Steal The Spear

The summer of 1977 changed my life. A friend of our family took me to see this new movie I'd never heard of called Star wars. And I had no idea what I was in for. But I still remember my 6 year old self just being captivated by this amazing story about a galaxy far, far away that has ever since been the standard by which I judge movie experiences. Now I know that not all of us are Star wars fans.

In fact, if you have never seen a Star wars movie, could I see your hand? That just helps me know who to pray for. Thank you. Thank you. But even if you're not into Star wars, you probably recognize this.

And even if you've never seen a Star wars movie, you probably know what a lightsaber is, right? We've had one of those that's been making mysterious appearances around here this morning. It's been pretty fun. You probably heard somebody say, may the Force be with you. In fact, did you know that today is Star wars day?

May the Fourth be with you. And this is just an important opportunity to teach some Star wars etiquette. When someone says may the 4th be with you, your appropriate response would be, and also with you. There are certain pockets of the galaxy where that doesn't matter, but if you find yourself in one of those places where the Jedi still have a lot of influence, you'll be thankful to have that little lesson. Okay?

I'll also bet you recognize, even if you've never seen Star wars, you probably recognize this iconic vill.

Star wars involves a lot of characters, but Darth Vader in particular is an especially interesting study in anger and fear and pain. So let me give you a quick synopsis of Darth Vader's story for you Star wars newbies. Okay? The mother of Anakin Skywalker, who is a young Jedi Knight in training, is fatally wounded by Tusken Raiders, and in a rage, Anakin slaughters the entire Tusken village. Meanwhile, Palpatine, who is a conniving politician who secretly practices the dark side of the Force, plays on Anakin's emotions and convinces him the Jedi Council is holding him back.

So Anakin keeps having visions of his wife dying in childbirth. And Palpatine promises that by channeling his anger and hate, Anakin can become powerful enough to prevent his wife from dying. So Anakin embraces the dark side. He becomes Darth Vader, and he begins hunting down the rest of the Jedi knights. But rather than save his wife's life, Anakin's descent into evil actually breaks her heart and she dies.

It's really a heartwarming story if you think about it.

It's actually kind of a dark and twisted story, which explains a lot of things about my life. But what we see is that pain often perpetuates pain. Have you noticed that that hurt people. Hurt people. And this theme of rage and revenge is hardly unique to Star Wars.

Vengeance is a theme of lots of movies and TV shows. Gladiator is about Maximus and his mission to. To avenge the murder of his family. Reacher's life purpose is to make powerful bullies pay for victimizing underdogs. Without revenge, Yellowstone would have been like two or three episodes.

And can you finish this line? Hello, my name is Inigo Montoya.

You killed my father. Prepare to die. See, there's clearly a huge market for revenge stories. Many of us have been mistreated and hurt by other people. And when that happens, there is a part of us, isn't there, that wants those people to suffer.

Meanwhile, God wants to repurpose our pain so we don't revisit it on others. And we see that principle illustrated in the Old Testament story of David and Saul. Saul was the nation of Israel's first king. The people of Israel looked around them. They saw that all of the neighboring nations had kings, and they wanted to be like everybody else.

Now, God warned them that they would not be happy with the result, but they insisted. So God gave them a king by the name of Saul. Now, at times, Saul followed God's instructions very carefully, but Saul had a pretty large streak of impatience and arrogance and insecurity that led him often to act impulsively, presumptuously, and disobediently. And as a result, God rejected Saul and he announced that his kingdom was at its end. And God chose a young man named David to be Israel's next king rather than Saul's son, Jonathan.

Now, Saul and David, as you might imagine, had a complicated relationship. But here are a few key elements of their story that are important for us to understand this morning. Number one, we first see this picture of David, the way that he comforted Saul when God made Saul king. Scripture says that he gave Saul his holy spirit. But after God rejected Saul, he withdrew his spirit.

And Saul began to be tormented by an evil spirit. That God's presence was no longer there to hold back. A member of Saul's staff knew that David played the harp and suggested having David come to the palace and play for Saul when he was especially on edge. So when the evil spirit would torment Saul, David would play music and the spirit would leave. And Saul liked David immediately.

