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Last week's message was about “The Sin of Ceasing to Pray.” The message from the week before that was about “The Sin of Failing in Worship.” Unless someone has been saved or has had their spiritual eyes opened, these two messages may be difficult to understand.
A person may choose not to pray, or may find themselves unable to pray. Whatever the reason, if a believer who has been saved ceases to pray, the Bible calls that sin.
The same principle applies to today's passage. Because King Saul failed in worship, God declared that his kingdom would not endure (verse 14).
Because of another failure, which we will discuss next week, God regretted making Saul king (1 Samuel 15:11) and declared that He had rejected him (1 Samuel 15:23). Saul was no longer able to be used by God, and his life ultimately came to a tragic end.
Does this mean that God rejects someone simply because they fail in worship? We might wonder, “Would anyone be able to serve God if we had to be afraid of that?” or “Isn't that too extreme?”
The most important point is that when we fail in worship and our relationship with God that we are to enjoy through worship is disrupted, Satan's attacks begin. Satan begins working in that very place.
This is what happened to Adam and Eve, the first human beings. What did Satan come and deceive them with? He told them, “your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God” (verse 5).
Human beings were created to worship God, who created them and the world, to delight in Him, and to enjoy the blessings He gives. But humanity began living as though it could take God's place (this was the original sin described in Genesis 3). When Adam and Eve were deceived by Satan, lost sight of God's covenant and Word, and disobeyed Him, what happened? Their relationship with God was broken, and they lost the right to enjoy all of God's blessings. From that point on, human beings became enslaved to their own desires, the fallen world, and the devil (Ephesians 2:1–3; John 8:44).
The failure of Cain, a descendant of Adam and Eve, was the same. Although the first human beings had failed, God could not give up on humanity.
This is God's unchanging love, His love that never gives up—the Hebrew word hesed. God opened a way for humanity to restore its relationship with Him. This is the covenant of the Gospel found in Genesis 3:15 and 3:21. The Son of God would come and crush the serpent's head. Through His sacrifice, He would resolve our sin, shame, and curse and open the way for us to recover God's blessings.
Abel held firmly to this covenant and offered a sacrifice of atonement, but Cain worshiped without holding on to the covenant (Hebrews 11:4). This was the beginning of religion. It was the belief that we can approach God through our own methods, our own standards, and our own efforts. This became one of Satan's deceptions.
In today's passage, we will examine three ways in which Saul failed. Through them, we must discover what true worship is and what it means to worship successfully.
I. Every worship service we offer must contain the covenant of salvation that God gives us by His grace.
1) This is why Saul had to wait until Samuel the priest arrived. Samuel’s role prophesizes Christ, who came as our eternal High Priest. By His own blood, Christ eternally redeemed us from Adam's original sin, the sins of our families, and our sin (Hebrews 9:12). Without His blood, there can be no forgiveness of sins, and we cannot stand before God (Hebrews 9:22). This was not simply a matter of a king daring to challenge the authority of a priest. Although the incident itself may have seemed small, Saul had lost sight of the covenant contained within it.
2) When we are in Christ, no one can condemn us, and no enemy can bring us down. The Bible says that Christ continues to intercede for us at the heavenly throne (Romans 8:34). To “intercede” means that He serves as our Mediator (1 Timothy 2:5), our Advocate (1 John 2:1), and our Helper (John 14:16). Without experiencing this blessing, every human being is bound to fall. That is why the Bible declares that nothing and no one can separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus (Romans 8:38–39).
3) Every time you worship, reaffirm His love and grace. Do not give up, receive new strength. Worship has been described as coming before the King and taking hold of His merciful hand when He extends it to us (the Greek word for worship is proskuneo). What problems or failures are you facing? Now, always, every day, and throughout your entire life, hold on to His hand of grace, love, and mercy (Hebrews 4:16).
II. Every worship service we offer must contain our faith that holds firmly to God's covenant.
1) Our salvation begins when we confess our faith in Christ (Romans 10:10). This is why we pray a prayer of acceptance when we first believe in Jesus Christ. We can make this confession every day. It is possible to believe in our hearts alone, but we also confess with our mouths, allowing Him to truly become our Lord (John 1:12; Revelation 3:20). The word “receive” or “accept” means to welcome His love and believe in Him.
2) What is important here is that God never gives up on someone who has received Christ and been saved. To be precise, Christ who redeemed us continues to bring our salvation to completion (Philippians 1:6, 3:12). Then why did God reject Saul, whom He had already chosen? This is a difficult theological question, but it does not mean that Saul's salvation was invalidated. Rather, Saul's life became one in which he could no longer be used by God. The result was tragic. It is important to remember the attitude David demonstrated toward Saul. Even though Saul later became tormented by an evil spirit, tried to kill David, and eventually died on the battlefield, David mourned him and composed a lament for him in tears (2 Samuel 1:7).
