Redeemer Church of Waterford

The Saints' Last Asylum

David is a fugitive from Saul who has set David in his sites with the objective of killing him. Even the Ziphites - his own countrymen - have disclosed his hiding place to Saul. Earthly resources and human recourses have failed David. In the 54th Psalm David appeals to the name of God who, in the words of John Calvin - is "the saints' last asylum." The Psalm uses three names for God which provide the comfort we need when earthly comforts fail.

A Trip to Bountiful

David writes the 142nd Psalm as a response to his isolation in the Cave of Adullam when he was a fugitive from Saul in 1 Samuel 22. And even though his present circumstances would cause him to believe he was alone, abandoned, and forsaken, because of God's promises David knows that this journey of detours and dangers ends in God's bountiful blessings on him as God fulfills all of His good purposes for him.

An Appeal to Heaven

David escapes from the Philistines in 1 Samuel 22:1 to the Cave of Adullam where eventually his family and 400 other malcontents will join him. But before his family arrives, David is all alone in this cave with his thoughts and his fears. In Psalm 57, David gives us insight into his state of mind during this period of intense loneliness and danger. While he is afraid for his life, he takes his eyes and his mind off his circumstances, and he appeals to heaven where he finds the shadow of hi...

Testimony Night in the Cave

By his own doing David finds himself a prisoner to the Philistine King Achish. By all accounts he ought to have been executed by Achish, but he is providentially delivered (1 Samuel 21:13-22:2). When he escapes, he takes refuge in the cave of Adullam. In a matter of time his family gets word of where he is and they make their way to him along with 400 distressed, indebted, discontented men. Psalm 34 is David's testimony of God's faithfulness, grace, and mercy. He gives this testimony to th...

This I Know: God is For Me

Psalm 56 reveals to us the actions of David when he was taken in Gath by Achish. He appeals to God for mercy, not primarily to be delivered FROM his undesirable circumstances, but for mercy IN his circumstances. The mercy of God is most precious to us when we experience it IN our troubles and misery.

Taken in Their Pride

Psalm 59, written by David when he escaped from Saul's henchmen when they had his house surrounded, is a spiritual battlefield manual with insights into the nature of our enemy, our enemy's strategy and objectives, and clear instructions on the strategies we are to use to escape the enemy's grasp.

Leave to Thy God to Order and Provide

David is the anointed king, but Saul is the reigning king. For years David has been waiting patiently for God to fulfill His promise to him while being unjustly pursued by Saul, fleeing for his life under continual distress. But now David is presented with an opportunity to seize the throne by force when Saul "happens" into a cave to relieve himself - the same cave where David and his 600 men are sheltered. He's urged by his men to seize the day! But he doesn't do it. What can we learn fr...

Saul Responds to David's Restraint

In this continuation of our study in 1 Samuel 24, Saul responds to David's restraint in sparing his life.

Help for Struggling Marriages

"O God, Save Me!"

The Ziphites have disclosed to Saul the hiding place of David which initiates one of the most intense scenes in all of the book of 1 Samuel that ends with David and his men surrounded, destined for certain death at the hands of Saul and his men. But there is an unseen providence at work which is protecting David and preventing Saul from accomplishing his wicked scheme.

Saul Seeking David Seeking God

Identifying with David is dangerous. It has already cost the priests at Nob their lives, and now the people of Keilah are threatened by Saul for harboring the fugitive he seeks. But our of the evil of Saul's actions at Nob, God has provided David with the gift of an intercessor in Abiathar. Christians also know that identifying with Christ is dangerous, but He himself is our mediator and intercessor against the threatenings of an evil world.

Christ and Antichrist in 1 Samuel 22

In the character and behavior of Saul there are types and shadows of antichrist. In the character and behavior of David there are types and shadows of Christ. Nowhere is that more apparent than in the details of the events leading up to the escape of Abiathar and the safety he found in David.

God's Sovereignty in Human Wickedness

God is not the author evil. God, however, controls the effects of human evil so that they serve his ultimate purposes. There are four scenes in 1 Samuel 22 which serve to show us the ways in which God is sovereign over human evil.

