CAN YOU BUILD GODLY CHARACTER?
1 Samuel 26
Series: “Heart of a Champion”
Pastor Robbie Rutherford
New Day Christian Church, North Port, FL
September 8, 2024
I. INTRODUCTION
David is a fugitive, he’s on the run from Israel’s first king… King Saul who is trying to kill David because God had anointed David to be the next king of Israel.
God is using this season of adversity to build Davids’s character as preparation for his kingship.
God can use your season of trial to grow your character, but you need to let Him. A great place to start is by implementing some of David’s habits.
II. SCRIPTURE
We are going to be in 1 Samuel 26 today where David has another encounter with Saul.
A. Saul’s Pursuit of David (Verses 1-4)
1 Now some men from Ziph came to Saul at Gibeah to tell him, “David is hiding on the hill of Hakilah, which overlooks Jeshimon.”
2 So Saul took 3,000 of Israel’s elite troops and went to hunt him down in the wilderness of Ziph. 3 Saul camped along the road beside the hill of Hakilah, near Jeshimon, where David was hiding. When David learned that Saul had come after him into the wilderness, 4 he sent out spies to verify the report of Saul’s arrival.
If you remember, just two chapters earlier David and Saul had an encounter in a cave where David could have killed Saul, but instead spared his life.
Saul said he was sorry… That he would stop trying to kill David.
I imagine that David hoped Saul’s sorrow was genuine but based on this, and the fact that David is still hiding, we can assume it wasn’t.
B. David Sneaks into Saul’s Camp (Verses 5-7)
5 David slipped over to Saul’s camp one night to look around. Saul and Abner son of Ner, the commander of his army, were sleeping inside a ring formed by the slumbering warriors. 6 “Who will volunteer to go in there with me?” David asked Ahimelech the Hittite and Abishai son of Zeruiah, Joab’s brother.
“I’ll go with you,” Abishai replied. 7 So David and Abishai went right into Saul’s camp and found him asleep, with his spear stuck in the ground beside his head. Abner and the soldiers were lying asleep around him.
It would have been so easy for David and his troops to just sneak away; but he doesn’t do that, instead he takes a step of faith.
If we want to grow in seasons of trial, then we need to remember that.
Godly Character is shown through courageous steps of faith
It took great courage to step into a camp with 3,000 of his enemies but David knew that God would show up, even if the odds were against him.
The devil would have rather had David turn around and go back into hiding, but David knew God would be with him, so he took a step.
Godly character is shown through courageous steps of faith.
C. David Spares Saul’s Life (Verses 8-12)
8 “God has surely handed your enemy over to you this time!” Abishai whispered to David. “Let me pin him to the ground with one thrust of the spear; I won’t need to strike twice!”9 “No!” David said. “Don’t kill him. For who can remain innocent after attacking the Lord’s anointed one? 10 Surely the Lord will strike Saul down someday, or he will die of old age or in battle. 11 The Lord forbid that I should kill the one he has anointed! But take his spear and that jug of water beside his head, and then let’s get out of here!”12 So David took the spear and jug of water that were near Saul’s head. Then he and Abishai got away without anyone seeing them or even waking up, because the Lord had put Saul’s men into a deep sleep.
David has another chance here to get revenge, but he restrains himself.
David could have made a case to justify himself; he could have said I’m going to be the next king so let’s just help this thing along.
Instead, David resists this temptation because David knew that…
Godly Character trusts in God’s plan, not favorable circumstances.
David did not know how God would provide, but he knew what was required of him.
He knew he had to obey God’s word, even when the circumstances seemed too good to pass up.
D. David’s Confrontation with Abner, Saul’s Commander (Verses 13-16),
13 David climbed the hill opposite the camp until he was at a safe distance. 14 Then he shouted down to the soldiers and to Abner son of Ner, “Wake up, Abner!” “Who is it?” Abner demanded. 15 “Well, Abner, you’re a great man, aren’t you?” David taunted. “Where in all Israel is there anyone as mighty? So why haven’t you guarded your master the king when someone came to kill him? 16 This isn’t good at all! I swear by the Lord that you and your men deserve to die, because you failed to protect your master, the Lord’s anointed! Look around! Where are the king’s spear and the jug of water that were beside his head?”
As you can imagine, in the quiet of the morning, David’s voice traveled.
The men in the valley hear this shout and half-asleep ask “who’s screaming” … “it sounds like the voice is shouting Abner!”
