Don't Judge a Book by it's Cover

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Passage:

English Standard Version Chapter 16

16:1 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.”

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.”

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.”

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.”

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.

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TITLE: Don't Judge a Book by it's Cover

ME:

My Wife likes to shop!

She loves to search for those Phenomenal deals

She is like a detective who is searching for clues to finding that GREAT FIND! (Deal)

When we travel (Especially back to WV: Coming or going) she will see a store and say, “can we stop just for a minute?”

She loves going to outlet mall!

I go to watch people!

While she is shopping I am trying to guess things about people based on their mannerisms but more so their appearance! (WHAT I SEE ON THE OUTSIDE)

I have developed preconceived opinions/assessments based on peoples outward appearance all my life ......

...... Need someone to put a roof on my house!

Not going to hire a person who is driving a VW Bug/ Thick black-rim glasses/ and a pocket protector

(PLEASE ..... This is NO offense to anyone here this morning who fits that description)

..... Need someone to fix my computer!

Not going to hire a person who is wearing nothing but bib-overhauls and wad of tobacco in their jaw.

(Please ..... This is NO offense to anyone here who fits that description)

..... Need advise on my taxes!

Not going to a person who is wearing a shirt that says, “There is only three kids of people in the world: Those who know math and those who don’t.”

I have found that in my preconceived opinion/assessment of someone, I have been wrong!

Maybe it wasn’t someone but something?

I had a preconceived opinion/assessment of how a situation should play out.

.

Played it out in your mind before you got there.

Once you arrived it didn’t go the way you thought (good or bad).

I had a way that I was going handle a situation and it went south on me. (Bad)

I had an approach I was going to take only to find out it went in another direction and it worked out better than I thought. (Good)

Transition Statement: Do you recall having a Preconceived Opinion/Assessment of someone/something and come to find out you were wrong about it?

WE:

When it comes to people you do know we naturally develop a preconceived opinion/assessment of someone based solely on their outward appearance?

Don’t get me wrong, I am not saying this is always a bad thing!

Someone walks into the mall dressed in all black with a black trench coat and an AK-47 wrapped over their shoulder.

I think your preconceived opinion/assessment is spot on!

You see parents who have their kids all dressed up in their Ohio State shirt and shorts with their Ohio State Ball cap on and carrying around a Brutus Stuffed animal ..... your preconceived opinion/assessment is correct “CHILD ABUSE”!

How may of you have done this over you lifetime?

You saw a cute girl or a handsome guy only to find out later they were not so cute or handsome on the inside?

Or you saw a girl or guy who you thought they was snotty by their appearance but come to find out they were sweet people on the inside?

How many of you watch America’s Got Talent?

I think all of us who watch this show has done this .....

Preconceived opinions/Assessments about a person when they first walk out on the stage only to be proven wrong!

Suzanne Boyles (Britains Got Talent)

When it comes to people we tend to develop a preconceived opinion/assessment based on their appearance.

The problem with this is that we develop these opinions/assessments based on the OUTSIDE (Exterior) all the while failing to see the INSIDE (Interior) of a person.

We fail to assess the heart!

Transition Statement: Some of the best people in the world has “Judged a book by its cover!”

GOD:

This is exactly what we see in this passage of scripture. This pericope!

Before we address this we have to look at the context of the this passage:

We have to address what was going on leading up to this passage!

In Chapter 15 we find a conversation between The Prophet Samuel and King Saul.

God tells Samuel to Instruct King Saul in verse 3 .....

English Standard Version Chapter 15

Now go and strike Amalek and devote to destruction all that they have. Do not spare them, but kill both man and woman, child and infant, ox and sheep, camel and donkey.’

King Saul goes to battle and defeats the Amalekites but, look at verses 8-9 ......

English Standard Version Chapter 15

And he took Agag the king of the Amalekites alive and devoted to destruction all the people with the edge of the sword.

9 But Saul and the people spared Agag and the best of the sheep and of the oxen and of the fattened calves and the lambs, and all that was good, and would not utterly destroy them. All that was despised and worthless they devoted to destruction.

We find King Saul didn’t obey the commandment of the Lord and we see Samuel having to reveal Saul’s disobedience in Verses 11- 23 .....

English Standard Version Chapter 15

11 “I regret that I have made Saul king, for he has turned back from following me and has not performed my commandments.” And Samuel was angry, and he cried to the LORD all night.

