1 00:00:00,240 --> 00:00:01,840 Go to 1 Samuel, chapter 17. 2 00:00:02,000 --> 00:00:05,520 We've been in 1st Samuel for quite some time now and we've been 3 00:00:05,520 --> 00:00:09,760 walking verse by verse through this wonderful book of the Bible 4 00:00:09,760 --> 00:00:15,240 that reminds us of God's provision and his power through various 5 00:00:15,240 --> 00:00:16,320 individuals lives. 6 00:00:16,800 --> 00:00:19,800 We looked at Samuel obviously at the very beginning of 1st Samuel 7 00:00:19,800 --> 00:00:24,000 and seeing how he is ordained by God to be in the ministry, to 8 00:00:24,480 --> 00:00:28,360 be a minister in the, in the temple there, and then also further 9 00:00:28,360 --> 00:00:31,340 on ministering to the leader named Saul. 10 00:00:31,340 --> 00:00:34,260 And we even saw Saul at the very beginning as he was anointed 11 00:00:34,260 --> 00:00:36,540 of God, was greatly blessed by God. 12 00:00:36,540 --> 00:00:39,660 And I think the, the thing that we can think about with Saul 13 00:00:39,660 --> 00:00:40,860 is just great potential. 14 00:00:41,340 --> 00:00:45,820 Saul had so much potential, but because of his selfishness, because 15 00:00:45,899 --> 00:00:50,060 of his pride, and because of his turning away from the Lord, he 16 00:00:50,060 --> 00:00:53,860 found himself not in God's power and provision, but ultimately 17 00:00:53,860 --> 00:00:55,420 found himself in God's judgment. 18 00:00:56,020 --> 00:00:57,580 And then we saw David come onto the scene. 19 00:00:57,580 --> 00:00:59,300 And we all know the story of David. 20 00:00:59,300 --> 00:01:03,500 We understand that David was a man after God's own heart and God 21 00:01:03,500 --> 00:01:08,020 selected him to be the next king, but he also prepared him obviously 22 00:01:08,020 --> 00:01:10,180 way before he took the throne. 23 00:01:10,180 --> 00:01:14,820 And we saw that in 1st Samuel chapter 17 when it dealt with David 24 00:01:14,820 --> 00:01:15,860 coming against Goliath. 25 00:01:15,860 --> 00:01:19,140 So that's where we're going to conclude here today in First Samuel 26 00:01:19,140 --> 00:01:19,780 chapter 17. 27 00:01:20,180 --> 00:01:22,420 And we're going to start in verse number 50. 28 00:01:22,500 --> 00:01:26,630 Last week we left off at the very end of the battle and the, the 29 00:01:26,630 --> 00:01:29,230 standoff between the giant and David. 30 00:01:29,230 --> 00:01:32,950 And obviously on paper Goliath should have won. 31 00:01:33,270 --> 00:01:38,910 Obviously we know that he was much taller, much stronger, had more 32 00:01:38,910 --> 00:01:39,270 experience. 33 00:01:39,910 --> 00:01:43,070 But the thing that was different was that he was in rebellion 34 00:01:43,070 --> 00:01:43,510 to God. 35 00:01:43,510 --> 00:01:48,070 And then David on the other side was smaller, younger, weaker, 36 00:01:48,150 --> 00:01:50,150 but yet he had God on his side. 37 00:01:50,150 --> 00:01:55,150 And so we looked at 1st Samuel chapter 17 a few weeks ago and we 38 00:01:55,150 --> 00:01:57,350 said let's think about not just thinking about David. 39 00:01:57,650 --> 00:02:00,730 This even though David is the centerpiece to the story, ultimately 40 00:02:00,730 --> 00:02:02,930 one might argue that God is the centerpiece of the story. 41 00:02:03,570 --> 00:02:06,130 But when we were looking at the humans here, we see David and 42 00:02:06,130 --> 00:02:08,370 we often think about David in this narrative. 43 00:02:08,370 --> 00:02:11,370 But I also want us to think about two other individuals in this 44 00:02:11,370 --> 00:02:16,290 story because I think that so often we can skip over a lesson in 45 00:02:16,290 --> 00:02:17,570 those stories as well. 46 00:02:17,570 --> 00:02:21,410 And so think about Saul, think about Saul as he comes to this battle 47 00:02:21,410 --> 00:02:24,700 in the valley of Ewa and he stands against Goliath because he 48 00:02:24,700 --> 00:02:26,460 heard the same things that David heard. 49 00:02:26,620 --> 00:02:30,540 Think about when Goliath got out into the valley and he starts 50 00:02:30,780 --> 00:02:33,660 saying all These things against the God of Israel, basically 51 00:02:33,660 --> 00:02:35,180 mocking the God of Israel. 52 00:02:35,340 --> 00:02:38,540 And then he comes and says, hey, anyone want to stand up against 53 00:02:38,700 --> 00:02:40,140 me and the power of God? 54 00:02:40,300 --> 00:02:41,660 And no one did. 55 00:02:41,660 --> 00:02:45,060 And think about who the natural person was that should have 56 00:02:45,060 --> 00:02:45,380 stood up. 57 00:02:45,380 --> 00:02:46,300 It should have been Saul. 58 00:02:46,620 --> 00:02:47,820 Saul was the king. 59 00:02:47,820 --> 00:02:51,250 First of all, he was the selected leader to stand up against 60 00:02:51,250 --> 00:02:52,010 the enemy. 61 00:02:52,090 --> 00:02:52,450 But. 62 00:02:52,450 --> 00:02:55,330 But two, we know that Saul was a man that was head and shoulders 63 00:02:55,330 --> 00:02:56,250 above everybody else. 64 00:02:56,250 --> 00:02:59,130 So even physically, Saul was the man for the job. 65 00:02:59,530 --> 00:03:05,690 But because of Saul's lack of faith and in turn, his fear, he cowered 66 00:03:05,690 --> 00:03:08,810 away from the opportunity to see God work through him. 67 00:03:09,050 --> 00:03:09,530 And we. 68 00:03:09,530 --> 00:03:13,370 And we talked about the contrast between faith and fear. 69 00:03:13,770 --> 00:03:16,650 And I think all of us have to come to grips with that decision 70 00:03:16,810 --> 00:03:20,430 when we come to a difficulty in our life, maybe we could even 71 00:03:20,430 --> 00:03:21,910 call it a giant in our life. 72 00:03:22,310 --> 00:03:25,070 And if we're honest with each other here tonight, and I hope that 73 00:03:25,070 --> 00:03:28,550 we are, all of us come to certain situations in our life that 74 00:03:28,550 --> 00:03:30,390 can be like a giant to us. 75 00:03:30,790 --> 00:03:34,470 Maybe it's a physical situation that we're going through, 76 00:03:34,470 --> 00:03:38,110 maybe it's an emotional situation, maybe it's a spiritual 77 00:03:38,110 --> 00:03:42,710 situation, but nonetheless, we come to a situation or a circumstance 78 00:03:42,710 --> 00:03:44,470 that causes us to fear. 79 00:03:44,470 --> 00:03:48,830 Anxiety could be many different emotions that we're experiencing. 80 00:03:48,830 --> 00:03:51,830 But when we come to the situation, we can either face it 81 00:03:51,830 --> 00:03:54,710 in fear or we can face it in faith. 82 00:03:54,710 --> 00:03:56,910 And so Saul faced it in fear. 83 00:03:56,910 --> 00:04:00,350 If you go back and look just in this chapter, there was multiple 84 00:04:00,350 --> 00:04:05,070 occasions in which Saul had an opportunity to stand up, but it says 85 00:04:05,070 --> 00:04:05,910 that he was in fear. 86 00:04:05,910 --> 00:04:08,230 And then his leadership rubbed off on other people. 87 00:04:08,710 --> 00:04:14,130 So Saul's fear led to everybody on the battlefield in fear. 88 00:04:14,130 --> 00:04:14,370 Right. 89 00:04:14,370 --> 00:04:16,770 And that's really what it looks like in our own life. 90 00:04:16,770 --> 00:04:18,930 All of us are called to some level of leadership. 91 00:04:19,490 --> 00:04:24,050 And the Bible says that as we walk in fear, so we then are going 92 00:04:24,050 --> 00:04:25,250 to lead others to fear. 93 00:04:25,250 --> 00:04:28,530 And so David on the other side says, no, I'm going to have faith. 94 00:04:28,530 --> 00:04:30,530 And so he trusts in the Lord. 95 00:04:30,690 --> 00:04:33,770 He trusts not in his own strength, but he trusts in what God 96 00:04:33,770 --> 00:04:34,530 had done before. 97 00:04:34,850 --> 00:04:35,770 So he called back. 98 00:04:35,770 --> 00:04:39,230 Remember, he called back to the lion, he called back to the bear, 99 00:04:39,230 --> 00:04:42,270 and he called back to the power that God had through him. 100 00:04:42,510 --> 00:04:47,710 And that's who he utilized for his victory against the enemy. 101 00:04:47,710 --> 00:04:49,390 So let's look at verse number 50 here. 102 00:04:49,870 --> 00:04:52,270 This is the conclusion to the chapter. 103 00:04:52,270 --> 00:04:55,110 And there's one other person I want us to look at, but I want us 104 00:04:55,110 --> 00:04:58,550 to kind of see that after we read these Next few verses, verse 105 00:04:58,550 --> 00:05:01,990 50 says, so David prevailed over the Philistine with a sling 106 00:05:01,990 --> 00:05:05,410 and a stone and smote the Philistine and slew him. 107 00:05:05,730 --> 00:05:07,890 But there was no sword in the hand of David. 