"WHY HAVE YOU DONE THIS"
TEXT: JUDGES 2:1-5, 16-19, 6:8-10
INTRODUCTION
It was the day before Thanksgiving, 1971, and Northwest Airlines flight 305 was flying through a cold and rainy northwestern sky, towards it’s destination in Seattle Washington. Just about the time the 727 passed over Portland, Oregon, something happened that had never happened before in This country.
A passenger, going by the name of Dan Cooper, showed a stewardess a bomb that he was carrying in a briefcase and threatened to blow up the plane unless he was given $200,000 in cash and 4 parachutes. It was America’s very first hi-jacking.
In an effort to avoid what could have been an incredible disaster, the airline company decided to meet the high jacker’s demands. When he received the money, he tucked it into a pouch, tied it around his waist, strapped a parachute to his back, and jumped out of the airplane wearing only a business suit and street shoes.
That was the last anybody ever heard or saw of DB Cooper. However, there are several theories as to what could of happened to him.
Airline officials later admitted to giving him an unreliable parachute, which means there’s a possibility that he was killed when he hit the ground, a real good possibility. Scientists have suggested that, if that’s what happened, his body would never be identified because the force of the impact would have obliterated his body and his bones.
Another theory is that he might have landed in a huge lake 30 miles North of Portland and that all the weight that he had strapped to his body carried him to the bottom where he, naturally, would have drowned.
But the most fascinating possibility is that he was successful, that his wild, hair-brained scheme actually worked and that he’ been living ever since on the money he received in luxury and comfort under a new identity.
Since that time books and songs have been written about DB Cooper, a Rock Group bares his name as does a bar in Salt Lake City. Only in America could a criminal become a folk hero.
Perhaps the reason that DB Cooper captured the imagination of so many, is that we Americans are an inquisitive bunch and we love a good mystery. We are fascinated by things that tease and tantalize our brains. It just drives us crazy when all the pieces of the puzzle just don’t fit together.
I imagine that is why certain events in our history are still talked about and theorized years after their occurrence. Events like: the disappearance of Amelia Earheart, The assassination of JFK, the Lindberg kidnapping and the death of Elvis Presley (I heard on the radio just this week that according to a poll 1 out of 6 Americans thinks he is still alive). Many of the most popular books, movies and television shows revolve around the concept of mystery. Mystery is a part of life and we encounter it in many places.
And let me say that if you are a parent, you are shrouded in mystery nearly every day. Many times parents find themselves scratching their heads trying to figure out, and make sense of the things their children do, often they are a complete mystery.
They tell their child, "now Suzy I don’t want you to touch this, and what does little Suzy do, she touches it." Or they tell little Johnny to stop jumping up and down on the bed, and they walk out of the room and go down stairs, and just as they pick up the paper and prop their feet up, they hear squeaking sound coming from up stairs, so they put down the paper go up stairs and open the door and there they find little Johnny jumping up and down. He stops when they come in, and they ask him, "didn’t I tell you not to jump up and down," "Yes" Johnny replies, And didn’t I tell you that If you jumped up and down on your bed again that you would get a spanking" "A huh" says Johnny. "Then why in the world are you jumping on your bed?" "I don’t know."
That’s their answer, that’s the most popular answer that Kids give for all the crazy things that they do, that they know that they are not supposed to do, it can drive a parent crazy because it doesn’t make sense, are they just trying to make us mad, do they like pain or are they just plain stupid, Bill Cosby’s theory is that they have brain damage - he may be right. Some things our children do will forever remain a mystery.
As I said the world is full of many Mysteries, countless things that just don’t make sense, some mysteries we read about, some we watch and others we live with on a daily basis. But all the great mysteries of the world, shrivel in comparison to the two Mysteries that we will discuss today.
If we really stop, and honestly think about them, we will have to admit that they really don’t make any sense, Why would man continually reject a loving God and Why would God love a CONTINUOUSLY rejecting and rebellious man?
I. THE MYSTERY OF MAN’S REJECTION OF GOD
THE ISRAELITES REJECTION [JUDGES 2:1-5; 6:7-10]
The rejection of God by the Nation of Israel doesn’t make any sense.
1. After all, look at all that God had done for them
In the 2 passages that we read, God recounts for them exactly what he had done for them.
