Thriving By Responsibility | 1 Peter 4:10-11

Our theme for the month of February is Thrive. The Christian Band Casting Crowns have written, “It's time for us to more than just survive; We were made to thrive”.

Last week I looked at what it means to thrive and where we as Christians need to start.

Many of us Christians are just surviving spiritually due to many issues that just make life hard. It’s the same with church. It ought to be thriving resulting in people coming to faith, baptisms, testimonies of God working in people’s lives, numerical growth, new church plants, the poor and vulnerable being cared for… Jesus said to the church in Laodicea that they were only just surviving. They were lukewarm. He wanted them to be on fire!!

This series, I’m looking at four areas that are essential for Christians and Churches to get out from the rut of surviving to thriving. Two weeks ago we looked at the first one. It is all about having the right foundation. For we Christians and for our church, we will thrive when we place our roots on the solid foundation of Jesus – not on materialism, not on nice philosophy, not on some good church growth principles. None of these. We will thrive when we place our roots on the solid foundation of nothing else but Jesus Christ – but even more specifically – the Lordship of Jesus Christ. This means that we trust Him as our God and honour Him as our Sovereign reigning in our lives.

This means the keys to our money, to our priorities, our hearts, our dreams, our struggles – every area must come under the lordship of Jesus Christ.

When we as Christians and together as a church surrender every area to the lordship of Jesus, acknowledging that Jesus is God and Sovereign then we will begin to thrive.

And last week we looked that if we want to thrive rather than just survive, we have to love. It kinda makes sense doesn’t it? If you are a rev head, you love your car by spending time on it and under it. If you love surfing, you spend whatever time you can riding those huge swells. What you put in is what you get out. And if you sow love you will reap love. And so last week we looked at the greatest commandments in Matthew 22 of loving God and loving others. Out of all the 613 commandments, we are told the most important in loving God and loving others.

It’s so hard to love those who have wronged us, those who have hurt us, and those who gossip about it. And yet as Christians we are told to love and love and love. And last week we spoke about the amazing work of the Holy Spirit that sanctifies us through and through from 1 Thessalonians 5:23. Sanctification is the wonderful Christian doctrine that is all about a process of being made holy – to be more like Jesus - resulting in a changed lifestyle for the believer.

As the Holy Spirit continues to chisel away at us, gradually we are being sanctified, and so our ability to show the 1 Corinthians 13 type of love starts growing. Come before God asking him to sanctify you through and through. Confess your sins, your wrong attitudes, and ask that He’ll keep chiselling away all those things that bind you. Love is does not envy, so chisel that away please God. Love doesn’t boast, so chisel that away please God. Love is not proud, so that needs to go please God. Love does not dishonour others, so that’s a big one God and so is the next one that love is not self-seeking. And please God, chisel away my ease to anger and how I keep those records of wrongs. Sanctify me through and through so I may thrive!

Today I want to look at how responsibility is essential for the church of Jesus Christ to thrive. You see, all thriving churches have a few things in common. One is that they have a clear expectation that its members are to serve.

The biblical premise for this is clear. It’s called stewardship. Bible passages like Matthew 25, The Parable of the Talents, is a call to be a good steward. Stewards are mentioned in the Bible quite a bit actually. The basic message that I have gotten from the Bible about being a good steward is that God has entrusted me with things down here on earth and it is my responsibility to do something good with them.

And what God has given each of us are spiritual gifts and therefore it is my responsibility to do something good with them.

In passages like 1 Corinthians 12 we are told that God blesses individual Christians with spiritual gifts for the purpose of serving. Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 12:7: “A spiritual gift is given to each of us so we can help each other” (1 Corinthians 12:7 NLT). And then in our reading, Peter also says, “Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others” (1 Peter 4:10 NIV).

This is what spiritual gifts are about. They are gifts from God to you, so you can build up the church. That’s our responsibility. To build up the church. Peter talks about this in the same verse, “Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God's grace in its various forms” (1 Peter 4:10 NIV). We are called to be faithful stewards, meaning that it is your responsibility to do something good with the gifts that God has blessed you with.

Peter gave a couple of examples of spiritual gifts. There are about twenty mentioned in the bible, but I don’t even think that they are even an exhaustive list. Look at the two that Peter mentions in verse 11, “Do you have the gift of speaking? Then speak as though God Himself were speaking through you. Do you have the gift of helping others? Do it with all the strength and energy that God supplies…” (1 Peter 4:11 NLT).

The Apostle Paul’s message to Timothy I think is a message for some of us today: “I remind you to fan into flames the spiritual gift God gave you when I laid my hands on you. For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline. So never be ashamed to tell others about our Lord…” (2 Timothy 1:6-8 NLT).

For our church to thrive, each of us, not just some of us, need to fan into flames the gifts that God has given us. For God has given us a spirit of power, love and self-discipline. The Holman Christian Standard Bible puts it this way: “keep ablaze the gift of God that is in you” (2 Timothy 1:6 HCSB).

