Games That Fools Play | Part 1

From the Love Worth Finding studios in Memphis, Tennessee, I'm Byron Tyler here with Kerry Vaughn, the CEO of Love Worth Finding. Kerry, Adrian Rogers continues our series, Live Like a King. Live Like a King about King David, a man who truly understood what it meant to be victorious.

All of the messages in the series are available at LWF.org or my LWF mobile app. And I really like that mobile app. It's my favorite. Can I just say that?

It's my favorite tool. that we have. Today's message, Games that Fools Play, Part 1. We're going to see as Adrian Rogers opens God's Word, no man in Scripture ever had a brighter beginning or had a sadder ending than King Saul.

I mean, he was anointed by God to rule Israel, but it took a turn. And it's a reminder to me, Byron, that we don't need to be five steps ahead of God, five steps behind God. We need to be in lockstep. We need to be in tandem with God and what he wants to do in our lives. Well, it reminds me what Adrian Rogers says. Sin is horribly powerful.

It will take you further than you want to go, keep you longer than you want to stay, and cost you more than you want to pay. And he said, no one is immune to the power of sin. We must get clean and stay that way. I like that. Clean and stay that way.

Close and clean is what he would say. I like that. Well, we always love hearing from our Love Worth Finding listeners to know how the teaching ministry of Adrian Rogers is impacting you. Your life care. You have a great letter this week.

I do. It says I have listened and grown as a Christian with Adrian Rogers for many years. I downloaded the Love Worth Finding app on my TV, and I enjoy watching and listening to him even more. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for keeping these messages available. You know, it talks about growth. And I think that's also the key to Love Worth Finding is discipleship, mentorship, but spiritual growth. And we see that in the message today that it needs to be more of him and less of us. You only really need to be more of him.

You realize that when you are growing and maturing in Jesus Christ. Thank you, listener, for taking time to write that letter to us. It's so encouraging when we know how the programs are ministering to your heart. And friends, if you have a moment to take time, please write to us. Let us know how Adrian Rogers is impacting your spiritual walk with Christ.

To stress this out for one thing, but we want to take time to make sure we keep it centered around our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. A great resource. Twenty five days of anticipation at LWF dot org. Yeah. Inspired by the teachings of Adrian Rogers. And this resource, Byron, will lead you in an Advent study of the prophecies that Jesus fulfilled when he came to earth.

Right. It's a hardcover edition of twenty five days of anticipation. It's a mini Bible study that will enrich your life, but also the lives of other people around you. The resource. Twenty five days of anticipation is available at LWF dot org. With today's message, games that fools play part one.

Here's Adrian Rogers. I have sinned. Return, my son David, for I will no more do the harm because my soul was precious in thine eyes this day.

And now I want you to listen specially to this phrase. Behold, I have played the fool. I have erred exceedingly.

I want to speak to you tonight on this subject. Games that fools play. Games that fools play.

Behold, I have played the fool. No man ever got a better start than did King Saul. And no man ever had a sadder finish than King Saul. When we first meet King Saul in the Bible as a young man, he's handsome. He's winsome. He's courteous. He's humble.

He's thoughtful. But as we continue through the Bible, we find him as he becomes a bitter, envious, murderous, wicked old man. He died by his own hand. He died sadly, piteously, ignominiously. Handingly handsome.

And in others, decidedly ugly. All in one, he is a giant and a dwarf. A hero and a renegade. A king and a slave. A prophet and a reprobate.

A man God anointed and a man Satan possessed. What a strange man is Saul. But you'd better listen carefully because the thing that happened to Saul could happen to any man, woman, boy or girl here tonight who names the name of Jesus. I want to say again that no man ever started better than King Saul. And no man ever ended more tragically than King Saul.

I want us to look at his golden opportunities. Now we're in 1 Samuel chapter 26. Turn left in your Bible to 1 Samuel chapter 9 and let's look in verses 1 and 2 as we first meet this man named Saul.

In 1 Samuel 9 verse 1. Now there was a man of Benjamin whose name was Kish, the son of Abiel, the son of Zeror, the son of Bechorath, the son of Atheth, a Benjamite, a mighty man of power. And he had a son whose name was Saul. Now I want you to notice the description of Saul. He had a son whose name was Saul, a choice young man.

And a goodly. There was not among the children of Israel a goodlier person than he. From his shoulders and upward he was higher than any of the people. Now you talk about a man that was handsome. You talk about a fellow who was tall, dark and handsome. You talk about a man who was head and shoulders above everybody else. What a man, Saul. What a manly man. What a handsome man.

He could have made it in Hollywood. The Bible says there was not a goodlier person. In all Israel he was the best of the best. He was the finest of the finest. He had health. He had height. He had handsomeness. And so the very first thing I want you to notice was his manhood.

