Ekklesia Muskogee

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1 Samuel

The Prophet, the Priest, and the King

WHAT A GRACIOUS MOTHER LOOKS LIKE: 1 Samuel 1:21-28

August 28, 2022 • Brett Baggett • 1 Samuel 1:21–28

BIG IDEA: What a gracious mother looks like. A WORD TO EACH OF YOU IN YOUR DIFFERENT SEASONS AND SITUATIONS: Girls and young women, you need to know what a gracious mother looks like so you can aim to be one someday. Boys and young men, you need to know what a gracious mother looks like so you can aim to marry one someday. Would-be mothers, you need to know what a gracious mother looks like so you can pray and prepare now for the day when you have children. Physical Mothers, you with those in your physical care, you need to know what a gracious mother looks like so you can examine yourself, be exhorted to faithfulness, and so be comforted by the Scriptures. Spiritual Mothers, you with those in your spiritual care, you need to know what a gracious mother looks like so you can examine yourself, be exhorted to faithfulness, and so be comforted by the Scriptures. Would-be husbands, you need to know what a gracious mother looks like so you choose a godly woman to marry who will aim to be a gracious mother. Would-be fathers, you need to know what a gracious mother looks like so you can pray and help your wife prepare to be a gracious mother. Fathers, you need to know what a gracious mother looks like so you can help your wife examine yourself, help exhort her to faithfulness, and help comfort her by the Scriptures. I. A GRACIOUS MOTHER WORKS AS THE HELPMATE OF HER HUSBAND TO SEE THAT THEIR CHILDREN LOVE AND SERVE THE LORD (1 Samuel 1:21-23a) “The man Elkanah and all his house went up to offer to the LORD the yearly sacrifice and to pay his vow. But Hannah did not go up, for she said to her husband, ‘As soon as the child is weaned, I will bring him, so that he may appear in the presence of the LORD and dwell there forever.’ Elkanah her husband said to her, ‘Do what seems best to you; wait until you have weaned him; only, may the LORD establish his word.’” Elkanah it seems had also made a vow, possibly before Hannah, but it is more likely he ratified her vow, even making his own. If he would have been so inclined, he could have vetoed his wife’s vow, but he did not (Numbers 30). By the way, Matthew Henry has an encouraging word for mothers concerning this passage: “Those that are detained from public ordinances by the nursing and tending of little children may take comfort from this instance, and believe that, if they do that with an eye to God, he will graciously accept them therein.” II. A GRACIOUS MOTHER DOES ALL SHE CAN TO SEE THAT HER CHILDREN LOVE AND SERVE THE LORD (1 Samuel 1:22). “But Hannah did not go up, for she said to her husband, ‘As soon as the child is weaned, I will bring him, so that he may appear in the presence of the LORD and dwell there forever.’” Matthew Poole notes, “‘[As soon as the child be weaned]’ not only from the breast and the milk, which was done within two or three years at most, but also from the mother's knee and care, and from childish food; till the child be something grown up, and fit to do some service in the tabernacle, for, it seems, that as soon as he was brought up, he worshipped God, 1 Samuel 1:28, and presently after ministered to Eli, 1 Samuel 2:11. And this may further appear from the very nature of the vow, which must needs design a service and an advantage to the tabernacle, and not a burden and encumbrance, as it would have been if a young child had been brought up to it, and left upon it.” I think Poole is correct, but either way we know Hannah was committed to doing all she could to see that Samuel loved and served the Lord. Spurgeon preached, “You are as much serving God in looking after your own children, and training them up in God's fear, and minding the house, and making your household a church for God, as you would be if you had been called to lead an army to battle for the Lord of hosts.” III. A GRACIOUS MOTHER WILL NOT WILLINGLY LET ANOTHER BRING UP HER CHILDREN; SHE TAKES UP THAT DUTY HERSELF (1 Samuel 1:23b) “So the woman remained and nursed her son until she weaned him.” Matthew Henry said, “The close attendance Hannah gave to the nursing of him, not only because he was dear to her, but because he was devoted unto God, and for [God] she nursed him. She therefore nursed him herself, and did not the hang him on another's breast. . . This sanctifies the nursing of them, when it is done as unto the Lord.” C.S. Lewis wrote, “Children are not a distraction from more important work. They are the most important work.” He is right. Mothers and would-be mothers, as your husbands helpmate, it is your duty to train your children up in: I) Personal Stewardship, by buffeting your body and making it your slave. II) Bodily Stewardship, by using the body God has given you, fueling, exerting, and resting it for His glory; III) Familial Stewardship, by proving and protecting; IV) Financial Stewardship, by earning, budgeting, staying free from debt, saving, and investing; V) Creational Stewardship, by being fruitful and taking dominion; VI) Vocational Stewardship, on how to glorify the Lord in vocation whether as a man outside the home or a women in the home; VII) Marital Stewardship, by boys being trained how to be men who love their wives, and by girls being trained how to be women who submit to the husbands, loving their husband and their children; VIII) Chronological Stewardship, on how to make the best use of the time; IX) Relational Stewardship, on how to treat older men, younger men, younger women, and older women; and, finally, X) Spiritual Stewardship, on private, family, and public worship. IV. A GRACIOUS MOTHER OFFERS HER CHILDREN TO THE LORD BY FAITH IN THE LORD’S SACRIFICE (1 Samuel 1:24-25). “And when she had weaned him, she took him up with her, along with a three-year-old bull, an ephah of flour, and a skin of wine, and she brought him to the house of the LORD at Shiloh. And the child was young. Then they slaughtered the bull, and they brought the child to Eli.” Matthew Henry said, “So far was she from thinking that, by presenting her son to God, she made God her debtor, that she thought it requisite by these slain offerings to seek God's acceptance of her living sacrifice. All our covenants with God for ourselves and ours must be made by sacrifice, the great sacrifice.” V. A GRACIOUS MOTHER KNOWS THAT HER CHILDREN ARE A GIFT FROM THE LORD, THEREFORE SHE OFFERS THEM BACK TO HIM FOR HIS GLORY (1 Samuel 1:26-28a). “And she said, ‘Oh, my lord! As you live, my lord, I am the woman who was standing here in your presence, praying to the LORD. For this child I prayed, and the LORD has granted me my petition that I made to him. Therefore I have lent him to the LORD. As long as he lives, he is lent to the LORD." VI. A GRACIOUS MOTHER’S GREATEST DESIRE FOR HER CHILDREN IS THAT THEY WORSHIP THE LORD FOR HIS GLORY AND THEIR GOOD (1 Samuel 1:28b). “And he worshiped the LORD there.” APPLICATION I) USE THESE TRUTHS FOR EXAMINATION. Mothers, are you a gracious mother? What ways do you need to repent? In what ways do you need to press on? Children, do you have a gracious mother? Then thank God for her, and tell her how thankful you are for her. “Her children rise up and call her blessed” (Proverbs 31:28a). Fathers, is your wife a gracious mother? Then thank God for her, and tell her how thankful you are for her. “Her husband also, and he praises her” (Proverbs 31:28b). Fathers, is your wife a not gracious mother? Then pray and get to work for God’s glory. You are responsible. You are the head. Girls, young women, and grown women, do you or did you not have a gracious mother? Then earnestly seek out a spiritual mother in the church. Seek out a godly woman who can be a gracious spiritual mother to you. You women who are not new or immature in the faith, who can you be a gracious mother to, spiritually speaking? II) USE THESE TRUTHS FOR EXHORTATION. Mothers and would-be mothers, I) work as the helpmate of your husband to see that your children love and serve the Lord (vv. 21-23a), II) do all you can to see that your children love and serve the Lord (v. 22), III) do not willingly let another bring up your children; do whatever you must to take up that duty yourself (v. 23b), IV) offer your children to the Lord by faith in the Lord’s sacrifice—do all that you do by faith in Christ, and depending on Him for His help by the Holy Spirit (v. 24-25), V) realize your children are a gift from the LORD, therefore offer them back to Him for His glory (vv. 26-28a), and VI) remember your greatest desire for your children should be that they worship the Lord for His glory and their good (v. 28b). If that is not your true desire, but you would rather see them successful as the world deems it, or desirable as culture dictates, or something else, confess that to God now and ask Him to change your desires for your children. III) USE THESE TRUTHS FOR COMFORT. Mothers, Do you see these desires Hannah has for Samuel? I know you most likely feel that you fail repeatedly, but are your desires the desires of a gracious mother? Are you aiming at bringing up your children to love and serve the Lord, though you stumble in many ways? Take heart. These desires and aims are signs of God’s abundant grace toward you in Christ. All of you believers, see the love a gracious mother has for her children; see Hannah nursing Samuel with tender care, see her presenting her son to the Lord by sacrifice, see her taking pleasure in him as he worships the Lord! Then look at Christ Jesus and see that he has done all of this for you. Believers, Christ loves you with a tender love, like that of a nursing mother. “Zion said, "The Lord has forsaken me; my Lord has forgotten me." "Can a woman forget her nursing child, that she should have no compassion on the son of her womb? Even these may forget, yet I will not forget you. Behold, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands” (Isaiah‬ 49:14-16). Saints, Christ presents you to the LORD by sacrifice. “And you, who once were alienated and hostile in mind, doing evil deeds, [Christ] has now reconciled in his body of flesh by his death, in order to present you holy and blameless and above reproach before him” (Colossians 1:21-22). Beloved, Christ takes pleasure in his people especially as they worship him. “Let them praise his name with dancing, making melody to him with tambourine and lyre! For the Lord takes pleasure in his people; he adorns the humble with salvation. Let the godly exult in glory; let them sing for joy on their beds” (Psalm 149:4-5). All unbelievers and fake believers, go to Jesus Christ by repentance and faith and you will be received by him with this kind of tender compassion. We want you to be saved! Come and talk to any of us. You need to be baptized, showing your faith is in Christ Jesus alone to save you and rule you. “All who believe in Him will never be put to shame” (Romans 10:11).

