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