Sermon Tone Analysis

As we read through the book of Samuel, it really read like a novel.

There are some parts that have a lot of description and so they are difficult to divide.

Today we come to one of those sections, and so we’re going to read excerpts from First Samuel, chapters 9 & 10.

I invite you to listen - the text will not be displayed on the screen.

As we prepare to listen to this text from God’s word, let us pray.

PRAYER

Invite Drew up to read

So let’s take a quick look at the main characters we have in our passage today:

Saul - this guy is tall and really good looking.

Tall dark and handsome probably would be good descriptions of him.

Samuel - the prophet - he’s been judging Israel as we know, and now has been told to anoint a king.

God - God is the one putting things into place, it’s important that we recognize that God is orchestrating all of this.

The People of Israel - they wanted a king, and they’re about to get him.

There are others, and when we study the Bible it can be a great thing to answer the 5 W’s and the H.

Who, What, When, Where, Why, and How - these are all observation questions as long as their answers are specifically stated.

If they are not stated they can become interpretation and we want to be clear on that.

So let’s focus on Saul - the man who would be the first king of Israel.

First we learn of Saul’s pedigree through his father:

Lineage is everything to the people of Israel, and the tribes are important.

We don’t have time to go into it all here this morning, but if you go back you will see throughout the Bible there are 12 tribes of Israel, and Benjamin is the smallest tribe of all of them.

You have to love the way that God so often uses the underdog.

Kish - Saul’s father is a man with humble heritage and a man of great wealth

Wow! Can you imagine this guy is not only handsome, he’s the most handsome man in the entire nation.

And in case you might doubt it, it’s God’s Word!

And he’s taller than anyone else around him.

He rises head and shoulders above the rest.

Good looking, tall, from a wealthy family - that sounds like someone that would be chosen to be a leader.

Indeed this is the man that God has chosen to be Israel’s first king.

While he and his servant are out looking for his father’s donkeys they go to see Samuel.

Samuel had been told by God:

At this point in Saul’s life there is a humility about him despite his stature.

When Samuel reveals to him that all of Israel is looking to him and his father’s house, he says:

As we go through our story we will see that Samuel does anoint Saul:

There’s a great promise there.

So this is the private anointing of Saul.

As the passage continues Samuel lets Saul know of several signs that will be proofs that what he has said of him is true: people that he will meet along his journey home, where exactly he will meet them, what exactly they will be carrying, what they will give him, even what he will do as he walks among them.

The specifics are astounding, and they all come true EXACTLY as Samuel told him.

That’s how you know someone has the gift of prophecy - what they prophesy happens exactly as they tell you.

It’s not the vague reflections of a horoscope.

Samuel gathers the people at Mizpah, and they start casting lots - it’s sort of like rolling dice to make a decision.

And the lot fell on the tribe of Benjamin.

Then he gathered the clans of Benjamin and the lot fell on the Matrites, and then on the family of Kish and ultimately on Saul.

And where is Saul - they can’t find him.

So what do they do?

They turn to God and inquire of the Lord.

And God outs hims, “Behold, he has hidden himself among the baggage.”

I love the contrast here - all these things have happened to Saul, the Spirit of the Lord has come upon him, he’s been given a new heart and when faced with the very purpose for which he has been anointed where is he?

Hiding.

God’s Call on You

God calls each one of us.

I believe that.

If you know the whole story of Saul, I think in many ways he gets judged too harshly.

Saul was chosen not by man - though he fit their vision of what a king should like and the type of family he should come from - tall, handsome, wealthy...

He’d been told of his chosenness - Samuel anointed him, and beyond that prophesied over him about all these things that would happen on his journey home, and every single one of them did!

If that weren’t enough - God tells him of his chosenness.

There’s no such thing as chance, and the casting of lots would be considered a game of chance today.

As I said its similar to rolling dice- ans since God controls everything - the lot fell on the tribe of Benjamin, the clan of the Matrites, the family of Kish, and ultimately upon Saul.

And where is Saul?

Hiding.

I think we can all relate to that.

Where do you hide?

Where do you hide?

Where in your world might God be calling you to serve Him?

Where do you feel overwhelmed and want to run for cover?

Where do you deny the power of God in your life?

I recently watched a movie Hacksaw Ridge.

It’s the true story of Pvt.

Desmond T Doss, who won the Congressional Medal of Honor despite refusing to bear arms during WWII on religious grounds.

Though he was drafted they soon tried to oust him due to his pacifist stance.

But he wanted to serve.

It’s not a pretty movie, but the depiction of his conviction to his faith, his bravery, and his humility is inspiring.

God call us, not because we’re up for the task but so that we might remember that He is.

Last week in Session I read a passage from Luke to our elders.

This is how Jesus sent out 72 of his disciples:

lambs in the midst of wolves - so you know what you’re facing, you’d better prepare for it, right?

Wrong.

Carry no moneybag, no knapsack, no sandals...

One of the elders commented, “It’s like he was saying to not rely on ourselves or the things of this world, but on God.”

I think that is very much what we can learn from what we observe from Saul.

He recognizes the task is daunting.

It’s overwhelming, and yet he’s been called, he’s been chosen.

So now, how will he respond?

The task is daunting.

It’s overwhelming and yet you’ve been called, you’ve been chosen.

So now, how will you respond?