INTRODUCTION: What is the greatest compliment for you???
What is the greatest compliment that you have received?
1.We all like compliments. Mark Twain said that he could live for a whole month on
a good compliment.
As a Christian I can think of no higher compliment than
to be described
as a man or woman with a heart after God’s heart.
When that compliment comes from God Himself, we had
better sit up and take notice!
Here is a person whose life we can all profit by studying.
Such was God’s description of David:
“This is a man after My own heart” (Acts 13:22 ; 1 Sam.
13:14).
2.I would like us to spend time seeking to understand how
this humble shepherd boy became a man after God’s Own heart.
David achieved in his life something that God wants each
of His children to achieve. David
became a man after God’s Own heart and a study of his life can teach us how to
do that too.
3.Now, David was not perfect. In fact, he was far from
it! He failed, and he failed big, but he
kept short accounts with God. He sinned,
but he was quick to confess and he manifested genuine heart repentance.
David has much that he can teach us about ….Ex. obedience,
faith, worship etc..
Acts 13:22, “And
when he had removed him, he raised up unto them David to be their king; to whom
also he gave testimony, and said, I have found David the son of Jesse, a man
after mine own heart, which shall fulfil all my will.”
Series Proposition:
God wants every one of His children to become a person
after His Own heart.
Why? Reasons: formerly,
God used godly peoplein Israel, In the same way, God will use us in this present life &
future life.
It may be that He has His hand on someone in this very
room. It may be that He is about to
choose someone from our number to go to work for Him. I know He is looking for such people.
Let’s notice the teachings in this passage as we think
about How God Chooses.
1. God Rejects the
self-serving & exalts the God-serving.
1 Now the
Lord said to Samuel, “You have mourned long enough for Saul. I have rejected
him as king of Israel, so fill your flask with olive oil and go to Bethlehem.
Find a man named Jesse who lives there, for I have selected one of his sons to
be my king.”
When Saul was chosen to be their king, the people were
elated.
He was fine
physical specimen, standing head and shoulders taller than anyone else in
Israel, 1 Sam. 9:2.
While he may have
been a giant among men, he was a spiritual pygmy! (dwarf)
“3 Strikes” for King Saul and he’s out:
Ch. 13 Strike #1 - He presumptuously offered a
sacrifice(a duty for priests only).
Ch.14 Strike #2- He made an egotistical vow that caused
his people to sin &
Almost cost the life of his son Jonathan.
Ch.15 Strike #3 - God told him to destroy the Amalekites,
but he spared the king & the best of the livestock.
He tended to overstep his boundaries and was guilty of
gross disobedience to the commands of the Lord.
As a result of Saul’s rebellion, God chooses a new king
to rule over Israel. He chooses a young
man named David.
When God chooses David, He chooses an unlikely candidate
for such a lofty and powerful office.
In God’s choice of David as king, we are allowed to see
something of the process God uses when He would choose someone to work for Him.
2. The
choosing/finding of the person after his own heart
A. His Chossing
Involves Sovereign Timing & Preparation– It is against the backdrop of
rebellion and rejection that God begins the process of choosing a new king for
Israel.
He was ready to raise up a new king and the people had
been made ready to accept a new king.
God worked behind the scenes during those difficult days
in Israel’s history to prepare the way for His plan to be fulfilled.
God is well able to bring His plan to pass. He will never propose a plan that He is not
able to accomplish! Whether it is a plan
to raise up a shepherd boy and make him a king, or whether it is a plan to work
out His will in your life; He is well able to see it through, Eph. 3:20; Job
42:2; Luke 1:37; Gen. 18:14.
– Next, Samuel is told where to go to find the new
king. It appears that the Lord had been
arranging everything to bring His chosen king into the world at precisely the
right moment in history.
These
events were not accidental! They were
part of a perfect plan, formulated in eternity passed and worked out in
time. This was not coincidence; it was
the mighty hand of the Lord!
Sometimes we wonder if God is at work. There are no
accidents in life! Everything that
occurs is part of a larger plan. God is
working, often behind the scenes; in ways that we cannot comprehend, to
accomplish His plans and His purposes, Rom. 8:28; Isa. 55:8-9; Psa. 37:23; 2
Cor. 4:15-17. Thank God for the truth
that God is in absolute control!
B. His Choosing
Involves Sovereign Execution. Notice the words “I have.” Many people have great plans and dreams,
but they lack to power to bring them to pass. Not the Lord!
