Introduction: This morning I want us to look at the life of Saul. His life is a good example for us not to follow. Lets take a look at what happened in.

1 Samuel 16:14-16 But the Spirit of the Lord departed from Saul, and a distressing spirit from the Lord troubled him.
15 And Saul’s servants said to him, “Surely, a distressing spirit from God is troubling you.
16 Let our master now command your servants, who are before you, to seek out a man who is a skillful player on the harp. And it shall be that he will play it with his hand when the distressing spirit from God is upon you, and you shall be well.”

I)                Saul did not do what God wanted him to do. Let me explain.

A.    In 1 Samuel 15:1-9, God commands Saul to go and kill the Ameleks and all the sheep and oxens.

1.     Saul keeps the best of the sheep and oxen and keeps the king alive.

2.     In verse 10-11, God is sorry he made Saul king.

3.     Than in verse 13, Saul tells Samuel he had done what God wanted.

4.     In verse 14, Samuel tells Saul what is this noise of sheep and oxen?

5.     Finally in 15 Saul tells Samuel that he brought them to sacrifice to the Lord.

B.    David on the other hand trust God for everything even problems that seem too big.

1.     1 Samuel 17:31-37,31 And when the words were heard which David spake, they rehearsed them before Saul: and he sent for him. 32 And David said to Saul, Let no man’s heart fail because of him; thy servant will go and fight with this Philistine.33 And Saul said to David, Thou art not able to go against this Philistine to fight with him: for thou art but a youth, and he a man of war from his youth.34 And David said unto Saul, Thy servant kept his father’s sheep, and there came a lion, and a bear, and took a lamb out of the flock: 35 And I went out after him, and smote him, and delivered it out of his mouth: and when he arose against me, I caught him by his beard, and smote him, and slew him.36 Thy servant slew both the lion and the bear: and this uncircumcised Philistine shall be as one of them, seeing he hath defied the armies of the living God.37 David said moreover, The LORD that delivered me out of the paw of the lion, and out of the paw of the bear, he will deliver me out of the hand of this Philistine. And Saul said unto David, Go, and the LORD be with thee.

C.    Why do you think David was call “a man after God own heart.”

1.     Even when David did wrong he repented and got on with his life.

II)              God withdraw his blessings from Saul.

A.     Saul did not have Gods blessing. (Verse 14)

2.     The Holy Spirit stop leading Saul and stop giving him wisdom.

D.    God also let trouble come into his life. (Verse 14)

1.     God made Saul’s life miserable.

2.     One commentary said “God caused Saul to have spells in which he felt miserable[1]”

III)            Saul used everything, but what he should have used to help himself get back in the will of God.

A.     Saul used everything he could to stop or ease his problem.

1.     1 Samuel 16:23 And so it was, whenever the spirit from God was upon Saul, that David would take a harp and play it with his hand. Then Saul would become refreshed and well, and the distressing spirit would depart from him.

2.       

B.     What he should have done is repent and get his life right with God.

Conclusion:  God just want us to obey him, Saul justify what he did, but it did not make any different to God. The only thing God wants from us is to obey. Obey His word and not for us to change things which seems good to us.

Remember this;

1 Samuel 15:22,22 And Samuel said, Hath the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams.

Sunday morning biker Service 6/5/06

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[1]New Geneva study Bible. 1997, c1995. C1995 by Foundation for Reformation. (electronic ed.) . Thomas Nelson: Nashville