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good morning everyone welcome to Free Grace Baptist Church our call to worship if you'll turn in your Bibles with me is a reading from Psalm 71 Psalm 71 as we open our Lord's Day worship with the reading of his word Psalm 71 beginning in verse one this is the word of God in you oh Lord I put my trust let me never be put to shame deliver me in your righteousness and cause me to escape incline your ear to me and save me be my strong Refuge to which I may Resort continually you have given the Commandment to save Me For You Are My Rock and my Fortress deliver me oh my God out of the hand of the wicked out of the hand of the unrighteous and cruel Man For You Are My Hope Oh Lord God you are my trust from my youth by you I have been upheld from birth you are he who took me out of my mother's womb my praise shall be continually of you amen well let's stand together and sing our hymn our first hymn this morning if you'll stand with me in your larger hym books it's 135 let's stand as a church and sing 135 savior of my heart who made his for my for I our hearts to th the king of mercy and prise of in every so K our s Shine On Us and all our SES and our strength rece oh approaching the true and perfect gent and to and ever stay in my is BU up my prise to strong and andly let's go to our God In Prayer let us pray our righteous and our holy God we come to you now in prayer having gathered together as your Saints in Christ Jesus the Lord Lord we bring before you now our prayers and our supplications and might they be mingled with Thanksgiving we thank you that we have the audience of the Triune God Of Heaven and Earth Father Son and Holy Spirit and we do pray Lord God that your name would be hallowed in this place we would pray that your name would be hallowed in all the Earth and we would pray that you would pour out that measure of your holy spirit that all of your gathered assemblies in many many places would sing your Praises would give to you honor and praise that Jesus Christ would be exalted upon the Praises of a multitude of gathered assemblies and that you Lord God would be the recipient of all honor and praise we do pray that you would help us this morning to praise you and to worship you and to honor you a right we would pray that you'd help us by your spirit to cast off all thoughts of the former week and to cast off all contemplations of things upcoming that we might be solely focused now on the worship of Father Son and Holy Spirit we do pray that you would help us Lord God and we do pray that you would forgive us of our sins we know that even as your Saints we have that remaining corruption until that day of Glory we do pray that you would help us that you would forgive us we know that we have sure forgiveness by virtue of the perfect and saving work of our Lord Jesus Christ we thank you for his blessed blood poured out upon calvary's tree that blood that secures the salvation of a multitude that no man can number we know without the shedding of blood blood there is no remission and in our blessed savior we do have that perfect forgiveness of sins we thank you that we also have that righteousness that avails with you which is not our own but is the is our lord Jesus Christ's alone we thank you for his perfect life of obedience unto death upon calvary's tree that that is imputed to us and received by faith alone and we rest not Upon Our Own works we rest not Upon Our Own Deeds wrought in Holiness of heart but we rest so Solly and alone upon the finished and perfect work of the Lord Jesus Christ we rejoice in your amazing and Victorious Grace knowing that you have brought us forth in your appointed and accepted Time by Grace we have been saved having been brought forth from deadness in sin to life and light in Christ Jesus the Lord and truly we rejoice in you and we pray that you would help us to rejoice in you we would ask Lord God that you'd be with those who need prayer for physical things we know that there are many who are struggling with disease and illness and sickness injury and we do pray that you would bless each and every one of these and we think of Mrs Van Shake in this recent surgery we do just pray Lord God that you would strengthen our dear sister you would help her to heal well that you would swiftly remove pains and discomforts and that you would in the midst of this uh recovery cause her Lord God to rejoice in you and to sing your Praises we pray that you would also bless Mr van shake and his various physical problems Lord that you would strengthen our brother we pray for Don newfeld we pray that you would strengthen him we pray for JL and we pray for many others Lord God the quit kosis and many others Lord God who will go unnamed yet who are dear to you we do pray that you would bless them that you would strengthen them that you would lift them up that you would strengthen mothers with children in the womb that you would bless children that you would bless mother we pray that you would strengthen these Lord God cause them to be well- encouraged resting upon your promises and upon your will in all things we do pray God that you would bless those newly born that you would strengthen the young ones in our midst that you would cause them to grow day by day that they would gain in strength that they would be watched over by you and we do pray Lord God in due time they would name the name of our savior the Lord Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior and we do pray Lord God that you would be with the Baines family uh we uh in this recent death of our brother Ron Baines we pray that you would strengthen those who are left we pray that you would bless family that you would bless friends who love him and we know that uh he now has gain in Christ being now in emanuel's land and being able to be with other Saints in glory we do just pray that you would bless Lord God those who are left behind that they would with regenerate Hearts not be found characterized by a worldly sorrow but that you would G them up and strengthen them in their Most Holy Faith that they would yes mourn but nevertheless Rejoice also knowing that their brother has much gain now in Emmanuel's land being casting his eyes uh not of Faith but his eyes of sight upon the Lord Jesus Christ we do just pray that You' be with those who remain and strengthen our dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ we would ask Lord that you would be with those around the world who suffer persecution uh under the the heavy hands of oppressors and those who are the enemies of the Gospel of Jesus Christ that you would G up our brothers and sisters in Christ in those many lands we do pray that you would be near to them that you would lift them up and strengthen them that you would give them that Grace to endure in the face of Affliction and opposition we do just pray that you would cause them to be prayerful to be diligent and to be resting solely and alone upon your promises and upon the Lord Jesus Christ and the Perfection of his person and work in all things we do pray that you would deal with those who are your enemies those who do seek to persecute your people we do pray that you would cast them off that you would uh Lord God deal with those who are uh hateful against your people we pray that you would save many who are presently your enemies that you would come by spirit and gospel to bring them forth from The Madness of idolatry and opposition to life and light in Christ Jesus the Lord we do pray yet again as we always pray for those who remain in opposition that who would remain in opposition even until that final day we do pray that you would take them out of the way that that they might no longer bring violence Upon Our precious brothers and sisters we do pray for those who rule over us Lord that you would deal with the governments of the Nations we do pray Lord God that you would remove those from Power who seek to pervert we pray that you would raise up those and put them in places of power who would seek to uphold virtue and proper righteousness and equity in the land we do pray that you would keep your people prayerful for these things we would ask Lord then that you would be with us as we gather now for worship and as we look forward to the preaching of your word we know that the preacher in the Pulpit requires not his own strength but that which you provide to him Lord and we do pray that you would strengthen Pastor Butler as he preaches your word give him much Aid in the Pulpit help him to know the aid of the Triune God as he opens his Bible to preach the things of Christ might you uphold him and strengthen him and give him Grace in all things we do pray that you would be with each and every one of us this morning for your people Lord Lord that you would strengthen each and every one of us Feed Us by Your Word strengthen Us by your spirit and might we leave this place having been wellfed and might we leave this place Lord God seeking to conduct ourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of grace we would ask as well that you would save Sinners here this morning we pray Lord God that you would be here by spirit and word that you would bring forth dead Sinners to life in Christ and we pray that many young and old here this