The Definition of Hell

Josiah Ott

A Heart of Worship • Sermon • Submitted a year ago • Presented a year ago

1 Samuel 28:3–25

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TURN to 1 SAMUEL 28:3...

Intro: “The Result of Disobedience”

ALL of US HAVE SEEN (or BEEN) CHILDREN—DOING SOMETHING WRONG—THEN WANTING to HIDE.

HIDE the WRONG DONE

HIDE THEMSELVES

DISOBEDIENCE PUTS a STRAIN on RELATIONSHIP…CAUSES THEM to FEAR PUNISHMENT

THE SENSE of GUILT & FEAR CHANGES the RELATIONSHIP...

(Q) HAVE YOU EVER BEEN HERE?

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YOU KNOW THAT CHILDREN KNOW THEY’VE DONE WRONG WHEN THEY HIDE.

STORY: SELAH EATING PEANUT BUTTER UNDER the TABLE FROM the JAR.

**THOUGHT SHE WAS EATING BREAKFAST…SHE SLOWLY BEGAN HIDING..I KNEW SOMETHING WAS UP…SHE WAS HIDING.

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THIS EVEN BEGAN in EDEN!

AFTER FIRST SIN,, WE SEE ADAM & EVE HIDING FROM GOD.

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DIVING INTO TEXT: CONSIDER: SIN PUTS STRAIN on RELATIONSHIP W/ CREATOR.

SIN SEPARATES ALL HUMANITY FROM GOD...

UNREPENTANT SIN in BELIEVER’S LIFE CAUSES STRAIN in RELATIONSHIP.....

^^^THE RELATIONSHIP CHRIST DIED to ESTABLISH FOR US…^^^

WHILE THERE IS NO ETERNAL SEPARATION FOR THOSE in CHRIST…SIN CAN STILL BRING ABOUT a SEPARATION FROM GOD THAT WE DON’T WANT...

(T) CONSIDER THESE THINGS as WE DIVE INTO TEXT....

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Recap: “God-Conscious or Problem-Conscious”

LAST TEXT (MANY WEEKS AGO)

DAVID (CHOSEN KING) FLEEING FROM SAUL (PRESENT KING)

SAUL in JEALOUSY—PURSUING DAVID.

**DAVID RESPONDS W/ FEAR & RUNS to LAND of PHILISTINES...

DAVID FOCUSED MORE on HIS PROBLEMS THAN HIS GOD… WAS “PROBLEM-CONSCIOUS” OVER BEING “GOD-CONSCIOUS”

DAVID FLEES to PHILISTINE TERRITORY

&& CONVINCES KING of GATH THAT HE WAS THEIR SERVANT!!

WE SEE a BAD PATTERN in DAVID’S LIFE...

&& THIS ALL CULMINATES W/ PHILISTINES GOING to FIGHT ISRAEL && KING BRINGING DAVID ALONG.

DAVID IS STUCK BETWEEN a ROCK & a HARD PLACE.

EFFECTIVE LIES PUT DAVID in A HARD SPOT.

(T) TEXT PICKS UP ON HEELS of DAVID’S CONUNDRUM W/ CHANGE of SCENERY...

LOOK W/ ME @ CH. 28 VS. 3

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Text (1 Samuel 28:3-25 ESV)

Setting (v3)

1 Samuel 28:3–25 (ESV)

3 Now Samuel had died, and all Israel had mourned for him and buried him in Ramah, his own city. And Saul had put the mediums and the necromancers out of the land.

TEXT BEGINS W/ SMALL RECAP of SAMUEL’S DEATH & BURIAL

&& IMMEDIATELY REPORTS SAUL’S ACTIONS—KICKING NECROMANCERS & MEDIUMS OUT of ISRAEL.

THIS WAS GOOD.

PRACTICES WERE FORBIDDEN BY MOSAIC LAW. (DEATH PENALTY)

ISRAEL in PROMISED LAND—DISPLACING SINFUL PEOPLE-GROUPS & THEIR PRACTICES

***FOR ISRAEL: WHY WOULD YOU CONSULT the DEAD WHEN YOU HAVE the LIVING GOD ON YOUR SIDE???

SAUL GENERALLY HAS BAD REPUTATION—BUT THIS HE’S DONE RIGHT!