Now add to his manhood his modesty. Look, if you will, in verse 21 chapter 9 and verse 21. Now when he is selected to be the king of Israel, I don't want you to think he said, well, it's about time you found me.

You certainly came to the right person. He didn't say that. Look, if you will, in verse 21. Of the smallest of the tribes of Israel, and my family the least of all of the families of the tribe of Benjamin, wherefore then speakest thou so to me?

He's saying, who am I that I should be the king of Israel? He felt so unworthy. He was a man who did not seek praise.

He didn't seek publicity. As a matter of fact, he took strength from it. He ran from it. Look again, if you will, in chapter 10 and verse 22 when it was time to crown him king and they looked around for him to find him and they wanted to honor him. Verse 22 says, Therefore they inquired of the Lord further, if the man should yet come thither. And the Lord answered, Behold, he hath hid himself among the stuff.

He was covering his face, so humble, such a manly man, such a modest man, but not only do you see his manhood and his modesty, I want you to see his magnanimous spirit. What a magnanimous man was this man Saul. When they were taking him and to make him king, there were certain vile people there who ridiculed him. Look again, verse 26 and notice, And Saul also went home to Gibeah, and there went with him a band of men whose hearts God had touched. But the children of Belial said, How shall this man save us? And they despised him and brought him no presence, but he held his peace.

Well, if he had been the common oriental king of this day, he would have had them put to death. Look in chapter 11 and verse 12. And the people said unto Samuel, Who is he that said, Shall Saul rule over us? Or shall Saul reign over us? Bring the men that we may put them to death. And Saul said, There shall not a man be put to death this day, for today the Lord hath wrought salvation in Israel. What a magnanimous spirit was this man. Here were these vile sons of Belial, these men who were wicked and carnal and craven, these men who hated God's man, these men who according to the rules of that day had blasphemed the king and deserved death.

But Saul said, No, we're not going to put them to death. When you read about this man, you just have to love him. You see his manhood, you see his modesty, you see his magnanimous spirit, and then I want you to see his mighty anointing. Look, if you will, in chapter 10 and verse 1. Then Samuel took a vial of oil and poured it upon his head and kissed him and said, Is it not because the Lord hath anointed thee to be captain over his inheritance?

He was anointed of the Lord. Look in that same chapter in verses 6 and 7 and see what kind of a man he became. And the Spirit of the Lord will come upon thee.

This is what Samuel said to him. And the Spirit of the Lord will come upon thee. And thou shalt prophesy with them and shalt be turned into another man. Why, God chose this man and God changed this man. God made him into another man.

He was a transformed man because the Spirit of God came upon him. And then look in verse 7. And let it be when these signs are come upon thee that thou do as occasion serve thee. And now here's a clear statement, For God is with thee. And that speaks to me of his might. God was with him. He was a man anointed of God. He was a man transformed by the Spirit of the Lord. The Spirit of God, he became another man. And it was said by God's mighty prophet that God was with him. But I want you to notice not only his might, but I want you to notice his men. Not only was God with him, but there were a number of men with him.

Look in chapter 10, verse 26. And that literally means men of valor. Why, this man, Saul, had some men who said, Saul, we're with you.

Your battles are our battles. We'll follow you, our king. Good men, stout-hearted men. But notice not only his manhood and his modesty and his magnanimous spirit and his might and his men, but notice also his mentor. He had someone to teach him and someone to guide him. Look in chapter 10 and verse 25. And notice here the Bible says, Then Samuel told the people the manner of the kingdom. And he wrote it in a book and laid it up before the Lord.

And Samuel sent all the people away, every man to his own house. And on through this scripture we could read how Samuel was there to guide Saul. That was the best pastor, perhaps, in all the Old Testament. What a man of God. What a mentor. What a leader.

What a guide he had. Why he had it all. But besides his men and his mentor, he had his monarchy.

He was the king. Chapter 10, verse 1 again tells us that the Lord had anointed him to be captain over his inheritance. That is, Saul was chosen to rule and to shepherd the most wonderful nation on earth.

God's chosen people. What an opportunity he had to bless people. I tell you there, in all of the Old Testament, I don't think there was ever a man who had a better start than this man who was not only head and shoulders physically, but head and shoulders in every way above most of those around about him.

God just seemed to have poured on Saul blessing after blessing after blessing after blessing. Now that, my dear friend, depicts his golden opportunity. Now I want you to see his tragic failure.

He played the fool. And we're going to see some games that fools play. And I pray, God, that it'll be more than just interesting to you. I pray, God, that it'll be a solemn warning. It's been a warning to me.

