South Union Sermons

Bottom line: We don't need an "if...then..." bargain with God. We need an "if not" clause in our statement of faith.

Jephthah sought to bargain with God to get a guaranteed victory over the Ammonites. He had faith that God had the power to deliver the Ammonites, but he didn't have confidence in what he and his army could do, so he rashly made a vow that in the end he wished he didn't have to keep, but he did. Instead of bargaining with God, Jephthah needed to expand his faith in God. He needed a faith that went beyond believing in the power of God, to a faith that believed in the purpose of God, i.e. trusting not only in what God could do but what God would do through him and his army.

We can learn some important lessons from Jephthah's vow.

1) Don't bargain with God.

2) If we make a promise or commitment to God, fulfill it.

3) Expand our faith to believe in God's power, purpose, and promise. When we do, we sense God's peace and presence with us in the "foxhole" moments of life.

Bottom line: When we fail to finish the right fight, we fall before we cross the finish line.

Gideon finished the fight against Midian, however he did not finish the fight for Israel. While he delivered Israel from Midianite oppression, he did not restore Israel to serving and worshipping Jehovah as God and King. He failed to finish the fight not only for Israel but also for himself. He ultimately got sacked by the very blessing of victory. He lost his humility, his heart-honesty, and his hallelujah. He stumbled and fell before he finished. And in the end, the people who received great blessing through his service to God forget both Gideon and God.

Bottom line: The faith-filled and faithful fight to finish the fight.

We have to have faith to fight. We have to have faithfulness to finish it. Gideon was a man of both faith and faithfulness. He overcame several obstacles placed in his way that could have caused him to quit before he truly finished the fight. However, he would not be satisfied with a partial victory. He finished the fight to obtain the victory. The victory wasn't just delivering Israel from Midianite oppression. The real victory was leading Israel to return to worship God and recognize Him as their King.

Bottom line: God rewards faith with victory.

God tested Gideon's faith when He asked Gideon to thin out the ranks of his army. Gideon dismissed 31,700 soldiers of his 32,000 man army. Gideon reduced his army by faith to just 300 men. After testing Gideon's faith, God then sought to encourage and honor his faith so that ultimately He could reward Gideon's faith with victory. He encouraged Gideon's faith by once again promising him victory. However, this time the promise is in the past tense. The victory is as good as done. He also encouraged Gideon's faith by allowing him to see (hear) a preview of the victory by overhearing the interpretation of a dream. God then honored Gideon's faith because Gideon was faithful. He and his men did what God called them to do (blow, break, shine, and shout) and then they stood in their place. God fought the battle, and Gideon's army experienced the victory.

Bottom line: Are you willing to be a part of the faithful?

God selected a small group of men to be used in Gideon's army. They had to be willing and faithful. He chose those who weren't afraid of the commitment, the call, or the challenge. And He chose those who had the right focus. They focused on the war not the water, their waiting not their wallowing, and the wins instead of their wants.

God doesn't need a lot, or any for that matter, to accomplish His work, but He will use those who are willing and faithful. Will you choose to be a part of the willing a faithful?

Bottom line: Our willingness to do the will of God is key to God assuring us of His will and confirming our faith to accomplish His will.

Gideon is a man who needs assurance that he is doing God's will and reassuring that God will do what God has said He will do. Gideon puts God to the test with his "putting out the fleece." And graciously, God condescends to Gideon and does as Gideon requests. God gives Gideon the assurance he asks for. While Gideon wobbles in his faith, he does have one thing going for him - he is willing. After Gideon has put God to the test, God puts Gideon to the test. He tests Gideon's faith and then confirms that Gideon is the man for the job that God has called him to, i.e. to save Israel from the hand of Midian.

Bottom line: Victory in spiritual warfare is impossible without genuine worship of God.

Following God's calling of Gideon to deliver the nation from Midian's control, Gideon wants to know that he is truly being called and commissioned by God. Before Gideon goes to war, he worships God with a sacrifice. In the text (Judges 6:17-32) we see the topic of worship over and over. Gideon offers an offering (sacrifice) to God. Gideon builds an altar to the Lord and names it Jehovah-Shalom. Gideon destroys the altar of Baal. Gideon builds a new altar to God and sacrifices a bull to God.

In these four movements of worship we see several principles or lessons that we can learn from Gideon:

1) Worshipping God precedes warring with the enemy

2) The peace of God is preparation for the conflict

3) The public battle is preceded by personal victory

4) God proves us to be faithful and proves His own faithfulness to us

Deliverance from the troubles of our own making is impossible until we destroy the altars of false worship that led us to the trouble in the first place.

Bottom line: God unexpectedly calls unlikely leaders to accomplish "unbelievable" things for Him and with Him.

Gideon is an unlikely choice to lead the military into action. When we meet him in the story of Judges, he is hiding in a winepress threshing wheat. He seems anything but courageous. However, God sees something in Gideon that Gideon doesn't even see in himself - a mighty man of valor. Gideon doesn't know it when he meets God, but God will use Gideon to deliver Israel from the oppression of Midian. God will give Gideon his divine authority and divine accompaniment. And with God's power and presence, Gideon will deliver Israel. One of the most important lessons we can learn from Gideon's story is that God can use anyone. And that means God can use us. Let's lean into God's authority and presence and watch Him do great things through us.

Bottom line: When we stand up in faith and act with faithfulness toward God, we can be used of Him to impact our culture with godly influence.

Deborah was a woman of great influence. As a Judge, she had matriarchal influence, religious influence, civil influence, and military influence. She exercised her influence in a godly way because she had confidence in God's Word, God's will, God's way, and showed courage in meeting the enemy (Jabin's army) and partnering with Barak. She impacted her entire nation with her influence. She rallied her general and army to be used of God to deliver the nation from Jabin's oppression.

Bottom line - Godly leaders bring godliness to a godless world.

When the children of Israel departed from God, forgot God, did evil in His sight, and served other (false) gods, God always did His part to win His people back. God would, in love and kindness, send trouble, send a spiritual leader, and send His Spirit to empower the leader to bring godliness to a godless world, to bring deliverance to Israel. God did His part, but someone needed to step up and be useable of God to be the spiritual leader. From the first three judges (Othniel, Ehud, and Shamgar) we see the characteristics necessary to be a leader that is used of God to bring godliness to a godless world: 1) godly leaders develop strong convictions, 2) godly leaders display courage, 3) godly leaders draw confidence from God, 4) godly leaders dare to confront the enemy, and 5) godly leaders use what the have to do what they can to follow God's call on their lives.