WANTED: Every Day Heroes:

Cynics, Cowards and "Scaredy-Cats" Need Not Apply

1 Sam 16:10-23; 1 Sam 17:1-11; 1 Sam 17:26-37; 1 Sam 17:48-52

INTRO: God needs you. God doesn't need you! Which is it? We all know that God is very able to do things without our help, yet, we are the ones he uses to get things done. We are the champions or heroes He call upon when something needs to be done.

David was one such hero! Yes a little ruddy-faced boy that most of us would dismiss was a champion waiting in the wings. Are you waiting in the wings? Maybe today is the time for you to step forward. Maybe it is time for you to give your best for God.

"He doesn't need me." That may be your idea, but there were many who stood on the sidelines and said the very dame thing. It was David who killed the giant - not the thousands who stood and listened to Goliath's challenges and did NOT apply. What about you? Do you want to be an every day hero - for the Lord?

1 Samuel 16:10 - 23 10Again, Jesse made seven of his sons to pass before Samuel. And Samuel said unto Jesse, The LORD hath not chosen these. 11And Samuel said unto Jesse, Are here all thy children? And he said, There remaineth yet the youngest, and, behold, he keepeth the sheep. And Samuel said unto Jesse, Send and fetch him: for we will not sit down till he come hither. 12And he sent, and brought him in. Now he was ruddy, and withal of a beautiful countenance, and goodly to look to. And the LORD said, Arise, anoint him: for this is he. 13Then Samuel took the horn of oil, and anointed him in the midst of his brethren: and the Spirit of the LORD came upon David from that day forward. So Samuel rose up, and went to Ramah. 14But the Spirit of the LORD departed from Saul, and an evil spirit from the LORD troubled him. 15And Saul’s servants said unto him, Behold now, an evil spirit from God troubleth thee. 16Let our lord now command thy servants, which are before thee, to seek out a man, who is a cunning player on an harp: and it shall come to pass, when the evil spirit from God is upon thee, that he shall play with his hand, and thou shalt be well. 17And Saul said unto his servants, Provide me now a man that can play well, and bring him to me. 18Then answered one of the servants, and said, Behold, I have seen a son of Jesse the Bethlehemite, that is cunning in playing, and a mighty valiant man, and a man of war, and prudent in matters, and a comely person, and the LORD is with him. 19Wherefore Saul sent messengers unto Jesse, and said, Send me David thy son, which is with the sheep. 20And Jesse took an ass laden with bread, and a bottle of wine, and a kid, and sent them by David his son unto Saul. 21And David came to Saul, and stood before him: and he loved him greatly; and he became his armourbearer. 22And Saul sent to Jesse, saying, Let David, I pray thee, stand before me; for he hath found favour in my sight. 23And it came to pass, when the evil spirit from God was upon Saul, that David took an harp, and played with his hand: so Saul was refreshed, and was well, and the evil spirit departed from him.

 

1 Samuel 17:1 - 11 1Now the Philistines gathered together their armies to battle, and were gathered together at Shochoh, which belongeth to Judah, and pitched between Shochoh and Azekah, in Ephesdammim. 2And Saul and the men of Israel were gathered together, and pitched by the valley of Elah, and set the battle in array against the Philistines. 3And the Philistines stood on a mountain on the one side, and Israel stood on a mountain on the other side: and there was a valley between them. 4And there went out a champion out of the camp of the Philistines, named Goliath, of Gath, whose height was six cubits and a span. 5And 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. 6And he had greaves of brass upon his legs, and a target of brass between his shoulders. 7And 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. 8And 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. 9If 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. 10And the Philistine said, I defy the armies of Israel this day; give me a man, that we may fight together. 11When Saul and all Israel heard those words of the Philistine, they were dismayed, and greatly afraid.

