A King Provided by God

1 Samuel 16:1-13
Broadcast Featured Image

Pastor Colin contrasts King Saul, who outwardly serves God but lives in rebellion, with King David, who truly has a heart for God.

Saul represents the “worthless servant” and the “self-righteous Pharisee” in Jesus’ parables. Despite being trusted and given responsibilities, Saul’s self-righteousness and flawed character lead to his downfall. His life serves as a warning against presumption before God.

Conversely, Pastor Colin introduces King David as a regenerated man with a heart anew. Unlike Saul, David is deeply different in nature and ends up living a life fully committed to God.

The key difference, Pastor Colin asserts, is that Saul is a religious man, while David is regenerated, implying he has received a new heart and spirit from God. This essential transformation is what sets their destinies apart.

Pastor Colin emphasises that while David was also a sinner, his repentance and inability to live distantly from God signified his true spiritual renewal. Using various scriptural analogies and personal testimonies, Pastor Colin underscores that genuine faith involves an ongoing battle against sin, signifying a renewed heart.

He encourages young people by highlighting that God can work in their hearts early in life, transforming them as He did with David. Pastor Colin closes by praying for the congregation, asking God to turn Sauls into Davids, equipped with new hearts and empowered by the Holy Spirit to face life’s challenges.

1 00:00:00,980 –> 00:00:09,120 Well please turn in your Bibles to 1 Kings and Chapter 16 as we’re continuing our series entitled A Tale of Two Kings 2 00:00:10,000 –> 00:00:17,000 Last week we met the first of these kings Saul indeed the first king of Israel 3 00:00:17,680 –> 00:00:19,920 and we met a man who believed in God, 4 00:00:20,180 –> 00:00:22,840 a man who got involved in serving God 5 00:00:23,320 –> 00:00:28,240 but a man who at end of the day in his heart was in continued rebellion against God 6 00:00:28,660 –> 00:00:33,020 and what we saw last week was that Saul is a man that none of us wants to be like 7 00:00:33,240 –> 00:00:39,439 he was a disaster to himself and he was a disaster to everyone who was around him 8 00:00:39,900 –> 00:00:45,939 Saul is also actually a very important figure in the Bible because he puts a human face 9 00:00:46,459 –> 00:00:51,560 on a strand of teaching that runs right throughout the Bible. 10 00:00:51,939 –> 00:00:53,980 Let me just trace that briefly for you 11 00:00:54,540 –> 00:00:57,820 Saul is the worthless servant 12 00:00:58,320 –> 00:01:03,900 in the story of Jesus who you remember was trusted with his master’s money 13 00:01:03,900 –> 00:01:07,120 and dug a hole in the ground and then was described by the master when he 14 00:01:07,120 –> 00:01:12,260 came back as wicked and lazy and worthless and cast outside 15 00:01:13,199 –> 00:01:19,440 Saul is the self-righteous Pharisee who comes and who prays in the temple 16 00:01:19,440 –> 00:01:24,099 but you remember Jesus said that that man did not go home justified 17 00:01:24,139 –> 00:01:28,339 his prayer was all about himself and about his own achievement 18 00:01:28,599 –> 00:01:30,820 he’s the one who says to Jesus 19 00:01:30,820 –> 00:01:38,160 Lord Lord but you remember Christ says and does not do what my Father in heaven wills 20 00:01:38,160 –> 00:01:40,900 If you go further into the New Testament 21 00:01:40,900 –> 00:01:45,660 Saul puts a human face on the person in the book of Hebrews 22 00:01:45,860 –> 00:01:51,360 chapter 6 who has tasted the Heavenly gift and the power of the age to come 23 00:01:52,199 –> 00:01:58,779 He is like the people in Paul’s letter to Timothy 24 00:01:58,879 –> 00:02:01,040 when Paul speaks 25 00:02:01,040 –> 00:02:05,320 about some who have moved away from living with a clear conscience and have 26 00:02:05,320 –> 00:02:09,259 made shipwreck of the fie 27 00:02:09,259 –> 00:02:10,559 He is like the people in the letter of John 28 00:02:10,559 –> 00:02:13,160 who remember towards the end of the New Testament 29 00:02:13,160 –> 00:02:17,039 John says there were some people and they went out from us and the reason they 30 00:02:17,039 –> 00:02:22,020 went out from us is that they were not off us Sol puts a human face on these 31 00:02:22,020 –> 00:02:24,059 folks 32 00:02:24,059 –> 00:02:27,600 And in the letter of Peter you may remember at the end of chapter 2 33 00:02:27,600 –> 00:02:29,039 very vivid picture 34 00:02:29,039 –> 00:02:30,740 Peter speaks about 35 00:02:30,740 –> 00:02:31,820 somewho 36 00:02:31,820 –> 00:02:37,240 are like the dog returning to its vomit and the pig that has been washed 37 00:02:37,240 –> 00:02:38,160 returning 38 00:02:38,160 –> 00:02:40,100 to wallow in 39 00:02:40,100 –> 00:02:41,880 the mire 40 00:02:41,880 –> 00:02:46,380 Now these are not flattering analogies 41 00:02:46,479 –> 00:02:51,779 But Sol stands in that stream that runs all the way through the Bible 42 00:02:51,779 –> 00:02:52,539 that 43 00:02:52,539 –> 00:02:56,020 flashes like a red warning sign 44 00:02:56,020 –> 00:03:00,559 in front of all who may be presumptuous before God 45 00:03:00,559 –> 00:03:03,660 those for whom Jesus will say on-on the last day 46 00:03:03,660 –> 00:03:05,660 those outside of Christ 47 00:03:05,660 –> 00:03:08,539 those who are full of more confidence 48 00:03:08,539 –> 00:03:11,440 to whom he will say depart for me I never knew you 49 00:03:11,440 –> 00:03:15,240 Sol is a tragic figure in the Bible 50 00:03:15,240 –> 00:03:18,740 and he’s there for a reason nobody nobody 51 00:03:18,740 –> 00:03:22,399 wants surely to be like him 52 00:03:22,399 –> 00:03:28,520 Now today, I want to introduce you to a second king whose name is David 53 00:03:28,520 –> 00:03:32,539 We’re going to see that this man was very very different from Sol 54 00:03:32,539 –> 00:03:38,479 his life is different and the outcome of his life is different and in this series 55 00:03:38,479 –> 00:03:41,800 we are going to follow this tale of two kings 56 00:03:41,800 –> 00:03:44,160 and we’re going to see the vast difference between them 57 00:03:44,320 –> 00:03:48,000 if I try to boil it down to a nutshell for you it would be simply this 58 00:03:48,000 –> 00:03:49,080 here’s the difference 59 00:03:49,440 –> 00:03:51,860 Sol was a religious man 60 00:03:53,100 –> 00:03:55,360 David was a regenerated man 61 00:03:55,360 –> 00:03:56,940 a man with a new heart 62 00:03:57,660 –> 00:03:58,919 a man with a new spirit 63 00:03:58,919 –> 00:04:01,460 that is all the difference in the world between the two 64 00:04:01,460 –> 00:04:04,559 no Christian should expect to see Sol in Heaven 65 00:04:06,160 –> 00:04:08,940 but every Christian will see David in heaven 66 00:04:08,940 –> 00:04:14,080 and to understand the difference between the two because Sol was such a 67 00:04:14,080 –> 00:04:15,240 religious man and he 68 00:04:15,240 –> 00:04:19,679 offered the service to God, and thought so very well of himself 69 00:04:19,679 –> 00:04:21,940 was in the company of Samuel 70 00:04:21,940 –> 00:04:23,679 to understand the difference between the two 71 00:04:23,679 –> 00:04:29,239 is absolutely critical for our Christian lives and if we have not yet come 72 00:04:29,239 –> 00:04:30,820 to know Christ for our eternal