With all of us spending more time at home than usual, tensions might also be running a little higher than usual.

You might be in quarantine relationship danger if:

The Comedy Central roasting crew shows up to record a day in your home

Your cat has became your favorite family member

You've considered how to build an octagon cage in the living room to settle things once and for all

Your wife claims to be starting your garden, but has dug a six foot deep hole

You've hidden the good snacks throughout the house

You've went to Zillow to find a bigger house

Your students, I mean kids, are now on permanent janitor duty

You've began to notice the rate of your child's blinking

You've wondered how to poison your spouse and have it look like a coronavirus case

You find yourself taking a trip to the bathroom just to get away from your family

Last week, we learned about how God intentionally created us with unique personalities.  His intent was to draw us closer together through relationships as our weaknesses and strengths and talents compliment each other in unity through diversity.

We were challenged from Romans 15 to accept one another as Jesus has accepted us and to look for ways to help and serve one another. 

Not only within the walls of our homes, but everywhere we go in life, we will encounter people with different personalities from our own.  These intentional differences intended to draw us together, instead, cause conflict.

Today, we'll continue our message series, "Bless This Home" as we learn how to resolve this conflict.

This week, we turn to Hebrews 12 for some awesome advice on how to resolve conflict that arises in our relationships with others both inside and outside of our homes.

Today, we're specifically addressing the conflict between personality differences and not conflict that arises due to sinful attitudes or behaviors.  Next week, we're going to deal more specifically with how to handle that situation. 

What we're dealing with today are conflicts that arise which aren't truly black and white, Biblically-defined sin, moral issues.

Not all conflict that we have is a result of someone sinning against us or wronging us in some way.  Not all conflict is a moral failure on our part or theirs. 

In fact, this is really the first thing that we need to objectively be aware of when it comes to responding to conflict.  Is this conflict a result of sin?  Did I sin against this person or have they sinned against me in some way?

Unless we're consistently living in contradiction to how God has called us to live, or we are in a very unhealthy relationship, this usually isn't the case. 

More often than not, the conflicts that we find ourselves in are not the result of moral failure of anyone, but simply because of our unique differences.

It is again important to remember that our unique personalities, talents, and perspectives are intentional and purposed by God and therefore, so is the tension and conflict that arises from it. 

To a degree, conflict is healthy.  It means that in our relationships, we are being ourselves and allowing others to be themselves.  Occasional conflict is a healthy sign in any relationship. 

However, how we choose to respond to that conflict can either make or break those relationships.  How we handle that conflict can be toxic or healthy i...

On April 1st, no joke, Tom Wolf issued a state-wide stay-at-home order for Pennsylvania.  Agree with that decision or not, here we are. 

Just a few weeks later, most people are, well, let's say we're ready for things to get back to normal.  Not a new normal, back to work, back to school, back to church, back to normal, normal.

Generally speaking, singles are ready for some human interaction.  Couples are ready to be a little less coupled.  Families are wishing that they owned a slightly larger home.

This morning, we're starting a series entitled, "Bless This Home."  Through it, we are going to learn how to have better, healthier relationships with one another. 

Ideally, being physically forced together inside of a house should draw people closer together, however, it often has the opposite affect. 

Is it that too much of a good thing is a bad thing or are there some underlying issues that we need to work on?  We're going to go with the latter for this one.

We were created for relationships.  In the very beginning, God said that everything that He created was good up until the time that man realized that he was alone.  Sure, he had a relationship with God, but he didn't have a relationship with someone like himself the way that the rest of creation had.

In response, God created woman and they multiplied.  Mankind now had relationships with one another through family.  They were all human, created in God's image. 

When it was just that one man and woman brought together by God, the Father, in marriage, they introduced sin into the world by tag-teaming and choosing their own opinion over God's clear direction.

Then, they had children.  Their first child got jealous of the second child's offering brought to God and murdered him and then lied to God about it. 

So…  If stay-at-home orders have caused some conflict at home, but no one has been murdered yet, you're doing OK, right?

Was this God's intent and purpose for family?  Why did things seem to go so badly so quickly?  Did God make a mistake?  Is this really God's picture of a blessed home?  What went wrong?

We're going to start with the understanding that God doesn't make mistakes.  A perfect, sinless, holy God simply could not.  In fact, His word states that:

Genesis 1:27

So God created mankind in his own image,

    in the image of God he created them;

    male and female he created them.

God intentionally created humans the same, but different.  God had a purpose in creating us equal, but unique.  We call these differences our personality. 

