Category: 2021 Sermons

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Sermon Audio: David Hears of Saul’s Death
Speaker: Pastor Val Watkins
Scripture Text: II Samuel 1:1-16
Duration: 26:36
Size: 18.2 MB

The Life of David
David Hears of Saul’s Death
II Samuel 1:1-16

The end of First Samuel describes the death of King Saul. The beginning of Second Samuel describes David hearing of Saul’s death.

David was another person whose life was dramatically changed by the news of a death.

As we begin to learn about the reign of King David in 2 Samuel, we are led to believe that God’s king will at last rule over God’s people in God’s way.

I. The Problem with Telling Lies (II Samuel 1:1-10)
He knew that the Philistines had an overwhelmingly powerful force, and that the Israelites were facing a formidable and powerful enemy.

He embellished his story by saying that he had killed Saul, thinking that David would be pleased and reward his action.

II. The Appropriateness of Expressing Grief (II Samuel 1:11-12)
Some may think that David would have been glad to see Jonathan dead, because that would erase any opposition to David acceding to Israel’s throne.

We live in a world that is hostile to God and the people of God, and true shepherds and believers grieve for the people of God who suffer at the hands of God’s enemies.

III. The Necessity of Having Fear (II Samuel 1:13-16)
There is such a thing as a healthy fear, a godly fear, a fear that preserves us from sinning.

Do I always tell the truth?
Do I express grief over the loss of others?
Do I have a godly fear of displeasing my heavenly Father?

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 28:24 — 19.5MB)

Sermon Audio: The Death of Saul
Speaker: Pastor Val Watkins
Scripture Text: I Samuel 31:1-13
Duration: 28:23
Size: 19.4 MB

The Life of David
The Death of Saul
I Samuel 31:1-13

The author of First Samuel could have concluded chapter 31 by saying, “And now you know the rest of the story.”

In other words, at exactly the same time that David was striking down the Amalekites and rescuing his people from “the enemies of the Lord”, Saul was being attacked by the Philistines 100 miles to the north of David, with a very different outcome.

I. The Defeat of God’s People (I Samuel 31:1-3,7)
Presumably, the men of Israel moved on to Mount Gilboa to escape the chariots of the Philistines. But, there were far too many Philistines, and the army of the Israelites was defeated on Mount Gilboa.

II. The Certainty of God’s Judgment (I Samuel 31:4-6)
Saul was mortally wounded. He was dying. He knew that he was dying, and perhaps he also knew it might take hours or days before he died.

Meanwhile, 100 miles to the south, David’s success was in stark contrast to Saul’s defeat and death.

III. The Dishonoring of God’s Name (I Samuel 31:8-10)
God’s name is dishonored whenever we surrender to the idols of pride or lust or despair or greed or anger or any other violation of God’s Law.

IV. The Help of God’s Men (I Samuel 31:11-13)
“Saul’s reign began with his deliverance of Jabesh and ends with Jabesh’s ‘deliverance‘ of Saul.”

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 22:36 — 15.5MB)

Sermon Audio: David’s Wives Are Captured
Speaker: Pastor Val Watkins
Scripture Text: I Samuel 30:1-31
Duration: 22:36
Size: 15.5 MB

The Life of David
David’s Wives Are Captured
I Samuel 30:1-31

Chapter 30 tells us what happened when David and his men arrived back in Ziklag.

I completely lost the sense of God’s presence. God was silent. And he remained silent for two years.

I. God’s Servant Is Distressed (I Samuel 30:1-6a)
Once they arrived in Ziklag, they discovered that the city had been burned, and no bodies were there.

Do you feel that things cannot get any worse? And then they do?

II. God’s Strength Is Provided (I Samuel 30:6b-10)
But, when his back was against the wall, when he was in significant distress, he went to his heavenly Father.

III. God’s Providence Is Indispensable (I Samuel 30:11-15)
God’s providence is indispensable in turning tragedy to triumph.

IV. God’s Grace Is Recovered (I Samuel 30:16-25)
A works-oriented view says that we get blessing for ourselves.

A grace-oriented view says that we receive God’s blessing only by his grace.

V. God’s Generosity Is Shared (I Samuel 30:26-31)
And I opened my mouth as I wept aloud, and I was surprised at what I heard coming out of my mouth. I heard, “I love you Jesus.”

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Sermon Audio: Saul and the Medium of Endor
Speaker: Pastor Val Watkins
Scripture Text: I Samuel 28:3-25
Duration: 23:21
Size: 16.0 MB

The Life of David
Saul and the Medium of Endor
I Samuel 28:3-25

Today’s lesson is about Saul and the final hopelessness of a person who thought he was right with God but in fact he was not.

I. The Desperation (I Samuel 28:3-6)
Now, however, Saul desperately wanted some spiritual guidance, but Samuel was no longer alive.

II. The Defiance (I Samuel 28:7-14)
He literally had to go around the Philistine army to get to Endor.

In his defiance against God, Saul was seeking guidance from the spirit of someone who had died.

III. The Danger (I Samuel 28:15-19)
This clearly was not what Saul wanted to hear. He was hoping to get some relief for his distress.

IV. The Despair (I Samuel 28:20-25)
Now he eats his last meal, prepared by a witch, and goes forth to certain death.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 24:08 — 16.6MB)

Sermon Audio: David Flees to the Philistines
Speaker: Pastor Val Watkins
Scripture Text: I Samuel 27:1-28:2
Duration: 24:08
Size: 16.5 MB

The Life of David
David Flees to the Philistines
I Samuel 27:1-28:2

Even though David had God’s promises reiterated to him on numerous occasions, he got weary of being on the run from Saul.

