I rather be one of the stones

Thank you / Welcome

Intro

There is something new that God is leading us into Church

The past 18 months have been the most challenging times we have faced.

God is preparing His church to take hold of a new season

A season that needs us:

To participate in

To let go of our ow personal desires and take on His

Us to be ready

There is an amazing story that im sure you know about

I want us to read through it, but with fresh eyes because God is doing something new

I know that if we capture this new revelation we will be able to face todays challenges so we can led through them and win another victory for God’s kingdom

1 Samuel 17:3–7

New Living Translation (Chapter 17)

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.

This sound familiar ?

We currently have the world (fully resourced) standing face to face with the Church

God is calling us into a new season but there is a giant blocking the way

The scripture said that they faced each other with a valley between them. The valley was their battle ground. Our battle ground today is:

Politics

Social status and its economics

Critical race theory

And so many other points of conflict

And the church and the world is facing each other. The world is calling us out to battle but we cant come up with our approach

Until today. Because God is doing something new

1 Samuel 17:8

New Living Translation Chapter 17

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!

Have you ever stood there waiting for some one to step up.

We constantly look for a hero in the wrong place.

We need to understand that if Jesus is in you, there is a hero in you as well. You’r called to make a difference in the world.

1 Samuel 17:9–11

New Living Translation (Chapter 17)

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.

Supper important for us: If the enemy is defeated we rule over him and his armies

Let me fast forward, Jesus defeated the enemy. We are rulers over the enemies armies because of the victory of Jesus.

Chains are broken over you today. broken from the things that once tormented you or enslaved you. Jesus won

This why we worship, because its a reminder to everyone. That Jesu won

1 Samuel 17:16–18

New Living Translation (Chapter 17)

16 For forty days, every morning and evening, the Philistine champion strutted in front of the Israelite army.17 One day Jesse said to David, “Take this basket of roasted grain and these ten loaves of bread, and carry them quickly to your brothers. 18 And give these ten cuts of cheese to their captain. See how your brothers are getting along, and bring back a report on how they are doing.”

There is such a big important principle in this scripture.

David was intrusted with a task.

He was to take food for his brothers and!!!!!!!

10 cuts of cheese to the captain

The scripture is talking about the tithe

Before David defeated the giant he was obedient with the tithe.

1 Samuel 17:25–27

New Living Translation (Chapter 17)

25 “Have you seen the giant?” the men asked. “He comes out each day to defy Israel. The king has offered a huge reward to anyone who kills him. He will give that man one of his daughters for a wife, and the man’s entire family will be exempted from paying taxes!”26 David asked the soldiers standing nearby, “What will a man get for killing this Philistine and ending his defiance of Israel? Who is this pagan Philistine anyway, that he is allowed to defy the armies of the living God?”27 And these men gave David the same reply. They said, “Yes, that is the reward for killing him.”

Im not sure why we are so foolish and live for our own desires

Men and woman are working towards there own desires and conforts and miss out on all of Gods rewards

There is 2 rewards when you put your self at his service

Remember what the giant said (If he kills me, then we will be your slaves)

And now the king offers a a second reward (The king has offered a huge reward to anyone who kills him.)

Yes, there is a reward in serving God

1 Samuel 17:38–40

New Living Translation (Chapter 17)

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.

Please note and repeat after me:

He picked up 5 stones

He picked them up from a stream

1 Samuel 17:45–46

New Living Translation Chapter 17

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!

David stood with authority

He said “but I come to you in the name of the LORD of Heaven’s Armies”.

He went in representing God not his personal goals and desires

How many times doe we serve God second after our self interest

1 Samuel 17:48–50

New Living Translation (Chapter 17)

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.50 So David triumphed over the Philistine with only a sling and a stone, for he had no sword.

Resolution

God called us to with the battle and is starts by positioning your self in the correct roll.

We always look at this story and try position our selfs in the roll of David

We don’t fit in the roll of David, I think thats the roll for Jesus

We are the stones he collects

5 stones

Our selfish thinking leads us to want to play the roll of David because we are the ones that want to defeat the giant

But only at the hands of Jesus can we be used in such a might way

so then the argument is, I want to be that one stone Jesus would through and bring down a giant with

We need tu understand the purpose of the 5

one stone wont do the the job, David needed all 5 stones to bring down the giant with one.

we don’t win alone, we only win together. (im not talking about foolish goals, im talking about wins that really matter.

Ephesians 4:11–12

New Living Translation Chapter 4

11 Now these are the gifts Christ gave to the church: the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, and the pastors and teachers. 12 Their responsibility is to equip God’s people to do his work and build up the church, the body of Christ.

we needs each other

as individuals

as ministries

Action items

#1 - Make yourself available

David found the 5 stones in the stream

The stream represent the waters of God washing over you.

Refreshing

Restoring

and shaping

#2 - Win with others

Philippians 2:1–5

New Living Translation Chapter 2

Is there any encouragement from belonging to Christ? Any comfort from his love? Any fellowship together in the Spirit? Are your hearts tender and compassionate? 2 Then make me truly happy by agreeing wholeheartedly with each other, loving one another, and working together with one mind and purpose.

3 Don’t be selfish; don’t try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves. 4 Don’t look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too.

5 You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had.

#3 - Live in the authority of the one who holds you

Luke 10:18–20

New Living Translation (Chapter 10)

18 “Yes,” he told them, “I saw Satan fall from heaven like lightning! 19 Look, I have given you authority over all the power of the enemy, and you can walk among snakes and scorpions and crush them. Nothing will injure you. 20 But don’t rejoice because evil spirits obey you; rejoice because your names are registered in heaven.”

Alter and response

God is lifting up His army, His desciples to function as they are created to function

To function in His power

Tu run as one body

Tu humble them selves and live and win for His purposes and not our own

Stewardship