A REAL MAN: A Man After God's Own Heart (1 Sam. 13:14)

Ron Halbrook, 3505 Horse Run Ct., Shepherdsville, KY 40165-6954 (halbrook@twc.com)



Introduction:
1. 1 Sam. 13:8-14  Saul's selfish stubborn spirit VS a different heart
   a. Excuses reveal character: Lack of faith in God, will worship, impatient, impenitent, not truly ready to serve God
2. The measure of a real man:
   a. Drugs, drinking, & gambling?
   b. Fornication & adultery?
   c. Vile language, tongue lashing?
   d. Hot temper?
   e. Proud, demanding, self-centered?
3. 1 Sam. 13:14  God sought a real man: a man after His own heart
   a. Faith in God
   b. Genuine worship of God
   c. Patient in life's duties, challenges, & trials
   d. Love of family
   e. True penitence for sin
    f. Readiness to serve God
4. 1 Sam. 13:14  God foresaw David as a real man
   a. An ideal leader
   b. Foreshadowed Christ
   c. Example for us
   d. God seeks real men today!

   I. Faith in God
    A. Wrong Heart:  Saul's Lack of Faith in God
         1. Disobeyed God's Word
            a. 1 Sam. 13:11-12  Wait at Gilgal
            b. 1 Sam. 15  Destroy Amalakites
         2. Lack courage of conviction
            a. 1 Sam. 13:11-12  Wait at Gilgal
            b. 1 Sam. 17:11  Face Goliath
   B. Real Man:  David's Faith in God
         1. Ps. 8  Deep, personal faith
            a. Vv. 1-3  God's glory in creation
            b. Vv. 4-9  God's glory in blessing man
   C. Real Man:  David's Faith in God's Word
         1. 2 Sam. 2:1  God said reign at Hebron
         2. 2 Sam. 5:17-25  Reign at Jerusalem, fought Philistines at God's command
   D. Real Man:  David's Courage of Conviction
         1. 1 Sam. 17:10-11  Goliath defied Israel
         2. 1 Sam. 17:45  David faced Goliath
   E. God Seeks Real Men Today!
         1. Examine our hearts:  deep personal faith, see God in creation,  see He blesses us
         2. Examine our hearts:  faith in God's Word
            a. Acts 17:11  Search Scriptures daily
            b. 2 Tim. 2:15  Study to rightly divide
            c. 1 Pet. 2:2  Desire milk of the word
         3. Examine our hearts:  courage of conviction
            a. When opposed by society, friends, family
            b. Moral issues:  abortion, homosexuality, drugs, drinking, gamble, dance,  immodest dress, fornication, adultery
            c. Eph. 4:4-6  One right way in religion

II. Genuine Worship of God
  A. Wrong Heart:  Saul Professed to Worship
         1. 1 Sam. 13:9  Sacrifice not in God's way
         2. Satisfy his desire, build his reputation,  not purely to please God
  B. Real Man:  David's Worship God's Way
         1. Ps. 100  Desire, joy, thanksgiving
         2. Ps. 138:1-2  Whole heart, one right way
  C. God Seeks Real Men Today!
         1. Examine our hearts:  Desire, joy, thanksgiving
            a. Spectator or participant?
            b. Bored, sleep or join in with joy?
            c. Avoid when possible or attend always?
            d. Focus on God or clock, plans, distractions?
            e. Grumble or rejoice?
         2. Examine our hearts:  Action in worship
            a. Whole heart in each act?
            b. As a member of God's one true church & according to His pattern?

III. Patient in Life's Duties, Challenges, & Trials
   A. Wrong Heart:  Saul's Impatience
         1. 1 Sam. 13:8-10  Impatient waiting for God to fulfill His plan
         2. Let God adjust & endorse Saul's will
   B. Real Man:  David Patient
         1. 1 Sam. 16:13  Samuel anointed David many years before he ruled
         2. 1 Sam. 16:23; 18:10  David patiently played harp to sooth sullen Saul
         3. 1 Sam. 21-30  David hid as an outlaw, could have killed Saul, but waited on God
   C. God Seeks Real Men Today
         1. Examine our heart:  patient in duties to God & man:  Christian, mate, employee, student
         2. Examine our heart:  patient in challenges: changes in age, work, children, parents
         3. Examine our heart:  patient in trials:   health, care for sick & aged, children rebel, temptations, consequences of past sins