1 Samuel 17:26 - 37 26And 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? 27And the people answered him after this manner, saying, So shall it be done to the man that killeth him. 28And 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. 29And David said, What have I now done? Is there not a cause? 30And he turned from him toward another, and spake after the same manner: and the people answered him again after the former manner. 31And when the words were heard which David spake, they rehearsed them before Saul: and he sent for him. 32And David said to Saul, Let no man’s heart fail because of him; thy servant will go and fight with this Philistine. 33And Saul said to David, Thou art not able to go against this Philistine to fight with him: for thou art but a youth, and he a man of war from his youth. 34And David said unto Saul, Thy servant kept his father’s sheep, and there came a lion, and a bear, and took a lamb out of the flock: 35And I went out after him, and smote him, and delivered it out of his mouth: and when he arose against me, I caught him by his beard, and smote him, and slew him. 36Thy servant slew both the lion and the bear: and this uncircumcised Philistine shall be as one of them, seeing he hath defied the armies of the living God. 37David said moreover, The LORD that delivered me out of the paw of the lion, and out of the paw of the bear, he will deliver me out of the hand of this Philistine. And Saul said unto David, Go, and the LORD be with thee.

 

1 Samuel 17:48 - 52 48And it came to pass, when the Philistine arose, and came and drew nigh to meet David, that David hasted, and ran toward the army to meet the Philistine. 49And David put his hand in his bag, and took thence a stone, and slang it, and smote the Philistine in his forehead, that the stone sunk into his forehead; and he fell upon his face to the earth. 50So David prevailed over the Philistine with a sling and with a stone, and smote the Philistine, and slew him; but there was no sword in the hand of David. 51Therefore David ran, and stood upon the Philistine, and took his sword, and drew it out of the sheath thereof, and slew him, and cut off his head therewith. And when the Philistines saw their champion was dead, they fled. 52And the men of Israel and of Judah arose, and shouted, and pursued the Philistines, until thou come to the valley, and to the gates of Ekron. And the wounded of the Philistines fell down by the way to Shaaraim, even unto Gath, and unto Ekron.

 

When we read the account of David and Goliath, we see…

David was at the right place at the right time for the right cause!

He was in God's camp - where do you spend your time? - 1 Sam 17:22

He was there at the time of need - you cannot help if you are not there

- 1 Sam 17:24-25

He was there for God's cause - is God's cause yours? - 1 Sam 17:29

 

When we look at the answer of David, we see…

David had the right qualifications to be an everyday hero

God's Spirit was in control - 1 Sam 16:12-13

God's man was in demand - 1 Sam. 16: 18

God's servant was in the field - 1 Sam. 16: 19

God's player was in tune - 1 Sam 16:23

 

When we look at the actions of David we see…

David had the right attitude -

Concerned about God's status - 1 Sam 17:26

Committed to do God's selection or will - 1 Sam 17:32

Confident of the Lord's summons - 1 Sam 17:37

Capable of winning with God's support- 1 Sam 17:45

 

When we look at the achievements of David, we see…

David had the right accomplishment

Answered God's calling - 1 Sam 17:32

Accepted Goliath's challenge- 1 Sam 17:44

Approached a great battle with confidence- 1 Sam 17:46

Advanced a God given victory and gave courage to others - 1 Sam 17:52

 

I want you to consider this question…

What does it take to be God's Every Day Hero at New Beginnings?

You need to be…

God's person (man or woman)

You need…

Godly passions

You need to believe in a…

Godly purpose

You need to believe in…

Godly participation (on your part - not other's)

And, you need to trust in…

God's protection

 

There were many standing around who were NOT heroes on that day.

They were…

They were only watching.

Do you watch or participate?

They were there, but they were just waiting.

Do you wait or volunteer?

They had grown accustomed to whimpering.

Do you whimper or shout for the Lord?

They were unable to prevent wilting.

Do you wilt or stand tall for the Lord?

This had led to a life of wavering.

Are you content to just waver in life?

They were wishing someone would step up and do the job.

Are you wishing someone else would help, or would you be an…

Every Day Hero for the Lord?

 

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Which will it be?

 I want to be an Ever Day Hero that God an use at New Beginnings Church

 I want to watch, wait, whimper, wilt, waver and just wish someone would step up and do the job at New Beginnings Church

 

Gary Marcum - New Beginnings Church - 032606am