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Loyalty + Self Denial = Disciple
See the connection between Loyalty and Self Denial. In Christ, you can't have one without the other. Both are requirements of Christianity.
Luke 9:20-24
[20] “But what about you?” he asked. “Who do you say I am?”
Peter answered, “The Christ of God.”
[21] Jesus strictly warned them not to tell this to anyone. [22] And he said, “The Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders, chief priests and teachers of the law, and he must be killed and on the third day be raised to life.”
[23] Then he said to them all: “If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. [24] For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will save it.
Denying self is a must-have behavior of disciples.
Denying self is a salvation issue.
"Deny" self here could also be translated as "disown" self, "refuse" self, "reject" self.
One of the main requirements of following Jesus is not being selfish. Disown what you want; replace it with what Jesus wants.
Can't be loyal to self and Jesus at the same time.
If you are truly following Jesus then, like Jesus did, you are building a team of loyal disciples.
If you deny self for Jesus, then you are loyal to Jesus, then you are loyal to his church.
If you are selfish, then you are not loyal.
If not loyal, then not a disciple of Jesus.
1 Samuel 22:1-23
Intense period in the life of David.
Use as framework to test godly loyalty in our own lives.
In my easily deceived mind I can believe that many people are loyal to me and imagine me doing great things to lead them. Yet I’ve thought this during periods when I wasn’t really leading anyone; in fact when I examined things closely no one was loyal to me. I wasn’t loyal to anyone.
1 Samuel 22:1-23
[1] David left Gath and escaped to the cave of Adullam. When his brothers and his father's household heard about it, they went down to him there. [2] All those who were in distress or in debt or discontented gathered around him, and he became their leader. About four hundred men were with him.
[3] From there David went to Mizpah in Moab and said to the king of Moab, “Would you let my father and mother come and stay with you until I learn what God will do for me?” [4] So he left them with the king of Moab, and they stayed with him as long as David was in the stronghold.
[5] But the prophet Gad said to David, “Do not stay in the stronghold. Go into the land of Judah.” So David left and went to the forest of Hereth.
[6] Now Saul heard that David and his men had been discovered. And Saul, spear in hand, was seated under the tamarisk tree on the hill at Gibeah, with all his officials standing around him. [7] Saul said to them, “Listen, men of Benjamin! Will the son of Jesse give all of you fields and vineyards? Will he make all of you commanders of thousands and commanders of hundreds? [8] Is that why you have all conspired against me? No one tells me when my son makes a covenant with the son of Jesse. None of you is concerned about me or tells me that my son has incited my servant to lie in wait for me, as he does today.”
[9] But Doeg the Edomite, who was standing with Saul's officials, said, “I saw the son of Jesse come to Ahimelech son of Ahitub at Nob. [10] Ahimelech inquired of the LORD for him; he also gave him provisions and the sword of Goliath the Philistine.”
[11] Then the king sent for the priest Ahimelech son of Ahitub and his father's whole family, who were the priests at Nob, and they all came to the king. [12] Saul said, “Listen now, son of Ahitub.”
“Yes, my lord,” he answered.
[13] Saul said to him, “Why have you conspired against me, you and the son of Jesse, giving him bread and a sword and inquiring of God for him, so that he has rebelled against me and lies in wait for me, as he does today?”
[14] Ahimelech answered the king, “Who of all your servants is as loyal as David, the king's son-in-law, captain of your bodyguard and highly respected in your household? [15] Was that day the first time I inquired of God for him? Of course not! Let not the king accuse your servant or any of his father's family, for your servant knows nothing at all about this whole affair.”
[16] But the king said, “You will surely die, Ahimelech, you and your father's whole family.”
[17] Then the king ordered the guards at his side: “Turn and kill the priests of the LORD, because they too have sided with David. They knew he was fleeing, yet they did not tell me.”
But the king's officials were not willing to raise a hand to strike the priests of the LORD.
