One Young Person Can’t Make A Difference | 1 Samuel 17:20-29

Opening Remarks: Lies Teens Believe

Monday Night - My Friends Won’t Affect Me

Tuesday AM - I’ll Never Have Victory Over My Sin

Tuesday PM - Familiarity Equals Faith

This morning AM - Fences Ruin All The Fun

We’re going to look at another lie tonight. Let’s READ our text.

Our focus tonight will be this lie: One Young Person Can’t Make A Difference. Before you buy that lie, just remember that God’s Word is full of stories that prove otherwise. Joseph, Esther, Daniel, a little boy with five loaves and two fishes. And right here in our text. A teenager named David proved it’s not the size of the teenager in the fight. It’s the size of the God with the teenager.

God can and wants to use you. No matter how young, how small, how cool, how nerdy. It doesn’t matter. If you will embrace the truths that David believed, God may have something great in store for your life. PRAY

Introduction: By the time David shows up in the valley of Elah, his fellow Israelites are paralyzed with Fear. The Philistines have gathered their armies together on one side of the valley while the children of Israel have gathered on the other side.

Vs. 4 – The Philistines send their champion named Goliath out to do some trash talking. His name is Goliath and he’s a giant – almost 10 feet tall. Some say that his armor and weapons probably weighed between 150 and 200 pounds.

So he comes out and issues a challenge by saying, “Send me your best man. If I win, you serve us. If you win, we serve you.”

Vs. 11 – FEAR. They are absolutely wrecked with fear. Have you ever been so afraid that you couldn’t move? Don’t you hate it when you hear a noise in your bedroom and you’re too afraid to look or move or even blink?

It’s interesting – the tallest guy on Israel’s side was probably King Saul. He stood head and shoulders above the rest. He was the natural choice to go fight. But even he was too afraid.

So Jesse sends the youngest of his eight sons, David, to go check on his big brothers on the battlefield.

Goliath has been challenging Israel for 40 days by this time. He’d spent over a month mocking their God and ridiculing their fear. But no one was doing anything. So Jesse sends David with Chick fil A sandwiches and Peach milkshakes, because that’s what real men eat. No, he sends corn, bread and cheese.

Vs. 20-21 – As he comes on the scene, there’s apparently a shouting match going on. They’re trash talking, saying things like “You’re momma’s so ugly that even Hello Kitty said goodbye.”

Vs. 23-24 – Goliath shows up again and he says the same thing he’s been saying for 40 days. “I defy the armies of Israel, send out a man. If I win you serve us. If you win we serve you. Let’s go!”

It’s the same message they’ve listened to 40 days, but this time was different. Because this time David heard the words. And something clicks in him.

While everyone else flees in fear, David has a different response in Vs. 26.

“How dare this punk Philistine talk about the army of our God like this. We can’t let him get away with this!”

You’d think Israel would be excited that someone has a little gumption, but like older brothers tend to do, Eliab tries to put David in his place.

Look at Vs. 28. Eliab gets angry at his little brother. He essentially asks. “Why are you here?” He questions David’s motives. He shames him in front of everyone.

When people are used to living in Fear, they don’t like it when someone has the courage to speak up. Little brother was making Eliab look bad. So he had to put him in his place.

Here’s the danger: If David isn’t careful, it won’t be Goliath that discourages him from fighting. It will be his own brother.

This happens too often. It’s not the cause that discourages young people from selling out. It’s the kids in the youth group who are too complacent to stand for God. So rather than help somebody else take a stand, they ask questions like,

“What are you doing? Why are you here? Why do you carry your Bible, preacher boy? Do you think you’re better than us?”

If you’re not careful, you’ll let the cowards deter you from taking a stand for God. And you’ll start believing this lie: They’re right. I’m just one young person. And one young person can’t make a difference.

Tonight I want to give you three reasons you don’t have to believe that.

When Eliab asked, “Why are you here?” David could have said:

I. “My Father sent me”

His father had given him a task. He had every right to be there.

If you ever doubt why’re you here on planet earth, remember this truth: You have a Father that placed you right here right now for a reason.

Don’t listen to the doubters. God the Father has a personalized plan for your life.

He has a plan for your high school years.

He has a plan for you in college.

He has a plan for your mate.

