Obey Or Be Sacrificed Series

Why would he say that? Because the Bible challenged his authority and his sense of what ought to be done (it didn’t matter that God commanded it to be done).

ILLUS: I once encountered some people who wanted to see the church “by-laws.” Why? Because they wanted something done in the church that the leadership wouldn’t allow, and they figured to do an end-run using the by-laws to force their opinion on the congregation.

I have never seen the by-laws of this congregation… and I never want to either. If the church can’t honor God by obeying the Scriptures, it doesn’t deserve to exist.

Then, every once in while, you’ll run across someone who’ll say “this is MY church.”

If anyone ever uses that phrase, ask to see the their hands to find the nail prints there. Then examine their side to see if you can find the hole left by a Roman spear.

If they died for the church, they can call it “their church.”

Jesus bought it with His blood… not yours or mine.

For someone to view the church as belonging to them - as being “THEIRS”, that’s like Saul raising up the monument to his own glory.

You see, Saul had fallen prey to lure of power and the sin of pride.

He didn’t think about God as the one who had blessed him with position.

He DESERVED his power and his position.

And so, when that power was threatened by David he lashed out and tried to kill him young David a number of times.

It occurred to me, as I was preparing this sermon, that Saul’s pride left him no room in his heart for God. And then, I stumbled onto a passage in Scripture that says exactly that:

Psalm 10:4 says: “In his pride the wicked does not seek Him; in all his thoughts there is no room for God.”

That helps explain the one part of this story that has always puzzled me.

Three times in this chapter, Saul says the same thing, again and again and again:

He says it in verse 15, verse 30 and here in verse 21

Saul is talking with Samuel when he says “The soldiers took … the best of what was devoted to God, in order to sacrifice them to the LORD your God at Gilgal." 1 Samuel 15:21

YOUR GOD???

Not “my God”

Not “our God”

It’s YOUR God.

You see, the sin of pride separates us from the NEED for God, and establishes US as god.

Whoever is in charge of our lives is OUR God.

And you can’t serve two masters. God will either be your master… or your slave.

And of course – every god needs his monument.

So here are the lessons in this sermon:

1. Don’t ever be fooled into believing you can use your service/ sacrifices for God as an excuse for allowing bitterness, pride or sexual immorality. Service to God is wonderful, but it won’t hide a disobedient heart.

2. When you do disobey God, learn to take responsibility for your sins

- Don’t pass the buck

- Don’t try to blame someone else for why you failed

- Just admit you failed and let God forgive you so you can start again.

And 3rd, as James 4 tells us "God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble." Therefore Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up. James 4:6 and 10

CLOSE: When a Christian is mindful of who God is, they learn how to do things God’s way.