3) God desires to work throughout every part of our lives with His blessings and answers. When does this happen? It happens when we hold firmly to His covenant and believe. That is why worship offered in faith that is in the God who gives us His covenant and fulfills it is so important (Hebrews 11:6). Saul's decision to offer the sacrifice before Samuel arrived began with his unbelief. Samuel did not arrive within the expected time, and the anxious people began to scatter. Saul, their king, became shaken along with them. This was likely a test from God. At that moment, Saul should have prayed with the faith befitting a king, but he failed to do so (in verse 12, Saul says that he had not sought the Lord's favor). In the end, although the formalities of worship was present, Saul had lost both the covenant and his faith, and it became worship that God could not accept.
III. Our worship must always include the mission God desires to accomplish through us.
1) Through His love, God saves us and blesses us so that everything in our lives become evidence. So what is the work God desires to accomplish? He want to restore His glory and wants to save all those He has chosen through us (this is evangelism and missions). If Saul had been clear about the covenant and had restored his faith, this would have been a battle Israel could not help but win. God's covenant was that He Himself would be their bartizan and that Christ would fight on their behalf. Saul eventually realized this, and even with only the remaining 600 men, Israel ultimately gained victory (verse 15).
2) Hold firmly to the covenant that God will give you evidence in every circumstance, and discover your mission. It must become a covenant that contains God’s desires and our faith must become faith that has a reason. God will establish us as His witness. Whether you are at home, in church, or at work, even the smallest task becomes meaningful when it is done as a commitment to God's glory. That is why another word associated with worship carries the meaning of “service” or “ministry.” The Greek word is leitourgia.
3) God remembers even our smallest prayers, acts of devotion, efforts, and perseverance when they are offered in faith and out of love for Him (Revelation 2:2). Especially, evangelism and missions that change an individual's life are crucial."These will become our eternal inheritance and rewards in the new heaven and new earth—the new Eden—that will be fully established when Christ returns.
Conclusion - The first four commandments of the Ten Commandments, given as the highest priority, are commandments about serving God, in other words, about worship. Success in worship is success in life, and failure in worship leads to failure in life. May you be blessed to live a life of one who succeeds in true worship.
MOST RECENTThe Sin of Failing in Worship (1 Samuel 13:8–15) | November 1, 2026지난 주 메시지는 “기도하기를 쉬는 죄”에 대한 말씀이었다. 이번 주의 메시지는 “예배를 실패하는 죄”라는 제목이다. 구원받지 못한 사람이나 영적으로 눈이 열린 사람들이 아니면 이 두가지 메시지가 이해 안 될 것이다.
기도 안할 수도 있고, 못할 수도 있다. 이유가 어떻든 구원받은 성도가 기도하기를 쉰다면 그것을 죄라고 했다.
본문도 마찬가지이다. 사울 왕이 예배를 실패한 결과로 인해 하나님은 “그의 나라가 길지 않을 것이라”고 했다(14절).
다음 주에 나누게 될 또 다른 실패로 인해서 하나님은 사울을 세운 것을 후회하시고(삼상15:11), 하나님은 그 사울왕을 버리셨다고 했다(삼상15:23). 그 사울은 더 이상 하나님께 쓰임받지 못하게 되고, 결국 비참하게 인생이 끝난다.
예배를 실패했다고 하나님께 버림을 받는가? ‘무서워서 하나님 섬길 수 있겠냐?’ ‘너무 심한 것 아니냐?’ 할 수 있다.
가장 중요한 핵심은 예배를 실패하고 예배를 통해 주시는 하나님과의 관계가 문제가 오면 반드시 그때부터 사단의 공격이 시작되고, 그 자리에 사단이 역사한다는 것이다. 서서히 치명적인 영적인 문제가 되는 것이다.
첫 인생 아담과 하와가 그랬다. 사단이 와서 뭐라고 속였는가? “네 눈이 밝아져 하나님처럼 될 것이라‘고 했다(5절).
인간은 인간과 세상을 창조한 하나님을 경배하고, 하나님을 기뻐하며, 그 주시는 축복을 누려야 하는 피조물이다.
그런데 인간이 하나님의 자리에 앉아서 살게 된 것이다(이것이 창3장의 원죄). 그 사단에게 속아 하나님의 언약과 말씀을 놓치고 불순종했을 때 어떤 일이 벌어졌는가? 하나님과의 관계가 깨지면서 모든 하나님의 축복을 누릴 자격을 상실한 것이다. 그때부터 인간은 자기 욕심과 타락한 세상과 마귀를 따라가는 인생이 된 것이다(엡2:1-3, 요8:44).
그 아담과 하와의 후손인 가인의 실패도 마찬가지이다. 첫 인생이 실패했지만 하나님은 포기할 수가 없었다.
그것이 변함없는 하나님의 사랑, 포기할 수 없는 하나님의 사랑인 히브리어 “헤세드”의 사랑이다. 다시 하나님과의 관계를 회복할 수 있는 길을 열어주셨다. 그것이 창3:15, 3:21의 복음의 언약이다. 하나님의 아들이 오셔서 뱀의 머리를 밟고, 그 분의 희생으로 인해 나의 죄와 수치와 저주를 해결하고, 하나님의 축복을 회복할 길이 열린 것이다.