Abner replied, “Who are you who calls to the king?”
David responds basically saying, “Abner …you had one Job …and you stink at it! You were supposed to protect the king, but you failed! You had one job!”
Abner looks at the king who is safe and well, probably thinks, “what is he talking about.”
And then David says “look around… where are the king’s spear and water jug that were near his head?”
Abner must have turned white as a ghost. He failed the King.
At this point, Saul wakes up.
E. David’s Confrontation with King Saul (Verses 17-25)
17 Saul recognized David’s voice and called out, “Is that you, my son David?” And David replied, “Yes, my lord the king. 18 Why are you chasing me? What have I done? What is my crime? 19 But now let my lord the king listen to his servant. If the Lord has stirred you up against me, then let him accept my offering. But if this is simply a human scheme, then may those involved be cursed by the Lord. For they have driven me from my home, so I can no longer live among the Lord’s people, and they have said, ‘Go, worship pagan gods.’ 20 Must I die on foreign soil, far from the presence of the Lord? Why has the king of Israel come out to search for a single flea? Why does he hunt me down like a partridge on the mountains?”
David is saying he has been shut out from Israel, the land God gave to the Israelite people.
The place where God’s meets his people and they freely and openly worship.
This is David’s biggest grief. That he can’t worship openly in the presence of God, with his people.
David was on the run, homeless, in the wilderness, cold, hungry, thirsty, he feared for his life and the thing he longed for most, was worship.
David was a man of Godly character because of his appetite for worship…
Do you have an appetite for worship? Does your soul ache to be in the presence of God … to be with his people?
We live in a convenience driven culture and too often we let this determine our spiritual habits as well.
Seasons of adversity are not a time to step away, they are a time to worship God with his people.
Hebrews 10:24-25
24 Let us think of ways to motivate one another to acts of love and good works. 25 And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of his return is drawing near. Worship recharges our spiritual batteries.
If we are going to endure the trials, if we are going to build good Godly character like David, then we need to develop an appetite for worship.
David finishes his speech vs 21.
21 Then Saul confessed, “I have sinned. Come back home, my son, and I will no longer try to harm you, for you valued my life today. I have been a fool and very, very wrong.”
Saul Apologizes to David, and promises he will not harm David… Again…
Was Saul sincere? Was he repentant? Was he sorry?
The bible says there is a clear difference
2 Corinthians 7:10
10Godly sorrow brings that leads to salvation and leaves no regret, but worldly sorrow brings death.
Someone can sound repentant, but the proof is in their actions.
I listed signs of a repentant person
SIGNS OF A TRUE REPENTANT PERSON:
1) They will show Genuine remorse.
2) They will eliminate the Behavior.
3) They will replace the bad behavior with Good behavior.
4) They will seek forgiveness and try to make amends.
5) They make these changes a permanent part of their life.
6) They will humble themselves before God. (surrender to Christ…)
Just a couple chapters earlier, after the incident in the cave… Saul said basically the same thing… “David …I’m so sorry …I wont do it again” and here Saul is doing it again! Was Saul repentant this time?
David didn’t think so!
22 “Here is your spear, O king,” David replied. “Let one of your young men come over and get it. 24 Now may the Lord value my life, even as I have valued yours today. May he rescue me from all my troubles.”
David knows that Saul’s heart is hard, he hopes Saul will change, but he knows it may never happen.
III. APPLICATION
David’s response is a great reminder to us, and it really shows the core of David’s godly character. He says…
23 The Lord gives his own reward for doing good and for being loyal, and I refused to kill you even when the Lord placed you in my power, for you are the Lord’s anointed one.
David could live guilt free because in every situation, he tried to live obediently to the lord.
He knew if he did what was right in God’s eyes, he could face any adversity, and remain confident knowing the Lord would provide.
IV. CONCLUSION
25 And Saul said to David, “Blessings on you, my son David. You will do many heroic deeds, and you will surely succeed.” Then David went away, and Saul returned home.
Saul will not humble himself and change his behavior.
After this point, David and Saul would not see each other again.
Saul may have gotten the last word, but he didn’t win…
Saul Goes home alone, but David goes into this next season with a God determined to deliver him through ever trial.
If you have put your trust in Jesus, then you have that same assurance.
Jesus told his disciples “In this world you will have trouble but take Heart! I have overcome the world.”
In the trials you face, find courage. keep going… Christ has won… you are His and He is on your side in every battle.
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