Peter Barnes | 1 Samuel 30:1-31
SERMON NOTES
DAVID AS A LEADER OF MEN
1 Samuel 30; Matthew 20:1-16
David has to face a number of issues in rescuing his people from the Amalekites.
1. Leadership in difficult circumstances.
(a) Facing a demoralized and angry people.
– 30:1-4, 5, 6a,b. Had David stirred up the Amalekites (27:8). Or if something goes wrong, you blame the leader – Ex.17:3-4.
(b) Facing external foes.
– 30:9-10, 16-20.
(c) Showing compassion to an abandoned Egyptian.
– 30:11-15.
(d) Dealing with internal divisions.
– 30:21-25. In the 18th century the Archbishop of Canterbury received 7,000 pounds per year, and the Bishop of Oxford 500 pounds.
(e) Being generous and shrewd.
– 30:26-31.
2. The responses of a godly leader.
(a) he strengthens himself in the Lord his God.
– 30:6; recall 23:16. If you take nothing else from this study, take this with you.
(b) he obeys the Lord.
– 30:7-8. We do not have an ephod, however much we would love one at times, but the principle is the same.
(c) he attributes all things to God.
– 30:23. When we all realise that, we are not competitors but brothers.