WEBVTT 00:00:03.120 --> 00:00:08.240 Ministering to the heart of Western Arkansas's River Valley for over 165 years. 00:00:08.480 --> 00:00:13.919 Welcome to Chapter and First, the Bible teaching ministry at Fort Smith's First Baptist Church. 00:00:14.160 --> 00:00:19.359 You'll find sermons and teachings from Pastor Greg, our ministry staff, and guest speakers. 00:00:19.679 --> 00:00:21.120 Thank you for listening. 00:00:21.679 --> 00:00:27.039 Welcome to this episode of the Legacy Series of our Chapter and First podcast. 00:00:27.280 --> 00:00:30.000 We're so excited that you're joining us for this message. 00:00:30.239 --> 00:00:35.759 Today you're going to hear a message from one of the former pastors of our church, Brother Dale Thompson. 00:00:36.000 --> 00:00:48.640 Brother Dale was the pastor here from 1992 until 2019 and had an incredible ministry that saw God do wonderful things throughout the life of the church in that tenure. 00:00:48.960 --> 00:00:54.320 We also know that Brother Dale is a highly gifted preacher of the Word. 00:00:54.560 --> 00:01:08.239 He has an incredible knowledge of Scripture, and his delivery is wonderful how he speaks directly to you, and God uses him in such a unique way to connect with the congregation and point them to Jesus. 00:01:08.560 --> 00:01:17.439 This particular message is the very first message that Brother Dale preached when he became the pastor of First Baptist Church. 00:01:17.680 --> 00:01:33.120 In fact, we had someone in our church who has been enjoying our legacy series and been here quite a while who requested that we play this message from Brother Dale and include it in our legacy series. 00:01:33.359 --> 00:01:42.480 And you will see why when you hear him preach the word and cast vision for what God wants to do through First Baptist Church. 00:01:42.640 --> 00:01:45.120 And so we thought it was a wonderful message to show. 00:01:45.280 --> 00:01:47.040 We appreciate that request. 00:01:47.200 --> 00:01:54.000 And I know that you will be blessed as you hear Brother Dale Thompson preach the word of God. 00:01:56.000 --> 00:01:57.439 Chapter 17. 00:02:01.280 --> 00:02:02.640 That's a good-looking choir. 00:02:02.719 --> 00:02:04.079 You all sounded great. 00:02:04.319 --> 00:02:05.280 That was wonderful. 00:02:05.439 --> 00:02:11.919 I hope that uh I know that David had this uh just one time promotional, but I hope a lot of you will keep coming back. 00:02:12.080 --> 00:02:19.039 I see a couple of you up there that they they could probably have absent, but uh uh there's some good ones up there. 00:02:19.919 --> 00:02:20.639 That's great. 00:02:20.879 --> 00:02:24.159 The choir knows who I'm talking about, I guarantee you. 00:02:25.520 --> 00:02:30.400 I want to tell you today that uh I'm a supernaturalist. 00:02:30.719 --> 00:02:32.080 I believe in the supernatural. 00:02:32.319 --> 00:02:41.360 Matter of fact, I think that one of the great dangers that's taking place in Christendom today is the fact that there seems to be an exit from the position of being a supernaturalist. 00:02:41.520 --> 00:02:49.680 We what I mean by that is this is that we like our faith to run in such a way that we can explain it in human terms. 00:02:50.000 --> 00:02:56.319 It makes us sometimes a little more comfortable in our carnality if we can explain it. 00:02:56.719 --> 00:02:59.039 If God doesn't necessarily have to be on it. 00:02:59.280 --> 00:03:05.360 Matter of fact, sometimes when God does something, we're just a little bit, well, maybe a little skeptical. 00:03:05.840 --> 00:03:15.680 Matter of fact, when there seems to be something supernatural that takes place, we uh we kind of look around and analyze it ourselves sometimes to see it, well, couldn't we explain it with this? 00:03:16.159 --> 00:03:19.599 Couldn't we explain it with that situation? 00:03:20.000 --> 00:03:26.400 Can it be really explained by some human motivation, some human thought, some human manipulation? 00:03:26.800 --> 00:03:44.879 And we seem to be a people that are uh forming up to our uh the laodice and prophecy and revelation of a people who are self-serving and self-sufficient and have everything explained within the boundaries of human terms. 00:03:45.840 --> 00:03:48.080 Will I react to that? 00:03:48.800 --> 00:03:50.800 I'm a supernaturalist. 00:03:51.199 --> 00:03:54.560 I believe that that Bible you have in your lap today is the word of God. 00:03:54.719 --> 00:03:57.680 I believe it's infallible, inerrant, and totally dependable. 00:03:58.240 --> 00:04:01.520 I'm not concerned with what the liberal says, he's wrong. 00:04:01.759 --> 00:04:02.960 That's God's word. 00:04:03.360 --> 00:04:05.039 And you can rely on it. 00:04:05.280 --> 00:04:11.039 I believe that Jesus is alive, and not only do I believe he's alive, I believe that he's not far away. 00:04:11.280 --> 00:04:19.279 I can envision him on the throne in glory, but I can also envision him on the throne of my heart and my life by his Holy Spirit. 