When Donkeys Get Lost

**Turn to 1 Samuel 9 (through 10:16)

Intro

Are there any of you here today, other than me, who are planners?

Any planners who occasionally have plans upset?

Planners upset when plans upset?

THOSE who AREN’T PLANNERS…PROB. MOST UPSET WHEN THEY ACTUALLY DO PLAN & PLANS = MESSED UP!

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TESTIMONY: PRAYING GOD’S WILL & WANTING my DAYS to GO AS PLANNED...

YOUTH STAGE PROJECT…INTERRUPTED…WHILE ADDRESSING INTERRUPTION, INTERRUPTED AGAIN!

***IMAGINE ME: THANKING GOD FOR HIS DIRECTION as PLANS DISMANTLED REPEATEDLY....

DIDN’T HONESTLY WANT GOD’S WILL…WANTED THINGS to GO AS PLANNED!

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NO GUARANTEE THIS WAS GOD’S DIRECTION…BUT I LEARNED FROM IT...

GOD DIRECTS/WORKS through our LIVES THROUGH NATURAL, COMMON MEANS AT TIMES...

PERHAPS OUR INTERRUPTIONS ARE ACTUALLY the PROVIDENTIAL HAND of GOD @ WORK in OUR LIVES....

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Recap:

Last week:

SERIOUS DOWNTURN!

SAMUEL = OLD…PEOPLE DESIRING a KING. DESIRED to BE LIKE the REST of THE WORLD!

DESPITE PAST MIRACULOUS VICTORIES!! THEY WANTED SOMETHING TANGIBLE…NOT an INVISIBLE GOD...

REJECTION of SAMUEL = REJECTION of GOD...

SAMUEL WARNS PEOPLE… KINGS ARE TAKERS!....PEOPLE STILL DESIRE KING.

(T) So, that’s where we LEFT OFF last week. SAMUEL SENDS EVERYONE HOME, the DECISION is MADE, a KING is COMING. So, WHO WILL BE CHOSEN by God to lead Israel?

PICK UP in CH. 9 VERSE 1

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Text:

Setting (v1-2)

1 Samuel 9:1–10:16 (ESV)

1 There was a man of Benjamin whose name was Kish, the son of Abiel, son of Zeror, son of Becorath, son of Aphiah, a Benjaminite, a man of wealth. 2 And he had a son whose name was Saul, a handsome young man. There was not a man among the people of Israel more handsome than he. From his shoulders upward he was taller than any of the people.

BRAND NEW FAMILY INTRODUCED...

WEALTHY BUT OBSCURE…NOT MUCH INFO

KISH = WEALTHY…SON = SAUL

SAUL = TALL & HANDSOME YOUNG ADULT

(T) And then in VERSE 3 we see a PROBLEM SHOW UP. It says,

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Inciting Incident (v3-4)

3 Now the donkeys of Kish, Saul’s father, were lost. So Kish said to Saul his son, “Take one of the young men with you, and arise, go and look for the donkeys.” 4 And he passed through the hill country of Ephraim and passed through the land of Shalishah, but they did not find them. And they passed through the land of Shaalim, but they were not there. Then they passed through the land of Benjamin, but did not find them.

DESPITE KISH’S WEALTH & RESOURCES…DONKEYS GO MISSING.

KISH SENDS SAUL & SERVANT to FIND

SEARCH LAND of BENJAMIN (3 DAYS)… NO LUCK!

GOOD USE of TIME…DAYS on END FOR STUPID DONKEYS...

DON’T YOU LOVE LOSING STUFF & WASTING TIME SEARCHING??

THIS WASN’T EVEN THEIR FAULT & THEY’RE WASTING DAYS LOOKING....

(T) And so their SEARCH CONTINUES, the text says in VERSE 5….

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Rising tension (v5-10)

5 When they came to the land of Zuph, Saul said to his servant who was with him, “Come, let us go back, lest my father cease to care about the donkeys and become anxious about us.” 6 But he said to him, “Behold, there is a man of God in this city, and he is a man who is held in honor; all that he says comes true. So now let us go there. Perhaps he can tell us the way we should go.” 7 Then Saul said to his servant, “But if we go, what can we bring the man? For the bread in our sacks is gone, and there is no present to bring to the man of God. What do we have?”

8 The servant answered Saul again, “Here, I have with me a quarter of a shekel of silver, and I will give it to the man of God to tell us our way.” 9 (Formerly in Israel, when a man went to inquire of God, he said, “Come, let us go to the seer,” for today’s “prophet” was formerly called a seer.)

