Sermon: By faith alone: A David and Goliath battle (1 Sam 17; Matt 13:31 33)

Transcription

1 Sermon: By faith alone: A David and Goliath battle (1 Sam 17; Matt 13:31 33) Text Dan Mueller, 22 nd Oct 2017, 20 th Sunday after Pentecost Matthew 13: Jesus told them another parable: The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed, which a man took and planted in his field. 32 Though it is the smallest of all seeds, yet when it grows, it is the largest of garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds come and perch in its branches. 33 He told them still another parable: The kingdom of heaven is like yeast that a woman took and mixed into about sixty pounds of flour until it worked all through the dough. Sermon Eternal God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ: give us your Holy Spirit, who writes the preached Word into our hearts. May we receive your Word, believe it, and be comforted by it for eternity. By your Holy Spirit, glorify your Word in our hearts, make it bright and warm that we may enjoy it, and by your power fulfill your Word in our lives for the sake of Jesus, your Son. Amen. Introduction This week I ve been pondering the question: how did David defeat Goliath? I came up with a few possible answers: David was brave, so God rewarded his courage. With God on your side, you always slay the giant. God supports the underdog. Walla Walla Lutheran Parish Dan Mueller Page 1 of 5

2 While these answers might be appealing, none of them hit the mark. See I believe that every part of the Bible points us to Jesus. So how does David defeating Goliath point us to Jesus? David was small Firstly, I think the story of David and Goliath points to Jesus because David was small. God prefers to use small and weak things. David was just a boy, probably a teenager. Saul emphatically points this out: [After David offers to fight Goliath] Saul replied, You are not able to go out against this Philistine and fight him; you are only a young man, and he has been a warrior from his youth. (1 Samuel 17:33 NIV) Jesus says something similar in the Parable of the Mustard Seed: The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed, which a man took and planted in his field. 32 Though it is the smallest of all seeds, yet when it grows, it is the largest of garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds come and perch in its branches. (Matthew 13:31 32 NIV) In both David-and-Goliath and this parable, what s important is not the contrast in size, but the contrast in expectations. Let me say that again: these stories are not emphasising the difference in size so much, but the expected outcome. Saul and David s brothers do not expect that a small teenager can defeat a giant. When we look a small mustard seed (one of the tiniest seeds found in the Middle East) we don t expect it to produce a massive tree. The gospel of Jesus is small and weak. When we hear it we don t expect that it can save us. Jesus loves me this I know, for the Bible tells me so. For God so loved the world that he gave is only Son (John 3:16). Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, he was buried and raised on the third day (1 Corinthians 15:3 4). Doesn t this gospel seem minuscule and weak in comparison to other great philosophies and ideologies in history?! Yet we need not be ashamed of the smallness of Jesus. As St Paul says, in First Corinthians chapter 1: Walla Walla Lutheran Parish Dan Mueller Page 2 of 5

3 21 God was pleased through the foolishness of what was preached to save those who believe. 27 God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. 28 God chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things and the things that are not to nullify the things that are, 29 so that no one may boast before him. (1 Corinthians 1:21,27 29 NIV) The crucified Christ is small and weak and foolish. God robed in flesh, hanging dead, in dusty Palestine 2000 years ago. For you, for me. No fanfare, no cameras, no photos, no newspaper reports. Just a bunch of fishermen and tax collectors in a backwater Roman providence. Well guess what? We re just a bunch of young people and farmers and retirees in a small rural town. And yet the power and wisdom of God is here as we proclaim Christ crucified on a cross. David had faith in God alone The second way I think the story of David and Goliath points to Jesus is that David trusted in God. David had faith in God alone. The Philistines worshipped a different god: the god Dagon. One time, early in First Samuel, we re told they capture the Ark. They place the Ark in Dagon s temple. But the image of their god (their idol) falls face down twice (see 1 Samuel 5:1 5). Now I don t think its a coincidence that Goliath falls face down. The Philistines are trusting in worthless idols, which fail and fall face down dead. Trusting in manmade idols will not save you. We re remembering the start of the Reformation nearly 500 years ago. At that time the church was falsely teaching to trust in good works. But trusting in good works will also not save you. Martin Luther got into lots of trouble for saying this. He said that you aren t justified by faith and good works; but you are justified by faith alone. That one little word alone nearly cost him his life. Saying this meant that cardinals, the pope, and even the emperor of the Holy Roman Empire were out to get him. But risking his life, Luther made a stand, saying you are made right with God by trusting in Jesus alone. Let me illustrate with a story: Two men die in a horrific head-on car crash. These men lead vastly different lives. One was a lawyer who worked Walla Walla Lutheran Parish Dan Mueller Page 3 of 5

4 a lot for free (pro bono) during his life he helped refugees, single mums, charitable organisations, lots of people. The other man was a simple bricklayer. They front up to the pearly gates in heaven. St Peter says, Welcome. Before you come in, please write down everything you ve done that means you deserve to be here. The first man, the lawyer, starts listing all the good things he s done: he saved this person from false imprisonment, he donated x amount of money to worthy causes, he helped this and that person, he served on such and such board, he volunteered at thingy and bobby, he went to church every week, read his Bible and prayed before bed most nights. The second man scribbles just a few words, then hands the paper to Peter. Peter reads it and lets the man through the gates. The first man looks up surprised but keeps writing. After an hour he thinks he s finished, so hands the paper to Peter. Peter reads it over, and says, Sorry, that s not enough. The lawyer gets angry, That s not fair! That other man must have only written one thing, and yet you let him through. What did he write that was enough? Peter hands over the paper. It reads: I ve done nothing to deserve being here. But Jesus said that was enough. Everyone trusts in something. Everyone has an object of trust. Even atheists (who believe there is no God) trust there is no god; they trust in material things, things they can see and touch. The Ten Commandments can help us diagnose where we place our trust. Do we trust in authorities? e.g. This celebrity says this, so I believe what they say (4th commandment). Do we trust in happiness? e.g. I believe life is about getting as much pleasure as possible (6th commandment). Do we trust our reputation? e.g. What would so-andso think if I did that!? (8th commandment). Do we trust in material possessions? e.g. If I don t get the new iphone I ll just die! (9th/10th commandments). Where do you place your faith? What, or who, do you trust will justify you before God? Is what you re trusting in going to last the test of time? Or will it fall face down dead like Goliath? Walla Walla Lutheran Parish Dan Mueller Page 4 of 5

5 Jesus promises that when you trust in God s grace, that small thing is enough. Under the banner of faith alone, you can stand before giants; you can stand up to popes, emperors, cardinals, and bishops; you can face trials and temptations, sickness and suffering, threats and persecution; even death itself. Because the object of your faith Jesus Christ has destroyed death by dying and rising again. When you trust in Jesus alone, that small faith will grow like a seed and take over your entire life the only thing you ll want to do is love God and serve others. Your trust in Jesus will grow and grow into a massive tree, and on that tree will be juicy fruit for others to enjoy. Luther once wrote: Blessing Faith is a divine work in us which changes us and makes us to be born anew of God. O, it is a living, busy, active, mighty thing, this faith. It is impossible for it not to be doing good works incessantly. It does not ask whether good works are to be done, but before the question is asked, it has already done them, and is constantly doing them. (LW 35:370) God prefers small and weak things. He has used the cross of Christ to justify you by faith alone. May you trust in the death and resurrection of Jesus alone. May this trust continue to be strengthened and grow in you. May this trust grow as you go out to love and serve others. Amen. Walla Walla Lutheran Parish Dan Mueller Page 5 of 5