Reflections on “Here Come the Judges: Gideon 1” Judges 6:11-40

We continue down the Judges road!  I am trying to add in a few thoughts about the overall book, not just the particular story.  Thus, the comment about the implication of having a prophet's appearance added to the pattern. 

Gideon's story is very complicated.  Sign after sign; conflicting clues - ie Gideon's father stands up and lays claim to tearing down the altar to Baal, but it is also the altar that is attributed to Gideon's father.  Perhaps the point is how the people were so conflicted in how they connected their lives of faith with their daily living.  

I thought is was a pretty good sermon on discipleship, but no comments about it as people left!

 “Here Come the Judges:  Gideon 1” June 27, 2021; Judges 6; Summer Judges series; SAPC, Denton

28 When the townspeople rose early in the morning, the altar of Baal was broken down, and the sacred pole[c] beside it was cut down, and the second bull was offered on the altar that had been built. 29 So they said to one another, “Who has done this?” After searching and inquiring, they were told, “Gideon son of Joash did it.” 30 Then the townspeople said to Joash, “Bring out your son, so that he may die, for he has pulled down the altar of Baal and cut down the sacred pole[d] beside it.” 31 But Joash said to all who were arrayed against him, “Will you contend for Baal? Or will you defend his cause? Whoever contends for him shall be put to death by morning. If he is a god, let him contend for himself, because his altar has been pulled down.” 32 Therefore on that day Gideon[e] was called Jerubbaal, that is to say, “Let Baal contend against him,” because he pulled down his altar.

33 Then all the Midianites and the Amalekites and the people of the east came together, and crossing the Jordan they encamped in the Valley of Jezreel. 34 But the spirit of the Lord took possession of Gideon; and he sounded the trumpet, and the Abiezrites were called out to follow him. 35 He sent messengers throughout all Manasseh, and they too were called out to follow him. He also sent messengers to Asher, Zebulun, and Naphtali, and they went up to meet them.

36 Then Gideon said to God, “In order to see whether you will deliver Israel by my hand, as you have said, 37 I am going to lay a fleece of wool on the threshing floor; if there is dew on the fleece alone, and it is dry on all the ground, then I shall know that you will deliver Israel by my hand, as you have said.” 38 And it was so. When he rose early next morning and squeezed the fleece, he wrung enough dew from the fleece to fill a bowl with water. 39 Then Gideon said to God, “Do not let your anger burn against me, let me speak one more time; let me, please, make trial with the fleece just once more; let it be dry only on the fleece, and on all the ground let there be dew.” 40 And God did so that night. It was dry on the fleece only, and on all the ground there was dew.

Introduction:  Our Judges series spends two weeks reflecting on Gideon’s story (although we take a break from Judges next week on 4th of July).

In Gideon’s story, we see a similar pattern to what we have seen in the previous Judges’ stories, except there is an important difference in this story - when the people cry out, God does not immediately hear them and raise up a judge to rescue them. 

If you go back to vs. 7, we read how this time God first sent a prophet to point out to the Israelites their sinfulness. this represents the next shift in the decline of Israel and the judges.  

Remember, by the time we reach the end of Judges, the case will have been made that Israel needs a king because the judges just don’t cut it.

After the prophet, God does raise up another judge - the time Gideon.  let’s reflect on how Gideon responds to God’s call.

move 1:  Gideon is not sure he wants to embrace God’s calling, particularly if it involves taking on the Midianites.

a.  Gideon already has been hiding out from the Midianites.

1. The Midianites have the power.  Gideon does not.

2. they are the oppressor; Gideon is the oppressed.

3.  Gideon has not challenged them, but intent found a way to go about his business and avoid them by hiding in the winepress.

b. When the angel of the Lord appears and tells Gideon the Lord is with him, Gideon is not so sure.

1.  Gideon looks around and wonders how God can be with him if his life is such a mess.

2. Why are the Midianites in control if God is with the Israelites?

3.  Gideon asks, “our ancestors talked about all the wonderful deeds God did for them, where are they now?

5. Perhaps you know that feeling Gideon has.

6. some days you look around and wonder, “if God is with us, why does the world look like this?  Why am I dealing with these issues in my life?

c.   Then, Gideon discovers that the angel of the Lord is calling him to be a part of what God is going to do.

1.  Gideon is not impressed by the angel or excited about the opportunity.

2. All he can see are the negatives.  

3. much like Moses who tries to get out of his call by saying he is not a good speaker, Gideon points out that his tribe is the weakest tribe.  

