Sermon Tone Analysis

Intro: Today we’re gonna finish up the portion of scripture that focuses on Saul’s reign as King of Israel

Recap: God gives Saul very clear command, He commanded Saul to completely wipe out the Amelikites for their wicked dealings with the children of Israel 400 years ago…and God says wipe them out! yet Saul only choses to partially obey, he destroys all the the lowly things but choses to keep the best of the sheep and Oxen and most importantly, the king (Agag) alive and take them back to camp

This would be the last straw for God who would eventually say “I regret making Saul king over Israel” and this showed the broken heart of God over the sinfulness of Saul and the people

Now, Samuel no doubt was tired because he had been weeping and crying out to the Lord all night, yet he makes the 15 mile journey to Carmel to speak with Saul, yet Saul is a different picture all together…He’s so proud of what he’s done, he’s built and monument for himself, and when he says Samuel he says “blessed be you to the Lord, I have preformed the Lord’s commandment” (v.13)

Now, Samuel no doubt was tired because he had been weeping and crying out to the Lord all night, yet he makes the 15 mile journey to Carmel to speak with Saul, yet Saul is a different picture all together…He’s so proud of what he’s done, he’s built and monument for himself, and when he says Samuel he says “blessed be you to the Lord, I have preformed the Lord’s commandment” (v.13)

Thats called “self-depiction” - When pride and compromise leads you to have a in accurate account of yourself

Then Samuel says “Why then do i hear sheep and oxen?” (v.14)…in other words Saul had been found out

(Pr

(Prop) So what we’re gonna see today Is God rejecting Saul as king...

The layout:

1 sam 15:15-

1 sam 15:15

Notice 2 words “They” and “We” Saul says “They...the people brought the spoils” and then he lumps himself in with the spiritual ones “We devoted the rest to destruction” here’s a picture of Saul being unwilling to take responsibility for the sin he has commited…this is the 2nd time he has blamed the people for his decision

Now, the rest of this passage lays out as if it’s a real court room trial:

Samuel states the charges v.17-19

Saul gives his defense v. 20-21

Samuel give the verdict v.22-31

Judgment day v.32-35

Theme: The need for true repentance

The charges v.17-19

Samuel states the charges v.17-19

So Saul has been caught in his sin…and Samuel is waiting for a response...We’re gonna pick it up from here and continue to see why Saul had grieved God so much...

Here’s the question: How does Saul respond to getting caught?

Notice a couple of things Samuels says here...

(17) though you are little in your own eyes - In Saul’s life, theirs perhaps no clearer flaw then the one of insecurity - With his Son, With David, with the people…insecurity is the source of things like jealousy and pettiness, and sinful behavior…but this statement is what insecurity is in a nut shall “he had a inferiority complex

Did he need too? no…because anointed him

This sounds real spiritual…but thats not Godly humility at all

During that time when He was little…God was big…his commandments were big…now some time has Past, Saul authority has grown and his pride with it

App: understand insecurity is the opposite to whsats really needed in our lives…Godly humility

Godly humility is having biblically accurate estimation of who you are - I’m Flawed…nothing to boast in…But I’m chosen, loved, anointed, longed for…backed by the greatest power in the universe

Godly humility is having biblically accurate estimation of who you are - I’m Flawed…nothing to boast in…But I’m chosen, loved, anointed, longed for…backed by the greatest power in the universe

Godly humility is having biblically accurate estimation of who you are - I’m Flawed…nothing to boast in…But I’m chosen, loved, anointed, longed for…backed by the greatest power in the universe

(17) you are little in your own eyes - In Saul’s life, theirs perhaps no bigger flaw then the one of insecurity - With his Son, With David, with the people…insecurity is the source of things jealousy and pettiness, and sinful behavior…but this statement is what insecurity is in a nut shall “You are little in your own eyes”

Here’s the charge...

(19) Why then did you not obey the voice of the Lord? - Here’s the charge…Disobedience…God said “devote the amelikites to destruction” but they kept the best and destroyed the rest…

(19) Why then did you not obey the voice of the Lord? - Disobedience…God said “devote the amelikites to destruction” but they kept the best and destroyed the rest…

(19) Why then did you not obey the voice of the Lord? - Here’s the charge…Disobedience…God said “devote the amelikites to destruction” but they kept the best and destroyed the rest…

(19) Why then did you not obey the voice of the Lord? - Here’s the charge…Disobedience…God said “devote the amelikites to destruction” but they kept the best and destroyed the rest…

This sounds real spiritual…but thats not Godly humility at all

This sounds real spiritual…but thats not Godly humility at all

Notice Saul obeyed in someways…but not in all ways - FB Meyers said “Partial obedience is complete disobedience”

Godly humility is having biblically accurate estimation of who you are - I’m Flawed…nothing to boast in…But I’m chosen, loved, anointed, longed for…backed by the greatest power in the universe

Godly humility is having biblically accurate estimation of who you are - I’m Flawed…nothing to boast in…But I’m chosen, loved, anointed, longed for…backed by the greatest power in the universe

Many are like this - We obey God in the places where it’s easy to obey God…and we think thats enough

To be obedient is not only to surrender the “rest” but to surrender the “best”- Abraham and Isaac

To be obedient is not only to surrender the “rest” but to surrender the “best”

FB Meyers said “Partial obedience is complete disobedience”

Abraham and Isaac

App: How about you? are only obedient in the with rest…our are you willing to obey with the best?

