A MESSENGER RUNNING… without the MESSAGE

Do you remember your first Homiletics text book? “The Preacher and his Preaching”, by Alfred P. Gibbs, was my very first and I have made sure it does not grow any feet! (you know what I mean) The cover speaks for itself. The scripture basically summarizes the heart and purpose of the Preacher. “Take heed unto thy self and unto the doctrine.” (I Timothy 4:16)…Paul’s profound instructions to the Preacher is a friendly criticism every minister of the Word of God should seriously consider…take heed to thy self. Secondly, each of us should seriously consider our preparation for the greatest audience on earth…the heart and souls of men to prepare them for the greatest meeting they will ever know…to meet their Creator face to face!  Would you agree, that a clear and spiritually forceful presentation of Truth to reach the whole man, is so lacking on many platforms today?  Could there be so many men/women running with a deficiency in preparation and delivery! …a lack of waiting to hear clearly from God for the message!  Paul urged the minister to be steadfast in the scriptures. “That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.”  (2 Timothy 4:17)  So,…

What’s the problem with the PREACHER? 

Let’s consider 2 Samuel 18:5-33…

2 SAMUEL 18 – THE DEFEAT OF ABSALOM

A. Absalom’s defeat and death.

Absalom’s armies are defeated.

So the people went out into the field of battle against Israel. And the battle was in the woods of Ephraim. The people of Israel were overthrown there before the servants of David, and a great slaughter of twenty thousand took place there that day. For the battle there was scattered over the face of the whole countryside, and the woods devoured more people that day than the sword devoured.

a. So the people went out into the field of battle against Israel: Those loyal to David fought against Israel, because Israel was not loyal to David. Note: Israel was seduced by Absalom.  Please note, this was an act of sabotage on his father, King David’s reign.  Beware of those running closest to you but have an intent to sabotage your influence!

b. The people of Israel were overthrown there before the servants of David: The experienced leadership of David and his captains was probably the main reason for their overwhelming victory.

(9-17) Joab kills Absalom.

Then Absalom met the servants of David. Absalom rode on a mule. The mule went under the thick boughs of a great terebinth tree, and his head caught in the terebinth; so he was left hanging between heaven and earth. And the mule which was under him went on. Now a certain man saw it and told Joab, and said, “I just saw Absalom hanging in a terebinth tree!” So Joab said to the man who told him, “You just saw him! And why did you not strike him there to the ground? I would have given you ten shekels of silver and a belt.” But the man said to Joab, “Though I were to receive a thousand shekels of silver in my hand, I would not raise my hand against the king’s son. For in our hearing the king commanded you and Abishai and Ittai, saying, ‘Beware lest anyone touch the young man Absalom!’ Otherwise I would have dealt falsely against my own life. For there is nothing hidden from the king, and you yourself would have set yourself against me.” Then Joab said, “I cannot linger with you.” And he took three spears in his hand and thrust them through Absalom’s heart, while he was still alive in the midst of the terebinth tree. And ten young men who bore Joab’s armor surrounded Absalom, and struck and killed him. So Joab blew the trumpet, and the people returned from pursuing Israel. For Joab held back the people. And they took Absalom and cast him into a large pit in the woods, and laid a very large heap of stones over him. Then all Israel fled, everyone to his tent.

He took three spears in his hand and thrust them through Absalom’s heart: Joab didn’t hesitate to strike Absalom, though he knew David commanded him not to. Joab was convinced that it was in David’s best interest and in Israel’s best interest to show Absalom justice, not mercy.

 David hears of Absalom’s death.

1. (19-27) Two runners are sent to tell David the outcome of the battle.

Then Ahimaaz the son of Zadok said, “Let me run now and take the news to the king, how the LORD has avenged him of his enemies.” And Joab said to him, “You shall not take the news this day, for you shall take the news another day. But today you shall take no news, because the king’s son is dead.” Then Joab said to the Cushite, “Go, tell the king what you have seen.” So the Cushite bowed himself to Joab and ran. And Ahimaaz the son of Zadok said again to Joab, “But whatever happens, please let me also run after the Cushite.” So Joab said, “Why will you run, my son, since you have no news ready?” “But whatever happens,” he said, “let me run.” So he said to him, “Run.” Then Ahimaaz ran by way of the plain, and outran the Cushite. Now David was sitting between the two gates. And the watchman went up to the roof over the gate, to the wall, lifted his eyes and looked, and there was a man, running alone. Then the watchman cried out and told the king. And the king said, “If he is alone, there is news in his mouth.” And he came rapidly and drew near. Then the watchman saw another man running, and the watchman called to the gatekeeper and said, “There is another man, running alone!” And the king said, “He also brings news.” So the watchman said, “I think the running of the first is like the running of Ahimaaz the son of Zadok.” And the king said, “He is a good man, and comes with good news.”

a. You shall not take the news this day: Ahimaaz wanted to take David the news of Israel’s victory and Absalom’s death. But Joab wanted to spare Ahimaaz the son of Zadok the burden of being the messenger of bad news.

b. Ahimaaz ran by way of the plain, and outran the Cushite: Ahimaaz was faster than the other runner. Since the messenger was someone David knew (Ahimaaz), he assumed it was good news (He is a good man, and comes with good news).

