What Our Lord Sees In You 1 Samuel 16 1 13
Series: Pre Lenten Sermons Old Testament
March 02, 2025
Rev. Nathan J. Rusert
Quinquagesima 2-March-2025 Sermon Text: 1 Samuel 16:1-13 Sermon Theme: “What The Lord Sees In You.” I. A Chosen Servant To Be Anointed. (Vs.1-3). II. A Sin Darkened Heart To Be Cleansed.(vs.4-7) III. A Heart For The Holy Spirit to Daily and Richly Renew. (Vs.8-13) by Rev. Nathan J. Rusert
Episode Notes
Quinquagesima 2-March-2025
Sermon Text: 1 Samuel 16:1-13
Sermon Theme: “What The Lord Sees In You.” I. A Chosen Servant To Be Anointed. (Vs.1-3). II. A Sin Darkened Heart To Be Cleansed.(vs.4-7) III. A Heart For The Holy Spirit to Daily and Richly Renew. (Vs.8-13) by Rev. Nathan J. Rusert
I.N.R.I. Luk 18:38 "Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!" The blind beggar sitting on the side of the road to Jericho cried out. Hearing the commotion of the crowd he asked, “What does this mean?” When he hears the good news, “Jesus is drawing near!” God the Holy Spirit opens his lips to cry out in praise and prayer, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” The historical accurate account of St. Mark further informs us, Mar 10:46 Now they came to Jericho. As He went out of Jericho with His disciples and a great multitude, blind Bartimaeus, the son of Timaeus, sat by the road begging.
Blind Bartimaeus sees while Jesus’ disciples remain blind. They cannot see what their Teacher Jesus is telling them. The historian Luke records, Luk 18:31-34 Then He took the twelve aside and said to them, "Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem, and all things that are written by the prophets concerning the Son of Man will be accomplished. (32) For He will be delivered to the Gentiles and will be mocked and insulted and spit upon. (33) They will scourge Him and kill Him. And the third day He will rise again." (34) But they understood none of these things; this saying was hidden from them, and they did not know the things which were spoken. The twelve were blind. Like us they wanted a theology of glory, not a theology of the cross. They wanted to see Jesus triumph over all their enemies with His might and power. They didn’t want to see Jesus triumph by being beat to a bloody pulp, nailed to a tree, suffer forsaken, die, and be buried. They didn’t want a Savior whose strength is made perfect in our weakness. Bartimaeus did. He praises and prays for Jesus’ undeserved grace and love alone - "Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!"
Bartimaeus echos the song of an ancient sinner. His sin had blinded him to the truth of what he had done. Called to repentance by the prophet the Lord opened his lips to sing, Psa 51:1 Have mercy upon me, O God, According to Your lovingkindness; According to the multitude of Your tender mercies, Blot out my transgressions. His name, David, King of Israel. Jesus is David’s Son and David’s Lord. The God of mercy.
As we prepare to step fully into another lenten season on Wednesday, Ash Wednesday, learn from the historical account of David’s call, “What The Lord Sees In You.” I. A Chosen Servant To Be Anointed. (Vs.1-3). II. A Sin Darkened Heart To Be Cleansed.(vs.4-7) III. A Heart For The Holy Spirit to Daily and Richly Renew. (Vs.8-13)
I. Israel had demanded a king. They no longer wanted God ruling over their nation by a judge. Samuel served as the last judge of Israel. He also served Israel as a priest offering sacrifices to the Lord for he was of the house of Levi. He was also a prophet preaching the Word of God and instructing the nation in God’s Law. The nation came to Samuel demanded a king. The Lord God told Samuel they had rejected God not the prophet. A man who stood a head above every Israelite - tall Saul was anointed king. The Lord gave victory to Israel over its enemies under Saul’s command.
