Sermon Central
-
The Stuff
Contributed by Steve Hess on Nov 22, 2010 (message contributor)
Summary: No matter what life brings, you can rise above the stuff.
The Stuff
1 Samuel 10:22 Therefore they enquired of the LORD further, if the man should yet come thither. And the LORD answered, Behold, he hath hid himself among the stuff.
God brought the children of Israel out of Egypt into the Promised Land. For many years they were led by God’s judges. Israel complained to Samuel that they wanted a king over them. They wanted to be like the other nations around them. It was not enough for them to have God’s appointed leader, they wanted a king.
Then all the elders of Israel gathered themselves together, and came to Samuel unto Ramah, [5] And said unto him, Behold, thou art old, and thy sons walk not in thy ways: now make us a king to judge us like all the nations.
• You don’t have to be like everyone else. We are to be a “different” people.
But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light:
They had God to fight their battles but they wanted a man! If we refuse to hear God sometimes, he will give us what we want, or will let us have it our way for a while, but in the end you will find Gods way is always better.
Samuel was very upset and cried unto God. God told Samuel they were not rejecting him (Samuel) but they were rejecting Him (God) as their leader. Still God said he would let them have their king. God then told Samuel that a man would be coming to him and that he was to anoint him to be king over his people.
A young man by the name of Saul was out searching for his father’s lost donkeys. When he did not find them, he decided to go see the prophet Samuel for help. He was hoping Samuel would direct him to the donkeys.
Saul was following his father’s instruction and looking for the donkeys. We must learn to follow God’s instruction.
• Sometimes you may feel like you are out chasing donkeys but you may be right in the perfect will of God.
• God had a plan for Saul but first he had to get him to where he needed him to be.
• You may feel like you are chasing a lost dream and it just isn’t working.
• You may feel like God has given up on you but if you are being obedient and keep following God’s instruction, God will come through for you.
• We don’t always see what God sees. You may be in the mountain or you may be in the desert and feel like you are chasing lost donkeys but know that God has a plan for your life. Just because you don’t see it coming to pass right now don’t mean that God is not in it.
And he passed through mount Ephraim, and passed through the land of Shalisha, but they found them not: then they passed through the land of Shalim, and there they were not: and he passed through the land of the Benjamites, but they found them not.
• Saul was looking in all the wrong places. If things are not coming to together for you then take note of how you are pursuing your call and make sure you are in Gods will.
And when they were come to the land of Zuph, Saul said to his servant that was with him, Come, and let us return; lest my father leave caring for the asses, and take thought for us.
• At this point, Saul almost give up. He almost missed what God had for him.
• Never give up. (Winston Churchill gave one of the shortest yet most moving graduation speeches ever. All he said was NEVER GIVE UP! NEVER GIVE UP!)
And he said unto him, Behold now, there is in this city a man of God, and he is an honourable man; all that he saith cometh surely to pass: now let us go thither; peradventure he can shew us our way that we should go.
• When Saul could not find the donkeys on his own, he decided to go see the prophet of God.
• After doing all he knew to do, THEN he turned to God for help.
• Far too often we try to do it our way before we give in and try it Gods way.
• Let’s commit ourselves to try it God’s way first. We need to turn to God first.
When Saul came to Samuel, not only did Samuel tell him the donkeys were found and okay but he also took Saul in private and spoke to him the word of the Lord. He anointed him and gave him instructions on what was about to take place and what Saul was to do.
