You can go ahead and be turning with me to 1 Samuel chapter 28. We'll look at verses 20 through 25. Last Wednesday on our way home from service, Teresa asked me if I was going to finish the 28th chapter of this study. We stopped in verse 20 last week and my answer was no. I didn't see the gospel in those last five verses. But then after reading it again, I realized that sometimes the gospel is displayed in verses that reveal to us what the gospel isn't.

And you say, well, I'm not sure what you mean by that. Well, we often have to see the bad news before we see the good news, and such is the teaching here of 1 Samuel chapter 28. And though somewhat this whole chapter, as I mentioned last study, and particularly these last five verses, are depressing and sobering, the verses before us tonight show us what the gospel is and what it's not. by putting man's spiritual bankruptcy on display. We see the sad state of Saul. So in that, if God is pleased, we see our sinfulness and that reveals to us our desperate need of Christ.

But God often leaves a man in his rebellion as he did Saul. And I've titled tonight's message, Helpless and Hopeless. Saul was certainly that, but not the believer. We're helpless, but we're not hopeless because Christ in us is the hope of glory. If we have Christ, we have great hope.

Now, after receiving the words of Samuel, who was risen from the dead in verse 19, he tells of Israel's defeat and the death of Saul and his sons. And in verse 20, we read, then Saul fell straightway all along on the earth and was so afraid because of the words of Samuel. That's why he fell to the earth, that's why he was afraid. And then it adds, and there was no strength in him for he had eaten no bread all the day nor all the night.

Now, as I said, we have one of the saddest scenes in all of scripture here. Saul, Israel's first king, sits in the house of a medium, one who communicated with the dead, a necromancer is what they're called. And he seeks strength and wisdom from a forbidden witch. And he collapses in terror at the word of judgment spoken through the dead yet risen Samuel. Saul had rejected God's ways. Saul sought counsel apart from God. And now Saul faces the consequences.

You know, I'm immediately reminded of the verse of Scripture in Numbers chapter 32, verse 23, which reads, behold, you have sinned against the Lord. And be sure your sin will find you out. Saul's sin had found him out. And the only reason our sin doesn't find, us out is because Christ put our sin away. I heard all my life and I've become now at my age to realize it's so. And though it was often told me in a threatening way, like you reap what you sow, it is no less true. We do reap what we sow. Be not deceived, God is not mocked. Whatsoever a man soweth, he shall also reap. But thank God that the Lord Jesus reaped what I sowed in my room instead.

Saul's sin had found him out. And what horror and judgment there is outside of Christ. It's just shivering to think about it. To think about God giving me what I deserve is fearful, terrifying. Outside of the Lord Jesus Christ, there's only judgment, condemnation. And the sad thing is that most folks are too blind spiritually to see it.

Spiritual starvation is much worse than physical weakness. Saul's physical state of no strength is said to be because he hadn't eaten anything all day or night. But what a picture that is and how that mirrors his spiritual condition. His physical exhaustion and his lack of strength rightly reflects his lack of spiritual living apart from God's provision for him. And his physical weakness is a picture of humanity's spiritual starvation. People without strength because they don't have God. We're all born without strength because we're born alienated from God.

Men against popular belief are not born good and then go bad, and then God restores them again. We're born dead. He that believes not, and none of us believe by nature, is condemned already, the Lord said. Because they believe not in the Lord Jesus Christ. Men and women without Christ are without strength because Christ is not their bread from heaven. The gospel teaches us that only Christ truly sustains us as our bread of life, John 6, 35.

And the gospel here is seen in Paul's words in Romans 5, verse 6, which declares, for when we were yet without strength, in due time. Christ died for the ungodly. What happened? He made them godly. It wasn't by anything they did. It wasn't by any progressive sanctification within them. Do you feel like you're getting better, child of God? No, no, if anything, you feel like you're getting worse because you're beginning to see by God's divine revelation, who and what you are more clearly.

And that, those three words in due time means that God acted according to his redemptive purpose, not in response to man's improvement. Aren't you glad? We don't improve much. but it's according to his mercy and grace. And Christ didn't wait for sinners to get strong enough because they never would have without strength. But in due time, he died for the ungodly. And that's what gives us any strength. He came to the believer when they were at their worst, their weakest. They weren't just weak, they were without strength. void of strength, they were helpless and hopeless. I was, so were you.

And Saul's fear here, it's not a redemptive fear of the Lord. The fear of the Lord in most cases throughout the scripture speaks of reverence and awe of God, the sovereign, omnipotent God of heaven and earth who created all things. But the fear that Saul has here does not lead him to repentance. It's the terror that comes from having no Savior. And I've often said it, I'll say it again, and I shudder to think about it. Can you imagine living in this life without Christ? I can't. How helpless and hopeless.

