Using or Used?

Turn to 1 Samuel 14:24

Introduction:

**See toothpaste picture

(Q) How many of you are in this category?

PERSONALLY, I’M CONSIDERED FRUGAL/ EVEN CHEAP…BUT TOOTHPASTE LIKE THIS = DEAL-BREAKER....

YOU’VE ALL SEEN SOMEONE DO THIS THOUGH....

DON’T YOU JUST THINK, “THEY REALLY GOT THEIR MONEY’S WORTH”

WE PROBABLY ALL FIT INTO THIS CATEGORY SOMEWHERE...

EATING @ BUFFET TILL YOU HURT… “GETTING MONEY’S WORTH”

KNOEBEL’S on FRIDAY “BARGAIN NIGHT”....RIDING RIDES @ 8:55 P.M.... “GETTING MONEY’S WORTH”

🐢🐢

IN MY LIFE…TOOTHPASTE PIC HAS BECOME A ROLE MODEL FOR ME.

I WANT GOD to HAVE GOTTEN HIS “MONEY’S WORTH” FROM MY LIFE....

GOD PLACED SOMETHING MUCH GREATER AT STAKE THAN MONEY....THE BLOOD of HIS SON to RANSOM MY LIFE.......

IS GOD’S GRACE GOING to BE IN VAIN??

WILL I GET to GLORY & FIND OUT THAT GOD HAD MORE FOR ME, BUT I HELD BACK & I WAS LIKE the ONE WHO THREW the TUBE AWAY EARLY???

I WANT GOD to GET EVERY LAST DROP FROM MY LIFE.

(Q) IS THIS YOUR PRAYER/AIM in LIFE TODAY?

NOT ADVOCATING FOR BURNOUT…BUT FULLY USED BY GOD...

NATURAL TENDENCY for MANY(ALL):

USING GOD & OTHERS FOR PERSONAL BENEFIT…ADDING the BENEFITS of GOD to LIFE....WITHOUT THE SACRIFICE...

LIVING WITH CHRIST AS SAVIOR…BUT NOT WITH CHRIST AS LORD.....???

CONSIDER THESE THINGS AS WE DIVE IN TODAY......

🐢🐢🐢 🐢🐢🐢

Recap:

Last week:

ENDED w/ GOOD NEWS!

GREAT VICTORY for ISRAEL…FOLLOWING JONATHAN’S INITIATIVE...

JONATHAN + ARMOR-BEARER…AGAINST GARRISON of PHILISTINES...

JONATHAN SAID: “GOD CAN SAVE BY MANY…OR BY FEW...”

“PERHAPS of FAITH” BELIEVING GOD for GOOD OUTCOMES!!

STORY BEGAN—VERY BLEAK…BUT JONATHAN’S FAITH TURNED EVERYTHING AROUND & WHOLE ARMY GOES to BATTLE… && GREAT VICTORY

🐢🐢🐢… 32 minutes left ....🐢🐢🐢

Text:

Setting (V24)

1 Samuel 14:24–52 (ESV)

24 And the men of Israel had been hard pressed that day, so Saul had laid an oath on the people, saying, “Cursed be the man who eats food until it is evening and I am avenged on my enemies.” So none of the people had tasted food.

LAST WEEK = GREAT VICTORY…BUT THERE’S NOW a SHADOW...

PEOPLE = HARD-PRESSED......BY SAUL.

SAUL PUTS FORTH FOOLISH OATH: CURSED BE the ONE WHO EATS UNTIL EVENING

🐢🐢

SAUL ABUSES LEADERSHIP AUTHORITY:

EXTRABIBLICAL COMMAND

NOT LOOKING @ OTHERS as PEOPLE/ CREATED in GOD’S IMAGE.

JONATHAN WAS WILLING to SACRIFICE HIMSELF…SAUL WAS WILLING to SACRIFICE OTHERS!

SAUL = MORE FOCUSED on PERSONAL BETTERMENT & GLORY THAN BETTERMENT of OTHERS...

(Q) How often do you think Saul RECALLED his HUMBLE FARMING DAYS?

IF GOD GIVES YOU POSITION, DON’T LOSE SIGHT of GOD’S GRACE in GIFTING it TO YOU...REMEMBER the DAYS YOU WERE @ BOTTOM of LADDER...

🐢🐢

SAUL WAS ALL ABOUT HIS MISSION...

