1 Samuel 17 “Having a Hero”

You are listening to a message from Southwood Presbyterian Church in Huntsville, Alabama.

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! You will find this famous Bible story in 1 Samuel 17.

1 Samuel 17. If you turn there, I'm going to summarize parts of this story and read other

parts as we go through this morning. But I want us to think carefully about this story,

especially when stories are familiar. We need to make sure that we're understanding what God's

telling us, not just what we like to think. We need to understand the bigger story it's a part of

so that we don't end up with a message this morning that is, be like David and you'll slay the giants

in your life. Have you heard that message before? Yep, that's a common message out there. But it's

a really confusing message to say, be like David when David commits murder and adultery. It doesn't

work so well. Neither do we want one you've probably heard, the five smooth stones that we

all need to defeat our enemies. Some of you have heard that one. There are lots of different lists

of what those five stones are. It's really rough actually when they're not identified in the Bible.

And David uses actually how many? Oh, only one of the five. So then the other four you just don't

get to use anyway. So what's the story actually all about? Well, remember that the issue recently

in the Bible story as we've been walking through it here in the Old Testament has been about the king.

First, the lack of a king for God's people, right? They didn't have a king and so they were turning

from God and doing whatever they wanted to do. And then last week, Bill Nash showed us so beautifully

this idea of Saul, the king that they asked for, the king like the nations. And Saul was actually

rejected by God as king in favor of a shepherd boy with a heart for God. God's people need a king,

a hero, one to stand for them. In fact, that's exactly where the story of David and Goliath,

opens, isn't it, at the beginning of 1 Samuel 17. The two countries are lined up like the boys and the

girls that we had up here. There's Philistia on one mountain and all their army, and then there's

Israel and all its army on the other mountain, a valley in between. Neither one of them foolish

enough to wage an uphill battle, right? To go up the hill against the other army, but Philistia

has a secret weapon. They have a champion. Goliath represents them. He strides out to the front,

all nine feet, nine inches of him, no stool needed. His armor alone, the weight of a young man.

And he defies the armies of Israel to send a champion out to fight him, winner take all,

one on one. This morning, we need to think of ourselves in the front lines of God's people,

seeing Goliath come forth and challenge us. Imagine that you're one of those soldiers. That's who we

are in this story, okay? You're trembling with fear. You're despairing about the future for you and your

family. You are staring certain death or slavery for the rest of your life right in the face.

Each morning, you wake up and the music in the camp is the same song.

It was, I need a hero just in Hebrew, okay? It was the same tune. That's not from the Bible.

But they desperately need a hero. Where is Israel's hero? Their champion, their king. Where is Saul?

He's a head taller than the rest of them. He's a mighty warrior. He's handsome. He's the king like

the nations. And he is cowering somewhere in his royal tent. No wonder the rest of us are afraid.

Listen to Goliath, verse 8. Why have you come out to draw up for battle? Am I not a Philistine? And are

you not servants of Saul? Choose a man for yourselves and let him come down to me.

And when Saul and all Israel heard these words of the Philistine, they were dismayed and greatly

afraid. Even Goliath named Saul, right? He knows the one who should be coming out there to fight him.

But Saul is dismayed and greatly afraid. We find out later that all Saul can hear and see is that giant

yelling day after day, this imposing warrior. So he sees David and he thinks David is too small and

too young. The only thing Saul thinks could possibly help is more armor, right? Here, take my armor.

Saul's not going to go himself, but he'll try to loan David his weapons. That'll help you. That's what

you need. There's no vision of his God at all, is there? The rest of the Israelites think, well,

if Saul is scared, I've got no chance. So even though Saul offers them a wife and riches and a tax-free life,

no one will risk it. Verse 24, all the men of Israel, when they saw the man, fled from him and were much

afraid. They saw the man. They saw the man, the one mocking them and their God. They saw the big man.

And that enemy seemed too much to overcome. That's all they could see. There's actually one other person

in this story who sees the fight the same way that Saul and all the Israelites do. That's Goliath.

It's just me against you, David. Unbelievable. Paraphrasing Goliath's words, he says,

you little pipsqueak. My gods are going to crush you and your so-called God who's as weak as your toy

slingshot you're carrying. This won't even be a fight. Just look at me and look at you.

Notice that almost everyone in this story sees only what their eyes can see.

And what's the result? Yahweh's people, full of fear, self-protective, shaking in their boots.