Here's to the Losers

1 Samuel 22:1-5 is an Old Testament illustration of the New Testament truth expressed by the Apostle in 1 Corinthians 1 that "God has chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things that are mighty." David continues his run from Saul, only now he is no longer alone. Everyone in Israel who was discontented, in debt, and distressed have joined David in a cave outside of Adullam where he has become their leader.

Grant Blackmer

I Pity the Fool

In our desperation we often find ourselves making foolish decisions that put us in precarious situations. David's fear has caused him to flee from Saul to the last place on earth he thinks Saul will think to look for him: in the enemy territory of the Philistines. But soon after arriving in Gath, he is recognized by the soldiers of the king of Gath and finds himself apprehended by them and not just afraid, but "sore afraid."

The Anchor of the Soul

Of the three evidences of genuine regeneration given by the author (love, faith, and hope), he doubles down on hope. What is this hope? What does it mean that "God swore by himself"? What are the "two immutable (unchangeable) things" God swore by?

Tangled Webs and Exceeding Grace

To this point in our study of 1 Samuel, all of our encounters with David have been positive. We have seen him display valor, courage, and loyalty. He is seemingly an infallible hero. But when David comes to the priest at Nob our impression of his character is one of disappointment. David, it turns out, is as frail a human sinner as the rest of us. And yet, in spite of his depraved lying, David is the recipient of undeserved favor from God.

The Evidences of Genuine Regeneration

There are 5 experiences listed in Hebrews 6:4-5 which are often mistaken for evidences of regeneration when in reality they are the experiences of many who come into the church and under gospel influence but do not necessarily come to saving faith in Christ. But in Hebrews 6:9-12 there are three EVIDENCES of genuine regeneration which manifest themselves in the lives of every person who truly comes to faith in Christ.

The Resurrection of Christ and the Meaning of Suffering

Only the resurrection of Jesus Christ gives meaning to our suffering.

Parting Shots

Chapter 20 closes with the bitter scene of the parting of Jonathan and David. David will remain a fugitive from Saul, yet Jonathan's final words to him are "Go in peace." How can Jonathan wish David peace when he knows full well his father's intentions to kill David if he ever finds him? How can we have peace in circumstances that cause us anxiety and fear?

The Test and Cost of Covenant Love

David is hiding in the field while Jonathan is taking the measure of Saul's attitude toward David. Over the course of a three-day festival, the covenant between Jonathan and David (made in 18:1-4 and reaffirmed in 20:8) will be tested, its cost will be levied, and where loyalties lie will be exposed.

"If They Shall Fall Away" Part Two

Hebrews 6:4-6 is the most often cited text by those who seek to make a case that believers can fall away from the faith and lose their salvation. But a careful reading of the text makes it clear that the author of Hebrews does not have genuine believers in view at all. An important and essential to key to the interpretation of Hebrews 6:4-9 is to understand it in its "Jewishness." How do we interpret "fall away," "impossible," and "renew them again unto repentance" in the way the first cent...

"If They Shall Fall Away"

Is it possible for a believer to fall away and be finally lost? Many have used Hebrews 4:4-6 to make the case that it is. But who is being addressed in these verses? What does the context of these verses reveal about what it means to "fall away" and the impossibility of being "renewed again unto repentance"?

Take the Longview

What are you afraid of? David's fears are in the context of his immediate present circumstances. Jonathan's fears are in his concern for the future welfare of his family. Regardless of the source of our fears and anxiety, they are a condition of life in a fallen world. This issue isn't THAT we are afraid, but HOW our fears find their resolution in the blessing of the future coming King.

If You Could Lose Your Salvation, You Would

For generations, believers who have read Hebrews 6:4-6 have debated whether or not it teaches we can lose our salvation. In this message from Hebrews we confront one of the hardest passages in all of Scripture.

Steadfast Love

Where do you turn when there is no where to turn? This is David's predicament. He is a fugitive now, fleeing and hiding from the plots of Saul to take his life. David finds the resolution of his anxiety in the covenant of the Lord, grounded in the steadfast love of the Lord in spite of his perilous circumstances.