He has a plan for your future.

I don’t care if you’re the most ordinarily ungifted kid in this room, God the Father knew you before you were born and He has a personalized plan for your life. Your job is to believe that and do whatever it takes to follow His path.

You might say, “Well I’ve got lots of gifts. God is most certainly going to use me.”

Well, maybe not. I Cor. 1:26-29, “…not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called: But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty; And base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are: That no flesh should glory in his presence.”

God is much more likely to use an ordinary kid with humility than a gifted kid with pride. We’re impressed by the gifted teens, but it’s often the ordinary ones God is wants to use.

If you’re ordinary, don’t let the doubters make you think you’re an accident. Your Father placed you here and now on purpose.

Your Youth Group Needs You – God placed you there. Don’t listen to the haters. Ignore the cool doubters. Love God, do right and boldly say, “My father sent me.”

Your Local Church Needs You – You won’t always be in a Youth Group, but you should always be in a local church. God places members in a body as it pleases Him. Who’s going to lead the next generation?

The Ministry Needs You - If your Father sent you, He will equip you for it. Don’t worry about how to preach, just take the next step and follow Him. Enjoy the Journey. Say “Yes” to everything and let Him work out the details.

You have every right to be here. You have an almighty and all knowing Father in heaven who sent you. Forget the doubters. Listen to that truth.

Here’s what else you say when you start to doubt one young person can make a difference:

II. “There’s A Foe Against Me”

As strongly as God is for you, there’s an enemy against you

Ephesians 6:12 “For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.”

That’s talking about Satan. If you decide to make a difference for God, you will face opposition.

Illustration: Senior Year, Great Camp, Surrendered my life to God. Got home and found out one of my best friends had gotten into trouble and his parents sent him to the military. Never saw him again. In the same conversation, I found out one of my friends from school had wrecked his car and killed his girlfriend, who was also a friend of mine.

Some of you have surrendered your life to God. Maybe even this week. Maybe tonight. And I hope you will. But as soon as you do, get ready for the Foe to start shouting from across the valley. He hates that you want to serve God. The last thing he wants is to see you make a difference for God. He wants to strike fear into you.

But don’t be afraid of opposition, because it means you have the Devil worried. If you are doing right for the Lord, God is on your side.

Some of you will face Foes from within.

You’ll have people that should be on your side saying, “Why are you here?”

For some it will be family. They won’t understand your desire to make changes when you get home tomorrow. They may not like your decision to get rid of music or stop hanging out with certain friends. They may not understand your desire to go to outreach on Saturday. They might not appreciate that you surrendered to go to Bible college because it’s not the path to wealth. You have to decide what you care most about. The cause or the doubters.

What I appreciate about David is he cared. He heard the same words everyone else did from the Foe, but they didn’t care like he did. Where are the teens that care about the cause of God? I’m grieved by the apathy of youth groups.

Preaching camps. Some groups all in. Great spirits. Interact with other groups. Some sit back and they’re body language says, “I couldn’t care less.”

Where are the teens that care about standing up against the Foe?

The Foe has passion for their cause. Where’s your passion?

Don’t believe the lie that you can’t make a difference.

My Father Has Sent Me

There’s A Foe Against Me

And third:

III. “There’s a Fight That Needs Me” – Vs. 29

I saw some fighting going on today in the water wars. Some of you completely ignored the whole “no body slamming” rule. When it comes to water wars, you’re ready to battle, but there’s a much bigger fight that needs some willing warriors.

David was passionate about God’s cause. You know Eliab’s words hurt, but David was more concerned with God’s cause than his own feelings.

Too many young people let the words of doubters affect them.

It could be that your biggest battle is the doubter, not the giant.

I know words hurt, but difference makers can’t be stopped by words. You have to believe that the fight is bigger than the words of doubters.

What kind of fight?

The Fight Against Sin. Last I checked we still serve a Holy God who expects us to be holy too. So why is it so hard to tell the difference between Christian teens and lost teens anymore. (Instagram pictures same, but at least you have a verse in your bio…)

The Fight For Souls. When we get to heaven, the only thing around the throne of God will be people. Not money, not cars, not houses, not trophies. People. Where are the young people that have decided to get in the fight and rescue sinners from hell? I don’t know many soul-winning teens. Get in the fight. You might be the one person that could reach a friend. And if you’re too afraid, be ready to look them in the face at the judgment seat and apologize.

