Introduction
A. Happy New Year church family! Welcome to 2009 – the last year of the first decade of the 21st century! Hard to believe.
B. Have you chosen any resolutions for the new year?
1. I heard about a man who announced that he was starting a diet as the new year began.
2. His friend said, “Good, I’m ready to start a diet too. We can be dieting buddies and help each other out. When I feel the urge to drive out and get a burger and fries, I’ll call you first.”
3. “Great!” he replied. “I’ll ride with you.”
C. As the new year begins, we are beginning a new sermon series on the life of David called “Cultivating A Heart For God.”
1. Our world is desperately in need of models worth following.
2. We need authentic heroes - people of integrity, whose lives inspire us to do better, to climb higher and to stand taller.
3. David’s life is certainly one worth studying, and one worth imitating.
4. David is the only one in all of Scripture to be called “a man after God’s own heart.”
5. Would it surprise you to learn that more has been written about David than about any other biblical character? (Except Jesus, of course)
a. Abraham has some 14 chapters dedicated to his life, and so does Joseph. Elijah has 10.
b. But do you have any idea how many are dedicated to David? Sixty-six if we are counting correctly.
c. And that doesn’t include the 59 references to his life in the NT.
6. David is the person mentioned more than any other Old Testament character in the pages of the New Testament.
D. We will learn, if we don’t already know, that David was a poet, musician, courageous warrior, and national statesman.
1. In battle, he acted with invincible confidence.
2. In decisions, he judged with wisdom and equity.
3. In writing, he wrote with transparent vulnerability and with quiet trust in God.
4. In friendship, he was loyal to the end.
5. Even in his promotion to the highest position in the land, David modeled integrity and humility.
E. But having said all that, I don’t want you to get the wrong idea about why God chose David – or why God chooses anyone, for that matter.
1. As we will see, David, like us, was anything but perfect.
2. Having earned the public’s trust and respect, he forfeited it all in a brief season of pleasure.
3. Then, as the consequences kick in , we discover another side of the man’s make-up – we see his lustfulness as a husband, weakness as a father, and deceitfulness and ruthlessness as a leader.
F. It’s all there in the Bible, written for all to learn, preserved for all to remember.
1. The Bible never flatters its heroes.
2. The Bible tells us the truth about each biblical character in order that against the background of human breakdown and failure we may appreciate the grace of God and recognize that God delights in working through the platform of human weakness.
3. And so David, and all the great men and women of Scripture, though far from perfect, leave us with a lives lived with strengths worth emulating, and failures to be avoided.
Background
A. Before we delve into the life of David, we need to go back about 40 years and get a sense of what was happening in Israel, the country in which he was born and lived.
1. G. Frederick Owen, in his book Abraham to the Middle-East Crisis, describes those ancient times perfectly in one sentence: “The people were on a long drift from God.”
2. That was the world into which David was born.
B. Eli, the high priest, and his wicked sons were gone.
1. His God-chosen successor, Samuel, the last of the judges, was an old man.
2. Samuel appointed his sons to judge Israel, but that was a mistake.
3. The Bible says, “When Samuel grew old, he appointed his sons as judges for Israel…But his sons did not walk in his ways. They turned aside after dishonest gain and accepted bribes and perverted justice.” (1 Sam. 8:1,3)
4. So the people were disillusioned, and they wanted something done about it.
5. What they really wanted was a king.
6. The elders of Israel met with Samuel and gave him three reasons why they wanted a king.
a. First, you are old. Second, your sons don’t walk in your ways. And third, we want to be like the other nations. (1 Sam. 8:5)
7. Most people have always wanted to be like everybody else, to do the popular thing, and these folks were no exception.
C. And So God let them have exactly what they wanted.
1. God instructed Samuel to appoint a Benjamite named Saul to be the first king of Israel.
2. The Bible says that Saul was “an impressive young man without equal among the Israelites – a head taller than any of the others.” (1 Sam. 9:2)
3. Saul had a measure of humility to begin with, and he seemed able to rally people around a cause.
4. He was 40 years old when he started to rule, but before long he became thin-skinned, hot- tempered, and given to seasons of depression.
