Expectations

Introduction

A. We are constantly pounded with the message that everyone else has it better than we do. We make certain assumptions about others. Those with more money have less problems than others. Other children are obedient and compliant. Other spouses are more romantic and affectionate. Other people have more leisure time. Others do not have the same spiritual struggles that I have. Others have it all together. It can lead us to an attitude of discontentment. We can become unappreciative of what we have. Truthfully we believe that we deserve better and that somehow life is supposed to be easy.

A. M. Scott Peck in his book *The Road Less Traveled* writes in the opening paragraphs these words. "Life is difficult. This is a great truth, one of the greatest truths…. Most do not fully see this truth that life is difficult. Instead they moan more or less incessantly, noisily or subtly, about the enormity of their problems, their burdens, and their difficulties as if life were generally easy, as if life *should* be easy. They voice their belief, noisily or subtly, that their difficulties represent a unique kind of affliction that should not be and that has somehow been especially visited upon them… and not upon others."

B. Everyone has it better than us and we are treated unfairly. Life is supposed to give us the best it can and when it doesn't happen then we are on the receiving end of some divine joke. As we begin this morning I want to go ahead and give you the point of our lesson — The belief that we deserve better than what we already have is a rejection of God. You cannot in the same breath complain about what you don't have and be thankful at the same time.

C. We are going to see this point made clearly in 1 Samuel 8 this morning. It is a text which demonstrates that sinful attitudes about what we are supposed to have leads to a rejection of God and his will for our lives. This is a challenging text. It is one which makes us rethink our attitudes and desires, if we are willing to be honest with ourselves and with our God. Our desire to realign ourselves with the truth about this life that life is difficult, and to trust that God knows what we need. {Prayer of repentance.}

I. Israel’s Attitudes

A. 1 Samuel 8 is a historical account of the entrance of kingship in Israel. This is not the first time Israel has tried to get a king. In Judges 8 following Gideon’s mighty victory over the Midianites, the people try to make him king. Gideon rejects such a notion stressing that God alone should be their king. Although from Deuteronomy 17:14-17, part of God’s plan was to eventually give them a king, what we find in 1 Samuel 8 is that the people’s desire to have a king is against the plan of God now. But the people force the issue.

B. Samuel is getting old. His sons like Eli’s boys are not the kind of men that will make good leaders. The people see the other nations. They have a central government. They seem to function very well. They seem not to have any problems at all. In fact, they believe that with a king they will have one person in whom they can place their trust. Look carefully at verse 20. They want a king who will lead them, go out before them, and fight their battles. Who will fight their battles? Nothing is said of their fighting the battles or of God’s presence. The king will fight them. Israel has an attitude that the king will make life much easier for them.

C. What is even more surprising is that this attitude is expressed after God through Samuel warns the people of what it will be like with a king. The king will take their sons and make them his servants and will put them in harm’s way. Their daughters will become slaves of the king cooking, cleaning, and perfuming him. Some scholars see a sexual connotation in this word “perfumers.” While that isn’t definite, by the time of Solomon his 1000 wives and concubines proves the point. The king will take over their fields for his own desires. Whatever you have now will be taken from you and conscripted by the king. You will have less with a king than without one. After this dramatic and negative image of a king, the people still want a king.

D. They believe the lie that life will be better with a king than without one. We want to be like the other nations is their motto. They are filled with discontent. Had not God raised up Samuel for them? Had God not provided relief from their enemies? Had God not seen to their political needs in the past? But the cry went up all the more “we want to be like everyone else.” And God sees through all the proposal to the truth. “They have rejected me as their king.” You can’t ask for a king and be thankful for what God has done for you at the same time. The people believed that life would be better with a king. This was a rejection of God and his will for their lives.

E. The people viewed the king as the end of their problems. He would be a central figure to lead. He would be a central figure for making decisions and fighting battles. Their attitudes were wrong and their request was wrong. But God will give them a king in spite of their rejection of him. He will bring a king to them even though they have rejected his sovereignty and rule. Wrong attitudes lead to wrong decisions. We cannot reject and be thankful at the same time.

II. Application

A. There are two important lessons to learn from this text. We trust what we can see. What got all this king appointment started was what the people saw. Samuel is getting old; his sons are dishonest; so the conclusion has to be that a king is necessary. How quickly they had forgotten. Eli was old and his sons were without integrity so God raised up Samuel. Could God not raise up another judge? Could God not appoint another to do his work?

1. But the people focused on what they saw. Somehow they thought that Samuel's sons were to be the new dynasty. Where did they get that idea? From God? We trust what we see. We make conclusions based on our limited thinking. All the while God invites us to trust him. Have you ever noticed the difference between those who are confident and those who are not confident? Go to the airport and watch. Those with confirmed tickets are reading, sleeping, and just waiting. Those who fly on standby are close to the counter. They are nervous waiting for a seat to open up. They find it hard to relax waiting for the flight. In the same way, while we cannot know the future the one who is confident that God is in the future are relaxed while those who doubt God's presence look for quick solutions and are constantly trying to guess what they are to do.

2. This is what Israel's leaders did and they eventually led the people to reject God. They didn't inspire confidence. They inspired lack of trust in God and led to trusting only what could be seen.

B. Second, to focus on what is seen not only rejects God but leads to consequences that are not easily undone. Samuel’s promise to Israel was that a king would bring about consequences that they would not want. But Israel ignored his warnings. This is the basis of sin. Wanting what we want when we want it. Ignore warnings. I must do this myself. Why was Israel so stubborn? Why after the warnings did they go in a direction that was harmful? You know the answer just as well as I do because we have all been stubborn and ignored the warnings.

1. How do we learn to trust God rather than focusing on what we want? First, be like Jesus. Throughout the gospel of Mark, each time Jesus was tempted (and there was more than just the wilderness temptation involved), he would go out to a deserted place to pray. This theme is found over and over again. Jesus didn't do anything without talking to God about it first. We aren't just to sleep on a decision but talk to God about it.

2. Second, learn to listen to those who are wiser. Older and wiser are not the same thing. Learn to listen to those who have had to live with consequences that aren't easily undone. Learn to listen to their story and learn to not repeat their mistakes.

3. Third, learn to be content. Quite focusing on what you don't have and learn to be thankful for what you do have. Find the part that is worthy of praise and thanksgiving. This isn't easy. It takes work. Life is filled with events that make it hard for us to be thankful.

4. Israel could not be thankful for God being their king and Samuel being God's prophet and judge. How sad. How sad when we cannot be thankful and when we complain that our king has in some way failed us. This is what complaining does. It takes away the greatness of God and diminishes our thanksgiving. "Give thanks in all circumstances." Let us be thankful and content. Invitation.

Follow Jesus

If you’d like to respond to this message or learn more about following Jesus, please reach out.