Tag Archives: Book of Judges

Sunday – December 8, 2013 “When Less is More” Judges 6:36-7:23

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Sunday – December 8, 2013 – Read the Word on Worship

When Less is More Judges 6 verse 36 to 7 verse 23 from Sunrise Community Church on Vimeo.

Word On Worship – Sunday – December 8, 2013 Download / Print

Judges 6:36-38
“Then Gideon said to God, “If You will deliver Israel through me, as You have spoken, behold, I will put a fleece of wool on the threshing floor. If there is dew on the fleece only, and it is dry on all the ground, then I will know that You will deliver Israel through me, as You have spoken.”

Now let’s be honest with one another. Isn’t Gideon’s unbelief something that is familiar to all of us who have come to trust in Jesus as our Savior? We believe in the Lord Jesus, and we know that we are eternally saved, safe and secure in His keeping. We believe that God’s purpose is to proclaim the good news of the gospel throughout the entire world. We believe that God is going to bring many to faith. We even believe that God may bring revival to our country, and perhaps even to our neighborhood. But we have our doubts when we consider the possibility that God intends to accomplish these great things through us. God may use a Billy Graham but surely He will not use me in any significant way! That is what this test is all about. Gideon wants God to confirm His promise to achieve Israel’s deliverance through him.

It seems to me that in this “test,” there is both good news and bad news. The bad news is that Gideon is reluctant to take God at His word. He knew what God had said; he just didn’t quite believe it. The good news is that Gideon is not proud, arrogant, or confident in his own abilities. Gideon is scared to death and clinging desperately to God. That is a far better place to be than confident in one’s own abilities. Or is it? Our culture says otherwise, and so many Christians think otherwise. Much like the secular world, we think that those most likely to succeed are the ones who have great intellect and healthy self-esteem, are good looking and aggressive. In God’s world, it is the weak and helpless He uses to achieve His purposes. Or, putting the matter in the terms of our sermon title: “Less is More.”

God’s deliverance comes to men because they are desperately helpless to save themselves. That was true of the Israelites of old. It was not because those who were needy did something great to win God’s favor; it was because God is gracious to those who cry out for His help. This is still true today. Everyone is a sinner, in bondage to sin and unable to save themselves. In His great mercy, God sent the Perfect Deliverer, Jesus Christ. He came to save those who were helpless and hopeless. Just as Gideon was not intended to get the glory for the deliverance of his fellow-Israelites, but only God, so it is only God who should get the glory for our salvation, not us. Have you acknowledged your bondage to sin and your helpless state? Have you cried out to Jesus for the salvation He alone can give? If you have, give Him the glory He alone deserves.

 

 

Sunday – December 1, 2013 Judges 6:1-35 “How to Start a Revival (Without Even Trying)”

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December 1, 2013 – Read the Word on Worship

“How to Start a Revival (Without Even Trying)” Judges 6 verses 1 to 35 from Sunrise Community Church on Vimeo.

Word On Worship – December 1, 2013 Download / Print

Judges 6:7-10
Now it came about when the sons of Israel cried to the Lord on account of Midian,  that the Lord sent a prophet to the sons of Israel, and he said to them, “Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel,’It was I who brought you up from Egypt and brought you out from the house of slavery. I delivered you from the hands of the Egyptians and from the hands of all your oppressors, and dispossessed them before you and gave you their land, and I said to you, I am the Lord your God; you shall not fear the gods of the Amorites in whose land you live. But you have not obeyed Me.”

There are two very important forces that affect faith in our culture; pluralism and privatization. Pluralism is the process by which our culture accepts a wide diversity of beliefs and practices as having equal merit. Considering the free society in which we live, this tolerance of other views is necessary for the functioning of the nation. In terms of religion, our nation is made up of many faiths, and our system of government allows people to believe and practice their faith as they see fit, provided they are not a danger to themselves or others.

