Stones In The Shepherd’s Scrip

Stones In The Shepherd’s Scrip

Text: I Sam.17: 40

Intro: The account of David the shepherd boy has always been one of my favorites. As a child I never tired of hearing of the magnificent victory that God wrought with one little shepherd boy, who was surrendered totally to God.

When hearing this story in Sunday School, I would imagine that I was David, standing before the giant Goliath, whirling my sling over my head. I would then imagine slinging that stone with all my might at the giant, and then watching as the stone found its mark in Goliath’s wicked forehead.

There is however, more involved in this story than merely the victory of a shepherd boy in spite of tremendous odds. There is in this story a lesson so simple, yet so profound. In this story we find some principles of service that are often overlooked.

Most of the time, when this account is dealt with, the attention is focused on David. Certainly there is nothing wrong with that, due to the fact that David is clearly a type of Christ. That becomes rather clear when one compares the facts about David with those of Christ.

For instance, David was sent from his father, as was Jesus Christ; He was sent with bread from Bethlehem, while Christ Himself was the Bread of Life, Who was born in Bethlehem, “the house of bread;” David was sent to his brethren, as was Christ, Who was sent to the lost sheep of the house of Israel; David was the only hope of Israel for defeating the giant, while Christ was and is the only hope of salvation for mankind, and the defeat of Satan and sin.

I want us to look at this story from a different angle today. I will not be as concerned with the shepherd in this message as much as with the stones that he used against the giant. David, the type of Christ, used stones to accomplish his great victory. We will liken those stones of the shepherd to the saints, whom God uses as weapons of warfare against Satan.

Notice also that not every stone in the brook made it into David’s bag. He was selective in his choices. The Good Shepherd is also selective when it comes to those He chooses to do His work. Let’s examine the stones that the Shepherd uses.

Theme: The stones used by the Good Shepherd are…

I. PICKED STONES

I Sam. 17:40a “And he took his staff in his hands, and chose him five smooth stones…”

A. They Were Picked By One Who Was Anointed.

1. Samuel anointed David for special service.

I Sam. 16:13 “Then Samuel took the horn of oil, and anointed him in the midst of his brethren: and the Spirit of the Lord came upon David from that day forward. So Samuel rose up, and went to Ramah.”

2. God the Father anointed Jesus for service with His Spirit.

Luke 3:22 “And the Holy Ghost descended in a bodily shape like a dove upon him, and a voice came from heaven, which said, Thou art my beloved Son; in thee I am well pleased.”

Luke 4:17 “And there was delivered unto him the book of the prophet Esaias. And when he had opened the book, he found the place where it was written,

18 The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised,

19 To preach the acceptable year of the Lord.”

3. God anoints the saints for service with the power of His Son.

Acts 1:8 “But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.”

Eph. 1:3 “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ:

4 According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love:”

2 Cor. 9:8 “And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work:”

B. They Carried His Stamp Of Approval.

NOTE: Too many Christians are wasting time trying to gain everybody’s approval. That is impossible. What we need to be concerned with is having the Savior’s stamp of approval.

I really cannot give you the formula for success. But I can give you the formula for failure. It’s this: Try to please everyone.1