Stop Crying
STOP CRYING; GOD HAS ANOTHER PLAN–I SAMUEL 16:1-13
The description of God’s attributes
So often we hear about God being a loving, kind, longsuffering, patient and forgiving God; especially in this era of prosperity preaching where preachers now preach that God will do anything we want him to do it. We have this Santa Claus version of God. All we need to do is name it, claim it, grab it and we can have it.
But there are some other aspects of God that is becoming more and less preached in pulpits all over America. We forget that God is also righteous, holy, does justice, and is honored by our obedience. Our worship is not only when I raise my hands, say hallelujahs or thank you Jesus. My worship is how I obey God every single day. I was sharing with the young people on yesterday the scripture in I Corinthians chapter 10:31 – whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.
When I worship God it is first through my obedience. The real worship of God is not just your shout, it is not just your dance, it is not just my coming to church, but it is how I live. As a father, a son, a brother, a worker, a man. Everything I am ought to bring Glory to God.
We too often only honor God because of what he does and because of who he is. God is God and he reigns, he is sovereign, he is king of kings, Lord of lords, the boss’s boss and we must do his will and not our own.
God is God whether he moves on our behalf or not. God is God whether we obey him or not. Trust me God is not having a heart attack on who did not come to church this morning or who is not singing in the choir or who is not preaching this morning. God cannot deny himself. He does not share his glory with no one else. In our text, we find a God who does not only say yes, but a God who also says no.
Now you know the story of Samuel, Saul and David. God had established a system of how he would reign and rule over his people Israel. Initially the priests were in charge and then the people wanted a king because the priests were acting in corruption. The priests were to represent the people before God. The prophet was to give the people what thus said the Lord and the King was to carry out the demand of God from the prophet. See, real ministry is not about making celebrities. Real ministry focuses on the needs of the people. Samuel had the exciting privilege of having both positions of Priest and Prophet while Saul became the first king of Israel. Israel had decided that it wanted to be like everyone else and get a king. Please note that there is always some dangers in trying to be like everyone else but God allows them to get a King, but the King was suppose to be ordained by God through the prophet.
Now before I get on Saul’s rejection, let me let you know that Saul started off real well.
I Samuel 9 – 10 Saul’s history
He is of the tribe of Benjamin
He was a handsome man, head and shoulders man above everyone else. There was no one more handsome than he in Israel. Samuel was told of the Lord that he should anoint Saul and God said he will save his people from the hands of the Philistine. Even Saul knew that he was of the least of the families of Israel.
Samuel presents Saul before all of the tribes of Israel and the people shouted Long Live the King.
Saul fights wars and he wins by the power of God
Samuel reminds the people in chapter 12 the requirements that God has for the king and the people and that is that they were to heed to the voice of God but if not God’s hand would be against the people and the king.
Chapter 13 in there battle with the Philistines Saul begins to operate outside of his calling. He offers sacrifices to the Lord. There is always a danger when you operate outside of your anointing. This starts his downward spinal.
The anointing is:
Fundamentally the anointing was an act of God (1 Sa. 10:1), and the word ‘anointed’ was used metaphorically to mean the bestowal of divine favour (Pss. 23:5; 92:10) or appointment to a special place or function in the purpose of God (Ps. 105:15; Is. 45:1) (*Messiah). Further, the anointing symbolized equipment for service, and is associated with the outpouring of the Spirit of God (1 Sa. 10:1, 9; 16:13; Is. 61:1; Zc. 4:1–14).[1] The effect produced in the anointed, the person or thing becoming holy, consecrated, dedicated to God.
Samuel says that God would have established your kingdom for ever, but now God he has given it to a man after his own heart. If you won’t do what God wants you to do, God can raise someone up to take your place. Don’t get it twisted. God always has someone else.
Chapter 15: The second time he disobeys God is his fight against the Amalekites and God says utterly destroy them. That means everything, but Saul decides to keep their King alive and the best of the sheep and lambs and all that is valuable and did not destroy them.
