God Chooses His King

Intro

We live in a democracy, and we get to choose our leaders. Consider what you look for in a leader. Smart? Experienced? Honest? Handsome? Beautiful? Competent?

We tend to look at outward things. This passage helps us see what God looks at, and how he equips those he chooses. We also see the negative side of rebelling against God. One important truth: God chooses his king.

Main Idea: God Chooses His King

Time of Judges has ended. God gave them a king even though he didn’t want to. The people desired a king after what happened with Judges. Other nations had them. King Saul. Looked like a king. Strong militarily and politically. Not spiritually. Kings and priests. God is going to choose a new king.

1 Samuel 16:1-23

Truth #1: God looks at the heart

Exp. God gave a king to Israel, and his heart was rebellious toward God. It led the people astray. God would choose his man. Verse 1. Samuel grieved over Saul’s sin. Sign of a good priest. Sin should grieve us. Verses 2-3. God didn’t tell him to lie. The choosing of a new king required a sacrifice. However, it could also be for murder. So, Saul wouldn’t be alarmed.

Ill. Like going to the grocery store for milk, but I also grabbed a few bag of chips. My wife would not suspect anything because I would be getting milk…but also chips. Samuel would be performing a sacrifice, just not for what Saul thinks.

Exp. Then the brothers begin marching in front of Samuel. Verse 6-7. We easily look at the outward appearance. God does not. Exhorts Samuel. Don’t look at the outside. Look inward.

App. We tend to do this. We can look at:

Giftedness

Competency

Inability

App. This is why discipleship is not focused on behavioral modification. Discipleship is aimed at forming our hearts to mirror Jesus.

Exp. God does not look at these things. We praise him for that! Verse 10. They all came before him, but God rejected them all. Verse 11-12. God knew the heart of David. God wanted him as king. David’s heart would lead the people, not his stature.

Christ - We are called to have a heart like this, but can we? No. We don’t have a heart like David unless Christ gives it to us. In Christ, we are given a new heart.

Ezekiel 11:19-20, “And I will give them one heart, and a new spirit I will put within them. I will remove the heart of stone from their flesh and give them a heart of flesh, that they may walk in my statutes and keep my rules and obey them. And they shall be my people, and I will be their God.”

Christ - We have a heart that is rebellious toward God. In our new birth, we have a new heart.

App. Examine your heart. Do you have a heart that God longs for?

Desire God

Desire Holiness

Desire God’s church

Desire God’s calling

Truth #2: God gives his Spirit

Exp. It is time for the anointing. Verses 12-13. God’s Spirit rushed upon David. This is the anointing. Commentators point out that Saul has officially be usurped even though he is king. Holy Spirit didn’t enter, more like he clothed. Temporarily empower people.

Ill. Kind of like Iron Man. Tony Stark is a regular guy, but his suit gives him abilities. That is similar to what the HS would do in the Old Testament.

Arg. We have reached the David, kindly line. This line is important, and in a couple of weeks, we will deal with the covenant God gives to David and the kingly line forever. Big takeaway: God doesn’t look for the capable person. He looks for a contrite heart, and lets his Spirit do the rest. David wasn’t capable in his own self. He was capable because of his heart, and God’s Spirit.

Christ - In Christ, we are given the Holy Spirit. Not just for empowerment, but for indwelling.

1 Corinthians 3:16

Do you not know that you are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in you?

Ephesians 2:22

In him you also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit.

John 14:16

And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever.

Romans 8:11

If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit who dwells in you.

App. Are you being led by the Spirit? If he dwells in us, we should respond:

Calling

Conviction

Comfort

Truth #3: God punishes unrepentance

Exp. David has the Spirit, but Saul is still king. Verse 14. Not salvific. David’s receiving the HS is not for salvation. Neither is God withdrawing from Saul about losing salvation. This is specific to an anointing as king, not salvation. Warning of the danger of unrepentance. God sends harmful spirit. Harmful = evil. God is sovereign over these spirits. This is not HS, but some other supernatural entity. Verses 15-16. His servant realized this and finds a solution: music. Verse 17-18. Sends for David. “The Lord is with him.” This must have stung. This was a harsh punishment for Saul’s unrepentant heart.

Ill. Just as we would discipline our children for deliberate disobedience, so, too, does God punish Saul. Saul continued in rebellion, and God had enough. What’s different is that discipline is for growth, punishment is condemnation.

Arg. God has an eternal punishment for sin due to the new covenant. Sin is not something to be played around with.

Matthew 25:46

And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”

2 Thessalonians 1:9

They will suffer the punishment of eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his might,

Romans 1:24–25

Therefore God gave them up in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, to the dishonoring of their bodies among themselves, because they exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever! Amen.

Christ - Don’t live in unrepentance. Jesus gives a place to turn to when we turn from sin. He took care of our sin by his death on the cross, and then gave us something to look at: Him! We can look and run to him. We can throw away sin and run towards Christ.

App. Are you repentant?

What sin do you need to repent of today?

Whatever sin it is, it stems from a heart that is rebellious. Sin is in essence saying “I don’t need God.” Repent from believing you don’t need him.

Why? God looks at the heart, and he gives a new heart. One where the HS lives. Let’s rest in that.