Preached March 15, 2026
The Table Church — St. Augustine, FL
When Samuel went to anoint the next king of Israel, he assumed the obvious candidate would be the strongest, tallest, and most impressive man in the room. But God had something else in mind.
In 1 Samuel 16, God reminds Samuel—and us—that human beings tend to judge by outward appearance, while God looks at the heart. The next king of Israel wouldn’t come from the obvious place. He wouldn’t be the strongest warrior or the most impressive leader. Instead, God chose David—a young shepherd boy who wasn’t even invited into the room.
This passage challenges our assumptions about leadership, power, and what truly matters to God. In a world obsessed with appearance, achievement, and strength, God is looking for something different: surrendered hearts.
In this sermon, we explore:
• Why our perception of people can be so misleading
• What God actually looks for in those He uses
• The difference between Saul’s pride and David’s surrender
• How Lent invites us to examine our own hearts before God
God doesn’t choose and empower people because of outward strength—but because of hearts surrendered to Him.
