Now, this is not a true story—mind you, but an apocryphal writing in which the pope in medieval times was persuaded by some of his more conservative advisors to endure no longer the presence of Jews in the very heart and core of world Christianity. The Jews of Rome were evicted from their homes by a certain date.
To the Jews of Rome, this was a great tragedy, for they knew no refuge where they might not expect worse treament that in rome. They appealed to the pope for a reconsideration, and the Pope, a fair minded man, suggested a sporting proposition. If the Jews would appoint of their own number to engage in a debate with him, in pantomime, and if the Jewish representative were to win the debate, the Jews might remain.
The Jewish leaders gathered in the synagogue that night and considered the proposition. It seemd the only way out, but none of their number wished ot volunteer to debate. Then the chief rabbi said, “It is impossible to win a debate in which the Pope will be both participant and judge. And how can I face the possibility that the eviction of the Jews will be the result of my specific failure?”
The synagogue janitor, who had been quietly sweeping the floor thorugh all of this, suddenly spoke up, “I’ll debate”. They look at him in astonishment.
“You, a cheap janitor? Debate with the pope?” “Someone has to and none of you will.” So the janitor was made the representative of the Jewish community to debate the pope.
The great day came, and the pope and the janitor faced off. Gravely, the pope raised one finger and swept it across the heavens. Without hesitation the janitor pointed firmly to the ground. The pope looked surprised.
Even more gravely, the Pope raised one finger again, keeping it firmly before the janitor’s face. With the trace of a sneer, the janitor raised three fingers, hold the pose just as firmly. A look of deep astonishment crossed the pope’s face.
Then the pope thrust his hand deep into his robes and produced an apple. The janitor then opened a sack that was sticking out of his pocket and took out a flat piece of matzo. At this, the Pope exclaimed in a loud voice, “The Jewish representative has one the debate. The Jews may remain in Rome.” Then everyone dispersed.
They were no sooner gone than the church leaders clustered around the pope and asked, “What happened your Holiness? We couldn’t follow the rapid give and take.”
The pope replied, “The man facing me was a master at the art of debate. Consider this! I began the debate by sweeping my hand across the sky to indicate the God ruled all of the universe. Without pausing an instant, that old Jew pointed downward to indicate that nevertheless the Devil had been assigned a domination of his own below.
I then raised one finger to indicate there was but one God, assuming I would catch him in the error of his own theology. Yet he instantly raised three fingers to indicate that the one God has three persons, a clear acceptance of the doctrine of the Trinity.
Abandoning theology, I produced an apple to indicate that certain bilnd upholders of so-called science were flying in the face of revealed truth by declaring the Earth was as round as an apple (remember, apochryphal). Instantly, he produced a flat piece of unleavened bread to indicate that the earth, in accordance to revelation, was nevertheless flat. So I granted him the victory.”
By know, the Jews and the janitor had reached their home. All of them surrounded the janitor and asked, “What happened?”
The janitor said indignantly, “The whole thing was nonsense. Listen. First the pope waves his hands like he’s saying, ‘the Jews must get out of Rome.’ So I pointed downward to say, ‘Oh yeah? We staying right here.’ So he points his finger at me as if to say, ‘Drop dead.’ So I pointed three fingers at him to say, ‘Drop dead three times.’ So then I see he’s taking out his lunch, so I take out mine.”
Have you ever felt that you weren’t able to do anything for God? That for some reason or another, you felt that God couldn’t possibly use you? Maybe you think that you are eloquent enough to be able to carry a conversation and lead people to the Lord. Maybe you don’t think your talented enough to serve in a position of teaching kids.
I want to tell you what happened yesterday. I was going through my closed this week, and in the back of the closet, I found a small box containing 3 eggs and 5 $1 bills. He called his wife into the closet to ask her about the box and its contents.
Embarrassed, she admitted having hidden the box there for their entire time that we’ve been here. Disappointed and hurt, the pastor asked her, "WHY?" The wife replied that she hadn’t wanted to hurt his feelings.
He asked her how the box could have hurt his feelings. She said that every time during their marriage that he had delivered a poor sermon, she had placed an egg in the box.
The pastor felt that 3 poor sermons in the time that I’ve been here was certainly nothing to feel bad about, so he asked her what the $5 was for.
She replied, "Each time I got a dozen eggs, I sold them to the neighbors for $1."
