I Samuel 17 "We Need a Hero"

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

Our passion is to experience and express grace. Join us.

Amen. Thank you, guys. Let's pray together.

Father, that's our desire this morning, that we would know your power more,

that we would experience more of who you are.

You are almighty.

And you've come to meet with us.

And that doesn't ever leave anyone unchanged.

And so would you prepare our hearts, continue to till the soil there that it might be hard

or they might not be eager to meet with you or to hear from your word.

Would you help us?

Would you speak to us by your spirit?

Would you give us confidence in your power and love?

And would you give us great joy in living for you, we ask in Jesus' name.

Amen.

Perhaps you're familiar with this famous story.

One nation is aligned on one side.

Another nation lined up on the other side.

And one man stands forth from each side and marches towards the other to battle against each other.

The others stand with bated breath awaiting the outcome as their two champions march toward this decisive showdown.

And within moments it's over.

Dismay for one side is matched by jubilation from the other nation

who has just won a penalty kick shootout to advance in the World Cup.

And some of you thought we were going to talk about David and Goliath today.

In the middle of the World Cup.

Now, I actually do want that picture at the end of a soccer match to be in your mind.

Because this is something we don't have a great image of a lot of times.

You're going to see it countless times in the coming days, that penalty kick shootout.

Because most, we've reached the knockout stage of the World Cup now.

And all these games are going to be 0-0 at the end.

Nobody ever scores.

And then they're going to have to do penalty kicks.

That's just how soccer works every time I watch it.

But that aside, that penalty kick shootout,

it comes down to one player and one goalie against each other

deciding the outcome of after two hours of strenuous work,

the whole match is there, comes down to those two against each other.

Each team sends a representative and stakes its hopes and its future

on the performance of its hero.

That's what a champion, a representative is.

If he wins, the whole team wins.

If he loses, the whole team loses.

And Israel finds itself in 1 Samuel 17,

this encounter of David and Goliath in need of a champion.

After all, here are the two rival countries lined up.

Israel is on one mountain,

and Philistia has lined up on the other.

A valley in between them,

and neither army foolish enough to find itself engaged in an uphill battle,

so they're stuck on these two mountains facing off.

Except that the Philistines have an imposing champion, Goliath.

All nine feet, nine inches of him,

with armor that weighs as much as most young men by itself.

He defies the armies of Israel to send a champion out to fight against him,

winner take all.

Imagine, put yourself in that Israel battle line.

You're one of those soldiers that day,

and you hear him day after day after day coming out.

Goliath challenges you,

somebody come fight me.

And you're trembling with fear.

Not just at the idea of you being the one to have to fight him,

but you're despairing about the future for you and your family.

Staring the reality of death or slavery for the rest of your lives right in the face.

Your theme song as one of those soldiers becomes,

I need a hero.

Just you sing it in Hebrew.

They used different lyrics back then,

but regardless, you're desperate for someone who can face Goliath.

In fact, as Israel stands there on that mountainside around 1050 BC,

they've been singing,

I need a hero for generations.

It's been a long, long time that they've been in this situation.

Ever since mankind's first champion, Adam,

failed as he represented them

in what should have been the faithful pursuit of God's glory

that they were created for,

they've needed a true hero.

Abraham loves God, right?

Maybe he's the one,

but he looks to save his own skin

when the money's on the line.

Moses is a powerful leader,

but he doesn't trust God all the time.

The judges lead them to some helpful victories

as God's people,

but they don't maintain a passion for Yahweh's name very long.

The kings are about to be really unpredictable

as to what direction they're going to lead.

These people are desperate.

They need someone who can stand up against their enemies,

who can lead them in battle to defend the honor of Yahweh

against this pagan who is cursing his name.

Someone who's going to protect them,

God's people lead them in loving God

and living their lives for God.

They're desperate for someone.

Well, in fact, Israel does have a champion, don't they?

You're sitting there in the battle line.

It's not unclear to you who should be taking on Goliath, is it?

After all, just a few years prior to this battle,

the whole country has demanded

that God give them a king like the nations.

Why?

1 Samuel 8,

the people refused to obey the voice of Samuel.

They said,

no, but there shall be a king over us.

Why?