What He proposes, He is well able to dispose!
Some people
are bothered by the notion that God is in absolute control of all of life. I, however, find it very comforting! I know that nothing can happen unless the
Father ordains it and that of He ordains it, it is for my good and for His
glory.
2 But Samuel asked,
“How can I do that? If Saul hears about it, he will kill me.”
“Take a
heifer with you,” the Lord replied, “and say that you have come to make a
sacrifice to the Lord.
3 Invite
Jesse to the sacrifice, and I will show you which of his sons to anoint for
me.”
(2)A risky mission - to anoint a successor, when there
was still a sitting king!
(2,3) Telling only what is true & what they need to
know doesn’t necessitate telling the whole truth about the matter.
Especially if it is going to put lives into danger. [Not
only Samuels, David’s & all of the family]
4 So Samuel
did as the Lord instructed. When he arrived at Bethlehem, the elders of the
town came trembling to meet him. “What’s wrong?” they asked. “Do you come in
peace?”
5 “Yes,”
Samuel replied. “I have come to sacrifice to the Lord. Purify yourselves and
come with me to the sacrifice.” Then Samuel performed the purification rite for
Jesse and his sons and invited them to the sacrifice, too.
6 When they
arrived, Samuel took one look at Eliab and thought, “Surely this is the Lord’s
anointed!”
Man’s Criteria:
(6) How strange
Samuel would fall for this twice! (judging by outside)
How something is Wrapped doesn’t always show us what’s on
the inside.
a) That’s true with people as well!
b) How do you evaluate teenagers? (which David was!) Do
you tend to measure them by externals?
c) We can wrap ourselves up in the same packaging every
day “
nice clothes, big, friendly demeanor”, yet still be less
than what we appear to be.
v. 6-10–Eliab
might have looked pleasing outwardly, but something in his character
disqualified him from being the king.
Abinadab, Shammah.
The seven brothers have passed by and
all are rejected by the Lord.
Anyone of them would have possessed the physical
requirements to turn heads and rule as a king.
But, none of them possessed the right kind of character traits.
(Note: God sees
what man cannot see! Even Samuel was
impressed with Eliab, but God wasn’t.
Samuel is still looking at men through human eyes.
We are the very same way.
1. We
see a young man; he’s handsome, well-spoken and intelligent. We look at him and we say, “That young man
would make a fine preacher someday.” The
problem is, we cannot see his heart!
2. We
see a man; he’s saved, good to his family, been blessed in his work and has
some business sense. We look at him and
say, “That man would make a good deacon.”
Again, we can’t see his heart! We judge people by how they strike the eye;
God judges them on a far different level.
That person we think will do great
things in the church may not even make a blip on God’s radar screen. While that one we think will amount to
nothing might just be used in a mighty way by the Lord! God makes His choices based not on what He
sees about our outward characteristics, but on what He sees within the content
of our hearts.)
7 But the
Lord said to Samuel, “Don’t judge by his appearance or height, for I have
rejected him. The Lord doesn’t see things the way you see them. People judge by
outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.”
God’s Criteria #1. The heart/ character
B. v. 7 God tells Samuel that He does not look at
the physical attributes of a man. God
looks at the character of a man’s heart.
Eliab, for instance, caught the old prophet’s eye; but he reveals the
character of his heart in the next chapter.
There, we discover that Eliab is critical, jealous and negative, 1 Sam.
17:28. He may have been a big man
externally, but he was a baby inside! He
was not the kind of man God could use for His glory!
(Note: This is a
lesson the church needs to learn today.
When we look for leaders, we often seek those who possess certain
characteristics that we think spell success and ability. We look for people of influence, power,
intelligence and means. God, however,
looks for people of integrity and character.
He wants people
who are faithful and holy. What a
contrast! God is not nearly as impressed
with people’s achievements as we are. He
is not concerned about the beauty of our outward man. He is caught up in the condition of our
heart!
As God
looks at your life, what does He see?
Does He see a handsome face, a pleasing physical appearance and a
well-kept, well-dressed body? No, He
sees your heart. He sees the real
you!
But, here is the real question: Does God see a heart that
He can use? Or, does He say about your
life the same thing He said about Eliab, “I have refused him?” What does God see in your heart?
The Message translation of verses 23-27 says Keep
vigilant watch over your heart; that’s where life starts.
