June 4, 2006 1 Samuel 10:1-11

Then Samuel took a flask of oil and poured it on Saul's head and kissed him, saying, "Has not the LORD anointed you leader over his inheritance? . . . you will go to Gibeah of God, where there is a Philistine outpost. As you approach the town, you will meet a procession of prophets coming down from the high place with lyres, tambourines, flutes and harps being played before them, and they will be prophesying. The Spirit of the LORD will come upon you in power, and you will prophesy with them; and you will be changed into a different person. Once these signs are fulfilled, do whatever your hand finds to do, for God is with you. "Go down ahead of me to Gilgal. I will surely come down to you to sacrifice burnt offerings and fellowship offerings, but you must wait seven days until I come to you and tell you what you are to do." As Saul turned to leave Samuel, God changed Saul's heart, and all these signs were fulfilled that day. When they arrived at Gibeah, a procession of prophets met him; the Spirit of God came upon him in power, and he joined in their prophesying. When all those who had formerly known him saw him prophesying with the prophets, they asked each other, "What is this that has happened to the son of Kish? Is Saul also among the prophets?"

In some ways this Pentecost Sunday is a strange Sunday for me - and maybe for you also. Why? Because our church year liturgically revolves around the life of Christ - and on this Sunday it focuses more on the Holy Spirit. The Prayer of the Day is even written out to Him - which also seems strange. It seems strange when you think about the unique role of the Holy Spirit. John 15:26 "When the Counselor comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who goes out from the Father, he will testify about me. The unique role of the Holy Spirit is not to point to Himself - but to Christ - so that they can know and believe that Jesus died for them and rose from the dead. He doesn't want to be the main focus of our attention. He wants Christ to be. That's why we call ourselves Christian - and we call ourselves Evangelicals - because the Gospel of Christ is the main focus of our salvation.

This doesn't mean we are afraid of talking about the Holy Spirit. Without the work of the Holy Spirit - no one could believe. 1 Corinthians 12:3 say, "No one can say, "Jesus is Lord," except by the Holy Spirit." Therefore, we as Lutheran Christians recognize and appreciate the work of the Holy Spirit, who we give credit to for bringing us to faith. Yet we are rather critical of those who constantly claim "the Spirit"with phrases like, "God told me to . . . ." This has led to absolutely outrageous claims of adultery, greed and murder no less. When churches only talk about "the Spirit" - chances are they are of the Pentecostal bent who demand a person to speak in ecstatic languages which they deem "tongues" in order to be "real Christians." As we see these same groups claiming that water baptism of infants is useless and dismissing the power of the Lord's Supper or the need of fellowship - we also recognize a different spirit.

Nonetheless, let's step out of the box and talk about the Holy Spirit. Let's celebrate Pentecost and look at this work He does. In order to do this, in Christian freedom I have chosen to use a different text than the normal. It struck me as I was going through our recent Bible Study on Saul - this powerful work of the Holy Spirit. What role does He have? How does He come to play? What does He do? We see some unique things in this story in 1 Samuel.

Witness the Working of the Spirit on Saul

I. He is given as a gracious gift from God

In this story of the Israelites in 1 Samuel we see them in a transitional period of their own design. Samuel had been their judge and leader for years. However, he was getting old and his sons were corrupted seemingly by the bribery and lust for power that came along with judging. The people of Israel used this as an excuse to then ask for a king - so they could in reality be like all of the other nations around them. (1 Sam. 8:5) Although it doesn't say, we could easily assume that Saul also wanted a king. But when Samuel told Saul that HE - Saul - was what the people were desiring, in 1 Samuel 9:21 Saul answered, "But am I not a Benjamite, from the smallest tribe of Israel, and is not my clan the least of all the clans of the tribe of Benjamin? Why do you say such a thing to me?" He was basing his ability to lead on his blood line and abilities. It seemed as if he didn't want the job. All he wanted to do was to find his lost donkeys. Even some of the people despised him and didn't think he was ready for such a role - refusing to bring him any gifts. Saul himself appeared unready for the job as he hid in the luggage at his great inauguration and just returned to the field afterwards.

Yet Saul didn't really seem to have much choice in the matter.

Samuel took a flask of oil and poured it on Saul's head and kissed him, saying, "Has not the LORD anointed you leader over his inheritance? . . . you will go to Gibeah of God, where there is a Philistine outpost. As you approach the town, you will meet a procession of prophets coming down from the high place with lyres, tambourines, flutes and harps being played before them, and they will be prophesying. The Spirit of the LORD will come upon you in power, and you will prophesy with them; and you will be changed into a different person. Once these signs are fulfilled, do whatever your hand finds to do, for God is with you.

Notice that Samuel never asked Saul's permission in this whole instance. He simply anointed Saul and said, "The Spirit of the LORD will come upon you in power." This very story of Saul seems most offensive to human reason. In harsh terms it appears as if Saul was just a guinea pig or a lab rat. Saul seems to be thrown into this role whether he wants to or not.