Abraham and Isaac

App: Whats the “best” to you? and are you willing to surrender it to Jesus?

(19) Why then did you not obey the voice of the Lord? - Here’s the charge…Disobedience

(19) Why then did you not obey the voice of the Lord? - Here’s a question , does God really not know? of course not…this is God’s way of giving Saul a chance to repent - God’s who’s rich in mercy and abounding in love always willing to extend a chance to repent

Here’s a question , does God really not know? of course not…this is God’s way of giving Saul a chance to repent - God’s who’s rich in mercy and abounding in love always willing to extend a chance to repent

Here’s a question, Why is God compelling Samuel to ask why? does God really not know? of course not…this is God’s way of giving Saul a chance to repent - God’s who’s rich in mercy and abounding in love always willing to extend a chance to repent…yet even though Saul has a chance to repent and be honest…instead, he does what we do often, wrap himself in a robe of self righteousness and activate the inner Lawyer

The defense v. 20-21

Here’s a question , does God really not know? of course not…this is God’s way of giving Saul a chance to repent - God’s who’s rich in mercy and abounding in love always willing to extend a chance to repent

Saul has a chance to repent and be honest…but instead, he does what we do often, wrap ourselves in our own righteousness and activate our inner Lawyer

App: Thats for you today

The defense v. 20-21

The defense v. 20-21

Notice 3 things about Saul here...

Notice 3 things that Saul does here...

He denies his sin - (20) And Saul said to Samuel, “I have obeyed the voice of the Lord.

I have gone on the mission on which the Lord sent me.

I have brought Agag the king of Amalek, and I have devoted the Amalekites to destruction.

This is the 2nd time he’s said “I did what the Lord told me to do!” even though He clearly hadn’t…you get the sense that he really believed that…

Why did he believe that? - because his pride had brought him to a place of spiritual deception

Pride makes you delusional…It make you blind to reality

Think about Satan - His pride, fooled him into to thinking that He would take down Jesus

Think about Satan - His pride, fooled him into to thinking that He would take down Jesus

Saul’s pride made him oblivious to the fact that

He’s downplaying his sin and this leads to Saul saying “yeah i know i brought back the king, but it’s not that big of a deal, I’ve still obeyed most of what God has asked me to do”

Here’s the picture: Saul’s pride has created deception in his heart which became the incubator for disobedience

​App: Be very carful with pride...

He blames others for the sin - (15) Saul said, “They have brought them from the Amalekites, for the people spared the best of the sheep and of the oxen (21) But the people took of the spoil, sheep and oxen, the best of the things devoted to destruction...

Saul said it was the people who commited the sin! but remember…he brought the king back which was more dangerous then any sheep or ox…but whats he doing?

instead of owning his sin, he’s trying pin it on others

App: Have you ever done this?

He downplays -

He defers

He downplays -

He

This is the 2nd time he’s said “I did what the Lord told me to do!”…you get the sense that he really believed that…Why because his pride had brought him to a place of spiritual deception

Pride creates self deception and will make you oblivious to facts even when their staring you right in the face

Remember Dumb and Dumber...

Think about Satan - His pride, fooled him into to thinking that He would take down Jesus

Saul’s pride made him oblivious to the fact that

He’s downplaying his sin...Pride and compromise has brought about spiritual deception in Saul…and this leads to Saul saying “yeah i know i brought back the king, but it’s not that big of a deal, I’ve still obeyed most of what God has asked me to do”

20 And Saul said to Samuel, “I have obeyed the voice of the Lord.

I have gone on the mission on which the Lord sent me.

I have brought Agag the king of Amalek, and I have devoted the Amalekites to destruction.

21 But the people took of the spoil, sheep and oxen, the best of the things devoted to destruction, to sacrifice to the Lord your God in Gilgal.”

Here’s the picture: Saul’s pride has created deception became the incubator for disobedience

​App: Be very carful with pride...

App: Be very carful with pride...

​App: Be very carful with pride...

​App: Be very carful with pride...

He tries to justify his sin - 21 But the people took of the spoil, sheep and oxen, the best of the things devoted to destruction, to sacrifice to the Lord your God in Gilgal.”

So he says “sure, we didn’t obey…but it was for good reason…we wanted to offer up a sacrifice to the Lord with these gifts…Saul tries to squirm out of his sin by trying to play it off as a spiritual act”