4.  Surely, God can find someone else more equipped for the task at hand.

5. maybe you know that sentiment as well.  

6. God, you can find someone else better trained?  Someone who has more talent, more money, more commitment.  Anyone would be better than I.

7. Instead of singing “Here I am,” we sing, “Find someone else.”

c.  But, the angel insists.  so Gideon demands a sign.

1.   The angel gives the first sign - fire consuming the meat and the broth.

2. Gideon’s response at having the angel prove God with him?

3. “help me.  I have seen the Lord.” 

3. It appears that if Gideon does not have God with him then he cannot do what God wants, and if Gideon does have God with him, then that scares him too.

4. Gideon is not rushing out to accept God’s call.

c.  Being a disciple means embracing our calling.

1. We often speak of listening for God’s call, seeking God’s guidance.

2. Gideon reminds us that we do not just have to listen, we have to embrace.

3.  Harvey Cox:  “When it comes to a moral dilemma, any moral dilemma, we always face three steps. The first is the most important:  we must recognize it as a moral issue, not just an investment decision, or a clinical issue or a political choice.  The second is to find an answer to the question:  what should I do?  Then comes the third, and undoubtedly the hardest step:  to summon the courage to do it.”  Harvey Cox, When Jesus Went to Harvard (25).

d. We discover the challenge of discipleship on a  personal level and corporate level.

1.  In our own lives, it is easier to just go along, hide in the winepress, if you will, than to hear God’s call to be part of the change and commit to doing it.

2. I would never say it is easy to discern God’s call for our lives, but it is even more difficult to step up and answer the call.

3.  As a church, we face that challenge as well, particularly at this moment in the life of the church.

4. We are coming out of a pandemic, forced to do things differently over the last 15 months, learning lots of things along the way, and noticing that people’s expectations of the church have been changing as well. 

5.  We also look to the not-so-distant future when Our Daily Bread leaves our facility and consider what God might be calling St. Andrew to next.

6. as we listen to hear God’s call for who we are to be, we face the added challenge of living into that calling.  

Discipleship means listening for God’s call and then moving forward to answer God’s call.

Move 2: We also notice that to move forward, Gideon has to deal with the past sins.

a.  No surprise - The first task to which the angel calls Gideo is to tear the altar built to sacrifice to Baal.

1. not only is it used to worship other gods, but it stands in the community as a symbol of their unfaithfulness.

3.  They cannot commit to doing what God wants for them with the altar to Baal hanging over them.

4. admittedly, Gideon is not sure about it.  he tears down the altar under the cover of night so no one knows he is the one.

5. In fact, his father is the only one who seems to stand up and lay claim to his calling.

b.  this part of Gideon’s story asks the question:  what is holding you back in your life?

1.  What do you need to deal with first before moving forward?

2.  A broken relationship that needs repair?

3.  Self-doubt about your ability to do a  particular thing?

4.  the memory of a past failure?

c.  It is easy to let the demons of the past keep us from moving toward the opportunities God puts before us  now and into the future.

maybe the first step in answering God’s call is to deal with that which holds us back.

Move 3:  Even after Gideon tears down the altar, he continues to ask for signs from God.

a.   how about this God?  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.

1. 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.
   
1. Well, not exactly – yes, the fleece is wet, yes the ground is dry, but Gideon wants God to pass another test.
   
2. This time the fleece will be put out and in the morning the fleece will be dry, but the ground will be wet.

b.  We are starting to realize that Gideon’s desire for signs may reflect other issues Gideon has.  

1.  Maybe he has to satisfy his insatiable need to believe God is with him.

2.  Maybe he is buying time, hoping something else will come along.

3. maybe he is looking for any way he can to avoid his calling.

4.  Gideon - the reluctant follower, torn between his calling and his desire to avoid his calling.

d.  The hope for Gideon, the hope for any of us who face the challenge of discipleship unsure if we have what it takes, dragged down by our past, torn between our desire to follow and our fear of doing so, our hope is in the God who is not done.

1. the God who will use Gideon.

2. The God who will use us.

3.  The God who chooses to join with us, call us, equip us, and then stay with us, despite our failings or shortcomings.

Conclusion:  Gideon is not done because God is not done.

We are not done because God is not done.  

Reflections on "Here Comes the Judges: Deborah Plus" Judges 4

Part of this sermon addresses how we look at the violence and killing in Judges.  Or, at least it introduces the question without fully answering it!  