아벨은 그 언약을 붙잡고 희생 제사를 드렸지만 가인은 언약을 놓친 예배를 드렸다(히11:4). 이것이 종교의 시작이다. 내 방법대로, 내 기준으로, 내 열심으로 하나님 앞에 갈 수 있다는 것이다. 그것이 사단의 속임수가 된 것이다.
본문에서 사울이 실패한 세가지를 볼 것이다. 거기서 우리는 참된 예배, 성공하는 예배가 무엇인지를 찾아야 한다.
1. 우리가 드리는 모든 예배 속에는 하나님이 은혜로 주시는 구원의 언약이 있어야 한다.
1) 제사장 사무엘이 올 때까지 기다려야만 했던 이유가 그것이다.
구약의 제사장은 영원한 제사장으로 오시는 그리스도의 예표이다. 그 분이 자기 피로 아담의 원죄와 우리 가문의 죄와 내 죄를 영원히 대속하셨다(히9:12). 그피가 아니면 죄사함을 얻을 수 없고, 하나님 앞에 설 수 없다(히9:22).
감히 왕이 제사장의 권위를 도전했다는 수준이 아니다. 작은 사건이지만 그 속에 담긴 언약을 놓친 것이다.
주 안에 있는 사람들에게 일어나는 모든 사건에는 하나님의 계획과 메시지가 있다. 그것이 언약이다.
2) 그 그리스도 안에 있을 때는 누구도 정죄할 수 없고, 어떤 대적도 우리를 무너지게 할 수 없다.
그리스도는 지금도 보좌에서 우리를 위해 중보하신다고 했다(롬8:34). ‘중보한다’는 말은 중재자(딤전2:5), 변호자 (요일2:1), 돕는자(요14:16)의 역할을 하신다는 뜻이다. 이 축복을 누리지 못하면 인간은 누구나 무너지는 것이다.
그래서 어느 누구도, 어떤 세력도 그리스도 안에 있는 하나님의 사랑에서 끊어낼 수 없다고 한 것이다(롬8:38-39)
3) 예배 때마다 그 분의 사랑과 그 분의 은혜를 확인하라. 그리고 포기하지 말고, 새 힘을 얻으라.
그래서 ‘예배“는 왕이 그 자비의 손을 내밀 때 그앞에 나가 그 손을 붙잡는 것이라고 했다(“프로스쿠네오”,영어의 Worship). 어떤 문제와 실패를 겪는가? 지금, 항상, 매일, 평생, 그 은혜와 사랑과 자비의 손을 붙잡으라(히4:16).
2. 우리가 드리는 예배 속에는 반드시 언약을 붙잡은 우리의 믿음이 있어야 한다.
1) 그리스도를 향한 믿음을 고백할 때 우리의 구원도 시작되는 것이다(롬10:10)
처음 예수 그리스도를 믿을 때 영접 기도를 하는 이유도 이것이다. 이 고백을 매일 해도 된다.
마음으로만 믿어도 되지만 입으로 고백해서 그 분이 참 나의 주가 되도록 허락하는 것이다(요1:12, 계3:20).
그 영접이라는 단어가 그 분의 사랑을 “받아들인다”. “믿는다”는 뜻이다.
2) 여기서 중요한 것은 한번 그리스도를 영접해서 구원받은 사람을 하나님은 포기하지 않는다는 것이다.
정확히 말하면 나를 대속하신 그리스도께서 그 구원을 계속 완성해가는 것이다(빌1:6, 빌3:12)
그러면 이미 택함 받은 사울을 왜 버리신 것인가? 신학적인 난제이지만 구원받은 것이 무효가 된 것은 아니다.
더이상 하나님께 쓰임 받을 수 없었던 삶이 된 것이다. 그 결과는 비참했다. 그때 다윗이 보여준 자세가 중요하다. 훗날 악신에 들려 자기를 죽이려고 하고, 결국 전쟁터에서 죽은 사울 왕을 위해 울며 노래를 지었다(삼하1:7)
3) 하나님은 우리의 모든 삶에서 하나님의 축복과 응답으로 역사하기를 원하신다. 언제인가?
언약을 붙잡고, 믿을 때이다. 그래서 언약을 주시고 성취하실 하나님을 믿는 믿음의 예배가 중요한다(히11:6).
사울이 사무엘이 오기 전에 예배를 드린 것은 그의 불신앙에서 시작된 것이다. 사무엘이 정해진 기간에 오지 않으 니 불안한 성도들이 흩어지게 되었고, 왕인 사울이 같이 흔들린 것이다. 이것이 하나님의 테스트였을 것이다.
그때 왕다운 믿음을 가지고 기도해야 하는데, 그것을 놓쳤다(13절 “내가 여호와께 은혜를 간구하지 못했다”)
결국 예배의 형식은 있었는데, 언약도 놓치고, 믿음도 놓친 그 예배는 하나님이 받을 수 없는 예배가 된 것이다.
3. 우리의 예배 속에는 반드시 하나님이 우리를 통해 하고자 하시는 미션을 잡아야 한다.
1) 하나님은 그의 사랑으로 우리를 구원하시고, 우리를 축복해 모든 것이 증거가 되게 만드시겠다는 것이다.