2. (28-32) David learns of Absalom’s death from the Cushite, who arrives after Ahimaaz.

And Ahimaaz called out and said to the king, “All is well!” Then he bowed down with his face to the earth before the king, and said, “Blessed be the LORD your God, who has delivered up the men who raised their hand against my lord the king!” The king said, “Is the young man Absalom safe?” Ahimaaz answered, “When Joab sent the king’s servant and me your servant, I saw a great tumult, but I did not know what it was about.” And the king said, “Turn aside and stand here.” So he turned aside and stood still. Just then the Cushite came, and the Cushite said, “There is good news, my lord the king! For the LORD has avenged you this day of all those who rose against you.” And the king said to the Cushite, “Is the young man Absalom safe?” So the Cushite answered, “May the enemies of my lord the king, and all who rise against you to do harm, be like that young man!”

Is the young man Absalom safe? This was David’s only concern. Should he have been more concerned for Israel as a nation than for his traitor son? David’s question is an example of the great bond of love between parent and child, and between God our Father and His children, to show mercy and forgive, to show love in spite of our faults.

In perspective, a catastrophic event has occurred!

1. There is warfare… not just between Israel and her enemy but a father, David and a son, Absalom and Joab, (commander of David’s army)… the King’s enemy. Death is on the rage… many lives have been lost 2. The king, the authorized authority, issued a COMMAND… DO NOT TOUCH Absalom!  That is the word… 3. Joab, an enemy, has no fear of touching the son of the anointed, Absalom, and finalized his DEATH.  The enemy does not want the TRUTH to be made known    4. There is a MESSAGE (many are waiting to hear the Message) 5. A MESSENGER must RUN and carry the MESSAGE          

 Two Runners, running….

~ The first runner, Ahimaaz the son of Zadok, the high priest, is cautioned NOT to run cause you’re not PREPARED to tell the message as it is. You’re going to spare the King of the truth!  You don’t have the conviction within yourself.  You can’t tell it like it is, the bad news…Your son is DEAD!  You just want to run! Run with a competitive spirit but you didn’t hear from the Lord! Run without the Message! You will be ineffective!  Can you tell a man or woman they are in SIN and unless they REPENT and BELIEVE ON THE LORD JESUS CHRIST, he will die in his sins and end up in HELL!  Will you tell them YE MUST BE BORN AGAIN?! (John 3: 3-7).    I submit that part of the problem is:   ~there are many running who are unauthorized, not God-ordained, but are saying, “my daddy was a preacher” or just gained favor from their leaders and pleaded, I have ability to run…“let me run and tell it!” They have not taken the time to put the Message in order and master the subject with acceptable proficiency. “study to show thyself approved…” (2 Timothy 4:16-17)   ~there are many who leave a place of death themselves to bring a dead word to a dying soul… (sinners and rebellious saints).  The Messenger’s heart must be stirred by the Holy Spirit with discharging the News and proclaiming it whether good or bad.  There are too many preachers preaching on Empty, preaching with professionalism and eloquence but do NOT know the Lord themselves! Empty preachers with Empty messages! (I Cor. 2:14)   ~there are many running with the wrong motive.  ONLY the LOVE of Jesus Christ must be the supreme motive worth giving sacrificial service and honor unto Him. (John 14:31)  Jesus loved the Father so much that it led him to even be subject to the death of the Cross! He declared, “Not my will, but Thine be done.” Preachers preaching for the love of money but, not the love of souls that Christ died for! Wrong motive.  Preaching for promotion, recognition and elevation, who love the praise of men but, Not the salvation of souls!  Running… without the Message! (Luke 19:10)   ~ there are many running but are too lazy to commit to diligent study so that they may be used as His authority with the WORD.  Paul gives a charge to Timothy as a diligent servant of Jesus Christ. ( 2Timothy 1:1-18 )  How many times have you and I witnessed a preacher taking a text and running it on a run- away- train?!  You have no idea where it’s going cause it has shifted way off the track (prayerfully, scripturally, doctrinally,  dispensationally) and you know sooner or later it’s going to collide and there will be casualties! He has failed to study to obey the command,  “Study to shew thy self approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the Word of truth.”  (2 Timothy 2:15)   ~ Messenger, Preacher are you running with The Message, or are you running to perform?!  I pray you earnestly wait to hear the Message clearly from the voice of God!