Give Us a King
Maybe more than two parts; Intro in AM, Part I in PM; divide Part II over several PMs if necessary (get another reading).
A. ( 1 Cor. 10:11-12 )RECORDS OF DISOBEDIENCE IN OT FURNISH A WARNING.
1. Against imposing innovations on God's plan.
2. Against rejecting God and His plans.
B. ISRAEL DID BOTH WHEN THEY WANTED A KING LIKE THE NATIONS
AROUND THEM.
C. WE CAN DO THE SAME THEY DID.
A. HISTORY:
1. God took Israel from slavery and made a covenant with them at Mt. Sinai.
a. God was their King( Hosea 13:10-11 -KJV )
10 I will be thy king: where is any other that may save thee in all thy cities? and thy judges of whom
thou saidst, Give me a king and princes? 11 I gave thee a king in mine anger, and took him away
in my wrath.
b He defeated kings: Pharaoh, Og (Bashan), Sihon (Heshbon), and others.
c. Later many kings upon entering Canaan; 31 listed in Josh. 12.
2. Instruction on selecting a king ( Deut. 17:14-17 ).
3. Seemingly attempts to establish men as a king over Israel:
a. Moses viewed as king ( Deut. 33:1-5 ).
b. Abimelech made king of Shechem and Beth-millo( Judges 9:6 );
reigned three years ( v. 22 ).
4. Days of the Judges
a. Seeking what was right in man's eyes.
(1) Gave up on God as King.
(2) Sought their own devices ( Judges 17:6 ).
b. Two wicked judges, Samuel's sons ( 1 Sam. 8:1-3 ).
(1) Joel
(2) Abijah
(3) Makes you wonder that corrupt leaders come from corrupt people.
5. Samuel's sons evil lives caused the people to want a king ( 1 Sam. 8:4-6 ).
B. THIS TOO WAS A REJECTION OF GOD AND HIS WAYS ( 1 Sam. 8:7-8 ).
1. God warned what would come of such a king ( 1 Sam. 8:10-18 ).
2. Israel still wants a king ( 1 Sam. 8:19-22 )
a. to be like "all the nations...".
b. to judge them, go out before them, and fight their battles
3. God had done all this before
a. Judged them according to His law.
b. Went before them as a pillar of fire and a cloud of smoke.
c. Fought their battles, such as Jericho.
A. SAUL WAS NOT ALL BAD.
1. He was the Lord's anointed. He did fight battles and set up altars.
2. He apparently raised a fine son, Jonathan.
B. SAUL LOOKED LIKE A KING - OUTWARDLY( 1 Sam. 9:1-2 ).
C. THEY HAD A REVIVAL WHEN SAUL WON A BATTLE( 1 Sam. 11:14-15 ).
1. We get excited over something new, until the newness wears off.
2. Careful: something else "new" will come along.
D. A KING WHO LED THE PEOPLE INTO SIN(1 Sam. 13:1-14; vs. 9-12 ).
E. A KING WHO LOST THE KINGDOM( 1 Sam. 13:13-14 ).
F. A KING WHO LED THE PEOPLE INTO DISOBEDIENCE REGARDING THE
AMELEKITES( 1 Sam. 15 ).
1. God's plan was to utterly destroy Amalek( vs. 2-3 ).
2. Saul and the people spared king Agag and the best of the flocks ( vs. 8-9 ).
3. The Lord's regret ( vs. 11 ).
4. God desired most of all what Saul would not give( vs. 21-23 ).
5. Saul' knew his sin and confessed ( vs. 24-25 ).
6. The kingdom torn from Saul ( vs. 26-28 ); given to David.
7. Saul still wanted the respect of those whom he led ( v. 30 ).
G. THEY GOT A KING WHO LOST CONTACT WITH GOD.
1. Samuel would not speak to Saul any more ( 1 Sam. 15:34-35 ).
2. God did not answer Saul, who had previously been inspired ( 1 Sam. 28:6 ).
3. Saul consulted with a spirit medium ( 1 Sam. 28:3-25 ).
a. Good point: had removed the mediums and spiritists ( vs. 3 ).
b. Bad point: in disguise, he consulted a medium ( vs. 7-19 ).
c. Samuel affirmed the kingdom was given to David ( vs. 17).