The Fight For Faith. How many young people are standing up for God boldly anymore? We need young people to have a bold faith. When my generation passes off the scene, who’s going to pick up the sword? You need to know what God’s Word says. Study it. Love it. Believe it. I’m telling you, there’s a fight, and most of you are watching from the sidelines. You can watch from the sideline or you can be in the octagon.

There’s a fight that needs you.

Stop fighting with that kid from your youth group and get in the real fight.

Stop fighting against your youth pastor and join him in a fight that matters.

There’s a fight to win and it’s too important to get distracted with unimportant things.

David had been preparing for this fight out on the hillside.

Vs. 33-37 – David was inexperienced with Philistines, but he had prepared with lions and bears. You may not be ready for the big stuff right now, but you can prepare for the big stuff by preparing yourself by winning small battles.

How? If you can wake up and read your Bible, God can use you in the fight.

If you can be faithful to church, He’s got a place for you on the battlefield.

If you can tell your friends about Jesus, the Father’s got a whole lot more in store for you.

You don’t have to wait till you’re an adult to be a soldier for the Lord. You can say Yes to the little things today, and in ten years you’ll be saying Yes to some big things. How you treat the small battles today will determine the opportunities God gives you tomorrow.

II. Why Are You Here?

Illustration: You're going to have to choose to listen to

On one side: Doubter

On the other side: Father, Foe, Fight

Your Father Has A Plan For Your Life

There’s a Foe That Needs Someone To Stand Against Them

There’s a Fight That May Not Be Won If You Stay On The Sidelines

You have countless reasons to believe God can use you, but some of you won’t because of the doubters. Don’t let one doubter render you useless.

Why are you here? Because God wants to use you to make a difference. Don’t believe the lie that one young person can’t. A teenage boy named David turned the tide for an entire nation.

God may not call you to lead an army, but He might call you to lead one person to Christ.

You may never preach to thousands, but you can give one hopeless stranger the Good News of Christ.

You may never have your name in a history book, but God wants you to help your friends have their names written in the Lamb’s book of life.

You may never stand before Kings, but you could stand before God and hear Him say “Well Done” someday.

You will likely never make headlines, but God can use you to make a difference.

You’re here for a reason, don’t listen to the haters.

Give your life to God and see what He can do with it. Just say yes to everything and see what God does. He can use you to make a difference in your generation.

Someone needs to. Things aren’t great out there. Where are the Difference Makers?

You say, “Not me. I can’t.” You’re right, but your God can. Your Father sent you, there’s a Foe against you, and there’s a Fight that needs you. It’s time for some of you to stop questioning why you’re here and say to God, “Here I am. If you’ll let me make a difference, I say Yes right now.”

Conclusion: Desmond Doss was a quiet skinny kid from Lynchburg, Va during WW2. He was a Seventh Day Adventist, so he wouldn’t touch a weapon or work on the Sabbath. He enlisted in the Army as a combat medic because he believed in the cause, but the Army wanted nothing to do with him. He didn’t fit the mold. They made his life miserable in boot camp. Everyone doubted him. But he refused to quit.

At the battle of Hacksaw Ridge in Okinawa, the fighting was fierce, the gunfire was nonstop, and the explosions were devastating. But Doss crawled on the ground from soldier to wounded soldier and dragged severely injured men to the edge of the ridge, tied a rope around their bodies and lowered them down a cliff to other medics. All in all, he saved 75 lives during one battle.

Everyone doubted him, but he believed in the cause. And he didn’t save everyone, but he made a difference to those 75.

KC Thomas, Indian college student who started a prayer group under a tree in his university

Went to Bible College in the states…went back and started planting churches…died about thirty years ago, but ministry still going strong…over 150 churches and missions, countless souls

Don’t believe the lie: One Young Person Can Make A Difference For God. YOU can make a difference for God.

What’s going to prevent you from making a difference?

Salvation?

Fear?

Doubt?

Sin?

Will you tonight say, “No matter what is trying to hold me back, I’m moving forward because I have a Father, there is a Foe, and there is a Fight.”