Tomorrow is Memorial Day Sunday, which I'm sure means many things to many people. As someone who grew up in Indianapolis, it means that "the greatest spectacle in racing," the Indianapolis 500 (or simply "The 500" for those of us who know) takes place tomorrow. I had warned you that the race might lead to a corresponding "greatest spectacle in preaching," in which the sermon would be dramatically shortened and the rest of the service sped up. However, I've discovered that the race has been pushed back (evidently the TV people are trying to increase west coast ratings) until after 1:00, which means I don't need to rush.
For many of you, this might be bad news. Perhaps some of you are thinking of how tenable your "I went away for the weekend" excuses might be if your car stays in front of your house. (And you think pastors are unaware of such rationalizing, don't you?) Or maybe this will lead to your own "greatest spectacle in racing" as you run out of town.
For the rest of you, we will enjoy a full service -- lots of music, thanks to Brooks, and a continuation of our sermon series on the Jewish monarchy. Tomorrow we will encounter the first of the Jewish kings, Saul, as he is selected, but before he is crowned.
I have been surprised reading 1 Samuel 9 -- every time I read it, the politics of Saul's selection keeps coming to the surface, even in this narrative of God's ordaining Saul to be king. Saul looks the part -- tall and handsome; he comes from the Benjaminites (to preclude inter-tribal bickering/positioning from the larger tribes); he is from a wealthy family, which means a certain education level and that he is appropriately cultured. This is the man who will rule Israel and save the Israelites from the Philistines. This leads to an important question: Whose expectations of a king led God to select Saul? God? Or the Israelites? Or both?
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