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We celebrate champions after the victory. Parades, confetti, trophies, rings, banners all come after the victory. But God does things differently. God celebrates champions BEFORE the victory.
Promise Trumps Pedigree
Pedigree is the distinction people place on someone because of accomplishment, success, & victory. In the case of a shepherd boy named David, he was forgotten and had zero prestige, but he had something greater. David had promise, and promise trumps pedigree.
God celebrates you before your victory. God has placed promise upon you.
Champion 1: Promise Trumps Pedigree from Redemption Church on Vimeo.
Champion 1 – Promise Trumps Pedigree
Sermon notes by Pastor Chris Fluitt
Redemption Church Plano Tx
Champion Bumper 1
Welcome to Redemption Church. We are a mighty faith filled church in Plano Texas. My name is Chris Fluitt and I am blessed to serve here as lead pastor.
Today we start a new sermon series entitled Champion.
2 weeks ago we saw Tom Brady raise his 5th NFL Championship, the Lombardy Trophy. In Sports the pinnacle moment of the whole season is the championship. Everyone plays to be the Champion. In Baseball we see that final out recorded in the world series and it is always followed by grown men running around celebrating like children. In Basketball we see them raise the championship team raise a banner and cut down the nets. Hockey champions have their name added to the Stanley Cup.
We celebrate Champions. Jersey sales always go up for the championship team. There is a parade. Some people get tattoos! People go on social media and tell off all the haters and say that they always knew this was “their” year and you just wait because I am calling “DYNASTY” right now.
We celebrate champions after the victory.
We focus on the victory moment and often lose sight of what brought them to the victory moment. We often forget about the adversity. We forget that there were moments where defeat seemed more likely than victory. We forget that some people never gave them a chance. We forget that there were injuries. We forget that not every call went their way and that some unfair things happened to them. We forget that some people left the team the year prior for greener pastures elsewhere.
It is a shame that we only remember the moment of victory, because this would help us understand what makes a champion.
What makes a champion?
We are going to spend 6 weeks answering this question. I believe that there are some champions in this room today. You may not see it yet, but God sees it.
We are going to look at the story of David & Goliath over these next 6 weeks. There are some championship plans within the story. I want you to grab ahold of these plans and win yourself a victory.
You know the story of David & Goliath? The young boy David defeats the giant Goliath with a stone and a sling. You know that the boy was celebrated as a champion that day. You know that this boy in one shot saved his nation from the big bad nation of Philistia.
The nation of Israel started singing songs about David after this day. David married King Saul’s daughter and they no doubt became the power couple. Everyone knew David after this day. His story was told over and over and over again.
If we aren’t careful we will focus on the moment of victory and lose sight of the valuable lessons that are learned in the struggle, before the victory.
Before the victory
Before the victory, David was just a Shepherd boy.
No one celebrates a Shepherd. Shepherds smell. They spend all their time with smelly sheep.
No one gives trophies to shepherds. Awards, medals, & crowns are reserved for warriors & wealthy kings.
No one sings songs about a young shepherd boy. He has no accomplishments.
After the victory against Goliath, everyone was thinking… “I wish I were David…” But before the victory no one was thinking “I wish I was David…” They were thinking… “David!? Who is David?”
Jesse’s Forgotten Son
Before the victory David was Jesse’s forgotton son.
I want us to read scripture together. Turn to 1 Samuel 16:1-5
1 Samuel 16:1-5
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.”(NIV)
But Samuel said, “How can I go? Saul will hear about it and kill me.” The LORD said, “Take a heifer with you and say, `I have come to sacrifice to the LORD.'(NIV)
Invite Jesse to the sacrifice, and I will show you what to do. You are to anoint for me the one I indicate.”(NIV)
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?”(NIV)
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.(NIV)
God tells the prophet Samuel that He has rejected the current king, Saul. God orders Samuel to anoint a new king even while the current king sits on the thrown. This is not proper protocol. This is not how things are done, but this is what God is doing. God is selecting the next king of Israel and is sending the Prophet.
The prophet Samuel is a big deal. When he came to the gates of the city of Bethlehem the ruling elders of the town were nervous and trembling. “Do you come in peace?” they asked.
Samuel then invites the house of Jesse to make sacrifice to the Lord with him. This is an amazing honor. Jesse and his sons were consecrated. That means that they were made clean, holy, and purified to be in the presence of the Lord.
1 Sam 16:6-11
When they arrived, Samuel saw Eliab and thought, “Surely the LORD’s anointed stands here before the LORD.”(NIV)
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 man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.”(NIV)
Then Jesse called Abinadab and had him pass in front of Samuel. But Samuel said, “The LORD has not chosen this one either.”(NIV)
Jesse then had Shammah pass by, but Samuel said, “Nor has the LORD chosen this one.”(NIV)
Jesse had seven of his sons pass before Samuel, but Samuel said to him, “The LORD has not chosen these.”(NIV)
So he asked Jesse, “Are these all the sons you have?” “There is still the youngest,” Jesse answered, “but he is tending the sheep.” Samuel said, “Send for him; we will not sit down until he arrives.”(NIV)
One after the other, the prophet looked at the sons of Jesse. Samuel thought surely Eliab was the future King. God said no. Then Abinadab. Nope. Then Shammah. Not the one. Jesse had 7 sons pass before Samuel. Each on was rejected.
