“ But I was too busy here and there” “Guard This Man” 1 Kings 20 Title Slide: “Guard This Man.” “But I was too busy here and there” (1 Kings 20) “ But I was too busy here and there”

Guard This Man (1 Kings 20) 20:1-9. Ben-Hadad and 32 kings besiege Samaria. 20:10-12. Ben-Hadad makes an oath – swearing to utterly destroy Samaria. 20:13-22. God delivers Ben-Hadad’s army into Ahab’s hand. 20:23-30. Again, Ben-Hadad attacks, and again God delivers the Syrian army into Ahab’s hand. Introduction: In the days when Ahab was king in Israel, the king of Syria, Ben-Hadad, attacked and besieged Samaria. (1-9) He gave Ahab instructions concerning his demands, but Ahab refused. Ben-Hadad swears to uttering destroy Samaria (10-12). God’s prophet brings word that the Lord will deliver Israel out of Ben-Hadad’s hands. When Ben-hadad attacks, there is a great slaughter. (13-22) The prophet warns of another attack in the spring. God shows that He is the God of both the hills and the plains! Israel again defeats Ben-Hadad! (23-30)

Guard This Man (1 Kings 20) 1 Kings 20:35-36 “ Now a certain man of the sons of the prophets said to his neighbor by the word of the Lord, ‘Strike me, please.’ And the man refused to strike him. Then he said to him, ‘Because you have not obeyed the voice of the Lord, surely, as soon as you depart from me, a lion shall kill you.’ And as soon as he left him, a lion found him and killed him.” 20:31-36. Ahab makes a treaty with Ben-Hadad. The Lord determines to send a prophet to Ahab to reveal His displeasure at his folly. Introduction: Following the second defeat, Ben-Hadad seeks mercy from Ahab, and the two of them make a treaty. (20:31-34) One of the sons of the prophets was to bring Ahab word of God’s displeasure because he had permitted Ben-Hadad to escape. The prophet would approach Ahab disguised as a wounded soldier who had been instructed to guard a prisoner whom he had allowed to escape. To make his disguise authentic, the prophet had to find someone to wound him. The first man he asked refused, and because of that refusal, he was killed by a lion.

Guard This Man (1 Kings 20) 1 Kings 20:37-39 20:37-39. The prophet found a second man who agreed to strike and wound him. Then he put on his disguise and waited for Ahab, pretending to have been wounded in the battle. 1 Kings 20:37-39 “And he found another man, and said, ‘Strike me, please.’ So the man struck him, inflicting a wound. Then the prophet departed and waited for the king by the road, and disguised himself with a bandage over his eyes. Now as the king passed by, he cried out to the king and said, Your servant went out into the midst of the battle…” The second man the prophet asked to wound him obeyed his instructions. The prophet put on his disguise and waited for the king—pretending to have been wounded in battle…

Guard This Man (1 Kings 20) 1 Kings 20:39,40 “…And there, a man came over and brought a man to me, and said, 'Guard this man; if by any means he is missing, your life shall be for his life, or else you shall pay a talent of silver.‘ While your servant was busy here and there, he was gone. Then the king of Israel said to him, ‘So shall your judgment be; you yourself have decided it.’” 20:39-40. The man tells Ahab he was instructed to guard a man. While he was busy, the man was gone. Ahab tells him he has decided his own fate. The prophet waits for King Ahab and tells his story. He had been instructed to guard a man with is life, but while he was busy the man escaped. Ahab tells the prophet he has decided his own fate.

Guard This Man (1 Kings 20) 1 Kings 20:41,42 “And he hastened to take the bandage away from his eyes; and the king of Israel recognized him as one of the prophets. Then he said to him, ‘Thus says the LORD: 'Because you have let slip out of your hand a man whom I appointed to utter destruction, therefore your life shall go for his life, and your people for his people.’” 20:41,42. The prophet tells Ahab of his folly in allowing Ben-Hadad to live. Now his life will be taken for Ben-Hadad’s and his people for Syria’s people. The prophet reveals the high price Ahab will pay for his folly. He allowed the King of Syria to escape with his life—a life God had marked for destruction. Now, Ahab would pay with his own life for allowing Ben-Hadad to slip away!