(T) Yet, IN the MIDST of THIS, THERE’S a PROBLEM, LOOK W/ ME @ VS. 4

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Inciting Incident (v4-6)

4 The Philistines assembled and came and encamped at Shunem. And Saul gathered all Israel, and they encamped at Gilboa. 5 When Saul saw the army of the Philistines, he was afraid, and his heart trembled greatly.

6 And when Saul inquired of the Lord, the Lord did not answer him, either by dreams, or by Urim, or by prophets.

REMEMBER: PHILISTINES PREPARING FOR WAR W/ ISRAEL…DAVID DRUG INTO IT?

TEXT SHIFTS to KING SAUL && PRESENTS BIGGER PROBLEMS FOR HIM...

--------GEOGRAPHY---------

PHILISTINES = ENCAMPED @ SHUNEM

APPROX. 6 MILES FROM GILBOA (ISRAEL)

VALLEY BETWEEN THEM

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SAUL = HORRIFIED.

PHILISTINES ALWAYS SEEMED to HAVE UPPER HAND.

BETTER ARMIES

BIGGER GUYS (SOMETIMES)

BETTER/MORE ADVANCED WEAPONRY

ISRAEL (NATURALLY) = UNDERDOGS.

^^^ONLY DIFFERENCE… ISRAEL HAS the TRUE & LIVING GOD on THEIR SIDE^^^

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&& FOR ONCE: SAUL = CONSULTING GOD!

BUT SAUL ISN’T GETTING ANY ANSWERS...

SAUL = USING AUTHORIZED MEANS..ALL LEGITIMATE WAYS of SEEKING GOD’S DIRECTION UNDER O.T. LAW

DREAMS

URIM & THUMMIM of PRIEST

PROPHETS

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BUT GOD ISN’T ANSWERING....WHY??

**NOTE PATTERN of SAUL’S CONSISTENT REBELLION AGAINST GOD.

HALFHEARTED/PARTIAL OBEDIENCE

NEVER GENUINELY REPENTANT

SUPERFICIAL,, SHOWY RELIGION WITHOUT GENUINENESS.

SAUL’S SINFUL LIFE HAS CULMINATED WITH SEPARATION FROM the GOD HE WAS SUPPOSED to SERVE & SO GOD IS SILENT...

SAUL OBEYED PEOPLE RATHER THAN GOD...

SAUL DISOBEYED GOD’S COMMANDMENT...

SAUL HAS CONSISTENTLY TRIED to KILL DAVID (BECAUSE of SHEER JEALOUSY)

SAUL HAD ALL PRIESTS @ CITY of NOB EXECUTED FOR “HELPING” DAVID...

THESE ARE JUST the THINGS WE KNOW ABOUT...

&&& NOW SAUL COMES to GOD, SEEKING HIS DIRECTION, AS IF NOTHING HAS HAPPENED???

**NOTE WHAT WE DON’T SEE:

SAUL DOESN’T COME to GOD W/ GENUINE REPENTANCE

SAUL DOESN’T TRY to GET RIGHT W/ GOD.

SAUL DOESN’T CONFESS to WRONGDOING

SAUL COMES MERELY BECAUSE HE’S DESPERATE.

FOR SAUL: OBEDIENCE to GOD & SEEKING GOD = EMERGENCY BRAKE, NOT STEERING WHEEL.

&&& BECAUSE of SAUL’S CONSISTENT SIN & LACK of RECONCILIATION W/ GOD…NO ANSWER is COMING...

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CHRISTIAN, CAN I REMIND YOU TODAY, THAT UNREPENTANT SIN CAUSES a RIFT in YOUR RELATIONSHIP W/ GOD?

NONBELIEVER HAS NO RELATIONSHIP W/ GOD = ENEMY of GOD.

BUT BELIEVERS CAN STILL STRAIN THIS RELATIONSHIP THROUGH THEIR SIN…(SCRIPTURE DESCRIBES GRIEVING the HOLY SPIRIT!)

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FORGIVENESS CAN BE FOUND.

***GOD = MERCIFUL & COMPASSIONATE…GRACIOUS....ABOUNDING in STEADFAST LOVE...

BUT WE MUST STILL ACKNOWLEDGE OUR WRONGDOING & REPENT of OUR SINS...

