• Sermon Notes

    Sunday, June 21, 2026
  • Perhaps the Lord

    1 Samuel 14:1-15 (NIV)
  • 1 One day Jonathan son of Saul said to his young armor-bearer, “Come, let’s go over to the Philistine outpost on the other side.” But he did not tell his father. 2 Saul was staying on the outskirts of Gibeah under a pomegranate tree in Migron. With him were about six hundred men, 3 among whom was Ahijah, who was wearing an ephod. He was a son of Ichabod’s brother Ahitub son of Phinehas, the son of Eli, the Lord’s priest in Shiloh. No one was aware that Jonathan had left. 4 On each side of the pass that Jonathan intended to cross to reach the Philistine outpost was a cliff; one was called Bozez and the other Seneh. 5 One cliff stood to the north toward Mikmash, the other to the south toward Geba. 6 Jonathan said to his young armor-bearer, “Come, let’s go over to the outpost of those uncircumcised men. Perhaps the Lord will act in our behalf. Nothing can hinder the Lord from saving, whether by many or by few.” 7 “Do all that you have in mind,” his armor-bearer said. “Go ahead; I am with you heart and soul.” 8 Jonathan said, “Come on, then; we will cross over toward them and let them see us. 9 If they say to us, ‘Wait there until we come to you,’ we will stay where we are and not go up to them. 10But if they say, ‘Come up to us,’ we will climb up, because that will be our sign that the Lord has given them into our hands.” 11 So both of them showed themselves to the Philistine outpost. “Look!” said the Philistines. “The Hebrews are crawling out of the holes they were hiding in.” 12 The men of the outpost shouted to Jonathan and his armor-bearer, “Come up to us and we’ll teach you a lesson.” So Jonathan said to his armor-bearer, “Climb up after me; the Lord has given them into the hand of Israel.” 13 Jonathan climbed up, using his hands and feet, with his armor-bearer right behind him. The Philistines fell before Jonathan, and his armor-bearer followed and killed behind him. 14 In that first attack Jonathan and his armor-bearer killed some twenty men in an area of about half an acre. 15 Then panic struck the whole army—those in the camp and field, and those in the outposts and raiding parties—and the ground shook. It was a panic sent by God.

  • Key Scripture:
    1 Samuel 14:6 Jonathan said to his young armor-bearer, “Come, let’s go over to the outpost of those uncircumcised men. Perhaps the Lord will act in our behalf. Nothing can hinder the Lord from saving, whether by many or by few.”

    God often accomplishes       things through       people who are willing to trust Him and take the next step of obedience.

    Faith when others are standing still. (vv.1-3)

    Courage is      to let fear become your master.

    Faith focuses on God’s        rather than human       . (vv.4-7)

    God is        by what limits us.

    Faith seeks God’s        before taking action. (vv. 8-12)

    Many of us want God to bless our plans. But faith        God's plan.

    God        courageous obedience. (vv. 13-15)

    God's sovereignty never        our inactivity.

    In faith, choose to trust God. Take the next step of       And marvel at the God who can       through a life surrendered to Him.

    Questions to consider:

    1. Where in your life do you currently feel “stuck under the pomegranate tree,” and what specific step of obedience might God be prompting you to take despite fear?      
    2. Jonathan said, “Perhaps the Lord will act.” How does this statement shape your understanding of faith—especially when outcomes are uncertain—and how do you typically evaluate risk versus trust in God?    
    3. What practices (e.g., Scripture, prayer, counsel) most help you discern God’s direction, and how do you distinguish between acting in faith and acting impulsively?      
    4. In what ways is your faith currently influencing others—for better or worse—and what would it look like this week to model trust in God in a visible, tangible way?      


    You Belong Here! Nobody is meant to stand alone in life.

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