108 00:05:08,290 --> 00:05:12,330 Therefore David ran and stood upon the Philistine and took his 109 00:05:12,330 --> 00:05:16,770 sword and drew it out of the sheath thereof and slew him and cut 110 00:05:16,770 --> 00:05:18,130 off his head therewith. 111 00:05:18,530 --> 00:05:21,850 And when the Philistines saw their champion was dead, they fled. 112 00:05:21,850 --> 00:05:23,090 Now let's stop right there. 113 00:05:23,570 --> 00:05:26,210 I know that this can be somewhat graphic, but we need to 114 00:05:26,210 --> 00:05:28,690 understand why this is here and what this is teaching us. 115 00:05:29,130 --> 00:05:32,970 And so David is going to make certain that his enemy is dead. 116 00:05:33,610 --> 00:05:36,450 He doesn't just leave it to the stone that hits him on the head. 117 00:05:36,450 --> 00:05:40,610 No, he takes a step further and he eliminates the threat of Goliath 118 00:05:40,610 --> 00:05:42,610 by removing his head with his own sword. 119 00:05:42,610 --> 00:05:44,809 Now you would say, why do we have to emphasize that? 120 00:05:44,809 --> 00:05:47,170 Well, I do believe that that's here for a reason. 121 00:05:47,170 --> 00:05:51,130 And what that means for us is that we can't mess around, we can't 122 00:05:51,130 --> 00:05:52,850 compromise with sin in our life. 123 00:05:52,850 --> 00:05:54,370 We might think that, hey, you know what? 124 00:05:54,370 --> 00:05:58,670 I fought off that, that temptation today, but we can leave 125 00:05:58,670 --> 00:06:00,070 ground for it to come tomorrow. 126 00:06:00,070 --> 00:06:03,030 What he does here is he wipes out his enemy. 127 00:06:03,670 --> 00:06:04,830 We have to wipe it out. 128 00:06:04,830 --> 00:06:05,630 We have to cut it out. 129 00:06:05,630 --> 00:06:08,590 The Bible actually speaks of those things in the New Testament 130 00:06:08,590 --> 00:06:11,870 that, that sin and these things can be like a canker or a 131 00:06:11,870 --> 00:06:13,670 sickness and we have to cut it out. 132 00:06:13,670 --> 00:06:18,350 And so David uses Goliath's own sword to remove him and to say, 133 00:06:18,350 --> 00:06:18,750 you know what? 134 00:06:18,750 --> 00:06:20,590 This is a final judgment. 135 00:06:20,590 --> 00:06:25,300 This is a final, final wiping away of this naysayer of God. 136 00:06:25,300 --> 00:06:28,300 And so, yes, there was three people that I really want us to think 137 00:06:28,300 --> 00:06:28,500 about. 138 00:06:28,500 --> 00:06:31,460 There was David, there is Saul, and then there's Goliath. 139 00:06:32,020 --> 00:06:33,140 What does Goliath represent? 140 00:06:33,220 --> 00:06:37,140 Well, some people might say that Goliath represents a sin or 141 00:06:37,380 --> 00:06:38,500 a fear in our life. 142 00:06:38,500 --> 00:06:41,580 And certainly he could represent that, but he also represents 143 00:06:41,580 --> 00:06:43,140 those that are in rebellion to God. 144 00:06:43,140 --> 00:06:45,580 If you go back, think about what Goliath was saying. 145 00:06:45,580 --> 00:06:47,860 Goliath was saying, who could judge me? 146 00:06:48,140 --> 00:06:49,420 Who could fight against me? 147 00:06:49,980 --> 00:06:52,700 Not even this God that you claim to be all powerful. 148 00:06:52,700 --> 00:06:53,900 He can't even stop me. 149 00:06:54,540 --> 00:06:58,460 And so what Goliath was showing was he was showing the opposite 150 00:06:58,460 --> 00:06:59,100 side of faith. 151 00:06:59,100 --> 00:07:02,340 He was showing the opposite side of submission and humility to 152 00:07:02,340 --> 00:07:02,700 God. 153 00:07:02,700 --> 00:07:06,140 He was showing a sense of pride and self exaltation. 154 00:07:06,380 --> 00:07:10,540 And we would even maybe argue that he was talking about false gods 155 00:07:10,540 --> 00:07:11,580 and idolatry. 156 00:07:11,580 --> 00:07:15,500 But nonetheless, we see the outcome of the one who rejects God, 157 00:07:15,800 --> 00:07:19,200 the outcome of the one who is in rebellion to him, and ultimately 158 00:07:19,200 --> 00:07:19,880 it's defeat. 159 00:07:20,360 --> 00:07:22,800 And we can transfer that over to the New Testament. 160 00:07:22,800 --> 00:07:25,680 And we know that the promise of God is that one day he is going 161 00:07:25,680 --> 00:07:26,640 to make all things right. 162 00:07:26,640 --> 00:07:30,720 He is going to have every single person to kneel down before 163 00:07:30,720 --> 00:07:31,080 him. 164 00:07:31,160 --> 00:07:34,040 Philippians chapter two says that every knee shall bow and every 165 00:07:34,040 --> 00:07:36,720 tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord. 166 00:07:36,720 --> 00:07:41,480 Now, those that are in faith, those like David, and those that 167 00:07:41,720 --> 00:07:44,600 are here tonight that might trust in Jesus Christ as Savior, 168 00:07:44,990 --> 00:07:48,430 one day we will be crying out to the Lord in faith and experiencing 169 00:07:48,430 --> 00:07:51,870 the blessing of knowing that he is our God and He is our conqueror 170 00:07:52,030 --> 00:07:53,710 and he is our Redeemer. 171 00:07:53,870 --> 00:07:57,110 But then those that are in rebellion will still cry out, knowing 172 00:07:57,110 --> 00:07:58,590 that God is who he says he is. 173 00:07:58,670 --> 00:08:01,229 But it will be in judgment, it will be in separation. 174 00:08:01,470 --> 00:08:04,110 And ultimately we know that it'll be an eternal death. 175 00:08:04,110 --> 00:08:08,270 And so Goliath is a picture of those that are judged in their sin. 176 00:08:08,270 --> 00:08:12,790 And so David is the vessel in which God uses to bring about that 177 00:08:12,790 --> 00:08:17,460 judgment upon the Philistines, and particularly with Goliath. 178 00:08:17,460 --> 00:08:22,740 So at the end of verse 51, we see what the Philistines see. 179 00:08:22,740 --> 00:08:24,020 Their champion was dead. 180 00:08:24,020 --> 00:08:24,620 And what do they do? 181 00:08:24,620 --> 00:08:25,220 They flee. 182 00:08:25,620 --> 00:08:26,700 And so the. 183 00:08:26,700 --> 00:08:31,900 The faith that David displays shows number one, the strength of 184 00:08:31,900 --> 00:08:35,380 God, but then number two, the inadequacy of the God of the Philistines. 185 00:08:35,700 --> 00:08:37,860 And they were looking to Goliath as the. 186 00:08:38,020 --> 00:08:39,660 The figurehead of their God. 187 00:08:39,660 --> 00:08:43,110 And when he falls, they run because they realize that the God 188 00:08:43,110 --> 00:08:46,190 of Israel is more powerful than anything that they have ever 189 00:08:46,190 --> 00:08:46,470 seen. 190 00:08:46,470 --> 00:08:49,870 And so we see that the Philistines see their champion fall 191 00:08:50,350 --> 00:08:51,310 and they run. 192 00:08:51,790 --> 00:08:56,430 And obviously they understand that David's victory was God's victory. 193 00:08:56,430 --> 00:09:01,390 So David's example gave them fear of their rebellion. 194 00:09:01,550 --> 00:09:04,470 But then look at verse number 52, because now we see another side 195 00:09:04,470 --> 00:09:05,070 of the coin. 196 00:09:05,310 --> 00:09:08,190 These Philistines are running because they're on the other side. 197 00:09:08,610 --> 00:09:10,170 But what happens in verse 52? 198 00:09:10,170 --> 00:09:15,450 And the men of Israel and of Judah arose and shouted and pursued 199 00:09:15,450 --> 00:09:19,170 the Philistines until thou come unto the valley into the gates 200 00:09:19,170 --> 00:09:19,850 of Ekron. 201 00:09:19,850 --> 00:09:22,290 And the wounded of the Philistines fell down by the way, 202 00:09:22,370 --> 00:09:23,010 to sh. 203 00:09:23,650 --> 00:09:25,610 Even unto Gath and unto Ekron. 204 00:09:25,610 --> 00:09:28,370 And the children of Israel returned from chasing after the Philistines, 205 00:09:28,450 --> 00:09:29,730 and they spoiled their tents. 206 00:09:29,730 --> 00:09:34,050 And so we see on the other side, the people of Israel see David's 207 00:09:34,050 --> 00:09:36,850 faith in the Lord and see the power of God working through him. 208 00:09:36,850 --> 00:09:40,510 And that empowers them, that encourages them, that strengthens 209 00:09:40,510 --> 00:09:42,830 them to a place where they say, you know, we can do this. 210 00:09:43,070 --> 00:09:46,910 And so this is a lesson for us that when we live in faith publicly, 211 00:09:47,070 --> 00:09:49,790 other people will be encouraged and strengthened in their 212 00:09:49,790 --> 00:09:50,190 faith. 213 00:09:51,070 --> 00:09:55,190 And so David is going to be the example of trusting in the Lord. 214 00:09:55,190 --> 00:09:58,590 So David's example gave them courage and faith in the Lord. 215 00:09:59,390 --> 00:10:02,830 I think about this, and I quoted this verse last week, but 216 00:10:02,830 --> 00:10:05,930 I think it's important for us to note again, even though I don't 217 00:10:05,930 --> 00:10:08,610 think David ever read First Timothy 4:12 because it hadn't been 218 00:10:08,610 --> 00:10:10,650 written yet, but the same principle is there. 219 00:10:10,650 --> 00:10:11,690 First Timothy 4:12. 220 00:10:11,690 --> 00:10:15,570 Let no man despise thy youth, but be thou an example of the believers 221 00:10:15,570 --> 00:10:19,490 in word and conversation and charity and in spirit, in faith and 222 00:10:19,490 --> 00:10:20,250 in purity. 223 00:10:20,730 --> 00:10:23,050 Now, that's the theme verse for our team group. 224 00:10:23,290 --> 00:10:25,770 But it's important to note that even a young person, even a 225 00:10:25,770 --> 00:10:30,050 person who has inexperienced Christian walk, can be an example 226 00:10:30,050 --> 00:10:32,010 to those around them by the way that they live. 227 00:10:32,010 --> 00:10:36,100 And David was example to everybody around him, and they saw 228 00:10:36,100 --> 00:10:37,980 the power of God working through him. 229 00:10:38,300 --> 00:10:41,180 And I hope that you have a desire in your life to have the power 230 00:10:41,180 --> 00:10:44,700 of God working through you so that others can see that testimony 231 00:10:44,700 --> 00:10:48,180 and that public display of God's provision and protection and 232 00:10:48,180 --> 00:10:48,460 power. 233 00:10:48,540 --> 00:10:49,700 So verse 54. 234 00:10:49,700 --> 00:10:53,420 And David took the head of the Philistine and brought it to Jerusalem, 235 00:10:53,580 --> 00:10:55,900 but he put his armor in his tent. 236 00:10:55,900 --> 00:10:58,740 And so this is the conclusion of the battle. 237 00:10:58,740 --> 00:11:01,740 And now Saul is going to it. 238 00:11:01,740 --> 00:11:05,100 It says here basically that Saul is going to ask some questions 239 00:11:05,100 --> 00:11:05,740 about David. 240 00:11:05,740 --> 00:11:09,900 And these could be somewhat confusing for us because in our minds, 241 00:11:09,980 --> 00:11:11,860 Saul already knows David, right? 242 00:11:11,860 --> 00:11:16,020 David has been in the king's court, and we know that he's been 243 00:11:16,020 --> 00:11:18,300 playing music for the king in this time. 244 00:11:18,300 --> 00:11:21,420 And so you could read this passage of Scripture and be somewhat 245 00:11:21,420 --> 00:11:25,220 confused if you don't really understand the context to this. 246 00:11:25,220 --> 00:11:27,880 And there's actually two different ways to view these next 247 00:11:27,880 --> 00:11:28,560 few verses. 248 00:11:28,560 --> 00:11:28,800 And. 249 00:11:28,800 --> 00:11:30,640 And I'll pose both of those to you. 250 00:11:30,880 --> 00:11:32,840 But it says in verse 55, and when Saul. 251 00:11:32,840 --> 00:11:36,680 Saul saw David go forth against the Philistine, he sent unto 252 00:11:36,680 --> 00:11:41,360 Abner, the captain of the host, Abner, whose son is this youth. 253 00:11:41,760 --> 00:11:45,040 And Abner said, as thy soul liveth, O king, I cannot tell. 254 00:11:45,600 --> 00:11:48,880 And the king said, inquire thou whose son this stripling is. 255 00:11:49,520 --> 00:11:53,000 And as David returned from the slaughter of the Philistine, Abner 256 00:11:53,000 --> 00:11:55,800 took him and brought him before Saul with the head of the 257 00:11:55,800 --> 00:11:56,960 Philistine in his hand. 258 00:11:56,980 --> 00:11:57,140 And. 259 00:11:57,290 --> 00:12:01,290 And Saul said unto him, whose son art thou, thou young man? 260 00:12:01,450 --> 00:12:05,370 And David answered, I am the son of thy servant Jesse, the Bethlehemite. 261 00:12:06,010 --> 00:12:09,290 So some people read that passage and say, well, there's a 262 00:12:09,290 --> 00:12:12,090 contradiction in Scripture because Saul knows who David is. 263 00:12:12,090 --> 00:12:14,090 Why is he asking about David's lineage? 264 00:12:14,090 --> 00:12:17,610 Well, it could be very reasonable that he knows who David 265 00:12:17,610 --> 00:12:20,610 is, but he doesn't know David's father and David's lineage 266 00:12:20,610 --> 00:12:21,290 and David's. 267 00:12:21,370 --> 00:12:23,610 And that was a very important for them to know who the father was 268 00:12:23,610 --> 00:12:25,050 and to what line they came from. 269 00:12:25,570 --> 00:12:29,970 So this could be simply Saul saying, david, I know you, but who 270 00:12:29,970 --> 00:12:30,770 do you come from? 271 00:12:30,930 --> 00:12:33,330 And that's actually another important question because if you 272 00:12:33,330 --> 00:12:38,250 remember what was promised to David in his victory, it was promised 273 00:12:38,250 --> 00:12:38,770 that he would. 274 00:12:38,770 --> 00:12:42,450 Saul would give David his daughter to Mary. 275 00:12:42,530 --> 00:12:45,210 So he kind of needs to know who the new family line is going 276 00:12:45,210 --> 00:12:45,570 to be. 277 00:12:45,650 --> 00:12:48,610 And also there were some benefits with taxation and things 278 00:12:48,610 --> 00:12:50,610 of those, of those areas. 279 00:12:50,610 --> 00:12:54,890 And so he's going to basically just inquire about David's family 280 00:12:54,890 --> 00:12:55,450 line here. 281 00:12:55,450 --> 00:12:57,090 And so that could be one angle. 282 00:12:57,090 --> 00:13:00,530 And I think probably the angle in which we could look at that passage 283 00:13:00,530 --> 00:13:04,210 of Scripture and understand it, the other side of it is that 284 00:13:04,210 --> 00:13:08,090 some people thought that maybe David had been in Saul's court, but 285 00:13:08,090 --> 00:13:11,890 when he had played music for Saul, he was like behind a curtain. 286 00:13:11,890 --> 00:13:15,090 And so maybe Saul had never met David face to face. 287 00:13:15,090 --> 00:13:17,530 He had only heard about him and heard his music. 288 00:13:17,990 --> 00:13:19,070 We don't know that for sure. 289 00:13:19,070 --> 00:13:22,750 So I think that either way you look at it, Saul is asking what David's 290 00:13:22,750 --> 00:13:23,990 lineage is, who he's from. 291 00:13:23,990 --> 00:13:28,150 And obviously David says, I am the son of thy servant Jesse from 292 00:13:28,150 --> 00:13:28,710 Bethlehem. 293 00:13:28,710 --> 00:13:31,190 And so we all understand the connection there. 294 00:13:31,190 --> 00:13:34,510 We understand David's lineage and we understand the implication 295 00:13:34,510 --> 00:13:35,910 of that and the importance of that. 296 00:13:36,470 --> 00:13:39,110 But this doesn't mean that Saul didn't recognize David. 297 00:13:39,110 --> 00:13:42,350 It just simply means that he's asking about David's family background. 298 00:13:42,350 --> 00:13:45,980 And so Saul promised his daughter to the man who killed Goliath. 299 00:13:45,980 --> 00:13:49,220 And so now David is going to reap the benefits of that. 300 00:13:49,300 --> 00:13:53,220 And we're going to study that more in First Samuel, chapter 18. 301 00:13:53,300 --> 00:13:59,380 And so David comes back, he's won this great victory, but we know 302 00:13:59,380 --> 00:14:02,780 that this victory would not be found outside of his relationship 303 00:14:02,780 --> 00:14:03,180 with God. 304 00:14:03,180 --> 00:14:06,140 And I think that's how we have to understand every victory that 305 00:14:06,140 --> 00:14:07,140 we have in our life. 306 00:14:07,460 --> 00:14:10,420 And I think that we could study 1st Samuel 17 in many different 307 00:14:10,420 --> 00:14:10,740 ways. 308 00:14:10,740 --> 00:14:14,040 But I want to think about it from the idea of the theology of 309 00:14:14,040 --> 00:14:15,280 victory, you say. 310 00:14:15,280 --> 00:14:15,880 What do you mean by that? 311 00:14:15,880 --> 00:14:17,080 The theology of victory. 312 00:14:17,080 --> 00:14:20,520 Well, how we should think about our victory in the scope of 313 00:14:20,600 --> 00:14:22,360 who God is and what he has done. 314 00:14:22,760 --> 00:14:24,640 We're going to have a lot of victories in our life, and those 315 00:14:24,640 --> 00:14:25,800 are times to celebrate. 316 00:14:25,960 --> 00:14:29,320 I think we can go to a lot of passages of scripture that speak 317 00:14:29,320 --> 00:14:31,200 to the victory that we have in the Lord. 318 00:14:31,200 --> 00:14:34,400 But I think the greatest passage of Scripture, and this is 319 00:14:34,400 --> 00:14:36,200 just my opinion, is Romans chapter 8. 320 00:14:36,200 --> 00:14:38,560 And so if you would like to turn there with me, I would encourage 321 00:14:38,560 --> 00:14:40,360 you to turn there with me to Romans chapter 8. 322 00:14:40,360 --> 00:14:45,610 We see that we are told about this wonderful victory that we have 323 00:14:46,170 --> 00:14:48,650 in being in the family of God. 324 00:14:49,210 --> 00:14:52,490 Now it's going to say something here that I think is so 325 00:14:52,490 --> 00:14:53,090 encouraging. 326 00:14:53,090 --> 00:14:55,570 And it starts with Romans chapter 8, verse 1. 327 00:14:55,570 --> 00:14:58,850 That tells us that there's no more condemnation to those that are 328 00:14:58,850 --> 00:14:59,650 in Christ Jesus. 329 00:14:59,650 --> 00:15:02,650 Now, right there, that is victory. 330 00:15:02,890 --> 00:15:05,090 I don't know about you, but there is victory in Jesus. 331 00:15:05,090 --> 00:15:09,130 And the fact to know that even though we are not perfect, we have 332 00:15:09,130 --> 00:15:14,660 no more condemnation because we are in Christ Jesus, that that's. 333 00:15:14,660 --> 00:15:15,260 That's enough. 334 00:15:15,260 --> 00:15:18,780 I could stop there and say, that's the victory, but God says 335 00:15:18,780 --> 00:15:19,580 that there's more. 336 00:15:19,980 --> 00:15:22,220 And we could break down all of Romans chapter 8. 337 00:15:22,220 --> 00:15:23,540 We don't have the time to do that. 338 00:15:23,540 --> 00:15:26,660 But what I would like to tell you here this evening is that there's 339 00:15:26,660 --> 00:15:28,580 another victory that we see later on. 340 00:15:28,580 --> 00:15:33,220 In Romans chapter 8, it says in verse number 9, but ye are not 341 00:15:33,220 --> 00:15:35,020 in the flesh, but in the Spirit. 342 00:15:35,420 --> 00:15:37,980 If so, be that, the Spirit of God dwell in you. 343 00:15:38,390 --> 00:15:41,110 Now, if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his. 344 00:15:41,670 --> 00:15:43,070 And so what is that telling us? 345 00:15:43,070 --> 00:15:43,750 It tells us this. 346 00:15:43,750 --> 00:15:47,950 Another victory that we have in the Lord is the fact that we don't 347 00:15:47,950 --> 00:15:51,630 have to live in our flesh anymore, but now we get to live guided 348 00:15:51,630 --> 00:15:52,630 by the Spirit. 349 00:15:53,510 --> 00:15:56,310 That might not sound immediately like a victory, but the 350 00:15:56,310 --> 00:15:59,670 victory is already won in the fact that when we decide to yield 351 00:15:59,990 --> 00:16:04,070 our lives over to the Spirit, we know that God is guiding and directing 352 00:16:04,380 --> 00:16:07,100 and he's the one who is giving us the steps. 353 00:16:07,100 --> 00:16:10,060 But yet we turn back to the flesh as believers. 354 00:16:10,060 --> 00:16:12,820 Even though the Bible says that we're no longer bound by the 355 00:16:12,820 --> 00:16:14,260 flesh, sometimes we turn back. 356 00:16:14,260 --> 00:16:17,100 And there's that battle that Paul describes in Romans chapter 357 00:16:17,100 --> 00:16:17,420 seven. 358 00:16:17,820 --> 00:16:19,940 But I think that it's so important to note that the victory 359 00:16:19,940 --> 00:16:22,900 is given to us in the fact that God is living within us. 360 00:16:22,900 --> 00:16:26,420 And in that same passage, it says the same power that rose Jesus 361 00:16:26,420 --> 00:16:27,660 from the dead is living within us. 362 00:16:27,660 --> 00:16:31,020 And so that is a victory that we have in the Lord. 363 00:16:31,360 --> 00:16:33,200 Another one we can see there in verse 12. 364 00:16:33,200 --> 00:16:35,520 It says, Brothers, we are debtors. 365 00:16:35,520 --> 00:16:38,680 Not to the flesh, to live after the flesh, but if he live after 366 00:16:38,680 --> 00:16:39,920 the flesh, ye shall die. 367 00:16:39,920 --> 00:16:42,480 But if he lived through the Spirit to mortify the deeds of the 368 00:16:42,480 --> 00:16:43,520 body, ye shall live. 369 00:16:43,520 --> 00:16:46,760 And so what this means is that we don't have to live in the bondage 370 00:16:46,760 --> 00:16:48,000 of sin anymore. 371 00:16:48,320 --> 00:16:49,000 Verse 15. 372 00:16:49,000 --> 00:16:51,840 For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear, 373 00:16:51,840 --> 00:16:55,480 but ye have received the spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, 374 00:16:55,480 --> 00:16:56,720 abba, Father. 375 00:16:57,460 --> 00:16:59,980 Another victory is that we get to be in the family of God and we 376 00:16:59,980 --> 00:17:03,100 have the benefits of being a child of the King. 377 00:17:03,100 --> 00:17:08,860 We can call God Father in a more clear and I would say, appropriate 378 00:17:08,860 --> 00:17:09,100 way. 379 00:17:09,100 --> 00:17:10,260 We can call Him Daddy. 380 00:17:10,260 --> 00:17:12,140 We have a personal connection with Him. 381 00:17:12,140 --> 00:17:16,020 That word abba is a personal, endearing term that we can cry out 382 00:17:16,020 --> 00:17:19,140 to him and have a personal God and a personal father. 383 00:17:19,220 --> 00:17:21,860 You know, I have a lot of relationships with a lot of people, 384 00:17:22,260 --> 00:17:26,390 but I really can't think of too many that are more intimate than 385 00:17:26,390 --> 00:17:27,550 those are with my children. 386 00:17:27,550 --> 00:17:29,510 I mean, my children can come to me at any point. 387 00:17:29,910 --> 00:17:30,350 Okay. 388 00:17:30,350 --> 00:17:33,030 You know, I have an office door and I. 389 00:17:33,110 --> 00:17:36,070 When I first became a pastor, I said, I have an open door policy. 390 00:17:36,150 --> 00:17:37,270 Anyone can come in. 391 00:17:37,510 --> 00:17:40,589 Well, I realize that there's a boundary that has to happen, okay. 392 00:17:40,589 --> 00:17:44,070 Because I might be on a phone call that's pretty important, and 393 00:17:44,230 --> 00:17:46,270 someone just barging in might. 394 00:17:46,270 --> 00:17:47,510 Might not be appropriate. 395 00:17:47,510 --> 00:17:47,790 Right? 396 00:17:47,790 --> 00:17:50,760 So there's an open door policy with exceptions. 397 00:17:50,760 --> 00:17:51,240 Okay? 398 00:17:51,400 --> 00:17:54,920 But with my children, for the most part, there's an open door policy. 399 00:17:54,920 --> 00:17:55,280 Why? 400 00:17:55,280 --> 00:17:57,680 Because there's nothing that brings more joy to my heart than 401 00:17:57,680 --> 00:18:00,880 seeing my children run, call me Daddy and wrap their arms around 402 00:18:00,880 --> 00:18:01,240 me. 403 00:18:01,480 --> 00:18:02,280 Because you know what? 404 00:18:02,280 --> 00:18:03,720 That's not always going to be there. 405 00:18:03,800 --> 00:18:07,080 I take sometimes as parents, we know, we've taken that for granted. 406 00:18:07,400 --> 00:18:09,920 But one of the exciting things is that my children would come to 407 00:18:09,920 --> 00:18:12,760 me and want something from me and I can provide for them. 408 00:18:12,760 --> 00:18:14,840 That's the type of relationship that we have with the 409 00:18:14,840 --> 00:18:15,160 Lord. 410 00:18:15,730 --> 00:18:16,970 He wants us to come to Him. 411 00:18:16,970 --> 00:18:18,410 He wants us to cry out to Him. 412 00:18:18,410 --> 00:18:22,530 And so that is a victory in and of itself, is that we are part 413 00:18:22,530 --> 00:18:24,610 of the family of God and we have that access. 414 00:18:24,770 --> 00:18:28,650 And then we go to verse 17, it says, then we are joint heirs with 415 00:18:28,650 --> 00:18:28,930 Christ. 416 00:18:28,930 --> 00:18:32,930 We're beneficiaries of the inheritance of the blessings of God. 417 00:18:33,010 --> 00:18:36,090 We could go verse by verse, but I think about that, and I think 418 00:18:36,090 --> 00:18:38,130 about later on in that passage. 419 00:18:38,850 --> 00:18:40,450 It says something amazing. 420 00:18:40,770 --> 00:18:41,030 And. 421 00:18:41,100 --> 00:18:43,820 And I think that we get so used to it because we've seen it 422 00:18:44,300 --> 00:18:47,340 so often within church and within Bible studies. 423 00:18:47,340 --> 00:18:50,780 But think about the implication that verse number 37 424 00:18:50,780 --> 00:18:51,180 says. 425 00:18:51,900 --> 00:18:55,060 If you go back just a few verses, it says, who shall separate 426 00:18:55,060 --> 00:18:57,100 us, verse 35, from the Love of Christ. 427 00:18:57,340 --> 00:19:00,020 And then you list a bunch of things that we could consider in 428 00:19:00,020 --> 00:19:00,420 our life. 429 00:19:00,420 --> 00:19:02,220 Giants, okay? 430 00:19:02,620 --> 00:19:04,220 Problems, issues. 431 00:19:04,940 --> 00:19:12,370 He says, verse 35 shall tribulation or distress or persecution 432 00:19:12,690 --> 00:19:16,290 or famine or nakedness or peril or sword. 433 00:19:17,170 --> 00:19:21,570 Now, many of us, most of us, haven't faced the sword for our faith, 434 00:19:21,970 --> 00:19:25,170 but many of us do go through situations of distress. 435 00:19:26,290 --> 00:19:28,690 It's famine, spiritual famine, for sure. 436 00:19:28,930 --> 00:19:32,770 Maybe not physical famine, but we go through those times of emptiness. 437 00:19:32,850 --> 00:19:34,610 We go through times of tribulation. 438 00:19:35,320 --> 00:19:39,280 Then he says in verse 37, no, nay, in all these things and all 439 00:19:39,280 --> 00:19:43,640 these problems that we might face in this world, we are more than 440 00:19:43,800 --> 00:19:44,480 conquerors. 441 00:19:44,480 --> 00:19:47,480 And I love that phrase, more than conquerors, because in the Greek, 442 00:19:47,480 --> 00:19:49,640 You've heard me say this before, maybe if you've been in one 443 00:19:49,640 --> 00:19:50,280 of my sermons. 444 00:19:50,360 --> 00:19:53,400 The Greek word actually literally means super conquerors, 445 00:19:53,400 --> 00:19:55,000 meaning above conquering. 446 00:19:55,400 --> 00:19:58,520 It says that we're more than conquerors or more than victorious 447 00:19:59,000 --> 00:20:02,120 through what, him that loved us. 448 00:20:03,330 --> 00:20:06,530 So the idea really is this, that any victory that we have in 449 00:20:06,530 --> 00:20:09,810 our life, whether we think it's a minute victory or an extreme 450 00:20:09,810 --> 00:20:14,130 victory of our salvation, any victory that we have is victory in 451 00:20:14,130 --> 00:20:14,530 Jesus. 452 00:20:14,530 --> 00:20:16,850 That's why we sing that song, Victory in Jesus. 453 00:20:16,850 --> 00:20:19,650 Because it's always because of him. 454 00:20:19,970 --> 00:20:21,570 It's always through him. 455 00:20:21,890 --> 00:20:23,930 Now, why do we emphasize this? 456 00:20:23,930 --> 00:20:27,130 Because the temptation sometimes is to think that we have 457 00:20:27,130 --> 00:20:30,150 done something, that we have accomplished something. 458 00:20:30,710 --> 00:20:31,750 You know, as a. 459 00:20:31,750 --> 00:20:33,910 As a pastor, as a man, as. 460 00:20:33,990 --> 00:20:38,670 As anybody, as a human being, we see things happening and we see 461 00:20:38,670 --> 00:20:42,790 what we've poured into it, and we start to think, and have that 462 00:20:42,790 --> 00:20:45,990 fleshly temptation to think that, well, it's because of me. 463 00:20:47,030 --> 00:20:48,630 It's because I have done that. 464 00:20:48,630 --> 00:20:50,470 It's because I have sacrificed. 465 00:20:50,470 --> 00:20:50,990 You know what? 466 00:20:50,990 --> 00:20:52,150 I deserve this. 467 00:20:52,470 --> 00:20:53,830 I put the work in. 468 00:20:54,290 --> 00:20:56,850 But let me tell you, and I know this isn't something that we 469 00:20:56,850 --> 00:21:00,010 want to hear in our flesh, but the Bible says the only thing that 470 00:21:00,010 --> 00:21:02,210 we deserve for the wages of sin is death. 471 00:21:02,690 --> 00:21:05,490 But the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. 472 00:21:05,570 --> 00:21:09,010 So with that being said, thinking about the theology of victory, 473 00:21:09,090 --> 00:21:11,250 I don't have any victory in myself. 474 00:21:11,890 --> 00:21:15,010 The only thing that I have earned the only thing that I have 475 00:21:15,010 --> 00:21:16,690 won in my life is death. 476 00:21:17,250 --> 00:21:19,810 But the Bible says here that we're more than conquerors through 477 00:21:20,290 --> 00:21:23,570 him, through Jesus, through our Lord that loved us. 478 00:21:23,570 --> 00:21:27,050 And then he says, for I am persuaded that neither death, nor 479 00:21:27,050 --> 00:21:29,770 life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things 480 00:21:29,770 --> 00:21:32,690 present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other 481 00:21:32,690 --> 00:21:35,410 creature shall be able to separate us from the love of God, 482 00:21:35,490 --> 00:21:38,370 which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. 483 00:21:38,370 --> 00:21:41,810 He reminds us again in verse number 39. 484 00:21:41,970 --> 00:21:45,330 The whole idea of us not being able to be separated from God's love 485 00:21:45,330 --> 00:21:48,110 is because of Jesus Christ. 486 00:21:48,750 --> 00:21:50,110 It's not because we're good people. 487 00:21:50,270 --> 00:21:52,270 It's not because we go to Middletown Baptist Church. 488 00:21:52,430 --> 00:21:53,950 It's not because we're American. 489 00:21:54,430 --> 00:21:55,950 Even though those are all good things. 490 00:21:56,190 --> 00:21:58,150 I'm happy that I go to Middletown Baptist Church. 491 00:21:58,150 --> 00:21:58,990 I love this church. 492 00:21:59,070 --> 00:21:59,750 I really do. 493 00:21:59,750 --> 00:22:02,350 I wake up every day thanking the Lord that I get a church family 494 00:22:02,589 --> 00:22:04,670 that I can come to and I love and I enjoy. 495 00:22:04,750 --> 00:22:07,830 I wake up every day thanking the Lord that I'm living in America 496 00:22:07,830 --> 00:22:11,510 and I have air conditioning and that I have, you know, food and 497 00:22:11,510 --> 00:22:12,270 everything here. 498 00:22:12,480 --> 00:22:15,360 There's all these great blessings, but the biggest blessing 499 00:22:15,360 --> 00:22:18,040 is it says that nothing will be able to separate us from the love 500 00:22:18,040 --> 00:22:20,960 of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. 501 00:22:21,280 --> 00:22:23,560 And so we think about these things, and we think about victory, 502 00:22:23,560 --> 00:22:25,440 and we think about everything that we have in our life. 503 00:22:25,600 --> 00:22:28,000 And we might ask the question, why do I have what I have? 504 00:22:28,000 --> 00:22:29,520 Or how did I get to where I am? 505 00:22:29,600 --> 00:22:30,920 Well, you might have worked really hard. 506 00:22:30,920 --> 00:22:32,560 I, I, I can appreciate that. 507 00:22:32,720 --> 00:22:34,640 I think we should work hard in the Lord. 508 00:22:34,720 --> 00:22:38,120 I think we should strive to be excellent in all that we do. 509 00:22:38,120 --> 00:22:41,150 I think we should do everything that we possibly can to 510 00:22:41,150 --> 00:22:43,030 honor God by the way that we live. 511 00:22:43,510 --> 00:22:45,630 First Corinthians, chapter 10, verse 31. 512 00:22:45,630 --> 00:22:48,310 Whether, therefore, you eat or drink or whatsoever you do, do all 513 00:22:48,310 --> 00:22:49,270 of the glory of God. 514 00:22:49,590 --> 00:22:52,270 So it's not about being lazy and just saying, well, you know what? 515 00:22:52,270 --> 00:22:53,670 Hopefully God works in my life. 516 00:22:53,750 --> 00:22:55,630 No, the Bible does speak to us working. 517 00:22:55,630 --> 00:22:59,990 But ultimately, at the end of the day, everything that we do, every 518 00:22:59,990 --> 00:23:03,310 victory that we have, any gift, as James, chapter one, verse 519 00:23:03,310 --> 00:23:05,670 17 says, is coming down from God. 520 00:23:05,930 --> 00:23:09,610 Now again, you're like, pastor, why are you emphasizing this? 521 00:23:10,010 --> 00:23:11,370 Because think about David. 522 00:23:11,530 --> 00:23:12,210 Let's go back. 523 00:23:12,210 --> 00:23:13,370 Let's go back to David. 524 00:23:13,850 --> 00:23:17,730 I guarantee you, because I know this in Scripture, that David 525 00:23:17,730 --> 00:23:20,410 understood that the battle was won through the Lord. 526 00:23:20,490 --> 00:23:23,090 If I can point you to Scripture and I can show you what 527 00:23:23,090 --> 00:23:27,130 it Says he says, I know that this battle was given to me by the 528 00:23:27,130 --> 00:23:27,330 Lord. 529 00:23:27,330 --> 00:23:29,210 He says, I'm fighting this battle in the Lord. 530 00:23:29,770 --> 00:23:32,570 So David understood that he didn't do this on his own. 531 00:23:33,010 --> 00:23:37,490 David understood that this was ultimately through the power of God. 532 00:23:38,050 --> 00:23:43,530 And so he says, I'm facing you not with this sling and the stone, 533 00:23:43,530 --> 00:23:46,290 but I'm facing you in the power of God. 534 00:23:46,610 --> 00:23:49,330 Now you would say, did David forget about that? 535 00:23:50,210 --> 00:23:52,690 Well, later on we know that he did. 536 00:23:53,170 --> 00:23:55,730 Later on, we know that there were times in David's life where 537 00:23:55,730 --> 00:23:59,330 he was tempted to think that he, he had the right to do something. 538 00:24:00,580 --> 00:24:03,700 We know that David later on did struggle with areas of pride 539 00:24:03,940 --> 00:24:08,420 and lust and greed and all those things that we can see in our 540 00:24:08,420 --> 00:24:09,220 lives today. 541 00:24:10,340 --> 00:24:11,700 He did it all for God. 542 00:24:11,700 --> 00:24:15,460 If you go to 1st Samuel, chapter 17, verse 46, I think verse 543 00:24:15,460 --> 00:24:19,220 46 is the one that summarizes it all of this. 544 00:24:19,940 --> 00:24:23,700 He comes in 45 and says, I come to you in the name of the Lord. 545 00:24:23,700 --> 00:24:26,540 And then verse 46, he says, this day will the Lord deliver thee 546 00:24:26,540 --> 00:24:27,220 into my hand. 547 00:24:27,960 --> 00:24:30,360 And at the very end of that verse, he says that in all the earth 548 00:24:30,360 --> 00:24:31,920 might know that there is a God of Israel. 549 00:24:31,920 --> 00:24:35,240 So obviously, David was working in 1st Samuel, chapter 17 550 00:24:35,320 --> 00:24:38,680 with the right theology, but later on in his life, there were 551 00:24:38,680 --> 00:24:40,760 periods where he wasn't working with the right theology. 552 00:24:41,480 --> 00:24:43,920 And, and we could pick apart certain things. 553 00:24:43,920 --> 00:24:48,320 David's life, obviously his interaction with Bathsheba, and remember 554 00:24:48,320 --> 00:24:49,240 how bad it got. 555 00:24:49,240 --> 00:24:52,120 It kept spiraling because he kept thinking he could handle it. 556 00:24:52,200 --> 00:24:55,600 Well, maybe I can be victorious if I just send Uriah into 557 00:24:55,600 --> 00:24:57,320 battle and make sure that this is all covered up. 558 00:24:57,320 --> 00:24:57,480 Right. 559 00:24:57,480 --> 00:24:59,400 It's his own way of thinking. 560 00:24:59,400 --> 00:25:01,920 It's his own victory that he's trying to win. 561 00:25:02,320 --> 00:25:06,680 And so we know that just because we can experience the victory 562 00:25:06,680 --> 00:25:10,160 of God and know that it's his victory in our life doesn't mean 563 00:25:10,160 --> 00:25:11,280 that we're set forever. 564 00:25:11,280 --> 00:25:15,480 It means that we have to every day be resolved to give it over to 565 00:25:15,480 --> 00:25:18,640 the Lord and be prepared for the next giant that might come. 566 00:25:19,120 --> 00:25:21,720 Because for David, he was prepared for Goliath. 567 00:25:21,720 --> 00:25:22,800 He was ready to go. 568 00:25:24,460 --> 00:25:27,420 But I would venture to say that later on, he wasn't as prepared 569 00:25:27,420 --> 00:25:31,660 to go when he had spiritual confrontation that came up. 570 00:25:32,380 --> 00:25:36,380 I. I don't want to preach too far ahead in the book, but we know 571 00:25:36,380 --> 00:25:40,100 that in the times in which David should have been on the battlefield, 572 00:25:40,100 --> 00:25:41,260 he was not on the battlefield. 573 00:25:41,260 --> 00:25:42,540 He wasn't where he needed to be. 574 00:25:43,180 --> 00:25:46,620 There was times in which he should have followed God, and yet 575 00:25:46,620 --> 00:25:47,660 he turned away. 576 00:25:47,660 --> 00:25:51,250 So again, it's not here to beat up David, because David, we 577 00:25:51,250 --> 00:25:52,810 know, was a man after God's own heart. 578 00:25:52,810 --> 00:25:56,610 And if David could fall into the trap of thinking that the victory 579 00:25:56,610 --> 00:25:57,850 was his, guess what? 580 00:25:57,850 --> 00:26:01,010 All of us can fall into the trap of thinking that the victory 581 00:26:01,010 --> 00:26:03,850 that we have in our life, the blessings that we have in our life, 582 00:26:03,850 --> 00:26:06,130 came from us and not from the Lord. 583 00:26:06,130 --> 00:26:09,650 And so we need to be reminded, we need to go back to the well that 584 00:26:09,650 --> 00:26:12,850 never runs dry to say, lord, it's because of you that I had this 585 00:26:12,850 --> 00:26:13,850 victory yesterday. 586 00:26:14,090 --> 00:26:16,570 It's because of you that there's this victory today. 587 00:26:17,180 --> 00:26:19,980 And it's only because of you that I'll have that victory tomorrow. 588 00:26:20,540 --> 00:26:23,740 Some of us might be facing struggles in our life right now. 589 00:26:24,060 --> 00:26:28,220 I don't know everyone and everyone's story. 590 00:26:28,620 --> 00:26:30,900 I don't know everyone's battle that they're going through. 591 00:26:30,900 --> 00:26:34,460 But I do know this thing that you are going through a battle, or 592 00:26:34,460 --> 00:26:36,260 if you're not going through a battle right now, you're coming out 593 00:26:36,260 --> 00:26:38,780 of one, or if you're not coming out of one, you're about to 594 00:26:38,780 --> 00:26:39,300 go into one. 595 00:26:39,300 --> 00:26:40,860 That's the reality of the Christian life. 596 00:26:41,420 --> 00:26:44,540 And so what I would encourage all of us to do this evening is resolve 597 00:26:44,540 --> 00:26:45,820 in our heart to say, you know what? 598 00:26:46,100 --> 00:26:48,500 I'm going to give the battle over to God. 599 00:26:48,900 --> 00:26:51,100 And when he gives me that victory, I'm going to give him all 600 00:26:51,100 --> 00:26:53,460 the honor and glory for what he is going to do. 601 00:26:53,460 --> 00:26:55,300 For some people, it's a physical struggle. 602 00:26:55,780 --> 00:26:58,180 Some of you might say, you know, Pastor, you don't know what 603 00:26:58,180 --> 00:26:58,500 my. 604 00:26:58,580 --> 00:26:59,820 My pain is like right now. 605 00:26:59,820 --> 00:27:01,340 You don't know what I'm struggling with. 606 00:27:01,340 --> 00:27:02,300 And that might be the case. 607 00:27:02,300 --> 00:27:03,060 I might not know. 608 00:27:03,060 --> 00:27:05,940 But the good thing is, is the Bible tells us that God knows our 609 00:27:05,940 --> 00:27:06,340 pain. 610 00:27:06,580 --> 00:27:08,180 God understands our struggles. 611 00:27:08,660 --> 00:27:09,820 He's the great physician. 612 00:27:09,820 --> 00:27:12,820 He can touch us if it be his will and take that away. 613 00:27:13,500 --> 00:27:16,420 But he also has the grace and the peace to touch us and give us 614 00:27:16,420 --> 00:27:18,700 the peace and strength, even if he doesn't take away the physical 615 00:27:18,700 --> 00:27:18,980 pain. 616 00:27:18,980 --> 00:27:21,860 We know that through the life of Paul and many others, there's 617 00:27:21,860 --> 00:27:24,620 some other instances in our life that might not be physical, 618 00:27:24,620 --> 00:27:25,820 but it might be spiritual. 619 00:27:26,300 --> 00:27:29,780 I heard a dear brother recently giving his testimony, and 620 00:27:29,780 --> 00:27:31,100 it hurt my heart. 621 00:27:31,740 --> 00:27:35,540 It broke my heart that he said what he said, but it was true what 622 00:27:35,540 --> 00:27:36,060 he said. 623 00:27:36,460 --> 00:27:39,100 And so I'm not upset about him saying what he said, but it broke 624 00:27:39,100 --> 00:27:40,460 my heart that it had to be this case. 625 00:27:40,460 --> 00:27:41,570 He Said, you know what? 626 00:27:41,570 --> 00:27:44,650 The greatest hurt that I've ever experienced in my life was through 627 00:27:44,650 --> 00:27:46,170 other Christians within the church. 628 00:27:46,810 --> 00:27:48,610 And that hurt my heart that he said that. 629 00:27:48,610 --> 00:27:50,130 I'm not denying that that's true. 630 00:27:50,130 --> 00:27:52,250 Because some of us might understand that there have been times 631 00:27:52,250 --> 00:27:55,250 in our life where a Christian has hurt our feelings, that another 632 00:27:55,250 --> 00:27:58,890 brother or sister in Christ has done something to hurt us. 633 00:27:59,610 --> 00:28:03,010 And, and, and that breaks my heart because it shouldn't be that 634 00:28:03,010 --> 00:28:03,610 way, but it. 635 00:28:03,610 --> 00:28:05,050 The reality is that it is. 636 00:28:05,450 --> 00:28:10,050 And so what do we do when someone that we think is a Christian, 637 00:28:10,050 --> 00:28:12,130 or maybe someone who is a Christian, hurts us? 638 00:28:12,130 --> 00:28:13,210 What do we do? 639 00:28:13,210 --> 00:28:14,290 How do we respond? 