fearless – Rev. Tim Ehrhardt

The pass at Micmash had meanwhile been secured by a contingent of the Philistine army.

One day Jonathan said to his armor bearer, “Come on, let’s go over to where the Philistines have their outpost.” But Jonathan did not tell his father what he was doing.

Meanwhile, Saul and his 600 men were camped on the outskirts of Gibeah, around the pomegranate tree at Migron. Among Saul’s men was Ahijah the priest, who was wearing the ephod, the priestly vest. Ahijah was the son of Ichabod’s brother Ahitub, son of Phinehas, son of Eli, the priest of the Lord who had served at Shiloh.

No one realized that Jonathan had left the Israelite camp. To reach the Philistine outpost, Jonathan had to go down between two rocky cliffs that were called Bozez and Seneh. The cliff on the north was in front of Micmash, and the one on the south was in front of Geba.“Let’s go across to the outpost of those pagans,” Jonathan said to his armor bearer. “Perhaps the Lord will help us, for nothing can hinder the Lord. He can win a battle whether he has many warriors or only a few!”

“Do what you think is best,” the armor bearer replied. “I’m with you completely, whatever you decide.”

“All right, then,” Jonathan told him. “We will cross over and let them see us. If they say to us, ‘Stay where you are or we’ll kill you,’ then we will stop and not go up to them. But if they say, ‘Come on up and fight,’ then we will go up. That will be the Lord’s sign that he will help us defeat them.”

When the Philistines saw them coming, they shouted, “Look! The Hebrews are crawling out of their holes!” Then the men from the outpost shouted to Jonathan, “Come on up here, and we’ll teach you a lesson!”

“Come on, climb right behind me,” Jonathan said to his armor bearer, “for the Lord will help us defeat them!”

So they climbed up using both hands and feet, and the Philistines fell before Jonathan, and his armor bearer killed those who came behind them. They killed some twenty men in all, and their bodies were scattered over about half an acre.

Suddenly, panic broke out in the Philistine army, both in the camp and in the field, including even the outposts and raiding parties. And just then an earthquake struck, and everyone was terrified.

Saul’s lookouts in Gibeah of Benjamin saw a strange sight—the vast army of Philistines began to melt away in every direction. “Call the roll and find out who’s missing,” Saul ordered. And when they checked, they found that Jonathan and his armor bearer were gone.

Then Saul shouted to Ahijah, “Bring the ephod here!” For at that time Ahijah was wearing the ephod in front of the Israelites. But while Saul was talking to the priest, the confusion in the Philistine camp grew louder and louder. So Saul said to the priest, “Never mind; let’s get going!”

Then Saul and all his men rushed out to the battle and found the Philistines killing each other. There was terrible confusion everywhere. Even the Hebrews who had previously gone over to the Philistine army revolted and joined in with Saul, Jonathan, and the rest of the Israelites. Likewise, the men of Israel who were hiding in the hill country of Ephraim joined the chase when they saw the Philistines running away. So the Lord saved Israel that day, and the battle continued to rage even beyond Beth-aven. (New Living Translation)

*The vicinity of Micmash (modern Mukmas) in Israel*

Israel had demanded a king. The people wanted to be like everyone else in the world. All the other nations had a king. The Israelites believed that they needed one, too. (1 Samuel 8)

Not unlike today, Israel got a king who looked the part. Saul was tall, dark, and handsome. The only problem was that he didn’t act much like a king at all.

On the day he was anointed king, Saul hid in the baggage, like some guy ducking into a dumpster to avoid people chasing him. If the kings of other nations acted boldly on behalf of their subjects, Saul was not that sort of king. He seemed bent toward cowardice, and more concerned about his reputation than actually accomplishing anything.

Saul could have distinguished his royal kingship through listening to God and obeying the Lord; instead, his rule and reign was often marked by a half obedience, if he obeyed at all.

Old Testament stories are filled with contrasting characters. And in the narrative for today, there is a clear difference between King Saul and his son Jonathan. Saul was supposed to be leading the charge against the Philistine threat to Israel, but he was hiding out.

But Jonathan was determined to deal with the arrogant Philistines, even though it meant going against an entire garrison of troops with only his armor-bearer alongside him.

In the story, we find Saul and the army cowering in secrecy. But we find Jonathan in the bright light of day for the entire Philistine army to see. The contrast couldn’t be any more obvious:

Saul is afraid, and Jonathan is brave
Saul is fearfully passive; Jonathan is faithfully aggressive
Saul could only see reasons not to face the Philistines; Jonathan saw no obstacles to facing them, even though he had to scale crags and thorns in order to get to the Philistines

The opposite of faith is not unbelief; it’s fear. All of the Israelite soldiers were afraid, except Jonathan and his armor-bearer. The two of them had remarkable faith.

Jonathan had full confidence in the power of God. It wasn’t stupidity that led him toward an entire army by himself; it was the firm conviction that nothing is too difficult for the Lord.

It was neither pride nor glory-seeking that caused Jonathan to go, against all odds, to fight the Philistine army. He simply reasoned by faith that perhaps God would work on their behalf and bring about a great deliverance for Israel.

What’s more, Jonathan trusted the Lord without making assumptions that God would act in a particular way. There wasn’t any ‘name-it-and-claim-it’ theology happening with him.

Indeed, God did intend to defeat the Philistines. Maybe the Philistines thought Jonathan was bluffing by coming up to them; and they were going to teach this guy a lesson! But false confidence is typically shown through talking smack, whereas real confidence is born of faith.

