Is There Not A Cause?

Presented to:

Bethel Chapel Pentecostal Church

Auditorium Sunday School Class

Granite City, IL

21 July 2019

Updated: July 14, 2019

By:

Boyce Belt

Is There Not A Cause?

Opening:

• Restoring The Reprobate Mind—last week we talked about being turned over to a reprobate mind.  After class I was asked about the restoration of the reprobate.  Romans 12:2 (KJV) And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.
• Prayer

Text:

1 Samuel 17:4-29 (KJV) And there went out a champion out of the camp of the Philistines, named Goliath, of Gath, whose height was six cubits and a span. 5 And he had an helmet of brass upon his head, and he was armed with a coat of mail; and the weight of the coat was five thousand shekels of brass. 6 And he had greaves of brass upon his legs, and a target of brass between his shoulders. 7 And the staff of his spear was like a weaver's beam; and his spear's head weighed six hundred shekels of iron: and one bearing a shield went before him. 8 And he stood and cried unto the armies of Israel, and said unto them, Why are ye come out to set your battle in array? am not I a Philistine, and ye servants to Saul? choose you a man for you, and let him come down to me. 9 If he be able to fight with me, and to kill me, then will we be your servants: but if I prevail against him, and kill him, then shall ye be our servants, and serve us. 10 And the Philistine said, I defy the armies of Israel this day; give me a man, that we may fight together. 11 When Saul and all Israel heard those words of the Philistine, they were dismayed, and greatly afraid.

12 Now David was the son of that Ephrathite of Bethlehemjudah, whose name was Jesse; and he had eight sons: and the man went among men for an old man in the days of Saul. 13 And the three eldest sons of Jesse went and followed Saul to the battle: and the names of his three sons that went to the battle were Eliab the firstborn, and next unto him Abinadab, and the third Shammah. 14 And David was the youngest: and the three eldest followed Saul. 15 But David went and returned from Saul to feed his father's sheep at Bethlehem. 16 And the Philistine drew near morning and evening, and presented himself forty days. 17 And Jesse said unto David his son, Take now for thy brethren an ephah of this parched corn, and these ten loaves, and run to the camp to thy brethren; 18 And carry these ten cheeses unto the captain of their thousand, and look how thy brethren fare, and take their pledge. 19 Now Saul, and they, and all the men of Israel, were in the valley of Elah, fighting with the Philistines.

20 And David rose up early in the morning, and left the sheep with a keeper, and took, and went, as Jesse had commanded him; and he came to the trench, as the host was going forth to the fight, and shouted for the battle. 21 For Israel and the Philistines had put the battle in array, army against army. 22 And David left his carriage in the hand of the keeper of the carriage, and ran into the army, and came and saluted his brethren. 23 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 spake according to the same words: and David heard them. 24 And all the men of Israel, when they saw the man, fled from him, and were sore afraid. 25 And the men of Israel said, Have ye seen this man that is come up? surely to defy Israel is he come up: and it shall be, that the man who killeth him, the king will enrich him with great riches, and will give him his daughter, and make his father's house free in Israel. 26 And David spake to the men that stood by him, saying, What shall be done to the man that killeth this Philistine, and taketh away the reproach from Israel? for who is this uncircumcised Philistine, that he should defy the armies of the living God? 27 And the people answered him after this manner, saying, So shall it be done to the man that killeth him.

28 And Eliab his eldest brother heard when he spake unto the men; and Eliab's anger was kindled against David, and he said, Why camest thou down hither? and with whom hast thou left those few sheep in the wilderness? I know thy pride, and the naughtiness of thine heart; for thou art come down that thou mightest see the battle. 29 And David said, What have I now done? Is there not a cause?

Introduction:

Many times we fail to recognize the full enormity of the enemy David faced because we read the ancient weights and measures without considering what the equivalent would be in today’s values.  Goliath would have been about 9 feet 9 inches tall.  His coat would have weight approximately 126 pounds and the spear head would have been between 15 and 16 pounds.^[1]

In his commentary on 1 Samuel 17 Charles Swindoll gives four truths to remember when facing giants:^[2]

• It is an intimidating experience
• It is a lonely experience
• It is a stabilizing experience
• It is a Memorable experience

1. Recognize The Battle

1. Remain Faithful—After Samuel anointed David as the next King, David went back to shepherding his father’s flock.  When saul said, “Come play for me,” David went and played his instrument  and when he finished he returned to the sheep.^[3]
2. Spiritual Warfare

1. The Average fellow would have rolled up his sleeves and punch his brother’s lights out.  If you don’t watch it, all of your battles will be within the family of God.  Meanwhile, the enemy will hurl his curses outside, winning victory after victory.  We’ve got to know whom to fight and whom to leave alone.^[4]
2. Ephesians 6:12 (KJV) For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.
3. 2 Corinthians 10:2-6 (KJV) But I beseech you, that I may not be bold when I am present with that confidence, wherewith I think to be bold against some, which think of us as if we walked according to the flesh. 3 For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh: 4 (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;) 5 Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ; 6 And having in a readiness to revenge all disobedience, when your obedience is fulfilled.

3. Understand Purpose—1 Samuel 17:46 (KJV) This day will the Lord deliver thee into mine hand; and I will smite thee, and take thine head from thee; and I will give the carcases of the host of the Philistines this day unto the fowls of the air, and to the wild beasts of the earth; that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel.
4. The Enemy Never Delivers

1. Winner-take-all was a promise of the Philistines until Goliath was slain.

2. Discouraged By Brothers

1. Attacked for Truth (by other Christians) Eliab accusations against David^[5]

1. Questioned David’s Motives—naughtiness of heart
2. Falsely Accuses David—neglecting the sheep
3. Impugns David’s Character—mere thrill seeker

2. Jealousy
3. Condemnation

3. Choosing Your Armor

1. Just Another Day—He didn’t come to be a national hero.  It was just supposed to be an ordinary day.  God often uses ordinary days  in extraordinary ways.  But we can’t live for those days, or we’ll lose heart.  Our lives have far too many everyday days.  Perhaps the Lord isn’t calling us to do anything extraordinary today—only to stay faithful to the ordinary tasks He has called us to do.  he will make our simple faithfulness significant in His time.^[6]  1 Peter 5:6 (KJV) Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time:
2. Remember Past Victories
3. Wear Your Own Armor

4. The Source Of Victory—We can identify five specific factors that led to David’s triumph.^[7]

1. A Heart for God—This caused him to seek the Lord and His face continually.
2. A Zealous and Deep Concern for the Honor and Reputation of the Lord
3. A Memory of Previous Times of Deliverance
4. A Trust in God not in Self
5. The Spirit of the Lord Came Mightily upon Him

Conclusion:

1. W. Tozer writes,

“The whole Bible and all past history unite to teach that battles are always won before the armies take the field.  The critical moment for any army is not the day it engages the foe in actual combat; it is the day before or the month before or the year before….

“It took David only a few minutes to dispose of Goliath; but he had beaten the giant long before in the person of the lion and the bear….

“Preparation is vital.  Let this be noted by everyone.  We can seek God today and get prepared to meet temptation tomorrow; but if we meet the enemy without first having met God, the outcome is not conjectural; the issue is already decided.  We can only lose”^[8]

Next Lesson: A Battle of a Different Kind

Prayer