Synopsis of Sermon 8.11.24

Delivered by Bishop Joseph W. Walker, III

1 Samuel 30:9-10, 21-25

9 So David went, he and the six hundred men who were with him, and came to the Brook Besor, where those stayed who were left behind. 10 But David pursued, he and four hundred men; for two hundred stayed behind, who were so weary that they could not cross the Brook Besor.

21 Now David came to the two hundred men who had been so weary that they could not follow David, whom they also had made to stay at the Brook Besor. So they went out to meet David and to meet the people who were with him. And when David came near the people, he greeted them. 22 Then all the wicked and worthless men of those who went with David answered and said, “Because they did not go with us, we will not give them any of the spoil that we have recovered, except for every man’s wife and children, that they may lead them away and depart.” 23 But David said, “My brethren, you shall not do so with what the Lord has given us, who has preserved us and delivered into our hand the troop that came against us. 24 For who will heed you in this matter? But as his part is who goes down to the battle, so shall his part be who stays by the supplies; they shall share alike.” 25 So it was, from that day forward; he made it a statute and an ordinance for Israel to this day.

I.            INTRODUCTION

1. We are thankful for those who stayed by the stuff. There is a moment that hits where we realize that its all about gratitude. In this place, you are thankful for the stuff you took for granted. We’re thankful that we are in our right mind and that we atleast know who our enemies are.
2. In this sermon you will discover how we should be thankful for the people in our lives. Lots of people are overlooked or devalued. God uses devalued people behind the scenes. There is a blessing in staying behind with the stuff.
3. In this story today, David goes into battle and is victorious. He and his team then return to Ziglag. There, they discovered that their camp had been burned and their women and children had been taken. While they were out into battle, the Amalekites had come and taken all their stuff and their families.
4. They saw their city in ruins, and they wept. When people are grieving, they need someone to blame. In this case, they blamed David. In fact, they wanted to stone him.
5. David encouraged himself in the Lord. Have you ever had to encourage yourself? The scripture says David went to God and asked what they should do. He asked, “Should we accept this as our new reality, or should we go get our stuff?” God told David to go and pursue the enemy and He promised that he would recover it all.
6. David gets his troops and tells them that they were going back to get their stuff back. David and his men began to pursue the Amalekites. When they came to the brook of Besor, David asked a question. He asked if anyone was tired? He wanted to give the tired men a chance to get out. 200 men said they were tired. They decided to stay behind. At this brook, David and his army, put their stuff down and David told the 200 to guard the stuff as the rest of them went back into battle.
7. On the way, they ran into an Egyptian that told where the Amalekites were. David and his men were able to ambush them and get the victory. They not only got their stuff back, they got the enemies stuff too. Remember the wealth of the wicked is laid up for the just.
8. They are coming back with the stuff they got during the battle and they are on their way back to Ziglag. They had stuff enemy’s stuff and the their stuff too. At Besor, David said he had to divide all the stuff out among all the troops. Somebody in David’s camp asked, “Why should they divide their stuff with the 200 that didn’t go into battle with them”? David said to them, “What God has delivered unto us, the same blessing goes to those who stayed by the stuff”!
9. It doesn’t matter if you are the 400 or the 200, you are due the same blessing! God wants to show you how to be thankful for those who stayed by the stuff.
10. If you are a leader, this will be a leadership lesson. If you’re just a worker, this will be an encouraging word.
11. People can have good intentions and still be exhausted.

II.            RECOGNIZE WHEN SOME ARE EXHAUSTED

• They had to deal with this enemy over and over again. This is what makes us exhausted. We have to deal with the same stuff over and over again.

A.    Limited Capacity Doesn’t Mean Lousy Character

1. Just because I can’t go on, doesn’t mean my character needs to be called into question. Everybody’s 100% is not the same. 200 soldiers stayed behind and 400 went back into battle.
2. The 200 helped before, when they won the first battle, so just because they were too tired to go into the second battle, doesn’t mean they are bad now.
3. Things we should remember:
4. A Person’s History – The 200 helped before, so it doesn’t mean that they are bad now.
5. A Person’s Heart – Thank God for them that can tell you the truth. If they are not able to continue, but they go with you anyway, they can slow you up. Its ok to tell a person that you are tired.
6. A Person’s Honor – It’s always better for a person to be honest with you.

B.    I Would Rather You Be Honest With Me Than Hinder Me                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  

1. And the wicked men in the camp said, “You can’t give them what you give us”.

III.            REBUKE THE SPIRIT OF ENTITLEMENT

• David understood the magnitude of what they were doing, by them staying with the stuff.

