SpringhillGNV's Presentation Group
Sunday, May 10th, 2026 2nd Sunday

      • Psalm 150KJV1900

  • Glory To His Name - Hymn
  • 1 Samuel 16:14–23 KJV 1900
    14 But the Spirit of the Lord departed from Saul, and an evil spirit from the Lord troubled him. 15 And Saul’s servants said unto him, Behold now, an evil spirit from God troubleth thee. 16 Let our lord now command thy servants, which are before thee, to seek out a man, who is a cunning player on an harp: and it shall come to pass, when the evil spirit from God is upon thee, that he shall play with his hand, and thou shalt be well. 17 And Saul said unto his servants, Provide me now a man that can play well, and bring him to me. 18 Then answered one of the servants, and said, Behold, I have seen a son of Jesse the Beth-lehemite, that is cunning in playing, and a mighty valiant man, and a man of war, and prudent in matters, and a comely person, and the Lord is with him. 19 Wherefore Saul sent messengers unto Jesse, and said, Send me David thy son, which is with the sheep. 20 And Jesse took an ass laden with bread, and a bottle of wine, and a kid, and sent them by David his son unto Saul. 21 And David came to Saul, and stood before him: and he loved him greatly; and he became his armourbearer. 22 And Saul sent to Jesse, saying, Let David, I pray thee, stand before me; for he hath found favour in my sight. 23 And it came to pass, when the evil spirit from God was upon Saul, that David took an harp, and played with his hand: so Saul was refreshed, and was well, and the evil spirit departed from him.

    The King God Departed From

    1 Samuel 16:14-23
    Series: The Heart God Honors
    Springhill Church
    Main Idea: When God’s presence is rejected through disobedience, His Spirit departs, leaving a void that no position, power, or performance can fill.
    Introduction
    Denny McClain
    In 1968, Denny McLain stood on top of the baseball world. He played for the Detroit Tigers, as the last Major League pitcher since 1940 to win 31 games in a season, and that same year he helped lead Detroit to a World Series championship. He had the arm, the attention, the awards, the applause and the admiration.
    But promise can be dangerous when the heart is not governed well. In 1970, McLain was suspended by Major League Baseball after allegations connected him to gambling and game fixing, causing his career's quick decline. Within a few years of his historic season, he was out of Major League Baseball before reaching the age of thirty. The man who once stood on the mound with rare command became a warning that talent can open doors character cannot keep.
    That story arrests the soul because it reminds us that a person can have visible greatness and still be unraveling in hidden places. The stadium lights may be bright, the applause may be loud, and the record books may remember the achievement, but no amount of public admiration can protect a person from the consequences of private compromise.
    2. Saul’s Decline
    That is where we meet Saul in 1 Samuel 16:14-23. Saul was chosen from among the people. He stood head and shoulders above others. He had the appearance of leadership, the advantage of opportunity, the authority of kingship, and the blessing of divine empowerment. Saul had a crown on his head, servants at his feet, and a scepter of power in his hand. Yet the tragedy of the text is that Saul has what people can see, while devoid of what only God can supply.
    The palace is standing, but peace is gone. His crown is visible, but communion has vanished. The throne is occupied, but the Spirit has departed. Saul has position without presence. He has power without peace. He has authority without anointing. He has royal surroundings, but a restless soul. He still looks like king to the nation, but heaven has already marked his decline.
    This passage teaches us that the most dangerous loss is not always the loss of a job, a title, a platform, a relationship, or an opportunity. The most dangerous loss is when the presence and power of God are withdrawn from a life that keeps pretending everything is normal. Saul’s life reminds us that it is possible to keep functioning after fellowship has fractured. There is space to keep leading while inwardly losing the spiritual life that makes leadership holy.
    3. David’s Development
    But this passage does not only show us Saul’s tragedy, it also shows us God’s providence. While Saul is declining, David is being developed. While Saul is troubled, David is being summoned. While Saul is losing peace, David is gaining preparation. God is so sovereign that He can use a troubled palace to open the door for a hidden shepherd. Saul thinks he is calling for relief, but God is arranging David’s preparation. Saul thinks he needs a musician, but God is sending an anointed servant. Saul thinks he is trying to calm his own soul, but God is moving His chosen king closer to the throne.
    So today, the question is not simply, “What happened to Saul?” The question is, “What happens to us when we want God’s blessings but reject God’s word?” The question is not, “Can we keep the palace looking impressive?” The question is, “Is God pleased with the condition of the heart inside the palace?” The question is not, “Do people still see our crown?” The question is, “Does heaven still see our surrender?”
    The main idea of this message is clear: when God’s presence is rejected through disobedience, His Spirit departs, leaving a void that no position, power, or performance can fill.

