Trust and Obey

1 Samuel 15

Intro:

If preaching expository sermons (straight through books of the Bible) wasn’t one of our core values... today would be one of those days when I'd definitely skip a few verses.

1 And Samuel said to Saul, “The LORD sent me to anoint you king over his people Israel; now therefore listen to the words of the LORD. 2 Thus says the LORD of hosts, ‘I have noted what Amalek did to Israel in opposing them on the way when they came up out of Egypt. 3 Now go and strike Amalek and devote to destruction all that they have. Do not spare them, but kill both man and woman, child and infant, ox and sheep, camel and donkey.’ ”

Everything in me wanted to ignore what we just read, especially on the Sunday after Easter!

But I can’t do that. I don’t get to do that.

Because He’s God.

So instead, as I sought the Lord, these verses that were I admit, a stumbling block for a moment, but became an encouragement. And I pray you have the same experience today (mainly because these three verses make up way more of my sermon that I had intended).

For the defining truth of life is this, His ways are always right and true — even when we don’t fully understand them, even when something inside me doesn’t like them.

So right out of the gate this morning, we have to deal honestly with a hard but important reality: the just wrath of God.

To start, we need to understand the Amalekites. Years earlier, Exodus 17 tells us that when the Israelites were weak and weary after coming out of Egypt, the Amalekites had ambushed them from behind — attacking the stragglers, the vulnerable, the tired. It was a cowardly and brutal assault. And God had declared back then that He would bring justice to the Amalekites for what they had done, but, it’s important to see that in His mercy, He gave them time.

But they take advantage of His patience, and in Numbers 14, they do it again. And then throughout the book of Judges, they continue to attack God’s people over and over, and in Esther, it’s the Amalekite people who we find plotting genocide against God’s people.

In fact, the Amalekites were so historically associated with the slaughter of God’s people, that during World War II, many Jews in concentration camps referred to the Nazis as “Amalekites.”

So, when you think of this people, that’s a good scope of reference. These were Nazis. A wicked people, who plotted genocide against those whom God loved, and who bread violent hate that continued being passed on from generation to generation and would continue doing so without direct intervention from God Himself.

And God promised that intervention would occur, and in these opening verses, it’s time for the intervention, it’s time for the Amalekites reign of Nazi terror to end, once and for all.

And so God delivers to Saul a command that was both clear and sobering.

As we consider this command of God, it’s important to understand some things, first:

God is just, and He will punish sin.

When we think about justice, our minds often go straight to fairness — making sure that wrongs are made right. But with God, justice isn't just a concept; it’s part of His character. He is justice.

The Amalekites’ evil hadn’t slipped past God’s notice. God’s justice might seem delayed to us, but it’s never forgotten. Sin will not simply evaporate into thin air. God, in His holiness, must deal with it — and He will, either through His judgment or through His mercy poured out on a substitute.

Romans 2:6-8 speaks to these two options:

Romans 2:6–8 ESV

He will render to each one according to his works: to those who by patience in well-doing seek for glory and honor and immortality, he will give eternal life; but for those who are self-seeking and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, there will be wrath and fury.

God is holy, perfectly and completely holy. And perfect holiness, not only embodies perfect love, but also perfect justice. Wickedness, cannot be ignored.

Every wrong, will be avenged, every evildoer will pay the price of his wickedness, unless a loving Savior bears that price on his behalf. And because God is Love, that option has been made available to all men and women through Christ.

Now, I would assume that most everyone in this room agrees with that premise thus far, but that still doesn’t fully address the uniqueness of these verses, where those who had not yet sinned are punished by God, and thus, we need to also understand that:

God does not view sin in our timeline.

We live inside time. But God sees all of history at once.

We know life, and time, only in the measure of seconds, minutes, hours, days, months and years. We see reality, as only that which has happened up until now. But time, was created by God for man, He is not bound by it, nor does He dwell within it.

2 Peter 3:8 ESV

But do not overlook this one fact, beloved, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.

I’ll be honest — I don’t fully understand all of that.

The implications of what we’re talking about are far beyond what my limited mind can comprehend. So you can imagine, I definitely didn’t understand it as a kid.

In fact, the whole idea of time and eternity, used to freak me out.

I remember sitting in church, hearing a pastor talk about how one day we would sing praises to the Lord for all eternity — and I’m over here thinking,

"Man, we’re only 30 minutes into this service and I’m already bored out of my mind!"