***IF ANYTHING HAS PUT a STRAIN on RELATIONSHIP,, IT’S ALWAYS US…GOD (HOLY) = NEVER the OFFENDER!

IF YOU’VE BEEN LIVING FAR FROM GOD ALL WEEK,, DON’T COME to HIM MERELY LOOKING FOR the “GET OUT of TROUBLE FREE CARD”

***COME WITH a REPENTANT HEART FIRST.

***MAKE THINGS RIGHT W/ GOD FIRST…B4 YOU ASK HIM to FIX YOUR PROBLEMS...

SEEK HIM FOR WHO HE IS,, BEFORE YOU SEEK HIM FOR WHAT HE CAN DO FOR YOU...

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(T) AND SO: SAUL = IN DIFFICULT SITUATION… &&& SAUL TRYING to USE GOD AS GET OUT of TROUBLE FREE CARD...

TYPICALLY WHEN THINGS GET DESPERATE THEY GET BAD FOR SAUL...

SO HOW’S IT GO THIS TIME?

LOOK W/ ME @ VS. 7

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Rising Action (v7)

7 Then Saul said to his servants, “Seek out for me a woman who is a medium, that I may go to her and inquire of her.” And his servants said to him, “Behold, there is a medium at En-dor.”

THIS = SAUL’S GREATEST COMPROMISE & FAILURE to DATE....

ROBERT CHISHOLM: IN CH. 15,, SAUL’S DISOBEDIENCE = LIKENED to SIN of DIVINATION.... && NOW SAUL = ACTUALLY DOING THAT! [1].

WE SAW (SETTING of STORY),, SAMUEL the PROPHET = DEAD.... && SAUL HAS PUT ALL MEDIUMS & NECROMANCERS OUT

**SAUL = RUNNING OUT of OPTIONS FOR GETTING REVELATION/DIRECTION ABOUT UPCOMING BATTLE...

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FOR SAUL,, DESPERATE TIMES ALWAYS CALL FOR DESPERATE MEASURES...

HE’S a MAN WITHOUT CONVICTION,, WITHOUT STANDARDS...

**THE SAME GUY WHO OBEYED the LAW in THROWING THEM ALL OUT IS NOW SEEKING THEIR SERVICES!!!

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WHEN GOD = SILENT,, SAUL RESORTS to OTHER MEANS...

SAUL DOESN’T REPENT FROM SIN...

SAUL DOESN’T SEARCH HIS HEART...

SAUL DOESN’T TRY to REMEDY RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD IN ANYWAY

WHEN GOD ISN’T HELPING,, TOSS GOD OUT.

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(Q) CHRISTIAN, WHEN YOU’VE SOUGHT GOD,, AND HE is SEEMINGLY SILENT,, GIVING YOU NO DIRECTION,, WHAT IS YOUR RESPONSE?

PERHAPS GOD = TEACHING YOU PATIENCE

PERHAPS SIN HAS STRAINED YOUR RELATIONSHIP,, && YOU NEED to STRAIGHTEN THINGS OUT.

PERHAPS GOD = ACTUALLY WAITING on YOU.

***DESPERATE TIMES NEVER CALL FOR COMPROMISE.

THESE TIMES CALL FOR SOUL-SEARCHING,, FOR PATIENT TRUST,, FOR FAITH in GOD OVER FEAR…BUT NEVER FOR FORSAKING GOD.

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SAUL TURNS INTO ISRAEL’S BIGGEST HYPOCRITE,, SEEKING the PEOPLE HE’D OUTLAWED!

WE DON’T KNOW HOW SAUL’S SERVANTS KNEW of THIS MEDIUM

WE DON’T KNOW MUCH…ALL WE KNOW is SOMEHOW SHE’S STILL AROUND & AVAILABLE...

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ONE PROBLEM REMAINS:

SAUL = TERRIFIED of PHILISTINES

&& EN-DOR = FEW MILES PAST the PHILISTINE CAMP...

***SO NOT ONLY IS SAUL TRANSGRESSING the TRUE & LIVING GOD AGAIN…BUT HE’S RISKING HIS LIFE IN ORDER to DO SO!!

(T) SO, it APPEARS at THIS POINT that SAUL is ABOUT to ENGAGE in his BIGGEST COMPROMISE to DATE, && A RISKY ONE at that.

LOOK W/ ME @ VS. 8 && SEE WHAT HAPPENS NEXT...