“Here Comes the Judges:  Deborah Plus” June 20, 2021; St. Andrew; Judges 4; Judges series

When Sisera was told that Barak son of Abinoam had gone up to Mount Tabor, 13 Sisera called out all his chariots, nine hundred chariots of iron, and all the troops who were with him, from Harosheth-ha-goiim to the Wadi Kishon. 14 Then Deborah said to Barak, “Up! For this is the day on which the Lord has given Sisera into your hand. The Lord is indeed going out before you.” So Barak went down from Mount Tabor with ten thousand warriors following him. 15 And the Lord threw Sisera and all his chariots and all his army into a panic[b] before Barak; Sisera got down from his chariot and fled away on foot, 16 while Barak pursued the chariots and the army to Harosheth-ha-goiim. All the army of Sisera fell by the sword; no one was left.

17 Now Sisera had fled away on foot to the tent of Jael wife of Heber the Kenite; for there was peace between King Jabin of Hazor and the clan of Heber the Kenite. 18 Jael came out to meet Sisera, and said to him, “Turn aside, my lord, turn aside to me; have no fear.” So he turned aside to her into the tent, and she covered him with a rug. 19 Then he said to her, “Please give me a little water to drink; for I am thirsty.” So she opened a skin of milk and gave him a drink and covered him. 20 He said to her, “Stand at the entrance of the tent, and if anybody comes and asks you, ‘Is anyone here?’ say, ‘No.’” 21 But Jael wife of Heber took a tent peg, and took a hammer in her hand, and went softly to him and drove the peg into his temple, until it went down into the ground—he was lying fast asleep from weariness—and he died. 22 Then, as Barak came in pursuit of Sisera, Jael went out to meet him, and said to him, “Come, and I will show you the man whom you are seeking.” So he went into her tent; and there was Sisera lying dead, with the tent peg in his temple.

23 So on that day God subdued King Jabin of Canaan before the Israelites. 24 Then the hand of the Israelites bore harder and harder on King Jabin of Canaan, until they destroyed King Jabin of Canaan.

Introduction:  Another week when the story begins with the Israelites doing evil in God's sight and being defeated because of it.

Another week with an assassination and war.

Another week of fascinating characters God uses to save Israel:  we began with a judge seldom heard of; 

last week, a left-handed judge; 

and now a woman judge, plus another woman who figures in dramatically in the outcome of the story.

As we move through Judges, our expectations are being set:  we now expect Israel to turn away from God;

we expect God to save Israel from itself and from its enemies;

we expect God to use people who would not necessarily be the stereotypes judge or leader.

Move 1: The featured judge this week is Deborah, not only a woman but a prophetess.

a.  A woman in a position of power and authority in a time when that was not the norm for women.

1. Note – she still is referred to as “Deborah, wife of Lappidoth...” Like other women in her time, who she is depends on her husband or father or some other male in the household.
2. But as the story plays out, we realize that she is an important, powerful person. Not just giving good advice, but commanding Barak to go into battle, and even joining him as they lead the Israelite soldiers.
   

3.  the text gives us a great image of Deborah underneath the palm tree judging cases that the Israelites brought to her. brings to mind the painting from my TX history days when General Sam Houston is lying under a tree from an injury, propped up and orchestrating the surrender of the Mexican army.

Can’t you just see her there underneath a tree, issuing decrees, her commanding presence and her connection to God on full display for all to see?

b. The role of women does not stop with Deborah.

1. As the story plays itself out, she tells Barak that Sisera would be defeated by a woman.

2. naturally, we expect that woman to be Deborah, the judge, the one who commands Barak.

3. But instead the one who kills Sisera is Jael, a minor character, who ordinarily would not be noticed.

4. Jael does the expected task by providing good hospitality when Sisera arrives. 

4. In fact, when Sisera asks for water, she provides him with milk. What a great hostess – providing a place to take a nap and some milk to help Sisera get to sleep.

5. Kind of a sweet, scene - Jael  great hostess up until the moment she hammers the tent peg through his head!

6.  Israel’s enemy defeated in surprising ways.

Move 2: Speaking of unexpected actions, what do we do with Barak?

a. When Deborah tells him that God wants him to go defeat the enemy Barak wavers.

1. Instead of rushing off to do what God has told him to do, he hedges his bets
2. How would you respond if the person who spoke God's Word to you told you that God wanted you to do x, y and z. Would you do it?

1. He tells Deborah that he'll go do what God wants him to do, but only if she will go with him.

1. Hardly a picture of faithfulness and commitment.

b. On the other hand, do not forget that Barak does lead the Israelites into battle with Deborah.

