Jesus is Our Unlikely, Yet Perfect Savior

Text: 1 samuel 16:1-13

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1 samuel 16:1-13

Jonah Albrecht
Epiphany 2
1.12.25
1 Samuel 16:1-13
Jesus is Our Unlikely, But Perfect Savior

Grace, Mercy, and Peace be unto you from God the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ Amen.

INJ Who became our perfect Savior that we might be God’s chosen people, DFR:

You’ve heard the saying, “Don’t judge a book by its cover.” It is a good saying, reminding us to not judge someone based on one quick glance at them. But how do we determine, or judge the content of someone’s character. How do we value them? Someone once said, we tend to value people in at least 3 ways:
(1) what a person HAS – his looks, his possession – rich, car he owns, house he stays… this is not only a very inaccurate measure, but temporary. It changes over time…
(2) what a person DOES – his accomplishments… the world looks for these. In our resume, we’ll try to put forward every possible accomplishment we have had in the past.
(3) what a person IS – his character. This is the most concrete way to value someone, but often the hardest one to determine because it is not readily apparent, at least not to the naked eye.
In our text for this morning, we will see how God looks past the value for a king that man looks at, and rather looks into the heart to find the value that He determines, in this case, David to have. But this principle goes well beyond David.

David was an unlikely choice to be king because of how other people looked at him. So also, Jesus who is King over all, appears to the eyes of man an unlikely king, but yet our perfect Savior.
In the years prior to our account, the Children of Israel had been governed by a series of judges. This was when they went through the usual routine of rebellion, oppression, repentance, deliverance. Samuel was the last of these judges. Samuel did appoint his two sons as judges, but they acted wickedly, perverting justice and taking bribes. This is was compelled the people to ask for a king in the first place. They were tired of the judges and wanted to be like those nations around them.
But the Lord told Samuel what the people were really doing in asking for a king. He says, ““Obey the voice of the people in all that they say to you, for they have not rejected you, but they have rejected me from being king over them.”

They could not see how privileged they were to have the LORD who brought them out of Egypt ruling directly over them. They rejected Him to blend in with the others.
Now, I bring this up because it will be a common theme. Not just with the Children of Israel, but also with many of their kings. They viewed things at a mere surface level, not taking the time to see how the LORD would have them do things. And for that reason, they would so often be distracted by what was appealing to the eye, rather than seeing how the LORD often worked in an unlikely manner.
Saul began as a faithful servant of the LORD. He also met the appealing eye test. He was a head taller than anyone else, very handsome, and came from a wealthy family. Qualities fit for a grand king. He should have been everything the Israelites dreamed of when they wanted a king. But he wouldn’t turn out so great. Yes, Saul was faithful to the Lord early on. That didn’t last. He did not listen to the LORD when he was commanded to eliminate every person and every-thing of the Amalekites. Saul failed that command and that began his spiral downward. Eventually, he had cast the Lord away completely and as the Lord said to Samuel, “How long will you grieve over Saul, since I have rejected him from being king over Israel?”

Saul, who had everything right in the eyes of man, failed because his heart rejected the LORD. Thus, God sent Samuel to anoint for Israel a new king. And this begins the unlikeliness of David’s rise.
In the first place, it was not normal procedure to anoint a new king while the current one is still living, especially because Saul had a son. Then, God would choose from among the Bethlehemites like He did with Saul. Samuel is directed to go to the family of Jesse, a grandson of Boaz and Ruth who were in the lineage of Jesus. It is from that family the LORD would provide a king.

When Jesse brings Eliab before Samuel, he is making the assumption everyone else would make: Here is the firstborn, one who is tall in stature and handsome, born to be a strong leader. Even Samuel thought, “Surely the LORD’s anointed is before him.” Sound familiar? Just like Saul. But the Lord cautions Samuel. He says, “Do not look on his appearance or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him. For the LORD sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the LORD looks on the heart.”

It is here that we learn how the Lord looks upon all people. He is not fooled by an outward, “best performance” we can put on. He sees past any charade and directly into the hearts of His people. The next time we meet Eliab, he expresses jealousy and contempt towards his brother David before the battle with Goliath, hardly a quality you want as king.

Now the Bible does not tell us that this means Eliab, or the rest of the sons of Jesse were unbelievers. It simply tells us that they were not the one God had chosen to lead His people. When Samuel had gone through all the brothers that were present, there was only one option left: A young shepherd boy who was not worthy enough to come to the sacrifice because he had to watch over the sheep – David.
We are given this description of David: Now he was ruddy and had beautiful eyes and was handsome. That doesn’t seem so different from Saul’s description, does it? So, what is the difference? Because David is anointed, or the chosen one of the LORD. The difference was in the heart. David was a man after the Lord’s own heart, who would do the Lord’s will. It isn’t because David was any less of a sinner than Saul or his brothers. In fact, we are told more of David’s sins than any of the others.