morning Lord God who entered these doors outside of Christ in damning unbelief that you would cause them by Victorious Grace to leave these doors singing the Praises of our blessed Christ we do pray then Lord that you would be with us now that you would be the recipient of all honor and praise and that once again our savior the Lord Jesus Christ would be exalted upon the Praises of this year gathered assembly we pray in his most precious name amen well let's stand and sing together our next hymn is going to be 271 again in the larger Himel let's stand and sing 271 Christ the while Everlasting of all our heart and all our soul to and heart of with for was I to th voice and enter while there when thousand and ra we andish our the Our God the Earth to Victor word of God and bring the strangers home we to see th Church all the chos with one and heart and soul sing th redeeming you can turn in your Bibles with me to Matthew chapter 16 our New Testament scripture reading will be Matthew 16 beginning in verse 13 and reading to the end of the chapter Matthew 16 beginning in verse 13 once again the word of God when Jesus came into the region of cesaria Philippi he asked his disciples saying who do men say that I the son of man am so they said some say John the Baptist some Elijah and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets he said to them but who do you say that I am Simon Peter answered and said you are the Christ the son of the Living God Jesus answered and said to him blessed are you Simon bar Jonah for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you but my father who is in heaven and I also say to you that you are Peter and on this rock I will build my church and the gates of Hades shall not Prevail against it and I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven and whatever you bind on Earth will be bound in heaven and whatever you L loose on Earth will be loosed in heaven then he commanded his disciples that they should tell no one that he was Jesus the Christ from that time Jesus began to show to his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes and be killed and be raised the third day then Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him saying far be it from you Lord this shall not happen to you but he turned and said to Peter get behind me Satan you are an offense to me for you are not mindful of the things of God but the things of men then Jesus said to his disciples if anyone desires to come after me let him deny himself and take take up his cross and follow me for whoever desires to save his life will lose it but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it for what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world and loses his own soul or what will a man give in exchange for his soul for the son of man will come in the glory of his father with his angels and then he will reward each according to his works assuredly I say to you there are some standing here who shall not taste death till they see the son of man coming in his kingdom amen well just very briefly we come to this passage or this section of Matthew 16 and some minds are drawn first unfortunately to that age-old argument between Catholics and Protestants is this the text where the Bible is setting forth that office of the papacy that unbiblical and blasphemous Doctrine of the Roman Catholic Church that Peter is here appointed as the first pope in a succession of popes by The Words of Christ in verse 18 we ought to come to this section of uh scripture though and primarily first and foremost see the amazing grace of God and the salvation of Sinners bringing dead Sinners to life in Christ and making them to know that Jesus Christ is the Christ the son of the Living God so so we have in this passage that Jesus asks this most very important question who do who do men say that I am he asks and they acknowledge the uh some of the answers in the first century context John the Baptist Elijah Jeremiah one of the prophets he then directs the question to the disciples and Peter answering says this answer responds with this answer that is the answer of every Christian through the a ages Thou Art the Christ the son of the Living God and this Lord willing is your profession profession this morning this by the grace of God is your profession this morning and if it is not verse 26 ought to come as a knife as a dagger to the mind and to the heart for what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world and loses his own soul if you're here this morning and you're living for everything else save for Christ what profit is it to you to gain the whole world even a part of it but to lose your own soul Soul cast off all things cast off all hopes as we heard this morning in the morning study cast off all hope in yourself all hope in the world and cast yourself and all your hopes upon this Christ the son of the Living God and you will never be disappointed let us pray Heavenly Father we thank you for your word to men we thank you for your Revelation concerning Jesus Christ Our Lord we rejoice in this Christ the son of the Living God and we pray that you would help help us to rejoice in him as we continue in worship help us to find all things in Christ Jesus the Lord for we know that we have all spiritual blessings in the Heavenly places in him we do pray be with us now might you be honored and glorified might Christ be exalted and might you strengthen Us by your grace we pray in Christ's precious name amen our final hymn then before the preaching let's stand again and sing 220 220 as a church let's sing together bless we our heart ands now to see him anding and our our with the of TR glor proing open our ear and heart uses pra and Praises Father Son and Holy praise to the and Ador that we word TR sing pris well before we begin there is one other matter for prayer many of you know uh Josh and Nicole slute W uh many of you know that Nicole is pregnant and has had complications with the pregnancy they've gone off to Vancouver today uh appears that she is in labor so we'll go ahead and pray and ask that the Lord will bless them in this time our Father in heaven we commit to you Josh and Nicole we pray for the fruit of the womb that you would be merciful in all that goes on today we know that you are sovereign over life over death we would pray and acknowledge this and we would ask that you would just provide Comfort to parents to children we pray that you would Grant Grace and hope and strength that God in all of this they would bring glory and honor and praise unto you you would use these events and these situations in the lives of people to draw them nigh first to the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ and then to the Comfort that a Triune God affords to his people bless Josh and Nicole we pray and we ask through Jesus Christ Our Lord amen well you can turn in your Bibles to 1 Samuel chapter 15 first Samuel chapter 15 in many ways this sermon provides the rationale for what we looked at last week in terms of the atonement in giia though this is not Saul's attack upon the gibian ites it does reflect his apostasy and his wretched condition and as well does explain why David had to deal with the effects of his sin in his own life and in his own Reign also several weeks ago we looked at apostasy in Hebrews chap 10: 26-31 in many respects this sermon this morning could be entitled the portrait of an apostate in the life of Saul I want to read 1 Samuel chapter 15 it's a long chapter but I do want us to have it all before us uh when I originally taught this uh material it was in four lessons so this will be abbreviated if anyone's interested in further argument or in more of a detailed explanation I believe those lessons are online but beginning in 1st Samuel 15: 1 Samuel also said to Saul the Lord sent me to anoint you King over his people over Israel now therefore heed the voice of the words of the Lord th th says the Lord of hosts I will punish amalec for what he did to Israel how he ambushed him on the way when he came up from Egypt now go and attack amalec and utterly destroy all that they have and do not spare them but kill both man and woman infant and nursing child ox and sheep camel and Donkey so Saul gathered the people together and numbered them in tame 200,000 foot soldiers 10,000 men of Judah and Saul came to a city of amalec and lay in wait in the valley and Saul said to the kenites go depart get down from among the amalekites lest I destroy you with them for you showed kindness to all the children of Israel when they came up out of Egypt so the canites departed from among the amalekites and Saul attacked the amalekites from havila and all all all the way to Shure which is east of Egypt he also took King AAG King of the amalekites alive and utterly destroyed all the people with the edge of the sword but Saul and the people spared AAG and the best of the sheep The Oxen the fatlings the Lambs and all that was good and were unwilling to utterly destroy them but everything despised and worthless that they utterly destroyed now the word of the Lord came to Samuel saying I greatly regret that I have set up Saul as king for he has turned back from following me and has not performed my Commandments and it grieved Samuel and he cried out to to the Lord