What Does God Look For in a Disciple?

Introduction

Attention

You know, I’ve struggled with discipling people without looking at their earthly qualities. Do you struggle with the same thing?

Do we look for the people that talk like us, have similar backgrounds, similar socio-economic levels, similar complexion, similar politics? Or a wealthy person? or a famous person?

Raise a Need

How many times have you struggled discipling a person you felt didn’t deserve it? What do we look for in a disciple? More importantly, what does GOD look for in a disciple?

Transition to Text

Before we get to the text, I believe it’s important to look at what is going on at this time in Israel. The people of Israel cried out for a king to rule them like all the other countries around them. does anyone find that weird? At this time, THEY are God’s chosen people - set apart from the world but yet they want to be LIKE the world. I also think it’s funny that they cry out for a king - WHY? Because they already had one! GOD himself! They just didn’t see it or rejected that concept. So, God decided to hear their cry and give them Saul - as a punishment! Saul is anointed by Samuel but it is in secret! NOBODY knew he was anointed until Samuel announced it in Mizpah. Saul was crowned king but he disobeyed God (AMALAKITES) and thus, God sent Samuel to anoint another.

1 Samuel 16:1–13 NASB95

Now 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 selected a king for Myself among his sons.” But Samuel said, “How can I go? When Saul hears of it, he will kill me.” And the Lord said, “Take a heifer with you and say, ‘I have come to sacrifice to the Lord.’ “You shall invite Jesse to the sacrifice, and I will show you what you shall do; and you shall anoint for Me the one whom I designate to you.” So Samuel did what the Lord said, and came to Bethlehem. And the elders of the city came trembling to meet him and said, “Do you come in peace?” He said, “In peace; I have come to sacrifice to the Lord. Consecrate yourselves and come with me to the sacrifice.” He also consecrated Jesse and his sons and invited them to the sacrifice. When they entered, he looked at Eliab and thought, “Surely the Lord’s anointed is before Him.” But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not look at his appearance or at the height of his stature, because I have rejected him; for God sees not as man sees, for man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.” Then Jesse called Abinadab and made him pass before Samuel. And he said, “The Lord has not chosen this one either.” Next Jesse made Shammah pass by. And he said, “The Lord has not chosen this one either.” Thus Jesse made seven of his sons pass before Samuel. But Samuel said to Jesse, “The Lord has not chosen these.” And Samuel said to Jesse, “Are these all the children?” And he said, “There remains yet the youngest, and behold, he is tending the sheep.” Then Samuel said to Jesse, “Send and bring him; for we will not sit down until he comes here.” So he sent and brought him in. Now he was ruddy, with beautiful eyes and a handsome appearance. 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 came mightily upon David from that day forward. And Samuel arose and went to Ramah.

God Does not consider earthly qualities

Explanation

We see in verse 7 that God tells Samuel that Jesse’s first-born is NOT His anointed. Samuel saw Eliab in verse 6 and thought “This must be God’s anointed” based upon Eliab’s height. But the Lord rebuked Samuel. God doesn’t consider earthly qualities when He makes His selection. Son after son, passes by Samuel and the LORD does not give Samuel the word that one of them is the anointed one. Often, times we make our selection off of worldly criteria and that can lead to some pretty bad places.

Illustration

Think of this, say you’ve gone to a grocery store and found this BEAUTIFUL red apple. It’s big, and shiny, and looks really good. You buy it, get home and anxiously take that first bite, expecting that, if it looks this good, it HAS to taste just as good. You take a bite and it’s the BITTEREST thing you’ve tasted. Often times, the prettiest and shiniest things aren’t the best choice. The outside did not match the inside!

Argumentation

Luke 16:15 NASB95

And He said to them, “You are those who justify yourselves in the sight of men, but God knows your hearts; for that which is highly esteemed among men is detestable in the sight of God.

Matthew 23:27 NASB95

“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs which on the outside appear beautiful, but inside they are full of dead men’s bones and all uncleanness.

Application

We must remember that the things this world values are not important to God. We must not look at those we disciple from a worldly lens. We get a glimpse of the character of God by recognizing He does not consider the things man does, He considers something more important.

God Considers the Heart

We see in this portion of the text something important. God considers the heart of each man rather than his or her earthly qualities. The Hebrew word for heart in this context is LEBAB, which means the most interior organ - It is used also to denote courage. God looks at the innermost parts of man to make His decision.

Look at verse 12 where David is described as RUDDY. In Hebrew, the word is ADMONI, which is often translated as RED. This could mean he was sunburned or had red hair, but I think it signifies something a little more deep. What’s interesting is that ADMONI comes from the root A-DAM, meaning ground. IT is also the name given to the first man, ADAM.

Illustration

Consider a pearl. It is a valuable gem throughout the world. But a pearl can only be found inside an ocean mussel that has a dull, rough exterior. You have to open it up to find the gem inside.

Argumentation

Jeremiah 17:10 NASB95

“I, the Lord, search the heart, I test the mind, Even to give to each man according to his ways, According to the results of his deeds.

Application

Often times, we don’t see the pearl in people, just the dull and rough exterior. But God sees the pearl in everyone, we should too.

Conclusion

Visualization

Just like the apple and the pearl, people may not turn out to be as they look. Those who look good on the outside may be rotten on the inside, and those who have rough exteriors house a gem on the inside.

Reiteration

If there is one thing we can learn from this portion of text, one thing to take away, it is how we should look at others around us. We should look at the heart of a person and not their outward appearance.

Appeal

As we, as followers of Christ, strive to accomplish the Great Commission given to us by Jesus, let us remember what God values in a person. Let’s not discount someone because they may be rough around the edges, or struggle with sin, or any other worldly criteria. Let’s look at the heart of people as we disciple them.

Action

I’d like to close by praying over each and every one of us:

Father, I pray that You open our eyes to see others as You see them, let us see their hearts and not their outward appearance. Show us the pearls within people. Forgive us if we have used earthly lenses to look at those You have called us to disciple in accomplishing the Great Commission. Give us wisdom and understanding in Jesus’ mighty name, AMEN!