WHAT A THEOLOGICAL WOMAN LOOKS LIKE: 1 Samuel 2:1-10

September 4, 2022 • Brett Baggett • 1 Samuel 2:1–10

BIG IDEA: What a theological woman looks like. I. A THEOLOGICAL WOMAN KNOWS THE LORD, THEREFORE SHE REJOICES IN HIM (1 Samuel 2:1a). “And Hannah prayed and said, ‘My heart exults in the LORD; my horn is exalted in the LORD.’” Think, believer, of all the reasons you have to rejoice in the LORD. You have been given to Christ before the foundation of the world in election; you have been given a flawless Bible which makes God’s will known to us. You have been given a perfect Christ; a tender Christ to cherish you, a strong Christ to defend you, a suffering Christ to cleanse you, a raised Christ to resurrect you, an interceding Christ to plead for you, a ruling Christ to lead you, a reigning Christ to defend you, a returning Christ to perfect you. You have been given a comforter in the Holy Spirit; a sealing Holy Spirit, an empowering Holy Spirit, a fruit-producing Holy Spirit, a sustaining Holy Spirit. You have been given a perfect righteousness, forgiveness of sins, precious promises, a perfect Law, a future and a hope. You have been given a fellowship of believers; saints who love you, and pastors who care for you. You have been given the most precious promise of all: “I will come again and take you to be with me, so that where I am you may be also” (John 14:3). If you and I would think, saints, we would have great reasons to rejoice in the Lord! Now look at Hannah again and test yourself by what we learn from her. Are you like Hannah or are you like the nine lepers who did not thank Christ? “Then Jesus answered, ‘Were not ten cleansed? Where are the nine?’” (Luke 17:17). II. A THEOLOGICAL WOMAN KNOWS THE LORD, THEREFORE SHE CAN LAUGH IN THE FACE OF HER ENEMIES (1 Samuel 2:1b). “My mouth derides my enemies, because I rejoice in your salvation.” III. A THEOLOGICAL WOMAN KNOWS THE THRICE HOLY LORD AND SHE RESTS IN HIM AS HER ROCK (1 Samuel 2:2). “There is none holy like the LORD: for there is none besides you; there is no rock like our God.” What does Hannah mean when she says “There is not holy like the LORD”? She means what the means in 1 John 1:5: “God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.” John MacArthur rightly points out, “God’s holiness is His inherent and absolute greatness, in which He is perfectly distinct above everything outside Himself and is absolutely morally separate from sin.” Edward Leigh says, “Holiness is the beauty of all God’s attributes, without which his wisdom would be but subtlety, his justice cruelty, his Sovereignty tyranny, his mercy foolish pity.” The Hebrew and Greek words for holy mean “altogether separate.” The Scriptures continually bear witness to the holiness of God. “And one called to another and said: ‘Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts; the whole earth is full of his glory!’” (Is. 6:3). “Day and night [the angels] never cease to say, ’Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord God Almighty, who was and is and is to come!’” (Rev. 4:8). Commenting on these passages, R.C. Sproul wrote, “Only once in sacred Scripture is an attribute of God elevated to the third degree. Only once is a characteristic of God mentioned three times in succession. The Bible says that God is holy, holy, holy. Not that He is merely holy, or even holy, holy. He is holy, holy, holy. The Bible never says that God is love, love, love; or mercy, mercy, mercy; or wrath, wrath, wrath; or justice, justice, justice. It does say that he is holy, holy, holy, that the whole earth is full of His glory.” In A Body of Divinity, Thomas Watson points out four specifics concerning God’s holiness: “I. God is intrinsically holy... his very being is made up of holiness, as light is of the essence of the sun.... II. God is primarily holy. He is the original and pattern of holiness. Holiness began with him who is the Ancient of Days. III. God is efficiently holy. He is the cause of all that is holiness in others. . .All the holiness we have, is but a crystal stream from this fountain. . . IV. God is transcendently holy. . . No angel in heaven can measure the dimensions of God's holiness. The highest seraphim is too low of stature to measure these pyramids.” God the Father is holy. “Holy Father” (John 17:11). God the Spirit is holy. “The Holy Spirit” (John 14:26). God the Son is holy. “You will not let your Holy One see corruption” (Psalm 16:10; Acts 13:35). Thomas Brooks rightly said, “Holiness in angels and saints is but a quality, but in God it is His essence.” Because He is holy in essence, everything that proceeds from God is holy. God’s works are holy (Ex. 15:11; Ps. 145:17); God’s written word is holy (Rom. 1:2); God’s commands are holy (Rom. 7:2); God’s promises are holy (Ps. 105:42); and God’s covenant is holy (Luke 1:72). IV. A THEOLOGICAL WOMAN KNOWS HER LORD IS ALL-KNOWING, AND SHE HUMBLES HERSELF UNDER HIS JUDGEMENTS (1 Samuel 2:3). “Talk no more so very proudly, let not arrogance come from your mouth; for the LORD is a God of knowledge, and by him actions are weighed.” V. A THEOLOGICAL WOMAN KNOWS HER LORD OPPOSES THE PROUD BUT GIVES GRACE TO THE HUMBLE (1 Samuel 2:4-5). “The bows of the mighty are broken, but the feeble bind on strength. Those who were full have hired themselves out for bread, but those who were hungry have ceased to hunger. The barren has borne seven, but she who has many children is forlorn.” VI. A THEOLOGICAL WOMAN KNOWS HER LORD IS SOVEREIGN OVER DEATH AND LIFE (1 Samuel 2:6). “The LORD kills and brings to life; he brings down to Sheol and raises up.” VII. A THEOLOGICAL WOMAN KNOWS HER LORD IS SOVEREIGN OVER THE STATIONS OF MEN (1 Samuel 2:7-8a). “The LORD makes poor and makes rich; he brings low and he exalts. He raises up the poor from the dust; he lifts the needy from the ash heap to make them sit with princes and inherit a seat of honor.” VIII. A THEOLOGICAL WOMAN KNOWS HER LORD IS PROVIDENTIALLY WORKING IN ALL THINGS FOR HIS GLORY (1 Samuel 2:8b). “For the pillars of the earth are the LORD’s, and on them he has set the world.” IX. A THEOLOGICAL WOMAN KNOWS HER LORD WILL PRESERVE HIS SAINTS (1 Samuel 2:9a). “He will guard the feet of his faithful ones.” X. A THEOLOGICAL WOMAN KNOWS HER LORD WILL CUT OFF THE WICKED, BREAKING IN PIECES HIS ADVERSARIES (1 Samuel 2:9b-10a). “but the wicked shall be cut off in darkness, for not by might shall a man prevail. The adversaries of the LORD shall be broken to pieces; against them he will thunder in heaven.” Oh! see why you and I need a bleeding Savior. Christ was cut off in darkness and broken to pieces for sinners, so that we who believe would be safe in the light of the LORD’s face. XI. A THEOLOGICAL WOMAN KNOWS HER LORD WILL ESTABLISH JUSTICE IN THE EARTH THROUGH HIS STRONG AND ANOINTED KING (1 Samuel 2:10b). “The LORD will judge the ends of the earth; he will give strength to his king and exalt the horn of his anointed.” CONCLUSION: Press on to know the LORD! Know the Lord through reading, hearing, and understanding the Scriptures; through prayer; through meditation on the Word; through memorizing the Word; through obeying the Word; through proclaiming the Word to others. Press on to know the Lord through the Scriptures and you will be a theological person, stable and steadfast.