Fires often need to be stoked. When they are dying down stoking a fire allows oxygen to refuel the little red glow. It is like a slow combustion fire. When the fire dies down you push the lever that opens the inlets allowing oxygen to flow in and combust with the red glow.

Sometimes we need to be stoked. Sometimes the inlets of our church need to be furthered opened allowing God’s Spirit to move freely, gently and powerfully, and then watch it thrive!

It’s fascinating to me that while spiritual gifts are very important; we are never told how to figure out what gifts we have as there aren’t any assessment tools found in the Bible. There are over 20 gifts listed, but there’s no emphasis put on how to discover your gift. Instead, the focus is put on deployment. The Bible is clear that gifts are given to be used; and servants are to serve because they are stewards.

Imagine that this gift bag represents the spiritual gift I was given at conversion. I can learn about the fact that I have a gift but until I open it I won’t do anything with it. Actually, even after opening it, I still have to use it. Some may not even know that we’ve been given at least one gift. Others of us know but we’ve never bothered opening it. Still others have opened it and have never used it. I can open the bag and see a box of Tissues, representing the gift of mercy. I have a choice to make. I can use these tissues to help hurting people or I can throw it back in the bag and put it up on the shelf. What will I do? What will you do with the gifts you’ve been given?

Here’s another way to look at it. Some cry out to God, asking Him to show them His will. Perhaps He’s not letting them know simply because He knows that they’re not serious about doing His will. If you want to know what your gifts are, first settle the servanthood issue and make sure you are completely surrendered to His Lordship. Once you are, you will have multiple ways to minister using the grace gifts He has given you.

What this means practically speaking is that God does not want us to be timid or tentative when it comes to serving. We don’t have to take a course on spiritual gifts before we start serving. The key is to settle the servanthood issue and then to start serving.

I can hear some say, that you don’t know if you have the capacity to serve. In his book called “The Volunteer Revolution,” Bill Hybels writes: “If I had to sum up the key to finding the perfect serving niche, I’d do it in one word: experiment… we have learned that spiritual gifts are less something we ‘figure out ahead of time’ than something God reveals to us as we serve… Embrace wholeheartedly your fundamental identity as a servant of Jesus Christ…L ook at the needs in your church and community. Then jump in with a willing heart and an open mind. Drape the servant’s towel over your arm and get busy”.

If you’re not sure where to serve, take some time to experiment and explore by trying out some different ministries. I can assure you that you won’t be made to feel guilty if a particularly ministry isn’t you. Just jump in and try something. Get out of the stands as a spectator and start serving as a servant. Remember, that this is your responsibility to be a faithful steward of the gifts that God has given you.

At a Hillsong Conference I heard a powerful message from Louie Giglio. He encouraged us to turn to Ephesians 6. I was excited because I was thinking great. Maybe he is going to speak on about children obeying their parents. Then I thoughts – my kids aren’t at this conference, so they won’t hear this sermon. Then I though great, Louie is going to speak on the armour of God and how we can defeat the evil one.

Then he told us to turn to Ephesians 6:21-22: “Tychicus, the dear brother and faithful servant in the Lord, will tell you everything, so that you also may know how I am and what I am doing. I am sending him to you for this very purpose, that you may know how we are, and that he may encourage you” (Ephesians 6:21-22 NIV).

There was silence. Not really the most inspirational of bible passages. I didn’t hear anyone say amen to this passage.

There are only two people mentioned in this letter of Ephesians. One was Paul. We all know Paul – church planter, missionary, wrote most of the New Testament letters, evangelist. And the other person is Tychicus. He had volunteer role in the church. He believed that he had a supporting role in building the church.

Interesting when Paul commenced his mission trips he had plenty of support. By the end few stood by him. Few wanted to end up in prison with Paul. Look at 2 Timothy 4:9 “Do your best to come to me quickly, for Demas, because he loved this world, has deserted me and has gone to Thessalonica” (2 Timothy 4:9 NIV). This often happens in the church. Life gets busy and so we cut back. The church is struggling so we go to the happening church.

Paul says that we are the body of Christ and we each have a part in it. For Demas it got too hard and risky, so he deserted Paul, Tychicus didn’t. At the close of his 3rd missionary journey, Paul was returning from Greece into Asia, with a view to go to Jerusalem. This journey proved to be the last before his imprisonment. Tychicus volunteered to go with him

It was while he was imprisoned that Paul gave Tychicus a task. You see we elevate people like Paul. We study Paul. We learn much from Paul. Paul is like our hero, but nobody knows anything about Tychicus. It’s like this with movies. We elevate actors and the directors. But when the credits come at the end of the movie we aren’t interested, and we hop up and leave the cinema while the credits are rolling and yet our movies are made because of those who do the stunts, make the scenes, edit the boring parts, and so on. It’s the same with the church. We elevate a few but don’t recognize the many. Its takes many to see the church thrive and yet some say I’m too busy, someone else we do it. Paul says: “keep ablaze the gift of God that is in you” (2 Timothy 1:6 HCSB).