5. David was born about ten years after Saul became king.
D. Not long after Saul began his reign, Samuel caught him in three serious acts of disobedience.
1. First, Saul made a terrible decision. He became impatient when Samuel’s arrival was delayed and so he offered the sacrifice that should only have been done by a priest of God. (1 Sam. 13)
2. Second, Saul made a rash vow that ended up putting his own son in jeopardy. (1 Sam. 14)
3. Third, and finally, he openly disobeyed God. (1 Sam. 15)
4. After Samuel confronted Saul, Saul admitted, “I have sinned. I violated the Lord’s command and your instructions. I was afraid of the people and so I gave in to them. Now I beg you, forgive my sin and come back with me, so that I may worship the Lord.” (1 Sam. 15:24-25)
5. But Samuel said to him, “I will not go back with you. You have rejected the word of the Lord, and the Lord has rejected you as king over Israel!” (1 Sam. 15:26)
6. As Samuel turned to leave, Saul caught hold of the hem of his robe and it tore.
7. Samuel said to him, “The Lord has torn the kingdom of Israel from you today and has given it to one of your neighbors – to one better than you.” (1 Sam. 15:28)
8. Samuel did decide to return with Saul to worship the Lord, but until the day Samuel died, he did not go to see Saul again, though Samuel mourned for him.
E. What Samuel didn’t realize, and what we often don’t realize, is that behind the scenes God is in control.
1. God always knows exactly what He is going to do.
2. God is never at a loss to know what He is going to do.
3. God knows perfectly well what is best for us. Our problem is, we don’t know.
4. Often we find ourselves thinking or speaking these words, “Lord, if You would just tell me what you have planned, then I’ll be in great shape. Just reveal it to me. Explain it to me, then I’ll trust in You.”
5. But that’s not faith – faith is counting on God when we don’t know what tomorrow holds – when we don’t know what God is doing.
F. But God knows what He is going to do, so He says to Samuel, “How long will you mourn for Saul, since I have rejected him as king over Israel? Fill your horn with oil and be on your way; I am sending you to Jesse of Bethlehem. I have chosen one of his sons to be king.” (1 Sam. 16:1)
1. Samuel was immediately concerned, and asks “How can I go? Saul will hear about it and kill me.” (1 Sam. 16:2a)
2. The Lord doesn’t answer Samuel’s remark about Saul, but simply tells him, “Take a heifer with you and say, ‘I have come to sacrifice to the Lord.’ Invite Jesse to the sacrifice, and I will show you what to do. You are to anoint for me the one I indicate.” (1 Sam. 16:2b-3)
3. Neither Samuel, nor we, have to be smart. We don’t have to be clever.
4. All we have to do is to obey – and that’s what Samuel did.
5. The Bible says, “Samuel did what the Lord had said.” (1 Sam. 16:4)
David Is Chosen
A. Meanwhile, David has no idea that his life is about to change forever.
1. He doesn’t know anything about what Samuel and God are talking about over there on the other side of the country.
2. What was David doing? He was just doing his job – keeping the sheep.
3. For David the day he became king was just like any other day.
B. When Samuel walked into town that day, the elders of the city came trembling to meet him asking, “Do you come in peace?”
1. What were they so afraid of? Well, there was real fear stretching across the land at the time.
2. There were problems in the Oval Office, and that made people everywhere uneasy.
3. Samuel calms them saying, “Yes, in peace; I have come to sacrifice to the Lord. Consecrate yourselves and come to the sacrifice with me.” (1 Sam. 16:5)
4. Then he consecrated Jesse and his sons and invited them to the sacrifice.
C. So everyone prepared themselves and then gathered for the ceremony.
1. They don’t have a clue about what’s going to happen.
2. Even Samuel doesn’t know which man God is going to choose.
3. But when they arrive and Samuel saw Jesse’s eldest son, Eliab, Samuel thought to himself, “Surely the Lord’s anointed stands here before the Lord.”
4. And why did he think that?
a. Probably because Eliab looked like the type you’d normally choose for a king.
b. No doubt he was tall and impressive.
c. Certainly he was a man of battle, because he’s the one who is fighting with Saul and the troops against Goliath in the next chapter.
5. What Samuel did not see was the character of Eliab.
a. He didn’t see, as we will in the 17th chapter, that Eliab was critical and negative and looked down on his younger brother.
b. Samuel was enamored with the externals, like most of us are.
6. But God explains to Samuel his principle of choice: “Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The Lord does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.” (1 Sam. 16:7)
D. Now, Jesse had eight sons and two daughters, and seven of the sons passed by Samuel, but Samuel said, “The Lord has not chosen these. Are these all the sons you have?” (1 Sam. 16:10-11)
1. I think that it is interesting that Jesse didn’t even have his youngest son in the room.
2. Jesse basically says, “Oh, yeah, I almost forgot – there is still the youngest, but you wouldn’t be interested in him, he’s out tending the sheep.”
3. Samuel said, “Send for him, and make it quick. I won’t sit down until he arrives.”
E. Imagine David’s situation – He’s out in the field, faithfully keeping the sheep, when suddenly someone comes running across the field saying, “David, they want you back at the house.”