00:04:19.839 --> 00:04:25.120 I believe the church is a church with a divine supernatural ministry. 00:04:25.279 --> 00:04:32.720 I believe that Jesus is literally, physically coming again, and I believe God speaks to hearts today. 00:04:32.879 --> 00:04:38.800 Our problem is I believe that many times our hearts and our spiritual ears aren't open to Him. 00:04:39.040 --> 00:04:40.800 I'm a supernaturalist. 00:04:41.199 --> 00:04:50.079 Matter of fact, my presence today in this pulpit and in this place and as the pastor of this church is a result of the fact that I am a supernaturalist. 00:04:50.319 --> 00:04:52.319 I believe that God speaks. 00:04:52.720 --> 00:04:58.319 I believe that I can hear God's voice, and I believe God speaks and deals with me. 00:04:58.639 --> 00:05:04.800 I'm not here today as a result of human manipulation, human motivation, or human ideas. 00:05:04.959 --> 00:05:12.879 I'm your pastor, and I'm here today because I heard God's voice clearly and distinctly in my heart, and He told me to respond to this. 00:05:13.120 --> 00:05:16.480 So here I stand today as a result of that. 00:05:16.720 --> 00:05:18.639 Now that does something to me. 00:05:19.360 --> 00:05:24.560 And what that does in me and what that does in my life is bring me to a new day. 00:05:25.360 --> 00:05:28.319 I've come to a new place in my life. 00:05:28.879 --> 00:05:32.240 Everything was consistent in my life for a long time. 00:05:32.560 --> 00:05:36.800 Everything had a rhythm and a rhyme to it, and I pretty well had it figured out. 00:05:37.040 --> 00:05:44.160 Matter of fact, you know, sometimes when you have it all in line like that, and everything's consistent and everything's in rhythm, that's when it's the hardest. 00:05:44.399 --> 00:05:47.600 To sometimes hear when God wants to shift gears with us. 00:05:48.079 --> 00:05:52.560 I was kind of like the old hunting dog in the kitchen by the wood stove, you know. 00:05:52.800 --> 00:06:02.399 And uh the hunter came and said we're going hunting, and boy, it's pretty comfortable in there by that warm wood stove, and wanting to get up and to move and hunt. 00:06:02.800 --> 00:06:09.120 But I believe I've heard God's voice, and as a result of that, I believe I've come to a new day for me. 00:06:09.839 --> 00:06:11.360 Well, folks, lands. 00:06:12.000 --> 00:06:15.920 If it's a new day for me and I'm your pastor, then it's a new day for you too. 00:06:16.639 --> 00:06:23.839 And we enter together today, at this moment, in this hour, in this worship service, a new day. 00:06:24.160 --> 00:06:34.160 I'm going to be challenging you to be those who embrace a new day of faith together as First Baptist Church Fort Smith moves ahead into the future. 00:06:34.480 --> 00:06:36.720 My what a grand history you have. 00:06:37.439 --> 00:06:39.519 What a grand history you have. 00:06:39.920 --> 00:06:46.720 What great days I can see just down through a short corridor of history of this church. 00:06:47.040 --> 00:06:54.160 There are great men who have stood in this pulpit and pastored this church and have led you that I greatly admire. 00:06:54.399 --> 00:07:00.240 And many times I'm astonished at the fact that I'm here to be your pastor and to be here today. 00:07:00.480 --> 00:07:13.839 But it is a new day, and I want to challenge you to look into the Word of God with me and see a time and an hour when there was a need, a great need for a new day, and how a man brought a new day. 00:07:14.000 --> 00:07:15.439 Now let me say this to you. 00:07:15.600 --> 00:07:28.639 I don't believe that any one man can bring the new day to First Baptist Church, Fort Smith, but I believe all together we need to be those who unite our hearts and lives together to bring a new day. 00:07:28.959 --> 00:07:43.680 Surging forward, moving forward, impacting this community, and doing our work for Jesus Christ in the hours and the days and the weeks and the months, and yea, if God gives it to us the years that we have together in the future. 00:07:43.920 --> 00:07:48.079 We don't have a time, I believe, in our day for a lot of analysis. 00:07:48.240 --> 00:07:59.600 I believe it's the time to move and for men to be those and for women to be those, and for young people to be those who are ready to take a step of faith into a new day. 00:07:59.920 --> 00:08:03.519 Let's begin reading in this 17th chapter of 1 Samuel. 00:08:03.600 --> 00:08:10.639 It's a familiar passage, though you may not have studied this in a long time, but though all of you know this story very well. 00:08:10.879 --> 00:08:16.959 Begin reading with me in verse 2 of chapter 17 of 1 Samuel. 00:08:17.199 --> 00:08:26.959 And Saul and the men of Israel were gathered together, and they pitched their camp by the valley of Elah and set the battle in array against the Philistines. 