How God discovers his man

 

LIMAVADY INDEPENDENT METHODIST CHURCH

SERMON NOTES FROM SUNDAY 14 JANUARY 2024

1 SAMUEL 1 VERSES 1 – 23

The life of David is very interesting, inspiring and instructive.  No character is more fully portrayed than any other in the Old Testament.  He leaves a massive footprint in holy scriptures.  A man of many hats.  A very outstanding individual.  So greatly beloved.  A shepherd diligent in protecting his flock.  A singer, the sweet psalmist of Israel.  A servant able to take orders willingly. A soldier outstanding in the fight with Goliath.  David suffered knowing much pain. A supplicant knew how to lay everything on the Lord when in travail.  A student who studied the wisdom of God A sinner who committed adultery and murder.  A saint who had great contact with his God.  A saviour who saved Israel from their foes.  David was God’s man.  The Lord is always looking for a man or woman who he can set apart for some service of his.  “There’s a work for Jesus none but you can do.”  We want to look today at how God discovers his man.  This chapter gives the answer.  We find here the governing principles which determined God’s choice of David.

God discovered character in David.  While Samuel as grieving over Saul the Lord told him to face the facts – he was rejected.  God set apart another man to rule over Israel.  The Spirit of God came powerfully on David when he was anointed – verse 14.  The Lord was satisfied with his choice.  Sealed.  His seal of approval on his future servant by sending his Spirit on him.  God knows the heart was available.  He knew what it was to have fellowship in the Spirit of God.  He knew that David was the man for the hour, not because of outward appearance but his inward experience.  The instructions God gave to Samuel on how he was to interview David are seen in verse 7.  God was looking for a man who was after his own heart and would fulfil his will.  The governing principle for choosing David is the heart.  “The Lord looketh on the heart.”  This is the principle that should guide our direction when making decisions in life.  The emphasis should be on the heart and not the look only.  Judging only by appearance and not looking at the heart is like buying a house without viewing it.  It is like buying a car without lifting the bonnet.  The heart matters when choosing our friends, our church.  The heart principle will never be beaten if we follow it.  We will make the right choices if we follow the heart.  A great character – fellowship with the Spirit but also faithful to the Spirit – verse 18 “and the Lord is with him.”  What a testimony from others concerning the character of David.  We must be careful of public recognition and look instead to God’s approval.  How we live before men is important.  One thing stood out in his life was the fact that God was with him.  David knew the Lord.  He fellowshipped with the Lord and that was very evident to all who knew him.  The people in David’s day had recognised he was accompanied by the divine.  What a testimony of faithfulness.  David’s christianity was not a secret, he did not hide it.  He lived what he taught.  The Lord was with him.  What about us today?  What are people in our day saying about us?  What do they see in us?  Do they see us as men and women who have been with Jesus Christ?  Do they say “this is a man the Lord is with him” or “this is a woman the Lord is with her.”  Are we accompanied by the divine?  Do we live what we talk?  We cannot be secret disciples.  We cannot hide our faith in the Lord.  The Lord is with us therefore we must live with him.  He was also fearless in the Spirit – verse 18 “a mighty valiant man”.  The word “valiant in the Hebrew translation means to be strong.  David was not only a man of music but a man of great muscle.  A very talented player of the harp but also very manly.  He didn’t receive strength and muscle from sitting around and doing nothing.  He was a man of strength because he was a man who worked.  He was not afraid to work.  He believed with all his heart that there was no danger in the path of duty.  He worked hard at taking care of the sheep.  His past work experiences gave him mighty strength for the task God called for in the future.  His character sprang from fellowship, faithfulness and fearlessness in the Spirit.  God discovered character in David.

