## The World's Most Popular Game

## I Samuel 26:21

The title of this morning's message speaks of the 'World's Most Popular Game'. To determine which game this is, we might consider the game that is watched by the most people. If so, I am told that NASCAR racing is the most watched sport in the USA. Some might think it would be baseball, in Indiana we might suggest basketball, but certainly not football. From a world perspective, the game might be considered to be soccer. But I want us to consider the game that is played by the most people world-wide. I 'googled' the phrase, 'World's Most Popular Game' and it seems that Milton Bradley claims that it is Monopoly! Sony also lays claim to that title for their PlayStation2. With apologies to both Sony and Milton Bradley, I believe the Word of God gives us insight to the game played by more people throughout the ages than any other. This game then is without a doubt the "world's most popular game". What is it? Please note our text verse, 1 Samuel 26:21.

1Sa 26:21 Then said Saul, I have sinned: return, my son David: for I will no more do thee harm, because my soul was precious in thine eyes this day: behold, I have played the fool, and have erred exceedingly.

Did you catch that? Saul said, "I have sinned…I have played the fool."

Let's look at the context of this verse. Read: v6-12. Saul was hunting David, like a common criminal. He sets up camp and David and his men quietly enter the camp. When they find Saul sleeping, Abishai wants to kill him right where he lay. David refused to touch the anointed King of Israel, but they did take his spear and his cruse of water. Read: v13-16. David goes up on a mountain and calls out to Saul's chief bodyguard, Abner. It's as if he was telling Abner, 'Shame on you for not protecting your king from harm.' He asks him to look for the king's spear and his cruse. Read v17-21. Saul recognizes David's voice, and he also recognizes that if David was truly his enemy, he would have killed him when he had the chance. It is then that Saul admitted to his sin…he admitted to playing the fool!

For all of Saul's faults, he was at least willing to admit that he had sinned and had acted like a fool. He admitted to being a participant in the World's Most Popular Game. In the next few minutes I would like to share with you some thoughts about the person who sins and plays the fool.

I. The Person Who Sins Plays the Fool

A. Because all sin is ultimately against a Holy God.

1. Sin is not taken lightly by God.

2. It was our sin that motivated God to send His 'Only-Begotten' Son to die on the cross of Calvary.

3. To act like that isn't important…by ignoring or rejecting what Christ did for us truly grieves the heart of God.

1Ki 16:30-31 "And Ahab the son of Omri did evil in the sight of the LORD above all that were before him. And it came to pass, as if it had been a light thing for him to walk in the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, that he took to wife Jezebel the daughter of Ethbaal king of the Zidonians, and went and served Baal, and worshipped him."

4. We need to understand this morning that sin is a deadly game…and there are serious consequences for those who play.

B. Sin destroys our lives and the lives of others.

1. The Example before us.

a. Why was David on the run from Saul?

b. Because of Saul's disobedience to God.

c. When Saul chose to disobey God's clear command to destroy the Amalekites, God rejected him as king.

d. As a result, Saul later took his own life on the battlefield rather than be taken captive.

2. The Example of David.

a. We are familiar with the story of David and Bathsheba.

b. His adulterous affair with her destroyed her husband, it destroyed David's family, and it resulted in the death of their illegitimate son.

c. But far more serious than all of that, it broke David's fellowship with God!

3. Sin will destroy your life and the life of those who care about you .

a. One of the biggest lies ever told is this: "I am not hurting anyone but myself!"

b. Tell that to the children who must do without the basic necessities of life, because their father spent all his money on booze, drugs, or gambling on the lottery.

c. Tell that to the women who must rear their families with the shadow of adultery over their homes.

d. Tell that to the heartbroken moms and dads who weep every night over a wayward and rebellious son on daughter.

e. Sin destroys lives!

Ga 6:7-8, "Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting."

III. The Person Who Builds Without Proper Foundation Plays the Fool.

Mt 7:24 Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock:

Mt 7:26 And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand:

A. These are familiar verses.

1. Our children sing this song about the wise man and the foolish man.

2. But it is more than a children's song…it is a basic construction principle.

3. Not only that…it is a basic biblical principle for our lives!

4. The fool tries to build without the proper foundation!

B. The basis for a proper foundation

1. Hearing and doing the word of God.

2. Not just hearing…as James reminds us we must be 'doers of the word'.

3. Jesus Christ is the solid foundation for our lives.

4. Beware of counterfeits!

5. With the recent hurricanes, I was reminded how that following Hurricane Andrew, many of the structures were revealed to have been built with faulty materials.

6. Oh they looked fine, but they didn't stand up to stress of the storm.

C. It is the fool who leaves God out of his life.

Ps 14:1a, "The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God. …"

1. Notice he doesn't say this in his head…that is because people believe in God.

2. Even so-called atheists really believe that God exists…

3. But it is in their hearts that they deny Him…why?

4. The Bible says, "…With the heart man believeth unto righteousness…"

III. The Person Who Puts Off Preparation for Eternity Plays the Fool

A. Russian roulette…

1. This is a foolish game…

2. To recklessly take a pistol with one bullet in the cylinder, spin it, place it to your head, and pull the trigger…could anything be more foolish? Yes!

3. To fail to prepare for eternity is foolish!

4. Another lie straight from the pits of hell, "You've got plenty of time…you don't have to do anything right now!"

Heb 9:27 And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:

2Co 6:2b "…Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation."

B. No guarantees of tomorrow.

Pr 27:1 Boast not thyself of to morrow; for thou knowest not what a day may bring forth.

1. To think that you will have another opportunity to come to Christ is presumptuous!

2. To think that you will live for God someday in the future presumes that you will be here tomorrow…and there is no guarantee of that.

3. That is why we must choose right now…what will we do with Jesus Christ?

4. Will we accept His sacrifice on Calvary as payment for our sins?

5. Will we step out today and confess Christ as our Lord and Savior?

6. The choice is ours…we can continue to play the fool or we can repent…turn away from ourselves and our sin…and turn to God.

7. Come today…whatever the need…come to Jesus Christ.