Matthew C. Mitchell's Blog, page 117

After the Rain Storm

First Look at "Resisting Gossip Together"

I'm getting excited about the new companion book to Resisting Gossip  which will be (1) part Bible study for digging deeper into the biblical teaching about gossip and (2) part participant's guide for small groups working through the material together and utilizing the Resisting Gossip Videos that we've been creating.

Check out page #10 of the newest CLC catalog for more details about Resisting Gossip Together.

This is what the cover will basically look like (probably some refining left before it's official):


The videos and companion book are due out in early October. I'll let you know when I have more information.

Resisting Gossip: Winning the War of the Wagging Tongue

New!

Resisting Gossip was released on September 3rd by CLC Publications.

Learn More

Preview, download, and read the endorsements, table of contents, foreword by Ed Welch of CCEF, introduction, and first chapter at the CLC Facebook page.

Order Today

Resisting Gossip is available through these and other booksellers:

Amazon

CLC Book Center

ChristianBook.com

WTSBooks.com

Next Step Resources

and in a growing list of e-book formats.

Even More About "A Better December" - A Round-Up of Reviews and Giveaways

All week on this blog, we've been featuring A Better December: Proverbs to Brighten Christmas  by Steve Estes.

Monday: Our contest for two giveaway copies (which is still live until 7pm tonight).

Tuesday: A delightful interview with Steve himself.

Wednesday: My review of A Better December.

But, my blog isn't the only place where you can learn about A Better December. Here is a round-up of links, including even more chances to win a free copy!

Megan at the Lifesong blog introduces it this way:

The past several years, I have really struggled with Christmas. Not what it means - I'm very clear on that. But I struggle with the overcommercialization of Christmas. We have taken this sacred holy day and turned it into an over spending, list making, stress filled month of chaos. And, honestly, I'm rather weary of it. I want our celebration of Christmas to be different. I don't want it to be about making lists, I want it to be about remembering why it's one of the most meaningful days of the year to begin with. I don't want to get caught up in all the "extras" - I want to focus on Jesus.

But is it too late? My older kids have already experienced many Christmases where, I am really embarrassed to say, we went overboard. So now they have come to expect something that I don't want to continue doing. I don't want my kids to remember things at Christmas; I want them to remember Jesus.

I received this book in the mail last week....

Read all of Megan's thoughts and enter her contest by leaving a comment by tomorrow.

Carrie at Reading to Know says this:

December is a crazy busy time of the year for most of us. I know that most people are always eager to find encouragement to slow down and to stop striving for perfection. Most of us want to be able to take a low-key approach to the holidays and spend time reveling in the things that really do matter - namely, relationships. Also, due to oppressive time constraints, many of us are looking for quick bursts of inspiration which help us to slow further down and maintain a relationship with our Savior during this Month of Crazy (Fun). If you are looking for a short devotional that will help keep your heart focused on the right place, you might be interested in this title. I can't say I was overwhelmed by it but neither was I underwhelmed. It is good to read Proverbs year round and apply it always. Estes takes us another step forward in applying this Book of Wisdom to our Christmas holidays. 

 Carrie isn't as excited about A Better December as I am, but she does think it's good. Read her whole review here and enter her contest by leaving a comment by Wednesday.

Nicole at Strengthening Women sums up the book:

Steve Estes does a wonderful job of taking the little proverbs that we all know so well and relating them very practically into our lives during the Christmas season. He throws in a mixture of funny anecdotes that made me laugh out loud and stories that made tears well up in my eyes and goose bumps take over my arms. And then to top it all off, he wraps everything up at the end with the gospel.

Read Nicole's full review, including her thoughts on what could have been done better, and enter her contest by Monday night.

Linda of About the Children's Department offers not only her own review and a giveaway contest, but also a free short story written by Steve Estes as a complement to A Better December.

I'm delighted to also make available to everyone who reads this, a special short story, written by Steven Estes which you will only find on About the Children's Department. In this story, Steve writes, "Anyone dreading this Christmas? Is anyone convinced you simply can’t endure one more “happy” holiday? Not with this spouse. Not without that child. Not minus any family at all. Or perhaps not with yesteryear’s good memories now just a puddle of melted snow — or with that sadness from childhood hanging on like the flu. Maybe you should meet Coleen."

 Read the story about Coleen and enter Linda's giveaway contest by Monday by leaving a comment here.

