[Matt's Messages] "Do the Right Thing" ~ Matt Mitchell

“Do the Right Thing”
A Heart for the Heart of God: The Message of 1 Samuel
January 26, 2014 :: 1 Samuel 26:1-25

Our series is called “A Heart for the Heart of God” and it’s become about the anointed king David who is not yet king over Israel, but God has said that he will be.

And it’s also been about the anointed king Saul who has been a disappointment in just about every way. Saul has not had a heart for the heart of God, and God has promised to tear the kingdom away from him.

And in the meantime, Saul is chasing David. Relentlessly. Wrongly but relentlessly.

One anointed king is chasing the next anointed king. All around the middle east.

David who has exhibited a heart for the heart of God has been chased but not caught.

Chased but not caught.

Which we have said is like a metaphor for how difficult life can be as a follower of God. Difficult but good.

Chased but not caught.

And two weeks ago, we saw David get a chance to cut the corner and put an end to all the chasing.

King Saul was in David’s grasp, but he let him get away–on purpose. He chose to do the right thing.

David chose to do what he knew was the right thing to do, even though I’m sure it was a hard thing to do.

Well, in today’s story (chapter 26), David does it again.

Something similar happens to David a second time, and he has yet another chance to cut the corner and end the chasing once and for all.

And we’re going to see David choose again to “Do the Right Thing.”

And that will be our major application of this story to our lives today, as well.

“Do the Right Thing.”

Not just when it’s popular.
Not just when it’s easy.
Not just when you feel like it.

Do the right thing.

Our story starts with the Ziphites doing the wrong thing.

Remember the residents of the Ziph? How they betrayed David back in chapter 23?

They’re still up to their old tricks. V.1

“The Ziphites went to Saul at Gibeah and said, ‘Is not David hiding on the hill of Hakilah, which faces Jeshimon?’ So Saul went down to the Desert of Ziph, with his three thousand chosen men of Israel, to search there for David.”

Nothing has changed. David is still on the run. The Ziphites are still betraying him. They have chosen to be, as we say, “on the wrong of history.”

They have told Saul where David is, and Saul has brought his army of 3,000 hand-picked men to catch David.

But watch what happens. V.3

“Saul made his camp beside the road on the hill of Hakilah facing Jeshimon, but David stayed in the desert [hidden]. When he saw that Saul had followed him there, he sent out scouts and learned that Saul had definitely arrived.

Then David set out and went to the place where Saul had camped. He saw where Saul and Abner son of Ner, the commander of the army, had lain down. Saul was lying inside the camp, with the army encamped around him.”

Do you see the picture?

Saul has been the one doing the chasing with his hounds, but the fox is up at night.

And David has crept up to Saul’s camp and can see the entire army asleep around him.

One great big circle of men with Saul at the center.

And David gets a wild idea into his head. V.6

“David then asked Ahimelech the Hittite and Abishai son of Zeruiah, Joab's brother, ‘Who will go down into the camp with me to Saul?’ ‘I'll go with you,’ said Abishai. So David and Abishai went to the army by night, and there was Saul, lying asleep inside the camp with his spear stuck in the ground near his head. Abner and the soldiers were lying around him.”

Oh boy! This is exciting.

Two men carefully stepping over all of these soldiers, winding their way through the army, creeping, creeping, creeping to the very center of the camp.

This is crazy risk taking. I’m not saying that this was doing the right thing. I’m not sure.

I’m not sure why David was doing it, really. Maybe he wasn’t even sure.

But Abishai was sure he knew! V.8

“Abishai said to David, ‘Today God has delivered your enemy into your hands. Now let me pin him to the ground with one thrust of my spear; I won't strike him twice.’”

“We are here today to be assassins! Why else would we have come down here?” v.9

“But David said to Abishai, ‘Don't destroy him! Who can lay a hand on the LORD's anointed and be guiltless? As surely as the LORD lives,’ he said, ‘the LORD himself will strike him; either his time will come and he will die, or he will go into battle and perish. But the LORD forbid that I should lay a hand on the LORD's anointed. Now get the spear and water jug that are near his head, and let's go.’”

He did it again!

And this time, he didn’t cut off a corner of Saul’s robe.

David knows that it would be wrong for him to kill Saul.

So, he does the right thing.

His restraint is really remarkable. Saul is right there, again, in his grasp!

And Abishai is certain that it’s God’s will for them to kill him!

“Today God has delivered your enemy into your hands. Now let me pin him to the ground with one thrust of my spear...”

“No. It would be wrong.” V.9

“Who can lay a hand on the LORD’s anointed and be guiltless?”

It would be wrong. It would be evil.

Let’s do the right thing.

