Archive for the ‘battle’ tag
November 18, 2012: David and Goliath
The text for this lesson is 1 Samuel 17.
Key Point
- As David struck down the giant Goliath, so David’s greater Son—Jesus—struck down the Goliaths of sin, Satan, and death through His own death on the cross.
- Law: Left to fight sin, death, and the devil myself, I would perish.
- Gospel: Jesus fights triumphantly for me against my adversaries of sin, death, and the devil because they are too great for me. His victory is my victory.
Discussion Points
- Remember a time when you first put on a pair of glasses or turned on a light and your perspective suddenly changed. What were you feeling when you could not see clearly? How did it feel when you suddenly saw the world correctly?
- Read 1 Samuel 17:1–11. What effect did Goliath wish to have on the Israelites? How did he accomplish his goal?
- David comes onto the scene in 1 Samuel 17:12–16. Read these verses and 16:18–19. What kind of young man is David?
- Read 1 Samuel 17:17–27. How does David’s view of the situation differ from that of his brothers and the rest of Israel’s army?
- Read 1 Samuel 17:28–37. How does David get Saul’s attention? How does David’s picture of the situation differ from that of Israel’s king?
- Read 1 Samuel 17:38–39. How does David’s rejection of Saul’s armor represent the difference in the way that they consider the kingship of Israel?
- Read 1 Samuel 17:40–47. Again, David sees the situation differently than others do. How does David’s perspective differ from Goliath’s? Why? How do David’s words testify to this all-important difference?
- Read 1 Samuel 17:48–54. What was the significance of the fact that “There was no sword in the hand of David” (v. 50)?
- How does David’s victory over Goliath illustrate God’s power to work in ways that we do not expect? What is the greatest example of God working through a means that we never would have predicted?
- David had a different view of the battle than did Saul, his brothers, and Goliath because he recognized God’s presence on the battlefield. How does God’s presence in Christ change our view of our greatest enemies, sin and death?
November 23, 2008: David and Goliath
The text for this lesson is 1 Samuel 17:1—58.
Key Points
- As David slew the giant Goliath, so David’s greater Son—Jesus—slew the jeering Goliaths of sin, Satan, and death with the weapon of His own death.
- Law: The enemies that face Christians are hardly pipsqueak rivals easily trounced. The devil is a roaring lion, not a hissing kitten. Danger and death await the believer who belittles these foes. Beware.
- Gospel: We do not fight our adversaries alone. In fact, there is one who fights for us: Jesus Christ. With His word of truth, He fells them as easily as David downed Goliath with a sling. His victory is our victory. “We are more than conquerors through Him who loved us” (Romans 8:37). More than conquerors are we, for we are kings and queens with the King of Kings Himself.
November 16, 2008: Saul Becomes King
The text for this lesson is 1 Samuel 8:1—10:27; 11:12–15.
Key Points
- Though God lets us have our own way at times, His is the way of forgiving and saving, which He did for His people of old and for us today.
- Law: “Be careful what you wish for,” we’re often told. This is very good advice for sinners, since we wish—indeed, we crave—the very things that lead to our undoing. We “Israels” clamor for our own “Sauls,” no matter how much God warns us that we are like thirsty travelers begging for salty water.
- Gospel: The Lord knows what we need, both in terms of discipline and in terms of grace. As a loving Father, He upholds us, even when we bear the painful consequences of our own choices. He forgives us our faults and sustains our hopes. For in Christ, we are His children, beloved beyond words.
October 19, 2008: Gideon
The text for this lesson is Judges 6:11–7:25.
Key Points
- Christ, the light of the world, overcomes the darkness of sin and death, even as God overcame Israel’s enemy while the light streamed from the lamps of Gideon’s men.
- Sin darkens my heart so that I love the things of darkness and I love to hide my sin in darkness. Christ is the light of the world who exposes and overcomes the darkness of sin and grants me salvation.
- Law: Darkness is the sinner’s friend. Sinners love it, as Jesus says (John 3:19). We do things at midnight we would never dare do at midday. As we do, spiritual darkness envelops us, cutting us off from Him who is Light of Light.
- Gospel: Light is good, for it chases away the darkness, revealing and enlivening. The new Jerusalem, says St. John, never sees darkness (Revelation 22:5). Christ, the light of the world, overcomes the darkness, even as Gideon overcame the enemy with the light streaming from the lamps of his men. The Good News of Christ’s salvation, trumpeted forth, illumines our darkened hearts so that we might see Him who is life and light and love.
October 12, 2008: Deborah
The text for this lesson is Judges 4:1–5:31.
Key Points
- Through the unlikely acts of Deborah, Barak, and Jael, God brought about victory for His people and freed them from tyranny. Through the unlikely virgin birth and Christ’s death on the cross, God brought about our victory and freed us from the tyranny of hell.
- Law: Sin always leads us to slavery, and ultimately death, trapping me under its control.
- Gospel: Christ rescues me from the oppression of sin so that in Him I might have ultimate freedom.
- Bible Words: Romans 8:2.
- Faith Words: judge, retribution, justice, rebellion.
- Hymn: “Lord of Our Life” (LSB 659; LW 301; TLH 258)
- Catechism: The First Commandment, The Lord’s Prayer: Third Petition
