Five Little Stones

 

COLERAINE EVANGELICAL CHURCH

SERMON NOTES SUNDAY 6 SEPTEMBER 2026 – PASTOR HENRY CASKEY

1 SAMUEL 17 VERSES 32 TO 50

 

Many years ago in Limavady, I did a wee bit of a study on the stones that we find in the Bible.  And this is one particular stone that I want to look at this morning. It's the stone that David picked up and it's the stone that David used to put into his little sling and to bring this great giant down. We think of that monument that was set up whenever the children of Israel came to the Jordan River and the Jordan River was flowing as banks. It was harvest time and it flowed as banks at that particular period of time. And you remember how God in that on that particular day he dried up the Jordan River and they walked across on dry land. You remember there how they were told to take a stone a leader of every tribe of the nation of Israel was to go down into the dry bed of the river Jordan and to pick up a stone, place it upon his shoulder and carry it onto the bank of the river and set it there until there was the 12 stones. And then you'll remember how Moses said to the people, there'll come a day whenever God will or the children will come to you and say, "What meaneth the stones?" And then you'll be able to give them a clear direction in life. What these stones meant, these stones meant in a time whenever God moved in a mighty way. This is a remembrance of how God brought us across the Jordan River, a river that was flowing in all of its fullness and brought us into the land of Canaan. This is the monument for it. Have we stones like that in our lives? Whenever our children or grandchildren ask us about certain aspects of our life, can we look back and say, "Well, that's what God did for us there and that's what God did for us at that particular juncture in our life." Do you remember whenever Samuel pointed to the stone there? He says, "Hitherto hath the Lord helped us." This was a stone of a protection. the people could point to this stone and they remembered the stone so well that was that was named ‘hitherto have the Lord helped us.’ Is there a stone that you can look back to this morning? Is there a stone, a particular part of your life where you can look back and say you know it was there that the Lord really stepped in and the Lord really helped me through that particular occasion, he helped us as a little family, he helped us as a couple, was good to us? Or what about the stone whenever the woman folk came that morning to anoint the body of the Lord Jesus Christ and why when they were making their approach to the tomb that was the thought in their mind. The stone that was over the mouth of the tomb, how would they ever roll it away? It took Roman soldiers, those big strong men to roll it there in the first place. How are we ever going to roll it away? And when they came, they found that the stone was already rolled away. Sometimes there's storms in our lives, you know, that we wonder at times how we're ever going to manage. And then somehow when we get to that particular point in our lives, we find that we've nothing to worry about because the stone has been rolled away.