WHAT WORTHLESS MEN LOOK LIKE: 1 Samuel 2:11-26

September 11, 2022 • Brett Baggett • 1 Samuel 2:11–26

I. Worthless men may know about the Lord, but they do not know the Lord (1 Samuel 2:12b). II. Worthless men create customs according to their own desires rather than submitting to the Law of the Lord (1 Samuel 2:13-14). III. Worthless men insist on their own way and hate reproof (1 Samuel 2:15-16). IV. Worthless men disrespect the sacrifice of the Lord (1 Samuel 2:17). V. Worthless men use women, rather than honor them for the Lord’s glory and their good (1 Samuel 2:22). VI. Worthless men may find themselves eventually handed over to hardness of heart and to destruction (1 Samuel 2:25). INTRODUCTION: All of Scripture is profitable. This passage of Scripture, 1 Samuel 2:11-26, is profitable as a negative example. It is helpful in seeing what to avoid. CONTEXT: Look at 1 Samuel 2:11-12a: “Then Elkanah went home to Ramah. And the boy was ministering to the LORD in the presence of Eli the priest. Now the sons of Eli were worthless men.” In this chapter, the sons of Eli are the main focus but the writer keeps interjecting little summaries about the boy Samuel, whom God is going to raise up as a Prophet and Judge for His people. You have seen it already in verses 11-12, but look at verse 18: “Samuel was ministering before the Lord, a boy clothed with a linen ephod.” Now look at the end of verse 21: “And the boy Samuel grew in the presence of the Lord.” Look again at verse 26: “Now the boy Samuel continued to grow both in stature and in favor with the Lord and also with man.” We are meant to compare and contrast the worthless sons of Eli with the godly boy Samuel. Lord willing we will focus on the sons of Eli today, Samuel next Lord’s Day, and Eli the week after that. BIG IDEA: What worthless men look like. MEN, these are the character traits and actions you and I are to watch out for in ourselves and repent of if any of these hit close to home. Even in Christ, the old man still rages in your flesh for now. You will see a worthless man inside of your chest until your glorification, therefore you must put him continually to death. If these marks of Worthless Men hit you, men, I) Flee to Christ and Him crucified for the forgiveness of sins and cleansing through His blood, and II) Run to to God in praying, petitioning Him for help, so that you may put these worthless ways to death by the Spirit. GIRLS, YOUNG WOMEN, AND UNMARRIED WOMEN, these are the character traits and actions of men who are not worth your time. Avoid these kinds of men. BOYS AND YOUNG MEN, these sons of Eli are worthless men—you should not want to be like them. Learn from them how not to act. MARRIED WOMEN, if you find yourself married to a worthless man, pray. Pray and continue to serve the Lord faithfully, and may the Lord God mercifully change his heart. Why does this matter? Because eternal life and death is at stake. Worthless men, if they do not repent and go to Christ in faith, will be put to death by the Lord and suffer under his righteous judgement and wrath forever in hell. On their way to hell, worthless men falsely portray Christ, pervert the worship of God, disrespect Christ crucified, use women, and dishonor their parents, wreaking havoc on all who are around them. I. WORTHLESS MEN MAY KNOW ABOUT THE LORD, BUT THEY DO NOT KNOW THE LORD (1 Samuel 2:12b). “They did not know the LORD.” Almost every time God points out a worthless man in the Scriptures, they are professed believers. Why? Because the worst kind of wicked man is the kind who professes to be righteous. The worst kind of worthless man is the one who outwardly seems to serve the Lord but inwardly serves himself. The worst kind of fruit is the kind that looks delightful to the eyes but inside it is full of maggots. Take notice: Worthless men, like the sons of Eli, may know about the Lord, they may even be ministers, but they do not know the Lord. They may be able to speak about the light, but their is no light in them. A worthless man may be able to tell you every petition of the Lord’s Prayer, but he does not want to pray himself because he does not love the Lord nor think he needs His mercy. A worthless man may be able to tell you every one of the Ten Commandments, but he does not want to obey a single one of them out of love for God, because he does not know the Lord. A worthless man may be able to tell you all there is to know from the Scriptures about God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit, but he has no child-like love for the Father, no trust in Christ’s righteousness and sacrifice, no sealing or strength from the Holy Spirit because he knows about the Lord but does not know the Lord by grace through faith. A worthless man may be knowledgeable in the doctrines of the gospel, but he does not rest in those promises; they may know of Christ’s passive and active obedience, but they are not clothed in His righteousness nor forgiven of their sin by faith in Him; they may know of the reliability of Christ’s resurrection, but they have no resurrection power in them; they may know of Christ’ ascension, but He is not their Advocate; they may know of Christ’s conquering of the nations through His gospel, but they do not submit to His merciful rule; they may know of Christ’s eminent return to judge the living and the dead, but that day will be a sad day for them. Are you like a worthless man in this regard? Experience must never be divorced from knowledge, but knowledge also must never be divorced from experience. USE THIS TRUTH FOR INSTRUCTION: It is not enough to know about the Lord! You must come to know the Lord personally by faith in Jesus Christ. You must not only know of God the Father; you must be adopted by Him and know Him as your Father through Christ. You cannot merely know Christ is the Savior and King; you must come to know Him by trusting Him as your Savior and submitting to Him as your King. You need to make sure you do not settle for knowing about what God the Holy Spirit does and does not do; you need to press on to know by experience who God the Holy Spirit in His sealing, strengthening, sustaining, savoring, and fruit-bringing grace. Worthless men may know about the Lord, but godly men and women and boys and girls know the Lord God Himself by faith in Christ Jesus, and they press on to know Him more in all of His excellencies. USE THIS TRUTH FOR EXHORTATION: You and I must press on to commune with God through prayer, reading the Word, hearing the Word, the Lord’s Supper, Christian fellowship, obedience, grateful worship, and all the other ordinary means of grace! Labor and pray to get a heart like the Bride in Song of Solomon, who says, “The voice of my beloved! Behold, he comes, leaping over the mountains, bounding over the hills” (Song. 2:8). II. WORTHLESS MEN CREATE CUSTOMS ACCORDING TO THEIR OWN DESIRES RATHER THAN SUBMITTING TO THE LAW OF THE LORD (1 Samuel 2:13-14). “The custom of the priests with the people was that when any man offered sacrifice, the priest's servant would come, while the meat was boiling, with a three-pronged fork in his hand, and he would thrust it into the pan or kettle or cauldron or pot. All that the fork brought up the priest would take for himself. This is what they did at Shiloh to all the Israelites who came there.” “There was no such rule or regulation given by God; but these sons of Eli had made rules for themselves” (Charles Spurgeon). Worthless men turn off the pure light of God’s commandments, so that they may be in the darkness of their own desires. Christ, in His earthly ministry, encountered worthless men and he speaks about them in Matthew 15:6-9: Christ says to them, “For the sake of your tradition you have made void the word of God. You hypocrites! Well did Isaiah prophesy of you, when he said: ‘This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me; in vain do they worship me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.’” Do you have traditions or customs in your own life that are, in reality, in opposition to the Law of God? Paul encountered worthless men, and he speaks of them in Philippians 3:18-19: “For many, of whom I have often told you and now tell you even with tears, walk as enemies of the cross of Christ. Their end is destruction, their god is their belly, and they glory in their shame, with minds set on earthly things.” Is your god your belly? Do you glory in your shame? Is your mind set on earthly things? Worthless men create customs and traditions according to their own desires, but godly men and women and boys and girls try their best to submit to the perfect commandments and desires of the Lord. The godly want to submit to Christ Jesus, because He loves us and gave Himself up for the us the cross! “[Christ] died for all, that those who live might no longer live for themselves but for him who for their sake died and was raised” (2 Cor. 5:15). III. WORTHLESS MEN INSIST ON THEIR OWN WAY, AND HATE REPOOF (1 Samuel 2:15-16). “Moreover, before the fat was burned, the priest's servant would come and say to the man who was sacrificing, ‘Give meat for the priest to roast, for he will not accept boiled meat from you but only raw.’ And if the man said to him, ‘Let them burn the fat first, and then take as much as you wish,’ he would say, ‘No, you must give it now, and if not, I will take it by force.’” This is not love for God nor love for neighbor. “Love does not insist on its own way” (1 Cor. 13:5). The sons of Eli should have rejoiced at the reproof of the worshippers, who said, “Let them burn the fat first” (1 Sam. 2:16), but they hated reproof and continued to insist on their own way, further revealing their worthlessness and stupidity. “Whoever loves discipline loves knowledge, but he who hates reproof is stupid” (Prov. 12:1). Worthless men hate reproof and knowledge because they are wise in their own eyes, like a blind man who hates the idea of seeing because he thinks it better to be ignorant and stumbling. Worthless men insist on their own way and hate reproof, but godly men and women and boys and girls insist on the Lord’s way. When the godly hear reproof, though it may sting, they love discipline so that they may live holy lives for God’s glory. How about you? Do you insist on your own way? Do you hate reproof? Remember how the sons of Eli end up because they insisted on their own way and would not listen when the people corrected them. IV. WORTHLESS MEN DISRESPECT THE SACRIFICE OF THE LORD (1 Sam. 2:17). “Thus the sin of the young men was very great in the sight of the LORD, for the men treated the offering of the LORD with contempt.” All the sacrifices were shadows of Christ and him crucified, they all pointed to the Savior. The sons of Eli disrespected the sacrifices of shadow, and their sin was very great in the eyes of the LORD. Since God hated their disrespecting of the shadow of Christ’s sacrifice, what do you think he thinks of you and I if we disrespect the body of Christ’s sacrifice? “Anyone who has set aside the law of Moses dies without mercy on the evidence of two or three witnesses. How much worse punishment, do you think, will be deserved by the one who has trampled underfoot the Son of God, and has profaned the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified, and has outraged the Spirit of grace? For we know him who said, ‘Vengeance is mine; I will repay.’ And again, ‘The Lord will judge his people.’ It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God” (Heb. 10:28-31). USE THIS TRUTH FOR EXAMINATION. Do you disrespect the cross of Christ or do you strive to glory in Christ crucified for sinners like you and me? Do you take your sin lightly because you think something like, “It is not a big deal! Jesus died for sinners, so I can never be condemned for this that I am about to do”? Thomas Watson rightly said, “To sin because mercy abounds is the devil’s logic.” One way to see if you disrespect the offering of the Lord is to examine how you treat the Lord’s Supper. Do you examine yourself before coming? Do you confess and repent of any known sin? Do you think about Christ crucified and exercise faith in Him? Do you delight to partake of the bread and the cup because Christ instituted this for our good and His glory? Do you rejoice that we get to proclaim Christ’s death in this way? Worthless men disrespect the sacrifice of the Lord, but godly men and women and boys and girls boast in nothing but Christ and Him crucified! Because Christ and Him crucified is our only hope and our greatest joy! V. WORTHLESS MEN USE WOMEN, RATHER THAN HONOR THEM FOR THE LORD’S GLORY AND THEIR GOOD (1 Sam. 2:22). “Now Eli was very old, and he kept hearing all that his sons were doing to all Israel, and how they lay with the women who were serving at the entrance to the tent of meeting.” QUESTION. How do worthless men use women? ANSWER. Some worthless men use women physically, some mentally, some emotionally. Worthless men use women, but godly men honor them for the Lord’s glory and their good. How about you? VI. WORTHLESS MEN MAY FIND THEMSELVES EVENTUALLY HANDED OVER TO HARDNESS OF HEART AND TO DESTRUCTION (1 Sam. 2:25). “If someone sins against a man, God will mediate for him, but if someone sins against the LORD, who can intercede for him?” But they would not listen to the voice of their father, for it was the will of the LORD to put them to death.” “They had gone so far in their sin that the Lord permitted them to go further still, and to bring punishment upon themselves for their evil deeds” (Charles Spurgeon). “For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened. . . Therefore God gave them up” (Rom. 1:21, 24). Worthless men harden their heart against God, and there comes a point when God Himself will give them what they want and complete the hardening. It is a fearful thing for God to give the ungodly what they want! Fearful, but just. USE THIS TRUTH FOR WARNING. If you reject Christ today, you may never get another chance. If you harden your heart against the Lord, He may give you what you want and complete the hardening. Go to Christ today! Repent. Trust Christ. Submit to Him. Be baptized. Become a part of the Church. Look at the sons of Eli in 1 Samuel 2:11-26 and let that warn you to flee to Christ before it is too late. USE THIS TRUTH, BELIEVER, FOR COMFORT. Look at the first part of verse 25 again. Know this and be comforted: If you are united to Christ by faith in Him, you have a better priest than Eli! You have the perfect God-man, the Son of God Himself, as your High Priest who makes peace between you and God. “Who shall bring any charge against God's elect? It is God who justifies. Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised—who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?” (Rom. 8:33-35). USE THIS TRUTH, CHRISTIAN, FOR THANKSGIVING. Look again at the end of verse 25: “it was the will of the LORD to put them to death.” This is what I deserve. This is what you deserve. But now, belonging to Christ, we know this not what we received from the Lord. “God has not destined us for wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Thess. 5:9). Beloved, the sons of Eli could never again repent, but you and I who believe can never again fall away. No matter what you are suffering, if you belong to Christ, “God has not destined you for wrath, but to obtain salvation through Jesus Christ” (1 Thess. 5:9). Oh how thankful we believers should be that God did not hand us over to our worthlessness, but made us alive together with Christ for now and eternity! If you are not united to Christ, repent, believe, be baptized. If you are in Christ, show your thankfulness now in holy worship, feasting, and fellowship!

WHAT A GODLY CHILD LOOKS LIKE: 1 Samuel 2:11-26

September 18, 2022 • Brett Baggett • 1 Samuel 2:11–26

THEME: What a godly child looks like. I. A GODLY CHILD WORSHIPS THE LORD. “Then Elkanah went home to Ramah. And the boy was ministering to the LORD in the presence of Eli the priest” (1 Samuel 2:11). This is in contrast to Eli’s worthless sons who did not know the LORD. John Gill: “[Samuel] not only read in the book of the law, but learned to sing the praises of God vocally, and to play upon an instrument of music used in the service of God in those times, and to light the lamps in the tabernacle, and open and shut the doors of it, and the like; which were suitable to his age.” I) You and I worship the Lord by using the gifts and abilities He has given us to serve one another. “As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God's varied grace: whoever speaks, as one who speaks oracles of God; whoever serves, as one who serves by the strength that God supplies—in order that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ. To him belong glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen” (1 Peter 4:10-11). II) You and I worship the Lord by offering our bodies as living sacrifices, holy and acceptable to God. “I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect” (Romans 12:1-2). III) You and I worship the Lord when we sing praises to His great name. “But when the chief priests and the scribes saw the wonderful things that he did, and the children crying out in the temple, ‘Hosanna to the Son of David!’ they were indignant, and they said to him, ‘Do you hear what these are saying?’ And Jesus said to them, ‘Yes; have you never read, '"Out of the mouth of infants and nursing babies you have prepared praise'?" (Matthew 21:15-16). IV) You and I worship the Lord when we seek to do every single thing, from the smallest to the biggest, for the Lord’s glory and not our own. “So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God” (1 Corinthians 10:31). We offer up spiritual sacrifices to God, in the ways he prescribes in His Word, through faith in Jesus Christ our altar! II. A GODLY CHILD GETS TRAINED UP IN THE LORD, EVEN WHILE OTHERS AROUND THEM ARE GOING ON IN SIN. “Samuel was ministering before the LORD, a boy clothed with a linen ephod” (1 Samuel 2:18). Matthew Poole: “When verse 11 says, ‘Before Eli the priest,’ what is meant is under the inspection and by the direction and instruction of Eli.” Samuel was trained by his father and mother, then continued to be trained by Eli, even wearing a linen ephod. I) A godly child gets trained up in the Lord, primarily by their parents, as Hannah first did, and Eli continued. (i) Children, you must obey your parents in the Lord. Ephesians 6:1-2 says, “Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. ‘Honor your father and mother’ (this is the first commandment with a promise), 3 ‘that it may go well with you and that you may live long in the land.’ (ii) Parents, you must require your children to obey. Children, if you do not obey your parents immediately, you need to be disciplined. Parents, your leniency leads to your children’s profligacy (wicked behavior). (iii) Parents, you must train up your children in the discipline and instruction of the Lord. “Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord” (Ephesians 6:4). II) A godly child knows there are unbelievers around them and they are prepared not to go astray with them. John Gill: “The ministration of Samuel, though a child, is observed both before and after the account of the ill behaviour and wickedness of Eli's sons; partly to the shame and disgrace of them, and as serving to aggravate their sin, and make it appear the more black and heinous; and partly to his honour and reputation, that he was not corrupted and turned aside from God by their evil practices.” Psalm 1:1-2 says, “Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers; but his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night.” III. A GODLY CHILD IS BLESSED BY GODLY PARENTS. “And his mother used to make for him a little robe and take it to him each year when she went up with her husband to offer the yearly sacrifice” (1 Samuel 2:19). This verse is interjected into the story of the wicked sons of Eli it seems to help us see the influence of godly parents, especially mothers. Meanwhile Eli’s worthless sons are wreaking havoc on all in their midst, while Eli does not even rebuke them until it is too late. See the blessing of godly parents, especially even godly mothers! Press on. Trust the Lord. Do not grow weary in doing good. You who do not have children in the home, who can you become a spiritual parent to? Many need you. IV. A GODLY CHILD GROWS IN THE PRESENCE OF THE LORD. “And the boy Samuel grew in the presence of the LORD” (1 Samuel 2:21b). John Gill: “[Samuel grew] in age and stature, in grace and goodness, and improved much in the worship and service of God, both in the theory and practice of it; or became great with him, high in his esteem and favour, and was blessed with much of his presence, and with large gifts of his grace.” QUESTION. How do we grow? ANSWER. We grow as we abide in Christ. “I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing” (John 15:5). (i) Abide in His Gospel. (ii) Abide in His promises. (iii) Abide in His providence. (iv) Abide in His Law and commandments. (v) Abide in His worship. He who abides in Christ will bear much fruit. V. A GODLY CHILD CONTINUES TO GROW PHYSICALLY AND SPIRITUALLY IN THE EYES OF GOD AND MEN. “Now the boy Samuel continued to grow both in stature and in favor with the LORD and also with man” (1 Samuel 2:26). Matthew Poole: “Samuel grew not only before men, who might be deceived, but in the presence and judgment of the all-seeing God.” Matthew Henry: “Note, Those young people that serve God as well as they can will obtain grace to improve, that they may serve him better. . . He was in favour with the Lord and with man. Note, It is a great encouragement to children to be tractable, and virtuous, and good betimes, that if they be both God and man will love them. Such children are the darlings both of heaven and earth.” Psalm 92:13 says, “They are planted in the house of the LORD; they flourish in the courts of our God.” CONCLUSION. The ultimate mark of a godly child, indeed of a godly man or woman, is that they resemble the Lord Jesus Christ! “And Jesus increased in wisdom and in stature and in favor with God and man” (Luke 2:52). This is the great want of the Christian, to be like Christ. “Whoever says ‘I know him’ but does not keep his commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in him, but whoever keeps his word, in him truly the love of God is perfected. By this we may know that we are in him: whoever says he abides in him ought to walk in the same way in which he walked” (1 John 2:4-6).

