“He that is good for making excuses is seldom good for anything else.” -Benjamin Franklin
As we have been learning the lessons from the life of King Saul, we have seen that Saul is really good at making excuses instead of obeying the Lord. As we've studied 1 Samuel 13 and 14, we have seen that Saul is driving on the “Excuse Expressway,” and in this week’s chapter he proves that he has no intention of taking an “exit ramp.”
Saul's excuses lead to his downfall.
The story of Saul’s unraveling and the dissolution of Samuel’s relationship with Saul is dramatic and interesting.
In preparation for hearing God’s Word this Sunday, I encourage you to read I Samuel 15 beforehand since we won’t be able to look at every aspect of a rich passage in such a short teaching time.
If you don’t have a Bible you can read the passage at Bible Gateway’s website: (Click here)
I’ll warn you that you are going to be a bit disturbed by God’s command for the Israelites to wipe out the entire nomadic tribe called the Amalekites. On Sunday, we’ll talk more about why God is commanding His people to do this, but let’s just say the reasons go back at least 400 years.
“Partial obedience is really only disobedience made to look acceptable” -Bill T. Arnold
What I really want us to focus on is the person of Saul, his leadership and the decisions he makes. Saul chooses himself and his own glory repeatedly instead of serving the King of Kings (Yahweh). Saul is caught red-handed disobeying God and yet he still continues on with his excuses.
“Therefore, to one who knows the right thing to do and does not do it, to him it is sin.” -James 4:17 (NASB)
We are accountable for the things we don’t do.
When we look at Saul, we can find glimpses of ourselves. There are countless times in my life where I failed to do what was right and put myself first before the clear leading of God. Those have been important and painful learning moments that the Holy Spirit has used to shape me. Since I’m still a work in progress until I get to heaven, there will be more moments where I realize I need to change my mind and change my ways.
Being a person after God’s own heart.
I want to be like our next king, David, who was referred to as “a man after God’s own heart.” He knew how to confess his wrongdoing to God and have a broken heart over breaking relationship with God through sinning.
But in 1 Samuel 15, Saul illustrates the wrong way to confess our sin. His confession is a half-hearted attempt. He was more remorseful at recognizing that he was caught not doing the right thing rather than having remorse over breaking God’s heart with his actions. Ultimately, God rejects Saul as the King of Israel at the end of this chapter, and though he leads Israel for many more years, God is not with him and he slides into jealous delusion and rage.
If you want to see a bit of a dramatic portrayal of this chapter, here is the link to the History Channel episode 4 of their series called “The Bible.” If you watch just the first six minutes, it starts with Saul & Samuel in a “mashup” of 1 Samuel 13 and 1 Samuel 15. What I really appreciate is the passion and conflict between Samuel and Saul. (It is a PG-13 clip due to some sword battle). Click here.
Excuses are a reflection of a lack of faith.
What excuses do you find yourself making?
Any excuses we make are a reflection of our lack of faith in God to help, sustain, guide, provide, support, lead, and make a way for us.
If God is for us, who can be against us? (Rom. 8:31)
Philippians 4:13 reminds us that we can do ALL things through Christ who gives us strength.
Jesus told us that He will never leave us or forsake us, so whatever trials we face, we do so with our God. (Heb. 13:5)
As Jesus followers, we also carry the Holy Spirit inside of us, who will empower us and lead us into all truth. (John 16:13)
May the Lord strengthen you today;
May the warm sun of His presence calm your spirit;
May the depth of blue skies give you hope and vision for tomorrow;
May your prayers be many to a God who loves you, protects you and provides for you;
May the whispers of the Holy Spirit dance in your ears and heart;
May the love of others surround you like a warm blanket reminding you of God’s love for you;
May you find yourself in the safety of God’s castle of refuge;
I bless you this day, in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
I look forward to seeing all of you who choose to worship with us in the Dome this Sunday at either 9:00 a.m. or 11:00 a.m. All safety precautions, masks, and social distancing apply.
You can also live stream our 11:00 a.m. service on Facebook and YouTube
I encourage you to tune in and follow along in our series, “Lessons from Three Kings” by clicking here.
Need encouragement? You can receive a word of encouragement each day. Text the word Encourage to 530.296.
Leaders (and potential leaders): you can also text Lead to 530.296.3689 to be on the list to receive a thought, quote, or a challenge from me daily (or most days) regarding leadership.
