WEBVTT

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 Thank you, Gabriel and Joyce, for reading that extra-long passage.

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 And good morning, everybody.

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 For those that don't know me, my name is Oscar. I'm one of the elders here at Watermark Community Church.

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 Again, it's great to be here, worshiping God with you guys this morning, and an extra-special

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 welcome to some of our guests that are here. Great to have you with us today.

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 Worshiping in the house of God.

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 Would you pray with me as we consider God's Word?

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 Father God, thank you for your Word, which is living, active, sharper than a double-edged sword,

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 penetrating deep into our hearts.

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 Father, as we receive your Word today, I pray, God, that it would be your Word that comes through,

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 and not my words, Lord.

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 I pray your Holy Spirit would help me to convey your message today, Father, from your Word.

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 I pray for all of our hearts here, God.

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 We would be open to receive your Word.

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 We would see our own sin in our lives,

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 our own depravity.

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 But at the same time, we'll see the grace and love of Jesus Christ, our Lord.

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 Amen.

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 Amen.

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 Some of you know this about me, but one of my biggest weaknesses,

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 one of my biggest weaknesses is my truly horrible sense of direction.

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 I lived in Causeway Bay for four years, but honestly, if you drop me right now in Times Square,

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 I wouldn't know which direction Wan Chai is.

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 I think my wife can attest to that.

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 After we got married, I moved into Celeste's apartment in Pak Fulam,

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 just close by here to Ebenezer.

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 And she kept telling me how good the minibus system was from Pak Fulam to Central.

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 So one day, I hopped on the number 10 bus, hoping to go to my office in Central.

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 Ten minutes later, I was in Cyberport.

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 I called Celeste, angrily accusing her of giving me the wrong directions,

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 to which she said calmly,

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 Honey, you got on the wrong bus in the wrong direction.

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 And then I made the exact same mistake about a month later.

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 And I don't mind sharing this weakness, this struggle I have,

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 because although it's a bit embarrassing,

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 it's probably more funny than tragic.

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 But I can imagine there are people here at Watermark,

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 myself included,

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 who have weaknesses,

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 who have struggles,

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 that you would probably rather not talk about.

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 But I think if we're truly honest,

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 at some level,

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 all of us hate feeling weak.

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 We struggle with having uncertain or stressful jobs,

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 difficult family members,

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 disobedient children,

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 because, well,

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 these struggles make life feel out of control,

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 and that makes us feel weak.

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 And we don't like that.

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 I think if we're honest,

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 we wish these struggles would go away,

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 and then life would be easier.

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 We would rather be self-sufficient and self-reliant

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 than having to depend on God.

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 This morning, we're continuing our sermon series

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 called Christ in the Old Testament,

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 and today we're looking at the story of Gideon,

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 and how God uses this weak man,

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 this unlikely hero,

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 to make his glory known.

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 But Gideon had to first come face-to-face

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 with an impossible battle

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 before the power of God was shown.

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 Gideon had to be weak

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 before God's power was made known.

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 Now, over the past few weeks,

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 we've called this sermon series

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 Christ in the Old Testament,

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 because the whole Bible,

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 from Genesis to Revelation,

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 is one story about the glory of God.

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 It's one story which points us

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 to the gospel of Jesus Christ.

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 Two weeks ago,

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 Kevin shared from Genesis,

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 where Abraham intercedes with God

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 on behalf of Sodom.

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 And in that passage,

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 Abraham searched for one righteous man,

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 but no one was righteous.

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 Only Jesus Christ,

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 our great high priest,

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 is righteous.

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 And last week,

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 Chris also preached from Genesis

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 in the passage where Jacob

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 wrestles with God.

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 And there, we learn that God

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 often breaks us

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 to bless us.

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 And we were reminded that it was Christ

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 that was broken on the cross

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 to bless us

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 and to save us.

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 Today, we're looking at

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 the story of Gideon

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 in the book of Judges.

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 Now, a very quick summary

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 of Judges for everybody here.

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 Judges records one of the darkest times

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 in Israel's history,

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 between 1375 and 1050 B.C.

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 During this time,

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 Israel would continually go through

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 a vicious cycle.

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 It would follow false gods

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 of the people around them,

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 disobey God,

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 and as a result,

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 would face immense persecution

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 from the very people

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 whose idols they followed.

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 Israel would then cry out to God

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 and God would hear her cry

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 and raise up a judge

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 who would deliver her.

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 And there's one recurring phrase

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 in Judges

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 which sums up

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 their state of morality,

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 which is,

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 in those days,

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 Israel had no king

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 and everyone did what was right

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 in his own eyes.

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 Nowhere in the Bible

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 is the depravity of man

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 described at such length

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 and in such explicit detail

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 than in Judges.