    I. God Sees the Troubled Person (1 Samuel 16:14-15)

    A. The Lord’s Spirit Departs (1 Samuel 16:14)

    “But the Spirit of the LORD departed from Saul (1 Samuel 16:14a).” - That word “but” carries the weight of divine contrast. In verse 13, the Spirit of the LORD came upon David from that day forward (1 Samuel 16:13). In verse 14, the Spirit of the LORD departed from Saul (1 Samuel 16:14). One man is being prepared while another man is being judged. One man is standing in the pasture with the oil of God upon him, while another man is sitting in the palace with the presence of God withdrawn from him.
    Saul’s greatest loss was not his popularity, military strength, political future, or even the eventual loss of his throne. Saul’s greatest loss was the departure of the Spirit. He still had servants answering his call, but he lost the sacred power that answered his need. He still had the appearance of leadership, but the inward reality of divine enablement had been removed. This is a warning to every generation of believers. It is possible to keep the seat and lose the Spirit. It is possible to keep the office and lose the oil. It is possible to keep the language of religion and still not have a life of obedience.
    Samson - The Spirit departed from him after he allowed his head to be shaved. (Judges 16:20)
    Saul - The Spirit departed from him after he disobeyed the Lord. (1 Samuel 16:14)
    David - He was afraid the Spirit would depart from him after his transgression of adultery and murder. (Psalm 51:1) 
    The text does not say the Spirit drifted from Saul by accident. It says the Spirit of the LORD departed (1 Samuel 16:14). In Hebrew, the word departed means to cut off immediately, like a faucet. Saul had rejected the word of the LORD, and now Saul is experiencing the judgment of the LORD. His disobedience in 1 Samuel 15 was not a small administrative failure. It was a rebellion against divine command. When people repeatedly refuse God’s word, they cannot assume they will keep enjoying God’s power.
    Saul wanted to revise obedience, negotiate with conviction, and sanctify rebellion with religious language. But God does not bless rebellion because we wrap it in sacrifice. God does not honor disobedience because we put worship language around it. Saul teaches us that partial obedience does not preserve spiritual power. Therefore, we should always be grateful for the Spirit's presence in our lives, and the reassurance that He would never leave us nor forsake us, but that comes with a caveat that we are to be consistently doing the Lord's will. 
    "And an evil spirit from the LORD troubled him.” - This does not mean God is evil. God is holy. God is righteous. God is morally pure. But it does mean God is sovereign even over judgment. The Lord removed His sustaining presence and permitted Saul to experience torment as part of divine discipline. Saul wanted life without submission, but he discovered that life without God’s favor is not freedom. It is misery. He wanted the crown without communion, but he learned that a crown without communion becomes a burden too heavy for the soul to carry.
    Saul experiences the emptiness and uneasiness of trying to live without God’s guidance. There are too many people who are walking around feeling out of sorts and trying to figure it out. But it is clear that a life spent rebelling against God, will only result in a life unplugged from the true source of power. Many people look good on the outside but have no power inside. It does not matter how expensive your phone is, it is worthless if you never plug into an electrical outlet to recharge its battery. So it is that our souls need to be recharged by the Spirit of God, which is our source of power.
    That’s why David pleaded that God would not take His Holy Spirit from him.
    Psalm 51:11 KJV 1900
    11 Cast me not away from thy presence; And take not thy holy spirit from me.
    Rolls vs. Toyota
    Quotable preaching lines:
    Saul kept the crown, but lost the communion.
    The throne was still occupied, but the Spirit had already departed.
    The most dangerous place to be is not outside the palace, but inside the palace without the presence of God.
    Five cross-reference Scriptures: 1 Samuel 15:23, 1 Samuel 16:13; Judges 16:20, Psalm 51:11; Isaiah 59:2

