공동체와 양육

Know Yourself That You May Know God (1 Samuel 17:26~45)

2016.10.16Stephen Cha

Knowing yourself is the first step toward knowing God, and being honest with who you are before him opens the way to experiencing him. David shows that a person who knows both himself and God can stand before giants through ordinary faithfulness.

Knowing yourself leads to knowing God

Emotionally healthy spirituality begins with knowing yourself so that you may know God. Studying the Word teaches us facts about God, but as we know ourselves more honestly, we also experience him in relationship. Many of us live as a false self, acting extroverted or smiling outwardly while feeling anger inside. The Lord does not want a performance; he wants to meet the real you, honest and genuine before him.

Hiding behind a false self

Adam and Eve were one person, inside and outside alike, until sin broke their relationships with God, with others, and with themselves. Their response was to hide and cover up with excuses, and we often do the same. This false self shows itself in ways like saying yes when we mean no, needing approval, or comparing ourselves to others. Brokenness is not overcome by covering it up, but by being real before God.

Refusing voices that define us (28-39)

David had to say no to his oldest brother Eliab, who judged him as conceited and told him to go home. Later King Saul offered his own armor, saying David was too young to fight alone. David tried it on, felt that it was not him, and took it off. Family and authority figures often give us messages that pull us down, and when they do not reflect God's desire for us, we need to learn to say thank you and walk away.

Seeing as God sees (24-26)

The men of Israel saw a giant, a threat, and an opportunity for fame, but David saw Goliath as an uncircumcised Philistine defying the living God. Where others saw puny people, David saw the armies of the living God. His perspective came from seeing God and seeing how God sees him and others. Our identity is more than what we do or how people think of us; at its core we are made in God's image and deeply loved by him.

Invisible armor and ordinary faithfulness (34-37)

Israel had no armor to match Goliath's, and their hearts melted because they had forgotten to depend on God as their commander-in-chief. David put on an invisible armor of God's truth, promise, and authority, and was led by the belt of truth. Before facing Goliath, he had faithfully kept sheep and fought a lion and a bear, trusting the Lord who delivered him from their paws. God was preparing him through small faithful things for the greater battle ahead.

The battle belongs to the Lord (45-47)

David declared that the battle belongs to the Lord, because he knew God had heard forty days of defiance and would bring honor to his own name. This story points to Jesus, who fought the greatest Goliath, Satan, and has already won the battle. Whatever little Goliath we face, Jesus is with us and will use us for his glory. As we know ourselves more, we come to know God more, and God brings honor to himself through us.

Apply to Life

  • Let us be honest with ourselves and with God, bringing our true selves into his presence.
  • Let us bring our fears, anger, and shame before the Lord, who loves us as we are.
  • Let us refuse the messages of others that pull us down and hold to what God says about us.
  • Let us put on the invisible armor of God's truth and promise every day.
  • Let us be faithful in small things, trusting that God is preparing us for greater callings.

This summary was made automatically from the sermon's captions and may differ from the sermon.

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