00:08:27.279 --> 00:08:36.639 And the Philistines stood on one side on a mountain, and Israel stood on a mountain on the other side, and there was a valley in between. 00:08:36.879 --> 00:08:40.159 I want you to see the picture in your mind today, if you would, all right? 00:08:40.320 --> 00:08:43.279 And the floor of the auditorium is going to be our valley today. 00:08:43.440 --> 00:08:49.120 And over here on this hillside is encamped Israel, and Saul is the king of Israel. 00:08:49.279 --> 00:09:00.000 He has been a failure to this point because of his pride and his arrogance, but he's still king of Israel, and the armies of Israel here, and over here are the old enemies. 00:09:00.240 --> 00:09:02.320 Always the old enemies of Israel. 00:09:02.480 --> 00:09:10.000 If I were to ask you to name the name of one of Israel's enemies, almost the majority, I'm sure I should say, would say, why? 00:09:10.159 --> 00:09:11.120 The Philistines. 00:09:11.279 --> 00:09:16.320 Certainly we always remember the old Philistines as the enemy of Israel. 00:09:16.480 --> 00:09:18.799 They've set their battle in array. 00:09:19.039 --> 00:09:21.840 They're getting ready to come into a confrontation. 00:09:22.080 --> 00:09:24.320 You know what's interesting to me when I look at this? 00:09:24.480 --> 00:09:32.399 If you were to study the history of Israel and look at Israel's history, they have been delivered from the bondage and the slavery of Egypt. 00:09:32.559 --> 00:09:38.879 They have arrived after 40 years of the wilderness to become a people in the land that God promised them. 00:09:39.039 --> 00:09:44.720 But though they've reached the promised land, the battles are still there to be fought. 00:09:44.879 --> 00:09:46.159 Now, folks, listen. 00:09:46.480 --> 00:09:53.279 You may have been delivered by the Lord Jesus from your sin, from the slave of your sin, from the slave master of the devil. 00:09:53.440 --> 00:10:00.000 But folks, listen, because we come to Christ, that does not mean the problems and the difficulties and the battles are over. 00:10:00.159 --> 00:10:01.840 The battles have just begun. 00:10:02.000 --> 00:10:07.279 And the Christian life is a spiritual warfare and it's an encounter with the enemy. 00:10:07.440 --> 00:10:18.879 You have an enemy that hates you, that opposes you, who is against you, and what you and I must do is trust God and realize that it's up to us to fight the battles before us. 00:10:19.120 --> 00:10:20.879 Well, the battle is in array. 00:10:21.039 --> 00:10:23.120 I like that word in the King James. 00:10:23.279 --> 00:10:24.879 They've set the battle in array. 00:10:25.039 --> 00:10:33.840 What that means, we're not exactly certain, but what I think it means is that over here on Israel's side, they've probably pitched their tents in a military order. 00:10:34.000 --> 00:10:40.879 They've probably aligned their shields and their weaponry along the edge of that ridge of that hill to impress the enemy. 00:10:41.120 --> 00:10:54.559 And I'm sure over on here, this side, where the Philistines are at, they've set their battle in array, and they've probably lined that hillside with all of their equipment and their men, and they're peering down at one another from the hills, ready to do battle. 00:10:54.879 --> 00:10:58.799 Now I know in this day we think of nuclear warfare. 00:10:59.120 --> 00:11:14.000 We go back to those pictures of desert storm and those screaming jets and the fear and the night that many must have experienced, and the tanks and the artillery, and those uh mechanized, computerized rockets and the Patriot missile. 00:11:14.159 --> 00:11:16.879 But in those days battle was very simple. 00:11:17.200 --> 00:11:23.360 Someone screamed to scream, called an order, blew a whistle, blew a trumpet or something. 00:11:23.600 --> 00:11:39.600 And this army on this hillside, Israel, and this army on this side, the Philistines, would rush down into the middle of that valley, and there they would come in a tremendous crash and confrontation of coal steel and hand-to-hand combat. 00:11:40.000 --> 00:11:54.399 It had to be, listen, it had to be a fearful thing to think of running into a battle of bows and arrows and spears and swords and daggers and knives and realize that you may meet your death in that fashion. 00:11:54.879 --> 00:12:03.759 Now, I don't believe these fellows were on this hillside on each side over here, just uh, you know, just sort of casually waiting for the battle to start. 00:12:04.000 --> 00:12:13.039 I I've had in my mind what would it be like, and the only picture that I have in my mind, have you ever seen when uh a football team that's really fired up comes running out on the field? 00:12:13.360 --> 00:12:17.360 First thing they do to test their strength is they run through a big piece of paper. 00:12:18.559 --> 00:12:25.279 And they run through that big piece of paper and they rush out on the field and they get to the sideline and then they begin to pile up on each other. 