Saturday, August 15, 2026
As we gathered to worship together, we lifted our hearts in praise and prayer. Thank you Jake, Marissa, Davis, Becky and Chuck for your faithfulness to lead.
We prayed, led by Becky, for victims of devastating floods in Indiana and West Virginia, as well as for those experiencing wildfires and earthquakes. We prayed for healing, for a father seeking reconciliation and for a house to sell, and for others to find housing as needed. We also lifted up Christians in Iran, where the number of believers in Jesus is growing.
Marissa engaged the kids with an example of how pencils can be like people — sharp, dull, willing to admit mistakes (and erase) or not–or simply pointless. We all paid attention!
She ended with a reminder from I John 1:9 that when we admit our sins, God is faithful to forgive us. Thank you, Marissa!
In the message, Brother Chuck recounted the story of King Saul from I Samuel 15— “when he had been king long enough to think he could merely pay lip service to God and get away with it.”
But as John Adams, following the Boston Massacre during the American Revolution said… “facts are stubborn things.”
Saul went to attack the Amalekites as directed by God – but did not completely obey the instructions to destroy everything. He kept Agag the king alive as well as the best of the livestock.
When we don’t follow fully, dire consequences result. Partial obedience is disobedience. Half-truths are whole lies.
King Saul put together his own plan to enrich himself – including a trophy in King Agag. The Amalekites were not worshiping the true God – rather they were under a curse – because they were worshiping demons. They were existing under a curse they had chosen for themselves.
Truth is non-negotiable. In our post-modern society, younger people believe that truth is relative. “I’m going to live MY truth.” This is a lie straight from the devil. It is a demonic idea and dangerous to play around with it. When it starts coming into the church, we have a huge problem. It destroys. It might feel good—and we can talk about welcoming people who live an alternate lifestyle. But we don’t affirm that lifestyle. The slow fade to destruction is hard and sad – but is what’s real.
I Samuel 15:12 says Early in the morning, Samuel went to meet Saul and Saul said – “I’ve carried out the Lord’s instructions…” Half-truths.
Samuel called him on it – “What is the bleating of sheep.. and cattle?”
Saul: “We saved the best to sacrifice to the Lord God.”
They were cursed animals. The instruction was that they were all to be destroyed.
We say God is love and use that to welcome sin into our lives. But God is also just. We will stand before him and make an accounting. To some he will say, “depart, I never knew you – you never submitted yourself to me.”
Samuel called Saul out. “Stop! Weren’t you once nothing? God sent you on a mission – why did you not obey the Lord?” (v.19)
Saul: ” But I did obey… I went on the mission… I destroyed the Amalekites and brought back Agag…” It was his version of “I’m going to do X… because.” But if God through his word says no and you’re doing something anyway and making excuses, that is extreme arrogance.
You may not know why God gives you the instructions that he does. But you have to follow it fully – even if you don’t understand it, or like it, or are uncomfortable. Because something is hard or uncomfortable does not mean that it is wrong. You may have to be toughened up to do the things you don’t want to sometimes.
I Samuel 15:22 “Does the Lord take pleasure in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as in obeying the Lord? To obey is better than sacrifice … for rebellion is like the sin of divination … and defiance is like the sin of idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the Lord, He has rejected you as king.”
Even when truth is hard – challenging—hurtful—we are called to obey.
Closing prayer: “Shine the light of truth to us, O God. Teach us to obey you. Help us to love everyone regardless of their lifestyle, and help us to speak the truth.”
Amen.
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Pataskala Seventh Day Baptist 