WEBVTT 00:00:00.959 --> 00:00:01.439 Good morning. 00:00:01.600 --> 00:00:05.679 Today's reading is 1 Samuel 13, 8 through 15. 00:00:06.480 --> 00:00:15.599 He waited seven days, the time appointed by Samuel, but Samuel did not come to Gilgal, and the people were scattering from him. 00:00:15.919 --> 00:00:20.960 So Saul said, Bring the burnt offering here to me, and the peace offerings. 00:00:21.600 --> 00:00:23.679 And he offered the burnt offering. 00:00:23.920 --> 00:00:36.240 As soon as he had finished offering the burnt excuse me, as soon as he had finished offering the burnt offering, behold, Samuel came, and Saul went out to meet him and greet him. 00:00:36.479 --> 00:00:38.799 Samuel said, What have you done? 00:00:39.039 --> 00:00:56.000 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 Mi'mash, I said, Now the Philistines will come down against me at Gilgal, and I have not sought the favor of the Lord. 00:00:56.320 --> 00:00:59.520 So I forced myself and offered the burnt offering. 00:00:59.759 --> 00:01:03.280 And Samuel said to Saul, You have done foolishly. 00:01:03.520 --> 00:01:08.319 You have not kept the command of the Lord your God, with which he commanded you. 00:01:08.640 --> 00:01:15.599 For then the Lord would have established your kingdom over Israel forever, but now your kingdom shall not continue. 00:01:15.840 --> 00:01:25.680 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. 00:01:26.000 --> 00:01:28.959 And Samuel arose and went up from Gilgal. 00:01:29.519 --> 00:01:33.439 The rest of the people went up after Saul to meet the army. 00:01:33.680 --> 00:01:37.120 They went up from Gilgal to Gibeah of Benjamin. 00:01:37.359 --> 00:01:41.359 And Saul numbered the people who were present with him, about six hundred men. 00:01:41.519 --> 00:01:42.560 This is the word of the Lord. 00:01:42.640 --> 00:01:43.840 Please be seated. 00:01:45.280 --> 00:01:46.400 Good morning. 00:01:48.079 --> 00:01:49.599 You all did it. 00:01:50.319 --> 00:01:53.680 You're the ones who made it to church this morning. 00:01:53.840 --> 00:01:54.799 Congratulations. 00:01:55.040 --> 00:01:56.560 Thank you so much for joining us. 00:01:56.719 --> 00:01:58.719 It is a very cold morning. 00:01:59.040 --> 00:02:01.599 When I woke up, we were missing a degree. 00:02:02.159 --> 00:02:04.640 And it's good to see we, I think we got it back. 00:02:05.840 --> 00:02:08.319 So it'll keep that's a joke about negative. 00:02:08.719 --> 00:02:11.439 So the uh yeah. 00:02:12.080 --> 00:02:12.879 Welcome to church. 00:02:12.960 --> 00:02:14.400 My name is James Rathman. 00:02:14.479 --> 00:02:17.039 Uh, you are at Redemption Church Denver. 00:02:17.599 --> 00:02:20.080 Uh I'm the pastor here. 00:02:20.159 --> 00:02:24.879 Uh you just heard from Zach and like Arcade Fire. 00:02:25.840 --> 00:02:27.280 This is a huge band this morning. 00:02:27.360 --> 00:02:28.400 It sounded excellent. 00:02:28.560 --> 00:02:30.080 Um thanks for joining us. 00:02:30.240 --> 00:02:33.520 There are two ways to get connected at Redemption Church Denver. 00:02:33.680 --> 00:02:39.759 One of them is to gather large, which is what you're doing with us this morning, where we all join together as a church. 00:02:39.919 --> 00:02:44.159 Another way is to gather small, which we do throughout the week in each other's homes. 00:02:44.319 --> 00:02:55.120 So if you'd like to join one of those small groups, which we call redemption groups, you can do so online at redemptiondenver.com, or the best way is to download our app. 00:02:55.360 --> 00:02:59.439 Uh just search Redemption Church Denver in your app store of choice. 00:02:59.599 --> 00:03:06.400 You can download our app, and on there is basically all the information you could ever want about our church and probably a little more. 00:03:06.639 --> 00:03:09.120 Um so that is us. 00:03:09.759 --> 00:03:14.159 Uh we've got big news to announce this morning. 00:03:14.400 --> 00:03:20.960 So the church building that we are in now is under contract. 00:03:22.159 --> 00:03:23.680 For yeah, that's great. 00:03:23.919 --> 00:03:25.280 Applause is appropriate. 00:03:25.520 --> 00:03:28.879 Um but until there's more details, muted applause applause is also appropriate. 00:03:29.039 --> 00:03:31.120 So we are uh under contract. 00:03:31.439 --> 00:03:36.240 It is being purchased by another church named, excuse me, named the Heights. 00:03:36.400 --> 00:03:39.840 They're an excellent congregation, they will make great use of this building. 00:03:40.080 --> 00:03:46.080 One of our hopes in moving from this building, or at least one of mine, was that it would remain a church. 00:03:46.240 --> 00:03:49.840 I think this is a great place for a church to be in the city. 00:03:50.000 --> 00:03:52.400 And the Heights is an excellent church. 00:03:52.479 --> 00:03:54.960 Uh, I've gotten to know their uh pastor really well. 00:03:55.039 --> 00:03:56.639 His name is Corbin Hobbs. 00:03:56.719 --> 00:04:09.919 Uh he's a great guy, he's an another youthful pastor, which you guys are into, and we're uh uh uh they're uh they're they're an excellent church. 00:04:10.080 --> 00:04:14.080 Um and so I I think this space will serve them really well. 00:04:14.319 --> 00:04:20.240 Part of what this means, we go under contract in May, uh, or excuse me, hopefully we close in May. 00:04:20.319 --> 00:04:21.680 We're under contract now. 00:04:21.839 --> 00:04:33.199 Uh at that point, what we've worked out with the heights is that we will have free services for the following six months after closing. 00:04:33.439 --> 00:04:35.040 That's right, free. 00:04:35.920 --> 00:04:38.480 Uh and they will be in the evenings. 00:04:38.720 --> 00:04:43.839 So there's so we're going to be moving to evening services. 00:04:44.000 --> 00:04:46.240 Actually, I'm really excited about this. 00:04:46.399 --> 00:04:48.879 Um I'm not really a morning person. 00:04:49.040 --> 00:04:55.600 And a lot of you uh I know like to camp and ski on Saturdays, and that bleeds into Sundays. 