He says, I brought you out of Egypt, I delivered you from slavery, I snatched you from the powerful hands of the Egyptians. Who you were powerless to free yourselves from.
They were slaves in Egypt, lowly servants forced at the end of a task masters whip to build cities for the Pharaoh. The scripture says of the Egyptians in Exodus chapter one, that they worked them ruthlessly, that they made their lives bitter with hard labor in brick and mortar and with all kinds of work in the fields; in all their hard labor the Egyptians used them Ruthlessly.
BUT, God delivered them from Egypt performing 10 powerful miracles. And He also burst open the Red Sea, saving Israel and destroying Egypt.
Not only did God deliver them from Egypt but he provided for them in the wilderness for 40 years, everyday manna came down from heaven, he provided them water and meat and in all those years their sandals and clothes did not wear out and their feet never got sore.
God delivered them, God provide for them, God protected them from their enemies, leading them in battle. And God kept the promises that he had made to Abraham over 700 years earlier, as He gave them the promise land.
And the Israelites settled in a land flowing with milk and honey, and they lived in houses that they did not build, they drank from wells that they did not dig and ate from vine yards and olive groves, that they did not plant.
And The one true God, the Creator of the universe, made a covenant with them that they were His people and them that they were to Worship the Lord God and Him only.
2. Yet, despite all that God had done the people did not listen, they rejected: God’s love, God’s provision and God’s protection -- they rejected and shattered their covenant with God, by worshipping idols that they themselves had made. They committed spiritual adultery against their God and King. The 330 years that comprise the book of Judges are characterized by the sin and disobedience of the people.
3. It doesn’t make any sense does it? Why would they reject and trade the One True God who had been so good to them, to worship idols of stone that they made, who couldn’t hear or see, or do anything to help them.
Why?
Perhaps they didn’t think that the blessings and promises of God were really worth the hassle.
Or perhaps they didn’t think that God would really punish them for, their disobedience (I guess they had forgotten the sound of the cries and screams of the Egyptians soldiers when, the mighty waves of the Red Sea came crashing over them, as God punished them for their rebellion against him).
Yes, perhaps they thought lightly of God’s blessings, or perhaps they thought that God would not punish them or perhaps they were just plain stupid, and if we asked them why, they would say "We don’t know" -- perhaps they had brain damage.
PEOPLE STILL REJECT GOD TODAY [Jn 1:10-14; 3:19]
1. look at all that god has done for us
Mankind was shackled in the chains of sin, trapped in the dark dungeons of despair. The doors were shut, the cell was deep, the chains were tight and there was little hope for freedom.
Sin our slave master was cruel, he did not care about us, his whip constantly ripped across our backs, carrying with it a powerful sting, and the wages of our sin was death.
We were helpless and powerless, and we could not save ourselves. But God the Son came in the flesh, and He burst opened the doors and He shattered the chains and they fell to the ground and the light of life, came shining into the darkness.
God has made our deliverance possible, he has made with us a covenant and he has promised us his provision and protection, if we come to Him in humble obedience.
Think about it, To be set free from chains to strong for us to break on our own, To be given life eternal, To be given the privilege of being in a covenant relationship with the one True God, The Creator, The ruler and Redeemer of the World, is no small thing, -- we bring nothing and we get everything!!! -- Sounds like a deal, that’s simply too good to refuse.
2. YET, MEN STILL REJECT GOD TODAY
There are really 2 categories of men that reject God.
a) The first category is the NON CHRISTIAN.
The non Christian, who is still shackled in his sins, who has no hope beyond the grave -- rejects God through outright disobedience, "Lord I don’t care who you are, I don’t care about what you say, I’ll live my life the way I want, I don’t need you... Get out of my life."
It is a mystery, it makes no sense that they would turn down such a great gift. It makes no more sense, than it would for a drowning man to turn down a life preserver, or a starving man to turn down food. Yet far too may do. Jesus said that many more would reject this free gift, than will accept it... "THE WAY THAT LEADS TO DEATH IS WIDE AND MANY WILL WALK DOWN THAT ROAD, THE WAY THAT LEADS TO LIFE IS NARROW AND FEW WILL CHOOSE THAT WAY."
b) Do you know who else rejects God? It’s not just the pagans, it’s not just the heathen, it’s not just the Canaanites and the ungodly. God’s people reject God, The Israelites did, and so do the Christians.