We see a similar scenario on Pentecost Sunday. Acts 1:4 says, "while he was eating with them, he gave them this command: "Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about. The disciples were not able to control when and where the Holy Spirit would come or how He would come. Jesus determined that. All they were told was to go to Jerusalem and wait for this gift. Ten days after Jesus' Ascension, the Holy Spirit came.

Acts 2:1-4 When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them.

Instead of running from Jerusalem - the disciples stayed right where they were, and the Holy Spirit came on them in tongues of fire that came from heaven. With this wonderful gift, they were able to speak in different languages and relate Christ to the thousands of Jews who had come for the Feast of Harvest.

In John 3:8 it is written, "The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit." Jesus spoke these words in His conversation with Nicodemus, who was trying to figure out how he could be born again - thinking that he had to climb back into his mother's womb - which he knew was impossible. Jesus told him a profound truth - that the process of being born again or having a "life changing experience" is the work of the Holy Spirit and under the control of God - not of man. This is evident from Saul and the disciples at Pentecost - who were subject to the will and direction of God as to when and what gifts of the Spirit they would receive.

This really bothers some people. Maybe it bothers you also - because it makes man seem so helpless - so weak. Maybe you think you can do anything you set your mind to. Perhaps you think that the Holy Spirit is subject to do what you want and what you ask. Let me tell you, if the LORD could make the king of Babylon go crazy in a split second (Daniel 4) - He could do anything He wanted to you - and there's nothing you could do about it. It doesn't matter how much you pray for the Holy Spirit - He doesn't have to listen to your prayers and do your bidding just because you ask Him. We don't call Him Almighty for nothing. If that bothers you - that's not my problem. It's yours. I can't help it God is almighty and you are not.

Yet it was this very doctrine that comforted Martin Luther. When he was on his death bed, some of his last words were something to the effect of, "we are all beggars, that is for sure." Through Martin Luther the Holy Spirit reestablished the truth of Scriptures as to how helpless we really are as humans. He taught, according to the Bible that we are born dead in trespasses and sins, (Eph. 2:1), and that we have no ability to come to Christ. But when Martin also saw that the LORD had mercy on Him and died for Him - that he was baptized - and that he - little old Martin Luther - was given faith in Jesus - he was overwhelmed with thankfulness in what the Holy Spirit had done for him. I find it very comforting to know that the LORD didn't allow Saul to have to decide to become king. This was too important of a decision to leave up to any Israelite - so God made the choice. I find it very comforting that the LORD enabled His disciples to speak in foreign languages on Pentecost - that all of this was a result of His planning, choosing, and working. How else would 3,000 have been converted in one day? I find it very comforting that the LORD worked a miracle in me to believe in the same Jesus. It shows me that the LORD can overcome our spiritual death and bring life into our weak human bodies. It shows me that the LORD wants to bring strength to weak humans. It shows me that the LORD cares for His people.

What we need to remember about this working of the Holy Spirit - throughout the whole process - is that it is a GIFT from God. In the case of Saul, the people wanted a fighter king to lead them. Even though physically Saul was a stud, spiritually and mentally he wasn't showing much strength or zeal at all. So, as Samuel said to him, this gift would be of wonderful benefit to him and the Israelites. God was using Saul as a powerful leader to the Israelites - whether Saul wanted it or not. When we have an infant be baptized, we are giving him or her a gift of the Holy Spirit and forgiveness of sins. (Acts 2:38) When someone gives you a GIFT - whether you asked for it or not - you are usually appreciative of it. What kind of a person is it - who when you give them a gift - say, "no thanks, I don't want it?" It's usually someone who is too proud for a gift - who think that they don't want any charity - who don't want any obligations to say thanks. You can give them all kinds of gifts - but they only leave them unopened - throw them to the curb - and toss them out. It doesn't mean the gift wasn't there. It simply means they rejected it. So here we sit, a bunch of beggars - scared and afraid - subject to the devil and our own sinful whims. In comes our merciful LORD saying, "I don't want you to remain afraid and helpless. Here's my wonderful gift of the Holy Spirit!" That's ok with me. Isn't that a good thing? Should that offend you? Not if you recognize that y ou needed that gift.