00:04:55.680 --> 00:05:00.079 And if you didn't have to get here until the evening, then you I'm not talking to any of you, you're here. 00:05:00.319 --> 00:05:02.000 Uh this is the non-elect. 00:05:02.160 --> 00:05:09.519 And we're uh the church is mixed, wheat and chaff, and then uh it's not ours to separate. 00:05:09.759 --> 00:05:15.600 Uh there's a um uh but they they will like to come in the evenings. 00:05:15.759 --> 00:05:23.199 And so uh it's gonna be a lot of changes on in May, and even now, the adventure starts. 00:05:23.839 --> 00:05:32.800 The search for our new home, where God is calling us to gather together as a community, as this church body, the search is on. 00:05:32.959 --> 00:05:37.279 And so that's something that we're going to need to be prayerful about together. 00:05:37.519 --> 00:05:41.040 We're going to be putting together a building search committee. 00:05:41.199 --> 00:05:50.399 Um, not that I don't know enough about church real estate to handle this on my own, but uh we think that it would be uh wise to bring in some people who actually do. 00:05:50.560 --> 00:05:53.279 So we're gonna be putting together that building search committee. 00:05:53.439 --> 00:06:05.759 We're looking in uh uh we're looking in sort of a general radius of this area, so we aren't looking to switch uh communities entirely. 00:06:06.000 --> 00:06:08.160 Um but yeah, the search is on. 00:06:08.399 --> 00:06:19.680 And with the structure of this deal and this agreement and who is buying it, we are in an excellent position to make our next move wisely. 00:06:19.920 --> 00:06:30.319 We don't have to be rushed, we've got time in our space to discover where we're headed next and to prayerfully seek out where is God calling us to be for our next stage as a church. 00:06:30.480 --> 00:06:33.279 So this is a huge answer to prayer. 00:06:33.439 --> 00:06:42.160 It's a huge answer to prayer uh that uh yeah, we'll we'll actually be able to move into this next stage for Redemption Church. 00:06:42.399 --> 00:06:46.959 So uh there are more details, and you would probably like more details. 00:06:47.120 --> 00:06:51.839 Uh if you would like to hear those, then stick around after this service. 00:06:52.079 --> 00:07:01.120 And the founding board and myself will be down front here, and we'll gather together and we can describe more details further and answer any further questions that you have. 00:07:01.360 --> 00:07:05.120 But until then, uh let's enjoy these cold morning mornings. 00:07:05.199 --> 00:07:10.639 They're coming to an end uh in this space and uh celebrate where we're headed next. 00:07:10.879 --> 00:07:12.720 That we're taking a big leap together. 00:07:12.879 --> 00:07:15.199 Uh God's taken us who knows where. 00:07:15.360 --> 00:07:16.639 So this is exciting. 00:07:16.800 --> 00:07:18.319 Um, that's that. 00:07:18.720 --> 00:07:20.560 Building under contract. 00:07:21.360 --> 00:07:24.240 Yeah, applaud it's right to stop there. 00:07:26.959 --> 00:07:31.519 Okay, so uh now switch into sermon mode. 00:07:31.600 --> 00:07:34.079 So if you would, would you play would you pray with me? 00:07:38.959 --> 00:07:40.480 Holy Father. 00:07:43.040 --> 00:07:47.199 You have the snow in your storehouses, they are yours. 00:07:48.160 --> 00:07:58.240 You uh say that your word is is like the snow in that it falls to the earth and it and it waters precisely everywhere it touches. 00:07:58.720 --> 00:08:03.120 Lord, I pray that your word this morning would be like that in our hearts. 00:08:03.600 --> 00:08:11.279 That as we move through your word, that it would change us and shape us and open us to the reality of who you are. 00:08:12.879 --> 00:08:17.839 Father, I pray that you would give us open hearts this morning to receive what you have for us. 00:08:18.160 --> 00:08:19.680 That your spirit would move. 00:08:19.839 --> 00:08:21.439 Lift us up in Jesus' name. 00:08:21.680 --> 00:08:22.319 Amen. 00:08:23.839 --> 00:08:29.120 So today will be a relevant topic, I think, for many of you. 00:08:29.279 --> 00:08:30.399 It is for me. 00:08:30.639 --> 00:08:34.000 Today is about anxiety and fear. 00:08:35.200 --> 00:08:36.799 Fear and anxiety. 00:08:37.039 --> 00:08:42.080 And those have a correlative in our faith, which is courage. 00:08:42.480 --> 00:08:53.759 What happens when our faith meets these points in our lives where it requires courage to follow through with what we claim to otherwise believe? 00:08:54.000 --> 00:09:08.879 What happens when the stakes get high and reality puts that pressure on us, where now our faith is no longer something we can just assent to, but it's something that requires a personal courage and fortitude to stay in alignment with. 00:09:09.360 --> 00:09:09.759 C.S. 00:09:09.919 --> 00:09:11.759 Lewis says of courage. 00:09:12.000 --> 00:09:24.480 He says, courage is not simply one of the virtues, but the form of every virtue at the testing point, which means at the point of highest reality. 00:09:25.360 --> 00:09:28.960 I really love that phrase, the point of highest reality. 00:09:29.200 --> 00:09:32.720 Because I think that's where our faith most often breaks down. 00:09:33.200 --> 00:09:47.039 What happens is our faith gets exposed as something that we really believe is just some sort of helpful principle sometimes, or some sort of fairy tale that we like to retreat to to avoid the realities of our real life. 00:09:47.279 --> 00:10:07.600 And then when reality encroaches in, when that highest point of reality moves in, the stakes are high, be they financial, relational, otherwise, then our courage must kick in in order for our faith to actually move us through those points of highest reality. 00:10:08.480 --> 00:10:12.159 In the series that we're in, we're looking at three different characters. 00:10:12.240 --> 00:10:20.559 And we've looked at Samuel, now we're looking at the character of King Saul, and we're looking at the hearts of these different leaders of the people of Israel. 