Creekside Church Sermon of June 22, 1997 "Up Against the Giants That Be" I Samuel 17:1a, 4-11, 32-49	Rev. David Bibbee
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It was only a matter of seconds before I realized she was talking about a different David, but what a feeling it was to think that I had defeated the giant and made the world a better place for God. In the thirty nine years since I first heard this story, I have come to claim it again as a story about me...and you and our experience of being camped in the valley of Elah in the shadow of a giant.

Last week we began the saga in Samuel by talking about God's surprising choice of little David to be Israel's second king. Today we continued the story by remembering that God not only chooses little, unlikely ones to achieve God's purposes, but God also gives them the power to prevail against enormous odds.

In this masterfully crafted story, the armies of Israel and the Philistines face off at the valley of Elah. Both were well armed, but the Philistines had a formidable weapon named Goliath. He stood ten feet tall, wore a size fifty-seven belt, a helmet the size of a five gallon bucket, one hundred fifty pounds of bronze plated armor, and carried a spear with a head that weighed nineteen pounds. He was a cross between Shaquille O'Niel and a sherman tank. He thundered out to the front line and taunted Israel's troops...mocked their God, told Jewish mother jokes. "Send over a man to fight me. If he wins, HAH!, we'll be your servants."

Now Saul was a tough customer in his own right, but was no match for this giant. Volunteers were as plentiful as in the story of when the Pope needed a heart transplant. He explained the need before the throngs of the faithful who filled St. Peter's Square. When he asked who would give their heart, every hand was raised. Moved by their spirit of sacrifice, he produced a feather. He said he would drop it, and the one upon whom it lighted would offer their life. And as the feather floated within inches of all who were so eager to offer themselves, you heard this sound...hfoofh hfoofh hfoofh-hfoofh.

Something had to be done about Goliath, but no one had any suggestions. Saul and all of Israel were petrified with fear. When a crisis comes, as come it will, we often shut down. A crisis is anything which catches us unprepared, it upsets the order of our lives or results in the loss of something or someone dear to us. When this happens, the pressing question becomes, "Now what?" If the predominant response is fear, creative, constructive response will be nil. This is why fear is really an ultimate weapon of the powerful.

Henri Nouwen observed that most of the time we live in a "house of fear". The items that fill our newspapers and newscasts become an agenda of fear and power. We've been seduced into accepting fearful questions like, "What if?" What if I lose my job? What if I get a divorce? What if I get sick and there's no one to take care of me? What if I don't have enough to retire on? The answer of course is not to challenge the powers that be which offer these questions...we are just told to follow the solutions that we are given whether they are good or not. Don't question the questions to see if they are off base. "Just be appropriately afraid and don't think about it too much."

Now David enters the picture. He has been sent to the front lines with lunch for his three elder brothers. While they are talking, Goliath comes forward again to taunt Israel. Once again the troops fled in terror. "Who was that?" David asked. "Never mind." The brothers said. "It's of no concern to you." "But didn't he just mock the might of Israel?" "Guess so." "Didn't he just insult your manhood...call you all a bunch of wusses?" "Look, little brother. You tend the sheep and leave the fighting to us." But David marched right into Saul's tent and said, "I'll fight Goliath for you!" "What?! Did you see the size of that guy?" "But I wrestle lions and bears for kicks," David said. "The Lord has delivered me from them and will do the same with this Goliath guy."

Confronted with a crisis, Saul chose paralysis. David on the other hand, chose performance. No denying the crisis. No pretending it would go away. David would engage Goliath, but not with just bravado and weapons. There is more to this contest than brains and brawn. Saul rightly told little David, "The Lord be with you." But then he proceeded to dress David up like a miniature version of Goliath...helmet, armor, sword, the works. But it was too cumbersome for David, and the text says, "David put it off." He not only shed the armor, but the solution that wouldn't rely upon God. So with five smooth stones, a sling shot and God, David confronted the enemy.