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 Idolatry,

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 fornication,

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 self-promotion,

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 and murder

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 are just some of the wickedness

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 mentioned in this book.

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 But the stark counterpoint

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 to Israel's idolatry

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 in Judges

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 is God's mercy,

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 his patience,

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 his faithfulness,

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 his grace.

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 Israel would sin against God,

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 but God would again and again

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 forgive and deliver Israel

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 from her enemies.

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 In essence,

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 this is the gospel

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 of our Lord Jesus Christ.

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 In spite of our sin

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 and our rebellion,

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 God gives us his grace.

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 But today,

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 as you look at the story

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 of Gideon,

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 what we'll see is,

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 we'll see the oppression

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 brought about

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 by Israel's idolatry.

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 We'll see how God

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 calls his weak man Gideon

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 to be a mighty warrior

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 and deliverer

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 through God's own strength.

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 And finally,

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 we'll see that Gideon,

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 in fact,

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 points us

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 to the true deliverer

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 and king,

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 Jesus Christ.

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 There's a fair bit of content

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 in this story,

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 but what I'm going to do

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 is I'm going to walk through

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 the story of Gideon

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 while bringing out

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 four main takeaways.

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 There they are.

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 Ready?

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 All right.

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 Ed's ready.

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 It's good.

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 Number one.

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 Judges chapter 6,

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 verse 1.

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 The people of Israel

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 did what was evil

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 in the sight of the Lord,

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 and the Lord gave them

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 into the hand of Midian

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 seven years.

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 Now,

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 what does doing evil

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 in the sight of the Lord mean?

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 What was Israel's sin?

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 Now,

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 we know during Gideon's time

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 that Israel had no king,

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 and everyone did what was right

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 in his own eyes.

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 So every man

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 had his own version

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 of what morality was.

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 And when Israel

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 entered Canaan,

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 God called them

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 to take over the land,

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 but instead,

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 Canaan came into their hearts.

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 Israel was drawn in

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 and tempted by

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 the worldly ways

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 of the Canaanite people.

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 Jumping ahead

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 to verse 25.

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 Here,

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 God instructs Gideon

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 to tear down

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 two pagan idols,

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 the altar to Baal

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 and the Asherah pole.

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 A Baal was believed

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 to be the god

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 of the harvest,

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 and Asherah was believed

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 to be the goddess

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 of fertility

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 and love.

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 And the Canaanite people

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 would give offerings

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 to these two gods

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 hoping to receive

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 something in return.

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 They even sacrificed

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 their own children

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 to Baal and Asherah.

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 And Israel was drawn

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 to this because,

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 well,

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 they said to themselves,

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 we'll worship Yahweh,

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 the god of our forefathers,

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 but we'll also worship Baal

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 because, well,

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 we're farmers

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 and we need to have

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 a good harvest this year.

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 And while we're at it,

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 we'll also worship Asherah

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 because, well,

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 we need to raise,

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 we need to have more children

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 to continue our family line.

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 They hedged

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 their religious bets,

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 so to speak.

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 Now, you may think,

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 well,

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 I don't bow down

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 to a wooden idol.

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 None of this applies to me.

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 But though our modern-day idols

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 may not be idols of wood,

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 don't we struggle

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 with idols of the heart?

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 For idolatry is

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 when in our hearts

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 we place anything

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 above God.

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 And I think one of the biggest

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 idols as parents

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 is the idol

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 of our children's success.

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 I think because,

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 maybe because of

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 how competitive

00:09:43.679 --> 00:09:44.679
 the world is becoming,

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 we think as parents

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 we need to exert

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 an enormous amount

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 of energy

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 to maximize

00:09:49.899 --> 00:09:50.639
 our children's

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 potential success

00:09:51.519 --> 00:09:52.699
 when they become adults.

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 Sometimes when I speak

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 to parents,

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 my sense is

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 they think

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 if their children

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 could just have two things,

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 fluency in Mandarin

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 and a Harvard degree,

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 they'll be set up for life.

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 some can relate to that,

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 I think.

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 Idolatry is about

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 wanting to do things

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 in our own strength,

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 about wanting

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 to be in control

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 instead of letting God

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 be in control.

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 In Gideon's day,

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 Israel would feed

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 Baal and Asherah

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 offerings

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 to get what they wanted.

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 And for us,

00:10:30.259 --> 00:10:30.899
 we pursue

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 our heart idols

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 to try to control

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 our destiny.

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 So what happened

00:10:39.259 --> 00:10:39.799
 to Israel

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 as a result

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 of her idolatry?

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 Look at verses

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 two to five.

00:10:46.159 --> 00:10:46.700
 The Midianites

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 did not just rule

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 Israel politically

00:10:48.639 --> 00:10:49.799
 like in previous

00:10:49.799 --> 00:10:50.460
 oppressors

00:10:50.460 --> 00:10:51.279
 and judges.

