WEBVTT

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 Amen. If you're looking in a Bible, turn to 1 Samuel chapter 13. That's what we're going to be looking at tonight.

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 If you're looking in one of the Pew Bibles, that's page 234, 1 Samuel chapter 13.

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 It's a bit of a long chapter, so we're going to read it section by section and go through it.

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 But as you're turning there, let me ask you this question. Have you ever been spiritually tested?

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 Been in a situation where you're put under pressure? You find yourself in a situation where trusting and obeying God seems like the hardest thing in the world to do.

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 Maybe you're dealing with a difficult or even a toxic environment at work, where your co-workers are constantly gossiping or cursing or cutting people down or slacking off

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 or lying to the boss or whatever. And if you don't join in with what they're doing, you feel isolated.

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 You get ostracized.

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 Or maybe when you go home or go back to wherever you're staying, there's somebody who provokes and irritates you.

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 Maybe it's your roommate who never cleans the bathroom, never washes the dishes.

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 Maybe it's your brother or sister who always criticizes and teases you.

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 Maybe it's your husband or wife who has some annoying habit that they don't seem to care enough to stop.

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 One of your kids is in a particularly difficult stage.

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 Or somebody else is just getting on your nerves all the time.

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 And it just seems to go on and on.

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 And it doesn't seem to get any better.

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 And so you're tempted to lash out in anger or to withdraw in bitterness because you feel frustrated and disrespected.

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 Maybe you're battling an addiction.

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 Drugs, alcohol, pornography, compulsive eating.

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 And you're dealing with cravings.

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 And the cravings feel overwhelming.

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 And maybe your sponsor or your accountability partner is falling into the same stuff as you.

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 Maybe they've fallen off the wagon completely.

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 And maybe you think it's just not worth it to fight anymore.

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 Maybe I should just give in.

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 Indulge a little bit.

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 Now in this passage what we see is King Saul being tested.

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 Put under pressure.

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 So let's read.

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 Chapter 13.

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 I'm going to read verse 1 to 8 to start.

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 Saul lived for one year and then became king.

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 And when he had reigned for two years over Israel, Saul chose 3,000 men of Israel.

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 2,000 were with Saul and Michmash and the hill country of Bethel.

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 And 1,000 were with Jonathan and Gibeah of Benjamin.

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 The rest of the people he sent home, every man to his tent.

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 Jonathan defeated the garrison of the Philistines that was at Geba.

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 And the Philistines heard of it.

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 And Saul blew the trumpet throughout all the land saying,

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 Let the Hebrews hear.

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 And all Israel heard it said that Saul had defeated the garrison of the Philistines.

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 And also that Israel had become a stench to the Philistines.

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 And the people were called out to join Saul at Gilgal.

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 And the Philistines mustered to fight with Israel 30,000 chariots and 6,000 horsemen and troops like the sand on the seashore in multitude.

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 They came up and encamped in Michmash to the east of Beth-Avon.

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 When the men of Israel saw that they were in trouble, for the people were hard-pressed,

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 the people hid themselves in caves and in holes and in rocks and in tombs and in cisterns.

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 And some Hebrews crossed the fords of the Jordan to the land of Gad and Gilead.

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 Saul was still at Gilgal.

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 And all the people followed him, trembling.

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 He waited seven days, the time appointed by Samuel.

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 But Samuel did not come to Gilgal.

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 And the people were scattering from him.

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 Now what we've seen in the last few chapters of this book is Saul rising to power.

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 So he was chosen by the people.

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 He was anointed by the prophet Samuel.

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 And he was used powerfully by God to defeat Nahash in chapter 11,

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 who is the king of the Ammonites, who is coming against the people of Israel and attacking them

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 and causing all kinds of chaos.

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 The beginning of chapter 13, he begins his reign as king.

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 The first verse is sort of a typical verse that's used in the rest of the Old Testament

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 where it talks about the kings, where it says they, you know, lived for so many years

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 and then they became king and were reigned for so many years.

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 Now if you have different translations of chapter 13, verse 1,

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 there's a little question about how many years exactly did he reign.

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 I'm not going to get into that right now.

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 If you want to ask about that in the question and answer at the end,

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 I can explain that a little bit more.

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 Acts chapter 13 says he reigned 40 years in total.

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 It seems like perhaps this is just saying this happened two years after he started to reign.

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 But anyway, how long he reigned is not that important.

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 But he, so he faced, let's see, back in chapter 11, right, he had faced Nahash, king of the Ammonites,

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 coming in from the east, and God had used him to push him back.

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 Verse, but now the Philistines were coming from the west.

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 So he'd been attacked from one side, and then he got attacked from the other side.

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 And so verse 2 tells us he gathered an army, not a huge army, but a decent one,

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 and sent the rest of the guys home to be with their families.

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 Verse 3 goes on.

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 His son Jonathan, Jonathan is Saul's son, won the first victory over the Philistines.

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 The Philistines got mad, and so Saul called all the people to join him.

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 So basically, they have these enemies who are coming at them, and Jonathan wins this little victory,

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 and so they get even madder.

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 It's like stirring up a hornet's nest.

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 And so Saul says, let's come together.

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 And then verse 5 we see that the Philistines are this huge army.

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 30,000 chariots, 6,000 horsemen, troops like the sand on the seashore, too many to count.

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 I mean, just imagine yourself.

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 You know, Saul has 3,000 people, or maybe it's three companies of people,

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 but 3,000 people, and he faces 30,000 chariots, 6,000 horsemen, and so many troops they can't even count.

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 He's totally outnumbered.

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 And so the people get afraid.

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 Verse 6 and 7, it says some of them basically play dead.

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 They go hide in caves and tombs and cisterns.

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 They try to hide in the ground because they're just totally freaked out.

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 Some of them ran away.

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 They go east across the Jordan River.

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 So they basically ran away.

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 And then the people who stayed with Saul at Gilgal says they were trembling, trembling with fear.

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 So facing this overwhelmingly powerful enemy and feeling like, how in the world are we going to defend ourselves?

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 In verse 8, we see what Saul does.

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 So first he waited.

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 Verse 8 says he's waited seven days, the time appointed by Samuel.

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 Now, Samuel was the prophet of God who had anointed Saul king, leader of the Israelites.

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 And Samuel and Saul were meant to lead the people of Israel sort of as a team.

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 Samuel would basically hear God's word and give the direction to Saul.

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 And Saul would lead the people of Israel in carrying it out.

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 Sort of like we have different branches of government.

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 And the president is sort of the executive office to carry out what the legislator and the judiciary decides.

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 A little bit like that.

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 So Saul and Samuel were supposed to work as a team.

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 And Saul was supposed to listen to Samuel because Samuel was a prophet who was hearing God's word.

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 And it seems like Samuel had made an arrangement with Saul.

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 So if you'll actually look back at chapter 10, verse 8.

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 This is a little bit further back.

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 But Samuel says to Saul, in chapter 10, verse 8, he says,

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 Go down before me to Gilgal.

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 And behold, I am coming down to you to offer burnt offerings.

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 That was offerings of dedication to God and sacrifice peace offerings to celebrate God's provision.

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 Then he says, seven days you shall wait until I come to you and show you what you shall do.

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 So it seems like there's a similar arrangement going on here.

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 Samuel basically said, wait for me.

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 You know, basically if there's big trouble, I'll be there within seven days.

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 You know, that was pretty fast when you're traveling the way they did back then.

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 So Samuel would come within a certain time and give Saul directions.

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 Then Saul would carry it out.

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 That's how they would lead as a team.

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 But verse 8 says, Samuel didn't show up.

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 And it seems like it was the middle of the seventh day.

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 Saul's thinking, man, people are afraid.

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 Some of the people have run away.

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 Some of the people are hiding in caves.

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 And the people who are with me are completely afraid.

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 And Samuel's not showing up.

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 And he said he'd be here.

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 Here's where we see Saul being tested.

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 Because he knows what he's supposed to do.

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 He's supposed to wait for Samuel to come.

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 That was the plan that God had made with him.

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 That Samuel had made.

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 As the prophet of God.

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 But he's in a situation where he's put under pressure.

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 He's got enemies coming from the outside.

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 And then he's got his own people who are...

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 Don't believe...

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 They just...

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 They're just losing hope.

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 So what's he going to do?

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 Well...

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 You know...

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 I mean...

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 Think about that.

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 Have you been in a similar situation?

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 You feel pressure from the outside?

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 You feel pressure on the inside?

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 You feel pressure from the people who you think are close to you and are on your team?

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 And some of them seem to be turning tail and running away.

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 And you think, what am I going to do?

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 Verse 9.

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 So Saul said,

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 Bring the burnt offering here to me.

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 And the peace offerings.

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 And he offered the burnt offering.

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 As soon as he had finished offering the burnt offering, behold, Samuel came.

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 And Saul went out to meet him and greet him.

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 Samuel said,

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 What have you done?

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 And Saul said,

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 When I saw that the people were scattering from me and that you did not come within the days appointed,

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 and that the Philistines had mustered at Michmash,

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 I said,

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 Now the Philistines will come down against me at Gilgal,

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 and I have not sought the favor of the Lord.

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 So I forced myself and offered the burnt offering.

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 And Samuel said to Saul,

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 You have done foolishly.

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 You have not kept the command of the Lord your God,

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 with which he commanded you.

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 For then the Lord would have established your kingdom over Israel forever.

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 But now your kingdom shall not continue.

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 The Lord has sought out a man after his own heart.

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 And the Lord has commanded him to be prince over his people,

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 because you have not kept what the Lord commanded you.

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 And Samuel arose and went up from Gilgal.

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 The rest of the people went up after Saul to meet the army.

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 They went up from Gilgal to Gibeah of Benjamin.

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 Now, when you first read this, you read verse 9,

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 you might think,

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 So why does it matter that Saul offered the burnt offering?

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 You know, I don't get it.

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 Why does Samuel get so mad at him?

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 Right?

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 It just doesn't seem to make sense to us.

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 Why does he offer the burnt offering anyway?

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 But the problem was,

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 Samuel and Saul had a clear arrangement.

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 They were supposed to lead as a team.

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 And Saul was supposed to listen to Samuel,

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 because Samuel was a prophet who was given God's word.

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 And that was the one clear command that Saul had.

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 And it's the one thing they didn't do.

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 He didn't wait until Samuel came.

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 He went ahead on his own.

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 Other people were terrified, and so Saul panicked.

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 And you know,

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 sometimes fear

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 can lead us to do all kinds of foolish things.

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 And that's what Saul did.

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 What Saul did is he took matters into his own hands,

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 and he did what Samuel was supposed to do,

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 to offer the burnt offering.

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 The burnt offering was basically a sacrifice

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 of dedication or consecration to God,

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 sort of expressing submission to God.

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 The problem was,

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 he was offering this,

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 making this offering,

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 going through this ritual

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 that was supposed to symbolize

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 submission to God,

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 but he wasn't following the directions of Samuel,

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 who had said,

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 wait till I come,

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 and I'll tell you what to do.

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 Instead of trusting

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 and holding on to God's promise

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 when it seemed like everything else

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 was falling apart,

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 Saul latched onto this ritual.

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 And he believed that the ritual,

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 the burnt offering,

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 and the peace offerings,

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 was the key

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 to winning the victory.

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 You know,

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 sometimes that's what fear

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 can drive us to do.

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 It can drive us to

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 latch onto rituals,

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 or even superstitions.

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 Even some things that God hasn't

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 commanded us to do at all.

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 But we hold onto these things.

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 Lucky charms.

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 Whatever it might be.

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 Little patterns.

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 Things that make us feel

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 some kind of peace.

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 Make us feel like

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 it's going to be okay.

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 But those are really

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 substitutes for God himself.

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 So that's the problem

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 of what Saul did.

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 Saul said,

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 you know,

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 I can't trust that God's

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 going to come through for me,

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 so I've got to

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 take matters into my own hands.

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 And I've got to act

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 because I don't believe

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 that God's going to

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 do anything for me.

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 And that was the beginning

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 of Saul's downfall.

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 You see,

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 what Saul did here,

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 he did the very same thing

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 that Adam and Eve did

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 way back in the Garden of Eden.

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 You know,

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 the one clear command

00:15:01.340 --> 00:15:03.440
 that God gave Adam and Eve

00:15:03.440 --> 00:15:03.879
 was what?

00:15:05.480 --> 00:15:06.000
 He said,

00:15:06.080 --> 00:15:07.000
 you can eat any tree,

00:15:07.580 --> 00:15:09.480
 but don't eat from

00:15:09.480 --> 00:15:11.080
 this one tree,

00:15:11.580 --> 00:15:12.799
 the tree of knowledge

00:15:12.799 --> 00:15:13.379
 of good and evil.

00:15:13.379 --> 00:15:14.980
 And if you eat of it,

00:15:15.120 --> 00:15:16.259
 you will surely die.

00:15:19.299 --> 00:15:20.620
 And then Adam and Eve

00:15:20.620 --> 00:15:21.799
 are going for a walk one day

00:15:21.799 --> 00:15:23.220
 and they happen to be

00:15:23.220 --> 00:15:24.059
 going near the tree

00:15:24.059 --> 00:15:25.279
 and Eve gets into

00:15:25.279 --> 00:15:26.000
 a conversation

00:15:26.000 --> 00:15:26.980
 with this serpent

00:15:26.980 --> 00:15:29.159
 who says,

00:15:29.360 --> 00:15:31.340
 who says you shouldn't

00:15:31.340 --> 00:15:32.120
 eat from this tree?

00:15:33.820 --> 00:15:35.460
 You won't really die.

00:15:36.659 --> 00:15:37.100
 Actually,

00:15:37.320 --> 00:15:38.919
 it'll make you wise.

00:15:39.839 --> 00:15:41.259
 It'll make you like God.

00:15:41.860 --> 00:15:42.779
 It'll give you something

00:15:42.779 --> 00:15:44.019
 that you don't have already.

00:15:46.639 --> 00:15:47.579
 And so she listens

00:15:47.579 --> 00:15:48.240
 to that serpent

00:15:48.240 --> 00:15:48.740
 and she says,

00:15:48.839 --> 00:15:49.039
 hmm,

00:15:50.120 --> 00:15:50.379
 well,

00:15:50.399 --> 00:15:51.639
 let me judge for myself.

00:15:52.939 --> 00:15:54.059
 The fruit looks good.

00:15:55.379 --> 00:15:56.599
 Looks like it'll give us

00:15:56.599 --> 00:15:57.360
 wisdom.

00:15:59.079 --> 00:16:00.159
 Looks ripe.

00:16:01.860 --> 00:16:03.339
 Let me try it.

00:16:04.379 --> 00:16:05.360
 Adam's standing right there

00:16:05.360 --> 00:16:05.879
 beside her.

00:16:06.000 --> 00:16:07.199
 She gives some to Adam.

00:16:07.200 --> 00:16:09.300
 Adam's been just quiet

00:16:09.300 --> 00:16:10.140
 the whole time.

00:16:11.400 --> 00:16:12.460
 And he eats it too.

00:16:14.560 --> 00:16:15.620
 And what happens?

