Champions of God
Scripture Reading: 1 Samuel 18:6-18 [New American Bible]
1 Samuel 18:6-19 At the approach of Saul and David (on David’s return after slaying the Philistine), women came out from each of the cities of Israel to meet King Saul, singing and dancing, with tambourines, joyful songs, and sistrums. [7] The women played and sang: "Saul has slain his thousands, and David his ten thousands." [8] Saul was very angry and resentful of the song, for he thought: "They give David ten thousands, but only thousands to me. All that remains for him is the kingship." [9] (And from that day on, Saul was jealous of David. [10] (The next day an evil spirit from God came over Saul, and he raged in his house. David was in attendance, playing the harp as at other times, while Saul was holding his
spear. [11] Saul poised the spear, thinking to nail David to the wall, but twice David escaped him.) [12] Saul then began to fear David, (because the LORD was with him, but had departed from Saul himself.) [13] Accordingly, Saul removed him from his presence by
appointing him a field officer. So David led the people on their military expeditions, [14]and prospered in all his enterprises, for the LORD was with him. [15] Seeing how successful he was, Saul conceived a fear of David: [16] on the other hand, all Israel and Judah loved him, since he led them on their expeditions. [17] (Saul said to David, "There is my older daughter, Merob, whom I will give you in marriage if you become my champion and fight the battles of the LORD." Saul had in mind, "I shall not touch him; let the Philistines strike him." [18] But David answered Saul: "Who am I? And who are my kin or my father’s clan in Israel that I should become the king’s son-in-law?" [19] However, when it was time for Saul’s daughter Merob to be given to David, she was given in marriage to Adriel the Meholathite instead.)
Scripture Text: 1 Samuel 18:17
1 Samuel 18:17 (Saul said to David,"There is my older daughter, Merob, whom I will give you in marriage if you become my champion and fight the battles of the LORD."
Introduction:
Saul recognized David’s potential as a warrior and immediately made him a promise that he could be son-in-law to the king if he would “become my champion and fight the battles of the Lord.”
As we enter into a new year, the Lord is looking for people who will accept the challenge to be a “champion for God”. Unlike king Saul, however, God’s promises are true and faithful. Further, God does not promise to make us His son-in-law or daughter-in-law, but His sons and daughters if we are willing to step out by faith and obey His command to serve Him faithfully in these evil times (2 Cor. 6:17-18).
2 Cor. 6:17-18 Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you, [18] And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.
I. What Is A Champion?
A. (Webster) - 1. A person who fights for or defends any person or cause: 2. A fighter or warrior. 3. To act as champion of; defend; support.
B. When today’s society thinks of“champion”, they think of people such as:
1. Mohammed Ali (Cassius Clay) -Boxing Champion.
2. Gen. Swartzcopf (Desert Storm) -Military Champion.
3. Dr. Peter Salk (Polio Vaccine) -Medical Champion.
4. Mark McGuire (Home Run King) -Sports Champion.
5. Bill Gates (Microsoft) -Business Champion.
6. Betsy Ross (American Flag) -Revolutionary Champion.
7. Corrie ten Boom (WWII) -Holocaust Champion.
8. Mother Teresa (Leper Colony) -Compassion Champion.
C. These all pale in comparison to the “champions” of God’s Word.
1. Abraham -Champion of Faith.
Romans 4:18-21 Who against hope believed in hope, that he might become the father of many nations; according to that which was spoken, So shall thy seed be. [19] And being not weak in faith, he considered not his own body now dead, when he was about an hundred years old, neither yet the deadness of Sarah’s womb: [20] He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God; [21] And being fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was able also to perform.
a. Christ is looking for “champions of faith” who will be willing to risk all to be obedient to Him and do His work.
