Bryan Loritts Evening rally on December 28th, 2013 at the Campus Outreach Milwaukee New Years Conference
For Bryan Loritts’ first talk, he explores the Gospel in the Old Testament - specifically from the story of David and Goliath. Drawing from the context of 1 Samuel, chapter 16, we see that Saul (the king over Israel during David’s time) finds his identity in his reputation. The reality is that our reputation is merely what others think we are, but our character is who we actually are. Saul is consumed by what others think of him based on his performance, and by doing so he neglects what really matters - the character of his heart. Just like Saul, many of us are in bondage to our reputation and performance - what other people think about us. 1 Sam. 16:7 says, “For the LORD sees not as man sees; man looks on the outward appearance, but the LORD looks on the heart.” What matters most to God is not our performance and reputation - what matters most to God is our hearts.
Bryan goes on to explain how the well-known story of David and Goliath points to the Gospel. Against such a powerful and terrifying soldier like Goliath, the meek and young David is completely helpless and hopeless. David had no hope to defeat Goliath on his own, and so God provided heavenly resources rather than earthly resources for him:
Then Saul clothed David with his armor. He put a helmet of bronze on his head and clothed him with a coat of mail, and David strapped his sword over his armor. And he tried in vain to go, for he had not tested them. Then David said to Saul, “I cannot go with these, for I have not tested them.” So David put them off. Then he took his staff in his hand and chose five smooth stones from the brook and put them in his shepherd's pouch. His sling was in his hand, and he approached the Philistine. - 1 Sam. 17:38-40
Apart from God, David had no hope to defeat Goliath. In the same way, Jesus took on a greater foe than Goliath by taking on death. God provides our salvation for us through Jesus, who conquered sin and death on the cross. Without Christ we have no shot against death and sin, but with Christ we have real hope. Nothing is impossible if God is the King of our lives.