00:10:20.799 --> 00:10:29.600 And what we're seeing is the way that the condition of their hearts crafts their actions either toward or away from the Lord. 00:10:29.840 --> 00:10:33.440 And today we see Saul's sins on full display. 00:10:33.519 --> 00:10:37.279 And at the heart of these is this fear. 00:10:37.919 --> 00:10:43.039 Saul is reacting to the world that he's in in a deep fear. 00:10:44.240 --> 00:10:49.759 So what we're going to see is how Saul's fear causes a disobedience. 00:10:50.000 --> 00:10:55.840 And then we're going to see that it's his idolatry that causes his fear. 00:10:56.559 --> 00:11:03.679 And then we're going to see that his fear makes him lose even when he wins. 00:11:04.639 --> 00:11:19.279 This morning is the first time that Saul will hear from Samuel that the kingdom will not be his, that it will be taken from him, that God will find someone who is after God's own heart to give the kingdom to. 00:11:30.240 --> 00:11:43.519 Because we expect that that type of announcement would come after a glaring defeat in battle, as we've seen God retreat from the uh Israelites in battle before and leave them exposed and they're defeated. 00:11:43.759 --> 00:11:50.960 We would expect that God would come into that type of moment and see, say, you lost because of your sin, and therefore I'm taking the kingdom from you. 00:11:51.200 --> 00:12:02.559 But instead, Saul getting rejected by the Lord as leader of his people comes in the midst of an incredible victory that God works. 00:12:03.120 --> 00:12:12.960 It's these strange circumstances where we see the circumstances that are governing Saul's heart are not the things that God is concerned about. 00:12:13.279 --> 00:12:18.080 The things that God is concerned about is the condition of Saul's heart towards him. 00:12:18.960 --> 00:12:21.759 So that's what we're looking at this morning. 00:12:22.000 --> 00:12:27.919 So let's go ahead and jump into our story, and we're going to see fear cause Saul's disobedience. 00:12:28.000 --> 00:12:31.600 And his disobedience, I promise you, will feel probably pretty small. 00:12:32.320 --> 00:12:40.639 So, 1 Samuel 13, 8 through 9, it says, He waited seven days, that's Saul, the time appointed by Samuel. 00:12:40.879 --> 00:12:45.600 But Samuel did not come to Gilgal, and the people were scattered from him. 00:12:45.919 --> 00:12:51.200 So Saul said, Bring the burnt offering here to me, and the peace offerings. 00:12:51.440 --> 00:12:54.080 And he offered the burnt offering. 00:12:54.559 --> 00:12:58.399 So, I don't know if you missed it, but that was Saul's big sin. 00:12:58.720 --> 00:13:07.519 That's the sin that Saul commits that makes God come to him and say, I'm taking the kingdom from you, I'm giving it to someone who's after my own heart. 00:13:08.799 --> 00:13:10.639 The pressure was mounting. 00:13:10.960 --> 00:13:22.879 As Saul had gathered his army together, he had about 3,000 people, 2,000 of which he positioned under himself, the other thousand he positioned under his son, whose name was Jonathan. 00:13:23.120 --> 00:13:28.799 And the Philistines were gathering together against them, and they were vastly outnumbered by the Philistines. 00:13:29.120 --> 00:13:32.559 But they wouldn't go to battle without making an offering to the Lord. 00:13:32.720 --> 00:13:37.440 And so Samuel had told Saul that he would arrive within seven days. 00:13:37.600 --> 00:13:47.519 Seven days pass, and instead of Saul continuing to wait, Saul takes matters into his own hands, and he makes the offering himself. 00:13:47.679 --> 00:13:49.919 That wasn't his rightful position to do so. 00:13:50.080 --> 00:13:52.080 He was king, but he was not high priest. 00:13:52.159 --> 00:13:53.840 He was not a prophet of the Lord. 00:13:54.080 --> 00:13:59.600 And so it was inappropriate for him to make the sacrifice in the holy place. 00:14:00.080 --> 00:14:05.840 And yet he has it brought to himself, and he makes the sacrifice. 00:14:06.159 --> 00:14:09.840 If only he had waited a little longer. 00:14:10.320 --> 00:14:17.279 Back in our story, it says, As soon as he had finished offering the burnt offering, behold, Samuel came. 00:14:17.519 --> 00:14:21.840 So Saul finishes making the offering, and Samuel just like walks up. 00:14:22.080 --> 00:14:23.440 So here's what Saul says. 00:14:23.600 --> 00:14:26.240 Samuel came, and Saul went out to meet him and greet him. 00:14:26.320 --> 00:14:28.720 And Samuel said, What have you done? 00:14:29.039 --> 00:14:47.279 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 Mikmash, I said, Now the Philistines will come down against me at Gilgal, and I have not sought the favor of the Lord. 00:14:47.360 --> 00:14:52.639 So so I forced myself and offered the burnt offering. 00:14:54.639 --> 00:15:01.120 In Saul's, whatever that is, excuse, confession, I don't know what it is. 00:15:01.519 --> 00:15:07.279 But in Saul's list of reasons for offering the burnt offering, what we see is Saul's heart exposed. 00:15:07.679 --> 00:15:16.480 We see that Saul's obedience to the Lord is contingent and it's also mechanical. 00:15:16.879 --> 00:15:18.320 So here's what I mean. 00:15:18.639 --> 00:15:37.679 Saul obeys the Lord contingently, meaning so long as the Lord's plans lined up with the way Saul expects things to be going, and the way Saul would normally deduce victory to be brought about, so long as those things line up, then Saul will remain faithful to God. 00:15:37.840 --> 00:15:40.000 He'll remain obedient to God. 00:15:40.240 --> 00:15:42.399 But look at the things that fall apart. 00:15:42.639 --> 00:15:43.919 There's the timeline. 00:15:44.080 --> 00:15:47.679 Samuel, you said you'd be here within seven days, and you weren't here. 00:15:48.000 --> 00:15:54.159 So now that that fell off, I have the authority to take into my hands God's law and do whatever I want. 00:15:54.480 --> 00:15:57.840 Look at the pressure that I was receiving from the enemy. 00:15:58.000 --> 00:16:03.279 They're mounting at Gilgal, and if they continue mounting, we're going to be defeated. 