I want to take up this little stone here this morning and I want to think about it. Think first of the setting of the stone. This great big giant Goliath was coming out and he was fighting against the nation of Israel. All of its elite army. were so afraid of him that they were hiding behind hedges and the rocks and in the caves. They wouldn't come out to meet this man at all. Every time he come out and he proclaimed his victorious life to these Jews. Why? They fled from him until one day David come down. And David was standing there and maybe knew nothing about this situation at all until he heard the shouts and the ridicules and the cursings and slanders of this great big giant standing up on the top of the hill. And he says to Saul, “What's all this about?" And Saul explains the situation. And David says, "I'll take him on." I'm sure Saul had maybe a wee bit of a smile on his face. David says, "I'll take him on. Don't be afraid. I'll take him on." And Saul says, "How are you going to take him on? You're only a youth. This man, he's been trained in the skills of fighting even from he was a youth. and you're going to go out and you're going to stand against him?” Some of the elite forces of Israel at that time wouldn't even go near this man. But David says, "I’ll take him on." And then you can imagine David, he gets into that suit of armour that Saul puts upon him, but he can't wear that. He says, "Not at all." And off he goes. You can see him, can't you? This we strappling of a lad. And he's going out. And my you can almost imagine the elite soldiers and they're peering over the rocks and they're looking through the holes and the hedges to see what's happening. This wee boy, he's heading out to meet this great big giant. And he goes down into the brook. And as he goes down into the brook, he lifts out five little stones. He puts them into his shepherd's bag and he keeps them. And then he goes up to where the giant is. And the giant comes down as he's done so often before and he frowns upon David and he curses David and he curses the gods of David. And then David takes the little stone out of his bag and he puts it into the sling and you know the rest. It goes into the giant's head and down he goes. Just the one little stone. It's wonderful what God can do with these little things. I want us to think first of all that this little stone, it was carried by the river's current. The current of this little brook carried the stones that David selected for the purpose he had in mind. That little brook brought those stones right down to the very place where David stepped in. Imagine that for a moment. The very place where David was going to cross that little brook. The very place where he looked down into that brook and he picked out five little stones. These were the stones that God in his providence had brought down to where David was. You know, God makes no mistakes. Some of the things we look back on and think to ourselves at times, you know, I could have done this that way. I could have done this the other way. But God makes no mistakes. Do you remember whenever the apostle Paul he came to minister in Corinth and there he was coming to preach the gospel. Who did he find in Corinth? He found Priscilla and he found Aquilla a man and his wife and they were there because of persecution in Rome. They were there because of where they were living at that particular time. The Christians had to flee. And Aquilla and Priscilla, they fled here to Corinth. They were there in Corinth for a very special purpose because whenever the Apostle Paul got there, it was them who took Paul under their wing, brought him into their very home and fed him and encouraged him and helped him in the days to come. As a matter of fact, Paul could say about the same pair in the book of Romans "They would have laid down their necks for me." In other words, they had given their life for me. But you know, it was no mistake that they were there. They were there because of persecution. They were there because of trouble that was taking place. They were there because of threats. And you know, maybe God can use you and me in some way that we would never think. And because something has happened, that's how God's going to use us in the days to come. Perhaps there were times whenever that little stone, the very stone that was in the sling of David, can you imagine where it started off at and it was washed down day after day, week after week, month after month, just to the very place where David would pick it up. It all started off somewhere else, but it was tumbled down that little stream. Maybe there were times whenever there was a real strong current that lifted that little stone and smashed it up against others and smashed it up against corners and brought it down. Maybe there was times whenever it just trickled down. Maybe there were times that it was stuck in the same place for a long time before it ever moved. Sometimes we're like that, aren't we? Sometimes we go through the real rough and tumble of life. But you know the edges of that little stone, every time it moved and every time the water flowed over it, what was happening? The water was making that little stone the smoother every time. There were edges on it. There were rough edges on it that had to be taken off. And sometimes that's what God has to do with us. And we have to come through the rough and tumble of certain situations that we thought we would rather do without. Do you remember the Apostle Paul? The Lord gave him a thorn in the flesh and he says he prayed thrice about this thorn in the flesh, but he says it wouldn't go away. But Paul realized through that infirmity, through that weakness, that weakness was turned into strength because Paul could say, "I can do all things through Christ that strengtheneth me." And sometimes, you know, you and I, well, there's little edges that have to be taken off. For this little stone that is what was happening at all the time. Perhaps times we go through troubles and maybe like this stream, there are times when our lives are upside down. Or maybe there's a time when nothing's happening. Maybe there's a time when everything's just sitting as it were and calm and still and somehow there's nothing happening. Those are the quiet times that God's bringing you and I through that he might use us further down the line. Isn't that what James says? "My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into divers temptations. Knowing this, that the trying of your faith workketh patience, but let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing." How patient the lesson is that we see before us. You know, we don't know how long the little stones were lying there just under the surface but those stones were going to be used mightily. I think of Moses. You remember Moses? He was sent down to Egypt to bring out the children of Israel. But you remember he had to spend 40 years in the wilderness. He had to spend 40 years leading the sheep out to pastures and bringing them back in again. He had to spend 40 years listening to someone else telling him what to do, looking at the little sheep, making sure that they were all right, making sure they were healthy. 40 years, day in day out, he had to walk that desert pathway. And he was out there perhaps alone every day, but he had to be like that 40 years. And then God takes him up one day. He says, "Moses, it's time. It's time for you now to go back into Egypt. It's time for you to lead my people out. I think of Joseph.  He was sent out to meet with his brethren. His brethren hated him. His brothers hated him. They put him in an old an old dry well. They picked him out of that well and they sold him down into Egypt. He went into a a market yard in Egypt and Potiphar looked at him and thought, "What a what a handsome young man. What a strong young man. I'll purchase him. Joseph had to stand there in the market yard. And then he was brought into Potiphar’s house. He was accused falsely. He was put into prison. He had to sit in a prison cell. And he had to sit there for some two years before he was brought out again and would stand before Pharaoh. Before he would become the second in command. I think of Acts chapter 8 and the persecuted church there in Jerusalem. Do you remember how the disciples had to flee? It was Philip that came to Samaria. And what did he do when he came to Samaria? He began to preach the gospel. And men and women began to hear the gospel in in a real a real new light as it were. And they were listening to the message of the Lord Jesus Christ, his death, his resurrection, and the new life that they could have in him. And the Bible tells us there was great joy in the city. Persecution. Sometimes we don't know how God will use us. Sometimes we don't know how God will prepare us to be used. And that's important. We see that stone carried by the river's current.

