Holy Obedience
Pre-Lent • Sermon • Submitted • Presented
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22 Samuel said, “Has the Lord as much delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices As in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, And to heed than the fat of rams.
23 “For rebellion is as the sin of divination, And insubordination is as iniquity and idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the Lord, He has also rejected you from being king.”
24 Then Saul said to Samuel, “I have sinned; I have indeed transgressed the command of the Lord and your words, because I feared the people and listened to their voice. 25 “Now therefore, please pardon my sin and return with me, that I may worship the Lord.”
AS WE PREPARE FOR LENT: I want us to evaluate our hearts and remember a few things. Obedience is our calling, Not mere sacrifice.
22 Samuel said, “Has the Lord as much delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices As in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, And to heed than the fat of rams.
This is an essential OT truth. Samuel stated that God desires heart obedience over the ritual sacrifice of animals.
The sacrificial system was never intended to function in place of living an obedient life, but was rather to be an expression of it
We see David express this again in
16 For You do not delight in sacrifice, otherwise I would give it; You are not pleased with burnt offering. 17 The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; A broken and a contrite heart, O God, You will not despise.
Obeying God with all that we are is better than any outward act of worship. Even lent, fasting, Communion, Baptism…
Saul’s main sin was placing his will before that of God’s and then trying to place a good religious spin on it by keeping feasts and going through the motions.
Missionary Donald Stamps said that:
This will be the attitude toward sin in the culture and toward its rebellion against God that will happen in the final period before Jesus returns to the earth,
People will be set on deciding what is right for themselves, boldly rejecting the standard of truth God clearly declares in his Word. We must always remember that worship, prayer, praise, spiritual gifts and service to God are meaningless if not joined by obedience to him. True obedience is doing what God says is right
{Fire Bible: Chapter 15)}
(Mt 24:11, 24; 2Th 2:9–12; 2Ti 4:3–4; cf. 2Pe 2)
This means that we are going to see it happen, and I feel as though it is happening as we speak.
23 “For rebellion is as the sin of divination, And insubordination is as iniquity and idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the Lord, He has also rejected you from being king.”
The sin of “divination” is seeking to manipulate (control for personal gain) events, people or the future by consulting the spirits of the dead, purposful interaction with demons.
Both rebellion against God and divination are an attempt to make things work out our own way.
A rejection of God’s lordship (i.e., his leadership and authority)
The more we refuse to be obedient the more distant we are from the Lord.
(The man who complained about being cold when across the room from the wood stove)
When we choose disobedience we choose to be cold and suffer.
MacArthur Study Bible NASB Commentary
Because you have rejected … He has also rejected.
38 “For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man will also be ashamed of him when He comes in the glory of His Father with the holy angels.”
Matt 7:23 Jesus will tell some to depart from me…
This is a lot more than just being nice and serving others
24 Then Saul said to Samuel, “I have sinned; I have indeed transgressed the command of the Lord and your words, because I feared the people and listened to their voice. 25 “Now therefore, please pardon my sin and return with me, that I may worship the Lord.”
Saul was more worried about the fact that he got busted “regreat” than by sorrow over having offended holy God “repentance”. He even bypasses his personal responsibility by shifting blame to the people
… 25 “Now therefore, please pardon my sin and return with me, that I may worship the Lord.” — 30 Then he said, “I have sinned; but please honor me now before the elders of my people and before Israel, and go back with me, that I may worship the Lord your God.”
Saul was concerned about having Samuel’s visible presence as a show of support in front of the people than repenting before God.
Take Home?
How many times have we sought the honor?
we do all the right things, but do we do it for the right reason?
The first step of obedience is a repentant heart, to ask for forgiveness.
