The Danger of Desires Becoming Demands (2)

What Northside is to me! Passage, Small Intro, Read Passage, Pray

What are some of the desires in your life? And how do these desires shape your demands in life? Our desires can a affect our lives in how think and react. Our desires can alter our view on life. They can distract us from following God's ultimate plan. Our desires can lead us to reject God's ultimate plan. Our desires affect our demands. Israel's desires affected their demands. Israel was not aware of their desires affecting their spiritual sight. As we study key parts of 1 Samuel 8, I want to share the process of desires affecting our demands.

1 Samuel 8

Let's start with studying their desire for a king...

1. The Desire for a King

◦ The Elders of Israel - these were people in official positions with authority. In Numbers and Exodus they addressed like a political position. They were a voice for the people and helped with leadership and decision making. They would have been older men with experience and wisdom. The root word that "elder" comes from in Hebrew means "chin" or "beard." They were an organized group, tasked with assisting in leadership.

◦ The elders were making the right decision to share the poor review of Samuel's son in Beer-sheba. They lived to profit themself. This is a small moment where the elders help in leadership and accountability. An example of this might be some of the deacons in here going to Pastor Robby and telling him that you cannot let that media guy, Noah, preach anymore. Hopefully you're not thinking that... well now I'm a little scared. The elders were starting off so well until the second sentence, "appoint a king to judge us the same as all the other nations have." The people's desires blinded them from they truly needed. They recognized the need for leadership, because Samuel's son were not cutting it. Their bright idea was a king. It is in this sentence where they missed it. The leadership that would strengthen and prosper them was/is Christ. They had missed the One who brought them out of Egypt (vs 8).

◦ Have your desires distracted you / blinded you from God's plans? Are there areas in your life where you want to be like others? In your job, friendship, relationship, family, personal life: what are your desires? Do your desires come from God's plan? (Psalm 37:4) Their desire for a king to rule them was a rejection to the King of kings. Our desires for our plan is a rejection the King of kings.

◦ Where are your desires coming from? For Israel to have this desire, means that they were looking at other countries. They were comparing themself to those around them. God has not called the Church and He has not called Christians to look around and see what others are doing. He has a plan for Northside and He has a plan for you. How about we start following God's plan rather than trying to adjust the plan for a different purpose.

◦ Just because the first plan did not end how we thought it should end, does not mean we can bring our plan to the table. The elders realized that the plan was not working, so they brought one to Samuel. Can I share something? I'm really saying this for myself, but you might need to hear it also. Exercise patience before interfering with God's plans. I know you think your answer would fix the problem right now, but I promise God sees the full picture and He will do what is best. Our desires for sin distracts from God's plan. It is a danger when our desires distract our view.

2. The Decisions of a King

◦ In response to their desire for a king, Samuel tells them about the decisions of a king.

‣ Take men for military use

‣ Men for farming

‣ Make weapons for war

‣ Women for perfumers and cooks

‣ Take your best land

‣ Take you servants and animals

‣ Everyone is a slave to the king

◦ Everyone of the characteristics became true of the the kings

◦ Their decision for a king led to 41 kings over the span of 450 years between the Northern and Southern Kingdom. Only 11 of them truly followed the Lord. 7 of those 11 forgot the Lord towards the end of their reign. "The spiritual rebellion of the kings paved the way for their captivity and defeat."(Mattoon). The people were warned about having a king. As leadership goes, so does everything else. When the king fell into sin, so did the nation. There were physical consequences for demanding a king. There were also spiritual consequences for demanding a king.

◦ The decisions of a king are very different from the KING! There was a difference between God being their King and man being their king. The difference is found in the key point to Samuel's message: "take" not give. Under God's kingship they were given security and sufficiency as long as they obeyed Him. That is pretty simple demands. Do you notice the contrast in attitudes for their demanded king? This king does not and cannot give anything to the people. He only takes what he wants. Everything they were looking for a king to provide had to come from God. Don't miss this part. They wanted to see something physical, which is a result of no faith. Because they no longer believed in the invisible, they demanded something physical that would only make them miserable. No matter how it feels to believe in the invisible, we must trust Jesus. If it feels weird or awkward sometimes, it's only awkward because we make it awkward.

◦ We find out later in history, the decisions of a king are not that great."There is a high price in getting your own way!" (Mattoon). That "high price" is a "king" taking things away from you. God also removed His security and sufficiency when they turned from Him. When we desire for other things to lead our life they will take more than you are expecting. The desires of this world will always take more joy, more peace, more time, -- will always take more of your life than you expected.

◦ Christian, church member - what is the king of your life and how much of your life has it taken?

◦ Samuel tried to warn the Israelites of their mistake and help them see the TRUE KING who was always there for them. Despite the warning, they only lusted after a king more. May we (as the Church and as Christians) never get to the place where we neglect warnings against sin and only lust after it more. As we lust after it more, it will lead us to the same attitude of Israel, where they were demanding a king.

3. The Demand for a King

◦ Look at verse 19 with me. I think verses 19-20 enhance the view of Israel's attitude. Their desire for a king has turned into a demand for a king. There is a danger of desires becoming demands. Their desires turned into a demand because they refused to listen to Samuel's Godly advice. This demand was more than just a demand for a king, but a demand to remove Christ from being the head of Israel. Christ was the One who judged (this means to lead) them. He went our before them with a divine plan. He was the One who fought their battles and gave them strength and strategy to fight.

‣ Rescued from Egypt, Red Sea miracle

‣ Battle against Amalekites (Raised Moses' Arms and Staff)

‣ Battle of Jericho where they walked around the city

‣ Battle against Amorites, given strength to fight while the sun stood still

‣ Joshua led Israel to capture many kingdoms because the Lord fought their battle (Josh. 10:42)

◦ This a short list of the battles where Israel won. Joshua knew why all of the battles were won. It was the Lord who fought their battles. Even when you get into the time of kings and study that time period, It was Christ who won the the battles and Israel who lost. Israel's demand for a king was a indirect demand to lose.

◦ Their demand for a king was a demand to remove Christ. Our demands in this world are demand to remove Christ. You cannot have the world and Christ as your king. It doesn't work. Even the NT teaches that no one can serve two masters. 1 Corinthians 10:21 says that "You can not drink the cup of the LORD and the cup of demons. You can not partake of the LORD's table and the table of demons." We can not fellowship with both. Our options are -- a demand for the world which results in he rejection of Christ OR deny the world and follow Christ. Don't let you desires become demands. Fix your desires by following Psalm 37:4.

◦ The chapter ends with God allowing their request/demand and sent the people home. This moment set in motion the plan for Israel to be "like the other nations." If you have had the chance to read or hear about history of Israel, you will see the results of having man as their king. It led to much pain, destruction, slavery, judgement. All of that from one DEMAND.

◦ Our demands can be like the Israelites where it is direct and to the point. I wonder if our demands are often discreet or deceiving. Our demand for a king can be seen where our time is spent, priorities are set, and where our life is lived. We can be demanding new king by not acknowledging Christ as our King.

◦ In Samuel's farewell to the people in Chapter 12, he shares his last message about their choice for a king. Read vs 13-15. Now look down to verse 19 with me (go through vs 25).

◦ Jesus wants to be the KING of your life. Unlike an earthly king, Jesus is not going to take things away from you. The only thing He will take from you is your sin. In return He will give you peace, joy, salvation.