AMEN 2011: Center of Influence

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Adventist Medical Evangelism Network (AMEN)

AMEN 2011 Plenary Sessions

Phil Mills

Two Men Went Up

Stephen Bohr

Our High Calling, Part 1

Tim Howe

Every Practice a Lifestyle Center

Allen Lloyd

Vacation Centers of Influence

Our High Calling, Part 2

Wendell Lawrence

The Office as a Center of Influence for Health, Healing and Hope

Derek Morris

Radical Apostleship

Des Cummings

Mark Finley

Reformers Once Again

Our High Calling, Part 3

I'd like to invite you to open your Bibles with me to 1st Samuel chapter 9.

Here we find a description of the physical stature of the first king of Israel, King Saul.

Now I want you to notice what Saul appeared like externally.

1st Samuel chapter 9 and verse 2 says this, and he had, this is speaking about Saul's father, and he had a choice and handsome son whose name was Saul.

There was not a more handsome person than he among the children of Israel.

From his shoulders upward he was taller than any of the people.

If you looked at Saul you would have said this is a win-win proposition, because he was tall, he had charisma, and he was handsome.

In fact I believe that God saw potential in Saul, because Saul was God's choice to be the first king of Israel.

So when Samuel saw Saul, the Lord said to him, There he is, the man of whom I spoke to you.

God saw potential in Saul just like He saw potential, just like Jesus saw potential in Judas.

Now when Saul was introduced to the people the people were also very impressed.

Notice 1st Samuel chapter 10 verses 23 and 24.

This is when Saul is actually introduced to Israel as the king.

So they ran and brought him from there and when he stood among the people he was taller than any of the people from his shoulders upward.

And even Samuel is impressed and Samuel said to all the people, do you see him whom the Lord has chosen that there is no 1 like him among all the people?

So all the people shouted and said long live the king.

Samuel was impressed, the people were impressed, but of course the Bible tells us that Saul did not live up to his potential.

He did not live up to the assets that he had and instead of being a stellar king in Israel he was continually disobedient and eventually he committed suicide.

And so it became necessary to elect a new king.

Hopefully having learned the lesson that appearance can be deceiving.

So God instructed Samuel to go to Jesse's home.

Go with me to 1st Samuel chapter 16 and verse 1.

God says to Samuel go to Jesse's home And you're going to choose there the king that I have, that I will show you should be the next king of Israel.

And so it says there, now the Lord said to Samuel, how long will you mourn for Saul?

Seen I have rejected him from reigning over Israel.

I am sending you to Jesse the Bethlehemite, for I have provided myself a king among his sons.

So God says to Samuel I have chosen my king.

Now did God know which of the sons of Jesse was going to be king?

So why did he follow the process that he did?

I want you to notice what the process was.

1st Samuel chapter 16 verse 6 and then we'll jump down to verses 8 and 9.

1st Samuel chapter 16 verse 6 and then verses 8 and 9.

And I want you to notice that 3 of the sons of Jesse are mentioned by name.

It says here in verse 6, So it was, when they came, that Samuel looked at Eliab, and he was impressed.

It says, And said, Surely the LORD's anointed is before him.

So Jesse called Abinadab and made him pass before Samuel, and he said neither has the Lord chosen this 1.

Then Jesse made Shema pass by, and he said neither has the Lord chosen this 1.

And so each of the sons comes before Samuel and the Lord says not this 1, not this 1, not this 1.

God already knew who the king was going to be and yet God has Samuel go through this process.

It's because in the first example of Saul Samuel and the people had looked at the actual but not at the potential.

They had looked at the outward appearance but they did not see the inward potential.

Notice 1st Samuel chapter 16 verse 7 where this is made very very clear.

But the Lord said to Samuel, this is before Samuel actually goes through this process, but the Lord said to Samuel Do not look at his appearance or at his physical stature, because I have refused him.

For the Lord does not see a man as man sees, for man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.

He was trying to teach Samuel that what we see is not always what we get.

That God looks at a person not by what they are, but by what they can become through the power and through the grace of God.

Now let's take a look at how 4 persons looked at little David who was the choice, because he's the last 1 that comes forward.

1st Samuel chapter 16 and verses 11 and 12.

And Samuel said to Jesse, Are all the young men here?

Then he said, There remains yet the youngest, underline that word the youngest.

And there he is keeping the sheep, the youngest and he's not even a soldier, he has no experience in battle.

And Samuel said to Jesse, Send him and bring him, for we will not sit down till he comes here.

Now he was ruddy, with bright eyes, and good-looking.

And the Lord said, Arise, anoint him, for this is the 1.

A keeper of sheep with no experience in battle.

You remember the story when David said, I'll go fight that giant.

1 Samuel 17 and verse 33, And Saul said to David, You are not able to go against this Philistine to fight with him, for you are a youth, and he a man of war from his youth.

In other words here we find Saul seeing the actual but not the potential.

He saw what was before his eyes, not what could be.

How did the 3 brothers of David look at him?

Well in chapter 17 we find the story of David and Goliath.

Go with me to chapter 17 and we'll read verse 11 and then 13 and 14 and verse 28.

When Saul and all Israel heard these words of the Philistine, They were dismayed and greatly afraid.

I bet you can't guess who was in the army of Israel.

Eliab, Abinadab, and Shema, they were cowards.

The 3 oldest sons of Jesse had gone to follow Saul to battle.

The names, now the same 3 names, Notice that all the sons are not named, only 3 of them are named when the king is chosen, now they are named as being cowards.

It says the 3 oldest sons of Jesse had gone to follow Saul to battle.

The names of his 3 sons who went to the battle were Eliab the firstborn, next to him Abinadab, and the third Shema.

Verse 14, David was the youngest, and the 3 oldest followed Saul.

Now notice verse 28, Now Eliab his oldest brother heard when he spoke to the men and when David said I'll go fight the giant and Eliab's anger was aroused against David and he said why did you come down here and with whom have you left these few sheep in the wilderness?

Series

AMEN 2011 Plenary Sessions

Our High Calling, Part 3

Transcript

Parent Series

Parent Conference

Sponsor

Recorded

Personal Excellence

Steps to Success

1h

Plenary

The Third Angel’s Thumb

1h 24m

Morning Devotional

Faith and the Final Crisis

59m

Plenary

What a Journey, No Regrets

1h 15m

Plenary

The Issues of Life

32m

Reach the World Next Door

2. Four Steps to Help the Three Angels Jet

1h

Come Home - Transforming Your Family in Christ

01 Busy Parents’ Time with God

41m

How to Study the Bible and Empower Your Devotional Life- Part 2

58m

Health

Depression and Anxiety - Blessings in Disguise

1h 34m

Bob Folkenberg, Jr. - Evangeliving: The Great Commission in Action

God’s Marine Corps and You

1h

Morning Devotional

Devotional

14m

Evening Worship: Revelation

Revelation, Part 1

21m

Sound Doctrine