WHAT A DISHONORABLE DAD LOOKS LIKE: 1 Samuel 2:22-36

October 1, 2022 • Brett Baggett • 1 Samuel 2:22–36

BIG IDEA: What a dishonorable dad looks like. I. WHAT A DISHONORABLE DAD LOOKS LIKE (1 Samuel 2:22-29). I) Eli gently rebuked his sons, and only when word spread abroad of their wickedness (1 Samuel 2:22-25a). “Now Eli was very old, and he kept hearing all that his sons were doing to all Israel, and how they lay with the women who were serving at the entrance to the tent of meeting. And he said to them, “Why do you do such things? For I hear of your evil dealings from all these people. No, my sons; it is no good report that I hear the people of the LORD spreading abroad. If someone sins against a man, God will mediate for him, but if someone sins against the LORD, who can intercede for him?” (i) A Dishonorable Dad holds off correcting his children until their wickedness has become great. (ii) A Dishonorable Dad only gently rebukes his children, even when their case warrants severe discipline. Proverbs 23:13: “Do not withhold discipline from a child; if you strike him with a rod, he will not die.” II) Eli’s rebuke was too little and too late, because the Lord had already decided to put his sons to death (1 Samuel 2:25b). “But they would not listen to the voice of their father, for it was the will of the Lord to put them to death.” (i) Dishonorable dads often find themselves with damned sons and daughters, because God’s ordinary means of grace normally travels from parents to their children. Psalm 78:5-7: “he commanded our fathers to teach to their children, that the next generation might know them, the children yet unborn, and arise and tell them to their children, so that they should set their hope in God and not forget the works of God, but keep his commandments…” (ii) If you hold off correcting your children until their sin becomes great, your correction may be too little too late. Proverbs 22:15: “Folly is bound up in the heart of a child, but the rod of discipline drives it far from him.” By the way, the godly child Samuel is again contrasted with the worthless sons of Eli (1 Samuel 2:26). “Now the boy Samuel continued to grow both in stature and in favor with the Lord and also with man.” III) The LORD rebuked Eli like Eli should have done to his sons (1 Samuel 2:27-28). “And there came a man of God to Eli and said to him, “Thus says the Lord, ‘Did I indeed reveal myself to the house of your father when they were in Egypt subject to the house of Pharaoh? Did I choose him out of all the tribes of Israel to be my priest, to go up to my altar, to burn incense, to wear an ephod before me? I gave to the house of your father all my offerings by fire from the people of Israel.” (i) Dishonorable dads will eventually find themselves rebuked by the Lord for their leniency and lack of instruction given to their children. Maybe in this life, maybe in the next. IV) The LORD held Eli responsible for the sins of his sons, because he did not reprove and remove them from their office (1 Samuel 2:29). “Why then do you scorn my sacrifices and my offerings that I commanded for my dwelling, and honor your sons above me by fattening yourselves on the choicest parts of every offering of my people Israel?’ In addition, verse 30 implies Eli dishonored and despised the LORD in favor of leniency toward his sons. (i) Dishonorable dads honor their children above the Lord God. (ii) Dishonorable dads are held responsible for the sins that grow in their children when they are due to their lack of discipline, training, and instruction. II. THE CONSEQUENCES OF ELI’S DISHONORABLE PATRIARCHY (1 Samuel 2:30-36). I) The LORD promised to cut off the strength of Eli’s family (1 Samuel 2:30-33). “Therefore the Lord, the God of Israel, declares: ‘I promised that your house and the house of your father should go in and out before me forever,’ but now the Lord declares: ‘Far be it from me, for those who honor me I will honor, and those who despise me shall be lightly esteemed. Behold, the days are coming when I will cut off your strength and the strength of your father's house, so that there will not be an old man in your house. Then in distress you will look with envious eye on all the prosperity that shall be bestowed on Israel, and there shall not be an old man in your house forever. The only one of you whom I shall not cut off from my altar shall be spared to weep his eyes out to grieve his heart, and all the descendants of your house shall die by the sword of men.” II) The LORD promised Eli his sons would be executed on the same day (1 Samuel 2:34). “And this that shall come upon your two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, shall be the sign to you: both of them shall die on the same day.” III) The LORD promised Eli He will raise up a High Priest to replace him and his family (1 Samuel 2:35-36). “And I will raise up for myself a faithful priest, who shall do according to what is in my heart and in my mind. And I will build him a sure house, and he shall go in and out before my anointed forever. And everyone who is left in your house shall come to implore him for a piece of silver or a loaf of bread and shall say, “Please put me in one of the priests' places, that I may eat a morsel of bread.”’” TWO CONCLUDING OBSERVATIONS I) See how seriously the LORD takes the treatment of his sacrifice (1 Samuel 2:29; Hebrews 10:28-31). Hebrews 10:28-31: “Anyone who has set aside the law of Moses dies without mercy on the evidence of two or three witnesses. How much worse punishment, do you think, will be deserved by the one who has trampled underfoot the Son of God, and has profaned the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified, and has outraged the Spirit of grace? For we know him who said, “Vengeance is mine; I will repay.” And again, “The Lord will judge his people.” It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.” II) See how seriously the LORD takes those offices that are to reflect His gospel (Father; High Priest). (i) The LORD takes serious how father discipline and instruct their children, because they are meant to reflect God the Father in their parenting. The good news is, in Christ, we have a better Father than Eli; one who is not afraid to rebuke and discipline us for our good. Hebrews 12:7-8, 11: “It is for discipline that you have to endure. God is treating you as sons. For what son is there whom his father does not discipline? If you are left without discipline, in which all have participated, then you are illegitimate children and not sons. . . . [God the Father] disciplines us for our good, that we may share his holiness. For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.” (ii) The LORD takes seriously how the High Priest and his subservient priests serve in the Temple, because they are meant to reflect God the Son in their service. The good news is, in Christ, we have a better Priest than Eli; one who will not kick at the Lord’s sacrifice but became the Lord’s sacrifice to rescue us from our sin and misery. Hebrews 9:24-26: “For Christ has entered, not into holy places made with hands, which are copies of the true things, but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God on our behalf. Nor was it to offer himself repeatedly, as the high priest enters the holy places every year with blood not his own, for then he would have had to suffer repeatedly since the foundation of the world. But as it is, he has appeared once for all at the end of the ages to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself.”

EVERY WORD OF THE LORD PROVES TRUE: 1 Samuel 3

October 9, 2022 • Brett Baggett • 1 Samuel 3

INTRODUCTION. Your relationship to the Word of God is a matter of happiness or sadness, holiness or sinfulness; Your treatment of Scriptures is a matter of depression or delight, strength or weakness; Your devotion to the Bible is a matter of salvation or condemnation, a matter of life and death. Hebrews 12:25 “See that you do not refuse him who is speaking. For if they did not escape when they refused him who warned them on earth, much less will we escape if we reject him who warns from heaven.” James 1:19-21 “Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger; for the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God. Therefore put away all filthiness and rampant wickedness and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls.” Isaiah 8:19-20 “And when they say to you, “Inquire of the mediums and the necromancers who chirp and mutter,” should not a people inquire of their God? Should they inquire of the dead on behalf of the living? To the teaching and to the testimony! If they will not speak according to this word, it is because they have no dawn.” Luke 16:31 “He said to him, ‘If they do not hear Moses and the Prophets, neither will they be convinced if someone should rise from the dead.’” SPECIFIC CONTEXT. What we learn in 1 Samuel chapter 3 is how both Samuel and Eli respond to the Word of the Lord, when God calls the young boy Samuel to be a Prophet. QUESTION 1. Since God spoke to Samuel and others through supernatural visions, should I expect him to do so to me? ANSWER. No. In times past, the Lord spoke in visions and dreams. Now He has spoken finally in His Son, and His Son speaks to us through His apostles (Heb. 1:1-2; John 16:12-13). QUESTION 2. How can I know what God wants me to know then, if I am not to be looking for visions and signs? ANSWER. God speaks to us through the Scriptures as the Holy Spirit illuminates us to understand and apply what God says (2 Tim. 3:16-17; 1 Cor. 2:14-16; 1 Pet. 1:19-21). BIG IDEA: What we can learn from 1 Samuel chapter 3 concerning our relationship to the Word of the Lord. I. You and I should give thanks to God that his Word is not rare or infrequent in our day (1 Samuel 3:1). “Now the boy Samuel was ministering to the LORD in the presence of Eli. And the word of the LORD was rare in those days; there was no frequent vision.” You and I do not have to wait for the Lord to give us a vision to reveal what He wants us to know; we can go to the Bible any and every day and hear the Lord God speak to us in the Scriptures! What a blessing is the Bible. “Bless God for the translation of the Scriptures. The word is our sword; by being translated, this sword is drawn out of its scabbard” (William Gurnall, The Christian in Complete Armor). Men labored tirelessly and eventually died to translate the Bible into our language, men like William Tyndale. II. You and I come to know the Lord in a saving and sanctifying way through the Word of the Lord (1 Samuel 3:7). “Now Samuel did not yet know the LORD, and the word of the LORD had not yet been revealed to him.” The creation of God shows forth His existence and great power, the providence of God shows His great goodness and sovereignty, but only the Word of God shines forth His face; only the Scriptures sufficiently reveal how you can be reconciled to God through Christ; only the Scriptures reveal how God’s frown can be turned to a smile toward you, having your sins forgiven and righteousness given! Furthermore, it is primarily through the Scriptures that you and I come to know the Lord more intimately. Through hearing, reading, memorizing, and meditating upon the Scriptures God communes with us and we with Him! John 17:3: “And this is eternal life, that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent.” III. When you and I come to hear or read the Scriptures, we should say, like Samuel, “Speak, Lord, for your servant hears” (1 Samuel 3:9). “Therefore Eli said to Samuel, ‘Go, lie down, and if he calls you, you shall say, “Speak, LORD, for your servant hears.”’” “Listen to the Scriptures with the same attention, reverence, and faith as you would have done if you had stood by Mount Sinai when God proclaimed the law and by our Savior’s side when He published the gospel” (William Beveridge, Great Advantage, 81). Before you read the Word in private worship or family worship, I encourage you to make this your prayer for a while: “Speak Lord, for your servant hears.” IV. Whatever God says in His Word, you and I should tell it plainly to others, even if it is hard to for us to tell or others to hear (1 Samuel 3:18a). “So Samuel told him everything and hid nothing from him.” When the Word of God makes us uncomfortable, it just shows how much farther we have to go in order to be conformed to the image of the Son of God. Yours and my uncomfortability with any portion of God’s Word reveals our unconformity to God’s Son. It is embarrassing how so many professed Christians seem embarrassed by portions of God’s Word. You and I are not allowed to be embarrassed by any portion of the Scriptures! Hold none of it back. Sinners need it all for salvation. Saints need it all for sanctification! Wilhelmus Á Brakel: “To withhold Scripture from anyone is an act of ecclesiastical robbery as well as spiritual murder.” Are you embarrassed by any part of God’s Word? Are you withholding any part of God’s Word from sinners or saints? Like Samuel, hide none of it. V. Whatever God says in His Word, you and I should humbly submit to it (1 Samuel 3:18b). “And he said, ‘It is the LORD. Let him do what seems good to him.’” However hard of a pill to swallow a truth of the Scripture is, learn to say with Eli, “It is the LORD. Let him do what seems good to Him.” However bitter a providence or severe an affliction the Lord works in your life, learn also to say with Eli, “It is the LORD. Let him do what seems good to Him.” VI. Whatever God says in His Word, it will prove true (1 Samuel 3:19). “And Samuel grew, and the LORD was with him and let none of his words fall to the ground.” Proverbs 30:5: “Every word of God proves true.” I) USE THIS TRUTH FOR WARNING AND AWAKENING. None of the words of God’s threatenings will fall to the ground—His sword will find your neck; His knife will find your heart; His whip will find your back; His wrath will find your head; His hell will find your body and soul if you do not repent and go to Christ for cleansing of sin! II) USE THIS TRUTH FOR EXHORTATION. None of the effects of God’s Word will fall to the ground. If God says His Word will do something, believe it, and act accordingly! Isaiah 55:9-10 “For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven and do not return there but water the earth, making it bring forth and sprout, giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater, so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it.” III) USE THIS TRUTH FOR COMFORT AND CONSOLATION. None of the words of God’s promises will fall to the ground—His sword will protect your soul; His knife will cut out your spiritual cancers; His lovingkindness will follow you all the days of your life; His house will be your house forever; His medicine will heal your soul; His arms will hug your neck; His face will be seen by you without the veil. Has God promised to forgive your sins for Christ’s sake (Eph. 1:6)? Then entrust yourself to Jesus Christ and know that Word will not fall to the ground. Has God promised to bring to completion the good work that He began in you, believer (Phil. 1:6)? Then let your heart sing for joy and press on in faith. Has God promised that Christ will eventually put all His enemies underneath His feet (1 Cor. 15:25)? Then go forth in confident assurance that Christ will win and we with Him, even through great suffering and persecution! Has God promised to crush Satan underneath your feet (Rom. 16:20)? Then fight your sin and stand firm in the evil day against the schemes of the enemy in that hope. Has God promised to make all things work together for good for you, believer (Romans 8:28)? Then do not fear what you are suffering, say with Eli, “It is the LORD. Let Him do what seems good to Him.” CONCLUDING QUESTIONS Do you want to be forgiven of your sin and reconciled to God? Acts 4:12: “There is salvation in no one else [no one but Jesus Christ], for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.”In John 5:39 Christ says the entire Bible is about Him. Do you want to be happy? Jeremiah 15:16: “Your words were found, and I ate them, and your words became to me a joy and the delight of my heart, for I am called by your name, O Lord, God of hosts.” Psalm 19:8: “the precepts of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart.” Are you sad? There is a joy-filled feast laid before you in the Scriptures. By hearing and reading the Word, we dine on delight! Do you want to be holy as God is holy, Christian? Christ prays in John 17, “Sanctify them in the truth, your Word is truth.” Are you sinful? You will never get clean by refusing to wash. As Naaman’s leprosy could only be cleansed in the river, so your sins can only be cleansed in the Scriptures. There is a purifying soap held out to you in the Word of God. By reading and hearing the Scriptures, God the Holy Spirit purges out the poison of sin and pumps believers full of both purity and power. Do you want to be wise? Psalm 19:7b: “the testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple;” Do you want to be revived and not so glum? Psalm 19:7a: “The law of the Lord is perfect, reviving the soul.” Do you want to hate sin? Psalm 119:104: “Through your precepts I get understanding; therefore I hate every false way.” Do you want to be enlightened? Psalm 19:8: “the commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes;” Do you want to live a life in obedience? Psalm 119:105: “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.” Do you want to be fortified against suffering? Psalm 119:50: “This is my comfort in my affliction, that your promise gives me life.” Do you want to know the Lord God, Father, Son, and Spirit more? Then abide in God’s Word.

