God At Work
Judges 6-8
9-3-06 a.m. (PDBC) Commitment Sunday
Over the last several months we’ve been asking you to prayerfully consider giving sacrificially, not just over and beyond your tithe, but sacrificially beyond your tithe to help us achieve a plan we believe honors what God has been doing in our church and what we desire Him to continue to do. You’ve seen big plans and you’ve heard big numbers. What you haven’t heard is big encouragement and excitement. We didn’t want to overload your senses because we believed this is a purpose God has laid on our hearts and we trusted Him to do the same for you. In hindsight perhaps we could have done more but now that time has passed.
Today…in just a few moments you will have an opportunity to demonstrate what you believe God can accomplish through you. I wonder has the Lord challenged you and have you accepted the challenge to trust Him. Like me you have probably figured out what you think you are capable of doing. But I challenge you to say, “Lord I believe that you can accomplish more than the conclusion I have come to and I believe that somehow you will provide more. So I’m going to place my trust in You because this is beyond my ability. You provide it Lord.”
Some of you may want to reconsider. You’ll have that chance over the next several minutes.
I want to tell you about a man who had trust the Lord when the numbers didn’t add up.
Look at Judges chapter 7
1 Jerubbaal (that is, Gideon) and everyone who was with him, got up early and camped beside the spring of Harod. The camp of Midian was north of them, below the hill of Moreh, in the valley. 2 The LORD said to Gideon, "You have too many people for Me to hand the Midianites over to you, or else Israel might brag: ’I did it myself.’ 3 Now announce in the presence of the people: ’Whoever is fearful and trembling may turn back and leave Mount Gilead. ’ " So 22,000 of the people turned back, but 10,000 remained. 4 Then the LORD said to Gideon, "There are still too many people. Take them down to the water, and I will test them for you there. If I say to you, ’This one can go with you,’ he can go. But if I say about anyone, ’This one cannot go with you,’ he cannot go." 5 So he brought the people down to the water, and the LORD said to Gideon, "Separate everyone who laps water with his tongue like a dog. Do the same with everyone who kneels to drink." 6 The number of those who lapped with their hands to their mouths was 300 men, and all the rest of the people knelt to drink water. 7 The LORD said to Gideon, "I will deliver you with the 300 men who lapped and hand the Midianites over to you. But everyone else is to go home." 8 So Gideon sent all the Israelites to their tents, but kept the 300 who took the people’s provisions and their trumpets. The camp of Midian was below him in the valley. 9 That night the LORD said to him, "Get up and go into the camp, for I have given it into your hand. 10 But if you are afraid to go to the camp, go with Purah your servant. 11 Listen to what they say, and then you will be strengthened to go to the camp." So he went with Purah his servant to the outpost of the troops who were in the camp. 12 Now the Midianites, Amalekites, and all the Qedemites had settled down in the valley like a swarm of locusts, and their camels were as innumerable as the sand on the seashore. 13 When Gideon arrived, there was a man telling his friend [about] a dream. He said, "Listen, I had a dream: a loaf of barley bread came tumbling into the Midianite camp, struck a tent, and it fell. The loaf turned the tent upside down so that it collapsed." 14 His friend answered: "This is nothing less than the sword of Gideon son of Joash, the Israelite. God has handed the entire Midianite camp over to him." 15 When Gideon heard the account of the dream and its interpretation, he bowed in worship. He returned to Israel’s camp and said, "Get up, for the LORD has handed the Midianite camp over to you."
Now that’s the story and chapter 8 goes on to tell us of the 135,000 strong army that these 300 men routed. It’s amazing what God can do and will do when we trust Him. I’m not trying to persuade you this morning I only want you to realize that many of your concerns are legitimate and reflect concerns of great men of the bible like Gideon.
Did Gideon have concerns? Yes and to see them you need to look back at chapter 6. In chapter 6 we hear Gideon Question at least 4 things. Beginning with verse 11 follow along as I read.