And if that's not enough about A Better December  for you, then check out these additional resources:

An audio interview with Steve at Channel Mom.A pinnable cornucopia of pictures at the New Growth Press Pinterest page.The website of illustrator Sarah Bland Halulko.Happy holidays!

Review: One Bible, Many Versions: Are All Translations Created Equal?

One Bible, Many Versions: Are All Translations Created Equal? by Dave Brunn

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This book should be required reading in every seminary and the first book read when "translation wars" erupt in local churches.

Brunn makes a clear, compelling, and winsome case for a multiplicity of versions being a complementary blessing to the church and the world.

He also convincingly demonstrates that the versions who have literal ideals are not nearly as consistent at their translation philosophy as one might think--and that that is a good thing! He shows that there is more to an excellent translation than literalness, and all great translations evidence that. Our strong English translations actually have much more in common than they have differences.

"In English-speaking countries, we have the huge advantage of being able to compare dozens of Bible versions side by side. In this sense, we are incredibly rich beyond the wildest dreams of most of the rest of the world. Yet sometimes, I think we squander this great wealth. Not only do we fail to take full advantage of it; we also allow it to become a source of disagreement among us" (pg. 193).

***

Related articles:

EFCA Today reviews of One Bible, Many Versions

Andy Naselli's review of One Bible, Many Versions

My thoughts on the NIV 2011

Review of "A Better December" by Steve Estes

“What hath Proverbs to do with Christmas?”
That was my initial question when I opened the pages of A BetterDecember: Proverbs to Brighten Christmas by Steven Estes. The answer was surprising, “Quite a helpful lot!”
In this little gift-sized book, Pastor Estes has taken the wisdom of Solomon in all of its brevity and sagacity and applied it directly to the blessings and perils of the holiday season. A Better December is easily my favorite book so far this year and the best book I’ve ever read about “doing Christmas” in faith.
More than a “Gift Book”
A Better December is one of those short and squat “inspirational” hardbacks that people give to others at the holidays. But it’s not like any other gift book that I’ve ever seen. It is inspirational without being sentimental, warm and winsome without being sappy or fluffy. A Better December is full of deep, practical, biblical content presented in an imaginative, often wryly humorous, and  engaging style.
Estes chooses a cornucopia of proverbs to address thirteen typical facets of the holidays including: gifts, contentment, perfectionism, disappointments, and more. For example, in the chapter “Surprises,” he tells the story of a family sneaking presents to a needier family as an application of Proverbs 11:25, “He who refreshes others will himself be refreshed,” and summarizes:
Such a deal! You’re strapped for cash this time of year. Frazzled. Or dreading the in-laws. But as you forget yourself and remember others with even emptier pockets and truly dismal lives–God will knock at YOUR life’s door with boxes of his own (pg. 37).
Many of the other life lessons are more surprising and counter-intuitive. The chapter “Longings” hauntingly yet sweetly distills the idea of Proverbs 14:10, “Each heart knows its own bitterness, and no one else can share its joy.”
The best thing about A Better December is how Estes brilliantly smiths his words. There aren’t that many, but each and every word is carefully chosen for maximum rhetorical effect, making it a delightful read. Estes doesn’t just teach from the Proverbs, he writes like the Proverbs–concise, precise, incisive. I wouldn’t quite call his genre “poetry,” but it is definitely lyrical and sonorous. It’s a pleasure to read out loud, and it’s impossible to not be moved.                                                                                                Sarah Bland Lalulko has generously sprinkled her whimsical hand-drawn illustrations throughout the book, adding to the magical quality of the writing.
Weaknesses
As you can tell, I’m definitely a fan of this book. I’ve enjoyed Estes’ unique style of writing ever since he co-wrote When God Weeps with his friend Joni Eareckson Tada. I’ve listened to his sermons online, and I’ve been waiting for years for a new book. I never expected it to be about Christmas, but I’m glad that it is.
Because I’m entranced by it, and because the book is so short, I don’t have many criticisms to offer of A Better December. I can say that I don’t care for the cover image. It doesn’t encourage me to open the cover and see what’s inside, and I don’t think it properly conveys the content, but that may be just a matter of taste.
Also a matter of taste, some readers may be turned off by Estes’ style. It is definitely not a book for someone who loves dense prose. A few times along the way, I took a wrong turn in my reading and didn’t understand where Estes was taking me, but a second, closer reading got me back on track. I often have that difficulty with more poetical type writing. In my opinion, it’s worth a few wrong turns to wisely weave in and out of the traffic of life like Estes does. A Better December may not be the book you thought you were going to read, but is probably the one that you need.
Biblical Counseling in a Little Package
Biblical counselors can learn a lot from this deceptively small book.  For example, truth can be persuasively communicated in creative ways. We don’t always have a preach a sermon to a counselee; sometimes a short story will do. Also, biblical truth is often surprising and counter-intuitive. Our counseling should include change-ups, turn-arounds, and surprise endings.
A Better December is biblical counseling. Steven Estes is a local church pastor and a board member at CCEF. In this book, he is modeling how to embody biblical truth and apply it to everyday life–including the stresses, strains, and satisfactions of the Christmas season. He shows how we can help counselees reset holiday expectations and address the heart.
Highly Recommended
I highly recommend A Better December for just about reader–Christian leaders, church members, Christian counselees, and even folks who are not yet followers of Christ. As the book progresses, there is a narrative movement from Solomon to Jesus and the gospel is clearly and beautifully presented in an unique and disarming way.
I’m glad I read it. This coming December is already starting to look better.