Here comes the prophet again with a word from God that God had regretted to make Saul king over Israel. The bible says that Samuel cried all night. Samuel goes to meet Saul. Saul went and set up a monument for himself and he tells Saul that he has carried out the commandments of the Lord. Samuel says I am hearing the sheep and the lowering of the cattle. Saul says, oh yes, they have brought to the Lord your God for sacrifice. Samuel tells him thought you are little in your eyes, are you not the head of the tribes. Samuel has to tall him that obedience is better than sacrifice.
Rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Since you have rejected the word of the Lord, God has also rejected you.
Chapter 16:
The national priest and prophet of Israel is crying and weeping over Saul. Some says that it probably for a long period of time 2 or more years. Crying over the fact that God’s kingdom would probably suffer. You know you have a problem when the prophet forgets that God is still God. Our ways
are not his ways and our thoughts are not his thought I got good news for you God’s kingdom/ church is not in jeopardy in who comes or goes, who shows up or who stays at home. God’s will will be done.
But you have to remember that God always has another plan. Some you have been crying over that fact that you may have lost someone in your own life. Staying up all night and worrying about
Have you ever noticed that while you are crying they still having a good time without you? They are just going on.
Some people get so attached things and people that they even get to the point of suicide when they are gone. Ain’t anybody worth that?
You crying because your baby left you and now you feel that you are by yourself. You need to be careful how you operate because you can run the risk of making stuff and people your god. You can make it without your people, but you cannot live without God. God terminated Saul.
If God has rejected something, you need to say goodbye. You need to be like Beyonce and say to the left; to the left; everything you own in a box to the left. Tell the devil, everything you own is in a box to the left. God can upgrade you. Better yet he can give you a brand new version. I want to let somebody in here know that if God has rejected it, it probably was no good for you anyway. God has something better. Get over your tears and get your life back.
I can understand Samuel’s tears, when you have laid your hands on people and prayed for them and they still don’t obey. Sometime you just have to let them go. Still God has another plan.
I am even amazed at how some people will think that if they leave you can’t live without them. Just try me. See if I won’t wake up tomorrow. I heard the Bible say that the thief comes to kill, steal and destroy but Jesus has come that you might have life and life more abundantly. He didn’t save me to be depressed. He didn’t save me to be
Samuel gets the oil and goes to Jesse’s house. He see’s the eldest son and he says, “Surely God’s anointed is now before the Lord and God tell Samuel, no. We have already been down this road before with looks, I look at the heart. Heart represents the intentions, motives, desires, and will. The life that one lives flows from the person’s heart.
He goes past seven sons and Samuel says is these all of your sons. There remains one, he is keeping sheep. There remains one. There is still one, the one that is always left out, the one who is not recognized, the one who has been outside, rejected by people, but God accepted.
Watch this, the moment the oil is poured over David in the presence of his brothers the Bible says that the spirit of the Lord came mightily upon David from that day forward. Why not Eliab, his name means My God is Father. He looks the part of a King. Certainly, he has respect for God. Why not Abinadab? His name means My Father is Noble. Certainly, he will act like his father and be noble. Nobility is a great characteristic for a king. Why not Shammah? Yahweh Hears or heard. Certainly, you want someone who can get a prayer through running the kingdom. No, I want David (Beloved). He loves me and I love him. He calls on me in the pastures and calls me his shepherd. He dances before me and tells everyone else to praise the Lord. When no one else wants to praise me, he will praise me all by himself. I want David. He knows that when his mother and father forsake him then, I will lift him up. When he is trouble he knows how to lift up his eyes to the hills from whence comes his help. When he does wrong he knows how to fall down on his knees and says, Create in me oh God a clean heart. Yes, I want David. The essence of obedience is love. If I love you, I will do what you want me to do.
The Final Account of Saul
The spirit of the Lord left Saul.
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[1]Wood, D. R. W.; Wood, D. R. W.; Marshall, I. Howard: New Bible Dictionary. electronic ed. of 3rd ed. Downers Grove : InterVarsity Press, 1996, c1982, c1962, S. 49