그래서 하고자 하는 일이 뭔가? 하나님의 영광을 회복하고, 모든 택한 자들을 살리신다는 것이다(전도와 선교)
사울이 언약이 분명하고, 믿음을 회복했다면 이 전쟁은 이길 수 밖에 없는 전쟁이었다. 하나님이 망대가 되시고, 그리스도가 직접 싸우신다는 언약이 그것이다. 사울이 뒤늦게 깨닫고, 남은 600명을 가지고도 결국 승리한다(15절)
2) 하나님은 어떤 경우에도 내게 증거를 주신다는 언약을 붙잡고, 미션을 찾아내라.
하나님의 소원이 담긴 언약이 되고, 이유가 있는 믿음이 되어야 한다. 나를 증인으로 세우시겠다는 것이다.
가정에서, 교회에서, 직장에서 아무리 작은 일을 해도 그것이 하나님의 영광을 위한 헌신이 되면 이유가 된다.
그래서 예배라는 또다른 단어가 “헌신한다”(“레이투르기아, 영어의 Service)는 의미이다.
3) 하나님은 하나님을 사랑하면서 믿음으로 하는 나의 작은 기도, 헌신, 수고, 인내를 기억하신다고 했다(계2:2)
특히 전도와 선교가 중요하다. 그것이 새 하늘과 새 땅, 새 에덴에서 영원히 누릴 기업과 상급이 되는 것이다.
결론-십계명에 가장 우선적으로 주신 제1계명부터 4계명까지가 하나님을 섬기는 계명 곧 예배에 관한 계명이다. 예배 성공이 인생 성공이고, 예배 실패는 인생 실패가 된다. 참 예배 성공자의 삶을 누리기를 축복한다.
예배에 실패하는 죄(삼상13:8-15)Although God had not desired it, King Saul was appointed in response to the people's demands. As Israel stood at the threshold of a new beginning, Samuel delivered an important message. In essence, he declared, “Far be it from me that I should sin against the Lord by ceasing to pray for you.”
Why did Samuel suddenly deliver this message? First, although Samuel himself had anointed Saul as king, he must have felt deep concern about whether Saul would truly obey God's will and fulfill his responsibility faithfully. After all, this had not been God's original desire, it had begun because of the people's greed and stubborn insistence.
Second, this message became something like Samuel's will as he grew old (1 Samuel 12:2). He recognized what his most important mission would be from that point forward. Ultimately, God Himself had to protect His people, bless them, and uphold them.
Do you understand why this confession and commitment are so important? There are times when people may fail to pray. Many become so busy with their work that they lose opportunities to spend time in prayer. Yet the busier we become, the more we must make time for prayer. Only then, the transcendent power of God is revealed, and either we do not know that it becomes the masterpiece of God or we have not experienced it. When people grow old or become ill, they may no longer have the strength to pray. Yet some understand that such times can become opportunities to devote themselves to prayer. David, who wrote approximately half of the Psalms, understood this. So did Moses and Joshua, and Paul as described in 2 Corinthians 12:8–9. To understand the power and blessings of prayer properly, we must grasp two essential covenants through today's passage.
1. The foundational covenant contained in Samuel's confession and commitment.
This is the covenant concerning what Christ does for us. Whenever we read the Bible, we must learn to see this (Luke 24:44, John 5:39). Samuel's commitment to pray for the people foreshadowed the work Christ would accomplish for us.
1) Christ became our Savior, Redeemer, and Intercessor. He delivered us from all sin, the curse, and the power of Satan (Luke 1:71, 77, Colossians 1:13–14). To accomplish this, He became our Redeemer by offering His own life for us (Hebrews 9:12). Finally, He became our eternal Mediator so that our salvation may be complete and we may obtain our eternal inheritance (Hebrews 9:15).
2) The essential covenant we must grasp in this passage is that Christ has become our Intercessor. He knows our wounds and weaknesses. He understands how we can fall into the traps of our own desires and succumb to Satan's temptations.
① The Bible says that the Holy Spirit is with all believers who have been saved and intercedes for us with groanings when we are weak (Romans 8:26–28).
② At the heavenly throne, Christ personally intercedes for us so that no one can bring a charge against God's people and condemn them (Romans 8:34).
③ This is the steadfast love of God emphasized throughout the Old Testament (It is God's hesed—His unfailing, covenantal love that will never abandon His people). That is why today's passage declares that Israel is God's chosen people and that He will not forsake them, for the sake of His own great name (verse 22). This is also the conclusion reflected in the five points of Calvinism, the essence of the Reformed Theology doctrine (perseverance of the saints).
3) Samuel understood what God's servants must do when God shows such mercy to His people. With the heart of God's unfailing love, Samuel resolved to continue interceding for God's people, even to the point of giving his life.
① How does the Bible describe God's response to our intercessory prayers? It describes an angel offering our prayers before the heavenly throne of God (Revelation 8:3). It also says that God appoints watchmen who will never be silent, continually interceding on behalf of His people (Isaiah 62:6–7).
② Through prayer, God works continually for us, our families and children, our church, and our fields. The sin of ceasing to pray is what prevents us from participating in this work of God.