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More Tension (v8-9)

8 So Saul disguised himself and put on other garments and went, he and two men with him. And they came to the woman by night. And he said, “Divine for me by a spirit and bring up for me whomever I shall name to you.”

9 The woman said to him, “Surely you know what Saul has done, how he has cut off the mediums and the necromancers from the land. Why then are you laying a trap for my life to bring about my death?”

SAUL GOES THROUGH W/ CRAZY PLAN!!

SAUL DISGUISES HIMSELF:

REMEMBER,, HE’S DOING SOMETHING ILLEGAL

&& HE’S PASSING THROUGH PHILISTINE TERRITORY

SAUL COMES && ASKS MEDIUM to COMMUNICATE W/ REALM of THE DEAD...

**WOMAN KNOWS IT’S ILLEGAL & SHE’S FEARFUL,, SO SHE INITIALLY REFUSES.

(T) So, WHAT DOES SAUL DO IN RESPONSE? VS. 10 SAYS,

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Rising Action (v10-14)

10 But Saul swore to her by the Lord, “As the Lord lives, no punishment shall come upon you for this thing.” 11 Then the woman said, “Whom shall I bring up for you?” He said, “Bring up Samuel for me.”

12 When the woman saw Samuel, she cried out with a loud voice. And the woman said to Saul, “Why have you deceived me? You are Saul.” 13 The king said to her, “Do not be afraid. What do you see?” And the woman said to Saul, “I see a god coming up out of the earth.”

14 He said to her, “What is his appearance?” And she said, “An old man is coming up, and he is wrapped in a robe.” And Saul knew that it was Samuel, and he bowed with his face to the ground and paid homage.

GREATEST & WORST IRONY of PASSAGE!

SAUL SWEARS BY the LORD (YAHWEH) THAT THIS WOMAN WILL BE OKAY && NO HARM WILL COME!!

SAME GUY WHO CAN’T HEAR FROM GOD.

SAME GUY TRANSGRESSING GOD

SAME GUY WHO’S a HYPOCRITE

THIS GUY = PULLING GOD CARD to GET HER to DO THIS??

WE KNOW THAT GOD ISN’T GOOD W/ ANY of THIS!!

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WE MUST REMEMBER,, GOD IS NEVER GOOD WITH ANYTHING THAT’S REVEALED as SINFUL in HIS WORD!!

IF the WORD SAYS IT’S WRONG,, OUR OPINIONS DON’T MATTER

IF THE WORD SAYS IT’S SINFUL,, WE CAN’T PUT OTHER WORDS in GOD’S MOUTH…HE’S SPOKEN!!

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BUT SAUL SWEARS BY YAHWEH THAT SHE’LL BE OKAY,, EVEN THOUGH BIBLICALLY SHE DESERVED the DEATH PENALTY....

&& THEY GO THROUGH WITH HORRID PLAN, & SAUL REQUESTS SHE SUMMON SAMUEL

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NOW THERE’S DIFFICULTY WITH THIS:

WE WON’T GO INTO BACKGROUND of SHEOL (PLACE of DEAD) FROM O.T. TODAY...

ALL WE CAN SAY,, IS GOD ALLOWS THIS to WORK SO SAMUEL COMES BACK FROM the GRAVE AS a SPIRIT.

**FROM ALL AVAILABLE EVIDENCE THIS WAS ACTUALLY SAMUEL,, NOT SOME IMPERSONATION

DALE DAVIS: “Yahweh forbids Israel to use these means not because they do not work but because they are wicked.”[1]

**SATAN DOESN’T HAVE POWER OVER DEAD BELIEVERS...

GOD in HIS SOVEREIGN POWER, ALLOWS FOR SAMUEL to COME to SPEAK to SAUL...

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AS SAMUEL COMES,, MEDIUM SCREAMS in PANIC,, REALIZING SAUL WAS the ONE WHO CAME to HER

&& SAUL BOWS BEFORE SAMUEL,, AWAITING HIS RESPONSE...

(T) And THEN the TEXT SAYS in VS. 15....

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More Tension (v15)

15 Then Samuel said to Saul, “Why have you disturbed me by bringing me up?” Saul answered, “I am in great distress, for the Philistines are warring against me, and God has turned away from me and answers me no more, either by prophets or by dreams. Therefore I have summoned you to tell me what I shall do.”