00:16:16.740 --> 00:16:17.960
 Everything falls apart.

00:16:19.000 --> 00:16:20.580
 Because that was the one tree

00:16:20.580 --> 00:16:21.840
 that represented

00:16:21.840 --> 00:16:26.180
 that God was the owner

00:16:26.180 --> 00:16:26.800
 of the garden.

00:16:27.600 --> 00:16:28.460
 And they were trying

00:16:28.460 --> 00:16:30.060
 to take over God's place

00:16:30.060 --> 00:16:32.379
 as the owners of the garden

00:16:32.379 --> 00:16:33.540
 instead of just the managers.

00:16:33.539 --> 00:16:37.579
 And everything fell apart

00:16:37.579 --> 00:16:38.139
 after that.

00:16:38.759 --> 00:16:39.139
 Right?

00:16:39.199 --> 00:16:40.159
 They ran away and hid.

00:16:41.519 --> 00:16:42.719
 And God came to them

00:16:42.719 --> 00:16:43.699
 and said,

00:16:43.759 --> 00:16:44.459
 where are you?

00:16:45.299 --> 00:16:46.480
 Just like Samuel

00:16:46.480 --> 00:16:47.699
 came to Saul

00:16:47.699 --> 00:16:49.839
 with a simple question.

00:16:50.000 --> 00:16:50.839
 What have you done?

00:16:52.919 --> 00:16:53.599
 And then,

00:16:53.839 --> 00:16:54.799
 just like Adam,

00:16:54.939 --> 00:16:56.159
 Saul starts making excuses.

00:16:57.079 --> 00:16:57.519
 Right?

00:16:57.599 --> 00:16:58.419
 What did Adam say?

00:16:58.659 --> 00:16:59.679
 She made me do it.

00:16:59.679 --> 00:17:02.559
 The woman you gave me,

00:17:02.679 --> 00:17:03.439
 she made me do it.

00:17:03.459 --> 00:17:04.299
 That's what Adam said

00:17:04.299 --> 00:17:05.379
 back in the garden.

00:17:05.859 --> 00:17:06.960
 What does Saul say here?

00:17:07.399 --> 00:17:07.980
 Verse 11.

00:17:08.940 --> 00:17:10.139
 The people were running away.

00:17:11.579 --> 00:17:12.480
 You didn't come.

00:17:13.940 --> 00:17:14.599
 You were late.

00:17:16.099 --> 00:17:17.179
 So I didn't want to wait

00:17:17.179 --> 00:17:18.000
 for you any longer.

00:17:19.279 --> 00:17:20.220
 The Philistines

00:17:20.220 --> 00:17:22.279
 are coming to get me.

00:17:22.279 --> 00:17:28.700
 And then he says,

00:17:29.440 --> 00:17:30.680
 so I made,

00:17:30.940 --> 00:17:32.059
 I forced myself.

00:17:32.299 --> 00:17:32.839
 In other words,

00:17:32.920 --> 00:17:34.259
 I did this reluctantly.

00:17:36.920 --> 00:17:38.579
 Saul makes all kinds of excuses.

00:17:39.660 --> 00:17:40.980
 He blames everybody else.

00:17:42.319 --> 00:17:43.099
 The Philistines,

00:17:43.299 --> 00:17:43.720
 Samuel,

00:17:44.019 --> 00:17:44.599
 his own people,

00:17:44.680 --> 00:17:45.720
 he blames everybody else.

00:17:47.420 --> 00:17:48.480
 He doesn't

00:17:48.480 --> 00:17:50.339
 take responsibility.

00:17:50.339 --> 00:17:53.259
 He doesn't confess his sin.

00:17:54.199 --> 00:17:55.179
 He doesn't say,

00:17:56.039 --> 00:17:56.519
 I'm sorry.

00:17:57.500 --> 00:17:58.359
 I was wrong.

00:17:59.079 --> 00:17:59.839
 That's the one thing

00:17:59.839 --> 00:18:00.579
 he doesn't say.

00:18:10.379 --> 00:18:11.159
 You see,

00:18:11.240 --> 00:18:12.339
 Saul's failure here

00:18:12.339 --> 00:18:13.759
 wasn't just

00:18:13.759 --> 00:18:15.299
 that he disobeyed

00:18:15.299 --> 00:18:17.159
 the initial arrangement

00:18:17.159 --> 00:18:17.779
 with Samuel.

00:18:17.779 --> 00:18:19.879
 But it's also

00:18:19.879 --> 00:18:21.460
 that he

00:18:21.460 --> 00:18:22.579
 responded

00:18:22.579 --> 00:18:23.759
 to Samuel

00:18:23.759 --> 00:18:24.579
 confronting him

00:18:24.579 --> 00:18:25.240
 by blaming

00:18:25.240 --> 00:18:26.319
 everyone else

00:18:26.319 --> 00:18:28.039
 and by refusing

00:18:28.039 --> 00:18:29.299
 to say,

00:18:29.519 --> 00:18:30.000
 I was wrong.

00:18:30.559 --> 00:18:31.319
 I'm sorry.

00:18:33.559 --> 00:18:34.119
 You know,

00:18:34.139 --> 00:18:34.420
 maybe,

00:18:34.639 --> 00:18:35.859
 maybe you failed

00:18:35.859 --> 00:18:37.240
 in a time of temptation.

00:18:38.139 --> 00:18:39.480
 Maybe like Saul,

00:18:40.000 --> 00:18:41.339
 you've been tested,

00:18:41.700 --> 00:18:42.660
 you've been put under pressure

00:18:42.660 --> 00:18:43.799
 and it was a hard situation

00:18:43.799 --> 00:18:44.619
 and you

00:18:44.619 --> 00:18:46.039
 turned away from God.

00:18:46.039 --> 00:18:47.519
 and you latched

00:18:47.519 --> 00:18:48.440
 onto something else

00:18:48.440 --> 00:18:49.819
 and you know it.

00:18:50.460 --> 00:18:51.139
 And maybe someone

00:18:51.139 --> 00:18:52.420
 confronted you.

00:18:53.659 --> 00:18:54.379
 Maybe someone

00:18:54.379 --> 00:18:55.099
 has come to you

00:18:55.099 --> 00:18:55.920
 and they said,

00:18:56.259 --> 00:18:58.700
 look at what you did.

00:18:59.720 --> 00:19:01.099
 You really messed up.

00:19:01.639 --> 00:19:02.980
 That really wasn't right.

00:19:06.980 --> 00:19:08.019
 How have you responded

00:19:08.019 --> 00:19:08.500
 to that?

00:19:09.019 --> 00:19:09.299
 Do you know

00:19:09.299 --> 00:19:10.500
 that's God's mercy?

00:19:11.379 --> 00:19:12.299
 Sometimes we don't think

00:19:12.299 --> 00:19:13.039
 it's God's mercy.

00:19:13.039 --> 00:19:13.460
 You know,

00:19:13.519 --> 00:19:14.240
 when my wife

00:19:14.240 --> 00:19:15.819
 comes to me

00:19:15.819 --> 00:19:17.420
 and says,

00:19:18.000 --> 00:19:19.180
 Greg,

00:19:19.519 --> 00:19:20.460
 you've got to

00:19:20.460 --> 00:19:21.259
 stop doing this

00:19:21.259 --> 00:19:22.079
 or

00:19:22.079 --> 00:19:23.159
 that wasn't really

00:19:23.159 --> 00:19:24.319
 kind what you just said

00:19:24.319 --> 00:19:25.379
 or

00:19:25.379 --> 00:19:26.779
 you were being

00:19:26.779 --> 00:19:27.240
 impatient

00:19:27.240 --> 00:19:28.879
 with our kids.

00:19:29.339 --> 00:19:30.740
 I don't see that

00:19:30.740 --> 00:19:31.720
 as God's mercy

00:19:31.720 --> 00:19:32.519
 coming to me,

00:19:32.599 --> 00:19:32.859
 right?

00:19:32.920 --> 00:19:33.819
 I'm defensive.

00:19:34.019 --> 00:19:34.319
 I'm like,

00:19:34.519 --> 00:19:35.139
 no,

00:19:35.279 --> 00:19:35.500
 but

00:19:35.500 --> 00:19:37.940
 do you realize

00:19:37.940 --> 00:19:38.420
 how I feel?

00:19:38.480 --> 00:19:38.920
 Do you realize

00:19:38.920 --> 00:19:39.539
 how many people

00:19:39.539 --> 00:19:40.220
 I've had to deal with

00:19:40.220 --> 00:19:40.879
 already today?

00:19:40.960 --> 00:19:41.319
 Do you realize

00:19:41.319 --> 00:19:42.159
 how tired I am?

00:19:42.200 --> 00:19:42.659
 Do you realize

00:19:42.659 --> 00:19:43.779
 how early I had

00:19:43.779 --> 00:19:44.599
 to get up this morning

00:19:44.599 --> 00:19:45.299
 because I got up

00:19:45.299 --> 00:19:45.720
 with the kids

00:19:45.720 --> 00:19:46.240
 when they woke up

00:19:46.240 --> 00:19:46.679
 at 5,

00:19:46.740 --> 00:19:47.779
 10 a.m.?

00:19:47.779 --> 00:19:51.799
 That's my response.

00:19:53.179 --> 00:19:53.579
 Often.

00:19:55.259 --> 00:19:55.919
 Like Saul.

00:19:56.700 --> 00:19:57.339
 Like Adam.

00:19:58.720 --> 00:19:59.619
 I get defensive.

00:20:02.200 --> 00:20:02.919
 I don't want to,

00:20:03.039 --> 00:20:04.279
 I don't want to hear

00:20:04.279 --> 00:20:04.759
 criticism.

00:20:05.179 --> 00:20:05.799
 Even when it's

00:20:05.799 --> 00:20:06.819
 by the one person

00:20:06.819 --> 00:20:07.319
 who loves me

00:20:07.319 --> 00:20:07.799
 more than anybody

00:20:07.799 --> 00:20:08.539
 else in the world.

00:20:08.539 --> 00:20:14.279
 But it's God's mercy

00:20:14.279 --> 00:20:17.139
 because he wants us

00:20:17.139 --> 00:20:19.119
 to come to that place

00:20:19.119 --> 00:20:19.659
 where we say,

00:20:20.039 --> 00:20:21.859
 I did it.

00:20:22.819 --> 00:20:23.519
 I'm sorry.

00:20:24.039 --> 00:20:24.859
 I was wrong.

00:20:26.039 --> 00:20:26.539
 And he wants us

00:20:26.539 --> 00:20:27.259
 to come to that place

00:20:27.259 --> 00:20:28.079
 not so we can beat

00:20:28.079 --> 00:20:28.659
 ourselves up

00:20:28.659 --> 00:20:29.420
 and stay in a place

00:20:29.420 --> 00:20:30.039
 of despair,

00:20:30.500 --> 00:20:31.139
 but so we can

00:20:31.139 --> 00:20:32.099
 come to him

00:20:32.099 --> 00:20:32.839
 and be forgiven

00:20:32.839 --> 00:20:33.980
 and be restored.

00:20:36.220 --> 00:20:37.220
 That's the good news.

00:20:38.539 --> 00:20:39.720
 But Saul doesn't,

00:20:40.059 --> 00:20:41.059
 Saul never gets there

00:20:41.059 --> 00:20:44.220
 because he stays

00:20:44.220 --> 00:20:45.059
 in that defensive,

00:20:45.519 --> 00:20:47.480
 self-justifying place.

00:20:52.099 --> 00:20:53.159
 And the response

00:20:53.159 --> 00:20:53.740
 from Samuel,

00:20:53.879 --> 00:20:54.839
 Samuel basically says,

00:20:54.920 --> 00:20:55.200
 your kingdom

00:20:55.200 --> 00:20:56.159
 isn't going to last.

00:20:57.859 --> 00:20:59.180
 You're not going to have

00:20:59.180 --> 00:21:00.359
 a dynasty

00:21:00.359 --> 00:21:02.019
 that goes on and on

00:21:02.019 --> 00:21:03.039
 forever and ever.

00:21:04.500 --> 00:21:05.460
 God's going to choose

00:21:05.460 --> 00:21:06.079
 someone else

00:21:06.079 --> 00:21:07.379
 to replace you.

00:21:07.380 --> 00:21:09.020
 someone who has

00:21:09.020 --> 00:21:09.960
 no relation to you.

00:21:14.500 --> 00:21:15.220
 And then Samuel

00:21:15.220 --> 00:21:16.020
 gets up and leaves.

00:21:21.380 --> 00:21:21.980
 Let's go on

00:21:21.980 --> 00:21:22.440
 and read the rest

00:21:22.440 --> 00:21:22.900
 of the chapter

00:21:22.900 --> 00:21:24.020
 starting at the end

00:21:24.020 --> 00:21:24.660
 of verse 15.

00:21:26.260 --> 00:21:27.300
 We'll see the results

00:21:27.300 --> 00:21:30.460
 of Saul's response.

00:21:31.120 --> 00:21:31.500
 Saul numbered

00:21:31.500 --> 00:21:31.860
 the people

00:21:31.860 --> 00:21:32.380
 who were present

00:21:32.380 --> 00:21:32.700
 with him,

00:21:32.760 --> 00:21:33.700
 about 600 men

00:21:33.700 --> 00:21:36.560
 compared to 3,000

00:21:36.559 --> 00:21:37.099
 at the beginning.

00:21:37.700 --> 00:21:38.179
 So it's a lot

00:21:38.179 --> 00:21:38.960
 smaller by then.

00:21:39.740 --> 00:21:40.119
 And Saul

00:21:40.119 --> 00:21:40.599
 and Jonathan,

00:21:40.720 --> 00:21:41.039
 his son,

00:21:41.079 --> 00:21:41.440
 and the people

00:21:41.440 --> 00:21:41.899
 who were present

00:21:41.899 --> 00:21:42.339
 with them

00:21:42.339 --> 00:21:45.259
 stayed in Geba of Benjamin,

00:21:45.399 --> 00:21:46.039
 but the Philistines

00:21:46.039 --> 00:21:47.139
 encamped in Michmash.

00:21:47.759 --> 00:21:48.299
 And raiders

00:21:48.299 --> 00:21:49.119
 came out of the camp

00:21:49.119 --> 00:21:49.779
 of the Philistines

00:21:49.779 --> 00:21:50.579
 in three companies.

00:21:50.720 --> 00:21:51.220
 One company

00:21:51.220 --> 00:21:53.000
 turned toward Ophrah,

00:21:53.419 --> 00:21:54.419
 which was in the north,

00:21:55.279 --> 00:21:56.220
 in the land of Shual.

00:21:56.579 --> 00:21:57.240
 Another company

00:21:57.240 --> 00:21:59.019
 turned toward Beth Horon,

00:21:59.019 --> 00:22:03.900
 which was to the west,

00:22:04.619 --> 00:22:06.539
 and another company

00:22:06.539 --> 00:22:07.500
 turned southeast

00:22:07.500 --> 00:22:08.460
 toward the border

00:22:08.460 --> 00:22:09.119
 that looks down

00:22:09.119 --> 00:22:09.660
 on the valley

00:22:09.660 --> 00:22:10.440
 of Zeboiim

00:22:10.440 --> 00:22:11.039
 toward the wilderness.