1.  Despite his doubts and hesitation, he does respond.

2.  do we give him credit for doing what God asks, however reluctantly he does so?

    c.  As we reflect on Deborah, Jael, and Barack, we discover that the story is not about women in power, or men in power, but about God who works through all of them to save Israel.

Move 3: Make no mistake about it, Israel needs to be saved.

a.  King Jabin and Sisera not only threaten Israel’s defeat, but Israel’s annihilation.

1.  We recognize that when the weapons Sisera had at his disposal are mentioned.

1. Sisera and his men had 900 chariots.

2. Chariots were not just used to overcome the enemy and win the battle;  

Chariots not only allowed an army to break through the enemy's line, but to pursue and slaughter the enemy as they fled.

3.   Chariots were grisly, killing machines, and the Israelites did not have any of them.

2.  Israel had swords.

3.  Chariots were much more powerful weapons than swords.

4.  Sort of like David with his slingshot against Goliath and his huge sword.

5.  Israel was threatened not only wiht defeat, but with being wiped off the face of the earth.

b. But the God of Noah who saved God’s people from the raging waters that threaten their existence, now saves Israel from the raging enemy. 

1. Israel and its undermanned army wins.

                2.  Somehow, the swords overwhelm the chariots.

                3.  Well, not somehow. We know how the Israelites defeat the enemy – God hands the enemy over to the Israelites.

3. God's desire to save Israel carries the day.

A powerful comment on the God whose desire is salvation for God’s people.

move 4:  A final thought from this blood story from Judges.

a. To fully understand who God is and what God desires, we have to read the stories from Judges in tandem with other stories from the biblical text.

2.  for example, we also read about God’s desire to save God’s people when we read of God coming the the flesh.

3.  In Christ, we discover the God who decides to redeem and save the world from sin and death.

4. In Christ, we see God who chooses not to go to war or assassinate, but instead finds victory through Christ’s death on the cross.

5. In Judges, God’s saving actions lead to the battlefields; in Christ, God’s saving action leads to the cross.

b.    It's hard to figure out what God is doing in Judges.

1.  Certainly Jesus’ words to love our enemies seem far different than the action detailed in Judges.

2.  Reading through Judges gives us some fascinating stories, but also asks us the question:  If Jesus is the truest and fullest expression of who God is, how do we interpret the stories from Judges in our own context?

3.  Maybe we acknowledge that before embracing the violence of judges in our time, we need to be reminded of how Jesus lived among us and called us to live.

4.  Our world has plenty of stories of war that would fit right in with the stories in judges; 

Perhaps our calling is to bring to the world more stories of Jesus’ love.

Conclusion:   One thing we know for sure from both the stories of Judges and the story of Christ is God’s persistent, unstoppable desire to save and redeem us.

Reflections on "A Left-Handed Judge" Judges 3: 12-20; I Corinthians 1: 18-25

I think this is a funny story, even with the bloody death of King Eglon and the war between the Israelites and the Moabites.  the first part of the sermon was supposed to be humorous.  I do not think I set it up as a funny story because the humor of the first part of the story did not seem to touch those listening.  I needed a lighter touch!

the challenge each week is to take the narrative and then figure out what we do with it.  Great stories; challenging to find a preachable theme, at least for me.  

The ongoing question of these stories is what do we do with all the violence in the stories.  I will make a better attempt at addressing that next week, or at least I will acknowledge it more openly.

 “A Left-handed Judge: Ehud” June 13, 2021; Judges 3: 12-30; Summer Judges series; SAPC, Denton

12 The Israelites again did what was evil in the sight of the Lord; and the Lord strengthened King Eglon of Moab against Israel, because they had done what was evil in the sight of the Lord. 13 In alliance with the Ammonites and the Amalekites, he went and defeated Israel; and they took possession of the city of palms. 14 So the Israelites served King Eglon of Moab eighteen years.

15 But when the Israelites cried out to the Lord, the Lord raised up for them a deliverer, Ehud son of Gera, the Benjaminite, a left-handed man. The Israelites sent tribute by him to King Eglon of Moab. 16 Ehud made for himself a sword with two edges, a cubit in length; and he fastened it on his right thigh under his clothes. 17 Then he presented the tribute to King Eglon of Moab. Now Eglon was a very fat man. 18 When Ehud had finished presenting the tribute, he sent the people who carried the tribute on their way. 19 But he himself turned back at the sculptured stones near Gilgal, and said, “I have a secret message for you, O king.” So the king said,[a] “Silence!” and all his attendants went out from his presence. 20 Ehud came to him, while he was sitting alone in his cool roof chamber, and said, “I have a message from God for you.” So he rose from his seat. 21 Then Ehud reached with his left hand, took the sword from his right thigh, and thrust it into Eglon’s[b] belly; 22 the hilt also went in after the blade, and the fat closed over the blade, for he did not draw the sword out of his belly; and the dirt came out.[c] 23 Then Ehud went out into the vestibule,[d] and closed the doors of the roof chamber on him, and locked them.

