Author: joemarino (Page 1 of 52)

How often do you stop to think about your struggle with Satan, Sin, and Death against the backdrop of the finished work of Christ at the cross, the empty tomb, and His promise of heaven? How quickly are you able to identify the slimy, condemning words of Satan whispered in your ear? Have you trained your ears to pick up the tantalizing, tempting lure of Sin before it takes control of your heart? How are you doing in your resistance against the intimidating, terrorizing promises of Death’s taunting jabs?

Our passage today continues to describe the hatred that Saul had for David which we examined in our study last week. Even though Jonathan and all Israel loved David deeply, Saul could not stand him. Saul hated David so much, because the demonic presence that had overtaken Saul was violently opposed to the Spirit of God that was on David, that Saul tried to murder David twice with a spear (1 Sam. 18:10 – 11).

This passage is a description of the contrast between love and hate. The author wants us to see the difference between Jonathan’s love for David, Israel’s love for David, and Saul’s hatred of David. Love and hate are two very powerful emotions.

As we come to our final message in this four – part series on the story of David and Goliath, I am struck by the fact that many professing believers today do not experience victory over Satan, Sin, and Death on a progressive basis. I think this happens simply because we do not fully experience or as one commentator says fully appreciate the victorious work of Jesus at the bloody cross, and the empty tomb, in light of the promise of eternity.²

This is the third sermon in a four-part series examining the story of David and Goliath. If you have not heard the previous two sermons in this series yet, I would encourage you to go listen to them so that you can clearly hear and see the full context of what I have preached so far.

As I studied this passage, this week, I became aware of some high levels of anxiety and fear deep within my soul. When I say that the levels of fear and anxiety in my soul are high, I mean that they are maybe the highest they have ever been in my twenty-plus years of ministry. This is mainly due to things happening in the world around us, in our ministry, and in my personal life.

In my twenty-plus years of preaching the Bible, I am constantly surprised at how God orchestrates the preaching of specific passages of His Word in the midst of specific circumstances at the personal level, church family level, and cultural level. It was over a year ago when I first laid out this series in 1 Samuel. From that point forward, we have studied through this book, chunk by chunk, according to the outline I created, and we have not deviated from it. And here we are today, studying a passage about the biggest bully in all of Scripture.

John Woodhouse, whom I often quote as we study 1 Samuel, notes that we live in a “confusing and uncertain world” and that because we often only see things with our limited human eyes, it is difficult to fully understand the significance and meaning of what we see.²

John Woodhouse, in his commentary on this passage says, “it is hardly surprising that we all see lots of things differently. But God is not limited as we are limited. Therefore, if God has a point of view, that point of view will have an absolute validity.”² Woodhouse goes on to explain that the only view worth pursuing is God’s view; to literally seek to see what God sees, even though we will never fully see what he sees, this side of Heaven, because we are limited by sin.³

There are many places throughout the Bible, where we read bone-chilling words; words that cut deep into the dark places of our souls. I think of the time when God enters the Garden and calls out to Adam, “Where are you?” and then subsequently says “Who told you that you were naked?” (Gen. 3:9, 11).