00:16:03.440 --> 00:16:07.200 I have to make this offering to get the Lord on our side. 00:16:07.519 --> 00:16:12.000 And the people, Saul's own army, is scattering from him. 00:16:12.080 --> 00:16:20.159 They're fleeing because they see this mounting force, and they're just sitting there waiting, like, okay, seven days until we make the sacrifice. 00:16:20.240 --> 00:16:20.879 Where's Samuel? 00:16:20.960 --> 00:16:21.919 Where is Samuel? 00:16:22.159 --> 00:16:26.879 And uh so they eventually a couple of them get together and they're like, all right, forget this. 00:16:27.039 --> 00:16:29.279 Let's go do whatever it is we do. 00:16:30.399 --> 00:16:32.320 I don't know what ancient peoples did. 00:16:32.559 --> 00:16:36.320 And they go do that and they leave the army. 00:16:36.960 --> 00:16:48.240 So Saul has all this pressure forming around him, all these ways in which what he would think would normally amount to victory are taken away. 00:16:48.639 --> 00:17:00.080 And because of that, because of this highest point of reality that's bearing down on his faith, what he thinks is reality wins out. 00:17:00.879 --> 00:17:03.519 He says, Look, I know how armies win battles. 00:17:03.840 --> 00:17:07.920 Armies win battles by sticking together, not by fleeing, and everyone's fleeing right now. 00:17:08.160 --> 00:17:11.119 And time is running out, and I can tell that I need this. 00:17:11.200 --> 00:17:16.160 And so he says, I'm gonna take matters into my own hands. 00:17:17.440 --> 00:17:21.119 Here's why I love that phrase, highest point of reality. 00:17:22.640 --> 00:17:27.839 Our faith is often this loosely constructed sort of fairy tale. 00:17:28.640 --> 00:17:32.559 And then we have this other plane that we operate on. 00:17:32.799 --> 00:17:35.519 And we call that the way things really work. 00:17:36.720 --> 00:17:39.519 Look, I know the way things really work. 00:17:40.240 --> 00:17:47.599 And the way things really work is I need to take this into my own hands, and I need to get this problem solved, and I need to figure it out. 00:17:47.920 --> 00:18:02.720 Because, look, this faith is great, it provides me peace on the weekends, but I know the way the world really works, and when you figure that out, you'll wise up too and you'll learn how to take matters into your own hands. 00:18:03.200 --> 00:18:07.039 That is the other plane that we live on. 00:18:07.519 --> 00:18:12.720 That highest point of reality that our faith doesn't really seem to touch. 00:18:13.519 --> 00:18:28.400 It's where we get home and we're weary and we say, Look, uh, I know that like our prayer should offer us some sort of comfort, but instead I'm just gonna cope and numb myself with all these other ingredients that I know how to numb myself with. 00:18:28.559 --> 00:18:32.079 Because look, let's be honest, that's the way the world really works. 00:18:33.119 --> 00:18:39.599 Those highest points of reality that our faith doesn't have any bearing on. 00:18:41.839 --> 00:18:44.559 So Saul's obedience is contingent. 00:18:45.119 --> 00:18:53.680 That is, so long as it lines up with his definition of reality, his definition of what brings victory, then he remains with those. 00:18:54.160 --> 00:18:57.839 And his obedience is mechanical. 00:18:59.039 --> 00:19:08.079 You see, he says at the end of this, he says, and I have not sought the favor of the Lord, so I forced myself and offered the burnt offering. 00:19:08.319 --> 00:19:14.160 He considers, look, the Lord's favor is just another thing for me to control. 00:19:14.799 --> 00:19:20.640 And I control the Lord's favor with these particular religious practices. 00:19:21.359 --> 00:19:23.440 Now remember who he's talking to. 00:19:23.599 --> 00:19:28.400 He's talking to a man named Samuel, and Samuel is who we started our story with. 00:19:28.559 --> 00:19:30.880 But it's not really who we started our story with. 00:19:31.039 --> 00:19:34.720 We started our story with Samuel's mother, whose name was Hannah. 00:19:34.960 --> 00:19:46.240 Hannah was a woman who was ostracized from her family, deeply desiring to have a child, and she breaks down seeking the favor of the Lord. 00:19:46.400 --> 00:19:48.160 And how does she do it? 00:19:48.480 --> 00:19:52.079 How does Hannah seek the favor of the Lord? 00:19:52.400 --> 00:19:55.200 She doesn't go into the temple and make an offering. 00:19:55.599 --> 00:20:09.200 She doesn't conjure some sacrifice, she just pours out her heart in prayer towards the Lord, trusting that God is the type of God who would listen and compassionately hear her. 00:20:10.000 --> 00:20:12.640 That's not the way Saul considers the Lord. 00:20:12.880 --> 00:20:19.039 In order for Saul to gain the favor of the Lord, it's another thing for him to control. 00:20:20.880 --> 00:20:23.839 God must respond to my sacrifice. 00:20:24.000 --> 00:20:30.640 When I sacrifice to the Lord, then I will put him in my debt and he must respond to me. 00:20:30.799 --> 00:20:35.519 That's not treating God like God, that's treating God like a contract worker. 00:20:36.319 --> 00:20:42.240 Saying, look, if I do this for you, then you have to respond to me in this way. 00:20:42.400 --> 00:20:44.640 And we do that a lot. 00:20:46.480 --> 00:20:50.480 We do that in all sorts of ways with our religion. 00:20:51.759 --> 00:21:02.559 Where we conjure up ways to mechanically control God so that our faith is not a quest to see Him. 00:21:03.200 --> 00:21:06.559 Our faith is not settling in our enjoyment of God. 00:21:06.799 --> 00:21:15.680 Our faith is another means that we use to control God or appease him, so that then he's forced to give us what we want. 00:21:17.680 --> 00:21:20.640 We're still in control of the whole situation. 00:21:21.279 --> 00:21:23.359 And that's the way Saul approached this. 00:21:23.920 --> 00:21:32.319 Saul's faith was mechanical and contingent, and ultimately it is his control that is final. 00:21:34.400 --> 00:21:37.759 We'll get back into our story and we'll see Samuel's response to Saul. 00:21:38.000 --> 00:21:40.480 Samuel said to Saul, You have done foolishly. 