That we also may be like all the nations,

that our king may judge us

and go out before us and fight our battles.

God give us a king to do this.

And God gave them Saul.

Exactly what they asked for,

a king like the nations.

Chapter 9, verse 2 says,

Saul was a handsome young man.

There was not a man among the people of Israel

more handsome than he.

From his shoulders upward,

he was taller than any of the people.

A head taller.

He's the one

who's the champion, right?

This is the moment you were made for, Saul.

Tall, handsome,

strong to fight Israel's battles.

Your God is being maligned.

Your people are being threatened.

You are their king.

Saul wants no part of it.

Remember how fearful and despairing you were feeling

when Goliath came out?

Unfortunately, Saul too.

1 Samuel 17, verse 11,

1 Samuel 17:11

When Saul and all Israel heard these words of the Philistine,

they were dismayed and greatly afraid.

All of you.

Stuck there.

Fearful, afraid, desperate.

But there's this shepherd boy

who shows up with food for his brothers.

Too young, apparently,

to be a part of the standing army of Israel,

but old enough to be sent on an important mission.

And he hears the cursing

and the mocking of the giant Philistine.

And he responds quite differently

from everyone else, doesn't he?

What is it that he hears?

David says,

Who does this guy think he is?

He's big, but he's messing with God.

Despising God's people.

That's not okay.

Verse 26,

Who is this uncircumcised Philistine

that he should defy the armies of the living God?

David has a zeal for God's honor, doesn't he?

The first thing he hears in Goliath's challenge

is dishonor to the name of Yahweh.

And he won't stand for it.

Saul, on the other hand, won't stand up to it.

Saul's zealous for his own safety.

For his own comfort back in his royal tent.

And this contrast between David and Saul

is largely what this whole section of 1 Samuel is about.

This story in particular,

showing what the heart of a true champion of God's people looks like.

In the previous chapter,

when David is anointed to be the next king of Israel,

God has made clear that man looks at what?

The outward appearance

and picks handsome, tall, imposing Saul as leader.

But God looks where?

At the heart.

When he wants a leader for his people,

God is concerned about the heart.

And David shows us what he's looking for there.

A zeal for God's honor

that mankind was created to have burn within us.

We see that zeal all through this story,

but especially when David is talking to Goliath.

Verse 46.

David says,

This day the Lord will deliver you into my hand

and I will strike you down and cut off your head

and I'll give the dead bodies of the host of the Philistines this day

to the birds of the air and the wild beasts of the earth

that all the earth may know

that there's a God in Israel.

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.

You hear what David wants to defend?

It's God's honor, isn't it?

It's not his reputation,

but God's reputation.

Not his personal security,

but the safety of God's people.

David wants everyone in Israel

and the nations to know

how great Yahweh is.

That's what drives David.

Of course, we see as that happens

that he trusts God's promises.

Despite this seeming mismatch,

David is confident in God's provision

that he will protect his people.

He tells Saul in verse 36,

Saul's saying,

I don't know,

is this a good idea?

David has said,

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.

He's picked the wrong fight.

Not with David,

but with the living God.

The Lord who delivered me

from the paw of the lion

and the paw of the bear

will deliver me

from the hand of this Philistine.

Saul still tries to put his armor

on David, doesn't he?

Here, you might need this.

But David's trust

is not in his weapons,

but in his God.

That leads to a love

for God's people

and that he's willing

to stand in their place

to represent them,

even in danger.

And finally,

a willingness to sacrifice

for God's glory.

David's zeal

for God's honor

means that he will defend

the name of Yahweh

and seek to see his glory,

even if it costs him his life.

And they tell him

it's going to.

Saul says,

you are not able,

David.

This is not going to end well.

And yet,

David goes.

David's trust

is in the Lord.

He's not concerned

with his own strength.

In fact,

he tells Saul

that God is so great

that no man's heart

should fail

because of Goliath.

Come on, Saul.

Here's another chance

for you, right?

Don't let him

make your heart fail.

Here's some encouragement.

Even then,

it doesn't spur Saul's zeal.

It doesn't build Saul's trust.

It doesn't call Saul

to action

on behalf of God's people.