And that impression was reinforced when David protected Saul. In 1st Samuel 17, we discover that Israel had frequent clashes with the enemy nation of Philistia. And at one point, the Philistines came out for battle behind a ginormous bully. His name was Goliath. That no one in Israel had the courage to face.

David's dad sent him to take some food to the battlefront where his older brothers were serving in Israel's army. And when David heard Goliath's arrogant taunts against both God and Israel, he volunteered to go and shut that giant's mouth. Now, his brothers thought he was being a mouthy, cocky little punk, but nobody else was willing to go. So David marched into battle armed only with his shepherd's staff, a sling and five stones he'd found in a creek. And using skills he had acquired and honed, protecting sheep from predators.

David flung a rock with his sling and he knocked Goliath to the ground. And then he cut off the man's head with his own giant sword. With their champion dead, the Philistines fled and Israel won a huge victory. And that gave Saul even more reason to appreciate David. But it wasn't long before number three, Saul envied David.

David and Saul's son Jonathan became really close friends, and Saul made David an officer in his army. He gave David command of a thousand soldiers and sent him on military campaigns, which David led with great success. But defeating Goliath made David a hero, and his fame and his popularity quickly eclipsed Saul's. And as David grew more accomplished, more beloved by the people, Saul's jealousy and insecurity turned to paranoia and suspicion. Until Saul repeatedly tried to kill David.

One day, as David was playing his harp for him, Saul tried to pin David to the wall with his spear. And he missed. Twice. I don't know about you, but I don't think I would have stuck around for the second attempt. Well, Saul had a daughter who was in love with David.

So Saul offered his daughter's hand in marriage to David in Exchange for killing 100 Philistines, expecting that this was a mission that David would die trying to accomplish. But David not only succeeded, he went above and Beyond. He killed 200 enemy soldiers. So David became the king's son in law. And Saul grew even more afraid of David.

He regarded him as an enemy. From that point forward, Saul not only tried to kill David himself, Saul tried to kill anyone he suspected of helping David. But despite the horrible way Saul treated him, David repeatedly refused to Harm Saul. Saul assembled an army, and he went after David in the desert. And at one point, Saul ducked into a cave to.

Well, the Hebrew word is take a leak. And he actually chose. He actually chose the very cave which David and his men were hiding. So while Saul was doing his business, David crept up behind him, and he cut off a corner of Saul's robe. David's men wanted to seize the moment and kill Saul, but David felt ashamed afterwards that he had even touched the king and he wouldn't let his men attack.

After Saul left the cave, David came out and showed Saul the piece that he had cut from his robe as proof that he could have killed him. But he didn't. And in that moment, Saul acknowledged that David was a better man than he. And David promised not to harm Saul's family. But that only lasted until another group of people told Saul where David was, and Saul went after him again.

Now, this time, David and one of his soldiers, whose name was Abishai, waited until nightfall. They crept into Saul's camp, and they found Saul sleeping with his spear stuck into the ground near his head. Now, Abishai wanted to kill Saul, but again, David refused. Instead, he took Saul's spear and his water jug and climbed a nearby hill and called out to Saul and his commander that he had once again passed up a chance to kill the king. Again, Saul acknowledged that he was in the wrong, and he promised not to harm him any further.

Saul blessed David and then went home. And this time, Saul actually kept his word. He didn't try to harm David again. Now, David and Saul's story took a dramatic turn. That moment that David stole the spear.

Saul had tried repeatedly to kill David, so he assumed David wanted to kill him too. But when David took Saul's own weapon and refused to use it against him, that convinced Saul finally that David was not his enemy. David had never met Saul any harm. But Saul's regret and his jealousy and his insecurity poisoned his mind against David. Saul repeatedly tried to kill David, and David had multiple advisors telling him that killing Saul would be justifiable.