00:10:51.639 --> 00:10:52.639
 It was much worse.

00:10:53.759 --> 00:10:54.559
 In verse five,

00:10:54.659 --> 00:10:55.299
 we read that

00:10:55.299 --> 00:10:56.620
 the Midianites

00:10:56.620 --> 00:10:57.799
 were like locusts

00:10:57.799 --> 00:10:58.299
 in number.

00:10:59.019 --> 00:10:59.519
 Both they

00:10:59.519 --> 00:11:00.339
 and their camels

00:11:00.339 --> 00:11:01.459
 could not be counted.

00:11:01.919 --> 00:11:02.679
 They laid waste

00:11:02.679 --> 00:11:03.439
 the land

00:11:03.439 --> 00:11:04.659
 as they came in.

00:11:06.079 --> 00:11:06.620
 The Midianites

00:11:06.620 --> 00:11:07.559
 threatened Israel's

00:11:07.559 --> 00:11:08.979
 very existence

00:11:08.979 --> 00:11:10.240
 by destroying

00:11:10.240 --> 00:11:11.579
 their livestock

00:11:11.579 --> 00:11:13.039
 and their crops.

00:11:14.299 --> 00:11:14.659
 And so,

00:11:15.500 --> 00:11:16.179
 the consequence

00:11:16.179 --> 00:11:18.259
 of idolatry

00:11:18.259 --> 00:11:19.979
 and sin

00:11:19.979 --> 00:11:21.079
 is complete

00:11:21.079 --> 00:11:21.679
 oppression

00:11:21.679 --> 00:11:23.559
 and fear.

00:11:23.559 --> 00:11:25.519
 Israel had to

00:11:25.519 --> 00:11:26.059
 hide from

00:11:26.059 --> 00:11:26.599
 the Midianites

00:11:26.599 --> 00:11:27.379
 in dens

00:11:27.379 --> 00:11:27.979
 in the mountains.

00:11:28.199 --> 00:11:28.839
 They were constantly

00:11:28.839 --> 00:11:29.579
 on the move,

00:11:30.039 --> 00:11:30.619
 afraid,

00:11:31.179 --> 00:11:31.939
 unsettled.

00:11:34.219 --> 00:11:34.839
 And ironically,

00:11:36.019 --> 00:11:36.659
 Israel was being

00:11:36.659 --> 00:11:37.159
 persecuted

00:11:37.159 --> 00:11:39.019
 by the very people

00:11:39.019 --> 00:11:39.819
 whose idols

00:11:39.819 --> 00:11:40.299
 they took

00:11:40.299 --> 00:11:40.939
 for their own.

00:11:42.699 --> 00:11:43.259
 Isn't that how

00:11:43.259 --> 00:11:44.139
 idolatry works?

00:11:45.759 --> 00:11:46.439
 Tim Keller

00:11:46.439 --> 00:11:47.359
 in his book

00:11:47.359 --> 00:11:48.359
 Counterfeit Gods

00:11:48.359 --> 00:11:49.419
 describes a woman

00:11:49.419 --> 00:11:50.419
 who had an unhealthy

00:11:50.419 --> 00:11:51.079
 desire

00:11:51.080 --> 00:11:51.759
 desire to give

00:11:51.759 --> 00:11:52.320
 her kids

00:11:52.320 --> 00:11:53.340
 the perfect

00:11:53.340 --> 00:11:54.040
 life.

00:11:55.200 --> 00:11:55.960
 But this desire

00:11:55.960 --> 00:11:57.120
 drove her to be

00:11:57.120 --> 00:11:58.020
 overprotective,

00:11:58.440 --> 00:11:58.800
 fearful,

00:11:59.240 --> 00:11:59.780
 and anxious,

00:11:59.980 --> 00:12:00.520
 and her need

00:12:00.520 --> 00:12:00.960
 to control

00:12:00.960 --> 00:12:01.860
 every detail

00:12:01.860 --> 00:12:02.580
 of her children's

00:12:02.580 --> 00:12:03.520
 lives hurt her

00:12:03.520 --> 00:12:04.820
 and those around

00:12:04.820 --> 00:12:05.100
 her.

00:12:06.200 --> 00:12:06.740
 It gave her

00:12:06.740 --> 00:12:07.420
 no joy,

00:12:07.820 --> 00:12:08.420
 and it resulted

00:12:08.420 --> 00:12:09.560
 in one child

00:12:09.560 --> 00:12:10.420
 having developmental

00:12:10.420 --> 00:12:11.000
 issues,

00:12:11.340 --> 00:12:11.860
 and the other

00:12:11.860 --> 00:12:13.100
 child anger

00:12:13.100 --> 00:12:13.639
 issues.