11 The Angel of the LORD came, and He sat under the oak that was in Ophrah, which belonged to Joash, the Abiezrite. His son Gideon was threshing wheat in the wine vat in order to hide it from the Midianites. 12 Then the Angel of the LORD appeared to him and said: "The LORD is with you, mighty warrior." 13 Gideon said to Him, "Please Sir, if the LORD is with us, why has all this happened? And where are all His wonders that our fathers told us about? They said, ’Hasn’t the LORD brought us out of Egypt?’ But now the LORD has abandoned us and handed us over to Midian."
The first thing Gideon questioned was God’s Presence. Gideon looked around and things looked bad. Life had taken a turn for the worse. The people had it hard. Gideon asked two questions that are common even today. The first question is, “if the Lord is with us why has this happened?” People sometimes think that the Christian life is one long mountain top experience. But the truth is that there are valleys for the Christian. There are difficult days, months, maybe years. Gideon and the Israelites were in a valley…one of their own making.
The first verse in chapter 6 tells us that they did evil in the sight of the Lord. We can’t live our lives any ole way we want and expect to be untouched by the consequences of our actions. And although the Lord had handed them over He had not left. Had he left them Gideon wouldn’t be alive to talk about it. You might feel God has left you sometimes but had He left you wouldn’t be alive to consider that possibility. You know when things don’t look good in life it causes doubt to cloud other possibilities and we are afraid sometimes to even trust God. We question whether He will help us if we move forward. We question whether He’s in this with us.
But he followed that question with another. “And where are the wonders our fathers told us about?” Why is it that people want to see proof before they’re willing to trust? Gideon and these Israelites are of a different generation than those the Lord brought out of Egypt. And if you think about it that generation didn’t see the wonders until the ball began to roll. The wonders of God are revealed when God is at work. God’s not going to deal out His wonders in the midst of nothing just to be ignored. Where’s the glory for Him in that. You want to see God at work than you need to work and live for God.
That was true for Gideon and its true for us. Gideon certainly saw the wonder of God prevail as he took 300 men and defeated an army of 135,000. And I’m sure he was reminded that had God not worked in his past, through his people, than he would not be in the present nor would he have a future. God has brought many of you through some hair raising, depressing, hurtful days. Through it all you can see His strong hand and His wondrous way.
Not only did Gideon question God’s Presence he questioned His own Ability. Look at verse 15
He said to Him, "Please, Lord, how can I deliver Israel? Look, my family is the weakest in Manasseh, and I am the youngest in my father’s house."
Perhaps we can truly identify with Gideon here. This wasn’t false humility on Gideon’s part and he wasn’t looking for an excuse to get out of the job. It seems he was sincerely bewildered that God would choose to use him. His tone in verse 13 reveals a skepticism.
As Christians we are called to do great things for God but how can I, little…insignificant me, truly make a real, significant difference in life? I’m not wealthy…I’m not one of great intellect…I’m not much of a communicator…I don’t have connections…I don’t have a rich family pedigree…I’m not in the right circles. Like Gideon this mentality reflects a life out of focus.
When we surrender our lives to God its no longer who I think I am but who I have become through Jesus. I’m a new creation with a new perspective and a new purpose. The difference I’m to make is not in earthly matters but in spiritual matters. And in Jesus I have everything I need to accomplish that purpose. In Jesus not only am I somebody…I’m an heir to the throne. I’m a child of the King. My family pedigree flows forth from the ruler of all things. We need to be reminded like Gideon was that we do not go forth based on our puny earthly capabilities under our own directives…we are sent by God. It is through God’s strength that we confront the issues of life. It is only through God’s power that we can accomplish God’s purposes.
Who here wouldn’t say that life sometimes has a way of making us feel week and small? Who here doesn’t feel as though sometimes you are under the gun…under manned and overwhelmed by work, projects, hobbies, family activities…illness…finances…church responsibilities?