10 And Saul said to his servant, “Well said; come, let us go.” So they went to the city where the man of God was.

AFTER FAILED SEARCH… SAUL FIGURES DAD MIGHT WORRY

**1ST EXCUSE to GO HOME… DAD = WORRIED.

REASONABLE CONCLUSION!

REMEMBER, NO INSTANT COMMUNICATION...

NO TEXTS

NO CALLS

NO CHECKING INSTA/SNAPCHAT STORY “IT’S ME SAUL, STILL OUT SEARCHING!”

SAUL = ADULT…BUT ADULTS STILL GET MAULED BY LIONS & BEARS...

T-SHIRT.... “BEAR ATTACK TIP: IF ATTACKED, PLAY DEAD…IT WILL BE GOOD PRACTICE FOR WHEN YOU DIE A FEW MINUTES LATER.”

INSTEAD of RUSHING HOME…SERVANT HAS IDEA!… LET’S GO SEE PROPHET/MAN of GOD.

GOD KNOWS WHERE DONKEYS ARE

PERHAPS GOD WILL TELL PROPHET & THEY’LL TELL SAUL & SERVANT.

***2ND EXCUSE, SAUL SAYS “WE HAVE NO MONEY”

BUT SERVANT FINDS SMALL SILVER PIECE.

NOW....SAUL & SERVANT HEADING to FIND MAN of GOD to FIND DONKEYS...

(T) So, now we see that the DONKEYS are TOTALLY GONE, they’re nowhere to be found. So this MOTLEY CREW of SAUL and the SERVANT are going to TRY and FIND the PROPHET to see if he has any SUGGESTIONS or IDEAS about MISSING DONKEYS. Surely God knows where said donkeys are, so we’ll see if He’s willing to share with the prophet so they can track them down. Then the text says,

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More Tension (v11-14)

11 As they went up the hill to the city, they met young women coming out to draw water and said to them, “Is the seer here?” 12 They answered, “He is; behold, he is just ahead of you. Hurry. He has come just now to the city, because the people have a sacrifice today on the high place.

13 As soon as you enter the city you will find him, before he goes up to the high place to eat. For the people will not eat till he comes, since he must bless the sacrifice; afterward those who are invited will eat. Now go up, for you will meet him immediately.” 14 So they went up to the city. As they were entering the city, they saw Samuel coming out toward them on his way up to the high place.

THEY COME INTO CITY…WOMEN TELL THEM ABOUT SAMUEL

FIND OUT SAMUEL is GOING to OFFER SACRIFICE @ PLACE of WORSHIP W/ MEAL FOLLOWING…

HURRY & DON’T MISS HIM!

(T) And as they’re going up to the city, they SEE a MAN OFF in the DISTANCE, and now our TEXT is GOING to TAKE a TURN this morning. It says,

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Climax (v15-21)

15 Now the day before Saul came, the Lord had revealed to Samuel: 16 “Tomorrow about this time I will send to you a man from the land of Benjamin, and you shall anoint him to be prince over my people Israel. He shall save my people from the hand of the Philistines. For I have seen my people, because their cry has come to me.”

17 When Samuel saw Saul, the Lord told him, “Here is the man of whom I spoke to you! He it is who shall restrain my people.” 18 Then Saul approached Samuel in the gate and said, “Tell me where is the house of the seer?”

19 Samuel answered Saul, “I am the seer. Go up before me to the high place, for today you shall eat with me, and in the morning I will let you go and will tell you all that is on your mind. 20 As for your donkeys that were lost three days ago, do not set your mind on them, for they have been found. And for whom is all that is desirable in Israel? Is it not for you and for all your father’s house?” 21 Saul answered, “Am I not a Benjaminite, from the least of the tribes of Israel? And is not my clan the humblest of all the clans of the tribe of Benjamin? Why then have you spoken to me in this way?”

GOD SPOKE to SAMUEL BEFOREHAND ABOUT ALL THIS....

NOTICE THIS…SIGNIFICANT:

KISH, HAD DONKEYS

DONKEYS HAPPENED to GO MISSING

KISH HAPPENED to SEND SAUL & SERVANT

DONKEYS HAPPENED to BE TOTALLY LOST…

SAUL & SERVANT HAPPENED to GET DESPERATE

SERVANT HAPPENED to SUGGEST SEEING PROPHET

WHEN SAUL DIDN’T HAVE MONEY…SERVANT HAPPENED to HAVE MONEY

GOING to CITY…HAPPENED to BUMP INTO YOUNG WOMEN…TOLD THEM EVERYTHING THEY NEEDED to KNOW...