SAUL EXPLAINS HIS DIRE SITUATION...

PHILISTINES ARE COMING

GOD HAS TURNED AWAY

I DON’T KNOW WHAT to DO...

SAMUEL…HELP???

WE KNOW SAMUEL ALWAYS SPOKE GOD’S WORDS… && WAS RELIABLE.

(T) And so, WE WONDER...in light of this whole situation, WHAT IS SAMUEL GOING to SAY now that he’s been brought out from the place of the dead with a special message for Saul?

The text goes on to say in VS. 16...

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Climax (v16-19)

16 And Samuel said, “Why then do you ask me, since the Lord has turned from you and become your enemy? 17 The Lord has done to you as he spoke by me, for the Lord has torn the kingdom out of your hand and given it to your neighbor, David.

18 Because you did not obey the voice of the Lord and did not carry out his fierce wrath against Amalek, therefore the Lord has done this thing to you this day. 19 Moreover, the Lord will give Israel also with you into the hand of the Philistines, and tomorrow you and your sons shall be with me. The Lord will give the army of Israel also into the hand of the Philistines.”

SAMUEL COMES W/ HARSH TRUTH

“If God is your enemy, what good can I do?”

SAMUEL WAS in fact, GOD’S MESSENGER AFTER ALL!!

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WHY BOTHER WITH OTHER THINGS WHEN YOUR PROBLEM is WITH GOD?!

SAMUEL’S MESSAGE:

SAUL’S SIN HAD SEPARATED HIM FROM HIS GOD...

THE KINGDOM is LEAVING

THE KINGDOM is GOING TO DAVID.

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&&&& WHY WAS KINGDOM LEAVING SAUL??

SAUL CONSISTENTLY REJECTED GOD THROUGH HIS LIFESTYLE...

PARTIAL OBEDIENCE

DISOBEDIENCE

OUTRIGHT REBELLION

LACK of GENUINE REPENTANCE

SAUL = CLASSIC EXAMPLE of BEING SORRY YOU WERE CAUGHT…NOT SORRY FOR WHAT YOU’VE DONE.

SAUL = EXAMPLE of ONE WHO WAS NEVER TRULY CHANGED.

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SAUL’S LIFE CULMINATES W/ SEPARATION FROM GOD...

CHURCH, I BELIEVE THAT SEPARATION FROM GOD = the VERY DEFINITION of HELL.

SAUL = EXPERIENCING HELL on EARTH.

CONSIDER WHAT GOD = LIKE:

GOD = GOOD

LOVE

JUST

COMPASSIONATE

GRACIOUS

PATIENT

MERCIFUL

SEPARATION FROM GOD = WORST THING YOU CAN ENDURE.

&& SCRIPTURE SAYS THAT THE FINALITY of SIN = DEATH,, SPIRITUAL DEATH,, ETERNAL SEPARATION FROM GOD

THIS IS WHAT MAKES HELL, HELL…TO BE FOREVER SEPARATE FROM the GOD WHO IS LOVE.

***SIN = SERIOUS. && ALL NEED FORGIVENESS...

**ALL SIN WILL BE PAID FOR,, EITHER BY JESUS CHRIST SACRIFICE FOR US,, OR BY OUR ETERNAL PUNISHMENT.

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AS IF THINGS COULDN’T GET WORSE FOR SAUL,, MESSAGE ENDS WITH a PROMISE OF HIS IMPENDING DEATH...

**TOMORROW,, SAUL & SONS WILL DIE in THIS BATTLE...

(T) And so, SAUL HEARS the TRUTH of SAMUEL’S WORDS and surely, he’s regretting that he sought out this medium, so HOW WILL HE RESPOND?

LOOK W/ ME @ VS. 20....

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Resolution (v20-23)

20 Then Saul fell at once full length on the ground, filled with fear because of the words of Samuel. And there was no strength in him, for he had eaten nothing all day and all night. 21 And the woman came to Saul, and when she saw that he was terrified, she said to him, “Behold, your servant has obeyed you. I have taken my life in my hand and have listened to what you have said to me.

22 Now therefore, you also obey your servant. Let me set a morsel of bread before you; and eat, that you may have strength when you go on your way.” 23 He refused and said, “I will not eat.” But his servants, together with the woman, urged him, and he listened to their words. So he arose from the earth and sat on the bed.

