worship

Dear Grace Family,

This Sunday, we come to perhaps the most interesting passage in the book of 1 Samuel simply because it is a little strange, a little odd. This passage details a medium, which in some translations use the word “witch,” and a seance with Samuel or at least a Samuel-like figure, coming from the dead to speak to Saul. There is a lot going on. A lot of odd things in the text. And because of how odd this text is to us, the temptation is to get so focused on trying to understand the various odd details that we can actually miss out on the emphasis of the text.

In this sermon series, we have seen in Saul a man who to tried everything to make sure that the future would be as he wanted it to be. He exemplified the spirit of so many in every age that says "I am the master of my fate. I am the captain of my destiny."  But when a person decides to face the uncertainty of the future without God, eventually a day of reckoning comes.  Saul finally came face to face with a situation he couldn't control.  The Philistines had invaded Israel, this time with a force larger than ever before.  God had stopped communicating with Saul and Samuel was dead.  So Saul told his servants to find someone who is a medium so that he could inquire of her about what to do.

Yes, this is an odd story with details of a far too common downfall. However you might see yourself in this text, let that drive you to Jesus Christ—the one who came to die for sin and, through the power of God, rose again from the dead. He communicates God’s love, mercy, and grace to all who, by faith, turn and trust in Him.

Dennis Whitcher