Now, I fought against that being the application of this message–I looked for another application of this passage for today because we just talked about this two weeks ago.

We shouldn’t cut corners. We should do what know is the right thing, even when it hurts.

We just said that two weeks ago.

But it’s the right thing to say today, as well.

David had to choose that again and again.

And so do we.

You and I are tempted by the world, the flesh, and the devil to do things the world’s way, the flesh’s way, and the devil’s way every single day.

And we need to be reminded again and again to do things God’s way.

Do the right thing.

Do the right thing with your mouth.
Do the right thing with your eyes.
Do the right thing with your sexual organs.
Do the right thing with your feet.
Do the right thing with your hands.
Do the right thing with your purse and your wallet and your checkbook.

Do the right thing by your neighbors.
Do the right thing by your employer.
Do the right thing by your employees.
Do the right thing by your business partners.

Do the right thing even when it hurts or when it’s unpopular and even when your friends tell you that it’s God’s will for you to sin.

Do the right thing.

Now, that’s easy to say, but it’s often hard to do.

How was David able to show such restraint?

Let me give you three things I see in this story that helped David to do the right thing.

#1. TRUST IN GOD’S JUSTICE.

Look at verse 10 again.

“As surely as the LORD lives,’ he said, ‘the LORD himself will strike [Saul]; either his time will come and he will die, or he will go into battle and perish. But the LORD forbid that I should lay a hand on the LORD's anointed.

Do you see what he’s saying?

David is trusting that God will take care of justice.

Do you think he learned anything from last week’s story with that fool Nabal?

Last week, David pulled up just in time from committing an atrocity over an insult.

And then he saw the LORD make things right. Nabal died, and David got the girl!

David saw firsthand that God can take care of the justice. He didn’t know how or when but that God’s justice would win.

So, he knew that he could leave it in God’s hands.

That’s what the apostle Paul is saying in Romans chapter 12 when he says, “Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everybody. If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God's wrath, for it is written: ‘It is mine to avenge; I will repay,’ says the Lord” (vv.17-19).

“Do not take revenge, but leave room for God’s wrath.”

That’s not easy to do.

It’s a lot easier to go off on a rant on Facebook.
It’s a lot easier to take a key to someone’s car.
It’s a lot easier to gossip your frustrations into someone else’s ear.
It’s a lot easier to take your ball and go home.

It’s a lot easier to hold a grudge.
It’s a lot easier to kick that person out of your life.
It’s a lot easier to pick up that spear and send it into their heart.

“Do not take revenge, but leave room for God’s wrath.”

God is so much more able to carry out justice.

So, you and I can do the right thing.

Do you need to hear that this morning?

Do you have an enemy that you are tempted to sin against? To take revenge upon?

“Do not take revenge, but leave room for God’s wrath.”

God’s justice is perfect. He will make sure that every sin is eventually paid for, either at the Cross of Christ, or forever in eternity in Hell.

“‘It is mine to avenge; I will repay,’ says the Lord.”

Trust in God’s justice.

#2. BELIEVE GOD IS AT WORK.

Even when we can’t see it. Look at verse 12.

“So David took the spear and water jug near Saul's head, and they left. No one saw or knew about it, nor did anyone wake up. They were all sleeping, because the LORD had put them into a deep sleep.”

I never noticed that verse before in this story.

I don’t know how many times I’ve read this 1 Samuel 26, but I never noticed that the LORD was the one keeping everybody asleep.

But the author of 1 Samuel wants to make sure don’t miss it.

“They were all sleeping, because the LORD had put them into a deep sleep.” God had David’s back here.

He might not have even realized that God was doing this, but He was.

Just think about it.

Three thousand [!] sleeping soldiers.

And David and Abishai just walk in and walk out?

How could David be so chased but not caught?

It was a God thing.

And all it was here was sleep. God gave these guys deep sleep, and David got away.

I think the thing to point out here is that we don’t always see what God is doing even though it’s all around us.

And that should help us to do the right thing.

Because God is at work. Even doing things like giving people around me more sleep!

Sometimes it feels like we have to take things into our own hands because God is asleep at the wheel.

But that’s not at all the way it really is. The reality is that God is in control and at work and on the move, and we can trust His secret ways.

And do the right thing.

God was right there with David in the middle of the camp.

Do you need to be told today that God is right there with you in the middle of your trial and your temptation?

Do the right thing. He’s got your back. V.13

“Then David crossed over to the other side and stood on top of the hill some distance away; there was a wide space between them.

He called out to the army and to Abner son of Ner, [Hey!] ‘Aren't you going to answer me, Abner?’ Abner replied, ‘Who are you who calls to the king?’”