His intent was that by creating us each with different strengths and weaknesses and abilities and perspectives was that we would form stronger relationships with one another seeing the value and need for each other.

Our differing personalities were intentionally created by God.

After being save and baptized in the Holy Spirit, the disciples' personalities remained unchanged.  Peter was still an outspoken loudmouth who always seemed to find himself in the center of attention, John was still poetic and a bit feminine, Saul was just as fiery, determined, and passionate before and after His transformation. 

Although our lives are transformed as we allow the Holy Spirit to work within us, although we certainly do become new creations, this transformation is the result of a movement away from sin and toward God's plans for our lives. 

Matthew 27, Mark 15, Luke 23, John 19

It was nine in the morning when they crucified him. The written notice of the charge against him read: THE KING OF THE JEWS. They crucified two rebels with him, one on his right and one on his left.

It was now about noon, and darkness came over the whole land until three in the afternoon, for the sun stopped shining. Knowing that everything had now been finished, and so that Scripture would be fulfilled, Jesus cried out in a loud voice, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”

When some of those standing there heard this, they said, “He’s calling Elijah.”

Jesus said, “I am thirsty.”

Someone ran, filled a sponge with wine vinegar, put it on a staff, and offered it to Jesus to drink. The rest said, “Now leave him alone. Let’s see if Elijah comes to save him.”

When he had received the drink, Jesus said, “It is finished. Father, into your hands I commit my spirit.”  With that, he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.

At that moment the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. The earth shook, the rocks split and the tombs broke open.

When the centurion and those with him who were guarding Jesus saw the earthquake and all that had happened, they were terrified, and exclaimed, “Surely he was the Son of God!”

At the place where Jesus was crucified, there was a garden, and in the garden a new tomb, in which no one had ever been laid. 

Joseph of Arimathea, a prominent member of the Council, and secretly a disciple of Jesus, went boldly to Pilate and asked for Jesus’ body.

Taking Jesus’ body, Joseph and Nicodemus wrapped it with the spices, in strips of linen in accordance with Jewish burial customs and then lay Jesus in the new tomb.  There, his body lay for three days.

___________________________________

Matthew 28

After the Sabbath, at dawn on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to look at the tomb.

There was a violent earthquake, for an angel of the Lord came down from heaven and, going to the tomb, rolled back the stone and sat on it. His appearance was like lightning, and his clothes were white as snow. The guards were so afraid of him that they shook and became like dead men.

The angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. He is not here; he is risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay. Then go quickly and tell his disciples: ‘He has risen from the dead and is going ahead of you into Galilee.”

So the women hurried away from the tomb, afraid yet filled with joy, and ran to tell his disciples. Suddenly Jesus met them. “Greetings,” he said. They came to him, clasped his feet and worshiped him. Then Jesus said to them, “Do not be afraid. Go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee; there they will see me.”

HE IS RISEN!!!!  Come on, together now.  Let's give Jesus some praise!  Ready?  HE IS RISEN!!!!  Jesus Christ physically resurrected from death to eternal life!

Yes, Jesus lived a sinless life and then chose to give up His life on the cross for you and I.  Just paid the price He did not owe in order to pay the debt for your sin and mine.  This is incredibly significant.

However, someone dying doesn't exactly motivate us to follow them or give us a whole lot of hope.  We're all going to do that someday and none of us are going to be sinless when we do it. 

Jesus physically resurrected from death to life.

The past three weeks, we learned about some significant burdens of ours that Jesus took on Himself; physical sickness & disease, mental pain & suffering, and all of our sin including the punishment, transgressions, and iniquities.

This week, we celebrate the tradition of Palm Sunday.  This marks the day when Jesus went into Jerusalem knowing that He was about to take on the weight of all of these burdens.

Unfortunately, all of the palm trees that I've ever planted failed to grow and I suspect this might be the case for you as well.  Whether or not you have a palm branch or leaf with you this morning, we're still going to celebrate Palm Sunday together.

Have you ever experienced a time when you were hurting badly inside, weighed down so heavily, but those around you were not feeling the same way?  Everyone around you seems to be joyfully laughing and celebrating while you feel like you are dying inside?

I suspect that Jesus felt that way on this day that we now celebrate.  He knew exactly what lay before Him because He had warned His disciples about it several times beforehand.  He knew the agony and horror that He was about to experience in order to pay the price of our sin.

However, the people around Him were rejoicing.  They were celebrating and honoring Him as their king, their long-awaited savior! 