Trust fully expects God to show up and take on injustice, unrighteousness, and arrogant pride.

Jonathan did some damage; and God got into the thick of it by directly intervening. The Lord turned the tables by bringing great fear on the Philistines. This turning of the tables emboldened the Israelites. The result was a decisive victory for Israel, leaving Philistia slack-jawed and confused.

We may be uncertain about the future; but if we are pursuing a good thing, and are confident in God’s power, there’s no need to be afraid in pursuing it.

We are free to step out in faith and attempt great things for the sake of the Lord, knowing that God may indeed bless our trusting initiative.

Almighty and everlasting Father, you have given the Holy Spirit to abide with us forever: Bless us with divine grace and presence so that, being preserved in true faith and confident hope, we may fulfill all the good that is in our mind and heart to do; through Jesus Christ your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, today and always. Amen.

“Fellow Israelites, listen to this: Jesus of Nazareth was a man accredited by God to you by miracles, wonders and signs, which God did among you through him, as you yourselves know. This man was handed over to you by God’s deliberate plan and foreknowledge; and you, with the help of wicked men, put him to death by nailing him to the cross.But God raised him from the dead, freeing him from the agony of death, because it was impossible for death to keep its hold on him.David said about him:

“‘I saw the Lord always before me.
    Because he is at my right hand,
    I will not be shaken.
Therefore my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices;
    my body also will rest in hope,
because you will not abandon me to the realm of the dead,
    you will not let your holy one see decay.
You have made known to me the paths of life;
    you will fill me with joy in your presence.’

“Fellow Israelites, I can tell you confidently that the patriarch David died and was buried, and his tomb is here to this day. But he was a prophet and knew that God had promised him on oath that he would place one of his descendants on his throne. Seeing what was to come, he spoke of the resurrection of the Messiah, that he was not abandoned to the realm of the dead, nor did his body see decay. God has raised this Jesus to life, and we are all witnesses of it. Exalted to the right hand of God, he has received from the Father the promised Holy Spirit and has poured out what you now see and hear. For David did not ascend to heaven, and yet he said,

“‘The Lord said to my Lord:
“Sit at my right hand
until I make your enemies
a footstool for your feet.”’

“Therefore, let all Israel be assured of this: God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Messiah.” (New International Version)

Throughout my ministerial life, there have been individuals who have come to me a bit discouraged because they have not experienced a changed life. After trying, time and again, to be different, they say to me, “Nobody ever really changes. We’re basically the same people throughout our whole lives.”

I couldn’t disagree more.

In the New Testament Gospels, the Apostle Peter was a flake. He sometimes was discerning and got it, and sometimes didn’t.

Peter could understand Jesus was Messiah, but then turn around and refuse that Christ had to die on a cross. He would get bold and walk on water, but then also end up afraid, needing help from drowning. Peter stood tall for Jesus, ready to take on the world, and then turn around and deny the Lord three successive times.

However, when we come to biblical book of Acts, Peter is a completely changed man. Peter gets it. He is brave and fearless. He boldly confesses Christ. And all the while he does not falter, flinch, or back down.

So, what in heaven’s name, happened and made the difference for Peter between the Gospels and Acts?

The Holy Spirit, that’s what, or rather, who.

God’s Spirit comes upon Peter, and he is never the same again. He is a changed man. Peter goes from flake, to fearless.

Everything falls into place for Peter, who preaches with such boldness and effectiveness that thousands turn from their previous ways of thinking and living and turn to Jesus as the hope of the world. They changed, too.

Peter was all-in with a simple and straightforward message of good news, that God raised Jesus from death. He went on to insist, without wavering and with firm conviction, that this was so, because it was not possible for the Son of God to be held by anything, even death. The proof being the resurrection.

If it was impossible for death to keep a grip on Jesus, then there is absolutely nothing that can deter Jesus or hold him back from accomplishing what he wants to accomplish.

Flaky believers are not going to frustrate Jesus or upset his plans; he’ll just send the Holy Spirit.

We may too often imprison ourselves in self-made spiritual jail cells. Like the pre-Pentecostal Peter, we flake and flip-flop in the Christian life. Once-in-a-while we are spot-on, but cannot really explain why, like a golfer who hits an amazing shot but can’t reproduce it no matter how hard he tries.

The truth is that Jesus has conquered sin, death, and hell. By faith, we have forgiveness of sins in him, and have the way opened to a new life in the Spirit. It isn’t a secret; it’s a new reality.

At the front end of the Christian season of Ordinary Time, we are reminded that God’s Holy Spirit is with us. We remember what good old Peter said so long ago, which is still relevant for us today:

We have everything we need to live a life that pleases God. It was all given to us by God’s own power, when we learned he had invited us to share in his wonderful goodness. God made great and marvelous promises, so his nature would become part of us. Then we could escape our evil desires and the corrupt influences of this world. (2 Peter 1:3-4, CEV)

The message Peter proclaimed was powerful, not only because it was inherently potent, but also that the gospel dwelled mightily in Peter and inhabited a central place within him.

We, too, have that same opportunity and privilege.

Loving Lord Jesus, I confess my faults, shortcomings, sins, and rebellious acts, and ask you to forgive me. I embrace you as my Savior and Lord. Thank you for your atoning death on the cross in obedience to your Father’s will to put away my sins. Be in charge of every part of my life. Indwell and empower me with your Holy Spirit, so that I may live as your faithful follower, now and forever. Amen.