The Fatal Consequences of Quenching the Spirit

In 1 Samuel 18 and 19, Saul has set himself against David (the Lord's Anointed - see Psalm 2), first secretly in chapter 18 and now publicly in chapter 19, enlisting the help of his military servants. But even as Saul is plotting against David, the overtures of God's grace are extended to Saul, culminating in the Spirit of God coming upon Saul. As a result, Saul enters into the praise and thanksgiving characteristic of "prophesying,' only to quench the Spirit's overtures one final time.

My Defender and Deliverer

In 1 Samuel 19, the grace of God is on display in his protection of David. But of we read carefully, we will also see the grace of God in his overtures to Saul in opportunity after opportunity to repent. What happens when we repeatedly spurn God's offer of grace? God eventually withdraws his grace in final judgment.

Scheming Against the Lord's Anointed

Saul's jealousy of David has now led to his scheming against David to have him killed - first covertly (chapter 18) and then openly (chapter 19). And yet even when his life is under threat, David remains blissfully content. Why and how?

Ephesians 5:11 Doesn't Mean What You Think It Means

"And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them" has historically been a proof text for those looking for a command in Scripture to not associate with sinners. In this message, Pastor Paul takes us deep into the context of the Book of Ephesians to make the case that Ephesians 5:11 isn't a command to not associate with sinners, but rather not to enter into union with the unfruitful works of darkness produced by the depravity of our own hearts. Ephesian...

The Pernicious Sin of Jealousy

In the aftermath of David's victory over the giant of Gath there were two markedly different responses. In 1 Samuel 18:1-4, Jonathan responds with love. In 1 Samuel 18:5-16, Saul responds with jealousy and envy. What is the source of Saul's envy, but more importantly, what is the effect of Saul's envy? What can we learn from Saul about killing envy in our own hearts?

Chosen, Purchased, Secured

From 1 Corinthians 1:9 we learn that God has "called us into the fellowship of His Son Jesus Christ our Lord." In this message from Ephesians 1, we begin to consider how God calls us and what the nature of the fellowship of His Son consists of.

Bond of Brothers

In the immediate aftermath of David's victory over Goliath (1 Samuel 17), the narrator gives us an intimate insight into the relationship between Jonathan and David with the words, "The soul of Jonathan was knit with the soul of David, and Jonathan loved David as his own soul" (1 Samuel 18:1). What accounts for this unique and immediate bond between Jonathan and David?

The Was No Sword in David's Hand

David is facing down an imposing figure who is armed to the teeth, and yet, "there was no sword in David's hand." Why? Every military strategist, ancient or modern, would see this as a colossal blunder on David's part. So why is there no sword in the hand of David?

Confronting the Contradictions in 1 Samuel 17:54-58

There are several apparent contradictions in 1 Samuel 17:54-58: 1. Why would David take the head of Goliath to Jerusalem, which was at least 50 miles away, when Jerusalem was not the capitol of Israel at the time David defeated Goliath? 2. If David took the head of Goliath to Jerusalem in verse 54, why does he still have it when he appears before Saul and Abner in verse 57? 3. Why would David have a tent at the battle site in verse 54 when clearly he is living with his father Jesse in Bet...

The Gospel According to David, Part 2

On what basis is David so confident that he can defeat the giant of Gath? He is fully aware of his own inexperience and youthfulness, but he is not looking to himself at all. He is looking to the faithfulness of the living God.

The Gospel According to David, Part 1

In 1 Samuel 17 there are multiple voices speaking lots of words with contradicting messages. There are the words of the Philistine which has instilled fear in the armies of Israel. There are the words of Eliab which berate the shepherd David. There are the words of Saul casting doubt on David's ability to triumph against the giant of Gath. But it is the words of David that have the attention of everyone gathered in the Valley of Elah.

The Four Last Things: Hell: Eternal Separation from God

The end and object of Heaven is the glory of God. So, too, the end and object of Hell is the glory of God. God is glorified in the just condemnation of sinners. Why is there a Hell? What is Hell? How can a good God send anyone to a place of eternal torment?

