Hand of God
Sermon #1
Chosen by God
Acts 11:21: “And the hand of the Lord was with them: and a great number believed, and turned unto the Lord.”(KJV)
We know that the Lord wills to save everyone and if the hand of the Lord will be with us, then through us many will come to the saving knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ.
On whom does the hand of the Lord rest?
This is the testimony that the Lord gave regards His servant David:
“I have found David my servant; with my holy oil have I anointed him: With whom my hand shall be established: mine arm also shall strengthen him.” Psalm 89: 20-21 (KJV)
We will take a closer look at David’s life to see, why the Lord found him, and the reason why the hand of the Lord was entrenched so firmly on his life. We usually say we found someone, only when we are searching for them.
The question is, why would an Almighty Omniscient God, have to search for someone to accomplish His work? The reason is that, the kind of people the Lord is seeking after, whom He can take and use, are very few and far between. But when the Lord finds such a person, His hand will rest firmly on him or her.
What made David so special?
The LORD asked Samuel, "How long are you going to mourn for Saul now that I have rejected him as king of Israel? Fill a flask with olive oil and go. I'm sending you to Jesse in Bethlehem because I've selected one of his sons to be king." 1 Samuel 16:1 (GW)
So Jesse brought seven more of his sons to Samuel, but Samuel told Jesse, "The LORD has not chosen any of these. 1 Samuel 16:10 (GW)
Let’s get a little background to the life of David, who was the son of Jesse. David was the youngest of all. David’s elder brothers were strong young men, and some were in the army of Israel. David on the other hand, being the youngest, was left to tend his father’s sheep.
The Prophet Samuel was sent by the Lord to the house of Jesse, with the instruction that one of Jesse’s sons were chosen by him to be the King. Jesse is convinced that the Lord had most probably chosen one among his elder sons, as they seemed the likely candidates for the post of a king. When seven of the sons of Jesse passed before Samuel, the Lord clearly revealed to him that He had chosen none of them.
It is at this point, that Samuel enquires of Jesse if he had any more sons. Hesitantly, Jesse informs the prophet, that there is the youngest son David, but that he is only tending sheep. Jesse himself was not too confident to even introduce David to Samuel, but Samuel said to Jesse, “Send and bring him. For we will not sit down till he comes here.”1 Samuel 16:11 (NKJV)
In worldly standards, it seemed that David’s brothers were the ones who were qualified and had some kind of a social status, whereas David was just a shepherd boy. He had no qualification, appearance or standing to be chosen for a special task. The world generally appraises people by their external qualifications like, their possession, position, popularity and other worldly values. However, when the Lord evaluates someone, He looks deep down at their heart. God’s standards are totally different from that of the world and that’s why the Lord found David.
When the Prophet Samuel came to visit Jesse’s home, it was a very special occasion but sadly no one remembered to invite David to it. It seemed that everyone had forgotten David–all including his father and brothers. But the good news is that the Lord remembered. He commemorated David’s humility and faith and the Lord chose to honour him at the right time.
We may be facing a situation of neglect and rejection. We need to remember that at the right time, when the Lord’s command comes, others will come searching for us. God will make us the most important person in that very place, where we were overlooked and ignored. He Himself will bring us to the place of honour.
We will truly agree that, the one who received and brought David in to be anointed as the King of Israel, was not his father or brothers but the Lord alone. Let us never forget, that it is the Lord alone who can intervene and change our situations, and He is the source of all our advancements. The Lord performs this so no man but He alone should get all the glory. It is very crucial for us to understand that our promotions and blessings come only from the hand of the Lord and not from any man.
What was so special about David that the Lord found him?
• Firstly David believed and honoured the Living God
Goliath was challenging the armies of Israel and everyone was afraid, including King Saul. Listen to the dialogue between the King of Israel and a shepherd boy
David told Saul, "No one should be discouraged because of this. I will go and fight this Philistine." 1 Samuel 17:32 (GW)
“Your servant has killed both the lion and the bear, so this uncircumcised Philistine will become like one of them—since he has defied the ranks of the living God.” 1 Samuel 17: 36 (TLV)
King Saul and his entire army forgot the fact, that they had a Living God on their side. They were filled with fear, because they forgot this reality. All they could see was Goliath and defeat. They were unable to look beyond Goliath. Saul even discouraged David from fighting Goliath, because he was too young and inexperienced. However, the reason David wanted to fight Goliath was, he could not bear the thought that Goliath was dis-honouring the armies of the Living God and in so doing dis-honouring the Lord Almighty. David was filled with zeal for the Lord.
We worship a living God who can see, hear, feel and understand everything about us. This is one of the reasons why the Lord hates and is angered with idolatry, because an Almighty and Living God can never be reduced to be depicted by a graven image.
Since we believe and worship a Living God it implies that He is constantly watching us - there is nothing that is hidden from his eyes. Psalm 139 says that He even knows our thoughts and is aware of our words even before they come out of our mouth.
Many people continue in sin only because they are not filled with the conscious thought that our God is a Living God who can see, hear and feel with us. If we are permeated with this thought, it will affect the way we speak, the things we hear and the things we do. We will surely become the men and women whom God is seeking. Honour and blessings will be ours if we live with this thought, as the Hand of the Lord will be upon us.
• Secondly David was totally dependent on God and acknowledged that he could do nothing on his own.
David added, "The LORD, who saved me from the lion and the bear, will save me from this Philistine." "Go," Saul told David, "and may the LORD be with you." 1 Samuel 17:37 (GW)
David tried hard to convince King Saul to let him fight Goliath. David explained to King Saul how he saved his father’s sheep from the mouth of a lion once and from a bear. He acknowledged that it was the Lord and Lord alone who delivered him. So he assured Saul that he could do the same to Goliath the Philistine too. David was affirming his total dependence of the Lord and acknowledging that he could do nothing in his own strength.
What kind of a person is the Lord seeking after and what kind of people ought we to be?
When David defeated Goliath, the whole of Israel and King Saul turned to the Lord. What the entire army of Israel with all their training and King Saul could not accomplish, a young Shepherd boy did only because the Lord was with him. The Lord found David, and His hand established him.
The Lord is looking for those who will inherently live every moment of life with the thought that we serve a God who is living. Next in order, He is also seeking those who will endorse God’s presence and His blessings in their life, and give God alone all due credence and honour.
When this happens, the promise of the Lord in Acts 11:21, “And the hand of the Lord was with them: and a great number believed, and turned unto the Lord.”(KJV) will certainly become a reality.
Rev. F. Andrew Dixon
www.goodnewsfriends.net
Transcribed by Sis. Esther Collins
