1. On this Independence Day, as Americans celebrate their freedom with parades, parties and fireworks, we should pause to honor and remember the many "Founding Fathers" (and Mothers) who made it possible. We all know the stories of the most famous leaders of that momentous era - Washington, Jefferson, Franklin, and John/Abigail Adams will be remembered for time immemorial. Yet the 56 men who signed the Declaration of Independence in the summer of 1776 could not have known just how successful their effort would be.
Rather, all they knew was that they had committed High Treason against Great Britain and their sovereign, King George the 3rd, by signing their name to a document that renounced their allegiance to their mother country. "We mutually pledge to each other our lives, our fortunes, and our sacred honor" is Jefferson's final sentence; for over 20 of the signers, that pledge would take on a woeful meaning in the years after 1776.
9 signers paid the ultimate sacrifice - their lives - for the cause of Independence. 17 (almost 1 for every 3 who signed) lost every penny they had and every piece of property they owned. Yet not a single one reneged on their pledge to stand "for the support of this Declaration".
Let me repeat - not one man out of the 56 signers of the Declaration ever recanted or apologized for their brave act in As delegate William Ellery recalled years later, having stood next to the document while it was being signed, “in no face was [I] able to discern real fear". That courage was sorely tested, but never faltered.
This was despite the terrible price many of them paid, and the hardships all of them endured during the Revolutionary War that followed. The ones we remember today survived and went to perform even greater service for their new nation. Many did not.
Going from North to South (as was the tradition then), here are some of the Founding Fathers who truly gave their lives and/or their well-being for the cause of Liberty:
William Ellery, Rhode Island: His house and entire estate was burned to the ground. He survived the war and later became a vocal opponent of slavery.
William Floyd, New York: He and his family escaped the British invasion of Long Island to Connecticut, but left behind their home and his entire income. The home was a charred ruin when they returned, penniless, a full 7 years later. He went on to become a U.S. Senator and Congressman from New York.
Francis Lewis, New York: His home and estates on Long Island were destroyed by the British. Even worse, Mrs. Lewis was captured and imprisoned, dying from complications stemming from her incarceration.
Lewis Morris, New York: Far from being a "courteous abstainer" during the debate (as the musical 1776 tells us), Morris literally put his money where his mouth (and signatures) was; the entire Morris financial fortune was put at the service of the Continental Army. Loyalist neighbors confiscated his property, forcing him apart from his family for the duration of the war. His brother Gouverneur (of Constitution fame) also lost most of his wealth during the Revolution.
Phillip Livingston, New York: One of the wealthiest men in American in 1776, Livingston lost every shilling he had as a result of signing the Declaration. His family was driven from their house by the British and his estate plundered. Livingston died impoverished just two years later, while still serving in the Continental Congress.
John Hart, New Jersey: Hart's wife was dying as he signed the Declaration. He hurried home in time to say goodbye, only to be forced to flee as the British approached. His 13 children never saw their father again: they were all forced to flee for their lives as well. He died in 1779.
Richard Stockton, New Jersey: Judge Stockton was arrested by the British in 1776 and imprisoned in a military stockade. He was released 5 years later, his health crippled, and died a pauper in Princeton. Richard Stockton College in New Jersey is named in his honor.
John Witherspoon, New Jersey: A native of Scotland, he earned his Doctorate in Divinity from the University of St. Andrews before immigrating to the colonies to serve as President of the College of New Jersey (better known today as Princeton University). The British responded to his signing the Declaration by burning the College library to the ground when they occupied Princeton a few months later, and pillaged the rest of the campus. Witherspoon returned after the British were expelled from the area by the Continental Army, and lived to see the College rebuilt.
Robert Morris, Pennsylvania: Morris earned a massive fortune as a banker and commercial magnate - and gave it all away to finance the Revolution. The "blockade runners" that brought provisions from Europe to the colonies were entirely paid for and provisioned by Morris. He also loaned the then-enormous sum of $10,000 to the Continental Congress when it was on the verge of bankruptcy in Unlike the global bankers of today, Morris didn't set any preconditions on a loan that literally kept the nation afloat; also unlike today's CEOs, he never got his money back. He died impoverished in 1806, but not before becoming the nation's first effective Secretary of the Treasury (before 1789, that is).
