This
morning we’re going to read a few verses from 1st Samuel, as well as from
the Gospel of John. Then I’m going to share a little history before we answer
the question:
What do you do when
·
Fighting won’t fix it and
·
Dying won’t change it
First – Two Stories from
The Bible – (Set the stage for the account of David when
he was hiding from King Saul in the caves of Engedi, and King Saul ventured in by
himself…)
1 Samuel 24 NKJV
10 “Look, this day your eyes
have seen that the LORD delivered you today into my hand in the cave, and someone
urged me to kill you. But my eye spared you, and I said, ‘I will
not stretch out my hand against my lord, for he is the LORD’S anointed.’
11 “Moreover … I have not
sinned against you. Yet you hunt my life to take it.
12 “Let the LORD judge
between you and me, and let the LORD avenge me on you. But my hand shall not be
against you.”
David
was just a young man and he was suffering such injustice at the hands of King
Saul. His wife had been taken from him, his parents became homeless and he was
being hunted down like a mad dog. This opportunity to avenge himself on King
Saul must have seemed like a gift from God and many urged David to kill Saul, however,
David knew:
·
Fighting
wouldn’t fix it – he did not need to kill Saul … David knew that his victory
was not in his enemy’s defeat. Rather, David’s victory was in pleasing the Lord.
·
As
well, David knew that giving up and dying at the hands of King Saul was not the
answer either … Dying wouldn’t change anything.
·
David
realized that his victory would come from simply living his best life for the
Lord. In order to please God, David had to first win
the battle ongoing within himself … his battle to trust the Lord with
the outcome.
We find our next Bible story in John chapter 8.
This is the account of a woman who was caught in adultery and brought by her
accusers to Jesus in hopes to trick Him. It really wasn’t about the woman,
those who accused her didn’t care anything about her. She was the
convenient victim of their wicked plans. They used
her and would have even killed her, but their problem didn’t have anything to
do with her. She was just the latest in a long line of convenient victims. (Tell
the account leading up to verse 10.)
John 8 NKJV
10 When Jesus had raised
Himself up and saw no one but the woman, He said to her, “Woman, where are
those accusers of yours? Has no one condemned you?”
11 She said, “No one, Lord.”
And Jesus said to her, “Neither do I condemn you; go and sin no more.”
Everyone
had their opinions about this woman. And, some of them were right. There was
nothing she could do to change her past and little she could do about this
moment. She could have slapped these men or cursed them, but she knew fighting
back wouldn’t fix the problem. In fact, fighting back would only have made it
worse in her case. Or, she could have just kept silent, accepted the
circumstances as her fate and been stoned to death but, dying would not have
changed anything either. Her only hope was Jesus. She needed to find mercy and
receive grace to get through her moment and to get her to a better place in
life. She needed to find a way to live above the insults and opinions of others
and to not allow her situation of life to dictate her future. When fighting
wouldn’t fix it and dying wouldn’t change it … She found her victory in Jesus!
She
got up and went back home and lived her life in light of what Jesus did for
her. Jesus simply said, “Go your way and sin no more …” She didn’t give up … she got up!
Next – A Little American History: There have been no
additional stories added to the Bible in almost 2000 years. But we have added to
our knowledge historical accounts of people experiencing life and living the
principles of God. God’s word works yesterday, today and forever … History is
an important picture of life. When we overlook history, we overlook life.
The
American Revolutionary War ended 236 years ago. Early that year, 1783, a family
from Cape May New Jersey welcomed the birth of a new baby girl, Jarena. She was
raised in some of the most exciting times in America. George Washington became
the first President of the United States when she was only 5 years old. And,
men like Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Jefferson and John Adams led the new nation
from Independence Hall in the city of Philadelphia, where Jarena spent most of
her life.
These
men and this hall … Such history! This is the same hall that witnessed the
signing of the Declaration of Independence in 1776; the same hall where the
first US Supreme Court met to defend the rights of the citizens of the United
States of America against governmental intrusion according to the newly
ratified US Constitution; the same city where now, just yards away from
Independence Square, hangs the Liberty Bell, commissioned way back in 1751 …
walking these streets and visiting this square still sends chills up and down
my spine today … Reckon what they did to a young Jarena who had a heart to make
a difference in her day?
Jarena Lee was born a free Black American woman during some of the
most exciting, yet most tumultuous times at the infancy of our great republic.
She was raised by parents who were not God conscious people and therefore she
was taught nothing about Him at home. As a young girl she went to live as a hired
house servant. She recounts thoughts of suicide and fantasized about drowning
herself on several occasions. Surrounded by so much greatness her life must
have seemed so insignificant.
However,
in her early twenties Jarena was invited to Church where she later came under
the powerful conviction of the Holy Spirit while attending the African
Episcopal Methodist Church in Philadelphia. During one meeting she fell under
such conviction of sin that she gave her life to Jesus and, moved by His
Spirit, began testifying and exhorting others to repentance and salvation. She was evidently the right person in the
right place at the right time … but not everyone accepted it.