    B. The Leader’s Troubled Spirit Is Displayed (1 Samuel 16:15) 

    “Behold now, an evil spirit from God troubleth thee.” -  The servants can see what Saul is suffering. They may not understand all the theology behind it, but they know the king is not well. Something in the palace has shifted. Something in the atmosphere has changed. Something in the leader’s spirit has become unstable. The man who was supposed to guide the nation is now grieved by torment. The man who once stood taller than others is now troubled deeper than others.
    This is one of the heavy truths of leadership: what happens in the leader's soul eventually shows up in the environment around them. Saul’s private disobedience has public consequences. His spiritual instability is not locked away where no one can see it. It leaks into the palace. It affects the servants and alters the mood of the room. The leader’s inner life is never merely personal. When the heart is troubled, the house feels it. When the spirit is restless, the people around it recognize it. When a leader loses peace with God, that loss can become pressure on everyone nearby.
    Saul’s servants say, “Behold now.” (1 Samuel 16:15) That phrase carries urgency. It is as if they are saying, “This is not hidden anymore. This is no longer theoretical, and it's no longer a private struggle. It is visible. That is the mercy and the misery of exposure. The misery is that what was once inward has become outward. The mercy is that God sometimes allows trouble to become visible so someone will finally recognize the need for help. But Saul’s tragedy is that he seeks management without repentance. He receives observation from servants, but there is no record of confession before God. He is willing to admit distress, but the text does not show him returning to obedience.
    The church must be careful here. We must not use this text to accuse every hurting person of being like Saul. Some faithful people suffer emotionally. Some obedient people battle sorrow, heaviness, trauma, grief, and affliction. But Saul’s case is specific. His troubled spirit is tied to his rebellion and rejection. This passage does not give us permission to condemn sufferers. It gives us warning not to normalize disobedience. It teaches us that spiritual rebellion can create inner disorder that no palace can hide and no title can cure.
    If you are troubled in Spirit and know that you are not right with God, that’s conviction. It’s a warning sign to repent and go back to God!
    I’ve wandered far away from God, but now I am coming home Too long the path of sin I’ve trod, but now I am coming home.
    Quotable preaching lines:
    What Saul hid in disobedience eventually showed up in disturbance.
    A troubled heart in the leader can become a troubled atmosphere in the house.
    You can manage symptoms for a season, but only God can heal the soul at the root.
    Five cross-reference Scriptures: 1 Samuel 15:22-23; Isaiah 57:20-21; Psalm 32:3-4; Proverbs 13:15, Isaiah 26:3

    II. God Sends a Hidden Shepherd (1 Samuel 16:16-19)

    A. Sent to Calm a Troubled Spirit (1 Samuel 16:16-17)

    1 Samuel 16:16–17 KJV 1900
    16 Let our lord now command thy servants, which are before thee, to seek out a man, who is a cunning player on an harp: and it shall come to pass, when the evil spirit from God is upon thee, that he shall play with his hand, and thou shalt be well. 17 And Saul said unto his servants, Provide me now a man that can play well, and bring him to me.
    Saul’s servants recommend a man who can play skillfully on the harp. They believe that when the troubling spirit comes upon Saul, music may bring relief. Saul listens and says, “Provide me now a man that can play well, and bring him to me.” Notice what Saul asks for. He asks for someone who can play well. He does not ask for a prophet. He does not ask for Samuel. He does not ask for the altar. He does not ask for repentance. He asks for relief.
    That is one of the great dangers of a troubled life. Pain can make us seek comfort without correction. Distress can make us desire relief without repentance. Saul wants the room to feel better, but the deeper question is whether Saul wants his heart to be right with God. He wants a sound that can soothe him, but he does not seek the Lord who can save him. He wants music in the palace, but he does not ask for mercy from heaven. This is not merely ancient history. It is a mirror for modern hearts. Many people want God to calm the consequences while they keep the cause. They want the anxiety reduced but the rebellion untouched. They want the pain managed but the pride preserved. They want the Lord’s comfort without the Lord’s correction.
    Yet God is sovereign even over Saul’s incomplete request. Saul asks for a musician, but God sends David. Saul asks for skill, but God sends an anointed servant. Saul asks for someone who can play well, but God sends someone with whom the LORD is present. That is mercy hiding inside judgment. That is providence working inside pain. Saul’s palace is troubled, but God’s purpose is not troubled. Saul’s soul is restless, but God’s plan is not restless. The Lord uses the crisis of the rejected king to create access for the hidden shepherd.
    David is being sent to calm a troubled spirit, but God is doing more than calming Saul. God is preparing David. David will learn the sounds of the palace, the rhythms of court life, the burdens of leadership, the instability of Saul, and the strange tension of serving a man whose throne has already been reassigned by heaven. David does not enter as a conqueror. He enters as a servant. He does not arrive with a sword. He arrives with a harp. Sometimes God prepares future rulers by teaching them first how to minister to troubled rooms.
    Quotable preaching lines:
    Saul asked for a musician, but God sent an anointed servant.
    Relief may quiet the room, but repentance is what cleanses the heart.
    God can use another person’s crisis as the corridor to your calling.
    Five cross-reference Scriptures: Ephesians 1:11; Genesis 50:20; Proverbs 16:9; Psalm 37:23; 2 Corinthians 1:3-4

