Leadership matters

“they have rejected me” 1Samuel 7:12-8:22

Israel - in the Promised Land 7:13+14Samuel - the leader 7: 15-17

Crisis looming 8:5Wrong conclusion 8:5, 19

Rejection of the LORD 8:8,10:19from: Better if you had not rescued usto: Better if you had not made us your people

‘We want to be like everybody else’ but Deuteronomy 26:19 you shall be a people holy to the Lord your God as he promised

Reminder of what sin and rebellion look likeRejecting God’s ruleNo to your rule

Church of England: Keith Sinclair it will cut the church adrift from her Scriptural moorings and, by depriving her of a prophetic vision, allow her to be swept along by the currents of contemporary Western culture.

You & me: doing what the Bible forbids, not doing what the Bible commands

Rejecting God’s good gifts7:12-17

‘The grass is always greener ..’

Reminder of what sin and rebellion look likeReminder that God’s judgement is inescapablev18 your king whom you have chosen for yourselvesv11-17 a king who will take

Saul -> divided Kingdom ->

North -> Judah

Land – occupiedPeople – scatteredBlessing – Temple destroyed

‘We want to be like everybody else’ means facing judgement like everybody else

Reminder of what sin and rebellion look likeReminder that God’s judgement is inescapableReminder that God provides the leaders we need

8:5 a real concern

Appoint according to what God has said

Character & qualities before gifting & abilities

The church must not be like everybody else

Reminder of what sin and rebellion look likeReminder that God’s judgement is inescapableReminder that God provides the leaders we needReminder that God will raise up His King 2:10 The LORD will give strength to His King and exalt the power of his anointed

Mark 10:45 For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve and to give His life as a ransom for many

A King not like the nations, who died for a people who cannot be like everybody else