Our Hearts Have Lips Part II
Carrying Faith Forward
November 11, 2018
Rev. Gabe Sylvia
Using 1 Samuel 25, the sermon highlights Abigail’s spirit-filled intervention that averts David’s vengeful sin and models five kinds of good words—contrition, courage, correction, caretaking, and confident trust—showing how God upholds and empowers those who speak them.
Summary
Grounded in 1 Samuel 25 (David, Nabal, and Abigail), the sermon contrasts David’s sinful, vengeful response to Nabal with Abigail’s wise, Spirit-led speech that prevents bloodshed; it draws out five marks of ‘good words’—corporate contrition (taking responsibility), courageous confrontation (calling sin sin to stop chaos), corrective reorientation (pointing back to God’s perspective), caretaking advocacy (protecting family and the kingdom), and confident trust (resting in God’s protection of the soul)—and applies them as practices God upholds and empowers in his people. Announcements bookend the message (ordination for deacons, next sermon on stewarding our bodies).
Key Points
- Context: 1 Samuel 25 — David is fleeing Saul, asks Nabal for provisions; Nabal refuses.
- Problem: David’s response is sinful and vengeful; he plans unjust retaliation.
- Intervention: Abigail intercedes, falls at David’s feet, assumes responsibility for her husband’s sin, and prevents slaughter.
- Key point: Abigail’s speech exemplifies ‘good words’ that God honors and uses to avert disaster.
- Five kinds of good words:
- Contrition (corporate): she says “on me alone” and accepts blame—God upholds the contrite.
- Courageous: calling out sin even when it’s unwelcome keeps chaos from growing.
- Corrective: reorienting people to God’s perspective and purposes (v.26).
- Caretaking: advocating for the future of the king and the community (v.28).
- Confident (secure): words rooted in trust in God’s protection of the soul, not merely the body.
- Application: cultivate and speak these kinds of words to protect families and the church; God equips those who do.
- Announcements: ordination service for deacons at the end of September; next week’s sermon will address stewarding our bodies.
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