Then the sermon would wrap up and we’d sing Amazing Grace, and when we hit that line:

"When we’ve been there ten thousand years, bright shining as the sun, We’ve no less days to sing God’s praise than when we first begun..."

I remember feeling almost sick to my stomach. Ten thousand years — and we’re just getting started?

I couldn’t wrap my head around it. It honestly terrified me.

But here’s the reality: those beautiful words are just scratching the surface of something far more glorious than we can imagine.

In eternity, we won’t measure life in minutes or years. We will not live inside time the way we do now — we will simply be.

Joy, worship, presence — they will be experienced fully, all at once, without end, without boredom, without decay, without bounds.

Time will no longer hold us; it will simply give way to everlasting life in the presence of God.

And that brings us back to this hard moment in Scripture.

When we read about God judging a people — even the youngest among them — we have to remember: God sees what we cannot see, because He sees all of time, all at once.

He sees the whole story, beginning to end. He knows every soul, every choice, every path — not just what is, but what would be.

And so, just as He did in the days of Noah when He flooded the earth, and wiped out all of it’s wicked inhabitants, God brought judgment on the Amalekites — a people whose wickedness had filled the land and would have only continued generation after generation.

Now, while I don’t want to minimize what scripture says in this text, because I recognize that God’s justice is perfect, His knowledge is complete, and His ways are always right — even when we can’t see or understand them yet. I do believe that there are a couple of details in this text that reframe it, a bit:

The nature of a “City”

In the Ancient Near East, a "city" (Hebrew: עִיר, ʿîr) was often a fortified military center, not necessarily an urban area like modern cities. The “city” served as a barrier to the roads that led to the surrounding community.

Thus, Villages and farms were outside the city walls. The city itself was often primarily military or political in function — it’s where leaders lived, soldiers were stationed, and key defenses were organized.

Archaeological evidence supports that most people lived rurally, not inside the fortified cities. Fortified cities were crucial for controlling trade routes, defending territory, and serving as administrative hubs.

When a city fell in battle, the destruction was typically of the military-political infrastructure, not necessarily of a massive civilian population center.

In his book The God I Don’t Understand: Christopher Wright explains:

“The destruction of the Canaanite cities was not the obliteration of entire populations in modern terms. The key military centers—the small fortified cities of the petty Canaanite kingdoms—were wiped out. But clearly not all the people, or anything like all the people, had in actual fact been destroyed.” (The God I Don't Understand, p. 85–86)

The second detail to understand is found in:

2. The language or merism

​The phrase in 1 Samuel 15:3—“man and woman, child and infant, ox and sheep, camel and donkey”—is often interpreted by scholars as a form of ancient rhetorical language known as merism, where two contrasting terms are used to represent the whole. This kind of language was common in ancient Near Eastern literature and served to emphasize totality without necessarily implying that every individual in every category was included.​

We still use merism today when we say things like:

We worked night and day to finish the project. (This doesn’t mean we literally worked non-stop through day and night)

The event was for all people,  young and old. (We aren’t saying is was literally for babies and elderly, but all people.)

There are a lot of examples of merism in our culture, and in the context of 1 Samuel 15:3, the point is, “go to that fortified city, and wipe it out completely.” We don’t know who was actually in that city, and the point of the command isn’t to specify who is there, but to illustrate the command to destroy it completely, this doesn’t mean that all of the people are utterly wiped out from the entire region, and scripture actually tells us that:

For despite God’s command in this chapter, we read later in 1 Samuel 27:8 that David and his men went up and made raids against, among others, “the Amalekites”! The Amalekites, whom Saul had destroyed, appear again in 1 Samuel 30:1. 

And this same story plays out with Joshua and the Cannanites. So there are multiple evidences in scripture that this kind of command doesn’t result in a total annihilation of a people, but of it’s leaders and military infrastructure.

The command God gives isn’t go destroy Washington D.C. it’s more like, go wipe out the Pentagon.

Now, while those two details perhaps shed some light on God’s intent, I think there is a greater reality, that provides far more comfort than these historical details.

And that’s the reality that God is not only just — He is unbelievably merciful.

And I use that term “unbelievably” intentionally, because apart from the miracle of God opening our eyes to His glory, we could not believe how patient, gracious and merciful He is.

And because that is true, when I read these verses, I do not have to fear, because I don’t doubt God’s provision for the young child. And I say that not in the historical abstract, but as one who has full confidence that the child that my wife and I lost in the womb through miscarriage almost 17 years ago, has only ever known the presence of the Lord.