2. The practical covenant of God contained in our prayers.
We must hold firmly to the covenant concerning how precious our prayers are to God and what kind of prayer He desires from us and experience it throughout our lives.
1) It is the secret to enjoying our relationship with God. The Bible teaches that God has given us three spiritual identities (refer to Wednesday's message). These are identities originally given to Adam.
① We have the identity of God's children (Genesis 1:27; John 1:12; Romans 8:15–17). The relationship between a parent and child is incomparable to any other relationship.
② We have the identity of God's servants and workers (1 Corinthians 4:1). This is the blessing of anointing. It is being used by God to fulfill His eternal plan. This is why God gives us grace, answers to prayer, and blessings. He desires us to be used as ambassadors and apostles of Christ, devoting ourselves to His work.
③ We have the identity of God's co-workers and partners. Our blessings and answers to prayer are not limited to this earthly life. When Christ returns and establishes the new heaven and new earth—the new Eden—we will stand alongside Christ as those who reign over all things (Revelation 22:5). Through covenant-based prayer, we are to enjoy these three covenants and blessings as they are fulfilled throughout our lives. This is why Jesus began by teaching His disciples in the Sermon on the Mount how to pray (Lord’s Prayer, enjoying God and His kingdom, prayer offered privately without seeking recognition, and the secret of restoring our relationships with our brothers and sisters so that nothing hinders our prayers).
2) There are people who must take the lead for this blessing of prayer. These people are spiritual leaders. In the family, they are the parents, and in the church, they are the pastors and church officers. We must become watchmen who remain spiritually alert and pray for our families, our church, and our fields of ministry. We must also become steadfast watchtowers that cannot be shaken (Song of Songs 4:4).
① There is an enemy at work to make us continually lose sight of God's covenant and live in unbelief and disobedience. That enemy is Satan, the devil. Adam and Eve fell because of his deception, and the consequences were devastating (Romans 5:12;, John 8:44, Ephesians 2:1–3).
② Satan knows our weakpoints very well. But he will flee when we resist him and fight against him. That is because Christ has crushed the head of the devil (Genesis 3:15, 1 Corinthians 15:25, 57). He came to destroy the works of the devil (1 John 3:8). Therefore, we must discern Satan's schemes. We must remain alert and pray at all times in the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 6:18, 1 Thessalonians 5:16–18). We must guard our hearts and minds and pray with thanksgiving. The Bible promises that when we do so, the God of peace will guard our hearts and minds as well (Philippians 4:6–7).
③ This is why pastors and church officers are appointed in the church. They must take the lead in prayer, even to the point of risking their lives. They must raise the banner of Christ, our Commander in prayer, who fights for us and gives us victory. A representative example is Moses praying behind Joshua as he fought and defeated the Amalekites, while Aaron and Hur supported Moses by holding up his hands (Exodus 17:8–12). If Aaron represents an associate pastor who supports the senior pastor, then Hur represents the church elders, senior deaconesses, and deacons who serve as church officers. As they supported Moses so that he could continue praying, they and all peoples of Israel prayed together. We know the outcome. Israel's enemy, Amalek, was decisively defeated. This is how God uses our prayers.
Conclusion - Prayer is everything that all believers and church officers, who are God's children, His servants, and His co-workers, are called to enjoy. In particular, it is the secret through which believers who hold firmly to God's covenant experience the work of that covenant being fulfilled in their lives (John 15:7, 1 Thessalonians 2:13). This is the secret of meditative prayer. Most importantly, prayer is the secret that enables us, despite our weaknesses and shortcomings, to stop being deceived, to stop having what God has given us stolen away, and to live as victors, pilgrims, and conquerors.
This is a critical hour. May you be blessed to become prayer warriors who lift up the hands of prayer and carry the banners of prayer.
The Sin of Ceasing to Pray (1 Samuel 12:19–25)
하나님이 원하지 않았지만 백성들의 요구로 인해 사울왕이 세워지고, 이제 이스라엘은 새로운 시작을 해야 하는 시간에 사무엘이 중요한 메시지를 했다. 한마디로 “나는 너희를 위해 기도하기를 쉬는 죄를 범하지 않겠다”는 메시지였다. 왜 갑자기 이런 메시지를 했을까? 먼저는 본인이 기름을 부어 사울 왕을 세웠지만 그가 과연 얼마나 하나님의 뜻을 순종하며 그 일을 감당할 수 있을까에 대한 안타까움이 있었을 것이다. 원래 하나님이 원하신 것이 아니고 사람들의 욕심과 고집으로 인해 시작된 일이기 때문이다.
둘째는 이것이 늙어가는 사무엘의 유언과 같은 메시지가 된 것이다(삼상12:2). 앞으로 자기가 해야 할 가장 중요한 미션이 뭔가를 본 것이다. 결국 하나님이 그의 백성을 보호하시고, 축복하시고, 붙잡아 주셔야 하기 때문이다. 이 고백과 결단이 왜 중요한지 아는가? 사람이 기도 못할 수도 있다. 일이 바쁘면 기도할 시간을 놓치며 사는 사람들도 많다. 바쁘기에 더 시간을 쪼개서 기도해야 하고, 그때만 모든 것을 뛰어넘는 하나님의 능력이 나타나고, 그것이 하나님의 작품이 된다는 것을 모르든지, 체험을 못했든지 둘 중의 하나다. 또 늙고 병들면 기도할 힘도 없을 수 있다.
