Tear Down the Idols • Control • Ps Scott Thornton • Church Online: 19 April

Devotional

Day 1: When Kings Grasp the Offering

Saul’s soldiers trembled as Philistine forces gathered. Samuel had told him to wait seven days for the sacrifice. But when the prophet didn’t arrive, Saul took matters into his own hands. He demanded the burnt offering, lit the fire himself—and as smoke rose, Samuel appeared. “You have not kept the Lord’s command,” the prophet declared. Saul’s fear of losing control cost him the kingdom. [07:27]

Control often masquerades as responsibility. Saul believed he was protecting his troops, but his disobedience revealed deeper distrust. God’s promises don’t depend on our perfect timing. He asks for obedience, not emergency interventions dressed as faithfulness.

Where do you rush ahead instead of waiting? What situation feels too urgent to trust God’s timing? Name one area where you’ve substituted your plan for His process. How might surrender look different than taking charge today?

“Saul remained at Gilgal, and all the troops with him were quaking with fear. He waited seven days, the time set by Samuel; but Samuel did not come to Gilgal, and Saul’s men began to scatter. So he said, ‘Bring me the burnt offering and the fellowship offerings.’ And Saul offered up the burnt offering. Just as he finished making the offering, Samuel arrived, and Saul went out to greet him. ‘What have you done?’ asked Samuel.”
(1 Samuel 13:7-11, NIV)

Prayer: Ask Jesus to reveal where you’ve taken control instead of trusting His timing.
Challenge: Write down one situation you’ve been managing. Pray over it instead of problem-solving for 24 hours.

Day 2: The Weight of "I"

Saul justified his disobedience with frantic explanations: “I saw my men scattering…I thought…I felt compelled.” Four times he claimed responsibility God never gave him. His “I” statements revealed a heart bent on self-reliance rather than surrender. The burnt offering became about Saul’s reputation, not God’s glory. [14:49]

Control centers us instead of Christ. Every “I” in Saul’s speech exposed his fear of looking weak. But true strength comes when we admit, “I can’t—but God can.” Our excuses often hide unhealed places where we doubt His care.

What “I” statements dominate your inner dialogue? “I have to fix this” or “I’ll handle it”? List three situations where you’ve shouldered burdens God didn’t assign. Which one will you release through prayer today?

“So I said, ‘The Philistines are ready to march against me at Gilgal, and I haven’t even asked for the Lord’s help.’ So I felt compelled to offer the burnt offering myself before you came.”
(1 Samuel 13:12, NLT)

Prayer: Confess areas where self-reliance has drowned out God’s voice.
Challenge: Circle every “I” in your journal entries this week. Replace one with “God” each day.

Day 3: Altars in Gilgal

Years earlier, Israel built stone altars at Gilgal to remember God’s faithfulness at the Jordan River. But Saul stood in that same place and forgot—choosing fear over memory. Control flourishes when we dismiss God’s past victories. The stones cried out reminders Saul refused to hear. [17:20]

God’s character doesn’t change with our circumstances. The One who parted the Jordan could handle Philistine armies. But panic erases history. Every altar in your life—answered prayers, miracles, breakthroughs—stands as a monument to His trustworthiness.

When has fear made you forget God’s faithfulness? Name three “altars” (past victories) in your journey. How can revisiting them shift your perspective on current struggles?

“They are hauled away on ox carts. The beasts of burden stagger under their weight. Both the idols and their owners are bowed down.”
(Isaiah 46:2, NLT)

Prayer: Thank God for three specific times He proved faithful in your past.
Challenge: Place a stone or object where you’ll see it daily—a physical reminder of God’s faithfulness.

Day 4: Blood Sweat and Surrender

Jesus knelt in Gethsemane, sweat like blood dripping as He pleaded, “Take this cup.” Yet He surrendered: “Not my will, but Yours.” His agony birthed resurrection. Control demands guarantees; surrender embraces mystery. The garden became holy ground where Jesus traded His plan for the Father’s. [28:07]

Surrender isn’t passive resignation—it’s active trust. Jesus faced the cross awake, choosing love over self-preservation. Our hardest “nevertheless” moments often precede God’s greatest breakthroughs. What looks like loss becomes the path to life.

Where are you clinging to a “cup” you fear drinking? What would it cost to whisper “nevertheless” today? How might surrender unlock freedom you’ve never imagined?

“Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done.”
(Luke 22:42, NIV)

Prayer: Ask for courage to release your deepest “what if” to Christ’s care.
Challenge: Write “NOT MY WILL” on your palm. Let it guide decisions for 24 hours.

Day 5: Dirty Dishes and Trust

A therapist once challenged the pastor: “You’ll know freedom when you leave a dirty cup overnight.” Control masks as responsibility—spotless homes, managed outcomes, perfect plans. But true peace comes when we trust God amid messes. Surrender sleeps well even with dishes in the sink. [31:29]

God forms us in constraints, not escapes. Your unmade bed, unresolved conflict, or uncertain future can become altars. When we steward what’s ours and release what’s His, we trade anxiety for awe. His shoulders carry weights we were never meant to bear.

What “dirty dish” situation triggers your need for control? How might leaving it undisturbed become an act of trust? What step of surrender can you take before sundown?

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take.”
(Proverbs 3:5-6, NLT)

Prayer: Ask God to highlight one “dirty dish” to leave in His care this week.
Challenge: Intentionally leave one small task undone today as a surrender practice.

Sermon Summary

A counseling session in August 2012 revealed a hidden idol: the need to control circumstances for safety and security. Family loss, fractured relationships, teen parenting and new responsibilities exposed a pattern of managing outcomes rather than trusting God’s character. The Old Testament image from Isaiah 46 frames idols as burdens that bow down both the idol and its owner; modern idols often take form as habits, expectations and attempts to secure life through control. Saul’s failure at Gilgal illustrates how control masquerades as sensible leadership: stepping beyond assigned responsibility, acting on fear, and sacrificing God’s timing for a perceived urgent fix. That act cost him his kingdom and modeled how trust erodes when personal perspective overrides divine command.

Control shows distinct marks: it sounds honorable, it recenters activity around the self, it forgets God’s past faithfulness, and it ultimately exacts a high price. The sermon reframes waiting as active participation—an expectant, engaged posture that prepares for God’s movement rather than replacing it with hurried intervention. Surrender emerges as the practical antidote to control. Gethsemane becomes the paradigm: honest prayer under pressure, a willingness to prefer God’s will over escape, and a surrender that opens the way to resurrection life. Practical examples make the diagnosis concrete—parenting choices, financial stewardship and domestic order reveal where control hides and where surrender frees.

The call invites a deliberate practice: name the places where control bends the heart, choose obedience in the assigned responsibility, cultivate memory of God’s past faithfulness, and practice small acts of surrender that build trust. The promised outcome is not perfection but renewed freedom: less anxiety, healthier relationships, and a life shaped by reliance on God’s character rather than mastery of circumstances. The final invitation asks for an immediate surrender of burdens that have been carried without mandate, trusting God to steward what lies beyond appointed responsibility.

Key Takeaways

1. The idol of control Control becomes an idol when safety and identity move from God to the illusion of managed outcomes. That shift often roots in early wounds and triggers a constant scanning for cracks to fix. Recognizing control as idolatry reframes anxiety as misplaced worship and opens the way to reorient trust. [03:31]
2. Control disguises as noble responsibility Control frequently appears virtuous: stepping in, protecting others, keeping things running. Yet it shifts the center from God’s command to personal initiative and replaces obedience with outcome management. The Saul narrative warns that honorable motives cannot justify disobedience; leadership that secures results over fidelity undermines divine purposes. [10:03]
3. Waiting is active spiritual participation Waiting here means engagement, not passivity—prayerful readiness, obedience in assigned duties, and expectant preparation for God’s timing. Active waiting resists the urge to preempt God with anxious solutions and trains memory of God’s faithfulness. Practicing this posture transforms uncertainty into a field for trust. [19:30]
4. Surrender yields resurrection life Surrender does not mean escape from pressure but yielding within it, modeled by Jesus in Gethsemane. Choosing God’s will amid suffering releases creative redemptive work and invites resurrection-level fruit. Small acts of surrender—letting go of control in parenting, finances, or routine—reorient the heart toward dependence and life. [28:07]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[00:46] - Thanks to worship and volunteers
[01:11] - Remembering August 2012
[03:31] - Psychologist: scales fall away
[05:26] - Isaiah 46: idols exposed
[06:26] - Naming the idol of control
[07:27] - Saul at Gilgal: a warning
[10:03] - How control presents itself
[19:30] - Waiting as active participation
[26:50] - Gethsemane: the model of surrender
[33:35] - Invitation to surrender and pray