This is the end. This is the end. I need a hero.

Isn't that what we as God's people are often saying? When all we see is what our eyes can see.

There's just no hope for my spouse, my kid, my co-worker, my friend. I've analyzed the way they're

acting. I've seen it enough times. I've tried my best to help them change. There are just no other

options. I give up. You know what that is? Practical atheism creeping into our hearts.

Practical atheism showing up in our lives oftentimes. No notion of a living God active

at work in my difficult situations. I quit hoping. I even quit praying.

Pastor, I just can't stop talking that way. I never can quit looking at these images.

I can't stop drinking earlier and earlier in the day just to get through the day.

The temptation is too strong. I can't overcome it. I'm just going to quit trying.

Those are practical atheism. I think the biggest form of practical atheism in our culture

is giving up on the possibility that life with God might be true life.

I just refuse to try anymore finding the good life apart from all the stuff I have.

I love it. I won't be seen apart from it. No way could the good life involve my giving up control,

my self-rule. That's what life is. I want to do what I want to do. That must be life.

I mean, yeah, I'm at church. God might be a piece of my life, but the non-negotiable is this

other relationship and enjoying it or ending it when I want, how I want, regardless of what God has to say

about it. That's life.

Practical atheism. I say I believe in God.

But in my life, I'm a leader of God's people, just protecting my own wealth, my own comfort,

my own reputation at the risk of God's glory and others' safety.

Or I'm a member of God's people, but I'm cowering in fear at the enemies before me

with no real thought to the impact of an actual God at work in my world.

I'll sing about him, but I'm not going to expect him to show up on Monday.

Have you felt that way when Goliath, the enemy of God, yells really loudly at you, looks really big

in front of you? I'm outmatched. I have no real hero. I can't compete with him.

It struck me this week how often I live that way.

It struck me the one thing that sets David apart from that approach to life,

from being just like everybody else in this story, is that he sees God involved, doesn't he?

David's playing chess while they're playing checkers, we would say.

They're doing algebra, but he's doing calculus.

Seeing God's presence with him changes the math of the battle, doesn't it?

It's like walking up the steps.

It's also interesting to me that David is the only one not up at the battle lines all the time.

I don't know if you feel like that's where you are.

All you can see is this war going on around you.

Is it possible that we need to take a step back, a step up,

away from the smoke of the battle,

to see God clearly,

and to see God first?

I want to urge you, without slowing down,

without stepping back to account for God in your life,

your fear may continue to grow.

Your hope may wane.

Your despair may take over

because all you can see is what your eyes can see.

But when David sees God in the equation,

we see a completely new vision,

a marked contrast between fearful Saul

and the newly anointed leader of God's people.

This story shows what the heart of a true champion of God's people looks like.

We were told to look for this in the previous chapter

when David's anointed as the next king of Israel.

And God makes it clear that man looks at the outward appearance

and picks Saul as leader,

but God looks where?

At the heart.

David shows us here a zeal for God's honor,

that we were all created to have this burning within us,

this zeal, this passion.

We see it especially when David talks to Goliath.

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.

This day Yahweh will deliver you into my hand.

Verse 47, all the earth may know there's a God in Israel,

all this assembly may know that Yahweh saves,

not with sword and spear,

for the battle is Yahweh's and he will give you into my hand.

Do you hear what David wants to defend?

Is it his own reputation?

All right, Goliath, I'm not as weak as you think.

Let me tell you what I've done.

No, it's God's reputation.

It's not even his personal security.

It's the safety of God's people.

David wants everyone in Israel,

in fact, he wants everyone in the nations

to know how great Yahweh is.

And that's what drives David, isn't it?

And it drives him to love God's people.

He's willing to stand in their place.

No one else is.

He's willing to represent them,

even in danger,

even when it seems certain he's gonna lose his life.

He wants to remove the reproach

against God's people,

he says, verse 26.

He tells Saul,

he'll be their servant

so no one else's heart need to fail.

He'll fight the giant

on behalf of the fearful,

the helpless,

the desperate,

who cannot fight for themselves

day after day after day

and they're not getting anywhere

and no one will stand up

except David will.

Zeal for God's honor,

love for God's people,

and confidence in God's power, right?

David sees God active.

There's just no doubt about it.

He sees him being active in this situation

as he has in many others in his life

previously as a shepherd.

