The Lord Looks At The Heart

“THE LORD LOOKS AT THE HEART” (Outline)

August 13, 2023 – Pentecost 11 – 1 SAMUEL 16:1-13

INTRO.: Be thankful that our loving and gracious God looks at our hearts. Our hearts might just be the hardest material known to God. Only the Lord God of Armies is able to change our hearts. “Then I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit inside you. I will remove the heart of stone from your body and give you a heart of flesh” (EZEKIEL 36:26). We begin life with a heart of stone. Our heavenly Father changes our stony hearts into hearts of flesh. Makes the ungodly godly. Unholy…holy.

“THE LORD LOOKS AT THE HEART.” I. A heart born sinful. II. A heart made godly.

I. WE ARE BORN WITH A SINFUL HEART.

A. Verse 1. Saul was the first king of Israel. Started out good. But heart turned evil, wicked.

1. The Lord wanted Samuel to move on from Saul. Go to Bethlehem to anoint the next king.

2. Verse 2. Samuel is scared of Saul. Evil times arrived. Go to sacrifice. Acceptable. Allowed.

B. Verse 3. Samuel invited Jesse’s family to the sacrifice. Lord promised to show Samuel what to do.

1. Verse 4. Samuel went to Bethlehem. The town elders trembled with fear. Come in peace?

2. Verse 5. Samuel: Yes, in peace. Consecrated Jesse and family for the sacrifice.

C. Verses 6, 8, 9. Jesse’s sons come before Samuel. Eliab, Abinadab, Shammah – not chosen as king.

1. Verse 10. The seven sons appeared before Samuel. The Lord did choose any of them.

2. Verse 7. Do not look at outward appearances. Lord does not look at what man looks at.

a. The Lord looks at the heart. b. Heart is what matters to the Lord.

D. We can rejoice that our loving, heavenly Father does not look at us in the way the world sees us. Or judges us. The Lord God looks at our hearts. God is not biased. He sees our hearts. The Lord does not look at appearances. This is a good thing. For the Lord God wants all people to be saved. He does not judge how a person looks. What kind of past they may have had. How that person has abused their bodies. This is far different from our ways and thoughts. Each of us have our biases. We look at peoples’ appearance. We may wonder about their various hair colors. The number of their tattoos. God does not think that way. The Lord looks. Sees a soul. A soul needing salvation. Or a soul already saved. Be thankful that the Lord’s ways and plans are much higher than ours. “Just as the heavens are higher than the earth, so my ways are higher than your ways, and my plans are higher than your plans” (ISAIAH 55:9). The Lord God wants all people to be saved. ALL to come to a knowledge of the truth.

E. The Lord does want all people to be saved. This does not mean that he overlooks sin. Nor does the Lord excuse evil. Or wickedness. Rebellion and sin pose very serious problems in every one of our lives. None of us are exempt from being sinners. All have sinned and fall far short of the glory of God. In fact, the Lord warned Noah and his family. Still warns us today. “The LORD saw that the wickedness of mankind was great on the earth, and that all the thoughts and plans they formed in their hearts were only evil every day” (GENESIS 6:5). Evil thoughts lead to wicked words. Wicked words to sinful actions.

F. We do not start our lives on the fence waiting to fall on the good side or evil side. Our lives begin with the stony heart. We begin life as the enemies of God. Stone-cold sinners. Only the powerful grace of God is able to overcome our sinful nature. The Lord inspired King David to pen Psalm 51. A psalm of confession. Repentance. Forgiveness. “Certainly, I was guilty when I was born. I was sinful when my mother conceived me” (PSALM 51:5). Conception is when life begins. Only people who are living can sin. Sinful at conception = alive. We inherit our first parents’ sin. Original sin. Live with sinfulness.

“THE LORD LOOKS AT THE HEART.” By birth begin with a stony heart. Evil, wicked, sinful.

II. THE LORD GIVES US A GODLY HEART.

A. Verse 7. Man looks at outward appearances. The Lord looks at the heart.

1. Verse 11. None of the sons of Jesse presented were to be anointed as king. Anyone else?

2. Just the youngest. Shepherding sheep. Did not seem important. Samuel: Send for him.

B. Verse 12a. They sent for the youngest, seemingly insignificant, son. Brought him from the field.