Sermons from July 2016

Sermons from July 2016

A Mighty but Unwise Warrior

Judg 11:1 – 12:15 As the spiritual condition of Israel declines in the book of Judges so goes the character of its judges. This week we will look at the story of Jephthah. Jephthah was an outcast who was disinherited from his family. Even though he is listed in Hebrews 11 as a man of faith his story is one of contention and ambition. His foolish vow costs him his daughter and is one of the saddest stories in all of Scripture. And yet Jephath can teach us valuable lessons about spiritual wisdom and leadership. Since there is way too much material to cover on Sunday morning, I urge you to read Judges 10:6-12:7 to have the story fresh in your minds.

The Victory belongs to the Lord

Judg 7:1-25 This week we wrap up our 3-part series on Gideon with a dramatic battle versus a huge invading army. (Hint: It does NOT look like a scene from Lord of the Rings!) This “unconventional” battle raises some intriguing questions: Whom does God choose to fight His battle? What weapons are effective to accomplish His purposes? Applying these to my own life, I ponder, “Can God really use me to do His work? I’m flawed and inadequate!” And even if I believe He can use me, I wonder, “How can I prepare to fight His battle? What role should I take?” Do you ask yourself these questions too? Do you wish you knew the answers? Well, I don’t have all the answers. But come this Sunday and together we can find out how God can prepare us and use us for His kingdom.

Walk by Faith, not by Fleece

Judg 6:33-40 “To fleece or not to fleece, that is the question.” No, this Sunday we’re not doing a biblical adaptation of Shakespeare’s Hamlet, but rather we’ll examine the practice of “laying the fleece” to discern the will of God in making decisions. The judge Gideon used this tactic with God – twice! Is this something we ought to follow? How do we determine God’s will? And when we know His will for us, are we willing to step out and follow Him? We’ll explore these questions and others in our study of Judges 6:33-40. We hope you’ll join us.

Life to the Full?

Judg 6:1-32 As we continue our studies in the book of Judges, we meet a new judge this week, Gideon. Gideon enters the scene when Israel once again does evil in the eyes of the Lord. This means that they have once again oriented their lives around the idols of the land, instead of around God. And, what we see is that this idolatry robs the Israelites of the life that God intended for them, a life to the full (not a full life, mind you). But, instead of living a life to the full, as God intended, the Israelites end up simply surviving in caves. So, what is the answer? As we have seen throughout the book, dispossessing the idols in order to possess new life is what needs to happen. And Gideon does just that in the last scene of our text, showing great promise as a deliverer. Are you living life to the full or are idols robbing you of the life to the full that God intends for you?