The Gospel overcomes all Punishment and Fear of Sin and Death
1) Saul, the King who feared people over God
| Saul was a member of an honored family and was a descendant of the tribe of Benjamin. He stood a head taller than everyone and was a handsome young man (1 Samuel 9:1-2). Not only was he sure of his anointing as King of Israel, but he also experienced the Spirit of God rush upon him with power (1 Samuel 10:1-13). Furthermore, King Saul saved Jabesh-Gilead from the hands of the Ammonites and played a role as a savior and protector of the Israelites. However, Saul, the King of God’s chosen people, ended up fearing people over God who made him king. |
》Scripture Prayer
(1 Samuel 15:20-26, 30) And Saul said to Samuel, “I have obeyed the voice of the LORD. I have gone on the mission on which the LORD sent me. I have brought Agag the king of Amalek, and I have devoted the Amalekites to destruction. But the people took of the spoil, sheep and oxen, the best of the things devoted to destruction, to sacrifice to the LORD your God in Gilgal.” And 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 listen than the fat of rams. For rebellion is as the sin of divination, and presumption is as iniquity and idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the LORD, he has also rejected you from being king.” Saul said to Samuel, “I have sinned, for I have transgressed the commandment of the LORD and your words, because I feared the people and obeyed their voice. Now therefore, please pardon my sin and return with me that I may bow before the LORD.” And Samuel said to Saul, “I will not return with you. For you have rejected the word of the LORD, and the LORD has rejected you from being king over Israel.”
(Verse 30) Then he said, “I have sinned; yet honor me now before the elders of my people and before Israel, and return with me, that I may bow before the LORD your God.”
》Pray that the Word may become the Conclusion.
1. Saul feared other people’s approval instead of fearing God who appointed him to be the first king of Israel. He cared more about what they thought of him rather than listening to God’s words and commands. He sinned greatly against God by ignoring the Word of God and wanting to be praised by the people in his sight. Ask yourself honestly, “is there a Saul like heart in me as well? Even though I cannot see the living God with my own eyes, do I obey him or do I care more about what people think of me?” Let us pray and honestly repent before God’s Word.
“And when he sits on the throne of his kingdom, he shall write for himself in a book a copy of this law, approved by the Levitical priests. And it shall be with him, and he shall read in it all the days of his life, that he may learn to fear the LORD his God by keeping all the words of this law and these statutes, and doing them” (Deuteronomy 17:18-19)
2. Let us repent of fearing men over the Word of God. Let us give thanks and praise the Lord Jesus for coming in flesh to this world to free us from the fear of men. Also, let us pray by proclaiming that his Church fears and serves the Lord God and Him alone.
Since therefore the children share in flesh and blood, he himself likewise partook of the same things, that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil. and deliver all those who through fear of death were subject to lifelong slavery. (Hebrews 2:14-15)
2) Eli, a Priest who favored his Sons over God
| By the end of the era of the Judges of Israel, everyone acted according to their own will. Eli was a priest who offered sacrifices at the Tent of the Meeting where the Ark of the Covenant was placed, and yet both his physical and spiritual eyes grew dim (1 Samuel 3:2). Therefore, his sons’ wicked behavior of despising and blaspheming the sacrifices of God did not seem serious in his eyes. Loving his sons more than God brought tragedy upon his life and his children. The behavior of Eli the priest, fearlessness and ignorance towards God, still continues today in the lives of sinners. |
》Scripture Prayer
(1 Samuel 2:27-34) And there came a man of God to Eli and said to him, “Thus says the LORD, ‘Did I indeed reveal myself to the house of your father when they were in Egypt subject to the house of Pharaoh? Did I choose him out of all the tribes of Israel to be my priest, to go up to my altar, to burn incense, to wear an ephod before me? I gave to the house of your father all my offerings by fire from the people of Israel. Why then do you scorn my sacrifices and my offerings that I commanded for my dwelling, and honor your sons above me by fattening yourselves on the choicest parts of every offering of my people Israel?’ Therefore the LORD, the God of Israel, declares: ‘I promised that your house and the house of your father should go in and out before me forever,’ but now the LORD declares: ‘Far be it from me, for those who honor me I will honor, and those who despise me shall be lightly esteemed. Behold, the days are coming when I will cut off your strength and the strength of your father’s house, so that there will not be an old man in your house. Then in distress you will look with envious eye on all the prosperity that shall be bestowed on Israel, and there shall not be an old man in your house forever. The only one of you whom I shall not cut off from my altar shall be spared to weep his eyes out to grieve his heart, and all the descendants of your house shall die by the sword of men. And this that shall come upon your two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, shall be the sign to you: both of them shall die on the same day.
》Pray that the Word may become the Conclusion.
1. Let us remember and learn a valuable lesson from the curse that fell upon Eli’s family. We have many precious relationships in our lives such as family and friends. We are called to love and care for these people, however, it is not our imperfect love that they need, but God’s perfect love Let us pray that we may become channels of the Love of God by living in fear of Him.
“If anyone comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple. Whoever does not bear his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple. (Luke 14:26-27)
2. Let us pray for people in ministry. Let us pray that whoever is called to minister and serve the church of Christ would consider the gospel of the Cross more precious than life. As a result, let us pray that they may enjoy the blessing of being honored by God.
Prize her highly, and she will exalt you; she will honor you if you embrace her. (Proverbs 4:8)
3) Fear the Almighty God
| People fear death. However, the Bible says that there is judgment after death. God calls sinners who are afraid of death to the Cross. Ironically, for one to avoid death, one must choose death on the Cross. This is the mystery of the Gospel. For God so loved the world he has given the life of his one and only Son Jesus. How can we not fear such a God! The only one who we should truly love and fear is the Almighty God. |
》Scripture Prayer
(Isaiah 8: 12-15) “Do not call conspiracy all that this people calls conspiracy, and do not fear what they fear, nor be in dread. But the LORD of hosts, him you shall honor as holy. Let him be your fear, and let him be your dread. And he will become a sanctuary and a stone of offense and a rock of stumbling to both houses of Israel, a trap and a snare to the inhabitants of Jerusalem. And many shall stumble on it. They shall fall and be broken; they shall be snared and taken.”
(Luke 12:4-5) “I tell you, my friends, do not fear those who kill the body, and after that have nothing more that they can do. But I will warn you whom to fear: fear him who, after he has killed, has authority to cast into hell. Yes, I tell you, fear him!
》Pray that the Word may become the Conclusion.
1. The message of the Cross is a stumbling block to the Jews and foolishness to the Gentiles. But it is the power and wisdom of God for those who have received salvation. Those who fear men cannot receive the Cross. Only those who fear God will be given the faith and courage to hold onto the gospel of the Cross that has been presented to us. Let us pray for fear of God to become a reality in our lives.
Behold, as the eyes of servants look to the hand of their master, as the eyes of a maidservant to the hand of her mistress, so our eyes look to the LORD our God, till he has mercy upon us. (Psalm 123:2)
Oh, fear the LORD, you his saints, for those who fear him have no lack! (Psalm 34:9)
2. By the gospel of the Cross we discover the grace and love within the fearful God who has the authority to condemn souls to hell. Only the gospel of the Cross overcomes sin that enslaves people with fear and the punishment of death and leads us to serve the Lord forever. Let us pray that we could enjoy this gospel and let us be determined not to fear men’s judgment or approval.
There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love. (1 John 4:18)
that we, being delivered from the hand of our enemies, might serve him without fear, in holiness and righteousness before him all our days. (Luke 1:74-75)
》 Urgent prayer requests around the world need your prayer!