ICHABOD! THE GLORY HAS DEPARTED PT 1: 1 Samuel 4

October 16, 2022 • Brett Baggett • 1 Samuel 4

CONTEXT. 1 Samuel chapters 1-7 are focussed on Samuel, who God raised up to be a Prophet, speaking God’s word to His people. This is after the Exodus, after the Conquest of Canaan, toward the end of the period of the Judges, and before there is a King in Israel, about the year 1120 B.C.. God used Samuel to lead His people and even anoint the first two Kings. However, Samuel is not mentioned from Chapter 4 verse 1 until chapter 7 verse 3. Instead, the Ark of the Covenant takes center stage in chapters 4-6. Why? Because God is showing us how badly we need a faithful Prophet and how badly we need to listen to Him! He is also showing how miserable of a condition the people were in at this time. DOCTRINE. God may judge a people for their contempt of Him, and for a time remove His presence and gospel ordinances from them, so that all that is left to say is, “Ichabod! The glory has departed.” I. WHAT IT WOULD MEAN FOR THE ARK TO BE CAPTURED, AND ICHABOD PRONOUNCED. The Word of God would be gone (God spoke from the mercy-seat); The Law would be gone (the tablets of stone were contained within); The Gospel of God would be gone (The Day of Atonement could not be observed); Communion with God in worship would be gone (God communed with His people from the mercy-seat, and the chief means of their ceremonial worship was tied up with the Ark). Can you see what it would mean for us today if, so to speak, the Ark of God were captured and Ichabod pronounced? Christ is that ship on which we sail to heaven. Each one of these—the Word, the Law, the Gospel, the preaching of Christ crucified, the Lord’s Supper, communion with God in worship—is like a rope that secures you to the mast of the ship in the everyday storms of the Christian life. How terrible would it be if these holy ropes were taken away through providence or neglect! II. FOR WHAT GROSS SINS GOD ALLOWED THE ARK TO BE CAPTURED, AND ICHABOD PRONOUNCED. I) Consider the grievous sins of Eli and his sons Hophni and Phinehas, who were the spiritual leaders of God’s people. (i) The spiritual leaders knew about the Lord but did not know the Lord in a saving way (1 Samuel 2:12). George Whitefield once said, “The greatest curse that God can possibly send upon a people in this world, is to give them over to blind, unregenerate, carnal, lukewarm, and unskilled guides.“ (ii) The spiritual leaders ignored the Law of God and set up man-made customs in its place (1 Samuel 2:13-14; Jeremiah 6:19). Jeremiah 6:19: “Hear, O earth; behold, I am bringing disaster upon this people, the fruit of their devices, because they have not paid attention to my words; and as for my law, they have rejected it.” (iii) The spiritual leaders disrespected the Lord’s Sacrifice (1 Samuel 2:13-14). Eli’s sons showed contempt for the Lord’s sacrifice, and Eli as well by allowing them to continue in their wicked way. (iv) The spiritual leaders insisted on their own way and hated reproof (1 Samuel 2:15-16). When Eli’s sons were offered correction they insisted on their own way and hated the reproof of faithful men. (v) The leaders were guilty of sexual immorality, which went unchecked and unrepented of (1 Samuel 2:22). Consider the worthless sons of Eli. (vi) The spiritual leaders left sin alone without serious rebuke or necessary discipline (1 Samuel 2:22-25). Consider Eli and his sons. II) Consider now the grievous sins of the people in general. (i) The people gave themselves to superstition and mere formality, rather than trusting in the Lord their God (1 Samuel 4:3). They thought merely bringing the Ark of the Covenant into the midst of the army would, as it were, twist God’s arm into saving them. (ii) The people looked to God not as glorious and worthy of worship, but rather they looked to God as useful and convenient to their lives (1 Samuel 4:3). Is this not why they brought the Ark into the camp? The people, and their leaders (elders) wanted not to worship God, nor hear from God, nor obey God; they wanted to use God to fulfill their own desires. God is not useful; God is glorious! (iii) The people disregarded the Word of the Lord (1 Samuel 3:30, 4:1, 3). The Lord put His words into the mouth of Samuel (3:20) and the word of Samuel came to all Israel (4:1), yet the people did not inquire of the Word of the Lord even when the Philistines defeated them in battle (4:3). Instead, the called for the Ark of the Covenant. (iv) The people did not cry out to the Lord in prayer (1 Samuel 4:3). What did Joshua do when God’s people were defeated at Ai, in Joshua 7? Joshua 7:6-7 “6 Then Joshua tore his clothes and fell to the earth on his face before the ark of the Lord until the evening, he and the elders of Israel. And they put dust on their heads. 7 And Joshua said, “Alas, O Lord God, why…?” APPLY THIS TO LOCAL CHURCHES. What can be said of a Church that only gives lip service to the Word of God? What can be said of a Church who disregards God’s Law? What can be said of a Church that does not faithfully proclaim Christ crucified in preaching and the Lord’s Supper? What can be said of a Church who does not worship the Lord in the ways He has prescribed and thereby enjoy sweet communion with Him in worship? Some church buildings would do better to have “ICHABOD!” written on the entrance rather than the name of their assembly. What would Phinehas’ wife say about our Church? APPLY THIS TO YOUR FAMILIES. What can be said of a home that only gives lip service to the Word of God? What can be said of a home who disregards God’s Law? What can be said of a home that does not faithfully proclaim Christ crucified in teaching? What can be said of a Home that does not worship the Lord in the ways He has prescribed and thereby enjoy sweet communion with Him in Family Worship? I think many Christian homes would have ICHABOD! written on them. May it not be so with yours. APPLY THIS TO YOUR OWN SOUL. What can be said of a soul that only gives lip service to the Word of God? What can be said of a soul who disregards God’s Law? What can be said of a soul that does not faithfully delight in Christ crucified in preaching and the Lord’s Supper? What can be said of a soul that does not worship the Lord in the ways He has prescribed and thereby enjoy sweet communion with Him in Worship? I fear to think how many Christian deserve to have ICHABOD! written on their foreheads, because of their gross negligence of the ordinary means of grace. May it not be so with your soul, beloved. III. HOW SHOULD THE PEOPLE OF GOD FEEL WHEN IT IS THREATENED THAT THE ARK OF GOD MAY BE CAPTURED, AND ICHABOD PRONOUNCED. You and I should tremble at that thought like Eli in 1 Samuel 4:13. IV. WHAT WOULD IT MEAN FOR US IF GOD ALLOWED HIS ARK TO BE CAPTURED, AND ICHABOD PRONOUNCED ON THE CHURCH. It would be death to us, shown forth in both Eli and Phinehas’ wife’s death.