But then I want you to see here the caution of the selection. You see, it tells us here in verse number 40 "He took a staff in his hand, and he chose him five smooth stones out of the brook." He chose these out of the brook. Just at the time David comes to the brook, the little stone is there. Maybe in the eyes of the world in Israel, I'm sure David looked very, very foolish. How would he ever face and defeat this great giant in all of his armour, in all of his power and all of his wisdom and all of his might, standing here before David, trained in all of his military combat with a sword and little David, what's he doing? He's standing with a shepherd staff. He's standing with a little sling. David didn't just lift these stones as he went across the wilderness. He waited till he was in the brook. He waited till he could see the right stones and he chose them out. He knew the importance of the task. So he chose that which he knew he would be successful in. He was careful in his choice. If he had picked up an ordinary stone that was lying just on the highway, you see, there may be edges on it, there maybe been a roughness on it that would hindered it leaving the sling that he was going to use. It wouldn't have bedded right into the leather of the sling. If there had been a rough edge on it whenever David was about to fling it, then maybe it would have went off in a different direction altogether. So, he had to have the right stone in this little leather pouch to face this enemy. And God needs his right tools. Maybe you're that right tool this morning. Oh yes, you've come through difficult times and hard times, but maybe God now wants to take you up and he wants to use you. Do you remember what Paul said in 1 Corinthians chapter 1? "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." Goliath standing there in all of his armour. He's standing there with a with a spear. He's standing there with a great big sword. David stands with a we stone and a sling. And he's going to bring this great big giant down. Perhaps God has David stopped at this little brook. David peers down in to the brook to see what he can use. Maybe God looks down into this assembly this morning. He looks down into this assembly this morning to see who he can use. Would we be like the prophet of old? Would we be willing to say this morning, "Here am I Lord?" Or would you be the first to say, "Well, you know, Lord, I would love to do that, but maybe there's somebody else. Maybe there's somebody else could do that. Somebody else far better qualified than me for that.” But God's looking down this morning and he's looking into this little fellowship and he wants someone now this morning for a particular task in life to take you into the battle. You may feel you don't have much. Maybe you feel you're not up to whatever God says this morning, but there's a work to be done. And God this morning is laying his hand upon you to do it this morning. It's a good time for it, isn't it? Because we're going now into what we call the winter work. and the children's work will be starting up again, the Sunday school, the the Lifeliners, the youth meeting, whatever the case may be. And maybe God's saying to you this morning “now it's time that I'm going to use you and I'm going to use you in this season. Are you prepared to give me a season?” That's what God is saying this morning. David looked down into the little brook and he could see the stones that he was looking for. He could still do this. He could see the stones that he could use. He could see that that little flat stone, that smooth stone. He knew that's the stone that would fit well into that little sling. That's what God is saying this morning. He's got a little place for you this morning. And he wants you to step out this morning. Now, what will you say to God this morning? Will you say, "Yes, Lord. I'll do that?” In Acts chapter 13 we read of the little church there in Antioch. God comes there and he says "Separate, unto me Saul and Barnabas for the work that I have called them to do." The Bible tells us there that they are ministering unto the Lord and they're praying and they're fasting. And then God comes. He says to Saul and Barnabas, "I want you to separate." He says to the elders, "Separate them for me. I have a work for them to do and they have to be sent forth." Remember Gideon? Gideon said "I'm from the weakest tribe. I'm from the smallest of all the families." And yet God came to him and God says, "I'm going to use you to deliver Israel." They were under the oppressive hand of the enemy at that particular time. And God says to Gideon, he says, "Gideon, I'm going to use you." Gideon says, "Lord I'm from the smallest of families. I'm from the smallest of tribes. How could you ever use me?" God tells him to surrender his life to him because he is going to use him. Whenever Gideon went out he mustered up 30,000 of an army. He thought to himself, "We're not bad here." And he gets to the front of the army and then the Lord comes and tells him "You have far too many." The Lord begins to wind them down until he gets to 300. Poor Gideon he's back to where he started again, isn't he? He's thinking about the weakest tribe and the weakest family. But that's what God was going to use to defeat the enemy and to deliver Israel. Maybe this morning you feel you don't have much.

