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photo taken in a cave at The Wichita Mountains in SW Oklahoma by @donto
After the jump are my notes from a talk I did last week… the notes are complete in the sense that they are notes – typically my notes are not fully complete until I scribble my thoughts on them about an hour before the actually event (read more about how I prepare for talks and presentations here). Anyway, I’d thought I’d share them with you as a resource. Enjoy!
The Den of Refuge (1-Hour)
Thursday, March 25, 2010 @ 7PM – Celebrate Church
[Prepared for The Den - Mens Group at Celebrate Church, Knoxville, IA]
Brandon approached me awhile back about the idea of The Den… and right away, I was thrilled! Excited that there were guys who sensed the need to come together as men, not only to hear a person speak, but with a higher purpose of interaction and encouragement.
The idea of bringing men together is not a new one… and could seemingly happen without much fanfare or expectation. It’s my experience that if there is a big game on the tube and the promise of a well stocked fridge, most men wouldn’t think twice about getting together. For instance, tomorrow we can all get together and watch UNI play for a spot in the Elite Eight – we can drink beverages, and eat brats and talk of life and such.
I’m not saying this time wouldn’t be great, especially if UNI advances… [editors note... they lost to Michigan State, in a rather sloppy game] In fact these times are important for anyone! Times to laugh, to cheer on, to yell at the TV and to live life together…
But I want to make a distinction… this time, whether it becomes a monthly gathering or more frequent, is not to be mistaken for a time of fellowship and fun. Not that we won’t experience those things… but it must be more.
For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven: a time to be born, and a time to die;
a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted;
a time to kill, and a time to heal;
a time to break down, and a time to build up;
a time to weep, and a time to laugh;
a time to mourn, and a time to dance;
a time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together;
a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;
a time to seek, and a time to lose;
a time to keep, and a time to cast away;
a time to tear, and a time to sew;
a time to keep silence, and a time to speak;
a time to love, and a time to hate;
a time for war, and a time for peace.
The Den must be a time for more than fellowship, it must be a time of encouragement and sharpening of one another.
What we want to try and do tonite, is set a tone… an expectation for what The Den could become. This is not us telling you what we want the The Den to be, rather it is a conversation, of what we feel the Den could be, and we covet your input and voice in this conversation.
So. Think of tonite as a first date. It’s clear you like the idea of what the Den could be, or you wouldn’t even be here… and now it’s time to see if the reality matches your idea.
I want to give Brandon Hoch the floor for a second to tell you a couple stories that motivate him to come together…
BRANDON HOCH
Transition off of Brandon –>
It’s clear that we want this time to be interactive, to be a time of facilitated discussion and not just a lecture time, so with that in mind… a few boundary lines…
Be Christian. Which is to say, be courteous, kind and speak in love.
I’m sure there will be a lot of conversation that is theological in nature, which at times turns men into defensive fundamentalists. Asserting their opinion is the right one, and not allowing a contrary opinion to even be heard.
We will take the stance that theological discussion is just what it means… A conversation about God.
Theo – God
Logos – Words
Theology – words about God
Let’s be a group that respects one another in our differences, while always modeling Jesus, who spoke with love and not out of spite.
BRANDON or JOSH (confidentiality and honoring each other)
Deal?
Ok, as our beginning conversation, I want to look at The Den as a place of refuge.
The Den: A Place of Refuge.
In 1 Samuel, we find the conflict between David and Saul, where Saul is hunting down David and David takes refuge in the wilderness and finds a stronghold in the caves of Adullam.
David departed from there and escaped to the cave of Adullam. And when his brothers and all his father’s house heard it, they went down there to him. And everyone who was in distress, and everyone who was in debt, and everyone who was bitter in soul, gathered to him. And he became captain over them. And there were with him about four hundred men.
[Discussion]
What stands out in these two verses?
To David, the Den was a place to hide from the danger of the world, from the wrath of Saul, and from the possibility of death. And in taking refuge, he found all sorts of others who also needed a place of shelter…. whether from distress, debt or bitterness.
In the same way, I’m wondering if, The Den, could be a place for us to hide out, to escape from the realities of today and in doing so find a community of men to surround ourselves with, and in doing find encouragement in knowing there are others who need a shelter from the storm of life.
It says, there were 400 men, who came to be with him… 400 men, who were in distress, under the load of debt and enshrined in bitterness. It was during this time of refuge that David penned Psalm 142. A transparent prayer of one who has been humbled by life’s circumstances.
With my voice I cry out to the Lord; with my voice I plead for mercy to the Lord.
I pour out my complaint before him; I tell my trouble before him. When my spirit faints within me, you know my way! In the path where I walk they have hidden a trap for me.
Look to the right and see: there is none who takes notice of me; no refuge remains to me; no one cares for my soul. I cry to you, O Lord; I say, You are my refuge, my portion in the land of the living.
Attend to my cry, for I am brought very low! Deliver me from my persecutors, for they are too strong for me!
Bring me out of prison, that I may give thanks to your name! The righteous will surround me, for you will deal bountifully with me.
see also Psalm 143:1-12
The Den is a place to find shelter, and to share with others the reasons you seek a refuge, a place for transparency in sharing our lives and in praying to God.
[DISCUSSION]
What are you taking refuge from?
Who do you know that needs a place of refuge?
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In 1 Kings 19, an incredible story unfolds, as Jezebel seeks the life of Elijah a prophet of Israel, who slew the prophets of Baal (450 men). Elijah flees, and finds himself under a broom tree ready to die, at which point an angel feeds him two meals of biscuits and water which sustains Elijah as he travels 40 days and 40 nights to Mt. Horeb… and in a similar fashion to David, finds a cave to hide in.
There he came to a cave and lodged in it. And behold, the word of the Lord came to him, and he said to him, What are you doing here, Elijah? He said, I have been very jealous for the Lord, the God of hosts. For the people of Israel have forsaken your covenant, thrown down your altars, and killed your prophets with the sword, and I, even I only, am left, and they seek my life, to take it away. And he said, Go out and stand on the mount before the Lord. And behold, the Lord passed by, and a great and strong wind tore the mountains and broke in pieces the rocks before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind. And after the wind an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake. And after the earthquake a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire the sound of a low whisper. And when Elijah heard it, he wrapped his face in his cloak and went out and stood at the entrance of the cave. And behold, there came a voice to him and said, What are you doing here, Elijah?
[DISCUSSION]
(Rhetorical Question) What are you doing here?
What are some distractions that will keep you from hearing from the Lord?
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It seems to me that God is one who uses all circumstances to build faith in the hearts of those that follow him. Especially when we are broken and humbled – hiding from the reality of the world, and the trouble of the day. Life of Faith is found in the deserts, mountains, dens and caves of the earth.
Let’s come together, let’s bring others, let’s encourage each other, and let’s build up our faith in each other, as well as in God.
And what more shall I say? For time would fail me to tell of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, of David and Samuel and the prophets– who through faith conquered kingdoms, enforced justice, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, quenched the power of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, were made strong out of weakness, became mighty in war, put foreign armies to flight. Women received back their dead by resurrection. Some were tortured, refusing to accept release, so that they might rise again to a better life. Others suffered mocking and flogging, and even chains and imprisonment. They were stoned, they were sawn in two, they were killed with the sword. They went about in skins of sheep and goats, destitute, afflicted, mistreated– of whom the world was not worthy–wandering about in deserts and mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth.
JOSH – Corporate Prayer
DISMISSAL
OPTIONAL PRAYER TIME (Brandon and Josh will lead)
