Sermon: By Many or By Few

Scripture Text: 1 Samuel 14

Quotes for Reflection

Thomas Merton, New Seeds of Contemplation
Why should I fear anything that cannot rob me of God, and why should I desire anything that cannot give me possession of Him?

Tim Keller, Prodigal God
A person motivated by love rather than fear will not only obey the letter of the law, but will eagerly seek out new ways to carry out business with transparency and integrity.

Heather Thomas & J.D. Grear, Exalting Jesus in 1 & 2 Samuel
You can always tell whether a tree is rooted in the ground by seeing if it grows and bears fruit. For instance, a live Christmas tree, after it has been in the house for about a week, starts to deteriorate—the needles fall off and it bears no cones. Likewise, Saul did not bear fruits of victory and true righteousness because he was not planted in the Lord.

Tim Chester, 1 Samuel for You
In faith, we can attempt brave things for God. But Jonathan is more than an example; he is also a pointer to Jesus, and we must not miss the thrill. We can be brave because Jesus has won the victory by descending to the cross. He has gone through the jaws of death, and death consumed him. But he has risen again to overcome sin and death. In 1 Samuel 14, we are not to place ourselves in Jonathan’s shoes; Jesus is the one who has stood there, cosmically and finally. We are called to follow; to trust the Son, who takes us through death and to life, and to trust him enough to walk behind him.

Application Questions

1. How did Jonathan experience blessing from trusting faith? How have you seen this true in your own life?

2. How does fear affect our ability to trust God?

3. How does the gospel idea of ransom set us free for faith?