It is necessary in a democracy to accept the reality that many faiths can coexist and be embraced in our nation, but this does not mean that all these faiths are equally true and valid. According to the Bible, and particularly the Lord Jesus Christ, Christianity alone is true faith, and faith in the sacrifice of Jesus Christ for our sins is the only way to heaven. People have the freedom to believe and worship however they wish, but only Jesus Christ saves, and only the Bible is the inspired, inerrant Word of God.

Privatization not only embraces pluralism, it seeks to promote it. Our culture wants to believe all religions are of equal value and all of them will eventually get you to heaven. So pluralism says you can believe whatever you want, but privatization insists that you must not hold your belief as exclusively true. And so in the culture the only unpardonable sin is to attempt to impose your belief on someone else. Privatization insists we keep our faith – whatever that may be – to ourselves. This is the opposition we as Christians see in society towards evangelism.

Our text exposes these modern beliefs as false. The Israelites did not have the freedom to worship whatever they wanted. They were commanded to believe in the God who saved them from Egypt and had given them the land of Canaan. God told them through the prophet Isaiah in Isaiah 42:8 “I am the Lord, that is My name; I will not give My glory to another, nor My praise to graven images.” The Great Commission demands we share our faith with others who are lost apart from trusting in Jesus Christ for their salvation. Gideon must tear down his father’s idols and publicly worship the God of Israel.  Our text challenges us to confront the pluralism and privatization of religion in our lives. There should be no such thing as “secret Christians” for those who follow Jesus Christ.

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Sunday – November 17, 2013 Judges 5:1-31 “Sing a Song of Leadership”

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November 17, 2013 – Read the Word on Worship

Sing a Song of Leadership Judges 5 verses 1 to 31 from Sunrise Community Church on Vimeo.

It has been said there are three kinds of people in the world- those who watch, those who make things happen, and those who scratch their heads and ask what just happened. The ability to make things happen is the gift of leadership and it is needed in every area of our lives. Our nation needs leaders to guide us forward in an uncertain and ever changing world. The church needs leaders to move the church forward in the mission of proclaiming the gospel which transforms lives. Our homes need learns to pass the truth of the Scriptures to the next generation. Leadership is essential. Yet as important as leadership is, God’s leadership is what is most essential, for apart from Him we can do nothing.
Judges chapter 5 is all about leadership. The lessons of what happens when godly men lead and people follow are the key to seeing victory in the battles we face and God being glorified. Join us this week in our study of the Book of Judges as we “Sing a Song of Leadership:

Word On Worship – November 17, 2013 Download / Print

Judges 5:2-3
 “That the leaders led in Israel, that the people volunteered, bless the Lord! Hear, O kings; give ear, O rulers! I — to the Lord, I will sing, I will sing praise to the Lord, the God of Israel.”

It has been said there are three kinds of people in the world: those who watch, those who make things happen, and those who scratch their heads and ask what just happened. The ability to make things happen is the gift of leadership and it is needed in every area of our lives. Our nation needs leaders to guide us forward in an uncertain and ever-changing world. The church needs leaders to move the church forward in the mission of proclaiming the gospel that transforms lives. Our homes need leaders to pass the truth of the Scriptures to the next generation. Leadership is essential. Yet as important as leadership is, God’s leadership is what is most essential, for apart from Him we can do nothing.

Our text offers all three of these qualities for us to learn and to understand God intervenes when we act with courageous faith. Deborah turns our attention to four specific tribes who refused to join the fight. The tribe of Rueben lacked the will to join the fight. The people of Gilead thought they were exempt since they lived on the other side of the Jordan. The people of Dan were too busy conducting business to come to their neighbor’s aid. And the people of Asher were simply unwilling to leave their homes.

On the other hand we have Barak and the men of Zebulon and Naphtali who went to war and fought the battle. Deborah begins with the commendation for the people of God who did step up, both the leaders and the volunteers. The battle plans God had given them through the prophetess Deborah made little sense, militarily speaking. But they did not trust in their own strength or numbers, they trusted in the Lord and His promises. This entire chapter focuses our attention on God’s glorious power and the praise that should flow from His people. When leaders lead, it inspires people to follow them, to the glory of God.

