Wednesday Night Bible Study

Thank you for your giving. Thank you musicians. And we greet all of you in the precious name of Jesus tonight. So good to see you here on this Wednesday night. I add my voice to that of uh Pastor Anthony and our uh special prayer for all of the saints of the Lord and special prayer for Pastor Whitley. He is uh journeying uh to Spain uh to uh he is a regional superintendent with our world missions department and uh it falls his task from time to time to visit uh to visit our uh missions work uh works uh for accountability sake and and to check on all of them and does a fine job with that. that it requires uh a little bit of travel from time to time. So, we're praying that the Lord would keep him safe and give them souls for their labor labor as they journey. This is an exciting time of the year. Uh it uh the tempters finally uh gotten to what is normal uh for this time of the year. But after watching the news a little bit, I'm thankful to be as far south as we are is all I can tell you. Uh uh I know you uh Homes Indianapolis, but also Homes Knoxville. And uh you got to deal with a little bit of snow this weekend. So, I'm glad we're south of the snow belt right now. Anyway, and it's good to see you in the house of the Lord. Isn't it wonderful to be able to be in God's house tonight? I I'm excited about being in the house of the Lord. Go ahead and thank the Lord. This is a Thanksgiving season. I'm thankful to be in his house and I thank all of you for being here tonight. I want to take us to the word of the Lord for our Bible study tonight. Once again, I give honor to Bishop Mcool, one of the greatest Bible teachers that's ever been, and I'm blessed to have him as a mentor, as a father, as a pastor, and uh have the opportunity uh to teach Bible. Uh I'm going to take us to a portion of uh our uh uh as we have uh transitioned into doing our uh Bible classes from Sunday mornings to Wednesday night. I'm going to use a portion of what would have been the appropriate uh Bible class uh lesson tonight uh in our series. and brother Whitley will be back to continue uh the uh uh book of First John uh that we've been studying. But I want to take us tonight to the book of First Samuel, the 16th chapter. We're going to read uh a few verses in 1st Samuel 16, a familiar passage that uh I want us to be reminded of. 1st Samuel 16. We'll begin reading at verse number one. And the Lord said unto Samuel, "How long wil thou mourn for Saul, seeing I've rejected him from reigning over Israel? Fill thine horn with oil, and go, and I will send thee to Jesse the Bethlehemite. For I have provided me a king among his sons." Samuel said, "How can I go if Saul hear it? He will kill me." And the Lord said, "Take a heer with thee, and say, I am come to sacrifice to the Lord, and call Jesse to the sacrifice, and I will show thee what thou shalt do, and thou shalt anoint unto me him who I name unto thee." We'll skip down to verse number six. And it came to pass when they were come that he looked on Ilab and said, "Surely the Lord's anointed is before him." But the Lord said unto Samuel, "Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature, because I've refused him." For the Lord seeth not as man seeth. For man lookth on the outward appearance, but the Lord lookketh on the heart. For a few moments tonight, I would like us to study this passage, and I'll use this as a title. In fact, I'm going to ask everyone to repeat it after me. Everybody say, "I am somebody." >> I am somebody. >> Say, "I am somebody." >> I am somebody. >> Let's pray. Savior, I love you. I'm grateful to be in your house. I'm thankful for your word. I thank you that you have privileged us to be back in your house once again. Now Lord, I pray that we would study the word to be approved workmen in your kingdom. Lord, that it would minister to our hearts and give us direction, guide our paths. For all this, we're grateful. In Jesus name we pray. Amen. I am somebody. There is an incessant desire by many, and I could even be as so bold as to say by most, to be known or to be remembered for some great and noble act or talent. This desire for notoriety has driven many to go to great lengths to have their name and lights, their image valued or their reputation recalled by the masses. Folks will give great sums of money to put their title or their name on buildings or on highways or uh to be remembered for their contributions uh to the community or to a city. History, however, is replete or filled with individuals who, despite making significant and even