Sermon Central
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Challenges Require Decisions/Actions Series
Contributed by Paul Clemente on Jan 6, 2020 (message contributor)
Summary: Because we sin and the world sins, there will always be challenges in life and so today, tomorrow, this week, this month, this new year, let us commit to making decisions and actions with pure hearts and motives for the Lord!
Before we worship with Communion and remember the love of God through Jesus Christ, let us worship God by listening to Him… please open your Bibles to Judges 9……… Let us remind ourselves of what happened at the end of Judges ….
Judges 8:28-35….. Gideon (Jerub-Baal) led Israel back to God and they enjoyed peace for 40 years (1 generation). But once Gideon died, Israel again forgot about God and forgot about Gideon. Gideon had 70 sons.
Read along with me now Judges 9:1-20…..
v1-4: Abimelech (son of Gideon) proclaimed himself as ruler and all 69 brothers followed him.
v5: Abimelech killed all his brothers except for one (Jotham), who escaped!
Look back briefly to Judges 8:22… the Israelites wanted a powerful worldly king to care for them; and so…. v6: the people proclaimed Abimelech as king!
v7-20: Jotham spoke to the people…
• Who did Jotham speak for?? v7 – God!
• a parable was told (story or illustration with moral lessons – like Jesus did)
Lessons of the parable?
- Based on the response of the other trees, why ask for a king?? – to get something!
- The first 3 trees asked did not want to give anything away!
- Offer of the “thornbush”?? – if honest, come and take refuge otherwise be burned!
And so…. we can note the meaning of the parable in context…
• v16-20: the hearts and motives of the people were questioned!
How can we summarize the warning from Jotham (actually from God)??
The result of decision/action made is dependent on motive from the heart!
The Book of Judges tells us of all the challenges of the people of Israel and the wrong and right decisions they made.
Let us note that ever since the first man and woman sinned against God, there will always be challenges and decisions to make in life and the results are dependent on motives of the heart!
Let us keep in mind what God tells Christians in Roman 8:18-21…..
Freedom from decay of the world is dependent on the children of God!
Believers of Jesus Christ today are the only children of God! If you are not a Believer/Follower of Jesus Christ you are still slave to the decay of the world. Believe and follow Jesus Christ and be a child of God freed from the decay of the world!
And if you are already a Christian,
The decisions and actions we take as Christians will impact the world to save it OR allow the decay to continue! Let’s keep in mind what Christians are told to do in…
1 Corinthians 10:23……. 31……
As we live out a new year and new challenges, make decisions with pure hearts and for the glory of God!
As we celebrate with Communion: Ask God to search your heart and cleanse it with belief in Jesus Christ! Make a commitment to walk daily with Jesus Christ and experience God’s glory revealed!