Listen to how he explains to Saul

where his confidence is coming from.

His confidence is not in himself,

is it?

Verse 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.

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.

You see where David's pointing?

It wasn't his strength

with the lion and the bear,

it was the Lord.

And even Saul understands it.

What does he say?

Go and Yahweh be with you.

Not go,

you sound like a great fighter.

No, you sound like a shepherd

and I'm worried.

But it sounds like you see

somebody I don't see.

There's a God

who will fight for you.

God has fought for me before,

David says.

He'll do it again.

Even that reminder

doesn't spur on Saul's zeal.

Saul's staying in the tent, right?

Doesn't build his trust,

doesn't get him to action

on behalf of God's people.

It's gonna be this shepherd boy

with the slingshot.

No armor.

He's gonna walk out

from the sidelines

against the mighty

Philistine warrior.

He may not look

like a champion,

but he has the heart

of a champion

that is zealous

for his God.

This is something

we see in this big story,

okay?

As we've been mapping out

God restoring

and rescuing us,

how does God

restore relationship

with his people

through a king

with a heart like this?

Stay tuned.

Here's the famous part

of this story.

Goliath actually helps David

make clear

that this is indeed

a battle of champions,

but even more,

it's a contest between gods.

That's part of why

they often did this champion thing

in these days.

They saw wars

between nations

as actually battles

between the nation's gods,

and so if one-on-one

could decide

which god was stronger,

why have everybody else die?

Right?

Verse 43.

Goliath says to David,

am I a dog

that you come to me

with sticks?

And the Philistine

cursed David

by his gods.

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.

I will utterly

humiliate you

so that you will be

exposed as weak

and worthless

and my gods

will mock

your powerless deity

!

As we capture

your entire army,

everybody will know

who the real God is.

David responds,

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.

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

and that all this assembly,

including the really

fearful ones,

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.

Don't you love

David's passion?

I mean,

you might think

it's misguided,

right?

I mean,

come on man,

you're about to be smoked.

You're in the battle line

watching

and maybe his faith

gives you some hope

but maybe you hear him

and you're like,

oh man,

this is not going

to end well for us.

Stop trash talking

before they kill us.

But David's famous statement,

the battle is the Lord's,

makes all the difference,

doesn't it?

Because Yahweh

fights for David,

one smooth stone

and a slingshot

takes down

the great giant

and this battle

of heroes

ends as

quickly as it began.

David,

of course,

is an imperfect

foreshadowing

of the great hero,

King Jesus,

who reflects

perfectly

the heart

and the victory

of a champion.

Jesus'

zeal

for God's honor,

right?

His faithful

pursuit

of his father's will,

it's without equal.

He loves

God's desperate

people

like you and me.

in fact,

so much

that he sacrifices

his life

in their place

and in doing so,

even in what appeared

to be great weakness,

he achieved

eternal victory

over our greatest

enemies,

sin,

Satan,

death.

Triumphing over them,

Colossians tells us how,

by his cross.

He then rises

from the grave.

As he conquers death,

he becomes the permanent king

on David's throne

that God

covenants here

with David

to provide

for him

and his people.

Y'all,

we stand

desperately

in need

of a hero.

I hope

that you can

see that

and say that

this morning.

And then

once we see that,

there are really

two options

for us.

We can either

try to

be the hero,

feels kind of good,

or we can rejoice

that we have

a hero.

hero.

Friends,

in our story,

the role of

King David,

hero,

conquering the giant

is played

by Jesus.

Please don't

get confused.

There are really

good things

for us to learn

about our

zeal for God,

our love

for his people,

our confidence

in his power.

Absolutely.

May our hearts

reflect those

priorities

more and more.

But they

don't always.

We're not

the righteous

king.

So ultimately,

we don't need

to be the hero.

We need to

have the hero

with all of those

perfectly,

right?

And then,

and then,

once we get

that straight,

once we know

who the hero is,

we can consider

our role

in the story.

Then,

with the battle

won,

with victory

achieved for us,

with the hero

crowned king

forever,

and our

trusting in him,

our lives

should be

transformed.

They have to be.

We can move

from protective

of self

to zealous

for God,

from focused

on self

to loving

other people,

from fearful

and cowardly

to confident

and expectant.

Why?

Because God

is present

and active

and powerful

in us

and through us

and for us.

look what happens

in this story

when God's people

realize

all of a sudden,

I have a hero.