00:21:40.640 --> 00:21:44.240 You have not kept the command of the Lord your God with which he commanded you. 00:21:44.480 --> 00:21:49.680 For then the Lord would have established your kingdom over Israel forever. 00:21:50.400 --> 00:21:54.640 But now, that's not a sentence you want a butt to follow. 00:21:55.519 --> 00:21:58.559 But now your kingdom shall not continue. 00:21:58.799 --> 00:21:59.759 The Lord has sought. 00:22:00.319 --> 00:22:10.559 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. 00:22:11.359 --> 00:22:21.440 There are two things we see in Samuel's rebuke that highlight the depth of Saul's mistake and where exactly that mistake took place. 00:22:23.279 --> 00:22:30.559 First of all, it is the Lord who upholds Saul's kingdom. 00:22:31.279 --> 00:22:39.119 It says if you had been obedient to the Lord, then the the Lord would have established your kingdom over Israel forever. 00:22:40.319 --> 00:22:41.920 What did Saul think? 00:22:43.039 --> 00:22:46.880 Saul thought, I know how to establish a kingdom. 00:22:47.279 --> 00:22:50.640 You establish a kingdom by keeping your troops with you. 00:22:50.880 --> 00:22:56.880 You establish a kingdom by keeping that army at bay and you respond quickly to those threats as they come. 00:22:57.279 --> 00:23:02.240 And ultimately this kingdom and its establishment hinges on me. 00:23:03.039 --> 00:23:06.799 And so for it to be established I'm going to have to take things into my own hands. 00:23:06.960 --> 00:23:17.440 Be they obedient or disobedient to the Lord, that's a secondary matter because I know the way things really work and this hinges on me and I'm going to have to take this into my own hands. 00:23:18.079 --> 00:23:20.880 That's the way Saul considered the kingdom. 00:23:21.279 --> 00:23:24.000 And yet it was the Lord who upheld it. 00:23:25.440 --> 00:23:33.839 And finally we see that Saul in this way is not after the Lord's heart. 00:23:35.599 --> 00:23:46.559 This is an issue of Saul being totally governed by his anxiety because he thought that the ends and the means belonged just to him. 00:23:47.279 --> 00:23:50.400 He didn't see a God that he could trust with both. 00:23:51.119 --> 00:24:02.720 So that means that Saul with this disobedience that's grounded in this anxiety ultimately he's not trusting in the Lord and that's because he is trusting in something else. 00:24:03.440 --> 00:24:06.640 So what is that other thing that Saul is trusting in? 00:24:06.799 --> 00:24:14.960 How can we discover what this other thing that Saul is trusting in is well we see it in Saul's response to his rebuke. 00:24:16.000 --> 00:24:23.440 These are the next couple of verses 1 Samuel 13 to 15 says and Samuel arose and went up from Gilgal. 00:24:23.839 --> 00:24:34.720 The rest of the people went up after Saul to meet the army they went up from Gilgal to Gibeah of Benjamin and Saul numbered the people who were present with him about six hundred men. 00:24:36.880 --> 00:24:41.920 And this is an easy one to miss and I miss it for most of my reading. 00:24:42.079 --> 00:24:56.319 And then I came back and I realized you know the whole drama of this text is in the numbers the way that it's described the drama the pressure the time everything has to do with these numbers. 00:24:56.720 --> 00:25:08.640 And what's the first thing that Saul does after he gets rebuked by Samuel and says your heart wasn't after the Lord it was the Lord who upholds your kingdom. 00:25:08.799 --> 00:25:14.720 This is all in the Lord's hands and you didn't consider that and now the kingdom is not going to be yours. 00:25:15.039 --> 00:25:50.240 Saul goes away and he counts he goes back to his army that started at 3,000 and now it's 600 what is Saul still trusting in what does Saul think his ensures his victory it's still the numbers it's still how much of his army is he able to keep together to keep appeased that's his whole confidence. 00:25:50.480 --> 00:25:55.359 He still doesn't think that it's the Lord who upholds his kingdom. 00:25:56.480 --> 00:26:02.799 Now we can see the drama unfolding in the numbers because they are extraordinary. 00:26:04.720 --> 00:26:09.119 As I said before Saul had 3,000 soldiers gathered under him. 00:26:09.279 --> 00:26:22.000 And the Philistines that had gathered at Mi'kmash which is fun to say is of the Philistines have they so Saul has 3,000 now it's 600. 00:26:22.319 --> 00:26:40.400 The Philistines have 3000 chariots they have 6,000 horsemen and the troops are like the sand of the sea which is a lot the disproportionality is insane. 00:26:41.839 --> 00:26:46.000 The army that they are facing down is absolutely outrageous. 00:26:46.079 --> 00:26:53.759 If they have three thousand then it's still ten to one odds against them in chariots alone. 00:26:55.759 --> 00:27:00.480 So Saul goes back to count and he has six hundred. 00:27:00.799 --> 00:27:13.680 His faith somehow is still in the numbers there's another way to approach this and that other way is demonstrated immediately by Saul's son Jonathan. 00:27:13.920 --> 00:27:24.240 Now Jonathan had a certain number of troops under him and they were all stationed together waiting for Samuel to come provide the sacrifice Saul goes ahead and provides the sacrifice. 00:27:24.480 --> 00:27:36.559 And at some point in this time Jonathan gets his armor bearer and he says hey let's go ahead and let's just us two head into enemy territory. 00:27:36.799 --> 00:27:40.000 And maybe this will just be a recon mission but let's go check it out. 00:27:40.160 --> 00:27:53.839 And so the two of them head away from the comfort of the other 600 or however many there were and into enemy territory and this is Jonathan's reasoning for moving. 