Set Aside for Service
January 23, 2011 Evening Service
Immanuel Baptist Church, Wagoner, OK
Rick Boyne
Message Point: We have been set aside for service by the Holy Spirit.
Focus Passage: I Samuel 9:21 - 10:1
Supplemental Passage: Acts 10:38 "You know of Jesus of Nazareth, how God anointed Him with the Holy Spirit and with power, and how He went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him.
1 John 2:27 As for you, the anointing which you received from Him abides in you, and you have no need for anyone to teach you; but as His anointing teaches you about all things, and is true and is not a lie, and just as it has taught you, you abide in Him.
Introduction: anointing = indicative of the divine favor, of prosperity, and of joy. (Albert Barnes, Notes on the Bible)
What we are called from and called to:
I. Called from labor to rest (Matt. 11:28)
II. Called from death to life (1 John 3:14)
III. Called from bondage to liberty (Gal 5:13)
IV. Called out of darkness into light (1 Pet. 2:9)
V. Called from bondage to peace (1 Cor. 7:15
VI. Called to the fellowship of His Son (1 Cor. 1:9)
What we are made by obeying the call:
I. We are made sons of God (John 1:12)
II. We are made the children of God (Gal. 3:26)
III. We are made the servants of God (Matt. 25:21)
IV. We are made God's saints (Col. 1:1)
V. We are made God's witnesses (I Thess. 2:10)
VI. We are made workers together with God (2 Cor. 6:1)
VII. We are called to a high calling (Phil. 3:14)
VIII. We are called to a holy calling (2 Tim. 1:9)
IX. We are called to a heavenly calling (Heb. 3:1)
Pulpit Helps, August, 1992, p. 11.
I. Honored at a banquet
a. The invited guests were waiting on him before they could eat
b. He received a special portion set aside and not having been served before.
II. Special audience with the priest
a. Samuel desired to speak to him privately, on the roof.
b. What was the conversation? It wasn’t recorded, but we can suppose it he told Saul what was to be.
III. Anointed in secret
a. Samuel used a flask or vial of oil, not the horn to be used with David and others later.
i. The brittle vial contained a small amount symbolizing a short reign and small portion.
ii. It was not the Holy Temple Oil, but priestly oil, probably of Samuel’s own possession.
iii. No one other than a priest had ever been anointed. It established a divine monarchy.
iv. The anointing with oil represented the Holy Spirit, not given to all, but only to some at times.
b. Samuel kissed him showing him respect and owning him as his own king.
c. Samuel assured Saul it was God who had made him leader or captain of God’s people.
Invitation: In the eleventh century, King Henry III of Bavaria grew tired of court life and the pressures of being a monarch. He made application to Prior Richard at a local monastery, asking to be accepted as a contemplative and spend the rest of his life in the monastery. "Your Majesty," said Prior Richard, "do you understand that the pledge here is one of obedience? That will be hard because you have been a king."
"I understand," said Henry. "The rest of my life I will be obedient to you, as Christ leads you."
"Then I will tell you what to do," said Prior Richard. "Go back to your throne and serve faithfully in the place where God has put you." When King Henry died, a statement was written: "The King learned to rule by being obedient." When we tire of our roles and responsibilities, it helps to remember God has planted us in a certain place and told us to be a good accountant or teacher or mother or father. Christ expects us to be faithful where he puts us, and when he returns, we'll rule together with him. (Steve Brown, Key Biscayne, Florida)
