10-25-20 Kevin Goins God's Will and Our Imperfect Choices: Election 2020

God’s Perfect Will and Our Imperfect Choices: Election 2020
1 Samuel 12
I Romans 13:1 “Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established.”

-What Paul is saying in Romans 13 is that God did not design human life to be lived in a_________________  where everyone does as s/he sees fit.

-So, the big question is not what if the wrong candidate wins, but what if our fellow-voters do something _______________ and make a terrible choice.

II In 1 Samuel 12 we see the Prophet Samuel dealing with the very same issue that haunts many Christians around ______________ time.

-Israel chose to elect a leader contrary to God’s choice and we see, much to our surprise, that God _______________ it.

III What did Samuel know about God’s will and our choices?  First, God has given us the power to make real choices:  the power to make ____________ choices and the power to make ____________ choices.

 (12:1) “Samuel said to all Israel, ‘I have listened to everything you said to me and have set a king over you.  Now you have a king as your leader.  As for me, I am old and gray, and my sons are here with you.  I have been your leader from my youth until this day.  Here I stand.  Testify against me in the presence of the Lord and his anointed.  Whose ox have I taken?  Whose donkey have I taken?  Whom have I cheated?  Whom have I oppressed?  From whose hand have I accepted a bribe to make me shut my eyes?  If I have done any of these, I will make it right.”

A.  Israel wanted to replace Samuel with Saul and they thought they had __________ reasons.

 1. “You’re too ___________!  We need a ____________ ruler.

 2. “Your sons do not ___________ in your ways.”

B. Samuel has heard the campaign adds _______________ him and on this occasion he takes the time to answer his critics.

 1. He admits he’s old, but that also means what?  He has e__________________.

2. Samuel turns to his immoral sons and he responds in a very s_____________ way to the charge that he would make them his successors.

-(12:2) He says, “I am old and gray, and my sons are here with you.”  They are not standing with Samuel in the place of the l____________, but with the people, who are the f______________.

3. But in verse 3 he gets to the real point:  they weren’t replacing his sons; they were replacing __________.

(12:3) “Testify against me in the presence of the Lord and his anointed.”

(12:4) “You have not cheated or oppressed us,’ they replied.  ‘You have not taken anything from anyone’s hand.’”

4. Worse yet, they were not replacing Samuel – he was only the spokesman for the real ruler of Israel.  Who were they replacing?   ______________

IV The second thing Samuel knew about God’s will and our choices:  Wrong choices can c_________ us dearly.

A. In verses 6-11 Samuel gives them a history lesson and it’s in two parts:  

1. First, he reminds them of all the _____________ things God did for them.

 2. Second, he reminds them how they _________________ God.

(12:9) “They forgot the Lord their God; so he sold them into the hand of Sisera, the commander of the army of Hazor, and into the hands of the Philistines and the King of Moab, who fought against them.”

B. Samuel reminds them that after they forgot the Lord there came a time when they realized that they had done _____________.

(12:10) “They cried out to the Lord and said, ‘We have sinned, we have forsaken the Lord…. But now deliver us from the hands of our enemies, and we will serve you.”

C. Mercy can restore our relationship with God, but mercy oftentimes cannot ____________ all the consequences of our bad choices.

V The third thing Samuel knew about God’s will and our choices is sobering:  God will even allow us to make choices that amount to a r________________ of him.

 (8:20) “We want a King to go out before us and fight our battles.”

A. They weren’t only asking for a replacement for Samuel, they were asking for a  replacement for __________, and the reason why is obvious.

-They have decided that if they can turn to a king for help, there will be no need for them to ______________ of their sins and obey God.

B. If we vote, hoping for some person to rescue us, God will say, “Okay, I am going to let you have all the j___________, p_____________, and p___________ a human being can provide.”

VI The fourth thing Samuel knew about God’s will and our choices:  No matter how many wrong choices we make, God’s Word and God’s Kingdom will never ______________.

 (12:14) “If you serve the Lord and fear and obey him and do not rebel against his commands, and if both you and the king who reigns over you follow the Lord your God – Good!  But if you do not obey the Lord, and if you rebel against his commands, his hand will be against you, as it was against your fathers.”

 (12:20) “‘Do not be afraid,’ Samuel replied.  ‘You have done all this evil; yet do not turn away from the Lord, but serve the Lord with all your heart.  Do not turn away after useless idols.  They can do you no good, nor can they rescue you, because they are useless.  For the sake of his great name the Lord will not reject his people, because the Lord was pleased to make you his own.”

VII Samuel knew, and we need to know, that no matter how many wrong choices we have made, God’s desire to r____________ and give l_________ will never fail.

 A. But Samuel also understood that God’s ____________ will never fail.

 (12:23) “As for me, far be it from me that I should sin against the Lord by failing to pray for you.  And I will teach you the way that is good and right.  But be sure to fear the Lord and serve him faithfully with all your heart; consider what great things he has done for you.  Yet if you persist in doing evil, both you and your king will be swept away.”

B. Praying for people, teaching God’s Word, and warning them – This is also the work Jesus has given his ______________ to do. 

C. No matter who is elected November 3, God has already called us to a _______________ office:  he has elected us to pray, to teach, and to warn.