The Early Church had many problems both internally and externally, and yet it thrive as people wanted what they had! To put it into perspective 120 people were filled with the Holy Spirit on the Day of Pentecost. The population of the Roman Empire at the time was around 50 million. Therefore these 120 Christians represented .00024% of the population that Jesus commanded them to reach out to (and we’re concern that 10% of people go to church). Some fifty years later 10,000s had become Christians and by the third century AD Christianity had become the official religion of the empire! What had happened? The church was built on the Lordship of Jesus, they showed amazing loved to those in the community and boldly witnessed for Jesus, and they were all involved in church life. They were responsible in the way that they served. Yes, they prayed and worshipped and listened to the Apostles preached, but they also rolled up their sleeves and served others.

I read an anonymous quote, “Faith can move mountains, but don't be surprised if God hands you a shovel”.

To our chaplains here, God has given you a shovel. And you are there in the trenches with the troops and students and prisoners. Good for you and may God honour you for your faithful stewardship. And to some others, God has given you a ministry outside of this church. Bless you.

And to others, God has handed you a bag with gifts. So many are using these precious gifts. Thank you so much. I know that it can be tough turning up week after week to serve but thank you. You are helping to build His church.

Perhaps for others, God has given you that bag containing a gift or two. Perhaps you have been hurt by the church in general and you’ve put that gift back in the bag? Perhaps life has just been crazy for you, you are barely surviving and so you don’t even know where your gift bag is? Perhaps you just haven’t ever pulled out from the bag what your gift is because, well, let’s face it, serving isn’t your thing.

One of the keys to thriving is learning to serve, to think of others above yourself. Maybe it’s your time now to look inside your bag and in prayer say, “God fan into flame the gift you have given me”.

As a church, we would love to have a team of people who can show pastoral care. Did you know that after running Tribes with 80 kids on Fridays, the same team of leaders then run a teenage program called Radiate of 20 teenagers? We need people willing to serve? Our Playgroups have two wonderful coordinators with some helpers, but we would love to see more Christians come along to befriend the community mothers who come along? Clover Hill and Hillcrest are calling for mentors to walk alongside of students. We need people who can play an instrument and people who can drive the data projector to serve on Sundays. It would be great to have people who would organize some activities for our seniors. The list continues. So many want to see our church thrive. If God has called you to be a part of this church for this season of your life, then He is calling you to be a responsible steward with the gifts God has given you. As Peter says, “Then everything you do will bring glory to God through Jesus Christ. All glory and power to Him forever and ever! Amen” (1 Peter 4:11 NLT).

Thriving By Loving | 1 Corinthians 13:1-13

Our theme for the month of February is Thrive. The Christian Rock Band Casting Crowns have written, “It's time for us to more than just survive; We were made to thrive”.

Last week I looked at what it means to thrive and where we as Christians need to start.

Many of us Christians are just surviving spiritually because of issues such as hardships, lack of health, conflicts, and the lists continues. It’s the same with church. It ought to be thriving resulting in people coming to faith, baptisms, testimonies of God working in people’s lives, numerical growth, new church plants, the poor and vulnerable being cared for, past wrongs with various cultures being reconciled, and the list continues. Jesus said to the church in Laodicea that they were only just surviving. They were lukewarm. He wanted them to be on fire!!

This series, I want to look at four areas that are essential for Christians and Churches to get out from the rut of surviving to thriving. Last week we looked at the first one. It is all about having the right foundation. For we Christians and for our church, we will thrive when we place our roots on the solid foundation of Jesus – not on materialism, not on nice philosophy, not on some good church growth principles. None of these. We will thrive when we place our roots on the solid foundation of nothing else but Jesus Christ – but even more specifically – the Lordship of Jesus Christ. This means that we trust Him as our God and honour Him as our Soveriegn reigning in our lives.

What this means, you may remember from last week, is that for many we have handed over to Jesus a bunch of keys. Those keys open most areas in our lives. But for some, we are keeping just one key. The key of one room which is kept for personal use, and the Lord is shut out. What most Christians don’t realise is that if Jesus is not Lord of all (of every room), then He is not Lord of all. Keeping even that one key robs us of abundant living which may be the reason why so many are just surviving. Have you given over the keys to every room in your life? Does Jesus have the key to every room in your private life? Is there a room marked “private – keep out?” If so, you haven’t really anchored into solid foundation and when those storms come, you will be blown over. You must be willing to surrender that key to the Lord.

This means the keys to our money, to our priorities, our hearts, our dreams, our struggles – every area must come under the lordship of Jesus Christ.

When we as Christians and together as a church surrender every area to the lordship of Jesus, acknowledging that Jesus is God and Sovereign then we will begin to thrive.

