Sermon Tone Analysis

It’s Father’s Day.

Happy Father’s Day to the Dads that are here this morning.

The role of father in America has been under attack for decades now.

Culture will argue that men are only necessary for procreation and then women will be fine without men.

One New York Times columnists writes“Men are so last century,” But we also have decades worth of judicial and prison system data that will tell us otherwise, God fearing Fathers are needed in America.

So in the church especially on this day we’ve brought messages that have been meant to challenge men but many times they’ve really just added to our own inadequacies and insecurities about being the best dad we can be.

So today yes I want to challenge our men here today but more than the challenge I want you to be able to see yourself as God has designed you and by encouraging you we can all find out how to achieve victory.

I was 21 years old when I became a father.

I wanted to be a good dad but I did not know how.

Love for the child and her mom wasn’t the issue, the world would say that’s enough but I knew love all alone wouldn’t pay rent and buy the formula and diapers, I was being called to a higher place, I was being called beyond that of a typical 21 year old.

There were obstacles and hindrances out there waiting for methat I was unaware about.

When I married Amanda I became provider, protector, handyman, and much more.

Men, there is a war being waged for your soul, the soul of your family and the purposes God had called you to.

And you need some weapons.

The weapons of our warfare are not carnal but Mighty in God for the pulling down of every stronghold.

God has provided an armory.

We just need to know what our weapons are so we can be qualified.

Before we get into the word lets pray.

If we’ve been to Sunday school just few times in your life no doubt you have heard the biblical account of David and Goliath.

We’ve heard hundreds of messages, numerous bible studies and lots of Sunday school lessons about this young man who with a rock and a slingshot killed a giant.

The content of the story can be applied to our lives in many, many ways.

Overcoming adversity, achieving victory when the odds are against you, never underestimate the underdog.

All are right and true.

But when we think of this story we have to remember why David fought Goliath in the first place.

It wasn’t just that no one else wanted to fight the giant, David was angry.

He was righteously indignant.

This uncircumcised Philistine didn’t just come to wage war against Israel he came against the God whom David worshipped and served.

God Almighty.

This battlefield wasn’t just where David met and defeated his enemy but it was the strategic location of David’s life where preparation met opportunity.

This isn’t just another good vs. evil story or the makings of a summer blockbuster movie.

This is where history was made and a kingdom was born and a bloodline was established that would eventually lead to another famous citizen of Bethlehem who will not just make history but all of history would be His-Story, whose Kingdom would come and whose will would be done and whose bloodline would descend all the way from the throne of heaven and he would be crowned the Supreme Authority, King of all Kings and the Lord of all Lords.

It doesnt matter your station in life, it doesn’t matter your age, it doesn’t matter skin color or balance in a bank account, we will all will get up in the morning and there will be a giant waiting for us and he will ask us a question.

Are you coming out to fight me?

One of the frustrating things about fighting giants is that for many of us is we face this giant time and time again.

We will defeat him one day, and the next, lose the battle and then we’ll face him again.

We’re going to talk about this in a moment but as we read the story from 1 Samuel we’ll see that the rock he slung at Goliath knocked him down AND killed him.

But David was going to be absolutely sure and positive that this giant was never getting up again.

God has secured the victory.

Total victory.

Let’s see the giant fall for the last time.

Let’s commit to walking total victory!

Let’s see some heads roll!

Let’s see the heads thoroughly separated from our giants and they will never be able to rise up against our God or our people ever again.

Amen.

It’s a dramatic, violent story.

Giant killing is violent business.

However giant removal advances the kingdom.

Giants have been a problem for us since the beginning.

(Caleb & Joshua in ) Giants are inevitable and they should be expected.

Men, you and I need to be skilled, fearless Giant exterminators and in order to do that then we need to know what does that looks like, what weapon do we need to possess in order to remove the giants in our life?

(Recap David’s reason for being in the story) Read

el 17:23-29

3 Then as he talked with them, there was the champion, the Philistine of Gath, Goliath by name, coming up from the armies of the Philistines; and he spoke according to the same words.

So David heard them.

24 And all the men of Israel, when they saw the man, fled from him and were dreadfully afraid.

25 So the men of Israel said, “Have you seen this man who has come up?

Surely he has come up to defy Israel; and it shall be that the man who kills him the king will enrich with great riches, will give him his daughter, and give his father’s house exemption from taxes in Israel.”

26 Then David spoke to the men who stood by him, saying, “What shall be done for the man who kills this Philistine and takes away the reproach from Israel?

For who is this uncircumcised Philistine, that he should defy the armies of the living God?”

27 And the people answered him in this manner, saying, “So shall it be done for the man who kills him.”

28 Now Eliab his oldest brother heard when he spoke to the men; and Eliab’s anger was aroused against David, and he said, “Why did you come down here?

And with whom have you left those few sheep in the wilderness?

I know your pride and the insolence of your heart, for you have come down to see the battle.”

29 And David said, “What have I done now? Is there not a cause?”

Is There Not A Cause?-Purpose: The first weapon in giant killing, is Purpose.

What are we fighting for?

David realized that this was bigger than a fight for the nation of Israel.

However important that was, there was more at stake than that.

This was about showing the Philistines that there was one, true, almighty God.

What is our cause?

What is our mission?

So many of us are on auto-pilot just waiting for the ship to come in, or the other shoe to fall or for the sweet by and by and we’re existing without a mission.

Men there is a war going on for yours and your family’s attention and affections, there is a battle for your mind, what you’ll watch on TV, the music you’ll listen to.

Will you stand in the light or soak up the darkness of the world.

What do have worth fighting for?

David showed up at the battlefield without any intention of joining the fight until he heard Goliath and his big ol’ mouth.

And as everyone ran away David took responsibility.

Taking a stand, having a mission, living with a purpose is hard and there will be people who will criticize and challenge your motives.

David’s biggest critics were those closest to him.

His brother thought he only came to watch the show, he had to get past him before he could even get to Goliath.

Define your purpose.

Define your cause.

Is it I want to be a soul winner?

Great.

Make a plan to lead one person to the Lord this year.

How will you do it?

Make a plan and then do it.

You want to be a better dad?

Show up in your kids life everyday.

Make a plan and do it.The

exchange that David has with his big brother begins to circulate around the camp until it finally gets to King Saul.

King Saul must be intrigued enough to call for the boy.

Remember Saul knows this young man.

He has actually become a trusted person to the King.

Because Saul did not have a genuine relationship with the Lord we know from previous chapters in 1 Samuel.

We know that he suffered from these terrible bouts of tormenting spirits and David, who had a reputation as a good musician, had been recruited to come into the court and play music.

Because of the anointing that was on David’s life when he played before King Saul the evil spirits would leave.

That is a whole other message but it gives us a little background to the relationship with Saul and David up to this point.

Saul really likes this kid and he really doesn’t want him to go and fight but let’s pick up in verse 36-39...........6 Your servant has killed both lion and bear; and this uncircumcised Philistine will be like one of them, seeing he has defied the armies of the living God.” 37 Moreover David said, “The Lord, who delivered me from the paw of the lion and from the paw of the bear, He will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine.”

And Saul said to David, “Go, and the Lord be with you!”