An Unlikely Choice

Saul has been rejected. Because he was disobedient.

God is prepared to select his new king.

1 Samuel 13:14 ESV

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.”

Prepare to read.

1 Samuel 16 ESV

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.” 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.’ 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.” 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?” 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. When they came, he looked on Eliab and thought, “Surely the Lord’s anointed is before him.” 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.” Then Jesse called Abinadab and made him pass before Samuel. And he said, “Neither has the Lord chosen this one.” Then Jesse made Shammah pass by. And he said, “Neither has the Lord chosen this one.” And Jesse made seven of his sons pass before Samuel. And Samuel said to Jesse, “The Lord has not chosen these.” 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.” 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.” 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. Now the Spirit of the Lord departed from Saul, and a harmful spirit from the Lord tormented him. And Saul’s servants said to him, “Behold now, a harmful spirit from God is tormenting you. 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.” So Saul said to his servants, “Provide for me a man who can play well and bring him to me.” 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.” Therefore Saul sent messengers to Jesse and said, “Send me David your son, who is with the sheep.” And Jesse took a donkey laden with bread and a skin of wine and a young goat and sent them by David his son to Saul. And David came to Saul and entered his service. And Saul loved him greatly, and he became his armor-bearer. And Saul sent to Jesse, saying, “Let David remain in my service, for he has found favor in my sight.” And whenever the harmful spirit from God was upon Saul, David took the lyre and played it with his hand. So Saul was refreshed and was well, and the harmful spirit departed from him.

The Lord’s Choosing

Our standards when we choose people for various activities.

David was not even brought to the meeting with Samuel

He was left in the field tending his sheep.

The example this sets as the Lord is often referred to as shepherd.

The Unexpected is who God will often use.

Lineage of Jesus

Jesse - Grandson of Ruth and Boaz

Boaz the son of Salmon and Rahab

Rahab - the prostitute

BOTH in lineage of Jesus.

Abraham

Based on the heart

Actions vs attitude.

Ritual vs Relationship

The power of Faith Hebrews 11.

Not something we determine

We don’t campaign for or seek the Lord’s using us for his purposes.

Seeking the Lord’s influence with impure motives will not work.

God’s Providence for those he calls.

The way the Lord protects and guides those he calls.

The Lord’s Blessing

Accepting the Lord’s accepting and rejection at various levels.

The Holy Spirit leaves Saul

Judges 16:20 ESV

And she said, “The Philistines are upon you, Samson!” And he awoke from his sleep and said, “I will go out as at other times and shake myself free.” But he did not know that the Lord had left him.

Not only was the Holy Spirit taken but Paul was afflicted by a harmful spirit.

Needed a musician to help soothe him.

Depression?

God disciplines those in his service.

We may not have the Holy Spirit removed from us, but we can face discipline for our disobedience.

David Empowered by the Holy Spirit.

The giving of the Spirit of the Lord

David will do many incredible things throughout his lifetime. He would come to be known as Israel’s greatest King. A man after God’s own heart.

All of this was possible, and only possible through the empowering of God’s Holy Spirit within him.

The Lord Empowers His Work Today

Through people influenced by the Holy Spirit.

Jesus promises this

John 14:26 ESV

But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you.

This is how His people will be guided.

Pentecost.

The Obedience of His People

While guided by the Holy Spirit we must still be obedient to what God calls us to in these situations.

The Way God Uses Us.

He uses us through his Spirit, and guides to act in obedience.

The Lord’s Service

David has to serve in Saul’s service as musician and armor bearer.

Already anointed as king.

Serving the rejected king as armor-bearer and musician.

Saul loved and depended upon David, the one who would replace him.

God’s finish line isn’t at the starting line.

We often want to be at the finish line as soon as we start.

Getting into a car in the road trip and kids asking how much longer?

David’s ages:

10-15 when annointed king

16-19 when fighting Goliath

30 when he became king

After being told that he would be king, David had to wait 15-20 years. Some of that time, as we will see, were by no means easy.

Most people can do most things, but most are not willing to put the time into being able to do them.

There is often much we need to do before we get to the greatest moments of our service to the Lord.

Learn more

Grow in faith

Endure Trials for our benefit.

Serve when and where called.

We won’t always have glamorous callings.

We may not always like how God calls us to serve.

Serve in hard places.

Our service to God should not be dependent upon where God has called us to serve.

The importance of a relationship with God over all else.