Sunday, March 27: Samuel

1 Samuel 28

This week we say goodbye to our friend Samuel. It’s been a great series, but this Sunday it comes to an end.

We’ve learned a lot from Samuel—he taught us how to pray and trust God. He taught us how to listen for God’s voice and he showed us the important of obedience. He modeled humility and challenged us to be willing to change our minds.

Despite these successes, Samuel also faced hardship and failure. He dedicated his old age to mentoring King Saul, which was frustrating to say the least!

Saul wanted to do things his way (not God’s). When God called him to do something hard, Saul often opted for a different path and then tried to make up for it with religious behavior. “To obey is better than sacrifice,” Samuel would say. Saul wouldn’t listen.

In 1 Samuel 28, Samuel and Saul’s relationship comes to an end. Saul’s lifetime of choosing sacrifice over obedience finally catches up to him, and by then not even Samuel can help him. The story ends tragically.

But despite the tragedy, there is also beauty in Saul’s story. We can all identify with Saul’s tendency to choose his own way rather than God’s, and his tragic end reminds us of our need for Christ. Our hope does not depend on the quality of our obedience, but rather on the finished work of Christ! By seeing ourselves in Saul, we gain a greater appreciation for our savior.

Join us this week as we reflect on lessons from Samuel and remind ourselves of the sufficiency of Jesus.

See you Sunday!