John Morton, Pennsylvania: Despite living in a Loyalist-dominated part of the colony, and personally preferring reconciliation with Great Britain, Morton signed the Declaration. His neighbors turned on him, and he was forced to remain in Philadelphia. Just before his death in 1777, he submitted to Congress what became known as the "Articles of Confederation".
Thomas Nelson, Virginia: Nelson lived in Yorktown, which of course saw the final showdown of the Revolutionary War. As American guns shelled the British defenses, an anguished Nelson (now a General in the Continental Army) saw that they were sparing his house, which was General Cornwallis' headquarters. As the story goes, Nelson personally turned a cannon towards his home and blew it up, to show that he was no less willing to sacrifice than his fellow Virginians. He loaned over $2 million to the Continental Congress, none of which was repaid, and died impoverished.
The entire South Carolina delegation: All four Palmetto State signatories paid dearly for joining the cause for Independence. Edward Rutledge (the pro-slavery aristocrat in 1776), Arthur Middleton and Thomas Heyward, Jr. were all imprisoned by the British when Charleston was taken in They were beaten and humiliated in prison, then released to their plantations a year later - which of course had been burned to the ground and completely pillaged. They were more fortunate than co-signatory Thomas Lynch - he disappeared at sea while seeking medical help in the West Indies, together with his young wife, at some point in 1779.
Lyman Hall, Georgia: a physician who had earned his degree from Yale, Dr. Hall helped to supply food and provisions for the Continental Army throughout the war. Despite living the furthest away from Philadelphia of all the signers, he returned to Georgia just once between 1775 and 1780 (when his friend and co-signer Button Gwinnett was killed in a duel). The British burned his property when they seized Savannah in 1780, and after escaping the siege of Charleston found refuge in Connecticut.
Of the 56 men who signed the Declaration of Independence in the weeks and months after July 4, 1776, 9 did not live to see the success of the American Revolution. Many others suffered financial losses and - in some cases - total ruin. The men listed above were not the only ones to pay a stiff price for their courage. John Adams' Boston home was looted, as was Franklin's in Philadelphia, while Thomas Jefferson barely escaped with his life in 1779 when the British Navy raided Virginia. Josiah Bartlett's house was sacked by Loyalists in 1774, even before the "Shot Heard 'Round The World"!
They were, of course, far from alone. Thousands of ordinary Americans suffered as well, with many paying the ultimate sacrifice for their courage. It has been often noted that many (if not equally as many) colonists stayed loyal to Great Britain; they, too often lost everything, driven from their homes and the new nation itself (Nova Scotia was largely settled by Loyalists). For the men, women and children who lived through the American Revolution, it was not a pleasurable experience.
So, as we celebrate the birth of the United States of America this weekend, let's pause to remember our ancestors - those we remember and those who were forgotten - who pledged "our lives, our fortunes and our sacred honor" for a cause that was lucky to survive the next few months, let alone 235 years. 56 men suffered varying degrees of misfortune for placing their signature underneath John Hancock's - but none of them wavered, and none of them repudiated their pledge. For this, and despite all the difficulties we have faced - and will continue to face - here in America, we should always give our thanks.
As we look at these men and women, the odds were against them. They were underdogs and didn’t have the resources, so people thought. But out of a desire for freedom, freedom to worship God, they overcame insurmountable odds to build the country we have come to love and enjoy. One would ponder if this is the country they envisioned, but the freedom they fought for, is the freedom that has created the country we now we live in. Some would make a strong argument that we have squandered that freedom and taken freedom far beyond what our founding fathers would have desired, and certainly, more importantly, beyond what God wills for our lives and this country.
The question must be asked today; what kind of men and women found this country, and what men and women will rebuild this country and the world we live in. Today, we start our new sermon series…”AT THE MOVIES”. So in answer to our question, what kind of men and women founded this country, and what men and women will He use to rebuild it, and bring revival, I want us to look at this video clip from Captain America.