H. A KING WHO DIED A HUMILIATING DEATH( 1 Sam. 31 ).
1. Losing a battle against the Philistines, Israel's soldiers forced to flee, sons
Jonathan, Abinadab and Malachi-shua killed (vs. 1-2).
2. When Saul was wounded he killed himself( vs. 3-5 ).
3. Saul's decapitated body displayed by the enemy( vs. 9-13 ).
4. Finally buried by some valiant men.
5. Saul's dishonor was the nations' dishonor.
6. Israel's demand for a king was a rejection of God.
A. WE ARE NOT NEAR TO THE BEGINNING OF OUR SALVATION. WE ARE
GENERATIONS FROM THE TIME OF JESUS, OF THE APOSTLES, OF
MIRACLES AND SIGNS, AND INSPIRATION OF THE NEW TESTAMENT.
B. REJECTING GOD LEAVES US LIKE SHEEP WITHOUT A SHEPHERD.
1. Looking for something to fill the void we imitate the "nations" around us.
2. We too might say, "Give us a king...."
3. We're really saying "Give us something else, Lord."
A. THINK ABOUT THE LESSONS( 1 Cor. 10:12 ).
1. Never demand of God something contrary to his will.
2. There are consequences for doing so( 2 John 9; Gal. 1:6-9 ).
B. JESUS IS THE EMBODIMENT OF GODHOOD( Col. 2:9 ).
1. He is the expressor of God's will today( Heb. 1:1-2 ).
2. Jesus is God's way, truth, life ( John 14:6 ).
3. He is our king!( 1 Tim. 6:15-16 ).
C. HAVE YOU ACCEPTED HIS MESSAGE AND OBEYED HIM?
D. HAVE YOU REJECTED HIM TO BE LIKE THOSE AROUND US?
A. REVIEW ISRAEL'S DESIRE FOR A KING.
B. SAUL WAS NOT A MAN AFTER GOD'S OWN HEART.
C. WE MUST NOT TRY TO IMPROVE ON WHAT GOD HAS GIVEN.
1. Remind of Nadab and Abihu.
2. Uzzah who touched the Ark.
D. THIS LESSON IS NOT JUST ABOUT SAUL, IT'S ABOUT US.
1. How much do we want to be like other nations?
2. Are we willing to forsake the pattern? What do we want?
A. A FATHER IN HEAVEN LIKE THE NATIONS AROUND US.
1. A "nice" God: different than that of the OT--too warring, love only with no
punishments. "Celestial Santa Claus."( Rom. 11:22; Heb. 10 31 ).
2. The Mormon God, flesh and bone, once like us( John 4:24; Job 9:32 ).
3. Not one who changes with whim or public pressure( Psa. 50:21; Mal. 3:6 ).
4. New Age god, the Hindu god, nature. God's to whom we need not answer.
5. Absent god, dead, doesn't exist, disinterested( Rom. 1:20-21 ).
6. Heb. 11:6. We need to believe and obey the God of the Bible.
a. One God who made us all( Eph. 4:6; Acts 17:24-29 ).
b. Who calls us to repent and will judge all by Jesus Christ( vs. 17:30-31 ).
7. Careful lest we seek a God like the nations around us.
B. A JESUS LIKE THE NATIONS AROUND US.
1. Who won't condemn anyone, approving all things done with good conscience.
2. A Jesus who was merely a man, albeit a good man, a great philosopher.
3. A Jesus who did not rise from the dead.
4. Matt. 24:5, 24, 2 Cor. 11:4. We need the Jesus of the Bible.
a. Who died for our sins and was risen for our hope( 1 Pet. 1:3; 2:24 ).
b. Who demands obedience and will judge( John 14:15; Matt. 7:22-23 ).
c. Who criticized the religiously comfortable( Luke 6:46 ).
d. Who condemned leaders who were innovators( Matt. 15:1-9, 13-14 ).
e. Who has all authority( Matt. 28:18; Col. 3:17 ).
f. He is the "one Lord"( Eph. 4:6; John 14:6; 10:1 )..
C. A HOLY SPIRIT LIKE THE NATIONS AROUND US.
1. A mystical non-being spirit behind every living thing( Eph. 4:30 ).
2. The impersonal power or "life-force" of God( Matt. 28:19; John 16:13 ).
3. One that reaches from beyond the Scriptures to instruct us
( 2 Tim. 3:16-17; 1 Pet. 1:3; Jude 3 ).
