Invitation to Believe

Even in the face of fear and uncertainty, God is by your side as you walk toward His calling. We see that through the life of Gideon, a man from the smallest clan and the least in his family, yet led by God to do great things on His behalf.

Notes:

Focus verse - Judges 6
  
It seems like our culture has been turned upside down.
 
Isaiah 5:20–21
Destruction is certain for those who say that evil is good and good is evil; that dark is light and light is dark; that bitter is sweet and sweet is bitter.
 
When culture is upside down, hearts are anxious.
 
84% of Gen Z say they feel anxious or stressed regularly.
 
1 in 3 adults say they lose sleep over finances.
 
Nearly 70% of Americans say the future makes them afraid.
 
Top fears include failure, rejection, loneliness, global conflict, and health.
 
We will look at a man named Gideon who was really afraid when Jesus came to him.
He was hiding from his enemies, the Midianites.
 
Jesus turns fearful into faithful,
hiding into fighting, and
panic into purpose.
 
Things were really turned upside down in the days of the book of Judges.
 
Judges 17:6 (NLT)
In those days Israel had no king; so the people did whatever seemed right in their own eyes.
 
God raised up 13 judges to guide His people through this difficult time.
 
The book of Joshua is the story of conquest.
While Judges is a book of unbelief and disobedience.
 
Joshua is a book about people uniting around one man to lead them, Joshua
Judges is about “everyone doing what was right in their own eyes.”
 
But whatever and wherever the time, Jesus will show up.
 
Don’t just pray when you are in crisis.
Remember also to thank God when things are going well.
 
James 5:13 (NIV)
Is anyone among you in trouble? Let them pray.
Is anyone happy? Let them sing songs of praise.
 
This was a time of crisis for Israel. It was the year 1256 b.c.
Approximately 200 years had passed since Joshua had led the Israelites.
 
They did not drive all the Canaanites out and they lived to regret it.
The same can be true in our lives as Christians.
 
200 years later the Canaanites regained strength and began to dominate the Israelites.
 
As Judges, chapter 6 opens, we see the Israelites living under the power of the Midianites.
 
Israel was living in despair, and finally they called out to God to deliver them,
and Jesus shows up.
 
Jesus meets fearful people where they hide.
 
As our story begins, we find Gideon hiding from his enemies.
Hardly a picture of heroism and courage.
 
Read Judges 6:11–14
 
Gideon wanted to know why this difficulty was happening.
He had heard about the “good old days” but where was God now?
 
Judges 6:13
“Sir,” Gideon replied, “if the Lord is with us, why has all this happened to us? “
 
The Christian life is full of difficult questions.
 
1 Corinthians 13:12
“Now we see things imperfectly, like puzzling reflections in a mirror, but then we will see everything with perfect clarity. All that I know now is partial and incomplete, but then I will know everything completely.”
 
So often we are looking for an answer to the why question when it is about a Who.
As in, “Who do I turn to?” The answer to that question is Jesus.
 
This was not a mere angel (as powerful as they are) this was Jesus.
 
Why is this a Christophany instead an angelic appearance?
 
The speaker at first is called, “The angel of the Lord.”
But then the narrative shifts and simply calls Him, “The LORD (YHWH).”
 
The messenger says, “I am sending you.”
Judges 6:14
 
He uses the first-person pronoun and assumes divine authority.
 
Gideon realizes he has seen God.
 
Judges 6:22
When Gideon realized that it was the angel of the Lord, he cried out, “Oh Sovereign Lord, I’m doomed! I have seen the angel of the Lord face to face!”
 
Judges 6:15 (NLT)
"But Lord," Gideon replied, "how can I rescue Israel? My clan is the weakest in the whole tribe of Manasseh, and I am the least in my entire family!"
 
Another translation says, “I am the runt of the litter!”
 
God uses people who are humble.
 
They are not proud and arrogant but see themselves for what they are.
 
Giving hope to all the people out there who were not extraordinary but ordinary.
 
God can do extraordinary things through ordinary people.
 
God saw Gideon for what he would become.
 
Gideon asks, “Who am I?”
The Lord says, “That’s not the issue, ‘Who am I?’ for I will be with you!”
Judges 6:15–16
 
The Lord calls Gideon a mighty hero.
 