2. 9 signers paid the ultimate sacrifice - their lives - for the cause of Independence. 17 (almost 1 for every 3 who signed) lost every penny they had and every piece of property they owned. Yet not a single one reneged on their pledge to stand "for the support of this Declaration".
Let me repeat - not one man out of the 56 signers of the Declaration ever recanted or apologized for their brave act in As delegate William Ellery recalled years later, having stood next to the document while it was being signed, “in no face was [I] able to discern real fear". That courage was sorely tested, but never faltered.
This was despite the terrible price many of them paid, and the hardships all of them endured during the Revolutionary War that followed. The ones we remember today survived and went to perform even greater service for their new nation. Many did not.
Going from North to South (as was the tradition then), here are some of the Founding Fathers who truly gave their lives and/or their well-being for the cause of Liberty:
William Ellery, Rhode Island: His house and entire estate was burned to the ground. He survived the war and later became a vocal opponent of slavery.
William Floyd, New York: He and his family escaped the British invasion of Long Island to Connecticut, but left behind their home and his entire income. The home was a charred ruin when they returned, penniless, a full 7 years later. He went on to become a U.S. Senator and Congressman from New York.
Francis Lewis, New York: His home and estates on Long Island were destroyed by the British. Even worse, Mrs. Lewis was captured and imprisoned, dying from complications stemming from her incarceration.
Lewis Morris, New York: Far from being a "courteous abstainer" during the debate (as the musical 1776 tells us), Morris literally put his money where his mouth (and signatures) was; the entire Morris financial fortune was put at the service of the Continental Army. Loyalist neighbors confiscated his property, forcing him apart from his family for the duration of the war. His brother Gouverneur (of Constitution fame) also lost most of his wealth during the Revolution.
Phillip Livingston, New York: One of the wealthiest men in American in 1776, Livingston lost every shilling he had as a result of signing the Declaration. His family was driven from their house by the British and his estate plundered. Livingston died impoverished just two years later, while still serving in the Continental Congress.
John Hart, New Jersey: Hart's wife was dying as he signed the Declaration. He hurried home in time to say goodbye, only to be forced to flee as the British approached. His 13 children never saw their father again: they were all forced to flee for their lives as well. He died in 1779.
Richard Stockton, New Jersey: Judge Stockton was arrested by the British in 1776 and imprisoned in a military stockade. He was released 5 years later, his health crippled, and died a pauper in Princeton. Richard Stockton College in New Jersey is named in his honor.
John Witherspoon, New Jersey: A native of Scotland, he earned his Doctorate in Divinity from the University of St. Andrews before immigrating to the colonies to serve as President of the College of New Jersey (better known today as Princeton University). The British responded to his signing the Declaration by burning the College library to the ground when they occupied Princeton a few months later, and pillaged the rest of the campus. Witherspoon returned after the British were expelled from the area by the Continental Army, and lived to see the College rebuilt.
Robert Morris, Pennsylvania: Morris earned a massive fortune as a banker and commercial magnate - and gave it all away to finance the Revolution. The "blockade runners" that brought provisions from Europe to the colonies were entirely paid for and provisioned by Morris. He also loaned the then-enormous sum of $10,000 to the Continental Congress when it was on the verge of bankruptcy in Unlike the global bankers of today, Morris didn't set any preconditions on a loan that literally kept the nation afloat; also unlike today's CEOs, he never got his money back. He died impoverished in 1806, but not before becoming the nation's first effective Secretary of the Treasury (before 1789, that is).
John Morton, Pennsylvania: Despite living in a Loyalist-dominated part of the colony, and personally preferring reconciliation with Great Britain, Morton signed the Declaration. His neighbors turned on him, and he was forced to remain in Philadelphia. Just before his death in 1777, he submitted to Congress what became known as the "Articles of Confederation".