If you don't kill him, David, he's eventually going to get you. Still, David refused. He insisted on honoring Saul, even when Saul failed to act honorably. Rather than exacting vengeance, David stole the spear, and he showed Saul mercy and respect. David knew that God wants to repurpose our pain, so we don't revisit it on others.

Now, if you know the story of David at all, you know that he was far from perfect. David's Sins and failures included lust and adultery and murder and polygamy. And yet the Bible describes him as a man after God's heart. Not because David was perfect, not because David was always godly, but because David was a genuine worshiper who modeled God's mercy in the way he repaid Saul's treachery with kindness. And at the end of the day, we know about God's mercy because of Jesus, to whom David had a very important connection.

The Old Testament contains many prophecies, some of them written by David and some of them written by others, that predicted key details of Jesus life. Jesus was born a thousand years after David and was a direct descendant of David. The mercy that David showed Saul was actually a foretaste. It was a foreshadowing of the life of Jesus, who taught us definitively how to steal the spear. We see from Jesus that for starters we steal the spear when we refuse to retaliate.

In his Sermon on the Mount, Jesus taught, you have heard that it was said, eye for eye and tooth for tooth. In other words, hurt me and I'll hurt your back. But I tell you, Jesus said, do not resist an evil person. If anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to them the other cheek also. And if anyone wants to sue you and take your shirt, hand over your coat as well.

If anyone forces you to go one mile, go with them two miles. In that day and age, Roman soldiers could legally force people to carry their gear for one mile. But Jesus said, go above and beyond. Jesus then went on to say this. You have heard that it was said, love your neighbor and hate your enemy.

But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your Father in heaven. He causes His Son to rise on the evil and the good and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. So much of God's goodness is equal opportunity and accessible to all. Have you noticed that that it isn't just law abiding citizens who get to enjoy sunrises. It isn't just people of faith who experience rain on their gardens.

God loves all people, including those who take his blessings for granted, including those who don't believe in him, including those who don't love him back, including those who intentionally disrespect Him. So Jesus taught that we reflect God's unconditional love by showing kindness to those who mistreat us. God wants to repurpose our pain so we don't revisit it on others. A second thing that we learned from Jesus about stealing the spear is that we steal the spear when we choose to forgive. Forgiveness is a key biblical concept.

Later in the same Sermon on the Mount, Jesus said, if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins. See, to receive God's forgiveness, we have to recognize that we need it. Have you noticed that when we are fixated on others sins, we're blinded to our own? We've all had people mistreat us, some of us in deeply painful ways.

But we have also, every single one of us, dishonored God with our own sins. Forgiving others begins with recognizing how desperately we are in need of God's forgiveness ourselves. We cannot experience God's forgiveness as long as we're living in the past and holding grudges. Years ago, I preached a message about forgiveness, and I was approached afterwards. I remember it was right over here.

I was approached afterwards by a woman whose dad had been abusive and unkind to her, and she simply could not imagine forgiving him. That might be a struggle for some of us, too. I mean, if you're picturing someone's face right now, perhaps you're remembering a really horribly traumatic experience. Maybe you're thinking that I'm being insensitive by even suggesting forgiveness. If.

If any of those things have crossed your mind, could I clarify a few things about forgiveness? For starters, forgiveness doesn't mean saying that what they did to you was okay. It doesn't. Forgiveness does not mean that it didn't hurt or that it shouldn't bother you. Forgiveness doesn't mean believing or announcing that whoever hurt you is actually a good person.

Forgiveness doesn't mean there shouldn't be consequences for illegal behavior. The Gospel of Luke describes a moment when Jesus, after being betrayed, after being lied about, after being brutally scourged, after being unjustly nailed to a cross, said these words, father, forgive them, for they do not know what they're doing. Can you even imagine?

And when Jesus said those words, his suffering still wasn't over. The next few verses in Luke 23 tell us that as Jesus bled and he died, people gawked and they sneered and they mocked and they insulted him. Everything they did to Jesus was wrong and intentional, and they were not sorry. So Jesus attitude makes clear to us that forgiveness is not about excusing or minimizing sin. It is simply refusing to dwell on it.

