I love movies. I love movies because they make me think. No matter what I am going through, I can walk into the theatre and focus on a story other than mine. I see the images and how they paint a story about situations in life. Real situations. Unreal situations. It doesn't matter. For two hours and seven bucks, I get to experience a situation. Just a combination of circumstances; a state of affairs. In which I become lost, engaged in the flashes and personalities that remind me of my world, a world I want no part of, and a world I wished I knew.
Images are telltale signs/random lines from nowhere. And of the telltale signs of our generation is that we are an image based society. Our culture is defined by pictures, movies and the stories that they weave. Ever had a random line hit you from nowhere when you were walking down the street. It happens to me all the time. I see a couple arguing in couple and Bam! "You shut your mouth when you are talking to me!" hits me broadside. Well, some of my favorite movies involve what I call "thinker movies" where an ending scene is shown first and little clues are dropped all over the place to help you figure out all the story developed to make sense. These movies involve us, the audience to take part and see how the people in the story got into the situation they were in.
Let me tell you about the single dumbest thing that I did in my life. I broke up with my wife. What? Let me explain. We were dating for about 1 year and most of our relationship was long distance. She was about 5 hours away in college and I was youth pasturing in her home town. To say the least life was crazy for me at that point. I was deeply involved in my youth ministry and the lives of my students. I was in graduate school. And I really did not have much support as my family and close friends were several hours away in other towns. At that moment of my life, I was caught up in the movement of my life. In my head, I was thinking about all of the other situations where I got caught up in a relationship and made some poor choices and was hurt. I kept thinking of the what ifs, the what happeneds and the what nows. I was having a hard time focusing on the actual relationship as I was kept trying to make sure I would be okay rather than letting the relationship simply develop. Finally, deep down, driving the decisions during this time were two goals: keeping integrity and keeping me unhurt. You see this relationship was different. I made decisions that at that point kept those goals intact. I wasn't all emotional that led to those poor decisions of the past. I focused on establishing a friendship. I let her in, but not in. I kept the relationship at the surface. And the result. No deep emotional attachment. Confusion of the depth of my feelings and the allowance of connection. So I made a decision and broke up with her.
And in some way or another, everyone of us have been involved in a situation, where we identify and walk through our combination of circumstances, our state of affairs of which we are dealing with. The situation of what’s going on in our world, all the stuff flashing through our heads, and the core depths of what is in our hearts. From these we make a decision.
Well, ladies and it is this make up of a decision that we see in 1 Samuel 8. In this chapter, One of the biggest moments in Biblical history occurs that sets the rest of history in motion.
In one decision, the people of God find themselves choose to part with their God.
Scripture reading Slide 3: 1 Samuel 8:1-8 NLT Let's read the story: 1 As Samuel grew old, he appointed his sons to be judges over Israel. 2 Joel and Abijah, his oldest sons, held court in Beersheba. 3 But they were not like their father, for they were greedy for money. They accepted bribes and perverted justice. 4 Finally, the leaders of Israel met at Ramah to discuss the matter with Samuel. 5 "Look," they told him, "you are now old, and your sons are not like you. Give us a king like all the other nations have." 6 Samuel was very upset with their request and went to the LORD for advice. 7 "Do as they say," the LORD replied, "for it is me they are rejecting, not you. They don't want me to be their king any longer. 8 Ever since I brought them from Egypt they have continually forsaken me and followed other gods. And now they are giving you the same treatment.
When we see this situation, many of immediately respond in a shaking our heads moment, some of us even mumbling "If I were there I wouldn't have asked for a king." Well before we make rash judgments, let's slow it down a bit. A few moments ago I shared a story of my separation. And as I spoke, I am willing to bet that my story conjured up relating thoughts to your situations. The influences that have affected you. The thoughts going through your head. The values in your heart from which you decided.
Instead of contrasting what we think we would do based on the known outcome, let's understand what happened in the process of understanding the unknown outlook.