그러나 그때가 오직 기도할 수 있는 기회가 된다는 사실을 알고 기도하는 사람도 있다. 시편의 절반을 기록한 다윗이 그랬고, 모세, 여호수아가 그랬고, 특히 고후12:8-9에 바울이 그랬다.
이 기도의 능력과 축복을 제대로 이해하기 위해 본문을 통해 반드시 두가지의 언약을 잡아야 한다.
1. 이 사무엘의 고백과 결단 속에 담긴 근원적 언약이다.
그리스도가 우리를 위해 하시는 일에 대한 언약이다. 성경을 볼 때 반드시 이것을 봐야 한다(눅24:44, 요5:39). 이 사무엘의 기도의 결단이 그리스도가 하신 일에 대한 예표이다.
1) 그리스도는 우리의 구원자. 대속자, 중보자가 되신 것이다.
모든 죄와 저주, 사단의 권세에서 해방시키셨다(눅1:71,77, 골1:13-14).
이 일을 위해 자기 생명으로 우리의 대속자가 된 것이다(히9:12).
마지막 중요한 것이 우리의 구원이 완성되고, 영원한 기업을 얻기까지 영원한 중보자가 되신 것이다(히9:15)
2) 본문에서 중요하게 붙잡아야 할 언약은 그 분이 우리의 중보자가 되셨다는 것이다.
우리의 상처, 연약함을 알고, 어떻게 우리의 욕심, 사단의 유혹에 넘어질 수 있는지를 아신 것이다.
① 그래서 구원받은 모든 성도들에게 성령으로 함께 하시면서 우리가 연약할 때 탄식하며 기도한다고 했다(롬8:28).
② 보좌에서는 아무도 우리를 정죄할 수 없도록 그리스도께서 직접 아버지 앞에 간구하신다고 했다(롬8:34).
③ 이것이 구약 성경에서 그렇게 강조하시는 하나님의 인자하심(포기하지 않으시는 하나님의 사랑 “헤세드”)이다. 그래서 본문에도 하나님이 택한 백성이고, 자기 이름을 위해서도 자기 백성을 버리지 아니할 것이라고 했다(22절) 이것이 개혁주의 정통 신학의 핵심이 되는 칼빈주의 5대 교리의 결론이다(“하나님의 견인”)
3) 사무엘은 하나님이 우리를 위해 그렇게 자비를 베푸실 때 주의 종들이 해야 할 일이 무엇인가를 깨달은 것이다.
그 하나님의 포기할 수 없는 사랑과 마음을 담고, 그의 백성들을 위해 죽기까지 중보 기도할 것을 결단한 것이다
① 성경은 우리의 중보 기도를 어떻게 대하실 것이라고 했는가? 우리의 기도를 모아서 천사를 사용해 하늘 보좌로 올라 가게 만들고(계8:3), 그 천사들을 파수꾼으로 세워 쉬지 않고 우리를 위해 일하실 것이라고 했다(사62:6-7).
② 하나님이 쉬지 않고, 나를 위해, 내 가족과 자녀들을 위해, 교회와 내 현장을 위해 일하게 만드는 비밀이다. 그 하나님이 아무 일도 하지 않도록 만드는 것이 나의 죄라는 것이다.
2. 우리의 기도에 담긴 하나님의 실제적인 언약이다.
하나님이 나의 기도를 얼마나 소중히 여기시며, 어떤 기도를 원하시는 지를 언약으로 붙잡고 평생 체험해야 한다.
1) 하나님과의 관계를 누리는 비밀이다.
성경에 하나님이 우리에게 주신 세가지 신분이 있다고 했다(수요 메시지 참고). 원래 아담에게 주셨던 신분이다.
① 하나님의 자녀의 신분이다(창1:27, 요1:12, 롬8:15-17). 자녀는 어떤 관계와도 비교할 수 없는 최고의 관계이다.
② 하나님의 일군(종)의 신분이다(고전4:1). 이것이 기름부음의 축복이다. 영원한 하나님 계획을 위해 쓰임받는 것이다
하나님이 내게 은혜와 응답과 축복을 주시는 이유다. 그리스도의 대사로, 사도로 쓰임을 받고, 헌신하라는 것이다.
③ 하나님의 동역자, 동반자의 신분이다. 이 땅에서 만의 축복과 응답이 아니다. 그리스도께서 다시 오셔서 이루시는 새 하늘과 새 땅, 새 에덴에서 그리스도와 함께 만물을 다스리는 주인공들로 서는 것이다(계22:5).
이 세가지의 언약과 축복이 내 인생을 통해 성취되는 것을 언약을 잡은 기도로 누리라는 것이다.
그래서 예수님이 산상 수훈에서 기도부터 가르친 것이다(하나님과 그 나라를 누리는 주기도, 드러내지 않고 홀로하는 기도, 형제들과의 관계를 회복해서 기도가 막히지 않게 하는 비밀)
2) 이 기도의 축복을 위해 앞장 서야 하는 사람들이 있다.
