Clean Sweep: The Sort Series

Series: Closet Christianity [#3]

CLEAN SWEEP: THE SORT

1 Samuel 17

Introduction:

Joshua and the Israelites had to deal with the sin of Achan. God exposed what was going on so that the people could again be victorious. Last week we started our clean sweep by taking everything out of our closets and cleaning our closets. As we continue in our “Clean Sweep” of our closet, we are going to go forward many years in Israel’s history. Remember what we are doing.

Lamentations 3:40 (MSG)

“Let’s take a good look at the way we’re living and reorder our lives under GOD.”

Once everything is out of the closet and the closet is cleaned, then it is time to begin to sort everything into 3 piles: A trash pile, a giveaway pile, and a keep pile.

1 Samuel 17:1-11 (NIV)

Now most of us, if not all of us know the story of David and Goliath. Here we seen what the problem is and the fact that Goliath has brought everything out in the open. Before David faced Goliath, he had to face some other giants. These things are going to be placed in the…

Trash Pile

1. Fear which resulted in apathy.

1 Samuel 17:16 (MSG)

“Each morning and evening for forty days, Goliath took his stand and made his speech.”

2. Lack of faith which resulted in unbelief.

1 Samuel 17:11 (MSG)

“When Saul and his troops heard the Philistine’s challenge, they were terrified and lost all hope.”

3. Lack of support which resulted in family dissension.

1 Samuel 17:28 (MSG)

“Eliab, his older brother, heard David fraternizing with the men and lost his temper: "What are you doing here! Why aren’t you minding your own business, tending that scrawny flock of sheep? I know what you’re up to. You’ve come down here to see the sights, hoping for a ringside seat at a bloody battle!"

The next 3 items belong in the…

Give Away Pile

Give away:

1. Those things designed for another person.

1 Samuel 17:38-39 (MSG)

“Then Saul outfitted David as a soldier in armor. He put his bronze helmet on his head and belted his sword on him over the armor. David tried to walk but he could hardly budge. David told Saul, "I can’t even move with all this stuff on me. I’m not used to this." And he took it all off.”

Give away:

2. The battles to God.

1 Samuel 17:45 (MSG)

“David answered, "You come at me with sword and spear and battle-ax. I come at you in the name of GOD-of-the-Angel-Armies, the God of Israel’s troops, whom you curse and mock.”

Give away:

3. The credit to God.

1 Samuel 17:46 (MSG)

“This very day GOD is handing you over to me. I’m about to kill you, cut off your head, and serve up your body and the bodies of your Philistine buddies to the crows and coyotes. The whole earth will know that there’s an extraordinary God in Israel.”

The next 3 items belong in the…

Keep Pile

Keep:

1. Your God given responsibilities.

Keep:

2. Your God given gifts.

Keep:

3. Your God given tools.

Conclusion:

We are not going to study the keep pile in detail until next week, because we are going to organize this pile.