There are actually several different Bible words that are all translated forgive in English. And they convey some powerful word pictures, like offering a pardon. You see that in the movies sometimes, like a governor calling a prison warden at the last hour. God grants us a stay of execution because Jesus has already suffered and died in our place for all of our sins. One of those Bible words for forgiveness carries the idea of carrying sin away.

Jesus took our sins upon himself and he carried them to the cross so that we don't have to. There's a Bible word that has to do with canceling a debt. Jesus paid our balance in full with his life and he allows us to live debt free. There's another Bible word for forgiveness. It has to do with releasing a prisoner.

Because deep down, bitterness and unforgiveness is like a prison. When somebody hurts us and we dwell on it, we become captive to those thoughts. So when we extend the forgiveness that Jesus has given us to others, we actually find freedom. Speaking of which, number three, we steal the spear when we leave vengeance to God. Jesus is our example of how to respond to pain in a healthy and God honoring way.

You know, when Jesus was arrested in the garden of Gethsemane, his friend Peter drew his sword and he cut off a man's ear. And in that moment, Jesus stopped him. He told Peter to put away his sword. And Jesus stressed, do you not think that if I wanted to, that I couldn't summon legions of angels? Jesus, I have tens of thousands of angels just waiting for the Word to come and fight for me.

Jesus wasn't arrested because he was weak or because he was powerless. Jesus was arrested because suffering and dying was the very mission he had come here to accomplish. And I don't think it's any surprise after that experience that it was the Apostle Peter who later wrote these words. Peter said, if you suffer for doing good and you endure it, this is commendable before God. To this you were called because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example that you should follow in his steps.

And then Peter began to quote from the Old Testament prophet Isaiah, chapter 53, when he said he committed no sin and no deceit was found in his mouth. When they hurled their insults at him, he did not retaliate. When he suffered, he made no threats. Instead, he entrusted himself to him who judges justly. He himself bore our sins in his body on the cross so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness.

By his wounds you have been healed. Jesus experienced a horrible injustice, but he knew that suffering for our sins was the price of saving us. So rather than protest, rather than lash back at those who mistreated and killed him. Jesus chose to submit to God. The apostle Paul captures the essence of Jesus attitude when he wrote in Romans, do not repay anyone.

Let me say that again. Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God's wrath. For it is written, it is mine to avenge, I will repay, says the Lord. On the contrary.

And here Paul began to quote from the Old Testament, From Proverbs chapter 25, when he said, if your enemy is hungry, feed him. If he is thirsty, give him something to drink. In doing this, you will heat burning coals on his head. Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. And if you're thinking heaping burning coals on someone sounds kind of sadistic and vengeful, well, don't worry.

This is a figure of speech. Remember how David stole Saul's spear while Saul was determined to kill him? David had the perfect opportunity to kill Saul. And yet he refused. And that reality was convicting.

It was heart changing for Saul. See, when someone hurts us and we refuse to seek payback, that creates in them a burning and disquieting conviction that forces them to re examine their heart and their motives and their desires. My mom often told my siblings and me when we were kids that two wrongs don't make a right. Anybody else ever been told that before? It's a true statement.

Even when your brother's being a knucklehead, it's not okay to punch him. And Scripture would agree that followers of Jesus refuse to repay evil for evil. And that makes me curious this morning. How do you handle being offended or wronged or mistreated?

It isn't hard to see that being hurt sometimes leads us to do things that we otherwise probably wouldn't do. There are a lot of people who carry unresolved resentment toward others who've hurt them, and that often manifests itself in trust issues. They have a hard time functioning in healthy relationships because they automatically assume the worst about people. It leads to estrangement, which leads to isolation and loneliness. If you think about it, if we could step back a step or two, we would recognize that pain is often inflicted on us by people who have been deeply hurt themselves and who lash out at others in bitterness and anger because that's all they've ever really experienced.