    B. Seen Even by Some, While Overlooked by Others (1 Samuel 16:18-19)

    1 Samuel 16:18–19 KJV 1900
    18 Then answered one of the servants, and said, Behold, I have seen a son of Jesse the Beth-lehemite, that is cunning in playing, and a mighty valiant man, and a man of war, and prudent in matters, and a comely person, and the Lord is with him. 19 Wherefore Saul sent messengers unto Jesse, and said, Send me David thy son, which is with the sheep.
    One of the servants speaks up and says, “Behold, I have seen a son of Jesse the Bethlehemite.” (1 Samuel 16:18) That sentence is full of providence. David has already been seen by God, but now God allows him to be seen by a servant. David has already been anointed in private, but now his name is being mentioned in the palace. He has already been chosen in Bethlehem, but now his gift is being discussed in the court of Saul. David is not campaigning. David is not networking. David is not promoting himself. He is simply being faithful where he is, and God lets the right person see him at the right time.
    The servant gives David a remarkable resume. He says David is cunning in playing, mighty, valiant, a man of war, prudent in matters, and comely. But the final qualification is the highest: “and the LORD is with him.” That is the line that matters most. David has skill, but more than skill, he has spiritual covering. David has courage, but more than courage, he has divine companionship. David has prudence, but more than prudence, he has the presence of God. The palace does not need another performer. It needs someone who carries the atmosphere of God’s favor. Saul does not merely need music from David’s hands. He needs the presence that rests upon David’s life.
    Then Saul sends messengers to Jesse and says, “Send me David thy son, which is with the sheep.” Do not miss that. David is with the sheep. He is anointed, but he is still serving. He is chosen, but he is still humble. He is destined for the throne, but he is still faithful in the field. David does not despise the sheep because Samuel poured oil on his head. He does not become too important for ordinary obedience. He keeps serving in the place where God has assigned him until God opens the next door.
    This is where many people miss God’s process. They want the palace before they have been faithful with the sheep. They want visibility before maturity. They want elevation without preparation. But David teaches us that hiddenness is not punishment when God is forming you. Obscurity is not abandonment when God has anointed you. The pasture can be a classroom. The sheep can be a seminary. The field can be a proving ground. God knows how to let one servant in the palace remember your name when heaven is ready to move your life forward.
    Quotable preaching lines:
    David was overlooked by some, but he was never unseen by God.
    The pasture was not punishment. It was preparation.
    The greatest line on David’s resume was not that he could play, but that the LORD was with him.
    Five cross-reference Scriptures: 1 Samuel 16:7, Genesis 41:14,41-43; Psalm 75:6-7; Luke 16:10, 1 Peter 5:6

