Fellowship Baptist Church
Sunday Am January 26th
  • Because He Lives He Lives
  • He lives
  • Love Lifted Me
  • A. Rapport for the time
    B. Reading of the text
    C. Review of the text
    1 Samuel 18:8 ESV
    8 And Saul was very angry, and this saying displeased him. He said, “They have ascribed to David ten thousands, and to me they have ascribed thousands, and what more can he have but the kingdom?”
    We left last week with the jealous heart of Saul.
    D. Relevance of the text

    1. Fear's Fatal Distortion

    1 Samuel 18:9-12
    1 Samuel 18:9–12 ESV
    9 And Saul eyed David from that day on. 10 The next day a harmful spirit from God rushed upon Saul, and he raved within his house while David was playing the lyre, as he did day by day. Saul had his spear in his hand. 11 And Saul hurled the spear, for he thought, “I will pin David to the wall.” But David evaded him twice. 12 Saul was afraid of David because the Lord was with him but had departed from Saul.
    If we remember back the Spirit of God had come upon Saul.
    1 Samuel 10:6 ESV
    6 Then the Spirit of the Lord will rush upon you, and you will prophesy with them and be turned into another man.
    1 Samuel 10:10 ESV
    10 When they came to Gibeah, behold, a group of prophets met him, and the Spirit of God rushed upon him, and he prophesied among them.
    1 Samuel 11:6 ESV
    6 And the Spirit of God rushed upon Saul when he heard these words, and his anger was greatly kindled.
    The Lord used Saul to Prophesy and to establish a king in Israel but it would be short live. Saul desired to do things in his own power more than he cared to follow the directions of the Lord. He was a great leader for 20 years but chose himself. Which led to God taking away what he had given him.
    1 Samuel 15:24–30 ESV
    24 Saul said to Samuel, “I have sinned, for I have transgressed the commandment of the Lord and your words, because I feared the people and obeyed their voice. 25 Now therefore, please pardon my sin and return with me that I may bow before the Lord.” 26 And Samuel said to Saul, “I will not return with you. For you have rejected the word of the Lord, and the Lord has rejected you from being king over Israel.” 27 As Samuel turned to go away, Saul seized the skirt of his robe, and it tore. 28 And Samuel said to him, “The Lord has torn the kingdom of Israel from you this day and has given it to a neighbor of yours, who is better than you. 29 And also the Glory of Israel will not lie or have regret, for he is not a man, that he should have regret.” 30 Then he said, “I have sinned; yet honor me now before the elders of my people and before Israel, and return with me, that I may bow before the Lord your God.”
    All of this opened the door for the Evil Spirit to come upon Saul.
    1 Samuel 18:9–12 ESV
    10 The next day a harmful spirit from God rushed upon Saul, and he raved within his house while David was playing the lyre, as he did day by day. Saul had his spear in his hand.
    The harmful spirit from God--God can have no part of evil yet he does set the lines for how far evil may go. Satan can do nothing without God’s permission. Satan and God are not equals. This harmful spirit rushed Saul and David was once again brought in to care for Saul but Saul was against David now and desired to eliminate him.
    David avoids the spear being thrown at him twice while the evil spirit is upon Saul and in vs. 12 we are told the place that all this animosity comes from. FEAR
    12 Saul was afraid of David because the Lord was with him but had departed from Saul.
    Saul knows that he no longer has the Spirit of the Lord and that David does.
    1 Samuel 16:13–14 ESV
    13 Then Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the midst of his brothers. And the Spirit of the Lord rushed upon David from that day forward. And Samuel rose up and went to Ramah. 14 Now the Spirit of the Lord departed from Saul, and a harmful spirit from the Lord tormented him.
    He knows that everything Samuel ever told him is the true word from God. David is God’s man and Saul is fearful of what he no longer has even though when he never wanted to answer to God unless it suited him and what he wanted.
    When we are led by fear as opposed to the Spirit of God we will chose ourselves and our way as though we can fix something that God doesn’t know about.
    T.S.

    2. Faithful Footsteps Forward

    1 Samuel 18:13-16
    1 Samuel 18:13–16 ESV
    13 So Saul removed him from his presence and made him a commander of a thousand. And he went out and came in before the people. 14 And David had success in all his undertakings, for the Lord was with him. 15 And when Saul saw that he had great success, he stood in fearful awe of him. 16 But all Israel and Judah loved David, for he went out and came in before them.
    vs. 13 is Saul getting rid of David. David is sent the front line with Saul thinking maybe he won’t come back. But David keeps coming home and going back to battle and the only thing that is happening is vs. 14.
    David’s success in all that he does come from the second part of that verse. Remember this verse when David is running around hiding in caves, running for his life the Lord is with him in those times as much as he is with him now that he finds great success.
    John 15:5 ESV
    5 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.
    David and Saul are the contrasts of this very verse. And we will see this played out in 1 Samuel going forward
    T.S.