1. God looks at the heart!
a) God not only Sees our hearts but searches them (1
Chron.28:9 “… For the Lord sees every heart and knows every plan and thought…);
b) We think we know our own heart...but we don’t
(Jer.17: 9 “The human heart is the most deceitful of all
things, and desperately wicked. Who really knows how bad it is?
2. Since God looks at he heart...does that effect the way
you see yourself ?
How Does that
influence/ affect your life?
1. Rather than embracing or rejecting others based on
their Status or lack of it, their wealth or poverty, their beauty or plainness,
their cleverness or their gullibility, we should look at their character.
2. We should look for the values they not only Profess
but live out.
3. If we took the time to do this, smooth talk &
charming smiles would be less likely to glaze our judgment.
8 Then Jesse
told his son Abinadab to step forward and walk in front of Samuel. But Samuel
said, “This is not the one the Lord has chosen.”
9 Next Jesse
summoned Shimea but Samuel said, “Neither is this the one the Lord has chosen.”
10 In the same way all seven of Jesse’s sons were presented to Samuel. But
Samuel said to Jesse, “The Lord has not chosen any of these.”
(8-10) So Samuel checks the whole batting line up.
1. But the whole bench was out, before they were in.
2. Come to find out, there was 1 more son...who wasn’t
even in the stadium!
We have much to learn from God!
a) We need to do what Samuel did: look to the Lord for
discernment & wait for His choice,
whether that’s a business partner, a mate, or a leader.
Have you attended one of your H.S. Reunions?
1. How were the “Most likely to succeeds” doing?
- Often the one’s we didn’t think would even make it out
of senior year, were doing quite well!
11 Then
Samuel asked, “Are these all the sons you have?”
“There is
still the youngest,” Jesse replied. “But he’s out in the fields watching the
sheep and goats.”
“Send for him
at once,” Samuel said. “We will not sit down to eat until he arrives.”
God’s criteria #2
3. God notices the Nobodies - who are really the Somebodies after all.
God’s Solutions
are usually strange & simple...be open. God’s Spirit, Harp player
(11) Jesse’s attitude toward David displays
2 mistakes parents often make:
1. 1st, he didn’t appreciate each of his children
equally.
a) Well yes, there is 1 more, but he Just watches sheep!
2. 2nd, he failed to cultivate a mutual respect among the
brothers.
a) Did the family pick up the attitude?
Based on Eliab’s comments to David in ch.17:28...you bet!
Parenting 101:
The greatest contribution we can make in the lives of our
children (aside from introducing them to the Savior) is
to help them see their worth!
a) They need to know they have something unique to offer,
just like every other member of the family.
b) Do we communicate to our children the message that
they might be the ones God
will choose to use in a special way?
Do we play favorites, keeping some in the field w/the
sheep?
Do we see ourselves favoring the child in your family who
is most like you or who has qualities you admire?
Do we overlook or slight the child who is least like us
or who has qualities that annoys us?
(1) Children are built w/ high-frequency emotional
antennas.
(2) Ask the Lord what He sees in your children. Let Him
show you their hearts. Write down the unique traits that He specially values.
Then write a letter to your children, sharing w/each one
what God has impressed on your heart.
(3) If we will Robe your children w/a sense of value,
Crown them w/the jewels of self-worth, they will, when they are
anointed by the sweet oil of the Spirit, accomplish regal
things for the King.
1. In ancient near eastern societies they Always gave
privilege to firstborn sons.
2. God regularly chose people who were
Overlooked & Ignored by others, to do his most
special work!
David is the youngest and he is said to be with
the sheep. He is so insignificant within
the family that he is not even summoned with the rest of the boys, but he is
left out of the feast and the sacrifice.
He is out there doing the job of a humble servant. In fact, when he is mentioned by his father,
he is not even called by his name; he is simply called “the youngest.” When he walks in, Samuel sees a handsome,
young man; bright-eyed, with the blush of your in his cheeks. God tells Samuel to anoint this one, for this
is him! The one rejected and passed over
by the others is the very one picked by the Lord
(Note: Again,
we must be careful how we assess those around us. We look at people tonight and think we know
who God will use and what He will do with them.
Friend, you never know! God often
passes over the ones others would choose and calls those we would never have
imagined. God excels in taking nobodies
and making some bodies out of them! When
God went after a man after His Own heart, He did not go to the palaces, the
temples or the places of influence, wealth and power. God chose the most unlikely person in the
most unlikely of places. The key to
being used of Him is possessing the right kind of heart!)