***

To win your own copy of A Better December, read Monday's post and join the contest.

Read yesterday's interview with Steve Estes about this unique book.

An Interview with Steve Estes about "A Better December"

Today we have a special holiday treat--like a surprise plate of Christmas fudge and a frothy cup of hot chocolate--an interview with Steve Estes, the author of A Better December: Proverbs to Brighten Christmas . All this week, I am highlighting this unique book and offering a chance for two people to each win a copy. Tune in tomorrow to read my review.

Matt: Christmas and the book of Proverbs? That's an unusual connection to make, though after reading the book it seemed like genius to me. How did you come up with and develop the idea for A Better December?

Steve:  Solomon wrote Proverbs some 900 years before Christ. But many of his sayings fairly scream Christmas. “The coolness of snow . . . refreshes the spirit” — sounds like December, eh? Or consider this little chestnut: “He who rises early in the morning, greeting his neighbor with a loud voice — it will be taken as a curse!” Tell me that Solomon’s kids didn’t squeal and jump on his bed way too early on Christmas morning.

Seriously, in pastoring the same church for 26 years, I one year decided to keep things fresh by seeing what Scripture might say about how to do December. After all, for many folks the holidays drip with melancholy and stress. I was surprised to learn that Solomon seemed to grasp the problems we face at Christmas. Proverbs fairly popped with zingers about reining in spending, the joy of giving, and the payoff of helping the poor and of sometimes saying “no” to your kids.

Matt: What are some gems of Solomon's wisdom that you see applying to our upcoming holiday season?

Steve:

• “Even in laughter the heart may ache.” Solomon is thinking about that guy at the holiday party who tries to smile, but is dying inside from a wife who just left him. No amount of holiday punch is going to soothe his aching soul. Christian, are your antennae up for such hurting people?

• Your teenager thinks her social life will droop like a Charlie Brown Christmas tree unless she gets THIS brand of jeans or THAT smartphone this December. But Solomon says, “Death and destruction are never satisfied, neither are the eyes of man.” That is, no amount of stuff will fill us. She may not believe this — and you, her parent, may have to believe this for her.

• Perfectionists, especially perfectionist-moms, cherish visions of a Currier-and-Ives holiday, a family gathering Norman Rockwell would love to paint. But trying to shake a snow-globe Christmas out of every December will disappoint you. Holiday dreams can melt in your hands like snow. Solomon says, “You can make many plans, but the Lord’s purpose will prevail.” God sometimes lets December disappoint us so that we won’t be overly focused on this life. Some years he may give you a Christmasy taste of heaven — other years, a sad December to keep your hopes on the next life, the REAL holiday.

• Other than dropping a buck into that bell-ringer’s red kettle, Christians are hugely tempted to be self-centered in December. My friends, my family, we, ourselves, and us. But great joy lies around the corner for those who ring the doorbell of a single mom — inviting her over, drawing out her story with questions, and loving her kids. “He who refreshes others will himself be refreshed.”

Matt: This book seemed very personal to you, including stories from your own family and upbringing.  How did your family figure into the writing?