It was a time of great joy, hope, and eager expectation of what Jesus was about to do.  Both the crowds and Jesus were looking forward to the fulfillment of our salvation prophesied so long ago. 

However, their perspectives and expectations of what this salvation would look like were radically different.  Jesus was aware of this and tried to help everyone to better understand what was about to take place.

This moment in history, this fulfillment of the prophecy found in Zechariah 9, was so significant that all four gospel accounts were sure to record it.  The diversity of their expectations and emotions is revealed most clearly in Luke's account:

Luke 19

10 For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.

11 While they were listening to this, he went on to tell them a parable, because he was near Jerusalem and the people thought that the kingdom of God was going to appear at once. 12 He said: “A man of noble birth went to a distant country to have himself appointed king and then to return. 13 So he called ten of his servants and gave them ten minas. ‘Put this money to work,’ he said, ‘until I come back.’

14 “But his subjects hated him and sent a delegation after him to say, ‘We don’t want this man to be our king.’

15 “He was made king, however, and returned home. Then he sent for the servants to whom he had given the money, in order to find out what they had gained with it.

In this parable, Jesus goes on to explain the timing and the way in which the Kingdom of God was going to be established.

Many of those with Him believed that Jesus was about to ride into Jerusalem, overthrow the Roman government and be their physical king.  They limited their expectations of the salvation of God to their worldly experience.

As we know full well now, Jesus was about to save His people and that He is certainly a victorious king.  However, His kingdom is not of this world. 

He was not going to meet the expectations of many Jews and the same crowd who was soon going to praise Him as their king would also, days later, shout to reject Him entirely and have Him crucified.

28 After Jesus had said this, he went on ahead, going up to Jerusalem.

This morning, we

continue our new message series entitled, "Took On" as we journey

together to the cross and on through to the resurrection of Jesus!

Through this series,

we're looking back to the prophetic word fulfilled by Jesus found in Isaiah

53.  Here, we find a list of life burdens

that Jesus took on Himself.  Jesus took

on these burdens so that we can live life in freedom from them!

Isaiah 53:4-6 (NCV)

4 But he took our

suffering on him

    and felt our pain for us.

We saw his suffering

    and thought God was punishing him.

5 But he was wounded

for the wrong we did;

    he was crushed for the evil we did.

The punishment,

which made us well, was given to him,

    and we are healed because of his wounds.

6 We all have

wandered away like sheep;

    each of us has gone his own way.

But the Lord has put

on him the punishment

    for all the evil we have done.

So far, we've been

encouraged to know that through the cross, Jesus took on the physical burdens

of our sickness and disease and the mental and emotional burdens of our pain

and suffering.  Today, we're learning

from a simple verse that has an incredible impact on our lives.

Have you ever spent

the day with someone, talked for hours and hours, and when somebody asks you

what the two of you talked about, you can summarize it in just a few

words?  Perhaps you've read a huge book

about a very complex subject and when you finished it, you could explain that

subject in just a couple of sentences?

Some people seem to

have a gift for going on and on and on and complicating something very

simple.  In your conversations with them,

they have the need to explain every little detail about everything.  It doesn't matter if that detail is important

to the story or not, they are going to let you know about it. 

They weave a huge

tapestry of a simple point, thread by thread, and pull them all together in the

end.  In fact, if you don't listen very

closely, you could miss the main point all together.  They are telling you a story about the

doctor's diagnosis, but you may think they were telling you a story about the

weird guy in the waiting room!

Some people also

have a gift for going on and on and on with no point at all.  :-)

Then you have people

on the complete opposite side of this spectrum. 

They are quiet and simple people that share just a few words and yet you

find yourself thinking for days about what they said.  They said a simple phrase with a few words

and you find yourself building your whole life philosophy around them.

In this prophetic

word of Isaiah in verse 5, we find such a statement.  He uses just a few, simple words.  However, the profound revelation of those

words are tremendous!  Isaiah,

prophesying about Jesus, said:

Isaiah 53:5 (NIV)

…he was pierced for

our transgressions,

    he was crushed for our iniquities;

the punishment that

brought us peace was on him,

    and by his wounds we are healed.

Depending on the

translation of the Bible which you are reading from, you'll find a variety of

Experience live online at: https://newhopeag.online.church/

This morning, we

continue our new message series entitled, "Took On" as we journey

together to the cross and on through to the resurrection of Jesus!

Life can be tough;

genuinely, sincerely, tough!  Living in

this world corrupted by sin leaves no shortage of opportunities to get weighed

down by burdens.