JONATHAN ADDRESSED PHILISTINES as UNCIRCUMCISED (GOD’S EYES)…SAUL ADDRESSED THEM as HIS ENEMIES!

SAUL WAS FIGHTING HIS OWN BATTLES, NOT GOD’S…DRIVING HIS MEN INTO the DIRT to DO SO....

(T) So, we’re going to see HOW THIS OATH PANS OUT, verse 25 says,

🐢🐢🐢… 28 minutes left ....🐢🐢🐢

Inciting Incident (V25-26)

25 Now when all the people came to the forest, behold, there was honey on the ground. 26 And when the people entered the forest, behold, the honey was dropping, but no one put his hand to his mouth, for the people feared the oath.

BECAUSE of OATH…MEN ABSTAIN from HONEY...

(Q) Can you imagine the difficulty??

SNICKERS— YOU AREN’T YOURSELF WHEN YOU’RE HUNGRY…PEOPLE GET HANGRY....

IMAGINE SOLDIERS FIGHTING ALL DAY…ABSTAINING BECAUSE of SELFISH KING & BECAUSE THEY FEARED the OATH...

AGAIN, NOT SOMETHING THAT GOD WOULD HAVE REQUIRED of THEM…ALL SAUL’S IDEA...

(T) But then THE TEXT SAYS,

🐢🐢🐢… 26 minutes left ....🐢🐢🐢

Rising Action (v27-28)

27 But Jonathan had not heard his father charge the people with the oath, so he put out the tip of the staff that was in his hand and dipped it in the honeycomb and put his hand to his mouth, and his eyes became bright. 28 Then one of the people said, “Your father strictly charged the people with an oath, saying, ‘Cursed be the man who eats food this day.’ ” And the people were faint.

JONATHAN WAS M.I.A. at TIME of OATH....

SO HE EATS the HONEY, & IS REFRESHED.... && HE’S INFORMED AFTERWARDS ABOUT the OATH..

PEOPLE WERE FAINT (2X in TEXT)

(T) So, HOW DOES JONATHAN RESPOND once he’s informed that he disobeyed the oath that he didn’t know about? The text says in verse 29,

🐢🐢🐢🐢🐢🐢

Climax/Reversal? (v29-30)

29 Then Jonathan said, “My father has troubled the land. See how my eyes have become bright because I tasted a little of this honey. 30 How much better if the people had eaten freely today of the spoil of their enemies that they found. For now the defeat among the Philistines has not been great.”

JONATHAN DEFENDS ACTIONS…POINTS OUT FATHER WAS FOOLISH in MAKING OATH...

LOGICALLY....TIRED MEN = WORSE FIGHTERS… & PEOPLE’S HUNGER LIMITED THEIR VICTORY.

(T) And then our TEXT CONTINUES and says,

🐢🐢🐢… 24 minutes left ....🐢🐢🐢

Rising Action (v31-32)

31 They struck down the Philistines that day from Michmash to Aijalon. And the people were very faint. 32 The people pounced on the spoil and took sheep and oxen and calves and slaughtered them on the ground. And the people ate them with the blood.

IN SPITE of SAUL…GOD CONTINUES to BRING VICTORY....

THEY CHASE PHILISTINES 15-20 MILES!!

EVENING COMES: PEOPLE = STARVING & RUSH to EAT SPOIL.... & EAT ANIMALS, “WITH the BLOOD”

SHEEP, OXEN, CALVES = CLEAN ANIMALS

NOT ALLOWED to EAT W/ BLOOD…MUST DRAIN IT… BLOOD = GIVEN for ATONEMENT...

YOU CAN IMAGINE THEY DIDN’T WANT to WAIT for THAT!!

ANYONE EVER CHANGE YOUR DINNER DESTINATION BECAUSE YOU WEREN’T WILLING to WAIT??…IMAGINE THESE GUYS!

**HOPE NO ONE LEAVES CHURCH EARLY BECAUSE I’M TALKING ABOUT FOOD/EATING!

(T) So, these GUYS were TECHNICALLY OFF the HOOK REGARDING the OATH…BUT WERE DISOBEYING GOD in THE PROCESS! Now, HOW WILL KING SAUL RESPOND? The text goes on to say,

🐢🐢🐢🐢🐢🐢

More Tension (v33-35)

33 Then they told Saul, “Behold, the people are sinning against the Lord by eating with the blood.” And he said, “You have dealt treacherously; roll a great stone to me here.”