destiny 73 00:04:30,820 –> 00:04:36,880 every Christian will see David in heaven but the reason that we will see 74 00:04:37,220 –> 00:04:39,700 David in Heaven is not that he was without sin 75 00:04:39,700 –> 00:04:43,299 most of you know the story of 76 00:04:43,299 –> 00:04:46,739 David well, his sins were great and they were many 77 00:04:46,739 –> 00:04:50,320 but the evidence that 78 00:04:50,320 –> 00:04:56,239 David belonged to the Lord lay in this, that he could not live with them 79 00:04:56,239 –> 00:05:03,239 even when on at least one occasion he was able to cover up for awhile 80 00:05:04,040 –> 00:05:09,640 he found that he could not live for long at a distance from God 81 00:05:09,640 –> 00:05:12,880 because he had a heart for God that’s the difference between 82 00:05:12,880 –> 00:05:16,519 the religious person and the regenerated 83 00:05:16,519 –> 00:05:21,920 person as we’re going to see today some of you might know 84 00:05:21,920 –> 00:05:25,480 the name of Allen Redpath, one of my 85 00:05:25,480 –> 00:05:28,540 pastor heroes he served 86 00:05:28,540 –> 00:05:32,799 for some years as the pastor the Moody Church here in Chicago 87 00:05:32,799 –> 00:05:36,220 and then in my home church Charlotte Chapel 88 00:05:36,220 –> 00:05:39,239 in Edinburgh though it was before 89 00:05:39,239 –> 00:05:44,380 the time that I can remember but I did hear him speaking in later life when I 90 00:05:44,380 –> 00:05:46,980 was a teenager and he made a great impression on me 91 00:05:46,980 –> 00:05:50,440 Alan Redpath was brought up in the north 92 00:05:50,440 –> 00:05:53,559 of England and he played rugby 93 00:05:53,559 –> 00:05:57,720 now for those of you who don’t know rugby is like football except it’s 94 00:05:57,720 –> 00:06:00,000 without helmets and without the padding 95 00:06:00,000 –> 00:06:02,739 so it’s not for the faint 96 00:06:02,959 –> 00:06:05,739 hearted and it often has 97 00:06:05,739 –> 00:06:08,920 a hard drinking culture and a whole lot 98 00:06:08,920 –> 00:06:13,220 else that goes with it and I will never 99 00:06:13,220 –> 00:06:18,859 forget as a teenager hearing Alan RedPath give his testimony and he told 100 00:06:18,859 –> 00:06:22,540 of how in early adult life he had come to 101 00:06:22,540 –> 00:06:26,980 faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and then after a while 102 00:06:26,980 –> 00:06:30,100 being a Christian he said I returned 103 00:06:30,480 –> 00:06:35,440 my old sins I went back to my old ways 104 00:06:35,440 –> 00:06:38,320 and he said when I was back in my old 105 00:06:38,320 –> 00:06:40,779 ways I knew that I was a Christian at 106 00:06:40,779 –> 00:06:43,079 that time and he said here’s why I knew 107 00:06:43,079 –> 00:06:44,980 that I was a Christian because when I 108 00:06:44,980 –> 00:06:46,739 went back to my old ways I was 109 00:06:46,739 –> 00:06:49,339 absolutely miserable I’ll never forget him 110 00:06:49,339 –> 00:06:52,140 saying it what had brought him pleasure 111 00:06:52,140 –> 00:06:56,059 before no longer yielded for him what 112 00:06:56,059 –> 00:06:59,619 it had promised and he said I was 113 00:06:59,739 –> 00:07:01,540 miserable why was he miserable because 114 00:07:01,540 –> 00:07:03,519 he knew that he was grieving the spirit 115 00:07:03,519 –> 00:07:05,940 he said in the end I had to come back to 116 00:07:05,940 –> 00:07:07,440 Christ that was how I knew I was 117 00:07:07,440 –> 00:07:10,640 Christian that was how I knew I was 118 00:07:10,640 –> 00:07:14,660 really a Christian I could not continue 119 00:07:14,660 –> 00:07:17,019 in sin whereas it had been quite easy 120 00:07:17,019 –> 00:07:20,920 and quite enjoyable before now listen to 121 00:07:20,920 –> 00:07:22,920 how the Apostle John describes our 122 00:07:22,920 –> 00:07:25,220 relationship with Jesus here you have 123 00:07:25,220 –> 00:07:28,260 Saul and David in a nutshell from 1 John 124 00:07:28,619 –> 00:07:32,660 3 and verse 6 no one who abides in him 125 00:07:32,660 –> 00:07:37,200 keeps on sinning and then John says if 126 00:07:37,200 –> 00:07:39,299 the other way around he says about 127 00:07:39,299 –> 00:07:42,420 another person no one who keeps on 128 00:07:42,420 –> 00:07:47,160 sinning has either seen him or known him 129 00:07:47,160 –> 00:07:49,519 now that I say you have David first and 130 00:07:49,519 –> 00:07:53,000 then Saul second in a nutshell David 131 00:07:53,000 –> 00:07:58,200 abides in him and though he sins he 132 00:07:58,399 –> 00:08:01,059 cannot keep on sinning he comes back to 133 00:08:01,059 –> 00:08:03,339 repentance why because the Spirit of 134 00:08:03,339 –> 00:08:05,200 God lives within him that’s the evidence 135 00:08:05,200 –> 00:08:07,119 that he really is a believer that he 136 00:08:07,119 –> 00:08:09,799 truly knows God what about Saul no Saul 137 00:08:09,799 –> 00:08:13,359 just keeps on sinning and so gives 138 00:08:13,359 –> 00:08:16,420 evidence that he has neither seen God 139 00:08:16,420 –> 00:08:22,079 nor has he truly known him though he was 140 00:08:22,079 –> 00:08:28,000 of course a very religious man I knew I 141 00:08:28,019 –> 00:08:30,200 was a Christian says Red Puff because I 142 00:08:30,200 –> 00:08:33,880 could not keep on sinning and when I 143 00:08:33,880 –> 00:08:36,200 went back to my old ways I knew I 144 00:08:36,200 –> 00:08:38,080 couldn’t stay there I knew that I didn’t 145 00:08:38,080 –> 00:08:39,520 belong there I knew that I was a new 146 00:08:39,520 –> 00:08:41,700 creation it just became so obvious to 147 00:08:41,700 –> 00:08:43,760 me I had to come back that was the 148 00:08:43,760 –> 00:08:45,679 evidence that the work of Grace in my 149 00:08:45,679 –> 00:08:50,119 life was real when I send I was 150 00:08:50,119 –> 00:08:55,520 miserable now David is not in heaven 151 00:08:55,799 –> 00:09:00,659 today because he was without sin David 152 00:09:00,659 –> 00:09:03,520 is in heaven today because he looked 153 00:09:03,520 –> 00:09:06,059 with faith and he looked with 154 00:09:06,059 –> 00:09:10,440 repentance to his greater Son who we 155 00:09:10,440 –> 00:09:14,780 know as our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ 156 00:09:14,780 –> 00:09:17,880 and so here is the great difference in 157 00:09:17,880 –> 00:09:20,299 a nutshell between Saul and David the 158 00:09:20,299 –> 00:09:22,520 difference that set their lives on 159 00:09:22,520 –> 00:09:24,659 different paths the difference that set 160 00:09:24,659 –> 00:09:26,299 their eternities in different places 161 00:09:26,299 –> 00:09:30,900 Saul was a religious man and David was 162 00:09:30,900 –> 00:09:35,739 a regenerated man and today we are going 163 00:09:35,739 –> 00:09:38,799 to see the difference. I hope you have 164 00:09:38,799 –> 00:09:40,280 the Bible open in front of you, then 165 00:09:40,280 –> 00:09:42,700 1st Samuel chapter 16 opens 166 00:09:42,700 –> 00:09:45,760 with Samuel at an all-time low as he 167 00:09:45,760 –> 00:09:49,900 grieves over Saul. Remember Samuel has 168 00:09:49,900 –> 00:09:52,820 loved Saul he’s walked with him he’s 169 00:09:53,059 –> 00:09:55,760 prayed with him he’s counseled with him 170 00:09:55,760 –> 00:10:00,320 he supported him, he served him. Now that 171 00:10:00,320 –> 00:10:02,960 Saul has been revealed for the empty 172 00:10:02,960 –> 