How can I say that, while also acknowledging the truth of this chapter? The same way David would 30 years later when he and Bathsheba lose a baby, and David’s response is found in

2 Samuel 12:23, where a mourning father says confidently:

2 Samuel 12:23 ESV

I shall go to him, but he will not return to me.

David said those words confidently, in the midst of grief and judgement, because he knew the heart of God.

Throughout Scripture, we see the character of God on display. Yes, He is just, but He is also merciful, compassionate, and tender toward the weak, the vulnerable, and the defenseless, and the child.

Jesus Himself said, "Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these" (Matthew 19:14).

All men are born under the curse of Adam’s sin, and because of this, we cannot be regenerated without God’s merciful intervention, we cannot see truth unless He opens our eyes.

However, nowhere in scripture does man give an account based on the inputed sin of Adam, scripture says we will give an account based on our own works.

Thus, I fully believe that every baby, every child not yet old enough to discern truth, and every individual whose special needs limit their ability to understand, are swept up in the mercy of God’s grace.

And again, this isn’t biased on the basis of my lost child and my special needs son, but I believe scripture tells us this. Consider the story found in Deuteronomy 1:

The people of Israel stood on the edge of the Promised Land, the place God had pledged to their ancestors. But when the time came to enter, fear and rebellion consumed their hearts. They doubted God's promises and refused to move forward, even after everything He had done to rescue them from Egypt.

Because of their stubborn disobedience, God declared a hard sentence over that generation: they would wander in the wilderness for forty years, and not one of the rebellious adults would set foot in the land of blessing. "Not one of these men, this evil generation, shall see the good land that I swore to give your fathers," God said.

But in the midst of that judgment, there was a striking exception.

God looked at the young children — the little ones who were too young to have chosen rebellion, too young even to fully understand right from wrong, and God said, they would not share in their parents' fate.

"Your little ones, who you said would become prey, and your sons, who this day have no knowledge of good or evil, they shall enter the land. I will give it to them, and they shall possess it."

The children would not be judged for the sins of their fathers. They would grow up, and in time, inherit the land their parents had rejected. Their lack of understanding — their innocence — marked them for mercy, not wrath.

And so I trust, that not only will I one day meet the child who didn’t have the opportunity to experience life on earth, and in many ways, I will also meet the son I do have and I will know him without the brain injury that limits his understanding on this side of eternity.

And I also trust, that if children did in fact perish as a result of their parents sins in 1 Samuel 15, then this was an act of incredible mercy, for instead of continuing the paths of their fathers and their fathers before them, and sealing their fate of judgement, they instead were chosen by God to enter into His presence (I believe this).

So, understanding nature of our just and faithful God, we know His commands are good and merciful, and thus the judgement that Saul is about to bring upon himself:

God gives this command and Saul gathered the army. Before striking, he showed mercy to the Kenites, which was God’s will, warning them to leave the Amalekites because they had shown kindness to Israel during the exodus.

Once they withdrew, Saul launched his attack, striking down the Amalekites.

But, Saul was not obedient to God. Although commanded to devote everything to destruction, he and his men spared Agag, the king, along with "the best of the sheep, the oxen, the fattened calves, and the lambs — all that was good." Saul destroyed what he deemed invaluable, and he kept what he felt would benefit him.

And so that night, the word of the Lord came to Samuel with deep sorrow: 

"I regret that I have made Saul king, for he has turned back from following me and has not performed my commandments." 

It’s worth noting that the term here for “regret” is similar to the term “repent.” But when God repents, its different. R.C. Sproul writes:

"God’s repentance is not like man's. God is immutable (He does not change), and He cannot change His mind or His will the way we do. When Scripture speaks of God's repentance, it is describing a change in His actions toward men, according to their change in relation to Him, not a change of His eternal purpose."

Samuel was angry, he had been so hopeful regarding Saul, and he cried out to the Lord all night.

Early the next morning, Samuel went to find Saul, who greeted him cheerfully: 

"I have performed the commandment of the Lord." 

But Samuel heard the truth in the air: 

"What then is this bleating of the sheep in my ears and the lowing of the oxen that I hear?"

Saul doesn’t miss a beat, and he quickly starts blaming the people, claiming they spared the animals "to sacrifice to the Lord your God." 

“You see, it’s not my fault, and actually my sin is good anyway, because it’s for God.”

Samuel won’t hear this nonsense and he simply says Stop! I will tell you what the Lord said to me this night." 

Then Samuel delivered God's verdict: although Saul once thought himself small, God had made him king over Israel and sent him on a mission. 

