Real People – Real Problems
A study of 1 Samuel
Part 6a
“You da man”
Today we will continue our study of 1 Samuel and the series titled Real People – Real Problems
I know this series has sometimes been harsh
God’s word is designed to be a mirror that we look into to see the areas where we need to make adjustments
In order to go from being cold or Luke warm
To on being on fire for Jesus
Listen
I am not a huge sports fan
I loved playing football in high school
I loved rodeo
I wanted to like baseball but
I lacked the necessary skills to be good at it
But Today
I am going to use a term that used to be common in the sports world
I know times change and as we age we sometimes date ourselves with our use of the English language
“You da man”
I can see and hear the accolades after someone has pulled off a great comeback
Scored a touch down
Kicked a long range field goal
Stopped the offense short of the goal line with no time remaining on the clock for the win
“You da man”
After a grand slam home run to win a series or the World Series
Or a outstanding bronc or bull ride to take home the buckle
“You da man”
But I also hear this term used
For----- you’re up
We need you
No one else can do this so “your da man”
This is where we are this morning
Please open your bibles to 1 Samuel chapter 9
Today we are going to see how a young man named Saul
Became “da man”
Following the people’s desire for a king as we studied last week
1 Samuel chapter 9:1-2
“There was a wealthy, influential man named Kish from the tribe of Benjamin. He was the son of Abiel, son of Zeror, son of Becorath, son of Aphiah, of the tribe of Benjamin. 2 His son Saul was the most handsome man in Israel—head and shoulders taller than anyone else in the land.”
Israel had asked Samuel for a king
We saw last week how sometimes God will give us what we want even when it is not good for us
The people will see later they should have listened
But God said alright you want a king
--- Here you go---
So in today’s passage we will see that God picked a king for them
I want you to notice something with me here
Look at verse 2
2 His son Saul was the most handsome man in Israel—head and shoulders taller than anyone else in the land.”
Saul was from a wealthy family
He had the right pedigree
He had the right looks
And as a result he was readily accepted by the people, this does not necessarily make him qualified as we will see
Saul on the other hand was not sure
We will get more into his reluctance next week
But first I want to talk about
Luck- chance- happenstance and the like
Often times when something good or even bad happens to someone
The first words out of others mouths
Is boy you were in the right place at the right time
Or on the other hand the wrong place at the wrong time
Terms like “that was good luck “
Or “that was just bad luck”
Or even the circumstance- situations – coincidences the stars and moon or whatever lined up to make things happen
I say all of this ----in the words of Granny from the outlaw Joeys Wales is
Doodly squat
God is still King
He is still in control
Even when we try and put something or someone in his place
And he does not work on luck
Chance
Or happenstance
My God makes things happen
According to his will
His desires
And his plans
1 Samuel 9: 3-4
“3 One day Kish’s donkeys strayed away, and he told Saul, “Take a servant with you, and go look for the donkeys.” 4 So Saul took one of the servants and traveled through the hill country of Ephraim, the land of Shalishah, the Shaalim area, and the entire land of Benjamin, but they couldn’t find the donkeys anywhere.”
Listen
I don’t think much of donkeys
Other than using them to make mules they have little value for me
But in that day
They were a sign of wealth
They were like the atv’s or pickup truck’s of the ancient world
They used them to haul things and to plow and cultivate crops
And as we have seen
As a means of transportation
I have never really tried to use a donkey as transportation
But
I have no doubt it beats walking sometimes
I think it would be kind of like driving a Dodge
It’s ok as long as nobody sees you
Ok – jokes aside
Back to our story
Donkeys were very valuable in that day
And
Kishe’s donkeys had r-u-n-n-o-f-t
I did not see this until I studied deeper
But
He is where I see God at work in the first part of this plan
As a rancher and stock man
When my stock comes up missing
I typically know where to go to find them
A good stock man would know they like to hole up down in the bottoms below the dam of the lake where it is cool
Or out in the back of the ranch where the grass is lush
So would have Saul and the servant- they were experienced stock men
But the donkeys were nowhere to be found
But in this passage
Saul and his servant could not find them
They looked for days over a vast area
-----This was no accident-----
----It was not happenstance----
----This was not bad luck-----
This was the hand of God
Moving Saul to Samuel
Verses 5-10
5 Finally, they entered the region of Zuph, and Saul said to his servant, “Let’s go home. By now my father will be more worried about us than about the donkeys!”
