SUNDAY NOTES 8.23.26
Today’s Setlist:
Thank God I’m Free
What A God
How Great THou Art
Oil & Offering
Did you make a decision? Do you have a prayer request? Follow the link below!
SERMON NOTES
A TALE OF TWO KINGS
“God Looks at the Heart”
1 Samuel 16:1
The LORD said to Samuel, “How long will you mourn for Saul, since I have rejected him as king over Israel? Fill your horn with oil and be on your way; I am sending you to Jesse of Bethlehem. I have chosen one of his sons to be king.”
1 Samuel 16:6–7
When they arrived, Samuel saw Eliab and thought, “Surely the Lord’s anointed stands here before the Lord.” But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The Lord does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.”
1 Samuel 16:7b
People look at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.
WE SPEND SO MUCH ENERGY MANAGING WHAT PEOPLE CAN SEE WHILE GOD IS LOOKING AT WHAT THEY CAN’T.
1 Samuel 16:11
So he asked Jesse, ‘Are these all the sons you have?’ ‘There is still the youngest,’ Jesse answered. ‘He is tending the sheep.’ Samuel said, ‘Send for him; we will not sit down until he arrives.’
1 Samuel 16:12–13
Then the LORD said, “Rise and anoint him; this is the one.” So Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the presence of his brothers, and from that day on the Spirit of the LORD came powerfully upon David.
After sunday…
FOR DEEPER STUDY OR DISCUSSION
Explore These Scriptures
Psalm 139:1–4, 23–24 — David invites God to search his heart, reveal what is hidden, and lead him in the right way.
Proverbs 4:23 — “Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.” Consider how our private inner life eventually shapes our public life.
Matthew 6:1–6 — Jesus warns against practicing righteousness simply to be seen by others and points us toward a faithfulness that seeks the Father’s approval rather than people’s applause.
Luke 16:15 — Jesus reminds us that what people highly value is not always what God values. God knows our hearts even when appearances tell a different story.
Heart Questions
If God looked beneath everything other people see, what would He find in my heart right now? Are there motives, habits, attitudes, or compromises I have become good at hiding or ignoring?
Where am I most tempted to care more about appearing faithful than actually being faithful? What would it look like for the private me to more closely match the public me?
Am I being faithful in the “pasture” God has me in right now? Where might God be using an unseen or ordinary season to shape my character and prepare me for what is ahead?
Prayer
Father, You see me completely. You know what others see, and You know everything beneath the surface. Search my heart and reveal anything in me that does not honor You. Forgive me for the places where I have cared more about appearances than obedience. Make the private me match the public me. Give me a heart that desires Your approval more than the applause of people, and teach me to be faithful even when nobody is watching. When I feel overlooked, remind me that I am never unseen by You. Use every hidden season to shape my character and prepare me for whatever You have ahead. Above everything else, make my heart fully Yours. In Jesus’ name, amen.
