Hiding Among The Baggage

Introduction

1. All of the people of Israel were gathered together. This was an important occasion. They had demanded that God set a king over them. And on this day their king would be chosen from amongst them. Whose tribe would he be from? Whose family? Some may even have wondered if they were to be the one chosen.

2. And so Samuel, the prophet and priest of God brings forth the tribes. The tribe of Benjamin is chosen. He brings forth the clans, one by one. The clan of Matri is chosen. Hhe brings forth the families within this clan and the family of Kish is chosen. And then from the family of Kish, Saul is chosen as king.

3. Samuel wants to present their first king to the people. But there is a problem. Saul is missing, he is not to be found. Where is he? Did he not show up? The Lord knows where Saul is. And He tells the people "He has hidden himself among the baggage."

4. As we will see Samuel knew that He had been chosen by God to be king, but he hid hoping that he could avoid this task that God had given him.

5. This morning I have a question that each one of you must answer, to God and to yourselves. Are you hiding among the baggage? As individuals and therefore together as a church?

6. As we look at Saul, let us ask ourselves, "Can I can see any similarities between Saul and myself?" "Am I hiding among the baggage?

Teaching

1. Saul seems to be qualified for the position.

a. We are first told about him in 1 Samuel 9:2:

1 Sam 9:2 He (Kish) had a son named Saul, an impressive young man without equal among the Israelites--a head taller than any of the others.

This could mean that he had a kingly stature. He stood out above all the others.

b. God chose Saul

In 1 Samuel 9, when Samuel sees Saul, God tells him "this is the man" who will govern my people

c. In 1 Samuel 10, we read that Saul anoints Saul as the king of Israel. Anointed into this position but also empowered by God to carry out his task.

d. And God changed Saul. He changed his heart so that Saul was receptive to God’s spirit working within him, to hearing God speak to him. And so we read that he joined a group of prophets as they were prophesying. Those who knew him could see that he was different.

e. Saul had been chosen and empowered by God to lead His people.

2. But when this was to be made public he hid among the baggage.

3. We also have been chosen and empowered by God to serve Him.

1 Pet 2:9 But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.

This verse has been chosen by the elders as the theme of our house visitation. Each one of us has been chosen by God to be His disciple and to make known to others what He has done. We have been anointed with the Holy Spirit and given gifts to serve Him. To proclaim His name and salvation to this community, to this city.

4. Are we doing this? Are you? Do people know that you are God’s child and are you showing His word and love to others? Or are you hiding among the baggage?

5. The word for baggage in Hebrew means a number of things. It includes implements, weapons, clothing, carriages, furniture. It includes the things we carry around with us, the things we possess.

6. It is not easy to carry baggage around with us. Two weeks ago in Edmonton, the Dekkers and I carried our baggage, our luggage from the parking garage to the hotel lobby. Across the parking lot, down to floors of stairs, down a hallway and then up a flighjt of stairs. It felt good to get rid of it in our rooms.

7. But the baggage I want to talk about today is not this kind of baggage. Just like the real baggage that Saul was hiding among was not the baggage that hid among but rather the baggage that he carried around within him. Baggage that would make him hesitate to take accept the task God had given him and which would hinder him from effectively carrying his task.

8. What is included in this baggage?

9. First, Saul failed to trust in God. Instead he trusted in his own strength and power. When he first heard that he was to be king, he said: