Rev. David Holwick
First Baptist Church
Ledgewood, New Jersey
October 22, 1995
1 Samuel 17:45-50
HOW TO KILL YOUR GIANT
I. "What is the biggest giant in your life right now?"
1. Fill in blank on study outline. (don't put someone next to you)
2. It may be a problem or a person.
A) Finances, work, relationship.
B) May not be a bad thing, it's just not a good thing.
C) Some giants sit on your back, but others stand in the
way of something good - they are a barrier.
D) Have a concrete giant in view during the sermon.
II. A decisive contest. 1 Samuel 17
1. A big valley separates the hills - one mile across.
2. Goliath was a giant in more ways than one.
A) He was a giant physically, over 9 feet tall.
B) He was also a giant technologically, since the Philistines
had a monopoly in iron. 13:19f
1) Similar to a modern aircraft carrier going back to
Pearl Harbor.
TV movie, "The Final Countdown", is based on the idea
that the USS Nimitz, is transported back to 1941.
Do they use their firepower to change history?
2) The Philistines were all in favor of using their
technological advantage.
C) Perhaps most important, he was a giant in his own eyes.
1) He openly defied God.
2) In his own eyes, perhaps he was a god.
3. Champions often decided battles. 17:8
A) They didn't necessarily abide by the outcome.
B) However, there was a great psychological boost to your side.
4. Three benefits promised by Saul: 17:25
A) Great wealth.
B) Exemption from taxes for his whole clan.
C) King's daughter's hand in marriage.
There is a joke about a Texan who was so rich everyone in
the area wanted to marry his daughter.
He decided to settle the issue by inviting all the young
men over for a party.
When they got there, they found he had stocked his swimming
pool with 30 alligators.
He lined them all up on one side and announced, "Whoever
can swim across this alligator-infested swimming pool can
have my daughter's hand in marriage."
They all stood there looking at each other, none of them
about to do that.
All of a sudden there was a big splash as one of them jumped
in the water and began swimming furiously.
The alligators converged on him and snapped at him, and as he
pulled himself out of the other end, one just missed
locking on his leg.
He rolled on the side of the swimming pool gasping for breath.
The big Texan went over and said, "Congratulations, son, YOU
get my daughter's hand in marriage."
"I couldn't care less about your daughter, I just want to get
my hands on the guy that pushed me in the water."
#2936
5. Older brother syndrome.
A) (How many have older brothers? -hands raise)
B) Eliab acts like a pre-Goliath. 17:28
1) He expresses contempt for his little brother.
2) "Now what have I done?" is David's response. 17:29
C) David wanders around with the same discussion, then
makes a proposal: "I'll go and fight him." 17:32
III. Where is the focus?
1. Some scholars think it has little to do with fighting giants.
A) Dr. Dale Davis:
"If we don't put the proper accent on this text, we'll
end up bringing in all the junk about being courageous
in the face of "your Goliaths."
I read this and thought - "Ewww, there goes my sermon!"
B) Dr. Davis sees the accent being on Goliath's defiance
of God.
1) God will not be mocked.
2) He will use even a weak pip-squeak like David to cut
Goliath down to size.
2. But David wasn't just a weak pip-squeak.
A) He had a vision of what could be done.
B) He had the preparation to do it.
C) He had courage and unshakable faith in his God.
3. God will set things right, but he uses certain people to do it.
IV. Seven principles for giant-killing.
1. Save your energy for fighting giants and not fellow soldiers.
17:28
A) Christians need to learn this, since giants are all around.
1) The unsaved are dying all around us, but we choose to
focus (and fight) on picayune things.
B) When you face a giant, keep your focus on him.
Sparrows fighting on highway in front of your car.
Whatever they were fighting over wasn't worth getting
smooshed.
2. Giants are often not as big as you think. 17:32-33
A) Giants in our life get bigger over time.
1) It is easy to become intimidated.
2) Joshua and twelve spies is a parallel:
"The land is great, but there are giants in the land
and WE WERE GRASSHOPPERS IN COMPARISON." Num 13:33
B) Put giants in proper perspective. Luke 12:4f
1) Finances can be painful.
2) Cancer.
3) "Remember that all they can do is take your physical life.
Save your fear for the one who can cast you into hell."
Hell is forever."
3. You have what it takes to kill your giant right now.
A) The best preparation is doing what you currently do well.
1) David knew how to use a slingshot.
2) All of us have special talents gained from day-to-day
experiences.
B) Adversity sharpens you for giant-killing. 17:34
1) God uses adversity to build our character.
2) David went after predators (bears) while shepherding.
a> David is quite the guy.
b> I would say, "Take the sheep and leave me alone!"
Celeste and I in Glacier National Park, encounter
bear on trail.
She thinks I would have sacrificed her for my
own skin. But it's not true.
4. Do your giant-killing in the way God has called you to do it.
A) Saul's armor didn't work. 17:38
B) Don't follow someone else's formula for fighting giants.
C) Learn from others but don't duplicate them.
5. Giant-killing requires a plan. 17:40
A) Five stones. (one for giant, four for his brothers?)
B) David had a plan of action.
1) Stone about size of baseball, goes 100+ miles per hour.
2) Goliath didn't have a chance.
a> (Arab salesmen in Bethlehem, show slingshot.)
C) Don't just wish for things to happen - make them happen.
6. Giant-killing is often a lonely business, but we are not alone.
A) All of our struggles seem unique to us. Prov 14:10
1) Hard for us to empathize with others.
a> "Just stop doing it!" we say.
2) But our own giants seem insurmountable.
B) Remember that we're not standing alone.
1) David put it in perspective: "Who is this uncircumcised
heathen that he defies the Lord?" 17:26
2) Always be centered on God first.
3) It is a tragedy that after listening to our complaints
and fears, many would never guess we believe in a
LIVING God.
C) Be strong and courageous.
1) We need a plan, and a GOD.
a> "I come against you in the name of the Lord." 17:45
b> One person, with God, is a majority.
2) Face your giant with courage.
Tim Bowden, wrote a book called "One Crowded Hour"
about the life of cameraman Neil Davis.
In it he tells about an incident that happened in Borneo
during the confrontation between Malaysia and
Indonesia in 1964.
A group of Gurkhas from Nepal were asked if they would
be willing to jump from transport planes into combat
against the Indonesians if the need arose.
The Gurkhas had the right to turn down the request
because they had never been trained to do this.
Bowden quotes Davis's account of the story:
"Now the Gurkhas usually agreed to anything, but on this
occasion they temporarily rejected the plan.
But the next day one of their NCO'S sought out the
British officer who had made the request.
He told the Brit they had discussed the matter further
and would be prepared to jump under certain conditions.
"What are they?" asked the British officer.
The Gurkhas told him they would jump if the land was
marshy or reasonably soft with no rocky outcrops,
because they were inexperienced in falling.
The British officer considered this, and said that the
drop zone would almost certainly be over jungle.
There would not be rocky outcrop, so that seemed all
right.
Was there anything else?
"Yes," said the Gurkhas.
They wanted the plane to fly as slowly as possible and
no more than one hundred feet high.
The British officer pointed out the planes always did
fly as slowly as possible when dropping troops, but
to jump from one hundred feet was impossible -
The parachutes would not open in time from that height.
"Oh, said the Gurkhas, "that's all right, then.
We'll jump with parachutes anywhere.
You didn't mention parachutes before!"
That's courage!
With that kind of attitude, you can conquer any obstacle.
#1752
7. Giant-killing results in encouragement. 17:52
A) You will encourage others to kill theirs as well.
1) David cuts Goliath's head off.
a> Philistines surrender? No, they fight. All bets off.
b> But the Israelites surge forward with courage.
2) David's courage was contagious, and so will ours be.
B) You will encourage YOURSELF for future contests with giants.
1) Remember your giant-killings.
a> Weapons kept as a trophy in David's tent.
b> A reminder of when God came through for him.
2) Remind yourselves of times God has been faithful.
a> A pastor's wife keeps a file of encouraging notes,
to be re-read during discouraging times.
V. Deal with the question, "The giant in my life right now is..."
1. Identify the giant.
2. Confront it in name of the Lord Almighty.
===================================================================
Sermon by Rev. Glenn Gunderson, First Baptist Church, Pomona, Calif.
(Based on series by Charles Swindoll.
===================================================================
I. "What is the biggest giant in your life right now?"
1. Fill in blank on study outline.
2. It may be a problem or a person.
A) Finances, work, relationship.
B) May not be a bad thing, it's just not a good thing.
C) Some giants sit on your back, but others stand in the
way of something good - they are a barrier.
D) Have a concrete giant in view during the sermon.
II. One of most familiar Bible stories. 1 Samuel 17 (read)
1. A big valley separates the hills - one mile across.
2. Goliath was a giant physically, but also technologically since
the Philistines had a monopoly in iron.
A) Similar to a modern aircraft carrier going back to Pearl
Harbor. (TV movie - "The Final Countdown", premise
concerns USS Nimitz being transported back to 1941. Do
they use their firepower to change history?)
3. Champions often decided battles.
4. Three benefits promised by Saul:
A) Great wealth.
B) Daughter's hand in marriage.
Joke about Texan who was so rich everyone in area wanted
to marry his daughter. He invited all the young men over
for a party. When they got there, they found he had
stocked his swimming pool with 30 alligators. He lined
them all up on one side and announced, "Whoever can swim
across this alligator-infested swimming pool can have my
daughter's hand in marriage." They all stood there looking
at each other, none of them about to do that. All of a
sudden there was a big splash as one of them jumped in the
water and began swimming furiously. The alligators converged
on him and snapping at him, and as he pulled himself out of
the other end one just missed locking on his leg. He rolls
on the side of the swimming pool gasping for breath. The
big Texan goes over and says, "Congratulations, son, you get
my daughter's hand in marriage." "I couldn't care less about
your daughter, I just want to get my hands on the guy that
pushed me in the water."
#2936
C) Exemption from taxes promised for his father.
5. Older brother syndrome.
A) (How many have older brothers? -hands raise)
B) David is criticized.
1) "Now what have I done?"
C) David meanders around with same discussion.
III. Ten principles in this story.
1. #3 Save your energy for fighting giants and not fellow soldiers.
A) Christians need to learn this, since giants are all around
(unsaved are dying) but we choose to focus on picayune things.
B) (Sparrows fighting on highway in front of Glenn. Whatever
they were fighting over wasn't worth getting smooshed.)
2. #1 Giants are often not as big as you think. 17:32-33
A) Giants in our life get bigger over time.
B) Joshua and twelve spies is a parallel.
1) The land is great, but there are giants in the land and
WE WERE GRASSHOPPERS IN COMPARISON.
C) Put giants in proper perspective. Luke 12
1) Finances can be painful.
2) Cancer.
3) "Remember that all they can do is take your physical life.
Save your fear for the one who can cast you into hell."
Hell is forever."
3. #2 The best preparation for giant killing is doing what you're
currently do well.
4. #4 The best preparation for giant killing is often done in
private.
A) David went after predators (bears) while shepherding.
1) David is quite the guy.
2) I would say, "Take the sheep and leave me alone!"
B) (Bear stories. Friend fights bear for backpack, wins.
Glenn and friend end up followed by a bear. Glenn did a
terrible thing. You should never give them food because
that means they'll just hassle the next hiker, but Glenn
didn't care about the next hiker, just his own skin. He
dropped a box of cracker jacks. Later found the box,
dripping with bear saliva. He sucked out the popcorn and
spit the toy back inside.)
C) Bible principle - If we are faithful in little, God will
make us faithful in much.
1) God builds character best in adversity.
2) Bored in life? David was bored with shepherding.
a> Tough it out, and God will give you bigger challenges.
b> Deal with bear and lion, and later you will deal
with giants.
5. Do your giant-killing in the way God has called you to do it.
A) Saul's armor didn't work.
B) Don't follow someone else's formula for fighting giants.
C) Learn from others but don't duplicate them.
6. Giant-killing requires a plan.
A) Five stones. (one for giant, four for his brothers?)
B) David had a plan of action.
1) Stone about size of baseball, goes 100+ miles per hour.
7. Giant-killing is often a lonely business.
A) All of our struggles are unique to us. Prov 14:10
1) Hard for us to empathize with others.
2) "Just stop doing it!" we say.
B) It's lonely to face your giant.
1) "Who is this uncircumcised heathen?"
2) David put it in perspective.
8. It's lonely fighting your giant, but you won't be standing alone.
A) We need a plan, and a GOD.
B) "I come against you in the name of the Lord."
9. Killing your giant now will encourage others to kill theirs as
well.
A) David cuts Goliath's head off.
1) Philistines surrender? No, they fight. All bets off.
2) Israelites surge forward with courage.
B) David's courage was contagious, and so will ours be.
10. Remember your giant-killings.
A) Weapons kept as a trophy in David's tent.
1) A reminder of when God came through for him.
B) Remind yourselves of times God has been faithful.
1) Kimberly keeps a file of encouraging notes, to be
re-read during discouraging times.
IV. Deal with question, "The giant in my life right now is..."
1. Identify giant.
2. Address it in name of the Lord Almighty.
