Sermon Notes
Sermon: Desire for a King by Rev. Jessica Johnson
Date: June 10, 2018
Scripture Passages:
Key Points:
In 1 Samuel 8, Even though the Israelites had never had an earthly king, the law did allow for it. So, the elders expressed concern to Samuel about the leadership of his sons after his death and asked for a king. God tells Samuel to give them what they want: an earthly king. But God tells him to give them a full warning of what it would be like to replace God with a man as king. Man is flawed, and, basically, God was saying, “Be careful of what you ask for.” They still demanded a king.
The first Israelite king appointed by Samuel was Saul. So what kind of king did the Israelites get? If you simply just go by the Old Testament, you see many of King Saul’s weaknesses, such as his jealousy, violence, and melancholy. However, if you look at the oral tradition and the writings of the Sages, King Saul was actually a great king and national hero. King Saul was everything you could ask for in a good king and more. However, King Saul also had his weaknesses.
I read a quote this week that said: “The failure of merely human kings points to the need for the perfect king, Christ, who will be divine and human.” Yet, even when Christ came to the earth, the Jews did not get the king they were expecting. The Israelites of the Old Testament and the Jews of the New Testament were both looking for an earthly king that would do what they wanted rather than submitting to the rule of God as their king. However, Jesus was a different type of king. He was not at all what they were expecting. Rather than lead a rebellious coup against the Romans, Jesus suffered and died for us. He didn’t free the Jews from the Romans, but He did free all people from the bondage of sin.
We continue to have a deep desire for a king, or a strong leader, that will guide us and do battle against our enemies for us. Yet, we have trouble giving up complete control, especially to earthly kings. We want kings of our own making. However, we need to recognize that we are already children of the One True King, the king above all other kings. God is the only perfect king. He has our best interests at heart, because He love us unconditionally. Our deep desire for a king demonstrates our deep desire for God, even though we try to satisfy that desire with glorifying earthly kings. Jesus came to us full of grace and mercy in order to restore us under God’s perfect rule. He came to usher us into the kingdom of God.
Future Suggested Study:
Sermon: Desire for a King by Rev. Jessica Johnson
Date: June 10, 2018
Scripture Passages:
- 1 Samuel 8
- Deuteronomy 17:14-20
- John 6:15
Key Points:
In 1 Samuel 8, Even though the Israelites had never had an earthly king, the law did allow for it. So, the elders expressed concern to Samuel about the leadership of his sons after his death and asked for a king. God tells Samuel to give them what they want: an earthly king. But God tells him to give them a full warning of what it would be like to replace God with a man as king. Man is flawed, and, basically, God was saying, “Be careful of what you ask for.” They still demanded a king.
The first Israelite king appointed by Samuel was Saul. So what kind of king did the Israelites get? If you simply just go by the Old Testament, you see many of King Saul’s weaknesses, such as his jealousy, violence, and melancholy. However, if you look at the oral tradition and the writings of the Sages, King Saul was actually a great king and national hero. King Saul was everything you could ask for in a good king and more. However, King Saul also had his weaknesses.
I read a quote this week that said: “The failure of merely human kings points to the need for the perfect king, Christ, who will be divine and human.” Yet, even when Christ came to the earth, the Jews did not get the king they were expecting. The Israelites of the Old Testament and the Jews of the New Testament were both looking for an earthly king that would do what they wanted rather than submitting to the rule of God as their king. However, Jesus was a different type of king. He was not at all what they were expecting. Rather than lead a rebellious coup against the Romans, Jesus suffered and died for us. He didn’t free the Jews from the Romans, but He did free all people from the bondage of sin.
We continue to have a deep desire for a king, or a strong leader, that will guide us and do battle against our enemies for us. Yet, we have trouble giving up complete control, especially to earthly kings. We want kings of our own making. However, we need to recognize that we are already children of the One True King, the king above all other kings. God is the only perfect king. He has our best interests at heart, because He love us unconditionally. Our deep desire for a king demonstrates our deep desire for God, even though we try to satisfy that desire with glorifying earthly kings. Jesus came to us full of grace and mercy in order to restore us under God’s perfect rule. He came to usher us into the kingdom of God.
Future Suggested Study:
- The Book of Isaiah
- Zechariah 9 and 14
- Revelation 17-19
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