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!
So David began to inquire. I’m sure he wanted to know the plan. What were Saul and the Israelites going to do about this treachery? And I’m sure he was utterly disgusted when he learned no one was going to lift a finger – and yet he was in no way dissuaded. He knew something has to be done.
If you’re like me, you’ve wondered why Saul allowed a boy to go into battle against a battle-hardened giant w/ all of Israel at stake. The answer is simple. He was so terrified and discouraged after 6 weeks of being belittled by Goliath that he didn’t know what else to do. He offered to the man who fought Goliath a tax free life, but they all knew dead men don’t pay taxes. He offered his daughter’s hand in marriage; but she just wasn’t to die for! So Saul was out of options and David was the only one volunteering! I’m sure he thought they’d already lost; so what did he have to lose?
So David is released to fight Goliath. Saul tries to dress him in his armor, but David was too experienced and wise to know that he had to fight Goliath in the same manner he had fought lion/bears in the past. He had to trust in the Lord and be who God made him to be. Read – 1 Samuel 17:40-55
To fully appreciate the battle, David was wearing no armor while Goliath was covered from head to toe. In fact, about the only spot of Goliath body not covered in armor and impervious to a rock was about a 3” spot b/w his eyes.
The truth is we’ll all experience moments in life where our faith and trust in God will be tested. We’ll face obstacles that’ll threaten to wreck our dependence on God and our belief in who God has called us to be.
Yesterday I celebrated the day I was ordained 27 yrs ago. I remember it well. I remember how honored I felt and how energized I was to be set apart for ministry. I remember the grandiose ideas of what the ministry was going to be like and I was certain God was going to bless my efforts. Little did I know how challenging it’d be to follow the Lord? Little did I know how painful it’d be to care more about people than they’d care for themselves?
I’ve made it no secret that the church I served in prior to coming here was quite challenging. As I prepared this message, I realized it was a Goliath that every day walked up to my life and cast hurts/insults to spit on my faith in God and in my calling. And it almost got me. This Goliath had me in its grips to the point that I was ready to throw in the ministry towel. In some ways I’m ashamed that I found myself on the run cowering from this reproach. I was so close to becoming a statistic. But then God showed up!
I want to share w/ you what I’ve learned from David and from my own journey against the giants.
I True Faith Begins w/ BELIEF
Your faith journey begins w/ who you know and understand God to be. If you have a small view of God then you’ll have a small trust in Him. If you have small view of God’s will, then you’ll have a small concern for experiencing His will.
True BELIEF is faith in action. It is where you practice what you preach. It is where you live what you believe. And a genuine belief in God will always lead to a healthy pursuit of His will – even when it doesn’t make sense to others.
Here’s the fundamental truth about belief – it only comes from w/in you. God prompts but we have to respond. No one else can believe for you. Ultimately you are on your own w/ how you’re going to respond to God. Only you can put your faith into action.
W/out faith it is impossible to please God. Hebrews 11:6
Always remember, until you step out in faith, there can be no slaying of giants, no walking on water, no parting of the seas – all belief requires that you put your faith into actions. It requires that you following in faith leading of the H.S.
II True Faith Will Encounter OPPOSITION
Here’s one thing you can bank on in your faith journey – if you’re moving in the direction of God, you’re certain to find challenges and obstacles.
A David Overcame the COWARDICE in the Army
As he was talking w/ them, Goliath, the Philistine champion from Gath, stepped out from his lines and shouted his usual defiance, and David heard it. Whenever the Israelites saw the man, they all fled from him in great fear. 23-24
It is amazing how a crowd can dissuade a person’s faith. How fitting in can diminish standing strong. David could’ve easily decided to tuck his tail and run just like everyone else – and no one would’ve shamed him for it. I’ve often found that too often, we’re more concerned about what others are doing/thinking that we’d rather be wrong w/ the crowd than correct on our own.
A lie doesn’t become truth, wrong doesn’t become right, and evil doesn’t become good, just b/c it is accepted by the majority. Rick Warren
If you stand w/ Christ – you will often stand w/ Him alone.
B David Overcame the CRITICISM of His Brother
When Eliab, David’s oldest brother, heard him speaking w/ the men, he burned w/ anger at him and asked, “Why have you come? And w/ whom did you leave those few sheep in the wilderness? I know how conceited you are and how wicked your heart is; you only came to watch the battle.” 28
Maybe it was b/c his little brother was showing him up. Maybe it was b/c he despised David b/c he thought Samuel should’ve anointed him to be king – but what we do know is one of David’s most challenging obstacles came from his own flesh/blood. Eliab viciously attacked David’s motives, his sense of worth, and his character.
I have to tell you how impressed I am w/ David at this point. B/c if I’d been in his shoes, I might’ve slung a rock at Eliab instead of Goliath or at least gone MMA on him and tried to punch him in the nose. But David knew who the real enemy was and how to choose his battles wisely.
Often our greatest challenges come from the people who are closet to us including from our own family/church family – from those who talk the talk but don’t walk the walk.
It is critical we gather our confidence and calling from God instead of from men – for His call never disappoints.
C David Overcame the CAUTION from Saul
David said to Saul, “Let no one lose heart on account of this Philistine; your servant will go and fight him.” Saul replied, “You are not able to go out against this Philistine and fight him; you are only a young man, and he has been a warrior from his youth.” 32-33
There will always be people who’ll question your faith and abilities but it is b/c of their own lack of faith and courage and they see w/ human eyes instead of w/ eyes of faith.
Saul didn’t think David could do it, but he wasn’t about to handle it himself. His perspective was all skewed. Saul thought, “Goliath is so big David could never kill him; whereas David looked at the same giant and thought – “He’s so big, how can I miss!”
D David Overcame the CONTEMPT from Goliath
He looked David over and saw he was little more than a boy, glowing w/ health and handsome, and he despised him. He said to David, “Am I a dog that you come at me w/ sticks?” And the Philistine cursed David by his gods. “Come here,” he said, “And I’ll give your flesh to the birds and the wild animals!” 42-44
The enemy is never going to have anything but contempt.
In this story we learn how God operates. He magnifies His name when we are weak. We don’t have to be eloquent, or strong, or wise – we just have to be faithful. When we trust Him and stand before Him w/ integrity and faith – God can win the battle both in us and through us.
He’s just waiting for the moment when we trust in Him w/ all of on our hearts instead of leaning on our understanding. He is waiting for us to acknowledge Him by us giving Him His rightful place in every area of our lives so that He can make us more than conquerors in Christ Jesus.
III True Faith Experiences VICTORY
While I believe this is a historically accurate story, I also realize there are a few obvious lesson – all obstacles in our lives represent a type of Goliath to our faith. Your giant might not be a 9ft. Philistine, but it’s still intimidating. He may not be named Goliath, but he does have a name – greed, depression, lust, pornography, anger, bitterness, sickness, death, or divorce. No matter his name, it can be defeated.
1 Draws Up the BATTLE-LINES
2 Identify the ENEMY
3 Fight in the POWER and PROVISION
