The Driven Church

The King is always there  

Don't be the hero           This sermon on 1 Samuel 19 explores how God’s sovereignty prevails even when human motives and relationships break down. The message traces Saul’s growing jealousy and fear of David, revealing how insecurity and rebellion against God lead to self-destruction. In contrast, Jonathan’s loyalty to David reflects alignment with God’s will, showing that true faith may require costly obedience and courage to confront sin. David’s restraint (refusing to fight or expose Saul) demonstrates wisdom and trust that God alone defends and vindicates His people. The sermon closes by emphasizing surrender: believers are not called to be saviors but to point others to the only true Rescuer. Like David, we must flee from striving to fix others and rest in God’s protection, pursuing Him as our refuge, fortress, and answer in every trial.

Saul's fear of David                This sermon from 1 Samuel 18 explores the contrast between David’s faithfulness and Saul’s envy, showing how jealousy can corrupt the heart and distort perception. Saul’s insecurity led him to see David, his greatest ally, as a threat, while David continued to walk in worship and obedience to God. The message highlights how sin and selfish ambition bring fear, disorder, and destructive actions, while those who trust God—even under attack—find success and strength in His presence. The challenge for believers is to resist comparison and bitterness, remain steadfast in worship, and keep pursuing God when opposition and betrayal arise, confident that His Spirit equips us to endure and overcome.

Born for adversity       This sermon on 1 Samuel 18 highlights how God raises up both allies and challenges in our journey of faith. While Saul’s jealousy and envy toward David reveal the dangers of comparison and misplaced focus, Jonathan’s covenant friendship with David demonstrates loyalty, sacrifice, and a Spirit-formed bond rooted in God’s purposes. Jonathan willingly surrendered his own claim to the throne, affirming God’s call on David’s life, and their relationship points to the kind of Christ-centered unity believers are called to share. The message reminds us to cast off jealousy and pride, fix our eyes on Jesus, and walk as brothers and sisters born for times of adversity, standing together in God’s covenant love.

David defeats Goliath   This sermon on 1 Samuel 17 calls believers to see the battle between David and Goliath as a living picture of spiritual warfare. David’s refusal to wear Saul’s armor shows the need to lay aside what does not fit and instead trust God with what He has already placed in our hands. The message highlights how the enemy uses weapons such as deception, division, isolation, and accusation, but like David, we must recognize these tactics and confront them in the strength of the Lord. David’s confidence was not in his sling or stones, but in the name of the living God, reminding us that victory comes through faith and obedience. The sermon urges Christians to prepare in their “shepherd’s field” seasons so that when giants arise, they will be ready to stand firm, act in faith, and live as witnesses to God’s power and faithfulness.

Remember the successes This sermon on 1 Samuel 17 reminds listeners that the story of David and Goliath is ultimately about God’s faithfulness and strength, not human power. Goliath’s daily taunts instilled fear in Israel, showing how the enemy uses repetition to sow doubt and intimidation. David, arriving humbly with food for his brothers, demonstrates a heart fixed on God rather than fear of the giant. His confidence came from remembering God’s past deliverance, not his own skill, and he recognized that Goliath’s defiance was against the living God. The message challenges us to guard what we allow into our hearts, to be prepared for spiritual battles at any moment, and to trust God as our true champion who delivers His people in His timing.

Problems and solutions This sermon on 1 Samuel 16 highlights the contrast between Saul and David, showing how both received the same Spirit and calling, yet Saul’s disobedience led to the Spirit’s departure and God’s discipline. The troubling spirit that afflicted Saul was ultimately used by God to bring David into the king’s court, setting the stage for God’s greater purposes. The message underscores God’s sovereignty over all things, even discipline, and calls believers to recognize that true relief and restoration come only through obedience to the Spirit and turning their eyes back to the Lord as the lasting solution.

