King Saul and David

King Saul – The King of Excuses

INTRODUCTION

Have you ever made an excuse for not doing something that you know you should have done?

Have you ever made an excuse for doing something that you know you shouldn’t have done?

Why do we make excuses? (discuss)

(PASS OUT CARDS)

I.        BACKGROUND

a.       People demand a king (1 Samuel 8.5)

b.      Samuel warns the people about what a king will mean (8.10-18)

c.       People refuse to listen (8:19)

II.     GOD APPOINTS SAUL AS FIRST KING

a.       God chooses Saul as king (9:15-17)

                                                               i.      The Lord anoints Saul as king (through Samuel) – (10:1)

1.      “Has not the Lord anointed you a ruler over His inheritance?"

                                                             ii.      Saul publicly chosen king (10.17-27)

1.      “whom the Lord has chosen” – (10:24)

b.      Samuel commands Saul (10.8)

                                                               i.      to wait in Gilgal 7 days until he comes

                                                             ii.      Samuel will

1.      Offer burnt offerings and peace offerings

2.      Show Saul what he is to do

c.       Saul wins his first battle with against the Ammonites (11:1ff)

d.      Samuel’s farewell speech (12:1ff)

                                                               i.      Closes the age of the Judges

                                                             ii.      Samuel emphasizes the role of the LORD (31x)

III.   SAUL’S FIRST OFFENSE (1 Samuel 13)

a.       Saul becomes impatient (13.8)

                                                               i.      Saul makes the offering (13.9)

1.      Against the God’s Law – only a priest (Levite)

                                                             ii.      Samuel wasn’t that late – “as soon as he finished offering” (10.10)

b.      Saul’s excuses (13.10-12)

                                                               i.      Saw the people were scattering from me (v10)

                                                             ii.      Samuel did not come WITHIN the appointed days

                                                            iii.      The Philistines were assembling

                                                           iv.      He had not asked the favor of the Lord (v12)

c.       Samuel places the blame on Saul (13.11)

                                                               i.      YOU acted foolishly

                                                             ii.      YOU have not kept the commandment of the Lord – that HE commanded YOU

                                                            iii.      YOU have not kept what the Lord commanded YOU (13.12)

IV.              SAUL’S SECOND OFFENSE

a.       The disobedience regarding the Amalekites

                                                               i.      Saul commanded to “utterly destroy ALL” (15.3) – BY WHO?

1.      Saul and the people spared Agag and the best (15.9)

2.      they “were not willing” to destroy them

3.      Only destroyed “everything utterly despised and worthless”

                                                             ii.      Saul builds a monument to himself (15.12)

b.      Samuel confronts Saul (15.14)

                                                               i.      Saul give more excuses (15.15)

1.      They have brought them…

2.      the people spared the best to sacrifice

                                                             ii.      Samuel shows where the blame falls (15.17-18)

1.      YOU were made head of the tribes

2.      The Lord anointed YOU king

3.      the Lord sent YOU on a mission

4.      Why did YOU not obey the voice of the Lord

5.      (YOU) rushed on the spoils

6.      (YOU) did what is evil in the sight of the Lord

a.       Disobedience is seen by God as EVIL

7.      YOU rejected the word of the Lord (v23)

                                                            iii.      Saul asks for forgiveness (kind of) (15:24)

1.      He admits sin

2.      Blames the people for it

3.      Wants Samuel to honor him before the people (v30)

c.       Samuel returns with Saul and kills Agag (Saul’s trophy)

V.                 OUR RELATIONSHIP AND OUR ACCOUNTABILITY TO GOD IS PERSONAL

a.       WE, individually are responsible to Him

                                                              i.      Romans 14:12 - "12So then each one of us will give an account of himself to God."

