Power—spiritual, prophetic and politics—is the theme of our new sermon series. The downward spiral of the judges seems to imply that, without a central figure to bind them together, the nation would fall again into apostasy and the horrors of pagan justice. But would a king be any better?

For four weeks, we will trace the beginnings of the monarchy in Israel. As we do, we will consider the sources of power in our own day, how authority should be exercised, and how power is abused. More than that, though, we will consider how even the mistakes of the king fit into the one story of God and Israel, leading to Jesus, the Son of David and the Lord of the church.