worldchanging contributions to society. They're largely forgotten or overlooked. Their names do not resonate with most of us. At best, they are a coveted answer to a question on a trivia night or a game show called Jeopardy. Though their brilliance, bravery, or abilities impacted people around them, time has caused their names to fade unfairly from prominence. Let me give you some examples. Consider someone named Percy Julian. Does anyone in the house know who Percy Julian is? If you do, you are certainly in a minority in the room. But Percy Julian was an African-American chemist living under the injustices of Jim Crow laws in the United States. Yet, his profound abilities led him to be a pioneer in developing synthesized pharmaceuticals from plant-based resources. Now, what that means is most people even today that are treated for arthritis or gluccom have benefited from his genius, but they likely could not recite his name. Have you ever heard of Ada Loveless? I hadn't until I did some reading. Adah Loveless was an English ma English mathematician in the 1800s. You see, what we find from her was that she often referred is often referred to as the first computer programmer, even though there weren't computers in the 1800s because she wrote about how a machine called the analytical engine could follow a series of simple instructions to perform complex tasks. Today, the results of her work touches every aspect of our lives, but she is largely unknown to us. Let me tell you a couple more. What about Cyibil Letington? I've never heard of her again until I read. She was only 16 years old on the night she rode similar to Paul Rivere to alert Boston that the British were coming. In fact, she rode twice as far as her most famous counterpart. The famed poet Henry Wodsworth Longfellow immortalized river with his poem the midnight ride of Paul Rivere. No similar work was created for civil lington. Charles Drew developed the method for safely storing blood transfusions. Peter von Brock first introduced coffee to the western culture. Some of y'all going to want to know his name. You may want to put a statue up before it's over at your house. He's credited with introducing coffee to the Western culture by smuggling it into Europe from Yemen. And one more lady by the name of Nancy Wake with profound courage led 7,000 a 7,000 member French resistance against the Nazis during World War II. These are all folks who accomplished many things but their names are largely unknown to us. And I hope you can understand the point. Within the framework of God's kingdom, there was another such one that likely would have gone largely unnoticed had there not been a lifechanging event take place. For David was indeed an unlikely candidate for fame. We all have the luxury now of going back and reading and we know the complete story of David's life. But it's important that we look at David's life in this snapshot in time that our text tells us about because David was an unknown an unlikely candidate for notability or prestige. Our text intimates an important note of realizing this that God calls us through salvation for his purpose. And God sees all of us different than anyone else sees us or even how we see ourselves. SO I WOULD ASK YOU TONIGHT, HOW DOES God see me? Ask yourself that question. How does God visualize me? In our text, it said, "But the Lord said to 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 LOOKKETH ON THE OUTWARD APPEARANCE, BUT THE LORD LOOKKETH on the heart." Now, I would pause here just a minute to let all of us know that it's important that we realize the dual meaning of this passage of scripture. It's important that we look and act like followers of Christ. Now, understand what scripture says. And I I've heard folks, oh, it doesn't matter what you look like or how uh how how you dress or any of those kind OF THINGS CUZ GOD LOOKS ON THE HEART. WE'RE NOT TRYING TO win God. We're trying to win THE LOST AND ALL THE LOST CAN SEE IS WHAT'S ON THE OUTSIDE. THE LOST CAN'T SEE WHAT'S ON THE INSIDE. Sometimes we use that passage of scripture totally inverse of its intent. Yes. Samuel was finding out that he had some preconceived ideas of what a king ought to be. But it also lets us know that we have a responsibility as followers of Christ and representatives of CHRIST TO APPEAR, LOOK, and act as those that would be pleasing unto Christ. You see, Saul was Israel's first king, and we know the story. But again to review for us, Saul looked the part of a king. Scripture says he was a head and shoulders taller than his men. I mean, he he