It will, after all,

be the shepherd boy

with a slingshot

and no armor

who will be sent out

from the sideline

against the mighty

Philistine warrior.

David may not look

like a champion.

Looks pretty weak.

But he has the heart

of a champion

that is zealous

for God.

So,

that sets us up

for the climax

of the story

that we all know

and love.

You know what happens.

But even as they start

to fight,

Goliath helps David

make clear

that this is indeed

a battle of champions

but even more,

it's a contest

between gods,

isn't it?

Verse 43,

Am I a dog

that you come to me

with sticks,

he says?

And he cursed David

by his gods.

The Philistines said

to David,

Come to me

and I'll give your flesh

to the birds of the air

and the beasts

of the field.

What he's saying is,

I'm going to expose you

for as utterly weak

and helpless

as you are,

that you're not worth

anybody caring about,

you're going to be killed

and left for the birds.

And your powerless deity

can do nothing

to stop it.

That's what Goliath

says to him.

David responds to it

this way,

verse 45,

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 the wild beasts

of the earth

that all the earth

may know

that there is a God

in Israel

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.

You hear what David's

responding to, right?

This is not David

boasting,

Goliath,

I'm about to get you

because I'm faster,

smarter,

stronger than you are.

No.

Don't you love

David's passion in this?

He's almost won

before the battle starts.

You might call it

foolhardiness

or youthful naivete

if his God

wasn't real

and strong.

But David has a faith

in his God

that Saul

and many other

Israelites

seem to lack.

Put yourself

in the battle line

again.

You're watching

and listening now

as they yell

back and forth

to each other.

Maybe David's faith

gives you some faith,

some hope.

Or maybe

you're increasingly

fearful that

there's going to be

an ugly end

soon.

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 champions

ends as quickly

as it began.

Our kids have been

learning about David

this summer

and our kids

love to sing

and we love to sing

with them about

David and the slingshot

and the giant

and all of this

that happens

but the passage

actually emphasizes

the greatness

of God

more so than

the might of David,

doesn't it?

Look at just the details

as this happens.

Verse 50,

so David prevailed

over the Philistine

with a sling

and a stone

and struck the Philistine

and killed him.

There was no sword

in the hand

of David.

David ran

and stood over

the Philistine

and took his sword

and drew it

out of its sheath

and killed him

and cut off

his head with it.

When the Philistines

saw that their champion

was dead,

they fled.

God is so great

that he uses people

you might not expect

to accomplish

his purposes.

Young shepherd boys,

for example.

Here,

David,

as the representative

of God's people,

conquers their enemy.

Of course,

David is simply

one of the best

in a long,

long list

of imperfect

champions,

isn't he?

Goes all the way

back to Adam.

And David,

we learn,

is very,

very imperfect.

He's an incomplete

foretaste

of the great champion,

Jesus,

who reflects

perfectly

the heart

and the victory

of a champion.

Jesus'

zeal

for God's honor

and pursuit

of his Father's will

is without equal,

right?

He trusts God's promises,

loves God's people,

in fact,

so much

that he actually

willingly sacrifices

his life

in their place.

And in doing so,

even in what appeared

again to be

great weakness,

he achieves

eternal victory

over our

greatest enemies,

sin,

Satan,

and death.

Triumphing over them,

Colossians says,

by his cross.

We stand

desperately

in need

of a champion,

don't we?

Have you ever felt

fearful

in the face

of

death?

Have you felt

too weak

on your own

to battle

against sin

in your life?

Powerless

against the

attacks of Satan

that you can

feel being

waged against you?

Have you ever felt

like you're not

enough on your own?

We all have.

And Jesus

is that champion

that we

desperately need

that David

is merely a picture

of here

in this story.

That's one of the

reasons I've been

encouraging us

to think of ourselves

in this story

as the Israelite

soldiers.

while there are

things we can

learn from David,

Jesus

fills the David

role

in our story

as the hero

and champion,

right?

We are the

followers

of the champion.

What do the

followers

of the champion

do

after he

defeats

their enemy?

Verse 52,

the men

of Israel

and Judah

rose with a

shout.

You know what

this looks like,

right?

Back to the

soccer field.