34 And Saul said, “Disperse yourselves among the people and say to them, ‘Let every man bring his ox or his sheep and slaughter them here and eat, and do not sin against the Lord by eating with the blood.’ ” So every one of the people brought his ox with him that night and they slaughtered them there. 35 And Saul built an altar to the Lord; it was the first altar that he built to the Lord.

SAUL BROUGHT UP to SPEED REGARDING SIN of the PEOPLE...

&& HE TELLS THEM to EAT BUT NOT SINFULLY...

🐢🐢

SAUL POINTS OUT THEY’VE DEALT TREACHEROUSLY...

SAME SAUL WHO NEVER TOOK RESPONSIBILITY FOR HIS OWN SIN…NEVER ADMITS FAULT....

MUCH EASIER to POINT OUT SIN in OTHERS THAN SELF....

JESUS TAUGHT: B4 PICK OUT SPECK in BROTHER’S EYE, GET LOG OUT of YOUR EYE...

HARD to DO...

THESE GUYS ONLY COMPROMISED BECAUSE THEY WERE DESPERATE…SURELY SAUL WOULD HAVE MADE EXCUSES & BLAMED KING IF HE WAS ONE of THEM!

NOW SAUL BUILDS ALTAR…DOING OUTWARD RELIGIOUS THINGS RIGHTLY EVEN THOUGH HIS HEART WAS FAR FROM GOD...

(T) And now it’s evening, the MEN ARE REFRESHED, and WHERE WILL THEY GO NEXT?? Verse 36 says,

🐢🐢🐢… 20 minutes left ....🐢🐢🐢

Rising Action (v36-37)

36 Then Saul said, “Let us go down after the Philistines by night and plunder them until the morning light; let us not leave a man of them.” And they said, “Do whatever seems good to you.” But the priest said, “Let us draw near to God here.” 37 And Saul inquired of God, “Shall I go down after the Philistines? Will you give them into the hand of Israel?” But he did not answer him that day.

SAUL BEGINS AGAIN W/ HIS OWN PLAN...

FIGHTING INTO the NIGHT

GOOD IDEA....IF YOU HAD ENERGY.

REMEMBER: SAUL = USING HIS ARMY FOR HIS OWN PERSONAL GAIN…NOT FIGHTING GOD’S WAR HERE...

🐢🐢

PRIEST STEPS UP & SAYS WE SHOULD SEEK GOD...

&& GOD IS SILENT.

BIBLICAL TEXT = HONEST…NOT SILENT ABOUT GOD’S SILENCE...

(T) And so HOW WILL SAUL REACT to GOD’S SILENCE? Let’s see, verse 38 says,

🐢🐢🐢… 18 minutes left ....🐢🐢🐢

Climax (v38-42)

38 And Saul said, “Come here, all you leaders of the people, and know and see how this sin has arisen today. 39 For as the Lord lives who saves Israel, though it be in Jonathan my son, he shall surely die.” But there was not a man among all the people who answered him.

40 Then he said to all Israel, “You shall be on one side, and I and Jonathan my son will be on the other side.” And the people said to Saul, “Do what seems good to you.”

41 Therefore Saul said, “O Lord God of Israel, why have you not answered your servant this day? If this guilt is in me or in Jonathan my son, O Lord, God of Israel, give Urim. But if this guilt is in your people Israel, give Thummim.” And Jonathan and Saul were taken, but the people escaped. 42 Then Saul said, “Cast the lot between me and my son Jonathan.” And Jonathan was taken.

SAUL CONCLUDES: GOD = SILENT BECAUSE of SIN in CAMP...

SAUL DOESN’T EXAMINE HIS OWN LIFE…IMMEDIATELY ASSUMES SOMEONE ELSE is AT FAULT...

🐢🐢

SAUL MAKES RASH VOW…THE ONE W/ SIN WILL DIE…HE’S OUT of CONTROL & ABUSING HIS AUTHORITY…EVEN NAMES JONATHAN as CANDIDATE FOR DEATH!!

THEY PUT FORTH TEST W/ URIM & THUMMIM

SPECIAL LOTS THAT WERE CAST/ KEPT in PRIEST’S ROBES...

THROUGH PROCESS THEY DETERMINE JONATHAN = GUILTY PARTY...

(T) So at this point THIS SEEMS RIDICULOUS, as JONATHAN WASN’T THERE WHEN the OATH WAS MADE, so WILL SAUL BE TRUE to HIS WORD and KILL HIS SON? Let’s see what happens in verse 43.

