Pay Attention To Your Heart
1 Samuel 16:1-13
Introduction
A few years ago Forbes Magazine published an article by Ty Kiisel about how appearances impact our work lives. In the studies he looked at he noted that people who are tall are generally paid more. More, those who are blonde, who work out, who are handsome - earn more money. Women who wear makeup earn more than those who do not. He went on to write “As uncomfortable as it may be, we are under the microscope every day. Our employees, our colleagues, and our customers judge us by how we look, how we dress, our table manners, our grooming, and
sometimes even how we do our job.” Although we shouldn’t judge people by their appearances, it’s not a new practice - it’s an ancient one!
Samuel was told to go to Jesse’s house to anoint a new king for Israel. He would face a household with 8 number of potential Kings! All of the qualities that Samuel considered as qualities of a king were in his mind. As each of Jesse’s sons came before him, he saw men of status, looks, intelligence - impressive men who fit the image.
None of them would be the king God would choose. There was one left - the youngest son who was serving as a
shepherd.
David was the selection of God for the next King of Israel. The iconic statement is our consideration this morning:
“Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The Lord does not look at the things people
look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.” (1 Samuel 16:7) David was not perfect, would fail multiple times in big ways, that would prove deadly to some who served him. But there was something about David’s heart that God noticed and desired to use to lead his people.
Today we find strength to overcome by paying attention to our hearts!
1. God Looks At The Heart!
Every area of our lives is impacted by the station of our hearts. Mueller: The word heart (kardia) in the Bible refers to the authentic you, who you really are–where you desire, deliberate and where you decide. It’s the place of spiritual activity–the seat of your inner spiritual life. The heart is the ?place where God meets you, the place of our fellowship with Him, the place God reveals Himself to us.
Proverbs 4:23 NLT Guard your heart above all else, for it determines the course of your life.
There are many enemies of our hearts. In Andy Stanley’s book, Enemies of the Heart, he identifies four: Guilt, Anger, Greed, Jealousy. There are many others, but anything that drives us away from our calling to be God’s man or woman is an enemy.
Psalm 73:26 “My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.”
2. How to Cultivate a Heart for God
A Heart for God Worships. David is known for writing of the majority of the Psalms. Psalm 34:3 "Proclaim with me the LORD's greatness; let us exalt His name together”. It is important to do this on Sundays, but also in daily life. We worship the Lord in prayer, spending time in His word, being quiet in his presence.
A Heart for God Loves Others.1 John 3:11 “For this is the message which you have heard from the beginning, that we should love one another.” Luke 10:27 “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind’; and, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.
A Heart for God Gives Thanks (Rogers). Remember times when: God has answered prayers. God has worked in your life. God has blessed you or opened a door of opportunity. God has spoken to you through others or in a sermon. God has opened your spiritual eyes. You or someone you know was healed. You experienced a peace in your soul and knew that all would be OK during the storms of life.
A Heart for God Cries Out in Repentance. A low point in David's life involved his adultery with Bathsheba and the eventual murder of her husband Uriah. Ezel: “David was a great sinner. But he was also a great repenter. He confessed, "I have sinned against the LORD" (2 Sam. 12:13). Psalms 51 is his confessional statement..” Repentance occurs by not just feeling sorry for sin, but when we turn away from sin. One can't repent and keep on sinning. Renunciation of sin has to occur.
A Heart for God is Willing to Surrender. Alewine: A willing heart is only possible when we surrender our whole heart to the Lord, leaving no hidden corners or closed-off places where we are reluctant for Him to have full access and control. We cannot say to God, “I will obey You in everything except this.” Full obedience comes from a fully surrendered heart, and full surrender is necessary for God to change our stubborn hearts into a willing heart." Jesus’ prayer was, “Not as I will, but as You will” (Matthew 26:39). That’s a willing heart.
What Happens When We Pay Attention to our Hearts? (Donnelly)
You find peace. Philippians 4:7 “And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”
You begin to put value into the right places and people. Matthew 6:21 “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”
You find true happiness. Psalm 37:4 “Take delight in the LORD, and he will give you the desires of your heart.”
You Find Comfort. Psalm 34:8 “The LORD is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.”
