Seek Ye The LORD!
Notes
Transcript
A. Rapport for the time
Have you ever pursued something that you thought you really desired only to find that it was empty in the end and not at all what you thought you were gonna get?
B. Reading of the text
Will be done at the beginning of the service.
C. Relevance of the text
Conclusion: Beloved you have been made clean by the great high priest who desires that you walk in his ways in obedience. You have been saved by grace through faith and the Lord holds you this very day not because of what you can be for him but because of his great mercy toward you a sinner. He asks that we finish the race in view of what he has done making our lives a testimony to the goodness of God!!
D. Review of the text
14 If you will fear the Lord and serve him and obey his voice and not rebel against the commandment of the Lord, and if both you and the king who reigns over you will follow the Lord your God, it will be well.
15 But if you will not obey the voice of the Lord, but rebel against the commandment of the Lord, then the hand of the Lord will be against you and your king.
If you remember with me last week Samuel laid out an convincing case against the Israelites that they had sinned against God in asking for this king(little k) because in the request for the king they desired to be like everyone else. HEAR ME!! God picked out Abraham all those years ago to set aside a nation that did not even exist yet to make sure they were different forever. The God we serve works with sinners such as us that others would pronounce judgement upon and say never will that person or simply there is no way that person could ever be loved by God.
7 For one will scarcely die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die—
8 but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
9 Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God.
T.S. The people have been told to choose this day what they will do light of their sin but still fail to fully see. God through his mouth piece Samuel decides to show his Power put on Display.
I. Power on Display
I. Power on Display
16 Now therefore stand still and see this great thing that the Lord will do before your eyes.
17 Is it not wheat harvest today? I will call upon the Lord, that he may send thunder and rain. And you shall know and see that your wickedness is great, which you have done in the sight of the Lord, in asking for yourselves a king.”
I think we need to understand the deep mercy and love of the Lord. You have a people in the Israelites who have absolutely sinned against God but God has not abandoned them. There is more than one person in this place today that needs to hear that this morning. (REPEAT)
God desires that his people walk faithfully with him, he is a jealous God. He has laid out the directive and now puts himself in front of them to show them the Power that only God has as Lord over all of Israel despite the peoples desire for a king.
vs. 16 watch this. Oh, how many time have we heard a child say watch this? This is no child this is Samuel the priest, prophet, judge telling God’s people to watch what is about to happen. Make no mistake you might have been barely listening to the Lord but you are about to have your ears opened by him.
vs. 17—wheat harvest time is Mid-May/Mid-June. The conditions around that time are extremely dry
1 Like snow in summer or rain in harvest, so honor is not fitting for a fool.
Rain just does not happen during this time. It would be like you scheduling a trip to Hawaii in May and landing in shorts only to find 6 inches of snow on the ground when you arrive. Just doesn’t happen, never.
Exposition
“This particular manifestation of divine power serves as a reminder of the curse of the broken covenant, a destructive force that would bring ruin to the disobedient in place of blessing. In the spiritual realm, sin disrupts life and threatens death, just as a natural anomaly brings destruction to crops. Samuel argues that such a sign will intensify the Israelites’ perception of the enormity of the offense they have personally given to the Lord in asking for king.
God has chosen to get the people’s attention once again and is driving them to a deeper understanding of who HE is in their life. God wants his people to see their sin in light of his Holiness and will do what is needed.
T.S. Having the power put on display brought about the Fear of the Lord
II. Fear of the Lord
II. Fear of the Lord
18 So Samuel called upon the Lord, and the Lord sent thunder and rain that day, and all the people greatly feared the Lord and Samuel.
Isn’t it something that the people who have known Samuel since he was a boy with Eli still fail to fully understand. On this day in the middle of what is their dry season God brought Thunder and rain from the heavens to let the people know that no king but the King of Kings has ultimate power.
God’s power put on display brings fear to sinners hearts.
There is no doubt that if the Lord appeared in this very room today we would all be struck with the Fear of God in a mighty way instantly. We often describe the fear of the Lord is a soft way by saying this is a reverential fear but on this day I think the fear they feel in this moment goes beyond that don’t you?
7 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction.
1 My son, if you receive my words and treasure up my commandments with you,
2 making your ear attentive to wisdom and inclining your heart to understanding;
3 yes, if you call out for insight and raise your voice for understanding,
4 if you seek it like silver and search for it as for hidden treasures,
5 then you will understand the fear of the Lord and find the knowledge of God.