24 After he had gone, the servants came. When they saw that the doors of the roof chamber were locked, they thought, “He must be relieving himself[e] in the cool chamber.” 25 So they waited until they were embarrassed. When he still did not open the doors of the roof chamber, they took the key and opened them. There was their lord lying dead on the floor.

26 Ehud escaped while they delayed, and passed beyond the sculptured stones, and escaped to Seirah. 27 When he arrived, he sounded the trumpet in the hill country of Ephraim; and the Israelites went down with him from the hill country, having him at their head. 28 He said to them, “Follow after me; for the Lord has given your enemies the Moabites into your hand.” So they went down after him, and seized the fords of the Jordan against the Moabites, and allowed no one to cross over. 29 At that time they killed about ten thousand of the Moabites, all strong, able-bodied men; no one escaped. 30 So Moab was subdued that day under the hand of Israel. And the land had rest eighty years.

Introduction: Overheard around the tents late one night as a group of Israelites chewed the fat  around the campfire.

Jethro, did you hear what happened to fat, old King Eglon.

You mean the Moabite king. I heard he was killed. Wha'ts up with that?

You got to hear this story. You remember Ehud, don't you?

Let's see. Wasn't he the left-handed guy from the tribe of Benjamin?

Yeah, he's the one. You know what they say about left-handed guys. Something not quite right about them. Anyway, Ehud was sick and tired of King Eglon getting fat on tributes we had to take to him.

And I heard that old king was really fat. But I guess when you've been getting tributes from us for the past 18 years, you'd gain a few pounds.

Ehud decided to do something about it. He arranged to go with the others to take Eglon the tribute. After they left, he surprised everyone by turning around and going back to see the king.

Why did he need to see the king?

Well, he said he a secret to tell the king. And boy did he have a secret to tell him, or you might say give him. Ehud had made himself a knife that would fit down the right side of his leg.

Surely the king's guards didn't let him see the king while carrying knife.

You know how dumb those Moabite guards are? They only checked his left-side where most men would hide a weapon. But not left-handed Ehud. He had the knife strapped to his right side where he could get to it easily.

So they him in to see the king?

Yep, and would you believe the king was in the bathroom, sitting on the throne, so to speak, all nice and cool.  It must be nice to be  rich king with a cool chamber.

So what did Ehud do?

He opened the door and pulled his knife out and shoved it into Eglon. They say his knife went in so far that Eglon's fat swallowed it up. And then Eglon kind of exploded!

Gross. That's not a very pretty image. How did Ehud get away?

He locked the door and left. The guards thought King Eglon was just taking a long time in the bathroom, so they waited and waited and waited. Finally, they busted down the door and found him dead. 

But it was too late to catch Ehud. He was long gone.

Then Ehud led us to victory over the Moabites.

Thank God for that left-handed Ehud.

Yep. Thank God.

A kind of crazy story of how God rescued the Israelites in their time of need.

What do we make of it?

Move 1: God calls us to repentance.

a. As the Israelites tell this story, it begins with the defeat of the Israelites by the Moabites because the Israelites have turned away from God.

1. Admittedly, we understand the world a little bit differently than the Israelites did in the time of Judges.
   
2. In our theological understanding, we do not see something bad happen like a natural disaster or some evil event and say the people deserved it as punishment for turning away from God.
   

b. But let's be clear – the emerging pattern we see in Judges of God's people crying out to be saved begins with the Israelites finding themselves separated from God by their unfaithfulness.

1. There are stories of Israelites worshiping other gods and building temples in tribute to other gods.
   
2. The people have forgotten whose they are as they turned away from God.

1. and part of what happens when God rescues the Israelites is that they return to right relationship with God.

4. an act of repentance.

c.  As we reflect on this odd story from Judges, we are reminded of our need for repentance.

1.  Repentance - not a very popular concept these days!

2. As we look to our world and see how people interact, how groups engage one another, howe we ourselves act, we are more likely to see the willingness to point out the sins of others than acknowledge our own.