What happens?

Look at verse 52.

The men of Israel

and Judah

rose with a shout.

They hadn't

shouted in weeks.

Over and over,

Goliath has been

standing there

and they have been

withdrawing

quietly.

Look at the change.

They rise

with a shout.

Picture them

rushing the field,

dumping Gatorade

on David,

crowd surfing

him on their shoulders.

I mean,

it's not exactly

like that.

But that's what's

going on in their hearts.

I hope your heart

thrills

at King Jesus'

victory for you

like that.

They want everyone

to know how great

their champion is,

how he has delivered

them in their great distress,

how he's the one

they'll follow.

They're running forward

behind him.

Is that how you feel

about Jesus?

Does everyone

know that?

Keep reading.

Verse 53,

the people of Israel

came back from

chasing the Philistines

and they plundered

their camp.

That's what it looks

like to live

in the victory

of the hero.

Remember,

we're the ones

standing on the

battle line

waiting to see

how this contest

of heroes

is going to play out.

Look at us

fearful soldiers

now turn around

and run forward.

Just as Israel

won when

David conquered,

so we,

united to

Jesus by faith,

have victory

when Jesus

conquers.

Jesus conquers.

Remember what we

said earlier?

Our king defeats

all his

and our

enemies.

The battle

is the Lord's.

Praise the Lord.

The battle is his.

The victory,

glory, though,

is ours.

Just as it was

for all the girls,

remember?

Right up here.

They all won

when one of them

won.

So now we plunder

the camp

of the enemy.

Be really clear.

Our enemy

is Satan.

Our struggle

not against

flesh

and blood.

Not swords

loud clashing

that we fight

with,

but deeds

of love

and mercy

in King

Jesus'

wake.

Don't be

confused

on that.

But because

Jesus has

conquered,

because his

spirit lives

within us,

we really

can live

in his

victory,

running forward

joyfully

to plunder

the enemy

camp.

This is where

it gets exciting,

y'all.

We get to

be all

together

to storm

the gates

of hell

because King

Jesus has

knocked them

down.

Don't you

want to be

a part of

something like

that?

Boy,

these gates

aren't going

to be too

tough.

What if we

were all

together

zealous

for that?

For the

victory of

King

Jesus to

be displayed

in Huntsville?

The effects

of sin

and Satan

to be

driven back

in our

own hearts

and in

our world?

Our

King

promises

that the

gates

of hell

will not

stand

against

his

church,

so how

can we

stand

on the

sidelines

fearfully

wondering,

it might

cost too

much?

I don't

know if

it will

be worth

the

effort.

I want

to spend

just a couple

more minutes

here as we

wrap up,

because I

think it's

difficult to

connect these

dots.

Our role

plundering the

enemy's camp,

that's a little

odd.

Will, I don't

even plunder

anything.

I want to give

you some

examples.

Don't do them

all, there's too

many examples.

And these are

just ideas,

not biblical

directives that

you must do

and must do

this way.

I'm asking,

what could it

look like

for us to

live with

zeal for

God's

honor in

plundering the

enemy camp

with King

Jesus?

What could

that look

like?

These are

ideas to

get you

excited and

creative,

because you'll

have better

ideas than I

do.

You can

plunder

Satan's

camp

physically.

See, because

Jesus has

come to set

us free from

Satan's

bondage,

because Satan

is actually a

defeated foe

on the run

from the

true king.

You can

show up

physically

for people

who are

trafficked

for their

bodies,

or trapped

in generational

poverty,

and deeds

of love

and mercy

and generosity

and justice.

Snatch them

out and

remind them

who they are

and who God

made them to

be, and you

can be a

part of that.

You can

plunder Satan's

camp emotionally

if you

prefer.

This is work

in your own

heart, which

may seem

harder.

The Bible

says Satan

tries to

keep us in

bondage to

the fear of

death, the

anxiety about

the future, and

it can be

crippling.

Many of us

know that.

But King

Jesus says,

I've risen

from the

grave.

I have

conquered

death.

I have been

crowned, in

fact, king

over all.

I'm in

control of

all of it

so you

can trust

me.

So that

battle for

you plundering

the camp

means you

start listening

to his

words.

When I

am afraid,

I will

trust in

you.

In God

I trust, I

will not

be afraid.

What can

man do

to me?

You listen

to those

rather than

Satan's

lies that

tell you

you can

trust only

yourself.

