Judges 6-8

Illustration:  Favorite Heroes
A few years ago I received this as a gift.  Some of you know what these are.  Somehow the word had got out that as a kid (make sure I clarify that) I loved to dress up as my favorite superheroes. I thought I would take a little survey and find out who your favorite superheroes were?  Anyone here who really liked Superman or Spiderman?  That was what was great about underoos.  You could dress up in your t-shirt and underwear and pretend you could fly or sling the web. Some know exactly what I’m talking about – you did the same thing. (Lone Ranger, Wonderwoman – one that I did not dress up like, Captain America, Batman and Robin, Green Lantern, Aquaman, Wondertwins).   Or maybe your favorite was “super Wes.”  

The great thing about these superheroes, is that when needed, they always seemed to rise to the occasion and overcome the challenge.

Judges
There was a time period in the history of Israel when they really needed some heroes. 

The Israelites had entered the land of Canaan – the land that God had promised to give them.  However, they refused to deal with the things that would pull them away from God.  They refused to eliminate the enemy completely from the land which led to intermarriage with others who wanted nothing to do with God, and they ended up worshipping other gods.  

It is a story that takes place in the Old Testament in a book called Judges. 

The leaders that led them into the land died, and soon Judges tells us that everyone did whatever seemed right to them (Judges 17:6).  As a result, six different groups of people attacked Israel.  Each time that Israel was attacked, they would eventually cry out to God, and God would answer. 

This same kind of thing happened over and over again for a period of 325 years.  Yet every time Israel cried out, God provided a hero who did miraculous things with God’s power to deliver Israel.  These heroes were 12 men and women whom God used to judge the people who attacked Israel.  Over and over God displays His love and His mercy toward His people.

One of those heroes was Gideon.  You can find his story in Judges 6-8.  He was Israel’s fifth Judge and he defeated the entire Midianite army with only 300 men, trumpets, jars, and torches.

Judges 6:1-7
If you look at the very first verse in chapter six, you find that it says “Yet again the people of Israel went back to doing evil in God’s sight.”

Over and over it happened.  Israel would cry out to God and God would answer.  Then they would go back to their old ways.  This time it was the Midianites.  They were a desert people who were so cruel to the Israelites that the people of Israel hid in the mountains and in caves.  If the Israelites tried to plant crops, the Midianites would come and destroy their crops and take any livestock.  The Midianites would leave nothing to eat. 

Verse 6:  The people of Israel reduced to grinding poverty, cried out to God for help.

The crazy thing is that sometimes we have to hit rock bottom before we cry out to God.  It doesn’t have to be that way.  For some, that may be the point you are at right now.  You feel like you have nothing and there is no where else to turn but to God.

God hears the cries of people who are serious about calling out to Him for help.  Over and over God displays love and mercy to people who are serious about calling out to Him for help.  This Story is filled with stories of how God displays His love and mercy.

Judges 6:11
Now you might think Gideon would be some kind of mastermind and fearless leader if he led only 300 people to defeat an entire army.

In Judges 6:11, we find that he is anything but fearless.  He is just like everyone else - hiding - Gideon hid in a wine press.

Judges 6:11, “Gideon was threshing wheat in the winepress, out of sight of the Midianites.”
   
We may cut him a little slack here.  After all, if the Midianites find you with livestock or a crop, they would take it or destroy it.

However, an angel appears to Gideon and says, “God is with you, mighty warrior.”  Listen to Gideon’s response:

Judges 6:13, “If God is with us, why has all this happened to us?  Where are all the miracle wonders our parents and grandparents told us about…”

Gideon was a pessimist.  He was a doubter.  The glass was half empty.  He was a naysayer - complaining about life’s problems. 

Then God says, “Go in this strength and save Israel.”  And now here what Gideon says,

Judges 6:15, “How and with what could I ever save Israel?  Look at me.  My clan’s the weakest in Manasseh and I’m the runt of the litter.”

Not only was Gideon a doubter and a pessimist, but Gideon felt inadequate (belonged to the weakest family and tribe in Israel).

Have you ever been around a negative person, who doubts, and feels like don’t measure up. Nothing is ever good enough.  Sound like anyone you know? 