00:12:25.440 --> 00:12:26.879 Have you ever seen them do that? 00:12:27.120 --> 00:12:31.919 Boy, I've always thought I certainly wouldn't want to be that first guy, you know, that formed that pile. 00:12:32.159 --> 00:12:42.720 And they pile up about 40 or 50 or 60 of them, a college football team, maybe 70 of them, in a big pile, and they break up, and the kickoff's getting ready to happen. 00:12:42.960 --> 00:12:56.320 And two guys stand over there and grab each other by the shoulder pads and they bang their heads together, and then they bang their shoulders together, and then they bang their forearms together, and they scream and they grunt and they holler. 00:12:56.480 --> 00:12:57.279 What's the deal here? 00:12:57.360 --> 00:12:58.399 What's happening? 00:12:58.799 --> 00:13:01.840 These boys are getting ready for war. 00:13:02.480 --> 00:13:08.720 It may not be with swords and shields, but they're going to a physical type warfare. 00:13:08.799 --> 00:13:12.159 What do you think was happening on these hillsides when these men were getting ready for that battle? 00:13:12.320 --> 00:13:14.320 Do you think they were standing there twiddling their thumbs? 00:13:14.480 --> 00:13:17.519 No, they were preparing for a great encounter. 00:13:17.919 --> 00:13:25.039 And while they're there, waiting for that great encounter, they are confident, I'm sure, in their strength to prevail. 00:13:25.279 --> 00:13:27.919 I can hear them strutting and talking now. 00:13:28.080 --> 00:13:31.120 Boy, I tell you what, they'd better stay out of my way today. 00:13:31.200 --> 00:13:33.120 I've sharpened my sword, I'm ready to go. 00:13:33.200 --> 00:13:34.960 I can hear those Israelites over there. 00:13:35.200 --> 00:13:36.879 I can hear them saying, I'm ready. 00:13:37.039 --> 00:13:45.200 I, you know, I've been working out, I'm in good shape, I've got my weapons sharpened, and I don't think there's a Philistine in that country over there that can stay with me today. 00:13:45.360 --> 00:13:46.559 I'm ready. 00:13:46.960 --> 00:13:55.919 And in all of that readiness, the Bible says that the Philistines pull a uh a different tactic and strategy. 00:13:56.639 --> 00:13:59.600 We find it when we start reading in verse 4. 00:14:00.480 --> 00:14:07.679 And there came out a champion out of the camp of the Philistines named Goliath of Gath, whose height was six cubics and a span. 00:14:07.840 --> 00:14:09.919 That's about nine feet nine. 00:14:10.240 --> 00:14:13.039 He could make a lot of money in the NBA today. 00:14:13.519 --> 00:14:18.080 If he could keep from breaking his face on the rim, he'd do great. 00:14:18.399 --> 00:14:24.639 Nolan Ryan, excuse me, Nolan Richardson would be right after him to recruit him if he were around today. 00:14:25.120 --> 00:14:33.039 And he had a helmet of brass upon his head, and he was armed with a coat of mail, and the weight of the coat was 5,000 shekels of brass. 00:14:33.120 --> 00:14:34.080 You know what that means? 00:14:34.320 --> 00:14:36.000 He's got a coat of mail on. 00:14:36.159 --> 00:14:41.440 That means a metal jacket that weighs 106 pounds in metal. 00:14:41.759 --> 00:14:42.720 Can you imagine that? 00:14:42.879 --> 00:14:44.399 You know why he had this on? 00:14:44.639 --> 00:14:48.159 When you're nine feet nine, you get a lot of arrows. 00:14:49.279 --> 00:14:53.600 You don't have many sword fights, but you get a lot of arrows. 00:14:54.159 --> 00:14:56.240 And he's got this mail on. 00:14:56.879 --> 00:14:59.200 Then the scripture says this about him. 00:14:59.679 --> 00:15:00.879 In verse 6. 00:15:01.200 --> 00:15:07.039 And he had greaves of brass on his legs and a target of brass between his shoulders. 00:15:07.279 --> 00:15:11.840 What that means is, is down here, he had uh brass shin guards. 00:15:12.399 --> 00:15:18.720 When you're nine foot nine or or nine foot nine inches tall, you get a lot of folks at your shins, too. 00:15:19.679 --> 00:15:22.080 And he's got a he's got a shield on his back. 00:15:22.159 --> 00:15:29.759 I can imagine a round shield with two loops in it, and he probably just sticks it on like a coat, and it's like a big round shield hung on his back. 00:15:30.399 --> 00:15:34.559 When you're nine foot nine, you get a lot of back shooters, too. 00:15:36.080 --> 00:15:38.799 And so Goliath walks out on the field. 00:15:39.120 --> 00:15:45.200 Verse 7 says he has a staff of his spear is like a weaver's beam. 00:15:45.279 --> 00:15:51.759 That's probably over 10 feet long, and his spear's head weighed 600 shekels of iron. 00:15:51.919 --> 00:15:57.360 That means the metal point on his spear weighed 20 pounds. 00:15:58.720 --> 00:16:06.000 That's about four or five pounds more than the weight of a shot put that they'll be throwing in the Summer Olympics this year. 00:16:06.480 --> 00:16:14.639 And that's just the cold, sharp steel edge of a 10 or 12 foot long spear that he might carry. 