just looked like a king. He was a big man, but the problem was he had a bigger ego. When he started out, he was humble. When it first came time for him to be anointed, when he was chosen, the first king, which was really out of God's plan, but the people had uh had asked God, they wanted to be like everybody else. Instead of being godled, they wanted to be manled. And they, oh, give us a king. We want to be like everybody else. So, finally, God relented and gave them a king. Saul was his name. And Saul in the beginning hid because of his humble spirit. Bible said he HID AMONG THE STUFF BECAUSE HE HE DIDN'T FEEL WORTHY. But somewhere along the way, his stature also became his ego because he felt like he was a head and shoulders taller than everyone else. And he would eventually let his egocentric attitude lead him to disobedience to God and for God to reject him as being king over Israel. His jealous and envious spirit would eventually reduce his lineage to one of defeat and infamy. Samuel the prophet when looking for Saul's replacement at the word of God urging him would even himself allow his own preconceived ideas of WHAT A KING OUGHT TO LOOK like to influence him into who he thought the oil should flow over. Now understand this was a supernatural thing that WOULD TAKE PLACE. GOD TOLD HIM, "GO ANOINT a new king. I've rejected Saul. And God told him the plan. So there would be no suspicion on Saul's part because Saul was a suspicious dude. I mean, he was looking for everybody to try to unseat himself. But God said, "Take you a horn of oil, fill it with oil, take a heer, and go to Jesse's house and make the sacrifice. There will be no suspicion. and you tell Jesse that one of his sons will be anointed king and you're going to HAVE ALL OF HIS SONS PASS BEFORE you and you pour the oil out over each of them and whichever one the oil will pour from will be anointed king. So Samuel in his humanity, his dual role as a representative of Christ or of God who would become Christ in his dual role as a voice of God, but in a man's judgment would have a preconceived idea of what a king ought to look like. SO, ELAB WALKS THROUGH AND I I can imagine his body language as well, well, here we go. This ain't going to take long. And God said no. And you can read it for yourself in detail. But to summarize, in 1st Samuel 16, the Bible says, "Then Jesse called Abinadab and made him pass before Samuel." Now understand Jesse, the father of all of these boys and Samuel, they were doing their best to obey God, but they were letting their preconceived human ideas get in the way of what God wanted to have happen. >> They meant well. I mean, JESSE WAS EXCITED, ONE OF MY BOYS, BUT JESSE HAD HIS OWN PRECONCEIVED IDEA. WHICH BOY you know it's surely it's going to be my eldest but it didn't happen with Ilab then Jesse called Abinadab and made him pass before Samuel and he said neither hath the Lord chosen this one then Jesse made Schuma to pass by and he said neither hath the Lord chosen the this verse 10 and again I mean they lined seven sons of Jesse up and they ran them through the line and the oil wouldn't pour So again, Jesse made seven of his sons. We We need to try this again. Make sure the stoppers out of that horn of oil. YOU KNOW, THERE'S A PROBLEM HERE. WHAT'S GOING ON? AGAIN, Jesse made seven of his sons to pass before Samuel. And Samuel said unto Jesse, "The Lord hath not chosen these." And Samuel said unto Jesse, "Are all thy children?" And he said, "Well, there remainth the youngest, the baby of the family, but he's not even here. He's out keeping the sheep." And Samuel said to Jesse, "Send and fetch him, for we will not sit down till he cometh. Don't anybody even take a seat." I I I've got to see this kid. And he sent and brought him in. And now notice this. He was ready and with all of a beautiful countenance and goodly to look to. Now, let me pause a minute. Let the Bible says what it means and means what it says. And sometimes we take a shortcut and don't really realize what was being stated here. The term ready, if you look up a definition of the term ready, it can mean a reddish or rosy color often associated with good health. I imagine he'd been out in the sun taking care of the sheep. He was an outdoorsman already, if you will. He he LOOKED HEALTHY. >> HE MIGHT HAVE BEEN the youngest, BUT HE LOOKED HEALTHY. AND THEN THE BIBLE SAYS, "And with all," that term with all means completely. He had a completely beautiful countenance. If you look up the definition of countenance, it simply means facial expression. This rosy