Our lives are being

radically changed day-by-day by the efforts to prevent the spread of the corona

virus, we are being burdened in significant ways.

People are being

laid off as business limitations continue to increase.  Basic household supplies like toilet paper

are becoming challenging to find.  Kids

are home from school. 

Beyond these

physical burdens, the emotional burdens are tremendous.  In some ways more threatening than

contracting the corona virus itself, is the fear and anxiety that has gripped

so many people.

If Jesus took on our

burdens, then why do we still feel the weight of them?  Well, that's what we're going to continue to

learn about today.

Through this series,

we're looking back to the prophetic word fulfilled by Jesus found in Isaiah

53.  Here, we find a list of life burdens

that Jesus took on Himself.  Jesus took

on these burdens so that we can live life in freedom from them!

Isaiah 53:4-6 (NCV)

4 But he took our

suffering on him

    and felt our pain for us.

We saw his suffering

    and thought God was punishing him.

5 But he was wounded

for the wrong we did;

    he was crushed for the evil we did.

The punishment,

which made us well, was given to him,

    and we are healed because of his wounds.

6 We all have

wandered away like sheep;

    each of us has gone his own way.

But the Lord has put

on him the punishment

    for all the evil we have done.

Today, we're looking

to two things that heavily weigh down many of us, especially with all that is

happening in the world around us; pain and suffering.

These two weighty

and burdensome words that Isaiah used in this prophecy carry the meaning of

pain, anguish, grief, or sorrow from the Hebrew word mak'ob (mak·ōve') and

sickness, anxiety, calamity, or grief from the Hebrew word choliy (khol·ē' ).

Last week, we

learned about the healing that God provides for our physical sickness and

disease all because Jesus took them on Himself on the cross.  By His stripes, we are healed. 

This week, we're

transitioning from the physical to the mental. 

We're focusing in on the inner part of our lives where the invisible

burdens of life lie heavily; within our hearts and minds.  Though unseen, they have a far greater impact

on our lives than we would care to admit!

Pain and suffering

within our hearts and minds can weigh a person down in ways that can go

unnoticed by those around them.  When

someone is using crutches or has a cast on their arm, the source of their pain

is obvious. 

Others see it, are

usually moved by compassion, and offer what they can do to help them out.  It's easy to see how to serve their

needs.  They need help opening the door

This morning, we're

beginning a new message series as we journey together to the cross and on

through to the resurrection of Jesus!

Life can be tough;

genuinely, sincerely, tough!  Living in

this world corrupted by sin leaves no shortage of opportunities to get weighed

down by burdens.  The lives of most people

on the face of the earth are suddenly turned upside-down by a 120 nanometer

ball of RNA commonly referred to as the corona virus. 

The borders of nations closed, public activities ceased, cities forced into quarantine, toilet paper aisles laid bare.  We're living in days that remind me much of an apocalyptical video game intro scene.  Unfortunately, it is our current reality.

Today has been

declared by President Trump as a national day of prayer, seeking after God for

protection and strength in this challenging season full of fear and

uncertainty.  For we know that God alone

can provide us with wisdom, peace, protection, and healing during this

season.  Now, we turn to Him in prayer

together.

* Time of corporate

prayer *

Through this series,

we're looking back to the prophetic word fulfilled by Jesus found in Isaiah

53.  Here, we find a list of such life

burdens that Jesus took on Himself. 

Jesus took on these burdens so that we can live life in freedom!

Isaiah 53:4-6 (NCV)

4 But he took our

suffering on him

    and felt our pain for us.

We saw his suffering

    and thought God was punishing him.

5 But he was wounded

for the wrong we did;

    he was crushed for the evil we did.

The punishment,

which made us well, was given to him,

    and we are healed because of his wounds.

6 We all have

wandered away like sheep;

    each of us has gone his own way.

But the Lord has put

on him the punishment

    for all the evil we have done.

Today, we'll focus

in on one of the burdens that Jesus took on so that we can be free of

them.  It's a scripture that we love to

quote and it embodies number 12 of the 16 fundamental truths of the Assemblies

of God:

…by His wounds, we

are healed.

We were challenged

Wednesday evening regarding all of the 'ments' of scripture including

atonement.  The torn body and shed blood

of Jesus on the cross was not only to make atonement for our sin, but also for

the deliverance from our sickness.  He

was wounded, we are healed.