🐢🐢🐢🐢🐢🐢

Resolution (v43-46)

43 Then Saul said to Jonathan, “Tell me what you have done.” And Jonathan told him, “I tasted a little honey with the tip of the staff that was in my hand. Here I am; I will die.” 44 And Saul said, “God do so to me and more also; you shall surely die, Jonathan.”

45 Then the people said to Saul, “Shall Jonathan die, who has worked this great salvation in Israel? Far from it! As the Lord lives, there shall not one hair of his head fall to the ground, for he has worked with God this day.” So the people ransomed Jonathan, so that he did not die. 46 Then Saul went up from pursuing the Philistines, and the Philistines went to their own place.

CONSIDER HOW CRAZY THIS IS!

JONATHAN SURVIVED PHILISTINE DEATH TRAP… & NOW DAD WILL KILL HIM???

🐢🐢

PEOPLE RANSOM JONATHAN & SAVE HIM...

THEY FOLLOWED SAUL TO a POINT....BUT WEREN’T ABOUT TO KILL JONATHAN…HE HAD WORKED GREAT SALVATION BY HIS FAITH!!

SO NOW SAUL BLOWS IT…RUINS SUCH A GOOD DAY W/ GREAT VICTORY WITH HIS RASH & FOOLISH ACTIONS

(T) And now our TEXT is GOING TO CLOSE in verses 47 through 52 this morning.

🐢🐢🐢… 13 minutes left ....🐢🐢🐢

Conclusion (v47-52)

47 When Saul had taken the kingship over Israel, he fought against all his enemies on every side, against Moab, against the Ammonites, against Edom, against the kings of Zobah, and against the Philistines. Wherever he turned he routed them. 48 And he did valiantly and struck the Amalekites and delivered Israel out of the hands of those who plundered them.

49 Now the sons of Saul were Jonathan, Ishvi, and Malchi-shua. And the names of his two daughters were these: the name of the firstborn was Merab, and the name of the younger Michal. 50 And the name of Saul’s wife was Ahinoam the daughter of Ahimaaz. And the name of the commander of his army was Abner the son of Ner, Saul’s uncle.

51 Kish was the father of Saul, and Ner the father of Abner was the son of Abiel. 52 There was hard fighting against the Philistines all the days of Saul. And when Saul saw any strong man, or any valiant man, he attached him to himself.

SUMMARY…SAUL = FIGHTING on ALL FRONTS...

GOD WAS GRACIOUS…BROUGHT DELIVERANCE in SPITE of SAUL...

DESPITE OUTWARD VICTORY…THERE WERE SERIOUS INWARD PROBLEMS…SAUL DIDN’T HAVE HEART AFTER GOD...

DALE DAVIS: HISTORICAL (OUTWARD) ESTIMATE VERSUS COVENANTAL (INWARD) ESTIMATE...

OUTWARDLY…SAUL WAS DOING GREAT…AS FAR AS PEOPLE COULD SEE HE WAS SUCCESSFUL...

REAL QUESTION: HOW WAS SAUL DOING W/ GOD???

PROBLEM: SAUL DIDN’T HAVE HEART AFTER GOD...

DISOBEDIENCE & LACK of REPENTANCE...

USING GOD & RELIGIOUS CEREMONY WHEN CONVENIENT...

🐢🐢

WE MUST NEVER MEASURE SUCCESS as THE WORLD DOES....

LOOKING @ LIFE, MIGHT HAVE:

MORE MONEY in SAVINGS/INVESTMENTS THAN LAST YEAR...

GOT MARRIED...

HAD a BABY/GRANDBABY...

BOUGHT a NEW CAR

GRADUATED COLLEGE

GOT NEW JOB/STARTED a BUSINESS

RAN MARATHON...

BUILT NEW HOUSE...

HOW is YOUR RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD?

ARE YOU LIVING UNDER CHRIST’S LORDSHIP, FULFILLING YOUR COMMITMENT to CHRIST?

WHAT WILL GOD HAVE to SAY ABOUT YOUR LIFE?

🐢🐢

SAUL was INWARDLY FAILING.... & SAUL WAS CONSTANTLY USING OTHERS...

USING SOLDIERS for HIS PURPOSE & TREATING THEM LIKE ANIMALS

USING GOD PUBLICLY to WORK FOR HIM...

