"A Village Church With A Heart For The World"
Christ United Church
12 Perth St., Lyn, ON, K0E 1M0
(613)498-0281 (Phone) (613)498-2589 (Fax)
lynunitedchurch@cogeco.net www.lynunitedchurch.com Follow on Twitter: @Ch1United
Worship Leader: Josh Bennett Music Director: Tammy Fergusson
November 17, 2024
Welcome / Announcements / Celebrations
Land Acknowledgement:
This is sacred land. We are blessed to have this space. So many memories are here in this space! Let’s give thanks to those who cared for and tended this sacred and beautiful land around us. With gratitude let’s acknowledge that our church community is located on the traditional land of the Algonquin Anishinaabe, the Haudenosaunee and Wendat peoples.
Lighting of Christ Candle:
Let us be present in this moment. Put your worries and anxieties to side. Don’t think about the past, or your plans for the future. Be present in this moment. Christ is with us. His Holy Spirit is here this sanctuary. So let us reflect on Him, and invite Christ into your heart as we light the Christ Candle.
Call to Worship:
The grace of our Savior Jesus Christ, and the love of God and the fellowship of the
Holy Spirit be with us all.
Opening Prayer:
Let us pray.
May our Lord Jesus who walked long and dusty roads, walk with us all our way.
May our Lord Jesus who spoke good news, fill our hearts with joy.
May our Lord Jesus Christ who loved with compassion, fill us with grace.
May our Lord Jesus Christ who healed with wounded hands, touch our hearts that we may love this world and the people who live in it.
In the strong name of Jesus we pray. Amen
Hymn: VU 670 “Precious Lord, Take My Hand”
Scripture:
1 Samuel 17:1a, 4-11, 21-24, 32-49
1 Samuel 17:1-49
David and Goliath
The Philistines drew up their troops for battle at the Valley of Elah. Where Saul and the Israelites met them. The Philistines were on one hill, the Israelites on the opposing hill, with the valley between them.
David was the son of Jesse from Bethlehem in Judah. Jesse’s three oldest sons had marched with Saul to war. David was the youngest son. Jesse told David, “Take this sack of cracked wheat and these ten loaves of bread and run them down to your brothers in the camp. Check in on your brothers and let me know how they’re doing.”
David arrived at the camp just as the army was moving into battle formation. David ran to the troops who were deployed, and greeted his brothers. While they were talking, the Philistine champion, Goliath stepped out from the front lines.
Goliath from Gath was a giant nearly ten feet tall. He had a bronze helmet on his head and was dressed in armor—126 pounds of it! He wore bronze shin guards and carried a bronze sword. His spear was like a fence rail—the spear tip alone weighed over fifteen pounds. His shield bearer walked ahead of him.
Goliath stood there and called out to the Israelite troops, “Why bother using your whole army? Am I not Philistine enough for you? And you’re all committed to Saul, aren’t you? So pick your best fighter and pit him against me. If he kills me, the Philistines will all become your slaves. But if I kill him, you’ll all become our slaves and serve us. I challenge the troops of Israel this day. Give me a man. Let us fight it out together!”
When Saul and his troops heard the Philistine’s challenge, they were terrified and lost all hope.
The talk among the troops was, “Have you ever seen anything like this? The man who kills the giant will have it made. The king will give him a huge reward, offer his daughter as a bride, and give his entire family a free ride.”
David, asked, “Who does he think he is, anyway, this uncircumcised Philistine, taunting the armies of the Living God?”
The things David was saying were reported to Saul who sent for him. “Master,” said David, “don’t give up hope. I’m ready to go and fight this Philistine.”
Saul answered, “You can’t go and fight this Philistine. You’re too young and inexperienced—and he’s been fighting since before you were born.”
David said, “I’ve been a shepherd, tending sheep for my father. Whenever a lion or bear came and took a lamb from the flock, I’d go after it, kill it, and rescue the lamb. And I’ll do the same to this Philistine pig who is taunting the troops of God. God, who delivered me from the teeth of the lion and the claws of the bear, will deliver me from this Philistine.”
Saul said, “Go. And God be with you!”
David took his shepherd’s staff, selected five smooth stones from the brook, and put them in the pocket of his shepherd’s pack, and with his sling in his hand approached Goliath.
As the Philistine paced back and forth, he noticed David. He took one look down on him and sneered—a mere boy, apple-cheeked and peach-fuzzed.
The Philistine ridiculed David. “Am I a dog that you come after me with a stick?” And he cursed him by his gods.