Thomas Nelson, Virginia: Nelson lived in Yorktown, which of course saw the final showdown of the Revolutionary War. As American guns shelled the British defenses, an anguished Nelson (now a General in the Continental Army) saw that they were sparing his house, which was General Cornwallis' headquarters. As the story goes, Nelson personally turned a cannon towards his home and blew it up, to show that he was no less willing to sacrifice than his fellow Virginians. He loaned over $2 million to the Continental Congress, none of which was repaid, and died impoverished.
The entire South Carolina delegation: All four Palmetto State signatories paid dearly for joining the cause for Independence. Edward Rutledge (the pro-slavery aristocrat in 1776), Arthur Middleton and Thomas Heyward, Jr. were all imprisoned by the British when Charleston was taken in They were beaten and humiliated in prison, then released to their plantations a year later - which of course had been burned to the ground and completely pillaged. They were more fortunate than co-signatory Thomas Lynch - he disappeared at sea while seeking medical help in the West Indies, together with his young wife, at some point in 1779.
Lyman Hall, Georgia: a physician who had earned his degree from Yale, Dr. Hall helped to supply food and provisions for the Continental Army throughout the war. Despite living the furthest away from Philadelphia of all the signers, he returned to Georgia just once between 1775 and 1780 (when his friend and co-signer Button Gwinnett was killed in a duel). The British burned his property when they seized Savannah in 1780, and after escaping the siege of Charleston found refuge in Connecticut.
Of the 56 men who signed the Declaration of Independence in the weeks and months after July 4, 1776, 9 did not live to see the success of the American Revolution. Many others suffered financial losses and - in some cases - total ruin. The men listed above were not the only ones to pay a stiff price for their courage. John Adams' Boston home was looted, as was Franklin's in Philadelphia, while Thomas Jefferson barely escaped with his life in 1779 when the British Navy raided Virginia. Josiah Bartlett's house was sacked by Loyalists in 1774, even before the "Shot Heard 'Round The World"!
They were, of course, far from alone. Thousands of ordinary Americans suffered as well, with many paying the ultimate sacrifice for their courage. It has been often noted that many (if not equally as many) colonists stayed loyal to Great Britain; they, too often lost everything, driven from their homes and the new nation itself (Nova Scotia was largely settled by Loyalists). For the men, women and children who lived through the American Revolution, it was not a pleasurable experience.
So, as we celebrate the birth of the United States of America this weekend, let's pause to remember our ancestors - those we remember and those who were forgotten - who pledged "our lives, our fortunes and our sacred honor" for a cause that was lucky to survive the next few months, let alone 235 years. 56 men suffered varying degrees of misfortune for placing their signature underneath John Hancock's - but none of them wavered, and none of them repudiated their pledge. For this, and despite all the difficulties we have faced - and will continue to face - here in America, we should always give our thanks.
As we look at these men and women, the odds were against them. They were underdogs and didn’t have the resources, so people thought. But out of a desire for freedom, freedom to worship God, they overcame insurmountable odds to build the country we have come to love and enjoy. One would ponder if this is the country they envisioned, but the freedom they fought for, is the freedom that has created the country we now we live in. Some would make a strong argument that we have squandered that freedom and taken freedom far beyond what our founding fathers would have desired, and certainly, more importantly, beyond what God wills for our lives and this country.
The question must be asked today; what kind of men and women found this country, and what men and women will rebuild this country and the world we live in. Today, we start our new sermon series…”AT THE MOVIES”. So in answer to our question, what kind of men and women founded this country, and what men and women will He use to rebuild it, and bring revival, I want us to look at this video clip from Captain America.

