Sunday School 20072025
Reflections
Class Activity 2 - Lesson 47 - Was Samuel Fair to Saul?
Text: 1 Samuel 15:24–25
In Lesson 47 of the Sunday School teaching captioned “THE PROPHET – SAMUEL” the class activity explored an intriguing question:
“Considering 1 Samuel 15:24–25, was Samuel completely fair in the way he handled Saul’s disobedience, even though Saul acknowledged his sin and asked for pardon?”
At first glance, based solely on these two verses, it might appear that Samuel was harsh. After all, Saul confessed and asked for forgiveness—shouldn't that have counted for something?
However, when we examine the entire context of 1 Samuel 15, a deeper truth emerges. Samuel was not acting on personal judgment or emotion—he was simply obeying God and delivering His instructions. Saul’s actions revealed that his remorse was more about public perception than genuine repentance. He was more concerned with his image before the people than with truly aligning himself with God’s will. His obedience was partial, and his heart was not fully yielded to God.
This discussion ties in closely with our previous lesson on Holy Communion. We studied 1 Corinthians 11:23–29, where we often focus on the personal benefits highlighted in verses 23–25—healing, provision, and protection. While these blessings are real, verse 26 reminds us that communion is first and foremost about proclaiming the Lord’s death. And verses 27–29 challenge us to examine our hearts, warning against taking the Lord’s table lightly.
Just as Saul missed the heart of God’s command, we too can miss the true essence of communion if we only focus on what’s in it for us. Whether in obedience or in worship, our focus should always be on God’s will, not personal gain.
Let this reflection stir our hearts to deeper reverence, obedience, and alignment with God’s purpose.