Illustrations: “Beware of worshipping Jesus as the Son of God and professing your faith in Him as the Savior of the world, while you blaspheme Him by the complete evidence in your daily life that He is powerless to do anything in and through you.” (Oswald Chambers 1874-1917)
“Don’t be afraid to take a big step. You can’t cross a chasm in two small jumps.” (D.L.George)
“It is easy to say we believe in God as long as we remain in the little world we choose to live in; but get out into the great world of facts, the noisy world where people are absolutely indifferent to you, where your message is nothing more than a crazy tale belonging to a bygone age, can you believe God there?” (Ibid.)
Illustration: To laugh is to risk appearing the fool.
To weep is to risk appearing sentimental.
To reach out for another is to risk involvement.
To expose feelings is to risk exposing our true self.
To place your ideas, your dreams, before the crowd is to risk loss.
To love is to risk not being loved in return.
To live is to risk dying.
To hope is to risk despair.
To try at all is to risk failure.
But risk we must, because the greatest hazard in life is to risk nothing. The man, the woman, who risks nothing does nothing, has nothing, is nothing. (James Hewett)
2. Elijah -Champion of Prayer.
a. We are often reminded of Elijah’s prayer for the rain to stop, and then again for the rain to start. Also his 63 word prayer for the fire of God to fall. But for him to get the results that he did, we are sure that he must have had a habit of regular communion with the Father.
b. God is still looking for “prayer champions” who will devote themselves to earnest prayer and deep intercession for others.
c. Some might ask, “For what shall we pray?”
*** Matthew 26:41 Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.
Illustration: Do not pray for easy lives,
Pray to be stronger men.
Do not pray for tasks equal to your powers,
Pray for powers equal to your task.
(Phillips Brooks)
*** James 5:16 Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.
*** Luke 10:2 Therefore said he unto them, The harvest truly is great, but the labourers are few: pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he would send forth labourers into his harvest.
*** 1 Tim. 2:1-3 I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men; [2]For kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty. [3] For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour;
Illustration: When Edward Everett Hale was chaplain of the U.S. Senate, someone asked him, “Do you pray for the senators, Dr. Hale?” He replied, “No, I look at the senators and pray for the country.” (James Hewett)
“Every Christian needs a half hour of prayer each day, except when they are busy, then he needs an hour.” (Saint Francis of Sales, 1567-1622)
Example: Anna - Luke 2:37 And she was a widow of about fourscore and four years, which departed not from the temple, but served God with fastings and prayers night and day.
3. Moses -Champion of Service.
a. Because of his obedience and devotion to the will of God for his life,
Moses became a “champion of God” and the people of Israel. We, too, can become “champions of God” if we will devote ourselves completely to God’s will for our lives.
Hebrews 12:28 Wherefore we receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved, let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear:
Luke 1:74 That he would grant unto us, that we being delivered out of the hand of our enemies might serve him without fear,
1 Cor. 15:58 Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.
4. David -Champion of Praise and Worship
a. Through his anointed and Spirit inspired Psalms, David became a champion of praise and worship for men and women for all time since.
Christ is still looking for men and women who will champion the cause of praise and worship by being an example to others and leading them in the praise and worship of God.
Psalm 150:6 Let every thing that hath breath praise the Lord. Praise ye the Lord.
Psalm 9:11 Sing praises to the Lord, which dwelleth in Zion:
Psalm 33:2 Praise the Lord with harp: sing unto him with the psaltery and an instrument of ten strings.
Hebrews 13:15 By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name.
5. Joshua -Champion of Commitment.
a. Joshua was committed to wholly following the Lord and thereby became a champion of commitment for those who would come to Christ.
Joshua 24:15 And if it seem evil unto you to serve the Lord, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.
Proverbs 23:26 My son, give me thine heart, and let thine eyes observe my ways.
b. God doesn’t want part of you, he wants ALL of you. The more you give of yourself to God, the more he will be able to use you. Don’t hold back. Give everything you are and everything you have to God. That’s the kind of commitment God loves.
Conclusion:
As we enter into a new year may each of us, like David of old, so consecrate ourselves to Christ that we will dare to be “Champions of God”. Our nation, indeed our world, is in dire need of Godly Champions.