3. Video clip

4. (So in this video clip, the unlikely hero is a boy who is under weight, unlikely, unassuming, unsung, un-liked, and unimagined. Yet, when the need comes, he is the only one who is willing to sacrifice.)
It reminds me of a passage in 1 Samuel 16:1-13

5. 1 SAMUEL 16: 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.”

6. 1 SAMUEL 16:1-13 2 But Samuel said, “How can I go
1 SAMUEL 16: 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.’ 3 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.”

7. 1 SAMUEL 16: 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?” 5 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.

8. 1 SAMUEL 16:1-13
6 When they entered, he looked at Eliab and thought, “Surely the Lord’s anointed is before Him.” 7 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.”

9. 1 SAMUEL 16:1-13
8 Then Jesse called Abinadab and made him pass before Samuel. And he said, “The Lord has not chosen this one either.” 9 Next Jesse made Shammah pass by. And he said, “The Lord has not chosen this one either.” 10 Thus Jesse made seven of his sons pass before Samuel. But Samuel said to Jesse, “The Lord has not chosen these.”

10. 1 SAMUEL 16:1-13
11 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.” 12 So he sent and brought him in. Now he was ruddy, with beautiful eyes and a handsome appearance.

11. 1 SAMUEL 16:1-13
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 came mightily upon David from that day forward. And Samuel arose and went to Ramah.
In the book of Acts David is referred to as a man after God’s own heart….
Acts 13:22, “And when he had removed him, he raised up unto them David to be their king; to whom also he gave testimony, and said, I have found David the son of Jesse, a man after mine own heart, which shall fulfil all my will.”
Three thousand years ago, God chose a young man named David to be the king of Israel. Out of all the sons of Jesse, the favor of God landed on a lad named David. David was the youngest son of a poor farmer from the tiny hamlet of Bethlehem. David was a young man who was not even respected by the members of his own family. He was a nobody living in a family of nobodies. Yet, by the grace of God, David became the greatest king in the history of the nation of Israel. He also became an ancestor of the Lord Jesus Christ. He is listed among the great heroes of the faith in Hebrews 11. During his life, he received great promises and remarkable blessings from the hand of God. But, greatest of all, David became a man after God’s Own heart. This was not David’s own testimony, but this is the testimony of God, Acts 13:22.
David became a man after God’s Own heart and my hope is we can see who God uses to accomplish great things.
Now, David was not perfect. In fact, he was far from it! He failed, and he failed big, but he kept short accounts with God. He sinned, but he was quick to confess and he manifested genuine heart repentance. David has much that he can teach us about obedience, faith and worship.
HOW GOD CHOOSES
So we see this chapter opens with God reminding Samuel of the fact that He has rejected Saul as king of Israel. Saul was chosen as king because the people wanted to be like the other nations around them, 1 Sam. 8:1-5. Up to that point, God had ruled the nation, raising up leaders as they were needed. This was how things operated all way from the time of Moses through the days of the Judges. They were warned that elevating a man to the throne would bring political corruption and trouble, 1 Sam. 8: When Saul was chosen to be their king, the people were elated. He was fine physical specimen, standing head and shoulders taller than anyone else in Israel, 1 Sam. 9:2. While he may have been a giant among men, he was a spiritual pygmy! Saul was a jealous man, who lived for the praises of the people. He tended to overstep his boundaries and was guilty of gross disobedience to the commands of the Lord. As a result, the Lord proved to Israel the dangers of a human king and God rejected Saul as the king of His people.
As a result of Saul’s rebellion, God chooses a new king to rule over Israel. He chooses a young man named David. When God chooses David, He chooses an unlikely candidate for such a lofty and powerful office. In God’s choice of David as king, we are allowed to see something of the process God uses when He would choose someone to work for Him.
I want to share for a little while on how God Chooses. In this day and within this culture, God is still looking and choosing people the same way. He is looking for people who will follow Him and make a difference….
Let’s look together…

