Sermon Series: Life of David – Fall 2026

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Oct 25, 2026 Sermon:  “The Envy of a King” 

Listen to the full sermon on Spotify    (sermon audio available every Wed)

1 Samuel 18: 1-18

How Envy Begins

1 Samuel 18: Verses 8-9  “Saul was very angry; this refrain displeased him greatly. “They have credited David with tens of thousands,” he thought, “but me with only thousands. What more can he get but the kingdom?” And from that time on Saul kept a close eye on David.”

Verse 8 is the key – But Me.   This is the beginning of envy.

It’s not dramatic. It’s simply: but me.  If you can’t celebrate the joys of another. If you take pleasure at the troubles of another.  If it’s a pain to congratulate. If you are too smug to console. This is all envy.

What Envy Becomes

1 Samuel 18: Verses 10-11  “The next day an evil spirit from God came forcefully on Saul. He was prophesying in his house, while David was playing the lyre, as he usually did. Saul had a spear in his hand, and he hurled it, saying to himself, “I’ll pin David to the wall.” But David eluded him twice.” 

We begin to see the unraveling of Saul’s life.  Envy devours the soul. Three things it can do:

You don’t see beauty.

You grow in hostility.

You live in captivity.

Envy grows quickly.  Instead of seeing the beauty of other’s gifts, you see opposition and adversaries.  It grows hostility and ultimately you live in its captivity.

First, you have envy, then envy has you.

How Do We Escape Envy?

1 Samuel 18: Verses 3-4   “And Jonathan made a covenant with David because he loved him as himself.⁴ Jonathan took off the robe he was wearing and gave it to David, along with his tunic, and even his sword, his bow and his belt.”

It changes how we live with others.  For Jonathan, there was no concern for himself.   True friendship – is when you give up your robe for another – even at the expense of your kingdom.   Envy – makes everyone a potential enemy.  It robs us of potential friends. 

Both Jonathan and David point to the true King – Jesus.  When you know all He has done for you and given you, you will give your robe, you will give back, you will give all your life – to Him.   It’s like the words of a famous hymn:

Proverbs 14: 30

 “A tranquil heart gives life to the flesh, but envy makes the bones rot.”

 Spotify link

Upcoming Sermon:  “The Destruction of a King”

Listen to the full sermon on Spotify    (sermon audio available every Wed)

1 Samuel 19

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