[I have mentioned in a previous post that I intend to leave my lesson plans as I prepared them. That will explain, I pray, the manner in which this is written, since I usually use my notes to remind myself of thins but there are times when I read what I've written verbatim.]
This evening I’m going to do something a little different…rather than exposit the text we will be looking at tonight…I want to leap straight into the application.
Another thing is that my lesson tonight is especially for all of you who have already professed faith in Christ…so please bear with me this evening as I go this new route!
This evening our text will come from 1 Samuel, so please turn to that book, the 8th chapter.
Read 1 Samuel 8:1-7
You may be tempted to think that Israel’s request was sound because of verse 3…that perhaps they had reason for wanting a king over them since the sons of Samuel were not godly men. But one thing you must understand is that judges did not become judges because their fathers were judges…it was not a hereditary position…judges were raised up by God Himself. That the sons here were already judges may point to the fact that already Israel was assuming they should decide who would judge Israel...but judges if you look at the book that bears that name, were raised up to rule Israel especially during times of trial. So in fact, Israel was not ruled by judges but directly by God.
Second thing you must understand is that the key verse in this passage is verse 7 (read again)
The people rejected God! That the sons of Samuel were not godly men was an excuse for wanting a king!
Ask) And for what purpose do they want a king?
They wanted to be “like all the nations.”
Did you notice that? They did not want to be different than those around them! They wanted to fit in!
My little brothers and sisters…when we examine our own lives…are we any different than Israel? Have we too rejected God as our king?
Little brothers and sisters…our God and King wants us to be different just as he wanted Israel to be different…Israel was a nation of light in a planet of darkness…but they wanted to be just like the world around them!
Look with me at Romans 12:1-2
We too, little ones, are called to stand out! We are not called into a relationship with Christ so that we can look just like the world around us!
Little sisters…the world tells young ladies that the less of themselves they cover up…the better they will be…do you listen, or will you listen to the world?
Little brothers…the world tells young men that being disrespectful and using foul language is simply a thing young people will do…will you listen to the world?
Little brothers and sisters…the world says that watching movies with profanity, sex, and violence is cool…do you watch the same things your unsaved friends do?
How then, are you different? How then have you been “transformed by the renewing of your mind…”?
Brothers and sisters, the Word of God in 2 Corinthians 5:17 tells us that having believed and placed our faith in Jesus as Lord and Savior of our lives we have become a new creation, therefore if we lead lives that are no different than the lives of the unsaved…then according to 2 Corinthians 13:5 it is so very important that we examine ourselves closely to see if we are truly of the faith lest we find ourselves deceived and be among those to whom the Lord says “I never knew you, depart from Me…”! Matthew 7:23
Listen closely…when we say that we are Christians and we fail to live victorious lives…then we say to God that we do not want Him for our king…
When we behave no different than those who don’t love Christ…then we say to God that we do not want Him for our King.
But beware of one thing…by leading victorious lives I do not mean lives of ease…I do not mean that if you are a faithful Christian things will always be wonderful for you…that you will never suffer hardship…far from it!!
There are Christians in Asia and the Middle East who die for their faith…who are wounded for their faith…who suffer poverty for their faith…and far be it for us to say they are not faithful…for it is to our shame that we are not granted the privilege granted to them.
No…when I say living a life victoriously I mean a life that praises God during the good and during the bad [reference Job 1 here]…a life where we live as if we really believe that God is our King…
Brothers and sisters…let it never be said of anyone of you that you wanted a king other than God!!!
1 Samuel 8:22
“So the Lord said to Samuel, “Heed their voice, and make them a king.””
Be careful what you ask for…do not trade the glorious light of God for the darkness of the world!
Listen carefully to me: Whether we acknowledge it or not…God is King. God is Lord. God is in control. Read Psalm 1:1-6
It remains for us to live in light of this truth…but our failure to live it when we profess Christ only means at best that we are backsliding and at worst that we do not truly belong to Him.
So my final word to you this evening my brothers and sisters is to be satisfied with the only real King there is…and if we truly believe it and if we truly live it…tell others about Him!!
Close in prayer
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