Dangerous Intersections of Life

1 Samuel 13:1-23

{For intro – Dangerous intersections }

Israel has asked for a King – God granted their request – Saul the son of Kish

A) We first met Saul in Ch. 9-10 – Where we were told that he was Handsome / Tall / Wealthy

B) We also saw – that Saul had Humility – he was a bit taken back that the Lord would choose him for such a Role .

C) Ch. 10 ended with Saul being Anointed as King – and this Phrase stuck out to us - 1 Sam 10:26

And Saul also went home to Gibeah; and valiant men went with him, whose hearts God had touched.

D) What a glorious thing that God assembled a group of men to come along side of Saul

1) Valiant men – Strong & Able Men

As we come to Ch.13 – Saul has been King for 2 yr. – For the most part it has been an uneventful 2 years

A) But here we see in Ch. 13 that Saul starts to make some mistakes –mistakes that will cost him his kingdom

V. 1-2 Saul reigned one year; and when he had reigned two years over Israel, 2 Saul chose for himself three thousand men of Israel. two thousand were with Saul in Michmash and in the mountains of Bethel, and a thousand were with Jonathan in Gibeah of Benjamin. The rest of the people he sent away, every man to his tent.

Now Again I want you to note that in Ch.10 – God is bringing men to Saul –

A) But here in Ch. 13 – We see that Saul is picking men for himself – First mistake

B) This was the first “regular” army for Israel.

1) Previously, Israel only had a militia that assembled in times of national threat.

C) Now, for the first time, Israel has a professional army.

1) Saul Choose 2,000 for himself & 1,000 for Jonathan –

sent the others home.

D) The connotation in the text – that he picked the top of the liter for this army – special forces /sent the rest home

Now this is exactly what God warned that a king would do – Ch.8 11-13

"This will be the behavior of the king who will reign over you: He will take your sons and appoint them for his own chariots and to be his horsemen, and some will run before his chariots.12 He will appoint captains over his thousands and captains over his fifties, will set some to plow his ground and reap his harvest, and some to make his weapons of war and equipment for his chariots.

This was never God’s intention- Time for Battle all the men were called to fight – Ch. 11 – Everyone

So here we see Saul first mistake – taking matters into his own – forming a Professional army RD 3-4

A) Now here we see mistake # 2 – Pride

B) Jonathan goes out & attacks the enemy – Saul Blows the Trumpet – Saul takes the Credit

C) This is going to be a constant problem for Saul is he is overly concerned about what People think of him

1) Form of Pride – Major Problem – You see when you are overly concerned about what People are thinking

D) You are not as Prone to be concerned about what God is thinking

1) Pastor - Brian B. To be a Leader you need Thick Skin – Not concerned about how Perceived – so you can do what God is calling you to do!!!

E) When you are worried about how others see you - Start walking in the Fear of Man – instead of walking in the fear of God.

F) The Fear of God is the Beginning of Wisdom - The Fear of man is a Snare –

So Saul in his Pride takes Credit for the battle

A)We must guard against this very thing

B)When God works, do NOT blow the trumpet

1) We MUST give all of the glory to God

Prov 16:18 Pride goes before destruction,

And a haughty spirit before a fall.

C)There were 2 ducks and a frog that lived in a pond

A drought came into the area and the frog began to panic. "This pond is drying up... You can fly out of here, but I'm stuck here and I'll die". But "I have a plan: Get a stick and suspend it between your bills…… with my mouth I'll hang on and the three of us will fly away to a pond with more water".

D) So they found a stick and did that very thing. As they just began their journey, the farmer who was familiar with the frog and 2 ducks saw them and shouted out: "Clever... Very clever indeed.... That is an brilliant plan... Who thought of that clever idea?"

E) And literally. PRIDE PRECEEDED A FALL as the frog opened his mouth to take the credit & said: "I did"

APPLICATION: Opening your mouth and saying: "I did" is the way you will fall every time

Saul in his Pride Blew the trumpet -

Prov 11:2 When pride comes, then comes shame;

But with the humble is wisdom.

Saul is well on his way to a Shameful destruction !!!

RD V5-7

Well the Philistines recovered from their losses with a Vengeance & came w/ force against Israel

A) Israelites were Panicked –

B) Jonathan had been bold enough to launch the initial attack against the Philistines.

1) But the men of Israel are not bold enough to now

stand strong against their enemy.

C) In great fear (the people were distressed) they hide anywhere they can (in caves, in thickets, in

rocks, in holes, and in pits) or they flee across the Jordan River (to the land of Gad and Gilead).

