First Church of the Nazarene Pastor Henecke's Sermon and Devotional Outlines | Sermon Outlines | Pastor Henecke's PM Sermon Outline The Woodland Street Pulpit Gary Allen Henecke DD January 8th, 2006 P.M. When Silence Roars 1 Samuel 28:1-15 In those days the Philistines gathered their forces to attack Israel, and Achish said to David, "You and your men know that you must take the field with this army." David answered, "Very well, you shall know what your servant can do." Achish said to David, "Very well, I will make you my bodyguard for life." Now Samuel was dead, and all Israel had mourned for him and buried him in Ramah, his own village. Saul had put the mediums and all who trafficked in ghosts and spirits out of the land. The Philistines assembled and encamped at Shunem, while Saul gathered all Israel and encamped on Gilboa. At the sight of the army of the Philistines, Saul was afraid, indeed struck to the heart with fear. He sought the LORD, but the LORD did not answer him, either by dreams, or by Urim, or through prophets. So, Saul said to his servants, "Find a woman who is a medium, and I will go to her and inquire through her." They told him, "Look, there is a medium at En-dor." So Saul disguised himself in other garments and went with two of his men. They came to the woman by night and said, "Divine for me by a dead spirit and bring up for me the one I shall name to you." The woman said to him, "Surely you know what Saul has done, how he has cut off the mediums and the sorcerers in the land. Why then are you laying a trap for my life to bring about my death?" But Saul swore to her by the LORD, "As the LORD lives, no punishment shall come upon you for this thing." Then the woman said, "Whom shall I bring up for you?" He said, "Bring up Samuel from his grave." When the woman saw Samuel, she cried out loud, "Why have you deceived me? You are Saul!" The king responded, "Do not be afraid. What do you see?" And the woman said to Saul, "I see a ghostly form coming up out of the earth." Then Saul asked, "What is it like?" She said, "An old man is coming up, wrapped in a robe" Knowing it was Samuel; Saul bowed with his face and went prostrate on the ground. Then Samuel asked Saul, "Why have you disturbed me and raised me?" Saul answered, "I am in great distress, for the Philistines are warring against me, and God has turned away from me and answers me no more, either by prophets or by dreams. What shall I do?" Mount Gilboa Mount Gilboa, from the Hebrew word meaning bubbling (named after a fresh spring located there) Not a single mountain, but a barren ridge (above) rising to a high point of 1,700 feet, separating the Harod Valley from the plain of Jezreel About 7 miles west of the Jordan River. As thousands of enemy soldiers--swordsmen, archers, spear throwers, cavalry, charioteers-- streamed across the plain Saul was struck with fear for the first time in his military career He had successfully challenged the Philistines and their control over central and southern Palestine Absorbed by his pursuit of David, he had placed himself in an indefensible position In the past, the Philistines' superior numbers and heavier equipment were rendered impotent by Saul's lightening attacks and guerrilla-style warfare But now he could see the chariots alone would crush his men. The Philistines could easily call up reinforcements from their nearby strongholds of Megiddo and Beth Shan. Saul's confidence was shattered He prayed to God for help, but received no answer He grew so desperate that he consulted a "witch" Saul in his better days (all scripture) had forbidden this: Deuteronomy 18:10-13 No one shall be found among you who makes a son or daughter pass through fire, or who practices divination, or is a soothsayer, or an augur, or a sorcerer, or one who casts spells, or who consults ghosts or spirits, or who seeks oracles from the dead. For whoever does these things is abhorrent to the LORD; it is because of such abhorrent practices that the LORD your God is driving them out before you. You must remain completely loyal to the LORD your God. Galatians 5:19 -21 Now the works of the flesh are obvious: fornication, impurity, licentiousness, idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, anger, quarrels, dissensions, factions, envy, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these. I am warning you, as I warned you before: those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. Saul the man Saul, pronounced shaw-ool, meaning asked Son of Kish, of the tribe of Benjamin He is first king of all of the tribes of Israel Saul's reign is dated from approximately 1010 B.C. Saul was chosen by Samuel God was rejected by the people as sovereign God permitted the monarchy After being selected by God (1 Samuel 9:15-17), Saul was secretly anointed by Samuel (1 Samuel 10:1) before being publicly chosen by lot Saul's kingship was firmly established upon his victory at Jabesh-Gilead, after which he was proclaimed king at Gilgal (1 Samuel 11:1-15). The first years were filled with victories He became God’s anointed 1 Samuel 10:10-11 When they were going from there to Gibeah, a band of prophets met him; and the spirit of God possessed him, and he fell into a prophetic frenzy along with them. When all who knew him before saw how he prophesied with the prophets, the people said to one another, "What has come over the son of Kish? Is Saul also among the prophets?" Following initial successes, Saul soon began making a series of very serious blunders, beginning with the offering of a sacrifice, which was to be performed only by the priests (1 Samuel 13:9-12) It was this foolish and presumptuous disobedience to God that cost him the kingship, which would later be taken over by David 1 Samuel 13:13-14 Samuel said to Saul, "You have done foolishly; you have not kept the commandment of the LORD your God, which he commanded you. The LORD would have established your kingdom over Israel forever, but now your kingdom will not continue; the LORD has sought out a man after his own heart; and the LORD has appointed him to be ruler over his people, because you have not kept what the LORD commanded you." He continued in place without God The outer man went on – the inner was gone The ghost of Samuel will remind Saul: 1 Samuel 28:18-19 You have not obeyed the Lord or carried out the judgment of his fierce anger against the Amalekites; that is why you are where you are today. The Lord will allow Israel and you to fall to the Philistines. What is more, tomorrow you and your sons will be with me. The Lord will also hand over the army of Israel to the Philistines. The Journey of a man From the man of God From one who had experienced the reality Now there was silence David was to experience this same silence Psalm 77:1-7 I cried aloud to God, that he might hear me. In the hour of my trouble I sought the Lord; in the night my hand was stretched out without wearying; my soul refused to be comforted. I could only think of God, and moan. I meditated and my spirit faints. God keeps my eyelids from closing; I am so troubled that I cannot speak. I remember former days and years. All night long I meditate and examine my heart and search my spirit: Will the Lord spurn me forever, and never again show favor?" He would give a reason Sin in the heart One of the reasons churches hire pastors, one of the reasons you called me to be your pastor thirteen years ago, was to help you deal with God's reticence. His ambiguity. His mystery. Nowhere are we more caught up than in the silence of God We don't know what to do with God's silence Saul sought anything – to gain some experience He knew he needed more than himself He had a history of God God had departed God no longer answered Saul simply kept pushing ahead - empty Here is the key: 2 Chronicles 7:14 If my people who are called by my name humble themselves, pray, seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land.

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