We must choose whether we will serve the Lord and His people. It is so easy to be passive, lazy, busy or distracted, yet the honor goes to those churches and individuals who are faithful to the Lord. Although the gates of Hades will not prevail against the Church universal, thousands of American churches close their doors every year. There is no guarantee that any church will remain successful, just as it is with individuals. If you have placed your faith in Jesus Christ, you are good for heaven. But you must ask yourself, are you good for earth? Deborah’s song could have been sung in Barak’s honor, but instead the glory went to Jael who, when action was required, stepped forward to be counted. How will your song be sung? Will you answer the call or do you already have an excuse for why you could not enter the battle today?

Sunday – November 10, 2013 Judges 4:1-24 “What I Learned in Jael”

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November 10, 2013 – Read the Word on Worship

“What I Learned in Jael” Judges 4 verses 1 to 24 from Sunrise Community Church on Vimeo.

If you spend any time studying the Book of Judges you will find no end to the theological papers written on Judges 4, as if they have found the Holy Grail of texts regarding women in ministry. Everyone seems to have an opinion on Deborah and her role as a prophetess. The conservatives want to push Deborah to the background and the liberals make her the poster child of women’s ministry. Being a contrarian by nature, I think they have both missed the mark. The hero of this story is not Deborah, but Jael.
So why are we so squeamish about tent pegs and what does this mean about the ministry God has called you to perform? Take a listen and see what you can learn from Jael.

Word On Worship – November 10, 2013 Download / Print

Judges 4:8-9
“Then Barak said to her, “If you will go with me, then I will go; but if you will not go with me, I will not go.” She said, “I will surely go with you; nevertheless, the honor shall not be yours on the journey that you are about to take, for the Lord will sell Sisera into the hands of a woman.”

If you spend any time studying the Book of Judges you will find no end to the theological papers written on Judges 4, as if scholars have found the Holy Grail of texts regarding women in ministry. Everyone seems to have an opinion on Deborah and her role as a prophetess. The conservatives want to push Deborah to the background and the liberals make her the poster child of women’s ministry. Being a contrarian by nature, I think both have missed the mark. The hero of this story is not Deborah, but Jael.

Who would have thought Jael would be the hero of this story? I don’t think even Jael thought she would. Sisera had 900 iron chariots under his command and all the resources of Jaban at his command to make happen whatever he saw was in the Canaanites’ best interests. Jael was merely a wife of a Bedouin. How many times had she taken down the tent only to put it up again at the end of the next day? Have you ever wondered how unimportant she must have felt? She was the wife of a nomad who was not even a Jew, whose primary job was to set up the tent, arranging the blankets and offering hospitality. Well, all of that and drive home some tent pegs, too.

All her life this woman was doing the mundane tasks of life. In terms of the big things in life, as those who tell others what is significant, she must have felt as if she was extremely insignificant. And yet God had been preparing her this whole time to make a difference. Just as God prepared the Children of Israel for the rigors of life on the road by their service in Egypt, so God had prepared her by setting up all those tents for this moment in time. The Book of Judges has taught me over and over again that God uses unlikely people to accomplish His purposes. In His time, He lifts up the lowly (Jael) and humbles the mighty (Sisera).

I can’t tell you how many people have told me they want to be called to a “great” work for God, but have failed because they are not a successful teacher of many or made some great contribution to the church. And so they now believe they are living a relatively insignificant life without the power of God demonstrated in their lives. If the Book of Judges teaches us anything, may it be that God uses inconsequential people to achieve great things by His power. We need to be what we are. Deborah should be commended for being a prophetess. It was her job to tell Barack what God said to do. Jael’s job was to drive tent pegs —  and when the opportunity came up she did just that — for the glory of God. Our Lord Jesus accomplished great things with twelve unlikely disciples and He will do the same with us.

Sunday – November 3, 2013 Judges 3:5-31 “No Guts, No Gory”

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November 3, 2013 – Read the Word on Worship

“No Guts, No Gory” Judges 3 verse 5 to 31 from Sunrise Community Church on Vimeo.

