We conclude our Called worship series this morning by looking at one of the most famous battles in all history—the battle between David and Goliath. Almost everyone has heard this story at some point in their lives. Books have been written and movies made about David’s story, so it’s not very new to most of us. And, while it makes for great reflection on facing the giants of life, I think it is equally reflective of how we can live out the call of God on our lives each and every day because, for most people, living a faithful life is the biggest giant we face.
I’m going to treat the text a little differently this morning because the story takes up all of chapter 17 in 1 Samuel. Rather than read the entire chapter, I’m going to reference and read the text as I progress through the message, so I simply invite you to turn to chapter 17 of 1 Samuel as we discover the lessons for living out God’s call on our lives every day.
As you turn to 1 Samuel 17, let me give you a little background. You recall last week, the prophet Samuel showed up in Bethlehem at God’s direction to anoint a new king in Saul’s place. He anoints David, Jesse’s eighth son, even though Saul has not yet been deposed, nor has he died. Saul is still king. After Samuel anointed David to take Saul’s place (remember David is only seventeen or so) David begins to split time between Saul’s court and Jesse’s pastures. He’s ushered to Saul’s court the first time because Saul begins to battle depression and the only thing that will soothe him is harp music, and David is somewhat adept at playing the harp. While this is going on, the nation of Israel has gone to war against the Philistines, and David has three brothers on the front line.
On one occasion when David is at home, Jesse instructs David to go to the front lines to check on his brothers. When he gets to the front lines, he encounters a fearful and cowering Israelite army because this nine-foot giant of a man named Goliath comes out every day and struts back and forth in front of the Israelite army, taunting them and challenging them to send out their best man for a fight. Often times in the ancient near east, armies would settle matters with a head-to-head battle between two combatants, so this was not out of the ordinary. The problem was that no one wanted to face Goliath. He was too big and too fierce, so the army simply cowered. David couldn’t believe it.
King Saul discovers he needs to offer an additional incentive to encourage someone to take up the fight. He offers his daughter as a bride, a bounty and an eternal tax exemption to anyone who defeats the Philistine giant, but still, no one is willing to take up the challenge. Until David comes along and confirms the rumors he’s heard about the reward for defeating Goliath. He figures he’s up to the challenge. After all, a bride, a bounty and no tax payment the rest of your life seem to be pretty good motivation for a 17 year-old. That’s where we pick up the story.
Look 1 Samuel 17: 28 – 33:
28 But when David’s oldest brother, Eliab, heard David talking to the men, he was angry. “What are you doing around here anyway?” he demanded. “What about those few sheep you’re supposed to be taking care of? I know about your pride and deceit. You just want to see the battle!”
29 “What have I done now?” David replied. “I was only asking a question!” 30 He walked over to some others and asked them the same thing and received the same answer. 31 Then David’s question was reported to King Saul, and the king sent for him.
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.”
Here’s the first lesson I want us to learn as we live out God’s call: Recognize where the real battle lies. David did not get distracted by his brothers, or even by King Saul. He knew the battle was in front of him, not beside him. His brothers were jealous and Saul was doubtful, but David knew the real enemy was Goliath.
Friends, I think the enemy of our soul is watching the Church and laughing. The Church has spent so much time throughout its history fighting each other that we’ve failed to face the real enemy. I’m not just talking about Catholics fighting Protestants, or Baptists fighting Methodists, but I’m talking about Methodists fighting Methodists. We United Methodists have been fighting over the issue of same-sex relationships for 46 years. Over and over the General Conference has spoken on the issue, and every four years someone continues to bring up the issue, and we continue to fight each other. It becomes a distraction from the mission of making disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world. It happens in local congregations, too. Congregations fight over the color of the new carpet, or whether they’ll put multi-media in worship, or guitars or drums. The devil just looks and laughs.
I’m reminded of the words of the Apostle Paul. Ephesians 6: 12 says, “For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places.” Brothers and sisters, living out God’s call is a spiritual endeavor. The person sitting across the aisle from us is not the enemy. The person standing in front of us in the check-out line is not the enemy. The person living next door to us is not the enemy. The enemy may use those around us, but that’s only a distraction. Our focus in living out God’s call needs to be on the spiritual battle we’re in.
Let’s pick up in verses 38 – 42:
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.
Here’s the second lesson I learn in living out God’s call: Realize God’s desire to use us. David was a shepherd, not a warrior. He’d never worn armor before. Not only that, Saul’s armor was too big for David. You may remember that Saul was a head taller than anyone else in Israel. That’s one of the reasons the people thought he would make a good king. Saul’s armor was too big and too bulky for David, and he didn’t know how to use it anyway. So, David took what he knew—five smooth stones and a sling—the tools of a shepherd, and he went into battle.
We can’t fight with someone else’s armor, nor can we depend upon someone else’s faith. We are each unique individuals, made unique by every experience of our past. We have God’s permission to be ourselves, knowing that God desires to use us—our gifts, our passions, our past failures, our past victories—for His glory. God’s calling to service in the Kingdom is uniquely rooted in who He has made us to be. Oh, sure. There’s some transformation that is going to happen when we offer ourselves to Jesus Christ, but that transformation doesn’t negate the experiences of our past. The strength and wisdom we gained from every past victory or failure God will use to prepare us for the fight that lies ahead.
I can’t, for the life of me, imagine why God would use me, or would want to use me. But, I trust that He does. Here’s the thing, though. I can’t be Joel Osteen. Not that I would want to, but I can’t be Joel Osteen because I’m not Joel Osteen. I haven’t had Joel Osteen’s experiences. I don’t have Joel Osteen’s gifts. If I tried to be Joel Osteen, I’d fail miserably. I have God’s permission to be me, and you have God’s permission to be you. That’s because God wants to use us for His glory to bring others into the Kingdom. All he asks from us is to trust all of who we are to all of Him we understand.
Let’s read on. Look at verse 43:
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!”
Here’s the third and final lesson I learn: Remember the battle belongs to the Lord. If the battle is the Lord’s, then so is the victory. Living faithfully the call of God to salvation and service is daunting. We’ll face challenges every day, but like David, we have to know that we place our lives in the hands of the One who gave His life for us. Our prayer becomes, “Whatever I face today, Lord, I face it in the power of your Spirit. This is your battle, not mine. Give me victory for your glory.” If I’m facing a challenge in my marriage…that’s my prayer. If I’m facing a challenge with my children, that’s my prayer. If I’m facing a challenge at work, that’s my prayer. If I’m facing a challenge with an on-going sin, that’s my prayer. We will not live the victorious Christian life because we will it so. I am reminded of the words of the prophet Zechariah, “It is not by force nor by strength, but by my Spirit, says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies” (Zechariah 4:6).
We all know how the story ends, don’t we? Look at verse 48:
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.
My friends, we need neither be afraid nor ashamed of God’s call upon our lives. He calls us first to salvation through His Son, Jesus Christ. Don’t be afraid to answer that call. His grace covers all our past. The same grace that covers all our past will carry us forward as we live out His call to serve in sharing the Gospel with others so that they, too, may know God’s great salvation. Live the call, my friend. Live the call.
