Immanuel Presbyterian Church

Arby's potato cakes

This sermon explores the contrast between small, unintentional mistakes and the devastating consequences of prideful, impulsive leadership through the story of Jonathan and King Saul in 1 Samuel 14. It highlights how Jonathan, despite a minor act of disobedience—tasting honey while under a strict oath—responds with humility and integrity, refusing to let others magnify his small lapse into a moral failure. In contrast, Saul's rash commands and harsh judgments—prohibiting food, condemning the people for eating with blood, and demanding the death of his own son—reveal a leader whose zeal has eclipsed wisdom, mercy, and justice. The sermon emphasizes that while Saul's military success demonstrates God's grace even through flawed leaders, true character is not measured by competence but by faithfulness and humility. Ultimately, it points to the gospel as the solution to both small and great failures: in Christ, our sins are not only forgiven but transformed—our big mistakes become insignificant because Jesus bore them, and we are freed to extend grace, honor, and forgiveness to others, even when they are foolish or unjust.