David And Goliath Series

Amazing Stories – David and Goliath

7/31/16

1 Samuel 17

Sunday AM

Good AM. I hope you’ve had a wonderful summer. Can you believe that in just a few days life will get back to normal?

I don’t know about you, but I’ve enjoyed being all together throughout the summer. I’ve especially enjoyed hearing the other pastors teach God’s Word. Didn’t they do a great job? I am so thankful that God has blessed our church w/ men of God who believe and strive to live His Word.

As a reminder, next Sunday everything goes back to our normal schedule. So if you’ve been visiting over the summer that means we will have a worship service and Bible study offered at 9 AM and then everyone swaps at 10:30 AM.

Today I have the privilege of closing out this series of messages while setting forth the focus of our church for the next year. To accomplish this feat, we’re going to look at one of my favorite stories of the O.T. If you have your Bibles, turn to 1 Samuel 17 as we’re going to look at the story of David and Goliath and the idea of BELIEVE.

What does it mean to believe? To believe is more than just acknowledging – it is faith in action. All true belief requires activity. Belief requires that we put our money where our mouth is. It requires hope in another person.

(Trust Fall)

In 1952, a young woman named Florence Chadwick attempted to swim from Catalina Island to the California coast in an attempt to set a record for the longest swim. As she entered the water that AM, a heavy fog settled over the water. Blinded by the dense fog, she became disoriented and discouraged to the point that she gave up. When her escorts in a boat beside her helped her out of the water Florence discovered she was less than 300 yards from her goal. Her only words after learning how close she actually came were – "All I could see was hopeless."

When we arrive in the Valley of Elah in 1 Samuel 17, we find the Israelite/Philistine armies encamped on opposite sides of a vast canyon preparing for war – and all they could see was hopeless. We see that every day when the armies lined up for battle, an individual Philistine soldier stands up and offers a daunting challenge.

A champion named Goliath, who was from Gath, came out of the Philistine camp. His height was 6 cubits and a span. He had a bronze helmet on his head and wore a coat of scale armor of bronze weighing 5000 shekels, on his legs he wore bronze greaves, and a bronze javelin was slung on his back. His spear shaft was like a weaver’s rod, and its iron point weighed 600 shekels. His shield bearer went ahead of him. Goliath stood and shouted to the ranks of Israel, “Why do you come out and line up for battle? Am I not a Philistine, and are you not the servants of Saul?

Choose a man and have him come down to me. 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.” Then the Philistine said, “This day I defy the armies of Israel! Give me a man and let us fight each other.” On hearing the Philistine’s words, Saul and all the Israelites were dismayed and terrified. 1 Samuel 17:4-11

Suffice to say, Goliath was one bad dude! Standing over 9 ft. tall, he was a battle-seasoned giant clad from head to toe in scale armor wearing a massive head dress. It must’ve been terrifying. But he was also bold. On the first day he shouted across the valley suggesting a one-on-one battle for all the marbles. But as each day passed, he became more bold and intimidating literally walking across the valley and up to the trenches begging for a challenger.

But notice the reaction of the Israelites – Saul and all the Israelites were dismayed and terrified. In other words, they wet their pants and ran for cover – including King Saul.

Enter David – While the Israelite army was playing hide-n-seek w/ Goliath, young David was back at home minding his own business and being a kid. While he was aware his brothers where off to war, he was tending sheep and enjoying life – that is until his dad sent him on an errand to check on his brothers and deliver a care package.

We learn in 1 Samuel 17:22-23 that when David arrived on the scene he witnessed firsthand the defiance of Goliath and the fear of the Israelites – and he was ticketh off!