David: A Man after of God’s Own Heart Series [2] God’s Choice – Part 2 David: A Man after of God’s Own Heart Series [2] 1 Samuel 16:1-23 © December 11, 2016 Pastor Paul K. Kim 2

RECAP: THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN SAUL & DAVID IN GOD’S CHOICE God’s rejection of SAUL Saul was “the people’s choice” for Israel’s demand (1 Sam. 8:19-22). Although Saul started as a humble man, he had gradually become self-conceited; to Saul, God became a means to his end (“useful God”). Subsequently, Saul rationalized himself and disobeyed to God’s specific commands on two incidents (1 Sam. 13 & 15). “Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice,     and to listen than the fat of rams . . . Because you have rejected the word of the Lord,     he has also rejected you from being king.” 1 Samuel 15:22-23b  

RECAP: THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN SAUL & DAVID IN GOD’S CHOICE God’s choice of DAVID David was “God’s choice” for the LORD’s purpose (v. 1; cf. Acts 13:21-23) God’s choice for salvation: God’s free unconditional choice (“monergism”). God’s choice for for office/task: God’s conditional choice on the heart qualities and God’s grace for training and empowering (“synergism”). 21 Then they asked for a king, and God gave them Saul the son of Kish, a man of the tribe of Benjamin, for forty years. 22 And when he had removed him, he raised up David to be their king, of whom he testified and said, ‘I have found in David the son of Jesse a man after my heart, who will do all my will.’ 23 Of this man's offspring God has brought to Israel a Savior, Jesus, as he promised. Acts 13:21-23 

WHAT LESSONS CAN WE DRAW FROM GOD’S CHOICE OF DAVID? 1) LESSON #1: God chooses a person for a task/role NOT according to the outward appearance but according to the HEART of a person (vs. 1-7). 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.

WHAT LESSONS CAN WE DRAW FROM GOD’S CHOICE OF DAVID? 1) LESSON #1: God chooses a person for a task/role NOT according to the outward appearance but according to the HEART of a person (vs. 1-7). 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.” 1 Samuel 16:1-7 What God sees and values is the inner qualities of our heart. The outward appearance may be good looks, wealth, titles, education, and any other things that might impress people, but God doesn’t look on them. Hence, if we long to be used by God, we ought to value and cultivate the heart, character, and qualities that please God.

16 From now on, therefore, we regard no one according to the flesh 16 From now on, therefore, we regard no one according to the flesh. Even though we once regarded Christ according to the flesh, we regard him thus no longer. 2 Corinthians 5:16

WHAT LESSONS CAN WE DRAW FROM GOD’S CHOICE OF DAVID? 2) LESSON #2: God chooses THE LOWLY AND THE WEAK so that God’s power and glory would be revealed paradoxically in the world (vs. 8-13). 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.”

WHAT LESSONS CAN WE DRAW FROM GOD’S CHOICE OF DAVID? 2) LESSON #2: God chooses THE LOWLY AND THE WEAK so that God’s power and glory would be revealed paradoxically in the world (vs. 8-13). 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. 1 Samuel 16:8-13 Notice that David wasn’t even counted as a candidate of God’s choice. But God’s unconventional way is that He chooses the lowly and the weak in order to shame the noble and the strong of the world. Why? It is because God is opposed to pride; God’s ultimate plan is to take attention away from man’s boasting toward the glory of God!

