Notes from Staff Discipleship. Matt Oarth Changes lives every day. Sunday was no exception.

We have been hanging out in 1 Samuel for discipleship time this summer.  Sunday's was amazing, and completely relevant to future plans I have.  THough I would share the notes I took.  

This is the passage we looked at.  Pulled from Biblegateway.com: 

1 Samuel 12

This is basically Samuel's farewell speech.  He has been faithful in his leadership to Israel for many years, and is now stepping down into the place of advisor to the king the people have selfishly asked for, and he has anointed. (God gave the people what they asked for...more on that later)

SOOO

1.  ³ Here I stand. Testify against me in the presence of the LORD and his anointed. Whose ox have I taken? Whose donkey have I taken? Whom have I cheated? Whom have I oppressed? From whose hand have I accepted a bribe to make me shut my eyes? If I have done any of these, I will make it right."

Samuel asks in leadership, and in humility, if he has wronged the people.  He is determined to make it right if he has.  So many times today, as leaders in many things, we feel "above the law" and NO ONE is allowed to call us out.  Samuel's humility in this place is such an example that the opposite should be true.  As leaders we should be blameless, but since that isn't possible, we should right the wrongs we commit against people, and not be too proud to admit that they have been committed.  The people in this place, however, can find NOTHING wrong from Samuel's leadership.  He has faithfully served his people-SERVANT LEADERSHIP.  He has never dug into the offering plate to take a little larger salary for himself, or pulled the choice meets off the burt offering.  He has humbly served his people with integrity.  He has removed the plank from his own eye and therefor can call out the people he is serving.  Notice he removed his plank FIRST!  

vs. 20"Do not be afraid," Samuel replied. "You have done all this evil; yet do not turn away from the LORD, but serve the LORD with all your heart.

2.  The people of Israel to this point had been ruled solely by God.  He was their king.  They begged Him, however, to send a warrior king to serve them and help them win in battle.  This was a sin against God.  They rejected Him as their king, and asked for one of their own to replace Him.  God did provide, however, and gave them a king, who Samuel has anointed just before this passage.  Samuel calls down a thunderstorm in the middle of the dry season to prove to the nation that they have sinned against God by begging for a king.  But God has grace on them and loves them through their sin.  He is merciful through our pain.  When we beg for a something "if I have this I'll love you more" God gives it to us, knowing that its not what we have that makes us love Him more, but the attitude of our hearts.  Even when we worship Idols, EMPTY IDOLS God is still there waiting for us to return and repent of our sins and love Him again.  

Matt did a much better job of explaining this, but I was really touched by the servant leader part.  I feel like God has called me to ministry in low income communities to low income families.  Not only has he given me a heart for theatre and middle school students but also for community and the families of the students I teach.  I pray that one day I have the opportunity to be in a leadership position in a youth-theatre-afterschool community-outreach-love-everyone center.  And that God gives me the heart of a servant leader like samuel was.