BLOOMING IN THE RIGHT SPOT (1 SAMUEL 20:30-34)

 

BLOOMING IN THE RIGHT SPOT

BIBLE PASSAGE: 1 SAMUEL 20: 30-34

MEMORY VERSE

 Let every man abide in the same calling wherein he was called.

1 CORINTHIANS 7:20

 Picture taken from Google

Lesson Prepared by: Krisha of Solomon’s Wisdom FB page

Lesson ideas: DailyBread

JUNE 14, 2020

INTRODUCTION:

Every summer, my mother wishes to have beans planted at the backyard in Kentucky. Sad to say this year, she made the wrong decision on where the vegetables should be planted first. She directly planted them in the soil without first planting them in pots and now she had no seeds left. Unexpectedly, one relative sent him seeds to use and she’s now happy receiving those. The place where you plant any plants are important; their habitat depends on what kind of plant it is. For example, in KY, there are plants grow during spring and summer and die during winter, but they come back after winter; they are some you need to plant again.  We had experienced planting okra and squash and my mother always fails to make it grow. One time we were talking about planting in the right spot because there’s a place in that small garden where plants seldom grow. At the end we decided, not to plant on that corner; it’s not the right spot.

Our lesson for today is titled, “Blooming in the Right Spot” in Tagalog “Namumulaklak or Lumalago sa Tamang Lugar”.

 

LESSON OUTLINE:

1.  BE SURE YOU ARE IN THE RIGHT SPOT (1 CORINTHIANS 7: 18-20)

Are you blooming in the right spot? This is the question that we needed to answer and I hope you could answer this after this lesson is done. But before we proceed, I want your participation please. Answer my question, where you do think is your spot in the ministry? This is FB live so write your comments. Don’t worry there’s no wrong answers here (wait for comments and respond to their answers).

 

When you plant, you expect weeds to grow too.  Weeds can grow anywhere.  “A weed is any plant that grows where you don’t want it.” My mother loves Spring because that is when she can plant a small vegetable garden. When I was there, I enjoyed spending family time, planting, watering, and weeding our little garden. There can be a lot of lessons learned from a garden and one of those lessons I am thinking about is this: “Volunteered” plants that show up in the wrong spot. For example, maybe a corn plant that “voluntarily” showed up in the strawberries. If you don’t pull that corn plant out of the ground, it will choke out the strawberries and rob them of water and nutrients. You see, human beings aren’t plants, we have our own minds and God-given free will. But sometimes “us” humans try to bloom where God doesn’t intend for us to be.

I know everyone knows about Jonathan in the Bible. He’s the son of King Saul. What do you think would be in his mind when he heard the news that his father, Saul the farmer, had been chosen to be the first King of Israel? No doubt Jonathan’s mind was spinning as he was thinking what that meant for him - all kinds of expectations for him. Jonathan must have anticipated that as the prince, he would one day become the king. Aware of his father’s weaknesses, familiar with his role as a farmer, and knowing that he was not a soldier, Jonathan perhaps thought he would be king soon.

Have you experienced the dilemma of choosing the right career or path you’re going to follow? I know there are some pastors, church workers or any committed members who don’t quickly know their calling? Like Moses, he had also some excuses and denials? In Jonathan’s situations, do you think he had that kind of dilemma?  Yes, he himself I think had a confirmation in his mind that he would be the next king but as years passed by, God wanted him to put in a place he didn’t choose to be. Acts 13:21 mentioned that Saul reigned 40 years and imagine 40 years or less is enough that you can say “I would be the next king”; God’s will be different from his. This lesson wants us to see that make sure you are in the right spot because there are blessings blooming in the right spot.

 

In 1 Corinthians 7:18-21 say, “¹⁸ Is any man called being circumcised? let him not become uncircumcised. Is any called in uncircumcision? let him not be circumcised. ¹⁹ Circumcision is nothing, and uncircumcision is nothing, but the keeping of the commandments of God. ²⁰ Let every man abide in the same calling wherein he was called.” Paul is saying that if you were circumcised when you became a Christian, fine. If you were not circumcised when you became a Christian, fine also. Those things do not matter. What matters is serving the Lord where we are at right now. Another thing, Paul’s point isn’t really about circumcision; that is just an example. Even as being circumcised or uncircumcised is irrelevant when it comes to serving God, so is your current marital state. He could just as easily say, and is saying by analogy, “Married is nothing and unmarried is nothing, but keeping the commandments of God is what matters”.

https://enduringword.com/bible-commentary/1-corinthians-7/

 

