The Journey Forward
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A. Rapport for the time
Remembering to Forget
How are we to move forward as a christian in God’s kingdom?
Sanctification by the Spirit of God in our life to live a life that is pleasing before the Lord.
B. Reading of the text
Read Passage...
C. Review of the text
7 But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not look on his appearance or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him. For the Lord sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart.”
David anointed king in but it would be some 15 years before he would actually be king of Israel. The journey from a shepherd boy to the King of Israel would be an amazing journey forward.
Reminder—The text of 1 Samuel is written to help us understand the context and sometimes seems to be out of order. What happens in this passage today would seem to be after the event of David and Goliath but for our understanding of what God wants to teach us the order does not matter.
D. Relevance of the text
We said last week that the rest of 1 Samuel is fleshing out 1 Samuel 16:7. As we look at this passage together this morning I pray we see what an empowered leader with the Spirit of God can accomplish for the Kingdom and at the same time see the foolishness of being against God.
T.S. To camps this morning.
I. Saul's Struggle Starts
I. Saul's Struggle Starts
1 Samuel 16:14-16
Perhaps you can emphasize how Saul's torment signifies the absence of God's Spirit, urging listeners to reflect on the importance of divine presence in our lives. By acknowledging Saul's distress, you could illustrate the need for us to seek God's guidance during personal turmoil and transitions. This sets the stage for understanding that only God's Spirit truly empowers us for life's challenges.
14 Now the Spirit of the Lord departed from Saul, and a harmful spirit from the Lord tormented him.
15 And Saul’s servants said to him, “Behold now, a harmful spirit from God is tormenting you.
16 Let our lord now command your servants who are before you to seek out a man who is skillful in playing the lyre, and when the harmful spirit from God is upon you, he will play it, and you will be well.”
Verse 14 is a doosy of a verse don’t you think?
Just as a reminder to us all the Spirit of God would come upon people in the OT to perform a specific task. The Holy Spirit would not indwell people until the NT and the finished work of Jesus Christ as he would send the helper on the day of Pentecost in Acts.
For Saul he has had the Spirit come upon him at different times in 1 Samuel
6 Then the Spirit of the Lord will rush upon you, and you will prophesy with them and be turned into another man.
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.
6 And the Spirit of God rushed upon Saul when he heard these words, and his anger was greatly kindled.
Both events were not for Saul specifically but instead to show that God had his hand on Saul. The Holy Spirit is not around for party tricks but instead works as to a testimony to the power of God.
David in the passage last week..
13 Then Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the midst of his brothers. And the Spirit of the Lord rushed upon David from that day forward. And Samuel rose up and went to Ramah.
From that day forward: telling you that David may be but a shepherd but God has huge plans that will need his guidance and direction by the Spirit of God and therefore will not leave David.
The part of verse 14 that is concerning to our heart is the works...and a harmful spirit from the Lord tormented him.
The Lord can have not part of evil but he is sovereign over his creation sets the borders on what Satan can do. We know this from various Scriptures.
23 And God sent an evil spirit between Abimelech and the leaders of Shechem, and the leaders of Shechem dealt treacherously with Abimelech,
19 And Micaiah said, “Therefore hear the word of the Lord: I saw the Lord sitting on his throne, and all the host of heaven standing beside him on his right hand and on his left;
20 and the Lord said, ‘Who will entice Ahab, that he may go up and fall at Ramoth-gilead?’ And one said one thing, and another said another.
21 Then a spirit came forward and stood before the Lord, saying, ‘I will entice him.’
22 And the Lord said to him, ‘By what means?’ And he said, ‘I will go out, and will be a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets.’ And he said, ‘You are to entice him, and you shall succeed; go out and do so.’
23 Now therefore behold, the Lord has put a lying spirit in the mouth of all these your prophets; the Lord has declared disaster for you.”
6 Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan also came among them.
7 The Lord said to Satan, “From where have you come?” Satan answered the Lord and said, “From going to and fro on the earth, and from walking up and down on it.”
8 And the Lord said to Satan, “Have you considered my servant Job, that there is none like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, who fears God and turns away from evil?”
9 Then Satan answered the Lord and said, “Does Job fear God for no reason?
10 Have you not put a hedge around him and his house and all that he has, on every side? You have blessed the work of his hands, and his possessions have increased in the land.