00:16:14.720 --> 00:16:21.200 Why he could line him up about five or six of those Israelites and just sort of shish kebab them with that thing. 00:16:21.840 --> 00:16:24.399 And that's the way he comes on the field. 00:16:24.720 --> 00:16:26.000 Can you imagine? 00:16:26.320 --> 00:16:28.000 Over nine feet tall. 00:16:28.159 --> 00:16:33.440 The average Jewish man of that day may have made five foot two, five foot three in height, some say. 00:16:33.679 --> 00:16:41.120 And so this man is literally twice the size in height alone, much less weight. 00:16:41.440 --> 00:16:43.440 Goliath walks on the field. 00:16:43.759 --> 00:16:47.360 And the giant says these words in verse eight. 00:16:47.600 --> 00:16:52.960 And he stood and cried unto the armies of Israel, and he said to them, Why are you come out to set your battle in array? 00:16:53.039 --> 00:16:56.080 Am I not a Philistine, and you are servants of Saul? 00:16:56.240 --> 00:16:59.679 Choose for you a man for you, and let him come down to me. 00:16:59.840 --> 00:17:03.360 And if he's able to fight with me and to kill me, then we will be your servants. 00:17:03.440 --> 00:17:08.640 But if I prevail against him and kill him, then you will be our servants and serve us. 00:17:08.799 --> 00:17:19.119 And the Philistines said, I defy the armies of Israel this day to give me a man that we might fight together. 00:17:19.440 --> 00:17:20.960 You get the picture? 00:17:21.440 --> 00:17:34.000 O Goliath walks down out of that Philistine camp, walks out there in the middle of that field, stands there all by himself looking at Israel's army, and he says, Folks, listen, there's no reason for us to have a slaughter out here today. 00:17:34.160 --> 00:17:37.680 You send your best man, you send your best man down to me. 00:17:37.839 --> 00:17:40.480 I'm the best man of the Philistines, and we'll fight. 00:17:40.559 --> 00:17:42.319 And it's winner take all. 00:17:42.799 --> 00:17:43.680 One-on-one. 00:17:44.720 --> 00:17:46.640 Me and whoever you've got. 00:17:46.880 --> 00:17:51.680 And I defy you to send me a man that can challenge me. 00:17:52.319 --> 00:17:52.960 Wow. 00:17:54.079 --> 00:17:55.599 What a challenge. 00:17:56.240 --> 00:18:00.480 Now I ask myself why they just didn't ignore that, but evidently they couldn't. 00:18:01.680 --> 00:18:03.200 And you know the enemies. 00:18:04.079 --> 00:18:04.720 Listen. 00:18:05.279 --> 00:18:13.359 The enemies of the church and the faith today are just as real as Goliath in his day. 00:18:13.839 --> 00:18:26.079 The enemies of what you believe and what you stand for, what I believe and what I stand for, what this church believes and what this church stands for, the enemies of the faith are just as real and challenging today. 00:18:27.279 --> 00:18:30.000 Now I like to put the humanness in this scene. 00:18:30.400 --> 00:18:31.920 Look, if you would, the next verse. 00:18:32.000 --> 00:18:33.039 Look at verse 11. 00:18:33.200 --> 00:18:40.799 And when Saul and all Israel heard those words of the Philistine, they were dismayed and greatly afraid. 00:18:41.440 --> 00:18:42.400 Now I don't know. 00:18:42.480 --> 00:18:49.839 I, you know, I've got a sanctified imagination, and sometimes it gets carried away with me, but I just have my own picture of this thing. 00:18:49.920 --> 00:18:54.000 And, you know, I just really don't see Goliath as a road scholar type. 00:18:54.240 --> 00:18:55.680 You know what I mean? 00:18:56.000 --> 00:18:59.839 I just don't see Goliath, you know, a scoring high on his ACT. 00:19:01.200 --> 00:19:03.039 I just don't see him, you know, as a real good. 00:19:03.599 --> 00:19:10.000 Matter of fact, I I think probably what even in Philistine, I believe he said duh a lot, you know. 00:19:11.200 --> 00:19:14.000 I just don't see him as a real sharp guy. 00:19:14.720 --> 00:19:20.640 I see old Goliath kind of stumble out there in the middle of that field, and and of course, what are the Philistines doing over here? 00:19:20.799 --> 00:19:22.000 You know, what are they doing? 00:19:22.160 --> 00:19:26.640 If you've got a nine foot nine champion, you smile a lot. 00:19:27.920 --> 00:19:34.319 And when you know they have no match for him, you get a real, you just get a real joy out of it. 00:19:34.640 --> 00:19:38.720 And so they're probably on this hillside over there, they've got their arms crossed. 00:19:38.960 --> 00:19:41.920 They're just as confident and cocky as they can be. 00:19:42.079 --> 00:19:43.359 And they're probably laughing. 00:19:43.440 --> 00:19:49.359 Oh, Goliath, you know, the big bumbler, he's walking out there in the middle of the field and he's defying them, you know, and and they're probably laughing. 00:19:49.599 --> 00:19:51.920 Oh, go on, Goliath, go on out there. 