Here they come,

they rush off

the sidelines,

they are yelling

and shouting,

they douse David

with Gatorade,

they lift him up

onto their shoulders

and carry him

off the field.

I mean,

it was a little

bit different

from that,

but that's the

essence of what's

going on.

They're rejoicing

in him,

they're shouting

in triumph

and relief

and in celebration

of their hero

who has achieved

victory for them.

They realize

the battle is won

before they perform

it all.

They want everyone

to know how great

their champion is,

right?

They're lifting him

up and celebrating

him,

that he's delivered

them in their

great distress,

that he's the one

they're going to

follow.

Is that how you

feel about Jesus?

I mean,

you can leave

out the Gatorade,

but is that how

you feel about Jesus?

Do you act like

someone rescued

by him from

desperate need?

Do you rejoice

in him?

Do you delight

in telling others

about him

and about what

he's done for you?

Keep reading.

They rose with a shout

and pursued the

Philistines as far

as Gath

and the gates

of Ekron,

so the wounded

Philistines fell

on the way

from Sharem

as far as Gath

and Ekron

and the people

of Israel

came back

from chasing

the Philistines

and they plundered

their camp.

This is what I call

living in the victory

of our champion.

Now that David

has defeated

the Philistine champion,

all the Israelite

soldiers

rush forward

and chase

the Philistines

and plunder

their camp.

Victory

is theirs!

They rush

forward

shouting,

rejoicing

in their champion

and the speakers

are now blaring

a different theme song,

no longer

I need a hero

but we are

the champions.

That's what's going,

I think,

as they're rushing

forward

because it's not

merely that they're

celebrating their champion.

They're now living

like champions,

aren't they?

They're acting

like someone

who just won.

See,

they get the privilege

of benefiting

from a victory

achieved

by someone else

on their behalf.

David fought

for them

but now

they get to

act like champions,

defeating their enemies,

plundering their camp.

They are transformed.

They're very different people.

Think about this

for a second.

They start acting

like David.

Just a few minutes ago,

no one in the whole group

would be like David.

David,

their cowardice

now turns into confidence,

doesn't it?

Their fear

turns into joy.

Their inactivity,

embarrassing inactivity

against the enemy

turns into

victorious battling

against the now

defeated enemy.

It's what God

calls us to

as followers

of our champion,

Jesus.

Please hear me clearly.

There is only

one champion,

right?

One true hero.

But in the Bible,

God regularly

calls leaders

to do particularly

what He actually

requires of

all of us.

Followers too.

Those of us

in leadership

ought to be

especially listening

but it's for all of us.

Start by examining

our own hearts.

Are we zealous

for God's honor?

No, I'm actually

asking, really,

what is your passion

in life?

Does your heart

burn

or yawn

when God

is dishonored?

What would your spouse,

your friends,

your kids

say you're

passionate about?

We're all zealous,

passionate for something.

Is it football?

Fashion?

Facebook?

Facebook?

Do you so

trust God's

promises

and love

God's people

that you would be

willing

to sacrifice

anything

to see

His name

glorified?

In other words,

can people

see

your zeal?

I know you say

it's there,

it's in my heart,

I am,

I'm zealous,

I'm passionate

for God,

but it looks

and sounds

like something

when David

wants to make

sure the nations

know there is a

God in Israel,

doesn't it?

Are you committed

to the nations

knowing the

greatness of your

God?

Do you invest

your time,

money,

and energy

to that end?

You don't have

to go to Peru

or somewhere else,

but that's one

place you can.

You know,

we have a great

tendency to do

as Christians

these days.

I think it's

part of our

fearfulness

a part of it

is our

self-protective

love of comfort.

A part of it

is the celebrity

culture that we

live in and are

surrounded by.

What we like to

do is we like

to find

Christian heroes

and delegate

our zeal

for God

to them.

Even pay them

to be zealous

for God

so we can

focus our

passions on

ourselves.

Do you

find that in

your heart

sometimes?

We find an

amazing person

like Billy

Graham.

We delegate

to him

or to

lesser

pastors

the job

of making

sure our

neighbors

are saved

and the

nations hear

the good

news of

Jesus.

We delegate

to Mother

Teresa

or other

lesser

mercy

ministry

leaders

the job

of making

sure the

poor

experience

the love

of God.

