Samuel, Episode 4: Why Almost Obeying Isn't Obeying
Episode 4 of a 5-part Samuel series. Saul starts strong, then panics during the Philistine battle and takes priestly duties into his own hands. Then he obeys God almost the whole way against the Amalekites, sparing King Agag and the best animals. Samuel delivers the hard truth: to obey is better than sacrifice.
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For Parents
If your kid is in the habit of doing most of what they were asked but conveniently leaving out the hard part, this episode meets them there. Pastor Justin walks them through 1 Samuel 13 and 15, where Saul stops trusting God and starts making excuses, and lands them in Samuel's hard truth: 'To obey is better than sacrifice.' After it ends, ask your kid about a time they obeyed most of the way but not all the way.
The One Thing for the Ride
“Almost obeying isn't obeying. God wants your heart, not your excuses.”
Scripture
1 Samuel 15:22
CSB
Key Takeaways
- Episode 4 of a 5-part Samuel series follows Saul's slow turn from God: a good start, then panic, then partial obedience
- Walks kids through two real moments: Saul offering the sacrifice himself instead of waiting for Samuel, and Saul sparing King Agag and the best animals when God said destroy everything
- Names the everyday version of Saul's failure: doing most of what we were asked but skipping the hard part, then blaming others or making excuses
- Lands on Samuel's lesson: 'To obey is better than sacrifice'
- Closes with the One Thing: almost obeying isn't obeying. God wants your heart, not your excuses
Try This Week
- This week, when you're tempted to do part of what you were asked, do the whole thing instead, especially the part you don't want to.
Talk It Over
Has there been a time we did most of something we were asked to do, but not all of it? What was the part we left out, and why?
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