00:22:11.160 --> 00:22:11.619
 So basically,

00:22:11.740 --> 00:22:12.519
 we see the Philistines

00:22:12.519 --> 00:22:14.180
 are just swarming

00:22:14.180 --> 00:22:14.980
 throughout the whole country.

00:22:15.099 --> 00:22:15.339
 They're going

00:22:15.339 --> 00:22:15.980
 in every direction,

00:22:16.119 --> 00:22:17.879
 north, west, southeast.

00:22:18.440 --> 00:22:19.639
 They're taking over the place.

00:22:20.900 --> 00:22:21.639
 Verse 19.

00:22:21.740 --> 00:22:22.839
 Now there was no blacksmiths

00:22:22.839 --> 00:22:23.259
 to be found

00:22:23.259 --> 00:22:24.019
 throughout all the land

00:22:24.019 --> 00:22:24.480
 of Israel,

00:22:24.559 --> 00:22:25.599
 for the Philistines said,

00:22:26.400 --> 00:22:27.000
 lest the Hebrews

00:22:27.000 --> 00:22:28.000
 make themselves swords

00:22:28.000 --> 00:22:28.599
 or spears.

00:22:29.240 --> 00:22:29.880
 But every one

00:22:29.880 --> 00:22:30.680
 of the Israelites

00:22:30.680 --> 00:22:32.119
 went down to the Philistines

00:22:32.119 --> 00:22:33.980
 to sharpen his plowshare,

00:22:34.079 --> 00:22:34.579
 his mattock,

00:22:34.640 --> 00:22:35.079
 his axe,

00:22:35.119 --> 00:22:35.700
 or his sickle,

00:22:36.140 --> 00:22:36.619
 and the charge

00:22:36.619 --> 00:22:37.180
 was two-thirds

00:22:37.180 --> 00:22:37.740
 of a shekel

00:22:37.740 --> 00:22:39.359
 for the plowshares

00:22:39.359 --> 00:22:39.859
 and the mattocks

00:22:39.859 --> 00:22:40.619
 and a third of a shekel

00:22:40.619 --> 00:22:41.500
 for sharpening the axes

00:22:41.500 --> 00:22:42.299
 and setting the goats.

00:22:43.240 --> 00:22:44.740
 You can ask about the prices

00:22:44.740 --> 00:22:45.339
 if you're interested.

00:22:46.279 --> 00:22:47.380
 But on the day of the battle,

00:22:47.480 --> 00:22:48.160
 there was neither sword

00:22:48.160 --> 00:22:48.660
 nor spear

00:22:48.660 --> 00:22:49.759
 found in the hand

00:22:49.759 --> 00:22:50.400
 of any of the people

00:22:50.400 --> 00:22:51.259
 with Saul and Jonathan,

00:22:51.380 --> 00:22:52.099
 but Saul and Jonathan,

00:22:52.200 --> 00:22:52.460
 his son,

00:22:52.519 --> 00:22:52.900
 had them,

00:22:53.000 --> 00:22:53.500
 and the garrison

00:22:53.500 --> 00:22:54.160
 of the Philistines

00:22:54.160 --> 00:22:54.460
 went out

00:22:54.460 --> 00:22:55.500
 to the pass of Michmash.

00:22:56.240 --> 00:22:57.119
 The point of this

00:22:57.119 --> 00:22:58.019
 last paragraph

00:22:58.019 --> 00:22:59.079
 is the people of Israel

00:22:59.079 --> 00:23:00.039
 are now powerless.

00:23:01.919 --> 00:23:02.799
 They're powerless

00:23:02.799 --> 00:23:03.579
 to defend themselves.

00:23:03.679 --> 00:23:04.439
 They have no weapons.

00:23:05.299 --> 00:23:06.299
 They can't even sharpen

00:23:06.299 --> 00:23:07.299
 their farm tools

00:23:07.299 --> 00:23:07.959
 without going

00:23:07.959 --> 00:23:08.699
 and paying

00:23:08.699 --> 00:23:09.659
 the Philistines.

00:23:09.939 --> 00:23:10.759
 They become almost

00:23:10.759 --> 00:23:11.799
 completely dependent

00:23:11.799 --> 00:23:12.399
 and helpless.

00:23:13.679 --> 00:23:14.219
 And you know,

00:23:14.279 --> 00:23:15.259
 that's what happens

00:23:15.259 --> 00:23:17.099
 when we fail

00:23:17.099 --> 00:23:18.059
 to obey the Lord

00:23:18.059 --> 00:23:19.740
 and when we refuse

00:23:19.740 --> 00:23:20.940
 to admit our guilt.

00:23:22.099 --> 00:23:22.919
 It's a warning.

00:23:23.019 --> 00:23:24.179
 We gradually lose

00:23:24.179 --> 00:23:26.359
 our spiritual vitality

00:23:26.359 --> 00:23:27.299
 and energy.

00:23:29.139 --> 00:23:30.339
 And when we...

00:23:30.339 --> 00:23:32.480
 First, it seems...

00:23:32.480 --> 00:23:33.399
 First, we chose

00:23:33.399 --> 00:23:34.359
 to indulge

00:23:34.359 --> 00:23:35.220
 our sinful appetite

00:23:35.220 --> 00:23:36.599
 and then gradually

00:23:36.599 --> 00:23:37.720
 more and more

00:23:37.720 --> 00:23:38.740
 we become slaves

00:23:38.740 --> 00:23:39.359
 to our sin.

00:23:41.039 --> 00:23:41.919
 Chapter 13

00:23:41.919 --> 00:23:42.379
 is the beginning

00:23:42.379 --> 00:23:43.519
 of a downhill slide

00:23:43.519 --> 00:23:44.759
 for Saul

00:23:44.759 --> 00:23:45.960
 and for his kingdom.

00:23:45.960 --> 00:23:47.539
 And what we see

00:23:47.539 --> 00:23:48.100
 is that Saul

00:23:48.100 --> 00:23:48.860
 won't be

00:23:48.860 --> 00:23:50.620
 the promised Messiah.

00:23:50.819 --> 00:23:51.340
 He's not

00:23:51.340 --> 00:23:52.600
 going to be

00:23:52.600 --> 00:23:54.120
 the promised deliverer

00:23:54.120 --> 00:23:55.259
 of God's people

00:23:55.259 --> 00:23:56.600
 because he failed

00:23:56.600 --> 00:23:57.079
 the test.

00:23:57.160 --> 00:23:57.579
 And when he was

00:23:57.579 --> 00:23:58.799
 confronted with his failure,

00:23:59.019 --> 00:24:00.079
 he refused to admit

00:24:00.079 --> 00:24:00.579
 his guilt.

00:24:01.440 --> 00:24:02.860
 He didn't own up to it.

00:24:03.720 --> 00:24:05.100
 So he becomes powerless.

00:24:05.920 --> 00:24:06.880
 And that's a warning

00:24:06.880 --> 00:24:07.500
 to us.

00:24:08.860 --> 00:24:09.200
 But you know,

00:24:09.299 --> 00:24:10.200
 thankfully,

00:24:10.200 --> 00:24:12.440
 the story of the Bible

00:24:12.440 --> 00:24:13.160
 doesn't end here.

00:24:14.279 --> 00:24:14.960
 Aren't you thankful

00:24:14.960 --> 00:24:16.340
 that the story of the Bible

00:24:16.340 --> 00:24:17.519
 doesn't end here

00:24:17.519 --> 00:24:18.420
 and in other passages

00:24:18.420 --> 00:24:18.940
 like this

00:24:18.940 --> 00:24:19.920
 which show us our failure?

00:24:21.240 --> 00:24:22.140
 Verse 14

00:24:22.140 --> 00:24:23.940
 gives us a word of hope.

00:24:25.640 --> 00:24:26.140
 It says,

00:24:26.240 --> 00:24:27.200
 The Lord has sought out

00:24:27.200 --> 00:24:27.680
 a man

00:24:27.680 --> 00:24:29.620
 after his own heart.

00:24:30.019 --> 00:24:30.660
 In other words,

00:24:31.000 --> 00:24:32.799
 according to God's own will.

00:24:32.940 --> 00:24:34.539
 God is seeking out

00:24:34.539 --> 00:24:35.900
 a man to lead his people.

00:24:35.900 --> 00:24:37.100
 And soon,

00:24:37.360 --> 00:24:38.440
 in a couple of weeks,

00:24:38.539 --> 00:24:39.240
 as we go through

00:24:39.240 --> 00:24:39.980
 this book of Samuel,

00:24:40.200 --> 00:24:40.940
 we'll see who it is.

00:24:40.980 --> 00:24:41.539
 It's David.

00:24:43.319 --> 00:24:45.000
 And David is that king

00:24:45.000 --> 00:24:46.080
 that God promises.

00:24:46.220 --> 00:24:46.460
 But then,

00:24:46.500 --> 00:24:47.340
 you know what happens?

00:24:47.900 --> 00:24:48.720
 You keep reading

00:24:48.720 --> 00:24:49.440
 the book of Samuel.

00:24:49.740 --> 00:24:50.700
 You go into 2 Samuel

00:24:50.700 --> 00:24:51.519
 and you see that David

00:24:51.519 --> 00:24:52.799
 fails too in some ways.

00:24:53.600 --> 00:24:54.500
 And David repents

00:24:54.500 --> 00:24:55.440
 unlike Saul.

00:24:55.559 --> 00:24:56.539
 He confesses his sin.

00:24:57.580 --> 00:24:58.539
 That's one of the differences

00:24:58.539 --> 00:25:00.180
 between David and Saul

00:25:00.180 --> 00:25:01.660
 is David owns up

00:25:01.660 --> 00:25:02.640
 to his mistakes

00:25:02.640 --> 00:25:04.640
 where Saul never does.

00:25:06.380 --> 00:25:07.220
 But the good news

00:25:07.220 --> 00:25:07.799
 of the Bible

00:25:07.799 --> 00:25:10.180
 is not just about David.

00:25:10.200 --> 00:25:10.279
 David,

00:25:10.680 --> 00:25:12.400
 who lived a long time ago,

00:25:13.440 --> 00:25:14.740
 but about David's

00:25:14.740 --> 00:25:17.400
 great-great-great-great-great-great-grandson,

00:25:18.620 --> 00:25:18.880
 Jesus.

00:25:20.400 --> 00:25:20.860
 Right?

00:25:20.980 --> 00:25:22.440
 Jesus is

00:25:22.440 --> 00:25:25.539
 the promised deliverer,

00:25:25.940 --> 00:25:26.519
 the Messiah.

00:25:26.519 --> 00:25:29.420
 And in the New Testament,

00:25:29.420 --> 00:25:30.299
 it says that Jesus

00:25:30.299 --> 00:25:31.339
 has been tested,

00:25:32.680 --> 00:25:33.599
 he has been tempted

00:25:33.599 --> 00:25:35.619
 in every respect.

00:25:36.559 --> 00:25:37.879
 Every kind of temptation

00:25:37.879 --> 00:25:38.980
 that you face,

00:25:39.259 --> 00:25:40.879
 whatever it looks like,

00:25:42.299 --> 00:25:43.019
 Jesus has faced

00:25:43.019 --> 00:25:44.799
 every kind of temptation

00:25:44.799 --> 00:25:46.139
 and testing

00:25:46.139 --> 00:25:47.039
 that we face

00:25:47.039 --> 00:25:47.920
 as human beings.

00:25:47.920 --> 00:25:48.019
 Jesus.

00:25:48.600 --> 00:25:49.680
 And it says,

00:25:50.460 --> 00:25:51.160
 he has been tempted

00:25:51.160 --> 00:25:52.060
 as we are,

00:25:52.320 --> 00:25:52.640
 yet

00:25:52.640 --> 00:25:54.960
 without sin.

00:25:56.620 --> 00:25:57.480
 Jesus faced

00:25:57.480 --> 00:25:58.320
 the most intense

00:25:58.320 --> 00:25:59.019
 pressure

00:25:59.019 --> 00:26:00.200
 imaginable.

00:26:01.060 --> 00:26:01.960
 He was in the desert,

00:26:02.380 --> 00:26:02.720
 hungry

00:26:02.720 --> 00:26:03.779
 and alone,

00:26:03.779 --> 00:26:04.740
 and he was tempted

00:26:04.740 --> 00:26:05.960
 by the devil himself.

00:26:07.720 --> 00:26:08.660
 The devil says,

00:26:08.740 --> 00:26:08.860
 hey,

00:26:08.900 --> 00:26:09.620
 you must be hungry.

00:26:11.180 --> 00:26:11.920
 Why don't you use

00:26:11.920 --> 00:26:12.380
 your power

00:26:12.380 --> 00:26:13.320
 to turn these stones

00:26:13.320 --> 00:26:13.800
 into bread?

00:26:13.799 --> 00:26:16.220
 Why don't you

00:26:16.220 --> 00:26:17.180
 make your life

00:26:17.180 --> 00:26:18.180
 easy for yourself

00:26:18.180 --> 00:26:20.000
 and use your power

00:26:20.000 --> 00:26:20.940
 to make yourself

00:26:20.940 --> 00:26:21.440
 comfortable?

00:26:22.700 --> 00:26:23.460
 And Jesus says,

00:26:23.539 --> 00:26:23.740
 no.

00:26:25.859 --> 00:26:26.819
 Man doesn't live

00:26:26.819 --> 00:26:27.559
 by bread alone,

00:26:28.299 --> 00:26:29.319
 but by every word

00:26:29.319 --> 00:26:29.740
 that comes

00:26:29.740 --> 00:26:30.659
 from the mouth of God.

00:26:31.940 --> 00:26:32.240
 He says,

00:26:32.299 --> 00:26:32.859
 I've come

00:26:32.859 --> 00:26:34.220
 to live a life

00:26:34.220 --> 00:26:34.740
 in dependence

00:26:34.740 --> 00:26:35.519
 on God's word,

00:26:35.619 --> 00:26:37.099
 not to use my power

00:26:37.099 --> 00:26:38.599
 to make myself

00:26:38.599 --> 00:26:39.259
 more comfortable

00:26:39.259 --> 00:26:40.659
 and get whatever

00:26:40.659 --> 00:26:41.740
 I want right away.

00:26:41.740 --> 00:26:44.140
 And Satan says,

00:26:44.220 --> 00:26:44.480
 well,

00:26:46.059 --> 00:26:46.460
 you know,

00:26:46.620 --> 00:26:47.920
 not many people

00:26:47.920 --> 00:26:49.039
 really believe in you.

00:26:49.920 --> 00:26:50.539
 Why don't you

00:26:50.539 --> 00:26:51.599
 show off

00:26:51.599 --> 00:26:52.960
 and dazzle them all?