Steve:  They are the ones with whom I’ve sat in pajamas and opened presents on Christmas morning. It’s with them that I’ve enjoyed Currier-and-Ives holidays . . .  and the sadness of Scrooge seeing what he missed during Christmas past. Every story in this book is true. Each is about people I love, about scenes from my memory that affect me deeply.

Matt: As the book develops, there is a budding movement from Solomon to Christ.  How do you envision A Better December being used as an outreach tool?

That lonely neighbor, that divorced guy at work, that woman in the nursing home — each is having a difficult December. Each may in fact be dreading Christmas Day. What sadness. Yet what opportunity! To give them a religious book in July may make them feel evangelized. But in December, to give them a plate of cookies and a tiny, illustrated Christmas book can make them feel loved. A Better December is beautifully produced, laced with humor and zippy language. It doesn’t even mention Jesus until 80% through. But when it does, He is presented as the One who can meet every longing during the year’s shortest days and longest nights.

Matt: What are your hopes for this book as it gets into readers' hands this holiday season? How are you hoping it will make for a better December in 2013 and beyond?

Steve:  I’m almost embarrassed to say this. But as I wrote, I frequently imagined someone reading this book in a large city while riding the evening subway. I guess I pictured the loneliness of being surrounded by thousands of people, not knowing one of them, yet meeting Jesus of Nazareth in this book’s pages. Please understand why I say the following: a number of readers have told me that they wept through the last half of the book. I think this is so because I tried to help readers feel the Savior. I tried to show him as not only true . . . but as beautiful. This is my great hope for that lonely person to whose lap this little book has somehow found its way.

Matt:  Amen!  Thank you, Steve, for taking the time for this interview and for authoring such a winsome, creative, and loving resource. I hope that many many copies find their way into the laps of needy readers.

To win your own copy of A Better December, read yesterday's post and join the contest.

Win a Copy of "A Better December" by Steve Estes

All this week at Hot Orthodoxy, we're taking part in the "blog tour" for A Better December: Proverbs to Brighten Christmas by Steve Estes.

Tomorrow, Steve will answer some questions about his unique book.

Today, I'm happy to announce a contest to win a free copy of  A Better December .

I've been given 2 copies to hand off, and here's all you have to do to win:

1. Leave a comment on this post (either here, on Twitter, at Google+, or on Facebook) with your name on it.

2. Wait to see if you win. I'll be drawing the names out of a hat. It's that easy!

You can increase your chances of winning by posting about this contest on your social media page (FB, Twitter, Blog, Pinterest, etc.). Just send me an email or leave a comment with the link so that I know that you've expanded the reach of the contest.  For each time you link to the contest, you get your name added to the hat one more time (limit of 7 chances, the contest ends at 7pm EST on Thursday night).

We'll announce the winners on Friday.

This is fun!

Ann Beaulieu's Review of "Resisting Gossip" and a Giveaway

Christian author Ann Beaulieu has posted a joy-giving review of Resisting Gossip on her blog: La Vie D'Une Femme de Dieu Au Quotidien (The Daily Life of a Godly Woman).

Ann hails from Quebec. Her review is in both English and French and is wonderfully encouraging. I love it when a reviewer says that I have achieved some of my goals in writing the book. For example, Ann says that Resisting Gossip  is easy to read, friendly, and yet comprehensive at the same time:

As much as I tried, I can’t find anything Mitchell didn’t think to cover in his book! Not that I am looking for faults, but I’m thinking he must of forgotten something. Yet he seems to have covered all significant grounds. And there are quite a few!

From now until Wednesday, Ann is running a contest to give away a signed copy. All you have to do is leave your name and a comment on this post.

Or as she says:

Gagner un livre gratuit signé de l’auteur, Matthew Mitchell – « Resisting Gossip » en participant au tirage. Compliment de CLC Publications. Le concours est ouvert aux résidents du Canada, des États-Unis, et de l’Europe.

Règles du tirage: une seule inscription par personne.

Laissez-moi un commentaire et votre nom s’il vous plait.

L’inscription au tirage est ouverte jusqu’au mercredi le 20 novembre 2013 à midi.

One of the most fun parts of her review was learning how to say Resisting Gossip in French: "Résister à la médisance!"

Thanks, Ann, for your review--reading it made my day.