[18] The king then ordered Doeg, “You turn and strike down the priests.” So Doeg the Edomite turned and struck them down. That day he killed eighty-five men who wore the linen ephod. [19] He also put to the sword Nob, the town of the priests, with its men and women, its children and infants, and its cattle, donkeys and sheep.
[20] But Abiathar, a son of Ahimelech son of Ahitub, escaped and fled to join David. [21] He told David that Saul had killed the priests of the LORD. [22] Then David said to Abiathar: “That day, when Doeg the Edomite was there, I knew he would be sure to tell Saul. I am responsible for the death of your father's whole family. [23] Stay with me; don't be afraid; the man who is seeking your life is seeking mine also. You will be safe with me.”
Verse 1-2: When David was heavily persecuted by Saul, why did hundreds of people still follow David?
David became a leader of hundreds of troubled people.
Person loyal to God will not abandon others because of their own hardship.
Reflect on the loyalty that David inspired.
Think about loyalty in your own life.
Who have you shown loyalty to in the past month?
Is God pleased with your level of loyalty?
1 Samuel 22:3
“...Would you let my father and mother come and stay with you until I learn what God will do for me?”
David shows his loyalty to God by waiting for God to make things clear.
David was God's learner.
David learned loyalty by waiting for God and following God's way.
David did this even if that meant being separated from family.
1 Samuel 22:8
"Is that why you have all conspired against me? No one tells me when my son makes a covenant with the son of Jesse. None of you is concerned about me or tells me that my son has incited my servant to lie in wait for me, as he does today."
Saul's attitude is only loyal to self.
How many times does he mention "me" or "my"? Eight times!
If you are selfish, it is impossible to be loyal.
Contrast with loyalty between David and Saul’s son Jonathan.
Godly people make a solemn agreement (covenant) of righteousness regardless of physical family influence or persecution.
Reread 1 Samuel 22:14
"Ahimelech answered the king, “Who of all your servants is as loyal as David, the king's son-in-law, captain of your bodyguard and highly respected in your household?"
The Hebrew word in verse 14 translated as "loyal" can also be translated as "to sustain, to support with the arm, to carry a child, to nourish, to be faithful." As we examine loyalty in ourselves, ask "who am I supporting; who am I nourishing?"
David was known and praised for his loyalty to God, God's kingdom, and God's people--even in times of deadly hardship and injustice.
Can you see how David was respected because of his loyalty?
People respect loyalty.
1Samuel 22:18
[18] The king then ordered Doeg, “You turn and strike down the priests.” So Doeg the Edomite turned and struck them down. That day he killed eighty-five men who wore the linen ephod.
Doeg picked the wrong person and the wrong orders to be loyal to.
Perhaps you’re loyal, but you’re loyal to the wrong doctor and the wrong.
Misplaced loyalty damages God’s kingdom.
Ask yourself these questions and answer objectively:
- Are you known for your loyalty to God? Who knows this?
- Are you known for your loyalty to God's kingdom?
- Are you known for your loyalty to God's people?
- Are you known for loyalty to the team of people you are working with closely throughout the week to advance God's mission? We call this group a "Bible Talk."
1 Samuel 22:20-23
[20] But Abiathar, a son of Ahimelech son of Ahitub, escaped and fled to join David. [21] He told David that Saul had killed the priests of the LORD. [22] Then David said to Abiathar: “That day, when Doeg the Edomite was there, I knew he would be sure to tell Saul. I am responsible for the death of your father's whole family. [23] Stay with me; don't be afraid; the man who is seeking your life is seeking mine also. You will be safe with me.”
Why does David take responsibility for Abiathar's safety?
Loyalty breeds loyalty.
Loyalty goes both ways.
When people truly have a shared mission, they will get united, take risks, deny self, and be loyal to God and his people.
Challenge:
1. Make a list of what and who you are taking responsibility for in the church.
2. Ask one of Jesus’ disciples today if loyalty to God and his kingdom are one of your strengths.
3. Pray to have a heart of godly loyalty and godly responsibility--just like David, a person "after God's own heart" (1 Samuel 13:14).