“Come on,” said the Philistine. “I’ll make roadkill of you for the buzzards. I’ll turn you into a tasty morsel for the field mice.”
David answered, “You come at me with sword and spear and battle-ax. I come at you in the name of God-of-the-Angel-Armies, the God of Israel’s troops, whom you curse and mock. This very day God is handing you over to me. The whole earth will know that there’s an extraordinary God in Israel. The battle belongs to God—he’s handing you to us on a platter!”
That roused the Philistine, and he started toward David. David reached into his pocket for a stone, slung it, and hit the Philistine hard in the forehead, embedding the stone deeply. The Philistine crashed, facedown in the dirt.
Then David ran up to the Philistine and stood over him, pulled the giant’s sword from its sheath, and finished the job by cutting off his head. When the Philistines saw that their great champion was dead, they scattered, running for their lives.
The men of Israel and Judah were up on their feet, shouting! They chased the Philistines all the way to the outskirts of Gath and the gates of Ekron.
Choir Anthem: “Find a Place in My Soul”
Sermon: “Victory Over Fear”
Scripture:
David and Goliath: 1 Samuel 17:1a, 4-11, 21-24, 32-49
Psalm 23
So, how about that US election? What we witnessed was the biggest and most historic election since the Civil War, and by far the most historic election in all our lifetimes. The choice that was before the American people couldn’t have been more different. They were either going to elect a former prosecutor, or a convicted felon; the first black female President in US history who worked at McDonald’s to pay her way through university, or an old white man of privilege who is famous for groping women; Kamala Harris, a strong woman who upheld the values of truth and rule of law, or Donald Trump who spreads conspiracy theories, and firmly believes the law should not apply to him.
We know the outcome. It was a resounding victory for Trump. His massive win sent shock waves around the world; and many people are grieving his victory, and many are very fearful about what this means for the world.
And the truth is, Donald Trump is very unpredictable. If he actually does everything he said he’d do: mass deportations, using the justice department as a weapon against his political opponents, huge tariffs on all goods going into the US, and a complete realignment of world alliances, with the possible end of NATO, and Russia becoming a key ally of the US … we’ll be in for some very difficult times. Add in that he is a complete narcissist and has no regard for the truth whatsoever, we are standing on the precipice of massive change in our world.
In times like this it’s easy to become fearful, and to lose hope. Trump is a classic bully! And right now, he is a Goliath, bigger and stronger than ever, and we desperately need a David.
The Story of David and Goliath is an unlikely story. It’s unbelievable. So much so that most historians don’t believe it’s a true story, and attribute it to folklore.
The story of David and Goliath is misunderstood in our society. Society has turned this story into the original underdog story – the small kid with a big heart who goes on to defeat the big bad bully. But that is not what the story is about. It is not an underdog story. It’s a story about conquering fear. It’s a story that teaches us when God is a part your life, he takes away your fear, and allows you to see whatever situation or challenge you face with open eyes and a clear and steady mind.
Let’s unpack the story of David and Goliath.
The Philistines invaded the holy land, and they were a much larger army, AND they had the most feared warrior in the ancient world. The Israelites all would have heard of Goliath.
King Saul, the first King of Israel, marched his army out, and he picked his spot well, holding a very high ridge overlooking the Valley of Ela. For the Philistines to attack, they would have to come down into the valley and attack up hill, giving Israel the advantage. When the Philistines arrived, they halted, and took up position on the opposite ridge, which created a stalemate.
Enter Goliath. To break the stalemate, Goliath walks out from his front lines into the valley, and challenges Israel to send their best warrior, and settle this war with Champions. The Israelites, probably seeing the size of Goliath for the first time, are paralyzed with fear. King Saul offers heaps of gold and even his daughter’s hand in marriage to anyone who volunteers to kill Goliath. No one steps forward. King Saul himself was also paralyzed with fear, wondering if this was the end of his kingdom, and the end of Israel.
Enter David. Here’s the interesting thing, David was not even a member of the army. He had no military experience, no combat training of any kind; he was a simple teenage shepherd boy. The only reason why he was there was because his dad sent him to bring a supplies for his three older brothers who are all lieutenants in the army. But David was the only one NOT filled with fear – he saw Goliath, put up his hand and said, “I’ll do it! I can kill him!”
The big question is this – why didn’t David have any fear? What made him so confident? An even bigger question is this: why would King Saul pick this scrawny teenager, who wasn’t even a member of his army, with his very kingdom on the line, to be the champion of Israel? Maybe Saul had completely given up hope. It’s possible. But maybe it’s because David gave him hope. Maybe David’s confidence convinced in.