God primarily moves in two ways. God can work in spectacular ways where His Spirit comes upon somebody, miraculous things happen and everybody knows it was God in action. As wonderful as these instances are, I do not think they occur as often as God’s providential work. When I read the story of Ehud leading the people against Eglon, I see many circumstances outside the realm of mere chance coming into play. I see the sovereignty of God in all the details of this story, even the small ones.
Join this week in our study of the Book of Judges and see why the stories of these judges have been included in the Scriptures for our encouragement, correction and training in righteousness. We pray you will learn from Othnoel, Ehud and Shamgar as we look at “No Guts, No Gory”.

Word On Worship – November 3, 2013 Download / Print

Judges 3:26-28
“Now Ehud escaped while they were delaying, and he passed by the idols and escaped to Seirah. It came about when he had arrived, that he blew the trumpet in the hill country of Ephraim; and the sons of Israel went down with him from the hill country, and he was in front of them. He said to them, “Pursue them, for the Lord has given your enemies the Moabites into your hands.”

God primarily moves in two ways. God can work in spectacular ways where His Spirit comes upon somebody, miraculous things happen and everybody knows it was God in action. As wonderful as these instances are, I do not think they occur as often as God’s providential work. When I read the story of Ehud leading the people against Eglon, I see many circumstances outside the realm of mere chance coming into play. I see the sovereignty of God in all the details of this story, even the small ones.

Consider all of the events that had to take place: The fact that all members of Eglon’s private security detail were out of the room for an extended period of time. Consider that Ehud was able to smuggle an 18-inch sword into the king’s chamber undetected. And then the delay of Eglon’s security as they waited to act thinking their boss was taking an extended bathroom break. The odds are simply impossible if you were only considering the human element of the story. The point is God is every bit in control of these behind-the-scenes issues with Ehud as He was with Othniel. Even though this story seems so bizarre to us, God has still orchestrated all the details to achieve His purpose — Eglon is killed, the Moabites are defeated and the Israelites have peace.

I think what God is telling us in the story of Ehud and Eglon is something that is critical for us to understand: God is in control, even when we don’t know it. God had strengthened the hand of Eglon and the Moabites. And if we lived in the land of Israel during this time we would have been wondering where is God in all of this? And our text tells us God is every single detail of this story. He is the One who is sovereignly in charge of everything; even the smallest details that we miss.

We are living in a time where circumstances seem to be out of control. We see the stock market going up and down, the economy seems so uncertain, and the constant threat of terrorism here or abroad. This text tells us God is in control. God is in control of who is running our nation and He is in charge when leadership will change next. He is in control of international politics and He will bring about what He has covenanted to do. And what God has covenanted to do is to save His people.

Sunday – October 27, 2013 Judges 2:6 to 3:4 “Say it Again Sam(uel)”

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October 27, 2013 – Read the Word on Worship

“Say it Again Sam(uel)” Judges 2 verse 6 to 3 verse 4 from Sunrise Community Church on Vimeo.

So how will the next generation of Israel learn who God is personally? In the same way the previous generation did. If they go to war and trust in God they will see His works and know Him personally. God wanted this next generation of Israel to know His power and grace, So He left Canaanites in the land. Israel would have to fight in order to know the God they had yet to know by personal experience. That is the problem I see in the church at large today. We know a lot about God but we don’t know Him personally. And that has grown out of our avoiding the battle. We know from Scripture we have already been thrown into a spiritual war, but are we floating with the current or are we fighting against the current? If we are going to do battle, we need to be where the war is – in the workplace, in the culture and in the streets. Only then will we experience Him and know that the Lord is good. Join as Pastor Andy leads our study this week with his message, “Say it Again Sam(uel)

Word On Worship – October 27, 2013 Download / Print

Judges 2:10
“All that generation also were gathered to their fathers; and there arose another generation after them who did not know the Lord, nor yet the work which He had done for Israel.”

I have been a witness to many great things God has done in my life. But the question that often haunts me is does the next generation know the Lord or the work that He has done? That is the very problem facing Israel in our scripture. Based on the text, it is not so much that the last generation were poor teachers, but rather the next generation did not “catch” it. They have heard about God but they do not know Him. And so I must ask myself, how many in the next generation have seen God active in the lives of their parents or grandparents, but have yet to experience God personally themselves?