IV. Love of Family
   A. Wrong Heart:  Saul's Manipulation of Family
         1. 1 Sam. 18:17-21  Manipulate Merab & Michal to destroy David
         2. 1 Sam. 19:1; 20:25-34  Manipulate Jonathan
         3. 1 Sam. 20:30  Curse Jonathan & his own wife
   B. Real Man:  David's Love of His Family
         1. 1 Sam. 18:20-21  David won Michal's love
         2. 1 Sam. 25:42-44; 2 Sam. 3:2-5, 12-13  Saul took Michal; David found other wives, but finally effected Michal's return
         3. Ps. 127:3  David's great love for his children
            a. 2 Sam. 3:2-5  Sons of early years
            b. 2 Sam. 12:15-23  Grieve for child's death
            c. 2 Sam. 12:24-25  With David's love & training Solomon named Jedidiah by God
            d. 2 Sam. 18:33  Wept bitterly for Absalom
         4. 2 Sam. 11  David's great failure:  adultery
            a. Crippled leadership of family & nation
            b. 2 Sam. 15  Loss of moral leadership bred anger & rebellion in Absalom
   C. God Seeks Real Men Today!
         1. Examine our heart:  Remember our vows & treasure our mate
         2. Love, lead, protect, give security & peace
         3. Examine our heart:  Purity & fidelity not adultery
            a. Adultery:  sin against God & failure of manhood
            b. Adultery destroys peace, security, & trust
         4. Examine our heart:  Love, train, discipline, & mentor our children
            a. Active (hands on) not passive (leave it to wife & church)
            b. Our sin & neglect breed rebellion

  V. True Penitence for Sin
   A. Wrong Heart:  Saul's Self-will & Shallow Repentance
         1. 1 Sam. 13:11-12  Excuses not penitence
         2. 1 Sam. 15:20-31  Denial, excuses, shallow repentance, plea to protect his image                                            
              (greatest concern political image!)
         3. "Deep as were his sorrows, he never knew the grace of contrition. Thus his dark heart is full
              of sullenness and suspicion, inviting the entrance of the evil one, who came at his bidding,
              and closed with yet sterner bars all the avenues of his soul" (Pulpit Commentary, 1 Sam. 13:14, p.240).
   B. Real Man:  David's True Repentance
         1. 2 Sam. 11:6-27  1st tried to hide his sin
         2. 2 Sam. 12:1-14  Rebuked by Nathan
         3. 2 Sam. 12:13; Ps. 51:1-4  Confessed again & again with godly grief & deep repentance
   C. God Seeks Real Men Today!
         1. Examine our heart:  Can I say, "I have sinned"?
            a. Godly grief, genuine repentance?
            b. Only because exposed, for sake of image, effort to escape some consequence
         2. Examine our heart:  Focus on being right with God & man
            a. Not blame others
            b. Not play victim
            c. Correct the sin as much as possible

VI. Readiness to Serve God
   A. Wrong Heart:  Saul Selfish, Self-serving
         1. 1 Sam. 13:8-12  Greater fear of losing battle & favor of people than of displeasing God
         2. 1 Sam. 15:30  Greater fear of losing favor of people than of displeasing God
   B. Real Man:  David's Readiness to Serve God
         1. Ps. 84:10  He shared this sentiment:  ready to serve in most humble ways
         2. 1 Sam. 16:1-13  Anointed, kept sheep
         3. 1 Sam. 16:19-23  Served God as Saul's harper
         4. 1 Sam. 16:21, 18:2  Served God as Saul's armorbearer
         5. 1 Sam. 18:1-16  Served God in Saul's army
         6. 1 Sam. 21-30  Served God as an outcast
         7. 2 Sam. 2:1  Served God as Israel's King
   C. God Seeks Real Men Today!
         1. Examine our heart:  Ready to serve as Ps. 84:10
         2. Examine our heart:  Serve God at home
         3. Examine our heart:  Serve God at job, school
         4. Examine our heart:  Serve God at worship
         5. Examine our heart:  Serve God by teach, invite
         6. Examine our heart:  Serve God by quiet deeds
         7. Examine our heart:  Serve God in public teaching
         8. Examine our heart:  Serve God as elder, deacon, or wife of elder or deacon

Invitation:
1. 1 Sam. 13:14  God sought a real man: a man after His own heart
2. 1 Sam. 13:14  God foresaw David as a real man
3. God is ready to pardon us & give us a new life in Christ: Gal. 3:26-27  Alien sinners: come to Christ!
4. God is ready to pardon us & give us a new life in Christ: 1 Jn. 1:9  Erring saints:  return to Christ!