00:10:06,020 shell that he was it is absolutely 173 00:10:06,020 –> 00:10:08,440 devastating for Samuel and he’s grieving 174 00:10:08,440 –> 00:10:12,380 you may have had an experience like this 175 00:10:12,380 –> 00:10:13,979 you walked with someone, you trusted 176 00:10:13,979 –> 00:10:16,479 someone you served alongside someone and 177 00:10:16,479 –> 00:10:18,919 then the emptiness of what they said 178 00:10:18,919 –> 00:10:21,479 had been revealed to you and how painful 179 00:10:21,640 –> 00:10:27,020 it all is. And Samuel has been investing 180 00:10:27,020 –> 00:10:29,280 years of his life, the later years of his 181 00:10:29,280 –> 00:10:31,080 life are all about the establishing of 182 00:10:31,080 –> 00:10:35,119 the monarchy. He’s poured himself into 183 00:10:35,119 –> 00:10:39,159 into Saul for years and now Saul’s been 184 00:10:39,159 –> 00:10:41,099 rejected by God and it must have seemed 185 00:10:41,099 –> 00:10:43,020 to Samuel when all my work everything 186 00:10:43,020 –> 00:10:44,940 that I’ve invested in all that I poured 187 00:10:44,940 –> 00:10:47,200 myself into it all now seems to be for 188 00:10:47,200 –> 00:10:49,539 nothing. All these sacrifices all this 189 00:10:49,539 –> 00:10:51,640 work all this investment, what was it all 190 00:10:51,640 –> 00:10:55,119 about? Some of you know the devastation 191 00:10:55,119 –> 00:10:59,859 of that kind of an experience. Samuel 192 00:10:59,859 –> 00:11:03,820 grieved over Saul, you give your 193 00:11:03,820 –> 00:11:07,559 heart and then you give years of your 194 00:11:07,559 –> 00:11:09,880 life in a relationship and then it 195 00:11:09,880 –> 00:11:14,520 turns sour. You pour your life into a 196 00:11:14,520 –> 00:11:17,400 son or into a daughter and then 197 00:11:17,419 –> 00:11:19,659 they turn against you and and don’t 198 00:11:19,659 –> 00:11:21,299 want to know you and you say, what was 199 00:11:21,299 –> 00:11:25,859 all that about? You build up a business, 200 00:11:25,859 –> 00:11:27,539 you build up a ministry. Then someone 201 00:11:27,539 –> 00:11:28,979 else comes in they take it an entirely 202 00:11:28,979 –> 00:11:30,580 different direction, a completely 203 00:11:30,580 –> 00:11:33,320 different set of values and and you 204 00:11:33,320 –> 00:11:37,200 grieve over what you built. And now 205 00:11:37,200 –> 00:11:42,599 what seems to be lost Samuel is grieving 206 00:11:42,599 –> 00:11:45,000 over Saul. He’s consumed with sadness and 207 00:11:45,000 –> 00:11:47,380 disappointment. And in the chapter we 208 00:11:47,419 –> 00:11:50,919 looked at last time, anger is spoken of 209 00:11:50,919 –> 00:11:56,859 as well. And over and over Samuel must 210 00:11:56,859 –> 00:11:58,359 have gone with all these questions that 211 00:11:58,359 –> 00:12:00,179 come to mind in a situation like this. 212 00:12:00,179 –> 00:12:01,599 You know what it is like, don’t you? I 213 00:12:01,599 –> 00:12:03,239 know what this is like. What could I have 214 00:12:03,239 –> 00:12:07,580 done? What might I have said? Where may 215 00:12:07,580 –> 00:12:09,299 there have been some contribution that I 216 00:12:09,299 –> 00:12:10,619 could have made that would have led to a 217 00:12:10,619 –> 00:12:12,299 different outcome in the life of this 218 00:12:12,299 –> 00:12:15,979 person? Where did it all go wrong? 219 00:12:16,440 –> 00:12:18,400 Samuel now has no energy, he’s just 220 00:12:18,400 –> 00:12:21,039 consumed with grief and he’s at an all 221 00:12:21,479 –> 00:12:28,359 time low. And then God speaks to him as 222 00:12:28,359 –> 00:12:30,179 perhaps God will speak to you today. 223 00:12:31,700 –> 00:12:34,479 The Lord said to Samuel, how long will 224 00:12:34,479 –> 00:12:37,659 you grieve over Saul, since I have 225 00:12:37,659 –> 00:12:39,760 rejected him from being king over 226 00:12:39,760 –> 00:12:44,039 Israel. Now fill your horn with oil and 227 00:12:44,039 –> 00:12:48,739 go. I will send you to Jesse the 228 00:12:48,739 –> 00:12:53,440 Bethlehemite for I have provided for 229 00:12:53,440 –> 00:12:57,880 myself a king from among his sons. 230 00:12:59,700 –> 00:13:01,500 We follow this fascinating story, 231 00:13:01,559 –> 00:13:03,099 Samuel of course is immediately 232 00:13:03,099 –> 00:13:06,719 afraid. If he’s to anoint someone else 233 00:13:06,739 –> 00:13:08,900 as King, he’s likely to set off a 234 00:13:08,900 –> 00:13:11,619 civil war isn’t he and Saul for sure 235 00:13:11,619 –> 00:13:13,179 is going to be after his life. 236 00:13:14,380 –> 00:13:15,979 So it becomes clear that God is 237 00:13:15,979 –> 00:13:18,020 sending Samuel not on a public but 238 00:13:18,020 –> 00:13:21,200 on a secret mission. David is 239 00:13:21,400 –> 00:13:23,940 anointed. The oil is poured over 240 00:13:23,940 –> 00:13:26,299 his head but at no point does 241 00:13:26,299 –> 00:13:29,020 Samuel say what David is anointed 242 00:13:29,020 –> 00:13:30,780 for. It’s very fascinating. From 243 00:13:30,780 –> 00:13:32,280 the moment that Samuel arrives in 244 00:13:32,280 –> 00:13:33,919 Bethlehem to the moment that he 245 00:13:33,919 –> 00:13:35,659 leaves he never once uses the word 246 00:13:35,659 –> 00:13:39,059 king. Which raises the question 247 00:13:39,059 –> 00:13:42,820 did David know? This oil is poured 248 00:13:42,820 –> 00:13:44,460 over David’s head. Does David – 249 00:13:44,619 –> 00:13:45,919 he knows that he’s being set 250 00:13:45,919 –> 00:13:47,359 apart in some way for some 251 00:13:47,359 –> 00:13:49,359 special purpose for God. But oil 252 00:13:49,359 –> 00:13:51,200 was used for the consecration of 253 00:13:51,200 –> 00:13:53,340 priests. That was what it was 254 00:13:53,340 –> 00:13:55,260 most used for in the earlier part 255 00:13:55,260 –> 00:13:57,080 of the Old Testament. Only once 256 00:13:57,080 –> 00:13:58,599 had it ever been used for a king 257 00:13:58,599 –> 00:13:59,820 because there only had been one 258 00:13:59,820 –> 00:14:00,760 king and he was still on the 259 00:14:00,760 –> 00:14:01,859 throne there. There was no 260 00:14:01,859 –> 00:14:05,479 vacancy. My guess is that David 261 00:14:05,479 –> 00:14:07,840 did not know. And that only 262 00:14:07,840 –> 00:14:09,799 gradually did he become aware in 263 00:14:09,799 –> 00:14:11,419 the ensuing months and years what 264 00:14:11,419 –> 00:14:14,239 God’s purpose was for him. God 265 00:14:14,239 –> 00:14:18,440 is preparing him in private for 266 00:14:18,440 –> 00:14:21,919 what one day will be revealed in 267 00:14:21,919 –> 00:14:24,539 public. So Samuel arrives in 268 00:14:24,539 –> 00:14:26,520 Bethlehem and he says, Now I’ve 269 00:14:26,520 –> 00:14:28,599 come to sacrifice to the Lord. 270 00:14:28,840 –> 00:14:30,179 You notice in verse four the 271 00:14:30,179 –> 00:14:31,440 people of Bethlehem are 272 00:14:31,440 –> 00:14:33,520 immediately afraid as he come to 273 00:14:33,520 –> 00:14:35,159 judge us. He is a judge. Has he 274 00:14:35,159 –> 00:14:37,559 come to judge us for some sin in 275 00:14:37,559 –> 00:14:39,059 the town? No,” says Samuel. 