“DAVID & GOLIATH”



DAVID & GOLIATH

1 Samuel 17:38-50

Bible Stories We Remember Message Series

September 4, 2016

Pastor Nathan J. Thompson

Most everyone seems to love a David & Goliath kind of story. Most everyone seems to resonate with the little guy (girl) overcoming the giant. Popular stories often center around people who have overcome amazing odds to prevail over the big guy (school; corporation; sport's team).

We can think of popular movies like Hoosiers where a small town school with a bunch of farm kids won the Indiana High School Tournament. Also the Miracle On Ice story where Herb Brooks and the 1980 USA Hockey Team defeated the Soviet Union. We also remember the movie Rudy about a young boy’s determination to play on the Notre Dame football team.

We also think of the recent movie “Concussion” where Dr. Bennet Omalu a Nigerian forensic pathologist (played by Will Smith) fights against the National Football League (NFL) who does everything they can to suppress the evidence on chronic brain trauma and degeneration experienced by many professional football players. Truly a David/Goliath story.

Yes we love to hear stories where the bully has been put in their place; where the corporate giant has been out-maneuvered by a small company; where the little guy takes on the government and wins. These stories seem to fuel that need in all of us to press on in hope in the midst of all the giants we may face each day.

Therefore the Bible story we remember today of David & Goliath is one that is pretty much universally known; it is even referred to quite often by secular and non-religious writers/people. It is even sometimes referred to in self-help books and in secular training courses. That is because we can all relate to its message.

This Biblical story of course tells about this young boy by the name of David. David, a simple Shepherd boy who played the harp in King Saul’s court (who had recently been anointed by Samuel to be the future king) actually volunteers to take on Goliath.

Goliath of course is described as possibly being over 9-feet tall; covered with over 125 lbs of chain mail armor; holding a spearhead alone that weighed 15 lbs. He was truly a candidate for the WWF. In addition, he had a “shield-carrier” who walked before him with a man sized shield.

Try to get this image or picture in your mind. No matter what you say Goliath was an imposing figure. No wonder most people were deathly afraid and terrified of him. Clearly the odds were stacked against anyone foolish enough to face him in battle.

Yet there are several important things we need to remember about David. One is that David saw Goliath as not just a personal object of revenge; he rather saw that Goliath was challenging Israel and God himself. In other words, David's mission is for God and not simply his own benefits.

The second thing we need to remember about David is that because he trusted completely in God he was not intimidated by this giant; he was not intimidated no matter how scary Goliath was. In fact David’s trust in God is so strong that he refuses to even put on any armor. His confidence is not in his own power; it is rather in God’s power.

The rest then is history. David meets Goliath on the giant’s own turf. He takes five smooth stones and a simple sling shot. As the giant is ready to attack David takes a stone, slings it at Goliath hitting him in the temple area of the head and he fell down dead.

God helped David defeat this enemy; all the people were glad. Ultimately after King Saul died David became the King of Israel. To this day David is still considered by the Jewish people as the greatest king in the history of their people.

In looking at our own lives; in looking at our world today we can all identify certain Goliaths, certain giant enemies that we may face each day. These Goliaths (giants) may be a health issue; a financial pressure; parenting a teenager; facing heartbreak and loneliness; fearing how safe our world is; some other deep seated hurt/pain.

One thing about many of these Goliaths is that no matter how small they began they can easily seem to grow larger each day. The truth seems to be that the longer we face and obsess about certain issues, the larger and more insurmountable they seem to become in our minds (along with how much smaller and helpless we may feel).

Then add to these giants a large dose of worry and anxiety and some people are completely numb/incapacitated by these fears. Even though over 84% of one’s fears never come true, we often allow them to expand and get bigger the more we fret and stew about things.

Therefore what can we do to stand firm against these Goliaths; to perhaps even defeat a few of them along the way? Where can we find hope when we feel so weak and helpless in the face of massive challenges?

One of the most important things I want each of you to remember today is to be careful of the easy answers; the examples of the “hero stories” we may look to for inspiration. So many of these self-help books and advice columns put the focus on you; on what you need to do.

Lots of seminars and trainings programs are focused on the things you need to do to overcome your giants. Some of them even prescribe that if you simply follow certain steps you will be a hero. However when you fail; when your giant is not slain as happens with most of us we often feel even more helpless and alone.

The most important truth we need to learn from the story of David is that he didn’t rely on himself alone. In fact he refused to listen to all the people around him who said this mission was impossible. He even refused to use the old and warn out solutions of his advisors; things like wearing armor himself and fighting this battle a certain warrior's way.

David rather put his complete faith and trust in our all-powerful God. He realized that on his own no matter how much armor he wore or how smart his strategy and tactics he would lose. Only through God giving him the courage and strength to walk out on this battle field; only through God’s wisdom and leadership was David able to defeat this giant.

It is also very important to remember that God for David was not just an emergency device to call on if all else fails. He is not just a pill we can turn to for automatic relief when the going gets tough. God doesn’t just take away every problem we go through; doesn't eradicate every bad choice we make.

David of course did not just turn to God on the battlefield that day. Rather he had already developed a daily faith relationship with God. He had learned to trust in God through the lesser and more simple challenges he faced. He had learned to praise God in the joys and blessings of life; he had learned how bring his fears and troubles to God daily.

My friends, I just can’t emphasize enough the importance of developing and growing your faith in Jesus today (right now) before the Goliaths overcome you. I can’t emphasize enough that each person develop a weekly discipline of worship; of praising God; of service to others.

I can’t emphasize enough the importance of getting connected here at Messiah; of developing a learning and supportive relationship with a group of Christian friends. When the Goliaths attack (they definitely will attack) you are left completely vulnerable if you don’t have a committed group to stand with you; to pray for you; to love you.

David’s confidence and trust in God was not a quickie prayer for success at the moment; it was rather a faith developed over time. It was built on a relationship where he knew God as his Savior and friend. That of course is what gave him confidence to face this giant.

God also wants you to know him and trust in him as your friend. He loves you more than you can ever know; he wants you to have an abundant and joy-filled life. God promises that he will walk with you; he will never abandon you no matter what life brings.

At the entrance of the RCA building on 5th Ave in New York City there is a statue of Atlas. It is the image of this supposedly most powerfully built man in the world holding the world upon his shoulders. He is portrayed as barely able to stand under the burden.

However if you go across the street on the other side of 5th Ave to St. Patrick’s Cathedral; behind the altar you will find a statue of Jesus as a boy perhaps eight or nine years old. This statue in turn shows Jesus with no effort at all holding the world in one hand.

I sincerely hope and pray my friend that you aren’t trying to be Atlas; that you aren’t trying to individually carry the burden of your world on your own back. On your own I can pretty much guarantee that you will be crushed under the load; you will surely allow your giants to win.

My prayer (from the bottom of my heart) is that you will come to Jesus; will give him your heart and your burdens; will connect on a deeper level with people at Messiah; will find hope and help as you face your Goliaths. Remember Jesus is our only sure and everlasting hope.

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