SERMON SUMMARY

1 Samuel 16:7 — “The Lord doesn’t see things the way you see them. People judge by outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.” (NLT) As we learn to see as God sees, our hearts grow to passionately pursue the heart of God.

SERMON SCREENSHOTS & KEY POINTS

1 Samuel 16 is about the most significant leadership transition in the Old Testament. After several bouts with Saul’s ongoing disobedience (see chapters 13 and 15), Yahweh rejects Saul as King. In 13:14, Samuel tells Saul his kingdom is coming to an end and that the Lord has “sought out a man after his own heart” to be his replacement. That man will be David. More is said about David than anyone else in the Bible. He’s the subject of 66 chapters in the OT. He’s mentioned 59 times in the NT. He authored 73 of the Psalms. Tim Keller says more is written about David than any other figure in all ancient literature. All that to say, as we’ll see, Yahweh’s choice of David is a turning point in biblical history.

The narrative of 1 Samuel 16 reminds us that God’s ways are not our ways. He chooses to work through the least expected, most overlooked people to bring about His good purposes. David, a simple shepherd boy, becomes God's chosen king, highlighting the importance of heart condition over external appearances. Additionally, the story illustrates God’s sovereignty and the spiritual implications of obedience and disobedience to Him.

Verses 1-5 — God, distressed by Saul's disobedience, instructs Samuel to anoint a new king. Samuel is sent to Bethlehem, to the house of Jesse, under the pretext of offering a sacrifice. Although fearful of Saul, Samuel obeys God's command, thereby setting the stage for the emergence of a new king.

Verses 6-13 — When Samuel sees Jesse's oldest son, Eliab, he assumes that Eliab is God's chosen one. However, God rebukes Samuel's presumption, highlighting the importance of inner character over physical appearance. God did not choose any of Jesse's seven sons who were present. Instead, the youngest son, David, who was tending sheep, is called for and anointed by Samuel in the presence of his brothers. And, the Spirit of the Lord then came powerfully upon David.

Verses 14-23 — The Spirit of the Lord departs from Saul, who is tormented by an evil spirit. Saul's servants suggest that music therapy might help. One servant recommends David, known for his bravery, excellent harp playing, and good character. Saul sends for David, who enters his service and becomes his armor-bearer. When the evil spirit torments Saul, David plays the harp, calming Saul and making him feel better.

The sixteenth chapter of 1 Samuel marks a pivotal transition in Israel's history—the divine selection and anointing of David, the future king. But it also highlights how God values inner character over outer appearance. So, with David, a new era for Israel begins. Remember: As we learn to see as God sees, our hearts will become more and more like His.

LEADERSHIP TRANSITION

On January 7, 2024, Pastor Charlie announced that the church would vote to affirm the Elder's decision to make Jason Malone the next Directional Pastor of Fellowship Greenville. This has been the two-and-half-year process you may have read about in the December 2023 edition of FG News (read here). We are asking you to affirm Jason as the next Directional Pastor any time between now and January 21 (by 6 PM). Affirm here or in person on a Sunday morning.

*We are a church located in Greenville, South Carolina. Our vision is to see God transform us into a community of grace passionately pursuing life and mission with Jesus.

SUGGESTIONS FOR COMMUNITY GROUP QUESTIONS                

1. How does the anointing of David challenge how we typically view leadership?
2. What can you learn from God's refusal of Jesse's older sons and the selection of David?
3. Why do you think God chose to anoint David while Saul was still king? What might this teach us about God's timing?
4. What does it mean “to be a man or woman after God’s own heart?”
5. How can you apply the principle of "God looks at the heart" in your relationships and assessments of others?
6. In what areas of your life do you feel God could be asking you to focus less on outward appearances and more on inner character?
7. In what ways does the story of David's anointing challenge or affirm your understanding of God's sovereignty?
8. How can the narrative of David’s rise to kingship offer comfort or inspiration in times of uncertainty or obscurity?
9. How might you live differently knowing that God values the condition of your heart over your societal status or accomplishments?
10. Talk about the main application point of this message– As we learn to see as God sees, our hearts will become more and more like His.

Also, make sure and pick up our Bible Reading Plan at Next Steps or the Faith at Home Center out in the Commons. Tomorrow we will begin working our way through Psalms and Proverbs, which will help us see as God sees in ways that will cause our hearts to become more like Jesus.