276 00:14:39,059 –> 00:14:41,039 I’ve come in peace. I have come 277 00:14:41,280 –> 00:14:43,239 to offer a sacrifice to the 278 00:14:43,239 –> 00:14:45,840 Lord.” And so Samuel offers the 279 00:14:45,840 –> 00:14:47,960 sacrifice and then he convenes 280 00:14:47,960 –> 00:14:49,719 this great feast that follows 281 00:14:50,539 –> 00:14:52,599 and he invites this man, Jesse, 282 00:14:53,039 –> 00:14:56,119 and his sons to join him in the 283 00:14:56,119 –> 00:14:59,119 feast. And the first son to be 284 00:14:59,119 –> 00:15:02,159 presented to Samuel in verse 285 00:15:02,159 –> 00:15:05,960 six is this man, Eliab, who was 286 00:15:05,979 –> 00:15:10,580 obviously very impressive. When 287 00:15:10,580 –> 00:15:12,940 they came, verse six, he looked 288 00:15:13,000 –> 00:15:16,059 on Eliab. And Samuel thought 289 00:15:16,059 –> 00:15:18,739 surely the Lord’s anointed is 290 00:15:18,739 –> 00:15:21,919 before him. But the Lord said to 291 00:15:21,919 –> 00:15:23,500 Samuel, do not look on his 292 00:15:23,500 –> 00:15:26,979 appearance or on the height of 293 00:15:26,979 –> 00:15:30,419 his stature because I have 294 00:15:30,419 –> 00:15:34,140 rejected him. For the Lord, and 295 00:15:34,159 –> 00:15:35,580 here’s a hugely important 296 00:15:35,580 –> 00:15:37,739 statement, the Lord sees not as 297 00:15:37,739 –> 00:15:41,859 man sees. Man looks on the 298 00:15:41,919 –> 00:15:44,359 outward appearance, verse seven, 299 00:15:45,239 –> 00:15:49,520 but God looks on the heart. 300 00:15:51,679 –> 00:15:53,119 Folks, here is something of 301 00:15:53,119 –> 00:15:57,219 huge importance with regards to 302 00:15:57,219 –> 00:16:00,520 what you should look for in 303 00:16:00,520 –> 00:16:03,640 people you walk with, in people 304 00:16:03,640 –> 00:16:07,080 you commit to, and in people to 305 00:16:07,080 –> 00:16:10,760 whom you give your trust. What 306 00:16:10,760 –> 00:16:13,200 are the criteria that you use in 307 00:16:13,200 –> 00:16:17,640 evaluating the trustworthiness of 308 00:16:17,640 –> 00:16:21,799 other people? It’s easy, you see, 309 00:16:21,799 –> 00:16:26,200 to be impressed and taken in by 310 00:16:26,200 –> 00:16:29,039 the charisma, the sheer 311 00:16:29,080 –> 00:16:31,780 impressiveness, of the kind of 312 00:16:31,780 –> 00:16:34,320 person who sucks all the air out 313 00:16:34,320 –> 00:16:35,979 the room just when they come into 314 00:16:35,979 –> 00:16:37,179 an occasion. You know that kind 315 00:16:37,179 –> 00:16:40,539 of person? Eliab was like that. 316 00:16:40,619 –> 00:16:42,559 This guy, folks, was a rock star. 317 00:16:42,559 –> 00:16:43,859 That’s how I’m going to put it. 318 00:16:44,219 –> 00:16:46,559 Dale Ralph Davis says perhaps he 319 00:16:46,559 –> 00:16:49,559 had starred as wide receiver for 320 00:16:49,559 –> 00:16:51,500 the Bethlehem high school football 321 00:16:51,500 –> 00:16:53,340 team. Maybe he would have made the 322 00:16:53,739 –> 00:16:56,099 Judean all stars. That was Eliab. 323 00:16:56,099 –> 00:16:57,619 I mean, he was just so 324 00:16:57,619 –> 00:17:01,099 impressive. Now, to be full of 325 00:17:01,099 –> 00:17:04,079 rock stars and to be fair to wide 326 00:17:04,079 –> 00:17:08,140 receivers, appearance, personality 327 00:17:08,140 –> 00:17:11,380 and style neither qualify nor 328 00:17:11,380 –> 00:17:13,800 disqualify a person from 329 00:17:13,800 –> 00:17:16,900 usefulness to God. So, for example, 330 00:17:16,900 –> 00:17:19,219 in verse 12, we’re told that David 331 00:17:19,420 –> 00:17:21,859 had beautiful eyes and that he was 332 00:17:21,859 –> 00:17:23,959 handsome. That would have made an 333 00:17:23,959 –> 00:17:25,900 impression on people, but that was 334 00:17:25,900 –> 00:17:28,739 not what made him useful to God. 335 00:17:28,739 –> 00:17:31,760 Same is true, of course, of Saul who 336 00:17:31,760 –> 00:17:33,300 was head and shoulders about other 337 00:17:33,300 –> 00:17:34,579 people. You can check that out in 338 00:17:34,579 –> 00:17:37,540 1 Samuel 9. No external appearance, 339 00:17:37,540 –> 00:17:41,199 charisma, charm, impressiveness, big 340 00:17:41,199 –> 00:17:43,739 personality, that neither qualifies 341 00:17:43,739 –> 00:17:46,800 nor disqualifies a person for 342 00:17:46,800 –> 00:17:49,300 usefulness to God. Why? Because 343 00:17:49,300 –> 00:17:50,719 that’s not what God is looking at. 344 00:17:50,719 –> 00:17:52,619 What is God looking at? He’s looking 345 00:17:52,819 –> 00:17:57,640 on the heart, on the heart. 346 00:17:58,479 –> 00:18:00,479 When it comes to choosing spiritual 347 00:18:00,479 –> 00:18:03,439 leaders and you know I think the 348 00:18:03,439 –> 00:18:06,939 principle here can be applied to other 349 00:18:06,939 –> 00:18:09,359 relationships of trust, and of walking 350 00:18:09,359 –> 00:18:13,219 together, and of commitment. Dale Ralph 351 00:18:13,219 –> 00:18:15,260 Davies has this point, he says, What we 352 00:18:15,260 –> 00:18:19,739 seem to want are the movers, the shakers, 353 00:18:19,739 –> 00:18:21,900 the aggressive extroverts, the pushers 354 00:18:21,900 –> 00:18:23,540 who meet people well, and who sell the 355 00:18:23,540 –> 00:18:25,579 church and the community, and are smooth 356 00:18:25,599 –> 00:18:29,040 in the pulpit, but do we ever ask, How 357 00:18:29,040 –> 00:18:33,640 does he pray? Does he enjoy being with 358 00:18:33,640 –> 00:18:40,339 his wife? Can he weep? Well, there’s 359 00:18:40,339 –> 00:18:41,920 spiritual discernment there isn’t there. 360 00:18:41,920 –> 00:18:45,640 And in a celebrity culture, we 361 00:18:45,640 –> 00:18:48,959 desperately need it, or we will trust 362 00:18:48,959 –> 00:18:54,380 the wrong people. God looks on the heart, 363 00:18:54,500 –> 00:18:57,060 he looks on your heart, he looks on mine, 364 00:18:57,060 –> 00:18:58,719 and he looks on all of our hearts and for 365 00:18:58,719 –> 00:19:00,880 all Eliab’s impressiveness, for all his 366 00:19:00,880 –> 00:19:05,640 resuming, for all his achievements, God 367 00:19:05,640 –> 00:19:07,640 passes him by. Why? Because he does not 368 00:19:07,640 –> 00:19:12,479 have a heart for God. And so the other 369 00:19:12,479 –> 00:19:15,479 sons are introduced one by one, seven of 370 00:19:15,479 –> 00:19:18,119 them in all, and each time the Lord tells 371 00:19:18,119 –> 00:19:20,319 the prophet Samuel not this one, not 372 00:19:20,319 –> 00:19:23,780 not this one, nope, I’ll get to the end of 373 00:19:23,839 –> 00:19:27,599 the line. And Samuel says to Jesse, verse 374 00:19:27,599 –> 00:19:32,040 11, are all your sons here? And Jesse 375 00:19:32,040 –> 00:19:37,560 says, there remains yet the youngest. But 376 00:19:37,560 –> 00:19:43,699 behold he is keeping the sheep. There’s a 377 00:19:43,699 –> 00:19:46,160 whole world of Jesse’s view of David in 378 00:19:46,160 –> 00:19:49,699 that little statement. Spurgeon has this 379 00:19:49,739 –> 00:19:54,040 comment. It is painful, he says, to notice 380 00:19:54,040 –> 00:19:57,020 that David’s father has no idea of 381 00:19:57,020 –> 00:20:01,060 David’s excellence. Think about that. 382 00:20:01,060 –> 00:20:05,800 Jesse calls him the least and says, 383 00:20:05,800 –> 00:20:07,739 Spurgeon, there is something more implied 384 00:20:07,739 –> 00:20:10,540 here than his being the youngest, he was 385 00:20:10,540 –> 00:20:13,900 the least in the estimation of his ill 386 00:20:13,900 –> 00:20:18,319 judging father. Here is David, the guy who 387 00:20:18,459 –> 00:20:20,239 does not get the invitation when his 388 00:20:20,239 –> 00:20:24,119 brothers are invited to a feast. He is 389 00:20:24,119 –> 00:20:26,520 not highly regarded by his own father 390 00:20:26,520 –> 00:20:28,500 who sees nothing of particular 391 00:20:28,500 –> 00:20:32,479 importance in him or value in him but is 392 00:20:32,479 –> 00:20:35,359 ready to parade all the brothers and yet 393 00:20:35,359 –> 00:20:38,060 to leave the youngest out there with the 394 00:20:38,060 –> 00:20:39,000 sheep. 