“Saul is Rejected” - 1 Samuel 15

In a recent study conducted by ChristianMingle.com, Christian singles between the ages of 18 to 59 were asked, "Would you have sex before marriage?" The response? Sixty-three percent of the single Christian respondents indicated yes.

In response to this survey, Kenny Luck wrote:

In my 30 years of youth and adult ministry experience, this is as unfiltered, direct and honest as a question and answer can be. In practice, [Christian young adults have become] sexual atheists. In other words, God has nothing to say to them on that subject of any consequence or, at least, anything meaningful enough to dissuade them from following their own course of conduct. It is the ultimate oxymoron. A person who at once believes in a wise, sovereign and loving God who created them and all things, can also believe simultaneously he should not, cannot or will not inform their thinking or living sexually.

Disobedience. What a topic for us today. It happens a lot, it happens to many of us, and it happens by us... does it not? Much of our problems today is a result of disobedience. Oh we are not just talking disobedience to God, but also governing authorities, general everyday authorities, laws, policies, church authorities, bosses, parents, and even street signs. More important for us today. Disobedience is at a premium in the church today, but believe it or not, we try to justify it by making sacrifices. Well I was not very obedient this past week, but I’ll spend sometime making it up to God, by doing good works…by sacrificing money, time and energy. I am disobedient as a young person doing what I want, but I will make it up to God when I get older. Sure I kinda stepped on him, but I will make it up to him somehow. When we do not obey, we try to make it up with sacrifice… by giving up something. Sure I disobeyed the laws of God to get rich, but I’ll make sure I give 10 percent to the church to square it with the Lord. In our story today, we see some who are living in disobedience, but will make some sacrifices to give the impression that they still are Christians… why are you a Christian? I made lots of sacrifices for Christ in my life. Have we experienced this? Have we done this? What is the end result of this? What happens to us? Do we think that we can do anything to make up for our disobedience? 9 times out of 10 it is in the form of a sacrifice. We will look further into this in our passage today.

Have we done this? What is the end result of this? What happens to us? We will find out in our passage today.

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We had witnessed a tremendous display of faith by Jonathon and his armor bearer. Jonathan’s trust in the Lord brought victory to the people of Israel. Though Saul’s foolish vow caused serious trouble for the people, in the end the Lord would be glorified. And now a task given to Saul by the Lord to fulfill the promise of God to Moses to bring judgment upon the Amalekites for attacking Israel on their way from Egypt. Attacking the weak and weary in the back. Bring Vengeance upon them. Destroy them all. Leave nothing behind…just like it will be for the enemies of Christ. Revelation.

It is time for the Lord to bring vengeance upon the Amalekites for what they did to the people as they came up from Egypt. Go and completely destroy the nation killing absolutely everything. Saul had victory, destroying everything… except for the king Agag and all the best of the cattle and essentially everything they wanted. They destroyed all that was worthless to them. The Lord was sorry that he made Saul king for he refuses to obey the Lord. Samuel went to see Saul and Saul came out to him in good spirits and a warm welcome. Samuel asked him why he was hearing all the sounds of cattle if he indeed obeyed the voice of the Lord. Saul lied and made excuses. Samuel rebuked him for his insolence stating, “Obedience is better than sacrifice.” Saul admitted that he was afraid of the people and begged for forgiveness. Samuel refused to go back with Saul, to honor him, for he saw his superficial repentance. He asserted to Saul that the Lord is not like man, as you may think. He does not lie nor will he change his mind! But he urged Samuel to honor him and return with him. Samuel finally agreed. The final scene was Samuel executing the king of the Amalekites, who Saul should have killed. Samuel went home and deeply mourned for Saul. His kingship and descendants will not be king, for his line was rejected after the disobedience with the former sacrifice. Now Saul himself is rejected by God.

1 Samuel 15:22–23 NLT

But Samuel replied, “What is more pleasing to the Lord: your burnt offerings and sacrifices or your obedience to his voice? Listen! Obedience is better than sacrifice, and submission is better than offering the fat of rams. Rebellion is as sinful as witchcraft, and stubbornness as bad as worshiping idols. So because you have rejected the command of the Lord, he has rejected you as king.”

The grass withers, the flower fades, but the Word of our God stands forever.

1. Supremacy of Obedience

2. Superficial Repentance

3. The Obedience of Christ

The first thing we will look at today is the wonderful supremacy of obedience… in other words, the best way is to obey. The second thing is the problem of superficial repentance…in other words, I’m sorry, but not really. Finally, we will see that we can have hope even though we disobey and superficially repent, because our hope is in the obedience of someone else.