ICHABOD! THE GLORY HAS DEPARTED PT2: 1 Samuel 4

October 23, 2022 • Brett Baggett • 1 Samuel 4

DOCTRINE. God may judge a people for their contempt (disrespect) of Him, and for a time remove His presence and gospel ordinances from them, so that all that is left to say is, “Ichabod! The glory has departed.” That is exactly what happened to the people of God about the year 1120 B.C. as shown here in 1 Samuel 4. Now I want to help you make use of what we learn here. You and I need to learn from this negative example, so that we may not tempt God to take away His Word, His Law, His Gospel, and His Worship from us in our day. Lest any of us think this kind of thing could never happen to a church or a nation, I would just remind you of Christ’s words to the church at Ephesus in Revelation 2:5: “Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent, and do the works you did at first. If not, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place, unless you repent.” If you know a bit of history and a bit of geography, you can discern what happened to this church and to this entire region. This local church does not still exist, the city of Ephesus is a ruin, and the country is now called Turkey. Do you know what dominates Turkey today, humanly speaking? Islam. Do not presume on the mercy and kindness of God, beloved brothers and sisters. God may remove our lampstand. He may suffer the ark to be captured and Ichabod pronounced over this church, or this nation, or our families! I. WHAT YOU AND I SHOULD LEARN HERE SO THAT THE ARK OF GOD IS NOT CAPTURED IN OUR DAY, AND SO THAT ICHABOD IS NOT PRONOUNCED ON THE CHURCH (10 DIRECTIONS). DIRECTION I) Labor to not only know about the Lord; we need to labor to know the Lord in a saving and sanctifying way (Philippians 3:7-10). Strive, dear ones, to have communion with God through the Word, prayer, and praise, not just to have commerce with him! (i) Christ says knowing God is the sum total of eternal life! John 17:3: “this is eternal life, that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent.” (ii) Paul says knowing Christ is worth losing everything you must in order to gain him! Philippians 3:7-10: “7 But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. 8 Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ… that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death. . .” (iii) Paul prays for the saints to know the love of Christ, that surpasses understanding! Ephesians 3:14-19 “For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named, that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.” Knowing God personally and intimately is the greatest joy and the chief good for a human! Do you want to be happy? Work hard to know God through faith in Jesus Christ. DIRECTION II) Delight in your duty to obey the commandments of God in His Law, and take special care never to set up man-made customs in their place (Psalm 119:97; Matthew 5:19). Psalm 119:97: “Oh how I love your law! It is my meditation all the day.” You need to read and re-read chapter 19, paragraph 6 in our Confession, the 1689 Baptist Confession of Faith: “Although true believers are not under the law as a covenant of works, to be thereby justified or condemned, yet it is of great use to them as well as to others, in that as a rule of life, informing them of the will of God and their duty, it directs and binds them to walk accordingly; discovering also the sinful pollutions of their natures, hearts, and lives, so as examining themselves thereby, they may come to further conviction of, humiliation for, and hatred against, sin;14 together with a clearer sight of the need they have of Christ and the perfection of his obedience, etc.” In Matthew 5:19 Christ said, “Therefore whoever relaxes one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever does them and teaches them will be called great in the kingdom of heaven.” DIRECTION III) Proclaim and treasure the Lord’s Sacrifice, Jesus Christ and Him crucified (1 Corinthians 1:23-24, 11:26). (i) Christ and Him crucified must be continually and faithfully both proclaimed and believed through the preaching of the Word! 1 Corinthians 1:23-24: “We preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and folly to Gentiles, but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God.” What would you be willing to do in order to ensure the faithful preaching of Christ and Him crucified would continue? Many of our beloved Reformers and Puritans died so that we could today have the clear and unadulterated preaching of the gospel. We must be willing to lay down our lives to both hear the preached gospel and to make sure the next generation does as well. (ii) Christ and Him crucified must be continually and faithfully both proclaimed and delighted in through the worthy taking of the Lord’s Supper (1 Corinthians 11:26)! “As often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord's death until he comes.” John Bunyan said, “Next to God himself, nothing is so dear to a righteous man as the enjoyment of his holy ordinances.“ Exactly one week ago, October 16th, 1555, Hugh Latimer and Nicholas Ridley were burned at the stake in Oxford England. What was the reason? Predominantly because they preached against the Popish Mass and for the right administration of the Lord’s Supper! As the fires were being lit, Latimer looked at his friend and said, “Be of good comfort Master Ridley, and play the man. We shall this day by God’s grace light such a fire in England that I trust it shall never be put out.” These men were the forerunners of the Puritans, whom God has used so mightily to bless His church even to this day. What would you be willing to do to partake of the Lord’s Supper in a worthy manner? DIRECTION IV) Refrain from insisting on your way, and welcome brotherly reproof (1 Corinthians 13:4-5; Proverbs 15:10). (i) Love does not insist on its own way, therefore you and I must not insist on our own way if we ever hope to love God and neighbor. 1 Corinthians 13:4-5: “Love…does not insist on its own way.” (ii) Whoever hates reproof will die, therefore you and I must welcome brotherly reproof as one of God’s instruments of sanctification. Proverbs 15:10: “There is severe discipline for him who forsakes the way; whoever hates reproof will die.” DIRECTION V) Flee sexual immorality and glorify God in your body (1 Corinthians 6:18-20). “Flee from sexual immorality. Every other sin a person commits is outside the body, but the sexually immoral person sins against his own body. Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.” You who are living in sexual sin, forsake it now and cling to Christ Jesus in faith. The end of that is death. You who are unwilling to forsake sexual sin, you must divorce your sins before you can be married to Christ. If you are unwilling to break off your sins by repentance, you will not inherit the kingdom of God. You who are willing to forsake sexual sin but you feel so weak, reach out to your brothers in Christ (if you are a man) or sisters in Christ (if you are a woman) so that they may help you. DIRECTION VI) Do not leave sin alone without serious rebuke or necessary discipline (Luke 17:3; Hebrews 12:11). (i) If you love your brothers and sisters in Christ, you must not leave sin alone. Luke 17:3: “Pay attention to yourselves! If your brother sins, rebuke him, and if he repents, forgive him…” (ii) Though all discipline seems painful, it is God’s means to bring the peaceful fruit of righteousness to the saints. Hebrews 12:11: “For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.” DIRECTION VII) Trust in the Lord God, and be on guard against superstition and mere formality (1 Corinthians 11:20). “When you come together, it is not the Lord's supper that you eat.” You and I must trust in the Lord God; the Father who chose and adopted us, the Son who purchased and advocates for us, and the Spirit who sealed and strengthens us, and be on guard against superstition and mere formality! Do you go to your Bibles to fellowship with the Lord God or like a slot machine? Do you come to worship in the assembly of the saints in submission or superstition? Do you come to the Lord’s Table in faith or formality? DIRECTION VIII) Look to our triune God as glorious and worthy of our worship, and watch out for slipping into looking to God as useful or convenient (Mark 14:3). The woman with the alabaster flask in Mark 14 found Jesus glorious and worthy of worship! Judas found Christ useful. Mark 14:3: “And while he was at Bethany in the house of Simon the leper, as he was reclining at table, a woman came with an alabaster flask of ointment of pure nard, very costly, and she broke the flask and poured it over his head.” Contrast this with Judas Iscariot who hated that she did this, because of his greed for money. Do you look to God as primarily useful or as primarily beautiful? O, He is beautiful! DIRECTION IX) Pay careful attention to the Scriptures, as to a lamp shining in a dark place (2 Peter 1:19-21). “And we have the prophetic word more fully confirmed, to which you will do well to pay attention as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts, knowing this first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture comes from someone's own interpretation. For no prophecy was ever produced by the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.” You who are suffering, this is the lamp that will shine on Christ’s face even when you are in the dark. You who are stumbling in sin, this is the lamp that will shine on the path of righteous and rebuke you for crawling in the ditch. You who are striving to walk faithfully to the end, do not put this lamp down. DIRECTION X) Constantly go to the Lord in prayer, crying out to him through Christ in faith (1 Thessalonians 5:17). “Pray without ceasing…” CONCLUSION. You who are still outside of Christ, go to Jesus Christ today in faith. God has not removed the lampstand; He has not removed the ark. The gospel is here. There is a good news preached to you. “In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace” (Ephesians 1:7). If you go to him in faith He will receive you. Let us know if you want to have your sins forgiven and become a Christian. Let us know so we can baptize you in water as Christ commands and you can become a member of the church! Now, beloved believers, you and I must labor to continually look to Christ, and celebrate Christ, and obey Christ, and delight in Christ, so that we may not tempt God to take away the sweet presence of Christ from our homes or our churches or our nation! Christ is that ship on which we sail to heaven. Each one of these—the Word, the Law, the Gospel, the preaching of Christ crucified, the Lord’s Supper, communion with God in worship—is like a rope that secures you to the mast of the ship in the everyday storms of the Christian life. Do not neglect the ropes that fasten you to Christ!

A STRONG MAN SHOUTING BECAUSE OF WINE: 1 Samuel 5

October 30, 2022 • Brett Baggett • 1 Samuel 5

DOCTRINE. The Lord is supreme above idols, severe against idols, and severe against idolaters. THREE POINTS OF DOCTRINE I. THE LORD IS SUPREME ABOVE IDOLS (1 Samuel 5:1-3). II. THE LORD IS SEVERE AGAINST IDOLS (1 Samuel 5:4-5). III. THE LORD IS SEVERE AGAINST IDOLATERS (1 Samuel 5:6-10). EIGHT POINTS OF APPLICATIONS I. See how worthless idols are—what could Dagon do for the Philistines? (Habakkuk 2:18). II. See how stupid idolatry makes you—the Philistines would rather part with the ark than part with their sins (Psalm 115:8). III. See how terrible it is to be an enemy of God—the wrath of God is upon you (Nahum 1:6-8). IV. See how glorious is the gospel of Jesus Christ—God the Father sent God to the Son into the world to change his enemies into his children (Romans 5:6-10). V. The Lord does not need you to accomplish His purpose (Acts 17:24-25). VI. See the great comfort you should have if you are a friend of God through Jesus Christ—He is the strong man shouting who will rout his enemies (Psalm 78:65). LET ME GIVE YOU TWO EXHORTATIONS TO FINISH. EXHORTATION I. Keep yourself from idols and flee from idolatry and close to the Lord Jesus Christ. 1 John 5:21 “Little children, keep yourselves from idols.” 1 Corinthians 10:14 “My beloved, flee from idolatry.” If you are in leagues with idols, your end will be the same as Dagon’s. EXHORTATION II. Go preach the gospel knowing that the Lord is like a strong man shouting because of wine, and he will defeat His enemies. The Lord will defeat His sinful enemies even by saving many from their sins and turning them into saints as we preach the gospel. The stronger man, Christ, has bound the strong man, Satan, in order to plunder his house (Matt. 12:29).

THE LORD GLORIFIES HIMSELF: 1 Samuel 6

November 6, 2022 • Brett Baggett • 1 Samuel 6

DOCTRINE. The Lord will be glorified by putting His enemies to shame, by working providentially for the good of His people, by the praises of His people, by the nations offering Him gifts, and by sanctifying His name upon His people.

