As we saw yesterday with Saul, we cannot fool the Lord with our excuses. Yes we can fool ourselves but never the Lord. Luke 6:46 (The Wise and Foolish Builders) “Why do you call me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I say? 47 As for everyone who comes to me and hears my words and puts them into practice, I will show you what they are like. 48 They are like a man building a house, who dug down deep and laid the foundation on rock. When a flood came, the torrent struck that house but could not shake it, because it was well built. 49 But the one who hears my words and does not put them into practice is like a man who built a house on the ground without a foundation. The moment the torrent struck that house, it collapsed and its destruction was complete.” Proverbs 1:7 “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and instruction.” Yes probably someone came along and told this foolish builder it would be better to build on the rock but as Proverbs said they would have despised that advice. The wise builder will hear the words of the Lord and put them into practice. Ephesians 5:15 warns us to wake up. “Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, 16 making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. 17 Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is.” Like Saul, the fool will continue on their way thinking they are following the will of the Lord yet all the while they have disobeyed the commands of God. Now the foolish builder will carry on thinking they have built a masterpiece, that is until the torrent struck and we know that the torrent will strike and test us to see whether we will obey or not. 1 Samuel 15:7 “Saul was told to remain at Gilgal, and all the troops with him were quaking with fear. 8 He waited seven days, the time set by Samuel; but Samuel did not come to Gilgal, and Saul’s men began to scatter.” At this point the torrent was coming and the enemy was upon them. Now like he did later when he lost the Kingdom, he disobeyed and made up excuse s and goes ahead without Samuel and disobeys a direct order. “ 9 So he said, “Bring me the burnt offering and the fellowship offerings.” And Saul offered up the burnt offering. 10 Just as he finished making the offering, Samuel arrived, and Saul went out to greet him. 11 “What have you done?” asked Samuel. Saul replied, “When I saw that the men were scattering, and that you did not come at the set time, and that the Philistines were assembling at Mikmash, 12 I thought, ‘Now the Philistines will come down against me at Gilgal, and I have not sought the Lord’s favor.’ So I felt compelled to offer the burnt offering.” 13 “You have done a foolish thing,” Samuel said. “You have not kept the command the Lord your God gave you; if you had, he would have established your kingdom over Israel for all time. 14 But now your kingdom will not endure; the Lord has sought out a man after his own heart and appointed him ruler of his people, because you have not kept the Lord’s command.” How in the world can you seek the Lord’s favour when you are disobeying a direct command? He even tried to blame Samuel for his disobedience. Obviously Saul did not fear God and it cost him.
Romans 2:13 says, “For it is not those who hear the law who are righteous in God’s sight, but it is those who obey the law who will be declared righteous.” In church every Sunday are those who hear. They will say what a great day. Wasn’t that an awesome time of worship? The message was so relevant but then they leave they remain unchanged, they are still the same person who attends week after week and year after year. They continue to make excuses before the Lord, never really grasping the fear of the Lord that leads to knowledge. As they near the end of theirs lives and eventually die they will either hear “I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers! Or will they hear “Well done, good and faithful servant!” We must build on the Rock. Psalm 18:2 “The Lord is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.” Psalm 18:46 “The Lord lives! Praise be to my Rock! Exalted be God my Savior!” So we ask ourselves will hear the word of the Lord and obey. Proverbs 2:1 My son, if you accept my words and store up my commands within you, 2 turning your ear to wisdom and applying your heart to understanding— 3 indeed, if you call out for insight and cry aloud for understanding, 4 and if you look for it as for silver and search for it as for hidden treasure, 5 then you will understand the fear of the Lord and find the knowledge of God.” Joshua 1:7 “Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the law my servant Moses gave you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, that you may be successful wherever you go. 8 Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful. 9 Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.”
