The Heart of Righteousness

Text: 1 Samuel 28:1–25

INTRODUCTION

Imagine this: your Wi-Fi goes down, your GPS won’t load, and your phone won’t connect to anyone. You're stranded, confused, and desperate. Now imagine your spiritual signal is down—God isn’t answering your prayers, your heart feels dry, and you don’t know what to do.

That’s exactly where Saul finds himself in 1 Samuel 28.

The Philistines are closing in. David is now walking with the enemy. Samuel, the prophet, is dead. And when Saul calls on the Lord… silence. Instead of waiting or repenting, Saul does the unthinkable—he visits a witch.

This chapter is a stark warning and a sobering lesson. It’s about what happens when we try to get spiritual answers without spiritual righteousness. Saul had position, title, and history with God—but not a heart of righteousness. And in the end, that was the difference between his downfall and David’s destiny.

Point 1: Righteousness Begins with a Right Heart

(Verses 1–6)

Explanation

David, though compromised in his own way, is still navigating tension with a heart that seeks God. Saul, however, is unraveling. When he sees the Philistine army, he’s afraid—and rightly so. But fear is not the problem. The problem is where he turns in his fear.

Verse 6 says: “And when Saul inquired of the Lord, the Lord did not answer him.” Why? Because Saul’s relationship with God had been hollowed out by years of disobedience.

Righteousness is not about being religious or having a title—Saul was still “King.” But his heart had long since drifted from God. Without repentance, his prayers went unanswered.

Illustration

Think of it like this: having a gym membership doesn’t make you healthy. Showing up doesn’t mean you’re lifting weights. And calling yourself a Christian doesn’t mean you’re living righteously.

Saul was still going through the motions, but his heart was out of alignment. His righteousness was external—what God wanted was internal transformation.

Application

Where do you turn when fear hits? When you don’t hear from God, do you press in with faith—or give in to compromise?

A heart of righteousness doesn’t panic when God is silent. It remains pure, humble, and obedient. Don’t just ask God for answers—seek Him for alignment. Righteousness begins not in what you say to God—but in how you live before Him.

Point 2: Righteousness Cannot Be Manufactured Through Compromise

(Verses 7–14)

Explanation

Saul is desperate. So he looks for a medium—the very kind of person he once outlawed in obedience to God! Now, in contradiction to his own decree and God’s command, Saul disguises himself and sneaks into darkness.

What’s worse? He swears by the Lord’s name to protect the witch as he engages in blatant sin.

This is the tragedy of spiritual compromise: when we try to use God’s name to justify disobedience. Saul wants guidance—but not from God’s methods. He wants results—but not through righteousness.

Illustration

This is like a student trying to get a good grade by cheating and still asking for the teacher’s blessing. Or a couple living in sin while asking God to bless their relationship. It’s spiritual insanity—wanting the fruit of righteousness without the root of obedience.

We see this today in cultural Christianity:

Quoting Scripture while living in contradiction to it.

Asking God to bless habits, relationships, or choices He already called us to surrender.

Trying to “hear from God” without walking with Him.

Application

Is there an area in your life where you’re trying to get godly results through ungodly means?

A righteous heart doesn’t make backroom deals with sin. It doesn’t cloak disobedience in spiritual language. It comes clean. If you want the voice of God in your life, you must walk in the ways of God.

Point 3: Righteousness Requires Obedience, Not Just Emotion

(Verses 15–25)

Explanation

Samuel’s spirit speaks a haunting truth: “The Lord has turned from you… because you did not obey.” Saul's problem wasn’t that he didn’t know what to do—it was that he repeatedly refused to do it.

Even after hearing the truth, Saul is filled with fear, but it doesn’t lead to repentance. He falls to the ground. He refuses to eat. He’s devastated. But emotion isn’t the same as obedience.

A righteous heart doesn’t just feel bad about sin—it turns away from it.

Illustration

Think of Judas and Peter. Both betrayed Jesus. Both were overwhelmed with guilt. But Peter wept and returned to Jesus. Judas regretted it—but never repented. Emotion alone isn’t enough. Righteousness is proven in our response to truth.

Saul heard from Samuel—but instead of repenting, he just ate dinner and went on his way to die the next day.

Application

When God convicts you, how do you respond? Do you feel bad… or do you change? Do you cry… or do you come back to God?

God is not looking for dramatic emotional displays—He’s looking for surrendered hearts. A heart of righteousness listens, responds, and obeys.

CONCLUSION

Saul’s life ends in tragedy—not because he wasn’t chosen, not because he wasn’t used by God—but because he lacked a heart of righteousness.

He inquired of the Lord—but lived far from Him. He sought answers—but ignored obedience. He showed remorse—but never repentance.

The difference between Saul and David wasn’t perfection—it was direction. David sinned too, but his heart always turned back to God.

So what about you?

Are you going through the motions while your heart drifts?

Are you asking for God’s blessing on something He’s already told you to surrender?

Are you full of regret, but empty of repentance?

Today, you don’t have to end like Saul. You can choose a heart of righteousness—a heart that obeys, trusts, and honors God even when it's hard.

Psalm 34:15 – “The eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and His ears are attentive to their cry.”

May we be those whose hearts beat not for position or performance, but for the righteousness that comes through surrender and obedience to the living God.