00:12:14.980 --> 00:12:15.440
 Her idol

00:12:15.440 --> 00:12:15.960
 was the thing

00:12:15.960 --> 00:12:16.420
 that oppressed

00:12:16.420 --> 00:12:16.640
 her.

00:12:16.639 --> 00:12:18.980
 Now,

00:12:19.039 --> 00:12:19.620
 your children

00:12:19.620 --> 00:12:20.580
 may not have

00:12:20.580 --> 00:12:21.240
 anger or

00:12:21.240 --> 00:12:22.340
 developmental issues,

00:12:22.460 --> 00:12:23.259
 but let me ask

00:12:23.259 --> 00:12:23.519
 you,

00:12:24.899 --> 00:12:25.699
 is your desire

00:12:25.699 --> 00:12:26.279
 to see your

00:12:26.279 --> 00:12:27.399
 children succeed

00:12:27.399 --> 00:12:28.679
 above your

00:12:28.679 --> 00:12:29.679
 desire to know

00:12:29.679 --> 00:12:30.519
 the nature of

00:12:30.519 --> 00:12:31.039
 God,

00:12:31.899 --> 00:12:32.480
 to experience

00:12:32.480 --> 00:12:33.220
 his joy,

00:12:34.059 --> 00:12:34.759
 to delight

00:12:34.759 --> 00:12:36.000
 in him

00:12:36.000 --> 00:12:36.980
 for who he

00:12:36.980 --> 00:12:37.360
 is?

00:12:40.580 --> 00:12:41.799
 The only way

00:12:41.799 --> 00:12:42.600
 to rid

00:12:42.600 --> 00:12:43.120
 ourselves

00:12:43.120 --> 00:12:44.340
 of idol

00:12:44.340 --> 00:12:44.759
 worship,

00:12:44.759 --> 00:12:46.299
 of this desire

00:12:46.299 --> 00:12:46.659
 which will

00:12:46.659 --> 00:12:47.080
 ultimately

00:12:47.080 --> 00:12:48.399
 oppress us,

00:12:49.179 --> 00:12:50.019
 is to recognize

00:12:50.019 --> 00:12:51.340
 the idolatry

00:12:51.340 --> 00:12:52.399
 and the sin

00:12:52.399 --> 00:12:53.620
 submitted to

00:12:53.620 --> 00:12:54.620
 Christ and

00:12:54.620 --> 00:12:55.240
 allow him

00:12:55.240 --> 00:12:56.439
 to destroy

00:12:56.439 --> 00:12:56.700
 it.

00:12:58.980 --> 00:12:59.620
 Second

00:12:59.620 --> 00:12:59.980
 takeaway,

00:13:01.240 --> 00:13:01.740
 the calling

00:13:01.740 --> 00:13:03.279
 of a weak,

00:13:03.840 --> 00:13:04.539
 mighty warrior.

00:13:05.899 --> 00:13:06.659
 Verse 11,

00:13:07.519 --> 00:13:08.139
 now the angel

00:13:08.139 --> 00:13:08.659
 of the Lord

00:13:08.659 --> 00:13:10.000
 came and sat

00:13:10.000 --> 00:13:10.500
 under the

00:13:10.500 --> 00:13:11.080
 terebinth,

00:13:11.419 --> 00:13:11.819
 which is a

00:13:11.819 --> 00:13:12.080
 tree,

00:13:12.799 --> 00:13:13.500
 at Ophrah,

00:13:14.080 --> 00:13:14.399
 Gideon's

00:13:14.399 --> 00:13:14.819
 hometown,

00:13:15.480 --> 00:13:16.000
 which belonged

00:13:16.000 --> 00:13:16.699
 to Joash

00:13:16.699 --> 00:13:17.659
 the Abriazrite,

00:13:18.240 --> 00:13:18.639
 Gideon's

00:13:18.639 --> 00:13:19.000
 father,

00:13:19.759 --> 00:13:20.299
 while Gideon

00:13:20.299 --> 00:13:20.799
 was beating

00:13:20.799 --> 00:13:21.360
 out wheat

00:13:21.360 --> 00:13:22.079
 in a wine

00:13:22.079 --> 00:13:22.679
 press to

00:13:22.679 --> 00:13:23.319
 hide it

00:13:23.319 --> 00:13:24.419
 from the

00:13:24.419 --> 00:13:25.000
 Midianites.

