Called to Greatness, Week 2 - October 18, 2026

The Lord’s question to Samuel, “How long will you mourn for Saul?” brings a strong word for anybody still living in the past. God had rejected Saul, but God had not stopped working. God tells Samuel to fill his horn with oil and get moving, because God has already chosen another king.

Saul’s rejection shows the danger of partial obedience. God chose Saul, wanted to use Saul, and wanted to bless Saul’s family, but Saul would not be fully surrendered. God’s will still moved forward, but Saul missed the blessing. God’s work in Aiken, in the church, and in every life will not stop if somebody refuses the assignment. God will accomplish His will, but somebody can miss the very thing God wanted to do through them.

God’s choice of David turns human expectations upside down. Jesse’s sons looked the part, especially Eliab, but God saw what man could not see. The Lord does not look at the outward appearance. The Lord looks at the heart. David stood out in nobody’s eyes. David was the youngest, forgotten in the sheep fields, doing the job nobody else wanted. Yet God said, “Rise and anoint him. This is the one.”

David’s anointing shows that calling comes from God, not from man. God determines who He will call, and God often calls the unlikely. God does not merely call the qualified. God qualifies those He calls. The question is not, “What do I want to be?” The question is, “What does God want me to be?”

The oil running down David’s head pictures a calling that is evident. God’s anointing cannot always be explained, but it can be experienced. God’s power and favor make a difference that people can see. God’s calling also has an oily quality: it flows. Difficulty may come, but God’s work does not require manipulation, coercion, or the exhausting effort of pushing a boulder uphill.

David’s calling reaches beyond church ministry. God can call a doctor, teacher, engineer, cleaner, or anybody else to do ordinary work for the glory of God and the advance of His mission. God’s calling gives joy and excellence because the work is ultimately done for Him. God’s final question reaches past appearances, church membership, baptism, and religious activity: does He see Jesus in the heart?

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Key Takeaways

• 1. God’s work moves beyond disobedience. God wanted to use Saul, but Saul’s incomplete obedience brought a sobering end to his assignment. God’s purposes did not collapse when Saul failed. God’s people must not presume that opportunity will remain forever when surrender is withheld. [59:03]
• 2. God looks straight at the heart. The outward appearance can impress a room while the heart remains far from God. God sees through polished identities, religious activity, and public success. Christ’s life within a person produces more than a convincing exterior. [1:16:29]
• 3. Calling comes from God’s choice. God determines the assignment, even when the called person feels inadequate beside more gifted people. God’s call does not rest on human approval or comparison. God calls unlikely people so that His strength, not human ability, gets the glory. [1:04:39]
• 4. Anointing should be evident and joyful. God’s anointing is not a manufactured feeling or forced performance. God’s power makes His work distinct, fruitful, and marked by a joy that fits the assignment. God can fill any workplace with gospel purpose when a believer serves Him there. [1:14:20]
• 5. Past faithfulness cannot replace present obedience. God’s past work deserves gratitude, but God’s present call requires a response today. God asks more than stories about former ministries, former classes, or former seasons of usefulness. God calls His people to move forward into the assignment He has now. [1:18:18]

Youtube Chapters

• [00:00] - Welcome
• [44:43] - Scripture Reading: David Anointed King
• [48:28] - Prayer for God’s Power and Mission
• [50:10] - Guatemala Pastors Conference
• [55:19] - Saul’s Partial Obedience
• [55:58] - How Long Will You Mourn?
• [57:20] - The Warning of Saul’s Rejection
• [59:03] - God Will Use Someone Else
• [1:00:29] - Calling, Character, and Competency
• [1:01:48] - God Determines the Calling
• [1:04:39] - God Calls the Unlikely
• [1:07:17] - The Evidence of God’s Anointing
• [1:10:19] - Every Calling Serves God’s Mission
• [1:15:07] - God Looks at the Heart
• [1:17:54] - Responding to God’s Call

Bible Reading

1 Samuel 16:1-13
“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.” But Samuel said, “How can I go? If Saul hears about it, he will kill me.” The Lord said, “Take a heifer with you and say, ‘I have come to sacrifice to the Lord.’ Invite Jesse to the sacrifice, and I will show you what to do. You are to anoint for me the one I indicate.” Samuel did what the Lord said. When he arrived at Bethlehem, the elders of the town trembled when they met him. They asked, “Do you come in peace?” Samuel replied, “Yes, in peace; I have come to sacrifice to the Lord. Consecrate yourselves and come to the sacrifice with me.” Then he consecrated Jesse and his sons and invited them to the sacrifice. 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.” Then Jesse called Abinadab and had him pass in front of Samuel. But Samuel said, “The Lord has not chosen this one either.” Jesse then had Shammah pass by, but Samuel said, “Nor has the Lord chosen this one.” Jesse had seven of his sons pass before Samuel, but Samuel said to him, “The Lord has not chosen these.” 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.” So he sent for him and had him brought in. He was glowing with health and had a fine appearance and handsome features. 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. Samuel then went to Ramah.” [44:43]

Psalm 78:70-72
“He chose David his servant and took him from the sheep pens; from tending the sheep he brought him to be the shepherd of his people Jacob, of Israel his inheritance. And David shepherded them with integrity of heart; with skillful hands he led them.” [44:43]

1 Samuel 15:22-23
“But Samuel replied: “Does the Lord delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as in obeying the Lord? To obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed is better than the fat of rams. For rebellion is like the sin of divination, and arrogance like the evil of idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the Lord, he has rejected you as king.” [55:19]

Observation questions

1. What does the Lord tell Samuel to do after asking him how long he will mourn for Saul? [45:30]
2. What makes Samuel initially think Eliab may be God’s chosen king, and what does the Lord say Samuel should consider instead? [46:29]
3. How is David described when Jesse finally sends for him, and what is David doing before he is brought before Samuel? [47:15]
4. According to Psalm 78, what two qualities marked David’s leadership after God took him from tending sheep? [48:03]

Interpretation questions

1. Saul’s partial obedience led to his rejection, while God’s purposes continued through David. What warning does this give believers about assuming that past faithfulness can replace present surrender? [59:22]
2. Why might God choose David, the youngest son working in the sheep fields, rather than one of the brothers who appeared more impressive? What does this show about the kind of people God uses? [01:05:25]
3. The Lord looks at the heart rather than outward appearance. What are some outward signs of religious activity that can look convincing while failing to show a heart changed by Christ? [01:16:29]
4. David’s anointing was followed by the Spirit’s powerful presence. How should believers understand the difference between trying to force spiritual results and depending on God’s power to work through them? [01:11:46]

Application questions

1. Is there a past season, role, disappointment, or success that has kept you from responding to what God may be calling you to do now? What would it look like to move forward in faith? [56:44]
2. Saul’s example warns that partial obedience is still disobedience. Is there an area where you have obeyed God selectively—doing what feels comfortable while holding back another part of your life? What is one step toward full surrender? [55:38]
3. Where are you most tempted to compare your abilities, experience, or education with others? How does God’s choice of David encourage you to serve faithfully even when you feel unlikely or inadequate? [01:04:23]
4. God looks beyond the identity we present to others and examines the heart. What might God see beneath your public image, and what would genuine repentance or renewed faith look like in that area? [01:16:41]
5. Consider your work, school, home, neighborhood, or regular responsibilities. How could you approach that place this week as an assignment from God, serving with joy and looking for an opportunity to bless or point someone toward Christ? [01:14:31]
6. Is the way you are serving God marked more by manipulation, pressure, and exhaustion, or by prayerful dependence and steady obedience? What may need to change so that you are relying on the Holy Spirit rather than simply pushing harder? [01:12:03]