[Matt's Messages] "How to Grieve the Lord"

“How to Grieve the Lord”
A Heart for the Heart of God: The Message of 1 Samuel
November 17, 2013 :: 1 Samuel 15:1-35

Our series is called “A Heart for the Heart of God,” but for the last several messages the central character has not had one. King Saul does not seem to have a heart for the heart of God.

And last week, we saw the prophet Samuel announce to Saul that he would not have a dynasty–that his sons would not take follow him as king.  A terrible consequence for his disobedience, particularly because his son Jonathan showed so much promise.

But King Saul is a disappointment. For all of his good points–including his success in battle and the fact that he is tall–Saul is a disappointment. A disappointment to his people, to his army, to his prophet, even to his son. And, most importantly, a disappointment to his god.

In today’s chapter, the Bible tells us twice that the LORD was “grieved” that He had made Saul king. V.11 and the very last verse of the chapter, verse 35. The very last sentence, “And the LORD was grieved that he had made Saul king over Israel.”

Now, hearing that might surprise you.

You might be surprised because your English version translates it, “The LORD repented that he had made Saul king over Israel.”

And in our English today, we don’t use the word “repent” to mean “regret” or “grieve” or “feel sorrow” about something the way that Old English did.

But this is not saying that God somehow realized that He had made a mistake or an error that He now has to rectify. He does not “repent” in the sense that we are called to do in turning from our wrongdoings. The Lord does everything right, even things that He feels sorrow over.

Another reason why you might be surprised to hear that the Lord was grieved is that you didn’t know that God could be grieved!

You might not think of God as a person who has feelings.  “I mean, He’s God, right?!”

It’s true that God is not moody and erratically emotional, but our God, the real God has passions. He has emotions. He feels. He cares about things.

And because He cares, He can be grieved.

And Saul grieved Him.

In fact, today, I’m going to call this message, “How To Grieve the Lord.”

Not, of course, because I want you to. Or because I want to grieve Him myself.

Just the opposite.

In watching Saul’s downfall, we can see what NOT to do.

In verse 1 of our story for today, Samuel comes back on the scene. At the end of chapter 13, Samuel had left Saul alone and in disgrace.

But here he’s back, and he’s got a message and mission for Saul from the LORD. V.1

“Samuel said to Saul, ‘I am the one the LORD sent to anoint you king over his people Israel; so listen now to the message from the LORD. This is what the LORD Almighty says: 'I will punish the Amalekites for what they did to Israel when they waylaid them as they came up from Egypt. Now go, attack the Amalekites and totally destroy everything that belongs to them. Do not spare them; put to death men and women, children and infants, cattle and sheep, camels and donkeys.'’”

I would imagine that those words are as hard to swallow for you as they are for me.

But they are holy Scripture, and we need to receive them as such.

The LORD is gracious and compassionate and longsuffering and patient.

But there is an end to the LORD’s patience with rebellion and the Amalekites have reached that point.

For more than three hundred years, God has been patient with the Amalekites, but they have continued and continued sin against God and against His people. Read Exodus 17 and Numbers 24 for some of what they had done and what they continued to not repent of.

And God, in His unsearchable wisdom, decided that enough was enough and now was the time to bring total judgment on the Amalekites.

And He sends Saul to do it. And Saul sets out to do it. Verse 4.

“So Saul summoned the men and mustered them at Telaim–two hundred thousand foot soldiers and ten thousand men from Judah. Saul went to the city of Amalek and set an ambush in the ravine.

Then he said to the Kenites [relatives of Moses and Caleb who had apparently moved into their neighborhoods], ‘Go away, leave the Amalekites so that I do not destroy you along with them; for you showed kindness to all the Israelites when they came up out of Egypt.’ So the Kenites moved away from the Amalekites.

Then Saul attacked the Amalekites all the way from Havilah to Shur, to the east of Egypt.

He took Agag king of the Amalekites alive, and all his people he totally destroyed with the sword.

But Saul and the army spared Agag and the best of the sheep and cattle, the fat calves and lambs–everything that was good. These they were unwilling to destroy completely, but everything that was despised and weak they totally destroyed.”

Make note of that. Verse 9. They “spared Agag and the best of the” livestock. “These they were UNWILLING to destroy completely.”  V.10

“Then the word of the LORD came to Samuel: ‘I am grieved that I have made Saul king, because he has turned away from me and has not carried out my instructions.’ Samuel was troubled, and he cried out to the LORD all that night.”