그들이 영적인 리더들이다. 가정에서는 부모요, 교회에서는 목회자요 중직자들이다.
우리가 내 가정과 교회와 현장에 깨어 기도하는 파수꾼이 되고, 흔들리지 않는 파수 망대가 되라는 것이다(아4:4)
① 계속 우리가 하나님의 언약을 놓치고 불신앙과 불순종에 빠져 살도록 역사하는 존재가 있다. 우리 원수 마귀이다.
아담과 하와가 여기서 무너진 것이다. 그 결과는 참혹했다(롬5:12, 요8:44, 엡2:1-3)
② 이 사단이 우리의 약점을 너무 잘 안다. 그러나 대적해서 싸우면 도망간다는 것이다.
그리스도가 마귀의 머리를 밟으셨기 때문이다(창3:15, 고전15:25, 57). 마귀의 일을 멸하셨기 때문이다(요일3:8)
사단의 궤계를 분별하라. 그래서 깨어있고, 무시로 성령 안에서 기도하라는 것이다(엡6:18, 살전5:16-18).
마음과 생각을 지키라. 감사함으로 기도하라. 그때 평강의 하나님이 내 마음과 생각도 지키신다고 했다(빌4:6-7)
③ 교회의 목회자와 중직자들을 세우는 이유가 이것이다.
앞장서서 생명을 걸고 기도하라는 것이다. 기도로 우리를 위해 싸우시고, 승리를 주실 우리의 대장되시는 그리스도
의 깃발을 들라는 것이다. 그 대표적인 예가 아말렉과 싸워 이긴 여호수아를 위해 뒤에서 기도한 모세와 그 모세의 팔을 들어준 아론과 훌의 역할이다(출17:8-12). 아론이 모세를 돕는 부교역자를 상징한다면 훌은 중직자들이다.
모세가 기도하도록 팔을 받쳐주면서 그들도 함께 기도했고, 그때 모든 성도들도 기도로 하나 된 것이다.
그 결과를 안다. 이스라엘의 대적 아말렉은 처절하게 무너졌다. 하나님이 우리의 기도를 그렇게 쓰신다는 것이다.
결론 - 기도는 하나님의 자녀요 일군이요 동역자들인 성도들과 중직자들이 누려야 할 모든 것이다. 특히 언약을 가진 성도들이 그 언약이 성취되는 역사를 체험하는 비밀이 이것이다(요15:7, 살전2:13). 그것이 묵상 기도의 비밀이다.
가장 중요한 것은 연약하고 부족한 우리가 더 이상 속지 않고, 뺏기지 않고 승리자, 순례자, 정복자로 사는 비밀이다. 중요한 때이다. 기도의 손, 기도의 깃발을 든 기도의 용사들이 되기를 축복한다.
The Blessing of Anointing(1 Samuel 10:1–6) 10/18/2026
Finally, a man named Saul was anointed as king of Israel. Whether in a church or a nation, the appointment of a leader is extremely important. One certain fact is that no leader can be established without God’s permission (Romans 13:1, 1 Timothy 2:1–2).
This is especially true of the church, which is the house of God. The Bible describes Israel as a church that God Himself chose, established, and blessed. When the Israelites were passing through the wilderness, the Bible called them the “church in the wilderness” (Acts 7:38).
This was one of the reasons God was displeased when the Israelites demanded a system of kings.
They blamed their problems on the lack of a particular system. More importantly, they had reached the point of trying to run the church according to worldly standards. As a result, the church becomes secularized, like any other worldly organization, and eventually loses its spiritual strength and collapses.
The time is approaching when we must appoint workers to serve in the various departments of the church for the coming year. We must also appoint new church officers and prepare them to devote themselves to service so that the church can undertake greater works. Especially next year, we must build a multipurpose facility for educating future generations and serving people from many nations.
Through today’s passage, there are two important things we must remember about the kinds of workers and church officers who should be appointed.
- God chooses and appoints the workers who serve in His church.
1) This is why God used the prophet Samuel when appointing a king over Israel.
① First, God leads us to find the people He desires through His servants. In chapter 9, God precisely arranged for Samuel to meet the person He had prepared (verse 16). That person was Saul, from the tribe of Benjamin.
② Saul was not even the kind of person Samuel would have chosen according to his own standards. This is why we must pray deeply. We must seek the person God has chosen, the person God intends to use. Even Samuel had to follow God’s will.
2) God instructed Samuel to find the person He had chosen and anoint him. There are three offices that God established through the anointing performed by His servants (the offices of priest, king, and prophet).
① In the Old Testament, these were special offices, but in the New Testament, all believers have come to share in this blessing (1 Peter 2:9).
Who is a priest? A priest is someone who leads worship and helps people find healing, receive new life, and experience God’s blessings. Therefore, believers must succeed in worship, enjoy God’s grace and blessings, and become people who can bless those they meet.