395 00:20:39,359 –> 00:20:43,079 He has, Spurgeon says, a narrow share of 396 00:20:43,079 –> 00:20:46,180 his father’s affection. And some of you 397 00:20:46,260 –> 00:20:49,439 may know what that is like. As far as 398 00:20:49,439 –> 00:20:51,640 Jesse was concerned the other boys 399 00:20:51,640 –> 00:20:57,000 would be something, but, David, he’ll 400 00:20:57,000 –> 00:21:03,099 never amount to much. Man looks on the 401 00:21:03,099 –> 00:21:06,599 outward appearance but, friends, here’s 402 00:21:06,599 –> 00:21:07,579 the good news 403 00:21:07,579 –> 00:21:14,459 God looks on the heart and Samuel the 404 00:21:14,500 –> 00:21:17,020 prophet speaking the word into this 405 00:21:17,020 –> 00:21:21,260 undiscerning father’s life. He says, 406 00:21:21,260 –> 00:21:23,500 Jesse, we are not gonna sit down at this 407 00:21:23,500 –> 00:21:25,780 meal until all your sons are here. Send 408 00:21:25,780 –> 00:21:27,739 someone and bring that youngest son here. 409 00:21:27,739 –> 00:21:32,900 And when David came, verse 12, the Lord 410 00:21:32,900 –> 00:21:39,839 said, Arise and anoint him for this is he! 411 00:21:39,979 –> 00:21:46,000 Wonderful story. Ever strike you how 412 00:21:46,000 –> 00:21:48,239 often God finds his most choiced 413 00:21:48,239 –> 00:21:52,680 servants in the strangest places? How 414 00:21:52,680 –> 00:21:54,800 Joseph gets brought from a prison where 415 00:21:54,800 –> 00:21:57,900 he’d been completely forgotten? How 416 00:21:57,900 –> 00:21:59,920 David’s doing a kind of night watchman 417 00:21:59,920 –> 00:22:02,119 job out in the hills and nobody bothers 418 00:22:02,119 –> 00:22:06,280 to invite him to the party? You think 419 00:22:06,280 –> 00:22:08,739 about it and you remember the words of 420 00:22:08,739 –> 00:22:11,300 1st Corinthians in chapter 1. God chose 421 00:22:11,300 –> 00:22:14,859 what is foolish in the world to shame 422 00:22:14,859 –> 00:22:17,180 the wise, he chose what is weak to shame 423 00:22:17,180 –> 00:22:20,640 the strong, He chose that which is low 424 00:22:20,640 –> 00:22:22,560 and despised in the world to bring to 425 00:22:22,560 –> 00:22:25,000 nothing the things that are so that no 426 00:22:25,000 –> 00:22:31,000 human being might boast before the Lord.” 427 00:22:31,000 –> 00:22:33,760 I want you to notice what made David 428 00:22:33,760 –> 00:22:37,680 such an outstanding servant of the Lord. 429 00:22:37,979 –> 00:22:40,739 What distinguished him from his 430 00:22:40,739 –> 00:22:44,939 brothers. What made him different. 431 00:22:44,939 –> 00:22:48,959 What makes him completely different from Saul. 432 00:22:48,959 –> 00:22:50,760 What makes him more than a religious man 433 00:22:50,760 –> 00:22:53,920 what makes them a regenerated man. 434 00:22:53,920 –> 00:22:55,540 With a different track and with a different 435 00:22:55,540 –> 00:22:59,800 destiny forever. And it is very clear that 436 00:22:59,800 –> 00:23:03,660 there are three marks of the truly godly 437 00:23:03,660 –> 00:23:06,560 person that are immediately evident 438 00:23:06,739 –> 00:23:10,380 from this story and let me just draw 439 00:23:10,380 –> 00:23:13,060 these to your attention so that we may 440 00:23:13,060 –> 00:23:16,300 measure ourselves by them and so that we 441 00:23:16,300 –> 00:23:18,339 may call to mind that these are the very 442 00:23:18,339 –> 00:23:20,380 things that Jesus Christ holds in his 443 00:23:20,380 –> 00:23:24,739 hand and offers them to us as we stand 444 00:23:24,739 –> 00:23:28,000 in need of them. Here’s the first the 445 00:23:28,000 –> 00:23:29,859 profile of the person that God New 446 00:23:29,859 –> 00:23:32,660 uses which boils down to this in new 447 00:23:32,660 –> 00:23:35,239 heart. If you turn back just a page in 448 00:23:35,239 –> 00:23:37,359 the Bible to get the context here 449 00:23:37,359 –> 00:23:40,640 chapter 13 and verse 14 the Lord has 450 00:23:40,640 –> 00:23:46,140 sought out a man after His own heart. 451 00:23:46,140 –> 00:23:48,599 That’s of course a direct reference to 452 00:23:48,599 –> 00:23:52,599 David who is identified then in chapter 453 00:23:52,599 –> 00:23:56,719 16. A new heart, that’s what makes Him 454 00:23:56,719 –> 00:23:59,680 different. A heart for God. A heart 455 00:23:59,680 –> 00:24:03,239 after God’s. A heart that reflects God. A 456 00:24:03,459 –> 00:24:06,280 heart that reaches out to God, that is 457 00:24:06,280 –> 00:24:08,439 in relationship to God. Where did David 458 00:24:08,439 –> 00:24:12,959 get that heart? He sure wasn’t born with 459 00:24:12,959 –> 00:24:17,579 it. David was born with the same heart as 460 00:24:17,579 –> 00:24:19,380 all of his brothers. You remember, he 461 00:24:19,380 –> 00:24:22,280 says in Psalm 51, that familiar Psalm, I 462 00:24:22,280 –> 00:24:24,719 was shaped in iniquity, I was conceived, 463 00:24:24,719 –> 00:24:27,239 I was born in sin. I was born 464 00:24:27,239 –> 00:24:29,920 with a sinful heart, he says, just like 465 00:24:29,920 –> 00:24:32,099 everybody else, so how does he get a 466 00:24:32,099 –> 00:24:33,780 heart after God? There’s only one 467 00:24:33,780 –> 00:24:39,079 possible answer. God gave it to him. God 468 00:24:39,079 –> 00:24:42,160 gave it to him and that is why do you 469 00:24:42,160 –> 00:24:43,699 notice very significantly in chapter 470 00:24:43,699 –> 00:24:46,839 sixteen in verse 1, God says, I have 471 00:24:46,839 –> 00:24:49,500 provided a king for myself! So God is 472 00:24:49,500 –> 00:24:51,979 seeking one who has a heart after 473 00:24:51,979 –> 00:24:54,420 himself but what he is seeking, he 474 00:24:54,420 –> 00:24:56,939 himself, has to provide. Chapter sixteen 475 00:24:56,939 –> 00:24:59,500 in verse 1, I have provided this king 476 00:24:59,760 –> 00:25:02,380 for myself, the king who has a heart 477 00:25:02,380 –> 00:25:05,640 after me. The gift of the new heart is a 478 00:25:05,640 –> 00:25:09,000 gift that God gave to David and this is 479 00:25:09,000 –> 00:25:12,140 at the very heart of God’s new covenant 480 00:25:12,140 –> 00:25:16,020 promise to us. Remember what that is? 481 00:25:16,020 –> 00:25:19,140 Ezekiel chapter 36 and verse 26, what 482 00:25:19,140 –> 00:25:22,099 does God say? I will give you a new 483 00:25:22,099 –> 00:25:26,959 heart and a new spirit I will put 484 00:25:27,180 –> 00:25:29,800 within you. Here’s the heart that Christ 485 00:25:29,800 –> 00:25:32,660 seeks but here’s the wonderful thing 486 00:25:32,660 –> 00:25:34,859 folks this is the heart that Christ 487 00:25:34,859 –> 00:25:40,300 gives and when God looked for a new 488 00:25:40,300 –> 00:25:45,800 heart, he found it because he gave it. 489 00:25:45,800 –> 00:25:49,339 That’s the thing to grasp. It wasn’t just 490 00:25:49,339 –> 00:25:52,699 there. When God looked for the new heart, 491 00:25:52,699 –> 00:25:55,219 I look for a man after my own heart. When 492 00:25:55,339 –> 00:25:57,479 God looked for the