complexed, smiling young guy comes walking in the house. You know, we could learn a lot from that. GOD'S CHOSEN PEOPLE OUGHT TO HAVE A SMILE ON THEIR FACE. GOD'S CHOSEN PEOPLE OUGHT NOT TO GO AROUND SNOODY, YOU KNOW, WITH THEIR nose in the air. If it rain hard, they liable TO DROWN. GOD'S PEOPLE OUGHT TO HAVE A ROSY COMPLEXION, A RUDDY, HAVE A SMILE ON YOUR FACE. THE WORLD WILL WONDER WHAT YOU'RE UP TO. >> HEAR ME. THERE'S TOO MANY SAD SACKS WALKING AROUND. THERE'S TOO MANY SAD FACES. PUT A SMILE ON YOUR FACE. BUT YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT I'M GOING THROUGH. WELL, MAYBE IF YOU'LL GET A COUNTENANCE THAT'S PLEASING TO GOD, HE'LL ANOINT YOU TO DO SOMETHING SPECIAL IN HIS KINGDOM. MAYBE IF you'll I'm supposed to be teaching and not preaching. IT SAID HE WAS READY AND WITH ALL COMPLETELY THAT TERM MEANS WITH A BEAUTIFUL COUNTENANCE, a beautiful facial expression. And then it does go on to say and goodly to look to. He was a handsome dude. You know what the Bible says about beauty? The Bible says, "Worship the Lord in the beauty of the beauty of Listen, holiness people are beautiful. It don't matter your height, your weight. If you'll have a holy appearance about you, a holy attitude about you, a holy outlook on life, NOT LOOKING FOR THE BAD, NOT LOOKING FOR THE UGLY." DAVID HAD a beautiful countenance and it made him goodlook. >> And the Lord said, "Arise and anoint him. Pour the oil out on David." YOU SEE, IN THE WORLD'S EYES, EVEN IN JESSE'S EYES, AND IN SAMUEL'S EYES, David was a nobody. BUT BEFORE IT'S OVER, GOD SAID, "THAT'S A SOMEBODY." HE SAID, "THAT'S THE SOMEBODY THAT I CAN ANOINT. THAT'S THE SOMEBODY I CAN USE." LET ME TELL YOU, I DON'T CARE WHAT THE WORLD THINKS of you. I DON'T CARE WHERE YOU'VE BEEN. YOU MAY FEEL LIKE YOU'VE BEEN ON THE BACK SIDE OF THE DESERT HANGING OUT WITH A BUNCH OF NO GOOD SHEEP. IF YOU'LL LET THE LORD LEAD YOUR LIFE, IF YOU'LL PUT A COUNTENANCE THAT'S LIKE CHRIST ON YOU, HE WILL ANOINT YOU TO DO A CALL IN HIS WORK. He said, "Anoint him." Then Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the midst of his brother. He had witnesses there. Elab, I mean, he'd passed by twice. Oil didn't pour. Shumi. No, it didn't happen. In the presence of all of his brothers, the oil poured freely. You see, when God's anointing is poured out, it will be a witness to all. Samuel took the horn of oil, anointed him in the midst of his brethren, and the spirit of the Lord came upon David. From that day forward, he went from being a nobody shepherd to being somebody that God wanted to use. You see, it's important not to worry about how the world sees you, but how does God see you? Not how flesh sees you. Flesh may not see you with much potential. Humanity may not think that you are worth much. You're not even worth showing up to the anointing. Oh, but God knows your heart. God knows what what he needs and he knows how to use you and what purpose he has for your life. Have the determination in your heart. Say, I AM SOMEBODY in Christ. Oh hallelujah. SO I WOULD TAKE YOU TO THIS POINT. I asked how does God see you? How do you see yourself? You see, God sometimes sees more in us than we see ourselves. Over in Exodus the 3 chapter, beginning with verse number one, here's another shepherd. Now, Moses kept the flock of Jethro, his father-in-law. He's working for his father-in-law. He's not even an entrepreneur with his own flock yet. He's he's working for his father-in-law. the priest of Midian. And he led the flock to the backside of the desert. And he came to the mountain of God, even. And an angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush. And he looked, and behold, the bush burned with fire, and the bush was not consumed. And Moses said, I will now turn aside and see this great sight, why the bush is not burned. And when the Lord saw that he turned aside to see, God called unto him out of the midst of the bush, and said, Moses, Moses, and he said, Here am I. And he said, draw not hither. Put off thy shoes from off thy feet, for the place where whereon thou standest is holy ground. Moreover, he said, I am the God of thy father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, the God of Jacob. And Moses hid his face for he was afraid to look upon God. Moses even in his position as working for his father-in-law when God put forth the call, the Bible said he turned aside and he had reverence enough to answer the voice of God when God spoke to him in this unusual manifestation. And he had enough respect to know that under most circumstances, God spoke to cover his eyes. For