Becoming A Giant Killer

BECOMING A GIANT KILLER

1 Sam. 17:2-51

INTRODUCTION

A. HUMOR: You have to know…“HOW TO GET HELP”

1. One day Jacob, a Jew living in Russia, slipped on the wet riverbank and fell into the water. Unfortunately, Jacob couldn’t swim and was in serious danger of drowning.

2. Two Communist policemen heard cries for help and rushed over. But when they saw that it was a Jew, they laughed and just stood there watching him drown.

3. "Help, I can't swim," shouted Jacob. "Then you’ll just have to drown," they replied.

4. Jacob got a brainstorm and shouted with his last breath: "Down with Vladimir Putin!"

5. The policemen immediately rushed into the river, pulled Jacob out, and arrested him for trouble making.

B. SPORTS CELEBRATIONS

1. One thing I’ve never liked about pro-football are the “touchdown celebration dances,” where players taunt their opponents after a good play.

2. Another area is prematch “mouthing off,” when a player tells how bad he’s going to beat the competition.

a. “I’m going to wup him so bad his mama will be ashamed to claim him.”

b. “All he’s going to see of me is the dust of my shoes.”

3. But TRASH TALKING is nothing new. It has been going on for thousands of years. Some very famous people in the Bible have done some trash talking.

C. TEXT

2 The Israelites...drew up their battle line to meet the Philistines. 4 A champion named Goliath...came out of the Philistine camp. His height was 9 feet, 9 inches tall.* 5 He had a bronze helmet...a coat of scale armor...bronze greaves, and a bronze javelin was slung on his back. 8 Goliath stood and shouted to the ranks of Israel, “Choose a man and have him come down to me. 9 If he is able to fight and kill me, we will become your subjects; but if I overcome him and kill him, you will become our subjects and serve us.” 10 Then the Philistine said, “This day I defy the armies of Israel!...11 On hearing the Philistine’s words, Saul and all the Israelites were dismayed and terrified. 32 David said to Saul, “...[I] will go and fight him.” 33 Saul replied, “You’re not able to; you’re only a young man, and he has been a warrior from his youth.” 34 But David said to Saul....35 “Your servant has killed both the lion and the bear. 37 The Lord who rescued me from the paw of the lion and the paw of the bear will rescue me from the hand of this Philistine.” 42 [Goliath] looked David over and saw that he was little more than a boy…and he despised him. 43 He said to David, “Am I a dog, that you come at me with sticks?” 44 “Come here,” he said, “and I’ll give your flesh to the birds and the wild animals!” 45 David said to the Philistine, “You come against me with sword and spear and javelin, but I come against you in the name of the Lord Almighty...whom you have defied. 46 This day the Lord will deliver you into my hands, and I’ll strike you down and cut off your head. This very day I will give the carcasses of the Philistine army to the birds and the wild animals, and the whole world will know that there is a God in Israel. 47...The battle is the Lord’s, and he will give all of you into our hands.” 48 David ran quickly toward the battle line to meet him. 49 Reaching into his bag and taking out a stone, he slung it and struck the Philistine on the forehead. The stone sank into his forehead, and he fell face down on the ground. 51 David ran...hold of the Philistine’s sword and drew it from the sheath. After he killed him, he cut off his head with the sword. When the Philistines saw that their hero was dead, they turned and ran. 1 Sam. 17:2-51, abbreviated.

D. THESIS

1. Today we’re talking about an AWESOME GOD! We see a.) An impossible Contest, b). An unlikely Champion, and c). An Unconventional Fight.

2. The title of this morning’s message is “Becoming a Giant Killer.”

I. AN IMPOSSIBLE CONTEST

A. ISRAELITES IN TERRIBLE SITUATION

1. Would you agree with me that fighting a totally armored-up Giant would be a frightening situation? But the Real Problem was, their faith wasn’t giant enough to take on Goliath. They saw Goliath as too big to conquer.

2. Excuses of the Israelites:

a. The Size of Goliath 17:4 -- 9’9”

b. The Armor of Goliath 17:5-7; approx. 150 lbs

c. His Confident Attitude 17:8-10; mock, ridicule

d. The Experience of Goliath 17:33

3. They forgot that One Person and God is a Majority. Goliath may be big, but how big is God?