The book of 1 Samuel begins the story of the kings of Israel, starting with a man named Saul. Saul's ascendancy to the throne began with the people of Israel's misplaced desire for a king. We read about their sinful motives in 1 Samuel 8:4-5, which tells us that "all the elders of Israel gathered together and came to Samuel at Ramah and said to him, “Behold, you are old and your sons do not walk in your ways. Now appoint for us a king to judge us like all the nations”" (ESV). Up until this point, the people had been ruled by the Judges, who served as protectorates of the people from invading enemies. Despite being warned by Samuel of the burdens a king would place on them, they were persistent in their desire to have a king so that they could be like the surrounding nations.

A few chapters later, Samuel tells us that because of their desire for a king, Israel was rejecting their God as King. "But today you have rejected your God, who saves you from all your calamities and your distresses, and you have said to him, ‘Set a king over us.’ Now therefore present yourselves before the LORD by your tribes and by your thousands” (1 Samuel 10:19). Lots were then cast and Saul was chosen from the tribe of Benjamin to be king over Israel. As we continue reading we see that Saul would eventually be rejected by God and replaced by David, the one from whom an eternal Davidic King would come.

When we consider this narrative, what exactly was the sin of the people in demanding a king? I don't think it was merely the desire for a king in and of itself that was misplaced, since God Himself desired to give the people a Davidic king from whom Jesus Christ would come. Rather, I think it was the motive behind the desire for a king that made the people's demand particularly misplaced and sinful. Notice how Israel didn't ask for a king in order to better serve God and obey His law, but they asked for a king in order to be like the nations they saw around them. Rather than being a holy and set apart people of God, they wanted to look like everyone else. As a result, they rejected God as their king because of their desire to fit in with the unbelieving world.

It's unfortunate that we often see something similar taking place within Christian circles today. Many people claim the name of Christ and even attend Sunday morning worship, but when their lives are examined they look no different than the world around them. Outside of the church building they live like, sound like, and think like everyone else. We even see this in many evangelical churches themselves as the priority shifts from glorifying God with true worship to catering to the desires of the world. Biblical preaching is replaced with motivational speeches and stand up comedy, and sincere worship is replaced with high-budget concerts designed to elicit emotional responses from the "audience." It seems like many churches care more about what's culturally cool than what a biblical church ought to look like. In an attempt to look like the world around them they throw away those things that are truly pleasing to God.

As Christians, let's remember that we are citizens of the kingdom of Christ, not the kingdom of this world. Let's live consistently with who we are as blood-bought children of God and as Saints who are set apart for the purpose of serving and worshiping Him.

The Bible is filled with examples of faithful and courageous women. One such woman went by the name of Ruth. She was a Moabite who married a man named Mahlon who had traveled with his family from Bethlehem into Moab. Eventually, Mahlon along with his father and brother died, leaving Ruth and her sister-in-law Orpah alone with their mother-in-law Naomi. After Orpah leaves to return home to her people, Ruth is likewise encouraged to return back home. But Ruth has other plans as we read about in ​Ruth 1:16–17.

What a beautiful picture of Ruth's commitment to Naomi even though it would mean traveling to a foreign land to a people she'd never met all while being husbandless and childless. But her commitment to her mother-in-law didn't go unnoticed by God. He providentially gave Ruth a husband named Boaz and a son named Obed, who would be king David's grandfather. What a blessing this was which up until that point had been one of the darkest moments in these women's lives.

I think this story has a lot to teach us about patiently waiting on the Lord and trusting in God's plan rather than our own. This can be hard to do. Rather than patiently seeking guidance from God through His Word, prayer, and the counsel of fellow believers, we often spring into action without even considering whether it's what God wants for us. When we act this way, it's often out of discontentment as we try to increase the things that supposedly make us happy and decrease those things that don't as fast as and in any way we can.

But let's take a different approach to life. Let's ground our joy in the unchanging source of all joy, God Himself, instead of the changing circumstances and fleeting things of this world. As we do so, let's be faithful in whatever situation and season of life we find ourselves in, knowing that God has placed us there for a purpose and will bless our faithfulness to His calling just as He blessed Ruth for her faithfulness to Naomi. Ruth could have attempted to chart her own destiny by returning to Moab to find a husband. But she didn't. She waited patiently, committed herself to serving Naomi's God, and found herself richly blessed because of it, all in ways she never could have expected.

The book of Judges is a tragic story of Israel's continued rebellion against God despite His faithful restoration of them time and time again. The story goes something like this. The people would fall away from the Lord and worship the gods of the surrounding nations. Judges 2:11 says that "the people of Israel did what was evil in the sight of the LORD and served the Baals" (ESV). This happens over and over (see 3:7, 3:12, 4:1, 6:1, 10:6, 13:1). God punished them by giving them over to the pagan nations. But then the people would ask the Lord for help, and God would give them a judge to deliver them from their oppressors.