00:19:52.240 --> 00:19:54.799 They're mocking Israel's army. 00:19:55.119 --> 00:19:57.359 You can't tell me those Philistines are gentlemen. 00:19:57.519 --> 00:19:58.160 No way. 00:19:59.200 --> 00:20:00.960 They're not men of honor. 00:20:01.920 --> 00:20:08.559 And when Israel hears that challenge, the Bible says that something went into Israel's camp. 00:20:08.880 --> 00:20:13.440 Fear, defeat, confusion. 00:20:16.559 --> 00:20:22.880 A negative spirit entered that camp of Israel when Goliath made that challenge. 00:20:24.799 --> 00:20:26.240 That's so prevalent. 00:20:27.039 --> 00:20:30.480 In the New Testament church in the 20th century, it's unbelievable. 00:20:31.440 --> 00:20:32.880 The challenge has come. 00:20:34.079 --> 00:20:36.079 The challenge of the world has come. 00:20:36.880 --> 00:20:40.400 The challenge of a society that's literally rotting and eroding. 00:20:40.720 --> 00:20:44.880 The undergirdings of a great nation and a great country, the challenge has come. 00:20:45.920 --> 00:20:49.680 And what has entered the hearts of many Christians, some of you here today. 00:20:50.079 --> 00:20:54.640 What has entered the hearts of the church, many churches in our day. 00:20:55.119 --> 00:21:04.240 What has entered in is a spirit of fear, a spirit of discouragement, a spirit of confusion. 00:21:06.400 --> 00:21:07.680 They withdrew. 00:21:11.920 --> 00:21:13.039 Look if you would. 00:21:13.519 --> 00:21:15.279 Just look a little bit further down. 00:21:15.519 --> 00:21:17.039 Look at verse 16. 00:21:17.440 --> 00:21:25.839 And the Philistine, this is speaking of Goliath, drew near morning and evening and presented himself 40 days. 00:21:26.079 --> 00:21:27.759 They couldn't get this war going. 00:21:28.000 --> 00:21:31.039 Evidently, the Philistines were trying to stall this thing off. 00:21:31.200 --> 00:21:32.400 They couldn't get the war going. 00:21:32.640 --> 00:21:34.400 Goliath would come out there in the morning. 00:21:34.480 --> 00:21:38.400 You know, about 9 o'clock in the morning, Goliath would walk out there in the middle of the field, make the challenge. 00:21:38.559 --> 00:21:40.480 No, uh, no challengers, he'd go back. 00:21:40.640 --> 00:21:45.279 In the evening, right before dinner hour, about 4 30, 5 o'clock, here'd come Goliath out there in the middle of the field. 00:21:45.359 --> 00:21:46.240 He'd make the challenge. 00:21:46.319 --> 00:21:47.279 No takers. 00:21:47.680 --> 00:21:55.680 Because Israel had decided in their fear, in their dismay, and in their negativism, that there was no match for Goliath. 00:21:57.359 --> 00:21:58.640 What happened? 00:21:58.880 --> 00:21:59.519 No answer. 00:22:00.000 --> 00:22:00.880 Isn't that embarrassing? 00:22:01.279 --> 00:22:06.160 Forty days, God's army is challenged. 00:22:07.680 --> 00:22:08.480 No answer. 00:22:10.079 --> 00:22:11.920 Goliath has come on the scene. 00:22:12.880 --> 00:22:14.720 The giant has arrived. 00:22:15.279 --> 00:22:18.160 He's cut the people of God off from their faith. 00:22:19.599 --> 00:22:22.880 He's brought them to hopelessness and discouragement. 00:22:24.000 --> 00:22:25.599 Is that true of you today? 00:22:26.880 --> 00:22:28.480 Is that true of your life? 00:22:30.079 --> 00:22:35.839 Is that true of the position of your life as far as serving and following the Lord Jesus in your life? 00:22:37.279 --> 00:22:39.039 Do you find yourself discouraged? 00:22:40.319 --> 00:22:42.240 Do you find yourself afraid? 00:22:43.119 --> 00:22:44.799 Do you find yourself negative? 00:22:45.119 --> 00:22:47.680 Can't you see those guys up in the camp over here, the Israelite camp? 00:22:47.759 --> 00:22:50.480 I mean, we're about 30 days in, 60 trips in the middle of the field. 00:22:50.559 --> 00:22:55.519 My soul, Goliath is worn a path walking back and forth in the field out there. 00:22:55.680 --> 00:22:57.200 He's worn the grass down. 00:22:57.279 --> 00:23:04.640 You can see right where he walks, right where he stands after 30 or 40 trips with that little, that little uh shield bear he's got walking out there with him. 00:23:04.960 --> 00:23:09.039 Little wimp, about 4'10, walking out there with that giant to make him even look bigger. 00:23:10.400 --> 00:23:11.839 And here these guys are over here. 00:23:12.079 --> 00:23:12.799 What's happening with them? 00:23:12.880 --> 00:23:13.440 What are they saying? 00:23:13.599 --> 00:23:14.480 Well, why don't you fight him? 00:23:14.640 --> 00:23:15.680 Well, I can't fight him. 00:23:15.839 --> 00:23:17.359 Well, why didn't Saul fight him? 00:23:17.440 --> 00:23:18.640 He's taller than any of us. 00:23:18.799 --> 00:23:19.519 He's 5'8. 00:23:19.759 --> 00:23:21.119 Why didn't he fight him? 00:23:22.559 --> 00:23:23.759 I'm not gonna fight him. 00:23:23.839 --> 00:23:26.640 I don't even, I'm not even sure my life insurance premiums are paid up. 00:23:26.720 --> 00:23:27.839 I'm not gonna fight him. 00:23:28.000 --> 00:23:31.119 I'm having problems with my, you know, I had a separated shoulder. 