Gospel fear is reverence for God, given by life in Christ, faith that looks to Christ alone for everything. And rest in the fact that Christ did everything that God requires of us, that we cannot do. Now I know I say that a lot, but that's the heart of the gospel. Substitution, Christ doing for me what I cannot do. Christ doing for me what God requires of me, which is perfection, complete and perfect perfection of the law. Keeping all the law and keeping all the law perfectly. We can't keep one commandment, much less 10, and much less the whole law.

Christ is the only place where judgment is met with mercy and where the spiritually weak are made strong. Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we also have access by faith into his grace, wherein we stand and rejoice in hope of the glory of God, only in him. Romans 8.1, there's therefore now no condemnation. To who? To them that are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. That's talking about following Christ. That's what it is to walk after the Spirit, to follow Him. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus, hath made me free from the law of condemnation. What wonderful words. That's what the gospel is. It's wonderful words of life, isn't it? Oh my.

Verse 21, and the woman came unto Saul and saw that he was sore troubled. and said unto him, behold, thy handmaid hath obeyed thy voice, and I put my life in my hand, meaning that she had exposed herself to danger, and have hearkened unto thy words which thou spakest unto me.

Now, on the street that human effort will go to, Oh, the length, excuse me, that human effort will go to instead of just leaning upon God's divine provision. Why do we always feel like we got to have our hand in the matter? That we got to help God work things out for us when he's already determined everything for our good and for his glory, and yet we wanna have a little part in it, don't we?

Sin has instilled in every fallen sinner to believe that they can, in and of themselves, do something to be saved and even to save others. And oh, the irony of fear without repentance. Saul here is afraid, yet he never turns to God for mercy. His fear does not lead him to repentance, but to clinging to God's forbidden practices. God, Doesn't answer his prayers. So what does he do? He runs to a witch. He runs to this world, picturing this world, the advice, the counsel of this world, to find out, don't do that. Don't do that. Wait on the Lord. Ask the Lord to help you, to show you, and wait on the Lord.

We get in such a hurry, we're just, we don't have much patience, do we? I had a guy tell me one time, he said, I wish I had the patience of my grandmother. And I said, well, was she a patient person? She said, no, she was a doctor. She had a lot of patience. That's not the kind of patience I'm talking about. Saul's desperate, but he's still grasping for control. Don't do that. A lost sinner will cling to anything, even dangerous counsel. instead of seeking God's forgiveness in the Lord Jesus Christ.

The fear of the Lord's the only thing that leads to life. And Saul here is finished. Physically, he's fallen full length on the ground. Emotionally, he's terrified and he's fearful. Spiritually, God has departed from me. And yet, what troubled Saul the most was not his sin. What troubled Saul the most was his situation. That's what spiritual collapse looks like when repentance never comes. God has spoken, Saul has heard, but nothing's changed. He sought the world's help instead of God's. But the world can't deliver from spiritual death. Can't do it.

In verse 22, the woman insists, look at this. Now, therefore, I pray thee, hearken thou also into the voice of thine handmaid. Now, listen to me. Let me give you some advice, Saul. And let me set a morsel of bread before thee and eat that thou mayest have strength when thou goest on thy way.

Now, here we have a picture of human sympathy offering spiritual relief. I'm telling you, this is a picture of religion. That's all religion does. They offer human sympathy for spiritual relief. They offer to cure something that they can't cure, that only God can cure. The world insists it can help with our spiritual problems by partaking of human provision. But that which is born of the flesh is flesh, the Lord said. That which is born of the spirit is spirit. The flesh cannot contribute to spiritual things. The sooner we learn that, we save ourselves a lot of grief. That's why the Lord followed with those words. He said, that which is born of the flesh is flesh, that which is born of the spirit is spirit. And then he said, marvel not. Don't be surprised that I say unto you that you must be born again. You got to be born again from above. God's got to do this for you. You can't do it. Your flesh cannot do it. You're without strength. You have no strength.

The woman says, let me set a morsel of bread before thee. That's what religion does. They set morsels of bread in front of us that will not fill, that will not give life. She said, let me set a morsel of bread before thee and eat that thou mayest have strength when thou goest thy way. I thought that was somewhat interesting, because it won't give you strength to go God's way. You want to go your way, it may give you a little strength. It'll strengthen you to go your way. And that's exactly what Saul did.

Because only Christ, the bread of life, can give you true spiritual strength in life. The bread of life strengthens the soul. It doesn't merely fill the body. The ultimate bread comes from God. The ultimate bread is that manna that fell from heaven to the children of Israel, which pictured Christ. It never comes by human means or schemes. The woman's bread was, it was an act of compassion. Even the evil and the damned of this world can be nice. but her generous morsels of bread could never change Saul's destiny. That's something that only Christ, the bread of life, can do.