all night so when Samuel Rose early in the morning to meet Saul it was told Samuel saying Saul went to Carmel and indeed he set up a monument for himself and he has gone on uh Gone on around passed by and gone down to gilgal and Samuel went to Saul and Saul said to him blessed are you of the Lord I have performed the Commandment of the Lord but Samuel said what then is the bleeding of the sheep in my ears and the Lo of the oxen which I hear and Saul said they have brought them from the amalekites for the people spared the best of the sheep and The Oxen to sacrifice to the Lord your God and the rest we have utterly destroyed then Samuel said to Saul be quiet and I will tell you what the Lord said to me last night and he said to him speak on so Samuel said when you were little in your own eyes were you not head of the tribes of Israel and did not the Lord anoint you King over Israel now the the Lord sent you on a mission and said go and utterly destroy the Sinners the amalekites and fight against them until they are consumed why then did you not obey the voice of the Lord why did you swoop down on the spoil and do evil in the sight of the Lord and Saul said to a Samuel but I have obeyed the voice of the Lord and gone on the mission on which the Lord sent me and brought back AAG king of amalec I have utterly destroyed the amalekites but the people took of the plunder sheep and oxen the best of the things which should have been utterly destroyed the sacrifice to the Lord your God in gilgal so Samuel said has the Lord as great Delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as in obeying the voice of the Lord behold to obey is better than to sacrifice and to heed than the fat of Rams for Rebellion is as the sin of Witchcraft and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry because you have rejected the word of the Lord Lord he also has rejected you from being King then Saul said to Samuel I have sinned for I have transgressed the Commandment of the Lord and your words because I feared the people and obeyed their voice now therefore please pardon my sin and return with me that I may Worship the Lord but Samuel said to Saul I will not return with you for you have rejected the word of the Lord and the Lord has rejected you from being King over Israel and as Samuel turned around to go away Saul sees the edge of his robe and it tore so Samuel said to him the Lord has torn the Kingdom of Israel from you today and has given it to a neighbor of yours who is better than you and also the strength of Israel will not lie nor relent for he is not a man that he should relent then he said I have sinned yet honor me now please before the Elders of my people and before Israel and return with me that I may Worship the Lord your God so Samuel turned back after Saul and Saul worshiped the Lord and Sam then Samuel said bring AAG King of the amalekites here to me so AAG came to him cautiously and AAG said said surely the bitterness of death is passed but Samuel said as your sword has made women childless so shall your mother be childless among women and Samuel hacked AAG in pieces before the Lord in gilgal then Samuel went to Rama and Saul went up to his house at giba of Saul and Samuel went no more to see Saul until the day of his death nevertheless Samuel mourned for Saul and the Lord regretted that he had made Saul King over Israel amen well let us pray and seek the Lord's help our father we thank you for the word of God we thank you that it's given by inspiration of God that it's profitable for Doctrine for reproof for correction and for instruction in righteousness and it is our desire that you would thoroughly furnish us unto every good work we would ask that the Holy Spirit would be at work in our minds and in our our hearts that we would know his presence and his power that you would indeed forgive us for all of our sins and our transgressions that you would cause us to receive with thankful Hearts the word of Truth and for any and all who have come here this morning outside of Christ we pray that today would be the day that they confess that Jesus is the Christ the son of the Living God we don't look to their ability we don't look to their free will we look to the god of Heaven and Earth who has revealed this to Sinners who does reveal this and who gives them eyes to see and hearts to receive the truth as it is in Christ do this for your glory do this for the good of Souls and we pray through Christ Our Lord amen well as I said Saul is certainly a portrait of apostasy and that apostasy begins prior to chapter 15 I think what we have in chapter 15 is his point of no return but if you go back to chapter 13 you already see indications that things are not well with Saul specifically in chap 13: 8-15 Saul was told by Samuel to await Samuel's arrival in gilgal Samuel is late so Saul undertakes to offer up a burnt offering to the Lord and this was wrong he rejected the word of God as it came through the prophet Samuel note what Saul says in Chapter 13 at verse 12 then I said the Philistines will come now come down on me at gilgal and I have not made supplication to the Lord therefore I felt compelled and offered a burnt offering Brethren the word of God always trumps our feelings we are not to act upon our hankerings or our longings or our desires but we are to obey the word of the Living God if the prophet of God tells you to wait and you do not and you undertake to offer up sacrifice no matter how Noble or how Pious your your your your appearance may be you've rejected the word of Truth the same thing holds in chapter 14 you'll remember specifically they're going to battle against the Philistines and Saul imposes a fast upon Israel in chapter 14 veres 24 to 30 now from a military uh standpoint this is absolutely Folly because these are men engaged in battle don't deprive them of food and don't deprive them of rest make sure they get both so they can indeed kill Philistines but spiritually probably Saul is thinking somewhat along these lines if we fast then the Lord will bless us if we engage in this formula then God will spit out the blessings it was a Superstition it was to treat Yahweh as if he was Baal we do enough religious good and God will return blessing upon our head no again we need to obey God when God imposes a fast we need to submit we don't need to concoct things religiosity in order to impress God so that he will give us things Yahweh is not baale we don't appro approach Yahweh as if he is Bale we don't go through formula in order to manipulate him to pour out blessings upon us most likely that's what's happening in this imposed fast by Saul so we see already traces that Saul has a problem with the word of the Living God we get to chapter 15 and that comes to a crescendo or a high point and I want to break down this chapter into three considerations first the command to destroy the amalekites in verses 1 to9 secondly the rebellion of Saul against the Lord in verses 10 to 23 and then the rejection of Saul by the Lord in verses 24-35 but note in the first place the command to destroy the amalekites verse one Samuel also said to Saul the Lord sent me to anoint you King over his people over Israel now therefore heed the voice of the words of the Lord that's Saul's marching order that's what he's supposed to do as we seek to paint the portrait of an apostate the person who fits that profile is somebody who disregards God's word it's somebody who knows what the word says and yet rejects it for whatever reason again Saul felt compelled to offer up sacrifice Saul felt compelled to impose a fast well here Saul feels compelled to disobey God in the manner of the amikit so what Samuel does is remind him of his accountability before Yahweh very specifically you are to heed the voice of the words of the Lord remember the first order of business for the reigning king of Israel according to Deuteronomy 17 and the law prescribing what kings were supposed to do the first order of business wasn't to select their cabinet the first order of business wasn't to have a celebration the first order of business wasn't to display themselves in Pomp and Glory the first order of business for Israel's King was to write in his own hand the law of the Lord he was to keep it with him he was to meditate upon it he was to walk in obedience to it and so Samuel reminds Saul what is imperative in terms of this particular chapter and then he highlights that s Saul's particular mission is to go and utterly destroy the amachi and there are reasons for this uh amalec ambushed uh Israel on the way when he came up from Egypt Exodus 17 Deuteronomy 25 the particular manner by which Saul was to engage in this is what's called the heram principle there were things that were devoted to destruction there were things that were under a band and when the Lord God said to deal with it he said to deal with it completely get rid of them now I know that this is a shock to many in our day because the way we fight Wars is completely different than the way ancient peoples fought War ancient peoples fought War to win and winning in War means killing people and breaking things you can't help it that's the way it goes and so the Lord God stipulates that when you deal with amalec you deal with him according to that particular principle