4. The Spirit who pushes aside the message of the gospel( 1 Cor. 1:21-24 ).
5. The Calvinist Spirit who take free will( Rom. 10:17; Rev. 22:17 ).
6. 2 Cor. 11:4. The truth about the Spirit is important.
a. His function( John 16:8 ).
b. The truth he reveals( 1 Cor. 2:12-13 ).
A. NEED TO BE DISCERNING ABOUT NEW TRANSLATIONS.
1. But I'd say beware of paraphrases like the Living Bible.
2. Some translations show doctrinal bias( NIV, NWT ).
3. Notes in "study Bibles" are good, but reflect background of editors.
B. SOME HAVE OFFERED OTHER "HOLY BOOKS."
1. Book of Mormon 6. Mahayna (Buddhist)
2. Science and Health 7. I Ching
with a Key to the Scriptures 8. Tao Te Ching
3. Koran 9. Gnostic Writings and Gospels
4. Bhagavad-Gita 10. The Apocrypha.
5. Book of the Dead
C. OTHERS HAVE EDITED THE SCRIPTURE
1. Reader's Digest, leaving out many "boring" parts.
2. Jesus Project with colorful notes trying to guess at what parts are Jesus or his
disciples, as if none of it is inspired.
3. Welhausian Theory and the Polychrome Bible - a denial.
4. Still others offer a Creed book to establish Scripture.
6. Some simply discount or eliminate what they don't like.
5. The Bible equips us for every good work (2 Tim. 3:16).
6. Is God's final word( Jude 3; Heb. 7:27; 10:10 ).
A. REMEMBER, NEEDING ANOTHER GOSPEL IS NOT A REJECTION OF
GOSPEL PREACHERS. IT IS A REJECTION OF GOD( 1 Sam. 8:7 ).
B. SOME WANT A SOCIAL GOSPEL.
1. Pointing less to heaven than to heaven-on-earth.
2. Making the church the body for social changes: stop racism, feed and clothe
the poor, educate children, bring hospitals to poor countries.
3. Romans 14:17. John 6:26-35.
C. SOME WANT A FAITH-ONLY GOSPEL.
1. Going to heaven is dependent only upon wanting to go( Luke 13:24 ).
2. What does the Bible say?( James 1:22; 2:14-24; Matt. 7:21 ).
D. AN "OTHERS-CAN-ACT-TO-SAVE-US" GOSPEL.
1. Parents have babies "baptized" (actually sprinkled).
2. Mormon "baptize" to save the dead.
E. THE GOSPEL WE NEED IS THE GOSPEL JESUS AND THE APOSTLE'S
TAUGHT( 2 Cor. 2:2; Matt. 28:18-20; Mark 16:15-16 ).
F TO PREACH OR RECEIVE ANOTHER GOSPEL WILL CUT YOU OFF FROM
GOD( Gal. 1:8-9 ).
A. WHAT SOME WANT. 1. Some want/have:
1. Emphasis on social life, special days and events, potlucks, teams, etc.
2. Special non-biblical holy days: Christmas, Ash Wednesday, Lent, Easter
3 Unbiblical ways of raising funds: bake sales, garage sales, running businesses,
schools, bingo or other gambling events, carnivals, selling books and tapes
calling funds received "donations."
4. Unscriptural worship: instrumental music, burning incense or candles, mass as
a re-sacrifice of Jesus, worship accepted if offered by a priest
5. Unscriptural organization: earthly headquarters, women elders (also women
preachers), bishops, cardinals, missionary society, sponsoring churches.
B. WE ARE TO HOLD THE PATTERN( 2 Tim. 1:13 ).
C. TO IMITATE THOSE AROUND US IS TO FORSAKE GOD'S PATTERN
( Heb. 8:5 ).
D. WE NEED THE CHURCH OF CHRIST'S DESIGN, THAT...
1. Calls itself by terms (names) in the scriptures. Let's not use denominational
names are wrong( 1 Cor. 1:1-13 ).
2. Is built on Christ( Matt. 16:18; 1 Cor. 3:11 ).
3. Subject to Christ (Eph. 1:22-23; 5:24), not making its own laws and creeds.
4. Is pure ( Eph. 5:27 ).
a. Teaching and practicing righteousness
b. Restoring those who sin( Gal. 6:1 ).
c. Putting some out occasionally( 2 Thess. 3:6; Rev. 2:1-2;
Rom. 16:17-18 ).