640 00:28:14,450 --> 00:28:18,970 Well, the thing is, is that one of the many, many gifts of Scripture 641 00:28:18,970 --> 00:28:22,370 is to remind us that our faith is not in somebody else. 642 00:28:22,370 --> 00:28:23,730 Our faith is in the Lord. 643 00:28:23,730 --> 00:28:25,730 So we keep our eyes on the Lord. 644 00:28:25,730 --> 00:28:27,650 We don't keep our eyes on other individuals. 645 00:28:27,650 --> 00:28:32,410 So if another individual hurts me, the reality is, is that I don't 646 00:28:32,410 --> 00:28:33,490 justify the hurt. 647 00:28:33,490 --> 00:28:33,930 I don't. 648 00:28:33,930 --> 00:28:35,330 I don't celebrate them. 649 00:28:35,700 --> 00:28:38,140 But what I can do is understand that my relationship with 650 00:28:38,140 --> 00:28:40,180 God is not tied up with somebody else. 651 00:28:40,740 --> 00:28:44,180 That if someone else harms me, I need to pray for them. 652 00:28:44,260 --> 00:28:44,980 I need to. 653 00:28:45,380 --> 00:28:46,780 Hopefully they ask for forgiveness. 654 00:28:46,780 --> 00:28:47,940 Hopefully there's restoration. 655 00:28:48,020 --> 00:28:50,580 But at the end of the day, just because I'm hurt by someone 656 00:28:50,580 --> 00:28:52,100 else doesn't mean that God hurt me. 657 00:28:52,420 --> 00:28:54,860 It actually means that God can give me more strength in the midst 658 00:28:54,860 --> 00:28:55,340 of the battle. 659 00:28:55,340 --> 00:28:56,740 So I say all that to say this. 660 00:28:56,980 --> 00:29:00,100 There could be some spiritual hurt that's going on within certain 661 00:29:00,100 --> 00:29:00,700 individuals. 662 00:29:00,700 --> 00:29:03,100 And it might have been something that's happened long, long 663 00:29:03,100 --> 00:29:03,460 ago. 664 00:29:04,190 --> 00:29:07,070 And the idea might be that I might not be able to have restoration 665 00:29:07,070 --> 00:29:08,030 with that person. 666 00:29:08,270 --> 00:29:11,550 But what I do know is that I can look to the Lord and He can heal 667 00:29:11,870 --> 00:29:12,590 my wounds. 668 00:29:12,590 --> 00:29:15,630 He can give me the peace that passeth all understanding. 669 00:29:16,110 --> 00:29:18,750 And so when I heard that testimony, it really rang true to 670 00:29:18,750 --> 00:29:19,550 me that, you know what? 671 00:29:19,550 --> 00:29:22,830 It's not just people outside of the church that can hurt us. 672 00:29:22,910 --> 00:29:24,230 It can happen in our midst. 673 00:29:24,230 --> 00:29:26,190 And we have to be so careful with that. 674 00:29:26,590 --> 00:29:30,720 Because I think that when we go back to New Testament and we think 675 00:29:30,720 --> 00:29:35,520 about the Lord's design for the church, and his prayer for his 676 00:29:35,520 --> 00:29:37,600 body is that we would be unified. 677 00:29:37,600 --> 00:29:39,760 He doesn't say that we would be perfect, because the reality is, 678 00:29:39,760 --> 00:29:41,000 is that none of us can be perfect. 679 00:29:41,320 --> 00:29:44,120 He doesn't say that we'll have a lot of people, a lot of money, 680 00:29:44,440 --> 00:29:45,240 a lot of power. 681 00:29:45,800 --> 00:29:51,360 His prayer is that his church would be unified and so often a lot 682 00:29:51,360 --> 00:29:53,960 of the pain that we face and a lot of the struggles that we face 683 00:29:54,440 --> 00:29:58,400 come through being disunified and being broken apart and free, 684 00:29:58,550 --> 00:29:59,070 fragmented. 685 00:29:59,070 --> 00:29:59,830 So what do we do? 686 00:29:59,830 --> 00:30:03,270 Well, we think about certain things in our life as being victorious. 687 00:30:03,350 --> 00:30:05,830 One of the victories that we can have within the church is being 688 00:30:05,830 --> 00:30:08,390 unified because we're fighting against the enemy. 689 00:30:08,390 --> 00:30:11,270 And when we're unified, that's a victory in and of itself to say, 690 00:30:11,270 --> 00:30:14,390 satan, you cannot overthrow us, you cannot divide us. 691 00:30:14,870 --> 00:30:17,150 And so the only way that that's going to be able to happen 692 00:30:17,150 --> 00:30:21,230 is that we go back to What Romans chapter 8 says, to be filled 693 00:30:21,230 --> 00:30:22,390 with the Spirit. 694 00:30:22,950 --> 00:30:25,790 And it's a daily struggle being filled with the Spirit, or 695 00:30:25,790 --> 00:30:27,030 am I going to yield to the flesh? 696 00:30:28,540 --> 00:30:30,300 David certainly yielded to the flesh. 697 00:30:30,300 --> 00:30:32,220 And we're going to talk more about those instances. 698 00:30:32,860 --> 00:30:36,780 But in 1st Samuel chapter 17, we certainly see that he was led 699 00:30:36,780 --> 00:30:37,580 by the Spirit. 700 00:30:38,300 --> 00:30:41,020 And being led by the Spirit, he was able to see great victory. 701 00:30:41,740 --> 00:30:44,740 And if you follow the Spirit in your life, if you yield to the 702 00:30:44,740 --> 00:30:48,580 Spirit, if you're unified, if you're, if you're encouraging, if 703 00:30:48,580 --> 00:30:52,940 you're acting in ministry as God has called us to act in ministry, 704 00:30:52,940 --> 00:30:54,140 we're going to see great victory. 705 00:30:55,690 --> 00:30:57,610 How do we define victory in the church? 706 00:30:58,970 --> 00:31:02,530 I. I think we go back to what the New Testament has to say about 707 00:31:02,530 --> 00:31:02,890 that. 708 00:31:03,050 --> 00:31:08,810 When we're acting like Christ, when we're living like the body of 709 00:31:08,890 --> 00:31:11,810 believers, when we're building up the spiritual house with living 710 00:31:11,810 --> 00:31:15,450 stones and building our house upon the sure foundation of Jesus 711 00:31:15,450 --> 00:31:18,890 Christ, I think we can slay our Goliaths that we face in this 712 00:31:18,890 --> 00:31:19,130 world. 713 00:31:19,130 --> 00:31:22,390 You know, the church is facing a lot of, a lot of opposition. 714 00:31:22,470 --> 00:31:25,510 Whether, whether we know it or not, there's opposition that comes. 715 00:31:25,510 --> 00:31:30,070 And opposition can come directly or maybe even indirectly. 716 00:31:30,630 --> 00:31:33,990 You know, I know that when we were in Rwanda, you know, I didn't 717 00:31:33,990 --> 00:31:35,390 know what to expect when I got there. 718 00:31:35,390 --> 00:31:37,590 I thought, like, are there going to be, like, people as soon 719 00:31:37,590 --> 00:31:39,270 as we get off the plane, persecuting us? 720 00:31:39,510 --> 00:31:40,470 There wasn't that. 721 00:31:41,190 --> 00:31:44,030 But then I heard, okay, there's only 20 churches in Rwanda. 722 00:31:44,030 --> 00:31:46,550 Like 90 something percent of them got wiped out. 723 00:31:46,960 --> 00:31:48,080 You're like, why did that happen? 724 00:31:48,080 --> 00:31:50,600 Is the church, is the, is the government against them? 725 00:31:50,600 --> 00:31:54,400 And when you ask them straight up, it's not in a direct attack against 726 00:31:54,400 --> 00:31:54,920 the church. 727 00:31:54,920 --> 00:31:58,000 And the fact that, hey, they don't care what you preach, but it's 728 00:31:58,000 --> 00:32:00,880 an indirect attack in the fact that they're putting all these sanctions 729 00:32:00,880 --> 00:32:03,640 upon churches to make sure that they're just right so that they 730 00:32:03,640 --> 00:32:04,480 can open up their building. 731 00:32:04,640 --> 00:32:08,680 Well, indirectly, Satan has used those things to limit the furtherance 732 00:32:08,680 --> 00:32:09,360 of the gospel. 733 00:32:09,440 --> 00:32:10,600 So Satan works trick. 734 00:32:10,600 --> 00:32:11,800 He's a very tricky guy. 735 00:32:11,800 --> 00:32:12,800 He's deceitful. 736 00:32:13,180 --> 00:32:16,140 And the Bible says that he doesn't always come saying, hey, 737 00:32:16,140 --> 00:32:16,660 I'm Satan. 738 00:32:16,660 --> 00:32:17,500 Hey, I'm evil. 739 00:32:17,660 --> 00:32:18,980 He's going to come in certain ways. 740 00:32:18,980 --> 00:32:21,580 But what we're going to see is that there's many different things 741 00:32:21,580 --> 00:32:22,820 that are opposing the church. 742 00:32:22,820 --> 00:32:26,660 And so for Rwanda, it was the sanctions of the rules and trying 743 00:32:26,660 --> 00:32:28,820 to have enough money to get everything together so that they 744 00:32:28,820 --> 00:32:29,820 can meet in person. 745 00:32:30,220 --> 00:32:32,940 For the American church, we don't have to face that as much. 746 00:32:33,100 --> 00:32:35,020 But there are a lot of other things that are fighting against 747 00:32:35,020 --> 00:32:35,820 the church here. 748 00:32:37,100 --> 00:32:39,500 I would venture to say that the number one thing that's fighting 749 00:32:39,500 --> 00:32:41,020 against the church is just worldliness. 