SAME MAN WHO TOLD MEDIUM NOT to FEAR,, NOW FILLED WITH GREATER FEAR THAN WHEN OUR STORY BEGAN....

IN FINAL ACT of DESPERATION,, SAUL PLUNGED to NEW DEPTHS of SIN...

&& SAUL = REWARDED WITH AWFUL NEWS...

**SURELY RUINED HIS APPETITE.

MEDIUM & SERVANTS CONVINCE SAUL to EAT...

(T) And now our TEXT is GOING to CLOSE in VS. 24-25 The text says,

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Conclusion (v24-25)

24 Now the woman had a fattened calf in the house, and she quickly killed it, and she took flour and kneaded it and baked unleavened bread of it, 25 and she put it before Saul and his servants, and they ate. Then they rose and went away that night.

MEDIUM PREPARES FOOD

THEY ALL EAT

SAUL DEPARTS W/ KNOWLEDGE of COMING JUDGMENT

RICHARD PHILIPPS: THIS WAS SAUL’S “LAST SUPPER.”

(T) And so, we should learn from this passage today, the idea that,

Homiletical Idea:

God’s judgment upon those who consistently reject Him is sure to come, and the greatest judgment that one can face is to be forever separated from God Himself.

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Gospel:

PROBLEM FOR ALL HUMANITY...

ALL of US HAVE SINNED && FALLEN SHORT of THE GLORY of GOD...

**JUST BECAUSE JUDGMENT = DELAYED,, DOESN’T MEAN JUDGMENT ISN’T COMING!

PASSAGES LIKE THIS REMIND US,, GOD’S JUDGMENT = SURE to COME,, EVEN IF IT’S DELAYED...

THIS = BAD NEWS FOR ALL of US...

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IN MIDST of BAD NEWS,, THERE’S GOOD NEWS.

JESUS CHRIST,, the ETERNAL WORD of GOD,, MADE FLESH,, BORE the JUST JUDGMENT of GOD 2,000 YEARS AGO ON OUR BEHALF...

JESUS CHRIST = the ONLY ONE WHO NEVER DID WRONG…THE ONLY ONE WHO DIDN’T SIN,, THE ONLY ONE WHO DIDN’T DESERVE PUNISHMENT...

THE ONLY LAWKEEPER, SUFFERED AS THE GREATEST LAWBREAKER..

HE DID THIS FOR YOU & ME.

HE TOOK OUR SIN,, OUR SHAME,, OUR GUILT,, && OUR PUNISHMENT.

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IN TEXT TODAY: WE SAW DARKEST DAY of KING SAUL’S LIFE...

DARKEST MOMENT in ALL CREATION CAME WHEN the SON of GOD CRIED OUT on THE CROSS: “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” (Mark. 15:34).

THE PERFECT FELLOWSHIP THAT HAD BEEN MAINTAINED BETWEEN FATHER & SON for ALL ETERNITY WAS BROKEN BECAUSE of OUR SIN...

JESUS NOT ONLY TOOK THE PUNISHMENT,,, BUT HE ENDURED the SEPARATION THAT YOU & I RIGHTFULLY DESERVE SO THAT WE COULD BE RECONCILED to GOD.

AND NOW WE HAVE THIS PROMISE: “that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, 39 nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord (Rom. 8:38-39).

GOD HAS PROMISED, HE WILL NEVER LEAVE US,, NOR NEVER, NO NEVER, NO NEVER FORSAKE.

AND YOU CAN BE RECONCILED to YOUR CREATOR TODAY THROUGH JESUS CHRIST.

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BY GRACE YOU CAN BE SAVED THROUGH FAITH..

THROUGH BELIEF THAT CHRIST DIED FOR YOU

BELIEVING THAT HE RAISED to LIFE AGAIN

&& TRUSTING HIM AS PERSONAL SAVIOR,,

&& PROFESSING HIM as LORD...

LORD of ALL CREATION,, & LORD of YOUR LIFE...

YOU CAN FIND FORGIVENESS && NEW LIFE in CHRIST,, TODAY.

IT’S a FREE GIFT,, THAT ONLY HAS to BE RECEIVED.

&& YOU CAN BE FREED & FORGIVEN TODAY && KNOW THAT YOU’LL NEVER EXPERIENCE ETERNAL SEPARATION FROM GOD.