HELP AND HOPE FOR SLEEPY CHRISTIANS: 1 Samuel 7:1-9

November 13, 2022 • Brett Baggett • 1 Samuel 7:1–9

DOCTRINE. The Lord has much help and hope to offer both backslidden and sleepy Christians. QUESTION 1. What does it look like if I am a backslidden Christian? ANSWER. Backsliding is when someone who has been redeemed and renewed by God, for a time slides back into their old way of thinking, feeling, or living. Backsliding is when a living saint, for a time, acts, feels, or thinks like a dead sinner. QUESTION 2. What does it look like if I am a sleepy Christian? ANSWER. A sleepy Christian is someone who goes through most all of the external duties of the Christian life, but there is no life, no passion, no zeal for Christ or holiness or the glory of God. A sleepy Christian sleepwalks through the duties of the Christian with no delight. QUESTION 3. Why should I care if I am backslidden or sleepy, rather than faithful or awake? ANSWER. We have a King to glorify, sins to mortify, families to protect and provide for, love and nurture; we have sinners to preach the gospel to, saints to build up in the faith; we have neighbors to love, temptations to resist, a merciful God to worship from the heart, and we have a Savior to enjoy. You cannot do any of these things from a pure heart in a backslidden or sleepy state. All you can do in a backslidden or sleepy state is waste your life. I. WHAT DIRECTIONS THE LORD’S PEOPLE SHOULD TAKE WHEN THEY ARE IN A BACKSLIDDEN OR SLEEPY STATE (1 Samuel 7:2-3). DIRECTION I. When you are in a backslidden or sleepy state, labor to lament after the Lord for your backslidings or drowsiness (1 Samuel 7:2). “From the day that the ark was lodged at Kiriath-jearim, a long time passed, some twenty years, and all the house of Israel lamented after the Lord.” This is grieving over your backsliding sin. This is mourning over your spiritually sleep state. May God give the sleepy and backsliding a sense of their sin and lead them to lament after Him. We all need that when we are in such states. DIRECTION II. When you are in a backslidden or sleepy state, labor to return to the Lord with all your heart (1 Samuel 7:3b). “And Samuel said to all the house of Israel, ‘If you are returning to the Lord with all your heart. . .’” This is repentance. This is returning to the Lord after being sleepy or backslidden. QUESTION. Why should I want to return to the Lord? ANSWER I. Because He deserves your devotion. ANSWER II. Because at His right hand are pleasures forevermore (Psalm 16:10-11). No Christian will ever ask you to give up a pleasure without offering to you a greater pleasure. God gives more pleasure than sin, dear friends. What does it look like to labor to return to the Lord with all your heart, and so be near him? Three answers we are given in this text: (i) If you would be near the LORD, you must mortify your sins by the Spirit (1 Samuel 7:3b). “. . .then put away the foreign gods and the Ashtaroth from among you. . .” This is mortification. “Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry” (Colossians 3:5). John Owen faithfully exhorts us to, “Set faith at work on Christ for the killing of thy sin. His blood is the great sovereign remedy for sin-sick souls. Live in this, and thou wilt die a conqueror; yea, thou wilt, through the good providence of God, live to see thy lust dead at thy feet.” You must continually mortify. “And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified (active. i.e. “are crucifying”) the flesh with its passions and desires” (Galatians 5:24). You must viciously mortify. “If your right eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away. For it is better that you lose one of your members than that your whole body be thrown into hell. And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. For it is better that you lose one of your members than that your whole body go into hell” (Matthew 5:29-31). “Withdraw the fuel that may make lust burn. Avoid all temptations. Take heed of that which nourishes sin. He who would suppress the gout or stone, avoids those meats which are noxious. Those who pray that they may not be led into temptation, must not lead themselves into temptation” (Thomas Watson). You must Spiritually mortify; that is, with the Sword of the Spirit and by the strength of the Holy Spirit. “For if you live according to the flesh you will die, but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live” (Romans 8:13). You must mindfully mortify; that is, with the eyes of your heart fixed on Christ Jesus (see Colossians 3:1-5). (ii) If you would be near the LORD, you must enliven your soul by Christ (1 Samuel 7:3c). “…and direct your heart to the LORD…” This is vivification. “If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth” (Colossians 3:1-2). “And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another” (2 Corinthians 3:18). “I have set the Lord always before me; because he is at my right hand, I shall not be shaken. Therefore my heart is glad, and my whole being rejoices; my flesh also dwells secure” (Psalm 16:7-9). “Before me still the Lord I set: sith it is so that he Doth ever stand at my right hand, I shall not moved be. Because of this my heart is glad, and joy shall be exprest Ev’n by my glory; and my flesh in confidence shall rest.” (Psalm 16:7-9, Scottish Psalter) John Owen wrote, “On Christ’s glory I would fix all my thoughts and desires, and the more I see of the glory of Christ, the more the painted beauties of this world will wither in my eyes and I will be more and more crucified to this world. It will become to me like something dead and putrid, impossible for me to enjoy.” (iii) If you would be near the LORD, you must set yourself apart for holy service to God (1 Samuel 7:3d). “. . .and serve him only. . .” This is consecration. “The Lord said to Moses, “Go to the people and consecrate them today and tomorrow, and let them wash their garments. . .” (Exodus 19:10). “Whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him” (Colossians 3:17). Priests under the Old Covenant were set apart for service to God in the LORD’s temple; Saints under the New Covenant are set apart for service to God as the Lord’s Temple. If you are in Christ, you are far from ordinary! God Himself has purchased you with the blood of His own Son, and He has taken up residence in you. You are now to live a consecrated life, set apart, to glorify and enjoy Him. God has set you apart for holy service to Him. You are set apart for holy service to God in the church, in your home, in your vocation, and in society. Live like it! Your vocation is where you spend a majority of your time, and you are meant to serve the Lord in that job. Colossians 3:23-24: “Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ.” Whether you are inside the home or outside the home, whatever duties your vocation requires, you are to consecrate yourself and do those duties as an act of worship for the Lord’s glory. Do you see why Mortification is necessary? Mortification of sin is necessary so you can have consecration of life. You cannot serve the Lord in holiness at the same time you are serving your lusts in wickedness. Do you see why Vivification is necessary? Vivification of your soul by looking to Christ is necessary so you can have consecration of life. You will not serve the Lord in delightfulness if you are looking to Christ in dreadfulness. Mortification of sin by the Spirit, and Vivification of soul by Christ, must happen to give way to Consecration for God and His great glory! II. THE PROMISE THAT COMES WITH BEING NEAR THE LORD (1 Samuel 7:3e). PROMISE. If you will return to the LORD and so be near Him, He promises to defeat your enemies (1 Samuel 7:3e). “. . .and he will deliver you out of the hand of the Philistines.” So the people did what Samuel told them to. “So the people of Israel put away the Baals and the Ashtaroth, and they served the LORD only” (1 Samuel 7:4). What will you do with these directions if and when you are in a backslidden or sleep state? III. THE BENEFITS OF BEING NEAR THE LORD (1 Samuel 7:5-6). BENEFIT I. Those who are near the Lord have an Advocate to pray for them (1 Samuel 7:5). “Then Samuel said, “Gather all Israel at Mizpah, and I will pray to the LORD for you.” You who are weary and heavy laden, if you are in Christ you have an Advocate who ever lives to intercede for you. While you were sleeping last night, he was praying; while you were working, he was giving you strength; while you were last sinning, he was pleading his wounds before the throne. BENEFIT II. Those who are near the Lord have freeness to confess their sins (1 Samuel 7:6a). “So they gathered at Mizpah and drew water and poured it out before the LORD and fasted on that day and said there, “We have sinned against the Lord.” You who are guilty and burdened with your sins, come unburden yourself at the foot of the cross by confessing your sins to God and looking to Christ in faith for mercy. 1 John 1:9: “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.“ BENEFIT III. Those who are near the Lord have a Leader to rule them (1 Samuel 7:6b). “And Samuel judged the people of Israel at Mizpah.” You who need wisdom or counsel, you have a Ruler who is also a Prophet, and He speaks to you in His word. BENEFIT IV. Those who are near the Lord have a Deliverer to cry out to in times of trouble (1 Samuel 7:7-8). “Now when the Philistines heard that the people of Israel had gathered at Mizpah, the lords of the Philistines went up against Israel. And when the people of Israel heard of it, they were afraid of the Philistines. And the people of Israel said to Samuel, “Do not cease to cry out to the LORD our God for us, that he may save us from the hand of the Philistines.” You who are suffering, if you are united to Christ by faith you have a King who dispels fears and defeats enemies. Cry out to him in faith! BENEFIT V. Those who are near the Lord have a Lamb to forgive us and make us acceptable to God (1 Samuel 7:9). “So Samuel took a nursing lamb and offered it as a whole burnt offering to the LORD. And Samuel cried out to the Lord for Israel, and the LORD answered him.” All you who know that on your own you are sinners who deserve God’s judgement and not his love, if you look to Christ you have a Lamb to forgive you and make you acceptable to God. Christ is now the Lamb standing as though it had been slain (Revelation 5), still bearing the marks of his crucifixion for you. CONCLUSION. “We are never nearer Christ than when we find ourselves lost in a holy amazement at His unspeakable love” (John Owen).