English Standard Version Chapter 15

11 “I regret that I have made Saul king, for he has turned back from following me and has not performed my commandments.” And Samuel was angry, and he cried to the LORD all night.

English Standard Version Chapter 15

12 And Samuel rose early to meet Saul in the morning. And it was told Samuel, “Saul came to Carmel, and behold, he set up a monument for himself and turned and passed on and went down to Gilgal.”

13 And Samuel came to Saul, and Saul said to him, “Blessed be you to the LORD. I have performed the commandment of the LORD.”

14 And Samuel said, “What then is this bleating of the sheep in my ears and the lowing of the oxen that I hear?”

15 Saul said, “They have brought them from the Amalekites, for the people spared the best of the sheep and of the oxen to sacrifice to the LORD your God, and the rest we have devoted to destruction.”

16 Then Samuel said to Saul, “Stop! I will tell you what the LORD said to me this night.” And he said to him, “Speak.”

17 And Samuel said, “Though you are little in your own eyes, are you not the head of the tribes of Israel? The LORD anointed you king over Israel.

18 And the LORD sent you on a mission and said, ‘Go, devote to destruction the sinners, the Amalekites, and fight against them until they are consumed.’

19 Why then did you not obey the voice of the LORD? Why did you pounce on the spoil and do what was evil in the sight of the LORD?”

20 And Saul said to Samuel, “I have obeyed the voice of the LORD. I have gone on the mission on which the LORD sent me. I have brought Agag the king of Amalek, and I have devoted the Amalekites to destruction.

21 But the people took of the spoil, sheep and oxen, the best of the things devoted to destruction, to sacrifice to the LORD your God in Gilgal.”

22 And Samuel said,

“Has the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices,

as in obeying the voice of the LORD?

Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice,

and to listen than the fat of rams.

23 For rebellion is as the sin of divination,

and presumption is as iniquity and idolatry.

Because you have rejected the word of the LORD,

he has also rejected you from being king.”

I like how the NIV states it .....

22 But Samuel replied:

“Does the Lord delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices

as much as in obeying the voice of the Lord?

To obey is better than sacrifice,

and to heed is better than the fat of rams.

23 For rebellion is like the sin of divination,

and arrogance like the evil of idolatry.

Because you have rejected the word of the Lord,

he has rejected you as king.”

So the problem in the Land is King Saul is rejected by God from being King!

Now God has commanded Samuel to go and anoint a NEW KING!

Another problem ..... Samuel was fearful of Saul that he might Kill him for obeying God.

But what we find is God had a solution for both things: The problem in the Land and the appointing of a NEW KING.

God takes care of this by instructing Samuel in what to say .... “He is going to Sacrifice to the Lord.”

God already has a new king picked out!

God had a reason so that Samuel would not be killed by Saul (Sacrifice to the Lord!)

This is all leading up to what we have been talking about this morning ..... Preconceived opinion/assessment of people or situations.

In anointing a new king The prophet Samuel had a preconceived idea of what this new king was going to look like:

Look at verse 6: When they came, he looked on Eliab and thought, “Surely the Lord’s anointed is before him.”

When they came, he looked on Eliab and thought, “Surely the Lord’s anointed is before him.”

Why would Samuel think this?

He saw a young man who was of a certain age with a certain appearance: Size and looks

This is exactly what Samuel saw when he anointed King Saul: 9:2 And he had a son whose name was Saul, a handsome young man. There was not a man among the people of Israel more handsome than he. From his shoulders upward he was taller than any of the people.

And he had a son whose name was Saul, a handsome young man. There was not a man among the people of Israel more handsome than he. From his shoulders upward he was taller than any of the people.

The Holy Bible: English Standard Version. (2016). (). Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles.

But look what God says about this .... (Vs 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.” )

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.”

But what we find is God had a solution for both things: The problem in the Land and the appointing of a NEW KING.

God already has a new king picked out!

God had a reason so that Samuel would not be killed by Saul (Sacrifice to the Lord!)

What takes place is Samuel is instructed by God to go see a man named Jesse and have his sons pass by him so the Lord could instruct him of which one will be the next King!

All the sons pass by and not one of them is the one!

Samuel ask, “Is this all the sons you have?” (This probably should have been ask at the beginning of this process.)

Jesse says I have one more (The youngest) who is tending the flock!

