Killing Giants

Killing Giants

a sermon by wayne mclaughlin

***************************************************

Text: 1 Samuel 17. 4-8, 32-49

2 Corinthians 12.6-10

November 8, 2009

Memorial United Presbyterian Church

Xenia, Ohio

******************************************************

Stories are sometimes mutli-leveled; that is, they can be read and understood on more than one level. Many Biblical stories are that way too. This morning's story about David and Goliath is a case in point. We could just read it as a historical event. It would then say something to us about David—his bravery, his skill, his faith. It would say something to us about Israel and the way God helped Israel defeat its enemies. But in order for the story to speak to us in any relevant way, we have to put ourselves into the story and see what happens has that ancient story comes alive within each of us, and among us. I'm going to provide some doors into the story so that we can enter and experience it for ourselves…

Part I – "If the armor fits, wear it."

"Saul clothed David with his armor; he put a bronze helmet on his head and clothed him with a coat of mail. David strapped Saul's sword over the armor, and he tried in vain to walk, for he was not used to them. Then David said to Saul, 'I cannot walk with these; for I am not used to them.' So David removed them." [1 Sam. 17. 38-39]



How many of us have tried to wear the personality of someone else?

How many of us have tried to be someone else,

rather than ourself?

Have you ever had problems with self-acceptance?

I have struggled all of my life

to simply accept who

and what

I am.

There have been times in my life

when I have tried to wear someone else's persona.

I have thought: I'm too introverted to be a minister…

Ministers are supposed to be extroverted, back-slapping, story-telling, charismatic conversationalists who can inspire people and close the sell.

That's not me.

Many times I've prayed, "Lord, are you sure you didn't make a mistake calling me into the ministry? Or did I not hear you right?"



It's like the farm boy who one day looked up in the sky and saw a large cloud in the form of the letter "P." He immediately knew what that meant. It meant "preach." God was him to be a preacher. So he left the farm and became a preacher. One Sunday he was telling his congregation about how the Lord had called him through that cloud. As the parishioners went out the door that Sunday, a woman shook his hand and leaned over and whispered in his ear, "I think it meant 'plow.'"

What I have learned over the years

is what David seemed to know immediately—

that I cannot be someone else.

And that's okay.



For me, self-acceptance was taken place

with the context of a larger Acceptance

which we Christians call the grace of God.



What about you?


  [I have been trying to wear....              ]




 

Part II – "A tall order"

Goliath was tall—"six cubits and a span." [NRSV]

That's tall, isn't it?

Well, maybe; what in the heck is "six cubits and a span"?



Some translations say Goliath was six and a half feet tall; others say he was nine feet tall.

It depends upon which Hebrew manuscripts you follow.

The standard text indicates 9 feet; the Dead Sea Scrolls have

6 ½ feet tall.



Unless people were really little back then,

I think we'd have to go with 9 feet tall, wouldn't you?

Actually, I don't really care.



In David's eyes, Goliath was really BIG.



We all face giants, don't we?

We come up against problems and situations

that loom large

on the horizon of our life.

What are some of the "Giants" that we face?


  [The giant that I face right now is....                ]

Part III – "About to get stoned"

David picked up five smooth stones from the wadi.

The wadi? (The river bed.)



David knew what his resources were.

He reached down and got them.

Five smooth stones.



Sometimes we have to reach down.

Sometimes we have to reach up.

Sometimes we have to reach out.

Some times we have to reach deep within.

God has given us the resources we need

to meet the challenges that come our way.

Let's name some…



    Other people, prayer, inner strength,

         friends, family, the church, our own wisdom,

                imagination, government resources,

                       social agencies, dreams, the Bible,

                                          literature, medicine, etc.



[Resources that I have available to me...                ]




 

Part IV – "Get ready, get set, go!"

The story says in verse 48: "When the Philistine drew nearer to meet David, David ran quickly toward the battle line to meet the Philistine."


Sometimes the worse thing we can do is nothing.

The solution to being stuck is to move.

Our natural inclination when we face a Big Problem

is to run the other way.

But what we need to do is what David did—

to face the Giant,

and meet it head on.

What is it that you are running from today?

What is it that you have been afraid to face?

Take a moment and decide what first step you will take

toward meeting the challenge that faces you….


[The step that I am going to take is....             ]


 

Part V – "With God nothing is impossible"

The story of David and Goliath is really a story about God.

The key to this story—the punch line—is verse 47:

    "…that all this assembly may know

    that the Lord does not save by sword

    and spear; for the battle is the Lord's,

    and the Lord will give you into our hand."



The battle is the Lord's….

God did not kill Goliath without David;

and David did not kill Goliath without God.

Throughout the Bible we are told that

we are meant to live in partnership with God.

We need God's help.

And in some sense—God needs our help.

That's the way God has set it up.



We make a mistake when we think we can

do everything on our own.

We are not meant to live that way.

We need God.

On the other hand,

we are mistaken if we think God is going to

do everything for us.

God has given us responsibility for our lives.

It's the heresy of "either/or" that gets us in trouble.

It's a matter of balance.

Are you leaning too far one way or the other?


    Too much dependence on yourself?

    Too much dependence on God?


  [I am not depending enough on.....              ]


  

Last Thoughts

David and Goliath.

An old story.

A story about David.

A story about Israel.

A story about God.

A story about you and me.



The bigger they are, the harder they fall.


Did you notice that David picked up five stones?

Why five?

You only need one to do the job.



Maybe David wasn't sure.

Maybe he thought that he might miss the first time,

and the second time, etc.

Maybe his confidence in himself and in God

was lacking.



David—lacking faith?

Well, he didn't pick up just one stone.



Let's tell the truth—we're all like that.

Sometimes we don't believe in ourselves.

And sometimes our faith in God is small.

But, like David, we can go on and do what has to be done.



The important thing is to take the first step.

Move toward the giant.




##