The Four Last Things: Heaven: God with Us

The birth of the Son of God in Bethlehem's manger brought heaven down to us so that God in Christ might bring us up to heaven. From Matthew 1:23 and Revelation 21:3 we learn that just as Jesus is Emmanuel - God with us - so Heaven is God with us. Where Jesus is, there is heaven. In this Christmas meditation we consider seven things that will be true of us when we get to heaven.

Christmas Lessons and Carols Service

One hour of Scripture Readings and Carols for Christmas with a short message from Pastor Paul Edwards from Hebrews 2:14-15 titled, "A Tiny Gift, Strangely Wrapped, Silently Delivered."

The Four Last Things: Judgment

There is within the heart of every human being at least some understanding that there is coming a day of reckoning. Sadly for many, they don't understand that that day will not be a reckoning between their good deeds and their bad deeds, but a reckoning between their obedience and the perfect law of God. What gives God the right to judge the world? What is the manner in which he will judge the world? By what standard will he judge the world? What is my only hope for acquittal on that day wh...

The Four Last Things: Death, Part 2

What happens at the moment of our physical death? The answer depends on how you have responded to the the Lord Jesus Christ. For the unbeliever, there is an immediate consciousness of eternal separation from God. For the believer, there is an immediate consciousness of the eternal presence of God. The believer enters into at least seven realities the moment their soul departs their body.

The Four Last Things: Death, Part 1

What is death? It is not the cessation of existence. It is not merely the end of life. How does the Bible define death, and further, what doe the Bible tell us about why we die, where we go when we die, and what God Himself has done about death?

Enter David

In the opening verses of 1 Samuel 17 the armies of Israel are paralyzed by their fear of the champion of Gath, the giant Goliath. Into this scene of fear and loathing enters a young shepherd boy with no military experience who is incensed that Saul and his armies are allowing the name of the living God to be dishonored. Who is David? What did he see and hear that Saul and the armies did not see and hear? What steeled David's resolve to confront the giant when all of the men of war in Israel...

Fear and Loathing in the Valley of Elah

The story of David & Goliath is not a metaphor for slaying of "the giants" in your life. 1 Samuel 17 is not about overcoming your problems or your troubles. It is ultimately about the defense of the honor of God. The Giant of Gath loathes God and God's people. He is the personification of our adversary, the devil. If we look on the "outward appearance" we only see the disadvantage, and we are fearful. But if we look to the promises of God, we have the confidence that God will ultimately pre...

Choice Cuts

The story we have come to know as the story of David & Goliath is really a story about David & Saul & Goliath. And the real point of the story is one that is missed by those who think they know the story best. As we begin to consider this familiar story, we must unlearn most of what we think we know about David & Goliath before we can proceed with the details.

Advantage: The Jews

If what the Apostle Paul says at the end of Romans 8 is true, namely that nothing can separate us from the love of God, why then does it appear that the Jews - God's adopted, chosen, dearly loved people - have been separated from the love of God? It is the response to this dilemma which the Apostle takes up in Romans chapters 9, 10, 11. In tonight's message, we consider why the Jews' rejection of their Messiah is so astonishing given the advantages they were given as God's people.

Failure is Not an Option

Why was David prepared to take on Goliath? Because he had a perception as to the real issues. David had the perception to realize that more was at stake than the mere defeat of Israel and the humbling of her pride. The honor and dignity of God was a stake. In defeating the giant, David wanted the whole world to know that there is a God in Israel, that the battle is not won with human weapons, and that the battle is the Lord's and it is He who gives the victory.

God's Ultimate Plan for Israel

How ought Christians - especially American Christians - to respond to the attack on Israel and Israel's response, which has led to war between Israel and Palestine? TECHNICAL NOTE: During this sermon Pastor Paul spoke about a private meeting and off the record conversation he had with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in 2008. Because Mr. Netanyahu specifically requested the conversation not be recorded, we have removed Pastor Paul's comments about that meeting from this recording.