Here’s point #1 this morning.

How to Grieve the Lord?

#1. CHOOSE TO ONLY PARTIALLY OBEY HIM.

I have some friends who have what their spouse call “selective hearing.”

That is, they only hear what they want to hear when their spouse is talking to them.

Well, Saul engages here in “selective obedience.”

What was Saul supposed to destroy? Everything.

What did he destroy?  Most everything. Everything except King Agag. Maybe he wants him as a trophy prisoner. And everything but the best that the army wanted to keep. These they were “unwilling to destroy completely.”

And God says to Samuel, “I am grieved that I have made Saul king, because he has turned away from me and has not carried out my instructions.”

That troubles Samuel so much that he spends the whole sleepless night crying.

So, the next day he goes to talk to Saul. V.12

“Early in the morning Samuel got up and went to meet Saul, but he was told, ‘Saul has gone to Carmel. There he has set up a monument in his own honor and has turned and gone on down to Gilgal.’

[We’ll talk about that in just a second!  Saul has been getting around. And he’s actually back to the site of his greatest achievements. But not today.]

When Samuel reached him, Saul said, ‘The LORD bless you! I have carried out the LORD's instructions.’

[Really?!]

But Samuel said, ‘What then is this bleating of sheep in my ears? What is this lowing of cattle that I hear?’”

Do you hear that sound, Saul?

That is the sound of disobedience!

I know what those sheep and those cows are. They are partial obedience which is no obedience at all.  V.15

“Saul answered, ‘The soldiers brought them from the Amalekites; they spared the best of the sheep and cattle to sacrifice to the LORD your God, but we totally destroyed the rest.’

‘Stop!’ Samuel said to Saul. ‘Let me tell you what the LORD said to me last night.’ ‘Tell me,’ Saul replied. Samuel said, ‘Although you were once small in your own eyes, did you not become the head of the tribes of Israel? The LORD anointed you king over Israel.

And he sent you on a mission, saying, 'Go and completely destroy those wicked people, the Amalekites; make war on them until you have wiped them out.'

Why did you not obey the LORD? Why did you pounce on the plunder and do evil in the eyes of the LORD?’

‘But I did obey the LORD,’ Saul said. ‘I went on the mission the LORD assigned me. I completely destroyed the Amalekites and brought back Agag their king.

The soldiers took sheep and cattle from the plunder, the best of what was devoted to God, in order to sacrifice them to the LORD your God at Gilgal.’”

In other words..."I obeyed more than 90%!  I was 9 for 10. Isn’t that really good?

I went on the mission.
I completely destroyed (except for Agag, of course.)
And what the soldiers took, but we were going to sacrifice. Really!"

But to the Lord, only partially obeying intentionally is (v.19) doing “evil in the eyes of the LORD.”

If you want to grieve Him, then choose to only partially obey Him.

Saul tries to deflect the blame. He blames the soldiers. He makes excuses.
He tries to wiggle out of it.

He might not even SEE that He is disobedient!

But Samuel sees it. And God sees it. In fact, it grieves the Lord.

He feels it. It moves Him. It pains Him.

God is not the Force from Star Wars.  He is not an impersonal life force that flows around the universe.

God is personal. He is passionate. He cares. He feels. He is moved by people and their choices.

And He is not pleased by half-hearted obedience.

God is wants us to have a heart for the heart of God.

Not half a heart with half a measure of obedience.

Is there an area in your life right now that you know is un-surrendered to the Lord?

You’re obeying 9 out of 10 and you hope that’s a A-.

But you know about that 1 out of 10 and you’re keeping it for yourself?

Now, I’m not talking here about perfection. Having a heart for the heart of God is not having a perfect heart and always obeying perfectly.

But it is, not holding a part of your life back from Him.

Making excuses. Shifting the blame. And picking and choosing which commands you want to obey.

“I’ll pray, but I won’t forgive.”
“I’ll love the church, but I won’t love my enemies.”
“I’ll obey my parents, but I won’t honor them.”
“I’ll give my money, but not my time.”

Do you see how that works?

Is there an area of obedience to Christ’s Lordship that you are choosing to ignore?

Paul says in Ephesians 4&5:

“[D]o not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you. Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God. But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity, or of greed, because these are improper for God's holy people. Nor should there be obscenity, foolish talk or coarse joking, which are out of place, but rather thanksgiving.” [Eph. 4:30-5:4]

Is there an area of obedience to Christ’s Lordship that you are choosing to ignore?