His sin with Bathsheba, his census of his military might, or his lack of discipline of his children to name a few. In each of these instances other people suffered the consequences. With Bathsheba, his first child with her died. After the census, 70,000 men in Israel died. His lack of discipline led to his son Absalom leading a rebellion and committing heinous acts. This makes it sound pretty unlikely that he is a man after God’s own heart.
What about us? Are we too, unlikely candidates to be God’s anointed, or chosen ones? Absolutely. Even more unlikely than David was to become king. Paul testified that he himself is the chief of all sinners. And if that is what the great Apostle Paul is, what does that make little ol me?

And how about our sins. David’s sins led to the death of many people. Our sins have consequences too, don’t they? Lies that we tell can lead to a lack of trust, or to a defamation of our neighbor’s name. A hatred that brews in our heart can quickly become a harsh word that destroys a friendship or relationship. A sinful desire can easily become a singular sinful act that is impossible to take back. There is no such thing as an innocent sin, just ask the one who had to die on the cross because of them. It makes every single one of us, not just unlikely, but unworthy of being God’s anointed ones.
You, me, and David, we are all in the same boat. Unlikely candidates who are helplessly lost to our sin. But that is where Jesus steps in.

Jesus, too, was an unlikely candidate to become King. Just look at His beginnings. He was born to a virgin mother, whose husband was a mere carpenter. She gave birth to Him in a stable and laid Him in a feeding trough. He had to spend time in Egypt to avoid being killed by the current “king” of Judah. Then for the rest of His earthly life He went around as a rabbi or teacher.
He did not present Himself as king, nor did His appearance lead people to think in that way. And yet, it was that very unlikely King that manifested Himself as our perfect Savior. Jesus truly is God’s Anointed One. That is what the name Christ means. He was the one chosen from the very beginning to deliver the world from sin and death, to restore peace between God and man. He was the chosen one to overthrow kingdoms and rulers, not with the might of the sword, but by the power of His word.

It was in Jesus’ death on the cross where we really see His true character. No one readily thinks of a Savior as being one who willingly dies in the place of someone else. But that is exactly what Jesus did. He willingly gave up His life so that your sins and mine, those sins of David and Saul would all be forgiven. In part of God’s great exchange, our holy Savior traded His perfection for our sinfulness and guilt.
Imagine if you were walking down the street and you see a car barreling down the road about to hit your worst enemy. Most people would let it happen, or maybe call out a warning, but half-heartedly. Not God. You are that person who is about to be hit. Not by a car, but by God’s judgment for your sin. Instead of letting it hit you, God shoves His Son in front of it, saving your life. That is what your Perfect Savior did for you. He did the unthinkable to make sure you would have forgiveness.

It is because of Jesus that David would become a king after God’s own heart. Though he would often fall into sin, David continued to trust in the promise God had given of that perfect Savior. He knew God’s love for him would prevail because Jesus would take away God’s wrath. David would become the greatest king of Israel, not because of his conquests or ruling ability, but because his descendent would be the King of Kings and Lord of Lords: Jesus Christ, the Lord’s Anointed.

Do you remember the third way to value someone I mentioned at the beginning? what a person IS – his character. So, Who are you? What is your character? Because of Jesus you are now the Lord’s anointed. Whenever you fall into sin, you have the same comfort that King David had as written in Psalm 32:

Blessed is the one whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered. 2 Blessed is the man against whom the LORD counts no iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no deceit. 3 For when I kept silent, my bones wasted away through my groaning all day long. 4 For day and night your hand was heavy upon me; my strength was dried up as by the heat of summer. Selah 5 I acknowledged my sin to you, and I did not cover my iniquity; I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the LORD,” and you forgave the iniquity of my sin. Selah 6 Therefore let everyone who is godly offer prayer to you at a time when you may be found; surely in the rush of great waters, they shall not reach him. 7 You are a hiding place for me; you preserve me from trouble; you surround me with shouts of deliverance. Selah 8 I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with my eye upon you. 9 Be not like a horse or a mule, without understanding, which must be curbed with bit and bridle, or it will not stay near you. 10 Many are the sorrows of the wicked, but steadfast love surrounds the one who trusts in the LORD. 11 Be glad in the LORD, and rejoice, O righteous, and shout for joy, all you upright in heart! Amen.