Some-time
after her conversion Jarena heard a voice speak to her
and say, “Preach the Gospel”. She considered that it might be the devil
speaking to her since she saw no way in which this could ever happen. She
finally petitioned her pastor who told her that he just did not know if this
was even a possibility within their denomination or within scripture for that
matter. Soon afterwards Jarena married Joseph Lee, Pastor of a small
congregation on the outskirts of Philadelphia.
Somewhere near 1815, Jarena’s husband died leaving her with two small children. She was 32 years old at this time. It had been 8 years since she had first heard the call to preach. During those 8 years Jarena continued to petition the Reverend Richard Allen, who had now become the Bishop of his denomination, to license her and release her to the ministry.
One Sunday during the morning service Jarena was so moved by the Holy Spirit that she interrupted a visiting minister and began to exhort the congregation with power and conviction. Bishop Allen stood and made a public confession that after eight years of constant petitioning, he believed that she was truly called by God to preach the Gospel. He sanctioned her and released her to minister. Jarena’s persistence had paid off!
Over the next many years Jarena Lee became known far and wide for her powerful preaching and missionary work which she traveled great distances to accomplish. She was indeed hindered both by her color and her gender and encountered great prejudices. Nonetheless, empowered by the Holy Ghost, she preached, and the conviction of God fell on all those who heard, saints and sinners alike. She didn’t fight, she didn’t give up, she didn’t kill herself, she didn’t rebel against her husband or her denomination, she lived her best life for Christ.
There was no where she would not go and no one she would not speak to. In 1827, at 44 years-old, she traveled 2,325 miles and delivered a total of 178 sermons calling sinners to repentance and a new nation to righteousness. Jarena Lee stands tall as one of the founding mothers of Christianity in American History.
Somewhere near 1815, Jarena’s husband died leaving her with two small children. She was 32 years old at this time. It had been 8 years since she had first heard the call to preach. During those 8 years Jarena continued to petition the Reverend Richard Allen, who had now become the Bishop of his denomination, to license her and release her to the ministry.
One Sunday during the morning service Jarena was so moved by the Holy Spirit that she interrupted a visiting minister and began to exhort the congregation with power and conviction. Bishop Allen stood and made a public confession that after eight years of constant petitioning, he believed that she was truly called by God to preach the Gospel. He sanctioned her and released her to minister. Jarena’s persistence had paid off!
Over the next many years Jarena Lee became known far and wide for her powerful preaching and missionary work which she traveled great distances to accomplish. She was indeed hindered both by her color and her gender and encountered great prejudices. Nonetheless, empowered by the Holy Ghost, she preached, and the conviction of God fell on all those who heard, saints and sinners alike. She didn’t fight, she didn’t give up, she didn’t kill herself, she didn’t rebel against her husband or her denomination, she lived her best life for Christ.
There was no where she would not go and no one she would not speak to. In 1827, at 44 years-old, she traveled 2,325 miles and delivered a total of 178 sermons calling sinners to repentance and a new nation to righteousness. Jarena Lee stands tall as one of the founding mothers of Christianity in American History.
When
I recount the awesome history and heritage of our great nation, I look at
Jarena Lee and see life qualities, sacrifices and contributions which can only
be understood in light of a living commitment to the Gospel of Christ. She didn’t fight for her country and she didn’t die for her
country but she lived for her King. Jarena was 81 years old when she
finally went to her heavenly reward in 1864. I’ve come to realize that at times
when:
·
Dying
won’t change it …
·
Victory
demands a living commitment to Christ.
The
title of this message is: The Bible,
History & Me - We close today talking about us. How do the lessons from
the Bible and those from our nation’s history speak to us and inspire us today?
David
was a young man who had a great call on his life, but his circumstances seemed
limited and his opportunities few. He was only a shepherd boy, the youngest of
many sons and not skilled enough to lead a nation. However, David knew God and
David committed his life to God’s service. David knew that when: Fighting won’t
fix it; and Dying won’t change it; Victory demands a living commitment to God.
We
saw the same things emerge in the life of the woman who was caught in the act
of adultery. Her accusers brought her to Jesus and even though she was
helpless, she found help. Jesus didn’t need her to fight or die, rather He
needed her to live and live well. In this Jesus simply said to her: “Go your
way and sin no more.” This woman’s story is still being told and still
impacting lives after 2000 years. Her victory came as she lived her life in
light of what Jesus had done for her. She had a living commitment.
Jarena
Lee was a Black woman preacher in early American times who could not change
what others thought of her, but she did decide how she would see herself and she
lived accordingly. She had a living commitment.
Success
in this life, true peace, unspeakable joy and life eternal awaits those who
will put their faith in Jesus and live right. There is nothing a person cannot
outlive, out last or out distance if they will only put their trust in God and
live each day to please Him. When:
·
Fighting
won’t fix it …
·
Dying
won’t change it …
·
Victory
demands a living commitment to Christ.
We
cannot determine what we go through in life, but we can decide how we are going
to go through it. I pray you have decided to follow Jesus. He knows what you
are going through, and He holds your victory in His hands.
Turn
your life and your problems, and the problems others have with you, over to
Jesus! He will make a way where there was no way before.
Don’t
let life limit you or box you in … make your living commitment to Christ Jesus
today! “As for me and my house …” Joshua 24:15
