Memorial Day 2019
Share What God Delivers
1 Samuel 30:23 Then said David, Ye shall not do so, my brethren, with that which the LORD hath given us, who hath preserved us, and delivered the company that came against us into our hand. 24 For who will hearken unto you in this matter? but as his part is that goeth down to the battle, so shall his part be that tarrieth by the stuff: they shall part alike.[1]
I. Despair
A. Confusion
B. Conclusion
II. Delivery
A. Confirmation
B. Restoration
III. Distribution
A. Soldiers
B. Stayers
Introduction: Sometimes God allows life to take us to places where we thought we would never be. We find ourselves with those who we once counted as the enemy only to learn that though we want them to accept us, God has other plans.
David was to be the king of Israel. It had already been decided but there also was already King Saul. David rose to popularity after killing a Philistine giant named Goliath. It was Saul who commissioned David for that task. After Goliath was dead, King Saul began to mistrust David to the point of mania. He hated David’s popularity so much that it made Saul crazy.
David ran from Saul and though he had opportunity to kill him, David protected Saul by keeping his distance. He found himself among those who were his enemy and got so confused that he was ready to battle on the side of the Philistines. God prevented David and the Philistine army leaders sent him away from their battle.
In the meantime, the Amalekites attacked the territory of Ziklag. Let us read 1 Samuel 30:1-6. David was certainly confused at this point. Should I stay or should I go? He asked Abiathar the priest to bring the ephod which contained the urim and thummim which two small objects back then that were cast to get decisions from God when they had question. Maybe that’s where that old thing of people saying throw the dice comes from when they can’t make a decision. Read 1 Samuel 30:7-10.
David had knowledge of the destruction of Ziklag but he didn’t know what to do with that knowledge so He sought a decision from God. What if somebody knew but nobody said anything.
Rachael and I were talking about how things are happening around this community. How did Cary encroach into Northeastern Chatham County? Somebody knew but nobody said! Did those folks want to live in Cary? Somebody knew but nobody said!
David went and he found a guy who had knowledge of what happened to Ziklag; a young servant to one of the Amalekites who had burned Ziklag. Read 1 Samuel 30:13-20. Through the information gained from that young servant, David won the battle. All that which was confiscated and all those who were kidnapped were returned. Now what do we do?
Tomorrow is the official day that folks get a day off from work to recognize those who lost lives in battle protecting this nation. We are honoring them today and will even celebrate their successes with our meal after service today.
I pray that we will all partake in the meal. You see that is the way God works as was evidenced through his servant King David. We have so many veterans who are not here with us today celebrating their victory. Many continue to lose their battles while we are here celebrating what they have given us. Their memory to us is important. The values that they fought to maintain for us are really important. It is important that we all remember and that we all celebrate what we have and who we are because somebody knew and somebody said and somebody died to remember what is important.
Jesus won the battle and we who receive Him receive eternally what He gave His life for. David made sure that everyone won the battle as Jesus has won your battle, my battle.
Scripture: The scripture is 1 Samuel 30:23-24. When you have found it please rise to your feet for the reading of God’s written word.
Prayer: Please be seated
Message: To the victor goes the spoils of war. At least that is what seems fair to some. If there are those who dodged the draft somehow, those who stayed while their friends went to fight, why should they get while the veterans get less?
When Viet Nam was the battle place of the day, I had passed the physical for the draft and was preparing to go. My dad was partially paralyzed and I was in school and then I was soul supporter for my family and then all those deferments ran out.
Working at a place like a power plant was deemed critical and so that kept me home for a while but the deferments ran out.
I was dating a pretty young blondheaded girl and we were talking marriage but the deferments ran out. What to do what to do? The lottery came and I got a huge number the year that all the deferments ran out. I took my name off the Air Force waiting list and waited for the draft and the lottery list ran out before my number was called.
I was helping Garland Smith and his dad Gray in the funeral home. We were some of the first certified EMTs in the state and the only ambulance in three counties. I was also on the Fire Department. One day Garland got a call to Fort Bragg to bring home a soldier’s remains. Months before I had celebrated with that man by getting drunk just before he would be shipped out. Now I was picking him up to bury his body. Life is not fair!
How in the world can we tell these guys in here with us today who served while some of us stayed home how much we honor their service? I do not know. I certainly don’t deserve the spoils that they served for.
David heard from those who were victorious about the ones who stayed home. Those folks wanted the stay at home bunch to have nothing. Read 1 Samuel 30:21-22.
There were others who stayed home that are not much spoken of in this text. Mothers, Fathers, siblings, aunts, uncles, cousins, nieces, nephews; families of those who did go; many more than their wives and children; these gave up something too didn’t they? Yes some watched while their husbands and fathers left but everyone loses in wartime.
Some who stayed home fought other battles at home, by rehabilitating those who were hurting and protecting property for them gone to fight and for their families they left behind was the battle on the home front. We as a people all lose when those who protect us leave to serve. I pray for that day when it will not be anymore.
David knew that. He thought differently than the men of Belial. When soldiers fight our fight, we all lose until they are home and we all receive from their victory. When Jesus won our war; now we who will, shall receive.
Those who fought and those who died to preserve these things that are dear would be crushed to know that somebody knows and nobody says. How do we preserve? Those of us who are not fighting the battle, how do we do our duty to preserve what is right and good? If you know something say something! If you know something and you don’t know what to do with the knowledge you have been entrusted with, pray and ask God. The answer will eventually come and then you will share in the joy that others feel as they recover that which they thought was gone. How can you make a difference in this nation while everything seems to be going to hell in a trashbag? You think your vote doesn’t mean anything because nobody is listening! That is your voice! If you know a thing, tell the thing!
David may not have known exactly how God would fulfill His promise to always have David’s descendant on the throne but now we know. David was the victor in many battles but Jesus won the war of sin once and for all who will.
Prayer: Let us pray.
Invitation: I pray that tomorrow is more than a day off from work for us here today. I pray that as each of us remember that family member or friend who gave their life so that we in this nation could be free to worship God in any way we choose, we remember what this nation’s motto is.
That is why our military goes and fights wars. Let us never forget and always insist that “In God We Trust” is not just some words on our money. People have died to allow us to worship that fact.
I pray that we stay “One nation under God.”
I invite you now to stand and join in the pledges to our nation’s flag, the Christian flag, and the Bible.
Please remain standing and respond as the Spirit gives you call as we sing our hymn of invitation …
[1] The Holy Bible: King James Version. (1995). (electronic ed. of the 1769 edition of the 1611 Authorized Version., 1 Sa 30:23–24). Bellingham WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc.