THE LORD IS THE GREAT HELP OF HIS PEOPLE: 1 Samuel 7:10-17

November 27, 2022 • Brett Baggett • 1 Samuel 7:10–17

INTRODUCTION. I have two questions for your consideration by way of introduction to 1 Samuel 7:10-17. Where do you look for help when you need it? Just like the Israelites in 1 Samuel, you will be constantly tempted to look to created things rather than your Creator and Sustainer, when you are in need of help. Sometimes this is done by looking to idols, but more often than not for the Christian this is done by looking to the means of God’s grace in a superstitious or merely formal way, rather than looking to God himself for your help. This is what God’s people did in 1 Samuel 4. The Philistines had defeated the Lord’s people in battle. Rather than turning to the Lord in faith, crying out to him in prayer for help, they simply brought the ark of the covenant into the camp of the army, as if God would automatically help them through their superstitious formality. He did not help them in a happy way. This caused a long and painful season where the Lord disciplined His people until they finally lamented after the Lord for their sins, repented, and called out to the Lord Himself in faith for help! So, I ask again, where do you look to for help when you need it? Do you look to idols? Do you look to the means of God’s grace in a superstitious way, rather than looking to God through His means of grace? Or do you look to God through faith in Christ Jesus for help? You who look to God through faith in Christ and have been helped by Him, what have you done after the Lord helps? Do you keep up the remembrance of the Lord’s kindness to you? Do you mark it down in your memory or in a book to help you recall all the ways the Lord has been a great help to you by His mercy? I confess that I have not. Yet this text of Scripture sets forth a beautiful example for us concerning how to show our thankfulness to our Savior and King. 1 Samuel 7:10-17 (especially verse 12!) reveals that we can show our thankfulness to God by setting up remembrances of the help He gives us. DOCTRINE. The Lord is the great help of His people. Christians should therefore remember His helps and always go to Him in times of need. I want to show you ten truths, answer four questions, give you three directions, and one exhortation, all concerning the fact that the Lord is the great help of His people. I. TEN TRUTHS CONCERNING THE LORD BEING THE GREAT HELP OF HIS PEOPLE. 1. The Lord is the One His people must look to for help. “Our help is in the name of the Lord, who made heaven and earth” (Ps. 124:8). 2. The Lord listens to His peoples cries for help. “In my distress I called upon the Lord; to my God I cried for help. From his temple he heard my voice, and my cry to him reached his ears” (Ps. 18:6). “You heard the voice of my pleas for mercy when I cried to you for help” (Ps. 31:22). You will have many times in your life that you need help, and you must always look to God, trusting in Jesus, and asking God the Father for help. The Lord listens to His people when they cry out to him! 3. The Lord is the helper of the fatherless. “You have been the helper of the fatherless” (Ps. 10:14). 4. The Lord helps His people by delivering them from the wicked. “The Lord helps them and delivers them; he delivers them from the wicked and saves them, because they take refuge in him” (Ps. 37:40). 5. The Lord helps the poor and needy. “As for me, I am poor and needy, but the Lord takes thought for me. You are my help and my deliverer; do not delay, O my God” (Ps. 40:17)! 6. The Lord helps His people because if He did not, we would forever be lost. “If the Lord had not been my help, my soul would soon have lived in the land of silence” (Ps. 94:17). 7. The Lord helps His people by being the upholder of our lives.“Behold, God is my helper; the Lord is the upholder of my life” (Ps. 54:4). “I was pushed hard, so that I was falling, but the Lord helped me” (Ps. 118:13). 8. The Lord helps His people for the sake of His steadfast love. “Rise up; come to our help! Redeem us for the sake of your steadfast love” (Ps. 44:26). 9. The Lord helps His people by delivering them through atoning for their sins for the glory of His name. “Help us, O God of our salvation, for the glory of your name; deliver us, and atone for our sins, for your name's sake” (Ps. 79:9). The chief way the Lord helps His people is by forgiving their sins because of Christ dying in their place. He does this for the glory of His name! 10. The Lord’s help stirs up His people to praises. “The Lord is my strength and my shield; in him my heart trusts, and I am helped; my heart exults, and with my song I give thanks to him” (Ps. 28:7). II. FOUR QUESTIONS CONCERNING THE LORD BEING THE GREAT HELP OF HIS PEOPLE. QUESTION 1. How does the Lord help his people? 1. Sometimes the Lord helps His people sovereignly, without His people doing a thing. Just like in 1 Samuel 5-6. What human means did God use to help His people and bring the ark of the covenant back to Israel? None. “And Moses said to the people, “Fear not, stand firm, and see the salvation of the Lord, which he will work for you today. For the Egyptians whom you see today, you shall never see again. The Lord will fight for you, and you have only to be silent” (Ex. 14:13-14). The Lord is not bound by means. Christ does not have to use anything or anyone as instruments to accomplish His purposes. Sometimes, even many times, He accomplishes His will in the world not only without us but in spite of us. This is especially true of the help He gives His people. When was the last time you saw this happen, where the Lord seemed not to use any human instrument to accomplish His will? If you cannot remember a time in your own life, look back at 1 Samuel 5-6 later today as a reminder. Then praise God that He is not chained down in any way! 2. Sometimes the Lord helps His people by co-laboring with them. Just like here in 1 Samuel 7:11. The Lord thundered and put the Philistines in confusion, and the people of God put them to the sword. Sometimes believers are used by God as His fellow workers. “For we are God's fellow workers” (1 Cor. 3:9). Though the Lord acts to help His people, believers must also act, doing their duty. “By the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace toward me was not in vain. On the contrary, I worked harder than any of them, though it was not I, but the grace of God that is with me” (1 Cor. 15:10). Though believers must act, doing their duty, it is paramount that the Lord also acts to help His people, or all of the actions of believers are in vain. “Unless the Lord builds the house, those who build it labor in vain. Unless the Lord watches over the city, the watchman stays awake in vain. It is in vain that you rise up early and go late to rest, eating the bread of anxious toil; for he gives to his beloved sleep” (Psalm 127:1-2). 3. Sometimes help from the Lord comes through Him energizing and directing His people to do their duties. You may ask for the Lord to thunder against your enemies, but are you also willing to fight? When you need help, you must trust the Lord to do it all and yet also be ready to be faithful in laboring. 4. Sometimes the Lord helps His people by contrary means or hard providences. Just like in 1 Samuel 4, when he sent the ark of the covenant into captivity to discipline His people for their neglect of Him. “To keep me from becoming conceited because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations, a thorn was given me in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to harass me, to keep me from becoming conceited” (2 Cor. 12:7). Sometimes help from the Lord comes through harassment, and diseases are cured through a difficult course. Has this been true in your life? It should not shock you nor I. QUESTION 2. Why does the Lord help his people? 1. The Lord helps his people because we who believe in Christ are in a covenant with Him. “For does not my house stand so with God? For he has made with me an everlasting covenant, ordered in all things and secure. For will he not cause to prosper all my help and my desire?” (2 Sam. 23:5). 2. The Lord helps His people because we who believe in Christ are united to Christ; He is our head and we are His body. “[Christ] is the head of the body, the church” (Col. 1:18). The Lord God helps His people, those who believe in Christ, because Jesus is our head and we are his body. If your foot is stuck, what does your head tell your arms to do? To help it get unstuck. So Jesus, who is our head, helps us because we are His body. 3. The Lord helps his people because we who believe in Christ look to God in faith and trust Him to be our help. “He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will abide in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say to the Lord, ‘My refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust’” (Ps. 91:1-2 ). 4. The Lord helps his people because He sovereignly brings us difficulties so that He may be glorified in helping us out of them. This is what he did in 1 Samuel 4-7. This is also what he said through the prophet: “Therefore, behold, I will allure her, and bring her into the wilderness, and speak tenderly to her” (Hos. 2:14). “A good friend is best known in adversity: and the Lord will let his people's case grow darker till it be near past hope, and then he will arise” (Thomas Boston). QUESTION 3. What should believers do after receiving such great helps from God? You and I should keep all of God’s helps in remembrance. “I will remember the deeds of the Lord; yes, I will remember your wonders of old” (Ps. 77:11). Set up an Ebenezer in your heart and maybe even in your home. Why not write down in a journal or in a note in your phone a list of Ebenezer’s? This is why we sing, “Here I raise my Ebenezer; Hither to Thy help I'm come: And I hope, by Thy good pleasure, Safely to arrive at home. Jesus sought me when a stranger, Wandering from the fold of God: He to rescue me from danger, Interposed His precious blood” (Robert Robinson, Come Thou Fount). QUESTION 4. Why should you and I keep in our remembrance the help that God has given? 1. We owe it to God to remember His help. See how evil it is to forget the Lord and all His helps. “My people have forgotten me days without number (Jer. 2:32).” “Many instead of laying such things up, lay them down in the grave of forgetfulness, and instead of setting up a stone, lay a stone upon them, burying them out of sight. They forget that God remembered them in their low estate” (Thomas Boston). You owe it to God to say with the Psalmist, “My tongue will talk of your righteous help all the day long” (Ps. 71:24). 2. We owe it to ourselves to remember God’s help. “I lift up my eyes to the hills. From where does my help come? My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth. He will not let your foot be moved; he who keeps you will not slumber (Ps. 121:1-3).” “Every former mercy is a pledge of a future” (John Trapp). “Many times the Lord helps his people in such a manner that the experience of his goodness fills them with shame, looks their doubts and fears out of countenance, proves their unbelief to be a false prophet, and makes them resolve never to distrust God again and fills them with thankfulness. . . O how useful would this be afterwards to the Christian. . . Sometimes a Christians spiritual rest is broken, and then it is useful to read the records of his experiences” (Thomas Boston). 3. We owe it to others to remember God’s help. “Come and hear, all you who fear God, and I will tell what he has done for my soul” (Ps. 66:16). III. THREE DIRECTIONS CONCERNING THE LORD BEING OUR HELP. 1. Remember how the Lord has helped you by past happy providences. Like the Lord brought the ark of the covenant back to Israel and thundered against the Philistines to give his people the victory. Remember how the Lord has helped you by past happy providences. Then look to the future with confidence, knowing he will help you by preserving and providing for you, all for your good. 2. Remember how the Lord has helped you by past hard providences. Like the Lord caused the Philistines to triumph over the Israelites and caused the Ark to go into exile when his people were in a backslidden state. Remember how the Lord has helped you by past hard providences. Then look with confidence to the future, knowing he will help you by discipline because you are his child, all for your good. 3. Remember how the Lord has helped you by sending his Son into the world to live, die, and arise for you. We have an Ebenezer set up every Lord’s Day in the Lord’s Supper. Christ said in Matthew 26:26-29, “Now as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and after blessing it broke it and gave it to the disciples, and said, “Take, eat; this is my body.” And he took a cup, and when he had given thanks he gave it to them, saying, “Drink of it, all of you, for this is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. I tell you I will not drink again of this fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father's kingdom.” When Christians take the Lord’s Supper we are remembering and celebrating two things. First, we are remembering and celebrating that Christ died and was raised from the dead to forgive His people all their sins. Second, we are remembering and celebrating Christ’s promise that He will one day eat and drink this meal with us in His Father’s Kingdom, after He returns to chase away the darkness and make us happy with Him forever. Remember how the Lord has helped you by sending his Son into the world to live, die, and arise for you. Then look with confidence to the future, knowing he who bought you will surely help you with all you need to enjoy and glorify him. CONCLUDING EXHORTATION. Go to God through faith in Jesus Christ for help in all situations. Say Psalm 109:26 to the Lord: “Help me, O Lord my God! Save me according to your steadfast love!” Imitate the Gentile woman in Matthew 15:25: “She came and knelt before him, saying, ‘Lord, help me.’” Go to God in Christ for help because you have many strong enemies and you therefore have a great need for daily divine help. “The LORD is on my side as my helper; I shall look in triumph on those who hate me” (Ps. 118:7). Go to Him for help because He is a present help. “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble” (Ps. 46:1). He is near to the broken-hearted. Go to God in Christ for help because He is willing to help. “When the righteous cry for help, the LORD hears and delivers them out of all their troubles” (Ps. 34:17). “He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things?” (Rom. 8:28). Go to the Lord for help because He is able to help in all situations and at all times. “Behold, I am the Lord, the God of all flesh. Is anything too hard for me?” (Jer. 32:27).

THE TRAGEDY OF WORLDLINESS (pt.1): 1 Samuel 8

September 3, 2023 • Brett Baggett • 1 Samuel 8

DOCTRINE. Worldliness is a temptation believers must both identify and put to death or else tragedy will surely strike.

THE TRAGEDY OF WORLDLINESS (pt.2): 1 Samuel 8

September 10, 2023 • Brett Baggett • 1 Samuel 8

DOCTRINE. Worldliness is a temptation believers must both identify and put to death or else tragedy will surely strike. 12 truths concerning worldliness vs. holiness: I) The Lord saved His people from slavery in Egypt in the Old Testament so that they would be a holy kingdom of priests to the nations. Exodus 19:4-6 “4 ‘You yourselves have seen what I did to the Egyptians, and how I bore you on eagles’ wings and brought you to myself. 5 Now therefore, if you will indeed obey my voice and keep my covenant, you shall be my treasured possession among all peoples, for all the earth is mine; 6 and you shall be to me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.’” Deuteronomy 4:5–8 (Moses speaking) “See, I have taught you statutes and judgments just as the LORD my God commanded me, that you should do thus in the land where you are entering to possess it. So keep and do them, for that is your wisdom and your understanding in the sight of the peoples who will hear all these statutes and say, “Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people.” For what great nation is there that has a god so near to it as is the LORD our God whenever we call on Him? Or what great nation is there that has statutes and judgments as righteous as this whole law which I am setting before you today?” Lev 18:24–27 “Do not defile yourselves by any of these things; for by all these the nations which I am casting out before you have become defiled. For the land has become defiled, therefore I have visited its punishment upon it, so the land has spewed out its inhabitants. But as for you, you are to keep My statutes and My judgments, and shall not do any of these abominations, neither the native, nor the alien who sojourns among you (for the men of the land who have been before you have done all these abominations, and the land has become defiled).” II) The Lord warned His people under the Old Covenant concerning worldliness by saying, “You shall never return that way again.” Deuteronomy 17:16 “Only [the king] must not acquire many horses for himself or cause the people to return to Egypt in order to acquire many horses, since the Lord has said to you, ‘You shall never return that way again.’” Psalm 20:7 says, “Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the Lord our God.” III) Christ died and was raised to train you to renounce worldly passions and to live in holiness. Titus 2:11-13 “11 For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, 12 training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age, 13 waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ. . .” IV) Christians are commanded to not live like the world any longer but to live in holiness. Ephesians 4:17 “Now this I say and testify in the Lord, that you must no longer walk as the Gentiles do…“ V) Christians are ultimately ashamed of their former worldly living, therefore they should run away from that which they know is shameful. Romans 6:21 “But what fruit were you getting at that time from the things of which you are now ashamed? For the end of those things is death.” VI) The world hates true Christians, therefore Christians should not want to be like those who hate what Christ died to redeem. John 15:19 “If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you.” VII) Mixing with the world rather than putting to death what is earthly in you leads to a trap. Psalm 96:34-36 “They did not destroy the peoples, as the LORD commanded them, They mixed with the nations and learned to do as they did. They served their idols, which became a snare to them.” VIII) Friendship with the world is to be hostile toward God. James 4:4 “You adulterous people! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.” IX) You and I are commanded in Christ to let our salt have taste and our light shine for God’s glory. Matthew 5:13-16 “13 You are the salt of the earth, but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled under people's feet. 14 “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. 16 In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.” X) Christ has made believers a Kingdom of Priests to our God and Father. Revelation 1:5-6 “To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood and made us a kingdom, priests to his God and Father, to him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.” XI) Our commission is to disciple the nations, not blend in with them. Matthew 28:18-20 “18 And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” XII) The Lord is merciful to His covenant people, even though we at times desire to return to our former slavery. Nehemiah 9:17 “They refused to obey and were not mindful of the wonders that you performed among them, but they stiffened their neck and appointed a leader to return to their slavery in Egypt. But you are a God ready to forgive, gracious and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love, and did not forsake them.”

THE PROVIDENCE OF GOD IN PLAIN VIEW: 1 Samuel 9:1-16

September 24, 2023 • Brett Baggett • 1 Samuel 9:1–16

DOCTRINE. God works providentially in all things, from the smallest to the greatest, for His enemies’ destruction, His peoples’ good, and His own glory. OUTLINE. I. The Lord God works providentially in small things (1 Sam. 9:3-14). II. The Lord God works providentially in great things (1 Sam. 9:15). III. The Lord God works providentially in both small and great things for His enemies’ destruction, His peoples’ good, and His own glory (1 Sam. 9:16).