But rather than finding release, those emotional explosions tend to only produce more hostility, which leads to more hurt and more pain. Pain often perpetuates pain. Hurt people, hurt people. So God provides a better way Friends, I have no idea how others may have hurt you in the past, and it is absolutely not my intent this morning to minimize anyone's pain. But I don't want Because Jesus doesn't want any of us to carry the burden or live in the prison of anger and hatred and bitterness and unforgiveness.

God wants to repurpose our pain so we don't revisit it on others. Now I'll tell you just plain and simple, that giving our pain to God is not a one and done kind of thing. It is a daily discipline. Depending on the type of pain you've experienced, you might need the help of a trained counselor in working your way through some of that. And if that's the case, we would be glad to make a referral.

We have some wonderful godly Christian counselors here in our community who could be really helpful in that regard. But at the simplest, most practical level, I would encourage all of us in a few ways this morning. Number one, we have to remember the pain that Jesus humbly accepted in order to forgive our sins. Let me say that again. We have to remember the pain that Jesus himself willingly and humbly endured to deal with our sins.

Before we think about what anybody else has done to us or how we need to respond to that, we have to remember what our selfishness and our stubbornness and our rebellion have done to our relationship with God and the compassionate way he responded to that. Jesus would urge us. Number two, to pray. To pray for whoever has hurt us. It's really hard to hate someone.

It's really hard to intentionally hurt someone when you're actively praying for them. And we need to follow the example of Jesus by leaving vengeance to God. Could I just give you permission? You don't have to reply to that nasty text. You don't walk away from that fight.

Don't post that snarky, indignant jab that you feel so justified in putting out there for the world to see. Delete that angry email before you send it that snappy comeback that you've been rehearsing. It doesn't have to be spoken. It is okay to not have the last word. It is.

Followers of Jesus refuse to repay evil for evil, trusting that God will eventually settle all scores. Now, loving and forgiving those who hurt us is one of Jesus hardest teachings, don't you think?

There are some things Scripture teaches us to do that seem pretty instinctive, almost second nature. We like those teachings. This is not one of those. For many of us following the instructions of Jesus when it Comes to processing those who have hurt us is one of the most difficult things we will ever have to do. It takes a whole lot more than one sermon for us to wrap our hearts around what Jesus is saying to us here.

But God wants to repurpose our pain so we don't revisit it on others. Jesus is in the business of changing hearts and lives and we want to help you get to know him. That is why we exist as a church. So if we can help you, if we can pray with you, if we can encourage you in any way, we would love to talk with you. We're going to worship together just a bit more, but we're going to tell you in just a minute how you can connect with us.

We would love to help you take whatever next step God is calling you to take. Would you pray with me?

Lord Jesus, we thank you this morning for the opportunity that we have to come to you as people who are forgiven. Not people who've always done the right thing, not people who have always practiced what we know to be good. True, but Father, as people who have experienced your compassion and while you would have been absolutely justified in judging us, in wiping us from the earth, you've chosen instead to put on flesh and to suffer and die in our place to make it possible for us to be restored to relationship with you. Father, I know that many of us bring in here this morning with us a number of hurts, offenses, injuries that we have sustained because of the words and the actions of the attitudes or the neglect or the victimization of other people. And Father, we don't want to make light of those things in any way.

But God, because you specialize in restoration, because you specialize in taking broken people and making their lives whole, we want to ask you to do your work here. We want to ask you, God, to start in us that you would help us to receive the forgiveness that you offer us through Jesus. And Father, help us to express that. Help us to pay that forward so that the people in our lives, even those people that are difficult to love, Father, even those people who have been cruel and unkind and hurtful to us in the past, we want those people to have the opportunity to experience your grace and your mercy and to have their pain repurposed so that they don't continue to revisit on others either. God, we love you.

And your love for us is so amazingly evident because of the lengths that you've gone to to deal with our sin and remove it from the picture once and for all. Father, we thank you for that. And we ask you to help us through the power of your spirit, to be dispensers of your grace, to be carriers of your mercy. Father, wherever life takes us in the days ahead, we love you. And we're grateful, God, for your faithfulness.