now moderns can't stand this whole concept concerning God telling Israel to go and Conquer other peoples it's an offense and unfortunately it's offense to some in the church we need to remember however certain atheists use this as an argument to to try and disprove the ethics of the Bible atheists are in no position whatsoever to speak about Good and Evil there is no moral standard if there is no objective standard then what's right for you may not be right for me if I want to go and exterminate Cana Canaanites who are you to tell me otherwise if we're just a random collection of atoms and molecules and particles what difference does it make so if an atheist lodges this complaint he has no basis upon which to stand if a Christian does he ought to repent because whatever Our God reveals in scripture is for us for our educ uh Ed uh edification and our instruction as well we need to remember the Lord God is Sovereign over all of life it's not murder for God to command Israel to go in and Destroy Canaanites God is Sovereign 1st Samuel 26 he kills he makes alive as well the punishment of sin by a holy God is a necessary consequence in his moral Universe it's always amazed me when people say well I don't like those ethics in the Old Testament I don't like the thought of Israel going in and conquering the land it seems offensive to me you ask that person what should we do with a child molester what should we do with a rapist what should we do with a A Serial murderer well he ought to be punished he ought to get what's coming to him exactly God didn't send Israel into the land of Canaanite to dispossess the land of the Canaanites because the Canaanites were innocent law-abiding people they were wretched they were Wicked they were abominable this is why God explains or gives as is rationale in Leviticus 18 when Israel occupies the land and they conduct themselves like Canaanites God raises up Assyria and then Babylon to drive them from the land there's no capriciousness on the part of God there's no arbitrariness on the part of God his law is violated and it's just and righteous for him to punish those who violate it as well the Vengeance of God is a blessed reality for the people of God this isn't simply an Old Testament concept vengeance is mine I will repay says the Lord Romans 12:19 of course citing the Old Testament scripture but Paul's argument is don't avenge yourselves but give place to wrath Paul doesn't say wrath is wrong Paul says you're not to implement it leave it into the hands of God he's got the Monopoly on the execution of Wrath he will pay back with tribulation those who try you second Thessalonians 1 the Saints under the altar in Revelation 6 oh how long oh holy Lord do you avenge our blood when Babylon the great is judged in Revelation 19 how does heaven respond with a fourfold Allelujah the church has lost something of the righteous Judgment of God most high inflicted upon our enemies probably owing to the fact that we don't sing enough Psalms we don't sing those themes that David records for us in the songs of Zion concerning God bringing Justice to Bear upon the enemies of the church that's a blessing and a wonderful theme Brethren that we in some sense have lost and then as well God commanded holy war Deuteronomy 71:5 and he said when you go into the land have no truck with the inhabitants of the land kill them destroy that do not enter into social alliances don't marry with them do not enter enter to political alliances don't have you know government with them and certainly don't enter into enter into religious alliances tear down their altars what does God know about human uh Humanity he knows that it's not likely the case that we're going to go into Canaan and affect it for good he knows it's likely the case that we're going to go into Canaan and they're going to affect us for bad and so God says deal with the sin in order to pursue that calling to be a holy nation a royal priesthood a a a chosen possession of our God wherein you mediate the blessings of the Covenant around the nation so this is the rationale behind the instruction here while it may seem a bit harsh to us it is nevertheless what scripture says and I hope that at least some of these things will serve as rationale as to why it's good why it was righteous why it was necessary so basically we have Saul assembling the troops and then notice in verses 7 and N we won't get into the whole kenite thing again four lessons somewhere online you can find it for more detail but notice with reference to the actual attack itself in verse 7 and Saul attacked the amikit from havala all the way to shore which is east of Egypt again we need to go back and remind ourselves of verse three now go and attack AMC and utterly destroy all that they have and do not spare them but kill both man and woman infant and nursing child ox and sheep camel and Donkey we get back here verse 7 and Saul attacked the amikit from havala all the way to shore which is east of Egypt he also took AAG King of the amalekites alive that wasn't part of the instruction certainly if God is bringing judgment to Bear upon amalec he is included in the kill them all you're not supposed to spare egag you're not supposed to change it up you see this is the problem with creativity or innovation in the creature we see it in worship Saul felt compelled to offer sacrifice to God I don't care what you feel compelled to do you need to obey God in terms of politics in terms of the king of Israel I don't care that you think you should spare egag this is the whole emphasis in the passage Rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft for whatever reason Saul why you thought to spare this man and to spare livestock was a direct affront to the word of the Living God ours isn't to shape the message ours isn't to make it more palatable ours isn't to make it more culturally relevant ours is to preach ours is to declare ours is to hold fast the truth of God's holy word whatever he says how he says it we need to submit and we could do a whole message on this whole idea of I felt compelled in worship to do whatever it is that the church does in worship today that is strange fire and is an affront to a holy God do you realize God killed naab and Abu when they offered up Strange Fire and probably right now all throughout the Earth Strange Fire is wafting up into the presence of God most high and people actually question whether God's patient whether God's longsuffering the fact that he hasn't wiped out a nation full of idolators is a great expression of his patience and of his longsuffering but back to our text notice verse eight he also took AAG King of the amalekites alive and utterly destroyed all the people with the edge of the sword but Saul and the people spared AAG and the best of the sheep the ox and the fatlings the Lambs and all that was good and were unwilling to utterly destroy them them but everything despised and worthless that they utterly destroyed if that wasn't that good why not get rid of it you see the fundamental problem this wasn't the instruction does everybody get that you're alive you're with me it's 11:45 we're we're still together Saul sinned Saul rejected Saul rebelled as we consider the portrait of an apostate notice that Saul doesn't just wake up one day and there he is the portrait of an apostate there's steps involved this is what concerns me at times for my own heart and for us there's steps involved you're not going to wake up on Thursday utterly renouncing Christ it's going to start by I felt compelled to do it another way I felt compelled to approach you with this Superstition and this desire to Strongarm you and manipulate you so you would spit out blessing I I didn't think that it was Legit To Kill everybody I mean there was livestock there and and it was nice and you know egag not so bad after it typically happens by steps there's a progression you cut Corners you shave off edges you don't come to church you don't read your Bible you don't pray you don't take the Covenant meal that the Lord God the the householder sets before his weary pilgrims why is it that we don't eat that Feast that God provides for us well these are the steps that go into apostasy again it could happen you wake up on Thursday an atheist utterly renouncing all things Christ but usually it happens in steps and it's the case that Saul actually thinks he's doing the right thing self-deception is a horrible horrible thing now notice verses 10 to 23 the rebellion of Saul against the Lord verses 10 and 11 now this passage speaks to or contributes to the discussion of the doctrine of divine impassibility verses 10 and 35 are what's called improper predications for those of you up on the discussion in verse 29 is a proper predication so if you want more information on that you can email Pastor Porter notice the response of the parties involved verse 10 the word of the Lord came to Samuel saying I greatly regret that I have set up Saul as king for he has turned back from following me and has not performed my Commandments and it Grieves Samuel and he cried out to the Lord all night this is the the result of the Prophet it's a horrible thing when a man preaches the word and sees people absolutely positively disobey it I and this is the heart of a Shepherd that we have