                                                            ii.      Ezekiel 18:20 - "20“The person who sins will die. The son will not bear the punishment for the father’s iniquity, nor will the father bear the punishment for the son’s iniquity; the righteousness of the righteous will be upon himself, and the wickedness of the wicked will be upon himself."

b.      We cannot blame…

                                                               i.      The Bible class teacher…

1.      “I am not growing because the Bible classes are so bad…”

                                                             ii.      The preacher…

                                                            iii.      The elders…

                                                           iv.      Other Christians

                                                            v.      Philippians 2:12 - "12So then, my beloved, just as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your salvation with fear and trembling;"

c.       We are not accountable for them

                                                               i.      They will have to handle that for themselves

1.      If the elders are shepherding, they are going to have to account for that

2.      If the preacher isn’t preaching the word…

3.      If the deacons are serving…

4.      If the teachers aren’t teaching…(James 3.1)

VI.              THE EXAMPLE OF DAVID

a.      CONTRAST #1 – David’s confidence and reliance on the Lord

                                                               i.      Goliath (1 Samuel 17)

1.      Saul is afraid of Goliath (17:11)

a.       The people wanted a king that would fight for them (8:20)

2.      17:37 - The Lord will deliver me…

a.       Saul – “May the Lord be with you” – How much faith was Saul willing to put  in the Lord to fight Goliath?

3.      17:45 – I come to you in the name of the Lord

4.      17:46 – that all of the earth may know there is a God

5.      17:47 – HE will give you into my hand

6.      17.48 – David RAN to the battle

                                                             ii.      APPLICATION

1.      Do we make excuses

2.      Do we look to God’s strength FIRST

a.       “I’ve done everything I can – now it’s up to God”

3.      Do we pray FIRST – How are we going to get the answer?

4.      Do we study to hear the answer

5.      Why don’t we run to the fight?

a.       We haven’t dressed for battle - Ephesians 6:10ff

b.      CONTRAST #2 – David submits to God

                                                               i.      Unlike Saul, David understood who he was responsible to

                                                             ii.      Saul tries to kill David over and over

1.      Throws a spear at him (18.9-11)

2.      Chases him everywhere trying to kill him

                                                            iii.      David refuses to kill Saul when he has the chance

1.      In the cave (24.1-10)

a.      1 Samuel 24:6 - "6So he said to his men, “Far be it from me because of the Lord that I should do this thing to my lord, the Lord’s anointed, to stretch out my hand against him, since he is the Lord’s anointed.”"

b.      1 Samuel 24:8 - "8Now afterward David arose and went out of the cave and called after Saul, saying, “My lord the king!” And when Saul looked behind him, David bowed with his face to the ground and prostrated himself."

2.      Sleeping in the camp (26:1-12)

a.       1 Samuel 26:9 - "9But David said to Abishai, “Do not destroy him, for who can stretch out his hand against the Lord’s anointed and be without guilt?”"

                                                           iv.      David’s reaction to Saul’s death

1.      Tore his clothes and wept - 2 Samuel 1:11

2.      In the dirge to Israel (2 Samuel 19-27)

a.       Saul and Jonathan BELOVED and PLEASANT in their life (v23)

b.      Weep for Saul (v24)

3.      Sent messengers to honor the men that buried Saul (2.4-7)

                                                             v.      DAVID WAS IN SUBMISSION TO GOD – EVEN WHEN HE MAYBE DIDN’T AGREE

1.      Hebrews 13:17 - "17Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they keep watch over your souls as those who will give an account. Let them do this with joy and not with grief, for this would be unprofitable for you."

2.      James 4:7 - "7Submit therefore to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you."

3.      1 Peter 2:13 - " 13Submit yourselves for the Lord’s sake to every human institution, whether to a king as the one in authority, 14or to governors as sent by him for the punishment of evildoers and the praise of those who do right. "

c.       CONTRAST #3 – David had a repentent heart

                                                               i.      Note the difference when David sinned

                                                             ii.      When Nathan confronts David about the sin with Urriah – he does not blame anyone but himself (2 Samuel 12)

                                                            iii.      (Psalm 51) - My – 9x (sins, transgression, iniquities)

CONCLUSION

1. Each of us must understand that we are personally accountable
2. Unlike Saul, we each must stop making excuses for not doing what the Lord has asked us to do
3. We must submit to God – and follow His commandments

THE CARDS

Step 1

Side One – Write down one thing that you know the Lord has asked you to do that you are not doing.

Side Two – Write down your excuse for not doing it

Or

Side One – Write down something that you are doing that you know the Lord doesn’t want you to be doing

Side Two – Write down your excuse for doing it

Step 2

Ask yourself this question…

If the Lord came back today and asked why you never did (or never stopped doing) what you wrote on the card – would you expect Him to accept your excuse.

Step 3

Pray…and do something about it.

CLOSING PRAYER