D) This is a low point for Israel!

As for Saul he is still in Gilgal trying to figure out what to do – watching the people around him get more freaked out by the day. RD V 8-9

Apparently Samuel had told Saul to wait for him at Gilgal –

A) he would come & preside over the Sacrifices so that Israel would be spiritually prepared to go into Battle.

B) Samuel for some reason was delayed in his coming – here we see Saul’s 2^nd Mistake

1) He decides to take matters into his own hands by offering the Sacrifices –

C) Now Saul was not a priest, which meant He had no business offering a sacrifice to the LORD,

1) This was the duty of the Levites, they were the priestly tribe.

D) So Saul did not have the authority to offer a sacrifice.

1) Saul was intruding in an area where God did not call him.

Now, we remember Saul was to be proclaimed the king of Israel, but he hid himself.

A) We pointed out the folly of trying to hide from the call of God.

B) When God has called you to a task and you try to hide from it, we call that folly.

1) It is equally foolish to venture into a task for which God has not called you.

C) God did not call Saul into the priesthood, and for him to enter into that area was just as much folly as it was to try to escape the call of God.

D) Hopefully you are not hiding from the call of God –

1) Also not trying to do – what God had not called you to -

Sometimes people get pressured into ministry roles that God has not called them into.

A) That is one of the reasons when we are asking for helpers for various ministry needs – we always preface it by asking them to Please Pray

B) Ask the Lord if he wants you to be a part of it!!

1) See I know that if you truly Pray and God wants you to be a part of that – He will show you.

C) We won’t need to convince you – God will make it clear !!! – If Not – we don’t want you involved

1) But if you Pray & God says go for it – Don’t run from the call of God

D) Never be happier more fulfilled than when you are in the center of God’s will.

1) I can’t describe how many missionaries – told me struggle to take the step – Now – Overjoyed !!!

But You’ll never be more frustrated & overwhelmed then when – you are doing something not called to

F) Learned this the Hard way – Speaking at a Youth retreat – Didn’t Pray ABOUT IT

1) Alone in the Pulpit – ZERO ANNOITING

So Saul was stepping into an area that God had not called him to – Rd v.10-14

So Samuel shows up – says to Saul what have you done – Samuel Probably smelled the Sacrifice

A) Here we see Saul’s next mistake – Instead of confessing & repenting/ he offers up a series of Excuses

B) Adam in the garden – Why are you hiding did you eat of the tree ……–

1) What was Adam’s response?

IT IS THE WOMAN………………..

C) Well this is what Saul does here – Issues 3 Specific excuses –

v.11 – When I saw the people were Scattered from me

A) In other words I had to do something to impress the people gain their support back

B) Listen if you are involved in leadership – You will have seasons – people sing your praises

C) You will have times where people are w/ you and appreciate what you are doing

1) But there are also seasons where – People will Scatter – their support will Scatter

D) It happens all the time – The question is what will you do when it happens

1) Will you Panic or will you Pray!

Will you take matters into your own hands trying to please the people – or will you trust God

A) There have been times as a Pastor where I have started to see People Scatter

B) Someone who used to sit in the Front row – suddenly in the back row –

1) Many times it is an indication – they are out the door –

C) Something is happening in their hearts – they are just not connecting here anymore

1) Seasons in Church life - Graze here for a week a month – ten yrs

D) Well I would notice someone – wasn’t connecting – here is what I used to do

1) I would meet with them and try to talk to them giving them reasons why they need to Stay.

E) Many times I was successful – But You know what it almost always backfired

1) Those people would eventually become more frustrated – turn into an ugly thing

F) Their disgruntledness would infect others – all the while God had somewhere else for them to go.

Now you know what I do – when I sense that – I ask them what they are looking for

A) I try to help them find it – They leave blessed

We are friends

B) Now if there is an issue that they are running from or a problem they are trying to avoid

1) Falling out with someone and they are trying to get away from a difficult situation – another story

2) Matt 18 – Go to your brother –

Matt 5:23 - :Leave gift at the altar – make it right

C) But when it is simply an issue of taste or style or where someone is at – Let me help you

D)Listen no matter what you are involved in – Position of Leadership – times of Gathering and times of Scattering

When Saul saw the people scattering – he panicked instead of Praying - Excuse #1

Excuse #2 Saul says to Samuel – you didn’t come with in the days appointed

A) In other words – Samuel this is your fault – you were not on time !!!!

