Our next sermon series will start May 29. It will be a summer-long tour through the book of 1Samuel. This book has always been intriguing to me for several reasons:

First is because the contents of this book contain the story of my namesake: David. David was a man after God’s heart, whom was both an ordinary boy and a great leader and king. Yet, David’s ordinariness is most known in his failures as a man, a husband, and father. So there’s lots to learn from this man.

Second, the books of Samuel have such intriguing characters with engaging relationships: Hannah with her husband Elkanah and miracle son Samuel, Eli as priest with his two blasphemous sons, Saul as a prideful king, Giant Goliath and his evil army against Israel, David and his jealous brothers, David and Jonathan’s faithful friendship, David’s integrity under jealous King Saul, David and his fighting adventures, David’s kindness to crippled Mephibosheth, David and beautiful Bathsheba and then Nathan the prophet’s confrontation with David, David and his wandering son Absalom, and on it goes. Life is full of relationships and this book does not disappoint for application in our own relational dynamics.

And third is the insight of leadership for God’s people. The tracing of a nation’s selection of leadership is of special interest to many today. God’s sovereignty to judge nations with poor leaders is seen in Samuel as well as the next books of Kings. Yet, God’s sovereignty to grant grace is in view with certain leaders as well, such as David and the messianic promises through his line. In all, leaders must have an understanding of how they may fit in leading God’s people to avoid God’s judgment and pursue God’s grace and mercy.

I look forward to this study for its depth of content and more so for its challenge for my/our development of character and deepening devotion to trust in the one leader and King whom will never disappoint.