Guard This Man (1 Kings 20) 1 Kings 20:43 “So the king of Israel went to his house sullen and displeased, and came to Samaria.” 20:43. The king returns to Samaria sullen—knowing that the Lord has determined his doom. King Ahab heads back to Samaria, knowing his fate is sealed because God has determined it to be so. What can we learn from King Ahab’s mistakes?

Yourself Your husband or wife Your children Your parents Your neighbor Guard This Man (Introduction) Yourself Your husband or wife Your children Your parents Your neighbor Introduction: Guard… Yourself – Your Husband or Wife Your Children Your Parents Your Neighbor -

Guard This Man (Yourself) Your salvation – Philippians 2:12 Your obedience – Romans 6:16-19 Your worship – John 4:24 Your deeds – 1 Corinthians 9:25 Your thoughts – 2 Corinthians 10:5 Your attitude – (proud or humble; selfish or sacrificial; discontent or happy; envious or joyful . . . etc.) YOURSELF: Your salvation (Acts 2:40; Phil.2:12) Your obedience (Rom.6:16-19) Your worship (Jno. 4:24; Heb.10:25) Your deeds (1 Cor.9:25; Col. 3:17) Your thoughts (2 Cor.10:5;) Your attitude – proud or humble; selfish or sacrificial; discontent or happy; envious or joyful. Your character. Strength—Reputation—Influence—(Matt.5:13-16; Phil.2;15) Strength Reputation Influence

Guard This Man (Your Mate) His/her salvation – 1 Corinthians 7:16 Heirs of life together – 1 Peter 3:7 Love for each other – Ephesians 5:25 Fulfilling our God-given roles – Ephesians 5:22-24 Your Husband or Wife: His/her salvation (1 Cor.7:16; 1 Pet.3:1) Heirs of life together (1 Pet.3:7) Love for each other (Eph. 5:25; Titus 2:4) Fulfilling our God-given roles (1 Cor.7:2-5; Titus 2:3-5; Eph.5:22-24) We need to closely guard this special relationship with which God has blessed us.

Guard This Man (Your Children) A heritage from the Lord – Psalm 127:3 Parents should love them – Romans 1:31 Responsible for training – Ephesians 6:4 Responsible for restraining them – 1 Samuel 3:13 Your Children: A Heritage from the Lord - Psa.127:3 Parents should love them (Rom.1:31; 2 Tim.3:3; Titus 2:4) Responsible for training them (Gen.18:19; Prov.22:6; Eph.6:4) Responsible for restraining them (1 Sam.3:13; Prov.13:24; 23:13,14) Our children are special blessings from God. We should strive to give them back to Him. We do this by guarding their lives and fulfilling our God-given parental duties.

Guard This Man (Your Parents) Honor father and mother – Ephesians 6:1-3 Fulfill responsibilities – Matthew 15:3-6 Care for aged parents – 1 Timothy 5:4,8-16 Your Parents: Must honor father and mother (Exo.20:12; Eph.6:1-3) Must fulfill responsibilities (Matt.15:3-6; Mk. 7:10-13) Must care for our aged parents (1 Tim.5:4, 8,16) We owe our parents a large debt—they brought us into this world. Throughout their lives, we must show them the love and respect we have for them.

Guard This Man (Your Neighbor) Love your neighbor –Matthew 22:39 Who is your neighbor? Luke 10:30-37 Love in deed–not in WORD only – 1 John 3:17-19 Your Neighbor: Love your neighbor (Matt.22:39; Mk. 12:31; Rom.13:8,9) Who is your neighbor? (Lk.10:30-37) Love in deed—not in WORD only. (1 Jno. 3:17-19) God’s people must seek to be helpful to those around us. Why? We need to allow them to see Christ living in us (Matt.5:16). Those who have opportunity to see us outside the church walls can know much about us.

Yourself Your mate Your children Your parents Your neighbor Guard This Man (Conclusion) Yourself Your mate Your children Your parents Your neighbor Conclusion: Guard This Man… Yourself – Your husband or wife Your children Your parents Your neighbor In areas of SALVATION, ENCOURAGEMENT, SUPPORT, PHYSCIAL NEEDS Salvation Encouragement Support Physical Needs

OR: Are you too busy here and there? Guard This Man (Conclusion) Yourself Your mate Your children Your parents Your neighbor OR: Are you too busy here and there? Conclusion: Guard This Man… Yourself – Your husband or wife Your children Your parents Your neighbor In areas of SALVATION, ENCOURAGEMENT, SUPPORT, PHYSCIAL NEEDS