From the Pulpit

Transitions of power can be messy, and the transition from Saul to David was no exception. God had promised David the kingdom, but after Saul’s death, most of Israel still remained loyal to Saul’s house. Into that uncertainty stepped Abner—a powerful, influential man accustomed to making things happen. He made a king, fought a war, strengthened his position, and eventually tried to deliver to David the very kingdom God had already promised him. Abner’s story exposes a temptation familiar to all of us: when we know (or think we know) how things ought to turn out, we can begin to assume responsibility for making them turn out that way. But God’s purposes do not depend upon our strength, influence, or ability to control the outcome. In 2 Samuel 2:8–4:12, the “strong” man and the “weak” king remind us to trust God and not force his purposes. 

What happens in our hearts when someone who has opposed us falls? Vindication can quickly become satisfaction, and another person’s loss can easily look like our opportunity. David faced precisely that temptation when news arrived that Saul was dead. The man who had pursued him for years was gone, and the throne God had promised was finally within reach. Yet David did not celebrate Saul’s fall or exploit it for his own advancement. He mourned, taught God’s people to lament, sought the Lord’s direction, and honoured those who had remained faithful to Saul. His response reveals a heart shaped by trust in God’s providence, grief over the devastation of sin, concern for others, and humble attention to his own calling. In David we see both a model for God’s people and a glimpse ahead to the perfect Son of David still to come.

First Samuel asks a simple but profound question: What kind of king do God’s people need? As the book draws to its close, the answer comes into sharp focus. Saul’s tragic reign reaches its appointed end, David stands ready to receive the kingdom God has promised, and above them both stands the Lord—the enduring King who faithfully accomplishes his purposes and keeps every word he has spoken. These closing chapters remind us that history is not ultimately shaped by human leaders, achievements, or failures, but by the sovereign God who raises up, brings down, and directs every scene according to His perfect will. As the narrative reaches this pivotal moment, readers are invited to consider these final chapters through the lens of the three kings involved: David, the incoming king; Saul, the outgoing king; and above them both, God, the enduring King.

Sermon from July 26, 2026 service. Harold Peasley preaching.

Sermon from July 19, 2026 service. Cliff Donaldson preaching.

Sermon from July 12, 2026 service. Jim Rennie preaching.

Sermon from July 05, 2026 service. Jim Rennie preaching.

Fear has a way of clouding our vision. It can make familiar truths seem distant, tomorrow feel uncertain, and God’s promises appear less true than our circumstances. In 1 Samuel 27–29, David experiences one of the lowest points of his life. Fear drives him into Philistine territory, where compromise, deception, and confusion quickly follow. Yet the account is about more than David’s failure. Woven together with the tragic account of Saul’s final days, these chapters reveal a God whose sovereign purposes never falter, even when his people struggle to see them. As we continue our journey through 1 Samuel, we’ll discover that while fear may cloud our faith, it never clouds God’s providence. The question before every believer is simple: Which voice will we trust when fear begins to speak?

In 1 Samuel 26, David finds himself in a familiar situation: Saul is still pursuing him, the kingdom is still delayed, and the promises of God remain unfulfilled. Yet something has changed. The man who once fled for his life now faces a test that reveals the growth of his faith. This chapter explores what it means to trust God when the future is uncertain, when circumstances are discouraging, and when opportunities arise to take matters into our own hands. Through David's example, we discover that genuine faith is not merely believing God's promises, but patiently entrusting ourselves to God's timing, God's power, and God's providence. In a world that constantly urges us to secure our own outcomes and control our own futures, this passage calls God's people to a different path: trusting the Lord with what comes next.

First Samuel 25 is one of the most compelling narratives in David’s life. Set between a funeral and a wedding, it introduces a foolish man, a wise woman, and a future king standing at a crossroads. Having recently demonstrated remarkable restraint toward Saul, David now faces a different kind of test—not persecution from a king, but insult from a fool. When anger, opportunity, and power suddenly converge, what kind of man will he prove to be? More importantly, what does his response reveal about the character required of those who would lead God’s people? This passage reminds us that some of God’s greatest mercies come not in granting our desires, but in restraining our impulses. As the story unfolds, we discover a God who graciously intervenes to keep his servant from evil, vindicate the righteous, and preserve the integrity of his coming kingdom.