750 00:32:41,600 --> 00:32:41,800 Just. 751 00:32:41,800 --> 00:32:46,040 Just trying to live in the world and be like the world and look 752 00:32:46,040 --> 00:32:49,360 like the world and then try to make church happen and work the way 753 00:32:49,360 --> 00:32:50,480 that the Bible says to work. 754 00:32:50,480 --> 00:32:51,560 So we can't be worldly. 755 00:32:51,560 --> 00:32:53,120 We can't love the things of the world. 756 00:32:53,360 --> 00:32:57,080 There's other things that are attacking the church in more, I would 757 00:32:57,080 --> 00:32:58,200 say, overt ways. 758 00:32:58,200 --> 00:33:01,000 I mean, you look at all the agendas that are being painted on 759 00:33:01,000 --> 00:33:02,560 the Internet and the media, right? 760 00:33:02,560 --> 00:33:06,080 All those agendas that are against the word of God are an attack 761 00:33:06,080 --> 00:33:07,120 against the truth. 762 00:33:07,980 --> 00:33:12,100 And what the church can do is either one, embrace all of those 763 00:33:12,100 --> 00:33:15,020 false beliefs and bring them into the church, and then it's no 764 00:33:15,020 --> 00:33:15,820 longer the church. 765 00:33:16,060 --> 00:33:18,220 Now it's a church that's filled with evil. 766 00:33:18,380 --> 00:33:21,820 Or a church can just ignore what's going on around and not fight 767 00:33:21,820 --> 00:33:22,540 what's going on. 768 00:33:22,620 --> 00:33:24,020 Or the church can say, you know what? 769 00:33:24,020 --> 00:33:25,660 We're going to just stand up for the truth. 770 00:33:25,900 --> 00:33:27,580 We don't have to buy into the lies. 771 00:33:27,900 --> 00:33:30,780 We don't have to teach our children the way that the world teaches 772 00:33:30,860 --> 00:33:31,540 their children. 773 00:33:31,540 --> 00:33:33,980 We don't have to have our marriages the way that the world 774 00:33:33,980 --> 00:33:35,180 tells us to have our marriages. 775 00:33:35,180 --> 00:33:38,470 We don't have to go about all these things the way that the world 776 00:33:38,470 --> 00:33:39,030 tells us. 777 00:33:39,030 --> 00:33:39,350 Why? 778 00:33:39,350 --> 00:33:41,110 Because God tells us something different. 779 00:33:41,110 --> 00:33:45,870 And so we need to be aware of the attack at hand and say, you know 780 00:33:45,870 --> 00:33:45,990 what? 781 00:33:45,990 --> 00:33:49,670 There are Goliaths that are coming against us, mocking our Lord, 782 00:33:50,230 --> 00:33:54,070 coming against us in ways that we might not have ever expected. 783 00:33:54,870 --> 00:33:58,430 But nonetheless, at the end of the day, we know that if God puts 784 00:33:58,430 --> 00:34:02,280 a giant before us, he will give us the tools, he will give us 785 00:34:02,280 --> 00:34:02,800 the power. 786 00:34:02,800 --> 00:34:05,160 He will Give us the comfort. 787 00:34:05,160 --> 00:34:08,320 He will give us all the things needed for battle. 788 00:34:08,320 --> 00:34:10,800 And one of the things that I would really point you to is in the 789 00:34:10,800 --> 00:34:13,480 book of Ephesians, putting on the armor of God, right? 790 00:34:13,480 --> 00:34:16,560 We need to put on the armor of God every single day. 791 00:34:16,560 --> 00:34:19,680 And when we put on the armor of God, we're able to stand, as the 792 00:34:19,680 --> 00:34:22,040 Bible says, against the wiles of the devil. 793 00:34:22,040 --> 00:34:24,320 And they're wiles, and he's a wily guy. 794 00:34:24,480 --> 00:34:27,560 But at the end of the day, we know that he is no more powerful 795 00:34:27,560 --> 00:34:28,760 than, than our Lord. 796 00:34:28,760 --> 00:34:31,960 And we know that our God is all powerful and there's nothing 797 00:34:31,960 --> 00:34:32,680 that can limit him. 798 00:34:32,680 --> 00:34:34,960 And so when we turn it over to him and say, lord, you do church. 799 00:34:35,040 --> 00:34:36,560 We want to do church your way. 800 00:34:36,720 --> 00:34:39,760 I want to live my Christian life the way you call me to live. 801 00:34:40,000 --> 00:34:41,520 I've been thinking about this a lot recently. 802 00:34:41,840 --> 00:34:46,000 We try to add so much into church that's just not there. 803 00:34:46,480 --> 00:34:49,840 And we try to make those the things that we need to focus on. 804 00:34:49,920 --> 00:34:52,320 The Bible gives us the marching orders to follow. 805 00:34:52,560 --> 00:34:55,320 And if we follow those things, God will multiply. 806 00:34:55,320 --> 00:34:56,800 God will produce fruit. 807 00:34:57,710 --> 00:35:00,310 We look at it from the perspective of, well, if we just 808 00:35:00,310 --> 00:35:02,390 help God out a little bit by doing this. 809 00:35:02,390 --> 00:35:06,110 Now, I'm not saying that we, we have to, you know, worship the 810 00:35:06,110 --> 00:35:07,790 same way they did in Acts Chapter two. 811 00:35:07,870 --> 00:35:10,510 I think that all of you guys are thankful for air conditioning 812 00:35:10,510 --> 00:35:12,070 and lights and things of that nature. 813 00:35:12,070 --> 00:35:14,950 That's not how they worshiped in Acts chapter two. 814 00:35:14,950 --> 00:35:15,550 We know that. 815 00:35:15,550 --> 00:35:18,630 But what I will say is that there's certain elements that we 816 00:35:18,630 --> 00:35:21,270 find in the book of Acts that we should always have within our 817 00:35:21,270 --> 00:35:21,630 church. 818 00:35:22,440 --> 00:35:26,040 And when we focus on the material more than the spiritual, 819 00:35:26,120 --> 00:35:28,560 we get our priorities all messed up. 820 00:35:28,560 --> 00:35:31,400 And so what we have to do is say, hey, there's nothing wrong with 821 00:35:31,400 --> 00:35:32,160 having facilities. 822 00:35:32,160 --> 00:35:33,920 There's nothing wrong with having programs. 823 00:35:33,920 --> 00:35:36,840 There's nothing wrong with doing all these things that we do 824 00:35:37,000 --> 00:35:40,160 as long as we're making sure that we're hitting all the things 825 00:35:40,160 --> 00:35:43,160 that God tells us to do in scripture that are non negotiables. 826 00:35:43,720 --> 00:35:47,080 And so we say all that to say that that is the victory. 827 00:35:47,080 --> 00:35:48,640 The victory is following God. 828 00:35:48,640 --> 00:35:51,740 And so David's victory was in faith, following the Lord. 829 00:35:52,060 --> 00:35:56,860 Saul's defeat really was the fact that he faced it in fear. 830 00:35:57,580 --> 00:36:01,420 And so in his fear, he didn't get to see the victory in the Lord 831 00:36:01,420 --> 00:36:02,140 personally. 832 00:36:02,220 --> 00:36:05,419 And then we see Goliath's defeat was in his rebellion to God 833 00:36:05,740 --> 00:36:06,340 and his. 834 00:36:06,340 --> 00:36:09,140 In his open mocking of the Lord. 835 00:36:09,140 --> 00:36:10,420 And he faced judgment. 836 00:36:10,420 --> 00:36:15,340 So we will come back not next week, because next week is vbs. 837 00:36:15,810 --> 00:36:17,810 And so there's going to be a lot of different things going on 838 00:36:17,810 --> 00:36:18,290 next week. 839 00:36:18,290 --> 00:36:21,050 So we will take one week off when it comes to our corporate Wednesday 840 00:36:21,050 --> 00:36:21,730 night service. 841 00:36:22,450 --> 00:36:26,850 But when we come back in two weeks, I won't be here, but Pastor 842 00:36:26,850 --> 00:36:27,610 Ethan will be. 843 00:36:27,610 --> 00:36:31,570 And Pastor Ethan will be speaking in 1st Samuel chapter 18, 844 00:36:31,649 --> 00:36:35,690 and he's going to be walking through that chapter for a few weeks 845 00:36:35,690 --> 00:36:38,850 there and just be used to that here on Wednesday nights. 846 00:36:38,850 --> 00:36:42,490 We're going to take some time to share some preaching there, and 847 00:36:42,490 --> 00:36:43,530 I think that's important as well. 848 00:36:43,530 --> 00:36:46,870 It's always good to hear another voice preaching the word 849 00:36:46,870 --> 00:36:47,350 of God. 850 00:36:47,510 --> 00:36:49,990 And there's so much here in First Samuel. 851 00:36:50,230 --> 00:36:56,070 You know that David has a lot to learn from in the good way and 852 00:36:56,070 --> 00:36:59,910 to learn from and to not do what he did in some bad things. 853 00:37:00,150 --> 00:37:02,790 And then we'll work our way into Second Samuel. 854 00:37:02,870 --> 00:37:07,350 And I think that we can ultimately glean a lot of information 855 00:37:08,070 --> 00:37:12,000 that not only can just stick in our heads as, you know, Bible 856 00:37:12,000 --> 00:37:15,400 knowledge, but we can apply to our hearts and into our lives to 857 00:37:15,400 --> 00:37:19,170 see practical application when we stand in faith.