The Lord wants you where you are            This sermon unpacks 1 Samuel 16, where God directs Samuel to anoint David as Israel’s next king. The message highlights God’s sovereignty in closing one season and opening another, reminding us that mourning must eventually give way to obedience and trust in His purposes. Samuel learns that God’s choice is not based on outward appearance but on the heart, a principle that exposes human tendency to judge superficially. David, overlooked by his family, is chosen and anointed, yet he must wait years before taking the throne, during which the Spirit of the Lord rests powerfully on him. The sermon emphasizes God’s pattern of using ordinary, imperfect people to fulfill extraordinary callings, shaping them through waiting, trials, and faithfulness in hidden places. Listeners are encouraged to trust God’s timing, embrace His refining work, and live daily with the Spirit’s power wherever they are placed.

Put to death what the Lord says to   This sermon on 1 Samuel 15 explores Saul’s disobedience to God’s command to completely destroy the Amalekites and how his compromise revealed pride, fear of man, and a shallow form of worship. The passage highlights the danger of valuing human approval over obedience to God, the grief we cause when we resist His word, and the generational consequences of leaving sin undealt with. Samuel’s rebuke—“to obey is better than sacrifice”—underscores that true worship flows from obedience, not religious performance. The message challenges listeners to identify and put to death the “Agags” in their own lives before they take root in future generations, reminding us that humility, obedience, and reverence for God are essential to a life that honors Him

Correction can be painful     This sermon on 1 Samuel 14 explores the contrast between Saul’s prideful leadership and Jonathan’s God-centered courage. Saul’s rash vow left Israel’s army weakened, confused God’s provision for temptation, and led to sin in desperation. Jonathan, however, discerned rightly, honored God, and was vindicated by the people when Saul’s arrogance nearly cost him his life. The passage shows how pride blinds leaders, while humility and discernment open the way for God’s direction. The silence of God toward Saul reveals the need for self-examination, repentance, and alignment with His standards. True transformation, unlike temporary behavior modification, flows from a heart changed by God’s Spirit. The message calls believers to embrace correction, submit to God’s Word, and seek heart transformation through Christ rather than self-driven agendas.  

A Pure Heart This study from 1 Samuel 14 explores how faithful obedience to God leads to victory, while pride and man-made restrictions bring about unnecessary struggle. Trent walks through Jonathan’s courageous trust in God, which sparks divine intervention against the Philistines, contrasted with Saul’s pride-driven oath that forces his army into a fast God never commanded. That legalistic burden weakens the people and leads them into further compromise. The study highlights how both legalism and liberalism distort our ability to recognize God’s provision and emphasizes the need to remain anchored in Scripture, not personal agendas or cultural pressures. It invites listeners to examine areas where pride may be limiting what God wants to do through their lives, and calls for a return to humble, Word-centered living

Don't miss the opportunity This sermon explores 1 Samuel 14 with a focus on faithful obedience to God's leading, contrasting Jonathan's bold, God-centered action with Saul's hesitant and sight-driven leadership. As Jonathan and his young armor bearer step forward in faith—despite overwhelming odds and without waiting for ideal circumstances—God delivers a powerful victory, sending panic through enemy ranks far beyond human visibility. The sermon emphasizes that spiritual victories are initiated through trust and action rooted in God's Word, not through manipulation or convenience. It calls listeners to personal faith that moves beyond emotion or intellect, urging believers to respond when God calls, even when alone, outnumbered, or unsure because God often works in unseen ways through the faithful to bring redemption to many. This episode is an invitation to study Scripture deeply, act courageously, and trust God’s unseen hand.

Be Courageous      This sermon from 1 Samuel 13:23–14:14 invites listeners into a deeper understanding of how God works through unlikely people in overwhelming circumstances. The focus centers on Jonathan’s courageous initiative to confront a superior Philistine force, armed with only one sword and accompanied by a young, unnamed armor bearer. Through Jonathan’s quiet obedience and bold faith, we’re shown that God is not limited by numbers or strength—His victory can come “by many or by few.” The passage emphasizes that courage often grows in the company of fear and that faithfulness sometimes requires walking thorny, slippery paths with no public affirmation. This study challenges believers to trust God’s leading even when the terrain is harsh and victory seems improbable, reminding us that spiritual bravery is rooted not in our own strength but in God's unfailing power and presence.