A.    There Will Always Be People Who Try To Determine What You Deserve

1. You don’t own it. People feel because they’ve been with you longer, they feel they ought to have the best. Like in the story of the prodigal son, the father gave the son gifts for returning, but the brother that stayed was like, “How dare you do all of this, when I was here the whole time”!

B.    The Blessing Comes From God

1. David says the blessing came from God. No one has a right to prevent the blessing of God from going to anyone. It is time for us not to hate on people that God wants to bless.
2. They returned with all of it. There is enough blessings for everybody. Get your stuff, because I know after He blesses you, I move up a place in the line. That means, I’m next! What God does in the life of others, doesn’t diminish what he wants to do for us.

IV.            ROLES SHOULD BE SIGNIFICANT AND EFFECTIVE

• Lay your hand on yourself and say, “I matter”. David realizes that everyone has a significant role to play.
• We must recognize Capacity Based Delegation. Often our disappointment is based on our own anticipation. Instead of faulting people on who they are, believe them and characterize them on who they show themselves to be. You can’t make people be who they aren’t!
  • For example, if you are not good with kids, I can’t ask you to work with children.
  • If you are an introvert, you don’t need to be a receptionist. You would be running people off. You can’t put somebody in a space that isn’t’ organically who they are. God puts us where our capacity matches the assignment. For example, just because you can preach, doesn’t mean that you can pastor.

A.    Don’t Downplay Your Assignment

1. Don’t let people downplay your assignment. There is value in staying by the stuff.
2. Story: There is a great Pipe Organist that received this award for all his work and accomplishments. One thing that he said in his acceptance speech was that none of his accomplishments could have been achieved without the guy that turned the pages of music for him. There is a blessing in being behind the scenes.

B.    They Got Victory Without Being Vulnerable

1. One of things we learned about leadership is you won’t catch us slipping the second time. The first time the Amalekites got their stuff while they were in battle. This time David said if anyone was tired, they could stay behind with the stuff. David wanted to repurpose them based on their capacity. At the brook of Besor, David put the 200 who were tired, watching the stuff. Now when they go fight for a second time, if the enemy tried to come back to their camp, they would have a rear guard. They would have David’s back.
2. There is a blessing that is about to hit your life. There’s a blessing that is about to hit our house!

V.            REWARD WILL BE SHARED WITH EVERYBODY

• God will bless you regardless of the opinions of others. When God gets ready to bless you, know that no devil in hell can stop it!

A.    Serving, Not Status, Gets God’s Attention

1. If you ever learn this lesson, you will learn that it’s not about your title, it is about you gracefully serving. This gets God’s attention.
   1. Some people can’t even introduce themselves without titles. Why do you have to be Dr. James? Why can’t you just be James?
2. When God called Abram and Joshua, He called them by name, not by their titles.
3. God didn’t say he would make your title great. He said he would make your name great. God will exalt you if you will humble yourself. Serve when you are tired. Serve even when people don’t like you! Serve in season and out of season.

B.    What God Has For You Is For You

1. God takes care of all of us. The spoils from the battle go for those not only in the battle, but also those behind the scenes.
2. This is the season that God is about to make it up to you, because you stayed by the stuff. The same blessing he gave for the 400, He also has for those that stayed by the stuff.
3. There are bench players or bench warmers. The NBA champions of the 2024 Boston Celtics, assembled a team of players like we’ve haven’t seen in a while. Have you heard of a player named Juan Morgan? Probably not, because he was not a starter, but he was on the Roster. He didn’t get in the game. But he was on the Roster.
4. When the Celtics play their first home game, they will have a Ring Ceremony. They are all going to get their rings and although not a starter or a star, Juan Morgan will get a ring too. There is a thing called ring regardless. Jaun never got in the game, but he was on the Roster. When God passes out the blessings, he will give us a blessing too. All you have to do is be on the team!
5. Your bible says, when David and his men, reconciled this and came back, David eventually became king of Judah and Israel. The bible says in verse 25, “so it was, from that day forward, he made it a statute and an ordinance for Israel to this day forward”. He made it a law. Whoever is on the roster, God makes provisions for the 200 as well as the 400.
6. Your role was at practice. The job of the nonstarters is to practice with the starters. You make the starters better. When your turn comes, you will be thankful for the ones that made you better. Can your praise be great on the bench before God puts you in the game? Thankful for those that stayed by the stuff!