24th April 2026

24th April 2026

Pray (ACts)


Read (1 Samuel 24 focus v16-22)


Message (Alan Burke)


Providence. You know that the capital city of Rhode Island in the United States is called ‘Providence’. The settlement was named after "God's merciful Providence”, but the thing is that I doubt the majority of the people of Providence, Rhode Island, know anything about why it was named or God’s merciful providence. In the Westminster Shorter Catechism, it gives a summary of what Providence means, asking Q11. What are God’s works of providence? A. God’s works of providence are his most holy, wise, and powerful preserving and governing all his creatures and all their actions. As we come to this, the third instalment of 1 Samuel 24, we see ultimately how the LORD’s purposes will be fulfilled, all according to his providence. 


The LORD had put Saul into the hands of David, yet David did not take the opportunity before him. He knew that just because we have the opportunity to do something doesn’t mean that we should. He knew that vengeance was the LORD’s, and this interaction between David and Saul, which now comes, is what we see in Saul. He was a man who had been confronted with his own guilt; he was reduced to tears. The shock of how close he had come to death, the stabbing pain of the accusation against him, the knowledge that he had much innocent blood on his hands over his hatred of David had left him broken, well, at least in appearance. 


Look to his words that come at the beginning of v17, where Saul says to David, “You are more righteous than I”. Words that express that while Saul wept aloud, he had not grasped the fullness of his own sin against the LORD and towards David. From evildoers come evil deeds; David has said to Saul, and Saul’s deeds had been evil; he was a man, though, who couldn’t see the extent of his evil, of his sin. Sin had blinded him to the truth. He is willing to admit that David is more righteous than he is, but not accept that he was an evildoer. Saul is like many people today, and here is what I mean: they look to others and might acknowledge that they are a much better person than themselves, but to accept that they are not good, that somehow they are altogether sinful or indeed evil in the sight of the LORD is not something that they can accept. 


Yet Saul was sinful. He had done great evil, yet he still sees himself as righteous. His heart was hardened. He chose his own path rather than the LORD’s. By our nature, we are each one sinful, the enemies of God, yet we can have great hope, for as Saul acknowledged, David would be King before they parted, we know that the LORD was working out his purposes, and a greater King than David would come. This king has come, the LORD Jesus Christ, and through him, we might be the righteous of God through faith, clothed with his righteousness, justified by his blood (Rom 5:9), so that we who are altogether sinful, indeed evil, may have nothing to fear even in death for we are forgiven. While none of us like waiting, we need to know, just like David’s men, that God’s kingdom cannot be established in our own strength or power but by the LORD’s will and in his timing. His purposes will be fulfilled. When his kingdom finally comes, his kingdom will overthrow those in rebellion against him. The wicked will be punished. That’s what we pray for in the LORD’s prayer, “Thy kingdom come.” The LORD’s purposes will be fulfilled. David would be king, but there would come another king, the true king, Jesus Christ.


Pray (acTS)


Sing


WSC
Q50 What is required in the second commandment?
A. The second commandment requireth the receiving, observing, and keeping pure and entire, all such religious worship and ordinances as God hath appointed in his Word.