Affirm that every character in the Bible–with the exception of Jesus Christ–is flawed, totally depraved, and sinful in nature.

I. David’s Plan (I Samuel 27:1-4)
But despite all these assurances that were given to David, he began to feel the pressure of being stalked and hunted and chased for more than seven years.

We make so many mistakes when we do not go to the Lord in prayer, and seek his guidance on a matter.

II. David’s Place (I Samuel 27:5-7)
Without knowing it, Achish gave David a place that David actually co-opted eventually into Judah.

III. David’s Practice (I Samuel 27:8-12)
According to a recent study, people who tell small, self-serving lies are likely to progress to bigger falsehoods, and over time, the brain appears to adapt to the dishonesty.

IV. David’s Predicament (I Samuel 28:1-2)
David was in a real predicament because he was being conscripted to go and fight against his own people.

And yet, even though David’s faith faltered, God was faithful to him and preserved him for his future calling.

When Gladys and the orphans made it through, they proved once again that no matter how inadequate we feel, God is still God, and we can trust in him.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 26:47 — 18.4MB)

Sermon Audio: David Spares Saul’s Life Again
Speaker: Pastor Val Watkins
Scripture Text: I Samuel 26:1-25
Duration: 26:47
Size: 18.3 MB

The Life of David
David Spares Saul’s Life Again
I Samuel 26:1-25

Moreover, whereas Saul’s behavior remained essentially unchanged from the previous occasion, we see significant growth in David’s faith in this second incident.

In today’s lesson, we read how David and Abishai took Saul’s weapon from him while he–and all his guards–slept.

I. A Faithful Servant Is Patient (I Samuel 26:1-12)
The Lord was supernaturally protecting David and Abishai while they snuck right into the middle of Saul’s camp.

We may not know what God is doing, but we do have God’s word, and God calls us to obey his word while he works out his will for our lives.

II. A Faithful Servant Is Encouraged (I Samuel 26:13-16)
God encourages his faithful servants with some token, some evidence that he has not forgotten his word and promise to them.

III. A Faithful Servant Is Distressed (I Samuel 26:17-20)
A faithful servant is distressed when not able to be in the presence of the Lord.

IV. A Faithful Servant Is Hopeful (I Samuel 26:21-25)
A faithful servant’s hope is in the Lord and not in man. David trusted the Lord to reward him for his faithfulness.

As Christians, we are all dominoes in the chain reaction set off by Jesus 2,000 years ago.

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Sermon Audio: David and Abigail (Part 2)
Speaker: Pastor Val Watkins
Scripture Text: I Samuel 25:32-44
Duration: 26:06
Size: 17.9 MB

The Life of David
David and Abigail (Part 2)
I Samuel 25:32-44

Feelings festered and other incidents occurred that finally resulted in the shooting death of Ellison Hatfield in 1882.

You may not think it out loud, but you really want to do something about what has been done to you.

I. David’s Response (I Samuel 25:32-35)
One moment he was filled with murderous rage; the next moment he was completely calm.

II. Nabal’s Death (I Samuel 25:36-38)
Abigail told him about how she had intercepted David and prevented David from killing Nabal and all the male members of his household.

We need to remind ourselves that the Lord will meet out retributive justice, always after we die but sometimes before we die.

III. David’s Vindication (I Samuel 25:39a)
When you are wronged, rebuffed, scorned, slighted, rejected, or even hurt, let the Lord therefore be judge and give sentence between you and the one who has wronged you.

IV. David’s Wives (I Samuel 25:39b-44)
Still, we should observe that David’s polygamy failed to uphold God’s design for marriage and would in the end lead to great harm to both David and his household.

This remarkable aspect of David’s conduct is strikingly similar to Jesus who did not come, in his first coming, “to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.”

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 23:50 — 16.4MB)

Sermon Audio: David and Abigail (Part 1)
Speaker: Pastor Val Watkins
Scripture Text: I Samuel 25:1-31
Duration: 23:49
Size: 16.3 MB

The Life of David
David and Abigail (Part 1)
I Samuel 25:1-31

David became really upset because of Nabal’s actions, and he very nearly acted in a way that could have been disastrous for him. Thankfully, the Lord intervened in David’s life.

I. A Man Who Does Not Fear the Lord (I Samuel 25:1-13)
A. The Request (I Samuel 25:1-9)
Bible scholars say that it was customary at shearing time, which was also a feast, for wealthy landowners to share their wealth with others.

B. The Refusal (I Samuel 25:10-11)
His foolishness–like all true foolishness–concerns his relationship to the Lord. All sin is sheer foolishness, for it is the contradiction of God.

C. The Retaliation (I Samuel 25:12-13)
We are vulnerable at such moments, not only to the flushes of our own sinfulness but to the influences of demonic suggestion.

II. A Woman Who Does Fear the Lord (I Samuel 25:14-31)
A. The Apprisal (I Samuel 25:14-17)
Apparently, even Nabal’s own servants did not have a high view of him, calling him a “a wicked man.”

B. The Action (I Samuel 25:18-19)

C. The Anger (I Samuel 25:20-22)
He was about to do something that would ruin his future, for if he had killed Nabal and his household, David would have been no better than Saul.

D. The Appeal (I Samuel 25:23-31)
Therefore, Abigail asked for David’s forgiveness for this insult and made restitution by providing him with various foods.

But in his marvelous mercy, God’s restraining providence prevented David from doing something that would have damaged his credibility and caused him great regret.