2.  DO WHAT’S RIGHT EVEN IT’S HARD (1 PETER 3:14)

Jonathan is the first prince of Israel, the son of the first king of Israel, Saul. As such was a leader in Israel and part of the royal line which means he was heir to the throne.  He likely had a higher education than most of the people. He was skilled in war and lived at the royal court. He had great leadership abilities and all the people looked down to him (1 Samuel 31: 1-6). Why am I saying these? Jonathan had many things to give up and surrender. In history, if a king had the possibility to be dethroned or his dynasty would be in brink of falling, he would do anything to stop it. This was what happened to King Saul. Let me ask you, what would be the feeling if you have a competitor in the position? Most of the times you distance yourself and try your best to be fit in the position. In Jonathan’s case is different; he befriended David. 1 Samuel 18: 3 says, ^“Then Jonathan and David made a covenant, because he loved him as his own soul”.

 

Not only the throne was the problem but also Jonathan’s relationship between his father and his friend David. At first, he was in thinking about knowing the truth about what really his father’s intention to David; was he really wanted David to be killed? In 1 Samuel 20:31 says, “For as long as the son of Jesse liveth upon the ground, thou shalt not be established, nor thy kingdom. Wherefore now send and fetch him unto me, for he shall surely die”.

 

1 Samuel 20: 4 says, “Then said Jonathan unto David, Whatsoever thy soul desireth, I will even do it for thee”. This is one of the verses that confirmed that Jonathan was doing the right thing. Another verse that will remind us about this is from 1 Peter 3:14 says, “But and if ye suffer for righteousness' sake, happy are ye: and be not afraid of their terror, neither be troubled;” If we suffer for doing the right thing even when it is hard, be happy.

 

3.  ACCEPT GOD’S DIRECTION AND BE FLOURISHED (1 SAMUEL 20:15-18)

Jonathan submitted himself to the will of God, even when it meant giving up his future kingdom. He didn’t pursue his own interest or push his own way. Let’s think of ourselves at this time, have you made wrong decisions in the past and you’ve realized now how stubborn you were in fighting God’s way or will? Personally, I came also to the point that I was confused. Somebody told me it’s God’s will, but my mind and my heart were struggling. My question that time was “Why it took me so long to realize that this is not God’s will for me or for us?” Possible reasons are we took granted the warnings of the Lord and we were overwhelmed of our dreams.

 

Have you come to a point in your Christian life that it’s hard accepting God’s will? Saul had seen the hands of God in David’s life: he comforted him during his depressions, he fought the giant triumphantly, he was a great warrior (many wars accomplished), and God saved David’s life in many dangerous situations. Jealousy rooted in heart when David became popular in the kingdom and all the people. Then Saul eyed David from that day and forward. Though Saul knew the Lord had chosen David to be the next king of Israel, still he spent the rest of his life hunting David – the rest of his life. Saul’s life is a great reminder for us; this might happen to us in fighting against God’s will. We won’t win and sad thing we die fighting the wrong thing and still lost it (1 Samuel 18:8-9).

 

Let’s read 1 Samuel 23:15-18 ¹⁵ And David saw that Saul was come out to seek his life: and David was in the wilderness of Ziph in a wood. ¹⁶ And Jonathan Saul's son arose, and went to David into the wood, and strengthened his hand in God. ¹⁷ And he said unto him, Fear not: for the hand of Saul my father shall not find thee; and thou shalt be king over Israel, and I shall be next unto thee; and that also Saul my father knoweth. ¹⁸ And they two made a covenant before the Lord: and David abode in the wood, and Jonathan went to his house.

 

During those same years, with Saul trying to kill David and David trying to escape, Jonathan found ways to meet his friend, to encourage him; to reiterate his loyalty, his love. Chapter 23, verse 17, the prince once explains to David, “Do not fear, for the hand of Saul my father shall not find you; you shall be king over Israel, and I shall be next to you; even my father Saul knows that.” This is the character of Jonathan, willingly giving up his own claim to the throne because he understood that the Lord had chosen David instead of him. No jealousy. This is a rare character quality, is it not? Jonathan’s character is evident most clearly in his attitude toward David.

 

CONLUSION:

Some would say that Jonathan gave up too much. But how would we prefer to be remembered? Like the ambitious Saul, who clung to his kingdom ad lost it? Or the Jonathan, who protected the life of a man who would become an honored ancestor of Jesus?

 

At this moment there are questions we needed to answer in our minds: where were you planted? Is it the place where God wants you to be?

 

God’s plan is always better than our own. We can fight against it and resemble a misplaced weed. Or we can accept His direction and become flourishing, fruitful plants in His garden. He leaves the choice with us.

 

Whatever place in the ministry you are in…. Be bloomed and flourished!