E. TO FORSAKE THE PATTERN TO BE LIKE THOSE AROUND US AND
PLEASE THEM IS TO FORSAKE GOD ALTOGETHER( Gal. 1:10 ).
A. WHAT SOME WANT.
1. Preacher is Pastor, an administrator.
2. A do it all. 40 hours in regular office hours or visit everyone or both.
3. Youth or other specialty ministers.
4. A "Charismatic" (in the new sense) Preacher, a Showman.
5. Well liked and respected by civic leaders.
6. Preacheritis, only one will do( 1 Cor. 2:4-9; 3:21-23 ).
7. A soft man with soft words?( Matt. 11:7-9; Jer. 5:30-31; 8:8-12; 6:16 ).
B. WE NEED MORE MEN LIKE PAUL.
1. A description of Paul
( 1 Cor. 2:1-3; 2 Cor. 10:10; Gal. 4:12-15; 1 Cor. 4:9-14 ).
2. What God saw.
a. Fierce persistence( Acts 20:18-31 ).
b. Unrelenting courage( Acts 20:20, 27-27 ).
c. Commitment of love( Rom. 9:1-3; 2 Cor. 12:15 ).
d. A clear perspective of purpose( Gal. 1:10; Col. 3:1-2 ).
e. Unswerving conviction( 2 Tim. 1:12; 4:6-8, 16-18 ).
3. Paul was the off-scouring of the world! Could we support one like that?
4. You pray that I can be an imitator of Paul as he is of Christ( Phil 4:9 ).
A. 2 Cor. 4:3-4. BLINDED BY THE GOD OF THIS WORLD.
1. Dancing, social drinking, smoking or other drug use, divorce and remarriage
for "any cause," gambling, etc.
2. These vices are have long been in the world, have crept into the
denominations and are well on their way in the church.
3. A worldly, grab all the gusto attitude overcomes faith( Gal. 5:16-21 ).
a. 1 Cor. 6:6-9; Eph. 5:3-5. Shall not inherit the kingdom.
b. Will Israel's condemnation be ours?( Judges 21:25 ).
B. MORALITY INVOLVES MAKING CHOICES.
1. What is most important to you?( Matt. 6:19-21 ).
2. That will determine your Master( vs. 22-24; 1 John 2:15 ).
3. 2 Cor. 6:14, 17; Rom. 6:12-13.
A. SOME HAVE HOPE
1. to retire and move to FL or Arizona.
2. in reincarnation, getting better karma each time through. New Age!
3. just to end life's weary travels (Sadducees?). Which is no hope at all.
B. SOME HAVE A FALSE HOPE.
1. Salvation without faith or obedience( Heb. 11:6; 2 Thess. 1:7-9 ).
2. Reward here on the earth
a. Matt. 5:12; Matt. 6:20; Matt 19:21; 1 Pet. 1:4.
b. 2 Pet. 3:10-12.
3. Expect a miracle( 1 Cor. 1:21-24; Matt. 16:4; 1 Cor. 15:19 ).
C. THERE IS ONLY ONE HOPE( Eph. 4:4 ).
1. Ours is a hope of salvation ( 1 Thess. 5:8 ).
2. A hope of eternal life ( Titus 1:2; 3:7 ).
3. The Hope of Israel( Acts 23:6; 24:14-15; 26:6-8, 22-23; 28:20 ).
4. Is this your hope?
5. Will you find it asking for something from the denominations around us?
A. WE CAN BE LIKE THE NATIONS AROUND US.
1. Easier to convert people to Christ
2. Easier to keep people faithful to Christ
B. THOSE WHO PREACH A DIFFERENT GOSPEL ARE ANATHEMA.
1. Come Out
2. Peculiar people, means God's own possession.
C. MAKING THE CHURCHES AROUND US OUR STANDARD IS A
REJECTION OF GOD'S PATTERN AND GOD HIMSELF ( 1 Sam. 8:7 ).
D. WE MAY GET WHAT WE ASK FOR.
1. Israel got Saul and his follies.
2. We may get worse; eternal punishment.
Steve Willis
