Outward vs. Inward
Notes
Transcript
Intro
Intro
An outward example of an inward change. God does not want mere mouth service or going thropugh the motions, God wants an inward change which is then seen in an outeward change. But the problem is we can still go through the motions. We can pretend that everything is okay and go through the right actions when in reality on the inside we are not following Jesus. But not only that we need Obedience and to pay attention to the word of God. You see the thing is that though we serve God, who is omnipotent and omniscient and in control, nothing is a surprise to Him. Yet we are still held accountable for our actions. we make choices, the choices that God knows we are going to make and they are still our choices and God is still in control.
In the heart of Iran, where the government strictly controls religious activity and severely punishes Christian converts, a quiet but powerful movement has been growing. Many Iranians have come to faith in Jesus secretly—often after years of searching or through underground house churches. But with faith comes danger. Owning a Bible in Farsi—the language of the Iranian people—is illegal. Being caught with one can lead to imprisonment, torture, or worse. So, how do these believers get their hands on God’s Word?They rely on secret smuggling operations organized by courageous Christians outside Iran and brave believers inside the country.
One story comes from a man who worked with a network that sent Bibles into Iran disguised as ordinary goods. On one occasion, a shipment was packed in a large shipping container bound for a port city. Among boxes labeled “machine parts,” “textiles,” and “household items,” were several small, unassuming boxes filled with Bibles wrapped in waterproof plastic.
The risk was enormous. Iranian customs officers meticulously searched containers for anything suspicious. A single Bible found could mean the end for the smuggler or receiver.
As the container went through customs, the tension was palpable. But somehow, the boxes of Bibles went unnoticed. Officials, focused on more obvious contraband, never opened the box containing the Scriptures. Once the Bibles were safely inside, they were distributed secretly—hand to hand, house to house. One woman, after receiving her first Bible, shared, “I held it in my hands and felt God’s presence like never before. It was like the light had come into the darkness of my life.”
These Bibles have been a lifeline to thousands, bringing encouragement, teaching, and hope where government censorship tries to snuff out faith.
Iranian Christians obey the call to follow Jesus even when it means risking everything. They don’t offer sacrifices to cover disobedience — they choose faithful obedience in secrecy and hardship.
Passage Key - 1 Samuel 15:22
Then Samuel said: Does the Lord take pleasure in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as in obeying the Lord? Look: to obey is better than sacrifice, to pay attention is better than the fat of rams.
It is easy enough to obey when we are here where we have it pretty good, but what if it meant your life. But even then it is easy to hide sometimes. It is easy to sit here and sing the songs and listen to me ramble on but are we allowing the word of God to change our hearts, are we allowing to change our lives or are we just going through the motions. Obedience to the word of God is better than action.
God’s command to Saul
God’s command to Saul
we start out with a command to Saul.
Samuel told Saul, “The Lord sent me to anoint you as king over his people Israel. Now, listen to the words of the Lord.
This is what the Lord of Armies says: ‘I witnessed what the Amalekites did to the Israelites when they opposed them along the way as they were coming out of Egypt.
Now go and attack the Amalekites and completely destroy everything they have. Do not spare them. Kill men and women, infants and nursing babies, oxen and sheep, camels and donkeys.’ ”
The first thing that comes to mind is who were the amelekites and why did they need destroying?
We struggle with this one. Why would God allow the Israelites to destroy other nations. We must first remember that God used the Israelites to foulfill His will as a tool of the judgement of the nations arouind them. Though God was patient with many of them and even promsied to save many people if there where any that turned to Him, His justice demands that people not obedient and faithful to Him.
But God used judgement, like we all deserve against the nations that where consistently unrepentantly evil. We all deserve to be destroyed because of our consistent unrepentant hearts, that is until we turn to Jesus and our sin is covered by His blood.
But then who where the Amelekites?
We learn about them throughout the OT.
“Remember what the Amalekites did to you on the journey after you left Egypt.
They met you along the way and attacked all your stragglers from behind when you were tired and weary. They did not fear God.
Origin: Edomite line, descendants of Esau. Nature: Nomadic, warlike, opportunistic raiders. Biblical role: Persistent enemy of Israel. Outside the Bible, there’s little direct archaeological evidence of the Amalekites, likely because they were nomadic and left minimal permanent settlements. In Jewish tradition, they became a symbol of relentless opposition to God’s people
they would attack vulnerable settlements or traveling groups for plunder. Archaeology from the broader region (southern Canaan / Negev) shows that neighboring peoples—especially Phoenicians and some Edomites—practiced ritual killing of children as part of fertility worship. Since the Amalekites were nomadic raiders without a centralized city-culture, their religious practices would have been adopted from surrounding peoples, making such sacrifices plausible. As fierce enemies of Israel who worshipped other gods, they likely participated in the same pagan rites.
Needless to say they were a not very nice people and due to the judgement of God they where going to be punished for what they had done, or at least that was the goal God gave Saul.
The wages of sin is death, the penalty for not obeying the word of God is the justice and vengance of the Lord God. But the thing is we are not always called to understand, or to have all the answers but we are called to trust and obey. as Saul was
Saul Disobeys
Saul Disobeys
Saul was told to not spare any of the Amalekites. again, remember that this is something that was due to the judgement of God on the nations. Think of what the AMalekites had been doing and that God is a God of Justice and grace. but the first thing we see Saul do is number the troops. The sin this time is not in the numbering of the troops.
Then Saul summoned the troops and counted them at Telaim: two hundred thousand foot soldiers and ten thousand men from Judah.
The sin was also not in the warning of the Kenite people.
