Category: 2021 Sermons

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Sermon Audio: David Spares Saul’s Life
Speaker: Pastor Val Watkins
Scripture Text: I Samuel 24:1-22
Duration: 25:51
Size: 17.7 MB

The Life of David
David Spares Saul’s Life
I Samuel 24:1-22

Though initially fearful of Saul, David’s trust in God grew, and in his sovereign, providential care of him.

God was calling David to turn the other cheek, even though Saul was insanely jealous of David and wanted to kill him.

I. A Test for God’s Servant (I Samuel 24:1-7)
In any event, David’s men saw Saul’s presence in the cave as a wonderful stroke of providence, which is why they urged him to go and take care of Saul.

The meaning of this incident, surely, is that God was testing David. In a sense it was the ultimate test of trust.

II. An Appeal to God’s Justice (I Samuel 24:8-15)
The recognition of that voice and the instant realization of how near he had come to eternity must have pierced Saul’s heart like an arrow.

He quickly realized–fortunately, before it was too late–that he could leave the timing of justice to God.

III. An Assurance of God’s Faithfulness (I Samuel 24:16-22)
Bad men will commonly go no farther than this in their confessions: they will own they are not so good as some others are; there are those that are better than they, and more righteous.

So, David was teaching his men that if they wanted David as their king, they would have to trust God, just as he did, to establish his kingdom in his time and in his way.

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Sermon Audio: Saul Pursued by David
Speaker: Pastor Val Watkins
Scripture Text: I Samuel 23:15-29
Duration: 20:54
Size: 14.3 MB

The Life of David
Saul Pursued by David
I Samuel 23:15-29

Life is not a straight line leading from one blessing to the next and then finally to heaven.

I. God Provides Encouragement When Needed (I Samuel 23:15-18)
A. The Threat (I Samuel 23:15)
It is likely that David was discouraged because Saul had come out to seek his life.

B. The Friendship (I Samuel 23:16-18)
But Jonathan came to David and strengthened his hand in God.

II. God Provides Protection When Needed (I Samuel 23:19-29)
A. The Threat (I Samuel 23:19-24)
Undoubtedly, word of Saul’s slaughter of the entire town of Nob prompted the Ziphites to take preventive action.

B. The Escape (I Samuel 23:24-29)
If we were watching a movie of this scene, the music would be at a crescendo and we would be on the edge of our seats waiting for Saul and his men to capture David and his men.

God provides protection to you and me when we need it too.

God is exceedingly capable of protecting his people in a myriad of ways.

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Sermon Audio: David Saves the City
Speaker: Pastor Val Watkins
Scripture Text: I Samuel 23:1-14
Duration: 23:21
Size: 16.0 MB

The Life of David
David Saves the City
I Samuel 23:1-14

One sign of David’s trust in the Lord is seen in how he sought the Lord’s guidance in different circumstances.

You want to follow the Lord, and so you want to know God’s guidance in your life.

When David sought guidance from the Lord, the Lord directed him (through the ephod) to go to Keilah and also to get out of Keilah.

I. God Guided David Regarding an Attack (I Samuel 23:1-5)
A. The Report (I Samuel 23:1)
The people of Israel recognized that David was more likely to act as a king should act by defending the people against enemy aggressors.

B. The Requests (I Samuel 23:2-4)
Here is where we see the shepherd’s heart of David. He knew that his men were afraid; indeed, they had just told him that they were “afraid here in Judah.”

C. The Result (I Samuel 23:5)
He saved the people of Keilah, which was something that Saul should have done.

II. God Guided David Regarding an Escape (I Samuel 23:7-14)
A. The Report (I Samuel 23:7-8)
B. The Requests (I Samuel 23:9-12)
But, they were likely terrified of what Saul might do to them and their town, having heard that Saul had wiped out the entire town of Nob.

C. The Result (I Samuel 23:13-14)
To be sure, David had one narrow escape after another while on the run from Saul. But, God was sovereignly protecting him.

1. The Word of God (objective standard).
2. The Holy Spirit (subjective witness).
3. Circumstances (divine providence).

David showed us that we should seek God’s guidance in all circumstances.

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Sermon Audio: David’s Growing Confidence in the Lord
Speaker: Pastor Val Watkins
Scripture Text: I Samuel 22:1-23
Duration: 25:39
Size: 17.6 MB

The Life of David
David’s Growing Confidence in the Lord
I Samuel 22:1-23

Apparently, these two episodes in David’s life enabled him to realize that in spite of his fear, the Lord was still sovereignly watching over him and protecting him. So, from this point on we see David’s growing confidence in the Lord.

After David learned that King Saul really did intend to have him killed, David fled from him.

I. David’s Preparation (I Samuel 22:1-5)
A. The Place of David’s Preparation (I Samuel 22:1)
We don’t know how long David spent in the cave of Adullam, but it was during this period that David’s confidence in the Lord grew again.

B. The People During David’s Preparation (I Samuel 22:1-4)
David and the four hundred men, along with wives and children, stayed in the stronghold, which is the cave of Adullam.

C. The Prophet During David’s Preparation (I Samuel 22:5)
In the arrival of Gad the prophet to his refuge at Adullam, David must have seen a return of God’s favor for him.

II. David’s Predicament (I Samuel 22:6-23)
A. The Slaughter by Saul (I Samuel 22:6-19)
Then Saul summoned Ahimelech and all the priests at Nob to come and see him, which they did.

Moral failure has consequences, sometimes disastrous consequences.

B. The Sorrow of David (I Samuel 22:20-23)
David’s sin accomplished God’s promise that he would punish the descendants of Eli with their destruction, save for one only.

David was hated by Saul who wanted him and his followers destroyed. Similarly, Jesus is hated by Satan who wants him and his followers destroyed.

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Sermon Audio: David as a Fugitive
Speaker: Pastor Val Watkins
Scripture Text: I Samuel 21:1-15
Duration: 24:37
Size: 16.9 MB

The Life of David
David as a Fugitive
I Samuel 21:1-15

Saul’s son Jonathan warned David that his father indeed wanted to kill David. And so, David became a fugitive from Saul for many years.

King-elect David had been a good soldier for a number of years too.

1. David Visited Ahimelech at Nob (I Samuel 21:1-9)
It is not exactly clear why David went to visit Ahimelech the priest at Nob.

A. David Told a Falsehood (I Samuel 21:1-2)
David claimed to be on a secret mission from King Saul, with his men hidden away nearby. That was a blatant falsehood.

B. David Asked a Favor (I Samuel 21:3-6, I Samuel 21:8-9)
That is, the bread on hand was the bread of the Presence, which was set out each Sabbath and replaced the following week with fresh bread.

Jesus warns us against excessive rules that make the Lord’s Day a burden.

C. David Missed a Foe (I Samuel 21:7)
But rather than correct our error, we do nothing because we have become paralyzed.

2. David Fled to Achish at Gath (I Samuel 21:10-15)
A. David Became Afraid (I Samuel 21:11-12)
Sometimes we make really big mistakes, even sinning in the process.

B. David Feigned Insanity (I Samuel 21:13-15)
Here is the lesson: Any believer can fall, and can fall far and fast.