here in Samuel that Grieves him he's not some Peddler he's not some Merchant he's not just doing what he does he doesn't just come up and preach and and do his thing and go live unaffected it affects the prophet of God when the people of God don't do what they're supposed to do under God and this is precisely what we have notice that he then confronts Saul verse 12 Samuel Rose early in the morning to meet Saul it was told Samuel saying Saul went to Carmel and indeed he set up a monument for himself Saul was pleased with his performance against amalec this setting up a monument for oneself was the practice of a king it sort of the equivalent of a love me wall a love me wall all my plaques and all my certificates and all the things that I've accomplished it's a love me wall you want people to come into your house and look at that wall and say you are a great guy you are wonderful you are awesome well that's what's happening Saul sets up this Monument Samuel hears about it and now Samuel goes to confront him verse 13 Samuel went to uh went to Saul and Saul said to him blessed are you of the Lord I have performed the Commandment of the lord it's one of the marks of apostasy or the marks of at least the steps of apostasy or a false religion as a whole it's deceptive isn't it we think we're doing the right thing and we're not well well I went to church so I must be okay I I have a Bible so I must be okay those of you who have ever gone out and passed out tracks you meet this with people well well my uncle taught Sunday school so so I must be okay it doesn't look at things rightly it doesn't survey the scene honestly it doesn't look at what is it rather looks at what it wants it to be and this is the problem with Sol now notice in verse 13 Samuel Samuel went to him he says blessed you of the Lord I have performed the Commandment of the Lord note what Samuel says in verse 14 Samuel said what then is this bleeding of the sheep in my ears and the Lo of the ox in which I hear you know what Samuel means right if you haven't been paying attention here's what Samuel means if you did what you were supposed to do I shouldn't hear animals if you did what God says in terms of the heram principle to utterly destroy all of the occupants in the land including the livestock why am I hearing livestock right these animals became preachers of righteousness and they condemned Saul John Gil says these questions he put to convict him of the falsehood he had delivered the bleeding and lo of these creatures proved him a liar and were Witnesses of his breach of the Divine command and one would think every bleating and lo of these must alarm his conscience unless dreadfully stupified now note Saul's response in verse 15 and Saul said they have brought them from the amales for the people spared the best of the sheep and The Oxen to sacrifice to the Lord your God and the rest we have utterly destroyed now you need to appreciate what the author's already told us note what it says in verse 8 he Saul also took AAG King of the amalekites alive note verse 9 but Saul and the people intriguing we we drop down now to Saul's response and he says they and the people what's he doing he's doing what those on the way to apostasy will most certainly do he shifts the blame well was me he understands that Samuel's mad by this point or I don't know if mad is the word but I don't know how Samuel could have calmly reason why am I hearing these animals sure that Samuel may have projected some sort of an edge wherein Saul concluded that Samuel was not happy with it what's he do he does the opposite of Proverbs 28:13 whoever confesses and forsakes his sin sin will'll find Mercy he's a coverer of it he blames the people he's Adam in the garden first projecting it upon God the woman whom you gave me God if you hadn't given me her I wouldn't be in this mess how many of us men complain thus before God if it wasn't for her I would be so much Holier I'd always be on time for church I wouldn't be this I wouldn't be that Lord God had you just given me a better spouse and then we actually blame her like Adam does she gave me to eat oh really so sin is out there now it's all external it's what they did I would just be perfectly holy harmless and undefiled if it weren't for the rest of these slobs this is what Saul does they took they did the people why cuz he doesn't want to face God's Prophet when he's rejected God's word Saul's a wretch I think there's a bit of Saul in all of us don't want to sound psychologically you know engaged in Babble here but there's a bit of Saul in all of us do we lock step with the truth of God do we March according to orders have we received it not as a suggestion for a better life but as marching orders from the King of Kings King of Kings and Lord of lords I suspect if we re received it as as the latter our lives and our churches would look different the ambiguous they versus the specific Saul and the people and note here's again what a an apostate or on the road to apostasy will bring verse 15 they have brought them from the amalekites for the people spared the best of the sheep and The Oxen to to sacrifice to the Lord your God you see our motive Ives were driven by the end result if if it's to sacrifice to the Lord your God well then everything's okay isn't it this is the problem in modern worship our desire is to worship God then get the puppets and ponies and programs out because he hasn't commanded them God does not want creativity in worship go create all you want at the beach go create all you want in your spare bedroom that's set up for such things but in worship do you know what the church is supposed to do obey creativity and Innovation are frowned on by headquarters but but we did this to to sacrifice to the Lord let's see how this goes for him notice verse 16 Samuel said to Saul be quiet I will tell you what the Lord said to me last night and he said to him speak on so Samuel recounts or rehearses his humble origin his Royal Authority the specific Mission he rebukes him and then Saul responds again we have to abbreviate this if you want further development in detail go to sermon audio.com but a few things we ought to be concerned about notice verse 19 here's the issue why then did you not obey the voice of the Lord why did you swoop down on the spoil and do evil in the sight of the Lord so in other words what Samuel says by his response which he's going to spell out in more detail in just a moment is that you've disobeyed it doesn't matter that you thought you were sacrificing to the Lord do we all get that God's Not only concerned with the what but he has defined the how he's the householder so that you may know how you ought to conduct yourself in the house of God which is the Church of the Living God the pillar in the ground of the truth Paul does not write to Timothy and say I want you to feel compelled I want you to hanker I want you to go meditate on a mountain and whatever you feel is best I want you to introduce that into the worship of God that's never been the approach we to approach God according to Hebrews 12 in inacceptable manner now how the world or the church in the world today has defined acceptable manner as defined by the world is beyond me well if we have long sermons they won't like that if we preach fire and hell and wrath and brimstone they won't like that it has to be relevant it has to be palatable we have to you know appeal to them and and get them to hear but but we don't want to drive them off or alienate them we want to have a nice band and we want it to be aesthetically pleasing and and we want it to be what acceptable to the world that's not what the Apostle means in Hebrews 12 when he says we are to approach God in an acceptable manner who defines what an acceptable manner is in terms of approach to God it's God just ask naab and ab who they thought to offer Strange Fire before the Lord most likely they thought to enter into the holy of holies most likely they took upon themselves a position that God did not authorize so what does he do he sends fire down and he consumes that how in the world has it ever become the case that the church thinks the world gets to Define what acceptable worship is and we're the nut jobs cuz we affirm the regulative principle of worship we're weird we're wacky we're strange we're odd because what God commands what God stipulates what God demands is what we want by the grace of God to try and do as Johnson says we preach the word we read the word we sing the word we pray the word and we see the word in the sacraments of the church that's it or as Pastor Albert n Martin says the regulative principle nothing more nothing less and nothing else than what God has commanded In Worship You See Samuel or Saul is trying to hide his apostasy under religion but we did it to sacrifice now notice what he does he digs his feet in verse 20 and Saul said to Samuel but I have obeyed the voice of the Lord no you haven't how come it is that everybody else can see this but not the guy that's diluted Mark Sarver was right he said once that pride is like bad breath everybody knows you have it but you everybody knows you have it but you you walk in and you start knocking people down and they know what your issue is well Pride rejection of the word being a Saul who has