Samuel had to be a little confused and trying to figure out the situation and asks “are these all the sons you have?”
Now wait a minute!
-Are you telling me that the Prophet of God visited Jesse’s house and Jesse didn’t think enough of one of his sons to call him in?
-Are you telling me that the prophet of God came to the house to consecrate, make holy, clean & purify his family, and Jesse forgot to call one of his sons?
-Are you telling me that the prophet of God has come to sacrifice to the Lord in Jesse’s house, bring the presence and glory of God near, and Jesse forgot to call one of his children for such an occasion?
-Are you telling me that the prophet of God who hands out blessing straight from heaven’s throne room, asks Jesse to show off his sons, and Jesse decided that one of his sons was not show worthy?
1 Samuel 16:11
So he asked Jesse, “Are these all the sons you have?” “There is still the youngest,” Jesse answered, “but he is tending the sheep.” Samuel said, “Send for him; we will not sit down until he arrives.”(NIV)
Jesse you forgot someone. We are going to stand here and wait for you to call your youngest son David.
I, Samuel the prophet, have come to your house because God is selecting one of your sons to be the next king of Israel. You, Jesse, have only called the sons that you feel are qualified… you have only called the sons that hold pedigree… but you, Jesse, are not calling the next King of Israel – GOD IS!
“Go get the boy!” Samuel said.
Am I preaching to anyone that feels like they have been passed over by people? Am I preaching to anyone that feels like other people always seem to get the call, but you don’t? Am I preaching to anyone that feels like they aren’t invited? Am I preaching to anyone that feels forgotten on the backside of the pasture? Am I preaching to anyone that feels like they don’t measure up to Eliab, Abinadab, Shammah or the rest?
David was Jesse’s forgotten boy, but He was the anointed of God.
David wasn’t invited, but God said we aren’t going to sit down until David arrives.
David was an afterthought to everyone, except God, who called the Prophet to go to David’s town, to David’s house, to reveal that David is integral to God’s plan.
Go get the boy!
God calls people from obscurity and makes them champions.
God selects shepherds and makes them warrior kings.
God takes the forgotten and then they are remembered forever.
1 Samuel 16:12
So he sent and had him brought in. He was ruddy, with a fine appearance and handsome features. Then the LORD said, “Rise and anoint him; he is the one.”(NIV)
I hope you understand that I am not preaching about David today! I am preaching about you!
God has sent me to tell you – You are the one.
God wants me to tell you that while you may be in the pasture today you are destined for the palace.
You are anointed. You are favored. You have a future.
Today I want to tell you – Promise trumps Pedigree.
Promise trumps Pedigree
David’s brothers had pedigree. Pedigree is the distinction people place on others. Some people have a name that denotes success. Some people have a look about them. Some people have a position or enough money to make them desirable. David’s brothers had pedigree Jesse made sure to call them before the prophet.
But David had PROMISE!
Promise trumps Pedigree!
Promise trumps what your resume says about you.
Promise trumps what other people think.
Promise trumps your current job title and track record.
David was not invited because a lack of pedigree.
David was anointed because of promise.
1 Samuel 16:13
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 upon David in power. Samuel then went to Ramah.(NIV)
This same David stood before a pedigreed giant named Goliath. Goliath was the Champion of Philistia. They hand selected Goliath as champion.
Israel did not select David their champion. He didn’t have that kind of pedigree. David went out to fight Goliath because everyone else in Israel was too scared to face Goliath.
But little did anyone understand… Israel had not selected David champion, GOD had selected David champion.
I want to remind you, we celebrate champions after the victory.
We celebrate champions after the victory.
God celebrates Champions before the victory.
God celebrates Champions before the victory.
Before that stone ever knocked out that giant, God was already celebrating David.
Before all of Israel was singing songs about David winning, God was already rejocing of a shepherd.
Before everyone else woke up and realized how amazing David was, God had already looked upon David’s heart and said “THIS IS THE ONE!”
God is celebrating you before you defeat that addiction once and for all.
God is celebrating you before you have the financial success.
God is celebrating you before you spark revival.
God is celebrating you before you get your life together.
Before anyone else notices that you are a Championship Giant Killer, God has looked on your heart and declared “THIS IS THE ONE!”
You have promise, and promise trumps pedigree.
Stop worrying about what others think. You are anointed by God.
Stop remembering how someone passed over you. You are hand selected by God
These altars are open right now. Come talk to God. Come boldly. God is celebrating you as you come. You are walking in promise.