July 13, 2025
Sermon Series: Called
Scripture Reading: 1 Samuel 16:1-13
Sermon Title: The Call of David
I have a pop quiz for you all today. And I know we have a lot of retired pastors
in the congregation, so they aren’t allowed to answer. Or at least, wait to give
others a chance first.
So are you ready?
Does anyone know who this woman is? (Put up slide)
Ok, retired pastors, you want to shout it out?
This is Geraldine McClellan. Anyone know what is significant about her?
Though I’m sure there are many significant things about her.
She was the first African American Female Pastor ordained in the Florida
Conference. And she was ordained in 1982. Is it just me, or does anyone think
that was kind of late in history for that to happen?
Ok, pop quiz over.
But if you didn’t know who she is, that’s ok. I confess, I did not know who she
was until about 2 years ago. Two years ago, I was ordained. And to be
ordained, you have to go before the Board of Ordained Ministry. And Geraldine
McClellan was actually one of the people on my small group committee
interviewing me. But I’ll admit, I didn’t realize who she was. I just thought she
was a retired pastor.
It wasn’t until Annual Conference a couple of months later where they
honored her and I learned who she was. As she told her story at conference,
she shared how she went before the Board 5 times before they approved her. 5
times! Can you imagine?
One time she was even asked, “Why do you want to join a White Church?”To which she responded, “It’s not a White Church, its God’s Church.”
I love that. It’s not a White Church, its God’s Church.
As we heard in today’s scripture, so often the world looks at outward
appearances, but we serve a God who looks at the heart.
What a wonderful example of this in the life of Rev. Dr. Geraldine McClellan.
The world saw a Black Woman causing problems by trying to become a pastor
in a “White Church. ” But God looked at the heart. God simply saw a person
who was called to preach, teach, and lead others to know the love of Christ.
Last week we began a series on Calling. I shared with you a little about my
calling to ministry, and we looked at the Call of Abram. Remember, Abram was
75 years old and called to leave all that he knew behind to follow God and go
to the lands the Lord would show him.
I hope you’ve been praying this week, listening for the voice of God, and
asking, where are you calling me Lord? Where are you calling Tomoka?
I hope you’ve even been asking, “What are you calling me to leave behind to
follow you?”
This week we’re looking at another Call Story. This is the Call of David.
David will grow up to be the greatest King of Israel. But first he is simply a
shepherd boy, the youngest of 8 children. The bottom of the family hierarchy.
I’m guessing this is a familiar Sunday School or VBS Story for many of us.
Remember, Samuel has traveled to Bethlehem to anoint a new king. And he
comes to Jesse and his sons and the Samuel sees the first son and thinks,
“Surely, the Lord’s anointed stands here before the Lord.”
But then I love these words the Lord says to Samuel, and I would say the Lord
is saying these words to all of us.
1 Samuel 16: “But the Lord said to Samuel, ‘Do not consider his
appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The Lord does not lookat the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but
the Lord looks at the heart.”
The Lord looks at the heart.
And so Samuel kings bringing the sons before him. And asks, “Are these all the
sons you have?”
And Jesse responds, “There is still the youngest, he is tending the sheep.”
A note about Ancient Israel and Kings. In that culture, and truly still many
cultures today, the oldest was who mattered. The 8th son would have had little
value to the family. It certainly would seem upside down that the youngest son
of 8 sons would be anointed king.
We see this in many cultures even still today. Even in the UK, the lineage of the
monarchy goes through the oldest son. Prince William will be King one day.
And then one day his son George will be King. Prince Harry who left the royal
family even titled his memoir “Spare” showing this attitude given toward royal
children who are not the oldest. They’re like a spare part or spare tire. Nothing
special about them.
This would have been a similar concept in Ancient Israel as well, even more so
pronounced. So for the Lord to call the youngest son shows us something
about the character and heart of God.
We serve a God who is often doing the opposite of what the world thinks is
right. We serve a God who is often calling the people the world looks down on.
We serve a God who looks at the heart, not at outward appearances.
And so they bring David in and Samuel says, “Rise and anoint him, this is the
one.”
There’s another important thing I want us to notice about calling here in this
Call Story of David. Remember last week I said God calls us all, God speaks to
us all in different ways? And one way is no better than another way?Here we see this is true with David. If you notice, at least in this scripture, the
Lord doesn’t speak directly to David. The Lord speaks through Samuel.
Sometimes in our lives God doesn’t speak to us directly but speaks to us
through others. This could be a sermon, or a phone call, a card, a kind word,
or even a stranger.
So when we think God is being silent, when we can’t hear what God is trying to
say to us, maybe we need to listen to those around us, and be open to how
God is speaking through them.
