SERMON SUMMARY
The only way to survive in a world that constantly pulls us away from God, the only way to stay connected to the source of life, is to immerse yourself in the story of the Scriptures.
SCRIPTURE: 1 Samuel 9-11
SERMON SCREENSHOTS & KEY POINTS
What is this passage about? This story is about how Saul became the first king of Israel. The rise of King Saul takes place in three movements:
First, Samuel privately anoints Saul as King. Samuel wants Saul to know for certain that YAHWEH has chosen him to be King (9:1-10:16). In the second movement, Samuel wants the people to see that YAHWEH has chosen Saul to be their King and this was done through a public ceremony (10:17-27). Third, after a great victory in battle with Saul leading the way, Samuel leads the people in a time of worship and renewal, and all the people acknowledge before the Lord that Saul is King—it’s a kind of formal inauguration (11:1-15). So, the rise of the King comes in three movements.
- A private anointing—9:1-10:16.
- A public ceremony—10:17-27.
- A formal inauguration—11:1-15.
And running through all of this, there is one, very definite, big idea, and that idea is, God’s king will rule and save God’s people under the authority of God’s Word.
What does this passage teach us about God? It teaches us that His Word is to govern our lives. We are to live under the authority of His Word. Immersing ourselves in God’s Word is the only way to survive the pull of our “do whatever seems right to you” culture. The key verse here is 10:25 which points back to Deuteronomy 17:14-20.
How does this passage point us to Jesus? Jesus—the Living Word of God—came to “rule” and “to save” through His death on the Cross and His rising from the dead, and His ascension back to His rightful place as King of heaven and earth. His teaching in John 15:5,7,10 is very much like the text of Deuteronomy 17. It teaches us that abiding in Jesus and His Word is the way we are to walk with Jesus all the days of our lives. Immersing ourselves in the Gospel of Jesus is the way we experience the love of God, the grace of God, the forgiveness of God, and the very life of God.
*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.