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

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?