Who is a king? A king leads the way in fighting against enemies (a spiritual victor). A king also rules over God’s people on God’s behalf. This is why we must stand as watchmen and bartizans in our homes, workplaces, and the church departments we serve, enjoying spiritual victory through prayer. Through our spiritual victories, we must experience the forces of darkness being broken in our fields of life and God’s blessings coming upon them.
Who is a prophet? A prophet receives the Word of God and delivers that Word to others. We must receive God’s Word, meditate on it until it becomes our own, and then share it with others to bring them new life.
② To be anointed means that God has determined to use that person and has prepared that person for His purpose. This is why 1 Peter 2:9 first describes believers who have been saved in Christ as a “chosen people.”
From the moment we are saved, every believer must live with the assurance that their life has been chosen for God’s purpose. We must understand that God’s purpose is fulfilled through every part of our lives—our studies, careers, families, and ministries.
What is that purpose? It is not simply to eat well, live comfortably, or achieve worldly success. God desires to bless us despite our inadequacies so that we may experience happiness and, through our lives, reveal the glory of the God who created and saved us. This is why we must train ourselves to give all the glory to Him after everything we do.
③ From the moment a person is anointed, God’s power begins to work in that person. Because God has prepared and appointed that person, He also provides the ability to fulfill the responsibility. When God entrusts us with an office or responsibility in the church, He also gives us the ability and wisdom to carry it out. Today’s passage says that from the moment Saul was anointed, the Spirit of God came upon him, and he was changed into a different person (verse 6). This was the beginning, not the completion. From the moment we are saved and entrusted with an important responsibility, we must continue to enjoy this blessing throughout our lives.
- God always gives evidence to those He has chosen and intends to use. Our faith, the way we live, and everything we do must become evidence of God’s work in our live (witnesses in Acts 1:8).
1) Find the evidence God gives you, even in your past wounds, difficult circumstances, and occasional failures. Hold firmly to the evidence God has given you. God gives us abundant evidence, but we often take it for granted and live as though it were nothing special and forget about it. As a result, we continually fall into our own standards, discouragement, despair, unbelief, and disobedience, which ultimately develop into spiritual problems (this was one of the reasons Saul failed).
2) What kind of evidence does God give us? We must not miss these things. This is the secret to continually enjoying all of God’s grace.
① The evidence of the Word. God gives us His Word precisely and fulfills it. We must experience this evidence 300%. Samuel gave Saul specific words concerning the things Saul would experience (incident involving the lost donkeys and their discovery).
② The evidence of prayer. The Bible says that when believers pray, the prayers of the saints are brought before God’s throne by the angels in heaven (Revelation 8:4). God treasures the prayers of His people. He accomplishes great things through them and gives us evidence of His answers (John 14:12–14). This is where the 300% blessing of prayer comes from. This is also where Saul failed. Whatever he did, even when he experienced failure, there was no evidence of him praying. This was one of the differences between Saul and David. David also experienced failure, but throughout his life, he lived in prayer and enjoyed its blessings. The Book of Psalms records the blessings and answers that came through prayer. Create your own personal Psalms —a record of the evidence of God’s answers to your prayers.
③ The evidence that God is using me. Even when you do something small, hold on to the truth that God is using you, and look for the evidence of His work.
From this comes the 300% blessing of uniqueness, specialty, and globalization. It means taking a life-committing challenge toward the evidence God will provide. The process through which Saul was selected as king after being anointed is also important. God made even that process become evidence (verses 17–23). In the Old Testament, when appointing people to serve God, the Israelites used the casting of lots to discern God’s will, preventing human standards, personal intentions, and selfish desires from determining the outcome. In the New Testament era, the practice of appointing people through voting began (when the seven deacons were appointed in Acts 6). The person’s faith, wisdom, and fullness of the Holy Spirit were also recognized by others. That recognition became evidence. Being loved by people in your community, family, and workplace, and having even your small contributions recognized, can also become powerful evidence for evangelism.
Conclusion - After Saul was anointed, chosen, and established as king, he accomplished many things. Yet, regardless of all that he did, Saul repeatedly failed, and the Bible says that God regretted making him king (1 Samuel 15:11, 35). Saul lost hold of the grace he had received at the beginning. He lost sight of the purpose for which God had chosen and appointed him. He also failed to continue humbly enjoying God’s grace, power, and blessings. May God bless all of us who have been saved to live lives in which He blesses us and continually gives us evidence of His work, so that we may reveal His glory throughout our lives.
The Blessing of Anointing
All Nations, Tribes, and Tongues
Our church offers language-based ministries for different cultural communities, and age/grade-based ministries that support spiritual growth from prenatal infants through seniors.
Worship Times
Wednesdays at 8PM
Fridays at 7:30PM
Sundays at 9 & 11AM, 1:30PM
Sunday Interpretation:
English, Español, Korean, Chinese at 9AM
English and Español at 11AM
English and Español at 1:30PM
Our Schools
Gospel centered education for children and youth ages 2+
Our church offers Summit Pre-school and Saturday Summit School to raise our children as global leaders with spirituality, character, and specialty.
Saturday Summit School › Summit Pre-School ›
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Your offering will be used locally and globally for the work of the Kingdom of God.
“Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” Matthew 6:21
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