CD Individual Messages

With God’s help, we can scale a wall! Such faith empowered Jonathan, accompanied only by his armor-bearer, to face the Philistines. His confidence lay not in his own strength and talent but in the Lord’s ability to save—and the Lord did not disappoint. God is not a bystander, teaches Alistair Begg; He continues to ... Continue Reading 

Trouble was brewing in Israel. As the Philistine army assembled against them, the nation watched in fear and hopelessness, hiding among rocks and tombs. Surveying the circumstances, Saul chose not to wait for Samuel; instead, he offered an unauthorized sacrifice to the Lord. Examining Saul’s actions, Alistair Begg explains that while trusting God is seldom simple ... Continue Reading 

Stepping down from his leadership role, Samuel warned Israel that in demanding a king, they’d actually rejected God. While they’d sinned greatly, though, Samuel assured the people that the Lord would not forsake them. Examining Samuel’s testimony of his legacy, Israel’s history, and God’s reliability, Alistair Begg reminds us that instead of ... Continue Reading 

Salvation is the melody line that runs through Scripture, pointing us to Jesus. When Nahash the Ammonite came to intimidate and humiliate Israel, for example, they certainly needed saving. The people had forgotten what God had previously done for them and nearly capitulated—until Saul, angered by their faithless lament and empowered by God’s Spirit, led ... Continue Reading 

As word of the Ammonites reached Saul in 1 Samuel 11, the anointed king was in a field, oblivious of the brutal threat against his people. Before long, though, he had led his people to victory had been installed as king under the Lord. What changed? Alistair Begg leads us through this exciting chapter, demonstrating that Israel ... Continue Reading 

Today’s culture exhorts us to be masters of our own destinies, in control of our own lives, and absent any restrictions other than our own. True freedom, though, is actually found in obeying God’s precepts, not in release from them. Examining the cultural, biblical, and personal significance of freedom, Alistair Begg helps us discover that ... Continue Reading 

The time had come for Saul’s private anointing and public proclamation as Israel’s king. His coronation, though, was not like that of pagan monarchs: the prophet Samuel used the occasion to preach the Word of God and emphasize God’s sovereignty by identifying Saul as the Lord’s chosen prince. Examining this inauguration scene, Alistair ... Continue Reading 

Change was on the horizon for Israel as the nation anticipated its new king. This time of transition was not marked by God’s absence, though. Instead, it highlighted His providential care for His people. Walking us through the events that led the future king, Saul, to meet Samuel, the prophet of God, Alistair Begg helps us ... Continue Reading 

As Samuel aged and his succession plan failed, Israel clamored for a new leader. No longer wanting to be distinct, they chose to imitate the behavior of other nations and asked to trade God’s rule for that of an earthly king. While God granted Israel’s request, Alistair Begg explains, it led to great suffering, revealing ... Continue Reading