Unassuming Choice

Good morning & Welcome to New Hope!

We begin a new series this morning centered around the life of a man named David. And over the next few weeks it is our hope to share with you some of the key milestones in his amazing story. We will explore the highs and lows, and attempt to give you a glimpse of what it must have been like to walk in his shoes. There’s so much we can learn; so much God wants to teach us through this story. So let’s begin...

In order to understand the story of David, we must know some of the history that brings us to the point in the biblical narrative where we’re introduced to this shepherd boy.

So up to this point the nation of Israel had been lead by God. God delivered his people from the oppression of the Egyptians and lead them through the wilderness for 40 years. Amazingly, he would show up during the day in a pillar of cloud, and in the evening he would show up in a pillar of fire which provided light so they could travel either by day or night. says, “Neither the pillar of cloud by day nor the pillar of fire by night left its place in front of the people. God is a faithful God!!!

So basically, God had been their king. In fact, is an exchange between God and Israel’s judge at the time, named Samuel. God tells Samuel, “They don’t want me to be their king any longer. Ever since I brought them from Egypt they have continually abandoned me and followed other gods.”

And that’s what’s happening here again in the OT book of 1 Samuel. The people are rejecting God as king. God clearly sees that this is not an indictment on Samuel and his leadership ability. He says, “for they are rejecting me. Do as they ask, but warn them about the way a king will reign over them.”

So Samuel shares with them all the things that this new found king will do; your sons will be drafted into the king’s army; some will be forced to plow fields & harvest crops; some will make weapons and equipment; your daughters will be forced to cook, bake, & make perfumes for the new king. The king will take your best fields, vineyards, and olive groves. He will take a tenth of your grain & grape harvest. He will demand your finest cattle & donkeys. He will demand a tenth of your livestock. You will be his slaves. And when that day comes, you will beg for relief from this king you are demanding, but God will not help you.

You gotta get what the people’s response is… “Even so, we still want a king. We want to be like the nations around us.”

explain the selection process for Israel’s first king - His name was Saul and he became king at the age of 30, and he reigned for 42 years. We’re told that Saul was from a wealthy & influential family, and that he was “the most handsome man in all of Israel - head & shoulders taller than anyone else in the land.”

Saul reigned as king for 42 years

But unfortunately Saul made a series of bad choices that ultimately lead to his failure and rejection as king. And this grieved Samuel greatly… Which brings us to our text this morning…

Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy; Joshua, Judges, Ruth; 1 & 2 Samuel, 1 & 2 Kings, 1 & 2 Chronicles

1Now 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.”

You’ve stewed about it long enough…It’s time to move on. Have you ever been there? Just can’t stop wondering what if, or being frustrated about a wrong decision or someone else’s poor decision that possibly made you look bad? Give it to God and move on.

You see how God has this thing figured out? Just be obedient…Do what I say.

2But 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.

“Take a heifer with you,” the Lord replied, “and say that you have come to make a sacrifice to the Lord.

3Invite Jesse to the sacrifice, and I will show you which of his sons to anoint for me.”

Again, God’s got this figured out. Even though it seems like this could get you into deep water - God says - “Trust me! I got this.”

4So 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.

This was Jewish tradition of cleansing with water as a form of physical purity with a much deeper & more important connection representing spiritual purity. It was good and healthy to keep one’s self clean, but the greater meaning behind this was spiritual cleanliness.

(NIV) But your iniquities have separated you from your God; your sins have hidden his face from you, so that he will not hear. For your hands are stained with blood, your fingers with guilt. Your lips have spoken falsely, and your tongue mutters wicked things.

(NIV)

God’s getting ready to do something here. He’s going to show up and we need to be ready.

2But your iniquities have separated you from your God; your sins have hidden his face from you, so that he will not hear.

3For your hands are stained with blood, your fingers with guilt. Your lips have spoken falsely, and your tongue mutters wicked things.

6When they arrived, Samuel took one look at Eliab and thought, “Surely this is the Lord’s anointed!”

Our family loves watching basketball. One of the most unfair things in basketball is Genetics.

Being tall has advantages in crowds of people, in the swimming pool, changing light bulbs, usually picked first in sports, advantages on the job - CEOs on average are 3” taller than the norm, closer to the sun ;-)

7But 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.”

Hold your horses, Samuel…Pump your brakes, Scooter!

God doesn’t see things the way we see them. That’s encouraging and a little scary all at the same time.

8Then 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.”

9Next Jesse summoned Shimea, but Samuel said, “Neither is this the one the Lord has chosen.”

10In 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.”

At this point if I’m Samuel I’m a little tired, disappointed, and confused! I did what God said, we’ve seen all the boys, and God hasn’t chosen any of them. What did I miss?

11Then 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.”

David wasn’t even a consideration. They didn’t even call him in from the pasture. In there minds there was zero chance that David was the guy Samuel was looking for. He wasn’t even thought about to be included in the meeting.

12So Jesse sent for him. He was dark and handsome, with beautiful eyes. And the Lord said, “This is the one; anoint him.”

He was dreamy! There’s a misconception that David was a very small guy, but scripture isn’t really clear about that. In fact, if he’s part of the same lineage, there’s a good clue that he could have been a large man as well. In , which we are going to look at next week, David is going to go up against a giant. Saul, who was head & shoulders above everyone else in stature, has David try on his battle armor. “I cannot go in these…because I am not used to them.”

13So 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.

tells us that “the Lord sought out a man after his own heart.” So what was it about David that made him like this? More importantly, what are the qualities of David that we should apply to our lives to be men and women after God’s own heart?

Chuck Swindoll wrote a book about David...

Spirituality

A man after God’s own heart means that David’s life was in harmony with God’s. What’s important to God is important to you. What burdens God, burdens you. When he says, go this way, you go that way. When he says, stop that, you stop that. When he says, that needs to change, you are willing to change.

says, “The eyes of the Lord search the whole earth in order to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him.”

God is looking for people whose hearts are completely his.

Humility

The Lord saw David tending his father’s sheep. He was a servant. He had a servant’s heart. It wasn’t the most glamorous position, but David was willing to do it. Anyone who serves others must have a humble spirit.

Integrity

(NIV) And David shepherded them with integrity of heart; with skillful hands he led them. Integrity is doing what’s right even when no one is looking.

71He took David from tending the ewes and lambs and made him the shepherd of Jacob’s descendants— God’s own people, Israel.

72And David shepherded them with integrity of heart; with skillful hands he led them.

72He cared for them with a true heart and led them with skillful hands.

David was an unassuming choice. He was an afterthought. He wasn’t even part of the conversation. But what he possessed was inner character that God sees and says - I can do something with that!

I don’t care how tall you are

I don’t care how strong you are

I don’t care how successful you’ve been

I don’t care how much money you have

I don’t care how many likes you get

I don’t care how popular you are

I don’t even what you know and don’t know

Do you feel like you are an unassuming choice to be used by God? If you have character like David, I can and want to use you. Are you available?

Is it your desire to be a man/woman after God’s own heart?

How do you stack up with these traits?

Which one will you work on this week?

(NLT) Instead, God chose things the world considers foolish in order to shame those who think they are wise. And he chose things that are powerless to shame those who are powerful.

27Instead, God chose things the world considers foolish in order to shame those who think they are wise. And he chose things that are powerless to shame those who are powerful.