It’s also a reminder to speak up when we see gifts in others and affirm others.
Sometimes, the Lord wants to use us and speak through us to call others. Just
like he used Samuel to call David. Be open to the Spirit using you in this way.
David’s Call Story teaches us something very important about Call. God looks
at the heart, not outward appearances. Sadly, so often, we live in a world that
looks at outer appearances.
Pastor John graciously left me some of his commentaries in his office. And
these were some wonderful quotes I found about today’s scripture.
“The choice of the least likely person, from a human perspective, is a theme
found throughout the Bible.” – Kenneth Chafin, The Communicator’s
Commentary
“God has often worked His purpose through some very unlikely choice.” –
Kenneth Chafin, The Communicator’s Commentary
Don’t you love that? God works through unlikely people.
I’m guessing that all of us sitting here have maybe been told at one time or
another, in one shape or another, that we are not good enough. We have heard
these lies, and maybe some of us have even internalized these lies.
For David, maybe the lie of being the youngest. God will never anoint the
youngest son to be king. God will never use a measly shepherd boy.For Geraldine McClellan I imagine she was told at least two lies. God won’t
use a woman, and God won’t use a black woman.
What lies have you been told from others? What lies have you maybe even told
yourself?
Have you been told you aren’t good enough because of your gender? Or you
aren’t good enough because of your disability? Or you aren’t good enough
because of your nationality? Your accent is too thick. Have you been told you
aren’t good enough because of the color of your skin? Maybe you’ve been told
you’re too pretty or too ugly, too heavy or too skinny. Too smart, or not smart
enough. Too loud or too quiet. Or maybe that because of past mistakes in your
life, no matter how long ago, no matter how much you have changed, will
prevent you from serving God. Maybe you’ve been told because you’ve been
divorced, God can’t use you. Or maybe because of your family’s past, you
have been told you aren’t good enough.
Whatever lies you have been told, I want us to silence those lies today. God
uses all sorts of people for God’s Glory in the Kingdom of God.
And we’ll get a chance to do this later in our prayer of confession, but I also
want us to think about and seek forgiveness for the times where we have
maybe looked at others outward appearances and judged them not worthy.
How have our words hurt others and made them feel like they aren’t good
enough, or God could never use them?
I love how the Holy Spirit moves and I have found the Spirit of God often plans
things better than I do on my own. I know here at Tomoka and many churches
around the Florida Conference we take up a 5th Sunday Offering for Residing
Hope, which many of us know at the Children’s Home. And I heard and
understand how in the pastoral transition, the 5th Sunday Children’s Home
Offering fell through the cracks last month. This is understandable, you’ve had
a lot going on between Pastor John’s Last Sunday and my First Sunday.
So you all had already scheduled for today to be the Offering for Residing
Hope that we missed at the end of June. And I think that’s perfect on a daywhere our scripture is about a young shepherd boy, the youngest of 8, who
was probably looked down on by everyone else, was anointed by the Prophet
Samuel to be Israel’s Greatest King.
Today we’re giving to a place that supports children, and not just any children,
but some of our most neglected children in the state. And while the world may
look at them and think, “they’re too damaged to be used by God,” the Lord
looks at their heart and uses them in miraculous ways for his glory.
Since Pastor John worked for some time at the Children’s Home now known as
Residing Hope, you all probably even know more about it than I do. But
Residing Hope works with children around our state who have gone through
horrible situations.
“Residing Hope, formerly The Florida United Methodist Children’s Home, is
now a diverse ministry that includes therapeutic residential care, foster care,
independent living assistance, Montessori education for the community, and
counseling services in multiple counties. ” – residinghope.org
Here was a clip that was shown this year at Annual Conference, and I want to
share it with you.
(Play Clip)
What an amazing story. Marie Mazzula, abandoned by her father and placed in
the Children’s Home by her mother along with her brothers and sisters. And
now she is using her experience to help other children like herself. She is the
Director of Recreation and Activities. God is using her in miraculous ways for
the Kingdom. She was worked there for over 40 years now.
I’m thankful, and I’m guessing the children she serves are thankful that she
did not believe the lie that she was not good enough to serve in this way.
So whoever you are, know that you are loved by God and God wants to use you
to build the Kingdom of God here on earth. Reject the lies that have said you’re
too this or too that, or not good enough. The world looks at the outward
appearances, but our God looks at the heart. Through the power of the HolySpirit, may we be less like the world, and more like our God. May we look at
people’s hearts.
Listen for God’s call, reject the lies, and be a force for good in the Kingdom of
God.
Amen