Death by Risk Assessment

We

The Modern Phenomena of the Risk Assessment

We can’t do that - health and safety!

Bad reputation - stops us doing things. But bungee jumping!

Proper risk assessment allows us to things that might otherwise be dangerous by getting us to think about steps we need to minimise any potential risk.

E.g. food safety - not allowing kitchen staff to handle food when sick, ensuring food has reached healthy temperature, etc.

Health and Safety Wouldn’t Like It!

Story from early childhood that might not have happened if health and safety had got involved!

A bully, giant of a man with weapons to back up his bravado is taken on by the innocent young shepherd with nothing more than a sling and some stones.

It is the story of sling and stones versus sword, spear, and javelin; of defiant military aggression versus purity and faith; of right versus might; of tall versus short; and of youth versus maturity. This account has brought faith to millions over the centuries precisely because here purity and right are victorious over might, unlike so many of our own experiences. (Bill Arnold, Author).

Health and Safety would have said no way!

God

1 Samuel 17:1-11, 19-23, 32-49, p.288

1 Samuel 17:1–11 NLT

1 The Philistines now mustered their army for battle and camped between Socoh in Judah and Azekah at Ephes-dammim. 2 Saul countered by gathering his Israelite troops near the valley of Elah. 3 So the Philistines and Israelites faced each other on opposite hills, with the valley between them. 4 Then Goliath, a Philistine champion from Gath, came out of the Philistine ranks to face the forces of Israel. He was over nine feet tall! 5 He wore a bronze helmet, and his bronze coat of mail weighed 125 pounds. 6 He also wore bronze leg armor, and he carried a bronze javelin on his shoulder. 7 The shaft of his spear was as heavy and thick as a weaver’s beam, tipped with an iron spearhead that weighed 15 pounds. His armor bearer walked ahead of him carrying a shield. 8 Goliath stood and shouted a taunt across to the Israelites. “Why are you all coming out to fight?” he called. “I am the Philistine champion, but you are only the servants of Saul. Choose one man to come down here and fight me! 9 If he kills me, then we will be your slaves. But if I kill him, you will be our slaves! 10 I defy the armies of Israel today! Send me a man who will fight me!” 11 When Saul and the Israelites heard this, they were terrified and deeply shaken.

1 Samuel 17:19–23 NLT

19 David’s brothers were with Saul and the Israelite army at the valley of Elah, fighting against the Philistines. 20 So David left the sheep with another shepherd and set out early the next morning with the gifts, as Jesse had directed him. He arrived at the camp just as the Israelite army was leaving for the battlefield with shouts and battle cries. 21 Soon the Israelite and Philistine forces stood facing each other, army against army. 22 David left his things with the keeper of supplies and hurried out to the ranks to greet his brothers. 23 As he was talking with them, Goliath, the Philistine champion from Gath, came out from the Philistine ranks. Then David heard him shout his usual taunt to the army of Israel.

1 Samuel 17:32–49 NLT

32 “Don’t worry about this Philistine,” David told Saul. “I’ll go fight him!” 33 “Don’t be ridiculous!” Saul replied. “There’s no way you can fight this Philistine and possibly win! You’re only a boy, and he’s been a man of war since his youth.” 34 But David persisted. “I have been taking care of my father’s sheep and goats,” he said. “When a lion or a bear comes to steal a lamb from the flock, 35 I go after it with a club and rescue the lamb from its mouth. If the animal turns on me, I catch it by the jaw and club it to death. 36 I have done this to both lions and bears, and I’ll do it to this pagan Philistine, too, for he has defied the armies of the living God! 37 The Lord who rescued me from the claws of the lion and the bear will rescue me from this Philistine!” Saul finally consented. “All right, go ahead,” he said. “And may the Lord be with you!” 38 Then Saul gave David his own armor—a bronze helmet and a coat of mail. 39 David put it on, strapped the sword over it, and took a step or two to see what it was like, for he had never worn such things before. “I can’t go in these,” he protested to Saul. “I’m not used to them.” So David took them off again. 40 He picked up five smooth stones from a stream and put them into his shepherd’s bag. Then, armed only with his shepherd’s staff and sling, he started across the valley to fight the Philistine. 41 Goliath walked out toward David with his shield bearer ahead of him, 42 sneering in contempt at this ruddy-faced boy. 43 “Am I a dog,” he roared at David, “that you come at me with a stick?” And he cursed David by the names of his gods. 44 “Come over here, and I’ll give your flesh to the birds and wild animals!” Goliath yelled. 45 David replied to the Philistine, “You come to me with sword, spear, and javelin, but I come to you in the name of the Lord of Heaven’s Armies—the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. 46 Today the Lord will conquer you, and I will kill you and cut off your head. And then I will give the dead bodies of your men to the birds and wild animals, and the whole world will know that there is a God in Israel! 47 And everyone assembled here will know that the Lord rescues his people, but not with sword and spear. This is the Lord’s battle, and he will give you to us!” 48 As Goliath moved closer to attack, David quickly ran out to meet him. 49 Reaching into his shepherd’s bag and taking out a stone, he hurled it with his sling and hit the Philistine in the forehead. The stone sank in, and Goliath stumbled and fell face down on the ground.

Context

Israel wanted kings like other nations to fight battles for them.

But God has withdrawn blessing from King Saul - did not accept his authority.