    3. Fear's Manipulative Grip

    1 Samuel 18:17-21
    Maybe focus on Saul's attempts to manipulate David and how fear causes us to lose integrity. Contrast this with how David, despite the traps set for him, remains blameless. This empowers us to choose the path of righteousness even when pressured, trusting that God is faithful to honor our choices for His glory.
    1 Samuel 18:17–21 ESV
    17 Then Saul said to David, “Here is my elder daughter Merab. I will give her to you for a wife. Only be valiant for me and fight the Lord’s battles.” For Saul thought, “Let not my hand be against him, but let the hand of the Philistines be against him.” 18 And David said to Saul, “Who am I, and who are my relatives, my father’s clan in Israel, that I should be son-in-law to the king?” 19 But at the time when Merab, Saul’s daughter, should have been given to David, she was given to Adriel the Meholathite for a wife. 20 Now Saul’s daughter Michal loved David. And they told Saul, and the thing pleased him. 21 Saul thought, “Let me give her to him, that she may be a snare for him and that the hand of the Philistines may be against him.” Therefore Saul said to David a second time, “You shall now be my son-in-law.”
    Saul’s idea of sending them to the front lines did not work. In fact, it just made people love David more so now Saul must come up with another plan because fear of losing power grips him. When we live in fear we will do whatever it takes to accomplish what we thing should be the outcome to alleviate that fear. Which leads to even more bad plans because we are seeking our own desires and feeding our flesh leading us even further away from the Lord. Isn’t that what you see in the life of unbelievers? Or maybe that is you this morning?
    It takes but a dark rain cloud for us to cancel schools and work and all kinds of things these days as the world is still living in fear even more so since Covid. We are not to be this way.
    David is offered Merab from Saul with the idea that He would fight even more philistines and ultimately be killed and Saul’s line would continue on in the Kingdom. Make no mistake Saul believes he can out maneuver the God of all creation.
    David’s expresses the fact that he doesn’t deserve to be related to the King in any way and also while Saul is trying to make this all happen Merab is promised to another.
    Like a soap opera come to life Saul is informed that his other daughter Michal actually is one of those people in love with David that made Saul fear him in the first place. Vs. 21 let’s us in on Saul’s mind
    1 Samuel 18:21 ESV
    21 Saul thought, “Let me give her to him, that she may be a snare for him and that the hand of the Philistines may be against him.” Therefore Saul said to David a second time, “You shall now be my son-in-law.”
    Look at the evil heart of Saul. He wants his other daughter to be a snare for David now. With the ultimate plan for David to die trying to win her hand. The depravity of mankind knows no end. This is how desperate we are for the Lord. Without him all that happens or will happen as seen about us and how we might come to the end that we desire.
    T.S.

    4. Faithful Humility

    1 Samuel 18:22-25
    Consider highlighting how Saul's schemes grow increasingly desperate and convoluted, showcasing the chaos that fear can breed. Meanwhile, David's humble response to Saul's deceitful offer reminds us of the strength found in humility and trust in God. This reflects Jesus' own humility in the face of adversaries.
    1 Samuel 18:22–25 ESV
    22 And Saul commanded his servants, “Speak to David in private and say, ‘Behold, the king has delight in you, and all his servants love you. Now then become the king’s son-in-law.’ ” 23 And Saul’s servants spoke those words in the ears of David. And David said, “Does it seem to you a little thing to become the king’s son-in-law, since I am a poor man and have no reputation?” 24 And the servants of Saul told him, “Thus and so did David speak.” 25 Then Saul said, “Thus shall you say to David, ‘The king desires no bride-price except a hundred foreskins of the Philistines, that he may be avenged of the king’s enemies.’ ” Now Saul thought to make David fall by the hand of the Philistines.
    Saul steps it up a notch.. Not only does he plan to sell this to David but since David was so resistant to the older daughter he gets the servants involved. to help him.
    The humility of David continues to come forward as he does not see himself even worthy to become related to the King yet he himself will become King. You and I will never see ourselves the way in which we should until we place ourselves in the hands of God our King. Without him we are driven by self doubt, others doubt, our fleshly desires to overcome what we feel like we need. Ultimately, we will never lead ourselves into the arms of our Lord.
    Jeremiah 17:9 ESV
    9 The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it?
    Romans 3:21–24 ESV
    21 But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law, although the Law and the Prophets bear witness to it— 22 the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction: 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus,
    vs. 25 finishes off he plan. Have David kill 100 Philistine Soldiers and bring back their foreskin. The plans of Saul have to dig deeper with the hopes of getting rid of his problem. (DAVID) Saul is not the problem it is all David and the fact that God has his hand on him.
    T.S.

    5. Faith's Victorious Path

    1 Samuel 18:26-30
    Perhaps close by showing David's triumph not through deceit, but through bold action rooted in faith, which leads to favor from God and man. Like David, when we act in faith rather than fear, we experience God's good plans. This ultimately points us to the work of Christ, who brings victory through faith and not fear.
    1 Samuel 18:26–27 ESV
    26 And when his servants told David these words, it pleased David well to be the king’s son-in-law. Before the time had expired, 27 David arose and went, along with his men, and killed two hundred of the Philistines. And David brought their foreskins, which were given in full number to the king, that he might become the king’s son-in-law. And Saul gave him his daughter Michal for a wife.
    This is how God works folks. Saul absolutely thought this plan would work so God shows him how ridiculous that thought is by giving David 200 philistines instead of 100. Saul was just trying to get David killed and God shows off. God uses David to show Saul who is in control don’t you think? That is what vs. 28 tells us.
    1 Samuel 18:28–30 ESV
    28 But when Saul saw and knew that the Lord was with David, and that Michal, Saul’s daughter, loved him, 29 Saul was even more afraid of David. So Saul was David’s enemy continually. 30 Then the commanders of the Philistines came out to battle, and as often as they came out David had more success than all the servants of Saul, so that his name was highly esteemed.
    God uses events with the Philistines to build up the name of David. The humility of David grows as he abides in the God that has equipped him and uses him.
    Meanwhile Saul falls deeper away and works for himself.