King Saul let the glory of victory fuel his sinful pride. Instead of giving all glory to God he took things into his own hand. By the third year of his reign when Samuel was delayed and a battle with the Philistines drew near, Saul took upon himself what wasn’t given to his office. Rather than trusting God’s Word and timing - Saul offered the sacrifice although he was of the tribe of Benjamin, not of Levi to whom the priesthood was given. This grieved the Lord God. History records,
1Sa 13:13-14 And Samuel said to Saul, "You have done foolishly. You have not kept the commandment of the LORD your God, which He commanded you. For now the LORD would have established your kingdom over Israel forever. (14) But now your kingdom shall not continue. The LORD has sought for Himself a man after His own heart, and the LORD has commanded him to be commander over His people, because you have not kept what the LORD commanded you."
Our God is gracious and patient. The Lord God through Samuel commands King Saul to attack the Amalekites and utterly destroy them for the evil they had done to the children of Israel during the exodus. Saul attacks, but instead of destroying all saves the choice livestock bringing them to Israel. He also spares King Agag. After his victory over the Amalekites King Saul set up a monument for himself on Mount Carmel. When Samuel comes to King Saul. Saul rejoices in his victory. The prophet rebukes him for not obeying God’s Word. Saul trusting his own sight said he had brought the best of Amalek’s flocks to sacrifice to the Lord Samuel’s God. 1Sa 15:22-23 So Samuel said: "Has the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, As in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, And to heed than the fat of rams. (23) For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, And stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the LORD, He also has rejected you from being king."
King Agag is brought to Samuel. History records, 1Sa 15:32-33 Then Samuel said, "Bring Agag king of the Amalekites here to me." So Agag came to him cautiously. And Agag said, "Surely the bitterness of death is past." (33) But Samuel said, "As your sword has made women childless, so shall your mother be childless among women." And Samuel hacked Agag in pieces before the LORD in Gilgal.Samuel leaves, never to see King Saul again until the day of his death.
Here begins our text (vs.1) What does the Lord see in you? Like Saul we are tempted to look outwardly at our own appearance, accomplishments, things we have done, or haven’t done. From fallen Adam we idolize self - the idol called “ME.”
The merciful Son of David doesn’t call us because of our sight, but because of His mercy. The Holy Spirit teaches us of Jesus’ eyes, 1Co 13:4-7 Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; (5) does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; (6) does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; (7) bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.” Our Triune God doesn’t just love - He is Love from eternity. He didn’t choose David because something in him, but His choice is by grace through David’s Son Jesus! He sees the sinner David with the eyes of love. He provides a king among Jesse’s sons to fulfill the promise spoken by dying Israel to his son Judah.
Here is the mystery of why God chose such a poor miserable sinner as me. Eph 1:3-6 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, (4) just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love, (5) having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will, (6) to the praise of the glory of His grace, by which He made us accepted in the Beloved. God sees you through His Son - He chooses sinners like me and you by grace alone!
Samuel is reluctant, for the road to Bethlehem would pass through Gibeah, King Saul’s city. (Vs.2-3) The prophet is to act as priest and bring a peace offering for the town of Bethlehem with him. Through sacrifice and feasting the Lord would show which son of Jesse He choose to be anointed to serve the Lord God. How do you know that the Lord God has chosen you to be His anointed servant? Hear and see! Rom 8:28-30 And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose. (29) For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren. (30) Moreover whom He predestined, these He also called; whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified. Baptism is never your choosing God. There He chose you from eternity in Jesus to be His own beloved chosen servant. Cling to His Word and promise. Here at the font He applied the sacrifice of peace to you - working forgiveness of your sins, rescuing you from death and the devil, giving you eternal salvation by the gift of faith by the Holy Spirit through His Gospel promise! Jesus is here! He who believes and is baptized shall be saved!
II. What did Samuel see? (Vs.4) He is met by the fearful fathers of Bethlehem. They tremble, the last act of the prophet was to hack king Agag to death, why is he here? Why do we make excuses for not being in church when our pastor greets us at the supermarket? We fear being honest with ourselves. We have excuses, but to honestly confess our sins - we’d rather blame the pastor or other parishioner as our excuse for not gladly coming into the Lord’s House where Jesus is really present. (Vs.5) The Lord sends Samuel peaceably to offer the sacrifice of peace. Come to the sacrifice for sinners! This is why God the Holy Spirit gathers us here in this place every Sunday! He gathers us for we are real sinners who need the one and only real sacrifice for our sins!
