Trust: The Prerequisite of Obedience
1 Samuel 13:1-14
Pastor Ron Johnson
Our God is a God who takes OBEDIENCE seriously!
John 14:15- if you love me, you will keep my commandments
John 15:14- you are my friends, if you do what I command you
I John 5:2-3- By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and obey his commandments. 3 For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments. And his commandments are not burdensome.
The Bible is filled with examples of men and women who OBEYED God as well as those who DISOBEYED God and they're ALL recorded that you and I might learn from their example.
Consider the following: Abraham in Heb 11:8; Jesus in Phil 2:8; Adam and Eve in Gen 3:6; Jonah in Jonah 1:1-3
By examining Saul’s DIS-OBEDIENCE in 1 Sam 13:1-14, we'll identify what I'm calling A NON-NEGOTIABLE ATTITUDE YOU MUST POSSESS TO OBEY GOD.
God must be _________ if we're going to truly OBEY Him.
1 Sam 13:1-14 Saul lived for one year and then became king, and when he had reigned for two years over Israel, 2 Saul chose three thousand men of Israel. Two thousand were with Saul in Michmash and the hill country of Bethel, and a thousand were with Jonathan in Gibeah of Benjamin. The rest of the people he sent home, every man to his tent. 3 Jonathan defeated the garrison of the Philistines that was at Geba, and the Philistines heard of it. And Saul blew the trumpet throughout all the land, saying, “Let the Hebrews hear.” 4 And all Israel heard it said that Saul had defeated the garrison of the Philistines, and also that Israel had become a stench to the Philistines. And the people were called out to join Saul at Gilgal.
5 And the Philistines mustered to fight with Israel, thirty thousand chariots and six thousand horsemen and troops like the sand on the seashore in multitude. They came up and encamped in Michmash, to the east of Beth-aven. 6 When the men of Israel saw that they were in trouble (for the people were hard pressed), the people hid themselves in caves and in holes and in rocks and in tombs and in cisterns, 7 and some Hebrews crossed the fords of the Jordan to the land of Gad and Gilead. Saul was still at Gilgal, and all the people followed him trembling.
Saul's Unlawful Sacrifice
8 He waited seven days, the time appointed by Samuel. But Samuel did not come to Gilgal, and the people were scattering from him. 9 So Saul said, “Bring the burnt offering here to me, and the peace offerings.” And he offered the burnt offering. 10 As soon as he had finished offering the burnt offering, behold, Samuel came. And Saul went out to meet him and greet him. 11 Samuel said, “What have you done?” And Saul said, “When I saw that the people were scattering from me, and that you did not come within the days appointed, and that the Philistines had mustered at Michmash, 12 I said, ‘Now the Philistines will come down against me at Gilgal, and I have not sought the favor of the Lord.’ So I forced myself, and offered the burnt offering.” 13 And Samuel said to Saul, “You have done foolishly. You have not kept the command of the Lord your God, with which he commanded you. For then the Lord would have established your kingdom over Israel forever. 14 But now your kingdom shall not continue. The Lord has sought out a man after his own heart, and the Lord has commanded him to be prince over his people, because you have not kept what the Lord commanded you.”
Caution: Don't hear me emphasize OBEDIENCE today and conclude living the Christian life simply boils down to making your ______ ________ to OBEY God.
So what exactly happened to Saul... In the midst of the battle, Saul became focused on the daunting circumstances that surrounded him and ________ not to obey God!
v. 8) Saul saw that the people were scattering!
v. 11) “Because I saw that the people were scattering from me… I forced myself and offered the burnt offering.
So what is Saul really saying here? When things got really difficult and it seemed like my world was caving in on me, I took things into my own hands and my own time frame because I really didn't _________ the words of God spoken through the prophet.
This is really sad, but can you relate?
Sometimes the Bible wants us to learn from the people who got it _________ in addition to the people who got it __________.
Consider the response of Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego in Daniel 3:17-18.
“If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the furnace of blazing fire; and He will deliver us out of your hand, O king. But even if He does not, let it be known to you, O king, that we are not going to serve your gods or worship the golden image that you have set up
Even though we can’t be assured of the outcome here, we’re going to _________ and ________ God and it’s up to him if he chooses to deliver us!
If you, as a Christian, DESIRE to obey God (and you will), you need to TRUST HIM!
Prompts for Personal Reflection / Application
Psalm 119:18 Open my eyes, that I may behold
wondrous things out of your law.
1) Do you think the Samuel’s response to Saul’s disobedience was a little rough? Can you relate to what Saul did? Why or why not?
2) Are there any areas in your life where you’re not OBEYING God now because you're struggling to TRUST Him?
3) Here’s a list of some of the passages read today that encourage us to TRUST God. Try reading them this week to feed your soul. Psalm 28:7-8; Psalm 62:5-8; Proverbs 3:5-7; Isa 41:10; Jer 32:17, 26-27;
4) Take a moment to pray in response to how God spoke to you today through His Word. Is there anything that encouraged or strengthened you? Anything you need to confess, repent of (and in His strength) begin doing differently?