00:26:53.039 --> 00:26:53.339
 Why don't you

00:26:53.339 --> 00:26:54.460
 jump off the temple

00:26:54.460 --> 00:26:54.819
 and

00:26:54.819 --> 00:26:58.620
 call on the angels

00:26:58.620 --> 00:27:00.180
 to rescue you

00:27:00.180 --> 00:27:01.700
 so that you can

00:27:01.700 --> 00:27:02.480
 say,

00:27:02.700 --> 00:27:03.039
 ta-da!

00:27:03.599 --> 00:27:04.500
 I'm Superman.

00:27:05.140 --> 00:27:05.420
 Look,

00:27:05.620 --> 00:27:06.400
 believe in me.

00:27:07.339 --> 00:27:08.120
 And Jesus says,

00:27:08.579 --> 00:27:10.500
 don't put the Lord

00:27:10.500 --> 00:27:11.700
 your God to the test.

00:27:16.119 --> 00:27:16.779
 That's not what

00:27:16.779 --> 00:27:17.660
 I've come to do either.

00:27:19.299 --> 00:27:20.279
 And then the devil says,

00:27:20.359 --> 00:27:20.599
 look,

00:27:21.740 --> 00:27:22.740
 see all the kingdoms

00:27:22.740 --> 00:27:23.480
 of the world.

00:27:24.819 --> 00:27:25.640
 All the kingdoms

00:27:25.640 --> 00:27:26.160
 of the world

00:27:26.160 --> 00:27:27.039
 and all their glory

00:27:27.039 --> 00:27:27.779
 and all their wealth

00:27:27.779 --> 00:27:28.619
 and all their power

00:27:28.619 --> 00:27:30.420
 just bow down to me

00:27:30.420 --> 00:27:32.359
 and I'll give it to you.

00:27:33.039 --> 00:27:34.359
 It'll be so easy.

00:27:35.859 --> 00:27:36.960
 I'll give you everything.

00:27:36.960 --> 00:27:41.160
 Just swear loyalty to me.

00:27:43.079 --> 00:27:44.039
 And Jesus says,

00:27:44.160 --> 00:27:45.460
 worship the Lord your God

00:27:45.460 --> 00:27:47.160
 and serve him only.

00:27:50.100 --> 00:27:50.759
 Of course,

00:27:50.840 --> 00:27:51.559
 the greatest test

00:27:51.559 --> 00:27:52.440
 that Jesus faced

00:27:52.440 --> 00:27:54.960
 was when he

00:27:54.960 --> 00:27:56.600
 was in a garden

00:27:56.600 --> 00:27:57.340
 of Gethsemane

00:27:57.339 --> 00:28:01.679
 and his disciples

00:28:01.679 --> 00:28:03.259
 had gone to sleep

00:28:03.259 --> 00:28:05.720
 and he knelt down

00:28:05.720 --> 00:28:06.319
 and prayed.

00:28:07.779 --> 00:28:08.459
 He prayed,

00:28:08.579 --> 00:28:08.839
 Father,

00:28:09.639 --> 00:28:10.859
 if there's any other way,

00:28:11.759 --> 00:28:12.419
 take this cup

00:28:12.419 --> 00:28:13.079
 away from me.

00:28:13.839 --> 00:28:14.939
 But not my will,

00:28:15.019 --> 00:28:15.759
 but yours be done.

00:28:16.500 --> 00:28:16.740
 You see,

00:28:16.799 --> 00:28:18.000
 Jesus knew all the time

00:28:18.000 --> 00:28:20.159
 that God's will

00:28:20.159 --> 00:28:20.579
 for him

00:28:20.579 --> 00:28:21.179
 was that he would

00:28:21.179 --> 00:28:22.480
 lay down his life

00:28:22.480 --> 00:28:23.159
 on a cross

00:28:23.159 --> 00:28:24.759
 and bear the sin

00:28:24.759 --> 00:28:25.319
 of the world.

00:28:25.319 --> 00:28:28.240
 That was a heavy burden.

00:28:29.599 --> 00:28:30.439
 That was the most

00:28:30.439 --> 00:28:31.779
 intense pressure imaginable

00:28:31.779 --> 00:28:33.539
 to take all of our sin

00:28:33.539 --> 00:28:34.859
 on his shoulders

00:28:34.859 --> 00:28:37.019
 and to take the punishment

00:28:37.019 --> 00:28:37.879
 that we deserved

00:28:37.879 --> 00:28:39.000
 and to hang there

00:28:39.000 --> 00:28:39.639
 on the cross.

00:28:41.179 --> 00:28:42.519
 We can hardly even imagine

00:28:42.519 --> 00:28:43.619
 what it was like physically,

00:28:43.939 --> 00:28:44.619
 let alone

00:28:44.619 --> 00:28:46.179
 emotionally

00:28:46.179 --> 00:28:47.059
 and spiritually

00:28:47.059 --> 00:28:49.759
 to hang there

00:28:49.759 --> 00:28:53.460
 and to trust

00:28:53.460 --> 00:28:54.099
 and obey

00:28:54.099 --> 00:28:54.980
 God the Father

00:28:54.980 --> 00:28:56.039
 all the way to the end.

00:28:56.980 --> 00:28:57.879
 But he did it.

00:28:59.359 --> 00:29:00.379
 He did it for you.

00:29:00.500 --> 00:29:01.220
 He did it for me.

00:29:01.640 --> 00:29:02.539
 He did it for us.

00:29:05.039 --> 00:29:06.119
 Jesus held on.

00:29:07.259 --> 00:29:08.519
 He wasn't like Saul.

00:29:11.099 --> 00:29:12.200
 Saul gave in

00:29:12.200 --> 00:29:13.779
 and it all went downhill.

00:29:13.779 --> 00:29:17.700
 Jesus

00:29:17.700 --> 00:29:19.779
 persevered

00:29:19.779 --> 00:29:20.680
 to the very end.

00:29:22.139 --> 00:29:22.779
 It says

00:29:22.779 --> 00:29:23.220
 to bring

00:29:23.220 --> 00:29:24.639
 many sons

00:29:24.639 --> 00:29:25.359
 and daughters

00:29:25.359 --> 00:29:26.180
 with him

00:29:26.180 --> 00:29:26.960
 to glory.

00:29:27.879 --> 00:29:29.119
 That's why he did it.

00:29:29.559 --> 00:29:30.660
 To bring us

00:29:30.660 --> 00:29:31.559
 with him

00:29:31.559 --> 00:29:32.399
 to glory

00:29:32.399 --> 00:29:34.639
 so that our sins

00:29:34.639 --> 00:29:35.359
 could be forgiven

00:29:35.359 --> 00:29:37.799
 and so we could be brought

00:29:37.799 --> 00:29:38.420
 from death

00:29:38.420 --> 00:29:39.480
 to life.

00:29:41.180 --> 00:29:42.200
 So we could be brought

00:29:42.200 --> 00:29:43.039
 out of the pit

00:29:43.039 --> 00:29:47.619
 and into

00:29:47.619 --> 00:29:48.559
 his presence

00:29:48.559 --> 00:29:50.819
 forevermore.

00:29:53.200 --> 00:29:54.659
 So Hebrews says this.

00:29:55.759 --> 00:29:56.000
 It says

00:29:56.000 --> 00:29:56.819
 we don't have

00:29:56.819 --> 00:29:58.200
 a high priest

00:29:58.200 --> 00:29:59.039
 who is unable

00:29:59.039 --> 00:29:59.920
 to sympathize

00:29:59.920 --> 00:30:00.720
 with our weaknesses

00:30:00.720 --> 00:30:02.359
 but one who

00:30:02.359 --> 00:30:03.159
 in every respect

00:30:03.159 --> 00:30:03.759
 has been tempted

00:30:03.759 --> 00:30:04.399
 as we are

00:30:04.399 --> 00:30:05.279
 yet without sin.

00:30:06.059 --> 00:30:06.819
 So let us then

00:30:06.819 --> 00:30:07.519
 with confidence

00:30:07.519 --> 00:30:08.279
 draw near

00:30:08.279 --> 00:30:09.440
 to his throne

00:30:09.440 --> 00:30:09.940
 of grace

00:30:09.940 --> 00:30:10.740
 that we may receive

00:30:10.740 --> 00:30:11.099
 mercy

00:30:11.099 --> 00:30:11.859
 and find grace

00:30:11.859 --> 00:30:12.259
 to help

00:30:12.259 --> 00:30:13.019
 in our time

00:30:13.019 --> 00:30:13.480
 of need.

00:30:15.440 --> 00:30:16.379
 So let me come back

00:30:16.379 --> 00:30:16.839
 to the question

00:30:16.839 --> 00:30:17.599
 I asked at the beginning.

00:30:17.759 --> 00:30:18.359
 Where are you

00:30:18.359 --> 00:30:19.240
 being spiritually

00:30:19.240 --> 00:30:20.000
 tested?

00:30:22.359 --> 00:30:23.420
 Is that work?

00:30:24.180 --> 00:30:24.839
 Is it

00:30:24.839 --> 00:30:25.879
 at home

00:30:25.879 --> 00:30:26.400
 or wherever

00:30:26.400 --> 00:30:26.920
 you're staying

00:30:26.920 --> 00:30:27.539
 right now?

00:30:29.819 --> 00:30:30.680
 Are you feeling

00:30:30.680 --> 00:30:31.160
 impatient

00:30:31.160 --> 00:30:32.039
 like Saul

00:30:32.039 --> 00:30:33.759
 and wondering

00:30:33.759 --> 00:30:34.420
 if God's ever

00:30:34.420 --> 00:30:34.759
 going to

00:30:34.759 --> 00:30:36.079
 do anything

00:30:36.079 --> 00:30:36.720
 for you?

00:30:36.720 --> 00:30:39.140
 you know

00:30:39.140 --> 00:30:40.960
 you know

00:30:40.960 --> 00:30:41.339
 Jesus

00:30:41.339 --> 00:30:42.620
 if you

00:30:42.620 --> 00:30:43.200
 have

00:30:43.200 --> 00:30:44.200
 turned to

00:30:44.200 --> 00:30:44.620
 Jesus

00:30:44.620 --> 00:30:45.799
 and put

00:30:45.799 --> 00:30:46.200
 your faith

00:30:46.200 --> 00:30:46.620
 in him

00:30:46.620 --> 00:30:48.600
 the Bible

00:30:48.600 --> 00:30:49.079
 says he will

00:30:49.079 --> 00:30:50.000
 never leave

00:30:50.000 --> 00:30:50.539
 you nor

00:30:50.539 --> 00:30:51.279
 forsake you.

00:30:51.860 --> 00:30:52.680
 When you walk

00:30:52.680 --> 00:30:53.279
 into work

00:30:53.279 --> 00:30:54.779
 tomorrow morning

00:30:54.779 --> 00:30:55.180
 or whenever

00:30:55.180 --> 00:30:55.839
 you go there

00:30:55.839 --> 00:30:57.059
 Jesus

00:30:57.059 --> 00:30:58.160
 is living

00:30:58.160 --> 00:30:58.519
 in you

00:30:58.519 --> 00:30:58.920
 by his

00:30:58.920 --> 00:30:59.519
 Holy Spirit.

00:30:59.660 --> 00:30:59.920
 You are

00:30:59.920 --> 00:31:00.559
 not alone.

00:31:01.019 --> 00:31:01.460
 When you have

00:31:01.460 --> 00:31:01.799
 to deal

00:31:01.799 --> 00:31:02.039
 with

00:31:02.039 --> 00:31:03.200
 all that

00:31:03.200 --> 00:31:04.259
 gossiping

00:31:04.259 --> 00:31:05.240
 or cursing

00:31:05.240 --> 00:31:06.599
 or dishonest

00:31:06.599 --> 00:31:07.019
 behavior

00:31:07.019 --> 00:31:07.419
 or whatever

00:31:07.419 --> 00:31:07.859
 you're dealing

00:31:07.859 --> 00:31:08.279
 with at your

00:31:08.279 --> 00:31:08.700
 work

00:31:08.700 --> 00:31:10.359
 Jesus

00:31:10.359 --> 00:31:10.940
 is right

00:31:10.940 --> 00:31:11.379
 there with

00:31:11.379 --> 00:31:11.599
 you.

00:31:12.460 --> 00:31:13.059
 You are

00:31:13.059 --> 00:31:13.700
 not alone

00:31:13.700 --> 00:31:15.460
 and he

00:31:15.460 --> 00:31:15.980
 will strengthen

00:31:15.980 --> 00:31:16.440
 you and he

00:31:16.440 --> 00:31:17.000
 will empower

00:31:17.000 --> 00:31:17.619
 you to

00:31:17.619 --> 00:31:18.359
 be faithful

00:31:18.359 --> 00:31:18.819
 to him

00:31:18.819 --> 00:31:20.680
 and to

00:31:20.680 --> 00:31:21.019
 put your

00:31:21.019 --> 00:31:21.539
 hope in him

00:31:21.539 --> 00:31:21.799
 and know

00:31:21.799 --> 00:31:22.319
 that you

00:31:22.319 --> 00:31:22.639
 are not

00:31:22.639 --> 00:31:22.899
 alone

00:31:22.899 --> 00:31:23.220
 there.

00:31:24.519 --> 00:31:24.759
 Maybe

00:31:24.759 --> 00:31:25.059
 it's at

00:31:25.059 --> 00:31:25.359
 home

00:31:25.359 --> 00:31:27.359
 or wherever

00:31:27.359 --> 00:31:27.899
 you're staying

00:31:27.899 --> 00:31:29.639
 and the

00:31:29.639 --> 00:31:30.200
 people around

00:31:30.200 --> 00:31:30.339
 you,

00:31:30.379 --> 00:31:30.639
 the people

00:31:30.639 --> 00:31:31.039
 you're living

00:31:31.039 --> 00:31:31.339
 with,

00:31:31.339 --> 00:31:33.019
 just drive

00:31:33.019 --> 00:31:33.240
 you up

00:31:33.240 --> 00:31:33.679
 a wall.

00:31:35.720 --> 00:31:36.079
 You know,

00:31:36.819 --> 00:31:37.339
 do you know

00:31:37.339 --> 00:31:37.740
 that Jesus

00:31:37.740 --> 00:31:38.339
 knows how

00:31:38.339 --> 00:31:38.819
 that feels

00:31:38.819 --> 00:31:39.179
 like?

00:31:40.579 --> 00:31:41.339
 Because Jesus

00:31:41.339 --> 00:31:41.959
 dwells within

00:31:41.959 --> 00:31:43.159
 every Christian

00:31:43.159 --> 00:31:43.599
 believer.

00:31:43.740 --> 00:31:43.980
 Do you know

00:31:43.980 --> 00:31:44.359
 what Jesus

00:31:44.359 --> 00:31:44.839
 has to deal

00:31:44.839 --> 00:31:45.259
 with every

00:31:45.259 --> 00:31:45.599
 day?

00:31:47.599 --> 00:31:48.199
 Think of

00:31:48.199 --> 00:31:48.500
 all the

00:31:48.500 --> 00:31:49.039
 worst things

00:31:49.039 --> 00:31:49.679
 you've said

00:31:49.679 --> 00:31:50.879
 in the last

00:31:50.879 --> 00:31:51.199
 year.

