Fall On The Sword Series

• 1 samuel 31 READ Israel flees from the Phlistines because they are losing. Philistines follow after Saul and his sons, Saul is severely wounded. He asks his armor bearer to kill him to save him from being tortured. They wouldn’t do it, so Saul falls on his sword to save himself from the torture. Saul, the armorbearer and his sons all died that day including Jonathan. Israel leaves the cities, the philistines take over the cities. They come and find Saul, cut off his head, strip him and use him as a trophy to warn people to not mess with them. The men of Israel heard what had happened to Saul, so they go down and retrieve his body and burned them there and then buried their bones under the tamarisk tree and then they fast.

• This is the end of Sauls life. The culmination of his reign as king of Israel. He started out strong, but ended bad. David is supposed to be King, and he resisted it the whole time.

• Through this book we see that God demands obedience. Jesus will be a perfect King

• If you are a Christian this morning, you should want to end well. If you’re not, you’re probably sitting here wondering where you’re at with God and if you want to follow him.

• Here’s the problem with Many Christians- they have a goal identity instead of grow identity

• We should want to grow in our relationship with Christ every day all day. You never arrive

• NFL- Trying for touchdown even when behind- why? You can’t regain momentum. FORWARD

• We cannot become complacent in our relationship with God- Relationships fade with no growth

• 2 Corinthians 3:18 But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord.

• If you’re not transforming into the image of Christ- you’re going backward. You can’t stay same

Did Saul improve over his life, or did he Fall into disrepair and destruction?

• Lets put some stuff in the positive column of Sauls life

• God chose him to lead Israel, 1 sam 9:17 “There he is, the man of whom I spoke to you. This one shall reign over My people.”

• God Changed him 1 sam 10: 6 Then the Spirit of the Lord will come upon you, and you will prophesy with them and be turned into another man.

• God Gave him another heart 1 Sam 10:9 So it was, when he had turned his back to go from Samuel, that God gave him another heart; and all those signs came to pass that day.

• God spoke through him 1 Sam 10: 11 And it happened, when all who knew him formerly saw that he indeed prophesied among the prophets,

• So God chooses him, God Changes him, God Gives him a New heart, God speaks through him

• Those are some pretty spiritual things- God moved mightily through Sauls life-

• These are the same promises of any believer in Jesus Christ- that God would save us, change us, give us a new heart- that he would use us and change us and live in us and speak through us

• When you live for Jesus the promises of God are yea and amen-

• He promises to forgive us of sin, make us new, give us new life, peace with him, joy, love

• 2 Corinthians 5:17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.

• We are NEW creations in Christ Jesus- MADE NEW- OLD IS GONE

• We just got rid of the trees in the parking lot (reasons) Just like sin, gone- Cant ever put it back

• Ezekiel 36:26 I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will take the heart of stone out of your flesh and give you a heart of flesh.

Now lets look at some of the negative aspects of Sauls Life

• He started to believe he was above correction, rebuke, or destruction. Forgot who made him king

• Saul is utterly destroyed and made an cautionary tale of what happens when Pride comes

• What leads up to this level of destruction? How do you go from King to destruction?

• Saul was chosen as king, but he gave himself over to hatred, jealousy and murder. Most of what he did as king was characterized by failure and rebellion- He loved his title more than GOD

• Met MG of 1st Cav- Wonderful man. Became a 4 star general- Then--- affair in DC and nothing