You Are Not Forgotten

You Are Not Forgotten

1 Samuel 16:1-13 

Intro: Earning my spot.

This morning we are going to studying in 1 Samuel chapter 16. Prior to this chapter, a man named Saul at the insistence of the people of Israel, was made
king (1 Samuel 8:5, 10:1). The choice of crowning an earthly king was not a part of the Lords perfect will. Nonetheless, Saul was anointed by God through
Samuel, and he did not measure up as the king God would have for his people.

Saul made one mistake after another, ultimately rejecting the word of the Lord. Ultimately, it was made clear to Samuel the prophet and then to Saul, that
the Lord had rejected Saul as king. While Saul would remain enthroned for many years, the next king would be anointed immediately. This next king would
be an unlikely choice on the surface, an overlooked son of Jesse, but the Lord makes it clear that He does not see as man sees; those who may be overlooked
or forgotten by man, can be the next to be chosen by God.

Read: 1 Samuel 16:1-13

David, the youngest of Jesse’s 8 sons, is out in the field tending sheep. While he too was a son of Jesse, it seems that in the eyes of his earthly father,
he was only fit for tending sheep. What I love about this story is that God picks the next shepherd of Israel out of the sheep pasture.

You may not be in the position, job, or place you want to be today. If that is true of your life today, know that you are not forgotten. The Lord knows
right where you are and He is more concerned with your heart than your position. There is a song we used to sing for worship: “He knows my name, He
knows my every thought.”

I. Take Courage

• In this life, we most often judge people based on how they look, behave, dress, talk, or carry themselves. But God sees through all of that.
  
• Israel had already made this mistake with their first king. Saul looked the part but he didn’t have the heart a king of God’s people should have.
  
• As Samuel seeks to anoint the next king, it would be based on the heart. 

A. God looks at the heart

• Jesse brings his seven strapping sons before Samuel, but none are “the one.”
  
• Eliab comes first and as Samuel looks at him, he thinks, “This man sure looks like a king. This must be the one God would have me anoint.”
  
• Samuel saw a tall, good looking young man who looked like a great king and leader.
  
• The Lord however makes one thing clear, this decision won’t be made on appearance. Not on his height or stature, this first one, the one you think
  is surely the anointed, he has been rejected. 

1 Samuel 16:7, “God sees not as man sees, for man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.”

• Essentially what is being said is, “Your natural inclination is to only judge on outward appearance. But I can judge the heart that you cannot
  see. So, look to me for this selection and don’t be so quick to judge based on outward appearance.”
  

• As we studied Revelation 20 recently, we saw that in the millennial kingdom, where Jesus is ruling and reigning, outward conformity was required, yet
  still, the Lord was concerned with the heart.
  
• True at the end, true in David’s day and true today, God is concerned with the heart.
  

Isaiah 29:13, The Lord says: “These people come near to me with their mouth and honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me.”

• Samuel would need to look to the Lord, rather than for “the look.” God judges on what man cannot see.
  

Illus. The voice of the heart.

• It’s not about “the look,” is about “the heart.”
  

B. His concern is your heart condition

• We do well when we seek the Lord in our approach towards others and recognize his primary concern in our lives.
  
• After Jesse’s seven sons pass before Samuel, it is clear that none of them are who the Lord has chosen.
  
• This prompted Samuel to inquire, “are these all your children?”
  
• Samuel had asked Jesse to bring all of his sons to the sacrifice, one of them would be anointed.
  
• Jesse seems to have so little regard for David that he felt no need to invite him to the family ordination ceremony.
  
• Samuel knew that the word of the Lord was true, it would be one of Jesse’s sons that would be king (1 Samuel 16:1). He also knew that there must be
  another son who was not in attendance.
  
• Jesse replied, “yes, there remains the youngest, he is out tending the sheep.”
  
• It seems that David’s family had a low regard for him. First, he was not mentioned by name. Second, he wasn’t invited to the sacrificial feast. Third,
  he was only called in because Samuel insisted on it.
  
• This seems to be a problem in their family.
  

1 Samuel 17:28, “Why have you come down? And with whom have you left those few sheep in the wilderness?”

• While we can only make a guess as to the reason, we know that the oppression he received did not embitter his heart.
  

Illus. Not this time, go ahead and write a letter first.

Jeremiah 17:10, I, the Lord, search the heart, I test the mind, even to give to each man according to his ways, according to the results of his deeds.