no one by their custom and by their understanding was to look upon God because the Bible tells us no man has seen God at any time. But I remind everyone here, forget how you see yourself. How does God see you? Because when God calls you, he will equip you to fulfill the call that he called you to do. If we read on, go down to verse number 10, God's speaking to Moses. Now, he said, "Come now, therefore, I will send thee unto Pharaoh." Now understand that first statement already made Moses nervous because he'd he'd got out of Egypt once. He probably had a price on his head because of the conflict that he had had with an Egyptian and he he was likely not anxious to go back to Egypt. He said, "Come now, therefore, I will send thee unto Pharaoh that thou mayest bring forth my people, the children of Israel, out of Egypt." And Moses said unto God, "Who am I that I should go unto Pharaoh, that I should bring forth the children of Israel out of Egypt?" The choir sings a song every once in a while that says, "There is a new name written down in glory, and it's mine." Yes, it's mine. I know the author of my story. He's mine. He's mine. And it goes on and says, "I am who I am because the I am tells me who I am. Moses said, "Who am I?" >> If you read on through it in just a little bit, he said, "Who should I tell sent me?" He said, God said, "Tell him I am sent me." Listen, when you turn your life over to Christ, YOU ARE SOMEBODY. YOU ARE PART OF THAT GREAT BIG FAMILY. THE I AM HAS CALLED YOU. THAT'S ALL THIS WORLD NEEDS TO KNOW. YOU NEED TO HAVE THE SPIRITUAL SELF-CONFIDENCE WHEN YOU'RE CALLED THAT GOD IS GOING TO EQUIP YOU TO DO WHATEVER HE CALLS YOU TO DO. >> Everybody needs to know that I am somebody. >> If we examine Exodus 3 and 4, and I certainly will not read two chapters to you, but I will highlight. Moses begins a series of deflections and excuses >> to God for not doing what God's called him to do. He proclaims that he's unqualified and ill equipped to do what God's called. I don't MIND TELLING YOU GOD'S CALL WILL SCARE you to death sometimes. You sure that's what you want me to? You want me to witness to my family? I thought the rule was when we get together, the two things we never talk about is politics and religion. Sometimes God's got a call on your life to witness to somebody. And he will put you in a place. And if he puts YOU IN A PLACE TO be a witness, he will equip you with the ability to be that witness. But notice, Moses would spend the next two chapters making excuses why not to do what God had called him to do. And God began trying to convince him. He spoke first through a burning bush. Then God told him, HE SAID, "THAT STAFF, THAT ROD THAT YOU have in your hand," he said, "throw it down on the ground." Moses threw it down on the ground and it turned to a snake. Now, that was pretty sketchy in my eyes. I will amen Brother Whitley again. This was unique to Moses. And it was bad enough that he told him throw it down. It turned to a snake. Then God said, "Pick it up." Most of us would have probably said, "God, you made it. You pick it up. I'm out of here." But he obeyed God reluctantly, I'm sure. And when he picked the snake up, it turned back to his staff. If he had had enough nerve to do that, that should have convinced him that God's really got a call for you. He still was looking for a way out. God said, "Take your hand and put it in your bosom. Now withdraw it." When he withdrew it, his hand, the Bible says, was white as snow. His hand had become lepous. God said, "Put your hand back in your bosom." He put his hand back in and it was once again as the other hand. He told him and gave him confidence to say the I am sent you. >> And then Moses began making excuse to God about his ability to speak. Exodus 4:10. And Moses said unto the Lord, "Oh my Lord, I am not an eloquent. I am not eloquent, neither here unto nor since thou has spoken unto thy servant. For I am slow of speech and slow of tongue. He claimed that he had some type of impediment to his speech. The Lord said unto him, "Whoath made man's mouth?" Let that sink in. God will equip you to what he called you to do. >> I have seen folks with physical limitations that God has called and they've gone above those things to minister, to play, to witness, to teach. Whatever it is, God will equip you. And the the Lord said, "Who who made man's mouth? And who maketh the dumb or the deaf or seen or the blind? Have have not I the Lord?" Now therefore go, and I will be with thy mouth, and teach THEE WHAT THOU SHALT SAY. NOW, I'm telling you, Moses was so