More than anything, it was probably David’s faith that convinced the King. Because David walked with God. When you walk with God, he removes your fear. And he lets you see the world with clear eyes. David saw clearly that he had a secret weapon that Goliath wouldn’t see coming. David had a sling, and he was very practiced at using it.
Experts say that a rock being thrown from a sling can travel roughly 35 meters per second. The scriptures say that David went down to the river and carefully picked out five stones. The rocks in the Valley of Ela are barium sulfate, which are twice the density of the kinds of stones we find here in the St Lawrence valley. They’re like pieces of lead. One of these stones going at 35 meters per second would have the equivalent stopping power of a 45-magnum hand gun. David was probably only 10 meters away from Goliath, which means that Goliath wouldn’t even have seen the rock coming at his head. This is why David wasn’t an underdog. Goliath didn’t stand a chance against David. David just needed the element of surprise, and for Goliath not to have his shield up.
David refused to wear armor, and walked out into the valley, dressed in his shepherds clothing – what better way to literally disarm Goliath, who saw a scrawny shepherd boy holding a stick, and therefore did not rush to put his helmet on, or raise his shield. They hurled insults at each other, and then with one shot, David buried a rock deep into Goliath’s forehead, killing him on the spot. Suddenly the Israelites’ fear evaporated, and they charged across the valley, and annihilated the Philistine army.
It is an unlikely story but remember so too is the story of Jesus. Here’s a man born to peasants in a backwater town of the Roman Empire. But Jesus walked with God, filled with confidence, telling the truth! As he travelled his entourage grew, the crowds got bigger.
But just when things were reaching a climax … everything changed in an instant. The old men in power had Christ arrested, tried, and crucified all within 24 hours.
What must the disciples have been feeling?
Anger – Anger towards Judas who betrayed Christ – one of the twelve! One of their brothers! Anger towards the authorities who cowardly beat, tortured and humiliated Jesus. Angry at the masses who turned so quickly against Jesus.
Grief – they would have been filled unspeakable grief at seeing their master tortured, humiliated, and crucified.
Fear – Fearful of their own lives. In the scriptures it describes the disciples being behind locked doors, paralyzed with fear.
And, they were losing faith – on the Sunday morning when Mary Magdalene ran into the room and told them the incredible news that Jesus had risen, they didn’t believe her.
And it wasn’t just Thomas who didn’t believe, all the Disciples doubted he had risen. But know this – it’s okay to have doubt. If you have doubts about who Jesus really is, or if he truly rose from the grave, that’s okay, you’re in good company! The disciples themselves had doubts! But my message this this: Hold onto faith and hold onto hope. Because if you do, you’ll find, just as the disciples did, that Jesus is alive. When Jesus appeared before Thomas, Thomas sank to his knees, and said, “my Lord and my God”.
In the middle of that fear and anxiety that the Disciples had in those dark times, Christ gave them hope. He removed their fear, their anxiety, and he opened their eyes to who he really is. And they emerged from their locked doors, and started preaching to the masses, and spreading the word that Christ is risen and is Lord of all.
And Jesus does the same for us today. If you invite Christ into your heart, he will give you peace. Put your trust in Christ and he will remove your anxiety. Have faith in Christ and he will open your eyes to see the situation before you with clarity.
Two stories, the story of David, and the story of Jesus. Two very unlikely stories, that many people struggle to believe in.
Let me close with another very unlikely story, a story that if you didn’t know it was true, you would think it was unbelievable. And maybe 3000 years from now, historians might argue if this story was true, or simply folklore. It’s a story that we’re all reminded of in the days leading up to Remembrance Day.
It’s the story of Winston Churchill.
In the 1930s Churchill was a washed-up has-been. He was well past his prime, a lowly back bencher in Parliament who drank too much and hadn’t served in the cabinet since the middle of World War I.
No one in Britain would have picked this tired, washed-up, alcoholic as the leader who would save Britain and the world from the horrors of Nazism – just like no one would have picked a young shepherd boy to be Israel’s champion who would defeat Goliath.
When war broke out in 1939, it went horribly wrong for the allies in the early days. Germany employed tactics never seen before, with wave after wave of bombing from the air, followed by tanks and trucks of soldiers moving up with lightning speed, toppling armies and counties like they were made of tiny wooden blocks. Belgium, the Netherlands, Poland and France were all defeated in a matter of weeks, and the British Army was surrounded by the Germans on the beaches of Dunkirk.
Nevil Chamberlain resigned as Prime Minister and backbencher MPs rallied around Churchill to step in and lead the country.