• Perhaps you have felt oppressed or held back in this life. Whether you are chosen by man does not dictate whether you have been chosen by God.
  
• He is concerned with the condition of your heart, not if you are picked by man.
  
• One he is told that there is another son, out tending sheep, Samuel tells Jesse “Send and bring him, we will not sit down until he arrives.”
  
• I wonder what Jesse and the brothers were thinking?
  
• It may take some time before you get your opportunity, but don’t give up. 

II. Trust Him in the Waiting

• Samuel trusted the Lord while they waited for David to arrive. He remained standing in anticipation of his arrival.
  
• Despite the position he held in his family, there was an incredible calling on David’s life.
  
• Perhaps your position in your family, at your job, or in this life gives you a feeling that you are out “tending sheep.” Doing the difficult things
  that often go unnoticed. 

Psalm 37:7-8, Rest in the Lord and wait patiently for Him; Do not fret because of him who prospers in his way, because of the man who carries out wicked schemes. Cease from anger and forsake wrath; do not fret; it leads only to evildoing.

• It was this David who wrote Psalm 37, likely near the end of his life. It is one thing to speak from theory, and another to speak from personal history.
  
• David says, rest in the Lord patiently, do not fret when you see another prosper in his way. 

Psalm 37:3-4, Trust in the Lord and do good; dwell in the land and cultivate faithfulness. Delight yourself in the Lord; and He will give you the desires of your heart.

• David was called for this great anointing when he was out with the sheep. He was doing his job, cultivating faithfulness in the small things, faithfulness
  in what his father told him to do.
  
• Once David is brought before Samuel, it is clear, as the Lord says, “Arise, anoint him; for this is he.”
  
• Samuel anointed him in the midst of his seven older brothers and his father. 

1 Peter 5:6, Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you at the proper time.

• David was with the sheep, what a great place to find a shepherd for the nation.
  
• His position was not a desirable one but represented a necessary beginning of God’s preparing a king for His people.
  
• What might God be using in your life as preparation for a greater calling? 

A. He has you where He needs you

• Keeping the sheep was a servant’s job. This showed that David’s family was not especially wealthy as they could not afford servants.
  
• Keeping the sheep took a special heart, a special care. It meant you knew how the sheep needed the care of a good shepherd. David had
  an understanding that he was a sheep and God was his shepherd.
  

Psalm 23:1, The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want.

• I can imagine David in the hills, watching his Fathers flock, knowing; when “the Lord is my Shepherd,” I shall not lack, I will want for nothing. I
  am a sheep of His flock, I will not go astray, I am covered and protected.
  
• Keeping the sheep meant trusting God in the midst of danger. Keeping the sheep was not just a waiting ground, but a training ground.
  

1 Samuel 17:37, And David said, “The Lord who delivered me from the paw of the lion and from the paw of the bear, He will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine.” And Saul said to David, “Go, and may the Lord be with you.”

Illus. Going above and beyond the call of duty.

John 10:11, “I am the good shepherd; the good shepherd lays down His life for the sheep.”

• Some might call David unwise to risk his life in saving a lamb. Yet David believed that giving his all represented basic care for the flock.
  

Illus. Playing like I practiced.

• His practice of best conduct would commend him before God as one who would pursue the best conduct in leading the nation of Israel.
  

Psalm 78:70-72, He also chose David His servant, and took him from the sheep pens; from tending the sheep he brought him to be the shepherd of his people Jacob, of Israel his inheritance. And David shepherded them with integrity of heart; with skillful hands he led them.

• David was taken from the sheep pens. Like David, be faithful to whatever flock is around you presently. God has you where he needs you.
  
• The anointing of David was the outcome of what had taken place in private between the Lord and David long before his anointing as king. 

B. Draw closer

Psalm 16:8, I have set the Lord continually before me; because He is at my right hand, I shall not be shaken.

• This speaks of a decision David made to put God first in His life. He determined that the Lord would always be his focus, his perspective.
  

James 4:8, Draw near to God and He will draw near to you.

• David turned his being overlooked into a blessing by drawing nearer to the Lord.
  
• What was true for David, is true for us today, the Lord desires those who are after His heart. 

2 Chronicles 16:9, For the eyes of the Lord move to and fro throughout the earth that He may strongly support those whose heart is completely His.

1 Samuel 16:1-13   NASB