    III. God Starts the Royal Preparation (1 Samuel 16:20-23)

    A. Influence at the Palace (1 Samuel 16:20-22)

    1 Samuel 16:20–22 KJV 1900
    20 And Jesse took an ass laden with bread, and a bottle of wine, and a kid, and sent them by David his son unto Saul. 21 And David came to Saul, and stood before him: and he loved him greatly; and he became his armourbearer. 22 And Saul sent to Jesse, saying, Let David, I pray thee, stand before me; for he hath found favour in my sight.
    Jesse sends David to Saul with bread, wine, and a young goat. That may appear to be a small detail, but it tells us something about the spirit in which David enters the palace. David does not come with arrogance. He comes with provisions. He does not come announcing his anointing. He comes carrying gifts. He does not come demanding recognition. He comes ready to serve. Heaven has already chosen him, but humility still carries him. The oil on his head does not make him too proud to obey his father, honor the king, and walk into the palace as a servant.
    Then David comes to Saul and stands before him. That phrase is important. David does not sit on the throne yet. He stands before the king. He serves before he reigns. He submits before he rules. He learns before he leads. God is starting royal preparation, but He starts it through service, not status. This is one of the great lessons of David’s life. God may have a throne in your future, but He will often train you first with a towel in your hand. God may have influence ahead of you, but He will first test whether you can serve with humility in a place that does not yet recognize your full assignment.
    The Bible says Saul loved David greatly, and David became his armor-bearer. There is irony here that should make the church tremble. David is carrying armor for the man whose kingdom has already been torn from him. David is serving the king he will one day replace. David is protecting the man who will later pursue him. David is being formed in a palace that will eventually become painful. But this is how providence works. God does not waste strange assignments. God does not waste complicated rooms. God does not waste seasons where you are serving around people who do not fully understand what God has placed in you.
    Saul says, “Let David, I pray thee, stand before me; for he hath found favour in my sight.” David gains influence before he gains position. His presence matters in the palace before his title changes in the nation. The Lord is teaching us that favor can open doors, but character must walk through them. Talent can get you noticed, but humility keeps you usable. Anointing may mark your future, but service shapes your soul.
    Proverbs 18:16 KJV 1900
    16 A man’s gift maketh room for him, And bringeth him before great men.
    Quotable preaching lines:
    David entered the palace with anointing on his life and humility in his hands.
    God often teaches future kings how to stand before they ever learn how to sit.
    Favor may open the door, but humility determines how you walk through it.
    Five cross-reference Scriptures: Proverbs 18:16, Proverbs 15:33; Acts 7:22, Matthew 20:26-28, James 4:6

    B. Impact at the Palace (1 Samuel 16:23)

    1 Samuel 16:23 KJV 1900
    23 And it came to pass, when the evil spirit from God was upon Saul, that David took an harp, and played with his hand: so Saul was refreshed, and was well, and the evil spirit departed from him.
    Verse 23 shows us the impact of David’s presence in the palace. “When the evil spirit from God came upon Saul”, David took the harp and played with his hand. Then Saul was refreshed, was well, and the evil spirit departed from him. The scene is powerful. A troubled king sits beneath the weight of spiritual misery, and a hidden shepherd ministers with a harp in his hand. David does not preach a sermon here. He does not swing a sword here. He does not announce his destiny here. He simply uses what God has placed in his hand to bring relief into a troubled room.
    There is definite power in music. It can make you happy, sad, energized or calm. Music is able to give you hopes for the future, or take you back down memory lane. That’s why it is important to be careful of the music you enjoy.
    But do not reduce this to the therapeutic power of music alone. The issue is not merely that David played notes. The issue is that David was a servant with whom the LORD was present. His skill mattered. His practice mattered. His excellence mattered. But his gift was made more useful because his life was marked by the presence of God. There is a difference between performance and ministry. Performance can impress people. Ministry can serve people. Performance seeks applause. Ministry seeks healing. Performance says, “Look at me.” Ministry says, “May God be glorified, and may somebody be helped.”
    Saul was refreshed, but we must also notice the limit of the relief. The evil spirit departed from him, but the text does not say Saul repented. He felt better, but feeling better is not the same as being restored. He experienced relief, but relief is not the same as reconciliation. This is where the sermon must press the soul. You can be moved by worship and still not be surrendered to God. You can be soothed by a song and still not submit to the Savior. You can leave the room feeling lighter and still refuse the Lord’s command. Saul’s relief was real, but it was temporary. His deeper need was not merely a harp. His deeper need was a heart humbled before God.
    David’s impact at the palace points us beyond David. David could refresh Saul for a moment, but the greater Son of David can redeem sinners forever. David could play until Saul felt better, but Jesus died and rose again so guilty people could be made new. David could quiet a troubled room, but Christ can cleanse a rebellious heart. David’s harp could help Saul breathe again, but Christ’s cross can make dead sinners live again.
    Quotable preaching lines:
    David brought more than music into the room; he brought a life marked by the presence of God.
    Relief can make you feel better, but only repentance can bring you back to God.
    David’s harp could quiet Saul for a moment, but Christ’s cross can save sinners forever.
    Five cross-reference Scriptures: Psalm 22:3, Psalm 34:18, Matthew 11:28-30, Philippians 4:7, 2 Corinthians 5:17

