Who Do We Listen TO? (1 Samuel 8)

This sermon who do we listen to? ( 1 Samuel 8) is by a guy from JIC ( Jalan Imbi Chapel, Kl) spoken on sunday Lord's Supper . I think i want to shared this to everyone.

In 1 Samuel 8, we have 5 dialoges or conversations, with Sameul being in each of the dialogues

1 Samuel 8: 1-3 The Setting - what initiated the dialogues
1 Samuel 8: 4-6a Dialogue 1 - btw Israel's leaders & Samuel
1 Samuel 8 : 6b - 9 Dialogue 2 - btw Samuel & God
1 Samuel 8: 10 - 20 Dialogue 3 - btw Israel's leaders & Samuel
1 Samuel 8: 21-22a Dialogue 4 - btw Samuel & God
1 Samuel 8: 22b Dialogue 5 - btw Israel's leaders & Samuel

Here, we see in action form the two roles plated by Samuel - the faithful priest and prophet

The prophet who would speak God's word to man
The priest who would speak man's word to God

In both these officer, it was also clear who was LORD. Though there were times when he would to God on behafl of the people of Israel, he was always and will always be God's servant.

In this passage, we find that God instructs Samuel to listen to the people 3 times (1 Samuel 8: 7, 9 & 22), Samuel effective listening (1 Sameul 8:21) and in contrast, the refusal to listen to Samuel and God by the leaders if Israel (1 Samuel 8:19).

It is sad, when in our hearts, our commitment to God, to live by faith in obedience is compromised with other commitments. In this case, Israel was more committed to having a "king like all the other nations" (1 Samuel 8: 5 & 19 , 2o). This phrase is explained to us in 1 Samuel 8:2o where they described the king as one who would:
. lead them
. go out before them and
. fight their battles

Instead of being personally involved in living by faith in His promises and trusting their Amighty God, they preferred to pass that reponsibility to their king. The king could do the difficult tasks of working out what the nation should do, while the rest will just follow.

God's assessmentof such an attitude was very clearly stated in 1 Samuel 8:7 -. God considered it to be similar to rebellion, a forsaking of God and serving other Gods.

We can only conclude that all of us individually and corporately as a church, are reponsible for making our own choices. God presents to us the choice to live by faith. To trust His Word (the Bible) and His promises. To choose to work out what is means to " work out our salvation" each dau (Philipppians 2:12,13).

Think about these 2 question. Who do we listen to? our friends? media? parents? God?
What can we do to "listen to God today?