Sunday, November 26, 2017, Evident Grace Fellowship looked at 1 Samuel 11:12-15

12 Then the people said to Samuel, “Who is it that said, ‘Shall Saul reign over us?’ Bring the men, that we may put them to death.” 13 But Saul said, “Not a man shall be put to death this day, for today the Lord has worked salvation in Israel.” 14 Then Samuel said to the people, “Come, let us go to Gilgal and there renew the kingdom.” 15 So all the people went to Gilgal, and there they made Saul king before the Lord in Gilgal. There they sacrificed peace offerings before the Lord, and there Saul and all the men of Israel rejoiced greatly. 

And we attempted to answer this Big Picture Question:

How does God bring renew His people?

And we found these 3 answers to our Big Picture Question:

• Forgiveness
• Community
• Worship

Forgiveness   

1 Samuel 11:12 Then the people said to Samuel, “Who is it that said, ‘Shall Saul reign over us?’ Bring the men, that we may put them to death.” 13 But Saul said, “Not a man shall be put to death this day, for today the Lord has worked salvation in Israel.”

The people of God defeated their enemies with Saul’s leadership.  Prior to the battle, some men didn’t want to follow Saul.  Now that they are victorious, some want to execute those who were not faithful to Saul.

But through the work of the Spirit, God leads Saul to declare that no one would die, but instead they would be forgiven.

How ironic would be that on a day when God shows His grace and forgiveness that the people of God didn’t who it to one another.

Renewal begins by celebrating the grace and forgiveness of God.

Community

1 Samuel 11:14 Then Samuel said to the people, “Come, let us go to Gilgal and there renew the kingdom.”

Samuel, the spiritual leader of God’s people tells the people to return to Gilgal to worship and renew the kingdom.  Gilgal is right beside Jericho.  This was the area that Joshua called the people of God to renew their covenantal vows in Joshua 8.  As the people of God embrace forgiveness they extend that grace to one another in community through covenantal renewal.

Worship

1 Samuel 11:15 So all the people went to Gilgal, and there they made Saul king before the Lord in Gilgal. There they sacrificed peace offerings before the Lord, and there Saul and all the men of Israel rejoiced greatly.

As the people return for covenantal renewal, they declare Saul to be their king and worship at Gilgal.  They make peace offerings with God and with each other.

When we are renewed, we worship together.

Big Picture Question:  How does God bring renew His people?

Truth:  God renews His people as they experience His forgiveness through worshiping communities.

Application:  Live today knowing that each gathering of Evident Grace moves you closer to one another and closer to God.

Action:  Pray that worship at Evident Grace is a renewal process that draws you closer to God and closer to one another.