I think we can all empathize with that but what can we do about it? When’s the last time you sat under a tree and had a conversation with the Lord like Gideon did. When was the last time you took a moment to catch your breath and say God remind me and help me to get refocused on you. Remind me again Lord where my strength comes from?
Gideon not only questioned God’s presence, and his ability but He questioned his (Gideon’s) Motive. Here’s a moment of clarity that we don’t like to face. Why am I about to do or why am I doing this thing? Look at verse 17:
Then he said to Him, "If I have found favor in Your sight, give me a sign that You are speaking with me.
In other word’s, “I want to be sure I’m doing this for the Lord and not myself or anybody else and certainly not under the influence of old Satan. He wanted a sign that the Lord was speaking to him.
I think Gideon was thinking, “This is huge!” “We have an opportunity to get our life’s back on track.” I think Gideon had all along despised the direction Israel had taken into idol worship and turning away from God. I believe that’s why the Angel of the Lord came to him in the first place. They were on the same page though years of oppression had birthed cynicism in Gideon’s heart. And so he pauses for a moment to make sure this is not some manifestation conjured up by his own desire and motives. He needed to know that this was really the Lord’s initiative. In this moment of clarity Gideon realized that that this should only be done if the Lord is leading and if the Lord was leading it could not fail to be done.
Sometimes we react on personal biases. Sometimes we are overwhelmed by voices of others. And sometimes the old Devil tries to put in his two cents. We must…always ask the Lord to help us hear His voice and understand His will.
Finally, Gideon questioned God’s Promise. Look at verse 36-37:
Then Gideon said to God, "If You will deliver Israel by my hand, as You said, 37 I will put a fleece of wool here on the threshing floor. If dew is only on the fleece, and all the ground is dry, I will know that You will deliver Israel by my strength, as You said."
So he questioned the promise of God. Do you? Perhaps you’re not sure if God has made you any promises. Well He has…all throughout His word. In 1 Timothy we have the promise of life. In John 10:10 Jesus said it is abundant life. In Hebrews 9:15 we have a promise of an inheritance. Our churches passage is 1 John 2:25, “And this is the promise He has promised us…eternal life.” Hebrews 10:23 say, “He who promised is faithful.”
If you want to know the promises of God they are found when we live for Him. John 12:26 says, “If anyone serves Me, let him follow Me; and where I am there My servant will be also. If anyone serves Me, him My Father will honor.”
So to experience the promises of God we must seek to go where He goes. When God said to Gideon that He would deliver the people from Midian that was a promise. He gave Gideon a sign to assure him of that promise and when Gideon acted the promise was fulfilled.
So you see Gideon had questions and concerns too. But in the end Gideon was convinced that he and the 300 men could defeat the 135,000. It’s amazing to watch God do huge things with what we consider so little! With God no one’s to small and no task too big. If we will take time to listen we too will hear the comforting and inspiring words the Lord spoke to Gideon.
6:12 – The Lord is with you, mighty warrior
6:14 – Go in strength…Am I not sending you?
6:18 – I will stay until you return
6:23 – Peace to you. Don’t’ be afraid…
That is His promise to us. We can also trust believe it with our building can’t we? And it would be wise for us to consider the same questions Gideon asked for ourselves and this building:
Is God with Us? If you’re His child you better believe it! As a church we sure believe He is.
Are we capable? No…not on our own. So stop trying. Lean on God for the strength to face life. As for the church well, through the years by God’s power Pee Dee has succeeded in every other building project. We may even identify with Gideon when he said his family was the weakest and he was the youngest. He was saying, “I’m not qualified”. But you see God delights to reveal Himself through such people and circumstances.
Are our motives right? As individuals we need to ask God to guide us and assure us of His will not ours. As a church we believe that God is moving and growing us and that by moving with Him and providing for what he’s doing He will be honored.
Is God’s Promise True? I believe God has demonstrated in your life that He is faithful. He’s brought you this far…He’ll surely bring you through.
But as for the church…“Bro Kyle God has not made any specific promise regarding this project.” Perhaps but God has made promises to those who trust Him.