What is at issue is a personal relationship with God versus personal knowledge of God. Obviously it is important for the next generation to know that God exists, but personally knowing God is what is critical; not just knowing about Him. It is this generation’s failure to know God personally that is the cause for Israel’s trouble we see in Judges 2. The effect of their failure to know God personally is to bow down to the Canaanite gods and earn for themselves the anger of God against them.

God is angry at the sin of the people and turns His hand against Israel. But God does not turn away from Israel, In His mercy and grace He provides judges for Israel. Why are judges a matter of grace? That wonderful topic we tragically think is only a New Testament concept. Repentance is nowhere to be found in the passage. God sends a deliverer before there is any indication of repentance. And even after that deliverer comes and delivers the Israelites for that judge’s lifetime, they are still going to turn away. Whatever good that takes place here has everything to do with who God is. It is His character and His covenant that is the basis for His deliverance of Israel.

So how will the next generation of Israel learn who God is personally? In the same way the previous generation did. If they go to war and trust in God they will see His works and know Him personally. God wanted this next generation of Israel to know His power and grace, So He left Canaanites in the land. Israel would have to fight in order to know the God they had yet to know by personal experience. That is the problem I see in the church at large today. We know a lot about God but we don’t know Him personally. And that has grown out of our avoiding the battle. We know from Scripture we have already been thrown into a spiritual war, but are we floating with the current or are we fighting against the current?  If we are going to do battle, we need to be where the war is – in the workplace, in the culture and in the streets. Only then will we experience Him and know that the Lord is good.

Sunday – October 20, 2013 Judges 1:1 to 2:5 “Living with the Enemy”

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October 20, 2013 – Read the Word on Worship

Judges 1 verse 1 to Judges 2 verse 5 from Sunrise Community Church on Vimeo.

Considering everything going on, or not going on in Washington these days, leadership is a hot topic. Everyone agrees that no one agrees but still someone must lead. Does the Scripture offer us any instruction about leadership and how that should look in a divided nation? As we read the beginning of Judges it is easy to assume the victories of the Book of Joshua will simply continue, but that is not the case. The first chapter of Judges begins with Judah defeating the Canaanites and it ends with the Canaanites overrunning Judah’s lines. Without diving into the details here, God had already told Israel not to worry about the size of the army or the potency of their arsenal. God is not impressed with new technology, God is looking for opportunities to demonstrate His power and might. Join us this Sunday as we look at Children of Israel as they try to possess the land God has promised them in “Recipe For Disaster”.

Word On Worship – October 20, 2013 Download / Print or View the Video

Judges 1:1
“Now it came about after the death of Joshua that the sons of Israel inquired of the Lord, saying, “Who shall go up first for us against the Canaanites, to fight against them?”

Considering everything going on, or not going on in Washington these days, leadership is a hot topic. Everyone agrees that no one agrees but still someone must lead. Does the Scripture offer us any instruction about leadership and how that should look in a divided nation? Yes it does, but you have to dig in the dirty book of Judges to find those answers. Just as it is today, in the days of the judges, leadership was still the issue.

I believe the issue of leadership is the key to the book of Judges. Now that the children of Israel are in the land and seeking to control it, leaders must emerge to achieve what God has stated will happen. The successes Israel will have will be found in its leadership and its failures will be highlighted by a lack of leadership. Whenever you go to war someone needs to lead, and God says Judah will lead. And Judah asks Simeon to come along. But is this a Deborah and Barak moment, where one requires the other to join them or they are not going to press the initiative? Are we afraid to take the initiative in a ministry because we need someone else to come along with us?

As we read the beginning of Judges it is easy to assume the victories of the Book of Joshua will simply continue, but that is not the case. The first chapter of Judges begins with Judah defeating the Canaanites and it ends with the Canaanites overrunning Judah’s lines. Without diving into the details here, God had already told Israel not to worry about the size of the army or the potency of their arsenal. God is not impressed with new technology, whether it is iron chariots or ICBM missiles. God is looking for opportunities to demonstrate His power and might.

