Updated: 11/10/2024
Sermon Prep
In mid-June, Reunion Church lost one of its absolute favorite members: Leon Sabatini Malloy. He truly was a one-of-a-kind guy and sadly passed away from natural causes on June 21, 2024. Leon’s loss shook our community because it felt so sudden.
From my experience, Leon was the nicest and kindest guy. He loved his job as a dog sitter and the dogs loved him back even more! Leon was known among his clientele for being a sort of “dog whisperer” because dogs just absolutely adored him.
His confidence in who he was in Christ and humility made the greatest impact on those that knew him. Leon was 45 and will be missed by all who loved him here on this side of eternity. It was actually our teaching pastor Andrew who made the connection of Leon being a lot like King David.
Overlooked and under-appreciated because he was different. Incredibly godly and just absolutely in love with Jesus. Plus he wrote his own poems like David too!
With that loss in my mind prepping this sermon, I sort of pictured Leon when doing the research for this message. That bold, optimistic bravery to face down anything in life knowing God was with him. I could go on about Leon, but here’s the notes on this sermon and the recording on YouTube:
Sermon Notes
Bottom Line
- Overcome the Eden test through faith in God.
Opening Line
- We all face tests of faith and things that strike us to the core.
Intro
- Mine is flying on airplanes and I need every ounce of God’s grace to make a flight.
Main Point
- Our sins can be conquered by trusting in God’s strength through Eden tests.
- Define the Eden test.
- Biblical authors often used language that matches other OT passages known as hyperlinks (i.e. meme) without actually referencing the book. This can look like similar words, phrases, or themes. This was a common practice especially in the OT that any Jewish reader would understand.
- Genesis 3 hyperlinks (i.e. memes) often present the Eden test. Focused on the serpent or its language, the curse of the serpent, mankind’s testing, the curse of man, and/or the seed being tied to woman (or ignored/left blank, being tied to serpent).
- 1 Samuel 17:1-16 | The Eden Test
- Philistines invaded Judah in Elah Valley, then Israel showed up (17:1-3).
- Read 1st Samuel 17:4-10 out loud.
- Hyperlink: Goliath representing the serpent challenges Israel.
- Goliath was 9 ft tall with bronze, scaly armor (Ezekiel 29:1-7).
- Saul embraces cowardice; David’s brothers join frontlines (17:11-16).
- 1 Samuel 17:17-40 | Challenge Accepted
- David joins frontlines and hears about the Goliath challenge (17:17-27).
- Eliab, David’s older brother, scolds David on false pretenses (17:28-30).
- Read Psalm 23:4-5 out loud.
- David accepts Goliath’s challenge by faith and prepares (17:31-40).
- 1 Samuel 17: 41-58 | Fall Goliath, Fall
- David was 16 yrs old and likely 5’10”, so he was a ginger short king.
- Hyperlink: Goliath falling face down (i.e. serpent eating dust in Genesis 3:14).
- David beheads Goliath (crushing the serpent head Genesis 3:15).
- Philistines fled and died, but David delivered Goliath’s head (17:51-58).
- Saul failed the Eden test, yet David passed as the newly anointed king.
Why This Matters
- This is the reversal theme we see where God does the opposite of what is expected in these first-shall-be-last moments for the kingdom of God.
- David the short, young, and inexperienced man stood up to the accuser.
- Saul the tallest, most equipped, and experienced man was a coward.
Power Text
- In God’s kingdom, it’s not about having the right ability but rather the right attitude.
- Only by humbly trusting in God’s ability and strength can your sin be conquered.
Moving To Application
- Just like David had the right attitude and not the right ability, so too we need to change our attitude knowing that God will win the day for us.
Final Thoughts
Like Leon, David is quite literally a larger-than-life figure in history. The story of David and Goliath has also been told so many times that it felt redundant for me just to teach on it in general. I had a hard time cracking the code on what God was telling us in our modern day about this part of the Bible.
I think I did okay, but I just lacked enthusiasm given the incredible familiarity with David and Goliath. For me, David is much more interesting in his latter years as king then in the early days before he was on the throne. With that, Godspeed and Jesus bless.
chris cribari blog 