Judges 6:25
The reality was that Gideon faced great odds.  His own family wasn’t worshipping God.  They were worshipping Baal.  They lived in a town that worshipped Baal.  At the same time, the Midianites were destroying crops and livestock.  God calls Gideon to face the challenge.

God calls ordinary people in the ordinary times of life to do extraordinary things. 

God calls ordinary and imperfect people today.  People who have doubts, who feel inadequate, who are negative….(not just pastors, people with important positions)

God hears the cries of His people.  God calls ordinary and imperfect people to do extraordinary things. 

Plenty of people face great odds – maybe you are one of them (e.g. friends or family facing difficult circumstances, strained relationship, at the end of your rope, family that doesn’t live for God, feelings of inadequacy, doubt, depression, struggling with an addiction).

God still wants to do extraordinary things.  God still wants to do mighty things today.

Illustration:  Testimony Night
In the church that I grew up in, I still remember they would have testimony times.  There was always someone who would tell the same story over and over and I would be thinking “here we go again.”  Yet there also seemed to be someone who would share a story of how God was doing incredible things in his/her life.  I heard stories about how God had set someone free from the wrong and guilt they were carrying.  He had set someone free from an addiction.  I would hear a story about how someone had survived some great catastrophe or how God had carried them through an incredibly difficult situation where it seemed like there was no hope.

These were stories that God used in my life as I realized that God does mighty things even today.  He is a mighty God who has the power to help people overcome whatever they face. 

Illustration:  Cloud to Ground Lighting  (picture of fish)
A few weeks ago, I was in Louisiana visiting my wife’s family.  I had been out fishing with Tami’s grandpa.  We just got back.  It was time to filet the fish.  The problem was a storm was approaching.  I could see it in the distance.  The clouds were dark and had a very distinct outer edge.  It was approaching fast.  The wind was picking up, and there was a lot of lightning.  It was lighting that you could see was cloud to ground lightning.  I could see off in the distance lighting strike after strike.  (Now you need to understand that there was a time when I was dating my wife that we saw a storm off in the distance and lighting actually struck a pole on a building right above where were standing and then hit someone on a beach nearby.  So I have this little bit of a hesitancy when it comes to lightning.)

The problem is my wife’s dad insists that we need to take fish out of the cooler and filet them right there in the driveway.  We are holding metal knives and standing right out in the open.  I could now see the distinct edge of this storm almost directly above me, and I am praying inside my head.  I don’t want to seem like a wimp, so I very casually just keep hinting – Is this a good idea?  I wonder if we could just wait and do this later.  Maybe we should go inside and check out the weather channel.  Yet they insisted on staying.  Amazingly, I watched as the storm literally stopped and totally shifted directions. 

I’m not saying God heard my prayer or my cry.  Although I wonder.  I even mentioned to those with me that it sure seemed odd that the storm completely shifted directions.  My family said that happens all the time there.  Yet it was in that moment that I realized that I don’t know that I really always believe God can do mighty things. 

I’m not here to discuss why sometimes God chooses to act and sometimes he doesn’t.  However, I am asking:  Do we really believe that God still does mighty things today?  Do you believe? He does. 

God still does mighty things. 

Over and over we read story after story of how God does these incredible mighty things in the Bible from dividing waters, stopping the rain, to healing people, and raising the dead  There are still stories even today – stories right here of people who have overcome depression, addictions, great loss. 

Some here may need to believe.  Some may need to take hold of a mighty God.  Some may need to look at the obstacles they are facing, the incredible odds, and say “God still does mighty things. The God we serve is a mighty God.” 

Gideon responded to God’s call.

Baal was the god of storms and rains; he was thought to control vegetation and agriculture. Ashtoreth was a mother goddess of love, war, and fertility. 

Judges 6:25-40
One of Gideon’s first responses was to tears down the Baal altar and the Asherah pole and he burns them.  These were the gods that his people, his tribe worshipped in hopes that they would have food and rain.  Bulls were considered sacred and associated with Baal worship and sacrifices.  Gideon even kills one of his father’s bulls, and sacrifices the bull on the altar.  Talk about adding insult to injury.  Imagine how the people would have felt. 