new heart, he found it 493 00:25:57,479 –> 00:25:59,219 because he gave it. That’s why it says I 494 00:25:59,219 –> 00:26:06,439 provided for myself this King. Now I 495 00:26:06,439 –> 00:26:07,939 want you to notice this because it’s 496 00:26:07,939 –> 00:26:10,040 very wonderful that God gave this new 497 00:26:10,040 –> 00:26:14,819 heart to David early in life, and I want 498 00:26:14,819 –> 00:26:16,699 to encourage those who are youngest in 499 00:26:16,699 –> 00:26:21,719 the service here today. God can begin a 500 00:26:21,719 –> 00:26:24,579 work of grace in your heart early in 501 00:26:24,660 –> 00:26:28,780 your life, early. And here’s what it 502 00:26:28,780 –> 00:26:32,339 looks like. You used to come to church, 503 00:26:32,339 –> 00:26:34,140 you used to giggle, you used to fidget, and 504 00:26:34,140 –> 00:26:35,760 used to say how long till we can go home? 505 00:26:35,760 –> 00:26:37,579 And now you’re finding something that’s 506 00:26:37,579 –> 00:26:40,319 different beginning to happen in you. 507 00:26:40,319 –> 00:26:43,780 That finding that you begin to love God 508 00:26:43,780 –> 00:26:46,560 and that you have within your heart, even 509 00:26:46,560 –> 00:26:48,939 though you are young you really want to 510 00:26:48,939 –> 00:26:52,520 worship him. You don’t understand 511 00:26:52,540 –> 00:26:55,520 everything but you want to know more and 512 00:26:55,520 –> 00:26:57,520 you are learning more. What is 513 00:26:57,520 –> 00:27:01,800 happening? God is doing this. He is 514 00:27:01,800 –> 00:27:04,459 changing your heart. He’s changing you 515 00:27:04,459 –> 00:27:09,060 from a Saul to a David. He’s giving you a 516 00:27:09,060 –> 00:27:13,040 heart for him. Here’s the big word 517 00:27:13,040 –> 00:27:15,520 regenerating you, which is the same as in 518 00:27:15,520 –> 00:27:17,160 the New Testament when it says being 519 00:27:17,160 –> 00:27:19,079 born again. He’s giving you a new heart. 520 00:27:19,079 –> 00:27:21,560 He’s putting a new spirit within you. 521 00:27:22,520 –> 00:27:25,300 When God gives you a new heart, whether 522 00:27:25,300 –> 00:27:27,280 you be young or whether you be old, you 523 00:27:27,280 –> 00:27:29,520 will still sin. You will still fail in 524 00:27:29,520 –> 00:27:32,560 many ways, but the whole direction of 525 00:27:32,560 –> 00:27:34,000 your life is going to be different 526 00:27:34,000 –> 00:27:36,520 because the desire of your heart, the 527 00:27:36,520 –> 00:27:38,160 strongest desire of your heart just 528 00:27:38,160 –> 00:27:41,000 changed. Because you’re coming to 529 00:27:41,000 –> 00:27:43,500 love Christ you want to please Him, 530 00:27:43,500 –> 00:27:45,979 and so when you sin, it hurt you because 531 00:27:45,979 –> 00:27:47,959 you know that you have grieved the Holy 532 00:27:47,959 –> 00:27:50,160 Spirit, the Bible says. You have made the 533 00:27:50,300 –> 00:27:54,060 Spirit of God sad, and the law of God is 534 00:27:54,060 –> 00:27:56,979 written on your heart, and when Jesus 535 00:27:56,979 –> 00:27:59,479 says, If you love me you will obey my 536 00:27:59,479 –> 00:28:01,520 commandments. You see in your heart 537 00:28:01,520 –> 00:28:04,000 that’s what I want to do, that’s the kind 538 00:28:04,000 –> 00:28:05,579 of life I want to live, I don’t want to 539 00:28:05,579 –> 00:28:07,760 go back to the person I used to be. This 540 00:28:07,760 –> 00:28:11,560 is a new heart, and it’s a miracle of 541 00:28:11,560 –> 00:28:13,959 God’s grace that is working within you. 542 00:28:13,959 –> 00:28:17,780 It’s the most wonderful thing, and this 543 00:28:17,819 –> 00:28:20,540 is exactly what happened for David long 544 00:28:20,540 –> 00:28:22,219 long before the coming of the Lord 545 00:28:22,219 –> 00:28:26,739 Jesus Christ into the world, and I tell 546 00:28:26,739 –> 00:28:29,140 you there is absolutely nothing of that 547 00:28:29,140 –> 00:28:33,660 in Sol. Sol follows the Word of God when 548 00:28:33,660 –> 00:28:35,420 it suits him, and when it’s going to be 549 00:28:35,420 –> 00:28:37,800 costly he goes his own way as we saw 550 00:28:37,800 –> 00:28:38,859 last time. 551 00:28:38,859 –> 00:28:40,739 Here’s the difference, and it’s 552 00:28:40,739 –> 00:28:41,979 absolutely huge, 553 00:28:41,979 –> 00:28:44,339 Sol is a religious man who tries to use 554 00:28:44,339 –> 00:28:48,619 God for his own ends. David is a 555 00:28:48,619 –> 00:28:53,160 regenerated man who loves God from a 556 00:28:53,160 –> 00:28:57,420 new and a redeemed heart, and there is 557 00:28:57,420 –> 00:28:59,219 all the difference in the world, and the 558 00:28:59,219 –> 00:29:01,140 good news of the gospel is that God can 559 00:29:01,140 –> 00:29:04,459 turn a Sol, if you recognize the Sol in 560 00:29:04,459 –> 00:29:08,579 you, God can turn a Sol into a David. He 561 00:29:08,579 –> 00:29:10,400 can give you a new heart, he can give you 562 00:29:10,400 –> 00:29:11,900 new desires, he can give you new 563 00:29:11,959 –> 00:29:14,560 affection so you’re not trying to 564 00:29:14,560 –> 00:29:17,660 somehow be what you’re not, because you 565 00:29:17,660 –> 00:29:19,260 have a new heart you’re beginning to 566 00:29:19,260 –> 00:29:20,780 live as a Christian and you’re becoming 567 00:29:20,780 –> 00:29:25,500 who you really are. All the difference 568 00:29:25,500 –> 00:29:28,160 in the world. You can come to Jesus 569 00:29:28,160 –> 00:29:30,199 Christ even today and you can say now 570 00:29:30,199 –> 00:29:32,979 take away this heart of stone, this heart 571 00:29:32,979 –> 00:29:34,459 that’s always resisting you, that’s so 572 00:29:34,459 –> 00:29:37,920 dead towards you, give me a heart of 573 00:29:37,920 –> 00:29:41,359 flesh, and begin to move me in the 574 00:29:41,359 –> 00:29:43,020 direction of a life that’s going to 575 00:29:43,020 –> 00:29:45,119 honor you and it’s going to be about 576 00:29:45,119 –> 00:29:46,800 you rather than about myself so 577 00:29:46,800 –> 00:29:50,619 endlessly. Here’s the profile of the 578 00:29:50,619 –> 00:29:52,160 person that God uses. If you thought 579 00:29:52,160 –> 00:29:53,739 there were 17 things on the profile 580 00:29:53,739 –> 00:29:57,099 you’re wrong. There’s only one, a new 581 00:29:57,099 –> 00:30:01,420 heart. See the evidence of that in your 582 00:30:01,420 –> 00:30:05,859 own life. Here’s the second thing, the 583 00:30:05,859 –> 00:30:10,079 equipping of the person that God uses 584 00:30:10,540 –> 00:30:13,619 and here we’re looking at a new power. 585 00:30:13,619 –> 00:30:16,260 You notice the last verse that was read 586 00:30:16,260 –> 00:30:21,479 verse 13, after Saul pours this oil over 587 00:30:21,479 –> 00:30:24,599 the head of David, we read these words 588 00:30:24,599 –> 00:30:31,040 and the Spirit of the Lord, that is the 589 00:30:31,040 –> 00:30:34,239 Holy Spirit, the Spirit of the Lord 590 00:30:34,959 –> 00:30:41,760 rushed upon David from that day forward. 