Samuel is no different from us. We are prone to trust what we see, not what we hear...(vs.6) David’s oldest brother appears impressive. Samuel is certain he is kingly material. (Vs.7) Our Lord’s eyes see past our outward show penetrating to our hearts. Heb 4:12 For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. What does the Lord see in me? A poor miserable sinner - my heart is blackened, deadened by sin - I need it to be washed new again through the blood of Jesus. Sunday after Sunday we cry out, “Jesus, Son of David have mercy!” He does! He forgives! He cleanses! We pray, Psa 51:10 Create in me a clean heart, O God, And renew a steadfast spirit within me.
III. Jesse presents son after son. (Vs.8-10) None are chosen to be king. Is Samuel’s mission a failure?(vs.11) There is still an eighth son, the youngest, he is out tending the families flocks. The feast cannot go forward without David. David is only a boy at the most only 15 years old, why bother with him? (Vs.12) David is ruddy, perhaps red headed, bright eyes, and like his brothers good looking. The Lord tells Samuel to rise up, anoint him to be the next king! He is the one chosen by God’s grace in Jesus!
The old prophet Samuel anoints David, but why? Does Jesse know his son is destined to be king? Or does he assume that Samuel is claiming David to become a future prophet and by anointing him enrolling him in the school of the prophets (seminary)? Or he is showering God’s merciful blessing upon him? (Vs.13) It isn’t evident from our text. What do we learn? By God gracious choosing and anointing the Holy Spirit comes and remains upon David. Just as it would happen to the Son of David baptized at the Jordan by John. Just as happened to you in your baptism. What does our Lord see in you? A broken and contrite heart to be daily and richly renewed by the Holy Spirit through the Gospel. Daily pray with sinful David, Psa 51:11-12 Do not cast me away from Your presence, And do not take Your Holy Spirit from me. (12) Restore to me the joy of Your salvation, And uphold me by Your generous Spirit.
“Receive the sign of the holy cross both upon your forehead and upon your heart to mark you as one redeemed by Christ the crucified.” Ash Wednesday a dusty cross marks you with the truth - dust you are and unto dust you shall return. Hear and see with Bartimaeus what Jesus sees you in, ‘You are Mine, I save you!” Amen.
Sermon Text: 1 Samuel 16:1-13
Sermon Theme: “What The Lord Sees In You.” I. A Chosen Servant To Be Anointed. (Vs.1-3). II. A Sin Darkened Heart To Be Cleansed.(vs.4-7) III. A Heart For The Holy Spirit to Daily and Richly Renew. (Vs.8-13) by Rev. Nathan J. Rusert
I.N.R.I. Luk 18:38 "Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!" The blind beggar sitting on the side of the road to Jericho cried out. Hearing the commotion of the crowd he asked, “What does this mean?” When he hears the good news, “Jesus is drawing near!” God the Holy Spirit opens his lips to cry out in praise and prayer, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” The historical accurate account of St. Mark further informs us, Mar 10:46 Now they came to Jericho. As He went out of Jericho with His disciples and a great multitude, blind Bartimaeus, the son of Timaeus, sat by the road begging.
Blind Bartimaeus sees while Jesus’ disciples remain blind. They cannot see what their Teacher Jesus is telling them. The historian Luke records, Luk 18:31-34 Then He took the twelve aside and said to them, "Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem, and all things that are written by the prophets concerning the Son of Man will be accomplished. (32) For He will be delivered to the Gentiles and will be mocked and insulted and spit upon. (33) They will scourge Him and kill Him. And the third day He will rise again." (34) But they understood none of these things; this saying was hidden from them, and they did not know the things which were spoken. The twelve were blind. Like us they wanted a theology of glory, not a theology of the cross. They wanted to see Jesus triumph over all their enemies with His might and power. They didn’t want to see Jesus triumph by being beat to a bloody pulp, nailed to a tree, suffer forsaken, die, and be buried. They didn’t want a Savior whose strength is made perfect in our weakness. Bartimaeus did. He praises and prays for Jesus’ undeserved grace and love alone - "Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!"