And yes

God does

call us

all to

different

places

but he

calls

all of

us

to be

actively

zealous

for his

honor

not just

to share

it with

somebody

else

not just

to pay

someone else

to do

it

but all

of us

to be

driven

by what

drives

David

into battle

against

Goliath

and the

great part

is because

Jesus has

conquered

because his

spirit lives

within each

of us

we really

can live

in his

victory

running

toward

the enemy

joyfully

to plunder

their camp

who's the

enemy that

Jesus has

conquered for

us

we're not

chasing with

swords

the Philistine

army

Jesus has

conquered

sin

and death

and the

devil

this is

where it

gets really

exciting

y'all

we get

to storm

the gates

of hell

knowing that

they are

flattened

already

by our

savior

he's already

knocked them

down

we charge

against them

and nothing

can stand

we get to

turn to our

own hearts

and find

sin there

and begin

to root it

out and battle

against it

knowing that

it's not

stronger than

we are

because

we can turn

to our king

we get to

move into

this world

and plunder

a culture

of death

see the work

of the devil

in our city

and in the name

of the champion

who has gained

us victory

over them

we march in

and no greater

is he who is

in us

than he

who is in

the world

we battle

defeated

foes

on all those

fronts

what if we

were altogether

zealous

for that

for the

victory

of king

Jesus

to be displayed

in Huntsville

and for the

effects of

sin

and Satan

to be driven

back in our

city

and around

the world

y'all our

king promises

that the gates

of hell

will not stand

against his

church

how can we

stand on the

sidelines

wondering if it

will cost too

much

or be worth

all the effort

after the

olympics

there's a

tour of

champions

you may have

watched it

before

gymnastics

or figure

skating

medalists

or whatever

the sport

is

will tour

together

go around

and do a

series of

exhibitions

after the

intense

competition

and pressure

of the

olympics

where everything

was on the

line

they now

relax

and enjoy

the tour

of champions

have you seen

that before

can you imagine

the boldness

and the

freedom

of those

exhibitions

athletes

no longer

performing

before the

watchful eye

of the judges

or the world

but having

already earned

the gold medal

now just

having fun

they might

even try

an amazingly

difficult

routine

it's actually

really fun

to watch

because

the pressure

is off

right

what if

I fall

in front

of the

crowd

the scorn

of the

crowd

couldn't

make any

difference

hey

who are you

laughing at

gold medal

gold medal

I've already

I've already

won

I can't

lose this

you can't

take it

away

do you

know that

kind of

joy

and freedom

in your

life

is your

reputation

in Christ

so secure

that you

can rush

boldly

toward an

enemy

stronghold

that really

might make

you look

foolish

and risk

your reputation

what will

storming the

gates of hell

look like

for you

where God

has placed

you

for us

where God

has placed

us

for us

where God

has sent

us

into the

world

if you

trust

Jesus

the

great

champion

then your

victory

is won

and you're

living in a

tour of

champions

now

go for

it

we were

created

to be

zealous

not for

our own

comfort

but to be

zealous

for the

honor

of God

we were

redeemed

by our

great

champion

who

defeated

all his

and our

enemies

not to

live

self

protectively

but to

live

self

sacrificially

giving all

that we

are

and all

that we

have

to rejoice

in our

champion

and to

live in

his

victory

let's

pray

Jesus

we

confess

to you

that

we

often

like the

narrative

better

where we

get to

be

the

strong

one

where we

have

enough

where we

get the

glory

but we

also

confess

that we

are not

enough

on our

own

that we

can't

manage

that our

zeal

wanes

and we

are grateful

that you

have stood

in our

place

that you

have

defeated

enemies

too strong

for us

so that

they no

longer are

would you

give us

joy and

freedom

would you

give us

hearts

that don't

have to

defend

ourselves

but are

eager

to defend

the name

of our

God

to see

his name

be made

great

to see

his glory

fill the

nations

Father

thanks for

the privilege

of being

a part

of that

work

equip us

stir our

hearts

that our

zeal

would match

the zeal

of the

champion

who has

given

himself

for us

in Jesus

name we

ask

Amen

for more

information

visit us

online

at

southwood.org