The Lost Ones - Part 1 | The Shepherd Nobody Chose
Main Text: 1 Samuel 16:3-23 (AMP)
Today we are dealing with a man who was considered the least of his family - left out by man, but included by God. God was in the midst of shifting leaders, and He had told His prophet to prepare to anoint a new king.
Setting the Scene: A Prophet Waits on God
"You shall invite Jesse to the sacrifice, and I will show you what you shall do [after that]; and you shall anoint for Me the one whom I designate."
- 1 Samuel 16:3 (AMP)
Samuel was a seasoned prophet, yet he was still dependent on God's direction. Even the prophet of God had to wait for instructions. Samuel's willingness to follow God's command despite personal risk teaches us the importance of obedience in our walk with God.
Too many times we want God to show us the whole movie - but that doesn't take faith.
The Ceremony David Wasn't Invited To
"So Samuel did what the Lord said and came to Bethlehem... He also consecrated Jesse and his sons and invited them to the sacrifice."
- 1 Samuel 16:4-5 (AMP)
To be consecrated means to be set apart - designated for a special role or task. This preparation was necessary for them to be in the presence of God. The call to consecration underscores the importance of spiritual readiness and purity.
When the sons of Jesse stood before Samuel, he looked at the eldest, Eliab, and thought he had found his man:
"So it happened, when they had come, he looked at Eliab [the eldest son] and thought, 'Surely the Lord's anointed is before Him.'"
- 1 Samuel 16:6 (AMP)
In ancient Israelite culture, the firstborn son held a place of prominence and expectation. But God immediately corrected Samuel's assumption:
"But the Lord said to Samuel, 'Do not look at his appearance or at the height of his stature, because I have rejected him. For the Lord sees not as man sees; for man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.'"
- 1 Samuel 16:7 (AMP)
This instruction challenged the cultural norms of the time, where physical stature and appearance were often equated with leadership potential. Saul, Israel's first king, had been chosen partly for his impressive appearance:
"Kish had a son named Saul, a choice and handsome man; among the sons of Israel there was not a man more handsome than he. From his shoulders and up he was a head taller than any of the people."
- 1 Samuel 9:2 (NLT)
But Saul's reign was marked by disobedience. God's ways are simply not our ways:
"My thoughts are nothing like your thoughts, says the Lord. And my ways are far beyond anything you could imagine. For just as the heavens are higher than the earth, so my ways are higher than your ways and my thoughts are higher than your thoughts."
- Isaiah 55:8-9 (NLT)
The Metrics of the Heart
The heart, in biblical terms, represents the core of a person's being - their thoughts, intentions, and character. God's focus on the heart underscores His desire for genuine faith and integrity.
People often ask: by what metrics does God measure the heart? Two things will show you where someone's heart really is - their money and their mouth.
"For where your treasure is, there your heart [your wishes, your desires; that on which your life centers] will be also."
- Matthew 6:21 (AMP)
"The [intrinsically] good man produces what is good and honorable and moral out of the good treasure [stored] in his heart; and the [intrinsically] evil man produces what is wicked and depraved out of the evil [in his heart]; for his mouth speaks from the overflow of his heart."
- Luke 6:45 (AMP)
God wasn't just looking for skill. He was looking for someone who would chase after His heart:
"But now your kingdom shall not endure. The Lord has sought out for Himself a man (David) after His own heart, and the Lord has appointed him as leader and ruler over His people, because you have not kept what the Lord commanded you."
- 1 Samuel 13:14 (AMP)
Jesse paraded seven sons before Samuel. Seven times, Samuel said no. Then came the question that changed everything:
"Then Samuel said to Jesse, 'Are all your sons here?' Jesse replied, 'There is still one left, the youngest; he is tending the sheep.'"
- 1 Samuel 16:11 (AMP)
David wasn't even invited to the ceremony.
David Anointed
"So Jesse sent word and brought him in. Now he had a ruddy complexion, with beautiful eyes and a handsome appearance. The Lord said [to Samuel], 'Arise, anoint him; for this is he.'"
- 1 Samuel 16:12 (AMP)
God will fire someone while they're still on the job, not knowing He already has the replacement waiting in the wings.
"Then Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed David in the presence of his brothers; and the Spirit of the Lord came mightily upon David from that day forward."
- 1 Samuel 16:13 (AMP)
The Spirit of the LORD coming upon David marks a transformative moment - the beginning of David's journey under God's guidance. God often prepares us for future roles long before we step into them.