Bartimaeus echos the song of an ancient sinner. His sin had blinded him to the truth of what he had done. Called to repentance by the prophet the Lord opened his lips to sing, Psa 51:1 Have mercy upon me, O God, According to Your lovingkindness; According to the multitude of Your tender mercies, Blot out my transgressions. His name, David, King of Israel. Jesus is David’s Son and David’s Lord. The God of mercy.
As we prepare to step fully into another lenten season on Wednesday, Ash Wednesday, learn from the historical account of David’s call, “What The Lord Sees In You.” I. A Chosen Servant To Be Anointed. (Vs.1-3). II. A Sin Darkened Heart To Be Cleansed.(vs.4-7) III. A Heart For The Holy Spirit to Daily and Richly Renew. (Vs.8-13)
I. Israel had demanded a king. They no longer wanted God ruling over their nation by a judge. Samuel served as the last judge of Israel. He also served Israel as a priest offering sacrifices to the Lord for he was of the house of Levi. He was also a prophet preaching the Word of God and instructing the nation in God’s Law. The nation came to Samuel demanded a king. The Lord God told Samuel they had rejected God not the prophet. A man who stood a head above every Israelite - tall Saul was anointed king. The Lord gave victory to Israel over its enemies under Saul’s command.
King Saul let the glory of victory fuel his sinful pride. Instead of giving all glory to God he took things into his own hand. By the third year of his reign when Samuel was delayed and a battle with the Philistines drew near, Saul took upon himself what wasn’t given to his office. Rather than trusting God’s Word and timing - Saul offered the sacrifice although he was of the tribe of Benjamin, not of Levi to whom the priesthood was given. This grieved the Lord God. History records,
1Sa 13:13-14 And Samuel said to Saul, "You have done foolishly. You have not kept the commandment of the LORD your God, which He commanded you. For now the LORD would have established your kingdom over Israel forever. (14) But now your kingdom shall not continue. The LORD has sought for Himself a man after His own heart, and the LORD has commanded him to be commander over His people, because you have not kept what the LORD commanded you."
Our God is gracious and patient. The Lord God through Samuel commands King Saul to attack the Amalekites and utterly destroy them for the evil they had done to the children of Israel during the exodus. Saul attacks, but instead of destroying all saves the choice livestock bringing them to Israel. He also spares King Agag. After his victory over the Amalekites King Saul set up a monument for himself on Mount Carmel. When Samuel comes to King Saul. Saul rejoices in his victory. The prophet rebukes him for not obeying God’s Word. Saul trusting his own sight said he had brought the best of Amalek’s flocks to sacrifice to the Lord Samuel’s God. 1Sa 15:22-23 So Samuel said: "Has the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, As in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, And to heed than the fat of rams. (23) For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, And stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the LORD, He also has rejected you from being king."
King Agag is brought to Samuel. History records, 1Sa 15:32-33 Then Samuel said, "Bring Agag king of the Amalekites here to me." So Agag came to him cautiously. And Agag said, "Surely the bitterness of death is past." (33) But Samuel said, "As your sword has made women childless, so shall your mother be childless among women." And Samuel hacked Agag in pieces before the LORD in Gilgal.Samuel leaves, never to see King Saul again until the day of his death.
Here begins our text (vs.1) What does the Lord see in you? Like Saul we are tempted to look outwardly at our own appearance, accomplishments, things we have done, or haven’t done. From fallen Adam we idolize self - the idol called “ME.”
The merciful Son of David doesn’t call us because of our sight, but because of His mercy. The Holy Spirit teaches us of Jesus’ eyes, 1Co 13:4-7 Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; (5) does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; (6) does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; (7) bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.” Our Triune God doesn’t just love - He is Love from eternity. He didn’t choose David because something in him, but His choice is by grace through David’s Son Jesus! He sees the sinner David with the eyes of love. He provides a king among Jesse’s sons to fulfill the promise spoken by dying Israel to his son Judah.