HAPPENED to BUMP RIGHT INTO SAMUEL

BUT GOD SAID to SAMUEL.... “I WILL SEND to YOU a MAN...”

GOD WORKS & SPEAKS THROUGH MORE THAN SUPERNATURAL MEANS && HE USES COMMON & NATURAL THINGS.

GOD DIDN’T BURN A BUSH/SEND AN ANGEL/ OR GIVE SAUL a VISION…NOTHING LIKE THIS....GOD LET SOME DONKEYS LOOSE to CONNECT the PROPHET/JUDGE SAMUEL & FUTURE KING of ISRAEL.

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IN YOUR LIFE, SOMETIMES:

THINGS DON’T GO AS PLANNED

YOU’RE STUCK in TRAFFIC & LATE

PLACE YOU PLANNED to GO = CLOSED

MYRIAD of OTHER THINGS DISRUPT YOUR PLANS...

GOD’S PLAN ISN’T FOILED BY ANY OF THESE THINGS.

GOD WORKS THROUGH NATURAL & COMMON MEANS in HIS PROVIDENCE FOR OUR GOOD & HIS GLORY...

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NOTHING WAS ACCORDING to KISH’S PLAN…SAUL’S PLAN…or EVEN SAMUEL’S....BUT GOD WAS WORKING.

GOD KNEW BEFORE TIME BEGAN THERE’D BE MISSING DONKEYS in the LAND of BENJAMIN in ISRAEL.....

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SAUL = FUTURE KING…CALLED “PRINCE”

GOD NOT ABDICATING HIS THRONE

IN MERCY, TAKES CARE of “MY PEOPLE” THEY AREN’T ABANDONED!

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SAMUEL & SAUL BUMP INTO EACH OTHER...

SAMUEL ALREADY KNOWS

SAUL DOESN’T EVEN KNOW WHO SAMUEL IS! OOF!

SAMUEL TELLS SAUL “WE’RE GOING to DINNER...” ALL THAT’S DESIRABLE in ISRAEL = FOR YOU.

BY THE WAY, DONKEYS HAVE BEEN FOUND (SAUL DOESN’T EVEN MENTION!)

SAUL = HUMBLED & FLOORED...

COMING FROM LEAST TRIBE & LEAST CLAN in TRIBE…

OT HISTORY: TRIBE of BENJAMIN ALMOST WIPED OUT DURING JUDGES’ PERIOD (NOT LONG AGO)

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SAUL’S FAMILY = WEALTHY.

SAUL = TALL & HANDSOME

BUT SAUL = A NOBODY…BUT GOD MAKES HIM A SOMEBODY…STEPS INTO HIS LIFE.

(T) And so SAUL and SAMUEL GO to DINNER TOGETHER, the text says in verse 22.

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Resolution (v22-24a)

22 Then Samuel took Saul and his young man and brought them into the hall and gave them a place at the head of those who had been invited, who were about thirty persons. 23 And Samuel said to the cook, “Bring the portion I gave you, of which I said to you, ‘Put it aside.’ ” 24 So the cook took up the leg and what was on it and set them before Saul. And Samuel said, “See, what was kept is set before you. Eat, because it was kept for you until the hour appointed, that you might eat with the guests.”

NOT ONLY is SAUL INVITED… HE GETS HEAD of TABLE & CHOICE PIECE of MEAT...

OBSCURE FAMILY

SEARCHING for DONKEYS...

TAKEN to HIGHEST SEAT W/ PROPHET W/ MOST INFLUENCE in ALL of ISRAEL.

(T) And so the TEXT SAYS,

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Conclusion (v24b-27)

So Saul ate with Samuel that day. 25 And when they came down from the high place into the city, a bed was spread for Saul on the roof, and he lay down to sleep. 26 Then at the break of dawn Samuel called to Saul on the roof, “Up, that I may send you on your way.” So Saul arose, and both he and Samuel went out into the street.

Setting/Inciting Incident (v27)

27 As they were going down to the outskirts of the city, Samuel said to Saul, “Tell the servant to pass on before us, and when he has passed on, stop here yourself for a while, that I may make known to you the word of God.”

SAMUEL ASKS for PRIVATE MEETING…SENDS SERVANT UP AHEAD...

(T) And then the TEXT SAYS,

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Rising Tension (v1-8)

1 Then Samuel took a flask of oil and poured it on his head and kissed him and said, “Has not the Lord anointed you to be prince over his people Israel? And you shall reign over the people of the Lord and you will save them from the hand of their surrounding enemies. And this shall be the sign to you that the Lord has anointed you to be prince over his heritage.