That’s how to grieve the Lord.

Here’s number two. It’s closely connected.

#2. THINK YOU CAN “GET BY” ON SACRIFICE ALONE.

Verse 20 is so sad. “But I did obey the LORD,” Saul says.

He tries to convince Samuel that his partial obedience is full obedience, but Samuel isn’t buying it. In verse 21 he says that they took the sheep and the cattle to sacrifice them at Gilgal. Which may or may not have some truth to it.

Probably not, because verse 9 said that they were unwilling to destroy them. They were probably really keeping them for themselves.

But even so, Samuel says, verse 22.

“But Samuel replied: ‘Does the LORD delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as in obeying the voice of the LORD? To obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed is better than the fat of rams. For rebellion is like the sin of divination, and arrogance like the evil of idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the LORD, he has rejected you as king.’”

It grieves the Lord that you think you can get by on sacrifice alone.

To have no heart for the heart of God and to try to just make it up with sacrifices.

That’s no better than rebellion in God’s eyes.
And arrogant rebellion is no better than witchcraft and idolatry.

God does not delight in sacrifices as much as in He does in obedience.

Does this mean that the sacrifices were bad?

Of course not. The sacrifices were a God-thing.

But they were not meant to be alternatives to a heart of obedience.

They were not “get out jail free cards.”

Sacrifice is bad if it is not from the heart.

I think that a lot of times people decide to sin and promise to make it up to God later.

I know that I shouldn’t do this, Lord, but I’ll make it up to you later.

I’ll put something special in the offering plate.
I’ll do this now and ask for forgiveness later.

Have ever done that?

Are you doing that nowadays?

I know that’s how some Catholics use the confessional.

“Well, I’ll just run out and do what I like and then get absolution later.”

But Protestants can do the very same thing.

And Samuel said, “Does the LORD delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as in obeying the voice of the LORD? To obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed is better than the fat of rams.”

And if you have it backwards, you are grieving the LORD.

In fact, King Saul. You aren’t really King Saul any more. V.23

“Because you have rejected the word of the LORD, he has rejected you as king.”

But Saul doesn’t feel the weight of that sentence. I don’t believe he ever really gets it. V.24

“Then Saul said to Samuel, ‘I have sinned. [Ok. Yeah.] I violated the LORD's command and your instructions. I was afraid of the people and so I gave in to them.

Now I beg you, forgive my sin and come back with me, so that I may worship the LORD.’”

Here’s a third way to grieve the Lord.

#3. FEAR OTHER PEOPLE MORE THAN YOU FEAR GOD.

Saul admits that he sinned, and he actually reveals why. V.24 again.

“I was afraid of the people and so I gave in to them.”

That’s really sad.

Instead of fearing God, Saul fears people.

What they will do, say, or think of him.

And he fears them so much that he is willing to disobey the Lord.

And even now when Samuel is confronting him, that’s seems to be all that Saul can think of–the people. V.26

“But Samuel said to him, ‘I will not go back with you. You have rejected the word of the LORD, and the LORD has rejected you as king over Israel!’ [You aren’t listening.] As Samuel turned to leave, Saul caught hold of the hem of his robe, and it tore.

[Rip!]

Samuel said to him, ‘The LORD has torn the kingdom of Israel from you today and has given it to one of your neighbors–to one better than you.

He who is the Glory of Israel does not lie or change his mind; for he is not a man, that he should change his mind.’

Saul replied, ‘I have sinned. But please honor me before the elders of my people and before Israel; come back with me, so that I may worship the LORD your God.’ So Samuel went back with Saul, and Saul worshiped the LORD.”

You see how he’s not listening?

“Yeah, yeah, I sinned. You’re right.”

“But come back and honor me” before whom? “The elders of my people and before Israel.”

That’s what Saul really seems to care about. Yes, he’s worshiping the Lord, but mainly as a show.

The sacrifices are show.

The confession is a show.

He wants the prophet to come back with him to show the people that things are okay.

But they are not okay.

The LORD has torn the kingdom away from Saul like a ripped robe.

And He’s not giving it back. V.29 again.

“He who is the Glory of Israel does not lie or change his mind; for he is not a man, that he should change his mind.”