Here is the mystery of why God chose such a poor miserable sinner as me. Eph 1:3-6 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, (4) just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love, (5) having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will, (6) to the praise of the glory of His grace, by which He made us accepted in the Beloved. God sees you through His Son - He chooses sinners like me and you by grace alone!
Samuel is reluctant, for the road to Bethlehem would pass through Gibeah, King Saul’s city. (Vs.2-3) The prophet is to act as priest and bring a peace offering for the town of Bethlehem with him. Through sacrifice and feasting the Lord would show which son of Jesse He choose to be anointed to serve the Lord God. How do you know that the Lord God has chosen you to be His anointed servant? Hear and see! Rom 8:28-30 And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose. (29) For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren. (30) Moreover whom He predestined, these He also called; whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified. Baptism is never your choosing God. There He chose you from eternity in Jesus to be His own beloved chosen servant. Cling to His Word and promise. Here at the font He applied the sacrifice of peace to you - working forgiveness of your sins, rescuing you from death and the devil, giving you eternal salvation by the gift of faith by the Holy Spirit through His Gospel promise! Jesus is here! He who believes and is baptized shall be saved!
II. What did Samuel see? (Vs.4) He is met by the fearful fathers of Bethlehem. They tremble, the last act of the prophet was to hack king Agag to death, why is he here? Why do we make excuses for not being in church when our pastor greets us at the supermarket? We fear being honest with ourselves. We have excuses, but to honestly confess our sins - we’d rather blame the pastor or other parishioner as our excuse for not gladly coming into the Lord’s House where Jesus is really present. (Vs.5) The Lord sends Samuel peaceably to offer the sacrifice of peace. Come to the sacrifice for sinners! This is why God the Holy Spirit gathers us here in this place every Sunday! He gathers us for we are real sinners who need the one and only real sacrifice for our sins!
Samuel is no different from us. We are prone to trust what we see, not what we hear...(vs.6) David’s oldest brother appears impressive. Samuel is certain he is kingly material. (Vs.7) Our Lord’s eyes see past our outward show penetrating to our hearts. Heb 4:12 For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. What does the Lord see in me? A poor miserable sinner - my heart is blackened, deadened by sin - I need it to be washed new again through the blood of Jesus. Sunday after Sunday we cry out, “Jesus, Son of David have mercy!” He does! He forgives! He cleanses! We pray, Psa 51:10 Create in me a clean heart, O God, And renew a steadfast spirit within me.
III. Jesse presents son after son. (Vs.8-10) None are chosen to be king. Is Samuel’s mission a failure?(vs.11) There is still an eighth son, the youngest, he is out tending the families flocks. The feast cannot go forward without David. David is only a boy at the most only 15 years old, why bother with him? (Vs.12) David is ruddy, perhaps red headed, bright eyes, and like his brothers good looking. The Lord tells Samuel to rise up, anoint him to be the next king! He is the one chosen by God’s grace in Jesus!
The old prophet Samuel anoints David, but why? Does Jesse know his son is destined to be king? Or does he assume that Samuel is claiming David to become a future prophet and by anointing him enrolling him in the school of the prophets (seminary)? Or he is showering God’s merciful blessing upon him? (Vs.13) It isn’t evident from our text. What do we learn? By God gracious choosing and anointing the Holy Spirit comes and remains upon David. Just as it would happen to the Son of David baptized at the Jordan by John. Just as happened to you in your baptism. What does our Lord see in you? A broken and contrite heart to be daily and richly renewed by the Holy Spirit through the Gospel. Daily pray with sinful David, Psa 51:11-12 Do not cast me away from Your presence, And do not take Your Holy Spirit from me. (12) Restore to me the joy of Your salvation, And uphold me by Your generous Spirit.
“Receive the sign of the holy cross both upon your forehead and upon your heart to mark you as one redeemed by Christ the crucified.” Ash Wednesday a dusty cross marks you with the truth - dust you are and unto dust you shall return. Hear and see with Bartimaeus what Jesus sees you in, ‘You are Mine, I save you!” Amen.
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