00:31:51.779 --> 00:31:52.119
 All the

00:31:52.119 --> 00:31:52.759
 crazy things

00:31:52.759 --> 00:31:53.220
 you've done

00:31:53.220 --> 00:31:54.019
 or that

00:31:54.019 --> 00:31:54.379
 you've seen

00:31:54.379 --> 00:31:54.899
 other people

00:31:54.899 --> 00:31:55.959
 do who

00:31:55.959 --> 00:31:56.459
 believe in

00:31:56.459 --> 00:31:56.720
 Jesus.

00:31:56.919 --> 00:31:57.399
 Jesus has

00:31:57.399 --> 00:31:57.740
 had to deal

00:31:57.740 --> 00:31:58.099
 with all

00:31:58.099 --> 00:31:58.539
 of those

00:31:58.539 --> 00:31:59.759
 very personally

00:31:59.759 --> 00:32:00.240
 because he

00:32:00.240 --> 00:32:00.559
 lives in

00:32:00.559 --> 00:32:01.019
 those people.

00:32:01.339 --> 00:32:03.899
 And he

00:32:03.899 --> 00:32:04.319
 doesn't give

00:32:04.319 --> 00:32:04.919
 up on us.

00:32:05.539 --> 00:32:05.819
 He's

00:32:05.819 --> 00:32:06.379
 patient with

00:32:06.379 --> 00:32:06.699
 us.

00:32:07.259 --> 00:32:07.679
 And sometimes

00:32:07.679 --> 00:32:08.339
 he sends

00:32:08.339 --> 00:32:08.720
 someone to

00:32:08.720 --> 00:32:09.459
 confront us

00:32:09.459 --> 00:32:10.240
 and say,

00:32:10.319 --> 00:32:10.659
 what have

00:32:10.659 --> 00:32:11.179
 you done?

00:32:13.799 --> 00:32:14.319
 But he

00:32:14.319 --> 00:32:14.799
 says that to

00:32:14.799 --> 00:32:15.159
 us out of

00:32:15.159 --> 00:32:15.639
 his love

00:32:15.639 --> 00:32:17.399
 because he

00:32:17.399 --> 00:32:17.819
 loves us

00:32:17.819 --> 00:32:18.099
 and he's

00:32:18.099 --> 00:32:18.299
 going to

00:32:18.299 --> 00:32:18.720
 bear with

00:32:18.720 --> 00:32:19.039
 us.

00:32:19.779 --> 00:32:20.259
 And he's

00:32:20.259 --> 00:32:20.459
 going to

00:32:20.459 --> 00:32:20.899
 carry us

00:32:20.899 --> 00:32:21.139
 through.

00:32:23.259 --> 00:32:23.899
 So that's

00:32:23.899 --> 00:32:24.279
 the kind of

00:32:24.279 --> 00:32:24.720
 savior we

00:32:24.720 --> 00:32:24.879
 have.

00:32:24.939 --> 00:32:25.220
 That's the

00:32:25.220 --> 00:32:25.459
 kind of

00:32:25.459 --> 00:32:25.799
 king we

00:32:25.799 --> 00:32:26.139
 have.

00:32:26.439 --> 00:32:26.939
 Not a

00:32:26.939 --> 00:32:27.319
 king like

00:32:27.319 --> 00:32:28.119
 Saul here,

00:32:28.720 --> 00:32:29.539
 but we

00:32:29.539 --> 00:32:29.859
 have King

00:32:29.859 --> 00:32:30.179
 Jesus.

00:32:31.339 --> 00:32:31.859
 Let's

00:32:31.859 --> 00:32:32.059
 pray.

00:32:38.319 --> 00:32:39.000
 Lord Jesus,

00:32:39.139 --> 00:32:39.500
 we thank

00:32:39.500 --> 00:32:39.779
 you that

00:32:39.779 --> 00:32:40.119
 you are

00:32:40.119 --> 00:32:41.039
 faithful,

00:32:41.459 --> 00:32:42.159
 that you

00:32:42.159 --> 00:32:42.599
 are faithful

00:32:42.599 --> 00:32:43.159
 even to the

00:32:43.159 --> 00:32:43.480
 point of

00:32:43.480 --> 00:32:43.799
 death on

00:32:43.799 --> 00:32:44.159
 the cross

00:32:44.159 --> 00:32:44.699
 for us.

00:32:45.379 --> 00:32:45.939
 And we

00:32:45.939 --> 00:32:46.299
 thank you

00:32:46.299 --> 00:32:46.579
 that you

00:32:46.579 --> 00:32:47.039
 are faithful

00:32:47.039 --> 00:32:47.579
 to us,

00:32:47.659 --> 00:32:48.000
 that you

00:32:48.000 --> 00:32:49.199
 dwell in

00:32:49.199 --> 00:32:49.559
 us by

00:32:49.559 --> 00:32:49.980
 your Holy

00:32:49.980 --> 00:32:50.399
 Spirit.

00:32:51.179 --> 00:32:51.539
 So we

00:32:51.539 --> 00:32:51.919
 pray that

00:32:51.919 --> 00:32:52.139
 you would

00:32:52.139 --> 00:32:52.720
 help us

00:32:52.720 --> 00:32:53.879
 where we

00:32:53.879 --> 00:32:54.459
 are facing

00:32:54.459 --> 00:32:55.220
 temptations

00:32:55.220 --> 00:32:55.959
 and trials

00:32:55.959 --> 00:32:56.980
 and testings.

00:32:56.980 --> 00:32:59.220
 Lord, I

00:32:59.220 --> 00:32:59.740
 pray that

00:32:59.740 --> 00:33:01.559
 we would

00:33:01.559 --> 00:33:01.860
 know that

00:33:01.860 --> 00:33:02.039
 we are

00:33:02.039 --> 00:33:02.559
 not alone.

00:33:04.000 --> 00:33:04.480
 I pray that

00:33:04.480 --> 00:33:04.740
 we would

00:33:04.740 --> 00:33:05.480
 not act

00:33:05.480 --> 00:33:07.059
 in

00:33:07.059 --> 00:33:08.519
 panic

00:33:08.519 --> 00:33:10.259
 or fear

00:33:10.259 --> 00:33:13.680
 or act

00:33:13.680 --> 00:33:14.079
 as if

00:33:14.079 --> 00:33:15.700
 you aren't

00:33:15.700 --> 00:33:16.039
 there

00:33:16.039 --> 00:33:17.960
 because you

00:33:17.960 --> 00:33:18.259
 are.

00:33:18.660 --> 00:33:19.140
 You were,

00:33:19.420 --> 00:33:19.900
 you are.

00:33:21.500 --> 00:33:22.180
 Lord, thank

00:33:22.180 --> 00:33:23.360
 you that

00:33:23.360 --> 00:33:23.720
 you are

00:33:23.720 --> 00:33:25.180
 the God

00:33:25.180 --> 00:33:25.579
 of second

00:33:25.579 --> 00:33:26.019
 chances

00:33:26.019 --> 00:33:26.579
 that you,

00:33:27.920 --> 00:33:28.380
 Lord, as

00:33:28.380 --> 00:33:28.920
 Samuel came

00:33:28.920 --> 00:33:29.420
 to Saul

00:33:29.420 --> 00:33:30.559
 and confronted

00:33:30.559 --> 00:33:31.360
 him and

00:33:31.360 --> 00:33:31.779
 gave him

00:33:31.779 --> 00:33:34.180
 an opportunity

00:33:34.180 --> 00:33:35.940
 to acknowledge

00:33:35.940 --> 00:33:36.480
 his sin.

00:33:38.700 --> 00:33:39.360
 Lord, as

00:33:39.360 --> 00:33:39.819
 later on

00:33:39.819 --> 00:33:40.059
 you would

00:33:40.059 --> 00:33:40.680
 send the

00:33:40.680 --> 00:33:41.299
 prophet Nathan

00:33:41.299 --> 00:33:41.860
 to David

00:33:41.860 --> 00:33:43.120
 to confront

00:33:43.120 --> 00:33:43.440
 him.

00:33:45.059 --> 00:33:45.779
 Lord, you

00:33:45.779 --> 00:33:47.240
 call us

00:33:47.240 --> 00:33:48.839
 to turn

00:33:48.839 --> 00:33:49.200
 from our

00:33:49.200 --> 00:33:49.680
 sin and to

00:33:49.680 --> 00:33:50.240
 repent and

00:33:50.240 --> 00:33:50.799
 to confess

00:33:50.799 --> 00:33:52.240
 and to say

00:33:52.240 --> 00:33:53.299
 I was wrong.

00:33:53.299 --> 00:33:54.119
 I'm sorry.

00:33:55.099 --> 00:33:56.559
 Lord, thank

00:33:56.559 --> 00:33:57.019
 you that

00:33:57.019 --> 00:33:57.839
 when we do

00:33:57.839 --> 00:33:58.480
 that, when we

00:33:58.480 --> 00:33:59.019
 confess our

00:33:59.019 --> 00:34:00.019
 sins, you

00:34:00.019 --> 00:34:00.539
 are faithful

00:34:00.539 --> 00:34:01.240
 and just

00:34:01.240 --> 00:34:02.000
 to forgive

00:34:02.000 --> 00:34:03.279
 us and to

00:34:03.279 --> 00:34:03.919
 purify us

00:34:03.919 --> 00:34:04.359
 from all

00:34:04.359 --> 00:34:05.220
 unrighteousness

00:34:05.220 --> 00:34:06.960
 so that we

00:34:06.960 --> 00:34:10.179
 can continue

00:34:10.179 --> 00:34:11.039
 walking with

00:34:11.039 --> 00:34:13.940
 you and know

00:34:13.940 --> 00:34:14.920
 that we are

00:34:14.920 --> 00:34:15.400
 not alone.

00:34:17.519 --> 00:34:18.239
 We pray that

00:34:18.239 --> 00:34:18.579
 we would know

00:34:18.579 --> 00:34:19.099
 that tonight

00:34:19.099 --> 00:34:19.519
 in Jesus'

00:34:19.679 --> 00:34:19.840
 name.

00:34:20.159 --> 00:34:20.380
 Amen.

00:34:20.380 --> 00:34:20.480
 Amen.

00:34:22.480 --> 00:34:22.980
 We're going

00:34:22.980 --> 00:34:23.380
 to sing one

00:34:23.380 --> 00:34:23.940
 more song to

00:34:23.940 --> 00:34:25.099
 close and

00:34:25.099 --> 00:34:25.940
 then we'll

00:34:25.940 --> 00:34:26.240
 have about

00:34:26.240 --> 00:34:26.760
 five minutes

00:34:26.760 --> 00:34:27.099
 where you

00:34:27.099 --> 00:34:27.420
 can ask

00:34:27.420 --> 00:34:28.599
 questions so

00:34:28.599 --> 00:34:29.119
 if you have

00:34:29.119 --> 00:34:30.140
 questions or

00:34:30.140 --> 00:34:30.500
 thoughts you

00:34:30.500 --> 00:34:31.180
 can think

00:34:31.180 --> 00:34:31.660
 about those

00:34:31.660 --> 00:34:32.160
 as well.

00:34:34.019 --> 00:34:34.500
 We've got

00:34:34.500 --> 00:34:34.960
 about five

00:34:34.960 --> 00:34:35.300
 minutes.

00:34:35.840 --> 00:34:36.340
 If you have

00:34:36.340 --> 00:34:36.820
 a question

00:34:36.820 --> 00:34:38.059
 feel free to

00:34:38.059 --> 00:34:38.340
 raise your

00:34:38.340 --> 00:34:40.039
 hand or

00:34:40.039 --> 00:34:40.680
 brief comment

00:34:40.680 --> 00:34:41.539
 and I'd love

00:34:41.539 --> 00:34:42.019
 to hear it

00:34:42.019 --> 00:34:42.700
 and I'll do

00:34:42.700 --> 00:34:43.180
 the best I

00:34:43.180 --> 00:34:43.420
 can to

00:34:43.420 --> 00:34:43.760
 respond.

00:34:43.760 --> 00:34:45.620
 this is a

00:34:45.620 --> 00:34:46.000
 time when we

00:34:46.000 --> 00:34:46.760
 can interact

00:34:46.760 --> 00:34:47.200
 a little bit

00:34:47.200 --> 00:34:48.180
 over what

00:34:48.180 --> 00:34:48.680
 we've just

00:34:48.680 --> 00:34:50.520
 talked about.

00:35:04.600 --> 00:35:05.600
 Any questions?

00:35:06.800 --> 00:35:07.240
 Anyone?

00:35:07.560 --> 00:35:07.840
 Anyone?

00:35:07.840 --> 00:35:07.940
 Anyone?

00:35:07.940 --> 00:35:07.980
 Anyone?

00:35:07.980 --> 00:35:08.040
 Anyone?

00:35:08.040 --> 00:35:08.080
 Anyone?

00:35:08.080 --> 00:35:08.100
 Anyone?

00:35:13.760 --> 00:35:17.240
 Jonathan?

00:35:17.240 --> 00:35:18.980
 I just

00:35:18.980 --> 00:35:20.240
 have an

00:35:20.240 --> 00:35:20.920
 obligation

00:35:20.920 --> 00:35:22.980
 to talk

00:35:22.980 --> 00:35:23.280
 about it

00:35:23.280 --> 00:35:23.560
 all.

00:35:24.760 --> 00:35:26.000
 It seems

00:35:26.000 --> 00:35:26.920
 like the

00:35:26.920 --> 00:35:28.340
 punishment

00:35:28.340 --> 00:35:29.020
 that Saul

00:35:29.020 --> 00:35:29.780
 got seems

00:35:29.780 --> 00:35:31.240
 so strong

00:35:31.240 --> 00:35:31.520
 when you

00:35:31.520 --> 00:35:33.360
 compare the

00:35:33.360 --> 00:35:33.880
 way he's

00:35:33.880 --> 00:35:34.900
 portrayed to

00:35:34.900 --> 00:35:35.260
 some of

00:35:35.260 --> 00:35:35.820
 the other

00:35:35.820 --> 00:35:37.220
 kings of

00:35:37.220 --> 00:35:37.620
 Israel

00:35:37.620 --> 00:35:38.860
 later on

00:35:38.860 --> 00:35:40.320
 who

00:35:40.320 --> 00:35:41.040
 basically

00:35:41.040 --> 00:35:42.860
 didn't listen

00:35:42.860 --> 00:35:43.320
 the prophet

00:35:43.320 --> 00:35:43.680
 at all

00:35:43.680 --> 00:35:44.140
 didn't care

00:35:44.140 --> 00:35:44.480
 about the

00:35:44.480 --> 00:35:44.760
 prophet

00:35:44.760 --> 00:35:45.300
 at all

00:35:45.300 --> 00:35:47.539
 and you

00:35:47.539 --> 00:35:47.760
 know

00:35:47.760 --> 00:35:48.700
 so I

00:35:48.700 --> 00:35:49.860
 was just

00:35:49.860 --> 00:35:50.300
 kind of

00:35:50.300 --> 00:35:51.820
 surprised to

00:35:51.820 --> 00:35:52.519
 hear the

00:35:52.519 --> 00:35:53.260
 reason why

00:35:53.260 --> 00:35:53.920
 his lineage

00:35:53.920 --> 00:35:54.360
 was cut

00:35:54.360 --> 00:35:54.760
 off

00:35:54.760 --> 00:35:56.260
 when it

00:35:56.260 --> 00:35:56.720
 seems like

00:35:56.720 --> 00:35:57.000
 such a

00:35:57.000 --> 00:35:57.180
 minor

00:35:57.180 --> 00:35:57.440
 thing

00:35:57.440 --> 00:35:57.980
 compared to

00:35:57.980 --> 00:35:58.500
 the other

00:35:58.500 --> 00:35:58.820
 kings.