Do you hear Goliath laughing? Do you see repressive governments trembling because the peasants are praying in the cathedrals? Do you see the drug dealers shaking in their shoes over the threat posed by the Wednesday Ladies Circle? Is the Disney Corporation reeling because the Southern Baptist voted to boycott them? "Saul sent you to fight me?" We know from looking at the story it's hopeless. We know who will win. Yes, with God, we know who will win. God is on the side of the small and outnumbered--those who cast their lot with Him and stake a claim for what is right. God is partial to those who won't be locked in a house of fear but instead cast their confidence in Him.

How could David possibly win? But while Goliath was holding his sides to keep from bursting with laughter, he took a stone to the forehead and dropped like sack of potatoes.

Who or what is pulling your strings right now? Who is mocking you with, "You'll never win?" Is it debt? Is it divorce? Is it the threat of death? What is it that has you wondering if you can get on your feet and get on with life? Is it a litany of "What if?" questions--is it a troubling diagnosis from the doctor? What has you feeling small, hopeless, and helpless? This is a story about us. It tells us that crisis is something we have no control of. It will come, and we can respond--negatively, by being paralyzed, or positively, by performance.

Jesus said there is no question about it. "In this world you will have tribulation, but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world." Regardless of the crisis, we've been promised his presence. It didn't seem that little David stood a blessed chance, but against the odds he made it, and generation after generation of God's people have made it against the odds too because they challenged the powers that be, those within them and those in the world around them. They drew inspiration from David. They drew it from, "Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death I will fear no evil for you are with me." They drew it from inspirational words by Paul, "If God is for us, who is against us? Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?"

When up against the powers that be, how will we respond? Paul says, "Have no anxiety about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your request be made known to God." When there seems little to do, there is much to do, and that is pray. David is really not the key player in this story. God is. With God, our crises take unexpected turns. When in prayer, we acknowledge how little, how incomplete, and how needy we are--when facing Goliath in his many disguises, hard and painful blows can be met with an unexpected twist of confidence and courage, and you manage, by God's grace, to make it. It is God's battle, after all, and if it is to God's purposes that we give ourselves, the outcome is never in question.

You see, our response to the crises which come our way and to the powers which claim to possess the truth about life, is not fate (what will be will be) or force ("Here, David my boy, strap on this armor."), but faith...faith...not answers, not guarantees, not a course of action which will seem like a sure thing, but faith.

When Martin Luther King, Jr. took his first pastorate in Montgomery, Alabama, he had an idea of what he wanted to accomplish. He saw himself becoming a scholar who would one day teach and maybe become president of Morehouse College. But instead he found himself thrust to the forefront of the Montgomery bus boycott. Things were not going well. There was disagreement within the ranks and threats from the enemies. Martin was in the parsonage kitchen feeling defeated and depressed when the phone rang. The threatening voice at the other end of the line said, "You'd better get out of town, nigger, or we're going to kill you."

Fear, remember, is the principle weapon of the powerful. "Go ahead and swing your sling little man, and I'll snap you like a toothpick." Young Martin, in the depths of despair prayed to God, "I just can't go on." Then came a clear voice. "Martin, stand up for right, stand up for justice, and I will never, ever leave you."

I should recover the spark with which I responded to David's story the first time I heard it. I should remember it is a story which does have something to do with me and you. When in the shadow of the powers that be, we remember that we are not as small as we seem...not with God. With Him we can do surprising things. In fact, we have been told we can do all things through Christ who strengthens us.

So now let me leave you with words from a little woman who was a spiritual giant. She lived six hundred years ago. Her name was Julian of Norwich. She wrote these words of encouragement to all who feel so small and vulnerable:

Our good Lord told me that everything will be all right. He desires us to understand that not only does He concern himself with great and noble things, but equally with small and simple things. We too should realize that the smallest thing will not be forgotten.

There are many acts committed which to us seem so evil and so harmful that we despair of any good resulting from them. While in sorrow and mourning concerning these, we cannot relax in God's exalted wondrous wisdom. So God tells us: "You will yourself behold that all will be well." It is as though He were telling us, "Take it now in faith and trust. What is impossible for you, is not impossible for me. I shall honor my word in everything and shall make everything well."

So I was instructed by God's grace to hold steadfastly to the faith and at the same time believe firmly that everything will turn out for the best.

For this is the great action which our Lord will accomplish, and in this action He will keep his word entirely. And what is not well shall be made well.

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