Demanding a King

Today’s sermon is the 1000th sermon I have written. If there are 52 weeks in a year and a pastor takes 2 weeks of vacation, This represents 20 years’ worth of weekly preaching. I might explain that many of my teaching sessions don’t get numbered within my sermons, Some of the sermons I have modified and preached in different places, and for about 12 years of my ministry my church staff role was not the main Sunday preacher.

Over my 40+ years of preaching I have done topical sermons, textual sermons, and Biographical sermons. I have done stand alone sermons and series, but to the best of my recollection today is a first—This is the first time I have done a biographical series.

One of the reasons I have not done a biographical series is that Biblical biographies, especially Old Testament characters, are found in beautiful stories and the beauty and memorability of a story can be lost if the story is reduced to 3 points and a poem.

Each week of the next six I will try to retell a chapter of the story; make some observations about the characters, the action and the conflict; the draw some principles of application that transfer from Saul’s experiences to our experiences in Chase County in 2023.

Originally when the History books of the Old Testament were recorded on scrolls, 1 and 2 Samuel were all one scroll. It wasn’t until manuscripts started being kept in books of bound flat sheets that the story got divided. Then hundreds of years past and the books got broken down into chapters and verses, leaving us with the modern practice of memorizing short bits, rather than long stories.

You may have heard a sermon when the preacher mentioned it is unfortunate that the chapter and verses break hear, because this verse is actually a continuation of the previous thoughts.

For example: Romans 12:1 says “I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. The “therefore” doesn’t make any sense unless you follow the argument that leads to this appeal.

Likewise, The story of Samuel began 7 chapters ago, and Saul will die in 1 Sam 31, but his legacy will continue long into David’s rule through those who were loyal to Saul. David will be anointed by Samuel, then several years will pass before David ascends to the throne.

Transition: it will help us to think of why the Biblical book was written and to consider how 1 character fits into that purpose if we are to draw accurate morals from the events.

The Historical Narrative

If the Bible starts with God and His creation and Revelation ends us with humanity and their God, How do these people and events fit into that bigger flow?

OT History books were meant to explain how the descendants of Abraham ended up in Captivity. “How did we get into this mess?” So that Jesus can be revealed as the one who solves our dilemmas

The Slippery Slope (vv.3 &7)

The inadequacies of the best of humanity are revealed without apology in God’s book to us.

Think of your favorite Bible hero from either testament, and there is most likely some example recorded of his or her short-comings, because only Jesus is sufficient to fix our problems.

a. 1 Sam 1 introduces us to Eli the priest. But no matter how good of a priest Eli was to the people, 1 Sam 2:12 reveals he wasn’t as effective at home. “Now the sons of Eli were worthless men. They did not know the Lord.”

b. When Eli failed to raise the next generation to be godly, God gave Samuel.

c. When Samuel fails to raise the next generation, v.3 of today’s text describes their character.

3. It may be helpful to our understanding to know that the way the Book of Judges uses the word Judge and the way Samuel uses the title Judge are different.

a. The Judges following the conquest under Joshua were military commanders, who made decisions based upon military strategy

b. The Judges of 1 Sam 8:2 were magistrates who settled civil squabbles.

4. God gave a promise and a plan before Moses died, That plan included God himself as their victor and warrior as they were to drive out ALL enemies of His rule. But the descendants of Abraham never carried out that plan completely, now they look around and they are frightened by external threats and internal conflicts.

Dr. John Walton describes it this way, “They have concluded that their organization as a federation of tribes has put them at a military disadvantage. They believe that a king with a trained standing army at his command will level the playing field and enable them to successfully defend their land. They have been mistaken in assessing their problem as a political problem and consequently opting for a political solution[i]”

5. They focus on power and force, rather than godliness.

Depending upon your source for news, you are likely being told that America’s greatest threat is debt, immigration, military strength, or sexual identity.

6. According to Dr. Walton, Samuel is seeking to clarify the real challenge to the people of God:

“their problem is not political but spiritual. Their political solution will solve nothing unless it is accompanied by a spiritual solution.”[ii]

7. The people of God today are facing the same challenge, If we don’t pass morality and godliness on to the next generation, God will turn from us and use another.