obviously and clearly disobeyed and the prophet of God is calling him upon it and he says but I have obeyed the voice of the Lord and gone on the mission which the Lord sent me and brought back aad king of amalec I have utterly destroyed the alites note the blame shifting again in verse 21 but the people took of the plunder sheep and oxen the best of the things which should have been utterly destroyed to sacrifice to the Lord your God in gilgal you see what he's doing he's hardening his heart he's he's trying to defend his position these are the most scary people on the face of the Earth those who want to defend themselves when they're wrong you're never 100% right be quick willing and able to admit you're wrong join the rest of the ranks of humanity that can say I was wrong see this is a fundamental difference between David and Saul it's not that David was a sinless man and Saul was a sinner they're both Sinners but Saul has no place for Faith and repentance David however rejoices in Yahweh who does not impute iniquity David rejoices in Yahweh who has provided atonement in David's greater son he's a man that says I have sinned against Yahweh he doesn't say oh no it wasn't me I didn't do it this is Saul oh no it wasn't me I didn't do it twice now you see this the progression in the text Samuel's already asked him he said I've obeyed Samuel asks him again even more directly oh I have obeyed it's those people if those people hadn't done that you wouldn't have been upset Samuel it's terrible absolutely terrible now note the condemnation of Saul in verses 22 to 23 we see a question a declaration comparison and condemnation note the question has the Lord as great Delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as in obeying the voice of the Lord now some take this and say well God doesn't want sacrifice no that's not the point God wants Sacrifice from a pure heart it's like in Malachi's day the problem was n the sacrificial system it's the fact that they took the worst animal in their flock or they stole one from the other na from a neighbor and tried to present that or Pawn that off to Yahweh as a sacrifice it's not a sacrifice if it doesn't cost you anything it's not a sacrifice if it doesn't hurt the word Sacrifice by definition involves pain doesn't it so in Malachi's day God's not saying the levitical system of approach to God through the sacrificial system is is wrong no it's that you are bringing these mangy creatures to the living and true God that you're bringing this stolen creature to the living and true God this is why God says present it to your governor and see if he would be pleased with you other words try and pay Revenue Canada what you owe them with the kinds of stuff you Pawn off in service to God see if Revenue Canada Canada will be pleased with you see if the governing Prince is going to say oh yes thank you for giving me the worst for giving me the least for giving me that which does not matter is unimportant that's the point in Malachi the the object here is not to say or to suspend the sacrificial system or the cult of Israel says has the Lord is great delight and burnt offerings and sacrifices as in obeying the voice of the Lord and then note the assertion or Declaration behold to obey is better than sacrifice and to heed than the fat of rams again it's idiomatic he's not saying don't bring sacrifice but he says bring sacrifice and the heart that's the point that's the issue that's what's underscored true religion has never been external only true religion has never been about the formalism involved there are externals you got to show up you open the books you listen I there's an externalism to Christianity but Christianity now and then has always been a matter of the heart you bring your sacrifice to God and your heart is a whing from him God says isn't it better to obey rather than to sacrifice now note the comparison that he draws out which ironically enough will be fleshed out in the later chapters of 1 Samuel notice in verse 23 for Rebellion is as the sin of Witchcraft and stubbornness is as iniquity and Idol idolatry what does Saul do when he doesn't have a word from the Lord prior to his final battle with the Philistines in 1 Samuel 28 Saul seeks the counsel of the witch at Endor Rebellion is as the sin of Witchcraft think about that the next time you want to go violate the law of God the next time you want to click on a porn site the next time you want to drink too much the next time you want to smoke something you shouldn't the next time you want to be insubordinate to your husband the next time you want to dishonor your parents think of what the prophet Samuel says under the authority of the Living God that Rebellion is as the sin of Witchcraft all over the church today we condemn witchcraft don't we and yet we engage in a form of Witchcraft when we offer up Strange Fire to the lord it's absolutely amazing the way we rationalize and try to justify Rebellion oh yes we will condemn The Witches at their coven but we'll come in and just profer up whatever old thing we hanker to do no Rebellion is as the sin of Witchcraft listen to what Matthew Henry says he says that nothing is so provoking to God as Disobedience setting up our Wills in competition with his this is here called rebellion and stubbornness and is said to be as bad as witchcraft and idolatry it is as bad to set up other gods as to live in Disobedience to the true God did you get that well I I don't have Idols like they do but you're disobeying God why are you better why am I better why are we somehow more you know appealing to to the living now obviously if we're justified by faith and its remaining corruption I hope you assume that theological context but note what Henry says he says those that are governed by their own corrupt inclinations in opposition to the command of God do in effect consult the teraphim or the divers it was Disobedience that made us all Sinners and this is the malignity of sin that it is the transgression of the law and consequently it is enmity to God Saul was a king but if he disobey the command of God his Royal dignity and power will not excuse him from the guilt of rebellion and stubbornness it is not the rebellion of the people against their prince but of a prince against God that this text speaks of and then note the condemnation the end of verse 23 because you have rejected the word of the Lord he also has rejected you from being King that brings us quickly really quick to survey just this last section verses 24 to35 the rejection of Saul by the Lord but Saul repents doesn't he no he doesn't look at verse 24 Saul said to Samuel I have sinned for I have transgressed the Commandment of the Lord in your words because I feared the people and obeyed their voice that's not repentance that's like somebody saying and people do this believe me to use an overworked phrase or word in the media today it's like saying to somebody you know I wouldn't have done this if you weren't such a horrible person wow thanks for that apology wives or husbands might do this you know I wouldn't have been late if you hadn't done that that's not an apology that's not repentance that's not owning sin that's not forsaking David acknowledges in 2 Samuel 12 after having been rep approved by the prophet he says I have sinned against Yahweh some say well that's it that's all he has to say it's not a magic phrase but but what he does is he acknowledges God's right I'm wrong what else have I to profer that's all he says I feared the people and obeyed their voice God doesn't care why you sinned he doesn't ask you to explain the rationale behind your transgression well you know I wouldn't have done it if blah blah blah blah blah this isn't repentance and the fact is as we move through the passage he says to Samuel honor me before the people now you got to remember there's a political current running through this Samuel should honor the reigning King so that the reigning King does not lose esteem the esteem of the people certainly Yahweh has rejected him certainly Yahweh is is is uh uh uh uh uh Angry with him but he still has to maintain a respect for the reigning King at this particular time but Saul's desire is not the face of God it's the face of men that's what the text specifically indicates notice he says what he says and verse 26 s Samuel said to Saul I will not return with you for you have rejected the word of the Lord and the Lord has rejected you from being King over Israel and as Samuel turned around to go away Saul sees the edge of his robe a a type of a petition a uh something that that woman did when she grabbed the Hem of jesus' garment and then he says the Lord has torn the Kingdom of Israel from you today First Kings 11 this will be evident in the division of the Kingdom this is enacted Parable or a a description of what God is doing in terms of Saul the Lord has torn uh the Kingdom of Israel from you today and has given it to a neighbor of yours who is better than you why is David better because he fears Yahweh we we've studyed we've gone through this account all the way up now presently to 2 Samuel 22 is David a perfect man Brethren that are there on Wednesday night or any Brethren that have ever read second first and 2 Samuel no David does some horrific things David commits