Bible Study Guide

Bible Reading
1 Samuel 13:7-14 (ESV)
7 …Saul remained at Gilgal, and all the people followed him trembling. 8 He waited seven days, the time appointed by Samuel. But Samuel did not come to Gilgal, and the people were scattering from him. 9 So Saul said, “Bring the burnt offering here to me, and the peace offerings.” And he offered the burnt offering. 10 As soon as he had finished offering the burnt offering, behold, Samuel came. And Saul went out to meet him and greet him. 11 Samuel said, “What have you done?” And Saul said, “When I saw that the people were scattering from me, and that you did not come within the days appointed, and that the Philistines had mustered at Michmash, 12 I said, ‘Now the Philistines will come down against me at Gilgal, and I have not sought the favor of the Lord.’ So I forced myself, and offered the burnt offering.” 13 And Samuel said to Saul, “You have done foolishly. You have not kept the command of the Lord your God, with which he commanded you. For then the Lord would have established your kingdom over Israel forever. 14 But now your kingdom shall not continue…

Observation questions

What specific actions did Saul take at Gilgal that revealed his attempt to control the situation?
According to Isaiah 46:2 (referenced in the sermon), what happens to both idols and their owners? How does this imagery relate to modern idols like control?
The sermon mentions four marks of control: it sounds honorable, recenters activity around self, forgets God’s past faithfulness, and exacts a high price. Which of these is most evident in Saul’s story? [10:03]
How does Jesus’ prayer in Gethsemane (Matthew 26:39) contrast with Saul’s response at Gilgal?

Interpretation questions

Why might control sound noble or responsible, even when it leads to disobedience (as in Saul’s case)?
The sermon describes waiting as “active participation” rather than passivity. How does this redefine common assumptions about waiting on God? [19:30]
Saul’s fear of his troops scattering drove his decision. How does fear often fuel attempts to control outcomes in our lives?
The sermon connects surrender to “resurrection life” through Jesus’ example in Gethsemane. Why is surrender—not escape—the pathway to freedom? [28:07]

Application questions

Where do you feel compelled to “step in and fix” situations (e.g., relationships, work, parenting) instead of trusting God’s timing? What would surrender look like there? [12:35]
The sermon suggests control often hides in “preparation” (e.g., overpacking, financial anxiety). What practical step could you take this week to release an area where preparation has become control?
Reflect on a time when waiting felt unbearable. How might actively praying, serving, or remembering God’s faithfulness have changed your posture in that season?
The pastor shared about learning to leave a dirty dish in the sink as a small act of surrender. What daily habit or environment do you cling to for security? How could you practice releasing it? [31:29]
Saul’s story shows control costs dearly. Is there a relationship or responsibility where you’re paying a high emotional/spiritual price to maintain control? What would it mean to entrust it to God?
Jesus’ surrender in Gethsemane led to resurrection. What area of your life needs “resurrection life” today, and what would surrendering it involve?

Sermon Clips

We tear down the idol of control by practicing surrender. There are opportunities every day for us to either control or surrender, for us to step in and take responsibility where God hasn't asked us to or to trust him that if I do what you've asked me to do, then I can trust you with the other parts. And, oftentimes, we think freedom is found in escaping our constraints, but I've found that God forms me into the image of Jesus inside the very constraint that I'm trying to escape from. And the greatest example of this is Jesus in the Garden Of Gethsemane. [00:26:05] (41 seconds) #surrendernotcontrol

Wait. Sorry. Here's the here's the invitation. Waiting is participation in God's timing rather than taking over it with my own. Waiting is the invitation that I get to participate in God's time. And now when you say waiting, the word waiting is not sitting in a a lazy boy and waiting for God to show up. Remember when Jesus said to the disciples, hey. Go to the upper room and wait there. I'll send the Holy Spirit. That word wait is not a passive stance. It's an active stance. It's a I am I am sitting with active and eager intent participation for looking towards what you will do and what you will bring. [00:19:20] (41 seconds) #waitwithpurpose

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Tear Down the Idols • Control • Ps Scott Thornton • Church Online: 19 April

Devotional

Day 1: When Kings Grasp the Offering

Day 2: The Weight of "I"

Day 3: Altars in Gilgal

Day 4: Blood Sweat and Surrender

Day 5: Dirty Dishes and Trust

Sermon Summary

Key Takeaways

Youtube Chapters

Bible Study Guide

Sermon Clips

Chatbot

Tear Down the Idols • Control • Ps Scott Thornton • Church Online: 19 April

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