Judges 6:12
The angel of the Lord appeared to him and said, “Mighty hero, the Lord is with you!”
 
We see failure, God sees potential.
We see a vacillating, unsure Simon, God sees a rock like Peter.
 
Before public victory, obey God at home.
 
God’s first test for Gideon was in his home.
 
Some people set the world on fire, while others are still looking for a match.
 
I would rather try and fail than never try at all.
 
Nicodemus had a weak beginning, but he had a strong ending.
Better that than a strong beginning and a weak finish.
 
Under cover of night, Gideon tore down the alter his father had erected.
 
Instead of turning on his son, the father defends him
and seems to have his own faith rekindled.
 
Don’t give up on your family.
 
You don’t need to preach sermons to them all day long.
You need to show it by the way you live and decisions you make.
 
You need to take a stand in your home.
 
Are you reading scripture to your children? Are you praying with them?
Are you taking them to church every Sunday?
 
A survey was done that found if the mother and father attend church regularly,
72 % of their children will also attend regularly when they’re young adults.
 
When only the father attends, 55 % will remain faithful.
 
But if only the mother attends regularly, only 15 % of the children will remain faithful.
 
If neither mother nor father attend regularly, only 6 % will remain faithful.
 
Gideon was able to rally 32,000 men.
 
Read Judges 7:2–3
 
Fear is contagious.
 
The Christian life is not a playground, it’s a battleground.
 
Is there something frightening you right now?
 
Jesus said, “Do not be afraid, only believe.”
 
David said, “The Lord is my light and my salvation whom shall I fear?
The Lord is the strength of my life, of whom then shall I be afraid?
Psalm 27:1
 
Isaiah 41:10
Fear not, for I am with you, be not dismayed, for I am your God.
I will strengthen you, yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.
 
Proverbs 3:24–25
You can sleep without fear; you need not be afraid of disaster or the plots of wicked men, for the Lord is with you. He protects you.
 
Gideon lost two-thirds of his army.
 
There is always God’s part and our part.
 
The Red Sea parted but Israel still had to march through.
 
The walls of Jericho fell but Israel still had to march around them.
 
The giant Goliath fell but David still had to attack.
 
2 Chronicles 20:12
O our God, won't you stop them? We are powerless against this mighty army that is about to attack us. We do not know what to do, but our eyes are upon You."
 
The Lord told Gideon, “You still have too many warriors.”
 
“Divide the men into two groups. The ones who just plant their face in the water without caution, leave them.”
 
The lappers could have easily been ambushed and killed.
 
The cuppers were alert, watching, and cautious.
 
God gave Gideon the battle plan.
 
No swords, knives, spears, or any kind of weapon, just clay jars and torches.
 
The Midianites think it is some kind of ambush and they freak out.
They begin to kill each other and the Israelites watch in amazement.
 
The enemy was defeated because God’s people called on Him.
 
Gideon’s army won a crushing victory over the Midianites.
 
Ephesians 6:12
For we are not fighting against people made of flesh and blood,
but against the evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against those mighty powers of darkness who rule this world, and against wicked spirits in the heavenly realms.
 
There is no way we can impact our culture with the gospel without His help.
 
So, we call on God and say, “If You don’t come through, there is no hope.”
 
2 Corinthians 12:9–10
“My gracious favor is all you need. My power works best in your weakness.” So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may work through me. Since I know it is all for Christ’s good.
 
Paul concludes, “I am quite content with my weaknesses and with insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong!”
 
It is not easy being a Christian in today’s culture.
You will be criticized, mocked, slandered, possibly even killed.
 
God imposed this test to get rid of the half-hearted people.
 
God can do more with 300 committed people than 10,000 half-hearted.
 
God is looking for faithful, obedient, watchful servants to change this world.
 
“Give me 100 men who love God with all of their hearts and fear nothing but sin, and I will move the world!”—John Wesley
 
Acts 17:6
“Paul and Silas have turned the rest of the world upside down,
and now they are here disturbing our city," they shouted.
 
The Lord is looking for some men and women who will “blow the trumpet,”
and take some chances and obey God, taking a stand first in their own homes.
 
God can turn zeros into heros, fear into faith, hiding into fighting,  and panic into purpose.
 
Mark 5:36
Don’t be afraid; only believe.

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