Church in America

I Take Offense to That!

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Rev. R. J. Rooney
Senior Pastor, Verona (MS) UMC
May 15, 2001

One of the most familiar stories in the Bible is the story of David and Goliath (1 Samuel 17:1-58). The underdog pulls the stunning upset. The way that the story is often told by Sunday School teachers and preachers often has little in common with the biblical text. David is often portrayed as a frightened little lad who with knees knocking and eyes squeezed shut gets off a lucky shot at the overgrown Philistine. Somehow or another the teacher or preacher then tries to morph the picture of a frightened boy with a lucky aim into a man of faith and an example for all to follow. Unfortunately, most people can sense the leap of logic is too great and shelve the encounter as a children's story with no real relevant value.

Nothing could be further from the truth. The narrative in 1 Samuel 17 is a blueprint for victory that focuses on conscience and commitment. In the unsanitized biblical version the story begins with a loudmouthed brute who spews insults and vulgarity at the Lord's army and ends with his own decapitation. The plight of the Church today (and many of her adherents) bears a striking similarity to the army of Israel and her so-called warriors.

As Goliath shouts curses, obscenities, and insults at the army of Israel for 40 days not one Hebrew warrior could muster the courage and/or conviction to even address him. Day after day they listened to Goliath belittle their valor and mock their God. The narrator tells us that the
youngest of Jesse's sons came to bring his brothers provisions during this long siege of courage. He heard the taunts of Goliath and apparently took great offense at what he was hearing. He asked what reward there would be for the man who killed Goliath and was summarily ridiculed by his own brothers for his supposed insolence. David's righteous indignation shown a bright light on their own apathy and cowardice. After a meeting with King Saul wherein David turned down an offer to wear the king's own armor "he approached the Philistine" wherein he was once again mocked...this time by his enemy. After he heard Goliath's insults David matter-of-factly informed him that "the LORD will deliver you up into my hands, and I will strike you down and remove your head from you" (v. 46). We are then informed "that David ran quickly toward the battle line to meet the Philistine." So much for shaking in his sandals. After the "lucky" shot from his sling incapacitated Goliath "David ran and stood over the Philistine and took his sword and drew it out of its sheath [this is Goliath's own sword] and killed him, and cut off his head with it" (v.
51).

I see a very timid Church today. Much like the army of Israel who sat paralyzed with fear, much of today's Church is afraid to do battle with those who mock and ridicule the God of faithful Christianity. We are afraid of being labelled "extremists" or "fundamentalists" or "right wing
wackos." And so we sit and take all the bad treatment, verbal abuse, and incoherent pseudo-intellectual ramblings heaped upon us by convincing ourselves we are doing the will of Christ by remaining silent. Somehow, I do not think we are doing God any service that way. One of the greatest stories of victory in the Bible occurs because one follower of God took offense to the vile and hateful diatribes of one who took joy in deriding God and all who swore allegience to Him. "I take offense to that!" Would to God that more "prayer warriors" took offense to the cascade of insults and demeaning remarks aimed at those who are faithful to "the Spirit and the water and the blood" (1 John 5:8).

David took offense to Goliath's remarks and was immediately chastised by his own brothers. It never ceases to amaze me that when any person takes a stand against ungodliness in the name of Christ and for the sake of their own conscience they are immediately criticized by many of their own "brethren" in the faith. Let some devout Christian speak out against the gaming industry and he or she will find the editorial section of the paper filled with religious leaders and lay people "testifying" to all the good the gambling industry does and promotes. Let a preacher speak out against legitmizing the practice of homosexuality and ordaining homosexuals for ministry and legions of his "peers" will unceromoniously condemn him for his hate and judgmentalism. Dozens more will attempt to "educate" him on the supposed scientific realities of sexual orientation. Let a conscientious Christian speak out against pornography and he or she will be assailed from within and without the Church about "censorship" and civil liberties, the First Amendment, etc. The unkind remarks of his brothers did not deter David. God is looking for people that are willing to stand even if it is alone and facing criticism.

According to 2 Chronicles 16:9 God is looking for people with sincere hearts so that He may show Himself strong on their behalf. Unless and until more Christians begin to take offense at the barrage of unkind, unflattering, and shameful words aimed at faithful followers of God and
God Himself, we will continue to sit idly by wringing our hands vainly wishing for angels to come and deliver us from the enemies of truth and the Cross. The new wine of the New Covenant is being watered down beyond recognition by our own unwillingness to take offense at the insults of God's enemies. Deitrich Bonhoeffer lamented this trend in the Church by observing that "Cheap grace is the preaching of forgiveness without requiring repentance, baptism without church discipline, Communion without confession..." Repentance, discipline, and confession are terribly oppressive words in many of today's churches and by some standards in some religious circles. That is because there are no Davids standing up before the enemies and friends of God declaring, "I take offense to that!"