It is possible that in present times we have placed our trust in systems and technology rather than in God — and that is not a good thing. When our trust has been placed in feasibility studies rather than the power of God, our plans will all fail. If you could do church the way a business functions, where would God’s fingerprints be? How many times have you said “I would have entered that area of service,” but you did not think you had the right personality? Did you not have enough money? Did you not have the right platform to speak from? Have you ever wondered about the excuses we all have offered up for our own failure to engage in the business to which God has called us? You have been called to a Godly task. And He has promised that if you do His will, the task will be accomplished. So what excuse do you have that will trump the will of God for your life?

Sunday – October 13, 2013 “Why Should We Study Judges?”

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October 13, 2013 – Read the Word on Worship

Why Should We Study Judges? from Sunrise Community Church on Vimeo.

Judges was written to be an encouragement to us and reminds us that God uses some of the grimiest and broken people for His plans and to achieve His purposes. Even the enemies they faced were raised up by God to cause His people to cry out for God’s redemption and salvation. If you are a Christian and you feel that you have made a complete mess of your life that God can’t use you, stay with us as we see how God uses people like Sampson who were not model citizens. God uses broken people to accomplish great things. And if you do not know the Lord as your Savior, God saves broken people. The Book of Judges is all about God being faithful to His promises to save people who are in bondage to their sin. Liberty comes from the Great Judge and the Great Deliverer, Jesus Christ. May the Lord speak to us all as we study this wonderful book

Word On Worship – October 13, 2013 Download / Print

Josh 24:31-33
“Israel served the Lord all the days of Joshua and all the days of the elders who survived Joshua, and had known all the deeds of the Lord which He had done for Israel. Now they buried the bones of Joseph, which the sons of Israel brought up from Egypt, at Shechem, in the piece of ground which Jacob had bought from the sons of Hamor the father of Shechem for one hundred pieces of money; and they became the inheritance of Joseph’s sons. And Eleazar the son of Aaron died; and they buried him at Gibeah of Phinehas his son, which was given him in the hill country of Ephraim.”

When I have spoken with people about doing a study in the Book of Judges, I have gotten many strange looks and the inevitable question is asked. “Why in the world would you study the Book of Judges?” Many people have their excuses for why they stay away from this book. Some cite the lack of a central character such as Moses, Joshua or David. Others point out that the book seems to be a train wreck of the Israelites as they go from failure to failure. And sadly, some are under the belief that because it is in the Old Testament, there are no important things to be learned and applied to our lives today.

How wrong they are! The subject matter of the Book of Judges is not as foreign as you might think. The very things we see in the news and even in our modern entertainment are the background of this book: violence, sex, sin, disregard for God’s word, and living according to your own standards rather than living according the standards of God. That is not just Israel long ago and far away; that is our generation today. We have much to learn from this book that so few study in its historical context between the time of Joshua and the appointment of Saul, the first king of Israel.

Paul wrote to Timothy in 2 Timothy 3:16-17 “All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work.” So, if we do not think the Old Testament is relevant to our lives today, then how can we think the New Testament is relevant to our lives in the 21st century? If we did not need the Book of Judges it would not be there- but it is there because we do need it. A study in this book is need by the church and we need to wrestle with the text to find out how application can be made in our lives today.

Judges was written to be an encouragement to us and reminds us that God uses some of the grimiest and broken people for His plans and to achieve His purposes. Even the enemies they faced were raised up by God to cause His people to cry out for God’s redemption and salvation. If you are a Christian and you feel that you have made a complete mess of your life that God can’t use you, stay with us as we see how God uses people like Sampson who were not model citizens. God uses broken people to accomplish great things. And if you do not know the Lord as your Savior, God saves broken people. The Book of Judges is all about God being faithful to His promises to save people who are in bondage to their sin. Liberty comes from the Great Judge and the Great Deliverer, Jesus Christ. May the Lord speak to us all as we study this wonderful book.