And in each decision of importance there are three factors: We sense our life's situation. We figure our choices through our head situation. We make our decisions because of our heart situation.
So this morning I want to walk through this story to evaluate how we sense our own life's situations, how we figure out our own choices with God through what is going on in our heads and ultimately shed some light that our heart situation determines how we decide.
First, let's look at the situations of our lives through the story of the Israelites.
Point 1: We sense our Life's Situation.
(Read 1 Samuel 1-4) 1.When Samuel grew old, he appointed his sons as judges for Israel. 2 The name of his firstborn was Joel and the name of his second was Abijah, and they served at Beersheba. 3 But his sons did not walk in his ways. They turned aside after dishonest gain and accepted bribes and perverted justice. 4 So all the elders of Israel gathered together and came to Samuel at Ramah.
What's going on here? Now three thousand years later, we have the benefit of knowing that Samuel was the last judge and many other things that the people here did not. So instead of looking at this story from today, let's get in to where they are to really "Get this situation." Samuel has been present in Israel a long time and has been known to be the voice of God and has applied wisdom and authority as being the judge of all the people's affairs. He pretty much kept the tribes together to protect the poor, etc. He was the Supreme Court, the Appeals Court, the district Court. Everything. And it was cool, because everyone knew he was just. Now as he got old, like all of us will notice as we eventually grow old, he simply couldn't travel all over and needed assistance. He appointed his two sons to help him. Joel and Abijah. His boys who watched him as they grew up, and in the tradition of Jewish tradition of the day, they were groomed from day one to follow their father's footsteps. I mean, if ole' Sam was a butcher, the sons would know from day one to apprentice to be a butcher. But..there is always a but, isn't there? His sons did not follow their father. They were not just. They were not fair. The words here show exactly how.
v3: But his sons did not walk in his ways. They turned aside after dishonest gain and accepted bribes and perverted justice.
1. natah betsa "stretch out to profit ...by violence"
2. laqach shachad "take bribes"
3. natah mishpat "bent justice"
Extortion. Bribery. Untrustworthy. The sons of Samuel resembled the mob of our day. They were corrupt. They accepted bribes from those who were rich and decided against those who were poor, those who were innocent. Through relationship or intimidation, they were were paid. Under the influence of their power, they twisted their authority for their own gain and caused crimes through the land of Israel.
And so we see: v4 "So all the elders of Israel gathered together and came to Samuel at Ramah."
At this point: we know a few things: The sons of Samuel were perverting justice. There were the lone authority. The leaders of Israel came to Samuel for help.
The leaders simply took in the situation of their world and saw a cause for response.
There are three moments in the past 80 years where each generation can remember the exact moment of their surroundings at the moment of occurrence.
The attack at Pearl Harbor. The assassination of JFK. The attack of 911. My grandfather once shared with me how he keenly remembered everything about the moment when he heard that we were attacked at Pearl Harbor. How enraged he was, how he remembered, 60 years later, his thoughts, even his exact location and activities. My mom remembers exactly where she was, what she wore, what she was doing when JFK was shot when she heard the news. It was that riveting. That monumental. And I definitely remember the exact moment, I was in my car when I heard the radio announcement. I remember the exact moment when I saw the second plane crash into the WTC on my tv. I remember I was wearing shorts and t-shirt as it was still warm in Louisiana in September. I remember my feelings. My reactions. I remember it all. Why, because these events were simply attacks to people or property. They were attacks against the structure of our society. Our security. Our authority. Our identity. With Pearl Harbor, we realized how connected we were to outside events, We lost our held identity as a isolated, untouchable nation. In 1964, the sacrosanct, pure authority of our government was destroyed with implications of government in house assassination. And finally in 9-11, our security of our nation was destroyed as we were attacked by people, not a government. We could be attacked anyway and anytime.
As I tell my story, I bet that you too are reliving those memories now in some sort of way. I bet you can recall where you were, what you were doing, how this made you feel.
Well if you can relate to these events, you can relate to how the leaders where feeling when they heard that Joel and Abijah were perverting justice in the name of God.
