- When God tells the truth 1 sam 15:24-24
- In this scripture we see that this is the end of Sauls reign as King. He is being removed.
- There’s components to his removal- The scriptures are pretty clear on where he’s at with God
- In this sermon- I want to show you what caused Sauls demise- look at it and see what doesn’t please God and then we will look at what pleases God.
- The truth is that God will tell you the truth about you- Just as Jesus told Nicodemous
There is 5 main issues we see about Saul that is clear in this scripture
- Saul was trying to please people
- Sauls Kingship is made clear- he was trying to please people and not God-
- He wanted the people to have a high view of him instead of God having a high view of him
- This is a large problem with Christians- Care more about what people think than what God thinks
- What is sad is that Saul attempts repentance- but it is too late-
- God rejects Saul
- 26 But Samuel said to Saul, “I will not return with you, for you have rejected the word of the Lord, and the Lord has rejected you from being king over Israel.”
- Being rejected by God seems like a big thing- The ever loving merciful God has come to the end of his patience with Saul and rejects him as King. Saul gets the boot
- God doesn’t play-Since Saul didn’t want to be the king that God needed him to be-
- Samuel tells the truth- You are not where you need to be- I’m not going to pretend you are
- God rejects people He rejected Israel for a season- God wants repentance-
- Hosea 4:6 My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge. Because you have rejected knowledge, I also will reject you from being priest for Me; Because you have forgotten the law of your God, I also will forget your children.
- God tells the truth to Saul
- 28 So Samuel said to him, “The Lord has torn the kingdom of Israel from you today, and has given it to a neighbor of yours, who is better than you
- Samuel was telling Saul where his heart was- not in a good place- someone better
- This is a damning statement to Saul- You are not my Guy- There is someone better than you that will do what I need him to do- so in addition to being rejected- I want you to know why you’re being rejected- You’re not that Good. HS Football Played Center- You’re not good
- This is the American Idol moment- “sorry love, this just isn’t you, I don’t know who told you”
- Our God is a truth teller- Remember Jesus said to the woman in John 14:17-18 Jesus said to her, “You have well said, ‘I have no husband,’ 18 for you have had five husbands, and the one whom you now have is not your husband; in that you spoke truly.”
- God isn’t the one who doesn’t tell the truth- he speaks what he needs to- This is path to change
- God has someone else finish the job
- 33 And Samuel hacked Agag in pieces before the Lord in Gilgal.
- Saul was told to destroy the AMelikites and he didn’t do it. He spared King Agag. This displeased God- so he had Samuel destroy him instead of Saul.
- Its pretty sad that the King couldn’t do what he was supposed to do and finish what he needed to finish. Again, embarrassing.
- So the Priest has to finish the job- Hates sin- Hates the enemy- Has to destroy it completely
So what’s the outcome? - “the Lord Regretted that he had made Saul king over Israel”
- I’m not sure you can really fathom the depths of this statement. This is an emotional statement about God and his king. God had regrets. God wasn’t pleased. God was upset. God didn’t like it.
- 35 And Samuel went no more to see Saul until the day of his death. Nevertheless Samuel mourned for Saul, and the Lord regretted that He had made Saul king over Israel.
- You would think that this would be enough to change Sauls heart- that God wasn’t pleased with him- but we will see- its not enough.
- This whole discourse centers around one thing- Saul was supposed to destroy the Amelikites.
- 1 Sam 15:3 Now go and attack Amalek, and utterly destroy all that they have, and do not spare them. But kill both man and woman, infant and nursing child, ox and sheep, camel and donkey.’
- Simple insts– Go and destroy the Amalekites But why? Why do they have to destroy them?
- Because they were evil. They were not of the promise. They were mean to the Israelites and its well within God’s purpose to destroy people who do not follow him.
- Amalek was not of the line of the promise of Jacob- the other side of Esau Gen 36:12
- Amalek had attacked the Nation of Israel as they were leaving Egypt- So God told Israel- when they got to the promised land- they had to destroy them Deuteronomy 25 Exodus 17
- Ex 17: 14 the Lord said to Moses, “Write this for a memorial in the book and recount it in the hearing of Joshua, that I will utterly blot out the remembrance of Amalek from under heaven.”