6 But the servant said, “I’ve just thought of something! There is a man of God who lives here in this town. He is held in high honor by all the people because everything he says comes true. Let’s go find him. Perhaps he can tell us which way to go.”
7 “But we don’t have anything to offer him,” Saul replied. “Even our food is gone, and we don’t have a thing to give him.”
8 “Well,” the servant said, “I have one small silver piece.[a] We can at least offer it to the man of God and see what happens!” 9 (In those days if people wanted a message from God, they would say, “Let’s go and ask the seer,” for prophets used to be called seers.)
10 “All right,” Saul agreed, “let’s try it!” So they started into the town where the man of God lived.
God – used a herd of donkeys
To get Saul where he wanted him
In the right place at the right time
Here is where it gets cool
While he was moving Saul by the use of some donkeys
He was also placing Samuel in the right place at the right time
Verses 11-14
11 As they were climbing the hill to the town, they met some young women coming out to draw water. So Saul and his servant asked, “Is the seer here today?”
12 “Yes,” they replied. “Stay right on this road. He is at the town gates. He has just arrived to take part in a public sacrifice up at the place of worship. 13 Hurry and catch him before he goes up there to eat. The guests won’t begin eating until he arrives to bless the food.”
14 So they entered the town, and as they passed through the gates, Samuel was coming out toward them to go up to the place of worship.
So God moved Saul in the direction he wanted him to go
And he placed Samuel in the place he wanted him to be
In order to orchestrate a meeting that would have divine consequences as we will learn in the weeks to come
look at verses 15-16 with me
15 Now the LORD had told Samuel the previous day, 16 “About this time tomorrow I will send you a man from the land of Benjamin. Anoint him to be the leader of my people, Israel. He will rescue them from the Philistines, for I have looked down on my people in mercy and have heard their cry.”
You see
God had already prepared the heart and mind of Samuel for the meeting that was about to take place
Once again we see that luck-chance or happenstance was not involved in any way
Verse 17
17 When Samuel saw Saul, the LORD said, “That’s the man I told you about! He will rule my people.”
Samuel saw Saul and knew he was the one because God had prepared him
But
Saul who was still unaware that God’s plan was unfolding
He thought he was just looking for lost stock
Was also was being moved into position by God
Verse 18-20
18 Just then Saul approached Samuel at the gateway and asked, “Can you please tell me where the seer’s house is?”
19 “I am the seer!” Samuel replied. “Go up to the place of worship ahead of me. We will eat there together, and in the morning I’ll tell you what you want to know and send you on your way. 20 And don’t worry about those donkeys that were lost three days ago, for they have been found. And I am here to tell you that you and your family are the focus of all Israel’s hopes.”
Here is where it gets interesting
God makes the introductions
By his plan
And then Samuel lays it out for Saul
Verse 20b again
“I am here to tell you that you and your family are the focus of all Israel’s hopes.”
Samuel in common terms
Says
Hey Saul” you da man”
---You are the one—
You are going to be King
I have no doubt that Saul and his family knew about the request for a king
Everybody knew
But I also have no doubt that he never in a million years would have expected it to be himself
Saul is set back more than a bit
And starts craw fishing
Verse 21
21 Saul replied, “But I’m only from the tribe of Benjamin, the smallest tribe in Israel, and my family is the least important of all the families of that tribe! Why are you talking like this to me?”
Here we see Saul rebelling against God’s plan for the first time
It will become a habit that will have severe consequences in the future
But for now
Here we see him minimizing his worth
Minimizing the value of his family and his own tribe in the process
We opened with there was a rich man named Kish- his father
They were wealthy, influential-respected members of the community
But here Saul says to Samuel
We are nothing- nobody- the smallest tribe –
Saul like Moses and Gideon before him and many since was saying
“Who am I” he says as we taught to our kids at day camp
Let me wrap up with this chapter then we can apply this to our lives
Verses 22-27
22 Then Samuel brought Saul and his servant into the hall and placed them at the head of the table, honoring them above the thirty special guests. 23 Samuel then instructed the cook to bring Saul the finest cut of meat, the piece that had been set aside for the guest of honor. 24 So the cook brought in the meat and placed it before Saul. “Go ahead and eat it,” Samuel said. “I was saving it for you even before I invited these others!” So Saul ate with Samuel that day.
