Thesis
Using the story of David and Goliath as a foreshadowing of Jesus's victory over sin and death, Pastor Bill argues that financial generosity is an act of worship rooted in trust. Just as David ran at Goliath with nothing but a sling and faith in God, believers are called to honor God with their resources — not because He needs the money, but because giving battles selfishness, builds families, draws us closer to Jesus, and invites us into the victory God is accomplishing through His church.
Key points
- 1
Worship is not just something we do at church — it is what we were made to be, and giving is one of its most tangible expressions.
- 2
Israel's repeated failure to face Goliath mirrors how believers can sing God's praises in a worship service yet refuse to trust Him with their finances.
- 3
Because God loved, He gave — love gives, and you cannot truly love God while withholding what He asks.
- 4
We give first, letting our standard of giving determine our standard of living, because that is when we act most like Jesus.
- 5
Giving is both a weapon to battle selfishness and materialism and a tool to build generous, unified families.
- 6
David's courage — running quickly at the giant with only a sling — is a call for believers to stop delaying and start giving now, trusting that God shows up when we act.
- 7
When you kill the big giant of financial fear, the rest of the smaller giants — marital stress, anxiety, disunity — begin to fall as well.
Outline
Introduction: The Water Slide Illustration
Pastor Bill uses the image of children's varied reactions to a backyard water slide to describe the spectrum of responses believers have when the topic of giving is introduced — from eager to cautious to flat-out angry.
Big Idea Stated: Giving Is for Us, Not from Us
Pastor Bill states the sermon's central claim — that giving is a gift God designed for our benefit, not a demand He makes of us — and frames the David and Goliath story as the lens through which he will explore it.
The Setup: Israel's Repeated Failure to Face Goliath
Working through 1 Samuel 17, Pastor Bill establishes the scene: Goliath's terrifying challenge, Israel's 40-day paralysis, and the absurdity of shouting battle-cry worship while refusing to step into the fight — a direct parallel to believers who praise God in church but won't trust Him with money.
Getting Mad at the Mirror: Eliab and Our Own Excuses
Eliab's angry response to David illustrates how we often attack the messenger when a sermon on giving reflects our own fear and lack of faith back at us; Pastor Bill confesses his own early resistance to tithing as a poorly paid youth pastor.
David's Confidence and the Four Reasons We Give
David's shepherd resume and his trust that God would get the credit lay the foundation for four reasons to give: (1) because Jesus asks us to, (2) because we feel closest to Jesus when we give sacrificially, (3) because we believe in the local church's mission, and (4) because it is a weapon against selfishness and a tool to build generous families.
Run Quickly at the Giant: The Call to Give Now
Pastor Bill urges listeners not to delay with spiritual-sounding excuses, but to run at the giant of financial fear today — trusting that when you honor God first, He catches you at the bottom and the rest of life's giants begin to fall.
Closing: God Catches You at the Bottom
Returning to the water slide image, Pastor Bill promises that God will be at the bottom to catch those who let go and trust Him, and that the joy on the other side — like a child who goes down and immediately shouts 'again!' — is what giving ultimately produces.
Memorable moments
Giving is something God wants for us, not from us
You can give without loving. You can. But you cannot love without giving
We get mad at the mirror
You do not need to pray about whether you should do something that God already clearly said you should do
the biggest Goliath in our culture as Christians is giving. Too many of us will not trust God in that. We look just like the world
When you kill the big giant, the rest of the little army starts falling too
Application
Pastor Bill's challenge is direct: stop waiting for the right financial moment, the right armor, or the right feeling — just run quickly at the giant. Start giving today, even if the numbers feel impossible. Give first and let your standard of giving determine your standard of living, trusting that God will catch you at the bottom. Practically, that means deciding on a percentage, giving before the bills are paid, and — especially for parents — inviting your kids into the process so generosity becomes the culture of your home. The goal is not a transaction with God; it is an act of worship that says, 'I trust You more than I trust my bank account.' And when you do, Pastor Bill promises from his own experience, the giants that follow — financial stress, marital conflict, selfishness — start falling too.
