"David - Be A Giant Killer" Part 3 Of 12 Series

Pastor Dave Martin, Cross Creek Community Church, June 1, 2003

“David – Be a Giant Killer”

Part 3 1Sam 17

(Be reading & studying 1 & 2 Samuel, 1 Chronicles, 1Kings 1-2)

Review from Previous weeks:

** Prerequisite for God’s blessing is being a person after God’s own heart!

** Proof of having a Godly Heart is Wholehearted, Joyous, Obedience!

** Success Formula: God (Preparation + Opportunity) = SUCCESS

Everyone face “Giants” in our lives:

· Impossible situations or people.

· Irreconcilable relationships or differences

· Irresistible temptations or sins.

· Possibly haunting memories of the past.

Background: (1Sam 17:1-19)

Two armies meet on opposite sides across a mile wide valley named Elah, 15 miles from Bethlehem. Forty days of a stalemate confrontation with the giant yelling threats two times per day.

1. Israelite army led by king Saul.

· A man after HIS OWN heart.

· Saul & his armies were terrified, dismayed, great fear, “lost their heart” – vs 11, 24, 32

· Lost confidence by depending upon himself and not the Lord.

· “The bravest men, are no more than what God makes them” - Matthew Henry

2. Philistine army led by their champion giant.

· Stood 9 feet 9 inches tall (Some scholars say possibly 11’ 4”. Possibly weighing 475 lbs) Peoples Almanac Book: Lists 13 people over 8’ tall, 4 people over 9’ tall and one of those was married to a 98 lb woman! There are 3 people listed over 1000 lbs!

· Coat of armor weighed 125 lbs. defensive armor, brass plates laid over one another, like fish scales

· Spear weighed a total of 32 lbs. (weaver beam weighed 17 lbs and the spear head weighed 15 lbs)

· The giants name was Goliath, the “best-known heathen” in the Bible!

How to kill Giants…

1. Start by doing COMMON things uncommonly well. Vs20-22

1 Samuel 17:20-22 Early in the morning David left the flock with a shepherd, loaded up and set out, as Jesse had directed. He reached the camp as the army was going out to its battle positions, shouting the war cry. 21Israel and the Philistines were drawing up their lines facing each other. 22David left his things with the keeper of supplies, ran to the battle lines and greeted his brothers.

· “Common” - character, integrity, obedience, trustworthiness, responsibility, faithfulness, preparation

· Before honor there is humility. These common things characterized the life of David.

2. View LIFE from God’s perspective. Vs 23-27

1 Samuel 17:23-27 As he was talking with them, Goliath, the Philistine champion from Gath, stepped out from his lines and shouted his usual defiance, and David heard it. 24When the Israelites saw the man, they all ran from him in great fear. 25Now the Israelites had been saying, "Do you see how this man keeps coming out? He comes out to defy Israel. The king will give great wealth to the man who kills him. He will also give him his daughter in marriage and will exempt his father’s family from taxes in Israel." 26David asked the men standing near him, "What will be done for the man who kills this Philistine and removes this disgrace from Israel? Who is this uncircumcised Philistine that he should defy the armies of the living God?" 27They repeated to him what they had been saying and told him, "This is what will be done for the man who kills him."

· Thunderous voice of Goliath scared the Israelites deeply – no courage, faith failed, great fear.

· Even Saul (who was a head taller) was shaking in terror.

· David exhibited holy indignation – Goliath is not defying us but God!

. David saw God! Get your eyes off the giants and gaze upon the Lord. Look how little Goliath is in comparision to God!

. How Big is your God? We serve an Awesome God!

3. Allow the cause to OVERCOME the criticism. Vs28-30

1 Samuel 17:28-30 When Eliab, David’s oldest brother, heard him speaking with the men, he burned with anger at him and asked, "Why have you come down here? And with whom did you leave those few sheep in the desert? I know how conceited you are and how wicked your heart is; you came down only to watch the battle."

29"Now what have I done?" said David. "Can’t I even speak?" 30He then turned away to someone else and brought up the same matter, and the men answered him as before.

· David was brow beaten, verbally abused by his brothers. Jealousy produced anger and criticism.

· Understand carefully – if you are in the fray for Jesus you will be criticized then when you are criticized you better have a cause bigger than the criticism or you will quit. (Criticism will often come from people closest to you)