Those who take care of their gardens by pruning, fertilising, weeding, watering when it hasn’t rained for a while –their gardens thrive. They love their garden because they pay attention to it, because it is a priority in their lives, because they love seeing it bloom and thrive.

And it is the same with us. If we want to thrive rather than just survive, we have to love. The greatest commandment that Jesus has given us is to love. Jesus said, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments” (Matthew 22:37-40 NIV). Now understand that all of the laws added up to 613 commandments according to the Scribes back then. 248 being affirmative and the other 365 being negative. Out of all those 613 love was the greatest? Loving God and loving one another.

I’ll tell you why learning to really love enables you to thrive? It’s found in our reading – verse 4. It’s the first of what love isn’t. Paul says that love “does not envy” (1 Corinthians 13:4 NIV). Other translations have jealous. Jealously eats us up. When we are jealous about another person’s success, a friend’s latest purchase, or a sibling’s close relationship with the parents, its stirs all the wrong emotions. It causes thoughts that sometimes lead to actions that makes you the lesser person. Jealousy robs us of our contentment and joy. Learning to love is learning to accept that what others may have or achieved doesn’t mean that you are any less of a person for you are equally loved by God who has blessed you with every spiritual blessing. When love conquers jealousy, you begin to thrive.

The inspired words of Paul about real love continue in verse 5, “It does not dishonour others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs” (1 Corinthians 13:5 NIV). “it keeps no record of wrongs”! Keeping records of all the wrongs that either I have done to myself or others have done to me disables me from thriving. Some of us have notable bank balances, only that such bank balances have records of the wrongs that have happened to me. Such records of wrongs weigh us down. They are like a heavy ball and chain around your leg. You can’t move forwards with such heavy records of wrongs. Love though, cancels those records of wrongs. It’s love that breaks free us from the past. It’s love that helps us move on from just surviving to thriving. As Peter wrote in his first letter, “Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins” (1 Peter 4:8 NIV). Meaning that we learn in love to keep no records of wrongs.

We’ll come back to 1 Corinthians 13 in a moment. I want to tell you another reason why love enables us to thrive. It is because love casts out all fear. The Apostle John tells us this. He says, “There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love” (1 John 4:18 NIV). Love is the absence of fear. You can put all emotions on a scale. On one end, you have love. Then joy. After that is peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control (Galatians 5:22-23 NLT). On the opposite end of the scale of love is fear. Other fear-based emotions include, hatred, insecurity, jealousy or greed. The more we love the move the scales are tip towards experiencing the beautiful fruit of the Spirit enabling us to thrive.

I believe that as white Christians, we need to have a better understanding of our first nation people. This is why we have formed a partnership with Doug and Cynthia Thomas’ Church in Normanton, to help us gain an understanding of the hurts and hopes of the indigenous folk. I want to tell you about a beautiful man named Aussie Cruse. I once met Aussie at a function at Parliament House in Canberra and so I invited him to speak at my former church which he did.

Ossie had a huge battle with alcohol at age 12, a year after he was forced out of school, and by the time he was 15 he was well on the road to alcoholism. After marrying Beryl at age 18 he continued drinking heavily and Beryl went through hell living with Ossie. In 1962, he was pretty well spaced out as he was now an alcoholic.

Ossie knew that his life was a mess, so in 1962, at the age of 29, he went to a meeting in Sydney’s La Perouse, where he was living, to hear an Aboriginal evangelist called David Kirk. He knew he needed to change because he made many resolutions never to drink again but he would still go back on it.

At this meeting, when Ossie heard the gospel preached he came under conviction that his life needed to be changed radically by the Lord Jesus and so he came to know Jesus as Lord and Saviour at that convention. His wife the night after because she was an addicted gambler. And she was also radically changed.

Ossie explains that what took possession of his life that night was the understanding that the love of God is real. This is what Ossie said, “When I became a Christian in 1962, everything changed, radically changed. I never wanted to drink again, I never had withdrawals, I never even had to go to any sort of counselling, but my life just so radically changed. One minute you’re lacing your sentences with four-letter words – swearing – and, like, the next day when I put my life in the hands of the Lord, I just couldn’t stand to hear people swearing, let alone ever wanting to drink again. So, to me it was a miracle, a miracle that saved me all the way even today. I never, ever desire to go back into that old way of life.”

This is part one of Ossie’s story. He was saved by the amazing love of God. God’s love found Ossie and Beryl and they were radically transformed. God’s love keeps no records of their wrongs and love cast out his fears of returning to alcohol and gambling that nearly destroyed them both. I’ll share part two in moment.

The church at Corinth had a lot of strengths – in fact it would be right to say that they were a very gifted church. They had their core beliefs and ministries, but their culture was worldly. For one thing they had attitude – twice in chapter 4 Paul told them that some were arrogant. They had divisions within the church, and some even lived immoral lives.