Thesis statement: Though sin and its corruption continue to lead us to continued disobedience, it is the obedience of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ who has brought us to himself as His people giving us righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit and true faith and true repentance leading to life and life more abundantly.

I. The Supremacy of Obedience

I. The Supremacy of Obedience

- The Best Way is to Obey

A. The real issue in this whole text is obedience. Saul was told to enact total destruction but he did not. He again disobeyed for selfish reasons. He did not love God, but loved himself. It’s like he continues to hear the command from God and then decides the extent of right and wrong for himself.

B. Just incase you might try to decide the right and wrong of what I mean by everything… Do not spare anyone including the king. But Saul decides. I tend to obey most of the Scriptures, but there are just some that I don’t like so I don’t obey those. But I obey most of them. I know that it is the voice of God, but come on… look at all of this stuff. He really can’t mean it. If He does, He is whack. It is a different time now. Our society is a time of options… you choose…you decide. You pick and choose what you like or dislike. Change the color, the skin, the background, your method of payment. We can personalize everything. Your way. This whole Christianity thing needs better customer service…better options.

C. He also had the nerve to pretend that nothing was wrong when Samuel came. And then He lied. And then He started to blame the people. Like Adam blamed Eve.

B. Samuel’s first question, about the cattle and Saul said but I did do what I was commanded we kept the good stuff to be sacrificed later. But all of the animals are here… Are you going to stand there and tell me that you are really going to sacrifice? Are you just saying this because you just got busted? Is it like a child who goes to the fridge to get something they are not supposed to have and when you catch them… they say “I was just bringing this to you.”

C. Samuel’s second question about the voice of God … and Saul again declared his obedience again. I did obey God, but it was the people who brought up all of the spoils of war. They were going to give it to your God (Startling)

D. The third question… But Samuel replied, “What is more pleasing to the Lord: your burnt offerings and sacrifices or your obedience to his voice?

your burnt offerings and sacrifices or your obedience to his voice?

E. Is the Lord Ok with partial obedience? NO! Partial obedience is not obedience. It is disobedience. You cannot obey God halfway. Almost right is wrong. Do we think so little of the Lord to think that the Lord would be OK with our partial obedience? Christianity slapping.

F. To obey is better than sacrifice…period! To listen to God than your offerings. Your obedience than your superficial and formal worship of Me is what I want. Christianity slapping.

G. Dr. Davis - Samuel negates sacrifice not absolutely but relatively; he is saying that formal worship cannot be substituted for obedient life, external devotions for internal submission. Your Gloria Patri, Apostles’ Creed, Christian luncheons, and all-star Bible conferences—none of these matter unless you are keeping Christ’s commandments.

H. In other words… it is not OK for you to live a disobedient life all week long and just show up on Sunday to worship and expect it to be all better. I will sacrifice living for myself for a day to offer to God my time worshipping. For one hour today, I will worship Him with everything I got. This is not OK. Obedience is better than sacrifice. Stop with the Christianity slapping.

I. Did you also know that Rebellion… to rebel against God. To disobey Him is the same as divination, witchcraft…more specifically consulting with evil spirits, seeking power from spirits, necromancy, seeking the psychic. So I did not obey Christ last week so what … at least I’m not a satanic witch or medium. Think again. And remember that this sin is a capital crime… punishable by death. Stop with the Christianity slapping.

J. Also...Did you know that arrogance or presumption is the same as Idolatry? In our arrogance in deciding what is right and wrong for ourselves, which laws we follow and which ones we don’t we may not realize that we are in the same boat as someone who worships other gods. This is the epitome of Self-interest. And partially obey because we slap Christianity on it and therefore it is OK

K. This is the supremacy of obedience. Disobedience today is still a serious issue. And we today suffer from partial obedience… which is no obedience at all. We have to be people with an undivided heart. This is what the Lord requires.

Psalm 86:11 NLT

Teach me your ways, O Lord, that I may live according to your truth! Grant me purity of heart, so that I may honor you.

L. - Teach me your way, LORD, that I may rely on your faithfulness; give me an undivided heart, that I may fear your name.

M. With our whole heart we worship Him everyday… not just Sunday. We give Him everything, every time and in every way. Every truth and every bit of Scripture… the truth the whole truth and nothing but the truth. Stop with merely slapping Christianity on it to make it appear to be full obedience.