Red haired, good looking young man who was able to tent to the flock all by himself!

This is the ONE

Samuel had it in his mind what this new King would look like but the Lord had something different in mind ....

Look at verse 6: When they came, he looked on Eliab and thought, “Surely the Lord’s anointed is before him.”

But look what God says about this .... (Vs 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.” )

Why would Samuel think this?

He saw a young man who was of a certain age with a certain appearance: Size and looks

This is exactly what Samuel saw when he anointed King Saul: 9:2 And he had a son whose name was Saul, a handsome young man. There was not a man among the people of Israel more handsome than he. From his shoulders upward he was taller than any of the people.

Look what God says about this .... (16:7 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 Spirit of the Lord rushed upon David from that day forward.”

Transition Statement: Everyone of us here this morning has had a preconceived opinion/assessment about someone or something.

We have even had them about God.

In anointing a new king The prophet Samuel had a preconceived idea of what this new king was going to look like:

Why would Samuel think this?

He saw a young man who was of a certain age with a certain appearance: Size and looks

This is exactly what Samuel saw when he anointed King Saul: 9:2 And he had a son whose name was Saul, a handsome young man. There was not a man among the people of Israel more handsome than he. From his shoulders upward he was taller than any of the people.

But what we find is God had a solution fo

God already has a new king picked out!

God had a reason so that Samuel would not be killed by Saul (Sacrifice to the Lord!)

How many of you have encountered a situation in your life where you believed it was going to turn out a certain way and it didn’t? (The outcome was positive or negative)

YOU:

What can we learn from this passage to help us when it comes to preconceived opinions/assessments regarding people or situations or, more specifically, about God?

First, His ways are not our ways!

When I first become a believer, I remember thinking, “I have tried things my way all my life, Let’s try it His way now!” (Especially when it came to dating and women!)

When I first become a believer, I remember thinking, “I have tried things all my life My way! Let’s try it His way now!” (Especially when it came to dating and women!)

Having a preconceived opinion or assessment in regards to a situation ..... His ways are not our ways.

Secondly, seek to see through the eyes of Jesus!

Isn’t this what we kind of get from Verse 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.”

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.”

God had already picked out David as the New King.

God had already picked out David as the New King.

I personally believe ..... Samuel would have known this if he would have resisted the preconceived idea of what a King was too look like.

He would have be able to see through the eyes of the Father!

Finally, Trust that His way is the best way!

In personal reflection, I have found that I had spent a lot of time trying to convince God to do things my way, when His way was always better!

What if I told you God has your answer. It just might not look like the way you thought it would look like.

Can I encourage you with this statement, “Trust the Lord, for His way is the BEST!”

Ask the Praise Team to make their way to the platform.

Have the people stand!

WE:

What is it you have been trying to convince God to do your way?

God change my wife/husband/kids and here is how you need to do it!

What if we just start trusting God’s way!

What is it you’re not looking through the eyes of Jesus at?

I find that most of the complaints in the church today is filtered through the eyes of man and not through the eyes of Jesus.

I don’t think Jesus is worried about the color of the carpet!

If he was, he would have put it in scripture (truthfully I say unto you the color of the carpet should be Purple)

Hey wait a minute Pastor, I think there thing that are very important to be doing for Jesus.

I agree! King Saul said, “we held back the best animals to sacrifice to the Lord.” This is a good thing right?

Obedience is better that the sacrifice!

I know of a church, right now, who is having a significant disagreement in regards to what translation the bibles in the pews should be.

Are you okay trusting His way opposed to your way?

I remember reading a story about a man who walked up to the platform and said to the pastor, “I am sorry but the Lord has told me to do something and I have to be obedient.”

He does a cartwheel in front of the whole church and goes and sits back down.

About that time a young lady gets up and walks forward, crying almost uncontrollably.

She comes to the altar and give her heart to the Lord.

After the service she tells the pastor and a couple of people who hung around to talk with her this ..... She was coming to church today with an ultimatum with God! “If you are real have someone do a cartwheel on the stage.”

Maybe someone here this morning is asking you to do a Cartwheel (metaphorically speaking).

Doing something His way even when it looks silly or scary or stupid.

What has the Lord been speaking to you about this morning.

What has the Lord been speaking to you about this morning.

Let’s take a moment and come and talk God who knows all, sees all, and has our best interest at heart.