What To Do When You Have To Fight A Giant Series

Through my ministry, when I’ve been planning and dreaming and dreaming and scheming, I often ask myself, what’s the worst that could happen?

Basically, I’m asking myself “What’s the worst-case scenario?”

Now, some people seem to only gravitate to the worst-case scenario in their lives, and it prevents them from ever accomplishing anything. For them, the worst-case is the probable case and they just aren’t willing to deal with that and that often paralyzes them into inaction.

Sometimes when I’m coaching other pastors, and we are get talking about the dreams they have for their church, and things they’d like to try, they will ask: But what if. . .? And they are going to the Worst-case scenario and they see that as failure.

But it’s not enough to simply identify what the worst-case scenario might be, you really need to prepare to deal with that.

A while back, I was talking to an acquaintance and was waxing eloquently about cruising and suggested that they might enjoy it. They immediately asked the: But what if. . .? Question. Actually, they asked a multitude of them, what if I get seasick, what if I don’t like the food? What if I do like the food and gain weight?

And I said, “worst-case is that you hate it and never cruise again.”

A few months ago, I stumbled on a little book back in the sound booth, I have no idea who left it there, but here it is. It’s called “Worst-Case Scenarios” and it is a miniature version of a best seller with the same title. And as I flipped through it, my first thought was, this is really cool, and my second thought was: this will preach. Which is just the way I’m wired.

So, I ordered the book and it’s really helpful. I now know what to do if: I need to fend off a shark, I need to jump from a moving car, I need to deliver a baby in a taxicab. As a bonus I know how to survive if my parachute fails to open.

For example, on page 88 there are instructions on how to perform a tracheotomy.

You will need: A first aid kit, if available, a razor blade or very sharp knife, a straw or a ball point pen with the inside removed. And presumably someone who needs a tracheotomy.

1. Find the person’s Adam’s apple. (thyroid cartilage)

2. Move your finger about one inch further down the neck until you feel another bulge. The indentation between the two is where the incision will be made.

3. Take the razor blade or knife and make a half inch horizontal incision.

4. Pinch the incision open or place your finger inside the slit to open it.

5. Insert the tube in the incision, roughly one-half to one inch deep.

6. Breathe into the tube with two quick breaths.

7. You will see the chest rise and the person should regain consciousness if you have preformed the procedure correctly.

And it comes with pictures.

Over the next couple of months, we are going to be taking a look at some Worst-case scenarios from the bible.

What do you do if you are thrown into a pit full of angry lions? What do you do if you are swallowed by a whale? What do you do if the ship you are on begins to sink? That could be another cruise ship scenario.

This morning’s worst case scenario comes from the scripture that was read for us earlier.

And it is a familiar story, or at least a familiar concept for most people even if they don’t understand it’s from the Bible.

In the Scripture we read the account of a man named Goliath, and if you think about it a story about Goliath isn’t really complete without talking about David. As in David and Goliath.

1 Samuel 17 tells us the story.

Through most of its history Israel had been ruled by a religious ruler called a judge, that type of rule is called a Theocracy, meaning under God.

Some of our politicians today would like it to be that way again, the difference is that they want to be God.

But then the people rebelled and demanded a king like all the other nations. And so, God appointed Saul. He was a good king, tall handsome and smart, and he ruled the kingdom of Israel well, mostly. but then he began to think, “Hey I’m a good king, I can think for myself.”

And we know what happens when politicians start thinking for themselves don’t we? One thing led to another and another and soon Saul was being outright disobedient to God’s will for his kingdom. And with that disobedience came military defeats and here we are in 1 Samuel 17 where the Israelites are facing the greatest obstacle in their history.