God was behind this act of kindness from a witch. Even the powers of darkness unknowingly carry out God's decree. We've seen that time and time again. I read across a verse today. Well, I didn't run across it. I looked for it. But in Revelation 17, 17 says, for God had to put in their hearts to fulfill His will. Whose heart? Believers and unbelievers alike. God uses the wicked of this world to accomplish His purpose for the good of His people. Not the case with Saul.

The world's provisions are given by God. How do I know that? Because the earth is the Lord's and the fullness thereof, the world and all they that dwell therein. If somebody gives you something and they say, this is from me, we know what they're talking about, but ultimately it belonged to the Lord. It's all His. And the Lord calls them, purposed them to give it to you. So it's really from the Lord. Humanity must work and provide sustenance for themselves and their families. Do you know that's part of the curse of sin? God said, in the sweat of thy face shall thou eat bread till thou return unto the ground. But naturally speaking, and this is what I want you to see from these verses, human provisions can never meet the true need of a soul separated from God.

Look at verse 23. But he, being Saul, refused and said, I will not eat. But his servants, together with the woman, compelled, they pressured him, and he hearkened unto their voice. So he arose from the earth and sat upon the bed. And again, we see here that Saul's refusal to eat Not only shows a man overwhelmed by fear and spiritual desolation, but Paul shows us here a clear picture of the sinner who has no appetite for life. Not life eternal, because he stands under judgment and separation from God. Do you know that if you have a desire for Christ and the things of Christ, God's already given you life? Isn't that something? That takes it all out of our hands. A dead man doesn't have any desire, any will, any appetite for God. God got to give him life firmly. So that shows us right there the salvations of the Lord. And this woman, along with Saul's servants, all picturing this religious world, compels, they insist, Saul to hearken into her voice. And that's what religion does. You better listen to me. You need to do this and you need to do that. And you need to straighten up and fly right. And you need to let go and let God. And you need to give Jesus your heart and blah, blah, blah, blah, blah. You're dead. You can't do any of that until God, unless God gives you life.

The men continue to listen to human counsel and they ignore God's word. They didn't ignore his righteousness, but only Christ can restore and reconcile the heart to God. Saul here paints a tragic picture of a soul alive physically, but dead spiritually, because he rejected God's provision and direction over and over and over again. Saul rose from the ground as a dead man, and he sits on the side of the bed. but that only pictures a return to this world's concerns, not a return to God. It was just a temporary physical response, not at all spiritual restoration.

This world and this religion, I'm telling you, may provide superficial relief. You know, I see people, you know, just skipping along on their way to hell as happy as they can be because of religion. Oh, you still going to the first church? No, now I go to the second church because I'm just happy there. Remember one time they asked Brother Walter Groover about being in Mexico and they said, well, I mean, he moved his whole family down there, you know, in poverty. And they said, brother Walter, are you happy in Mexico? He said, happiness ain't got nothing to do with it. It's where God called me to go. It's not about being happy. It's about being in Christ. It's about being made a new creature. It's about being born again after being conformed to the image of the Lord Jesus Christ. That's where true joy is. Joy. My, my.

This was just a temporary physical response. This world and its religion can't provide what God requires. And deeper brokenness remains, and that's the brokenness of the heart. I mean, our heart's broke. It's deceitful above all things and desperately wicked. Not broke in a sense of bowing to God, just broke. It don't work right. the war cry, and only Christ can give a heart and a soul of a sinner strength and life and obedience. Compassion from people is no substitute for reconciliation with God. This woman helped strengthen Saul's body, but she couldn't restore his soul. And it's here that we have the meal they cannot say. That's all religion does, is they provide a meal they will not say. It provides what seems to give the dead strength, but it only just, it just shortly prolongs the inevitable end. But our Lord has prepared a table before us in the midst of our enemies. And Christ is that table. And when we partake of Him, the bread of life, that's what we get. Life, true life, eternal life, everlasting life.

Verse 24, and the woman had a fat calf in the house, and she hasted and killed it, and took flour and kneaded it, and did bake unleavened bread thereof. Now, what we have there in that verse is just a snapshot of human care in the midst of divine judgment. That's all religion does. It just provides a snapshot of human care in the midst of somebody facing the condemnation and wrath of God. This woman prepares a rich meal, a fat calf and unleavened bread.

is prepared with urgency for the King of Israel. She knows this is now Saul. She's doing this for the King, but it's urgency without repentance. It's a waste of time. This is a picture of misplaced hope. This meal may sustain Saul briefly, but his judgment has already been determined. It's already been spoken. Good deeds, human provision, sincere effort cannot save a soul that's separated from God.

