Idolatry: Disciples of the Almighty Topic Day 1

Pastor Norman Manlapaz

Acts: 

Idols makes us fearful

Costs/incite us to hatred 

Cause us to be violent

Idol has held us in bondage

IDOLATRY we are not immune

1 Samuel 15:1-31

New American Standard Bible (NASB)

Saul’s Disobedience

15 Then Samuel said to Saul, “The Lord sent me to anoint you as king over His people, over Israel; now therefore, listen to the [a]words of the Lord. 2 Thus says the Lord of hosts, ‘I will[b]punish Amalek for what he did to Israel, how he set himself against him on the way while he was coming up from Egypt.3 Now go and strike Amalek and utterly destroy all that he has, and do not spare him; but put to death both man and woman, child and infant, ox and sheep, camel and donkey.’”

4 Then Saul summoned the people and [c]numbered them inTelaim, 200,000 foot soldiers and 10,000 men of Judah. 5 Saul came to the city of Amalek and set an ambush in the valley.6 Saul said to the Kenites, “Go, depart, go down from among the Amalekites, so that I do not destroy you with them; foryou showed kindness to all the sons of Israel when they came up from Egypt.” So the Kenites departed from among the Amalekites. 7 So Saul [d]defeated the Amalekites, from Havilah as you go to Shur, which is [e]east of Egypt. 8 He capturedAgag the king of the Amalekites alive, and utterly destroyed all the people with the edge of the sword. 9 But Saul and the people spared Agag and the best of the sheep, the oxen, the fatlings, the lambs, and all that was good, and were not willing to destroy them utterly; but everything despised and worthless, that they utterly destroyed.

Samuel Rebukes Saul

10 Then the word of the Lord came to Samuel, saying, 11 “I regret that I have made Saul king, for he has turned back from[f]following Me and has not carried out My commands.” And Samuel was distressed and cried out to the Lord all night.12 Samuel rose early in the morning to meet Saul; and it was told Samuel, saying, “Saul came to Carmel, and behold, he set up a monument for himself, then turned and proceeded on[g]down to Gilgal.” 13 Samuel came to Saul, and Saul said to him, “Blessed are you of the Lord! I have carried out the command of the Lord.” 14 But Samuel said, “What then is this[h]bleating of the sheep in my ears, and the [i]lowing of the oxen which I hear?” 15 Saul said, “They have brought them from the Amalekites, for the people spared the best of the sheep and oxen, to sacrifice to the Lord your God; but the rest we have utterly destroyed.” 16 Then Samuel said to Saul, “Wait, and let me tell you what the Lord said to me last night.” And he said to him, “Speak!”
17 Samuel said, “Is it not true, though you were little in your own eyes, you were made the head of the tribes of Israel? And the Lord anointed you king over Israel, 18 and the Lord sent you on a [j]mission, and said, ‘Go and utterly destroy the sinners, the Amalekites, and fight against them until they are exterminated.’ 19 Why then did you not obey the voice of theLord, but rushed upon the spoil and did what was evil in the sight of the Lord?”
20 Then Saul said to Samuel, “I did obey the voice of the Lord, and went on the [k]mission on which the Lord sent me, and have brought back Agag the king of Amalek, and have utterly destroyed the Amalekites. 21 But the people took some of the spoil, sheep and oxen, the choicest of the things devoted to destruction, to sacrifice to the Lord your God at Gilgal.”22 Samuel said,

“Has the Lord as much delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices
As in obeying the voice of the Lord?
Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice,
And to heed than the fat of rams.
23 “For rebellion is as the sin of divination,
And insubordination is as iniquity and idolatry.
Because you have rejected the word of the Lord,
He has also rejected you from being king.”

24 Then Saul said to Samuel, “I have sinned; I have indeed transgressed the [l]command of the Lord and your words, because I feared the people and listened to their voice. 25 Now therefore, please pardon my sin and return with me, that I may worship the Lord.” 26 But Samuel said to Saul, “I will not return with you; for you have rejected the word of the Lord, and theLord has rejected you from being king over Israel.” 27 As Samuel turned to go, Saul seized the edge of his robe, and it tore. 28 So Samuel said to him, “The Lord has torn the kingdom of Israel from you today and has given it to your neighbor, who is better than you. 29 Also the [m]Glory of Israel will not lie or change His mind; for He is not a man that He should change His mind.” 30 Then he said, “I have sinned; but please honor me now before the elders of my people and before Israel, and go back with me, that I may worship the Lord your God.” 31 So Samuel went back following Saul, and Saul worshiped the Lord.

Idolatry of Self importance of personal status

MTQ: How do we know that we are in bondage to the idol of self importance of personal status?

1. Convenient for us to attribute the success of ministry to ourselves v12

Danger to seek rewards. 

Might fall to the temptation of having authority to an achievement of a ministry. 

2. When the fear of losing approval from people becomes a convenient excuse from violating the law of God. v20

Have a safeguard for ('Addictiveness' to positive recognition) between you and God. How to process affirmation requires wisdom. 

3. Becomes very difficult for us to ask for forgiveness when we sin. When it becomes burdensome. V24

Solution

1. Voluntary evict ourselves from

Ministry. (1) prob

2. Examine our motives. 

3. See sin for what it is. 

Relationship of discipler with God

- Intimate relationship;

- Tested in obedience

- believe that God controls the lives of the disciples

Pray for his disciples addressing serious threats. 

Address the command to make Christ known to the world. 

3 Dangers (things to pray for)

1. Evil one (works of the devil)

2. World (persecution)

3. Daily struggle to live holy lives. (Sanctify)

They will have a ministry of their own, pay it forward 

Even their impact to the world