He’s probably all groggy and having a hard time waking up from his God-induced sleep. “Who is it?” V.15

“David said, ‘You're a man, aren't you? And who is like you in Israel? Why didn't you guard your lord the king? Someone came to destroy your lord the king. What you have done is not good. As surely as the LORD lives, you and your men deserve to die, because you did not guard your master, the LORD's anointed. Look around you. Where are the king's spear and water jug that were near his head?’”

David is “trash-talking” old Abner.

He’s on the run for no good reason, but Abner who has actually failed the king is right there with Saul. V.17

“Saul recognized David's voice and said, ‘Is that your voice, David my son?’ David replied, ‘Yes it is, my lord the king.’”

You can almost hear Saul’s “gulp.”

“Is that you?” v.18

“And he added, ‘Why is my lord pursuing his servant? What have I done, and what wrong am I guilty of? [None!] Now let my lord the king listen to his servant's words. If the LORD has incited you against me, then may he accept an offering. If, however, men have done it, may they be cursed before the LORD! They have now driven me from my share in the LORD's inheritance and have said, 'Go, serve other gods.' [He’s giving Saul an “out,” “I’m not even blaming you. Just stop chasing me!”] Now do not let my blood fall to the ground far from the presence of the LORD. [From the land of Israel and the tabernacle!] The king of Israel has come out to look for a flea–as one hunts a partridge in the mountains.’”

“Please leave me alone. I’m not worth it.”

“Then Saul said, ‘I have sinned. Come back, David my son. Because you considered my life precious today, I will not try to harm you again. Surely I have acted like a fool and have erred greatly.’”

Good for Saul.

Finally, he admits his sin and folly and errors and shame.

It’s too late. David knows that he can’t trust him.

Even if he’s not laying a trap. Saul isn’t trustworthy in the slightest.

But at least he speaks the truth and admits that David is in the right and Saul is in the wrong. V.22

“‘Here is the king's spear,’ David answered. ‘Let one of your young men come over and get it. The LORD rewards every man for his righteousness and faithfulness. The LORD delivered you into my hands today, but I would not lay a hand on the LORD's anointed. As surely as I valued your life today, so may the LORD value my life and deliver me from all trouble.’ Then Saul said to David, ‘May you be blessed, my son David; you will do great things and surely triumph.’ So David went on his way, and Saul returned home.”

Here’s number 3.

#3. LOOK FOR GOD’S REWARD.

Do you see what David understands?

Look at what he says to Saul in verse 23.

“The LORD rewards every man for his righteousness and faithfulness.”

“I didn’t do the right thing, O Saul, because I like you so much!”

“I didn’t do it just because I felt like it. I didn’t feel like it.”

“I did the right thing because I know that God rewards every man for his righteousness and faithfulness.”

With obedience comes blessing.

From God.

So, often, we look to other people for our reward.

What will he think?
What will she think?
What will they think?

As if the reward of other people could be greater than the reward of our Lord?!

There was probably a time when David wanted Saul’s reward.

But now, he’s living for the Lord’s reward.

That’s part of what it means to have a heart for the heart of God.

To look for God’s rewards. To anticipate the blessings that will come because we’ve done the right thing (by faith in God’s promises).

“The LORD rewards every man for his righteousness and faithfulness.”

You reap what you sow.

So, do the right thing.

With obedience comes blessing.

And even Saul blesses David! V.25 “Then Saul said to David, ‘May you be blessed, my son David; you will do great things and surely triumph.”

Saul has to agree. “You’ve done the right thing. And God will bless you. Sooner or later. You can count on it.”

And the two of them part.

You know what? As far as we know, that’s the last time these two anointed men ever met.

And these were the last things they said to one another.

David said, “I would not lay a hand on the LORD’s anointed.” I chose today to do the right thing.

And Saul said, “Yes you did, and you can count on the Lord’s reward.”

Do you need to hear that today?

Do the right thing and God will bless you.

It may take a lifetime to see that blessing.
It may be after you die that you see it in all of its fullness.

But you can count on it.
You can take it to the bank.

“The LORD rewards every man for his righteousness and faithfulness.”

He forgives ours because of what Jesus did for us.
And He gives us the power to do the right thing.

And when we do, by faith, He promises to reward us with blessings on top of blessings!

So, why wouldn’t we do the right thing?

If God’s justice is perfect?
And He’s at work all around us?
And He promises to reward us bountifully?

Do the right thing!

Not just when it’s popular.
Not just when it’s easy.
Not just when you feel like it.

What are you facing this week? What are you tempted to give in to that you know is the wrong thing?

What is that spear in Abishai’s hand?

Don’t do it.

Do what you know is right.

And experience God’s reward.

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