00:13:25.879 --> 00:13:26.500
 And the

00:13:26.500 --> 00:13:27.079
 angel of

00:13:27.079 --> 00:13:27.500
 the Lord

00:13:27.500 --> 00:13:28.360
 appeared to

00:13:28.360 --> 00:13:29.039
 him and

00:13:29.039 --> 00:13:29.399
 said to

00:13:29.399 --> 00:13:29.639
 him,

00:13:30.360 --> 00:13:30.779
 the Lord

00:13:30.779 --> 00:13:31.379
 is with

00:13:31.379 --> 00:13:31.679
 you,

00:13:32.340 --> 00:13:32.779
 O mighty

00:13:32.779 --> 00:13:34.039
 man of

00:13:34.039 --> 00:13:34.399
 valor.

00:13:36.459 --> 00:13:37.100
 But God

00:13:37.100 --> 00:13:37.779
 calls Gideon,

00:13:37.860 --> 00:13:38.639
 this unlikely

00:13:38.639 --> 00:13:39.159
 hero,

00:13:39.299 --> 00:13:40.720
 to be Israel's

00:13:40.720 --> 00:13:41.460
 deliverer.

00:13:42.379 --> 00:13:42.819
 Now when I

00:13:42.819 --> 00:13:43.620
 think of a

00:13:43.620 --> 00:13:43.980
 hero,

00:13:44.179 --> 00:13:45.980
 I think of

00:13:45.980 --> 00:13:48.200
 gladiators,

00:13:48.320 --> 00:13:49.120
 Russell Crowe,

00:13:49.460 --> 00:13:50.039
 a courageous

00:13:50.039 --> 00:13:51.019
 army general,

00:13:51.120 --> 00:13:51.600
 a born

00:13:51.600 --> 00:13:52.019
 leader,

00:13:52.639 --> 00:13:53.460
 thick beard.

00:13:54.100 --> 00:13:54.940
 At first glance,

00:13:55.500 --> 00:13:56.080
 Gideon appears to

00:13:56.080 --> 00:13:56.620
 be the exact

00:13:56.620 --> 00:13:57.179
 opposite.

00:13:58.259 --> 00:13:58.779
 He wasn't even

00:13:58.779 --> 00:13:59.320
 a soldier.

00:14:00.220 --> 00:14:00.820
 He was a

00:14:00.820 --> 00:14:01.139
 farmer.

00:14:02.000 --> 00:14:02.659
 The first mention

00:14:02.659 --> 00:14:03.200
 of him is him

00:14:03.200 --> 00:14:04.100
 hiding away from

00:14:04.100 --> 00:14:04.560
 the Midianites,

00:14:04.740 --> 00:14:05.379
 threshing wheat

00:14:05.379 --> 00:14:06.259
 in a wine

00:14:06.259 --> 00:14:06.639
 press.

00:14:08.159 --> 00:14:08.600
 And in verse

00:14:08.600 --> 00:14:09.180
 14,

00:14:09.180 --> 00:14:09.919
 when the angel

00:14:09.919 --> 00:14:10.360
 of the Lord

00:14:10.360 --> 00:14:11.360
 says to

00:14:11.360 --> 00:14:11.720
 Gideon,

00:14:12.720 --> 00:14:14.000
 save Israel

00:14:14.000 --> 00:14:14.759
 from the hand

00:14:14.759 --> 00:14:15.700
 of Midian,

00:14:15.800 --> 00:14:16.399
 do not I

00:14:16.399 --> 00:14:17.279
 send you,

00:14:17.480 --> 00:14:17.940
 what does

00:14:17.940 --> 00:14:18.659
 Gideon say?

00:14:20.039 --> 00:14:20.700
 He says,

00:14:20.759 --> 00:14:21.419
 how can I

00:14:21.419 --> 00:14:22.500
 save Israel?

00:14:23.180 --> 00:14:23.820
 My clan

00:14:23.820 --> 00:14:24.720
 is the

00:14:24.720 --> 00:14:26.060
 weakest

00:14:26.060 --> 00:14:27.360
 in Manasseh,

00:14:28.200 --> 00:14:28.800
 and I am the

00:14:28.800 --> 00:14:30.019
 least in my

00:14:30.019 --> 00:14:30.860
 father's house.

00:14:31.800 --> 00:14:32.759
 Not exactly

00:14:32.759 --> 00:14:33.320
 a courageous

00:14:33.320 --> 00:14:33.919
 response.

00:14:33.919 --> 00:14:37.059
 But perhaps,

00:14:37.339 --> 00:14:38.579
 worst of all,

00:14:39.659 --> 00:14:40.219
 Gideon was

00:14:40.219 --> 00:14:41.699
 ignorant of

00:14:41.699 --> 00:14:42.240
 the state of

00:14:42.240 --> 00:14:42.979
 Israel's heart

00:14:42.979 --> 00:14:44.039
 and his own

00:14:44.039 --> 00:14:44.379
 heart.