II. Is a powerful gift from God

There were some who doubted the efficacy of Saul's leadership. When he was announced as king - found hiding in the baggage, some men despised him . They didn't bring him any gifts, thinking that he was really a fraud. They had no respect for his anointing - dismissing Samuel's actions as a worthless action of pomp. Yet when we look at today's text, we can see that Saul was anything but a fraud. This anointing that Saul underwent was no small or seemingly insignificant right of passage. It was more than a symbolic gesture. Samuel himself said what would happen as a result of these things. The Spirit of the LORD will come upon you in power, and you will prophesy with them; and you will be changed into a different person. Once these signs are fulfilled, do whatever your hand finds to do, for God is with you. We can tell these were not mere empty promises from what follows. As Saul turned to leave Samuel, God changed Saul's heart, and all these signs were fulfilled that day. When they arrived at Gibeah, a procession of prophets met him; the Spirit of God came upon him in power, and he joined in their prophesying. Saul was enabled to actually prophesy with the prophets due to the power of the Holy Spirit. Later on, when war threatened the Israelites, the Holy Spirit also enabled Saul to rally the troops and win a decisive victory. Amazingly enough, even later on in his kingship when Saul had murderous intentions to kill David, the Holy Spirit was still able to make him prophesy for a full night after coming in the presence of a school of prophets.

Hundreds of years later, while the disciples were waiting in an upper room of Jerusalem, the same Holy Spirit came on the disciples in power and enabled them to speak in different languages that they had never learned. This is no easy task. Right now I am in the middle of teaching Genesis in Hebrew to the Lor brothers from Kansas City. It takes a good eight hours of preparation just to prepare five to six verses of Hebrew. I didn't learn these languages overnight and they still aren't the easiest for me. For anyone to speak different languages in the blink of an eye or the flicker of a flame - it is a powerful miracle indeed. We look back at Pentecost two thousand years later and still marvel at this powerful work of the Holy Spirit. Without His power, those three thousand would have never been brought to Christ on that Day.

The power of the Holy Spirit is still present yet today. One of the greatest sins we commit as Christians is to underestimate the power of the Holy Spirit. This is done when you don't ever think about your baptism and take comfort in it. It happens when you take the Lord's Supper and leave thinking that you simply ate and drank some bread and wine. You sin against the Holy Spirit when you do not pay attention to the Word of God spoken in the worship service - simply daydreaming through it for the sermon to be preached. These are the places that the Holy Spirit has promised to be in and work through. When you think to yourself, "I can't resist this temptation," you are ignoring the Holy Spirit within. This sin against the Holy Spirit is also committed when you look for the Holy Spirit in your feelings instead of the clear Word and sacrament. It's kind of like when you drive by someone on the road and you wave and wave from your car, but they just drive by without looking - or they look at you but don't recognize you. How do you feel about that? What if they did recognize you but didn't wave? What if you set up a meeting but they never show up? What if they keep looking for you at a different place than what you pick out? You may not disown them as friends - but you wish they had seen you and at least acknowledged you. You wish they would show up and meet with you when and where you said. A simple acknowledgment would be nice.

On this Pentecost Sunday, we take time out to reflect on the power of the Holy Spirit - the working of the Holy Spirit - so we don't take His work for granted or leave His work unfinished. The thing that is somewhat deceptive is that He always seems to work in such hidden ways. With Saul, He worked through the procession of prophets and the anointing of oil. With Jesus, He worked in the form of a simple dove. With Pentecost - He chose to work through the flames of fire. Whereas the flames might have been impressive, the Holy Spirit was hidden behind the flames - never really seen. The only evidence of Him was in the prophecy and the foreign languages that were spoken, as well as the powerful miracles that Jesus did.

Recognize that even though you may not see Him, the Holy Spirit is very present in baptism - bringing life giving faith and washing away your sins. He is very active in the Lord's Supper - assuring you of your forgiveness. He is speaking through the words of God you hear this morning. The very fact that you are sitting here and listening to this sermon is evidence of His work. He did work in your baptism and gave you faith in Jesus - whether you knew it or not. He washed your sins away. You may not have recognized Him, but He kept you in the faith through Sunday School teachings, Bible classes, and worship services. He gave you the ability NOT to divorce your spouse, to teach your children right from wrong, and to pray and sing praises. He continues to put Jesus before your eyes - so that you cling to HIM for your forgiveness and salvation. The Holy Spirit doesn't disown you, even when you don't acknowledge Him - because He also sees the blood of Christ covering you through your baptism. The Holy Spirit also is the God of mercy, love and patience.

As we witness this working of the Spirit this morning, remember that this powerful LORD God actually LIVES in you. This is no minor thing. Don't sell Him short. Don't forget He is present in all these things. If He could enable the disciples on Pentecost to speak in different languages, and He could enable a person like Saul to prophesy, surely He also can give you the ability to tell others about Christ. Surely He can give you the patience to deal with your spouse, boss, or children - no matter how difficult they may be to deal with. Surely He can work forgiveness in your heart, courage, or whatever else you need today. Just don't cut Him short! Don't forget about Him! Witness the Working of the Spirit - but look where the Holy Spirit told you to look. Look for Him in the Word. Look for Him in the sacrament. Look for Him in your very life. He may not seem visible, but the flame is still flickering! Witness his work and rely on Him today! Amen.