We spent some fun times with our eldest daughters’ in-laws.
We were eager to get home so we didn’t stick around long enough to participate in their Memorial Day Food Truck Picnic but it smelled delicious!!
Topic: Trust and Obey
Scripture: 1 Samuel 13
1. Top Portion (Verses 1-7): Trust and Obey
Samuel gave Saul his job description earlier in the Bible. This is a Holy War. Get the enemy out of the promised land…and wait for me for seven days.
Saul had two years of legitimate reign. He had an army of 3,000. He sent 1,000 with his son Jonathan who easily defeated the Philistines at Geba. It was not a fair fight so the Philistines came at Saul in full force. Israel has no chance. They ran away to the “not promised” land.
Does Saul not remember the story of Gideon? God informed Gideon that the men he had gathered were too many: with so many men, the Israelites might claim the victory as their own, rather than crediting God.
Saul was trying to obey but he feared man and not God.
Our love for the Lord will be tested. All leaders will be tested. Leaders must stand up against overwhelming odds.
II. Bottom Portion (Verses 16-23): Hopeless Situation
Things were looking bad. Saul lost most of his army. Now there are 600 troops. People were fleeing the villages. The Philistines killed all the blacksmiths so that they would not be able to make weapons. It was “always winter without Christmas”. Leaders can change fast. So do people.
III. Middle Portion (Verses 8-14): Saul the Fool
Find yourself in the story. Obeying isn’t easy.
Trust and Obey. What does obedience look like to us? Our culture does not think through the Word and model moral leadership.
Our culture thinks that heroes don’t sit and wait. We need a hero. Heros act. They take matters into their own hands.
What have you done? (Verse 11) This is a test and is repeated throughout scripture. When God says this, there are severe consequences – Eden, Cain, Achan…
Saul did Plan B as did others before him and will be done in the future by others … and us.
Excuse: “When I saw”… makes sense but is utterly faithless. It seems justifiable in human terms.
Saul was foolish and therefore the lineage will not go through Saul. It must be a line of faith. David is a man after God’s own heart.
The Way of Foolish Leadership
- Fools will make light, leave or usurp authorities in time of crisis.
- Fools rely almost exclusively on their own thinking (what is seen). God always fights for his people. We don’t know how.
- A fool says in his heart, there is no God. The fool says that there is a god, but he will do what he wants to do. This is US not the atheist. Authority matters.
- Fools have bad theology. They don’t know scripture so they don’t follow scripture. Things might get worse so we take charge. We feel that obedience may not have better results.
- Fools do not incorporate correct theology. The wise use their faith.
- Fools walk in wordly “brave mode”. Trusting God is the most courageous thing that one can do. God has only Plan A. “Even if … I will wait for you.” Give me courage.
It is impossible to trust and obey. THAT is why we need Jesus who always trusted and obeyed.
I don’t want to be wise in my own eyes … only in God’s eyes. Amen.
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