Sermon Summary

This week, Pastor Chris began a new series looking at the life and the heart of David. Chris provided the historical context leading up to David’s appointment as king. In 1st Samuel, the collective whole of Israel had rejected the Lord in their desire for an earthly king. God raised up Saul, but he soon proved himself unworthy as his leadership was marked by partial obedience, arrogance, and unrepentance. The Lord removed Saul and worked through the prophet Samuel to appoint and raise up David as the King of Israel after God’s own heart. 

The Setup

1 Samuel 8:19–20 (ESV)

19 But the people refused to obey the voice of Samuel. And they said, “No! But there shall be a king over us, 20 that we also may be like all the nations, and that our king may judge us and go out before us and fight our battles.”

1 Samuel 13:14 (ESV)

14 But now your kingdom shall not continue. The Lord has sought out a man after his own heart, and the Lord has commanded him to be prince over his people, because you have not kept what the Lord commanded you.”

David’s Heart After God

  1. David obeyed God even after his failures. 
  2. David studied the will of God. 
  3. David served the purpose of God. 

Acts 13:22 (ESV)

22 And when he had removed him, he raised up David to be their king, of whom he testified and said, ‘I have found in David the son of Jesse a man after my heart, who will do all my will.’

Acts 13:36 (ESV)

36 For David, after he had served the purpose of God in his own generation, fell asleep and was laid with his fathers and saw corruption,

Message 1 ~ God Qualifies the Overlooked

God’s Selection of a New King

1 Samuel 16:1–3 (ESV)

1 The Lord said to Samuel, “How long will you grieve over Saul, since I have rejected him from being king over Israel? Fill your horn with oil, and go. I will send you to Jesse the Bethlehemite, for I have provided for myself a king among his sons.” 2 And Samuel said, “How can I go? If Saul hears it, he will kill me.” And the Lord said, “Take a heifer with you and say, ‘I have come to sacrifice to the Lord.’ 3 And invite Jesse to the sacrifice, and I will show you what you shall do. And you shall anoint for me him whom I declare to you.”

1 Samuel 16:4–6 (ESV)

4 Samuel did what the Lord commanded and came to Bethlehem. The elders of the city came to meet him trembling and said, “Do you come peaceably?” 5 And he said, “Peaceably; I have come to sacrifice to the Lord. Consecrate yourselves, and come with me to the sacrifice.” And he consecrated Jesse and his sons and invited them to the sacrifice. 6 When they came, he looked on Eliab and thought, “Surely the Lord’s anointed is before him.”

God Looks at the Heart 

1 Samuel 16:8 (ESV)

7 But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not look on his appearance or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him. For the Lord sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart.” 

The Lord looks at the heart

  • People measure themselves and others by externals (performance, skills, gifting, achievement, money, position, failures).
  • God measures by internals (humility, intentions, decisions, and drawing close to God).

David’s Identity

  • God’s beloved (Ps. 60:5).
  • Apple of God’s eye (Ps. 17:8).
  • One in whom God delighted (Ps. 18:19).
  • One who is treated with gentleness by God (Ps. 18:35). 

Lesson to Learn: God chooses differently than man…He qualifies the overlooked. 

1 Samuel 16:8–11 (ESV)

8 Then Jesse called Abinadab and made him pass before Samuel. And he said, “Neither has the Lord chosen this one.” 9 Then Jesse made Shammah pass by. And he said, “Neither has the Lord chosen this one.” 10 And Jesse made seven of his sons pass before Samuel. And Samuel said to Jesse, “The Lord has not chosen these.” 11 Then Samuel said to Jesse, “Are all your sons here?” And he said, “There remains yet the youngest, but behold, he is keeping the sheep.” And Samuel said to Jesse, “Send and get him, for we will not sit down till he comes here.”

Anointed Before Being Appointed 

1 Samuel 16:12–13 (ESV)

12 And he sent and brought him in. Now he was ruddy and had beautiful eyes and was handsome. And the Lord said, “Arise, anoint him, for this is he.” 13 Then Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the midst of his brothers. And the Spirit of the Lord rushed upon David from that day forward. And Samuel rose up and went to Ramah.

Ruach means breath, wind, and Spirit. “It is the invisible hand of God that moves in the visible world.”

Lesson to Learn: God’s timing is never late. 

Lesson to Learn: Beware of indifference and ambition. 

Faithful in Service 

1 Samuel 16:14–19 (ESV)

14 Now the Spirit of the Lord departed from Saul, and a harmful spirit from the Lord tormented him. 15 And Saul’s servants said to him, “Behold now, a harmful spirit from God is tormenting you. 16 Let our lord now command your servants who are before you to seek out a man who is skillful in playing the lyre, and when the harmful spirit from God is upon you, he will play it, and you will be well.” 17 So Saul said to his servants, “Provide for me a man who can play well and bring him to me.” 18 One of the young men answered, “Behold, I have seen a son of Jesse the Bethlehemite, who is skillful in playing, a man of valor, a man of war, prudent in speech, and a man of good presence, and the Lord is with him.” 19 Therefore Saul sent messengers to Jesse and said, “Send me David your son, who is with the sheep.”

Discussion Questions

  1. Why did the people of Israel desire an earthly king?
  2. Why was Saul disqualified from being king?
  3. What does it mean to be a believer after God’s heart? 
  4. What do you make of God’s choice of David as king as opposed to Saul or David’s brothers?
  5. Have you ever struggled to prove yourself externally rather than submitting your heart to the Lord?

Application Questions

  1. Read through our texts in 1 Samuel this week, seeking greater understanding of how God appointed David as king. What does this text teach us about the ways of God?
  2. Search your heart this week. If God looks at the heart, is there anything you need to surrender to Him? Get prayer with a friend or mentor this week and realign with the Lord’s heart.