I want to tell you, quite frankly, that God spoke to my heart as I prepared this scripture and as I prepared this sermon. And I had to bow my head and search my heart and think about my own life and say, oh, God, I don't want to play the fool. I do not want to end up as Saul ended up. I want you to notice how he played the game, the game that fools play, the game he could not win, the game where the stakes were so high. Saul started down the road that ended in self-destruction. And I want you to notice the five steps that he took. The first step is what I call self-destruction.

Self-determination. Look in 1 Samuel chapter 13 and verse 5. 1 Samuel chapter 13 and verse 5. Saul's men are hard-pressed. But Samuel had told Saul, wait on me. Don't go into battle until I give you the signal. There's going to be a seven-day waiting period.

Wait on the Lord. But I want you to notice here in 1 Samuel chapter 13 and verse 5 what transpired. As for Saul, he was yet in Gilgal and all the people followed him trembling. And he tarried seven days according to the set time that Samuel had appointed.

But now watch it. But Samuel came not to Gilgal and the people were scattered from him. That is, now even his people are starting to leave Saul. And so Saul just decides he's going to take matters in his own hand.

And I want you to notice in verse 9. And Saul said, bring hither a burnt offering to me and peace offerings. And he, Saul, offered the burnt offering. Now it was not Saul's job to take the priest prerogative. He may have been king, but he was not the priest.

Samuel was the priest and prophet. And it came to pass as soon as he had made an end of offering the burnt offering, behold, Samuel came. Had he waited just a few more moments? Had he waited on God?

God's man would have been there and God's plan would have been done. And Saul went out to meet him that he might salute him. And Samuel said, what hast thou done? I have not made supplication unto the Lord. I forced myself, therefore, and offered a burnt offering. And Samuel said to Saul, thou hast done foolishly.

Now he's starting the games that fools play. And Samuel said to Saul, thou hast done foolishly. The Lord hath established thy kingdom upon Israel forever, but now thy kingdom shall not continue. The Lord hath sought him a man after his own heart. And the Lord hath commanded him to be a captain over his people, because thou hast not kept that which the Lord commanded thee. Samuel was a prophet. And Samuel could see in Saul a character flaw that were the seeds of his self-belief. He knew sooner or later that Saul would come to an untimely end because he was a man who would play the fool. What was it that Saul did? It wasn't all that bad.

As a matter of fact, it sounds pretty good. He was offering sacrifices to God. He was praising God. He was worshipping God.

But here's what he was doing, ladies and gentlemen. He was running ahead of God. He was acting by self-will. He was acting by self-will. He was acting by self-determination. He was not acting on the word of God. He was not waiting for the will of God. But he was energized by his own mind. He did that which seemed good to him rather than getting a word from God and obeying God. He was a self-willed, a self-determined man. Not all that bad, just running ahead of God. That's the first thing I want you to see, his self-determination.

Now I want you to notice the next step. Not only his self-determination, but his stubborn disobedience. Because a self-willed man not only runs ahead of God, but after a while he starts going in the opposite direction from God. Now I want you to turn to 1 Samuel chapter 15 for just a moment and look in verse 2. What Amalek did to Israel, how he did wait for him in the way when he came up from Egypt.

Now go and smite Amalek and utterly destroy all that they have and spare them not, but slay both man and woman, infant and suckling, ox and sheep, camel and ass. This was God's commandment to Saul. God said to Saul, I want you to utterly destroy the Amalekites.

Well, let's see what Saul did. 1 Samuel chapter 15, look in verse 20. Saul said unto Samuel, Yea, I have obeyed the voice of the Lord, and have gone the way which the Lord sent me, and have brought Agag the king of Amalek, and have utterly destroyed the Amalekites.

But the people took of the spoiled sheep and oxen, the chief of the things which should have been utterly destroyed, to sacrifice unto the Lord thy God in Gilgal. And Samuel said, Hath the Lord his great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams, for rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft. Now that's very important that you just note that, for rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Because thou hast rejected the word of the Lord, he hath also rejected thee from being king. And Saul said unto Samuel, I have sinned, for I have transgressed the commandment of the Lord in thy words, because I feared the people, and obeyed their voice. Now his was a half-hearted apology.

It was an apology with an explanation. I want to tell you, ladies and gentlemen, he was a stubbornly rebellious man, and you see his stubborn disobedience. And coming up tomorrow, we'll hear the powerful conclusion of this important message. But maybe today you have questions about who Jesus is or what he means to you, how to begin a relationship with God through Christ. Go to our Discover Jesus page at lwf.org slash radio. There you'll find resources and materials that will answer questions you may have about your faith. Now be sure to sign up for our daily heartbeat emails and you'll get daily devotions and message links sent straight to your inbox. You can find how to do that at lwf.org slash radio. Tomorrow, Adrian Rogers shares more about the dangerous games fools play and how we can get clean and stay that way, right here on Love Worth Finding.