost. Most informative one is to Jesus. Secondarily they give us an example for how we should live.

The two purposes of the stories in that order to really quickly. What is a giant in your life limiting your definition of a giant giant is anything that prohibits the advance of the will of God in your life. You see, Satan will oppose all the good things God wants to do in your life will do it in your marriage will do it when you're in the lives of your kids.

He will do it in your job.

He will even do it in your health. How to we could overcome the giants that Satan uses to impede the progress of the will of God.

You do it like David did running confidently toward them, believing that God will fight for you. Listen, the Christian life is not just learning to endure defeat well is a lot Christians a talk like that's what it means to be a Christian is Walter life and learned endure suffering. Yes, you need to learn to endure suffering. Well, for the Christian life is also seen the power of God and his salvation break in the different spheres of your life that you money just use David that there to teach this to us. This is an all David we can Psalm 2713 I remain confident of this. David said what's this I will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the where sense is that living I will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of ours, not just in death how much you see God's goodness in life. While people think it's only an in death is on the Sweet by and by no Gossage I want you to see it now you shall think of this, and I pray for my kids and I pray for their salvation. I pray for the salvation of their future kids, don't see your goodness break and my family. I think about it when I pray for this church my God you understand you can give us a difficulty to make the church fail fail fail, you would still be good not still be having that be awesome but got I want to see you use this church to reach people in Raleigh-Durham analyses baptized 50,000 people. I want to see us reach an entire generation of teenagers and college students only see is actually transform this community. I want to see if plan a thousand churches around the world.

I want to see us to countries like the Dominican Republic and so flood them with leaders like Samuel that the you Titan change the entire face of the nation. I think I want to see God's goodness in the land of the living and are not to be satisfied until I see him break in and transform everything is perfectly fine for you to pray for victory or for cancer so you keep serving God and blessing others need you just God might have a different and a better plan, which you can ask him for the outbreak of his goodness in this area is perfectly fine for you to ask God to bless you in your career so that you can give glory to him, and use your prosperity to further the cause of his mission. It's okay if you say God and multiply what you're given the me so I can sponsor on your compassion get you to be asking God to move you should be asking God to move powerfully in the lives of your friends and you should be expecting him to do so. God I want to see your goodness in the land of the living yellow my God didn't do what you think you should do is know that has nothing to do with him not carrying or forgetting about you. You know that because you saw him face the real giant you saw him take out sin and condemnation and death. And you know that if he did not default from you if you do not run away with the faith that giant for you. Surely he's not going to abandon you when you face these lesser ones. Where do you see the kingdom of God needing to advance. Have courage, don't look at the size of the giant look of the graciousness of God. Listen giants are not a problem to God.

They never have been what kills us is the giant of unbelief that resides right here. Which brings us back to the last question I want to ask where you learn this kind of courage where you learn to listen to God's voice and act in faith was combat real quick to chapter 16 verse 13 where the Spirit of God for thrushes on David this is so important when you learn this writer. Verse 13 here in the Bible you can see this rule. Well, there's verse 13 writer verse 14 writer in between verse 13 verse 14 changes in subject talk about Saul him to David is anointed David is been chosen to be king, then we change the subject and this little if anything to verse 13 and 14 is a whitespace about that big in my Bible what you think that whitespace was like for David to that whitespace lasted about seven years after David gets anointed to be king. What you didn't.

You know, run down the palace and start doing an intense elite team training program ended under Hosanna Republican on roads. Sorry, but you knew that back to the pasture novelty as a seminarian in seminary. They taught us how to exegete nearest to integrate verbs in Hebrew cognates and blah blah blah they never taught me how to exegete a whitespace in a whitespace is the most difficult thing in the Bible to interpret because it's that space. We think ought to be doing something and is not right.

It's a whitespace we are like God I don't understand. What was it like for David to come to forget you not to be retained and I went back and started to shovel sheepdog.

Did you make a mistake, did I make a mistake.

No David no mistake is it God uses the pasture to prepare his king.

It's only in the pasture. They got the build into human skill is patient's endurance and character know listen Chuck Swindoll says it three words characterize Davis on the pasture. I would encourage you if you can write them in a little tiny whitespace in your Bible right. The three words.

The first word is obscurity. Nobody paid any attention to during the time obscurity single word monotony, monotony, and that what you do today David watched the scene going from here to there. What else to do practice my slingshot could not get up off a tree. See note. What else is you I got aboard a plate are Birdsong when Hira called the 23rd Psalm, not really. David don't hear a song written by blue-collar workers, not skilled at all. Not particularly anything else.

David you bear taxi. I grabbed his beard until the women I've its beer David beers even have beards. David did anybody verify this security monotony considers 1/3 work reality met third word is that in the pasture. The reality is that God but nobody else is paying attention to David God. The master builder was using every moment, every second and save them with a slingshot.

I come in handy with the heart. David can write the most famous song of a witness on the brought brings more comfort to Christians in the hour of trial been in the other songs ever been written in the pasture God in Dave David's courage in the pasture. David learn to forgive and be patient and the pastor he learn humility you can only be so proud when you spend the majority of your life shovel and sheepdog David never really forgot where he came from an estimate of the secret to his success because he never forgot about how small he was and how much he owed to God Summit. This is how God works in your life already in this series we seen it have only saw what Joseph we saw with Moses we saw with Joshua God call somebody he trains them in the pasture. Hey mom what you do today I change diapers.

Your children rise up and call you blessed.

No teacher what you do today got decent kids long division. They appreciated no one drug flush is not booked on the drawing, a business professional.

What you do today. I settled some accounts, a student what you do nonsense in calculus and history that I never use security monotony to the reality is as a guide to working at all shaping you and moving the mission forward to not despise the pasture. Do not despise suffering because these are God's laboratories performing in you the heart of the king what he does.

So let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus. The let this mind be in you. That was also an app that though he was in the form of God, he did not choose equality with God something to be clung onto but he made himself of no reputation in the form of a servant and humbled himself and became obedient, even obedient to the point of the cross. Therefore therefore God also highly exalted him and given him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth. That's not just about Jesus is about you is telling you how God will exalt you. You want to be exalted by God to be used by God. You want to have the spirit of God rush upon you means of the way up is the way down.

You become a servant, you become humble, you become obedient and that God raises you up in the power of his spirit. Don't despise your pastor is what God is doing is exporting into you a power you can't get any other way any other way is to be discussed two questions this weekend that by your heads with me if you would all were canceled by your heads two questions. Have you ever received Jesus as your representative went on the field. He fought the battle for you, but you've got to surrender to him and receive him personally you choose to receive him as your personal Lord and Savior in the number two you trust in him and your pastor right now. You trust in him and believe you just meditate to soak the Holy Spirit to his ministry in your heart and then worship teams are common to cementing the liens