Devotion & Sermon Summary for 1 Samuel 14:1-23
Saul sits in a cave, tall, talented, surrounded by all the resources and religion he can muster, and completely outgunned. Jonathan sneaks off, unbeknownst to Saul, and attacks the enemies by climbing up a hill, completely exposed, and when he gets to the top of the hill, he defeats philistines, striking panic into the heart of the army, and the earthquakes, and salvation is brought to Israel. You and I face mountains of evil, both in the world, in our hearts, and the forces of Satan, and are called to do battle. But we are not meant to be the hero of our own story. 1,000 years later the true Jonathan, the True only Son of the ultimate King, name Jesus, will also crawl up a hill, crowned in thorns, with His armor bearer, name Simon, who will bear Jesus' weapon, the cross. The earth will shake, Jesus will die in the battle, and win the war. The third day He will rise, having overcome His enemies, our sin, the world, evil, and death, and now sits at the right hand of God. you and I are called to now be Jesus’ armor bearer, to pick up Jesus’ cross that He has given us, and follow Him, heart and soul, behind His path of victory in our lives. It will be painful, it will be ludicrous, it will not be the way we will want to go, but we will be victorious.
Questions: are you letting Jesus be your hero and following Him? Or are you in the cave of your own resources? Do you see or sense Jesus’ victory in your life right now? Why or why not? Do you have compassion on those who oppose you? Are you giving Jesus your full heart and soul?
Supplemental studies:
The Bible Project: ‘How to Read the Bible Videos’ – ‘How to Read Biblical Narrative’