This moment was the Israelites Pearl Harbor, JFK assassination or 911. It was the first time in their lifetimes, that the structure of God was let down. They were lost, scared, confused, but determined to do something. So they went gathered together with the one person they could trust to figure out what to do.
APPLY TO SITUATION: we all have personal situations that we are facing. We all react and respond in our own ways. So we can relate to the situation of these leaders. First of all this morning I brought up arguably the three single events that rocked our nation in the past 100 years. But today I brought these up to conjure our relation to the things in our lives that make us react and respond. This morning, as we mull over these events, lets go deeper and more personal to look at your own unique pearl harbors, JFK assassinations or 9-11 in your lives. What's troubling you? Shaking at your foundational core. Making you question all that make sense? Just for a moment, let the personal struggles come into view as we gather together as believers. Even before I finished that sentence, I know that those thoughts have come to you instantly.
Know this first. Things in life occur that shake us routinely. People do wrong. People follow selfish desires and take from us. Destroy our innocence. Some of us have been betrayed emotionally, intellectually, personally in ways that to even speak of would probably cause more harm in adding the salt on the wounds again. But honestly these are normal in that everyone goes through some sort of situation that hurts us. It definitely doesn't make it right, but I am bringing this up to tell you that you are not alone and that we all are facing our "situations" that rock us together. Because we can all relate somehow.. Know first that everyone in this world. In humanity faces these moments every day. And likewise, when they occur, we, like the leaders of Israel react and respond. We gather together. Call our friends who get us. Sit alone in our cars or houses and scream or think or take a walk or sit down because we don't know what else to do and simply question. Scream or whimper. Yet we question. And I want you to know that these always happen so that we don't get lost in the affairs of this world and the actions of those who follow selfish desires.
Now that we got down to reality and realize that these Israel leaders had a problem to which they responded, we should look at what they were thinking. What was going on in their minds in dealing with their life's situations.
We figure our choices through our head situation.
Lets read verses 5-6 to get a glimpse of what was going on in the minds of Israel's leaders. . READ 1 Samuel 5-6. Slide 12 5 They said to him, "You are old, and your sons do not walk in your ways; now appoint a king to lead us, such as all the other nations have." 6 But when they said, "Give us a king to lead us," this displeased Samuel; so he prayed to the Lord.
Notice the first words of the leaders. They don't talk about Joel and Abijah. They remember Samuel and God's justice and saw a future that of perversion. Samuel was going to die, and his successors were destroying their lives. They also saw the other nations around them. They saw their people being protected, their establishment. And they wanted that. Guys, they didn't want a king. They wanted the justice, safety, authority and identity back...like they had when Samuel was there. That is why they returned to Samuel. But they saw simply that Samuel was old, and would leave them. And the only thing they reminded them of that lost security, authority and identiy was what they saw in the other countries.
What are they thinking? From their words, we see:
"They said to him, "You are old, and your sons do not walk in your ways; now appoint a king to lead us, such as all the other nations have."
1. zaquen "grown old"
2. halak derek "do not follow your ways"
3. suwm melek "appoint a king"
4. shapat kol gowy "to judge like the other nations"
So from these words, we see that Samuel has grown old. That his sons betrayed him and God. They still trusted Samuel to appoint them a leader. That they saw the other nations having what they want. That they want a king, who will set up a system to give justice. Not a person who may betray us. But a system what is of order and seems to not be betrayed by emotions or desires. They are hurt, betrayed. While they still trust Samuel to come to him, they want something different.
At this point: we know some more things: The people were hurting. They remembered the actions that caused their pain. They felt the absence of what God once gave through Samuel. They longed for the prospering that they saw in the other nations.
And so we see: Slide 15: v 6a"But when they said, "Give us a king to lead us,"
Slide 16: The leaders simply filtered their actions through what they sensed to be true rather what they knew to be true.