God discovered capability in David – verse 18.  David was cunning in music.  In other words he was very skilful.  Not only capable as far as playing the harp was concerned, he was sufficient in other areas.  He was God’s choice therefore 100% capable.  Verse 11 Samuel was informed “he keepeth the sheep.”  Even though he was a young boy, the youngest of his brothers he was capable in the art of shepherding.  That was a powerful responsibility placed on his shoulders at a young age.  He was looking after his father’s sheep, not his own.  He was dependable, trustworthy, had a good reputation of doing the job well.  God is not in the business, in the habit of putting irresponsible people in high positions.  That is why the Lord chose David.  He had a track record of being reliable and responsible.  If we are going to obtain a higher position in the church, in the work of God or even in the workplace we must prove ourselves to be reliable in the present work.  There are some and they will complain “why did I not have a greater position?”  They want the position but maybe they are not reliable in response to the current task therefore they are not given more responsibility.  If one is going to be capable of doing greater things for God they must be trusted in the smaller things.  Luke 1 verse 10 “he that is faithful in that which is least is faithful in that which is most.”  God saw David.  He was capable.  A capable shepherd.  Also a capable singer.  A capable musician, composer and the sweet singer.  He recognised that God gave him a wonderful gift.  A gift that he developed and exercised to the best of his ability.  That is what the Lord wants to do with his people.  They are given these gifts to put them to good use.  Child of God exercise and develop the gifts that are in us.  It is worth noting not all going to be singers or preachers or full-time evangelists but the Lord has given us all different gifts.  They are unique and only you can exercise that gift.  2 Timothy 1 verse 5 “wherefore I put to thee in remembrance that ye stir up the gift of God which is in thee.”  David was a capable shepherd, a capable singer but also a capable soldier – “and a man of war”.    Was he ready for war at this particular stage in his life?  He had no experience of war up to now.  He was not a member of Israelite army although word was going around of how he successfully defended his sheep from the lion and the bear.  That would prepare anyone for war.  His success in shepherding marked him out as a man of war.  Such capability brought great pleasure in the heart of God.  He strove for excellence in character and capability.  Surely he was a man after God’s own heart.

God discovered comeliness in David.  There was something about his physical appearance that made him stand out.  Comeliness means to outline, to mark around something.  David had excellent stature, a wonderful appearance.  He was in good physical condition because he took good care of himself.  He had to if he was going to see a great lot accomplished for the Lord.  If he was going to be the best for the Lord he had to look after his body.  He never became a man of physical fitness if he didn’t care for his body which God gave him.  There is little emphasis placed on the health of the body particularly in the church.  The spiritual is important but the physical is also important.  We are prone to forget the body is the temple of the Holy Ghost.  God’s Spirit dwells in us.  “For ye are bought with a price therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit which are God’s.”  Unless we are called upon to suffer physically there is no reason not to be healthy and able to serve the Lord.  Most of what we are called to do for the Lord spiritually depends on our state physically.  If we want to be our best for the Lord and do our best for him in our life time we must take good care of our health whatever format that takes.  It may be adequate sleep, proper recreation.  David took good care of himself.  David was himself in excellent stature and he had a exemplary speech.  He had discreet speech.  Having a speech that is discreet is one of the greatest attributes to have.  It would help him in serving in the king’s court.  Never allow the tongue to run away.  Be able to control it.  Important to know how to control that speech especially in serving in high places and in serving the King of kings.  We are to have a godly tongue.  When Paul wrote to the Ephesians he said “let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth.”  Gossiping lips, lying lips and foul lips are not good.  Honouring lips.  If we want to honour God with out lips we must control our speech.  Never allow our tongue to run away with us.  “A bird is known by his note but a man by his talk.” 

What great qualities David had – great character, capable and marked by comeliness.  Each of these qualities are within the reach of every believer to day.  They can become a reality.  Willing to yield soul and body, unreservedly to the Holy Spirit.  When God discovers a man or woman willing he will anoint them for the task ahead.  The Lord looked and discovered a young willing man called David and anointed him for a mighty work.  God is still looking for men and women he can set apart for him.  A specific task and wok.  What is he going to discover as he comes to our lives today?  Character, capability and comeliness?  May our prayer now be “make me useful to thee, send now thy spirit to me, thy perfect will in me fulfil, Lord make me useful to thee.”