12. GOD’S CHOICES ARE SOVEREIGN
His Choice Involves Sovereign Providence – It is against the backdrop of rebellion and rejection that God begins the process of choosing a new king for Israel. He was ready to raise up a new king and the people had been made ready to accept a new king. God worked behind the scenes during those difficult days in Israel’s history to prepare the way for His plan to be fulfilled.
B. His Choice Involves Sovereign Planning – Next, Samuel is told where to go to find the new king. It appears that the Lord had been arranging everything to bring His chosen king into the world at precisely the right moment in history. If you look back at the ancestry of King David, you will find the hand of the Lord moving and shaping events. One of David’s ancestors was a woman named Rahab, Judges 2. She had been saved out of pagan idolatry and brought into the nation of Israel. She married a man named Salmon, Matt. 1:5, and became the mother of a man named Boaz, Ruth 4:20. Boaz also married a Gentile girl brought out of paganism by the sovereign grace of the Lord, named Ruth, Ruth 4. Ruth and Boaz were the great grandparents of a boy named David.
These events were not accidental! They were part of a perfect plan, formulated in eternity passed and worked out in time. This was not coincidence; it was the mighty hand of the Lord!
C. His Choice Involves Sovereign Power – Notice the words “I have.” Many people have great plans and dreams, but they lack to power to bring them to pass. Not the Lord! What He proposes, He is well able to dispose!
Ill. God rules in the affairs of men. Napoleon, at the height of his career, is reported to have given this cynical answer to someone who asked if God was on the side of France: "God is on the side that has the heaviest artillery."
Then came the Battle of Waterloo, where Napoleon lost both the battle and his empire. Years later, in exile on the island of St. Helena, chastened and humbled, Napoleon is reported to have quoted the words of Thomas à Kempis: "Man proposes, God disposes." This is the lesson of history and of the Bible!

13. GOD’S CHOICES ARE SURPRISING
(Ill. The Context. Samuel is set to Bethlehem to anoint the new king. When Samuel arrives there, he commands Jesse to gather together his sons. They come before the old prophet and pass before him one by one. It is in this process that God makes known His choice for king. But, His choices, while they are sovereign, also carry with them some real surprises.)
A. v His Choice Is Surprising In Its Rejections – The first of Jesse’s sons passes before Samuel. His name is Eliab. His name means “God is Father.” He is a fine physical specimen, and Samuel thinks that he is surely the chosen one. But, God says, “I have refused him.” The word “refuse” simply means to “reject.” Eliab might have looked pleasing outwardly, but something in his character disqualified him from being the king.
Abinadab is next. His name means “My father is noble.” But, he too is passed over and rejected by the Lord. Next is Shammah. His name means “Astonishment.” This may refer to his physical size or some other physical trait, but no matter, he too is rejected! Then, one after another of Jesse sons pass before Samuel until seven have passed by and all are rejected by the Lord.
Surely these men are all fine physical specimens; their physiques having been refined and toned by hours of hard, physical labor. Anyone of them would have possessed the physical requirements to turn heads and rule as a king. But, none of them possessed the right kind of character traits.
(Note: God sees what man cannot see! Even Samuel was impressed with Eliab, but God wasn’t. You would have thought that Samuel would have learned his lesson with Saul. But, Samuel is still looking at men through human eyes.
B. v. 7 His Choice Is Surprising In Its Requirements – God tells Samuel that He does not look at the physical attributes of a man. God looks at the character of a man’s heart. Before Saul ever ceased being King, God had already determined to raise up a man with the right kind of heart, 1 Sam. 13:14. You see, as the sons of Jesse stand there that day, they all looked the part, but what Samuel could not see was the condition of their hearts. Eliab, for instance, caught the old prophet’s eye; but he reveals the character of his heart in the next chapter. There, we discover that Eliab is critical, jealous and negative, 1 Sam. 17:28. He may have been a big man externally, but he was a baby inside! He was not the kind of man God could use for His glory!
C. v His Choice Is Surprising In Its Receptions – After the seven sons of Jesse have passed before Samuel and all have been rejected, Samuel finds out that there is another son. He is the youngest and he is said to be with the sheep. He is so insignificant within the family that he is not even summoned with the rest of the boys, but he is left out of the feast and the sacrifice. He is out there doing the job of a humble servant. In fact, when he is mentioned by his father, he is not even called by his name; he is simply called “the youngest.”
(Ill. In 1809, the world was watching with bated breath as Napoleon conquered the nation of Austria. Cities, villages and hamlets fell into his grip and the world wondered if he could be stopped.
But, while the mad little Emperor was battling his way around Europe, thousands of babies entered into this world as well. But, people didn’t care for babies; they were too occupied with battles.
Of course, history has a way of clarifying things for us. While war waged in 1809, England witnessed the births of William Gladstone and Alfred Lord Tennyson. Germany greeted a baby named Felix Mendelssohn. America welcomed Edgar Allen Poe, Oliver Wendell Holmes, Charles Darwin, and Robert Charles Winthrop; and in the cabin of an extremely poor family in Kentucky a little baby by the name of Abraham Lincoln took his first breaths.
Now, nearly two hundred years later, no one but historians can name even one of the battles Napoleon fought in Now, no one even really cares. But, each of the little babies I named came into this world as a nobody, but each left his mark on the world. And, they continue to make an impact today. You never know what God will do with the unknown people around you today!)

