I Samuel 23

• I Samuel 23:1-5 - David’s men were concerned about making more enemies while Saul was already after them, but David trusted in what God told him.
• I Samuel 23:16-18 - Jonathan went to talk to David at great personal risk to himself. Saul could have easily killed Jonathan if he found out Jonathan knew where David was.
• I Samuel 23:19 - The Ziphites were part of the tribe of Judah, kinsmen of David. Yet they betrayed David to Saul.
• I Samuel 23:27-28 - Because he had been chasing David around, Saul did not have his army positioned to counter the Philistines.

I Samuel 24

• I Samuel 24:3 - This region has a large number of deep caves, some of which have still not been fully explored.
• I Samuel 24:4-5 - We should not consider ourselves to be the executor for what we consider to be right. David was humble here and showed how to leave room for God’s justice. This was all part of forging David into someone who could properly serve as king.

Introduction

• I John 3:16-18
• Deuteronomy 24:19-22
• Matthew 5:42

Let’s do the same as the good Samaritan.

• Luke 10:30-37 - “Go and do the same.”
• Helping people means some amount of sacrifice.
  • Time, money, materials.
  • We have to live with a little margin so we can help others.
  • I Timothy 6:18-19
• Helping people starts with LOVE.
  • Luke 10:27
  • Ephesians 4:28
  • Matthew 5:38-42
  • James 1:27

There are various ways to help people.

• I Timothy 5:4-8
• II Kings 4:8-10 - The wealthy woman in Shunem provided a room for Elijah to use when he passed by.
• Matthew 25:34-36
• James 2:15-16

What’s the best way to help someone?

• Matthew 13:44
• James 5:19-20
• Is there a better way to help someone than to help them put aside sin?
• Philippians 3:7-8, 11

Local churches are authorized to provide for needy Christians.

• Public charities have a charter that dictates how the money is to be spent. Jesus has provided the charter for his church.

Scriptures about providing for needy Christians

Acts 2:44-45

• This is referring to sharing of funds. The phrase “all things” here must be taken in context. This is not authorizing sharing of sexual partners or some sort of communism. This was voluntary sharing.
• This was a unique situation with many new Christians being far from home longer than anticipated.

Acts 4:32-35

• Compare Acts 5:2; 23:3 - “Laid at the apostles’ feet” is an idion meaning “putting something under the apostles’ control.”

Acts 6:1-3

• This was for the widows among the disciples. There were surely more needy widows in the city at large.

Acts 11:27-30

• Some use this passage in support of the “sponsoring church arrangement,” arguing that the church in Jerusalem must have been a sponsoring church because many churches in the area were helped, but we only read of Barnabas and Paul visiting the church in Jerusalem. But we can’t draw this conclusion directly. Barnabas and Paul may have visited more churches that are not mentioned individually.

Romans 15:25-27

• Paul was delivering money from Macedonia and Achaia to the needy saints in Jerusalem.

I Corinthians 16:1-3

II Corinthians 8:3-4, 14

I Timothy 5:16, 5

Observations

• Churches are authoring to provide for needy Christians; individuals are authorized to provide for anyone.
• God did not set up the local church as a general charity.
• How generous!
• Use wise judgment.

Introduction

• God usually makes things simple in the Bible, contrasting two clear options:
  • Cain vs. Abel
  • Joseph vs. his brothers
  • Moses vs. Pharaoh

Obedience

• Matthew 21:28-31 - How many times are we told to do something and do not do it?
• Jesus is teaching us something that applies in every situation - are you obedient or not?

Pride

• Do you like being wrong or apologizing? Apologizing is a learned behavior.
• Jeremiah 10:23 - It is not in man who walks to direct his own steps.
• Are we humble enough to turn to God?
• Psalms 59:1-9 - When trouble came, David turned to God.

Judas vs. Peter

• Matthew 26:75; 27:3-5 - Peter wept bitterly, then returned to Christ. Judas had remorse and hanged himself. Judas shows us that feeling bad about something is not enough.

Saul vs. Paul

• Philippians 3:4-11
• We are known for where or who we come from.
• The biggest contrast was where he put his faith.

I Samuel 21

• I Samuel 21:1 - Eli’s family came from Nob.
• I Samuel 21:4 - See Matthew 12:1-8. The Pharisees were judging hypocritically here and Jesus makes the point by referencing what David and his men did eating the shewbread.

I Samuel 22

• I Samuel 22:19 - Compare Saul’s behavior with Agag and the Amelekites in I Samuel 15:7-9. He refused to obey God in that instance, but then kills innocent people here (or at the very least, consents to the killing).
• I Samuel 22:18 - See I Samuel 2:31-33. This was part of the judgment against Eli’s house (Ahimelech was a descendant of Eli).
• Through all of this, it does not say David inquired of the Lord until I Samuel 23:2. David likely learned a very difficult lesson here.