Sermon Tone Analysis

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.

hhhh

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.

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.