3. how hard it is to acknowledge we have done something wrong.

3.  And even if we get to the point we acknowledge our sinfulness, we still do not always make it to repentance.

4.  Easier to rationalize or just admit we did something wrong and move on.

5. Repentance is the hard work of taking responsibility for our actions and changing our ways.

6. Repentance demands we turn to God and reset our lives as God would direct us.

7. Not an easy task.  

8.  Perhaps that is why these stories in Judges are do dramatic - to repent demands a lot of us and calls us to significant change.

9.  The stories not only speak of God’s saving actions, but also demand that Israel, that we turn and repent to be in right relationship with God and one another.

Move 2: In this story of Ehud, we also discover again the God who works in surprising ways turning things upside down.

a. For example, we are told that the Moabites have banded together with Ammonites and the Amalekites to conquer the city of palms, also known as Jericho.

1.  Remember the story of how Joshua defeated Jericho.

2.  God told Joshua to have the Israelites march around the city, then blow their trumpets, and then the city would be handed over to the Israelites.

4. Jericho became  a symbol of Joshua's leadership and God's presence with the Israelites in the Promised Land.

5. Jericho, the sign of hope and promise, has come under Moabite rule. God's gift of Jericho undone by the Israelites’ unfaithfulness.

6.  But God will turn reverse that.

7.Ehud will lead the Israelites to victory over the Moabites and things between God and the Israelites are made right again..

b. Part of the story-line builds on Ehud being left-handed.

1. In that time, right-handed was the norm. left-handed people were the odd ones. (sorry Mom!)
   
2. The position of power next to the king was to sit at the king's right hand.
   
3. A blessing was shared with someone by the laying on of the right hand.
   
4. So of course, in this dramatic story, the judge who saves the day is left-handed.
   
5. Not only is he left-handed, but his left-handedness is what gives him his advantage.
   
6. God uses the very attribute looked down on yb the world to rescue Israel.
   

c. We also see the contrast between King Eglon and Israel. 

1.  King Eglon represents the riches and worldly power. 

2.  he reigns in his cool palace eating the tribute provided him by the defeated Israelites.

2. His overweight physique a sign of his wealth.

3.  He even deals with his bodily functions in the confines of a cool chamber.

4. Eglon lives the life of luxury at the expense of and in contrast to the Israelites.

5. But, Eglon will become the sacrificial calf 

(his name actually derives from the Hebrew word for calf).

6.  In fact, as the story of his death is told, how he was stabbed and where he was stabbed, the language used is similar to how a sacrifice would have been described.

7.  The one who abuses Israel becomes the sacrifice.

d. God turning things upside down – sort of like what God does in the life, death and resurrection of Christ

1. the all-powerful God who decides to come as a human.

2. not coming and forcing everyone to submit to him, instead humbly submitting to the earthly powers.

3.  Ultimately, Jesus succumbs to earthly death, the sign of weakness and sin, but then God transforms death into resurrection and a sign of hope.

Move 3: what does it mean to follow a God who calls us to repentance and works in such surprising ways?

a. reminds us our continual need to assess what we are doing and where we are going.

1. To examine our relationship with God, but also with others and discover where we need to repent and change our ways. 

2. God not only desires to be in relationship with us, but God desires to be in right relationship with us.

b. Look for God in the unexpected places.

1. Think for a minute about your own faith journey - and the times you have known without a doubt that God was in your midst.

2. I bet a lot of those times have come when you least expected it or when God acted in ways that surprised you.

3.  We seldom get God to provide us with “aha” moments when we plan them; when God arrives and how God arrives in our lives and our world are at God's choosing, not ours.

4.  Be ready for God to surprise you.

c.  We discover God in our weakness.

1. When do the Israelites discover God in Judges? When they find themselves weak and crying out to God.

2. when do they get in trouble with God? When everything is going great and they are in control. Suddenly, they forget their relationship with God.

3. How does God save us?  By sending Christ to live among us and die on the cross.  Hardly a sign of power by the world’s standards.

4.  Paul tells the early church that God chooses what is foolish in the world and God chooses to be at work in our weakness so that we might not boast of what we can do, but instead boast of what God has done.

5.  when we look to the world and feel overwhelmed and do not know what to do, look for God to arrive in our time of weakness to use us to do a  new thing.

Conclusion: We read a bit of a silly story from Judges this morning. It makes you want to laugh.

But as we laugh, we are reminded that the one who laughed in the face of death and resurrected Christ, calls us to repentance and sends us into the world to find God in surprising ways.  Amen.