I am going to talk about 3 ways that God’s people can reject God, and let me say that to reject God is to sin, it is to turn our backs on the giver of life, it is to hold in contempt our Lord and Savior -- And when we come to the understanding that we are rejecting God we must, we better, repent.
1) The ungodly do not hold a monopoly on outright disobedience, God’s people also reject Him through outright disobedience; They know what God says and they know what God desires, but they disobey Him anyway. They gossip, they slander, they envy, they hold bitterness, they are unloving and they do nothing...
Jesus said, "if you love me you will obey my commands". Jesus is not just our Savior, He is our Lord -- that means he is the boss, he calls the shots not us!! We need to realize, whether we want to or not, that when we disobey God, we are looking Our Lord and Savior straight in the face, and we are saying to Him, "I DON’T LOVE YOU!!"
2) Another way God’s people reject God is through NEGLECT. As popular as disobedience is, I think neglect my be the number one way that Christians reject God today.
This is the person whose life is so busy, so cluttered, that they don’t have any time for the Lord. They don’t particularly dislike God or His Word, but they have their priorities set, and God has wound up somewhere behind; family, work, sports, hobbies and the beach.
I am about to mention what I feel is one of the greatest truths the church needs to learn today, I have mentioned it before and I will without doubt mention it again! It comes from the account in Acts CH 9 of Paul’s conversion, Paul had been persecuting the church, and he was on his why to Damascus to persecute it some more, And then he meet Jesus on that road. And what Jesus first said to Paul is essential for the church to understand, "SAUL, SAUL, WHY DO YOU PERSECUTE ME?"
Jesus had already been glorified, Jesus had already ascended into heaven and was seated at the right hand of God. How then could Paul be persecuting Jesus. My friends hear this, what Paul was doing to the church -- he was doing to Jesus. IN LIKE MANNER If we neglect the Church, if we neglect this church we are neglecting Jesus.
In a couple months we will be studying I Samuel. But I want to share with you a truth out of first Samuel chapter 8 that fits right in to what we are talking about.
The prophet Samuel was feeling very upset, he was depressed, he felt rejected and he felt like he had failed. Why? because the people wanted a King, they wanted to be like all the other Nations. So Samuel got on his knees before God (a very good thing a might add to do when we are feeling like that).
And the Lord God told Samuel, "LISTEN TO ALL THAT THE PEOPLE ARE SAYING TO YOU, IT IS NOT YOU THEY HAVE REJECTED, BUT THEY HAVE REJECTED ME AS THEIR KING."
When people in the church are not involved in the church, Let’s make it personal -- When we here at East Tampa are not involved in this church, if we are not giving God the first fruits of our treasure (that’s our money), if we are not giving him the first fruits of our time, if we are not giving him the first fruit of our talents ( not serving him in the work here) -- We our not neglecting East Tampa Christian Church we are neglecting Jesus and we are not rejecting the preacher, the leaders or the Sunday school teachers, the youth workers -- We are rejecting God.
WE REJECT GOD THROUGH DISOBEDIENCE, THROUGH NEGLECT --
3) And through HYPOCRISY-- This is the person whose commitment is all on the surface. They like to talk about loving God and may even be involved in Christian activities, but they do it, not to glorify God, but to glorify themselves, to make them selves look good. THEY LOOK GOOD FROM THE OUTSIDE BUT INSIDE THEY ARE HOLLOW LACKING SUBSTANCE. In essence they are using God for their own selfish ambitions.
I DON’T KNOW WHY SO MANY NON - CHRISTIANS REJECT GOD TODAY -- WHY THEY CHOOSE DEATH INSTEAD OF LIFE.
AND I DON’T KNOW WHY SO MANY CHRISTIANS CHOOSE TO LIVE A MEDIOCRE UNFILLED LIFE, TO WALK AROUND AND TO SIMPLY GO THROUGH A FEW MOTIONS ASSOCIATED WITH CHRISTIANITY, BUT TO NEVER REALLY KNOW WHAT IT IS ALL ABOUT, It makes little since on a hot day to stick only your toes in the cool water (while the rest of your body burns, And it makes little, or no sense, to only go part way with Christ. WHEN WE CAN HAVE AN ABUNDANT LIFE IN CHRIST AND A PEACE THAT PASSES UNDERSTANDING. WHEN WE CAN BE PUMPED UP AND EXCITED ABOUT LIFE AND ABOUT CHRIST, WHEN WE TOO CAN CLAIM THE WORDS OF GOD WRITTEN BY PAUL AS OUR OWN, "FOR ME TO LIVE IS CHRIST, AND TO DIE IS GAIN!" The Lord is awesome!!!