1. David must have been wondering what kind of trouble he was in now.
2. David arrived and the Lord said to Samuel, “Rise and anoint him; he is the one.” (16:12)
3, Here’s David, just a teenager – the youngest of Jesse’s sons.
4. He walks into the house, still smelling like sheep, and all of a sudden an old man hobbles over and pours oil on his head.
5. Josephus the historian says that “Samuel the aged whispered in his ear the meaning of the symbol, ‘You will be the next king.’”
F. What did David do? What do you do in a situation like that?
1. I’m happy to report that David did not go down to the mall to try on any crowns.
2. He didn’t order a new set of business cards, telling the printer, “Change it from shepherd to king-elect.”
3. He didn’t shine up the chariot and race through the streets of Bethlehem, yelling, “I’m God’s choice…you’re looking at Saul’s replacement.”
4. What did he do? He went right back to the sheep.
5. Later in the chapter, when David is suggested to be a musician in residence for Saul, Saul sent messengers to Jesse saying, “Send me your son David, who is with the sheep.” (1 Sam. 16:19)
6. In the next chapter, when there is a battle going on between Israel and the Philistine giant, Goliath, we see that David went back and forth from Saul to tend his father’s flock at Bethlehem. (1 Sam. 17:15)
7. Isn’t that amazing? It made no difference that Samuel had anointed him with oil.
8. David didn’t bronze that horn and hang it up in his tent.
9. He didn’t expect special treatment from others.
10. No, he just went back to the sheep to faithfully await God’s time to promote him to his new position.
Lessons for Application
A. What can we learn from the beginning of the story of David?
1. I believe there are a number of powerful lessons for us about the way God chooses those He employs in His service, and the way God prepares people whom He chooses.
2. 2 Chronicles 16:9 says, “For the eyes of the Lord range throughout the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him.”
3. God is still looking and strengthening those who cultivate a heart for God.
4. God is not looking for perfect people, since there are none.
5. But he is looking for certain qualities that we see in David.
B. What qualities do we see in David?
1. First, we see that he had the quality of spirituality.
a. David had a heart for God. His life was in harmony with God.
b. What was important to God was important to David.
c. David did what God desired, and avoided what God disapproved.
d. He walked in communion with the Lord – He was a spiritual man.
2. The second quality we see in David is humility.
a. David had a servant’s heart.
b. He faithfully carried out the humblest of duties.
c. And even after God made him a “somebody,” David continued to be humble.
3. The third quality we see in David is integrity.
a. Integrity is what you are when nobody is looking – and David could be trusted out there in the wild with the sheep – all alone.
4. These are some of the qualities that we need to be working on in our lives.
a. Do we have a spiritual heart? Do we have a humble heart? Do we have a heart of integrity?
b. These are the things that please God.
c. People with these qualities are the ones whom God can use to accomplish His purposes.
C. We also learn from the beginning of the story of David, something about the way that God prepares and develops people for service.
1. We see that God trained David in solitude.
a. David was often alone with God in the quiet places.
b. None of us will be able to develop a spiritual life without spending time with God in solitude.
c. We see that even Jesus had to do that. The Bible says, “But Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed.” (Lk. 5:16)
d. Will we give concentrated time and effort in solitude, Scripture and in prayer? That’s the only way to grow and to prepare to be used by the Lord.
2. Second, we see that God trained David in obscurity.
a. Men and women of God are often unknown, unseen, unappreciated, and unapplauded.
b. In the relentless demands of obscurity, character is built.
c. Of course, God sees and knows what is done, and rewards what is done in secret.
d. Those who first accept the silence of obscurity are best qualified to handle the applause of popularity.
3. A third training ground God uses is monotony.
a. Are we willing to prove ourselves faithful with the little things?
b. Are we willing to do the menial, insignificant, routine, and unexciting things of daily life and ministry?
c. That is truly where character is formed and proven.
D. God is in the business of growing and transforming people.
1. He wants to help us cultivate a heart for Him.
2. And one thing we need to realize is that as God works with us on our inner qualities, He is never in a hurry.
3. In the introduction of Alan Redpath’s book about the life of David, he says, “The conversion of a soul is the miracle of a moment, the manufacture of a saint is the task of a lifetime.”
4. When God develops character, He works on it throughout a lifetime. He’s never in a hurry.
5. As long as we are still breathing, it’s not too late to work with God on our heart.
6. Join with me in cultivating a heart like David – he was a man after God’s own heart.
7. Let’s become men and women after God’s own heart?
Resources:
David – A Man of Passion and Destiny, by Charles R. Swindoll, Word Publishing, 1997.
David I, by W. Phillip Keller, Word Books, 1985.
The Making of a Man of God, by Alan Redpath, Fleming H. Revell Company, 1962.