murder and adultery David in many respects is just you know it's shocking at times isn't it I mean we get to 2 Samuel 11:12 and I think that the the saint of Christ is yelling at the Tex saying David don't as if we could somehow change events by by yelling at him and saying go out to battle don't send joab David you go out please please David don't go up on your roof because I know when you go on that roof you're going to look at bath Sheba and I know when you look at baath Sheba you're going to violate the very Psalm that you would write the psalm that says put no worthless thing before my eyes and David does that very thing and David seeks her and he takes her and he goes into her and then instead of Manning up David covers up and David has Uriah killed on the front line of battle and others with Uriah the prophet has to come to shake him out of his stuper he tells him the story about the man who had the ulam the other man who wants to come and take the ulam and barbecue it because his friends are visiting and David Gets incensed and he gets outraged and he says I cannot believe this and Nathan says Thou Art the man and God through the prophet says I've given you everything I've given you houses I've given you wives I've given you everything and if that wasn't enough I would have given you more so we've seen David in the pit you hear David in the Salter what does he say why are you cast down oh my soul hope thou in God David's not a perfect man David's not a sinless man but David's a better man because he's justified by faith in Christ that's why and when he sins by God's grace he repents when he sins he appeals to the mercy of God in Jesus when he sins he doesn't Harden his heart and stiffen his neck just the opposite of Saul the apostate verse 30 I have sinned yet honor me now please before the Elders of my people and before Israel and return with me that I may Worship the Lord your God so Samuel turned back after Saul and worshiped and Saul worshiped the Lord again every time the Bible says somebody did something it doesn't necessarily mean it was true well there he worshiped the Lord he he he did what was right Brethren how can you conclude that after seeing all that has happened in this passage it's like looking at Second Kings 17 and seeing the Assyrians coming into the land and the people of Israel you know worshiping Yahweh along with these pagan gods where does God ever say that he has truck with other gods you're supposed to understand irony oh really they didn't really worship there no and neither did he he's trying to save face he wants to make sure that the people still esteem him and respect him and again the political undercurrent suggests that this was a good move on the part of Samuel at this particular time and Samuel's not God he is a man and he does change his mind notice we just should pick up at least what happens with this fellow called a verses 32 to 35 well I I think you know and by the way this is another argument for that righteous command of God to go and destroy the amalekites notice that AAG isn't you know father of the year husband of the Year King of the year he doesn't have a coffee cup awarded to him by the local provincial government saying great guy of the Year AAG was arrest who led a wretched people note what he says surely the bitterness of death is passed verse 32 think aag's engaged in some wishful thinking here you got enough of your own internal problems maybe I can just Slither out the back door and you know return unto the place from which I came but Samuel said as your sword has made women childless so shall your mother be childless among women you you see he's not dealing with an innocent man aag's sword has made women childless and then verse 3 uh 3B Samuel hacked AAG in pieces before the Lord in gilgal he carried out the Herm principle he did what was supposed to be done he obeys God and then note verses 3435 tie up summarize and conclude this particular event then Samuel went to Rama and Saul went up to his house at giba of Saul and Samuel went no more to see Saul until the day of his death don't miss that what are we supposed to understand when the prophet of Israel doesn't visit the king of Israel that's not a good sign that's not good Brethren when the prophet of God doesn't come to speak to the king of God what is it saying to us that all that has been promised in the text has come to pass Saul rejected Yahweh Yahweh rejected Saul verse 305 B nevertheless Samuel mourned for Saul there's that pastor's heart and the Lord regretted that he had made Saul King over Israel you see it wasn't just AAG who was hacked in pieces at the end of this particular chapter so was Saul it was a spiritual hacking it was a cutting off it was was an abandonment it was a having given over you see when you reject the living and true God or to use the language in Hebrews 10: 26-31 when you trample underfoot the Son of God when you count as a common thing the blood of the Covenant by which Christ was Sanctified and when you ins spit uh insult or you spit in the face of the spirit of of Grace you will be rejected you see Saul is indeed the portrait of an apost State well brethren in conclusion there's a lot here concerning the doctrine of God again I've mentioned that the the the teaching concerning Divine impassibility necessarily must take into account 1st Samuel 15 you have two statements verses 11 and 35 God said I greatly regret that I have made uh set up Saul as king verse 35 the Lord regretted that he had made King uh Saul King over Israel and then you have this statement in verse 29 and also the strength of is Israel will not lie nor relent for he is not a man that he should relent in the first place we need to understand that we're not smarter than the author of this particular page in other words we can't say well didn't he see that that that seems contradictory on the one hand he says God regrets regrets God relents and on the other hand he says he doesn't maybe the author went and got a cup of coffee at a time and he came back and he sort of forgot what he there's no contradiction here again there's a whole way to go about the expl of this particular passage but in terms of the character of God he is immutable that means he is unchangeable and that then implies necessarily that he is what's called impassible he's not affected he doesn't have emotion he isn't pass uh uh filled with passions the way men are but at times the scripture uses the language of men to communicate truth to man and I submit that verses 10 and 35 in the precise language are improper are improper predications that means it's an analogical way of telling men who don't have the brightest you know bulbs in the chandelier what God is like in his character verse 29 is rather a proper or it tells us something specifically concerning the being of God again this can be developed further and has been in the sermons on this passage before but just to make this observation secondly we ought to appreciate the Reign and and subsequent apostasy of Saul it's very intriguing I didn't outline all of this data prior but notice in verse or chapter nine the Lord directed Samuel to Saul chapter 10 the Lord directed Samuel to anoint Saul chapter 10 the Lord equipped Saul for service chapter 10 the Lord set Saul over Israel chapter 11 the Lord granted Saul an early victory over the ammonites remember that statement they were killing ammonites until the heat of the day what do we ought to conclude before we proceed and look further at the anatomy of an apostate great privilege does not necessarily prove true Grace great privilege does not necessarily prove the existence of Grace remember that scene in Matthew 7 not everyone who says to me on that day Lord Lord didn't we cast out demons in your name didn't we do Mighty miracles in your name Jesus never denies that they did it can you think of one one particular person that really did do those things but wasn't really converted Judas Judas went on the preaching tours Judas had a degree of that that Apostolic Authority Judas went about probably witnessed and saw and and participated in these very things but that's not the will of God the will of God is that you believe in him whom he sent John 6:40 and those who haven't believed in him he whom he sent have have not obeyed the will of God you see great privilege growing up in a Christian family going to a Reformed Baptist Church having a sermon audio app on your phone or you know the the Cambridge New King James which is the Cadillac of Bibles all these great privileges do not confirm the existence of Grace in fact Jesus taught his disciples this in in Luke 10 they come back from the preaching tour and they say Lord we went out we did these Mighty things we saw these things happen we cast out demons we we healed we we did wonderful things and Jesus says don't rejoice in this but rather Rejoice that your names are written in heaven see we like to capitalize on what we do for Christ no we ought to do for Christ but we ought to praise God for what we are in Christ by grace we ought to praise God that he chose us in him before the foundation of the world we ought to praise God that the Savior lived died and rose again for guilty vile helpless Sinners we ought to praise God that He gave us the Graces of faith