Trinity Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)

Sermons 

Title: "This is the One"

Text: 1 Samuel 15:34 – 16:13

This past Wednesday, People magazine picked the newest American Idol winner, Taylor Hicks, as America’s "most eligible bachelor." Other winners (and runners-up) have landed big recording contracts and other lucrative deals. As it has evolved, American Idol truly has attained "idol" status in America and around the world.

Created as a spin-off from a British program called "Pop Idol," American Idol has spawned numerous other national versions – ranging from Australia to Norway and from Canada to South Africa. Depending on your perspective, this is American television – and American culture – at its best (or worst).

This coming fall, another spin-off will debut on American television. Called "The One," this new program will focus on the trials and tribulations faced by young folks who want to become rock stars. So long as millions of viewers show their willingness to watch – and actively participate in– such television programs, more spin-offs surely are on their way.

Even executives at "Christian" broadcasting stations must be wondering how they could adapt the popular "American Idol" format to their religious programming. After all, the scriptures are filled with competitive situations. The television producers could re-create different Biblical scenes for each episode of the series. Just imagine the possible pairings: Cain and Abel . . . or Esau and Jacob . . . or even Moses and Pharaoh – now that would be great television, don’t you think?

Given the general flavor of Christian television programming, the on-camera judges probably would be chosen from among well-known conservative religious leaders like Jerry Falwell (of the Old Time Gospel Hour), Dallas’ own Bishop T. D. Jakes (leader of the Potter’s House ministries), Joel Osteen (head of the Lakewood Church in Houston), and – for a bit of ecumenical and political balance – a progressive like Jim Wallis (editor of Sojourners magazine and author of the God’s Politics book that many of you have been reading this past year). These judges would sort out the wheat from the chaff, and then the viewers would vote to determine the winners.

The obvious problem with focusing "Christian" programming on such competitions is the strong Biblical mandate against creating idols. Recall the third of the Ten Commandments, "You shall not make for yourself an idol, whether in the form of anything that is in heaven above, or that is on the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth" (Exodus 20:4). Seems pretty clear, don’t you agree? This commandment is echoed in more than thirty other passages throughout the Old and New Testaments.

Assuming that the Christian broadcasting executives could get past this minor problem, what would an "American Idol" approach to Biblical events look like? Well, consider this morning’s Old Testament lectionary passage. The text from 1 Samuel chapter 15, verse 34 through chapter 16, verse 13 tells the well-known story of Samuel’s anointing young David, son of Jesse, resident of the town of Bethlehem, to be God’s choice to become King of Israel.

The Lord told Samuel to go to Bethlehem to find a man called Jesse, and to look for a king among his sons. The Lord did not ask Samuel to select a king. The Lord did not instruct Samuel to take Jesse’s advice on which of his sons ought to become king. And the Lord certainly did not ask the good people of Bethlehem to call in their votes for a new king. On the contrary, the Lord already had chosen a king from among Jesse’s children. He was emphatic with Samuel: "I have provided for myself a king." Samuel was there to do the anointing – no more.

The story line of David’s anointing builds momentum event by event, slowly revealing God’s choice to the audience. This step-by-step process would be perfect for a weekly program. Imagine – as some critics have done – that the winners of each season’s American Idol were chosen by the show’s producers in advance, but the audience doesn’t know the winner’s identity. The challenge for the show’s producers is to tease the audience from week to week – otherwise, there is no suspense. I’m sure that the Christian television broadcasters could solve this production problem.

So, imagine that you have tuned in to watch the new #1 program, the summer replacement for the American Idol series. This summer’s competitors are vying to win the title of "Israel’s Idol" – with the winner receiving a lifetime contract as King of Israel.

In the season opener, as a prelude to the actual competition, the judge Samuel faces a serious challenge. He must convince Saul, the current King of Israel, that Saul’s reign is safe and secure. So, when the Lord tells Samuel to go to Bethlehem to find a king among the sons of Jesse, Samuel is worried. Samuel tells the Lord, "How can I go? If Saul hears of it, he will kill me" (16:2). In response, the Lord gives Samuel a cover story: "Take a heifer with you, and say ‘I have come to sacrifice to the Lord.’" The Lord goes on to tell Samuel, "Invite Jesse to the sacrifice, and I will show you what you shall do; and you shall anoint for me the one whom I name to you." Thus ends the first episode – and we viewers know that we will be back same time, same channel next week.