00:35:59.820 --> 00:36:00.300
 Yeah.

00:36:01.140 --> 00:36:01.620
 Yeah.

00:36:01.760 --> 00:36:02.480
 So basically

00:36:02.480 --> 00:36:03.579
 Saul's punishment

00:36:03.579 --> 00:36:04.240
 seems pretty

00:36:04.240 --> 00:36:05.300
 strong for

00:36:05.300 --> 00:36:05.860
 what he did.

00:36:06.380 --> 00:36:06.579
 You know,

00:36:06.640 --> 00:36:07.000
 he sort of

00:36:07.000 --> 00:36:07.519
 gave in under

00:36:07.519 --> 00:36:08.780
 pressure and

00:36:08.780 --> 00:36:09.160
 then he got

00:36:09.160 --> 00:36:09.460
 his whole

00:36:09.460 --> 00:36:09.960
 kingdom taken

00:36:09.960 --> 00:36:10.300
 away.

00:36:11.980 --> 00:36:12.820
 So and

00:36:12.820 --> 00:36:13.180
 then other

00:36:13.180 --> 00:36:13.780
 kings did

00:36:13.780 --> 00:36:14.000
 a lot

00:36:14.000 --> 00:36:14.620
 worse things

00:36:14.620 --> 00:36:15.240
 and they

00:36:15.240 --> 00:36:15.559
 didn't seem

00:36:15.559 --> 00:36:15.860
 to have

00:36:15.860 --> 00:36:17.059
 as bad

00:36:17.059 --> 00:36:17.420
 a punishment.

00:36:17.600 --> 00:36:17.980
 So what's

00:36:17.980 --> 00:36:18.280
 going on

00:36:18.280 --> 00:36:18.460
 here?

00:36:19.820 --> 00:36:20.539
 So one

00:36:20.539 --> 00:36:21.380
 thing you'll

00:36:21.380 --> 00:36:22.580
 see is

00:36:22.580 --> 00:36:25.000
 that Saul's

00:36:25.000 --> 00:36:25.860
 kingdom is

00:36:25.860 --> 00:36:26.519
 not actually

00:36:26.519 --> 00:36:27.019
 taken away

00:36:27.019 --> 00:36:27.340
 from him

00:36:27.340 --> 00:36:27.740
 here.

00:36:28.440 --> 00:36:28.960
 What Samuel

00:36:28.960 --> 00:36:29.519
 says to him

00:36:29.519 --> 00:36:30.320
 here is that

00:36:30.320 --> 00:36:30.720
 your kingdom

00:36:30.720 --> 00:36:31.300
 won't endure

00:36:31.300 --> 00:36:31.780
 forever.

00:36:33.180 --> 00:36:34.800
 So what

00:36:34.800 --> 00:36:35.200
 we'll see is

00:36:35.200 --> 00:36:35.800
 Saul's son

00:36:35.800 --> 00:36:36.519
 Jonathan does

00:36:36.519 --> 00:36:37.100
 not become a

00:36:37.100 --> 00:36:37.480
 king, does

00:36:37.480 --> 00:36:37.840
 not become

00:36:37.840 --> 00:36:38.220
 leader of

00:36:38.220 --> 00:36:38.519
 Israel.

00:36:39.080 --> 00:36:40.080
 God chooses

00:36:40.080 --> 00:36:40.460
 David.

00:36:40.559 --> 00:36:40.980
 He goes to

00:36:40.980 --> 00:36:41.980
 a whole other

00:36:41.980 --> 00:36:42.760
 family line.

00:36:42.820 --> 00:36:45.140
 And so

00:36:45.140 --> 00:36:46.640
 what Saul

00:36:46.640 --> 00:36:47.240
 lost here in

00:36:47.240 --> 00:36:47.720
 this chapter

00:36:47.720 --> 00:36:48.400
 was particularly

00:36:48.400 --> 00:36:49.160
 that legacy

00:36:49.160 --> 00:36:51.480
 of his

00:36:51.480 --> 00:36:52.460
 family carrying

00:36:52.460 --> 00:36:54.320
 on this

00:36:54.320 --> 00:36:55.200
 role of

00:36:55.200 --> 00:36:56.380
 the king

00:36:56.380 --> 00:36:57.640
 or leader

00:36:57.640 --> 00:36:58.180
 of Israel.

00:36:59.180 --> 00:37:00.080
 And then

00:37:00.080 --> 00:37:01.420
 what happens

00:37:01.420 --> 00:37:03.000
 as we can

00:37:03.000 --> 00:37:03.480
 and we'll see

00:37:03.480 --> 00:37:03.840
 this over the

00:37:03.840 --> 00:37:04.140
 next couple

00:37:04.140 --> 00:37:05.080
 weeks is

00:37:05.080 --> 00:37:05.480
 that Saul

00:37:05.480 --> 00:37:06.000
 sort of keeps

00:37:06.000 --> 00:37:06.720
 going downhill.

00:37:06.719 --> 00:37:06.839
 Saul.

00:37:08.739 --> 00:37:09.239
 So Saul

00:37:09.239 --> 00:37:10.039
 starts, it's

00:37:10.039 --> 00:37:11.039
 interesting, it

00:37:11.039 --> 00:37:11.599
 starts with

00:37:11.599 --> 00:37:12.339
 this sin that

00:37:12.339 --> 00:37:13.679
 you think, is

00:37:13.679 --> 00:37:14.279
 it really such

00:37:14.279 --> 00:37:14.739
 a big thing

00:37:14.739 --> 00:37:15.399
 that he offered

00:37:15.399 --> 00:37:15.899
 that burnt

00:37:15.899 --> 00:37:16.480
 offering and

00:37:16.480 --> 00:37:16.939
 he went ahead

00:37:16.939 --> 00:37:17.679
 without Samuel

00:37:17.679 --> 00:37:18.599
 and he didn't

00:37:18.599 --> 00:37:19.939
 listen to the

00:37:19.939 --> 00:37:20.259
 prophet.

00:37:20.859 --> 00:37:21.159
 But you know,

00:37:21.219 --> 00:37:21.819
 isn't that how

00:37:21.819 --> 00:37:22.559
 sin often

00:37:22.559 --> 00:37:23.139
 starts?

00:37:24.139 --> 00:37:24.839
 Sin often

00:37:24.839 --> 00:37:25.359
 starts with

00:37:25.359 --> 00:37:25.859
 things that we

00:37:25.859 --> 00:37:26.219
 think are

00:37:26.219 --> 00:37:26.799
 sort of

00:37:26.799 --> 00:37:28.500
 insignificant.

00:37:28.500 --> 00:37:31.099
 you know,

00:37:31.139 --> 00:37:31.639
 not listening

00:37:31.639 --> 00:37:32.079
 to God's

00:37:32.079 --> 00:37:32.420
 word,

00:37:33.239 --> 00:37:35.500
 not being

00:37:35.500 --> 00:37:36.659
 in fellowship

00:37:36.659 --> 00:37:37.119
 with other

00:37:37.119 --> 00:37:38.099
 Christians and

00:37:38.099 --> 00:37:38.980
 just going

00:37:38.980 --> 00:37:39.440
 it alone.

00:37:40.239 --> 00:37:40.639
 And then

00:37:40.639 --> 00:37:41.940
 it sort of

00:37:41.940 --> 00:37:43.280
 grows and

00:37:43.280 --> 00:37:43.920
 it gradually

00:37:43.920 --> 00:37:44.840
 goes.

00:37:44.980 --> 00:37:45.099
 I mean,

00:37:45.500 --> 00:37:46.539
 an addiction

00:37:46.539 --> 00:37:47.420
 is a great

00:37:47.420 --> 00:37:48.300
 example, right?

00:37:48.659 --> 00:37:49.340
 Nobody picks

00:37:49.340 --> 00:37:49.980
 up their first

00:37:49.980 --> 00:37:52.019
 cigarette and

00:37:52.019 --> 00:37:52.739
 says, I'm

00:37:52.739 --> 00:37:53.300
 going to smoke

00:37:53.300 --> 00:37:53.800
 for the next

00:37:53.800 --> 00:37:56.059
 30 years and

00:37:56.059 --> 00:37:56.420
 get lung

00:37:56.420 --> 00:37:56.840
 cancer.

00:37:56.840 --> 00:37:58.740
 nobody does,

00:37:59.820 --> 00:38:00.100
 right?

00:38:00.280 --> 00:38:00.740
 And most of

00:38:00.740 --> 00:38:01.420
 the time people

00:38:01.420 --> 00:38:01.800
 smoke their

00:38:01.800 --> 00:38:02.240
 first cigarette

00:38:02.240 --> 00:38:03.700
 and they're

00:38:03.700 --> 00:38:04.059
 like, ah,

00:38:04.100 --> 00:38:04.380
 it doesn't,

00:38:04.620 --> 00:38:05.019
 ah, it

00:38:05.019 --> 00:38:06.140
 makes me

00:38:06.140 --> 00:38:07.519
 cough, right?

00:38:08.880 --> 00:38:10.039
 But where do

00:38:10.039 --> 00:38:10.400
 you, how do

00:38:10.400 --> 00:38:10.980
 you get to that

00:38:10.980 --> 00:38:11.460
 point where

00:38:11.460 --> 00:38:11.780
 you're like,

00:38:11.860 --> 00:38:12.460
 man, I need

00:38:12.460 --> 00:38:13.039
 two packs a

00:38:13.039 --> 00:38:15.559
 day, right?

00:38:16.079 --> 00:38:16.700
 And isn't

00:38:16.700 --> 00:38:17.220
 it that, isn't

00:38:17.220 --> 00:38:18.280
 that true with

00:38:18.280 --> 00:38:19.000
 all kinds of

00:38:19.000 --> 00:38:19.740
 sins, not just

00:38:19.740 --> 00:38:20.519
 the things that

00:38:20.519 --> 00:38:21.300
 we think of as

00:38:21.300 --> 00:38:23.320
 addictions, but

00:38:23.320 --> 00:38:24.559
 things like

00:38:24.559 --> 00:38:25.840
 pride,

00:38:25.840 --> 00:38:27.539
 pride, not

00:38:27.539 --> 00:38:28.019
 wanting to,

00:38:28.140 --> 00:38:29.460
 just wanting

00:38:29.460 --> 00:38:30.019
 to do things

00:38:30.019 --> 00:38:30.700
 my own way

00:38:30.700 --> 00:38:31.240
 and I don't

00:38:31.240 --> 00:38:31.620
 really want to

00:38:31.620 --> 00:38:31.880
 listen to

00:38:31.880 --> 00:38:32.420
 anybody else's

00:38:32.420 --> 00:38:32.840
 advice.

00:38:35.220 --> 00:38:35.539
 And that

00:38:35.539 --> 00:38:37.120
 sometimes,

00:38:37.320 --> 00:38:38.160
 sometimes that's

00:38:38.160 --> 00:38:38.860
 the root issue

00:38:38.860 --> 00:38:42.260
 when, and

00:38:42.260 --> 00:38:42.900
 down the line

00:38:42.900 --> 00:38:43.559
 it causes all

00:38:43.559 --> 00:38:43.880
 kinds of

00:38:43.880 --> 00:38:45.700
 chaos and

00:38:45.700 --> 00:38:46.720
 relationships

00:38:46.720 --> 00:38:47.420
 break apart

00:38:47.420 --> 00:38:49.680
 and it goes

00:38:49.680 --> 00:38:50.200
 back to that

00:38:50.200 --> 00:38:50.780
 root issue

00:38:50.780 --> 00:38:52.620
 of pride.

00:38:52.619 --> 00:38:52.659
 pride.

00:38:54.500 --> 00:38:55.259
 So often, I

00:38:55.259 --> 00:38:55.779
 would say, sin

00:38:55.779 --> 00:38:56.519
 often starts

00:38:56.519 --> 00:38:57.699
 in ways that

00:38:57.699 --> 00:38:59.519
 we don't, that

00:38:59.519 --> 00:39:00.460
 we think are

00:39:00.460 --> 00:39:01.039
 very small.

00:39:01.799 --> 00:39:02.519
 And yet, if

00:39:02.519 --> 00:39:03.619
 it's not

00:39:03.619 --> 00:39:05.420
 acknowledged and

00:39:05.420 --> 00:39:07.579
 confessed, and

00:39:07.579 --> 00:39:09.960
 if we don't

00:39:09.960 --> 00:39:10.559
 turn back to

00:39:10.559 --> 00:39:11.319
 God and ask

00:39:11.319 --> 00:39:11.759
 His forgiveness

00:39:11.759 --> 00:39:12.400
 and ask Him to

00:39:12.400 --> 00:39:13.619
 change us, then

00:39:13.619 --> 00:39:14.059
 it just keeps

00:39:14.059 --> 00:39:15.079
 growing like a

00:39:15.079 --> 00:39:15.460
 cancer.

00:39:15.460 --> 00:39:19.039
 you know, like

00:39:19.039 --> 00:39:19.940
 an infection.

00:39:20.800 --> 00:39:21.280
 You get a

00:39:21.280 --> 00:39:21.900
 little infection,

00:39:23.019 --> 00:39:23.360
 it doesn't

00:39:23.360 --> 00:39:23.760
 seem like a

00:39:23.760 --> 00:39:24.139
 big deal, but

00:39:24.139 --> 00:39:24.500
 if you never

00:39:24.500 --> 00:39:25.099
 deal with it,

00:39:25.300 --> 00:39:25.740
 and if it just

00:39:25.740 --> 00:39:26.500
 keeps spreading,

00:39:27.119 --> 00:39:27.460
 it'll cause,

00:39:27.639 --> 00:39:28.199
 you'll have to

00:39:28.199 --> 00:39:28.679
 have surgery

00:39:28.679 --> 00:39:29.119
 someday.

00:39:30.599 --> 00:39:31.280
 So it's,

00:39:31.500 --> 00:39:32.619
 anyway, so I

00:39:32.619 --> 00:39:33.539
 think that's how

00:39:33.539 --> 00:39:34.760
 sin works.