Meanwhile, something was happening at the palace:
"Now the Spirit of the Lord departed from Saul, and an evil spirit from the Lord tormented and terrified him."
- 1 Samuel 16:14 (AMP)
Saul's torment would become the very doorway that brought David into the king's court. Romans 8:28 is real - God works even painful and difficult circumstances for good, advancing His purpose in ways we cannot always see.
Focus on What Got You in the Room
Saul's servants recommended finding someone who could play the harp skillfully. One young man spoke up:
"Behold, I have seen a son of Jesse the Bethlehemite who is a skillful musician, a brave and competent man, a warrior, discerning in speech, and a handsome man; and the Lord is with him."
- 1 Samuel 16:18 (AMP)
Focus on what got you in the room - play the harp. God doesn't need your resume. He needs your faithfulness.
David's journey from shepherd to king was gradual, teaching us to trust in God's timing. He came before Saul, and:
"Then David came to Saul and attended him. Saul loved him greatly and David became his armor bearer."
- 1 Samuel 16:21 (AMP)
David's relationship with Saul was complex - involving both admiration and eventual conflict. This teaches us about navigating difficult relationships with grace and wisdom. David found favor in Saul's eyes, illustrating how God can grant us favor with others to fulfill His plans. He served faithfully - humbly, diligently - even though he had already been anointed as the future king.
"So it came about that whenever the evil spirit from God was on Saul, David took a harp and played it with his hand; so Saul would be refreshed and be well, and the evil spirit would leave him."
- 1 Samuel 16:23 (AMP)
Point 1 | Your Value Is Not Determined by Who Notices You
David was not even invited to the meeting.
God sees what people miss. David was faithful in a place where nobody respected him - the sheep field. The fact that no one is watching doesn't change the value of what you're doing.
Point 2 | Hidden Seasons Prepare You for Public Assignments
David's preparation happened in private. Before he ever fought Goliath, he fought lions, bears, isolation, and obscurity. Those sheep fields were not punishment - they were training grounds.
Where did David learn courage? In the field. Where did he learn faith? In the field. Leadership, responsibility, trust in God - all of it was forged in the place nobody wanted.
The field nobody wanted prepared him for the palace everybody wanted.
Point 3 | God Often Calls You While You Are Still Working
Some people are waiting to start working after they get the position. But David was called while he was already in the middle of the assignment:
"He who is faithful in little will also be faithful in much."
- Luke 16:10
Some of you are in a "little season" right now - a little job, a little recognition, a little platform, a little opportunity. But if you stay faithful, God will open big doors. Don't despise small beginnings. This is where character is built.
Point 4 | Your Current Assignment Is Not Your Final Identity
David was a shepherd. A musician. A delivery boy. But God saw a king.
Sometimes your current role is not who you are - it's just where you are. God took him from the field to lead a nation.
Many of the greatest leaders in history started out overlooked. Oprah Winfrey was told she was "unfit for television." Michael Jordan was cut from his high school basketball team. The people others reject often become the ones God elevates.
Sometimes your crown exists before your moment arrives. Just because you're in the field right now doesn't mean the crown isn't coming.
Final Challenge
David was anointed king in 1 Samuel 16 - at around 17 years old. He didn't become king until he was 30. Your anointing and your appointment may not happen on the same day. There is a gap between the promise and the fulfillment, and that gap has a name: preparation.
Some people feel like life has passed them by. But remember:
"He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion."
- Philippians 1:6
You may feel overlooked. You may feel forgotten. You may feel like nobody sees you. But God sent this word today to remind you - God is not through with you yet.
Discussion Questions
- David was left out of the ceremony because his own father didn't consider him a candidate. Have you ever been overlooked by someone close to you? How did you handle it, and what did that season reveal about where your identity was rooted?
- God told Samuel not to look at outward appearance - He looks at the heart. Using Matthew 6:21 and Luke 6:45 as a guide, what do your spending habits and your words reveal about where your heart currently is? What adjustments might God be calling you to make?
- The sermon describes David's time in the sheep field as a "hidden season" of preparation, not punishment. What "field" are you in right now - what role or season feels small, unnoticed, or frustrating? How might God be using it to prepare you for something greater?
- David was anointed at 17 but didn't become king until 30. What promise or calling do you feel God has spoken over your life that hasn't been fully realized yet? What does it practically look like to remain faithful in the gap between the anointing and the appointment?
- The sermon closes with the challenge: "Your current assignment is not your final identity." In what area of your life are you most tempted to confuse where you are with who you are? How does the truth of Philippians 1:6 speak into that specific area?