Smooth Stones Out of the Brook
Text: 1Samuel 17:38-40;48-50 c.v.40
"And he took his staff in his hand, and chose him five smooth stones out of the brook, and put them in a shepherd's bag which he had, even in a scrip; and his sling was in his hand: and he drew near to the Philistine."
Introduction:
Today we will speak about the smooth stones out of the brook. It seems to us that this is insignificant and an unworthy topic. But many little, base and insignificant things bring precious gems if carefully attended. God does not forget little things.
Zec 4:10 For who hath despised the day of small things? (for they shall rejoice, and shall see the plummet in the hand of Zerubbabel with those seven; they are the eyes of the LORD, which run to and fro through the whole earth)
Mic 5:2 But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting
1Sa 15:17 And Samuel said, When thou wast little in thine own sight, wast thou not made the head of the tribes of Israel, and the LORD anointed thee king over Israel?
It was a little maid that gave hope to the great & valiant but leprous man called Naaman.
It was a little boy with 5 bread & 2 small fishes that fed 5 thousand men beside women and children in the earthly ministry of Christ.
There are several truths and principles (precious gems out of the Word of God) that we can learn out of that small, little and somewhat insignificant thing.
I. God Does Not Necessarily Use Great And Mighty To Kill A Giant.
Of course we know that David, the little boy killed the giant Goliath, but what David used in killing that Goliath give as an interest though somewhat insignificant.
In verse 38-39 King Saul wants to wear his armour, helmet, coat and his sword but David did not used it instead he took his staff in his hand, and chose him five smooth stones out of the brook, and put them in a shepherd's bag which he had, (v.40)
When David went back to the mountain probably because the brook is a river in the valley of mountains, he did not choose a lion or bear or any wild animal to accompany him against Goliath. He did neither chose a hard tree to be used as a rod or spear against Goliath but a smooth stones out of the brook – an unknown, insignificant, unseen things out of the great mountains.
1Cor. 1:26-28 For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called: But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty; And base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are:
God did not choose philosophers, nor orators, nor statesmen, nor men of wealth and power, Not the mighty and noble, the famous in the world, the renown the Ayalas, the Cojuangcos, the Zobels to publish the gospel of grace and peace.
But God called the weak, base, little and somewhat insignificant people… But to those who are called and saved he is the wisdom of God, and the power of God.
But God seeth not as man seeth. He hath chosen the foolish things of the world, the weak things of the world, the base and despicable things of the world, men of low rank, of no liberal education, to be the preachers of the gospel and planters of the church. His thoughts are not as our thoughts, nor his ways as our ways. God is a better judge.
God knows what instruments and measures will best serve the purposes of his glory. David certainly knew what tools & instrument served him the best.
Jer. 9:23-24 Thus saith the LORD, Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, neither let the mighty man glory in his might, let not the rich man glory in his riches: But let him that glorieth glory in this, that he understandeth and knoweth me, that I am the LORD which exercise lovingkindness, judgment, and righteousness, in the earth: for in these things I delight, saith the LORD.
Many great, rich & famous people that don’t understand the Word of God – and if you understand the Word of God, give glory to God even you think you are but little, despise or insignificant.
God wants to triumphs the foolishness of preaching over human wisdom.
Ps 8:2 Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings hast thou ordained strength because of thine enemies, that thou mightest still the enemy and the avenger.
It is strange thing why God who is so mighty and so wise used those who cannot pronounced good, uneducated in world’s standards, weak in grammar, cannot construct a good sentence to spread the gospel. It is because God wants to beat down the pride and vanity of men.
Today if you think you are little, despise, small & insignificant – God wants to use you… but before that God wants to smoothes you.
II. God Smooth Those He Wants To Kill The Giants
God wants to cleanse us. To get rid of our rough edges. The weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us.
God wants to use us but he needs to cleanse us first for God wants a clean vessel.
2Ti 2:21 If a man therefore purge himself from these, he shall be a vessel unto honour, sanctified, and meet for the master's use, and prepared unto every good work.