"Why then did you not obey the voice of the Lord?"

Still, Saul protested: "I have obeyed!" 

It’s always easier to dig in than to give in and trust God.

But Samuel says 

"To obey is better than sacrifice, and to listen than the fat of rams." 

Because Saul had rejected God's word, "He has also rejected you from being king."

Finally, Saul confessed: "I have sinned." 

But then he immediately pleads with Samuel to honor him before the people. Samuel turned to go, but Saul grabbed at his robe — and it tore. Samuel turned and declared, 

"The Lord has torn the kingdom of Israel from you this day and has given it to a neighbor of yours, who is better than you."

Saul again pleaded, and Samuel relented enough to return with him before the people. But the matter of King Agag remained. Samuel commanded that Agag be brought to him.

The Amalekite king approached, hoping for mercy, saying, "Surely the bitterness of death is past." But Samuel declared, "As your sword has made women childless, so shall your mother be childless among women." And Samuel executed Agag "before the Lord in Gilgal."

Afterward, Samuel went to Ramah, and Saul returned to his house in Gibeah. They did not see each other again, though Samuel mourned for Saul.

Originally, I wasn’t scheduled to preach this morning — Ben was. But after some conversations, we decided it would be better for Ben to preach next Sunday, as we recognize and celebrate the team that’s preparing to plant a new church in Pittsburg this August.

Before we take that time to celebrate together, there were some things on my heart that I wasn’t quite sure how to share — at least, I wasn’t sure where or when. But this week, as I studied today’s passage, I realized something: everything I wanted to say — and even some things I hadn't thought of — are right here in this text.

So this morning, for the final portion of this sermon, I am going to do something a little different. I want to share a few takeaways from this story. And I want to offer them as encouragement, and as Godly wisdom for two groups: two churches:

First, for the new church being planted this August. You’re filled with anticipation and vision for the wonderful things God will do. But you’re probably also carrying some uncertainty, knowing that this road will bring both unexpected graces and unexpected challenges.

Second, for the sending church. You’re about to take a bold step of faith — sending out about 40% of your people and, with them, about 30% of your budget. That’s no small thing.

In this text, God speaks a timely word to both groups. And the first word is this:

Partial Obedience = Disobedience (vv. 9, 19-20)

God began stirring amongst our church, long before we were one church. And when we began discussing a merger, a conviction for gospel multiplication was one of the key distinctives we shared, specifically, a desire to plant in Pittsburg. And on a two day retreat this summer, that heart was confirmed and a commitment made amongst the leaders of this body.

And now, it’s time. It’s time to answer the call of God, and as the day draws closer, so does the reality of what faithfulness costs.

Saul had a clear call, but he looked around at what he could gain if he was only “partially obedient” and in doing a half measure, we was deemed unfaithful.

In the same way, I understand now why churches talk about planting until they have 200 people in the sanctuary, and then they decide “well, how about just send money to church plants instead.” Because the reality is, what you’re going to do this summer, is incredibly beautiful, and incredibly costly.

And selective obedience can easily be disguised as “strategic ministry,” but we are not going to prioritize human wisdom over God’s clear direction.

Trusting God means obeying Him fully, even when it costs us. For in doing so, our faith is tested.

Do we actually believe this is all God’s

And do we trust Him to do good things?

Secondly, in this story we’re reminded that:

Obedience Is Better Than Sacrifice (v. 22)

“To obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed is better than the fat of rams.”

Church planting is prim real estate for sacrifice. Everyone understands going in, that your time, talent and treasure are going to be needed like never before.

The new church can’t depend on old money to keep the lights on, everyone has to be all in from the outset. A new church can’t depend on a deep bull-pen, but everyone has to be all hands on deck when it comes to serving.

And a new church, can’t ignore the call to outreach. There will be block parties and missional endeavors that require everyone to be all in on serving the community where God is forming this new work.

But hear me on this. All of that is good, but, none of it is ultimate.

The truth is, sacrifice is easy when you’re excited. When your dreams are fueling you and you anticipate your vision coming to fruition in a fresh way.

But what about when that doesn’t happen, what happens when you’re disappointed?

What happens when your dream runs up against Gods?

Because I promise you, that is going to happen at some point.

And in that moment, head the word’s of Samuel, obedience is better than sacrifice.

God has a plan, and it’s better than yours, and certainly better than mind, both here, and in Pittsburg.

Delight in the Lord, and trust Him, especially when it’s hard.