It’s a mystery, I don’t know why WE REJECT A GOOD AND LOVING GOD, BUT WE KEEP RIGHT ON DOING IT, NO ONE HAS EVER PUT A GUN TO OUR HEAD AND FORCED US TO DO SOME THING WRONG. WHEN WE REJECT GOD THROUGH DISOBEDIENCE, NEGLECT OR HYPOCRISY IT IS BECAUSE WE CHOOSE TOO.
IT DOESN’T MAKE SENSE.
AND NEITHER DOES THE :
II. THE LOVE OF GOD FOR SINFUL MEN
GOD’S LOVE FOR ISRAEL [2:16-19]
The Israelites were very wicked 7 times in the book of Judges -- we read of them doing evil in the eyes of the Lord, they worshipped idols and committed indecent acts.
But whenever they cried to the Lord -- He forgave them, He sent them a deliverer and he gave them rest.
The Israelites repeatedly went through he cycle of sin, suffering, crying to the Lord and experiencing God’s deliverance.
Why would God put up with such people, Why would God love such people, Why would God forgive and deliver such people time and time again -- From a human standpoint it’s a complete mystery --If it was us we would have zapped them dudes the first time around.
God’s love for and patience with, the Israelites was incredible!
BUT AS INCREDIBLE AS IT WAS IT HAS BEEN SURPASSED BY THE LOVE THAT GOD HAS DEMONSTRATED TO MEN TODAY.
[ROMANS 5:6-8]
{READ SLOWLY, MAYBE MORE THAN ONCE}
While we were still sinners, while we were God’s enemies, while we were willingly disobeying God, neglecting God and using God for our own selfish interests, God was in the process of paying the price of pour sins, Himself. While we were rejecting God telling Him to get out of our lives, Jesus God the Son, was being beaten, mocked, and nailed to the cross so that you and I could escape the flames of hell.
GOD DEMONSTRATED HIS OWN LOVE FOR US IN THIS WHILE WE WERE YET SINNERS, CHRIST DIES FOR US (PERSONALIZE)
I can’t understand why God would do that, IT’S PERHAPS THE GREATES MYSTERY OF ALL TIME.
CONCLUSION
Someone has painted a picture of Jesus sitting in the middle of a crowd of children. The children are of all races and manners of dress, indicating that they come from all around the world. And they’re all happy, laughing and playing at the feet of Jesus.
Except one child, a little girl, who has taken Jesus’ hand and is holding palm up in front of her. She’s looking up, into Jesus’ eyes with a puzzled look on her face and the caption of the picture reads, "What happened to your hand?"
Jesus is smiling, and yet there is a wrinkle on his brow and a tear in the corner of His eye. There is no caption indicating His response to the question. And I think that is because there’s no response that that little girl or you or I could ever fully understand.
A few years ago Andre Crouch wrote a song that says --
I don’t know why Jesus loved me
I don’t know why he cared
I don’t know what He sacrificed His life
Oh, but I’m glad
so glad He did
Paul in Ephesians 3:19, speaks of the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge. No I don’t think any of us will ever be able to fully comprehend the breadth and the length and the height and the depth of God’s love, not in this life. But we like Andre Crouch, understand or not, I’m just glad He does love us.
Are you glad today? Think about it before you answer! That’s the kind of question that’s easy for us to give a quick, casual answer to, but I think it deserves some serious thought.
If you’re really grateful for God’s love, your life will show it. You’re going to give Him your love in return. Not just lukewarm, occasional lip service kind of love, but sincere, consistent and action oriented kind of love.
Remember Jesus said, "If you love me you will keep my commandments" So you see, we’re talking about gratitude that is a way of life.
Have you accepted Jesus and are you grateful for the love God extends to you? I know many of you have accepted it and are grateful for it, But I know other who haven’t yet accepted it.