You'll

only be

okay when

you're

strong enough.

No.

the God

of angel

armies is

always by

my side.

And moment

by moment

in community

by God's

spirit, I

find freedom

and confidence

and joy.

You can

plunder

Satan's camp

spiritually

because Jesus

has come and

he's paid the

penalty for

sins, defeating

sin once for

all.

you can

share that

good news

with your

neighbor with

real hope.

You can

commit to

praying for

that friend

who seems

resistant to

the light of

the gospel

and just

beyond hope

that you're

ready to

give up on.

You can

pray that

King Jesus

who's alive

and active

brings them

from darkness

to light.

You can

plunder

Satan's

camp

intellectually.

Satan

is the

father of

what?

Lies.

But Jesus

specializes in

the truth.

So you

may be in

classrooms or

online or

in relationships

where you

can use your

gifts to

articulate the

freedom that's

found in

surrender rather

than self.

It's

countercultural

but it's

really biblical.

You can

display the

beauty of

God's design

for sexuality.

You can

argue

graciously and

powerfully for

the value of

life in a

culture of

death.

You can

plunder

Satan's

camp

intellectually.

You can

plunder

Satan's

camp

financially.

It doesn't

even matter

how much

money you

have.

Because Jesus

has stormed

through hell

you can use

your money to

blow another

hole in the

gates of

hell.

Isn't that

fun?

It's more

fun than a lot

of things you

can do with

money.

Maybe you

say I

realize I

can trust

Jesus enough

to take care

of me that

this month

in addition to

giving to

my church

I'm going to

give something

to a mission

partner and

push Satan

back and

watch God

work.

You can

plunder Satan's

camp

relationally.

He would

love to

isolate those

that Jesus

has brought

together.

So go spend

time with

someone lonely.

Forgive

someone whose

sin Jesus

forgives

like yours.

Reconcile with

a spouse,

a friend,

a family

member because

Jesus is

alive.

Not because it

feels easy

but because

Jesus is alive

and Satan

can't defend

his territory

while running

away from

the power of

his spirit

that is alive

and active

in you.

What's God

putting on

your heart?

We pray about

it this

afternoon.

God, how

can I be a

part of

this?

You live

in the

victory

of King

Jesus.

You have

a hero.

He achieved

his victory

by stepping

up as

your hero

and fighting

your greatest

enemies

and dying

in your

place.

Savor

that sacrifice,

the one

who made

it as you

come to

this table.

It was on

that night

when Jesus

was betrayed

to his

death in

your place

that he

sat with

his disciples

and he

took bread

and he

broke it

and he

gave it

to them

as I

ministering

in his

name give

this bread

to you.

He said

take and

eat.

This is

my body

given for

you.

Do this

in remembrance

of me.

In the

same way

he took

the cup

after supper

saying

this cup

is the

new covenant

in my

blood

shed for

many

for the

forgiveness

of sins

drink from

it all

of you.

For as

often as

you eat

this bread

and drink

this cup

you proclaim

the Lord's

death

until he

comes.

Today

without even

opening your

mouth

you proclaim

Jesus'

death.

You are

shouting

the name

of your

hero.

You are

declaring

that you

need a

hero

and that

you have

a hero.

You come

and eat

at his

table.

That's what

you do

to declare

the Lord's

death.

If that's

the hope

of your

heart

baptized

Christian

come

and eat.

If you

would not

want to

make that

statement

if that

is not

your hope

then

don't come

declare

Jesus

as your

only hope

by eating

and drinking

these elements.

But would

you this

morning

whether you

come and

observe

or whether

you stay

where you

are

consider

your need

for a

hero

consider

Jesus'

sacrifice

would you

even this

morning

accept

his offer

to be

your king

to be

your hero

and give

you true

life

everlasting

life

with him.

Let's pray

and then

we'll come

to this

table

together.

Jesus

what a

great

gift

that you

give us

this morning

a reminder

that our

king

who reigns

over all

stoops

to live

with us

not just

when we're

in this

room

for a few

minutes

on a Sunday

morning

but that

you live

with us

every moment

of every

day.

You gave

your life

so that

that could

be true

and so

would you

grow our

faith

through

common

elements

in a

powerful

way

in each

of our

hearts.

We ask

it in

your name.

Amen.

For more

information

visit us

online

at

southwood.org

network

network

Thank you.