This Week's Sunday School Lesson, "Success With God", 1 Samuel 13:5-14

SUCCESS WITH GOD

1 Sam 13:5-14

WITHOUT GOD YOUR ENEMY WILL SEEM LARGE

V:1. The Philistines assembled to fight Israel, with three thousand chariots, six thousand charioteers, and soldiers as numerous as the sand on the seashore. They went up and camped at Micmash, east of Beth Aven. 6 When the men of Israel saw that their situation was critical and that their army was hard pressed, they hid in caves and thickets, among the rocks, and in pits and cisterns. 7 Some Hebrews even crossed the Jordan to the land of Gad and Gilead.

A. Israel chose to reject God’s rule over them in favor of a king.

     1. The king that God chose, anointed, and gave the influence

         of the Holy Spirit was not able to get rid of Israel’s enemies.

     2. Saul was a tall and handsome man, but his looks was no

         good in battle.

B. The nation of Israel continued in their worship of idol gods.

    1. They called on the true and living God when they were in trouble.

    2. The men that Saul assembled to fight the Philistines were

        weak and without any faith in God.

    3. When they saw the numbers of the Philistines army, instead of calling

        on God, they ran and hid.

 C. When the elders of Israel rejected God, in favor of a king, they fail to  

       consider that it was God who had protected them for all generations.

     1. By rejecting God, they put the welfare of the nation in the hands

         of their enemies.

     2. Even though Saul had been given one of the gifts of the

         Holy Spirit, he had no devotion to God.

     3. If king Saul had a devotion to God, he would have demanded

         that Israel get rid of their idol gods and establish worship of

         true and living God.

     4. As a result, he led a weak nation.

FEAR IS A PRODUCT OF UNBELIEF

V:7b. Saul remained at Gilgal, and all the troops with him were quaking with fear.  He waited seven days, the time set by Samuel; but Samuel did not come to Gilgal, and Saul's men began to scatter. 9 So he said, "Bring me the burnt offering and the fellowship offerings." And Saul offered up the burnt offering. 10 Just as he finished making the offering, Samuel arrived, and Saul went out to greet him.

A.  God made Church and State.

     1. The Church is in control of the spiritual welfare of the people.

     2.  The state is in control of civil matters, which was Saul’s job.

     3. Saul was anointed king of Israel, but not the priest of Israel.

     4. Saul crossed the boundaries, by assuming the role of the priest. 

     5. It was Samuel’s job to offer sacrifices to the Lord.

B. Even though Israel severed their relationship with God,

     they were still His chosen people and under His control.

    1. We cannot forgive our own sins.

    2. We have an intercessor, Jesus Christ, who sits at the

         right hand of the Father who forgives sins.

    3. The general population of Israel followed the sins of the

         elders and the king.

    4. But God was aware of their ignorance and their sins.

    5. It is the mercy of God that overlooks our sins and

        continues to favor us.

C. Saul knew the role of the priest, but was too impatient to

      wait on Samuel to come and bless the army.

    1. We cannot bless ourselves.

    2. We have to learn to wait on the Lord’s timing.

    4. When we try to do things for ourselves without

         consulting God in prayer, we are headed down the

         wrong road.

   

FOOLISHNESS FOLLOWS DISOBEDIENCE

V:11.  "What have you done?" asked Samuel.

Saul replied, "When I saw that the men were scattering, and that you did not come at the set time, and that the Philistines were assembling at Micmash, 12 I thought, 'Now the Philistines will come down against me at Gilgal, and I have not sought the Lord 's favor.' So I felt compelled to offer the burnt offering."

A. Saul was moved by his fear, rather than the power of God

     which he had ready access to.

   1. Saul looked at his circumstances and saw defeat rather

        then the victory that is in God.

    2. How quickly we forget the past victories that God has

        won for us when we face present trials.

    3. When we are to impatient to wait on God, we will make

        wrong decisions

   

B. We can never assume that we don’t need the Lord’s blessings.

    1. Saul assumed he could do the job of the priest.

    2. We cannot get to God without Jesus, our High Priest.

    2. God did not give Saul the spirit of fear.

    3. Saul got fear from the temptation of Satan.

    4. God gives power, love, and sound mind.

    5. The mind is not sound without God.

    6.  In fear, Saul decided  to offer a sacrifice to

         God for His favor.

    7. Saul didn’t know or ignored the Word of God concerning

         offering by the priest.

    

IN GOD THERE IS WISDOM

V:13 "You acted foolishly," Samuel said. "You have not kept the command the Lord your God gave you; if you had, he would have established your kingdom over Israel for all time. 14 But now your kingdom will not endure; the Lord  has sought out a man after his own heart and appointed him the leader of his people because you have not kept the Lord 's command."

A. God chastises those He loves

    1. We lose blessings when we are disobedient to God;

    2. Without God, man becomes foolish while thinking he is wise.

    3. God can elevate you, and he can demote you.

    4. Because Saul failed to be obedient to God, he lost his

        position as king.

B. Saul was never given the heart of God.

   1. He was only in position because the foolish elders demanded

       a king.

   2. Therefore because of his foolishness, God replaced him with

        a man after His own heart,

   3. God will allow you to be foolish for a while, but sooner or later

       he will give your over to your foolishness.

   4. Your foolishness will be your down fall.

THANK GOD FOR LEADING ME

Rev M.Mitchell

Asst Pastor Of Greater Macedonia Baptist Church

5510 west Sam Houston Parkway North

Houston, Texas 77041