Interestingly, “change his mind” is the same word as in v.11 and v.35 for “grieve” or “regret” or older versions have “repent.”

And we know that it can’t mean the same thing in each case because God is regretting in verses 11 and 35 and verse 29 says that He doesn’t do that.

So, there must be a sense in which God does grieve His choices and a sense in which He does not.

In verses 11 and 35, God is revealed to feel sorrow and pain over His choice. Not that it was the wrong thing for Him to do, but that it was a painful thing for Him to do.

He gave Israel what they deserved and what was right, but it wasn’t all good. King Saul wasn’t all good for them. In fact, he was downright disappointing.

But God has now said that King Saul will no longer be, in God’s eyes, the King of Israel. He is being replaced.

And that is a decision that is final. The decision to make him king was not final. It could be changed depending on Saul’s actions. But this decision is final, and God is not moody or capricious or whimsical or arbitrary in His choices.

He’s not like us. What He says, goes.

Now, I think that if Saul had responded well to this rebuke, then Saul could have been saved as a person and useful to the Lord. Not the king, because this was final, but a useful counselor to the new king and maybe a mighty general in his army.

But Saul never seems to respond well to any rebuke.

All he ever seems to care about is saving face.

What other people think of him.

He’s really into making everything about himself, isn’t he?

In the last chapter, instead of being concerned about his army’s health and welfare, he is only concerned about wiping out “his” enemies even if his men have to go without food.

In this chapter, he has won the battle, and the first thing he thinks to do is to set up a monument to himself!

Let’s make that #4.

#4. MAKE EVERYTHING ALL ABOUT YOU.

That’s what Saul does, and what grieves his Lord.

He doesn’t care that God get the glory. Not really.
He doesn’t care about his people. Not really.

He cares what they think of him, but not how they are doing, do they have what they need.

He gives in to his people because he wants them to like him.

That’s the fear of man, and the Bible says that it will prove to be a snare.

And it’s also a kind of self-love and self-worship.

It’s making everything all about me.

Me. Me. Me. Me. Me.

That’s why, I think, that Saul kept Agag. He wanted to have his own little king for a pet.

Look what I have!  I have a king.

This is all that’s left of the Amalekies because of me!

Me. Me. Me. Me. Me.

He doesn’t care that God had commanded that Agag die.

So Samuel has to do it. V.32

“Then Samuel said, ‘Bring me Agag king of the Amalekites.’ Agag came to him confidently, thinking, ‘Surely the bitterness of death is past.’ [The king isn’t here. Just a prophet. I’m safe!] But Samuel said, ‘As your sword has made women childless, so will your mother be childless among women.’ And Samuel put Agag to death before the LORD at Gilgal.

Then Samuel left for Ramah, but Saul went up to his home in Gibeah of Saul. Until the day Samuel died, he did not go to see Saul again, though Samuel mourned for him. And the LORD was grieved that he had made Saul king over Israel.”

I think that’s really sad.

Samuel leaves Saul for the last time.

Saul will go to him, but Samuel will not come to Saul.  (Unless you count the time he shows up at Endor–but we’ll get to that later.)

Saul is left alone.

Samuel mourns for him. He feels bad.

And the LORD feels bad, too.

Because it hurt that He had, in His wisdom, made Saul king over Israel.

It was the right thing to do, but it was sure painful for a God who loves His people.

God had chosen a king who made everything about himself instead of everything about the Lord.

You and I can make that mistake, too, can’t we?

When was the last time you said something that sounded a lot like:

“Me. Me. Me. Me. Me.”

Or set up a monument to yourself?

Or cared more about what people thought of you than what God thought of you?

Or thought you could get by on sacrifice alone and make it up to God later.

Or picked and chose which of Christ’s commands you want to obey?

I don’t know about you, but I don’t want to grieve the Lord anymore.

Let’s give Him our whole hearts so that we have a heart for His heart.

And not follow Saul where he chose to go.

Let’s not make everything about us, but about Him. About the Lord.

And that will not grieve Him at all.


***

A Heart for the Heart of God

01. Hannah's Prayers
02. Those Who Honor Me I Will Honor
03. Speak, LORD, for Your Servant Is Listening
04. God In A Box
05. Who Can Stand in the Presence of the LORD, This Holy God?
06. Be Careful What You Ask For
07. "Go and Look for the Donkeys."
08. From Here On
09. Who Knows?