This is a real meal, as I said, prepared with urgency, given sincerely, but it's not a sacrifice given by Saul. It's the sacrifice of a woman given to a king. And that's all religion is today. It's just a sacrifice. You do this and God do that. You know, so on. So if you don't do this, then God will do that. It's a meal to some, but it doesn't give life. There's no altar. There's no blood offered to God. There's no repentance made. Saul may eat well, but he still remains condemned. There's a lesson there. There's a lesson there. May God teach it to us.

This verse quietly exposes a dangerous lie. It's a word of warning to this religious world. You can claim to be fed and you can believe to be encouraged. Most of the folks I know, religion seem to be, I'm being fed and I'm so encouraged. I just love my church. I love my little Jesus. You can convince yourself to be comforted and still be lost in your sin. It's alarming. So we see that Saul is strengthened only to die. That's just, that's sad, isn't it? And yet it happens every day. It happens every single day. People in religion who think that everything with them and the man upstairs with whom they have a good thing going on is okay. Everything between me and God is okay. That's what they say. Only to die.

Verse 25, and she brought it before Saul and before his servants, and they did eat. A lot of folks eating. A lot of folks eating this lie. They sure are. You're a minority. You're a minority. Only, there's few that be that find the words to eternal life. You're a minority. The Lord said you would be.

This meal doesn't address Saul's spiritual crisis and his impending judgment. This physical sustenance is insufficient for a soul that's under God's wrath. Yes, Saul leaves stronger than he arrived. But he still leaves unchanged. No prayer. No turning, which is what repentance means. No mercy sought. And he walks back into the same darkness from which he came. You remember he came. We saw that last week. He came in the darkness of night and he leaves. Yeah, he's eaten. He's a little stronger than he was, but he still goes back into the darkness, both literally and spiritually.

Now, listen to me. The very next day, Saul will be dead. That's a sobering thought, isn't it? What good did that meal do him? What good does religion, false religion, do a man? if he goes out to meet God without Christ. God may allow man to be strengthened for judgment. Saul's recovery was not deliverance. Not every answered need is grace. And what a tragic last supper. This meal was small comfort in light of the end that Saul experiences. What good is it to gain the whole world and lose your own soul?

Now in closing, let me just give you the gospel by contrast. Saul here eats and he still dies. Our Lord Jesus fasted and gives life. Saul has a meal with a medium, a witch. Christ offers a table of grace to sinners. Saul was strengthened to face judgment. Christ was crushed so his people could obtain mercy. Saul died with no mediator. Jesus Christ is the one mediator between God and me. You see the difference here? Saul hears a final word of death. In Christ, we hear a final word of life. And you can be religious, and you can be emotional, and you can be supported, and you can be fed, or at least think you are, and still be lost. Strength without repentance is meaningless. Saul let them know better than he came. Religion without Christ is dead. That'd make a sobering bumper sticker, wouldn't it? Religion without Christ is dead.

Temporary physical strengthening adds nothing to one who's without strength. Physical strength is just adding, when added with no strength, it's still no strength. It soon passes, Saul eats and yet dies. The believer partakes of the true unleavened bread, excuse me, Jesus Christ and lives. Now, what bread do you want? What bread do I want? Well, I know what bread I need by God's grace.

The most terrifying thing I think in these five, six verses is not the witch and it's not the darkness. Well, what is it then? The fact that Saul eats and nothing changes. That's just terrifying. We got to be careful what we eat. And I know we're told that by this world and it's, you know, big thing these days to eat healthy and all that, but spiritually speaking, we got to be careful what we eat. We got to be careful of the kind of bread that we eat.

False religion provides clever attempts at temporary comfort. It provides a false hope, a short-term comfort, a makeshift assurance, but everlasting life comes only from Christ, the bread of heaven. He that hath the Son hath life. He that hath not the Son hath not life. Pretty plain, isn't it? Pretty simple. We saw this past Sunday service, neither is there salvation in any other. For there's none other name. How many? None. None other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved. And we must be. If we're going to escape the judgment that Saul experienced, we must be saved. We must have the bread of life.

What must I do to be saved? You cannot do anything. You must be born again. But God commended his love toward us in that while we were yet sinners without strength, Christ died for us. That's your hope. That's my hope. But God commendeth His love toward us. End that. That's strength. Wretched sinners, good for nothing. Christ died for us. That's who Christ died for. Faithful, sane, worthy of all acceptation. Christ Jesus came to the world to save sinners. Not good people, not righteous people.

But may God save us and keep us trusting in Christ, who is the same yesterday, today, and forever. He doesn't change. He doesn't change. May God enable us to truly