intent on not following what God said. He was arguing with God. Man, that that's not a good thing to do. And he said, "Oh my Lord, send I pray thee by the hand of him whom thou wilt send." In other words, send somebody else, Lord. I just can't do this. And the anger of the LORD WAS KINDLED AGAINST MOSES. And he said, "Is not Aaron the Levite thy brother? I know that he can speak well. AND ALSO, BEHOLD, HE COMETH FORTH TO MEET THEE. And when he seeth thee, he will be glad in his heart, AND THOU SHALT SPEAK UNTO HIM, AND PUT WORDS IN HIS MOUTH. He said, "If nobody else can understand you, Aaron can." You tell Aaron, and Aaron will tell Pharaoh, "And I and I will be with thy mouth and with his mouth, AND WILL TEACH YOU WHAT YE SHALL DO." LET ME TELL YOU, quit making excuses to not do what God has called you to do. HE WILL EQUIP YOU. YOU NEED TO HAVE A BETTER SELFIMAGE spiritually of yourself. >> I want to witness to somebody. So, I'm going to give them pastor's number. I'm glad to talk to folks about the Lord, but you should have a an ability to witness for yourself. Yes, we pray for the sick. We visit folks in the hospital, but there are some folks that they don't know a strange pastor, but they know you because you have a relationship with them. There's folks that you need to pray for. You need to have enough spiritual sense about yourself to be ABLE TO PRAY WITH SOMEONE. YOU CAN ASK THEM, "CAN I PRAY WITH YOU? WOULD YOU MIND IF I PRAYED WITH YOU?" GOD CAN GIVE YOU the holy boldness and the ABILITY TO MINISTER TO OTHERS. Verse 16, he shall be thy spokesman unto the people, and he shall be even he shall be to thee instead of a mouth, and thou shalt be to him instead of God. What you say to him is going to be me saying it, and what he speaks is you saying it, and thou shalt take this rod in thy hand, wherewith thou shalt do signs. We should never develop the self-image that I refer to as the grasshopper mentality. 10 of the 12 spies that were sent into the promised land came back with the report that said, "And there we saw the giants, the sons of Anoch, which come of the giants, and we were in our own sight as grasshoppers, and so we were in their sight." Please notice that passage. the way that's worded, their self-image reflected in the enemy's image of them. It's a common thing to see the sociology studies that have been done about posture of people making them actually have what sociologists refer to as a victim's posture. They actually have done studies of of folks who their body language shows that they're not aware or they're fearful versus those who have their shoulders squared and they walking like they own the place. I cannot ever remove from my mind several years ago was a young man who was attending our school. He now the last I heard from him is a praise and worship leader at a very large church down in Chattanooga. But young man was coming to our school and it was the first day of school at Apostolic Christian School. His name I believe was Larry Hursten. Some of you folks went to school with Larry and uh Larry was was a sweetheart. He was a little rotunded at that time. He later on turned to be a really good football player, but at the time he still had that quote baby fat. And uh he was coming to school for the first day of school. And I noticed in particular, I had on my way to school here at Apostolic Christian School, I had to go through a couple of school zones for a elementary school, a middle school, and then there was a bus pickup for high school stu students going to one of the local high schools. And I noticed in particular the first day of school those kids I felt sorry for them. They looked so beggraggled. Uh you can call me being judgmental if you will but it was it was sad in the name of style fed and fitting in. How unckempt. It wasn't that they were poor. They couldn't afford. If they were poor, they couldn't afford jeans that were beat up as the ones they had. I mean, it but they they look they look so beat down and bedraggled. And I noticed in particular, and it was just going through my mind, their their body language, their posture, some standing, you you could just tell it it was a day of of of dread. And I got down here on Pleasant Ridge Road just past Northwest Middle School and I saw Larry Hursten walking to school. He was probably maybe sixth grade, fifth grade, sixth grade. He had ON DRESS PANTS, A WHITE SHIRT, and a necktie. And he was walking like he owned the world. I said, "That's an ACS student GOING RIGHT THERE. HE'S ON A MISSION. HE'S GOT SOMETHING TO DO. LET ME TELL YOU, THERE'S