591 00:30:41,760 –> 00:30:44,020 Here’s the great difference between 592 00:30:44,040 –> 00:30:48,920 David and Saul. Saul had been equipped 593 00:30:48,920 –> 00:30:50,640 by the Spirit to do certain things at 594 00:30:50,640 –> 00:30:52,760 certain times, but because his heart had 595 00:30:52,760 –> 00:30:57,219 never been regenerated the Spirit of God 596 00:30:57,219 –> 00:30:59,199 is taken from him. Not so with David, the 597 00:30:59,199 –> 00:31:03,359 Spirit rushes upon him from that day 598 00:31:03,479 –> 00:31:07,119 forward. Makes you think of acts 2, 599 00:31:07,119 –> 00:31:08,959 doesn’t it? The Holy Spirit coming on 600 00:31:08,959 –> 00:31:12,859 David like a mighty rushing wind on the 601 00:31:12,859 –> 00:31:18,160 day of Pentecost, and David from this day 602 00:31:18,160 –> 00:31:21,520 after he’s anointed by Samuel he has a 603 00:31:21,520 –> 00:31:25,280 new power in him that he did not have 604 00:31:25,280 –> 00:31:27,359 before. Here is the mark of a 605 00:31:27,359 –> 00:31:29,560 real Christian, a new heart and a new 606 00:31:29,560 –> 00:31:31,800 power. Neither of these things were true 607 00:31:31,839 –> 00:31:35,979 of Saul who was merely religious and 608 00:31:35,979 –> 00:31:37,939 it’s in the strength of this new power 609 00:31:37,939 –> 00:31:39,560 the presence of the Holy Spirit in this 610 00:31:39,560 –> 00:31:41,880 man’s life that he’s able, as you’ll see 611 00:31:41,880 –> 00:31:44,359 if you read chapter 17 that he’s able to 612 00:31:44,359 –> 00:31:47,540 see off a lion and he’s able to see off 613 00:31:47,540 –> 00:31:50,479 a bear and, more than that, he’s able to 614 00:31:50,479 –> 00:31:53,439 see off Goliath who was the great 615 00:31:53,439 –> 00:31:56,180 tormentor of the people of God. Saul 616 00:31:56,180 –> 00:31:59,359 couldn’t do that. He was powerless for 617 00:31:59,520 –> 00:32:03,199 all his armor. In front of the mockery 618 00:32:03,199 –> 00:32:08,079 and the defiance that Goliath was 619 00:32:08,079 –> 00:32:11,920 strutting towards the people of God. And 620 00:32:11,920 –> 00:32:13,660 again this gift of the Spirit, a new 621 00:32:13,660 –> 00:32:15,839 heart, and a new power. These 622 00:32:15,839 –> 00:32:18,119 constituencies of what it means to be a 623 00:32:18,119 –> 00:32:20,199 true believer. This is the new promise, 624 00:32:20,199 –> 00:32:22,520 the new covenant, isn’t it? Again is 625 00:32:22,520 –> 00:32:25,040 Ezekiel chapter 36 and verse 26. 626 00:32:25,040 –> 00:32:27,680 A new heart I will give you and a new 627 00:32:27,800 –> 00:32:34,479 spirit I will put within you. And so are 628 00:32:34,479 –> 00:32:37,040 you beginning to see the huge difference 629 00:32:37,040 –> 00:32:40,880 between the merely religious person 630 00:32:40,880 –> 00:32:43,339 represented to us here in Saul and 631 00:32:43,339 –> 00:32:45,520 the regenerated person who is 632 00:32:45,520 –> 00:32:50,199 represented to us here in David. Here’s 633 00:32:50,199 –> 00:32:54,359 the difference. Religious people have no 634 00:32:54,359 –> 00:33:00,099 power beyond their own strength. And that 635 00:33:00,099 –> 00:33:02,640 is why candidly the religious person is 636 00:33:02,640 –> 00:33:06,719 always defeated. Always talking about 637 00:33:06,719 –> 00:33:09,939 how I cannot get over my besetting sin. 638 00:33:09,939 –> 00:33:12,319 They do not have a new heart. They do not 639 00:33:12,319 –> 00:33:14,640 have a new spirit. They do not know what 640 00:33:14,640 –> 00:33:17,219 it is to be strong in the Lord and in 641 00:33:17,219 –> 00:33:21,099 the power of his might. Goliath mocks 642 00:33:21,099 –> 00:33:24,160 them. And like Saul they are powerless to 643 00:33:24,160 –> 00:33:26,439 do anything about it. There they are 644 00:33:26,439 –> 00:33:29,060 they’re trapped by their own wounds year 645 00:33:29,060 –> 00:33:31,420 after year after year and nothing 646 00:33:31,420 –> 00:33:33,880 changes. Trapped by their own impulses 647 00:33:33,880 –> 00:33:36,500 and unable to do anything to overcome 648 00:33:36,500 –> 00:33:39,260 them. But when the Spirit of God comes to 649 00:33:39,260 –> 00:33:43,640 David, well he says the Lord’s delivered 650 00:33:43,640 –> 00:33:45,900 me from the paw of the lion and the paw 651 00:33:45,900 –> 00:33:49,000 of the bear. And he is able to deliver 652 00:33:49,000 –> 00:33:52,959 me from the hand of this Philistine. 653 00:33:53,000 –> 00:33:56,359 Folks understand the gospel because we 654 00:33:56,359 –> 00:33:58,119 do not want to drift through life as 655 00:33:58,119 –> 00:34:00,020 religious people who never get to 656 00:34:00,020 –> 00:34:04,239 regeneration. The gospel is more than 657 00:34:04,239 –> 00:34:08,639 good news to be believed. The gospel is 658 00:34:08,639 –> 00:34:11,439 power to be deployed and if you do not 659 00:34:11,439 –> 00:34:14,000 grasp that, if you have not experienced 660 00:34:14,000 –> 00:34:16,020 that, then you have missed the very 661 00:34:16,020 –> 00:34:17,459 heart of what it really means to be a 662 00:34:17,459 –> 00:34:18,179 Christian. 663 00:34:18,179 –> 00:34:21,500 I am NOT ashamed of the gospel says Paul 664 00:34:21,560 –> 00:34:23,520 in Romans chapter one and verse 16. Why? 665 00:34:23,540 –> 00:34:28,560 Because it is, what? The power of God for 666 00:34:28,560 –> 00:34:33,840 the salvation, deliverance of everyone 667 00:34:33,840 –> 00:34:38,139 who believes and when God makes you a 668 00:34:38,139 –> 00:34:40,419 new creation in Christ, you not only have 669 00:34:40,419 –> 00:34:43,320 a new heart, but you also have a new 670 00:34:43,320 –> 00:34:45,620 power. This is at the very foundation of 671 00:34:45,620 –> 00:34:48,540 the new covenant. The Spirit of God lives 672 00:34:48,600 –> 00:34:52,399 within you and makes it possible for you 673 00:34:52,399 –> 00:34:54,500 to do what God is calling you to do, to 674 00:34:54,500 –> 00:34:56,820 forgive that person who has held you 675 00:34:56,820 –> 00:35:00,120 bound for so long. To face that 676 00:35:00,120 –> 00:35:02,479 temptation, and to begin again to do 677 00:35:02,479 –> 00:35:04,719 battle against it, rather than languishing 678 00:35:04,719 –> 00:35:08,080 in this pattern of defeat. To face the 679 00:35:08,080 –> 00:35:10,020 pressures of life that were overcoming 680 00:35:10,020 –> 00:35:12,459 you before, and to persevere in the face 681 00:35:12,459 –> 00:35:14,939 of this difficulty. You will be able to 682 00:35:14,939 –> 00:35:17,219 say when you are in Christ, with Paul, 683 00:35:17,860 –> 00:35:24,000 I can do all things through Christ who 684 00:35:24,000 –> 00:35:27,620 strengthens me.” You see, Paul knew what 685 00:35:27,620 –> 00:35:29,300 it was to move from being a religious 686 00:35:29,300 –> 00:35:31,699 man, a Pharisee in the school of Gamaliel, 687 00:35:31,699 –> 00:35:33,179 which he have been for years and he knew 688 00:35:33,179 –> 00:35:36,479 all about it. But then he comes to Jesus 689 00:35:36,479 –> 00:35:38,439 Christ and what does he get? A new heart 690 00:35:38,439 –> 00:35:40,879 and a new spirit and the whole of his 691 00:35:40,879 –> 00:35:42,540 life takes a new direction. There’s a 692 00:35:42,540 –> 00:35:46,500 new energy. And the evidence of it is 693 00:35:46,739 –> 00:35:47,939 that he’s able to do things that he 694 00:35:47,939 –> 00:35:49,020 would never have been able to do 695 00:35:49,020 –> 00:35:52,919 before. The profile of the person God 696 00:35:52,919 –> 00:35:57,540 uses a new heart. The equipping of the 697 00:35:57,540 –> 00:36:02,280 person God uses a new spirit, a new power. 698 00:36:02,280 –> 00:36:06,780 And just very briefly the experience of 699 00:36:06,780 –> 00:36:11,219 the person that God uses, a new struggle. 