Physical healing was

a significant part of the earthly ministry of Jesus.  In fact, it is one of the acts that He is

best known for.  Healing blind eyes, deaf

ears, cleansing the leprous, watching the lame leap, and so much more.  Jesus healed every sickness and every

disease.

Matthew 8:16-17

16 When evening

came, many who were demon-possessed were brought to him, and he drove out the

spirits with a word and healed all the sick. 17 This was to fulfill what was

spoken through the prophet Isaiah:

“He took up our

infirmities

    and bore our diseases.”

Jesus took on our

sickness and disease.

Luke 7:20-22

20 When the men came

to Jesus, they said,

This morning, we're

continuing our new message series entitled, "Family of

Prophets."  We're rediscovering our

identity as a church family this year and this group of individuals are an

awesome example to learn from.  

Family is a group of

people who genuinely love, trust, care for, and look out for each other.

Success.  Everybody wants to succeed.  A healthy family will help one another to

succeed.

Nobody makes plans,

invests and sacrifices to follow those plans, only to have it all wasted and to

end in failure.  No, rather, we plan and

invest and sacrifice to achieve success! 

How do we make unstoppable plans that are sure to succeed?

Proverbs 21:29-30

29 The wicked put up

a bold front,

    but the upright give thought to their ways.

30 There is no

wisdom, no insight, no plan

    that can succeed against the Lord.

(repeat)

Is there any wisdom,

insight, or plan that can succeed against the Lord?  Then how do we make unstoppable plans that

are sure to succeed?  We make the plans

of the Lord our own.  We team up and

cooperate with Him.  Only in that place

are we unstoppable!

Last week, we

learned of how God is our restorer from when Elisha lost Elijah.  We now turn to the very next chapter and

learn from an encounter had with Elisha, the new leader of the family of

prophets.

2 Kings 3

1 Joram son of Ahab

became king of Israel in Samaria in the eighteenth year of Jehoshaphat king of

Judah, and he reigned twelve years. 2 He did evil in the eyes of the Lord, but

not as his father and mother had done. He got rid of the sacred stone of Baal

that his father had made. 3 Nevertheless he clung to the sins of Jeroboam son

of Nebat, which he had caused Israel to commit; he did not turn away from them.

Imagine this.  There are two horses each bridled and ready

to go.  From each bridle a rope is tied

to each of your arms.  In 5 seconds, each

horse is about to take off full tilt. 

Would you rather those horses be heading opposite directions or the same

direction?  You are about to either get a

limb torn off or to go faster and further ahead than you ever could on your

own.

Sure, Joram wasn't

as sinful as his parents, he learned form their mistakes.  However, he still clung both to some of the

sins of his dad and to the Lord.  Joram

was clinging to his own ways and God's at the same time, but they are heading

two different directions.  He is torn and

continuing to try and cling to the both isn't going to end well for him.  Eventually, he is going to have to let go of

one or the other.

Long story short,

the nation of Israel divided during Solomon's reign as king.  Solomon wanted to serve God along with the

gods of several of his wives.  Solomon

was torn, so God tore his kingdom from him. 

Solomon continued to reign over Judah and the other ten tribes were

known as the nation of Israel ruled by Jeroboam, Joram's father.

Jeroboam was

motivated by fear.  We learned about loss

last week and the purpose that God has through it.  The fear of loss can certainly be a

hinderance and stopping point to our plans. 

Fear is a snare that binds us and keeps us from moving forward in

life.  God has not given us a spirit of

fear, but a spirit that grants us a sound mind, power, and confidence in who we

are.

This morning, we're

continuing our new message series entitled, "Family of

Prophets."  We're rediscovering our

identity as a church family this year and this group of individuals are an

awesome example to learn from.  

Family is a group of

people who genuinely love, trust, care for, and look out for each other.

Take a moment and

think about one of the best memories in your life; a time when you can't

imagine being any more excited to be alive, a day that puts a smile on your

face every time.

Now take a moment

and think about one of the most painful and hurtful times that you've

experienced.  One that grips your heart

and takes your breath away even now.

Chances are, both of

those memories were experienced in the context of family.

With family, we

experience life's highs and also life's lows. 

We celebrate together our victories and we cry together through our

losses.  We build each other up;

experiencing the fullness and abundance of life and, unfortunately, we can also

tear each other down and cut each other to the core.

In Ecclesiastes

chapter 3, Solomon reminds us that there is a time and a season for everything

here under heaven.

We all have our

favorite times and seasons that we'd just like to stay in.  Some of us would spend the whole day snuggled

up in bed under the warm blankets if we could. 

