Flannelgraph Faith: Samuel - God's Way, Always!

2017-07-30 
Ben Gutierrez 

Memory Verse
I Samuel 15:22 NKJV
So Samuel said:
“Has the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices,
As in obeying the voice of the Lord?
Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice,
And to heed than the fat of rams.”

The Story of the Life of Samuel is both a familiar story in the Bible and a significant season in the life of Israel. Samuel is highly regarded as one of the greatest prophets and judges that the Lord appointed to rule and guide his people. After reading I Samuel, it is easy to see that the theme of Samuel’s life is “God’s Way, Always!” As a young boy or seasoned adult, Samuel always obeyed God and followed His ways – even when no one else chose to obey God. As you study I Samuel, there is also a strong sub-theme to the story – The importance of making your own CHOICE of whether you will follow God or not! Will you follow the crowd of disobedient people who chose to disobey God? Or, will you make the choice to follow the Lord even when it is not easy or popular. This sermon takes time to observe the circumstances surrounding Samuel’s life and the many individuals who had a choice to make – to follow God’s Way or to disobey God. This sermon encourages the listener to make his/her own choice to “Choose you this day whom you will serve.”

I Samuel 8:5
“Look,” they told him, “you are now old, and your sons are not like you. Give us a king to judge us like all the other nations have.”

I Samuel 13:13-14 NLT
“How foolish!” Samuel exclaimed. “You have not kept the command the Lord your God gave you. Had you kept it, the Lord would have established your kingdom over Israel forever. 14 But now your kingdom must end, for the Lord has sought out a man after his own heart. The Lord has already appointed him to be the leader of his people, because you have not kept the Lord’s command.”

I Samuel 15:22 NLT
But Samuel replied, “What is more pleasing to the Lord: your burnt offerings and sacrifices or your obedience to his voice? Listen! Obedience is better than sacrifice, and submission is better than offering the fat of rams.”

CHOICES!

Nothing & No one can make you choose the way You Choose.

Bad Choices lead to Worse Choices!

Judges 2:19 NLT
But when the judge died, the people returned to their corrupt ways, behaving worse than those who had lived before them. They went after other gods, serving and worshiping them. And they refused to give up their evil practices and stubborn ways.

Only Obedience from a Pure Heart Honors God.

I Samuel 15:22 NLT
But Samuel replied, “What is more pleasing to the Lord: your burnt offerings and sacrifices or your obedience to his voice? Listen! Obedience is better than sacrifice, and submission is better than offering the fat of rams.”

“To Obey is Better Than ___________”

Joshua 24:15a,c
“Choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve…as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.”