SOMETHING TO OUR LIVES. WE HAVE A DESTINATION. GOD HAS CALLED US. SQUARE YOUR SHOULDERS. LOOK LIKE YOU'RE HEADED SOMEPLACE BECAUSE YOU ARE. YOU'RE GOD'S CALLED AND CHOSEN PEOPLE IN EVERY WALK OF LIFE THAT WE DO. EVERYTHING'S NOT GOING TO ALWAYS GO WELL. BUT LET YOURSELF BE AN EXAMPLE OF THE BELIEVERS THAT WE'RE FIGHTING THE GOOD FIGHT. I DON'T WANT THE WORLD TO THINK I THINK I'M A GRASSHOPPER. >> I've been called. I've been chosen. I'VE BEEN GIVEN A PROMISED LAND. And finally, let me ask, do I understand my field experience that God puts me through? When God calls me, I remember a conversation with a I was not actually actively involved in the conversation, but I was just listening to a young man who had recently started evangelizing and uh he meant well. He had much zeal, but he was working on the knowledge part. I remember him telling some other evangelists, he said, 'Well, I just don't feel like God has called me to go into small churches and preach. I've been called to preach camp meetings and conferences. Boy, was he in for an eyeopening experience. You see, before David could ever be king, David would have to have his lion and bear and giant experience. When God calls you, some of the things you will go through, some of the battles that you will face is nothing more than a little bit of field experience. God's preparing you to do a greater work. You may not be starting out preaching a conference. You may not be starting out being the king of Israel. You as a nobody that God's turning into somebody may start out defending a few hry sheep against a lion and a bear. You may find yourself in odds that appear so onesided that you're having to face down a giant. But it would be David's confidence in GOD'S CALL. IN 1ST Samuel 17, DAVID SAID TO SAUL, SAUL WAS STILL THE ACTING KING, but David was the anointed one who would be king. AND DAVID SAID TO SAUL, "LET NO MAN'S HEART FAIL BECAUSE OF HIM." WHAT HAD HAPPENED? Goliath had challenged the people of God. HE SAID, "SEND OUT A warrior that we may fight. If he defeats me, the Philistines will be your servant. But if I defeat him, God's people will be our servants." Isn't it amazing how many will allow the devil to set the rules for battle? I got news for you. The enemy never fights fair. The enemy will attack you at what appears to be the most vulnerable state. But you better realize that if you're God called, he's going to equip you to do all of that experience of dealing with a lion and dealing with a bear was preparing David for a giant. David said to Saul, "Let no man's heart fail because of him. Thy servant will go fight with the Philistine. I've had field experience." And Saul SAID TO DAVID, "THOU art not able to go against this Philistine to fight with him, for thou art but a youth, and he a man of war from his youth." David began giving his resume. David said unto Saul, "Thy servant kept thy father's his father's sheep, and there came a lion and a bear, and took a lamb out of the flock, and I went out after him, and smoked him, delivered him out of his mouth, and when he rose AGAINST ME, I CAUGHT HIM BY HIS BEARD AND SMOKED HIM AND SLEW HIM." NOW, UNDERSTAND, we all visualize that David's only ability as a warrior was that of a young man with a slingshot. But I got news for you. It was close quarters fighting with a line. He didn't hit that line with a slingshot. If he had that line by the beard, you ever thought of that? DAVID KNEW HOW TO FIGHT WHATEVER IT TOOK TO FIGHT WITH. And that lets ME KNOW WHEN GOD CALLS US, WHATEVER BATTLE WE GET IN, WE'RE GOING TO GIVE IT EVERYTHING WE GOT. I IF I NEED TO USE A SLINGSHOT, I'LL USE A SLINGSHOT. IF I need to USE A SWORD, I'LL USE A SWORD. WHEN I'M FIGHTING WITH THE ENEMY, LISTEN. IF I HAVE TO BITE AND CLAW, I'LL BITE AND CLAW. IF I'M OUT OF TEETH, I'LL TRY TO GUM HIM TO DEATH. >> I'M GONNA WIN BECAUSE I'VE BEEN CALLED AND I'VE BEEN EQUIPPED. >> And I went out after him, smoke him, delivered him out of his mouth, and when he rose against me, I caught him by his beard and smoteed him, and slew him. And the servant slew both the lion and the bear. And this uncircumcised Philistine shall be as one of them, seen hath defiled the armies of the living God. And David said, "Moreover, the Lord hath delivered me out of the paw of the lion, and out of the paw of the bear. He will deliver me out of the hand of the Philistine." And Saul said unto David, "Go >> and the Lord be with you." David had to change Saul's view. David had to tell Saul, "I am somebody. I am somebody." We've got to take that posture in our walk with God. I