14. GOD’S CHOICES ARE SPECIFIC
(Ill. It seems crystal clear that God had a specific plan in mind. He sent Samuel to a specific town, to a specific family in that town and then to the specific person He had chosen for to be the next king. Very briefly, there are some indications as to why God made the choice He did in the life of David.)

15. Ready Reliable Redeemed God Chooses Those Who Are…
A. v God Chooses Those Who Are Ready – When Jesse and David’s brothers are brought in before Samuel, they are “sanctified,” v. 5. In other words, their sins are dealt with and they are made ready for worship. When David is brought, there is no time for him to be sanctified, but he is ready nonetheless! David is a picture of that believer who keeps his heart in a state of readiness. He does not know when the Lord might call him so he stays ready at all times. That is the kind of person God is looking for today as well.
B. v. 11 God Chooses Those Who Are Reliable – When God calls David, He finds him faithfully doing what he has been told to do. He is keeping the sheep. He is doing a dirty, lonely job; but he does it because it is what he has been assigned to do. After he is anointed, he goes back to his flock, v Why? Because that is what he does! Even after he is called to Jerusalem to play for King Saul, v. 23, he returned to keep his father’s sheep, 17:15. Why? Because that is what he does! David was given an assignment and he carried it out faithfully. He even placed his life on the line to protect those sheep, 17: When Jesse looked at David he saw the youngest of his sons. His brothers saw a little brat, 17:28. Samuel saw a cute little boy, 16:12. But, when God looked at David, He saw integrity, faithfulness, responsibility and character. Others saw a nobody, God saw a king!
C. v. 13 God Chooses Those Who Are Redeemed – When Samuel anointed David and perhaps whispered God’s plan in his ear; this was not David’s first encounter with God. No doubt David had seen the glory of God written in the heavens and His power manifested in the universe, Psa David had witnessed God’s tender care for His people in his own relationship to his flocks. This is evident in Psalm 23 and others which reveal the heart of David while he was still a young shepherd. He might have walked onto the public stage in 1 Samuel 16; but David had been walking with the Lord for quite some time! Listen to David’s own testimony in 1 Sam. 17:37; 45.
Ok, so great! We see how God chose an unlikely candidate to be the king of Israel and how our nation was founded through unlikely odds, but what is the application for us today? What is the take away for our lives today?
We saw in the video clip from Captain America an unwilling candidate to be a soldier. He wasn’t the biggest, strongest or most gifted, but his heart was willing to sacrifice for others. Throughout the movie, he becomes scientifically modified. He becomes strong, and almost invincible, but his greatest attribute is his heart. He never loses his willingness to sacrifice for others.
Our nation was founded by men and women who were willing to give up theirs for the sake of others. They desired freedom over even life itself. In the words of one of our founding fathers, Patrick Henry, “Give me liberty, or give me death.” These were men and women who laid it all on the line.
As we looked at how and why God would chose a young man like David to lead a nation, we see the same heart in this young life. David was willing to put aside self or others. He was willing to sacrifice for others, and more importantly, he was willing to sacrifice for God.
Today, as we sit here in a world seemingly spirally out of control, we must know and rest in the knowledge that GOD IS SOVERIEGN! He is in Control. His providence and planning are firmly established in HIS POWER. God is not wringing His hands in heaven, looking down surprised by a Supreme Court ruling. He is looking more than ever for men and women who are willing to rest in Him and surrender their wills to His will.
God’s choices are still surprising, as they were back when He plucked a small shepherd boy from his flocks to make him king over Israel. God is wanting to surprise us today. God is will reject us in our pride and arrogance. We must humble ourselves and look to Him. Just like the brothers of David, who had the right names and looks, we must know God is concerned over the condition of our hearts. Are we worshipping Him, are we trusting Him, are we loving Him? Or are we wrapped around the axel of cultural nonsense and Facebook drama? Or are we resting in His sovereign power?
God’s requirements are still the same. Faith in Him alone is entrance into eternal rest. He looks for us to not look at the circumstances or positions of prominence but to His eternal ways.
In this day, GOD IS STILL SPECIFIC! He is coming for a people who are ready for Him. I believe Matthew 25:1-13 is prophetic for us today.
“Then the kingdom of heaven will be comparable to ten virgins, who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. 2 Five of them were foolish, and five were prudent. 3 For when the foolish took their lamps, they took no oil with them, 4 but the prudent took oil in flasks along with their lamps. 5 Now while the bridegroom was delaying, they all got drowsy and began to sleep. 6 But at midnight there was a shout, ‘Behold, the bridegroom! Come out to meet him.’ 7 Then all those virgins rose and trimmed their lamps. 8 The foolish said to the prudent, ‘Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.’ 9 But the prudent answered, ‘No, there will not be enough for us and you too; go instead to the dealers and buy some for yourselves.’ 10 And while they were going away to make the purchase, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the wedding feast; and the door was shut. 11 Later the other virgins also came, saying, ‘Lord, lord, open up for us.’ 12 But he answered, ‘Truly I say to you, I do not know you.’ 13 Be on the alert then, for you do not know the day nor the hour.
Jesus is coming back soon, and He is looking for those who are ready. You might ask, “How can I be ready?” Well I am glad you asked…
Just like David, just like our founding fathers, just like Captain America….

