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2 Samuel 23
2/01/2011
Many people make new year's resolutions, which tend to be all about how we'd like our life to be better this year. On this first Sunday in 2011, we challenge ourselves to make 2011 count for the kingdom of God.
Looking at the story of King David's Mighty Men is a great inspiration for what God can do through people who make a stand. The story of these mighty warriors reminds us that the incredible work that God did during the lifetime of King David in securing, expanding and prospering the nation of Israel was not something that God achieved through David alone, but through the people who rallied to his side.
As Ephesians chapter 6 reminds us, the battle we are in today is fought not with physical weapons for the sake of an earthly kingdom, but with spiritual weapons for the sake of an eternal kingdom. While the mighty men served King David, we serve the "Son of David", Jesus Christ. Just as God won incredible military victories through the mighty men, God wins incredible spiritual victories today through people who will trust Him and make their stand for His kingdom.
The Apostle Paul exhorted Timothy in 2 Timothy chapter 2 to "endure hardship with us like a good soldier of Jesus Christ". In the same way we are soldiers of Jesus, and are not to be sidetracked by what Paul calls "civilian affairs". A soldier and a civilian are both human - they both need the same sorts of things. The main difference is that a soldier aims to "please his commanding officer", whereas a civilian does their own thing within the rules of his society. A soldier knows that his life is not his own.
The challenge for us is to consider ourselves as soldiers of Jesus Christ and not civilians just doing whatever we please. It's to remember the mission we have been given to make disciples, and the specific calling that we have received to play a role in doing that.
None of us know how long we have on this earth, or how long each season of life will last. Will you make your life count for eternity? Will you make 2011 count?