In episode two, Jesse and his sons, along with the elders of the city of Bethlehem, are sanctified by Samuel and invited to attend the heifer’s sacrifice. After the sacrifice – which always makes for good television! – the program moves to its real purpose – finding a new king. At first, as the judge Samuel looks over the prospects among the sons of Jesse, Samuel is sure that Eliab, the oldest son, would become the anointed one. Even the bookies at the temple in Jerusalem are giving good odds that the tall and handsome senior son will be a lock to win the title. But no. The Lord says to Samuel, "Do not look on his appearance or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him; for the LORD does not see as mortals see; they look on the outward appearance, but the LORD looks on the heart" (1 Samuel 16:7). So, Eliab is rejected – and thus ends episode two of "Israel’s Idol."

The third episode is similar to the second. This time, Jesse calls on his second son, a young man called Abinadab. He does his best routine, but the judge Samuel can find nothing good to say about his performance, concluding that, "Neither has the LORD chosen this one." And, so, Abinadab is rejected and the screen fades to black on episode three.

At the beginning of the next episode, Jesse brings his son Shammah on stage so that Samuel can judge him. After watching and hearing Shammah do his best imitation of being a King, Samuel again says, "Neither has the LORD chosen this one." And, so, Shammah is rejected.

Over the next five weeks, one after another of Jesse’s sons come out on stage to perform before the judge Samuel. On each occasion, Samuel concludes with the fateful phrase, "Neither has the Lord chosen this one." And so all are rejected.

Finally, despairing of finding the son whom the Lord already has chosen to become King, Samuel innocently asks Jesse, "Are all your sons here?" Jesse replies, with a bit of surprise, that "there remains yet the youngest, but he is keeping the sheep." Samuel’s reaction to this surprising news is preemptory: "Send and bring him; for we will not sit down until he comes here." So, Jesse sends for his youngest son. Fade to black, end of episode, and go to the preview for the final episode of what is becoming a blockbuster summer replacement series. Everyone in the nation is asking, Who is this second son? What is he like? Why is he keeping the sheep while his brothers are trying to become Israel’s Idol? Is old Jesse just being clever, holding back his last son to get a better deal for his family?

Eventually the mysterious youngest son arrives from the place where he had been attending the sheep. The audience is thrilled to see that he has a ruddy complexion, has beautiful eyes, and is handsome. This is enough for the Lord, who says to judge Samuel, "Rise and anoint him; for this is the one."

But hold it just a minute. Sure, we are told that this handsome young man is the chosen one . . . but who is he? And what is his name? After all, we need to get the t-shirts and souvenirs printed with the year and his name. With the suspense building to a high pitch, judge Samuel takes the stage, lifts high the horn of oil and anoints the newest, still nameless "Israel’s Idol." As the trumpets blare overhead, the big announcement comes. In the final scene, the spirit of the Lord descends to the stage and, following tradition, "came mightily upon David from that day forward" (1 Samuel 16:13). What a finish to a great first summer replacement season for "Israel’s Idol."

Now, all America wants to know "Who is this youngest son of Jesse?" "Who is this David?" "And what talents does he have that his brothers lack?" Stay tuned, the producers of Christian broadcasting are working on a new series on the continuing triumphs and tribulations of this new Israel’s Idol.

Of course, our own question is likely to be "What are we supposed to take away from young David being chosen as the Lord’s anointed one?"

First, this story helps to remind us that God always has been – and always will be – intimately involved in human affairs. In every episode of all the seasons of our lives, God’s wisdom turns human understanding upside down. As the text says, "the Lord does not see as mortals see; they look on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart" (16:7).

Yes, indeed, the Lord looks on our hearts, forgives our sins, and shows us what to do with our lives. We may not be ruddy, have beautiful eyes, and be handsome like David. But, in the end, no matter our imperfections, the Lord remains ever-present, ready and able to guide us through our lives.

Let us not forget what the Lord did with David and what the Lord does with us. In choosing David, God sent a judge to identify and anoint a most unlikely young shepherd. Let the spirit of Lord come mightily upon you, as it did upon young David, as a sign for all to see that the Lord has chosen you . . . and you . . . and you. In the end, God says of each of you, "This is the one." Amen.