8th November 2023

8th November 2023


Pray (ACts)


Read - 1 Samuel 17:12-29


Message Alan Burke 


So often when it comes to David’s defeat of Goliath all we remember is that, that David defeated Goliath and we forget what came before hand. Firstly we have the Israelites and the Philistines facing off and Goliath taunting the people to choose a champion out to fight. Saul should have been the man, he was the chosen of the people (1 Sam 8:18, 1 Sam 12:13), but the enemies of God’s people go unanswered, the taunts keep coming. Again before we go on this passage is not about us and your trials or problems, it is not about how we can overcome the giants in our lives and in the midst of the taunts of God’s enemies while we may may have a reprieve and I say may we will not be delivered finally until glory. 


We’ve already been introduced to David when he was anointed and was called into service in Saul’s court, this second introduction acts as a public introduction to the nation. He is being portrayed in a very ordinary way, there is in a sense nothing remarkable about him, he is the youngest son of Jesse who is obediently doing what his father asked of him. We learn that God’s people were taunted by Goliath for forty days and Saul their King who was to fight their battles and the men of Israel paralysed with fear David, he hears Goliaths taunt and asks of those who stood by him asks something that should have been asked along time ago there in verse 26 “What will be done for the man who kills this Philistine and removes this disgrace from Israel? Who is this uncircumcised Philistine that he should defy the armies of the living God?” 


While Saul and his army were terrified of what faced them, David sees only an uncircumcised Philistine. What I mean by that is that he sees an enemy of God whose gods are but wood and stone whereas the Israelites had the only Living and True God of all creation on their side. The shepherd boy who was too little and too young to come and fight understood something more than the incumbent king, more than the terrified army and was that in the midst of all of this is that Israel were a chosen people, he knew that even though they were facing the might of Goliath or the Philistine army that nothing is impossible for the living God. If only Saul and the people had listened to the warning of Samuel in his farewell speech when he said;  For the LORD will not forsake his people, for his great name’s sake, because it has pleased the LORD to make you a people for himself. (12:22). The young David understood this and believed this. God’s enemies will always try to defy his rule but ultimately the Lord will have the victory over them.


We are not the Israelites, we are not in the midst of a Holy War against the Philistines but there is something that we need to remember in a world that things seem to be going from bad to worse, where sin is called good and truth is called intolerant, even hate speech, where believers all over the world are persecuted for their faith, tortured and martyred. We may wonder where will it end, we may loose confidence in the Lord but we can have confidence just like David in the Lord. Because there is a day coming when Jesus will return and this time it is not to deal with sin but sinners and we can have confidence that while the world rebells against the Lord, the Lord dictates how, He dictates how far, he will not allow it to go on forever, he decrees the good that will come out of it and he even laughs as men scream furiously against him because of the futility of our rebellion and it will lead to the judgement of all people where the enemies of God will be held to account.


Pray (acTS)


Sing


WSC
Q91 How do the sacraments become effectual means of salvation?
The sacraments become effectual means of salvation, not from any virtue in them, or in him that doth administer them; but only by the blessing of Christ, (1 Pet. 3:21, Matt. 3:11, 1 Cor. 3:6–7) and the working of his Spirit in them that by faith receive them. (1 Cor. 12:13)