- READ Deuteronomy 25:17-19 THEY ATTACKED THE WOMEN AND CHILDREN FROM THE REAR
- Amalek was to be destroyed- and Saul was disobedient to it- He Rejected this word of the Lord, he lied to himself thinking he was better than he was, and was disobedient.
- Which begs the question? Who was Saul trying to please? God or himself?
- Saul was king– he had a job and a mission- WE as Christians are no less important
- Stop Trying to please people! “because I feared the people” worship man opinion
- Stop rejecting God’s word- Sauls rejection was because he rejected the word of the Lord
- Stop lying to yourself– Saul thought he was better than he was- he would be a good king
- Stop being 90%- Saul somewhat destroyed the Amelikites, but left it undone. Kinda saved
- Who are you trying to please? READ V 24-25 Trying to please MEN not GOD
- Are you, like Saul, rejecting the word of the Lord? Walking in disobedience? Areas of your life you know, based on scripture that you should or shouldn’t be doing but refuse to?
- Main areas of disobedience- Unforgiveness, sexual immorality, tithing, addiction, commitment
- Do you have too high of a view of yourself? Common- ‘more than enough’ self help gospel
- If you were so good- God wouldn’t have to send Jesus to die a bloody death to save you
- Are you not destroying the sin in your life? What you KNOW is sin?
- Who is the Samuel that is having to come into you life to hack the Agag’s of your life?
- See- people who love God and hate sin will try their best to hack your agags.
- You get defensive because you want to parade them around- half way obedience.
- The Big Question is- are you trying to please God or Man? Whom will you obey?
- Pleasing God is easy to see- because typically those in the world will reject it not praise it
- Galatians 1:10 For do I now persuade men, or God? Or do I seek to please men? For if I still pleased men, I would not be a bondservant of Christ.
What pleases God- (And doesn’t try to please men)
1.Not promoting yourself
- Matthew 6:1 [ Do Good to Please God ] “Take heed that you do not do your charitable deeds before men, to be seen by them. Otherwise you have no reward from your Father in heaven.
- Your Job is to make God look big and Good- not yourself look big and good.
- Caring more about others opinions, your image, appearance, status, than God’s is
- walking in the spirit
- Walking in the Spirit is a daily dependence on the Holy Spirit and His promptings and leanings
- Romans 8:8 So then, those who are in the flesh cannot please God.
- People who walk in the flesh satisfy the lusts of the flesh- Anger, lust, envy, greed, etc
3.preaching the Gospel
- When you share the Gospel (Jesus Christ saves sinners) it pleases the heart of God
- 1 Cor 1:21 For since, in the wisdom of God, the world through wisdom did not know God, it pleased God through the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe.
- God wants as many people as possible in the kingdom- and he needs YOU to share the GOSPEL
- The Grace of God- that you can be saved in spite of your sin, and be forgiven changes LIVES
4 being in a church body
- Christianity is a community based experience and that community is the CHurch
- 1 Cor 12:18 God has set the members, each one of them, in the body just as He pleased.
- It pleased God to place you in the Church- you should value it and embrace it
5 walking in purity
- Christian purity Isn’t always front and center, but there are things you shouldn’t do as Christian. Fornicate, get drunk, steal, look at porn, get high, cheat, there’s certain movies you shouldn’t watch, places you shouldn’t go, things you shouldn’t wear, not associate with
- 1 thes 4:1 Finally then, brethren, we urge and exhort in the Lord Jesus that you should abound more and more, just as you received from us how you ought to walk and to please God;
- God is always pleased with a life of purity- not a life of debauchery or licentiousness
6 faith
- We, as Christian people should be people who believe in and believe God for everything
- Hebrews 11:6 But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.
- Believe in your salvation. Believe that God is a healer and restorer. Believe what is good. Believe that God can forgive and restore. Believe that God is working good on your behalf.
7 Doing good and sharing
- Christians should just be good people. They should be loving and good and sharing
- A stingy do nothing- Christian is worthless.
- Heb 13:16 do not forget to do good and to share, for with such sacrifices God is well pleased.
- Share your life. Share your love. Knowledge. Share grace. Share peace. Share forgiveness
- This is a life that pleases God