3 Talk no more so very proudly, let not arrogance come from your mouth 3 Talk no more so very proudly,  let not arrogance come from your mouth... 4 The bows of the mighty are broken,  but the feeble bind on strength... 7 The Lord makes poor and makes rich;  he brings low and he exalts. 1 Samuel 2:3, 4, 7 51 He has shown strength with his arm;  he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts; 52 he has brought down the mighty from their thrones  and exalted those of humble estate; 53 he has filled the hungry with good things,  and the rich he has sent away empty. Luke 1:51-53

 28 God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are, 29 so that no human being might boast in the presence of God. 1 Corinthians 1:28-29 9 But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. 10 For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong. 2 Corinthians 12:9-10

WHAT LESSONS CAN WE DRAW FROM GOD’S CHOICE OF DAVID? 3) LESSON #3: When God chooses a person for His purpose, God empowers him/her through THE HOLY SPIRIT (vs. 13-23).  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.14 Now the Spirit of the LORD departed from Saul, and a harmful spirit from the LORD tormented him. 15 And Saul's servants said to him, “Behold now, a harmful spirit from God is tormenting you. 16 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.” 

WHAT LESSONS CAN WE DRAW FROM GOD’S CHOICE OF DAVID? 3) LESSON #3: When God chooses a person for His purpose, God empowers him/her through THE HOLY SPIRIT (vs. 13-23). 17 So Saul said to his servants, “Provide for me a man who can play well and bring him to me.”  18 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.”19 Therefore Saul sent messengers to Jesse and said, “Send me David your son, who is with the sheep.” 20 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. 

WHAT LESSONS CAN WE DRAW FROM GOD’S CHOICE OF DAVID? 3) LESSON #3: When God chooses a person for His purpose, God empowers him/her through THE HOLY SPIRIT (vs. 13-23). 21 And David came to Saul and entered his service. And Saul loved him greatly, and he became his armor-bearer. 22 And Saul sent to Jesse, saying, “Let David remain in my service, for he has found favor in my sight.” 23 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. 1 Samuel 16:14-23 The primary sign of God’s choice is the work of the Holy Spirit in us. Unlike the OT times, now through the new covenant, the Spirit is given to ALL regenerated believers in Christ—for salvation and service to the Lord. However, the same principle still applies: we must submit to and obey the Spirit and be faithful in our Spirit-dependence.

HOW CAN APPLY TODAY’S LESSON ON GOD’S CHOICE [PART 2]? 1) We are to VALUE AND CULTIVATE the inner qualities of the heart rather than focusing on the outer appearance as Christ-followers. Do not be conformed to the worldly values for your worth. Look others not on the outward appearance but on the heart. 2) We are to GLADLY BOAST of our weaknesses, realizing that God’s power is made perfect in weakness for His glory. Embrace the things that humbles you. Seek God’s glory and God’s glory only in your weaknesses. 3) We are to SEEK SPIRIT-DEPENDENCE, trusting that the Holy Spirit would enable us to do our task/role that God has entrusted us with. Surrender to the Spirit and walk in the fullness of the Spirit. Cultivate your gifts of the Spirit humbly and seek to be used by God.

God’s Unconventional Method To educate and refine the flesh so that it may become profitable in His service is never God’s plan. He insists on the sentence of death upon everything that you and I are in ourselves. All that we are apart from what we are given by His grace at the moment of our regeneration is sentenced to God’s judgment, no matter how intellectual or proud or clever, or good we may be. There is only one place for all that is “self”—on Calvary. You may not be intellectual or well thought of in your family circle; you may be despised by others for your faith in Christ. Perhaps you had only a little share in the love of your parents, as David did. But remember that those who are rejected of men often become beloved by the Lord. Your faith in the Lord Jesus may be very weak and you may realize little of the dignity which Christ has purposed for you, but the thought of God toward you began before He ever flung a star into space. Then He wrote before the sky was stretched out in the heavens . . . Yet in His abundant mercy God can stoop down from heaven’s highest glory to lift a beggar from the dunghill and set him among princes. — Alan Redpath

THREE PRACTICAL QUESTIONS FOR OUR EVERYDAY LIFE What one insight hit home for you from today’s sermon on God’s choice [Part 2]? What would it mean for you to cultivate the inner qualities of your heart? What would it mean for you perceive others through God’s value system? What is your first step toward boasting gladly of your weaknesses in which God’s power is perfected for His glory?