Unlikely Hero: Calling A King

 

Series Summary

David has been described as a man after God's own heart (Acts 13:22). But as we read through the books of 1 and 2 Samuel, as David enters the narrative of Israel's history, David was unknown. He was young. He was a shepherd. He was overlooked. He was unlikely. But God pointed him out to Samuel and said, "David is my choice. He's the next king. And he's the one I will use to build the family line from which the Messiah will one day come." But David was a very unlikely choice. He failed, and he failed often. Bathsheba... Absalom... The census... And yet God describes him as a man after his own heart. Why? David was chosen by God because of his character. Character doesn’t mean perfection. David was far from perfect. But David always pursued the Lord. David maintained his character, no matter what. All the way to the point of repentance when necessary. This summer, we will look at several events that take place in the life of David: His calling. His victories. His friendships. His failures. His legacy. We will look at the life of David. But David is not the main character. The main character is Jesus. What we will see in David is a life that foreshadows Christ. And we will see how we can better reflect Christ in our own character, and in our own lives.

Sermon Summary

In order to examine the life of David, we need to start at the beginning. In the chapters leading up to 1 Samuel 16, the stage is set. Israel has cried out for a king, and God allowed Samuel to annoint Saul. But Saul didn't turn out to be the king they expected, and he wasn't the king God wanted him to be. That eventually resulted in God removing him from that position of leadership and giving it to someone else. God gave that role to David. But what was there about David that qualified him to be king? It was the state of his heart; it was his character. That's what led to his calling. And as we study these beginnings of David's part of God's narrative, we are led to examine our own character, and to make adjustments and improvements as necessary.