 Full Armor of God This sermon from 1 Samuel 13:15–22 invites listeners into a deep reflection on spiritual warfare, obedience, and the critical importance of being equipped with the Word of God. Though at first glance the passage appears to be a transitional narrative, it reveals profound truths about how God's people are often unprepared for spiritual battles when they neglect God’s instruction and provision. The message emphasizes that disobedience disrupts peace with God, that spiritual discipline is an expression of His love, and that the enemy aims to isolate believers and disarm them spiritually. Listeners are challenged to examine whether they are properly armed with God’s Word—personally, not just through their leaders—so they can stand firm in battle and intercede for their families, communities, and fellow believers. It’s a sobering yet empowering call to take hold of the spiritual tools God freely gives and live in active readiness for the battles already underway

Trust in His timing This sermon on 1 Samuel 13 walks through Saul’s unraveling as king, revealing how pride, fear, and impatience erode obedience to God. Listeners are led verse by verse through the text to understand how Saul's insecurity leads him to claim credit for his son’s victory, offer unauthorized sacrifices, and shift blame rather than take responsibility. The teaching emphasizes the consequences of disregarding God's commands, the danger of letting fear drive decisions, and the vital need to wait on God's timing. The message calls believers to examine where they run when afraid, inviting them to find their hiding place in the Lord and trust Him—even when trembling. This study podcast guides listeners into deeper faith by illuminating both the scriptural context and personal implications of obedience, humility, and spiritual leadership.

Don't cease praying   In this sermon on 1 Samuel 12, listeners are guided through Samuel’s farewell address, where he recounts Israel’s history of deliverance and their repeated cycles of disobedience, urging the people to remember God’s faithfulness and warning them against trusting in human strength over God’s sovereignty. Samuel calls Israel to revere the Lord and obey His commands, emphasizing that neither a king nor human schemes can replace dependence on God. He demonstrates the importance of personal, not merely corporate, faith by contrasting Israel’s outward religiosity with genuine heart devotion. Ultimately, the sermon challenges believers to pursue a life of integrity, rooted in repentance, continual prayer, and unwavering trust in God’s righteous character, encouraging deep reflection on how obedience and remembrance of God’s past faithfulness shape present and future faithfulness.

This sermon, drawn from 1 Samuel 11, guides listeners through Israel’s transition from God as their direct king to the appointment of Saul as the first earthly king. It emphasizes the danger of making compromises with the enemy—illustrated through Nahash’s demand to gouge out the right eyes of the people of Jabesh Gilead—and highlights the spiritual lesson that any deal with the enemy leads to distorted vision and disgrace. The message invites believers to see how God, through His Spirit, empowered Saul to act in deliverance, reflecting God’s sufficiency and faithfulness. Ultimately, it calls the church to remember their own “Gilgal”—a place of first love and God’s demonstrated faithfulness and challenges listeners to examine whether they’ve experienced true spiritual transformation and deliverance through Christ.

This sermon explores Israel's transition from a theocracy under God's direct rule to a monarchy led by King Saul, as depicted in 1 Samuel 10. The message focuses on the people's rejection of God's kingship despite His proven faithfulness and provision, symbolized by the Ebenezer stone at Mizpah. The speaker emphasizes how God confirmed Saul's calling through specific signs, yet Saul initially hid in fear and baggage, a metaphor for how personal insecurities and past wounds can hinder our obedience to God’s assignments. The sermon challenges listeners to examine their hearts, lay down their "baggage," and choose God's leadership over self-rule, urging believers to walk in obedience and trust God's approval above human praise.