    Sermon Close

    Saul teaches us that a man can have the palace and still not have peace.
    He can have servants and still not have serenity.
    He can have a crown and still not have communion.
    He can have authority and still not have anointing.
    He can have music in the room and still not have mercy in the heart.
    But I came to tell somebody, do not settle for being like Saul when God is calling you back to Himself. Do not settle for relief when God is offering redemption. Do not settle for the harp when God is offering holiness. Do not settle for a better feeling when God is offering a brand-new heart.
    Because there is another King in the Bible.
    Saul lost the Spirit, but Jesus was conceived by the Spirit.
    Saul was troubled in the palace, but Jesus was tempted in the wilderness.
    Saul needed somebody to come to him, but Jesus came down to us.
    Saul sat in misery, but Jesus stood in mercy.
    Saul wore a crown of gold, but Jesus wore a crown of thorns.
    Saul held a spear, but Jesus took the nails.
    Saul’s kingdom was torn away, but Jesus’ kingdom shall have no end.
    And that is why I am glad today that the answer to a troubled palace is not just David with a harp. The answer to a troubled world is Jesus with a cross. The answer to a guilty heart is Jesus with blood. The answer to a restless soul is Jesus with grace. The answer to a dying sinner is Jesus with resurrection power.
    He died.
    He died until the sun refused to shine.
    He died until the veil of the temple was torn in two.
    He died until the earth shook beneath the weight of redemption.
    He died until the centurion had to confess, “Truly this was the Son of God.”
    But early Sunday morning, He got up.
    He got up with all power.
    Power to save.
    Power to heal.
    Power to forgive.
    Power to restore.
    Power to fill.
    Power to keep.
    Power to bring the wandering heart back home.
    So if your palace is troubled, come to Jesus.
    If your soul is restless, come to Jesus.
    If your obedience has been partial, come to Jesus.
    If your title is intact but your spirit is empty, come to Jesus.
    If you have been trying to feel better without being made new, come to Jesus.
    Do not just ask for the music.
    Ask for the Master.
    Do not just ask for relief.
    Ask for redemption.
    Do not just ask God to quiet the room.
    Ask God to rule your heart.
    Because when Jesus rules the heart, peace can return.
    When Jesus rules the heart, joy can return.
    When Jesus rules the heart, worship can return.
    When Jesus rules the heart, purpose can return.
    When Jesus rules the heart, the Spirit fills what sin tried to empty.
    And the church can sing with confidence:
    Baptist Hymn: Pass Me Not, O Gentle Savior
    Pass me not, O gentle Savior, Hear my humble cry; While on others Thou art calling, Do not pass me by.
    Savior, Savior, Hear my humble cry; While on others Thou art calling, Do not pass me by.
    If you need salvation, come.
    If you need restoration, come.
    If you need to surrender, come.
    If you need the Lord to fill what disobedience has emptied, come.
    The king Saul lost peace because he rejected God’s word.
    But King Jesus gives peace to everybody who receives His grace.
    Come to Him today.
    Come while He is calling.
    Come while mercy is moving.
    Come while the Spirit is drawing.
    Come to Jesus.
    And let the King who never fails restore what sin has tried to destroy.

      • 1 Samuel 16:14–23ESV

      • Psalm 51:11ESV

      • 1 Samuel 16:16–17ESV

      • 1 Samuel 16:18–19NLT

      • 1 Samuel 16:18–19ESV

      • 1 Samuel 16:20–23NLT

      • 1 Samuel 16:20–22ESV

      • Proverbs 18:16ESV

      • 1 Samuel 16:23NLT

      • 1 Samuel 16:23ESV

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