What must Churchill have been feeling? His army was about to be completely annihilated in France, all of their allies had been defeated, and a majority of the cabinet were ready to enter into peace talks with Hitler. Britain, like the Israelite army, was paralyzed with fear.
But not Churchill. Like David, Churchill oozed confidence. Right away he ended any and all talk of surrender. In one of the greatest speeches ever written, something that if you didn’t know was true, you would think it was fiction, Churchill said,
“Even though large tracts of Europe and many old and famous States have fallen or may fall into the grip of the Gestapo and all the odious apparatus of Nazi rule, we shall not flag or fail. We shall go on to the end. We shall fight in France, we shall fight on the seas and oceans, we shall fight with growing confidence and growing strength in the air, we shall defend our island, whatever the cost may be. We shall fight on the beaches, we shall fight on the landing grounds, we shall fight in the fields and in the streets, we shall fight in the hills; we shall never surrender.”
An American journalist at the time wrote: "The responsibilities which are his now must be greater than those carried by any other human being on earth. One would think such a weight would have a crushing effect upon him. Not at all. The last time I saw him, he looked twenty years younger than before the war began ... His uplifted spirit is transmitted to the people".
So, why was Churchill so confident? Well, like David, he was a very devout and spiritual person, placing all his trust in God. When you follow God, and when you allow Christ in your heart, you will have a clarity of vision, you will know and understand the truth, and fear will melt away. And in our darkest hours, when all hope seems lost, God is with us.
Yes, Donald Trump will be President again, and the world is changing. My message to you is this: hold onto your faith. Hold onto hope. Hold onto Christ. When you draw close to Christ, he takes away your fear.
Years after David defeated Goliath at the valley of Ela, when David was King, legend says he wrote Psalm 23. It’s a beautiful poem, describing how God brings you to peaceful fields with lush green grass and still waters, but there’s one verse that’s dark, and I always wonder if David was thinking about his experience in the Valley of Ela when he wrote this verse: “yea thou I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I fear no evil, for you are with me. Your rod and your staff, they comfort me.”
Thanks be to God,
Amen.
Hymn: VU 806 “O God, Our Help in Ages Past”
Offering:
And now let us reflect upon what we can do for this church. How can we help this church and this community to grow and flourish. We give our time, our talents, our money, and our resources. But in so doing, we are assured by God that we will be blessed.
Let us stand and sing together the doxology, as our offering is received.
Offering Hymn: VU 541 “Praise God from Whom all Blessings Flow”
Offering Prayer:
Let us pray.
Heavenly Father, we know that everything in this world is a gift from you. So, we humbly return a generous portion of these gifts to you. We pray that these gifts may help this church to change people's lives and to spread your message of salvation. Bless our givings and our offerings oh Lord our God. Amen.
Prayers of the People:
Sit comfortably. Untangle yourself – uncross your arms and legs. Close your eyes. Take in a couple of deep breaths. Let yourself be filled with the Holy Spirit.
Let us pray:
Gracious and Loving God,
We gather today in your presence, united by our faith and our shared commitment to justice, truth, and love. We bring before you the needs of our world and our communities, trusting in your boundless mercy and grace.
We ask for your spirit of unity to sweep across divisions, reminding us that we are all your children, called to love one another. Help us to engage in dialogue with open hearts, to listen with humility, and to act with compassion, even in the face of disagreement.
Lord, we pray for those who feel marginalized or unheard during this time. May they find strength in community and hope in your promise of justice. Inspire us to be advocates for truth, standing firm against misinformation and fear, and to foster a spirit of understanding among all people.
As we navigate these challenging times, may we lean into our shared humanity and remember that we are called to be peacemakers in our families, communities, and beyond. Help us to reflect your love and light, bringing healing where there is division and hope where there is despair.
And now, Lord God, we bring before you the prayers that lay deep in our hearts. We will now take a moment of silence.
Moment of Silence
The Lord’s Prayer:
Lord God, hear our prayers. And now Lord God, we pray the prayer that you taught us to pray together:
Our Father, who art in heaven, hollowed by thy name.
Thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us.
And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the Kingdom, the power and the glory, forever and ever, amen.
Closing Hymn: VU 625 “I Feel the Winds of God”
Commissioning and Benediction:
May the Lord bless and keep us; may He grant us strength to live through troubled times; may He fill us with his grace and peace which surpasses all understanding; may he grant us the wisdom-and the will-to do justice, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with him. Amen.
Choral Blessing: “Go Now in Peace”