1 Samuel 16: Love's Silence, Mysterious Choice of ☧ David

Rev. John Lukomski, retired LCMS pastor, joins host Rev. AJ Espinosa to study 1 Samuel 16.

“And Samuel said, ‘How can I go? If Saul hears it, he will kill me.’ And the LORD said, ‘Take a heifer with you and say, “I have come to sacrifice to the LORD.” And invite Jesse to the sacrifice.’” Is God telling Samuel to lie? And does God send an evil spirit into Saul in the second half of chapter 16? It’s easy to misunderstand things amidst difficult times and power shifts. We are tempted to rationalize our own grief and outrage to excuse godless behavior, but are we more grieved and outraged at sin than God Himself? The God of love works blessing from all things, even the scariest and most unpleasant. He doesn’t command lies or demon-possession, but rather love’s brave discretion and simple acts of service, even as Christ washed His disciples’ feet and remained silent before His accusers—all out of love for us.