4.7.34 7.19.2020 David: How to Kill a Giant! 1 Samuel 17

Entice: Preaching today's passage of scripture, telling today's story is like having Christmas in July. It is one of the top 3 Bible Stories in the whole bible:

1=Birth of Jesus

3=Noah & the ark

Then…today's story

2=David & Goliath.

Engage: The imagery has become nearly universal. It is picturesque. It is dramatic. So, how do I keep it interesting, stay faithful to the text, provide spiritual nourishment, give biblical guidance, and not bore you to tears?

Expand: Like any good story establishing the scene and introducing the characters is essential to getting most from it.

Setting the Scene. vv. 1-11

A Conflict of Cultures.

Israel & Philistia

Saul & Goliath

? YHWH & Dagon?

The Cast of Characters

David

David's brothers.

Goliath

Saul

"Chorus" (both armies)

Excite: So now you know the who. You already knew the what. This sermon is about the why and the how.

Why it is important for you to be a giant-killer

and

How you can become one.

Surprised?

You didn't actually think that I go through this every week just to tell stories? It's about life change! This is a word from the Lord! His challenge, as illustrated by David in this story, is not just to celebrate what David did but to invite each of us to follow in his footsteps.

Explore:

You can be a giant-killer if you give God the time to mold you into an instrument He can use.

Explain: David demonstrates giant-conquering qualities which God can grow in your life.

Now let me emphasize something. These qualities must be brought to the conflict.

They will be disclosed by difficulty.

They will grow when goaded.

They will prosper when pressured.

But you can't wait till the conflict unfolds to acquire them. David was already this person whom God used that day in the valley.

The first quality is.

1. Conviction.

1 Samuel 17:26–31 ESV

26 And David said to the men who stood by him, “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 the same way, “So shall it be done to the man who kills him.” 28 Now Eliab his eldest brother heard when he spoke to the men. And Eliab’s anger was kindled against David, and he said, “Why have you come down? And with whom have you left those few sheep in the wilderness? I know your presumption and the evil of your heart, for you have come down to see the battle.” 29 And David said, “What have I done now? Was it not but a word?” 30 And he turned away from him toward another, and spoke in the same way, and the people answered him again as before. 31 When the words that David spoke were heard, they repeated them before Saul, and he sent for him.

1.1 Personal Commitment.

1.2 Community Impact.

2.Courage.

1 Samuel 17:34–37 ESV

34 But David said to Saul, “Your servant used to keep sheep for his father. And when there came a lion, or a bear, and took a lamb from the flock, 35 I went after him and struck him and delivered it out of his mouth. And if he arose against me, I caught him by his beard and struck him and killed him. 36 Your servant has struck down both lions and bears, and this uncircumcised Philistine shall be like one of them, for he has defied the armies of the living God.” 37 And David said, “The Lord who delivered me from the paw of the lion and from the paw of the bear will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine.” And Saul said to David, “Go, and the Lord be with you!”

2.1 Empathy

His God’s Honor.

His Sheep’s Security.

Israel’s integrity.

2.2 Experience.

God’s Mercy.

Previous Success

3. Confidence.

1 Samuel 17:38–47 ESV

38 Then Saul clothed David with his armor. He put a helmet of bronze on his head and clothed him with a coat of mail, 39 and David strapped his sword over his armor. And he tried in vain to go, for he had not tested them. Then David said to Saul, “I cannot go with these, for I have not tested them.” So David put them off. 40 Then he took his staff in his hand and chose five smooth stones from the brook and put them in his shepherd’s pouch. His sling was in his hand, and he approached the Philistine. 41 And the Philistine moved forward and came near to David, with his shield-bearer in front of him. 42 And when the Philistine looked and saw David, he disdained him, for he was but a youth, ruddy and handsome in appearance. 43 And the Philistine said to David, “Am I a dog, that you come to me with sticks?” And the Philistine cursed David by his gods. 44 The Philistine said to David, “Come to me, and I will give your flesh to the birds of the air and to the beasts of the field.” 45 Then David said to the Philistine, “You come to me with a sword and with a spear and with a javelin, but I come to you in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. 46 This day the Lord will deliver you into my hand, and I will strike you down and cut off your head. And I will give the dead bodies of the host of the Philistines this day to the birds of the air and to the wild beasts of the earth, that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel, 47 and that all this assembly may know that the Lord saves not with sword and spear. For the battle is the Lord’s, and he will give you into our hand.”

3.1 Right Equipment

3.2 Righteous Enthusiasm

3.3 Resourceful Engagement

Oz never did give nuthin to the Tin man...That he didn't, didn't already have....

He was looking for a heart...and had it all along.

The Lion was looking for courage; when he already had it.

The scarecrow was already intelligent despite his quest for a brain.

And David was not intimidated because he was already a spiritual giant. His confidence was ultimately in God. His courage was steeped in his relationship with God. His conviction was the baseline for his entire life.

You need to be on this quest, this quest for God-honoring heroic character because someday we're going to need you to lead us into battle against a giant. If you wait till then it will be too late.