Paul tells them off for these and teaches them the more excellent way. In chapter 13 he tells them that they may speaks in tongues or other languages (13:1) but if they don’t have a culture of love then they are just noisy. He says that they may have the gift of prophecy and fathom all mysteries and all knowledge and have amazing faith but if they don’t nurture a culture of love then their church is nothing (13:2). He also says that they may even give to the poor but if they don’t love then the church gains nothing (13:3).

And Paul ends by saying, “And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love” (1 Corinthians 13:13 NIV). Church, we may have great facilities, live in one of the better places in the world; we may have some great ministries which includes the school. Our Statement of Beliefs may be 100% biblical and we have a great vision but if we don’t nurture a culture of love then we will not thrive.

A few decades after the commencement of the church at Ephesus, John in his vision from Jesus, spoke into the life of that church. Jesus praises them for their deeds, hard work and their perseverance. They even hated the practices of false teachers and yet Jesus said something was missing. They had forgotten to love – particularly that love for God when they first started. They needed to repent – to turn back – and learn and practice love for God and one another. Jesus said that if they don’t – if they don’t nurture a culture of love – their light would be removed.

Church may we nurture a culture of love across our church. Back to 1 Corinthians 13, Paul reminds us what Christian love to one another ought to look like. He says, “Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres” 1 Corinthians 13:4-7 NIV).

A thriving church puts into practice loving one another. You see it. You feel it. The church thrives because people want to be a part of a loving church where they feel safe to share their hurts and hopes, where they feel supported and encouraged. And perhaps the best places to experience such love for one another is in the home – inviting people over for a cuppa or a meal. It can be found in Life Groups. Learning the Bible and sharing and praying for one another in a safe environment can be such a highlight of our week. Jesus did teach us “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another” (John 13:34-35 NIV).

This is part two of Ossie Cruse’s story. Not only were he and Beryl saved and transformed by the love of God, but soon a new love for their people and Australians as a whole became to form.

In 1968 he and 70 others founded the Aboriginal Evangelical Fellowship (AEF) of Australia in Port Augusta in 1970. The indigenous work that we as a church support in Camooweal is a AEF ministry.

Those early days in the 60s and 70s were difficult because attitudes back then of both blacks and whites towards each other were far more strained.

For his part, Ossie believes that if God had not intervened in the lives of Aboriginal leaders such as himself in the 1960s, there would have been bloodshed and havoc in this country as high-profile Aboriginal activists “would’ve very easily taken the road of vengeance”. Instead, Ossie insists that they chose the Bible that taught them to love their neighbour and preach the gospel.

In 1982, Ossie travelled with former prime minister Gough Whitlam to post-colonial African countries to drum up support for a treaty with Aboriginal people in Australia. He took his advocacy all the way to the UN and became a member of the World Council of Indigenous Peoples, paving the way for the UN Declaration of Rights for Indigenous Peoples. He doesn’t want to take back land nor does he want to tell people to leave this land. He wants to see one united Australia working for peace and justice for all people.

Last year, the ABC TV program Australian Story featured Ossie. And he was unashamed about his faith in Jesus. In the program, Aboriginal MP Linda Burney says that, as a member of Federal Parliament, the lesson she has taken from Uncle Ossie is “quiet leadership”. She said, “It is that understanding that persuasion is not about thumping the table and yelling at people. Persuasion is often long and arduous, quiet and persistent”. Love is patience.

Today, Ossie and his family live in Eden where he serves in a church teaching black and white children about the excellent way – the way of love.

When the church of Jesus Christ loves one another on a level that is so counter culture than it will thrive. You will thrive. It is the most excellent way says Paul.

How can anyone love the way that Jesus loved? How can we actually love without being judgmental or full of expectation or without jealously? How do we stop keeping those record of wrongs?

I don’t think its humanly possible to be honest. I really don’t. It’s too hard to love your enemies. And yet Jesus gave us the great command to love Him and one another. This kind of love, I believe, can only come supernaturally from God. And the Bible teaches us that those who earnestly seek to follow Jesus and His teachings, then the Holy Spirit will sanctify us. We learn about this from passage like 1 Thessalonians 5:23, “May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Thessalonians 5:23 NIV).

That word sanctify is another wonderful Christian doctrine. It is a process of being made holy – to be more like Jesus - resulting in a changed lifestyle for the believer. The English word sanctification comes from the Latin santificatio, meaning the act/process of making holy. It is through the Holy Spirit are we sanctified. And one of the reasons why we are to be sanctified is we are “kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ” (v23).

As the Holy Spirit continues to chisel away at us, gradually we are being sanctified, and so our ability to love as 1 Corinthians 13 starts growing. Come before God asking him to sanctify you through and through. Confess your sins, your wrong attitudes, and ask that He’ll keep chiselling away all those things that bind you. Love is does not envy, so chisel that away please God. Love doesn’t boast, so chisel that away please God. Love is not proud, so that needs to go please God. Love does not dishonour others, so that’s a big one God and so is the next one that love is not self-seeking. And please God, chisel away my ease to anger and how I keep those records of wrongs. Sanctify me through and through so I may thrive!