Or maybe, you look around at some people and think of them, “God can never use someone like him, or her.” Well, like the janitor debating the Pope, God can use whatever He wants to accomplish His will.
This morning, I want you to turn to the book of Judges, chapter 3, beginning in verse 12, and we will look this morning at an improbable hero of God, Ehud.
Now if you remember from the book of Judges, it is mostly a cyclical book; it tells a pattern of rebellion by Israel, and God bringing judgment on them as a nation. Israel would cry out in repentance (not sincere repentance, but repentance nonetheless), and God would send a deliverer, or a judge. There were twelve or thirteen of them found in the book of judges, depending on how you count them. Ehud was the second, and he wasn’t much to look at.
But before we get to Ehud, let’s take a look at the background here. READ VERSES 12-14.
The Israelites did evil in the site of the Lord. This started the pattern, the cycle. And God was only keeping his word, so as it says in verse 12—the LORD gave Eglon king of Moab power over Israel. It says that Eglon got the Ammonites and the Amalekites to join him in the attack. The Moabites are decedants of Lot, Abraham’s nephew. They would strive against Israel at every turn. The Ammonites were also descendants of Lot, and they had become quite numerous. The Amalekites were relatives to the Edomties. They would be bitter enemies of Israel, but combined together, they would overwhelm Israel and overtake them. Eglon would rule of Israel for 18 years. Israel would cry out in repentance to God, and he would hear their cry.
Now I want you to think in your mind of a hero. A man would eventually rise up to lead the nation of Israel to war. Think of what this man must be like. How strong, how noble, how fierce. Do you have it pictured? Now, let’s meet God’s man for the job, Ehud.
Read verse 15. Benjamin was the smallest of Israel’s tribes. The tribe was best known for their ambidextrous prowess (Judges 20:16 talks of men of Benjamin who were left handed—who could sling a slingshot and not miss). However, here’s Ehud, and in our verseions it says that he is left handed. In the Hebrew, the phrase literally means, “hindered in the right hand”. Imagine this, a man, with a withered, unusable hand. He would not be very imposing; in fact, if you saw him, it might inspire pity in your minds. What ever the case may be, he certainly wouldn’t be someone you would expect to lead Israel against their enemies.
Well, he may not have been much to look at, but he certainly had the mind for it. Read verse 16. He makes a sword about 18” long, more like a long dagger that is double-edged. And here’s what he does, he takes it and hides it next to his right thigh.
So here’s what happens: he winds up going to the king to present a tribute to Eglon, who as the scripture says is a very fat man. He came before the king, and presented the tribute. Eglon accepts it and sent them on their way, and as Ehud turns to go, he gets as far as the idols at Gilgal and turns back.
I Have A MESSAGE FOR YOU, he said. A message from God.
HE excuses everyone, and asks Ehud closer. And as Ehud approaches, he says, “I have a message from God for you.” And as he gets to the king, he reaches toward his thigh and pulls out the sword and kills him. And the handle of the blade disappears into Elgon as the blade itself goes through the back.
COOL STUFF, HUH?
Then Ehud escapes out the balcony, leaving the door locked behind him.
Here’s the point—Ehud is not what we would call a superstar. He wasn’t the one who in high school would be voted most likely to succeed, but God used him. God used him, despite of him. I love the book of Judges, because it shows me that God uses flawed people to accomplish His will. I don’t have to worry about being Mr. Perfect, always looking good and sounding good for God to use me. And guess what? That goes for you to.
There are going to be moments in your life where you may think that you are beyond God’s ability to use you, but don’t sell God short. Notice how I said that? You see, there is nothing we can do in and of ourselves, but Paul tells us that we can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. You see, it wasn’t Ehud who rescued Israel, it was God, through Ehud, who rescued Israel. God takes us, all of our shortcomings, and uses us for His glory.
And don’t let others try and put you down either. Christians are known to shoot their wounded, and that happens all to frequently. Some people will tell you that you are no good, that you can’t do anything good, that God will never use you. It reminds me of a story about two hunters.
Two men were out hunting ducks and one of the men shot a duck, but it falls into the middle of the pond they are hunting from. He sends his dog out to go get him, and the dog trots along, WALKS OUT ON TOP OF THE WATER, picks up the duck, and walks back. The other guy looks over and says, “What, he can’t swim?”
There are some people who will look at you and say that you can never do anything for God. Remember Ehud. Remember his example. God doesn’t use perfect people; there aren’t any. He takes the improbable, and accomplishes the impossible.