The hurt and pain that enveloped my choice Remember when I told you about the dumbest decision in my life? How I broke up with my my not-then, but soon to be wife? Well I was thinking a lot of things. I thought of how every other girl broke my heart as the relationship ended. Be it by me or them. How twice I was cheated on. I mean after one year of dating this other girl, a year before Candice and I met, this other girl and I were dating for about a year and she broke up with me for the guy she dated before me. I was the biggest rebound relationship ever. How I remember hurting so much I could taste it. How it actually made me cry so hard, from the emptiness I could actually FEEL in my chest that I considered that evening of taking my life. The only time that ever came through my head. Anything was better than feeling that. I vowed that evening that I would never lead with my heart but my head. To not get wrapped emotionally, but let it develop naturally. I processed my fears, desires, longings of my life. And began to compare these feelings against one another. I was affected by the felt needs of my life. The feelings, experiences, the whole bit. These natural occurrences led me to a decision.
We all have personal emotions which affect us. These emotions become the filters from which we look at things in making decisions. Now this second part we know all too well. We can easily relate and speak about what we feel, experience and go through. We connect to songs, tv, movies that make us think about things we go through. Shoot, the marketing media goes after us on this point of information. Why, because these emotions and desires are the lens through which we filter everything.
Now what feelings are affecting you? What emotions race through your head as you face your issues and situations? Do we first realize that our lives are not robotic and regulated to automatic decisions. No we process every decision through what we feel and go through. So I want to ask you how you are perceiving God and His ways? How has your life's issues affected your view of God. Are you on the brink of decision because of what you sense and feel? As you know God, but also know your situations, which experiences come to the surface? We must recognize these emotions and not reject them. But realize that there is more to the story.
What does Samuel do when confronted with the emotions and desires of the situation?
1 Samuel 8:6b this displeased Samuel; so he prayed to the Lord"
Samuel is affected by his emotions, yet still goes to God.
The underlying truth Samuel is also affected, yet still prays. He doesn't reject what he knows for what he sees or feels. He knows that there is something else going on that makes them come to Samuel, but to reject Samuel’s ways. Remember the people recognized the place of Samuel but still rejected his ways. What is present underneath that makes them choose the way they did?
We make our decisions because of our heart situation.
Lets read verses 7-9 to get a glimpse of what was going on in the hearts of Israel's leaders.
7 "Do as they say," the LORD replied, "for it is me they are rejecting, not you. They don't want me to be their king any longer. 8 Ever since I brought them from Egypt they have continually forsaken me and followed other gods. And now they are giving you the same treatment. Examine 1 Samuel 7-9
Notice God's response. "do what they say." They are rejecting me, not you. Don't take it personal. I am their king. And they don't want me as their king any longer. They have had this rebellion in them from the beginning even when I showed them that I was their king. And now they are doing it to you.
What was the ultimate values that is underneath all the layers of emotion and circumstance? From their words, we see:
"for it is me they are rejecting, not you. They don't want me to be their king any longer. 8 Ever since I brought them from Egypt they have continually forsaken me and followed other gods. And now they are giving you the same treatment.
1. mawas "rejecting"
2. melek "as king"
3. azab "left me"
4. abad acher eloyihim "followed other gods"
So from these words, we see that the people of Israel are rejecting God as king for the kings as had by other nations. They have left him and followed other desires, other gods. And sense they have already left God in worship, Samuel, they are leading me as a literal king. And they are leaving you as my representative. So let them go.
At this point: we see the underlying truth of their decision: They have rejected God. They rejected Him a long time before this current situation. They want a king because their situation caught up with their heart.
And so we see: v 7 "Do as they say," the LORD replied, "for it is me they are rejecting, not you.
The situation of their lives caught up with the situation of their hearts . It was only a matter of time.
The truth about the break up: I ended what could be by what might be. After I broke up with Candice, I drove away and immediately every value that made that decision was immediately weighed and counted in my heart. My values of fear and control outweighed the inner competing desires of relationship and peace spent from knowledge given by God concerning the situation. I rejected what I knew to be, to what I held to be. My life caught up to the underlying fears that I held within. It was only a matter of time.
