Heart of Composure

Even with the big, ugly, scary giant threatens and mocks God’s army, and they cower in fear, David keeps

his composure

1 Samuel 17

INTRODUCTION

As we continue through Samuel and our study of Becoming God’s Person, I hope you have been enjoying this. I want to remind you of the definition of the term “my person” originated from the tv show “Grey’s Anatomy.” But our Definition is a bit different than theirs.

Now being God’s person isn’t exactly the same but its close. It is being that person God goes too, because He knows you will follow his desire. That person who cannot live without him. That person who knows God wont stay mad at us, but wants to forgive us. It’s that person God supports in everything.

We started with having a heart of repentance, submission, confidence, caution, understanding, peace and now this week Having a Heart of Acceptance. And the last two Weeks we have been Looking directly at Davids Heart. He was a man after Gods own Heart, and He had a Heart of Service. This week as we look into his Heart of Composure. Please open to 1 Samuel Ch 17. As you open I have a joke for you.

5-year old Johnny was in the kitchen as his mother made supper. She asked him to go into the pantry and get her a can of tomato soup, but he didn’t want to go in alone. “It’s dark in there and I’m scared.” She asked again, and he persisted. Finally she said, “It’s OK-Jesus will be in there with you.” Johnny walked hesitantly to the door and slowly opened it. He peeked inside, saw it was dark, and started to leave when all at once an idea came, and he said: Jesus, if you’re in there, would you hand me that can of tomato soup?”

1. Living Composed in Open Hostility

EXPLANATION

Stays Calm

Hostility from Goliath and His Brother

Progressively makes his way around till he is heard by somebody.

ILLUSTRATION

Two explorers were on a jungle safari when suddenly a lion jumped in front of them. “Keep calm” the first explorer whispered. “Remember what we read in that book on wild animals? If you stand perfectly still and look the lion in the eye, he will turn and run.” “Sure,” replied his companion. “You’ve read the book, and I’ve read the book. But has the lion read the book?”

APPLICATION

What is you first reaction to Hostility

Anger?

Fear?

Cowardliness?

We are called to keep calm, even if the world hasn’t read the book.

Philippians 4:6-7 English Standard Version

6 do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. 7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

We are not called to be reactionary, We are called to be faithful

2. Living Composed in a Reactionary World

EXPLANATION

Everyone is reacting to this challenge with their human understanding not their faith.

The people of God reacted by cowering in FEAR.

Goliath reacted by Anger.

The King Reacted in cowardliness?

David reacted by Faith.

Faith in God not himself

Faith in Gods Salvation not his own

ILLUSTRATION

Let me tell you a true but tragic story; A woman was walking along a riverbank with her child. Suddenly the child slipped

into the river. The mother screamed in terror. She couldn’t swim, and besides, she was in the latter stages of pregnancy.

Finally, somebody heard her screaming and rushed down to the riverbank. The utter tragedy was, when they stepped into

those murky waters to retrieve that now dead child, they found that the water was only waist deep! That mother could have

easily saved her child but didn’t because of fear

APPLICATION

We keep a heart of composure.

We live in a time where people are in constant reactionary mode. This is not the first time and probably wont be the last.

(Air Quote) If you say the “wrong” thing, do the “wrong” thing, think the “wrong” thing people are ready to cancel you from

society.

Many professionals in politics, science, and education are uber careful, even terrified to to say anything because people are

reacting to nothing like it’s everything. Blowing up small stuff to be big stuff. So How do we act in a world like this? We keep

a heart of composure.

We are not to react in Fear

We don’t react to this situation with Fear like the people in this story. But we are to keep focused on what’s important. We

are called first and foremost not to politics but to the kingdom of God. The spread and protection of the Kingdom should

be our concern, and jobs, money, education, and stuff like that should be sought to be used in this process,

2 Timothy 1:6 For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my

hands, 7 for God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.

8 Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony about our Lord, nor of me his prisoner, but share in suffering for the

gospel by the power of God, 9 who saved us and called us to[a] a holy calling, not because of our works but because of

his own purpose and grace, which he gave us in Christ Jesus before the ages began,[b] 10 and which now has been

manifested through the appearing of our Savior Christ Jesus, who abolished death and brought life and immortality to light

through the gospel, 11 for which I was appointed a preacher and apostle and teacher, 12 which is why I suffer as I do. But I

am not ashamed, for I know whom I have believed, and I am convinced that he is able to guard until that day what has

been entrusted to me.[c]

We are Not to react in Cowardliness.

Proverbs 28:1 ESV

The wicked flee when no one pursues, but the righteous are bold as a lion.

We are to react in Faith

Romans 1:16-22 English Standard Version

The Righteous Shall Live by Faith

16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first

and also to the Greek. 17 For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith for faith,[a] as it is written, “The righteous

shall live by faith.”[b]

Be Bold

3. Composed Even To Death

ILLUSTRATION

The outline of Bonhoeffer’s story is well known. In 1927 he was a student earning a doctorate in theology from Berlin

University at the age of twenty-one. In 1930 he was a debater crossing theological swords with the liberal establishment at

Union Theological Seminary, New York. In 1931 he was a teacher exegeting issues of Christian ethics and the nature of the

Church at Berlin University. Bonhoeffer, it seemed, was destined for the life of an academic. But the ominous storm clouds

of the Third Reich changed everything.

By 1933 Dietrich Bonhoeffer was an activist attacking the idolatrous “Aryan Clause,” which excluded Jews from civil service.

By 1934 he was a leader in the newly formed “Confessing Church,” prophetically denouncing the heretical defections of

the “German Christians” [Protestants who supported Hitler], By 1935 he was a professor establishing a clandestine

seminary at Finkenwalde—an institution where “pure doctrine, the Sermon on the Mount, and worship can be taken

seriously.”

By 1937 he was an author attacking “cheap grace”—that is, “grace without discipleship, grace without the cross, grace

without Jesus Christ, living and incarnate.” By 1939 he was a double agent seeking the defeat of his own nation and deeply

involved in the conspiracy to assassinate the Fuhrer. By 1943 he was a prisoner living out the days of misfortune “equably,

smilingly, proudly, like one accustomed to win,” and at the same time feeling “restless and longing and sick, like a bird in a

cage.”

By 1944 he was a theologian from a prison cell, searching ever searching, for a “religionless Christianity” in which “man is

summoned to share in God’s sufferings at the hands of a godless world.” And finally, in the gray dawn of Sunday, 8 April

1945, Dietrich Bonhoeffer became a martyr, whispering to his fellow prisoners as he left his cell to be hanged on the

Flossenburg gallows, “This is the end—for me, the beginning of life.”

EXPLANATION

Isaiah 53:7English Standard Version

7 He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth;like a lamb that is led to the slaughter,and like a sheep that before its shearers is silent, so he opened not his mouth.

David like Christ kept composed this day.

Not everyday like Christ but this day.

Christ is the model we should be.

Even to Death Christ was composed.

APPLICATION

At Columbine a student in the library named Valeen Schnurr lived this out. As she lay bleeding, she prayed, “Oh my God,

don’t let me die.” Dylan turned around and asked her, “God? Do you believe in God?” Valeen said, “Yes, I believe in God.”

When the killer asked why, she replied, “Because it’s how my parents raised me.”

Would that have been your response?

The bible says:

John 14 English Standard Version

I Am the Way, and the Truth, and the Life

14 “Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God;[a] believe also in me. 2 In my Father’s house are many rooms. If it were

not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you?[b] 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come

again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also. 4 And you know the way to where I am going.”