Back of Whoop Whoop | 1 Samuel 16 : 1-13

The Back of Whoop Whoop hey. Let me guess…… you are thinking I know where that is!!! Am I right?

There are a few characters in the Bible that have been to the Back of Whoop Whoop and it is probably not a destination but more of a journey for these guys.

I am thinking of Moses - 40 years in the dessert and that with about 2 million moaning Israelites, that probably warrants a chapter or a mention in the Back of Whoop Whoop book.

Another is probably Paul in all his journeys he probably would be the author of the The Back of Whoop Whoop book.

Jesus Obviously would be the one who personifies the backward journey. Coming from Heaven and living on earth like He did……..talk about from riches to rags!!

Tonight however we will be focussing on David.

Lets read a snippet of probably the start of David’s amazing journey.

1 Samuel 16 : 1-13

“The Lord said to Samuel, “How long will you mourn for Saul, since I have rejected him as king over Israel? Fill your horn with oil and be on your way; I am sending you to Jesse of Bethlehem. I have chosen one of his sons to be king.” But Samuel said, “How can I go? If Saul hears about it, he will kill me.” The Lord said, “Take a heifer with you and say, ‘I have come to sacrifice to the Lord.’ Invite Jesse to the sacrifice, and I will show you what to do. You are to anoint for me the one I indicate.” Samuel did what the Lord said. When he arrived at Bethlehem, the elders of the town trembled when they met him. They asked, “Do you come in peace?” Samuel replied, “Yes, in peace; I have come to sacrifice to the Lord. Consecrate yourselves and come to the sacrifice with me.” Then he consecrated Jesse and his sons and invited them to the sacrifice. When they arrived, Samuel saw Eliab and thought, “Surely the Lord’s anointed stands here before the Lord.” But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The Lord does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.” Then Jesse called Abinadab and had him pass in front of Samuel. But Samuel said, “The Lord has not chosen this one either.” Jesse then had Shammah pass by, but Samuel said, “Nor has the Lord chosen this one.” Jesse had seven of his sons pass before Samuel, but Samuel said to him, “The Lord has not chosen these.” So he asked Jesse, “Are these all the sons you have?” “There is still the youngest,” Jesse answered. “He is tending the sheep.” Samuel said, “Send for him; we will not sit down until he arrives.” So he sent for him and had him brought in. He was glowing with health and had a fine appearance and handsome features. Then the Lord said, “Rise and anoint him; this is the one.” So Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the presence of his brothers, and from that day on the Spirit of the Lord came powerfully upon David. Samuel then went to Ramah.”

Definitely a chapter we all are very familiar with.

Here we have Samuel getting a word from the Lord to go and anoint one of Jesse’s sons as the next king of Israel after Saul lost his favour with the Lord. So Samuel sets it up with Jesse: Bring your sons and sacrifice with me. He goes through all the sons and find that it is not one of them. Very perplexed he says to Jesse: Are these all you sons mate? On which Jesse replies: No sorry I forgot about one!!! Whatttttt you must be kidding Samuel says. Didn’t I invite you and all your sons? Anyway where is he? Uhmmmm in the back of Whoop whoop attending sheep!!!!

Now if that does not blow your mind nothing will!!! The future King of Israel is not at the meeting that the Lord himself set-up. How is this possible? Not a surpise to the Lord at all obviously. Planned………of course!!

OK sooooooooo David gets called and gets annointed………Yah!! What happens next is also probably very strange. He gets a Limo driver, he gets a palace, he gets a crown and a robe and doef abracadabra he is king of Israel. No he gets send back to Whoop Whoop.

Let me remind you what the Israeli country side looks like. Do not think Hinterland lush green massive trees with creeks and springs everywhere if that was the way your thoughts were going think Outback, think dry, think heat, think Bears and Lions. That is were the future King of Israel will be spending his coming days.

Looks like the training ground for real kings could be the back of Whoop Whoop!!

Shepherds in those days had it pretty easy the just had to sit under a tree and look at there sheep Noooot.!!! Shepherds where constantly thirsty they were sunburned they were by themselves all the time they were sleep deprived because during day time they had to attend the sheep and walk with them as they grazed and at night they had to protect the flock from Lions and bears. Not even to metion how lonely these guys are out by themselves for days.

So if this was me I would have said Lord the King of Israel this must be a joke. Who am I the king of?? Sheep!! Where is my sphere of influence what can I possibly achieve in the wilderness, no people around me??

But you see God is not God for no reason he knows the future and he knows the character intimately!! God had to prepare David for his future and this was the only taylored way for David maybe if it was someone else it would have been a different environment.

My first question to you tonight is where is your Whoop Whoop?

