Reflections on "Another Sign" Judges 6: 36-40; 7: 1-23

The sermon never got to where I wanted it.  Gideon's putting out the fleece twice and then God reducing the number of soldiers make great stories, but it did not lead to a great sermon yesterday.

"Another Sign“” October 21, 2012; FPC, Troy; Judges series; Judges 6,7

Move 1: Gideon, the reluctant hero asks for another sign. Remember, he has already seen an angel of the Lord and torn down the altars built for Baal.

We now expect him to go to battle with the Midianites and save Israel, just like God has instructed.

a. But Gideon wants another sign. Apparently God has not shown Gideon enough.

b. Gideon was not the first person to ask for a sign:

1. Jacob demands food and clothing to believe that God is God

2. Moses at the burning bush;

3. The Israelites in the wilderness

4. Thomas wanting to touch the wounds in Christ's side;

4. the crowds who are there when Jesus tells the lame man that his sins are forgiven demand a sign.

5. Maybe you've been known to ask God for a sign now and then.

6. But Gideon may be about to set the record for how many signs are needed from God.

100. Gideon shares with God his plan.

1. I'll put some fleece out (now you know where the phrase putting out your fleece comes from) and when I awaken, if the fleece is wet with dew and the ground is dry, that will be the sign.
2. Ta-da – the morning arrives, the fleeces is wet enough to fill a bowl with wrung out dew, the ground is dry, now Gideon will go do what God wants him to do.

3. Well, not exactly – yes, the fleece is wet, yes the ground is dry, but Gideon wants God to pass another test.

4. This time the fleece will be put out and in the morning the fleece will be dry, but the ground will be wet.

5. And so it was. Gideon is ready to go do battle with the Midianites, right?

100. As Gideon gathers his 32, 000 troops to go to battle, God decides that this sign business goes both ways.

1. Uh, Gideon, you have too many troops. If you defeat the Midianites with all of them, you won't know that I was the one who led you to victory.

2. So send home all the soldiers who are a bit afraid.

3. Now the are down to 10,000 soldiers.

4. still too many.

5. Gideon, take you soldiers down to the river for a drink of water. If they lap the water like dogs, keep them. If they cup their hands to get the water, send them home.

6. do you think that while Gideon is watching his men drink the water to see who laps the water and who does not that it occurs to him that maybe testing God is not the smartest move he's ever made?

7. now, Gideon's troops are down to 300 men.

500. When God senses Gideon's reluctance to believe that he can defeat the Midianites God suggests that if Gideon does not want to go to battle yet, perhaps he might sneak in to the Midianite camp and listen to what the Midianites are saying.

1. Which Gideon does.

2. He overhears a man telling about a dream and another man interpreting the dream to be about how Gideon is going to defeat the Midianites.

3. now Gideon is ready to do battle.

4. All the signs from God do not convince him, but overhearing someone talk about a dream and then the interpretation of it, apparently is convincing.

e. one final note about Gideon's defeat of the Midianites.

1. Much like Joshua and his troops when they defeat surprisingly defeat Jericho, Gideon's troops have a rallying cry.

2. “For the Lord and for Gideon” they shouted.

3. When Joshua's men overwhelmed Jericho they shouted, “for the Lord has given you the city.”

4. But good old Gideon gets to share the credit with God.

Move 2: Why is Gideon's story told?

a. I'm not even sure Gideon would be chosen for nomination by our Nominating committee.

b. we read Gideon and so easily notice his hypocrisy and his unfaithfulness

1. As a reminder.

2. as a reminder when we test God, when we say, “God, if you really want me to go to college you'll make the ACT test have questions I can answer,” or when we say, “God, if you really want me to change my ways, then you'll need to give me this sign” maybe we'll remember how silly Gideon seemed and change.
   
   
   3.  Or when we've been praying for God to guide us and we get that restless spirit in us that tells us what to do, maybe we will remember Gideon and try to do better in how we respond.
   
   
   4.Or when we know what God is telling us to do, but we choose instead to seek out the random assurance of strangers,. We'll remember Gideon and listen more closely to God.

5. or when we finally do what God tells us to do and it works and we want to take credit for it, we'll remember Gideon, and be reminded to give God the credit.

Conclusion: And I suppose, finally, we remember that the God who uses Gideon, who passes all the tests Gideon puts before him, who even pushes Gideon to places Gideon does not want to God, that God is the God who claims us and sends us into the world.