700 00:36:11,219 –> 00:36:15,080 The Scripture for this of course is the 701 00:36:15,120 –> 00:36:18,959 rest of one Samuel. Hear me clearly and 702 00:36:18,959 –> 00:36:20,239 you’ll get this in the rest of the 703 00:36:20,239 –> 00:36:22,979 series. Nothing that I have said should 704 00:36:22,979 –> 00:36:24,919 be taken to suggest that the Christian 705 00:36:24,919 –> 00:36:29,659 life now will be easy. It will not. And 706 00:36:29,659 –> 00:36:31,840 we’re gonna see that as over these next 707 00:36:31,840 –> 00:36:33,360 weeks we follow the story but let me 708 00:36:33,360 –> 00:36:37,560 just end by saying this when God gives 709 00:36:37,560 –> 00:36:39,659 you the gift of the new heart and God 710 00:36:39,659 –> 00:36:41,800 gives you the gift of this new power by 711 00:36:41,800 –> 00:36:44,000 his Holy Spirit don’t expect the road 712 00:36:44,000 –> 00:36:48,560 ahead to be an easy one I’m gonna find 713 00:36:48,560 –> 00:36:51,600 from the story of David and the story of 714 00:36:51,600 –> 00:36:57,320 Jesus that the anointing and the Spirit 715 00:36:57,320 –> 00:36:59,500 are immediately followed by days of 716 00:36:59,500 –> 00:37:01,959 intense struggle and intense intense 717 00:37:01,959 –> 00:37:06,459 difficulty. David is anointed for 718 00:37:06,459 –> 00:37:09,820 ministry the Spirit rushes upon him and 719 00:37:09,820 –> 00:37:14,280 then what happens he has years in which 720 00:37:14,280 –> 00:37:18,820 he is hated by Saul and he is hunted by 721 00:37:18,820 –> 00:37:22,919 Saul and he goes through a thousand 722 00:37:22,919 –> 00:37:27,340 agonies before after years the crown is 723 00:37:27,340 –> 00:37:31,179 eventually his. And the pattern of David’s 724 00:37:31,179 –> 00:37:32,479 life that we’re going to see through the 725 00:37:32,479 –> 00:37:34,280 rest of 1st Samuel was the pattern of 726 00:37:34,280 –> 00:37:38,500 the life of Jesus. Remember he comes in 727 00:37:38,820 –> 00:37:41,860 with purity of heart, born of the Virgin 728 00:37:41,860 –> 00:37:46,219 without sin and the Holy Spirit comes 729 00:37:46,219 –> 00:37:48,739 upon him at his baptism alighting on him 730 00:37:48,739 –> 00:37:51,679 as a dove. This is my son with whom I am 731 00:37:51,679 –> 00:37:55,939 well-pleased. What happens after that 732 00:37:55,939 –> 00:37:57,979 he’s thrust out into where? the 733 00:37:57,979 –> 00:38:00,060 wilderness, to be tempted by the devil 734 00:38:00,060 –> 00:38:02,300 then he’s launched into public ministry 735 00:38:02,300 –> 00:38:04,939 with unrelenting opposition and with 736 00:38:04,939 –> 00:38:07,120 unrelenting demands that are placed upon 737 00:38:07,439 –> 00:38:11,800 him and then he goes to a cross. He suffers 738 00:38:11,800 –> 00:38:17,719 and dies in agony. No crown yet 739 00:38:17,800 –> 00:38:21,540 until on the third day he rises and 740 00:38:21,540 –> 00:38:24,639 ascends and takes his place on the 741 00:38:24,639 –> 00:38:28,060 throne of heaven at the right hand of 742 00:38:28,060 –> 00:38:30,320 the Father. Listen, the pattern for David 743 00:38:30,320 –> 00:38:32,639 was the pattern for Jesus and the 744 00:38:32,639 –> 00:38:34,879 pattern for Jesus will be the pattern 745 00:38:34,879 –> 00:38:39,600 for you and the pattern for me and the 746 00:38:39,600 –> 00:38:41,320 reason Christ gives his people a new 747 00:38:41,320 –> 00:38:43,739 heart and he gives us a new spirit is 748 00:38:43,739 –> 00:38:45,100 that he’s going to give us something 749 00:38:45,100 –> 00:38:47,159 else as soon as we come to Jesus Christ 750 00:38:47,159 –> 00:38:49,560 it’s a new struggle it’s a new cross if 751 00:38:49,560 –> 00:38:52,560 anyone would come after me there’ll be a 752 00:38:52,560 –> 00:38:54,280 new heart they’ll be a new spirit but 753 00:38:54,280 –> 00:38:56,340 understand this if anyone would come 754 00:38:56,340 –> 00:38:58,199 after me here’s why you’ll need the new 755 00:38:58,199 –> 00:39:00,360 spirit and the new heart because you’re 756 00:39:00,360 –> 00:39:02,000 gonna have to deny yourself every day 757 00:39:02,000 –> 00:39:04,560 and you’re gonna have to fight this 758 00:39:04,560 –> 00:39:06,179 battle you’re going to have to take up 759 00:39:06,179 –> 00:39:13,959 the cross and follow me christ gives you 760 00:39:13,959 –> 00:39:15,520 the new heart christ gives you the new 761 00:39:15,520 –> 00:39:18,000 spirit then it’s back to the world with 762 00:39:18,000 –> 00:39:21,760 all its pressures all its demands back 763 00:39:21,760 –> 00:39:25,600 to that difficult marriage back to that 764 00:39:25,600 –> 00:39:28,919 secular school back to that hostile 765 00:39:28,919 –> 00:39:30,040 environment why 766 00:39:30,360 –> 00:39:36,620 honour jesus christ there and so here’s 767 00:39:36,620 –> 00:39:40,419 what Christ offers the new heart the new 768 00:39:40,419 –> 00:39:41,639 spirit 769 00:39:41,639 –> 00:39:45,500 then you struggle in that power to live 770 00:39:45,500 –> 00:39:49,820 this new life with the help of God and 771 00:39:49,820 –> 00:39:54,419 Saul had none of them and David had all 772 00:39:54,659 –> 00:39:59,040 and here’s the thing 773 00:39:59,040 –> 00:40:03,760 lived his life with a crown and in the 774 00:40:03,760 –> 00:40:08,159 end he lost it and David lived his life 775 00:40:08,159 –> 00:40:13,300 without a crown and in the end he gained 776 00:40:13,300 –> 00:40:17,719 it and there’s absolutely no doubt in my 777 00:40:17,719 –> 00:40:20,020 mind which of these two I want to be 778 00:40:20,020 –> 00:40:22,120 what about you 779 00:40:22,139 –> 00:40:26,679 let’s pray together oh father make 780 00:40:26,679 –> 00:40:28,840 Davids of souls in this congregation 781 00:40:28,840 –> 00:40:33,179 here today and encourage all who have 782 00:40:33,179 –> 00:40:35,679 the Holy Spirit the Spirit given to 783 00:40:35,679 –> 00:40:38,020 David the new heart the regenerated 784 00:40:38,020 –> 00:40:40,639 heart in all the struggles that we face 785 00:40:40,639 –> 00:40:43,360 that in the power of your Spirit we may 786 00:40:43,360 –> 00:40:46,120 press forward and when set back and 787 00:40:46,120 –> 00:40:49,360 when we fail to get up and to seek your 788 00:40:49,360 –> 00:40:51,500 cleansing and to press forward again and 789 00:40:51,500 –> 00:40:55,040 to live for you wherever you set us and 790 00:40:55,040 –> 00:40:57,979 send us until the day when it will be 791 00:40:57,979 –> 00:41:01,540 fully revealed who we are and the crown 792 00:41:01,540 –> 00:41:04,399 will be ours so that we can lay it at 793 00:41:04,399 –> 00:41:06,979 the feet of Christ in whose name we 794 00:41:06,979 –> 00:41:10,219 pray when everyone said

Details

Sermon Series
Date
Primary Audience

Monthly Offer

Get your free copy of ‘The Advent of Glory’ by R. C. Sproul when you set up a monthly gift of at least £5, or a one-off gift of at least £50…

Donate

Colin Smith

Trustee / Founder and Teaching Pastor

Colin Smith is the Senior Pastor of The Orchard Evangelical Free Church in the northwest suburbs of Chicago. He has authored a number of books, including Heaven, How I Got Here and Heaven, So Near – So Far. Colin is the Founder and Teaching Pastor for Open the Bible. Follow him on X formerly Twitter.

Linked resources

No linked resources found.

Search

Search

Header Submit Search