Ineffectual and powerless - king cannot fight battles for Israel. Left fearful and helpless. Whole nation paralysed.

The Real Problem?

1 Samuel 17:4–7 NLT

Then Goliath, a Philistine champion from Gath, came out of the Philistine ranks to face the forces of Israel. He was over nine feet tall! He wore a bronze helmet, and his bronze coat of mail weighed 125 pounds. He also wore bronze leg armor, and he carried a bronze javelin on his shoulder. The shaft of his spear was as heavy and thick as a weaver’s beam, tipped with an iron spearhead that weighed 15 pounds. His armor bearer walked ahead of him carrying a shield.

Israel’s insecurity comes from the threat of its neighbours, chiefly the Philistines.

At this point in their history - one giant Philistine - terrifying appearance/speech.

Prepared to come out between the battle lines and challenge Israel to fight.

Huge! 9ft 9in - not easy to ignore!

Kitted out with superior technology - Philistines had monopoly on metalworking. Lots of metal - helmet, leg armour of bronze, javelin on bronze with iron spearhead, coat of mail weighing 126lbs, shield so heavy someone carried it for him!

Impenetrable! One-man indestructible fortress. Imagine H&S with clipboard - no way anyone’s going out to fight him!

David’s Better Risk Assessment

1 Samuel 17:31–37 NLT

Then David’s question was reported to King Saul, and the king sent for him. “Don’t worry about this Philistine,” David told Saul. “I’ll go fight him!” “Don’t be ridiculous!” Saul replied. “There’s no way you can fight this Philistine and possibly win! You’re only a boy, and he’s been a man of war since his youth.” But David persisted. “I have been taking care of my father’s sheep and goats,” he said. “When a lion or a bear comes to steal a lamb from the flock, I go after it with a club and rescue the lamb from its mouth. If the animal turns on me, I catch it by the jaw and club it to death. I have done this to both lions and bears, and I’ll do it to this pagan Philistine, too, for he has defied the armies of the living God! The Lord who rescued me from the claws of the lion and the bear will rescue me from this Philistine!” Saul finally consented. “All right, go ahead,” he said. “And may the Lord be with you!”

Arrives on scene, vulnerable and insignificant.

All expected to do, run between home and battlefield with rations for real soldiers and to look after father’s sheep.

But does his own risk assessment.

Realises problem isn’t Goliath, it’s the people’s fear.

Lost sight of the fact they are the armies of the living God.

Not Goliath but lack of faith and confidence in God.

David sees:

Not “this man” (too much respect!) but “uncircumcised Philistine”.

Not terrifying/invincible warrior but man who worships deities that can neither see nor hear.

His attitude is not the resignation of the soldiers but indignation that a worshipper of dead idols has the audacity to challenge the armies of the living God.

His risk assessment = Goliath is no more frightening that a lion/bear trying to eat a sheep.

God delivered David from the lion/bear, he will do the same against Goliath.

1 Samuel 17:45–47 NLT

David replied to the Philistine, “You come to me with sword, spear, and javelin, but I come to you in the name of the Lord of Heaven’s Armies—the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. Today the Lord will conquer you, and I will kill you and cut off your head. And then I will give the dead bodies of your men to the birds and wild animals, and the whole world will know that there is a God in Israel! And everyone assembled here will know that the Lord rescues his people, but not with sword and spear. This is the Lord’s battle, and he will give you to us!”

Puts his risk assessment into effect and slays Goliath in the name of the Lord.

You

Trusting God to Deal with Our Giants

We all have giants in our lives.

They can seem as big and as intimidating as Goliath and can keep us from being who God wants us to be.

Sometimes, it’s circumstances, but more often than not, like Goliath, it’s not actually the situation in front of us that’s the problem, but the giants behind it.

Giants like discouragement.

The voice in our head that says it can’t be done.

The climate of fear in our lives.

The devil’s whisper that you’re going to lose the battle.

Giants like disapproval.

Sometimes, when you’re doing what God wants you to do, someone will questions your motives and disapprove of what you’re doing.

You’re gossiped about, misjudged, misunderstood.

Giants like doubt.

Sometimes, so called experts, like some so-called health and safety experts, will tell you it can’t be done.

Whatever God has called you to do, it can’t be done.

When we face these giants, we have the same choice as David.

To take the risk assessment and conclude it’s not worth it.

Or to trust in God for the result.

For those of us who have experienced first hand the power of God in our lives, we know, deep down that God can take any situation, even the most negative, and work it out for his glory.

Our giants are formidable, but our God is greater.

Every giant will fall!

Next Steps

I can see the Promised Land

Every Giant Will Fall Rend Collective

I can see the Promised Land Though there's pain within the plan There is victory in the end Your love is my battle cry When my fears, like Jericho Build their walls around my soul When my heart is overthrown Your love is my battle cry The anthem for all my life

Every giant will fall, the mountains will move Every chain of the past, You've broken in two Over fear, over lies, we're singing the truth That nothing is impossible with You (woah) With You (woah)

There is hope within the fight In the wars that rage inside Though the shadows steal the light Your love is my battle cry The anthem for all my life

No greater name, no higher name No stronger name than Jesus You overcame, broke every chain Forever reign, King Jesus

Songwriters: Gareth Gilkeson / Christopher Llewellyn Every Giant Will Fall lyrics © Capitol Christian Music Group