12 So Jesse
sent for him. He was dark and handsome, with beautiful eyes.
And the Lord
said, “This is the one; anoint him.”
In The year 1020 BC
in a secluded field in Bethlehem, God was raising up a youth named
David.
The youngest son of a poor farmer from the tiny
hamlet.
David was a young man who was not even respected by the
members of his own family.
He was a nobody living in a family of nobodies. A “nobody” nobody noticed.
A somebody who would change Israel's course forever.
Because while the people saw only a shepherd, God saw a king.
God notices the Nobodies - who are really the Somebodies
after all.
13 So as
David stood there among his brothers, Samuel took the flask of olive oil he had
brought and anointed David with the oil. And the Spirit of the Lord came
powerfully upon David from that day on.
Then Samuel
returned to Ramah.
(13) Samuel goes home...job was done there. But how would
the little shepherd boy get
from the field to the throne?
Not his responsibility, not his problem, not his job.
1. God would see to it!
Imagine one minute he’s swatting flies in the pasture,
& the next he’s getting oil poured
over is head & told that he’ll be Israel’s future
king.
1. What’s also cool is David didn’t run out to try on
crowns,
Or run out to buy a red chariot to ride through Bethlehem
announcing his new position of royalty.
2. His Humility shone like...the king-elect...went back
to the sheep fields until God’s hand moved him onto the throne.
3. Nothing has changed...yet everything has changed!
Summary: Other indications as to why God made the choice
He did in the life of David.
A. v. 11-12 God
Chooses Those Who Are Ready –David is a picture of that believer who keeps
his heart in a state of readiness. He
does not know when the Lord might call him so he stays ready at all times. That is the kind of person God is looking for
today as well. God does not use dirty
vessels, but He uses those which are clean and ready for His call.
B. v. 11 God Chooses Those Who Are Reliable –
When God calls David, He finds him faithfully doing what he has been told to
do. He is keeping the sheep. He is doing a dirty, lonely job; but he does
it because it is what he has been assigned to do. After he is anointed, he goes back to his
flock, v. 19. Why? Because that is what
he does! Even after he is called to
Jerusalem to play for King Saul, v. 23, he returned to keep his father’s sheep,
17:15. Why? Because that is what he
does! David was given an assignment and
he carried it out faithfully. He even
placed his life on the line to protect those sheep, 17:34-37. When Jesse looked at David he saw the
youngest of his sons. His brothers saw a
little brat, 17:28. Samuel saw a cute
little boy, 16:12. But, when God looked
at David, He saw integrity, faithfulness, responsibility and character. Others saw a nobody, God saw a king!
Friend,
if you want to be used by the Lord, let me encourage you to be faithful where
you are. The best thing you can do is
grow where you are planted. Allow God to
develop your character, your integrity, your faithfulness and your sense of
responsibility in the ordinary, mundane events of life, Matt. 25:21. Be ready and be reliable, for you never know
when the call of God will come. He knows
where you are. He knows how to find
you. He knows how and when to open all
the right doors in your life. Just be
faithful and walk with Him. In His time,
He will use you for His glory.
C. v. 13 God Chooses Those Who have a close
relationship w/ him – When Samuel anointed David and perhaps whispered
God’s plan in his ear; this was not David’s first encounter with God. No doubt David had seen the glory of God
written in the heavens and His power manifested in the universe, Psa. 19. David had witnessed God’s tender care for His
people in his own relationship to his flocks.
This is evident in Psalm 23 and others which reveal the heart of David
while he was still a young shepherd. He
might have walked onto the public stage in 1 Samuel 16; but David had been
walking with the Lord for quite some time!
Listen to David’s own testimony in 1 Sam. 17:37; 45.
Here’s
the point, God calls those who know Him!
He chooses His vessels from among His redeemed ones. Those who know Him in a faith relationship;
who live clean lives; who are ready, reliable and available are candidates to
be used by the Lord. Does that describe
you tonight?
Conclusion:
By the grace of God,
1.David became the greatest king in the history of the
nation of Israel.
2.He also became and ancestor of the Lord Jesus
Christ.
During his life,
he received great promises and remarkable blessings from the hand of God.
3.But, greatest of all, David became a man after God’s
Own heart.
This was not David’s own testimony, but this is the
testimony of God, Acts 13:22.
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