00:39:35.199 --> 00:39:35.720
 And often,

00:39:36.920 --> 00:39:38.720
 you know, it's

00:39:38.720 --> 00:39:39.300
 true, other

00:39:39.300 --> 00:39:40.019
 kings did things

00:39:40.019 --> 00:39:40.639
 that seemed like

00:39:40.639 --> 00:39:41.059
 they were a lot

00:39:41.059 --> 00:39:42.220
 worse, and it

00:39:42.220 --> 00:39:42.639
 seemed like they

00:39:42.639 --> 00:39:43.400
 got away with it,

00:39:43.840 --> 00:39:44.980
 or at least

00:39:44.980 --> 00:39:45.699
 didn't have as

00:39:45.699 --> 00:39:46.500
 bad consequences

00:39:46.500 --> 00:39:47.539
 in this life.

00:39:48.320 --> 00:39:49.559
 And that's also

00:39:49.559 --> 00:39:50.500
 true, that we

00:39:50.500 --> 00:39:51.480
 don't, you know,

00:39:51.559 --> 00:39:52.740
 God's judgment on

00:39:52.740 --> 00:39:53.940
 sin is not fully

00:39:53.940 --> 00:39:55.440
 carried out in

00:39:55.440 --> 00:39:56.760
 our earthly lives.

00:39:58.619 --> 00:39:59.900
 And so, and

00:39:59.900 --> 00:40:01.119
 God's, and also

00:40:01.119 --> 00:40:04.400
 God's, you know,

00:40:04.480 --> 00:40:05.579
 we don't see the

00:40:05.579 --> 00:40:06.119
 full picture.

00:40:06.760 --> 00:40:07.980
 And so we can't

00:40:07.980 --> 00:40:08.599
 ever look at

00:40:08.599 --> 00:40:09.440
 somebody and say,

00:40:10.380 --> 00:40:11.340
 oh man, like,

00:40:12.079 --> 00:40:13.500
 their life is

00:40:13.500 --> 00:40:14.579
 awesome, they must

00:40:14.579 --> 00:40:16.480
 be perfect, you

00:40:16.480 --> 00:40:17.440
 know, in God's

00:40:17.440 --> 00:40:17.599
 sight.

00:40:18.019 --> 00:40:18.619
 Well, no.

00:40:19.259 --> 00:40:19.759
 And we also

00:40:19.759 --> 00:40:20.279
 can't look at

00:40:20.279 --> 00:40:21.319
 somebody and

00:40:21.319 --> 00:40:21.920
 say, oh man,

00:40:21.960 --> 00:40:22.279
 they're having

00:40:22.279 --> 00:40:22.779
 such a hard

00:40:22.779 --> 00:40:23.179
 time, they're

00:40:23.179 --> 00:40:23.699
 having all kinds

00:40:23.699 --> 00:40:24.400
 of disasters in

00:40:24.400 --> 00:40:24.840
 their life, they

00:40:24.840 --> 00:40:25.259
 must be the

00:40:25.259 --> 00:40:25.860
 worst sinner of

00:40:25.860 --> 00:40:25.980
 all.

00:40:26.039 --> 00:40:26.659
 That's not true

00:40:26.659 --> 00:40:26.960
 either.

00:40:29.279 --> 00:40:29.960
 Because in this

00:40:29.960 --> 00:40:32.059
 world, things are

00:40:32.059 --> 00:40:32.420
 mixed up.

00:40:32.500 --> 00:40:32.880
 We live in a

00:40:32.880 --> 00:40:34.099
 fallen world, and

00:40:34.099 --> 00:40:35.940
 so, you know,

00:40:36.000 --> 00:40:37.619
 sometimes, you

00:40:37.619 --> 00:40:38.059
 know, with

00:40:38.059 --> 00:40:40.539
 Saul, the, you

00:40:40.539 --> 00:40:40.960
 know, Saul was

00:40:40.960 --> 00:40:41.539
 the first, the

00:40:41.539 --> 00:40:41.920
 other thing is

00:40:41.920 --> 00:40:42.440
 Saul's the first

00:40:42.440 --> 00:40:42.739
 king.

00:40:42.739 --> 00:40:45.039
 And so, the

00:40:45.039 --> 00:40:45.699
 way God deals

00:40:45.699 --> 00:40:46.519
 with Saul is a

00:40:46.519 --> 00:40:47.339
 warning for those

00:40:47.339 --> 00:40:47.839
 in the future.

00:40:49.199 --> 00:40:50.359
 And so I think

00:40:50.359 --> 00:40:51.019
 that may be also

00:40:51.019 --> 00:40:51.679
 part of why it's

00:40:51.679 --> 00:40:52.319
 so severe in the

00:40:52.319 --> 00:40:52.619
 beginning.

00:40:53.459 --> 00:40:54.139
 Because if you

00:40:54.139 --> 00:40:54.679
 don't deal with

00:40:54.679 --> 00:40:56.679
 something seriously

00:40:56.679 --> 00:40:57.500
 from the start,

00:40:58.079 --> 00:41:00.500
 then the pattern

00:41:00.500 --> 00:41:01.659
 just easily carries

00:41:01.659 --> 00:41:03.500
 on in the future.

00:41:03.699 --> 00:41:05.819
 So, so that's a

00:41:05.819 --> 00:41:06.599
 little bit, but

00:41:06.599 --> 00:41:07.559
 that's a good

00:41:07.559 --> 00:41:07.919
 question.

00:41:09.419 --> 00:41:09.799
 All right.

00:41:10.239 --> 00:41:11.259
 One more question.

00:41:11.260 --> 00:41:12.240
 I rambled on a

00:41:12.240 --> 00:41:12.740
 little longer than

00:41:12.740 --> 00:41:14.220
 I need to.

00:41:14.360 --> 00:41:14.880
 Go ahead, Nord.

00:41:15.000 --> 00:41:15.400
 I want to ask

00:41:15.400 --> 00:41:15.840
 the opposite

00:41:15.840 --> 00:41:16.280
 question.

00:41:16.600 --> 00:41:16.940
 Yes.

00:41:17.280 --> 00:41:18.240
 Why was Saul's

00:41:18.240 --> 00:41:18.880
 question so

00:41:18.880 --> 00:41:19.240
 light?

00:41:20.140 --> 00:41:20.920
 Because the

00:41:20.920 --> 00:41:21.800
 sons of Aaron

00:41:21.800 --> 00:41:22.280
 were killed

00:41:22.280 --> 00:41:22.900
 immediately when

00:41:22.900 --> 00:41:23.220
 they offered

00:41:23.220 --> 00:41:23.980
 a strange fire

00:41:23.980 --> 00:41:24.420
 and the sons

00:41:24.420 --> 00:41:24.740
 of the world

00:41:24.740 --> 00:41:25.320
 were eaten by

00:41:25.320 --> 00:41:25.700
 the earth.

00:41:26.200 --> 00:41:26.540
 Yes.

00:41:26.680 --> 00:41:27.160
 So I thought

00:41:27.160 --> 00:41:27.800
 it was quite a

00:41:27.800 --> 00:41:29.560
 versatile happenstance

00:41:29.560 --> 00:41:30.080
 that does it

00:41:30.080 --> 00:41:30.920
 happen to Saul.

00:41:31.540 --> 00:41:31.920
 Yes.

00:41:32.460 --> 00:41:33.320
 So just to keep

00:41:33.320 --> 00:41:34.100
 you thinking.

00:41:34.580 --> 00:41:34.980
 Yes.

00:41:35.400 --> 00:41:35.800
 Yes.

00:41:36.640 --> 00:41:37.080
 Yes.

00:41:37.080 --> 00:41:37.800
 That's a great

00:41:37.800 --> 00:41:38.280
 question.

00:41:38.280 --> 00:41:40.600
 He says, you

00:41:40.600 --> 00:41:40.840
 know, what

00:41:40.840 --> 00:41:41.100
 about the

00:41:41.100 --> 00:41:41.660
 opposite question?

00:41:41.760 --> 00:41:42.340
 Why was Saul's

00:41:42.340 --> 00:41:42.900
 punishment so

00:41:42.900 --> 00:41:43.220
 light?

00:41:43.900 --> 00:41:44.280
 Some other

00:41:44.280 --> 00:41:44.680
 people were

00:41:44.680 --> 00:41:45.100
 killed right

00:41:45.100 --> 00:41:45.860
 away by God.

00:41:47.540 --> 00:41:47.980
 Right?

00:41:49.240 --> 00:41:51.300
 You know, the

00:41:51.300 --> 00:41:51.760
 Bible says the

00:41:51.760 --> 00:41:52.440
 wages of sin is

00:41:52.440 --> 00:41:52.820
 death.

00:41:56.000 --> 00:41:58.380
 I mean, think

00:41:58.380 --> 00:41:58.820
 about our own

00:41:58.820 --> 00:42:00.380
 lives and the

00:42:00.380 --> 00:42:01.260
 way that we

00:42:01.260 --> 00:42:02.100
 sometimes treat

00:42:02.100 --> 00:42:03.580
 God or each

00:42:03.580 --> 00:42:03.820
 other.

00:42:03.820 --> 00:42:03.940
 God.

00:42:04.700 --> 00:42:06.120
 And why

00:42:06.120 --> 00:42:06.620
 doesn't God

00:42:06.620 --> 00:42:08.260
 wipe us

00:42:08.260 --> 00:42:08.440
 out?

00:42:09.940 --> 00:42:12.019
 Thankfully, you

00:42:12.019 --> 00:42:12.380
 know, the

00:42:12.380 --> 00:42:12.940
 Bible says his

00:42:12.940 --> 00:42:13.960
 kindness is

00:42:13.960 --> 00:42:14.460
 meant to lead

00:42:14.460 --> 00:42:14.840
 us toward

00:42:14.840 --> 00:42:15.280
 repentance.

00:42:16.400 --> 00:42:16.780
 You know, his

00:42:16.780 --> 00:42:17.320
 kindness is

00:42:17.320 --> 00:42:17.800
 meant to lead

00:42:17.800 --> 00:42:18.180
 us to the

00:42:18.180 --> 00:42:18.539
 place where

00:42:18.539 --> 00:42:19.039
 we turn to

00:42:19.039 --> 00:42:20.620
 him and say,

00:42:20.700 --> 00:42:21.220
 forgive me.

00:42:21.680 --> 00:42:22.200
 And he's

00:42:22.200 --> 00:42:22.680
 made provision

00:42:22.680 --> 00:42:23.059
 for that

00:42:23.059 --> 00:42:23.420
 forgiveness.

00:42:23.580 --> 00:42:23.960
 That's the

00:42:23.960 --> 00:42:24.559
 best news of

00:42:24.559 --> 00:42:25.039
 all.

00:42:27.400 --> 00:42:28.220
 Is he's made

00:42:28.220 --> 00:42:29.260
 provision for

00:42:29.260 --> 00:42:29.740
 our forgiveness

00:42:29.740 --> 00:42:31.500
 from every sin

00:42:31.500 --> 00:42:32.800
 when we turn to

00:42:32.800 --> 00:42:33.000
 him.

00:42:33.820 --> 00:42:36.380
 So, thanks

00:42:36.380 --> 00:42:36.620
 Lord.

00:42:38.580 --> 00:42:39.380
 All right.

00:42:39.800 --> 00:42:40.780
 Anybody else?

00:42:42.400 --> 00:42:43.420
 I said one

00:42:43.420 --> 00:42:44.500
 more, but if

00:42:44.500 --> 00:42:45.280
 you have one,

00:42:45.360 --> 00:42:45.740
 yes, one

00:42:45.740 --> 00:42:45.940
 more.

00:42:45.940 --> 00:42:45.960
 One more.

00:42:46.620 --> 00:42:47.240
 So, this

00:42:47.240 --> 00:42:48.000
 story talks

00:42:48.000 --> 00:42:49.240
 about, I

00:42:49.240 --> 00:42:51.160
 think Saul is

00:42:51.160 --> 00:42:51.940
 very lucky to

00:42:51.940 --> 00:42:52.820
 have a prophet

00:42:52.820 --> 00:42:53.519
 like Samuel

00:42:53.519 --> 00:42:54.460
 speaking in his

00:42:54.460 --> 00:42:55.420
 life and to

00:42:55.420 --> 00:42:55.980
 give him such

00:42:55.980 --> 00:42:57.280
 a clearly

00:42:57.280 --> 00:42:58.380
 distinguishable

00:42:58.380 --> 00:43:00.000
 instance of

00:43:00.000 --> 00:43:00.800
 disobedience.

00:43:00.940 --> 00:43:01.400
 But for those

00:43:01.400 --> 00:43:01.840
 of us who

00:43:01.840 --> 00:43:02.200
 aren't as

00:43:02.200 --> 00:43:02.920
 lucky to have

00:43:02.920 --> 00:43:03.680
 prophets,

00:43:03.820 --> 00:43:04.320
 speaking into

00:43:04.320 --> 00:43:05.180
 alliance on

00:43:05.180 --> 00:43:05.460
 a regular

00:43:05.460 --> 00:43:06.519
 basis, how

00:43:06.519 --> 00:43:06.780
 do we

00:43:06.780 --> 00:43:08.460
 apply this

00:43:08.460 --> 00:43:10.860
 blessing more

00:43:10.860 --> 00:43:11.980
 directly and

00:43:11.980 --> 00:43:12.519
 in a way

00:43:12.519 --> 00:43:14.220
 that is

00:43:14.220 --> 00:43:15.960
 discernible?

00:43:15.960 --> 00:43:16.480
 Yeah.

00:43:17.380 --> 00:43:17.780
 Yes.

00:43:18.019 --> 00:43:18.720
 So, Saul had a

00:43:18.720 --> 00:43:19.380
 prophet Samuel

00:43:19.380 --> 00:43:20.519
 who was giving

00:43:20.519 --> 00:43:21.119
 him pretty

00:43:21.119 --> 00:43:21.840
 clear directions

00:43:21.840 --> 00:43:24.260
 and it was a

00:43:24.260 --> 00:43:24.880
 very specific

00:43:24.880 --> 00:43:25.780
 arrangement.

00:43:26.420 --> 00:43:26.900
 And so, Saul

00:43:26.900 --> 00:43:27.500
 had some very

00:43:27.500 --> 00:43:28.139
 direct guidance

00:43:28.139 --> 00:43:28.840
 on how to

00:43:28.840 --> 00:43:29.900
 carry out some

00:43:29.900 --> 00:43:30.159
 of his

00:43:30.159 --> 00:43:30.900
 responsibilities.

00:43:32.800 --> 00:43:33.480
 You know, what

00:43:33.480 --> 00:43:33.860
 about us?

00:43:33.920 --> 00:43:35.119
 We don't have

00:43:35.119 --> 00:43:35.740
 someone exactly

00:43:35.740 --> 00:43:36.800
 like Samuel who's,

00:43:36.800 --> 00:43:38.900
 you know, giving

00:43:38.900 --> 00:43:39.559
 us the same kind

00:43:39.559 --> 00:43:41.900
 of direct divine

00:43:41.900 --> 00:43:42.480
 guidance every

00:43:42.480 --> 00:43:42.699
 day.

00:43:42.699 --> 00:43:44.919
 So, a couple

00:43:44.919 --> 00:43:45.279
 things.