I ended what could be for the fear of what might be.
It is a matter of time. What are you ending that could be for fear of what might be?. Now this final part is the most scariest, yet the most tangible. The preemptive strike. Get you before you get me. The fear of being hurt again, of losing control again settles within and causes to deny what is and what could be in the unknown for what might be that can be seen. We turn against God because He is not "here" for the things that are. We deny our liberator because the signs pointing to Him are missing. And we grasp our bondage again because we see relief in view. Let's not reject what we know to be true for what seems to be true. What we feel and sense are real and legitimate, but why should what we experience deny what is true. The Israelites did not remember God and give Him a chance to respond. They saw another answer. Will you too forget Him for the answers of the world or self? Since they saw it from afar, they didn't know the consequences of such a choice and rather I say neither do we.
CONCLUSION: Seeing where our heart goes.
I understand that there are situations you are facing that are very real and felt. They are so close to you that you can’t help but notice. I also understand that there are feelings and desires and goals that you have in the midst of these situations. Some confronting, some that run parallel to these life situations. And I also understand that underneath all these layers of perception and felt emotion are basic tenets of truth that we each believe. As believers, it is our faith in Christ. As people, it is the need for connection, security and identity. We believe that Christ meets these needs. Now my question for you as a church and as people here is where does your heart lie? Is it just a matter of time before your life catches up with the doubts of your heart?
We cannot leave these areas open in our heart. This is the repentance that we seek, the change that needs to change us from the inside out. The Israelite leaders traded God for a human king and suffered the consequences of the inadequacies of humanity in charge. Christ came and retook the throne after the kingdom was defeated.
Look at these words as what it means for us:
(2 Timothy 2:8-12) 8 Remember Jesus Christ, risen from the dead, descendant of David, according to my gospel, 9 for which I suffer hardship even to imprisonment as a criminal; but the word of God is not imprisoned. 10 For this reason I endure all things for the sake of those who are chosen, so that they also may obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus and with it eternal glory. 11 It is a trustworthy statement: For if we died with Him, we will also live with Him; 12 If we endure, we will also reign with Him; If we deny Him, He also will deny us; 13 If we are faithless, He remains faithful, for He cannot deny Himself.
Through Christ we will have the opportunity reign with Him, victorious over sin, death and the grave. No more pain, no more suffering. We are commissioned as emissaries and the reflection of His grace to minister to those in need. Yet, we get affronted by the negativity of our lives and the inadequacies of our feelings against these things and we stall. We don't minister, we don't allow Christ to work in us and through us. We regulate our ministry to those called "ministers." When we all have been commissioned to love and serve one another. All have been called to share the Gospel.
In my personal life, I was left with a decision. One which I rectified and realized that the values within of knowing that God placed her in my life and that I could trust Him with the deep things of my heart. I changed my situation with the truth of God and here I am now, married and knowing with full peace that God is in control.
So we, too as Christians, are left with a decision like the Israelite leaders. We, like them are faced with situations, with feelings that accompany them. But do we also have the have the abandonment that also accompanies them? They left God long ago, now wanting relief in the modes and methods of those who do not know God. Have you?
I am speaking to you today not as a minister or a preacher, but as a fellow Christian. I will not reach Georgia Southern or Statesboro. You will. God is calling you to lead together at this time of the unknown. But you cannot minister together if today you have abandoned the truth of God in the midst of the situation you are facing. Be it personal or as a corporate body of believers, this morning I am asking you to evaluate what's going in your heart. You know what is going on in your head and life. But your heart? This morning you have the choice to know for sure if your choices are based on relying on God in the unknown or seeking out known possibilities in the face of adversity? As you spend these moments evaluating your thoughts and situation, where do you stand? If it is one of abandonment of those things that you know as true, will you be courageous enough to respond at His call? If it is one where you know you have been faithful, are you courageous enough to stand up and be lead when those around you may be not as strong?