00:14:45.519 --> 00:14:46.379
 He says to

00:14:46.379 --> 00:14:46.879
 the angel of

00:14:46.879 --> 00:14:47.199
 the Lord,

00:14:48.120 --> 00:14:48.459
 if the Lord

00:14:48.459 --> 00:14:49.139
 is with us,

00:14:49.319 --> 00:14:50.299
 why then has

00:14:50.299 --> 00:14:50.659
 all this

00:14:50.659 --> 00:14:51.079
 happened to

00:14:51.079 --> 00:14:51.199
 us?

00:14:51.240 --> 00:14:51.699
 Why are we

00:14:51.699 --> 00:14:52.379
 being persecuted

00:14:52.379 --> 00:14:53.179
 if God is

00:14:53.179 --> 00:14:53.719
 with us?

00:14:54.360 --> 00:14:54.779
 Not when a

00:14:54.779 --> 00:14:55.319
 bank robber

00:14:55.319 --> 00:14:56.120
 robs a bank,

00:14:56.419 --> 00:14:56.839
 gets caught

00:14:56.839 --> 00:14:57.719
 red-handed,

00:14:58.719 --> 00:14:59.339
 perpetrating the

00:14:59.339 --> 00:14:59.719
 crime.

00:15:00.439 --> 00:15:01.179
 When the police

00:15:01.179 --> 00:15:01.799
 come to arrest

00:15:01.799 --> 00:15:02.559
 him, he doesn't

00:15:02.559 --> 00:15:03.099
 say, why are you

00:15:03.099 --> 00:15:03.679
 arresting me?

00:15:04.500 --> 00:15:04.899
 He's caught

00:15:04.899 --> 00:15:05.439
 red-handed.

00:15:06.719 --> 00:15:07.219
 But look at

00:15:07.219 --> 00:15:07.639
 Gideon.

00:15:08.159 --> 00:15:08.699
 There are two

00:15:08.699 --> 00:15:09.599
 idols in his

00:15:09.599 --> 00:15:10.139
 backyard.

00:15:11.379 --> 00:15:11.799
 He doesn't even

00:15:11.799 --> 00:15:12.479
 realize his own

00:15:12.479 --> 00:15:13.219
 idolatry and

00:15:13.219 --> 00:15:13.539
 sin.

00:15:16.019 --> 00:15:17.259
 But yet, in

00:15:17.259 --> 00:15:18.079
 spite of Gideon's

00:15:18.079 --> 00:15:19.439
 fear, his

00:15:19.439 --> 00:15:20.639
 weakness, and

00:15:20.639 --> 00:15:22.120
 ignorance, God

00:15:22.120 --> 00:15:23.419
 in his mercy and

00:15:23.419 --> 00:15:24.219
 in his grace

00:15:24.219 --> 00:15:25.399
 chooses this

00:15:25.399 --> 00:15:27.120
 unlikely man to

00:15:27.120 --> 00:15:27.959
 deliver Israel

00:15:27.959 --> 00:15:28.839
 from her

00:15:28.839 --> 00:15:29.219
 oppression.

00:15:30.959 --> 00:15:31.839
 But God

00:15:31.839 --> 00:15:32.319
 doesn't just

00:15:32.319 --> 00:15:32.939
 give Gideon

00:15:32.940 --> 00:15:34.200
 verbal instructions

00:15:34.200 --> 00:15:34.720
 and then

00:15:34.720 --> 00:15:35.380
 expects him

00:15:35.380 --> 00:15:35.940
 to follow

00:15:35.940 --> 00:15:36.420
 blindly.

00:15:38.780 --> 00:15:39.540
 In verse 17,

00:15:39.680 --> 00:15:40.220
 Gideon asks

00:15:40.220 --> 00:15:41.020
 God for a

00:15:41.020 --> 00:15:41.920
 sign to

00:15:41.920 --> 00:15:42.300
 know if he

00:15:42.300 --> 00:15:42.720
 is a true

00:15:42.720 --> 00:15:44.360
 God, Yahweh,

00:15:44.620 --> 00:15:44.900
 that he's

00:15:44.900 --> 00:15:45.420
 talking to.

00:15:46.640 --> 00:15:47.020
 But Gideon

00:15:47.020 --> 00:15:47.600
 prepares the

00:15:47.600 --> 00:15:48.300
 sacrifice of

00:15:48.300 --> 00:15:49.580
 meat, bread,

00:15:50.000 --> 00:15:50.600
 and broth,

00:15:51.600 --> 00:15:52.480
 brings them

00:15:52.480 --> 00:15:52.860
 under the

00:15:52.860 --> 00:15:53.320
 terebinth,

00:15:53.360 --> 00:15:53.680
 under the

00:15:53.680 --> 00:15:54.580
 tree, places

00:15:54.580 --> 00:15:55.780
 them on a

00:15:55.780 --> 00:15:56.580
 rock, and

00:15:56.580 --> 00:15:57.360
 the angel of

00:15:57.360 --> 00:15:57.700
 the Lord

00:15:57.700 --> 00:15:58.700
 touches the

00:15:58.700 --> 00:15:59.200
 offering with

00:15:59.200 --> 00:16:00.100
 the tip of

00:16:00.100 --> 00:16:00.580
 his staff.