00:43:45.539 --> 00:43:48.279
 One is, what we

00:43:48.279 --> 00:43:48.960
 have that Saul

00:43:48.960 --> 00:43:50.799
 didn't have is

00:43:50.799 --> 00:43:53.099
 the Bible.

00:43:54.719 --> 00:43:55.359
 Now, Saul had

00:43:55.359 --> 00:43:57.039
 probably some

00:43:57.039 --> 00:43:57.679
 parts of the

00:43:57.679 --> 00:43:58.239
 Bible, the

00:43:58.239 --> 00:43:59.699
 law of Moses

00:43:59.699 --> 00:44:00.480
 in particular.

00:44:02.559 --> 00:44:03.339
 But that was

00:44:03.339 --> 00:44:04.139
 only the beginning

00:44:04.139 --> 00:44:04.699
 of God's

00:44:05.279 --> 00:44:06.919
 revealing himself

00:44:06.919 --> 00:44:09.119
 to his people

00:44:09.119 --> 00:44:10.980
 and to the

00:44:10.980 --> 00:44:11.319
 world.

00:44:12.119 --> 00:44:12.659
 And so, what

00:44:12.659 --> 00:44:14.739
 we have with

00:44:14.739 --> 00:44:16.219
 the whole Bible

00:44:16.219 --> 00:44:16.759
 showing the

00:44:16.759 --> 00:44:17.719
 story of not

00:44:17.719 --> 00:44:18.159
 just God's

00:44:18.159 --> 00:44:18.559
 dealings with

00:44:18.559 --> 00:44:19.039
 the people of

00:44:19.039 --> 00:44:19.599
 Israel, but

00:44:19.599 --> 00:44:21.319
 also how

00:44:21.319 --> 00:44:22.159
 that was, how

00:44:22.159 --> 00:44:23.299
 his plan for

00:44:23.299 --> 00:44:24.319
 Israel was

00:44:24.319 --> 00:44:25.219
 fulfilled in

00:44:25.219 --> 00:44:26.480
 Jesus.

00:44:27.259 --> 00:44:27.819
 So, we have

00:44:27.819 --> 00:44:28.719
 so much more

00:44:28.719 --> 00:44:30.159
 in here than

00:44:30.159 --> 00:44:31.619
 Saul had back

00:44:31.619 --> 00:44:31.920
 then.

00:44:34.219 --> 00:44:35.659
 So, one

00:44:35.659 --> 00:44:36.339
 application would

00:44:36.339 --> 00:44:37.480
 be, let's

00:44:37.480 --> 00:44:38.219
 really take

00:44:38.219 --> 00:44:39.899
 seriously and

00:44:39.899 --> 00:44:41.059
 dig into what

00:44:41.059 --> 00:44:41.819
 God has said

00:44:41.819 --> 00:44:42.399
 to us in

00:44:42.399 --> 00:44:42.779
 the Bible.

00:44:46.019 --> 00:44:46.819
 Because it's a

00:44:46.819 --> 00:44:47.299
 great blessing

00:44:47.299 --> 00:44:47.799
 that we have

00:44:47.799 --> 00:44:48.699
 it and that

00:44:48.699 --> 00:44:49.039
 it's so

00:44:49.039 --> 00:44:49.659
 available to

00:44:49.659 --> 00:44:49.980
 us.

00:44:50.839 --> 00:44:51.279
 And that

00:44:51.279 --> 00:44:52.319
 wasn't true

00:44:52.319 --> 00:44:54.119
 for Saul and

00:44:54.119 --> 00:44:54.659
 even less for

00:44:54.659 --> 00:44:55.119
 the people of

00:44:55.119 --> 00:44:55.359
 Israel.

00:44:58.419 --> 00:44:59.259
 Let's see, in

00:44:59.259 --> 00:44:59.759
 terms of more

00:44:59.759 --> 00:45:00.579
 specific guidance.

00:45:01.179 --> 00:45:01.699
 And the other

00:45:01.699 --> 00:45:02.639
 thing I would

00:45:02.639 --> 00:45:03.819
 say is that

00:45:03.820 --> 00:45:05.800
 there's a lot

00:45:05.800 --> 00:45:10.680
 of, even

00:45:10.680 --> 00:45:11.860
 with the

00:45:11.860 --> 00:45:12.340
 people who

00:45:12.340 --> 00:45:12.980
 heard, you

00:45:12.980 --> 00:45:13.240
 know, even

00:45:13.240 --> 00:45:14.680
 with Saul, or

00:45:14.680 --> 00:45:16.260
 with David, or

00:45:16.260 --> 00:45:17.320
 with Abraham, or

00:45:17.320 --> 00:45:17.980
 people who heard

00:45:17.980 --> 00:45:18.460
 the voice of

00:45:18.460 --> 00:45:19.660
 God in the

00:45:19.660 --> 00:45:20.140
 Bible, in the

00:45:20.140 --> 00:45:20.660
 Old Testament,

00:45:21.820 --> 00:45:23.860
 you know, if

00:45:23.860 --> 00:45:25.059
 you look at how

00:45:25.059 --> 00:45:26.700
 many times, even

00:45:26.700 --> 00:45:27.200
 someone like

00:45:27.200 --> 00:45:28.200
 Abraham, who

00:45:28.200 --> 00:45:28.720
 heard the voice

00:45:28.720 --> 00:45:29.580
 of God quite a

00:45:29.580 --> 00:45:30.180
 few times

00:45:30.180 --> 00:45:31.680
 directly, Abraham

00:45:31.680 --> 00:45:32.320
 maybe, there's

00:45:32.320 --> 00:45:33.180
 probably like 10

00:45:33.180 --> 00:45:34.059
 recorded instances

00:45:34.059 --> 00:45:34.580
 in the Bible

00:45:34.580 --> 00:45:35.059
 where Abraham

00:45:35.059 --> 00:45:35.780
 heard the

00:45:35.780 --> 00:45:36.440
 direct voice of

00:45:36.440 --> 00:45:37.019
 God telling him

00:45:37.019 --> 00:45:37.600
 to do something.

00:45:38.120 --> 00:45:38.660
 But Abraham

00:45:38.660 --> 00:45:39.860
 lived for 130

00:45:39.860 --> 00:45:40.460
 years.

00:45:41.780 --> 00:45:42.340
 So think about

00:45:42.340 --> 00:45:42.620
 that.

00:45:43.180 --> 00:45:43.640
 That would have

00:45:43.640 --> 00:45:44.380
 been maybe like,

00:45:44.539 --> 00:45:45.680
 the first time

00:45:45.680 --> 00:45:46.180
 was when he was

00:45:46.180 --> 00:45:46.900
 about 70,

00:45:47.039 --> 00:45:47.360
 probably.

00:45:47.740 --> 00:45:48.640
 So from 70

00:45:48.640 --> 00:45:49.980
 to 130, he

00:45:49.980 --> 00:45:50.420
 heard the voice

00:45:50.420 --> 00:45:50.860
 of God 10

00:45:50.860 --> 00:45:51.059
 times.

00:45:51.140 --> 00:45:51.460
 That's on

00:45:51.460 --> 00:45:51.940
 average once

00:45:51.940 --> 00:45:52.400
 every six

00:45:52.400 --> 00:45:52.740
 years.

00:45:53.900 --> 00:45:54.920
 So most of

00:45:54.920 --> 00:45:56.380
 his days, even

00:45:56.380 --> 00:45:56.820
 someone like

00:45:56.820 --> 00:45:57.360
 Abraham, who

00:45:57.360 --> 00:45:57.780
 heard the voice

00:45:57.780 --> 00:45:58.340
 of God, most

00:45:58.340 --> 00:45:59.720
 of his days, he

00:45:59.720 --> 00:46:00.559
 had to carry out

00:46:00.559 --> 00:46:01.559
 his life in

00:46:01.559 --> 00:46:02.120
 response to

00:46:02.119 --> 00:46:02.559
 what God

00:46:02.559 --> 00:46:03.000
 had already

00:46:03.000 --> 00:46:04.259
 said, not

00:46:04.259 --> 00:46:05.239
 with a new

00:46:05.239 --> 00:46:06.239
 special word

00:46:06.239 --> 00:46:06.799
 every day.

00:46:09.099 --> 00:46:10.619
 And so

00:46:10.619 --> 00:46:14.039
 that's, you

00:46:14.039 --> 00:46:14.779
 know, and I

00:46:14.779 --> 00:46:15.119
 think that's

00:46:15.119 --> 00:46:16.519
 true for us

00:46:16.519 --> 00:46:16.880
 often.

00:46:16.980 --> 00:46:17.420
 There's a lot

00:46:17.420 --> 00:46:17.819
 of decisions

00:46:17.819 --> 00:46:18.519
 that we face

00:46:18.519 --> 00:46:19.299
 that the Bible

00:46:19.299 --> 00:46:19.940
 doesn't tell

00:46:19.940 --> 00:46:21.380
 us, you

00:46:21.380 --> 00:46:24.739
 know, should

00:46:24.739 --> 00:46:25.299
 I marry this

00:46:25.299 --> 00:46:25.960
 person, or

00:46:25.960 --> 00:46:26.779
 should I,

00:46:26.779 --> 00:46:27.179
 you know,

00:46:27.619 --> 00:46:28.199
 choose this

00:46:28.199 --> 00:46:28.960
 career, or

00:46:28.960 --> 00:46:29.420
 should I,

00:46:29.880 --> 00:46:30.400
 you know, go

00:46:30.400 --> 00:46:31.559
 here, or do

00:46:31.559 --> 00:46:32.039
 this.

00:46:33.480 --> 00:46:34.119
 A lot of

00:46:34.119 --> 00:46:34.699
 really important

00:46:34.699 --> 00:46:35.519
 decisions that

00:46:35.519 --> 00:46:35.840
 the Bible

00:46:35.840 --> 00:46:37.900
 doesn't tell

00:46:37.900 --> 00:46:39.619
 you directly

00:46:39.619 --> 00:46:40.340
 one way or

00:46:40.340 --> 00:46:40.799
 the other, but

00:46:40.799 --> 00:46:41.239
 it gives us a

00:46:41.239 --> 00:46:41.779
 lot of wisdom

00:46:41.779 --> 00:46:42.400
 in how to

00:46:42.400 --> 00:46:42.960
 approach them.

00:46:43.519 --> 00:46:43.940
 And I think

00:46:43.940 --> 00:46:44.659
 the most

00:46:44.659 --> 00:46:45.199
 important issue

00:46:45.199 --> 00:46:45.579
 is God

00:46:45.579 --> 00:46:46.139
 wants to

00:46:46.139 --> 00:46:46.980
 shape our

00:46:46.980 --> 00:46:48.380
 hearts with

00:46:48.380 --> 00:46:48.960
 his wisdom

00:46:48.960 --> 00:46:49.759
 and his

00:46:49.759 --> 00:46:50.519
 priorities so

00:46:50.519 --> 00:46:50.799
 that we

00:46:50.799 --> 00:46:51.279
 approach our

00:46:51.279 --> 00:46:52.940
 decisions out

00:46:52.940 --> 00:46:53.500
 of a character

00:46:53.500 --> 00:46:54.059
 that loves

00:46:54.059 --> 00:46:54.500
 him above

00:46:54.500 --> 00:46:55.139
 everything else.

00:46:55.139 --> 00:46:56.599
 God

00:46:56.599 --> 00:46:57.139
 is a

00:46:57.139 --> 00:46:58.559
 God

00:46:58.559 --> 00:46:58.759
 so

00:46:58.759 --> 00:46:59.539
 anyway, that's

00:46:59.539 --> 00:46:59.859
 a lot.

00:47:01.500 --> 00:47:03.299
 And we can

00:47:03.299 --> 00:47:03.879
 talk more if you

00:47:03.879 --> 00:47:04.179
 have further

00:47:04.179 --> 00:47:04.639
 questions.

00:47:05.460 --> 00:47:05.759
 All right, let

00:47:05.759 --> 00:47:06.279
 me close us.

00:47:08.480 --> 00:47:08.879
 Yeah, look at

00:47:08.879 --> 00:47:10.159
 your bulletin if

00:47:10.159 --> 00:47:11.099
 you got one on

00:47:11.099 --> 00:47:11.559
 the way out.

00:47:11.920 --> 00:47:12.659
 There's a list of

00:47:12.659 --> 00:47:13.239
 small groups on

00:47:13.239 --> 00:47:14.079
 the back which

00:47:14.079 --> 00:47:14.719
 are Bible study

00:47:14.719 --> 00:47:15.199
 groups that meet

00:47:15.199 --> 00:47:15.699
 during the week.

00:47:16.079 --> 00:47:16.679
 I encourage you to

00:47:16.679 --> 00:47:17.239
 consider one of

00:47:17.239 --> 00:47:17.679
 those if you're

00:47:17.679 --> 00:47:19.219
 interested in that.

00:47:19.679 --> 00:47:20.500
 But let me pray

00:47:20.500 --> 00:47:21.019
 for us as we

00:47:21.019 --> 00:47:21.219
 leave.

00:47:21.699 --> 00:47:22.439
 Lord, we thank

00:47:22.439 --> 00:47:22.859
 you for your

00:47:22.859 --> 00:47:23.699
 word and thanks

00:47:23.699 --> 00:47:24.439
 for this time to

00:47:24.439 --> 00:47:24.980
 dig into it

00:47:24.980 --> 00:47:25.519
 tonight and to

00:47:25.519 --> 00:47:26.579
 discuss it a

00:47:26.579 --> 00:47:26.919
 little bit.

00:47:26.980 --> 00:47:27.359
 And we pray

00:47:27.359 --> 00:47:29.059
 that you would

00:47:29.059 --> 00:47:30.039
 help us to

00:47:30.039 --> 00:47:30.839
 keep asking

00:47:30.839 --> 00:47:32.639
 good questions

00:47:32.639 --> 00:47:33.539
 that you would

00:47:33.539 --> 00:47:34.219
 give us a hunger

00:47:34.219 --> 00:47:34.839
 to know more

00:47:34.839 --> 00:47:35.359
 about you.

00:47:36.239 --> 00:47:36.819
 And that you

00:47:36.819 --> 00:47:37.500
 would give us

00:47:37.500 --> 00:47:39.259
 a humility

00:47:39.259 --> 00:47:41.459
 to trust you

00:47:41.459 --> 00:47:43.259
 and to live

00:47:43.259 --> 00:47:44.239
 by what you

00:47:44.239 --> 00:47:44.699
 have shown to

00:47:44.699 --> 00:47:45.019
 us.

00:47:45.779 --> 00:47:47.879
 And we pray

00:47:47.879 --> 00:47:48.299
 that you would

00:47:48.299 --> 00:47:49.579
 bless us and

00:47:49.579 --> 00:47:50.799
 keep us this

00:47:50.799 --> 00:47:51.119
 night and

00:47:51.119 --> 00:47:51.420
 this week

00:47:51.420 --> 00:47:51.659
 ahead.

00:47:51.900 --> 00:47:52.259
 In Christ's

00:47:52.259 --> 00:47:52.639
 name we pray.

00:47:52.960 --> 00:47:53.179
 Amen.