Prove All Things!
Introduction:
A. When David said he would face the giant Goliath, Saul
tried to have him wear his armour.
1. One can understand Saul's reasons for doing so:
a. Goliath was not only a giant of a man, but he was
a trained soldier.
b. Goliath had a spear, sword, shield, helmet, and
full armour.
c. David was just a boy, and untrained in battle, and
Saul felt that if David was going to have a chance
at all, he was going to have to dressed for battle.
2. But, David refused the armour.
a. David said..."I cannot go with these; for I have not
proved them. And David put them off him."
(I Samuel 17:39)
b. David was not used to using armour.
1) He did not know how to wield a sword, but he
had used a rock and a sling many times.
2) He wasn't used to wearing armour to protect him,
but he trusted in God to deliver him out of the
hand of Goliath. (I Samuel 17:34-37)
c. When David faced Goliath on the battle field, Goliath
mocked him, but David replied...
"Thou comest to me with a sword, and with a spear,
and with a shield: but I come to thee in the name of
the LORD of host, the God of the armies of Israel,
whom thou hast defied." (I Samuel 17:45).
d. David defeated the giant with those things that he
had proved.
B. We are told to prove things as well - I Thessalonians 5:21.
1. We need to prove them like we are in a battle, for we are.
a. We are in a spiritual battle.
b. Satan is our enemy.
2. We need to prove them like our lives depend on it, for
not only does our lives depend on it, but our eternal lives
depend on it.
I. What we are to prove everything by is the word of God.
A. God, in His word has given us everything we need to know.
1. It thoroughly furnishes us (II Timothy 3:17).
a. Thoroughly furnished = completely equiped.
b. David didn't need Saul's helmet, sword, or armour, he
had all he needed, and so do we.
2. It gives us all things pertaining to life and godliness
(II Peter 1:3).
a. He has given us all we need. We lack nothing.
b. He has told us how to live, and what to do so we
will have eternal life.
B. When we look in the Bible we see...
1. What God is like.
a. Light (I John 1:5) = the source of all truth.
b. Love (I John 4:8) - but He is also just.
c. Spirit (John 4:24) = not flesh & bone.
d. There are many that have created for themselves a
different God, not out of stone, or gold, but in their
minds. Do not accept any other God than the true
and living God.
2. What Jesus is like.
a. He is a prophet (Deut.18:15; Acts 3:22).
b. God (John 1:1) not a god, or one of many.
c. He is a king. But, His kingdom is not of this earth,
nor will He set one up when He returns, for it
already is set up - Colossians 1:13.
3. What God would have us do to be saved.
a. Believe - Mark 16:16.
b. Repent - Acts 17:30.
c. Confess - Romans 10:10.
d. Baptized - Mark 16:16.
e. To take away from or add to these things is to add
to or take away from God's word (Rev.22:18-19).
4. He has told us how to worship.
a. Sing - Ephesians 5:19.
b. Give - I Corinthians 16:1-2.
c. Pray - Ephesians 5:20 (to the Father in Jesus' name).
d. Communion - Acts 20:7.
e. Preaching - Acts 20:7.
f. These are the ways God has authorized us to worship
Him, and we have no authority to do anything else (i.e.
choirs, drama, women preaching in the presence of
men, holy water, instrumental music, etc).
C. Prove everything by the word of God.
1. Study it.
2. Meditate upon it.
3. Search it, and make sure anything anybody teaches you
is in agreement with what God says.
4. There are liars, wolves, and false teachers out there.
Don't let them cheat you out of a home in heaven.
II. Hold fast that which is good (I Thessalonians 5:21b).
A. Hold them fast by doing them.
1. It is not good enough to just know what the Bible says.
a. "Be ye doers of the word and not hearers only "
(James 1:22).
b. We must know, and do what it says if we want to
enter in to the kingdom of heaven - Matthew 7:21.
2. God has told us to...
a. Be holy...therefore we need to be holy.
b. Help those who are in need...so help them!
c. Take the gospel to the world...we need to use our
talents and abilities to spread the seed.
d. Worship Him...we need to be faithful in doing so.
3. One of these days we are going to stand before
Jesus in judgement.
a. Those who have done what He says will hear Him
say..enter in thou good and faithful servant.
b. Those who have not obeyed His gospel will suffer
His wrath (II Thessalonians 1:8).
c. Not only must we put Christ on in baptism, we must
do the things He has commanded us to do. Come
judgement day it is not going to do any good to say
"I knew what you wanted me to do."
B. Hold fast that which is good implies there is that which
is not good.
1. There are counterfeits!
a. Would you rather have real money, or play money?
b. Would your rather have real food, or fake food?
c. Would you rather have a real doctor, or an imposter?
2. What do you want for your family..real, or counterfeits?
a. Would you give your children fake food, or would
you take them to a person who was not a real doctor?
b. We will not accept imitations in other things, why
would we accept anything less than the true gospel
of Jesus Christ for them, so they will have a home in
heaven?
2. We should hold fast that which is good.
a. There is only one church (Ephesians 4:4;1:22-23).
b. There is only one gospel (Galatians 1:6-9).
c. There is only one baptism (Ephesians 4:5).
d. There is only one way (John 14:6).
e. We need to hold these things fast.
III. We need to continue to hold fast.
A. David continued to hold fast.
1. He used what he had proved to defeat Goliath.
a. He met Goliath with a staff, 5 smooth stones, and
a sling (I Samuel 17:40).
b. Those were things he had proved, but more
importantly, he knew he could trust in God.
c. David said.."This day will the LORD deliver thee
into mine hand.." (I Samuel 17:46). And, He did!
2. He held fast to God all of his life.
a. When Saul tried to kill him, he held fast to God,
and continued to live godly.
b. When David sinned with Bathsheba, he held fast
to God, and repented when he realized he had sinned.
c. When Abasalom, his son, temporarily took the kingdom
from him, and later on was killed in battle, David held
fast to God, and continued to trust in God, and prayed
to Him.
d. David held fast to God all his life, and God said David
was a man after His own heart (Acts 13:22).
B. We need to hold fast all of our days.
1. Some people allow themselves to let go.
a. Due to apathy.
b. Because of worldliness.
c. From discouragement.
d. Being led astray by false teachers.
2. The Bible tells us to...
a. Lay up our treasure in heaven (Mt.6:9).
b. Love not the world (I John 2:15).
c. Provoke one another to love and good works
(Hebrews 10:24).
d. Grow, so we are not carried about with every wind
of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning
craftiness, whereby they lie in weight to deceive
(Ephesians 4:14-15).
e. Seek those things which are above...set your
affections on things above (Colossians 3:1-2).
f. Press toward the mark, for the prize of the high
calling of God in Christ Jesus (Philippians 3:14).
Conclusion:
A. David knew what he could count on: the things that he
had proved, and God, and because of that he was able
to defeat his enemy.
B. We need to prove all things by the word of God, hold
fast to those things that are good, and trust in God.
C. If we do, He will give us the victory.
D. If you have studied God's word, and have proved to
yourself what God says you need to do to have the
forgiveness of sins, and desire to obediently submit
to God's will...won't you come.
E. If you are not sure, and like to study more...we still
invite you to come.