This is the final part of John’s four part study. Again he compares the life of Saul with the life of David.
Notes are below. The material is made available so that any may use it, adapt it and preach it.
Looking Out for Number Two
Recap from previous weeks:
Samuel became Judge but was not all he could have been.
We saw that the HS is essential for leadership, even in the OT.
We looked at the appointment of Saul.
Saul the Ploughman.
Two kingdom’s colliding
Do you want to be a Saul or a David?
1) The Winner is a Loser
What is The Apprentice? A television programme.
“No-nonsense, self-made millionaire, Sir Alan Sugar returns to challenge a new group of 16 aspiring tycoons, all poised to battle it out in the toughest challenge of their lives.” So, 16 business people have given up their jobs to compete in this elimination style contest for a chance to work with Alan Sugar and earn a six figure salary. Each week they’re put into two teams and given tasks and each week someone is fired from the losing team.
This show and the people on it epitomise the individualistic and materialistic culture we live I today. Listen to what some of them had to say about themselves:
“I will do absolutely anything to get what I want, I have absolutely no concern for people who are around me in the business world: peers, colleagues, contestants and their feelings.“
“Last week I was awarded an outstanding for barrister qualification, that doesn’t surprise me because outstanding is who I am.“
“I’m just pure class and elegance. No one compares to me. I don’t try to be glamorous I’m just naturally like that.“
“I always win. Yes it is a natural conclusion and one which I will achieve.“
I was actually impressed by the chap that was fired this week. Afterwards, there’s a sort of spin off show where the recently fired contestant gets to see what all the other contestants had to say about him. [They were as disparaging about him as they were flattering about themselves]. And after they had shown Simon this, they said so what do you think? And his reply really impressed me, he said: “You know I think they’re right, I was out of my depth, you have know your limitations.” He said, “I make a better number two than a number one.”
His humility reminded me of David in 1 Samuel 24. You’ll remember that David grew tired of Saul’s attempts on his life and even while his home was under guard he made a daring escape out the city with the help of his wife. David runs to the desert and there he gains command of a loyal band of 600 men who have come to him looking for protection because they were in trouble or in debt. Saul is making chase with 3000 elite soldiers. There comes a stage where Saul needs to “powder his nose” so he goes into a cave, the same cave David and his men are hiding in! While Saul’s powdering his nose David has an opportunity to kill Saul and become King (his men are egging him on) let’s look at what happened 1 Samuel 24:4-7.
David was different, this man was Spirit filled. I’m not saying that Simon off the Apprentice was Spirit filled but his attitude impressed me. As christians let’s opt for an attitude like that, like David.
David wasn’t just looking out for number one, he knew that he was a number two [at this point]. And really all of us are number twos, to God be the glory because we can never tell how much credit we deserve.
Saul appeared to be a winner but he was not.
2) The Loser is a Winner.
Let’s look at Saul as well. In contrast to David, Saul was absolutely ruthless in his desperation to hang on and be number 1. Earlier in the narrative when David escapes to Nob [this is where it all gets a bit Lord of the Rings], David gets bread and he’s given Goliath’s sword which has been kept almost as a sort of relic. But who sees all this? None other that the malevolent Doeg the Edomite (later when David has gone he reports everything he’s seen to Saul) 1 Samuel 22:11-15.
3) The Walk of a Winner.
Paradox: A seemingly absurd or self-contradictory statement or proposition that when investigated or explained may prove to be well founded or true. The Bible is not full of contradictions but it is full of paradoxes (Jesus was a servant and yet he was a King, the last will be first and the first will be last).
Please don’t get me wrong, I’m not saying that you shouldn’t be the best that you can possible be. Just be the best with the attitude that you’re always number 2 and that you are governed by a different set of laws, the laws of the Kingdom of God.
There’s even an apparent paradox in the lives of Saul and David because surely Saul was humble when he was reluctant to accept God’s offer of the leadership of Israel. No, Saul had an unhealthy low self esteem, not a healthy humility. What about David, wasn’t he a little big headed when he took on Goliath. No, David was more confident in his God than his own capabilities. But what God required of them when they were younger was not what he required of them when they were older.
1 Corinthians 13:11 When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put childish ways behind me.
Please don’t think I’ve forgotten what this preaching series is about, the Holy Spirit in 1 Samuel. Primarily, I don’t want us to focus on the outward manifestations. Like all the instances of people prophesying in the Spirit but the way the Spirit is recognisable in the attitudes of the people whom He indwelt. I am a Christian who believes in a blessing which is subsequent to the initial faith decision. The Holy Spirit doesn’t necessarily dwell in you just because you believe in Jesus, it’s something you have to want. See Luke 11.