00:23:31.599 --> 00:23:33.440 I can't throw like I used to throw. 00:23:33.759 --> 00:23:34.400 I can't do it. 00:23:34.559 --> 00:23:35.680 Why don't you do it? 00:23:35.920 --> 00:23:41.839 And can't you see the disarray, the complaining, the negativism, the difficulty, they're accusing Saul? 00:23:42.079 --> 00:23:42.960 Soul, why don't you go? 00:23:43.119 --> 00:23:44.240 Soul, don't want to, why don't you go? 00:23:44.319 --> 00:23:45.839 And Saul says, Well, I'm the king, guys. 00:23:45.920 --> 00:23:47.200 You know, I can't go. 00:23:47.599 --> 00:23:49.359 Some, you know, we need a champion around here. 00:23:49.599 --> 00:23:54.720 Some of you guys need to, you know, you need to buck up, you need to get strong, somebody needs to do it. 00:23:57.279 --> 00:23:58.720 It happens, doesn't it? 00:23:59.119 --> 00:24:00.319 It happened then. 00:24:01.359 --> 00:24:02.480 It happened now. 00:24:04.000 --> 00:24:06.640 The whole situation is dissolved on this hillside. 00:24:06.880 --> 00:24:18.240 The mocking, the mocking and the hooting and the calls and the embarrassment that this side, the Philistines, are bringing on the on the Israelites is unbelievable. 00:24:19.119 --> 00:24:26.079 Well, meanwhile, back at the ranch, there's a guy named Jesse who's he's got three boys in the army, and he's got one son who is a young man. 00:24:26.160 --> 00:24:27.599 He's probably in his late teens. 00:24:27.680 --> 00:24:29.119 He might be 20 years old. 00:24:29.200 --> 00:24:30.720 He's keeping sheep. 00:24:31.519 --> 00:24:36.559 And Jesse calls his shepherd son, it's his youngest son, it's the eighth son, his name is David. 00:24:36.720 --> 00:24:42.720 He calls David in from the field and says, David, take some food stuff up there, give it to the boy's captain, and find out how the war's going. 00:24:42.799 --> 00:24:49.680 There's nothing in the Jerusalem Post about it because they probably censored the press, because they don't want the embarrassment to go out and come back and bring me a report. 00:24:49.759 --> 00:24:51.279 And so David takes off. 00:24:51.599 --> 00:24:53.839 David arrives on the scene. 00:24:54.480 --> 00:25:06.400 And when David arrives on the scene, we're going to see that in the midst of that frustration, that discouragement, and that fear, that David is going to do something in that day. 00:25:06.559 --> 00:25:13.839 In one day, he's going to do something in that one day that will make a new day for Israel. 00:25:15.119 --> 00:25:16.240 Look if you would. 00:25:17.839 --> 00:25:23.839 In verse 23, he's arrived on the scene, he's talking to his brothers, and this is what God's word says. 00:25:24.079 --> 00:25:34.160 And as he talked with them, behold, there came up the champion, the Philistine of Gath, Goliath by name, out of the armies of the Philistines, and he spake according to the same words, and David heard them. 00:25:34.319 --> 00:25:40.799 And all of the men of Israel, when they saw the man, they fled from him, for they were sore afraid. 00:25:40.960 --> 00:25:44.319 Now I know that means very much afraid. 00:25:45.359 --> 00:25:47.440 Boy, David's up here on the hillside. 00:25:47.599 --> 00:25:48.960 He's come up to see his brothers. 00:25:49.119 --> 00:25:50.319 His brothers don't want him there. 00:25:50.400 --> 00:25:52.799 If you'll read the passage, we don't have time to analyze it all. 00:25:52.880 --> 00:25:53.920 They said, What are you doing here? 00:25:54.000 --> 00:25:55.519 You just want to see somebody bleed. 00:25:55.599 --> 00:25:56.640 You really don't care about us. 00:25:56.720 --> 00:25:57.759 What are you doing here, David? 00:25:57.920 --> 00:25:58.880 Why have you come today? 00:25:58.960 --> 00:25:59.839 You go home, kid. 00:25:59.920 --> 00:26:00.559 Just get out of here. 00:26:00.640 --> 00:26:01.759 We're having a bad time. 00:26:02.079 --> 00:26:05.200 Goliath walks out in the middle of the field while David is talking to them. 00:26:05.359 --> 00:26:09.279 He presents himself, evidently, on that 40th day, and he makes that challenge. 00:26:09.440 --> 00:26:13.119 I defy the armies of Israel and send me a man to fight. 00:26:13.680 --> 00:26:15.279 David hears it. 00:26:16.000 --> 00:26:22.160 And when David hears it, he has a totally different response than anybody else. 00:26:22.720 --> 00:26:24.480 Look at what he says. 00:26:24.799 --> 00:26:26.079 Verse 26. 00:26:26.720 --> 00:26:34.559 And David spake to the men that stood by him, saying, What shall be done to the man that kills this Philistine and takes away the reproach from Israel? 00:26:34.799 --> 00:26:42.160 For who is this uncircumcised Philistine that he should defy the armies of the living God? 00:26:42.960 --> 00:26:43.279 Oh. 00:26:44.640 --> 00:26:47.119 This is a different guy, isn't it? 00:26:47.759 --> 00:26:49.599 This is different, isn't it? 00:26:50.160 --> 00:26:51.920 Who is this guy? 00:26:52.559 --> 00:26:54.160 Who thinks he can defy? 00:26:54.240 --> 00:26:55.839 And do you notice something about David? 