A Solemn Warning (vv.9-18)

The central part of this chapter describes what happens when individuals try to amass power and control. It doesn’t solve the root issue and raises a whole new set of challenges.

a. A king will build a military that costs your sons and daughters.

b. A king will require complex bureaucracy and the taxes to support it.

c. The machinery of a kingdom will require contributions of your best children and land just to keep it running.

2. v.18 describes the cry many express today in countries all around the globe: “We chose for ourselves someone who left us with a mess!”

Stubborn Resolve (vv.19-20)

1. Rather than admit their spiritual problem and seek God’s solution to their threats and conflicts, they double down and resolve to a human power solution.

a. We will have a king (whether you give him to us or not)!

b. We will do this in human power, just like the pagans.

c. Our king will end our conflicts with each other

d. Our king will do for us regarding our neighbors what God reserves for Himself and what we have failed to do as He commands.

2. The sought to eliminate God’s presence and abdicate their responsibility.

Transition: Saul’s name has not yet been mentioned, but the environment has been established that will determine his failure.

Observations from the Plot

Transfers of God’s Blessing

Eli was blessed as the High Priest, but His role passed not to his 2 sons, but to Samuel

Samuel was blessed as the Priest of God, but His role passed not to his 2 sons, but to Saul & David.

Saul will be blessed in the next chapter, this biography shows God’s transfer of anointing from Saul to David.

The people expected something of Saul that was an unreasonable and impossible expectation.

When we chase after what people expect of us (rather than what God asks of us) we will fail miserably!

Downfall Follows Disregard

The story of Samuel is preceded by one of the shortest books of the Bible, Ruth. In contrast to the failures of the united, and later divided, kingdoms, Ruth (an immigrant from Moab) is elevated because the fears the God of Naomi.

Samuel, Kings & Chronicles will repeatedly show us Kings who disregard God’s Word and will and find themselves in downfall.

Transition: While the next 6 weeks will be the biography of Saul, and none of us are likely to ever become King, Governor or President, The Fall of Saul is NOT about what to look for in a political leader! It IS an account of how WE lose God’s blessing when we choose to disobey.

Applications of the Observations

Submit with your Head

Hear (Comprehend/Pay attention to) the Voice of God.

Eli’s sons valued their wickedness over their father’s teaching.

Samuel’s sons valued bribes over Bible.

Saul will exchange his opinions for God’s instruction.

To avoid misquotes, misinterpretation, and misapplication of God’s will, we must FILL our Minds with the thoughts of God as recorded in His infallible Word,

Submit with your Hands

Heed (Obey) the commands and warnings of God

James 4:17 ESV:2016

17 So whoever knows the right thing to do and fails to do it, for him it is sin.

Catholic layman G.K. Chesterton was an author from the middle years of the last century. One of his titles is What’s Wrong with the World. In that volume he is quoted as writing, “The Christian ideal has not been tried and found wanting. It has been found difficult; and left untried.”

70 some years before Chesterton wrote, a young man was in a meeting with Henry Varley, a British revivalist, who said in a sermon “The world has yet to see what God will do with a man fully consecrated to Him.” The young man met up again with Varley a year later before returning to the United States, in this 2ndmeeting young Dwight Moody told Varley, “By God’s help, I aim to be that man!”

We must hear the Word of God

We must heed the commands and warnings of God

Submit with your Heart

Honor (attribute Value & Respect) the will of God

How many times have you watched a person comply with expectations of teachers, coaches and parents UNTIL they gain a little distance and determine to “sow their oats” How many times have you been the person who complies with expectations UNTIL the back gets turned and the true self shows up?

With violence, an extreme sexual ethic, and blatant chemical abuse and godlessness in our society it becomes easy to rationalize our “little” sins, our “respectable” sins.

I believe the call of the Holy Spirit in THIS room is “How much do YOU value God’s truth as it relates to pride, truth-telling, humble service, compassion, and idolatry.”

Conclusion:

When the Bible Speaks, God Speaks! It is not up for discussion or modification

This section of the Bible has application LONG before the election cycle of 2024. This text is NOT primarily about the qualities of a good political leader! It is primarily about ME and YOU committing to know and do the will of God so that He can bless the works of our hands!

[i] Matthews, Victor Harold, Mark W. Chavalas, and John H. Walton. 2000. The IVP Bible Background Commentary: Old Testament. Electronic ed. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press. [ii] Ibid. Header