And when it gets hard:

Fight the Urge to Blame (v. 15, 21, 24)

Saul made a big mistake, and instead of owning it, he blamed others, then eventually he blamed his “fear” or, “his feelings.”

It’s difficult to enter into the tension of our desire and God’s will, because they almost never align completely. Big picture, we want what God wants, it’s His vision that called us to it. But when the rubber meets the road, our flesh will rear it’s head. Fear of losing out, fear of not being noticed, fear of not being honored, fear of losing control…all of these insecurities, will cause us to make mistakes, and will result in tension.

But, if Jesus Christ walked out of that tomb, then our mistakes are no longer ultimate.

Here is my simple advice to leaders and church members alike, it’s a word that I have shared with our elders multiple times, and I believe it will be of benefit to Pittsburg and here alike.

Be lead apologizers.

When your instinct is to blame, to gossip, to undermine, to attack...instead, sit with Jesus and reflect, and let your first question be “is there ANY wrong in me in this scenario.”

If you ask that question sincerely, you’ll get an answer, which is often why we don’t.

In almost every conflict, there is SOMETHING, that I could have done different, and to enter into tension as a lead apologizer, is to thrown holy water on a spark. To not check myself, and lead with blame, is more equivalent to gasoline.

Be slow to blame others, and be quick to show mercy, and unlike Saul, be quick to repent and own your sin…God is merciful and gracious to help those who know they need it.

Closing:

As we close this sermon morning, I want to encourage you that in the story of Saul’s failure, we’re reminded of a powerful truth—one that has deep implications for both the church plant in Pittsburg (whose name will be unveiled next week) and Rooted Church.

Saul’s fall is filled with tension: a king who started well, yet succumbed to pride, disobedience, and the desire for public approval. When Saul asked Samuel to “honor me before the people” (1 Samuel 15:30), he exposed the deeper problem of his heart: he cared more about his image in the eyes of others than about the state of his relationship with God.

For us, this same temptation is ever-present. It’s easy to get caught up in the desire for a polished image—the perfect Instagram posts, a perfect worship service, growing numbers. We want people to see success, to recognize that we’re doing something worthy of attention.

But let’s be clear: God is not impressed by image. He’s not looking at how we present ourselves to the world; He’s looking at our hearts.

This is where Saul’s fall becomes a warning and a profound opportunity for the church. Saul’s public failure and rejection were not the end of God’s redemptive story. In fact, they paved the way for the rise of David, a man after God’s own heart, who would bring about God’s ultimate plan for Israel.

God’s rejection of Saul, and all the tension that led up to it, gave way to the establishment of a king who, though imperfect, would lead Israel toward a deeper understanding of God’s covenant and bring forth the line of David, from which the ultimate King—Jesus Christ—would come.

For the church plant, this serves as a reminder that disappointments, setbacks, and moments of failure are not the end of the story. If we are faithful and authentic in seeking God’s will, even when things don’t unfold the way we imagined, God can use those very moments to shape us for something far greater. In the same way that God used David’s rise from the ashes of Saul’s downfall to bring about His greater redemptive plan, God can take our humble, authentic beginnings and shape them into something powerful for His kingdom.

And so, the final implication we must take from this text is that:

God desires a clean heart more than a public image (V.30).

Saul’s plea to be honored before the people is a stark contrast to the humble heart God desires in His leaders. The temptation to focus on appearances—how we look to the outside world—is strong, but it’s the authenticity of our hearts that matters most to God, and frankly, it’s what matters to those He calls.

The truth is, the church has changed a great deal in the last decade. Ten years ago, if your church had great music, good coffee, cool social media and a great website where your sermons were streamed, then you were doing something unique and appealing.

But like everything else, the newness fades, and now everyone does those things.

And so today, what people are looking for, is not innovation, but authenticity.

A church that is built on authenticity, not on image, will endure even in weakness. It will weather the storms of disappointment, failure, and the inevitable challenges that face God’s people. A church that seeks God above all else, that values obedience and humility over external success, will become a beacon of light to the world, no matter how many people are in the seats or how many followers we have online.

God doesn’t need us to build the perfect church.Christ already did that.

He is not looking for perfection in image. He’s looking for obedience, authenticity, and a heart that desires to serve Him above all else.

And just like David, whose heart was aligned with God’s purposes, we can trust that God will bring about His redemptive plan, even in the midst of failure, hardship, and imperfect beginnings, if we keep our eyes on Him.

Let us pray to that end.