I Samuel 21:1-9I Samuel 21:1-9

1David went to Nob, to Ahimelech the priest. Ahimelech trembled when he met him, and asked, “Why are you alone? Why is no one with you?”

1David went to Nob, to Ahimelech the priest. Ahimelech trembled when he met him, and asked, “Why are you alone? Why is no one with you?”

I Samuel 21:1-9I Samuel 21:1-9

2David answered Ahimelech the priest, “The king charged me with a certain matter and said to me, ‘No one is to know anything about your mission and your instructions.’ As for my men, I have told them to meet me at a certain place.

2David answered Ahimelech the priest, “The king charged me with a certain matter and said to me, ‘No one is to know anything about your mission and your instructions.’ As for my men, I have told them to meet me at a certain place.

I Samuel 21:1-9I Samuel 21:1-9

3Now then, what do you have on hand? Give me five loaves of bread, or whatever you can find.”

3Now then, what do you have on hand? Give me five loaves of bread, or whatever you can find.”

I Samuel 21:1-9I Samuel 21:1-9

4But the priest answered David, “I don’t have any ordinary bread on hand; however, there is some consecrated bread here – provided the men have kept themselves from women.”

4But the priest answered David, “I don’t have any ordinary bread on hand; however, there is some consecrated bread here – provided the men have kept themselves from women.”

I Samuel 21:1-9I Samuel 21:1-9

5David replied, “Indeed women have been kept from us, as usual whenever I set out. The men’s things are holy even on missions that are not holy. How much more so today!”

5David replied, “Indeed women have been kept from us, as usual whenever I set out. The men’s things are holy even on missions that are not holy. How much more so today!”

I Samuel 21:1-9I Samuel 21:1-9

6So the priest gave him the consecrated bread, since there was no bread there except the bread of the Presence that had been removed from before the LORD and replaced by hot bread on the day it was taken away.

6So the priest gave him the consecrated bread, since there was no bread there except the bread of the Presence that had been removed from before the LORD and replaced by hot bread on the day it was taken away.

I Samuel 21:1-9I Samuel 21:1-9

7Now one of Saul’s servants was there that day, detained before the LORD; he was Doeg the Edomite, Saul’s head shepherd.

7Now one of Saul’s servants was there that day, detained before the LORD; he was Doeg the Edomite, Saul’s head shepherd.

I Samuel 21:1-9I Samuel 21:1-9

8David asked Ahimelech, “Don’t you have a spear or a sword here? I haven’t brought my sword or any other weapon, because the king’s business was urgent.”

8David asked Ahimelech, “Don’t you have a spear or a sword here? I haven’t brought my sword or any other weapon, because the king’s business was urgent.”

9The priest replied, “The sword of Goliath the Philistine, whom you killed in the Valley of Elah, is here; it is wrapped in a cloth behind the ephod. If you want it, take it; there is no sword here but that one.”

9The priest replied, “The sword of Goliath the Philistine, whom you killed in the Valley of Elah, is here; it is wrapped in a cloth behind the ephod. If you want it, take it; there is no sword here but that one.”

I Samuel 21:1-9I Samuel 21:1-9

#3 Facing Your

Giants:

“Desperate Days”

A desperate man sits in the corner of the assembly...

• dry mouth, moist palms, heavy heart.• feels so out of place in a room of

disciples.• just violated every belief he cherishes.• hurt every person he loved.• spent a night doing what he swore

he’d never do.• sits & stares... Doesn’t speak.• if these people knew what I did...

Could be...• addict• thief• child beater• wife cheater• she-single, pregnant, confused• any person - hopeless, hapless,

helpless

1. David is

Desperate

Just two or three years ago:

• Tending flocks

• Anointed by Samuel

• From serenading sheep to

serenading Saul

• Michal married him

• Saul hated him (6 attempts on his

life)

• On the run - goes to church

Then David came to Nob to

Ahimelech the priest; and

Ahimelech came trembling to

meet David and said to him,

“Why are you alone and no

one with you?” (I Samuel 21:1)

David rushes to the

small town, seeking

sanctuary from

his enemies.

David is desperate.

David lies2David said to Ahimelech the priest, “The king has commissioned me with a matter and has said to me, ‘Let no one know anything about the matter on which I am sending you and with which I have commissioned you; and I have directed the young men to a certain place.’ 3“Now therefore, what do you have on hand? Give me five loaves of bread, or whatever can be found.” (I Samuel 21:2-3)

Ahimelech’s response:4The priest answered David and said, “There is no ordinary bread on hand, but there is consecrated bread; if only the young men have kept themselves from women.” 5David answered the priest and said to him, “Surely women have been kept from us as previously when I set out and the vessels of the young men were holy,

though it was an ordinary journey; how much more then today will their vessels be holy? 6So the priest gave him consecrated bread; for there was no bread there but the bread of the Presence which was removed from before the LORD, in order to put hot bread in its place when it was taken away. (I Samuel 21:4-6)

2.

Desperation’s

Wavering Faith

Not too long ago:

• All he needed was a sling.

• Refused armor & sword of

Saul.

• Now requests a sword from

a priest (21:8)

What happened?

• Lost his God focus.

• “Goliath” is on the big

screen.

• Desperation has set in.

• No place to hide.• No food to eat.• No recourse.• No resource...

• teen-aged & pregnant.• middle-aged & broke.• old-aged & sick.

• Where can the desperate go?

• God’s church?

• Will they find an

Ahimelech• someone with a heart

for desperate souls.

God’s sanctuary?

A sanctuary is where I like

David, get bread and a sword,

strength for the day and

weapons for the fight.

Application:•What is there for the church to learn?

• There are desperate David's all around needing to be nourished and equipped.

• If you are going to err, err on the side of compassion, (see Matt. 12:1-5).

Application:•What does David teach the desperate?

• Seek help in the midst of God’s people.

• David stumbled, desperate souls almost always do.• At least he stumbled into

the right place.

Our original story:• breathless, disheveled man

sitting in the assembly.• size of congregation - a dozen or

so.• location - a borrowed room in

Jerusalem with the door shut.• Peter cowers in the corner with

the other runaways wondering what God has for them.

He brings bread for their souls.

So when it was evening on that day, the first day of the week, and when the doors were shut where the disciples were, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood in their midst and said to them, “Peace be with you.”( John 20:19)

He brings a sword for the

struggle.

And when He had said this, He

breathed on them and said to

them, “Receive the Holy Spirit.

(John 20:22)

Bread and Swords

He gives both to the

desperate.

STILL