10 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is insight.
11 For by me your days will be multiplied, and years will be added to your life.
12 If you are wise, you are wise for yourself; if you scoff, you alone will bear it.
13 The end of the matter; all has been heard. Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man.
28 And he said to man, ‘Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom, and to turn away from evil is understanding.’ ”
9 “And you, Solomon my son, know the God of your father and serve him with a whole heart and with a willing mind, for the Lord searches all hearts and understands every plan and thought. If you seek him, he will be found by you, but if you forsake him, he will cast you off forever.
30 And because of him you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, righteousness and sanctification and redemption,
T.S.
III. Faith and Fear
III. Faith and Fear
19 And all the people said to Samuel, “Pray for your servants to the Lord your God, that we may not die, for we have added to all our sins this evil, to ask for ourselves a king.”
The people of Israel had asked Samuel to do this before.
8 And the people of Israel said to Samuel, “Do not cease to cry out to the Lord our God for us, that he may save us from the hand of the Philistines.”
Just before they had requested a king. Don’t miss the fact that when the people see just how great their sin is before God and the fear of God finds them they need someone to intercede on their behalf. In their repentance they ask for Samuel to seek the Lord for their fear drives them to the request.
30 The next day Moses said to the people, “You have sinned a great sin. And now I will go up to the Lord; perhaps I can make atonement for your sin.”
31 So Moses returned to the Lord and said, “Alas, this people has sinned a great sin. They have made for themselves gods of gold.
32 But now, if you will forgive their sin—but if not, please blot me out of your book that you have written.”
33 But the Lord said to Moses, “Whoever has sinned against me, I will blot out of my book.
33 Who shall bring any charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies.
34 Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised—who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us.
35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword?
Beloved, we find the love of God in the fear of the Lord.
Sin—Wrath—debt—payment—life
This is our desperate need for something greater than ourselves. Fear has driven me to my faith. But Samuel says to not fear.
20 And Samuel said to the people, “Do not be afraid; you have done all this evil. Yet do not turn aside from following the Lord, but serve the Lord with all your heart.
Do not fear
You have done evil against God
Don’t turn aside from following the Lord(this is what they did when they asked for a king in the first place)
Serve the Lord---with all you have
The Lord will direct our paths as we seek after him alone.
21 And do not turn aside after empty things that cannot profit or deliver, for they are empty.
22 For the Lord will not forsake his people, for his great name’s sake, because it has pleased the Lord to make you a people for himself.
We are in the Lord’s hands--
6 “For you are a people holy to the Lord your God. The Lord your God has chosen you to be a people for his treasured possession, out of all the peoples who are on the face of the earth.
7 It was not because you were more in number than any other people that the Lord set his love on you and chose you, for you were the fewest of all peoples,
8 but it is because the Lord loves you and is keeping the oath that he swore to your fathers, that the Lord has brought you out with a mighty hand and redeemed you from the house of slavery, from the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt.
9 Know therefore that the Lord your God is God, the faithful God who keeps covenant and steadfast love with those who love him and keep his commandments, to a thousand generations,
The Lord has called you his own and always keeps his promises.
23 Moreover, as for me, far be it from me that I should sin against the Lord by ceasing to pray for you, and I will instruct you in the good and the right way.
Samuel’s guidance before them. He had been angry with them but God set him straight so that he would remember who his worked for.
24 Only fear the Lord and serve him faithfully with all your heart. For consider what great things he has done for you.
25 But if you still do wickedly, you shall be swept away, both you and your king.”
With the end of 12 chapter 13-31 introduces Saul and the choices he will make to either listen to what Samuel has said in chapter 12 or walk his own path. Will he fear the Lord and pursue Him or will he pursue self?
21 For if God did not spare the natural branches, neither will he spare you.
22 Note then the kindness and the severity of God: severity toward those who have fallen, but God’s kindness to you, provided you continue in his kindness. Otherwise you too will be cut off.
Conclusion: Beloved you have been made clean by the great high priest who desires that you walk in his ways in obedience. You have been saved by grace through faith and the Lord holds you this very day not because of what you can be for him but because of his great mercy toward you a sinner. He asks that we finish the race in view of what he has done making our lives a testimony to the goodness of God!!
5 Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry.
6 On account of these the wrath of God is coming.