We are liken into a clay in the potter’s hand -
God is in smoothing business
See the life of the ff. Bible characters:
Joseph – He was 17 yrs when God spoke to him in a dream that God will used him and he will become a great ruler…
David – Was also 17 years old when God asked Samuel to anoint him to be the next king of Israel…
John the Baptist – He was filled of the Spirit in his mother’s womb but still he undergone the smoothing process in the wilderness
Apostle Paul – He was about 30 years old when God called him to be the apostle to the Gentiles…
Jesus Christ our Lord – He was 12 years old when He said in Luke 2:49 …How is it that ye sought me? wist ye not that I must be about my Father's business?
God does not want rough edges in our life - The weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us.
Our God wants to smooths you because He wants to use you – Maybe to be an usher, choir member, sun sch. teacher, preacher, pastor, preacher’s wife, missionary evangelist, or just a simple giant killer.
Maybe God want to use you to build a great works for him but before that you need to undergo a process.
Challenge: If you want to be mightily used by God you need to live a life of a clean and a pure lifestyle. God’s number one attribute is still holiness.
Our God is a holy God and that holy God still hates sin. God wants to smooth and cleanse our immoral and dirty lifestyle, our pride, our covetousness, our envy, etc.
Until God not seen the image of Christ in our life, we cannot mightily used by Him.
1Peter 1:7 That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ:
(The picture here is of an ancient goldsmith who puts his crude gold ore in a crucible, subjects it to intense heat, and thus liquefies the mass. The impurities rise to the surface and are skimmed off. When the metal worker is able to see the reflection of his face clearly mirrored in the surface of the liquid, he takes off the fire, for he knows that the contents are pure gold)
A silver or gold is tried with fire until the face of the goldsmith is seen clearly out of the melted elements. God does not want dirt and rough edges in our life. And most of the time the process is long and tedious.
Illustrate: The archer with a smooth arrow -stretching the bow to the limit.
God is not only smoothing us but sometimes He stretched us to the limit in order that when He pull us off we will hit the target – the perfect will of God.
III. God Smooth Us As We Stay In The Brook
The Brook – It is a river. A small streams in the valley.
How the stones in the brook become smooth?
We are smoothening as we apply the Word of God in the most difficult circumstances in our life.
We are not smoothen in our most happy and joyful events but rather in much tribulations, trials and troubles, in pressures, persecutions and problems, in sufferings, sadness & sorrow, in discouragement, distress and drudgery.
The stream in the valley represents pressures in the lowest part of our life. The water in the brook represents the Word of God that makes us smooth.
Smooth stones are found in flowing water not in stagnant water.
We need the Word of God to smooth us. But the Word Of God must be applied.
The stone smoothen in the brook because of the flowing water. The Word of God must flow through us. It must be seen in our lives.
The Word of God must not only receive, it must be applied and seen in our lives.
When is the Word of God best applicable? During the time of great difficulty.
When is the joy unspeakable and full of glory (1Pet. 1:8) best seen in our lives? When we are distress and discourage. When is that peace that passeth all understanding (Phil. 4:7) best applied in our lives? When we are pressured. When can we best apply Phil. 4:19 “But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.” How about James 1:5 “If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.”
Many active Christians quit during the time of great discouragement and pressure. They say “God understand my situation – ” The Word of God must not only heard it must be seen and applied in our lives.
It’s good to hear the Word of God… but if it is not apply – it will just hardened us. It must not stay, we need to teach the Word of God – let others see Jesus in us.
The world needs the truth in us. Somebody must hear and see the truth in us.
It is how God smoothen us – when the Word of God flows in our lives by applying and teaching it especially during the time of great trials and difficulty.
Conclusion:
Three principles that we can used in our topic smooth stones out of the brook.
1. God does not Necessarily use Great and Mighty to Kill a Giant.
2. God Smooth Those He Wants to Kill the Giants
3. God Smooth Us as we Stay in the Brook
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