16. Be Reliable. Be faithful with the little things
Be Reliable. Be faithful with the little things. Don’t get caught up in the nonsense of life. Rest in Jesus who is Sovereign and will often surprise us. Stay close to Him. Meditate on Him, not the junk of life.
Stay fixed on Him. Hebrews 12- “Fix your eyes on Jesus the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the JOY SET BEFORE HIM….(it wasn’t in the moment. It was ahead) For the JOY before Him HE ENDURED! People we must endure! We must be reliable in and out of season. In the good and the bad.
When the courts vote our way and when they don’t….BE RELIABLE!
And not just reliable, know you are redeemed. You have been chosen, and bought with a price. Not just any price, but with the blood of Christ. I Peter 1:18-19 – knowing that you were not redeemed with perishable things like silver or gold from your futile way of life inherited from your forefathers, but with precious blood, as of a lamb unblemished and spotless, the blood of Christ.”
You are the righteous of God in Christ Jesus. Today, we are calling out to those who will answer the call of God. You might not be the most likely candidate, or most gifted. You might wonder how God could ever use you. God uses the ordinary to do the extraordinary. He is looking for those who are willing to give up theirs for the sake of HIS! He is looking for those who are willing to give over their lives to find LIFE! Will you respond to Him today? Are you ready for Him today?

17. Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us. 2We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith.a Because of the joy awaiting him, he endured the cross, disregarding its shame. Now he is seated in the place of honor beside God’s throne. 3Think of all the hostility he endured from sinful people then you won’t become weary and give up. 4After all, you have not yet given your lives in your struggle against sin. – Hebrew 12:1-4