SERMON SUMMARY

In 1 Samuel 13, we begin to see the demise of King Saul. Saul is a man with a better plan. When put under pressure, he reasons his way into compromising his identity as God’s chosen king. He ignores what God says in favor of what seems right in his own eyes. The Big Idea: The pressures of our circumstances can bend us out of the shape God has designed us to be unless we value God’s Word above the self-justifying words, we tell ourselves—words that make disobeying God seem reasonable.

Scripture: 1 Samuel 13:1-15

SERMON SCREENSHOTS & KEY POINTS

The question is: How do we resist the pressures of difficult circumstances that can bend us out of the shape God created us to be? 

We find an answer to this question in the story of Saul and the Philistines in 1 Samuel 13. Saul made a decision that was just “one degree” off, but it changed the whole trajectory of his life. We learn something about sin works from Saul…

The Anatomy of Sin

• First, we feel some kind of pressure bearing down on us.
• Second, we reason that what God says may not be all that important.
• Third, we compromise our values and identity.
• Fourth, we make excuses and shift the blame. And if we’re not careful, that can become a repeated pattern in our lives.

So, what do we learn about spiritual formation from this chapter in the life of Saul? When pressure comes, and we cave under the pressure, we can speak the language of pride or the language of humility. God values humility and resists the proud. It’s what we value most that makes the difference in what language we speak.

*We are a church located in Greenville, South Carolina. Our vision is to see God transform us into a community of grace passionately pursuing life and mission with Jesus.