Sermon Central
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The Beat Of Our Heart
Contributed by Je Layugan on Aug 3, 2023 (message contributor)
Summary: Our heart matters to God. And our heart will either lead us towards God, or away from God. When you listen to your heart now, and every heartbeat is translated into words, what words would you hear?
A heart beats about 115,000 times each day.
A heart pumps about 2,000 gallons of blood every day.
A woman’s heart beats slightly faster than a man’s heart.
Most heart attacks happen on a Monday.
A heart is a symbol of love, life, or anything that is at the center of utmost importance.
Figuratively, it is presented as, soft, hard, bleeding, weak, strong, stubborn, on fire,
In the Bible, when the heart is mentioned, it is uncommon that it is referred to as the human heart that regularly pumps blood to the body. Rather, a very important concept in which God seems very interested.
[SAMUEL WAS SENT TO ANOINT DAVID]
One of the most prominent stories of how God demonstrated his interest in our hearts is when the young shepherd boy David was about to be chosen as the next King of his Israel.
Do you remember the story?
The Lord, through Samuel, wants to anoint the next King.
When Samuel saw Eliab, the eldest son of Jesse (David’s father), Samuel (without even interrogating or evaluating Eliab), immediately assumed that he is the one.
Can you relate here? When we already have a presupposition, we immediately jump to conclusions without consulting God.
In fairness, Samuel is a prophet, he must have spiritual discernment, he knows God and at some level, he knows what God wants, but this time his discernment failed him because he never spent time with God and asked. (Among the sons, is he the eldest?)
This is how important communicating with God is. Regardless of how long we have been a leader/Christians, we need to sit and hear from Jesus.
This is when the Lord said to Samuel,
1: Samuel 16:7 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.”
[7 BROTHERS VS YOUNG DAVID]
Jesse let all his other 6 sons pass in front of Samuel, but all of them God rejected. We can conclude that Eliab is TDH. The rest of the brothers are likely well-built because they are all soldiers.
Nevertheless, David is also a fine young man. The Bible describes David as glowing with health and having a fine appearance and handsome features. He is not a soldier, yet he has killed lions and bears while protecting his sheep. When a lion or a bear came and took a sheep from the flock, David goes out after it and attacked it, and rescues the sheep from its mouth.
In fairness to the brothers, they can all be a good choice. (the Lord can equip them) They are soldiers, and soldiers have certain qualifications like a strong body and focused mind, they have discipline, they possess courageousness, they trained hard, etc.
[DAVID’S HEART]
In real life, their outward appearances, like their physical attribute, their accomplishments, experiences, and vocation, are all important too. God is not saying – ignore all these because these are not important.
We must understand the situation in this passage so that we will not go saying, all these things are not important.
The context here is that – when everyone seems to be a good choice, the one whose heart beats differently is the best choice.
I just want this to be clear: The heart supersedes everything, but it is not the only thing for survival.
Why did Jesus say - Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength (Mark 12:30), if it is only the heart that matters?
Why did Paul say - Do not conform to the pattern of this world but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. (Romans 12:2) if it is only the heart that matters?
In Ephesians 6 – we are taught of putting on the armour of God, not just to protect our hearts, but our whole being.
But, when the Lord looks at us, he looks at our hearts first and foremost.
And then other things, if we are lacking something he provides.
[DAVID’S HEARTBEAT]
When was the last time your heart beats faster than normal? Probably when issues in life came knocking at your door?
Imagine if Samuel knew that God is interested in a man’s heart, he “symbolically” took out a stethoscope, and listened to the heart of the brothers, one by one. (Use the props). Among the 8 brothers, David’s heart beats differently.
Acts 13:22 ESV And when he had removed him, he raised up David to be their king, of whom he testified and said, ‘I have found in David the son of Jesse a man after my heart, who will do all my will.’
David's heart beats God’s heartbeat. David’s heart seeks to obey God.