The last verse of the book summarizes the entire book well. Judges 21:25 says that "In those days there was no king in Israel. Everyone did what was right in his own eyes." This highlighted the people's desperate need for a king, which would first be in the person of king David and ultimately in Jesus Christ.

I can't think of a better verse to describe the culture of our unbelieving world today. As was the case in the time of the judges, the world today rejects their King and the Word of God while relying on its own depraved and self-serving form of morality. Many say "love is love" and "my body my choice" while claiming to hold the moral high ground. You may hear the claim that all religions are a path to heaven so long as one pursues them with sincerity and fervency. Others might say that even if there was a God, He would only send the really bad people to Hell, conveniently leaving themselves outside of that group. The list could go on.

The world needs a king. But not just any king. It needs King Jesus who is the embodiment of truth (John 14:6) and only means of salvation. This Christmas season, let's make it our goal to share the message of our King who entered this world as a baby in Bethlehem, went to the cross for our salvation, and promises to come again at the end of world history.

A generation has passed since Israel had first prepared to enter the Promised Land. Because of their fear of the people of the land and lack of trust that God would grant them victory, they had been consigned to forty years of wandering in the wilderness. But once again, they were preparing to cross into the land to drive out its inhabitants. Since Moses was nearing his death, God chose Joshua to take his place in bringing the people of Israel as a warrior-leader into the Promised Land.

In Deuteronomy 31:23 we read, "And the LORD commissioned Joshua the son of Nun and said, “Be strong and courageous, for you shall bring the people of Israel into the land that I swore to give them. I will be with you”" (ESV).

Let's take a moment to consider the faith and steadfastness of Joshua. As one of the twelve spies who went into the land forty years prior, he and Caleb were the only ones who believed that victory was not only possible, but certain. Upon hearing the negative report of the other ten, the people rebelled and were sentenced to four decades of wilderness wandering. Despite this ordeal, Joshua still trusted God. Not even forty years of wandering around the desert could put a damper on his zeal to take hold of what was promised. As his actions will soon demonstrate, he trusted God when He said "I will be with you."

In last Sunday's sermon, we read about Jesus calming the storm. He asked his fearful disciples, some of whom were experienced fishermen, "Why are you so afraid?" (Mark 4:40). God the Son was right there with them in the boat. In the same way, God was with Joshua and the people of Israel. This is equally true today. As the church of Jesus Christ, God is in our midst. God tells us that He "will never leave you nor forsake you" (Hebrews 13:5). Because of this, let's follow the example of Joshua and face this world with fearless courage. The Creator of the universe is on our side.

After receiving the Law at Mt. Sinai, the people of Israel set out for the Promised Land. In preparation for entering the land and driving out its inhabitants, 12 spies are sent by Moses to spy out the land. These 12 men spied out the land for 40 days (Numbers 13:25) before returning to report what they found. Although the land was fruitful, 10 of the spies were fearful of the great might of the people and the strength of their cities. They had looked upon the Nephilim and felt "like grasshoppers" (Numbers 13:33). Because of their negative report, the people rose up in rebellion against Moses and God. Rather than trusting in the promise of God to give them the land, they desired to return back to Egypt. As a result, God would judge them with 40 years of wilderness wandering.

But two of the spies stood alone. They trusted that God would grant them victory, even over the mighty inhabitants of the land. These men were none other than Joshua and Caleb. We read about their courage in  Numbers 14:6–8.

Because of their trust in their victory-granting God, Joshua and Caleb were spared the plague that befell the other 10 spies (Numbers 14:37) and would be allowed to enter the Promised Land along with those under the age of 20 after the 40 years in the wilderness came to an end. Although they would have to wait 40 years, their faith in the powerful promise-keeping God allowed them to one day enjoy the blessings of the land.

Do we have this kind of faith today, a faith that perseveres in the face of trials and adversity? If not, we should. The God that Joshua and Caleb trusted is the same God today, for He never changes. In light of this truth, let's be ready for whatever God has in store for us. Strive to trust God so much that we don't even hesitate to echo Isaiah's words and proclaim, "Here I am! Send me" (Isaiah 6:8).

Maybe God is calling you to the mission field, leaving behind the comfort and routine of your current life. Maybe you're being prompted to be a herald of the Gospel in your workplace, potentially facing rejection and mockery for the cause of Christ. Maybe you're being called to simply stay the course, to remain faithful right where God has placed you. Whatever God is telling you to do, do so fearlessly. Because the unbelieving world hates Christ, we shouldn't be surprised if it hates us as well. Stay the course, trust in God, and one day we'll enter the promised land of the New Heavens and Earth.