B) Samuel you delayed so I was forced to take matters into my own hands

C) We can be tempted to do the same thing when God delays

D) When God delays we can be prone to take matters into our own hands = TROUBLE !!!!!

1) Everytime I have ever done this – I have regretted it big time

E) Shaking the vending machine

1) When God doesn’t answer – I will take matters into my own hands & shake things up

We need to remember that God’s delays are not DENIALS – His timing is perfect-

A) Be patient – he is wanting to work something into your life – by this DELAY

B) So Saul tries to blame his actions on Samuel for delaying his coming.

EXCUSE #3 The Philistines will now come down on me at Gilgal, and I have not made supplication to the LORD:

A) In other words “We really needed God’s help against the Philistines, and we needed it now, so I had to do it.”

B) I didn’t have any other options – I couldn’t wait any longer –

C) Even though Saul felt compelled by his emotions he was not supposed to be ruled by his feelings

D) Our feelings should never supersede the Known will of God

E) Two of the times when you are most prone to do this – is when you feel Desperate or Depressed

1) Two times when people are prone to get into the flesh – take matters into their own hands

2) Or to give into the flesh – Just compromise – when they are desperate or depressed

That is the time that we need more than ever to press into the Lord

A) We will read in later Chapter 1 Sam 30 of a time in David’s life – Desperate & Depressed

B) David & his men returning from Battle – town living in was ransacked – homes burned

1) Families taken captive –

C) David’s army is about to do him in

1) David Strengthened himself in the Lord – Pulled everyone together – God led them to victory

D) Saul could have made supplication to the LORD in any number of ways.

1) He could have cried out the LORD for the whole nation with a humble heart,

E) but instead he did the one thing he couldn’t do: which was to offer a sacrifice

That story of David is interesting to me – because yrs earlier at another time when David was DEPRESSED & DESPERATE

A) Yrs of living as a fugitive – Starting to doubt his CALLING & ANNOINTING

B) Jonathan comes – 1 Sam 23 – Strengthened David’s hand in God { Same wording

C) Jonathan’s action in Ch.23 – Played a vital role in David’s action in Ch.30

1) He learned from his friend – how to seek the Lord & stand on the promise of the Lord

D) Saul at the very least – should have waited for Samuel –

1) although he could have sought the Lord – he could have cried out to the Lord

E) Instead Saul went for Formality – offer a Sacrifice – instead of Intimacy

God to Israel – not interested in your Sacrifices – I want your obedience

A) God said to Saul – If you obey me and follow me I will establish you & your family

B) I will bless the nation of Israel – If you disobey me and don’t follow – Your kingdom will cease

C) That is exactly what the consequences end up being – Samuel declares in v.14

But now your kingdom shall not continue. The LORD has sought for Himself a man after His own heart, and the LORD has commanded him to be commander over His people, because you have not kept what the LORD commanded you."

D) A man after his own Heart –

Are you after God’s heart – What mean?

Asking - What is your heart Lord – that is what I want to walk in !!!!

RD V. 15-23

We noted back in JUDGES that the Philistines had made it law that THEY alone could produce and repair iron

A) They took away their swords & weapons

B) Now in this we see something SYMBOLIC of what our adversary ALWAYS tries to do to the people of God

C) He tries to take away our sword... Which is the Word of God

1) He tries to take away our devotional time: Distracted

D) He tries to take away our commitment to Bible Study { TOO BUSY

1) He tries to take away our desire to read the Word of God

Often he does this by luring us into sin

A) For when we have sinned we find it difficult to get into the Word { Conviction / unworthy

QUOTE: "This Book will keep you from sin, and sin will keep you from this Book"

B) If Satan keeps you from the Word, THEN you are DISARMED

C) Listen: IF you are becoming disinterested in the Word, it is indicative that the enemy is gaining a foothold in your life

D) He is either being successful in getting distracted or he has been successful in getting you to compromise – { Feel unworthy

D) THAT is the time to buckle down and say: "I will NOT succumb"

Jas 4:7 Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil ,and he will flee from you.

WE LEARN:

1) Presumption is never right when it leads us to take matters into our own hands & not trust God

2) When Pride leads me to TOOT my own horn instead of giving glory to God – it always leads to

DESTRUCTION

3) When Faced with Desperate situations – don’t Panic & do what you think is best – Pray and wait on the Lord for His Best

4) When you blow it – Don’t Pass the blame & make excuses – Confess & repent so God can forgive & restore.