Judges 7
Gideon had to be willing to respond – to step up to the plate.  The next thing he does is to gather an army.  Gideon is able to bring together an army of 32,000.  Yet God is the one who then reduces the army down to 300.  This would have been a great time for Gideon to say, “No way.  This isn’t going to work.”  He could have demanded his own way.  He could have put limitations on God. 

I know people today who when it comes to God, they want to demand their own way.  They want to put limitations on God.  When faced with difficult situations or struggles, they want God to fit their expectations.  There are times when we want things our way as if we know more than God.

When actually, it is often in our weaknesses, God works in mighty ways.

God loves to trim off anything that would slow us down, hinder us, or make the journey difficult.  Sometimes that includes people.  Sometimes that includes assets, possessions, or those things that bring us security or pride. Sometimes you must respond and do your part to get rid of the things that prevent God from working in your life.

Illustration:  “Shut Your Eyes”
I was hoping to not use an illustration involving my kids, but when we were traveling last month, there were times when we needed to turn on a video for the kids.  We would let the kids take turns choosing what they wanted to watch.  It was Megan’s turn to choose, and Brendon didn’t like the video she chose.  He kept saying, “I don’t want to watch that.”  He would look at his sister and over and over say, “I don’t want to watch that.”  Finally, Megan (the 3 year old) very calmly looked over at Brendon (the 5 year old) and says, “Shut your eyes.”

Sometimes we cry out to God, I don’t want to do this.  I don’t want to keep living the way I’m living.  God says, “Shut your eyes.”  Get help.  Talk to someone.  Get rid of the thing that keeps dragging you down.  Stop doing what you are doing.   Start loving…start growing in your relationship with God...start changing your attitude…start hanging around positive people…

Sometimes we need to respond to God’s mighty power by doing our part at taking the steps necessary to let God work in our lives.   We need to respond to God’s mighty power and face the challenge.

The incredible part of Gideon’s story is that in the midst of his doubt…in the midst of his feelings of inadequacy…in the midst of the challenge before him…in the midst of his weaknesses…Gideon responded to God’s call and mighty power and faced the challenge before him.  Gideon defeats the Midianites with 300 men, some trumpets, empty jars, and torches.

The tragic part of this story is that Gideon actually goes back to his old ways.  He turns from God. That often happens.  How many times I have seen that happen in people’s lives.  God does great things.  We respond.  Things go well, and it as if we stop relying on God.  And the cycle continues with our lives just like the people of Israel.

There are some action steps on your worship folder.  I should have added “keep believing and responding to God.”

Action Steps:  WE need to…

• Believe that God wants to do mighty things.
• Respond to God’s mighty power.  (Do your part and face the challenge.)
• Pray. 
• Journal.

Journal (simple spiral notebook)– took out my journal this past week and started looking through it.  I have been doing this for several years now.  I don’t write in it everyday, but I will make lists of things I am praying for, and periodically I check off the things that God answers.  

Over and over I have seen God answer prayer.  I have watched Him work in mighty ways.  If you doubt God and wonder if he works, start praying.  Make a list and begin to watch Him work in your life and the lives of those you care about.  God is the one who sustains and holds things together.

I think of the challenges that I face right now.  I think of the challenges that people in our community are facing.  I think of the challenges that we face as a church.  I think of the things we are doing in our community and about Real Life and The Firehouse.

We need more people praying.  We need more people responding. 

I was thinking about the new Batman movie coming out.  Whenever the city of Gotham faced a challenge and they needed Batman, they would light up the sky with the bat symbol – it was his call sign.  The reality is everyday we face challenges and God puts up our call sign, calls out to us to take hold of the same power that conquered the grave and rescues us from sin.  He calls us to be everyday heroes who power up and face the challenge.

Song – The same power that conquered the grave lives in us and can do mighty things through you.  The same love that rescued the earth lives in us.  As we sing, and you hear God call to you, today you may need to take hold of God’s mighty power and face the challenge before you.  God is calling you to respond. You may need to come and pray, talk to God, cry out to God – God hears the cries of his people and wants to do mighty things through you. 

Prayer

Send Out:
As you prepare to leave today and face everyday challenges, may you be an everyday hero who responds to God’s mighty power in your life.