Sermon Tone Analysis
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The Battle Is The Lord’s & He Will Deliver
3.6.22
[1 Samuel 17] River of Life (1st Sunday in Lent)
Let’s play a quick word association game.
When I say balloons, what’s the first word that comes to mind?
Colorful?
Festive?
Fun?
Most of the time when we see balloons we’re happy.
Even if they’re not for us, right?
Balloons belong at celebrations.
But we also have another kind of balloon all over around these parts.
Hot-air balloons.
What words come to mind when you think of hot-air balloons?
They’re big and colorful.
They allow people to enjoy the beautiful sunrise and sunsets our state has to offer.
Now, not everyone wants to get in a hot-air balloon.
My wife would love it.
And I would be praying for it to be over as soon as possible.
I’m scared of heights.
But that doesn’t mean when I see a hot-air balloon, I’m afraid.
Nobody today looks at a big balloon in the sky and thinks: there’s trouble.
Danger.
Nobody today, that is.
There was a time that big balloons in the sky made a man’s blood run cold.
During World War I, the German army relied heavily on hydrogen-filled balloons.
Being able to fly over your enemy and see where their forces were concentrated was crucial.
Wherever the Germans sent out these hydrogen-filled balloons they were supported by heavy anti-aircraft artillery.
Planes pursued anyone that came poking around.
Attacking these balloons was a death wish.
But that didn’t scare off Frank.
His commander said: “No one has [his] sheer contemptuous courage.
He was an excellent pilot and probably our best flying marksman.
Frank was the perfect combination.”
On Sept. 12th, 1918, Frank shot down his first balloon.
Over the next 17 days, he scored 17 more aerial victories, before being killed in action.
Frank’s courage in combat—though short-lived—made him the first aviator to win the Medal of Honor.
Many say Frank’s courage is inspiring.
But it doesn’t inspire me to get into a plane and be as fearless as Frank.
And perhaps, that’s how you feel about the story of David and Goliath.
You know what David did.
You know how the battle ended.
But the whole thing leaves you more impressed with David than inspired.
What we need to see today in the story of David and Goliath is something historical and spiritual.
These are real events.
But this demonstration of bravery ought to open our eyes and have a real impact on how we approach our fears and see our lives.
The story of David and Goliath allows us to understand spiritual cowardice, conceit, and courage.
The cowardice is pretty easy to pinpoint.
(1 Sm. 17:11) On hearing the Philistine’s words, Saul and all the Israelites were dismayed and terrified.
What was so terrifying?
Goliath’s challenge.
(1 Sm. 17:8-9) Choose a man to fight me.
If he kills me, we will become your subjects.
But if I win, you’ll serve us.
Of course, the reason Saul and all the Israelites were terrified wasn’t because of the pressure of a mano a mano rumble.
They were dismayed and terrified because of what they were up against.
Goliath was well over 9 feet tall, nearly covered from head-to-toe in bronze armor.
(1 Sm. 17:5-6) Bronze helmet, coat of armor, greaves that went from above the ankle to the kneecap.
Bronze was nearly impenetrable.
Goliath was a wrecking ball with a big mouth.
More tank than man.
(1 Sm. 17:16) For forty days, morning and evening, Goliath came down into the valley where the battle lines were drawn and (1 Sm. 17:10) defied the armies of Israel.
Eventually, the men of Israel had Goliath’s whole speech memorized and (1 Sm. 17:24) just seeing Goliath they all fled from him in great fear.
And that we understand.
Goliath was bigger and stronger than anyone in Israel.
Israel’s fear of Goliath was logical.
And so are many of your fears.
Think about something you’re afraid of happening in your life.
Got something?
Is it logical?
Many times, the root of your fear runs deeper than you initially realize.
Let me use my fear of heights as an example.
I’m afraid of heights.
But it runs deeper than that.
I’m not afraid of being up high, I’m afraid of falling.
Not because I’m afraid of dying, but I’m more afraid of surviving and being badly hurt and helpless.
Poverty.
Poor health.
Having your freedoms taken away.
Having to rely on other people for help.
Having no one to rely on.
Being disrespected or despised.
Failure.
Rejection.
Death.
We all have different fears.
Each of our fears shares this in common with Saul and all of Israel.
We’re afraid because, deep down, we think we’re on our own.
And we know that we aren’t big, strong, smart, clever or connected enough to be victorious in every single battle.
Spiritual cowardice on this battle field and in our lives sticks out like a sore thumb.
The spiritual conceit is not as easy to spot, perhaps.
But it bellows for our attention.
Look at Goliath.
Look at how he’s described.
Look at how he (1 Sm. 17:37) defies the army of the living God.
(1 Sm. 17:43-44) He cursed David by his Philistine gods.
‘Come here and I’ll make you carrion!’ Goliath’s issue was not a lack of confidence, was it?
He couldn’t even begin to imagine how David could defeat him.
But we must understand why Goliath was so confident.
He had the experience, the equipment, and the brute strength to tear David limb from limb.
Goliath was confident because as he compared himself to what he was up against, he just knew he was going to win.
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