Notice something else here. Not only was this little stone carried, not only was it cautious in its selection, but I want you to see how it was concealed from view. Notice what David does with this little stone once he picks it up in verse number 40. It says he puts them into his shepherd's bag. This little stone was going to be concealed until the time it was needed. I love the story of Esther. It's a wonderful story about one young Jewish woman. A beautiful young woman. She was selected to be the queen. The nation of Israel was under tremendous persecution and pressure. There was a man called Haman who was going to destroy the whole nation. It didn't matter whether they were young, middle age or old. He was so determined that he was going to wipe all out on a certain day. Mordecai had reared Esther and now she was being brought into the king's court to be his wife. He told Esther "Maybe it's for this very reason that you've been brought to the kingdom.” He didn't want her to miss it because God could use somebody else. Don't miss it. If God is calling you morning, this is maybe why you were brought to the kingdom for this very purpose. Allow God to use you. Remember how Moses was concealed as he worked as a shepherd? He was reared in Pharaoh's house, the son of Pharaoh's daughter. He was educated in all the ways of of Egypt. And then he tried to rush things. He was down there for a purpose. And God was educating him there. But then he tried to rush things. He tried to lead the children of Israel out his way, but it was too soon. And God had to conceal him for 40 years there in the wilderness until the time appointed. When God met with him there at the burning bush he had to decide to go back down to Egypt. Maybe God has been concealing you. Maybe God has been just keeping his hand upon you. Maybe God has been, yes, knocking off those edges, bringing you through certain things, and you're concealed until the time that he wants to use you. Are we ready to be used of God? That's the most important thing. Are we prepared this morning? Joseph was concealed as well. He was kept out of sight. Even David himself was concealed for a long time. Do you remember how he was out keeping the sheep whenever Samuel come down to his father's house to choose out a king? All of Jesse's sons passed before him and Samuel says “there's none of these chosen. Have you any more sons?” Jesse said “there's one more. But he is out in the field keeping the sheep.” Samuel says “bring him in.” Whenever Samuel saw him, he realized God was saying this is the one. But he was concealed. Samuel didn't know anything about him. Maybe you feel overlooked in a sense today. God doesn't really know much about you. But maybe it's just a case that you've been concealed for that very special time.

I want you to notice now how David conquered through this one little stone. David took up five little stones and he put them into his bag. And five is the number of grace. And you remember what God's word says, "My grace is sufficient for you.” David didn't have to exhaust the five. He only took one. He put his hand into the bag. He lifted out one little stone. He put it into the sling. And David was a marksman. Isn't it wonderful to be in the hand of the one who can do so much for us? You see, that little stone picked up could do nothing of itself but once that little stone was in the sling and in the hand of David, it was mighty. Do you think this morning that your life means nothing? That your witness means nothing? When your life and your witness is in the hand of the one who created us that's a mighty thing. It might only be in the shop tomorrow. It might only be saying hello to someone, it might be only bringing them down something they can't get out to do, but that's mighty. When you and I commit ourselves to the Lord God of heaven, my, he can do great things for us. Maybe this morning we could be that little stone, the little stone that David picked up. Maybe you could be that little stone that God reaches down this morning and says, "Listen, I want to use you." You know, that little stone was only used once. I don't know whether David picked it up again or not. Maybe you might only be used the once in all your Christian experience. But don't miss that once. Whether it comes at the beginning of your Christian life or whether it comes at the end. You remember how Wesley said as the people looked around his deathbed, “our people die well.” You can be that witness this morning