For the Benefit of Others

A Story of Two Kings

• 1 Samuel 8:1-21 - Israel Requests a King & Samuel's Warning

Saul

• 1 Samuel 10 - Saul is Anointed and Acclaimed as King
• 1 Samuel 13 - Continued War with Philistia & Saul’s Disobedience and Samuel’s Rebuke
• 1 Samuel 15 - Saul Defeats the Amalekites & the Lord Rejects Saul

David

• 2 Samuel 5:12 - David Becomes King
• And David realized that the Lord had confirmed him as king over Israel and had blessed his kingdom for the sake of his people Israel.

  Christ's life and death for our benefit

• 1 Corinthians 1:30 God has united you with Christ Jesus. For our benefit God made him to be wisdom itself. Christ made us right with God; he made us pure and holy, and he freed us from sin.
• Ephesians 1:21-22 Now he is far above any ruler or authority or power or leader or anything else—not only in this world but also in the world to come. God has put all things under the authority of Christ and has made him head over all things for the benefit of the church.

Live for the benefit of others

• Luke 16:9 (The Parable of the Shrewd Manager) Here’s the lesson: Use your worldly resources to benefit others and make friends. Then, when your earthly possessions are gone, they will welcome you to an eternal home.
• John 20:23 “If you forgive anyone’s sins, they are forgiven. If you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven.”
• Matthew 6:14-15 “If you forgive those who sin against you, your heavenly Father will forgive you. But if you refuse to forgive others, your Father will not forgive your sins.”
• 1 Peter 4:10 Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God's grace in its various forms.
• 2 Corinthians 4:1-15 All of this is for your benefit. And as God’s grace reaches more and more people, there will be great thanksgiving, and God will receive more and more glory.

God has created you with a purpose, and has placed you in this time and space with a mission -- not only to serve others, but to reap a harvest of thanksgiving to God. Use your authority not to judge, but to give forgiveness. Use all that God has given you to be a blessing to others. Like David, realize that God has chosen you because He loves you, but also because He loves the people He has placed around you.