00:16:00.580 --> 00:16:01.840
 fire burns

00:16:01.840 --> 00:16:02.320
 up from the

00:16:02.320 --> 00:16:03.080
 rock, consuming

00:16:03.080 --> 00:16:04.080
 the offering,

00:16:04.580 --> 00:16:05.040
 and the angel

00:16:05.040 --> 00:16:05.360
 of the Lord

00:16:05.360 --> 00:16:06.300
 disappears,

00:16:07.020 --> 00:16:07.379
 vanishes,

00:16:07.800 --> 00:16:08.259
 showing his

00:16:08.259 --> 00:16:09.360
 power and

00:16:09.360 --> 00:16:10.560
 true self as

00:16:10.560 --> 00:16:10.759
 who?

00:16:11.520 --> 00:16:12.120
 The almighty

00:16:12.120 --> 00:16:13.759
 God of the

00:16:13.759 --> 00:16:14.200
 universe.

00:16:14.759 --> 00:16:16.320
 God was

00:16:16.320 --> 00:16:16.800
 right there.

00:16:17.259 --> 00:16:17.620
 God had

00:16:17.620 --> 00:16:18.600
 revealed a

00:16:18.600 --> 00:16:19.740
 very, a

00:16:19.740 --> 00:16:20.220
 part of his

00:16:20.220 --> 00:16:21.020
 very nature

00:16:21.020 --> 00:16:22.600
 to Gideon.

00:16:22.600 --> 00:16:25.120
 And this

00:16:25.120 --> 00:16:25.779
 marker, this

00:16:25.779 --> 00:16:26.659
 catalyst, would

00:16:26.659 --> 00:16:27.120
 serve as a

00:16:27.120 --> 00:16:28.420
 very important

00:16:28.420 --> 00:16:29.139
 turning point

00:16:29.139 --> 00:16:30.659
 in Gideon's

00:16:30.659 --> 00:16:31.100
 life.

00:16:32.500 --> 00:16:33.139
 Before this

00:16:33.139 --> 00:16:33.639
 point, he

00:16:33.639 --> 00:16:34.740
 was a fearful

00:16:34.740 --> 00:16:35.360
 farmer,

00:16:36.159 --> 00:16:36.879
 threshing wheat

00:16:36.879 --> 00:16:37.700
 in a wine

00:16:37.700 --> 00:16:38.340
 press, hiding

00:16:38.340 --> 00:16:38.779
 away.

00:16:39.279 --> 00:16:40.139
 After seeing a

00:16:40.139 --> 00:16:41.080
 glimpse of the

00:16:41.080 --> 00:16:41.920
 glory of God

00:16:41.920 --> 00:16:42.500
 through the

00:16:42.500 --> 00:16:43.800
 fire, Gideon

00:16:43.800 --> 00:16:44.600
 worships God,

00:16:45.600 --> 00:16:46.379
 and then he

00:16:46.379 --> 00:16:47.220
 does two things

00:16:47.220 --> 00:16:47.840
 he never thought

00:16:47.840 --> 00:16:48.340
 he would do.

00:16:48.340 --> 00:16:53.000
 First, he

00:16:53.000 --> 00:16:53.780
 cuts down the

00:16:53.780 --> 00:16:54.600
 altar of Baal

00:16:54.600 --> 00:16:55.540
 and the

00:16:55.540 --> 00:16:56.220
 Asherah pole,

00:16:57.320 --> 00:16:58.240
 both of which

00:16:58.240 --> 00:16:58.639
 were in his

00:16:58.639 --> 00:16:59.420
 father's house.

00:16:59.759 --> 00:17:00.180
 So he came

00:17:00.180 --> 00:17:00.980
 directly against

00:17:00.980 --> 00:17:02.460
 his father and

00:17:02.460 --> 00:17:03.100
 against the men

00:17:03.100 --> 00:17:04.100
 of the town who

00:17:04.100 --> 00:17:04.640
 wanted to kill

00:17:04.640 --> 00:17:05.220
 him for doing

00:17:05.220 --> 00:17:05.519
 so.

00:17:07.400 --> 00:17:08.779
 Second, he

00:17:08.779 --> 00:17:09.620
 sacrifices his

00:17:09.620 --> 00:17:10.660
 father's prize

00:17:10.660 --> 00:17:11.019
 bull.

