The Same As Others

I. EXORDIUM:

Are you trying to imitate the world? or be like somebody else except GOD?

II. AUDIENCE PROFILE:

Believers

III. OBJECTIVES:

To show that we need to imitate GOD and acknowledge GOD as King of kings and Lord of lords

IV. TEXT:

1 Samuel 8:20 (New Living Translation, Second Edition)

“We want to be like the nations around us. Our king will judge us and lead us into battle.”

V. THESIS:

GOD is both our KING of kings, LORD of lords, and our PROTECTION.

VI. TITLE:

The same as others

VII. EXPLICATION:

A. Authors: Samuel (Israel's last greatest judge) - some parts of it, Nathan and Gad (1 Samuel 10:25, 1 Chronicles 29:29) and some say it's Anonymous

1 Samuel 10:25 (New Living Translation, Second Edition)

Then Samuel told the people what the rights and duties of a king were. He wrote them down on a scroll and placed it before the Lord. Then Samuel sent the people home again.

1 Chronicles 29:29 (New Living Translation, Second Edition)

All the events of King David’s reign, from beginning to end, are written in The Record of Samuel the Seer, The Record of Nathan the Prophet, and The Record of Gad the Seer.

B. Purpose of writing: Account of the history of Israel from 12th to 10th B.C.

VIII. MAIN BODY:

A. "We want to be like the nations around us."

1. GOD is our pattern and we copy and imitate GOD not the behavior, system and customs of this world. Copying the world means you love the world and not GOD. Just mere befriending the world will mean earning the title "enemy of GOD"

Romans 12:2 (New Living Translation, Second Edition)

Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.

John 15:19 (New Living Translation, Second Edition)

The world would love you as one of its own if you belonged to it, but you are no longer part of the world. I chose you to come out of the world, so it hates you.

John 17:14 (New Living Translation, Second Edition)

I have given them your word. And the world hates them because they do not belong to the world, just as I do not belong to the world.

James 4:4 (New Living Translation, Second Edition)

You adulterers! Don’t you realize that friendship with the world makes you an enemy of God? I say it again: If you want to be a friend of the world, you make yourself an enemy of God.

B. "Our king... lead us into battle."

1. They don't know GOD is also their King of kings and Lord of lords

Rejection is very destructive attitude, since if you feel another rejecting you, then you will become aloof towards that person and stay away from him, GOD is the same, rejection puts Him away from our lives. But rejection is a fact, if we are rejected because we're carrying the message of the cross, then they have rejected CHRIST too, and thus have rejected GOD.

Matthew 10:40 (New Living Translation, Second Edition)

“Anyone who receives you receives me, and anyone who receives me receives the Father who sent me.

Luke 10:16 (New Living Translation, Second Edition)

Then he said to the disciples, “Anyone who accepts your message is also accepting me. And anyone who rejects you is rejecting me. And anyone who rejects me is rejecting God, who sent me.”

2. They don't notice or accept GOD as their King.

Revelation 19:16 (New Living Translation, Second Edition)

On his robe at his thigh was written this title: King of all kings and Lord of all lords.

Revelation 17:14 (New Living Translation, Second Edition)

Together they will go to war against the Lamb, but the Lamb will defeat them because he is Lord of all lords and King of all kings. And his called and chosen and faithful ones will be with him.”

1 Timothy 6:15 (New Living Translation, Second Edition)

For at just the right time Christ will be revealed from heaven by the blessed and only almighty God, the King of all kings and Lord of all lords.

3. They have rejected GOD as their king. They have chosen their own plan not the good plan GOD has for them and rejected GOD in their lives. That's why King Saul was rejected also as king in the future because of disobedience like Adam and Eve

1 Samuel 8:7 (New Living Translation, Second Edition)

“Do everything they say to you,” the Lord replied, “for it is me they are rejecting, not you. They don’t want me to be their king any longer.

1 Samuel 10:19 (New Living Translation, Second Edition)