Where is the place in your life very you end up lonely, thirsty or frustrated??? That place is tailored for you and different to my Whoop Whoop. Do we have to be there? Absolutely!! If you believe in God and you have a relationship with Him you have to believe that that place is part of your and my journey. Is it life’s classroom? I think so.

You are a chosen Child of God but your are sitting in the back of Whoop Whoop and nothing is going for you!! At least for as far as you can see. What do you do???

Well I can tell you what David did:

1. For one he he wrote the most beautiful poems you can think of. In these poems he seeked God the entire time and was in conversation with God very important for us too isn’t? To be in constant

2.He played the harp, probably the best in the region so he worshipped often.

3. And the one thing that I struggle to understand for a boy of his age by the way he was about 15 maybe younger, he killed lions en bears. He also continued to do his day job. Which was attending sheep and listening to God’s voice.

That’s is what David did. We sometimes ask to may questions get get frustrated too soon don’t we?

What happens next is pretty amazing:

Lets read about it:

1 Samuel 16: 15-22

“Saul’s attendants said to him, “See, an evil spirit from God is tormenting you. Let our lord command his servants here to search for someone who can play the lyre. He will play when the evil spirit from God comes on you, and you will feel better.” So Saul said to his attendants, “Find someone who plays well and bring him to me.” One of the servants answered, “I have seen a son of Jesse of Bethlehem who knows how to play the lyre. He is a brave man and a warrior. He speaks well and is a fine-looking man. And the Lord is with him.” Then Saul sent messengers to Jesse and said, “Send me your son David, who is with the sheep.” So Jesse took a donkey loaded with bread, a skin of wine and a young goat and sent them with his son David to Saul. David came to Saul and entered his service. Saul liked him very much, and David became one of his armor-bearers. Then Saul sent word to Jesse, saying, “Allow David to remain in my service, for I am pleased with him.””

1 Samuel 16:15-22 NIV11

http://bible.com/111/1sa.16.15-22.niv11

So David is sitting in the back of Whoop Whoop minding his own business and Saul the King of Israel sends for him. He was not uncomfortable and pushy in his environment he just did what he had to do. He goes from rags to riches in a flash!!!

He gets head hunted by the highest authority in the country not to do hard labor but to play the lyre.

Have you had moments in your life where you felt like that you where living it up???

We have moments in our lives where we are cruising where things keeps going right for us and we’re thinking hang on a minute………..this is goooood!!!! We do not need to stretch ourselves, we do not have to get out of our comfort zones everything just comes our way and we are loving it. We also do not ask to many questions we are just really content with where we are at because it is so good.

How do you react in your moments of living it up!!!

I can tell you what David did:

1. He went as soon as he was called, no excuses no Uhm what about my sheep and what about my job?? He packed a donkey and left. When we get a good break, take it and run with it don’t be all shy. Good breaks do not come often take them when they come.

2. He lived it up in the palace. What do I mean? He enjoyed it. He had fun and he rested and just thoroughly enjoyed the fact that he was in the Palace with the king.

3. He stayed humble and did not loose sight of Jesus. In that place of rest we often forget about God we enjoy the good life so much that we tend to think that I am pretty great and I did this by myself and I am very important don’t we. He kept doing his job but it was not as tiresome as attending sheep or living in the bush.

4.He learned practicalities of what he was going to do in the future. He was anointed as the next King and he knew that so in this period he learned as much as he could from Saul and his surrounding. So my suggestion would be that when we go into periods of our lives where things come easy do not stop learning from your pears and mentors.

David lived in the Palace for about 7 years. I guess he had a good time of reflection and rest in these years which looked pretty good to me.

If we continue to look at David’s life we see that the next major event that occurred was David killing Goliath.

1 Samuel 17: 34-37

“But David said to Saul, “Your servant has been keeping his father’s sheep. When a lion or a bear came and carried off a sheep from the flock, I went after it, struck it and rescued the sheep from its mouth. When it turned on me, I seized it by its hair, struck it and killed it. Your servant has killed both the lion and the bear; this uncircumcised Philistine will be like one of them, because he has defied the armies of the living God. The Lord who rescued me from the paw of the lion and the paw of the bear will rescue me from the hand of this Philistine.” Saul said to David, “Go, and the Lord be with you.””

We know the rest of the story.

What we see here is that the preparation the Whoop Whoop paid off big time. God lead David into the wilderness He did not send him there. He said David Walk behind me. And when God leads you into your worst nightmare He will lead you out and that is a promise!!

He Lead David to probably the most impressive victory by one man in the history of mankind.

My second question to you is: What is and how do you face the Goliath in your life?

I can tell you what David did.

1.He identified that he was prepared in the back of Whoop Whoop. What I mean he realised that he went through a deepening period with the Lord where it was winter in his life and although you could not see the leaves blossoming and growing his roots went deeper and he new he was a stronger man, not because of what he was but because of what God did in him.

2.He heard what He kew was God voice because he had learnt what it sounded like in the quiet times in the bush.