He warned the Kenites, “Since you showed kindness to all the Israelites when they came out of Egypt, go on and leave! Get away from the Amalekites, or I’ll sweep you away with them.” So the Kenites withdrew from the Amalekites.
This was not disobedience but the grace of God to people that had showed kindness to the Israelites in the past. The Kenites go back to Moses father in law, and where part of the midianites. You see this is proof that God shows kindness and grace to those that have turned to Him, or feared Him giving them a chance to tuirn to Him. But the AMalekites had no desire to turn to God.
the sin was in their unwillingness to follow the instructions of God.
Then Saul struck down the Amalekites from Havilah all the way to Shur, which is next to Egypt.
He captured King Agag of Amalek alive, but he completely destroyed all the rest of the people with the sword.
they were unwilling to do all that God had commanded. and God spoke to Samuel. what He said sometimes confuses us and it needs some looking into.
“I regret that I made Saul king, for he has turned away from following me and has not carried out my instructions.” So Samuel became angry and cried out to the Lord all night.
Did God change his mind? did He make a mistake in selecting Saul? did Saul really have a chancve at all?
This phrase is what is considered Anthropopathic. I had to look this one up because I had no idea what it meant.
Anthropopathic
Anthropas = Human
Pathos = emotion or feeling
It is a fancy word used to describe the concept of a figure of speech where Scripture describes God as having human feelings, passions, or emotional responses — not because He literally experiences them in the same way we do, but to communicate His relationship with us in terms we can grasp. Stresses God’s personal involvement and covenant love, even though He is not bound by fluctuating human moods.
God is not unreactive or emotionless in his relation to us but dynamic. God is sovereign an all knowing, this was not a surprise to Him, yet to show how He relates to us in regards to or obeying or dispobeying Him this is what the scriptures give us. Relating to us in a way that we understand. Saul was still guilty for his actions for His actions were His own.
SAaul tried to stand up for Himself though and said he did follow the Lord.
“But I did obey the Lord!” Saul answered. “I went on the mission the Lord gave me: I brought back King Agag of Amalek, and I completely destroyed the Amalekites.
The troops took sheep, goats, and cattle from the plunder—the best of what was set apart for destruction—to sacrifice to the Lord your God at Gilgal.”
He thought it would please God to modify His plan. This is where the whole key passage comes into play. God wants our obedience. He doesnt just want outward actions, like sacrifice and offerings for Him. He wants hearts that follow Him with all that we are.
Then Samuel said: Does the Lord take pleasure in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as in obeying the Lord? Look: to obey is better than sacrifice, to pay attention is better than the fat of rams.
There is no such thing as partial obedience. Someone once said partial obedience is really only disobedience made to look acceptable. What is needed is internal worship, confession of what we have done wrong. Praising God for what He has done for us.
There is a danger in disrespecting the word of God. What are we doing to obey the word of God.
The consequences
The consequences
The chapter ends with the consequences of what Saul had done.
Saul answered Samuel, “I have sinned. I have transgressed the Lord’s command and your words. Because I was afraid of the people, I obeyed them.
Samuel replied to Saul, “I will not return with you. Because you rejected the word of the Lord, the Lord has rejected you from being king over Israel.”
A few times Saul asked if He could be forgiven for what He had done wrong. Saul may have been forgiven, it does not really trewll us. But the consequences where there. And there are consequences for our disobedience is well.
For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
the consequences of a life lived in disobedience to God is not mere death, but spritiual death. Eternal seperation from God.
For it is written, As I live, says the Lord, every knee will bow to me, and every tongue will give praise to God.
So then, each of us will give an account of himself to God.
even as followers of Jesus our actions, though they may not seperate us from God, we will be held in account for what we have done. We will have to give an acocunt of ourselves nd how we have obeyed God. But the Lord is gracious to forgice what we have done if we turn our lives to Jesus. And that is where the main point of this comes in.
Allow Jesus to change your heart which will then change your Actions
Allow Jesus to change your heart which will then change your Actions
Saul lacked obedience, which is an outward action. But the reality of this comes from a heart problem. For we can fake an inward heart change by outward actions while in the presence of others, at least for the time being.
we can go through the motions, we can pretend everything is alright when really our hearts are far from God. So the first step in obedience is giving ones heart and sould to Jesus. He has died for your sins so that we could have freedom in Him. Our response needs to be to give our lives to Him. When we do this our outward actions will change to honor God with our lives.
We are not saved by what we do, but what we do is a sign that we are saved by the grace of God.
When this happens we walk in obedience to God and what He has called us to do. So then we wal;k in obedience to God because of a changed heart. Then as a followr of Jesus if our actions have not changed, or we are struggling to change our actions, then bring it to God and ask Him to change your heart.
Then we walk in obedience even when it is hard to do.
I have a friend who pastored a church. Him and the board upon praying for the will of God for the church felt God leading them to hire an associate pastor. You see the need was there for someone to take over the youth ministry as it was seeming to grow beyond what the volunteers could handle. So they prayed about it and obeyed the leading of God by budgeting for an associate with money they didnt think they had. God provided the pastor, God provided the money, and God blessed them for their obedience.
What about htough when obedience is hard. what about in couintries where obedience ot God means taking your life into your own hands? aRE YOU WILLING TO OBEY THEN?
what about in scvhool for you people still in school?
How hard is it to walk with Jesus in a place were you could be mocked for your faith. It is much easier to take a stand for your faith when times are easy but what about obedience even in the face of ridicule?
We are caleld to worship God with our hearts and minds and actions. We sometimes respond to Saul putting the blame on everyone else for what we have done wrong. But we are caleld to copme to Jesus, ask forgiveness for what we have done and turn our lives to Him.
