1 Samuel

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Raiders of the Lost Ark

February 23, 2020 | 1 Samuel 4:1-7:2 | exposition

Since the beginning, humanity has continually struggled against God in a kind of game of thrones. Yet, when we reject the Lord as King and put ourselves on the throne, we experience much sorrow and defeat in life. But this sorrow can be God’s grace to lead us to follow Him and to give Him the glory that is due Him. That’s what happens to Israel in our sermon today. Both the priests and the people don’t give God the glory due Him, so that they are defeated by Philistine raiders, and the Ark, which represents the throne of God, is lost!

In the book of 1 Samuel 4:1-7:2, the LORD deposed the house of Eli and disciplined Israel so that they might learn to give God the glory that was due Him. We can learn to give God the glory that is due Him.

Hearing in a Deaf World

February 16, 2020 | 1 Samuel 2:12-4:1 | exposition

Did you know that God wants to reveal Himself to you? He wants you to know Him. God isn’t hiding. That’s what we tend to do. Since the time of Adam and Eve, who hid from God when they sinned, humanity has had a tendency to hide. Are you hiding from God? He wants to reveal Himself to you, but you must come out of hiding to hear and know Him.

In our reading today, the name LORD or Yahweh appears 34 times. As we’ve said before, the Bible is primarily a book about God. God desires to reveal Himself to us through His Word.

In the book of 1 Samuel, the LORD called young Samuel to be His prophet, revealing Himself by His Word. We can recognize the LORD’s desire to reveal Himself to us by His Word.

Birth in a Barren Land

February 9, 2020 | 1 Samuel 1:1 - 2:11 | exposition

When we try to take the throne of our own lives, trying to be in control, it always ends with a feeling of barrenness. We feel empty, fruitless, depleted, or broken. Perhaps, you feel this today. The things you do at work feel fruitless or unimportant. You feel depleted at home like you are losing the battle for your marriage or the battle for your children. Maybe you feel stuck, like you have no purpose. Maybe you feel abandoned or like you are fighting through life alone. And as you look to others for help and leadership, whether it’s politicians, priests, or preachers, you have often been disappointed. When we feel this pain it is hard to imagine that turning our lives over to God could make a difference.

“When David and his men saw the ruins and realized what had happened to their families, they wept until they could weep no more” (1 Samuel 30:3-4 NLT).

May 21, 2019

HAVE YOU EVER BEEN BOTH PROTECTED AND CORRECTED AT THE SAME TIME? In the season when David was on the run from King Saul, he allied himself with the Philistines. Yet, on the eve before they went into battle against Israel, they sent David and his men away. In this, God protected David. For the

“David then went to live in the strongholds of En-gedi” (1 Samuel 23:29 NLT).

May 18, 2019

GOD’S PROVISION AND PREPARATION IN THE WILDERNESS David fled from King Saul to live in the Judean wilderness of En Gedi, which provided both caves to live in and springs from which to drink. God provided for David in the wilderness. And although it was a very difficult time, it was also a time of

“Whatever Saul asked David to do, David did it successfully” (1 Samuel 18:5 NLT).

May 16, 2019

THE LEADERSHIP PRINCIPLES SEEN IN DAVID AND SAUL David was an obedient and enthusiastic servant of King Saul. And God gave David success. At first, his success led to the king’s favor, but as his victories grew, Saul’s favor turned to jealousy. In all of this, God was at work, moving Saul out and David

“David replied to the Philistine, ‘You come to me with sword, spear, and javelin, but I come to you in the name of the LORD of Heaven’s Armies—the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied'” (1 Samuel 17:45 NLT).

May 15, 2019

IN WHOSE NAME DO YOU COME? What David said to Goliath as they closed for battle revealed his heart and passion for God’s great name. It was this same David who inspired of the Holy Spirit wrote, “Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the Lord our

‘“My father has made trouble for us all!” Jonathan exclaimed. “A command like that only hurts us. See how refreshed I am now that I have eaten this little bit of honey.”‘ (1 Samuel 29:14 NLT).

May 13, 2019

KING SAUL, A STUDY IN LEADERSHIP FAILURE It’s heart-breaking to read the stories about King Saul, Israel’s first king. Although he reigned for 40 years, his leadership style was fraught with short-sighted and ill-conceived tactics, blustering, macho-inspired dictates, people-pleasing priorities, and most of all – a failure to seek God first in all things. Even

‘And one of those standing there said, “Can anyone become a prophet, no matter who his father is?” So that is the origin of the saying “Is even Saul a prophet?”’ (1 Samuel 10:12 NLT).

May 11, 2019

MUST THE ONE IN THE PULPIT BE CALLED TO PREACH? One of the confirming signs that God had chosen Saul to be king over Israel was that he would prophesy. Saul had gone to the prophet Samuel for help in finding his father’s donkeys. But he left with the prophet’s anointing oil dripping down from

‘“Do everything they say to you,” the Lord replied, “for they are rejecting me, not you. They don’t want me to be their king any longer.”‘ (1 Samuel 8:7 NLT).

May 10, 2019

SUFFERING OFTEN COMES FROM GETTING WHAT WE ASK FOR Samuel had led Israel well his whole life, but now he was old and his sons weren’t men of integrity like him. So, the Israelites went to Samuel asking him to give them a king like the other nations had. Of course, he felt rejected. He