00:26:56.000 --> 00:26:58.000 He doesn't call them the army of Israel. 00:26:58.160 --> 00:27:01.599 Everybody else, Goliath calls them the army of Israel. 00:27:02.160 --> 00:27:04.480 They call themselves the army of Israel. 00:27:04.640 --> 00:27:06.559 But who does David call them? 00:27:06.880 --> 00:27:09.920 The army of the living God. 00:27:10.480 --> 00:27:14.000 He's going to bring faith into this situation. 00:27:14.160 --> 00:27:16.400 And he does with that statement. 00:27:17.359 --> 00:27:19.680 He says, This guy can't do this. 00:27:19.920 --> 00:27:21.839 This is God's army. 00:27:23.039 --> 00:27:24.400 Look if you would. 00:27:25.200 --> 00:27:29.039 In verse 32, and see what else David says later in the conversation. 00:27:29.200 --> 00:27:30.319 They take him to Saul. 00:27:30.880 --> 00:27:32.720 They think they found a victim to fight. 00:27:32.880 --> 00:27:39.200 They take David to Saul, and David said to Saul, Let no man's heart fail because of him, the Philistine. 00:27:39.359 --> 00:27:43.039 Thy servant will go and fight the Philistine. 00:27:43.119 --> 00:27:45.359 Now let me quickly tell you what David brought to the situation. 00:27:45.519 --> 00:27:48.160 Number one, David brought faith. 00:27:48.480 --> 00:27:51.920 He believed God, he believed in God, he believed God could. 00:27:52.400 --> 00:27:54.240 Number two, this is what David brought. 00:27:54.480 --> 00:28:00.079 David brought a burden for God to be glorified and for the shame to be expelled. 00:28:00.319 --> 00:28:06.720 He brought a burden for the shame to be expelled and for God to be glorified. 00:28:06.799 --> 00:28:08.799 Number three, he brought a vision. 00:28:09.039 --> 00:28:13.359 He and only he could see the giant falling. 00:28:13.519 --> 00:28:19.839 No one else could see, but David could see with the eyes of his soul, with eyes out of his heart. 00:28:20.079 --> 00:28:24.559 David could see that giant going down, and no one else could. 00:28:25.759 --> 00:28:27.119 No one else could. 00:28:28.000 --> 00:28:31.920 Now, folks, listen, I challenge you to do this for you to be a David. 00:28:32.319 --> 00:28:34.480 I want to be a David, I want you to be a David. 00:28:34.559 --> 00:28:36.559 I want you to bring faith to a new day. 00:28:36.720 --> 00:28:45.279 I want you to bring a burden for God to be glorified and for a shame to be taken away where Christians fail in a world that's eroding. 00:28:45.440 --> 00:29:04.559 I want you to bring a vision where you can see the enemy being defeated and the Lord being lifted up and God's people surging forward and God winning battles and God saving souls and God impacting a community, a vision that you can only see with the eyes of your soul, and the eyes of your heart, a vision for God. 00:29:06.240 --> 00:29:07.200 Faith. 00:29:08.079 --> 00:29:09.920 God can, a burden. 00:29:10.240 --> 00:29:12.240 God must be glorified. 00:29:12.720 --> 00:29:13.680 A vision. 00:29:14.880 --> 00:29:16.559 Seeing the enemy defeated. 00:29:18.480 --> 00:29:23.039 Well, as soon as David came with this, he had two distractions. 00:29:23.279 --> 00:29:25.599 Number one, discouragement. 00:29:25.839 --> 00:29:27.359 Look if you would at verse 33. 00:29:27.440 --> 00:29:37.920 And Saul said to David, Thou art not able to go against the Philistine to fight with him, for thou art but a youth, and he's a man of war from his youth. 00:29:38.160 --> 00:29:39.680 What's the first thing he dealt with? 00:29:40.000 --> 00:29:40.720 Discouragement. 00:29:40.880 --> 00:29:45.519 Saul just told him outright, You can't do it. 00:29:49.119 --> 00:29:51.039 But you know the story, don't you? 00:29:51.920 --> 00:29:52.559 He did. 00:29:53.839 --> 00:29:57.680 Here's the second thing he dealt with human techniques. 00:29:57.920 --> 00:30:00.240 Drop down if you would at verse 38. 00:30:00.480 --> 00:30:02.640 And Saul armed David with his armor. 00:30:02.799 --> 00:30:04.400 He put a helmet of brass on his head. 00:30:04.480 --> 00:30:07.680 He also armed him with a coat of mail, and David gird the sword upon. 00:30:07.839 --> 00:30:10.000 He assailed to go, for he had not proved it. 00:30:10.079 --> 00:30:13.839 And David said to Saul, I can't not go with these, for I have not proved them. 00:30:13.920 --> 00:30:15.359 And David put them on. 00:30:16.079 --> 00:30:18.559 The human instruments, the human techniques. 00:30:18.640 --> 00:30:19.359 Folks, listen. 00:30:19.599 --> 00:30:26.799 The church to win the battle at the end of the 20th century doesn't need another program, doesn't need a new technique. 00:30:26.960 --> 00:30:28.799 We need people with faith. 00:30:29.039 --> 00:30:32.240 We need people with a burden to see God glorify. 00:30:32.720 --> 00:30:38.000