2 When you depart from me today, you will meet two men by Rachel’s tomb in the territory of Benjamin at Zelzah, and they will say to you, ‘The donkeys that you went to seek are found, and now your father has ceased to care about the donkeys and is anxious about you, saying, “What shall I do about my son?” ’

3 Then you shall go on from there farther and come to the oak of Tabor. Three men going up to God at Bethel will meet you there, one carrying three young goats, another carrying three loaves of bread, and another carrying a skin of wine. 4 And they will greet you and give you two loaves of bread, which you shall accept from their hand.

5 After that you shall come to Gibeath-elohim, where there is a garrison of the Philistines. And there, as soon as you come to the city, you will meet a group of prophets coming down from the high place with harp, tambourine, flute, and lyre before them, prophesying. 6 Then the Spirit of the Lord will rush upon you, and you will prophesy with them and be turned into another man.

7 Now when these signs meet you, do what your hand finds to do, for God is with you. 8 Then go down before me to Gilgal. And behold, I am coming down to you to offer burnt offerings and to sacrifice peace offerings. Seven days you shall wait, until I come to you and show you what you shall do.”

NORMAL TRIP SEARCHING FOR DONKEYS GETS WILD...

SAMUEL KNEW ABOUT DONKEYS AHEAD of TIME…THEY’RE FOUND.

INVITED to SPECIAL MEAL WHEN a NOBODY...

***NOW ANOINTED/CONSECRATED to BE 1ST KING in ISRAEL?!?

TO PROVE IT, SAMUEL OFFERS 3 SIGNS:

MEET 2 GUYS BY RACHEL’S TOMB

MEET 3 GUYS W/ SOME FOOD BY a CERTAIN OAK TREE

MEET GROUP of PROPHETS…SPIRIT of GOD WILL COME ON YOU & YOU’LL JOIN THEM PROPHESYING & HAVE SUPERNATURAL CHANGE of HEART.

(V7-8) SAUL, DO WHAT SEEMS GOOD…JUST WAIT in GILGAL FOR SAMUEL to SACRIFICE...

**EVEN AS KING, SAUL MUST OBEY GOD’S WORD THROUGH PROPHET!

HE HAS FREEDOM…BUT IT MUST STAY WITHIN BOUNDARIES of GOD’S WORD.

NO BELIEVER IS ABOVE SIMPLE OBEDIENCE to WORD of GOD....

(T) And so SAMUEL just OFFERED a ton of SPECIFIC STUFF to SAUL to PROVE all of this is TRUE, there’s NO CHANCE that this could all HAPPEN BY CHANCE, so we’ll see if this proves true for Saul, or if Samuel missed it this time. The text says in verse nine,

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Climax (v9-13)

9 When he turned his back to leave Samuel, God gave him another heart. And all these signs came to pass that day. 10 When they came to Gibeah, behold, a group of prophets met him, and the Spirit of God rushed upon him, and he prophesied among them. 11 And when all who knew him previously saw how he prophesied with the prophets, the people said to one another, “What has come over the son of Kish? Is Saul also among the prophets?”

12 And a man of the place answered, “And who is their father?” Therefore it became a proverb, “Is Saul also among the prophets?” 13 When he had finished prophesying, he came to the high place.

AS SAMUEL PROPHESIED, ALL CAME to PASS!

SAUL, FORMERLY TIMID…NOW AMONGST PROPHETS! SO WILD it CREATES A PROVERB!

GOD EMPOWERS SAUL by HOLY SPIRIT, FOR APPOINTED TASK...

(T) And now our TEXT for today is GOING to CLOSE in verses 14 through 16. It says,

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Resolution (v14-16)

14 Saul’s uncle said to him and to his servant, “Where did you go?” And he said, “To seek the donkeys. And when we saw they were not to be found, we went to Samuel.” 15 And Saul’s uncle said, “Please tell me what Samuel said to you.”

16 And Saul said to his uncle, “He told us plainly that the donkeys had been found.” But about the matter of the kingdom, of which Samuel had spoken, he did not tell him anything.

(Q) How many of you can point to a time where YOU DIDN’T LIE, but you CERTAINLY DIDN’T TELL the WHOLE TRUTH either?

SAUL’S UNCLE ASKS ABOUT TRIP…HE’S TOLD THEY SAW SAMUEL…

SAMUEL SAID, “DONKEYS ARE FOUND.”…ONLY SAUL & SAMUEL KNOW ABOUT HIM AS FUTURE KING....

Homiletical Idea:

In God’s providence, He works in this world through various means in order to accomplish His purposes and plans amongst His people.

GOD ISN’T BOUND BY OUR PLAN A, B, C, D, ETC....