C.S. LEWIS: “GATES of HELL ARE LOCKED on THE INSIDE”

NO ONE GOES WITHOUT WANTING...

HELL is THE FINAL ACT of GOD GIVING SINFUL HUMANITY WHAT THEY WANT…FOR HIM to GO AWAY.

JUST as DARKNESS = ABSENCE of LIGHT

COLD = ABSENCE of HEAT

HELL = ABSENCE of GOD…WHERE SINFUL MAN TELLS GOD to GO AWAY && GOD SAYS “SO BE IT.”

(Q) DO YOU HAVE the ASSURANCE THAT YOU WON’T EXPERIENCE ETERNAL SEPARATION FROM GOD TODAY?? FOR YOU CAN HAVE ASSURANCE TODAY...

(T) And now, in closing, I’d like to share a few takeaways with you all today,

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Takeaways:

LEARN ABOUT GOD?

1. GOD WILL SEPARATE HIMSELF FROM THOSE WHO CONTINUE in SIN...

CONSISTENT SIN BRINGS ABOUT a STRAIN in RELATIONSHIP

2. GOD HAS POWER OVER the POWERS of DARKNESS...

NOTHING HAPPENS APART FROM GOD’S PERMISSION

EVEN DEMONS BOW BEFORE HIM

IT WASN’T SATAN WHO BROUGHT SAMUEL to SAUL,, IT WAS BY GOD’S PERMISSION...

LEARN FOR US?

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App:

FOR THOSE WHO HAVE BEEN SAVED…THERE is NO SIN THAT WILL SEPARATE YOU ETERNALLY FROM GOD.

***CHRIST PAID the PRICE FOR EVERY SIN on THE CROSS && THIS IS CAUSE FOR GREAT REJOICING!

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YET, SIN & INIQUITY CAN STILL CAUSE STRAINS in THIS RELATIONSHIP...

REMEMBER,, WE CAN GRIEVE GOD’S HOLY SPIRIT...

(Q) “Christian, if Jesus died so you don’t have to be eternally separated from God, why live in such a way that you endure separation because of sin in this life?”

YOU CAN & SHOULD LIVE in CONTINUAL FELLOWSHIP WITH the CREATOR!!

The Apostle John wrote in

1 John 1:6-7, “If we say we have fellowship with him while we walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. 7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin.”

***NOTE....IF YOU FEEL YOUR PRAYERS AREN’T BEING ANSWERED....THIS DOESN’T GUARANTEE YOU HAVE SIN in YOUR LIFE....

**DON’T WANT to KICK YOU WHILE YOU’RE DOWN...

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HOWEVER, THIS is A POSSIBILITY THAT NEEDS to BE SERIOUSLY CONSIDERED.

PETER POINTS OUT in HIS LETTER: SIN in THE HOME, W/ HUSBANDS NOT TREATING WIVES RIGHT = HINDERED PRAYERS...

IDOLATRY,, WHERE WE MAKE THINGS TAKE PLACE of GOD,, OBVIOUSLY SEPARATES US FROM HIM...

***SO WE SHOULD ALL BE REGULARLY EXAMINING OUR LIVES....

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CLOSING:

BOTH DAVID & SAUL HAVE SINNED…BUT YOU CAN SEE the DIFFERENCE LONG-TERM… && THE DIFFERENCE = REPENTANT-HEART.

IN N.T.:

BOTH PETER & JUDAS DENY the LORD...

PETER FOLLOWS HIS DENIAL WITH REPENTANCE & REMORSE

JUDAS FOLLOWS HIS WITH SUICIDE.

BOTH SAUL & JUDAS PROVED THEY WEREN’T CHILDREN of GOD BY THE FINALITY of THEIR REBELLION…THEIR FRUIT PROVED WHAT KIND of TREE THEY WERE...

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YET FOR THOSE SAVED: KNOW THERE’S NO ETERNAL SEPARATION,, BUT DON’T LIVE in SUCH a WAY THAT YOU STRAIN YOUR RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD...

TURN in REPENTANCE WHEN YOU SIN

MAKE THINGS RIGHT

& MAINTAIN a RELATIONSHIP to GOD BASED ON LOVING OBEDIENCE...

AGAIN, DON’T STRAIN the RELATIONSHIP THAT CHRIST DIED to ESTABLISH.

Close in prayer

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