25 When they came down from the place of worship and returned to town, Samuel took Saul up to the roof of the house and prepared a bed for him there.[b] 26 At daybreak the next morning, Samuel called to Saul, “Get up! It’s time you were on your way.” So Saul got ready, and he and Samuel left the house together. 27 When they reached the edge of town, Samuel told Saul to send his servant on ahead. After the servant was gone, Samuel said, “Stay here, for I have received a special message for you from God.”
Next week we are going to look at Saul’s attempt to get out of being “ Da man”
But for today
I want to talk about how God works in our lives much like he worked in Saul and Samuels
Moving people and things into positions to fulfill his plans
And to bring
Glorify to himself and his kingdom
A common verse that is used when it comes to God’s plan for our lives is Jeremiah 29:11
Many of you know this verse by heart
It is a good verse
It is an inspirational verse
I love this verse
11 For I know the plans I have for you,” says the LORD. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.
But in this passage if we read it in context
God though the Prophet Jeremiah is sending a message to the exiles in Babylon
Not to all believers
Not to us
Does this mean it does not apply to us?
No
The whole bible has application for our lives
It simply means that we need to do more than use – inspiring verses to understand his plans
----We need to study his word-----
And then we need to apply it
So how do we begin to understand just how deep God’s plans for us are?
Let’s move forward to the New Testament
To the book of John
I love the gospel of John--it was written to all who would believe
Jew and gentiles alike
And it was written to show us the deity of Jesus as well as the plan for our lives
And in this passage it shows us part of god’s plan
John 15:9-17
9 “I have loved you even as the Father has loved me. Remain in my love. 10 When you obey my commandments, you remain in my love, just as I obey my Father’s commandments and remain in his love. 11 I have told you these things so that you will be filled with my joy. Yes, your joy will overflow! 12 This is my commandment: Love each other in the same way I have loved you. 13 There is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. 14 You are my friends if you do what I command. 15 I no longer call you slaves, because a master doesn’t confide in his slaves. Now you are my friends, since I have told you everything the Father told me. 16 You didn’t choose me. I chose you. I appointed you to go and produce lasting fruit, so that the Father will give you whatever you ask for, using my name. 17 This is my command: Love each other.
Jesus is showing us here through the teaching to his disciples his plan
We are to accept him
Obey him
And go out and produce fruit
John 15:16a
16 You didn’t choose me. I chose you. I appointed you to go and produce lasting fruit,
There are many out there that use this verse to try a prove some sort of predestination
And remove free will and choice
This is not biblical teaching
What Jesus is saying
Is you were created to be in relationship with God through Christ
He created all people
Choose all people to be his children
And when we accept Christ as savior on our own free will
He signs us
Marks and seals us as his own
And
His plan –for us and our lives begins unfolding
I could get real deep here on Calvinism and Armenisim and Predestination
But that is not where I want to go this morning
Listen
Some of you may be sitting here today simply because someone invited you
Or you felt some sense of obligation
Or one of a hundred other reasons
This is not an accident
God has placed you where he wants you this morning
Using whatever is at his disposal
To get you here
In order to move you towards his plan for you
God has used donkeys in the past--today he uses
Whatever it takes
In order to introduce someone to someone else who knows Jesus
In order for the gospel to reach someone’s ears
So that they can be introduced to Jesus
God uses all types of situations
All types of circumstances
Al types of problems
Whatever it takes
To get us- it the place he wants us to be
At the time he wants us to be there
For the purpose he has for us
So we need to open our eyes’ ears and hearts
We need to rethink
Luck
And circumstance
And happenstance
And be aware of God’s working in our lives
Have you accepted salvation through Jesus Christ?
If not maybe God has orchestrated your being here this morning
Or listening this morning
So you could hear the gospel and make a decision
Maybe the things in your life have been moving you to a place to make life changes in order to move closer to God
Maybe the circumstances and people in your life have been directing you towards a higher calling
Moving you to step out in faith
And move to the next level in ministry
Maybe God has placed you where he wants you to share your story
To tell of your experiences with Jesus
So others might see
You see
Whether you are male or female
Old or young
In God’s eyes and in God’s plans
“You da man
Proverbs 16:9
“We can make our plans,
but the LORD determines our steps.”
He puts us where we need to be at the time he needs us there
In order to accomplish his desires for our lives and the lives of others
How did you get here?
To this place this morning
What can you see God Moving?
And orchestrating to get you where you need to be?
What changes do you need to make
What decisions
Do you understand God’s plans?
They start with salvation
Prosper with obedience
And end with glorification
Close from the heart
Pray