N. No more behaving like we want, doing what we want and coating it with Christianity. And justifying it with a sacrifice of praise to God. As long as we can someway, somehow mix God into it, it is all OK. It is more than just a superficial exterior. Putting on a act. Acting like a Christian. Like Saul was acting nice and righteous when Samuel came to see Him and continued to do so even when confronted. God sees our heart. He knows. Let us not deceive ourselves today. All disobedience, rebellion, arrogance, bitterness, hatred, deception, and unbelief. All of this is worthy of all death and condemnation. Even if you put a Christianity sticker on it. Disobedience is just as wicked and the most wicked thing that could be done. Let us no longer reject the Lord by rejecting His voice like Saul did. Second...

II. Superficial Repentance

- I’m sorry, but not really

A. Saul asked for a quick fix. A failure to see the seriousness of his sin. There will be no way to simply put a Band-Aid on it. He apologized for it all, but the reasons were not for the right reasons. The Lord had rejected him and now he became desperate. Look at what he wanted from Samuel…for him to return with him to Gilgal so that he could save face with the people as their king.

B. Look at the passage in depth later… Saul was not sorry because he disobeyed the command of God. We saw that earlier with all of the excuses. Samuel turned from Saul but Saul grabbed Samuel and tore his robe, and Samuel declared that the Lord had taken the kingdom from him. Frightening…yes.

C. But understand that Saul’s real concern was not to receive forgiveness because he sinned against the Lord, but to be forgiven because he wanted his position back. This is why his concern was for Samuel to go back with him. It affirms his kingship … honor me just once more. This will make me look bad in front of the people. It would be political suicide. I do not want the people to know that the Lord has rejected me. Don’t let everyone else know that I was rejected. Now we can see the real dynamic here.

D. It was over. As it will be for those of us in the same boat. Those of us whose repentance is superficial. Those of us more concerned about position rather than obedience. More concerned about going to heaven than to be with Jesus. Seeing heaven as our eternal life insurance policy of eternal joy and pleasure. Those of us who desires right living for the sake of selfish gain. Repentance to be honored.

E. If serving Jesus will get me all that I want… I will serve Him. (If we serve Jesus for something… we will serve the devil for more) Sure I will repent. I will do whatever He wants. Here, like Saul, our hearts are on display. I will repent so that I don’t lose what I have in life. Are we really sorry because we disobeyed God or are we sorry because we don’t want the consequences? Don’t want to lose our kingdom?

III. The Obedience of Christ

- The perfect obedience that brings us life and life more abundant.

A. The truth is… many of us do this. How far we have fallen. Believers and unbelievers alike. Disobedience is one this that is glaringly wrong with us and now we see the reality of its destruction. It destroys us.

B. How important this is…and how short we fall from doing it. Why do we not obey? We see how important it is and yet we do it and probably will do it even after church today. Did we not learn today that God demands obedience for life?

C. If you don’t obey then you cannot have life in Christ. None what so ever.

D. In order to have life, there must be obedience. But we don’t. So are we doomed? Yes.

E. But seeing this is why we can rejoice today. Obedience was accomplished by Christ. And He got life for us.

John 4:34 NLT

Then Jesus explained: “My nourishment comes from doing the will of God, who sent me, and from finishing his work.

John 4:34

2 Corinthians 5:21 NIV

God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

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Then Jesus explained: “My nourishment comes from doing the will of God, who sent me, and from finishing his work.

F. For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

G. His obedience is put on our account. Therefore we have life not because of what we have done, but because of what He has done for us. There really was obedience. This is the Gospel of Jesus. We were saved by obedience, but not ours. We had none, we could get none, But Christ has so much more.

H. Jesus died for our sins according to the scriptures

I. The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance

J. Today we cry out for an undivided heart and that is what He promises.

Ezekiel 11:19–20 NIV

I will give them an undivided heart and put a new spirit in them; I will remove from them their heart of stone and give them a heart of flesh. Then they will follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws. They will be my people, and I will be their God.

K. I will give them an undivided heart and put a new spirit in them; I will remove from them their heart of stone and give them a heart of flesh. Then they will follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws. They will be my people, and I will be their God.

L. Today… we sing Glory Hallelujah. Jesus is Lord. He did what Saul could not do… nor any other king. He obeyed the Father perfectly. Therefore, He is our King... and always will be… now and forevermore.