3.He acted on it in confidence without fear, knowing that God was going in front of him!

4.He ignored all the neigh sayers! They included a few powerful people like Saul for instance and of course people who should have been really close to him like his brothers.

5.He powered through and killed Goliath he chopped his head off and brought it back to Saul.

He clearly celebrated his victory. We should celebrate the victories, it is God given and we should dance and sing when it happens.

Please identify your Goliath and slay him……it is possible!!!

The next stage of David’s life is long and very hard. Saul was jealous of David’s following and set out to kill him.

We are not going to read it but basically what happened is that David had to flee Saul and lived in Grottos and gathered a following as fleed in front of Saul.

So we are seeing that David thought he was in Whoop Whoop before but this time the situation was way worse and he probably thought the attending sheep bit looked like a much better deal than being chanced by Saul.

So David was going through the toughest part of his life he was prepared well by God but it was tough.

What did David do in this period of his life?:

1.How can we mention David without mentioning Jonathan. Here he had a mate that was closer that a brother who looked out for him and who had his back at all times. He also had his wife Michal who at some point saved his life by warning him and telling him to leave over night. He also had a great following of about 400 men who stood by him day and night. David surrounded him with people who he knew was going to support him. He did not hang with people who was going to pull him down and expose his weaknesses no he had people who believed in him. We need to do the same. We need support when the going gets tough we can not go without a network of friends and family that carry us when we are down and out.

2.David also sought council from Samuel in these days. Samuel was a wise old man and David knew that he could get good advise from Samuel. We are surrounded by wise men and women by the dozen all we need to do is ask sometimes our pride gets in the way or an attitude of I can do it myself and we loose so much in our tough journeys just because we do not ask.

3.He prayed often and asked the Lord for what he had to do next. He literally waited on God’s answer everyday before he acted. He was in such a desperate situation that he could not physically function without God

4.He showed grace in his tough journey. Remember when Saul had to relieve himself in a cave where David and his men was hiding. It was incredible how he crawled closer cut a piece off Sauls robe and then waved it at him afterwards. He said mate look at this! I could have killed you but I can’t kill somebody who is anointed by the Lord. Yet Saul wanted to kill him. The saying goes kill or be killed isn’t it? No we live in this world but we are not from it right. So Davis showed the amazing grace that was expected from him which would have been very hard to do. I just think of my own life when things go wrong we want to blame somebody or something. Through somebody under the bus as long as its nor me right. It is a hard thing to do when we are under the pump and we feel the pressure.

The next phase of David’s life was back in the palace. Saul eventually dead phew and David was king and so we think that finally David as entered into his destiny after years of journeying and yet there was one final dramatic chapter left.

The dreaded Bathsheba incident!!!! It would have made a great modern movie because it was filled with al the wrong things: - beautiful bathing girl

-The King

-The soldier husband

What a disaster in Davids life. Up to this point David has been pretty inspiring and encouraging right. And then he saw this beautiful girl bathing on the rooftop next door. He just had to have her and so he did. He got her over to the palace slept with her and she fell pregnant, talk about a spanner in the works!! Uriah who was her husband is one of David’s commanding officer for crying out loud. He is fighting in a war for David’s army. David gets Uriah to come home hoping that he would sleep with his wife and everything will be fine, everybody will think it is Uriahs baby but low and behold Uriah comes back and sleeps on the steps of the palace, one tough cookies if you ask me. Upon being questioned by why he is not sleeping at him his blaze reply is if my men sleep in the bush at war who am I to sleep on my cosy bed??? What a man, right?? And so the plot thickens. David send Uriah to the front line and he gets killed. Davis thought he is off the hook but Big Brother is watching the kid dies after birth and David repents. This is the short version.

For me I suddenly identify with David so much more because he had sin just like you and me but yet God said of him he is a man after my own heart, why?? I think it could have been because he had such a short account with God. He sinned and very soon after repented with a sense of real remorse and it must have been because God know our hearts.

So Dee you have been babbling on about David. What are you saying and how is it applicable to us 2000 and bit moire years later.And it is old testament!!!

Let me put it to you this way. I put Whoop Whoop into Google maps and all I could find was Whoop Whoop rd?? One of two possibilities: 1. Whoop Whoop is a state of mind or

2. Whoop Whoop is a journey you.

My opinion is that it is both.Life as Davids journey clearly shows is a cocktail of ups and downs, mountains and valleys. The way we navigate it is up to us.It is also clear that the christian walk is not a walk to be taken lightly it is a walk that needs bravery, commitment and stamina. Remember that the life of David should serve as an encouragement not as a deterrent. If you have a relationship with Jesus Christ the living son of God you have to believe that where you are at in you journey is exactly where God wants you.If you are at a place in your journey where you are finding it really tough and you know it is not God who put you there but a bad choice repent and ask God to meet you where you are and he will. That is what he wants. He will walk you out of there I promise.