00:27:54.720 --> 00:28:57.680 Jonathan said this is 1 Samuel 146 Jonathan said to the young man who carried his armor come let us go over to the garrison of these uncircumcised he's already trash talking it may be that the Lord will work for us for nothing can hinder the Lord from saving by many or by fews the kingdom for Jonathan who holds the victory for Jonathan what can hinder the Lord from saving count the numbers forget the numbers God promised us that he would rescue us God himself he's the one who said that he will fight for our people he will rescue us he will defend us he calls them uncircumcised because he's saying look they don't have the covenant they don't have the promise from God. 00:28:57.920 --> 00:28:58.480 We do. 00:28:58.720 --> 00:29:09.680 God promised us and he can save he could save if we had 3000 they had 600 he can save if there's just a few of us. 00:29:09.920 --> 00:29:12.400 So yeah 10 to 1 odds. 00:29:12.559 --> 00:29:13.680 Those aren't great. 00:29:14.000 --> 00:29:17.599 So armor bearer why don't we make it 1500? 00:29:19.519 --> 00:29:30.799 We'll try that it's this perfect foil of faithfulness that shows the sin of Saul's counting what he was actually counting on. 00:29:31.039 --> 00:29:40.240 Which the whole time I was writing this I was like that feels like a pun like what is Saul counting on and he's literally counting and then I was like what is the origins of the phrase counting on? 00:29:40.400 --> 00:29:48.000 It's it's it's it's this it's bit it's a biblical origin where what did people count on? 00:29:48.160 --> 00:29:49.119 What are you counting on? 00:29:49.200 --> 00:29:54.160 It's because people would go back and count their soldiers which that's a cool thing. 00:29:54.240 --> 00:30:17.839 That's just a fun fact we see this complete contrast Saul's fear because he depended what was he depending on what was guiding his fear what guided his fear was what rescues is my numbers. 00:30:19.839 --> 00:30:21.920 You have something like that. 00:30:22.960 --> 00:30:26.960 You have a numbers of your army that rescues you. 00:30:27.759 --> 00:30:32.720 What rescues me is if I don't feel any discomfort. 00:30:33.759 --> 00:30:50.720 And so long as I can craft my life to where I don't feel any discomfort then I'm going to be rescued from the pain that I'm feeling what rescues me is how much money that I am able to store up for a rainy day once I finally get Dave Ramsey's rainy day fund set up. 00:30:51.359 --> 00:30:59.200 And then I know that I'll be comforted you have something that you're counting on. 00:30:59.519 --> 00:31:10.240 Once I can finally get everybody to like me once I can finally handle this this particular conflict and then that'll be done and then I know that I'll be taken care of. 00:31:11.119 --> 00:31:13.119 You're counting on something. 00:31:13.359 --> 00:31:27.359 And what that says is the ultimate meaning in my life the ultimate purpose the vision what I'm really headed towards that isn't in the Lord's hands that's in mine and I can make it happen through some other means. 00:31:27.920 --> 00:31:29.519 It's called an idol. 00:31:30.559 --> 00:31:38.720 An idol is something that isn't God that you sacrifice for and you give to because it promises you that it will give you life. 00:31:39.599 --> 00:31:41.119 But they can't. 00:31:41.759 --> 00:31:45.519 It's the Lord who establishes the kingdom. 00:31:48.640 --> 00:31:50.400 Saul didn't see that. 00:31:52.160 --> 00:31:56.480 Jonathan's faith motivates an action. 00:31:58.400 --> 00:31:59.119 Do you see that? 00:31:59.599 --> 00:32:02.720 It was Jonathan's faith that didn't cause him to be paralyzed. 00:32:02.960 --> 00:32:14.079 It didn't make him get mechanical he wasn't like oh in order for the Lord to be faithful to us I'm going to need to do these penance or I'm going to need to make sure that I get this many days in a row in my Bible reading plan. 00:32:14.240 --> 00:32:18.079 No he said look this depends on the Lord and he may save us. 00:32:18.240 --> 00:32:23.200 And that's his prerogative and he can do it by many or by few. 00:32:23.440 --> 00:32:49.599 Whereas Saul's anxiety paralyzes him so what happens is Jonathan and the armor bearer they move down towards this garrison of the Philistines and they Jonathan says if if they say you stop there and we'll come to you then we'll know that this is not the time to fight. 00:32:49.839 --> 00:32:54.720 But if they say come down to see us then this is the time to fight. 00:32:54.960 --> 00:33:02.799 And I was thinking about that and the the way that Jonathan kind of stacked that is he he kind of stacked it in in their favor. 00:33:03.200 --> 00:33:19.279 Because if I'm in the military which I'm not I would think all right let's just let these guys come into our territory so that we can just take care of them as a full army rather than just like two of us going out there to get picked off more easily. 00:33:19.519 --> 00:33:39.039 But instead he says come down the so anyway they stand up and they say come down to us and Jonathan turns to his armor bearers and is like alright game on this is this is the battle and they kill 20 people in just like an acre and the Philistines panic. 00:33:39.680 --> 00:33:53.039 And they they they're like there's something almost magical almost mystical happening with how victorious these two people have been in this short space and they panic and so they all start to turn and run. 00:33:53.839 --> 00:34:04.720 And Saul has some lookouts watching the garrison of the Philistines and they come to Saul and they're like hey they're all retreating what do you what do you think we should do? 00:34:04.880 --> 00:34:07.680 And Saul's like okay well I guess let's go let's go. 00:34:08.159 --> 00:34:10.559 That part isn't recorded but I imagine it was something like that. 00:34:10.800 --> 00:34:48.639 And the whole army of the Israelites gathers together and they chase off these 30,000 chariots of the Philistines these 6,000 horsemen these innumerable soldiers are chased away because of the momentum created by these two people who said maybe God can do it God upholds the kingdom maybe two is a good number the momentum completely shifts. 00:34:48.880 --> 00:35:06.079 They're given this victory by Jonathan's faithfulness what was the highest point of Jonathan's reality the highest point of Jonathan's reality wasn't I know how things really work. 00:35:08.000 --> 00:35:12.880 The highest point of Jonathan's reality was God upholds the kingdom. 