Saul's Hypocrisy - 4/5/09pm

I Samuel 28:3-6 -Saul inquires of God, who does not answer
I Samuel 28:7-10 -Saul consults a medium, regardless of forbidding it
I Samuel 28:11-25 -Samuel appears, tells Saul the outcome of battle
Saul, having outlawed mediums as he should have, goes and consults one. Instead of following what he had rightly said, he plays the hypocrite when it is more convenient. We must cautious not to do the same!

James 3:13-18 -Wisdom from above is without hypocrisy
I Peter 1:22-2:3 -Rid yourself of hypocrisy

Christ upbraided many for their hypocrisy. We see a number of specific occasions which Christ condemned as hypocritical. We must be careful not to fall into the same path.
Matthew 6:1-7 -Hypocritical charity and praying
Matthew 6:16-18 -Hypocritical fasting
Matthew 23:13 -Hypocritically shutting the kingdom against men
Matthew 23:14 -Hypocritical religion of pretense
Matthew 23:15 -Hypocritically seek others
Matthew 23:23-24 -Hypocritically keeping the measurable parts of law
Matthew 23:25-28 -Hypocritically appear clean, with internal uncleanness
Matthew 23:29-30 -Hypocritically ignore lessons

Colossians 3:17 -In word or deed to all in the name of the Lord

One of the issues of hypocrisy is that it is not just an action. As with other things, it comes from the heart. Perhaps we are deliberately working to make others think we are better than we are. Perhaps we are deceiving ourselves that our hypocritical actions are acceptable. Perhaps we do as Saul did, and act different from what we teach when it is convenient. Each time, it speaks of what is truly in our heart.
Matthew 5:8 -Blessed are the pure in heart
Matthew 15:10-20 -What comes out of man, from the heard, defiles him

We know that we will be judged by our actions in the last day. That does not mean that those actions can be hypocritically done, however. Our hearts must be in line with serving the Lord, as well as our deeds.
Psalm 7:9-17 -The Lord justly judges hearts

Give Us a King! - 3/29/09am

I Samuel 8:1-5 -The people ask for a king
I Samuel 8:6-9 -Samuel and God are displeased
I Samuel 8:10-18 -The people are warned what a king will do
I Samuel 8:19-21 -The people refuse to listen
I Samuel 9:1-14 -Saul, looking for donkeys, seeks Samuel
I Samuel 9:15-10:1 -Saul’s humility, anointment as king
I Samuel 13:1-15 -Two years later, Saul is rejected for disobedience
We see Saul, a humble, handsome man, selected to be king over a disobedient people. And the people are happy about it. Yet within two years of Israel following Saul, Saul had sinned to the point that the kingdom was taken from his family by the Lord.

Spiritually, we do the same if we follow a man, instead of Christ. Even if that person teaches Christ and His gospel accurately and properly, we must not be focused on the teacher, but rather on the Word of God.
Matthew 23:6-12 -Be not called rabbi, father, or teacher
Galatians 2:20 -Not I who live, but Christ living in me

No man is our king. God is. We should not follow after men, but after God, and what He says. We should follow after the King.
John 18:33-37 -Jesus is a king and bears witness of the truth
I Timothy 6:13-16 -Jesus Christ, our sovereign, King of kings