The King Falters: Opportunistic Leadership

This week we’ll see how a well-meaning and gifted person like Saul can go from being a promising young King to becoming a king “like that of the nations.” We see his rebellion against God’s command and his self-deceit as he justifies his behavior. We are given a warning that we share the same kind of heart, and to be watchful over our own propensity to self-deceit. And we are given a pointer to the God who saves us all from our self-destruction. - Tim Keller, “Sin as Self Deceit,” Sermon preached at Redeemer Presbyterian Church, 1/28/1996, and ’The Disobedience of Saul,” sermon preached on 1/4/2004. The structure of this sermon and several illustrations come from Keller’s sermons. - Christopher J.H. Wright, Old Testament Ethics for the People of God. See Wright’s discussion of OT genocide also in the chapter of his book, “The God I Don’t Understand.” - The David Story, By Robert Alter - 1 & 2 Samuel for Everyone, by John Goldingay - 1 Samuel for You, by Tim Chester - 1 and 2 Samuel, by Walter Brueggemann