11 But stretch out your hand and touch all that he has, and he will curse you to your face.”
12 And the Lord said to Satan, “Behold, all that he has is in your hand. Only against him do not stretch out your hand.” So Satan went out from the presence of the Lord.
Beloved their is not battle going on between good and bad in which we all are hoping that God will be victorious in the end. We do not serve a God with limits to what he can do. In this passage what we learn is that God is able to accomplish his will through allowing evil to torment Saul as a judgment upon him for his lack of obedience.
A tormenting spirit that caused severe mental or emotional disturbance to Saul. (Not that we know exactly what happened but can gather this from what would happen to Saul when the events occured to him.)
1 Samuel—Looking for a Leader The Problem: The Departure of the Spirit (vv. 14, 15)
The word “evil” in this context should not be understood in moral terms but rather as an indication of the misery, distress, and harm this spirit or mood will cause Saul. The “evil” (in this sense) that this condition brought to Saul came from God. In a different context Job recognized the hand of God behind the harm that came his way: “Shall we receive good from God, and shall we not receive evil?” (Job 2:10). Unlike Job, however, Saul’s suffering was a consequence of his being rejected by God.
vs. 15 & 16
The people around Saul recognized that this was a harmful spirit from God and desired to bring relief to Saul in someway.
T.S.
II. David's Divine Deployment
II. David's Divine Deployment
1 Samuel 16:17-19
You could underscore how God's plan unfolds as David is brought into Saul's court, highlighting the seemingly ordinary moments that God uses for His extraordinary purposes. Emphasize how God prepares us for leadership and influence in unexpected ways. This could inspire your audience to trust in God's timing even when they feel overlooked or under prepared.
17 So Saul said to his servants, “Provide for me a man who can play well and bring him to me.”
18 One of the young men answered, “Behold, I have seen a son of Jesse the Bethlehemite, who is skillful in playing, a man of valor, a man of war, prudent in speech, and a man of good presence, and the Lord is with him.”
19 Therefore Saul sent messengers to Jesse and said, “Send me David your son, who is with the sheep.”
What a coincidence we have in these verses don’t you think? You have David invited by Saul! The one that has the Spirit of God upon them is invited by the one who just lost the Spirit and now has a bad spirit tormenting him. Saul is seeking relief from his current situation by asking the one who has the Spirit for help. Isn’t it wonderful to read scripture and see how God works? I know it is often hard in our own lives to see things until after the fact but what a great God that shows us his ways in his word. This is not a “coincidence” at all this is the hand of God in his Sovereignty over that which he created.
III. Peace Through Presence
III. Peace Through Presence
Maybe focus on the power of God’s Spirit as David’s music soothes Saul, illustrating how God's presence brings peace amidst chaos. You could suggest that God's chosen ones bring His peace to troubled places, just as Jesus, the ultimate King, redeems and restores. This point would reinforce how we can impact others positively when guided by the Spirit.
20 And Jesse took a donkey laden with bread and a skin of wine and a young goat and sent them by David his son to Saul.
21 And David came to Saul and entered his service. And Saul loved him greatly, and he became his armor-bearer.
22 And Saul sent to Jesse, saying, “Let David remain in my service, for he has found favor in my sight.”
23 And whenever the harmful spirit from God was upon Saul, David took the lyre and played it with his hand. So Saul was refreshed and was well, and the harmful spirit departed from him.
Imagine if David goes into the house of Saul and says well I guess you know your days are numbered and i’m going to be King. Boy did you mess up or what! I’m never gonna make that mistake and mess up like you did!
David a shepherd boys from the house of Jesse that last week was worried that Samuel had come to visit to harm them find himself heading to be in the presence of the King. Jesse doesn’t send David without something to honor the king because he hold the position that God has placed him in at such a time as this.
Instead, what we have is David coming ready to serve in whatever way God wants to him to serve and actually being a blessing to Saul.
vs. 21 Saul loved him greatly..WOW!
This is not going to be the Saul that we see as the rest of 1 Samuel unfolds but for now God has placed King David in the court of King Saul. And Saul loved David.
vs. 22 found favor..
Favor—approval or liking. Unfair preferential treatment.
vs. 23
David comforted himself by the Spirit of God provides a comfort to Saul who is desperate for a comfort he can’t even fully understand.
Application:
How do we as God’s beloved view this passage and what does it say to us?