and repentance so that we could close with Christ yes we ought to go out and do for God but what are we ultimately joyful about it's that God has done for us it's that Christ has reconciled us it's that he gave himself for us that's what makes the believer Happy Well in terms of Saul the apostate we ought to observe that he blames others I think we've brought that out it's the people it's the people it's the people it's the people and the narrator tells us it's Saul it's Saul it's Saul it's Saul secondly he is riddled with false piety riddled with false piety that's how we know like in Hebrews 10: 26-31 he's dealing with people that have come into contact with the Christian faith he's not dealing with the Heathen and the Pagan out there these are the people that trample underfoot the Son of God these are the people that count as an unclean thing or common thing the blood of the Covenant by which he was s Sanctified these are the people who who who insult the spirit of Grace the same with Saul he is riddled with false piety I felt compelled to to offer sacrifice I I felt compelled to to impose this fast so so perhaps Yahweh will will bless us and I felt compelled to spare egg egg and to spare those animals so that we could sacrifice to the Lord apostasy doesn't typically come through the door wearing a red cape and having horns and a pitchfork sometimes it comes wearing a three-piece suit and a tie and fresh new haircut Isaac's commented yesterday wow you got a haircut since Wednesday night yeah guys with new haircuts can even be apostate I hope I'm not saying I'm an apostate I like to think I'm looking unto Jesus but I think we have this image in our head the apostate is at home today smoking crack the apostate could very well be among us rejecting the word of God the apostate is he's at the lake today he's he's water skiing today he may be in a whole host of churches and he's hardened his heart to the truth of God's word see that's foundational to this trampling underfoot the Son of God counting as a common thing the blood of the sa Covenant and insulting the spirit of Grace what's the underlying current we reject scripture thirdly he is self deceived I mean in some sense is it's sad isn't it all really you're not obeying God Samuel is bringing you along Samuel is teaching you Samuel is instructing everybody can see Saul you're not obeying God these animals are testifying that you're not obeying God lay down your arms and surrender wave the white flag and stop don't engage in this self-deception as well he engages in a false repentance he wants to look good before men but not before God now when we leave this particular chapter in chapter 16 God identifies the man after his own heart the spirit comes upon this particular man he goes out and he wins a spectacular battle in the valley of Alo and then from chapters 18 to chapter 26 Saul tries to murder him see this is what apostasy ends up as may come with a fresh new haircut May sit in the church instead of being you know a crack dealer somewhere but it ends in the actual Commission of Grievous sin David was the man of God's own choosing and this man Saul wanted to terminate him and then he consults a witch in order to receive Direction concerning a battle with the Philistines in chapter 28 he ultimately dies on the battlefield as an apostate before God as I've said as I hope you've gotten foundational to all of this is his utter disregard for the word of God it's interesting in our church we always come back to that don't we it always is a matter of what think ye of God's word and I think that's a good place to end up I think that's a good emphasis to sound because you know what Breen when everything is said and done whatever feelings we have whatever desires we have whatever emotions we have whatever it is we want to accomplish we always need to be governed by disciplined by ruled by and watched over by by God's word it's unfortunate somehow somewhere along the line well it started in the garden we actually thought we could do it without God's word we actually think that we can do church we can do family we can do home we can do life we can do whatever it is we want apart from God's revealed word no we can't not and please God we must be dependent upon the scriptures and then finally I hope that this survey of Saul the apostate with a special emphasis on Samuel's words in verses 22 to 23 will underscore for the people of God the priority of obedience the priority of obedience note that I said for the people of God if you are not a Believer here today if you have not come to the Savior if you have not looked and lived look and live my instruction is not to you to go out do everything you can in order to get saved no you will never be able to do everything you can perfectly exactly entirely and perpetually you can't do it you have sinned you have fallen short of the glory of God you have transgressed you have rebelled you haven't loved God as you ought you haven't loved your neighbor as you ought and the only hope and the only remedy for your ruin is Jesus it's Christ believe on him and you shall be saved Paul outlines this in Ephesians 2 1:3 he sets before us our ruin and then in verse four and following provides for us the Redemption or the remedy and it's faith in Christ Jesus but for the people of God who are justified by faith alone that faith is never alone but it's accompanied by all other Graces and obedience is Manifest the priority of obedience in the life of God's people is absolutely crucial and needs to be thundered in an antinomian age Jesus said if you love me go hankering after me wherever you want no if you love me you will keep my Commandments the Apostle John says his Commandments are not burdensome they're not Grievous they're not a pain I mean just get this Collective eye roll when we mention certain things maybe not here but elsewhere you just get this this antipathy to the revealed will of God you mean God wants me to actually do this yes if he says it you mean God actually wants me to destroy all of the amalekites yes it's what he commanded you don't have the right to shape the message to tailor the message to massage the message you need to obey the message at what point do we get that as God's people now praise him that there is forgiveness in Christ forgi uh praise him that there is Mercy to be had praise him that the same God over Saul is the same God over David who when he sins confesses it forsakes and finds Mercy now I trust that this sermon will hopefully be an encouragement to those who by the grace of God are trusting in Jesus and seeking to be faithful I hope we'll all take it as an exhortation as an exhortation to pursue those things that are pleasing to God but as well I hope there's some balm in the Gilead of the gospel I've been thinking about this recently one of the most difficult things to convince people of is the Forgiveness of sins you get a a sinner somebody who has hasn't come into contact with Jesus somebody who hasn't believed the gospel and they're actually convicted or they have this sense of their own guilt before God they have this sense of their own unworthiness before God that it just weighs on them and you preach the fullness of the Gospel to them and you tell them there is salvation in him there is forgiveness in Christ it's hard to convince people of that now obviously we need the s Supernatural power of the holy spirit with the cner but even with the the redeemed sinner isn't it hard for us to believe in a davidic moment where we've done some awful things that us saying I have sinned against Yahweh Yahweh will forgive us it's hard isn't it maybe this is why the Apostles Creed includes the statement I believe in the in the Forgiveness of sins I think the church needs to to parot that and to confess that more and more and more I believe in the Forgiveness of sins Saul was an apostate there's no hope for him but when we look to the pages of David he sinned he done did horrible things but he's trusting in the blood he repents by the grace of God he knows the Forgiveness of sins he pens the 130th Psalm where he says if thou Lord should Mark iniquities oh Lord who could stand but there is forgiveness with thee that thou mayest be feared that's the man after God's Own Heart he's not sinless he's not perfect he's redeemed Redeemed by the blood of Jesus Christ so Brethren if you find that you have been less than Stellar in your obedience to the truth of God's word confess it forsake it and you will find Mercy let us pray Our God we thank you for the word of Truth and we thank you for these these portraits that we have in scripture and we ask that you would help us to guard our own Hearts help us to be looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of faith help us God to walk in those things that you call us unto and help us to have a a reverence for and a respect for your word as we hear the the the the declarative voice of God coming to us through the old New Testaments may we not seek to manipulate it may we not seek to shy away from it but may we embrace it and may you Empower Us by your Holy spir Spirit to do those things pleasing in your sight go with us now we pray and we ask through Jesus Christ Our Lord amen close with a brief time of meditation and then be dismissed