00:35:13.360 --> 00:35:27.199 This is his so we're answering the question what is Saul counting on he counts on the number of troops and he also counts on his ability to control them. 00:35:28.559 --> 00:36:08.159 Before when Jonathan and his armor bearer had first left the encampment of the Israelites to go to the garrison of the Philistines Saul in that in-between stage when Jonathan wasn't there makes this declaration to his soldiers and he says this says and the men of Israel had been hard pressed that day so Saul had laid an oath on the people saying Cursed be the man who eats food until it is evening and I am avenged on my enemies So none of the people had tasted food. 00:36:09.039 --> 00:36:13.360 Saul sees that they're hard pressed, he sees that people are retreating and what does he do? 00:36:13.519 --> 00:36:16.000 He doesn't say this is in the Lord's hands. 00:36:16.239 --> 00:36:21.679 Instead he clamps down tiger on the things that he thinks he can control. 00:36:23.039 --> 00:36:42.400 And he says you know this scattering army that I have under me none of you get to eat until I am avenged on my enemies we see the whole narrative from Saul's perspective in that phrase in this rash vow that he makes. 00:36:43.199 --> 00:36:53.760 And what we see is Saul's perspective is that the victory is his enemies are against him alone. 00:36:54.000 --> 00:37:12.400 The center of this story is him these are not God's enemies this is not God's victory this is not ultimately a demonstration of God's glory by the way that he approaches this victory. 00:37:12.639 --> 00:38:10.480 This is all Saul's and we wonder why he's so anxious why he's so fearful see he he's fighting for a glory that he thinks only depends on him and that's because he thinks the glory is only his a random side note but we've been watching the Oscar nominees and uh we uh after watching the Academy Awards and when uh Bradley Cooper like cheated on his wife with Lady Gaga right in front of her so we were like we should watch a star is born and watched that movie a couple nights ago and walked away and basically it's about these singers. 00:38:14.480 --> 00:38:28.880 And they they spend their lives in front of the in front of these crowds and I was talking to my wife afterwards and I was like you know I I think there's just something hard on a person's soul about like being in front of a of a crowd. 00:38:29.519 --> 00:38:40.800 I think that can be really hard on a person's soul and it's because they receive this glory that's all about them. 00:38:42.400 --> 00:38:49.519 And there's something about humans that just aren't meant to carry that type of glory. 00:38:50.719 --> 00:38:53.119 We think our salvation would rest in it. 00:38:53.280 --> 00:39:25.360 I mean the movie it I I don't know if a star is born is the word I would have gone with but they if you've seen the movie and if you haven't well but they're they're crushed by the weight of this glory that they receive from these crowds that's about them and they struggle and they anxiously grasp to try and keep this glory. 00:39:27.280 --> 00:39:39.920 And so their lives are riddled with this fear and anxiety and this terrible coping because they think that the glory that they need to justify their lives could actually come from a crowd of people. 00:39:40.639 --> 00:39:50.159 They think that the glory is for them and about them and that's where salvation lies Saul thought the same thing. 00:39:52.960 --> 00:40:29.760 So he lives fearfully and anxiously and he grabs where he can we see that even when he wins even when he gains the victory because it's out of this terrible fear in a story where he thinks the enemies are just his he still loses so here's how the story continues they accomplished this great victory against the Philistines and the emo and the momentum had really swayed in the direction of the Israelites. 00:40:30.159 --> 00:40:52.800 And so Saul considers we should probably continue this attack on into the night he gathers the a priest and he says let's uh ask of the Lord if we should continue this attack on into the night while the momentum seems to have shifted in our direction they inquire of the Lord and there's no answer. 00:40:53.920 --> 00:41:01.440 So Saul considers and he rightly considers someone broke the vow that I made. 00:41:02.079 --> 00:41:06.639 When I said no one should eat someone ate. 00:41:07.519 --> 00:41:26.559 And so they cast lots to determine who it is and Saul and Jonathan stand on one side and the the whole army stands on another side and they they cast lots and the lot determines that the sin of eating was in either Saul or Jonathan. 00:41:26.800 --> 00:41:31.119 And they cast lots again and as it turns out the sin was in Jonathan. 00:41:31.519 --> 00:41:36.480 Jonathan was away when he had made that vow that no one should eat. 00:41:36.719 --> 00:42:10.239 And Jonathan the one who this victory was accomplished through he had happened upon a a beehive and he stuck the tip of his spear into it and he licked the honey off and it says that it brightened his eyes and it put him in a good mood and it gave him some energy that he was able to use to fight with to accomplish the victory that they had accomplished Saul determines that Jonathan should be killed because of this. 00:42:11.199 --> 00:42:49.280 Jonathan broke the vow and that means that his life would be costuel Saul said God do so to me and more also you shall surely die Jonathan this is his son then the people said to Saul Shall Jonathan dieat salvation in Israel far from it as the Lord lives there shall not one hair of his head fall to the ground for he has worked with God this day. 00:42:49.599 --> 00:43:15.280 So the people ransomed Jonathan so that he did not die look at what just happened to Saul Saul in his mad desire to preserve his kingship clings with all the power he could possibly muster even saying you don't get to eat until you accomplish my vengeance for me. 00:43:15.519 --> 00:43:21.840 That very action wrests the kingdom from his hands. 