HE KNOWS BEGINNING FROM END.

ONLY HE CAN ACCOUNT FOR ALL HICCUPS & BUMPS in ROAD...

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Gospel:

DONKEYS HAVE BEEN GOING MISSING—THOUSANDS of YEARS...

MANY YEARS AFTER THIS, SEEMED DONKEYS WERE MISSING AGAIN...

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JESUS, CAME FROM HEAVEN to EARTH…

LIVED PERFECT LIFE

WORKED MIRACLES

TAUGHT & PREACHED

SPREAD GOOD NEWS

WENT ABOUT, “DOING GOOD”

SPENT ALL NIGHT PRAYING ABOUT DISCIPLES…CHOOSES 12…ENTRUSTS THEM W/ POWER & AUTHORITY & GOOD NEWS…&& 1 BETRAYED HIM.

IN GARDEN, WHERE HE’D PRAY…1 CAME to BETRAY HIM FOR PRICE of COMMON SLAVE...

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IN WORLD’S EYES…IN DISCIPLES’ EYES… THIS = A MISSING DONKEY…SOMETHING NOT ACCORDING to PLAN.

JESUS BETRAYED, TAKEN to SCANDALOUS TRIAL & CONDEMNED to DEATH…EVEN THOUGH INNOCENT..... MISSING DONKEYS....

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GOOD NEWS: GOD PREDETERMINED BEFORE TIME... LAMB SLAIN BEFORE FOUNDATION of WORLD!

John 3:16 ESV

16 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.

WHAT LOOKED LIKE BETRAYAL & SCANDAL & EVIL & TRAGEDY…WAS GOD the FATHER “GIVING” HIS SON...

NATURALLY…IT ALL SEEMED TO BE a FAILED PLAN…BUT it WAS GOD’S WILL....

GOD WORKS IN UNEXPECTED WAYS… GOD SAVING BY GRACE is a MISSING DONKEY to THE WORLD.

MANKIND WANTS SAVED BY WORKS…MAKES SENSE

“WE’RE ALL GOOD...”

BUT GOD SAVES BY GRACE AND GRACE ALONE…DOESN’T MAKE SENSE, BUT IT’S HOW GOD WORKS.

IF YOU DON’T KNOW THE LORD, YOU CAN BE SAVED TODAY...

BY GRACE

THROUGH FAITH

DEATH & RESURRECTION

PROFESSING CHRIST AS LORD...

WORLD LOOKS AT THIS AS MISSING DONKEY…BUT IT CAN BE THE HOPE OF YOUR SALVATION TODAY!

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Takeaways:

Learn about God?

GOD WORKS IN HIS CREATION.

BOTH SUPERNATURALLY && THROUGH COMMON, OBSCURE THINGS...

2. EVEN WHEN GOD’S PEOPLE SIN,, HE DOESN’T ABANDON THEM…

PEOPLE = FAITHLESS.... GOD REMAINS FAITHFUL...

Learn about Us?

GOD WORKS in OUR LIVES…THROUGH SEEMINGLY INSIGNIFICANT & COMMON THINGS.... WE MUST TRUST HIM & HIS PERFECT PLAN...

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App.

LOOK OVER LIFE: ANY MISSING DONKEYS MESSED UP YOUR PLANS?

THIS MORNING?

YESTERDAY?

LAST WEEK?

LAST MONTH?

ASK YOURSELF: “Do I ever consider that sometimes God might be working through the missing donkeys in my own life?”

“Do I HONESTLY TRUST the PROVIDENCE of GOD in my life?”

**IN BULLETIN, DONKEY PIC, PLACE WHERE HELPFUL to REMIND YOU...

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(Q) DO I BELIEVE THAT GOD WORKS THROUGH MORE THAN:

BURNING BUSHES

SPLIT SEAS

HANDWRITING ON WALL

MIRACLES

ANGELS

&& THAT HE WORKS THROUGH MISSING DONKEYS TOO?

I want to CHALLENGE you this morning, that as you GO THROUGH your LIFE, that you try NOT to FIND FRUSTRATION in the MISSING DONKEYS, BUT that you TRUST and BELIEVE that the GOD WHO SENT the DONKEYS MISSING will WORK in YOUR LIFE TOO, to ACCOMPLISH His PURPOSES, that HE ESTABLISHED even BEFORE TIME BEGAN...

God has a plan, and God will accomplish His plan through whatever means He pleases, so let’s FIND WAYS to THANK HIM and PRAISE HIM for the MISSING DONKEYS…INSTEAD OF GETTING FRUSTRATED and BITTER amen?

Close in Prayer