They Have Not Rejected You but They Have

“They Have Not Rejected You, but They Have Rejected Me” (1 Samuel 8: 7)

“They Have Not Rejected You, but They Have Rejected Me” • Looking to 1 Samuel 8… • We will examine the text. • Explain the narrative. • Seek to make applications.

Points of Emphasis • The children of Israel wanted a king to judge them “like all the nations”. (1 Sam. 8: 5) – The people’s request for a king displeased Samuel, because thing that made Israel unique was the fact that God was their king. – Perhaps also he felt their request for a king was a rejection of him. • God assured that the people were not rejecting Samuel, but they were rejecting God! (Verse 7) – Samuel was told to provide warning. (Verse 9) – The people rejected the warning. (Verses 19 -20) – The LORD allowed them an earthly king, but consequences would follow. (Verses 10 -18; 21 -22).

“They Have Not Rejected You, but They Have Rejected Me” • To be like the nations. (1 Samuel 8: 1 -5) – Samuel was getting old, the Philistines were encroaching in the land again, and Samuel’s sons were wicked. All of these things created unrest in Israel. – Elders of Israel had reason for concerns, but what was their solution? – The Israelites were to be different than the nations, Exodus 19: 4 -8. – The Christian can learn from this, 1 Peter 2: 9 -10.

“They Have Not Rejected You, but They Have Rejected Me” • Considering context and making application from the people’s response. – We may look at troubling circumstances among the flock and be even compelled to speak on it (Like the elders of Israel did)… – But no circumstance allows for the usurping of God’s ways in dealing with our concerns. – Do you have a concern that needs addressing? (Matt 18: 15 -17; 1 Thess 5: 12 -14; Eph 4: 29 -32).

“They Have Not Rejected You, but They Have Rejected Me” • A Rejection of Whom? (1 Samuel 8: 6 -8) – Samuel was upset at their request because thing that made Israel unique as a nation was that God was their king, but perhaps he also felt that their request for a king was a rejection of him. – Similar circumstance in Exodus 16: 1 -8. • Complaining displays lack of faith in God. • If YOU are following God’s order, yet one persistently disputes without Scriptural cause, that person is complaining.

“They Have Not Rejected You, but They Have Rejected Me” • God wills for us all to lead others to Him by our example (Matthew 5: 13 -16). – Yet we know that all who desire to live godly are going to suffer persecution (2 Timothy 3: 12). – This can inhibit some from being the men and women we should be. (Titus 2: 7; Romans 12: 1 -2) • We may feel a fear of rejection when it comes to modesty (Genesis 3: 7; 10 -11; Matthew 18: 6 -9; 2 Timothy 2: 9 -10). • Some may think it strange that you decide to not to engage in any form of drinking alcohol (1 Peter 4: 1 -4). • Our culture looks down on those who save themselves for marriage. What does God say? (Hebrews 13: 4)

“They Have Not Rejected You, but They Have Rejected Me” • Neighbors are seeking to force you to approve the sin of homosexuality. (Romans 1: 27; 32) • We are tempted to “be like the nations” with our speech, yet God says that we are to speak in such a way that glorifies Him (Colossians 4: 6). • We live in a culture that seems to view being honest as a sign of weakness. What does the Lord say? (Revelation 21: 8) • Believers of Christianity are made out in our society to be the most ignorant and bigoted. Yet, God says… (Hebrews 11: 6; 2 Thessalonians 1: 7 -8; Revelation 21: 8). • Many professors in our colleges and universities count God’s revelation concerning the Creation as rubbish, but what are we to believe? (Genesis 1: 1; John 1: 1 -3; Acts 17: 24)

“They Have Not Rejected You, but They Have Rejected Me” • We are at times tempted to think, speak, and behave “like the nations”… – “But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light” (1 Peter 2: 9) – Determine to live your life the way God desires! • If you’re striving to live honorably among your neighbors without hypocrisy (armed with the truth of God’s Word) & others reject you because of your faith -- they are not rejecting you, but the LORD!

“They Have Not Rejected You, but They Have Rejected Me” • The Responsibility To Warn (1 Samuel 8: 9 -18) – Ezekiel 3: 17 -21 – 1 Timothy 4: 6, 11; 5: 20 – 2 Timothy 2: 24 -25; 4: 2, 5 – We ARE our brother’s keeper, and we ALL bear the responsibility of being watchful for our brother’s sake.

“They Have Not Rejected You, but They Have Rejected Me” • The Responsibility To Warn (1 Samuel 8: 9 -18) – Andrew brought his brother Simon to Jesus (Jn 1: 41). – Jesus told Simon that he would catch men (Lk 5: 10). – The apostles were to preach the gospel to the world (Matt 28: 18 -20; Mk 16: 15 -16). – Teaching and baptizing was not limited to the apostles only (Acts 8: 1 -5, 12 -13, 26 -39; 9: 18). – WE have a responsibility to warn alien sinners of the need to repent and obey the gospel as well (Rom 3: 23, 6: 23, 10: 14 -17; 2 Thess 1: 7). – There will come a day when the time for change is no longer made available (1 Sam 8: 18; Lk 16: 24 -26).

“They Have Not Rejected You, but They Have Rejected Me” • Refusal To Heed Warnings Will Bring Consequences (1 Samuel 8: 19 -22) – God may allow sin to continue for a time, but we will give an account for our actions (Gal 6: 7 -8; 2 Cor 5: 10). – The people refused “to obey the voice of Samuel” (Compare 1 Sam 8: 19, 10, & 7). – Some today will refuse the warnings, but Who is ultimately being rejected?

“They Have Not Rejected You, but They Have Rejected Me” • Looking to 1 Samuel 8… • We have examined the text. • Explained the narrative. • Sought to make applications.

“They Have Not Rejected You, but They Have Rejected Me” Ø “But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light” (1 Peter 2: 9) • Do not be “like all the nations”. • Remember your responsibly to tell “all the words of the LORD to the people”. • The refusal to heed warnings will ultimately bring about consequences. (WE need to heed them ourselves) • Some who we warn will not take heed to the Scriptural warnings, but we should not feel guilt over that rejection!

“They Have Not Rejected You, but They Have Rejected Me” (1 Samuel 8: 7)