The Heart Of Obedience Series

Heart of Obedience

Theme: To show that we must have heart and will

Text: 1 Samuel 16

Introduction

In 1 Samuel 16, God sends Samuel to anoint another King. God has rejected Saul as king. Because of his disobedience because he did not listen to the word of the Lord Saul has been rejected.

At the beginning of chapter 16 Samuel is grieving. He is hurting. It must have been hard for him to see the destruction of Saul. Not only to see it but to be an instrument that God uses to prophesy judgment upon Saul and his household.

Because of Saul’s disobedience not only would he be rejected as king but also his whole household. You know that it was common pratice that the son of the king would step into the fathers place. Yet God rejected Saul and his household. Thank the Lord that in Jonathan, the son of Saul, we see a man who was more concerned with the will of God than his own gain.

So Samuel is sent to Bethelem to anoint a new king of Israel. Samuel calls on the house of Jesse. A sacrifice is prepared and the family gathers. Seven brothers are paraded before Samuel. First E-li’-ab, Samuel thinks in his heart “Surely the Lord’s anointed is before me”. Yet seven times God rejects these brothers. Why? It is explained in verse 7

“But the LORD said unto Samuel, Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused him: for [the LORD seeth] not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the LORD looketh on the heart.” (1 Samuel 16:7 AV)

God’s decision to use you will not be based on brains, brawn or beauty. God doesn’t use just the best and the brightest.

• God doesn’t care about charisma, He cares about character. Man promotes talent-abilities etc. But God promotes character

• Pr 18:16 A man’s gift maketh room for him, and bringeth him before great men.

Your gift may bring you before great men, but it is character that enables you to stay there.

This was how Saul was chosen. The Lord knew that Israel would reject any king except that one who stood taller than anyone in Israel. We see this in 1 Samuel 9:2. From the outside Saul was an impressive man.

Yet the problem was not his appearance but his heart. Although his outward appearance was impressive, his heart was not.

In chapter 15 we see that Saul has turned away from God and was no longer obedient to God. In fact, he has set up a monument in his own honour. He may looked impressive, but his heart was "rebellious and arrogant." (cf.15:23).

Finally there are no more brothers before him. So he asked Jesse, “Is this all your sons”. Jesse is remined, “No, I have one more. But it is just David. He is in the field tending sheep”. Who would chose little shepherd boy David to be king.

This same attitude is brought up just before David slays Golaith. His brothers got irritated at him and mocked him and told him to go home to his lowly job of tending sheep.

Oh God don’t care what kind of talents you have. He don’t care how you look as long as you are willing to be used of the Lord.

David was brought in and then Samuel knew. He was small in stature but great in heart. Acts 13:22 tells us of the Lord speaking of David “I have found David the son of Jesse, a man after mine own heart, which shall fulfil all my will.” Or “a man after My own heart; who will do everything I want him to do”.

He was a man who had a heart for God.

On the other hand, when God looked at David - just a small boy - God saw "a man after My own heart; who will do everything I want him to do." (Acts 13:22; 1 Sam 13:14). God rejected one - and accepted another - on the basis of this. Is your heart obedient and submissive to God? Are you willing to do God’s will and seek to fulfill His purposes?

This is what I want to preach about this morning. These two things. Notice these two important characteristics that we need to have if we are going to be obedient to the Lord. First we must have the heart of God and second we must have the willingness to obey.

The heart is our motivation and the will is our work. It is not just important to have the heart, the motivation, the desire to do for the Lord. I think we need this but this is not the bottom line. I know many people who have a desire to obey God.