You Experience Real Love. Romans 5:8 “But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still
sinners, Christ died for us.”
You Can Release Your Fears. John 14:27 “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.”
Conclusion
God looks at the heart - it is more important than any of the things we place value on in terms of appearance, talent or ability.
We cultivate a heart for God through worship, loving others, giving thanks, repentance, and surrender.
God blesses us in so many ways when we are in alignment with His will and His heart.
God told Samuel “The Lord does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.”
When God looks into your heart, is he seeing someone who is giving their heart to Him, or with holding their heart from Him?
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Discussion Questions
1. What kind of criteria was Samuel using when he thought that Eliab was going to be the new king? What note do we see about David in 16:12? Why does appearance matter so much?
2. Can you name a time when someone surprised you by their kindness because their appearance made you think they would not be kind? Has there been a time when someone looked like a kind person, but turned out to be unkind?
3. Proverbs 4:23 NLT says, “Guard your heart above all else, for it determines the course of your life.” In what ways is this true?
4. Andy Stanley identifies four Enemies of the Heart as Guilt, Anger, Greed, Jealousy. How can we overcome enemies like this? What other enemies would you identify?
5. In the sermon we identified ways to cultivate a heart for God including worship, love, gratitude, repentance, surrender. Which one of those stood out to you as especially important? Which is especially difficult? Did something else occur to you that you would add to that list?
6. The rewards of keeping our heart close to God include peace, placing value on the right things, happiness, comfort, love, release of fears. Which of those do you desire in your life right now? How do we accept / receive these blessings?
7. We know a lot about the life and personality of David. What are some ways that David is an unlikely candidate to be King of Israel? How can that be an encouragement to us today?
8. Is there anything else you wanted to talk about today?
“There is only One Being who can satisfy the last aching abyss of the human heart, and that is the Lord Jesus Christ. -Oswald Chambers
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1 Samuel 16:1-13
The Lord said 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.”…
4 Samuel did what the Lord said. When he arrived at Bethlehem, the elders of the town trembled when they met him. They asked, “Do you come in peace?”
5 Samuel replied, “Yes, in peace; I have come to sacrifice to the Lord. Consecrate yourselves and come to the sacrifice with me.” Then he consecrated Jesse and his sons and invited them to the sacrifice.
6 When they arrived, Samuel saw Eliab and thought, “Surely the Lord’s anointed stands here before the Lord.”
7 But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The Lord does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.” …
10 Jesse had seven of his sons pass before Samuel, but Samuel said to him, “The Lord has not chosen these.”
11 So he asked Jesse, “Are these all the sons you have?”
“There is still the youngest,” Jesse answered. “He is tending the sheep.” Samuel said, “Send for him; we will not sit down until he arrives.”
12 So he sent for him and had him brought in. He was glowing with health and had a fine appearance and handsome features.
Then the Lord said, “Rise and anoint him; this is the one.”
13 So Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the presence of his brothers, and from that day on the Spirit of the Lord came powerfully upon David. Samuel then went to Ramah.
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Resources
Alphonetta Wines Commentary
https://www.workingpreacher.org/commentaries/narrative-lectionary/god-calls-david/commentary-on-1-samuel-161-13-psalm-5110-14-3
Ezel, Rick. https://www.lifeway.com/en/articles/sermon-inner-workings-1-develop-heart-for-god
Mueller, Chris. https://media.faith-bible.net/scripture/1-samuel-vintage/developing-a-heart-for-god
Alewine, Sheila. https://www.biblestudytools.com/bible-study/topical-studies/simple-ways-to-ask-god-to-transform-your-heart.html
Donnelly, Marisa. https://thoughtcatalog.com/marisa-donnelly/2017/04/8-incredible-things-that-happen-when-you-give-your-heart-to-god/
Rogers, Richard. https://agfaithchapel.org/sermons-messages/how-to-be-like-king-david-with-a-heart-for-god-life-is-a-journey-part-10
Kiisel, Ty. https://www.forbes.com/sites/tykiisel/2013/03/20/you-are-judged-by-your-appearance/?sh=690a440b6d50
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Video of this message can be found by searching the Forsythe Church of Christ YouTube page.
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