Some would live the beach life under the late summer sun watching the

tide come and go all day.  Some would

keep their children as babies making their cute, cooing sounds with big smiles

on their faces for years.

However, God has a

purpose for every time and every season here on the earth.  He has a plan through birth and death,

through planting and harvesting, through killing and healing, through tearing

down and building up, through mourning and dancing, through keeping and

throwing away, through love and hate, through war and peace.  Through every time and season here on the

earth, God's plans and purposes are fulfilled.

Although not every

time and not every season are pleasant to us nor do we prefer every one that we

endure, we can trust God that His plans for us are to give us hope and a

future, not to harm us.  Through the

challenging seasons of life, this gives us the strength and endurance to

persevere through them and become better people as a result.

In fact, God has

given us family to be there for us to help support and guide us through the

difficult seasons of life.  Though we go

through the seasons, we should do exactly that; go through them!  Those dark valleys are not our destiny,

that's not where our story has to end! 

There is hope!

This morning, we

turn to the family of prophets once again. 

For those not familiar with these two men, Elijah and Elisha, they were

two of the greatest prophets next to Moses. 

The miracles that

Jesus performed, they had already performed centuries beforehand.  Long before the outpouring of the Holy Spirit

within God's people, they walked in the anointing and power of the Holy Spirit

on them.  In fact, many believed that

Jesus was Elijah.

They walked closely

with God, so closely that Elijah was about to be taken home without ever

experiencing death and Elisha was about to receive a double portion of the

Spirit that Elijah had!  However, they

were still men and they still experienced painful seasons of life.  Today,

This morning, we're

continuing our new message series entitled, "Family of

Prophets."  We're rediscovering our

identity as a church family this year and this group of individuals are an

awesome example to learn from.  

Family is a group of

people who genuinely love, trust, care for, and look out for each other.

The past few weeks,

we have been learning from Samuel's life about hearing God's voice.  His willingness to hear God's voice and to

eagerly follow His lead is essentially where this famed family of prophets had

its start.

This morning, we are

going to fast-forward through Samuel's life. 

Now that we know how to perceive and discern God's voice, the next step

is deciding whether to go our own way or God's in life.  Samuel continued to grow up in the Presence

of God serving Him. 

1 Samuel 3:19-20

19 The Lord was with

Samuel as he grew up, and he let none of Samuel’s words fall to the ground. 20

And all Israel from Dan to Beersheba recognized that Samuel was attested as a

prophet of the Lord.

The ark of God where

the Presence of God rested, the ark where Samuel first heard God's voice, was

stolen by the Philistines.  Wherever it

was taken, a curse fell on the people who stole it.  When placed in the temples of idols, even the

idol would fall face down before the Presence of God!  After only seven months, the Philistines

decided to return the ark to Israel.

During this time,

Eli and his sons passed away.  Samuel

took over leadership of the nation of Israel, God's people, and he lead them

all the days of his life.  However, his

life was also nearing its end.

1 Samuel 8:1-9;18-22 (NLT)

1 As Samuel grew

old, he appointed his sons to be judges over Israel. 2 Joel and Abijah, his

oldest sons, held court in Beersheba. 3 But they were not like their father,

for they were greedy for money. They accepted bribes and perverted justice.

4 Finally, all the

elders of Israel met at Ramah to discuss the matter with Samuel. 5 “Look,” they

told him, “you are now old, and your sons are not like you. Give us a king to

judge us like all the other nations have.”

6 Samuel was

displeased with their request and went to the Lord for guidance. 7 “Do

everything they say to you,” the Lord replied, “for they are rejecting me, not

you. They don’t want me to be their king any longer. 8 Ever since I brought

them from Egypt they have continually abandoned me and followed other gods. And

now they are giving you the same treatment. 9 Do as they ask, but solemnly warn

them about the way a king will reign over them.”

Essentially, the

king would take advantage of them charging taxes and forcing them into labor

for his benefit…

18 When that day

comes, you will beg for relief from this king you are demanding, but then the

Lord will not help you.”

19 But the people

refused to listen to Samuel’s warning. “Even so, we still want a king,” they

said. 20 “We want to be like the nations around us. Our king will judge us and

lead us into battle.”

21 So Samuel

repeated to the Lord what the people had said, 22 and the Lord replied, “Do as

they say, and give them a king.” Then Samuel agreed and sent the people home.

Which would be

better as king of a nation?  God who

freely gives all or man who greedily takes all?

Which would be