Sunday Recap for 11/5 – Big Picture Question: What do we learn about God’s character in our struggles?
Sunday, November 5, Evident Grace Fellowship looked at 1 Samuel 16:1-5:
1 The Lord said to Samuel, “How long will you grieve over Saul, since I have rejected him from being king over Israel? Fill your horn with oil, and go. I will send you to Jesse the Bethlehemite, for I have provided for myself a king among his sons.” 2 And Samuel said, “How can I go? If Saul hears it, he will kill me.” And the Lord said, “Take a heifer with you and say, ‘I have come to sacrifice to the Lord.’ 3 And invite Jesse to the sacrifice, and I will show you what you shall do. And you shall anoint for me him whom I declare to you.” 4 Samuel did what the Lord commanded and came to Bethlehem. The elders of the city came to meet him trembling and said, “Do you come peaceably?” 5 And he said, “Peaceably; I have come to sacrifice to the Lord. Consecrate yourselves, and come with me to the sacrifice.” And he consecrated Jesse and his sons and invited them to the sacrifice.
We attempted to answer this Big Picture Question:
What do we learn about God’s character in our struggles?
And we found these 3 answers to our question:
- God struggles with us.
- God calls us to obedience.
- God calls us to worship.
God struggles with us.
1 Samuel 16:1 The Lord said to Samuel, “How long will you grieve over Saul, since I have rejected him from being king over Israel? Fill your horn with oil, and go. I will send you to Jesse the Bethlehemite, for I have provided for myself a king among his sons.”
God comforts Samuel. Samuel is grieving King Saul’s sin, and the impact it is having on the people of God. The Father comforts Samuel. The ultimate example of this is Jesus’ struggle with us as He brought comfort through His life, death, and resurrection.
God calls us to obedience.
1 Samuel 16:2 And Samuel said, “How can I go? If Saul hears it, he will kill me.” And the Lord said, “Take a heifer with you and say, ‘I have come to sacrifice to the Lord.’ 3 And invite Jesse to the sacrifice, and I will show you what you shall do. And you shall anoint for me him whom I declare to you.” 4 Samuel did what the Lord commanded and came to Bethlehem. The elders of the city came to meet him trembling and said, “Do you come peaceably?”
Samuel is afraid that if he anoints David as king, Saul is going to want to kill him. But God calls Samuel to be faithful and obedient. God’s commands are expressions of His character. When we obey, we get to know God better and become more like Him.
God calls us to worship.
1 Samuel 16: 5 And he said, “Peaceably; I have come to sacrifice to the Lord. Consecrate yourselves, and come with me to the sacrifice.” And he consecrated Jesse and his sons and invited them to the sacrifice.
What does God command Saul to do? Worship. We cannot forsake worship in our struggles because it is there we meet God.
Truth: God struggles with us in our troubles as we obey and worship Him.
Application: Live knowing that God works in our struggles as He calls us to love and obey Him.
Action: Prioritize public worship during your struggles so as to see God and the expression of His character (the church) more clearly.