Homiletical Idea:

As God’s people we should seek to be used by God for the good of others, rather than trying to use God and others for our own betterment, our own glory, or in fulfillment of our own ideas.

🐢🐢🐢… 10 minutes left ....🐢🐢🐢

Gospel:

SAW TODAY: SAUL = BAD KING to FOLLOW...

RASH…DRASTIC & THOUGHTLESS ACTIONS...

TREATING OTHERS POORLY…NOT CONSIDERING THEM...

SAUL WASN’T WILLING to FOLLOW THROUGH on COMMITMENTS

I’M SO THANKFUL WE HAVE the OPPORTUNITY to SERVE A BETTER KING...

KING WHO ISN’T RASH....WHO KNOWS BEGINNING FROM END

NOT RECKLESS… “LAMB SLAIN B4 FOUNDATION of WORLD”

KING WHO LOVES US…GIVES US BETTER THAN WE DESERVE...

Romans 8:32 ESV

32 He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things?

KING WHO PERFECTLY FULFILLS HIS PROMISES....

🐢🐢

GOD DOESN’T LIE.... & HE PROMISED ETERNAL LIFE as OUR HOPE BEFORE AGES BEGAN....

YOU CAN ENTER INTO COVENANT WITH KING JESUS TODAY...

PLACE YOUR FAITH in THE SAVIOR…BELIEVING HE DIED for YOU… & WAS RAISED..

PROFESS HIM to BE LORD: CREATION & YOUR LIFE....

YOU CAN BE SAVED & FOLLOW THIS KING WHO IS SO GOOD....

TODAY: SAUL WAS GOING to KILL JONATHAN…BUT PEOPLE INTERCEDED & RANSOMED HIM...

& YOU CAN HAVE the SAVIOR INTERCEDING FOR YOU PERFECTLY TODAY…IN RELATIONSHIP W/ ALMIGHTY GOD…TODAY..

**IF YOU DON’T HAVE ASSURANCE or HAVE QUESTIONS…TALK to US AFTER SERVICE...

🐢🐢🐢… 4 minutes left ....🐢🐢🐢

Takeaways:

Learn about God?

GOD DOESN’T LIKE FEELING USED.

SAUL WENT THROUGH OUTWARD RELIGIOUS MOTIONS W/ HEART FAR FROM GOD....

PERSONALLY, I BELIEVE GOD’S SILENCE WAS DIRECTED TOWARDS SAUL, NOT BECAUSE of JONATHAN...

Learn about Us?

BE CAREFUL in WHAT WE SAY,, MAKING VOWS/OATHS...

NT TEACHING: YES BE YES & NO BE NO....DON’T MAKE VOWS.

GOD DOESN’T APPRECIATE OUR OUTWARD RELIGIOUS ACTS WHEN HEARTS ARE FAR AWAY FROM HIM...

🐢🐢🐢🐢🐢🐢

Application:

CLOSING: “Are you ONE WHO IS USING, OR ONE WHO IS USED?”

DO YOU USE OTHERS & FORGET THEY’RE PEOPLE MADE in IMAGE of GOD??

DO YOU USE GOD/RELIGIOUS ACTIVITY for YOUR OWN GOOD/PERSONAL BENEFITS??

SAUL WAS LIVING FOR HIS OWN GLORY & NAMESAKE...

DOING THINGS HIS WAY...

USING GOD/RELIGIOUS THINGS WHEN CONVENIENT....A FORM W.O. POWER...

🐢🐢

LOOK OVER YOUR LIFE…WHERE’S YOUR HEART?

IS YOUR HEART to BE USED BY GOD? OR IS HE JUST SOMETHING YOU’VE ADDED to MAKE YOUR LIFE BETTER??

DO YOU USE OTHERS FOR PERSONAL BENEFIT?? OR do YOU LOVE THOSE CREATED in GOD’S IMAGE??

🐢🐢

IF YOU DESIRE to BE USED BY GOD....THEN USE THIS REMINDER...

BEGAN W/ TOOTHPASTE EXAMPLE…AND DAILY WE BRUSH our TEETH…AND I WANT YOU to USE THIS NATURAL EXAMPLE to REMIND YOURSELF of YOUR DESIRE to BE FULLY USED by GOD...

IS GOD GOING to GET HIS MONEY’S WORTH OUT of YOU?…OR ARE YOU GOING TO TRY & USE GOD & OTHERS INSTEAD?

WHO ARE YOU SERVING…SELF or GOD??

Close in prayer