00:43:22.320 --> 00:43:47.679 When the people have stood up to their king and they've ransomed the king's own son back to him because they remind the king that not one hair of his head shall fall from the ground for he has worked with God this day what they are saying is you didn't work with God and although you have made this rash vow, we the people will not honor it. 00:43:47.920 --> 00:43:56.159 And the same fear that put Jonathan's life at risk at this moment ends up being the fear that saves his life. 00:43:58.480 --> 00:44:01.280 Saul's fear of Losing the people. 00:44:02.719 --> 00:44:05.440 Saul's fear of the people scattering from him. 00:44:07.039 --> 00:44:14.159 His anxiety almost kills his son. 00:44:19.039 --> 00:44:32.639 Now, there's some advice regarding anxiety that Peter writes in 1 Peter. 00:44:33.920 --> 00:44:35.760 1 Peter 5, verses 6 and 7. 00:44:36.000 --> 00:44:38.239 And it's in the context of humility. 00:44:39.599 --> 00:44:47.679 And he says this it's advice that if Saul had had, Jonathan's life wouldn't have been threatened. 00:44:48.800 --> 00:45:03.440 He says, humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God, so that at the proper time he may exalt you, casting all your anxieties on him because he cares for you. 00:45:08.239 --> 00:45:15.039 Saul had no idea the God that he was serving. 00:45:17.440 --> 00:45:27.280 Saul thought the God that he was serving is one who needs to be controlled or manipulated or appeased in some way. 00:45:28.239 --> 00:45:40.960 Saul is so anxious to return to the good graces of the Lord that in order to honor the rash vow that he made, he says, Look, God, I'll follow through with killing my son. 00:45:42.880 --> 00:45:47.280 And then I can wrestle back into my hands my relationship with you. 00:45:47.679 --> 00:45:49.599 Because you'll owe me again, remember? 00:45:49.760 --> 00:45:52.159 We'll be square because I made the vow. 00:45:52.239 --> 00:45:57.760 That's the type of God that Saul thinks he's working under. 00:45:59.679 --> 00:46:03.920 Type of God whose favor needs to be garnered or conjured in some way. 00:46:06.960 --> 00:46:10.480 That's not the type of God you can cast your anxiety on. 00:46:12.159 --> 00:46:16.079 That's the type of God that you need to figure out how to appease in some way. 00:46:16.880 --> 00:46:18.800 Here's what Saul didn't get. 00:46:20.880 --> 00:46:30.719 Saul thought that he was worshiping the type of God that would require him to kill his own son in order to get back in his good graces. 00:46:31.920 --> 00:46:40.480 Saul did not think that he was working with a God who would lay down the life of his own son to restore us to him. 00:46:43.840 --> 00:46:48.239 The gospel was nowhere near the highest point of his reality. 00:46:49.840 --> 00:46:51.760 He thought it all hinged on him. 00:46:53.360 --> 00:46:57.039 The story was all about him, and so he was anxious all the time. 00:46:57.519 --> 00:47:07.119 The means to accomplish his victory was all his, so he was anxious and fearful all the time, and that drove him into this terrible disobedience. 00:47:08.559 --> 00:47:22.719 And in someone like Jonathan, a heart that is truly after the Lord's, that trusts in the Lord's goodness, he was able to count on the Lord's deliverance and then move into action. 00:47:25.199 --> 00:47:27.519 Imagine if we could be a people like that. 00:47:28.880 --> 00:47:33.440 Think of what the world would see when they saw us. 00:47:34.559 --> 00:47:45.440 I listened to a great sermon this past week from Tim Keller, and he describes Moses looking at the burning bush. 00:47:45.840 --> 00:47:53.519 He makes an analogy between Moses looking at the burning bush and uh a non-Christian seeing a real Christian. 00:47:53.760 --> 00:47:59.519 And Moses looks at the bush and it's like, okay, a bush on fire, I've seen fire before, whatever, there's fire, it's not that weird. 00:47:59.679 --> 00:48:07.760 But then he then he looks for longer, and uh Keller is like, uh he's probably standing there for like a half hour just looking at this bush, like, what the heck? 00:48:07.920 --> 00:48:10.800 The bush isn't getting consumed by the fire. 00:48:11.039 --> 00:48:14.880 It's just this fire standing on a bush and it's not destroying it. 00:48:15.199 --> 00:48:16.320 How is this happening? 00:48:16.480 --> 00:48:18.880 This there must be something else going on here. 00:48:19.440 --> 00:48:32.719 I think if we were the type of people that lived with a real faith where the highest point of our reality is that we served a God who cared for us, whose the victory was truly in his hands. 00:48:32.880 --> 00:48:36.719 That would motivate us into this fearless action. 00:48:39.440 --> 00:48:44.239 And I think people would look at our lives and they would say, There's these crazy things happening around you. 00:48:44.400 --> 00:48:49.119 There's this fire that seems like it's burning up in your life, and but then you seem fine. 00:48:49.360 --> 00:48:52.800 You seem joyful, you seem really peaceful. 00:48:53.039 --> 00:49:02.000 You aren't using your anxiety as a way to prove how hard you work so that I'll think something of you, which is what we do. 00:49:02.320 --> 00:49:05.039 Anxiety is a freaking badge of honor. 00:49:06.159 --> 00:49:12.639 Oh, I'm I'm so anxious, I've got so many issues in my life, I've got all these things going on, and man, I'm working so hard, you wouldn't believe it. 00:49:12.719 --> 00:49:15.760 I've got I've got this such a crazy time of life, I'm working so hard. 00:49:16.000 --> 00:49:18.639 Have you ever met anybody who was like, oh wow? 00:49:23.440 --> 00:49:27.039 No, the only answer is yeah, same. 00:49:27.199 --> 00:49:29.039 This is what life is like. 00:49:29.519 --> 00:49:31.360 This is what it's like out here. 00:49:31.519 --> 00:49:33.440 You know what would look weird? 00:49:34.639 --> 00:49:39.119 It's someone who in the midst of that was grateful and joyful. 00:49:39.519 --> 00:49:48.639