am somebody. But I read you the names in our introduction of those who had accomplished great things that are unknowns. David could have very well been an unknown without the call and receiving the call and anointing. But let me show you the difference. If you're in this house tonight, the devil's been trying to tell you for years, I'm a nobody. I I can't accomplish anything in the kingdom. I've been too bad. I I don't have any lineage of of serving God. I'm a first generation. I I can't accomplish anything. You see, he wants to anoint you to be in his kingdom. He wants to anoint you to be a saint. He wants to anoint you to be a worker in his kingdom. For you see, David instead of fading from prominence over time, David was ordaining or being ordained of God for an everlasting kingdom. Think about that just a minute. David's natural heirs would not sit on a physical throne till this day. But one of his descendants was real important who had unchallenged authority because Jesus is referred to as the son of David >> which every knee bows to. It would be in David's LINEAGE THAT JESUS WOULD BE BORN. THINK ABOUT THAT. FROM A LITTLE SHEPHERD BOY ON THE BACKSIDE OF NOWHERE, UNLOVED, UNTHOUGHT OF, SIMPLY ONE THAT WOULD BE NOT EVEN THOUGHT OF IN HISTORY. HE WAS ANOINTED OF GOD. AND IT WOULD BE IN HIS BLOODLINE THAT JESUS WOULD BE BORN. >> The Christ child born in THE CITY OF DAVID IN BETHLEHEM. SPECIFICALLY IN LUKE, you can read IN LUKE 2 AND 4 THAT JOSEPH WAS OF THE LINEAGE OF DAVID. You see, by taking on the name of Jesus in our lives, we get in that same bloodline. When we repent of OUR SINS, WHEN WE'RE BAPTIZED IN THE PRECIOUS NAME OF JESUS AND WE'RE FILLED WITH HIS SPIRIT, WE NOW JOIN THAT SAME BLOODLINE AND CAN SAY, "I AM SOMEBODY." OH, HALLELUJAH. I'VE BEEN BLOODBOUGHT. I'VE BEEN CHANGED. I AM WHO I AM BECAUSE THE I AM TELLS ME WHO I AM. >> HALLELUJAH. >> Stand with me. My name may never be up in lights on Broadway. I will have few if any social media followers not looking for it. History will likely not remember me for some great feat or disvery. Record books will not recall any great athletic accomplishments that I have achieved. I in my own humanity will never be famous. But I proclaim tonight I am somebody. If you read in the book of Hebrews, there is a allstar list of by faith. By faith, by faith, Abraham, by faith, it goes on down and down around about verse 32 said, "And what more shall I say?" He speaks of Gideon, of Barak, of Samson, of Jeepa, of David, of Samuel. BUT THEN IT GOES ON down as it speaks of all of their accomplishments. It goes on down and eventually says in verse 36 it says, "And others and others." This is where the elasticity of the truth of the Bible comes in. My name may not be in the Bible, but I find myself part of and others. I want all of you to know you're part of and others. And others, now here's what happened to some of the and others had trials of cruel mockings, scourgings. Yay. Moreover, of bonds and imprisonment. They were stoned. They were swn aunder. They were tempted. They were slain with the sword. They wandered about IN SHEEP SKKINS AND GOAT SKINS, BEING DESTITUTE, AFFLICTED, TORMENTED, OF WHOM THE WORLD WAS NOT WORTHY. They wandered in deserts and mountains and dens and caves of the earth. These all, HAVING OBTAINED A GOOD REPORT THROUGH FAITH, received not the promise. And here we are now. God having provided some better things FOR US. I AM SOMEBODY THAT THEY WITHOUT US SHOULD NOT BE MADE PERFECT. IT'S ONE GREAT BIG FAMILY bloodline and I WANT TO MAKE THEM PERFECT. DAVID CAN'T BE PERFECT WITHOUT US BECAUSE WE'RE CARRYING ON THE BLOODLINE. WE'RE CARRYING ON the lineage. I'M THANKFUL TO HAVE THAT OPPORTUNITY. WOULD EVERYBODY IN THE HOUSE ONE MORE TIME SAY, "I AM SOMEBODY." >> I AM. >> I AM SOMEBODY. >> I am somebody. Could we love the Lord together? Jesus, I love you. LORD, I thank you for your call. I THANK YOU THAT YOU PRIVILEGED us to be in your bloodline. God, I want to be part of your chosen people. Not of any of my accomplishments, not that my name would be recognized, not that history would know me, BUT LORD, THAT YOUR NAME WOULD BE recognized and glorified. LORD, THAT THE LOST WOULD BE SAVED. THAT THOSE in need of A SPIRITUAL TOUCH CAN find it at our hand. Lord, I thank you for making us part of your family. Go with us tonight. Keep us in your care. Lord, bring us back this coming Sunday with another great time and you for all this. We're grateful and thankful. Name of Jesus we pray. Amen. Lord bless you. You're dismissed in Jesus name. Shake hands and be friendly.