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It's Not How Many, It's How Much

PRO Sermon
Created by Sermon Research Assistant on Nov 13, 2023
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Explores how God's power is manifested in small things, challenging the misconception that more is always better, using Gideon's story as an example.

Introduction

Good morning, family. We find ourselves gathered here again, under the shelter of God's love and the warmth of His presence. Isn't it a blessing to be here? I think it is.

We live in a world that often tells us that more is better. More money, more success, more possessions. But is more always better? G.K. Chesterton once said, "The world will never starve for want of wonders, but only for want of wonder." Today, we're going to look at how God's power can be found in the little, not just the more.

Our Scripture passage today comes from the book of Judges, chapter 7, verses 2-8. It reads, "The Lord said to Gideon, 'You have too many men. I cannot deliver Midian into their hands, or Israel would boast against me, 'My own strength has saved me.' Now announce to the army, 'Anyone who trembles with fear may turn back and leave Mount Gilead.' So twenty-two thousand men left, while ten thousand remained. But the Lord said to Gideon, 'There are still too many men. Take them down to the water, and I will thin them out for you there. If I say, 'This one shall go with you,' he shall go; but if I say, 'This one shall not go with you,' he shall not go.' So Gideon took the men down to the water. There, the Lord told him, 'Separate those who lap the water with their tongues as a dog laps from those who kneel down to drink.' Three hundred of them drank from cupped hands, lapping like dogs. All the rest got down on their knees to drink. The Lord said to Gideon, 'With the three hundred men that lapped I will save you and give the Midianites into your hands. Let all the others go home.' So Gideon sent the rest of the Israelites home but kept the three hundred, who took over the provisions and trumpets of the others.'"

Let's bow our heads in prayer as we begin.

Dear God, we thank You for bringing us together today. We thank You for Your word that guides us and comforts us. As we study Your word today, we ask that You open our hearts to understand Your power in the little. Help us to see that with You, less can indeed be more. In Jesus' name, we pray, amen.

The Misconception of More

In our society, we often equate more with better. We believe that having more money, more possessions, and more success will lead to a better life. We strive to accumulate more, thinking that it will bring us happiness and fulfillment. But this is a misconception. More does not always mean better. In fact, it can often lead to stress, anxiety, and dissatisfaction.

The story of Gideon: We see that God does not operate according to our human understanding of more. When Gideon was preparing to go into battle against the Midianites, he gathered an army of 32,000 men. But God told him that he had too many men. God did not want the Israelites to think that they had won the battle on their own strength. He wanted them to understand that it was His power that would deliver them, not their numbers.

God instructed Gideon to reduce his army: First, he told Gideon to send home anyone who was afraid. This reduced the army to 10,000 men. But God said that this was still too many. He told Gideon to take the men to the water and separate those who lapped the water with their tongues from those who knelt down to drink. This left Gideon with an army of just 300 men.

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This story challenges our human understanding of more: It shows us that God's power is not dependent on numbers or human strength. God can achieve His purposes with a small number of people, just as easily as He can with a large number. In fact, He often chooses to use the small and weak things of the world to display His power and glory.

More does not always mean better: In our society, we often equate more with better. We believe that having more money, more possessions, and more success will lead to a better life. We strive to accumulate more, thinking that it will bring us happiness and fulfillment. But this is a misconception. More does not always mean better. In fact, it can often lead to stress, anxiety, and dissatisfaction.

God's power is not dependent on numbers or human strength: In the story of Gideon, God reduced the size of Gideon's army from 32,000 men to just 300. He did this to show the Israelites that it was His power that would deliver them, not their numbers. God can achieve His purposes with a small number of people, just as easily as He can with a large number.

God's Power in the Little

In this seemingly insignificant act of drinking water, God was looking for something specific ... View this full PRO sermon free with PRO

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