Gideon; Man of purpose
Judges chapter six
Introduction-
Turn to Judges chapter six.
We are going to take a look at Gideon this morning, and the conversation he has with God. The story runs from chapter six to chapter eight. We cannot read all those verses this morning, so let me set this up for you before we get to the text.
The Israelites were again in trouble and bondage for disobedience.
They had enjoyed 40 years of freedom under Deborah (judge) and now for the past seven years they had been surrounded by all neighboring nations. To the point they were hiding in caves and having nations coming in after harvest time and stealing their food from them.
The Bible says all of the invaders were like a swarm of locusts. They were everywhere!
They outnumbered them on every front. It got so bad, (6) that the Nation of Israel cried out for help from God.
That really is where God wants to bring rebellious people.
To the point they know they cannot do it, and they call on God.
God responds:
I have brought you up out of Egypt,
Brought you out of slavery.
I have held back the oppressors and enemies from you.
The way you respond back to me:
By worshipping other gods,
Forgetting about me,
Forgetting what I have done for you as a Nation.
You have not listened or obeyed me.
I hear you cry for help. I will respond by sending you a prophet named Gideon who will help you.
Thus enters Gideon!
Gideon is a man of God, living life as best he could under the circumstances.(anyone else there)
Gideon was threshing wheat hidden in a cave in a wine press so the enemies would not take it away and an angel of the Lord shows up!
Judges chapter 6:11-18 Read
Lets take a look and absorb this a minute.
Israel has turned their back on God
They are being defeated by their enemies.
They cry out to God in desperation and God sends a prophet named Gideon.
I. God has a plan
God has a plan and it begins with a repented nation and God will use a man (or women) of God to get it accomplished.
He doesn’t have to, but He chooses too!
God gives each one of us 3 gifts to give back to Him.
(1) Time (2) Talents (3) Opportunities
You can tell me your busy about life, taking care of business, and I’ll tell you that everyone is busy, everyone is trying to take care of their business.
God is wanting to use each one of us! He doesn’t have to, but He chooses too.
God shows up (Everyday life)
Calling- (14) Am I not sending you!
Excuse- (15) How can I save Israel, my clan is the weakest, and I am the least in my family.
Promise of God-(16) I will be with you, and will strike down the Midianites together.
Doubt- (17) Give me a sign God, not once, but twice.
Patience of God- (18)- I will wait.
Where did God begin?
He began with Gideon and his family.
What was his calling?
To rid his family and town of idol worship.
To make an impact right where he was, beginning with his family.
A step of obedience to the Lord takes place when faith is exercised.
God doesn’t usually give advance notice, he sees a need and He decides who He will use. As children of God we are called to be ready to do kingdom work.
God has a plan and it begins with a person-
Abraham, Moses. Paul, Gideon, and YOU!
II. God chooses to use you
You’re the right person.
You are not perfect.
Your not qualified.
You will have to depend on God. (Perfect)
If you believed, really believed that God had a purpose for you, you would live different than most others. It would change the way that you look at things.
I can picture Gideon working his job, thinking about how he was going to just live life and God shows up. He goes through all the excuses of why he’s not the right person. He goes on this long walk arguing with God.
I like long walks. I especially like those taken by people that annoy me. (it will sink in)
Illustration-
Wife says to her husband- watch doing today?
Husband says – nothing!
She says – That’s what you did yesterday.
He says- That’s right, I am not finished!
People are always busy being busy when it involves doing things for God. God is looking for some to step up to the plate and accomplish great things for God.
That generation had forgotten what God had done for them.
They did not acknowledge God. God raised up someone to bring them back.
Could God use a few Gideons in today’s world?
How many people today are crying out to God and saying, if you are real, come get involved in my life.
How many are crying out to God, rescue me!
Rescue me from my circumstances.
Rescue me from my situations.
Rescue me from myself.
The Lord turned to Gideon and said, Go with the strength you have, and rescue Israel. I am sending you!
If you would learn from your life lessons and help others through theirs- lives would be changed.
God wants us to try the impossible, so that He can make it possible. (repeat)
Berne Marshall
Rub the cat the wrong way- turn the cat around!
Turn people around so that the things of God that ruffle their feathers, begin to feel right.
Turn them around and don’t let them turn you around.
You never burn out doing what the Lord told you to do! It will never happen. I will be with you.
Definition of hero according to Dean Courier
Heroes are people who rise up and make a difference, make a stand and take on something that is way beyond them, it requires sacrifice and they do something that benefits others.
They make movies about heroes. They do not make movies of those that watch them.
Gideon dared to be used by God. Had his doubts, had a lot of questions. Went through a period of testing and wanting God to show him a sign.
God was patient! He gave him a sign and then waited for him to get on board.
Question
When you going to pull the trigger?
When are you going to finally step out and do it ! Make a difference. Fulfill your purpose?
People are always talking about what they are going to do. If such and such happens, and they never do it. Gun in hand, talking about how they are going to be used, but they never pull the trigger. They never begin!
God is looking for those that are serious. Is that you?
The God chasers if you will.
The ones that dare to do the impossible. The ones that determine if God isn’t in it, it will not happen. The ones that adopt bigger things than their minds can comprehend.
The ones that are chasing the things of God more than chasing the things of this world.
By chasing, I mean those that are pursuing God as their reason for being.
Reading my Bible, I never found anyone who had a God encounter that backslid or rebelled against God. Once you experience God, you cannot say no to God.
Paul says- I know whom I believed in. I can never forget him.
Blessed are they which hunger and thirst after righteousness, for they will be filled.
What we are doing is small compared to what God wants to do through us.
Every empty seat in this church should cry out to you. God I want more of you and I want others to experience you also.
Illustration
One day a man was walking with this pastor. He knew this pastor was living in horrible poverty in Ethiopia, and he made the mistake of showing a little bit of what he thought would be gracious sympathy. He told the Ethiopian pastor, brother, we pray for you in your poverty. This humble man turned to him and said, no, you don’t understand. We pray for you in your prosperity. That took the man back, but the Ethiopian pastor explained, we pray for you Americans because it is much harder for you to live at the place God wants you to live in the midst of your prosperity, than it is for us in the midst of our poverty.
We have been churchified! Got our own language and everything.
We have to be as desperate to be in God’s presence as the Canaanite women with the issue of blood MT. 15. The women who elbowed and shoved her way up to Jesus so that she might touch the hem of his garment.
Compared to that- we are beggers for crumbs from God’s table.
Closing-
The key here is Gideon stopped to hear the voice and message of God and allowed God to use him.
Wanting all of God, and counterfeits will not work.
People are hungry for God. They just don’t know how to find it.
Don’t believe me, look how they dabble in everything but church to find him.
Churches have let them down. Christians have burned them and people are not who they claim to be.
There out there! If God can use each one of us to find them.
Grocery store
Work place
School
Neighborhood
Family members, all those that we have not invited as we come to worship every Sunday.
When God’s people are pursuing God like they are pursuing the things of this world, God’s people will make and impact.
(18) And the Lord said, I will wait.
(27) So Gideon took ten of his servants and did as the Lord told him
God gave him an assignment
Gideon was sold out in his assignment
Enemies united and there was persecution.
God’s plan prevailed.
If God is in it, He will give you everything that you need to get the job done.
When are you (emphasis on you) going to pull the trigger?
Altar Call