00:17:11.940 --> 00:17:12.400
 And remember,

00:17:13.600 --> 00:17:14.220
 the Midianites

00:17:14.220 --> 00:17:15.100
 were oppressing

00:17:15.100 --> 00:17:16.059
 Israel by killing

00:17:16.059 --> 00:17:16.980
 off their livestock.

00:17:17.519 --> 00:17:17.880
 So you can

00:17:17.880 --> 00:17:18.319
 imagine,

00:17:18.339 --> 00:17:19.519
 a prize bull

00:17:19.519 --> 00:17:20.099
 would have been

00:17:20.099 --> 00:17:21.059
 a scarce

00:17:21.059 --> 00:17:21.899
 resource at

00:17:21.899 --> 00:17:22.379
 that time.

00:17:23.599 --> 00:17:24.439
 But in this

00:17:24.439 --> 00:17:25.539
 way, God

00:17:25.539 --> 00:17:26.000
 was telling

00:17:26.000 --> 00:17:26.480
 Gideon,

00:17:27.720 --> 00:17:28.059
 I know you

00:17:28.059 --> 00:17:28.519
 don't have many

00:17:28.519 --> 00:17:29.220
 bulls left.

00:17:30.220 --> 00:17:30.500
 Bulls are

00:17:30.500 --> 00:17:31.059
 becoming very

00:17:31.059 --> 00:17:32.039
 scarce, but

00:17:32.039 --> 00:17:33.199
 sacrifice this

00:17:33.199 --> 00:17:33.959
 one for me.

00:17:34.519 --> 00:17:35.399
 You can trust

00:17:35.399 --> 00:17:35.699
 me.

00:17:36.740 --> 00:17:37.459
 When you are

00:17:37.459 --> 00:17:39.299
 insufficient, I

00:17:39.299 --> 00:17:39.879
 am more than

00:17:39.879 --> 00:17:40.359
 sufficient.

00:17:44.500 --> 00:17:45.279
 So what's the

00:17:45.279 --> 00:17:45.799
 best way to

00:17:45.799 --> 00:17:46.419
 build courage

00:17:46.419 --> 00:17:47.459
 as a Christian?

00:17:47.460 --> 00:17:49.380
 desire God.

00:17:50.600 --> 00:17:51.299
 Desire to see

00:17:51.299 --> 00:17:52.039
 his face.

00:17:52.600 --> 00:17:52.960
 Desire to

00:17:52.960 --> 00:17:53.259
 know him

00:17:53.259 --> 00:17:54.660
 better and

00:17:54.660 --> 00:17:55.940
 better and

00:17:55.940 --> 00:17:57.039
 better and

00:17:57.039 --> 00:17:57.400
 better.

00:17:58.299 --> 00:17:59.140
 Pray for this

00:17:59.140 --> 00:17:59.600
 to happen in

00:17:59.600 --> 00:18:00.059
 your life.

00:18:01.640 --> 00:18:02.079
 Even God

00:18:02.079 --> 00:18:02.680
 calls us.

00:18:03.100 --> 00:18:03.559
 He doesn't

00:18:03.559 --> 00:18:04.400
 just expect us

00:18:04.400 --> 00:18:04.779
 to follow

00:18:04.779 --> 00:18:05.400
 blindly.

00:18:06.440 --> 00:18:07.220
 He reveals

00:18:07.220 --> 00:18:08.180
 his glory to

00:18:08.180 --> 00:18:09.240
 us through the

00:18:09.240 --> 00:18:09.819
 Holy Spirit,

00:18:10.640 --> 00:18:11.240
 through his

00:18:11.240 --> 00:18:11.640
 word,

00:18:12.480 --> 00:18:12.700
 through the

00:18:12.700 --> 00:18:13.840
 many men and

00:18:13.840 --> 00:18:14.340
 women that he

00:18:14.340 --> 00:18:15.039
 puts in our

00:18:15.039 --> 00:18:15.440
 lives.

00:18:15.440 --> 00:18:15.580
 God.

00:18:18.580 --> 00:18:19.160
 But Gideon

00:18:19.160 --> 00:18:19.980
 still struggled

00:18:19.980 --> 00:18:21.340
 with fully

00:18:21.340 --> 00:18:22.100
 trusting God,

00:18:22.720 --> 00:18:23.180
 didn't he?

00:18:24.820 --> 00:18:25.779
 Verse 36,

00:18:26.620 --> 00:18:27.259
 after God

00:18:27.259 --> 00:18:27.900
 had revealed

00:18:27.900 --> 00:18:30.160
 himself to

00:18:30.160 --> 00:18:30.500
 Gideon,

00:18:31.500 --> 00:18:32.180
 Gideon asks

00:18:32.180 --> 00:18:32.700
 for yet

00:18:32.700 --> 00:18:33.759
 another sign.

00:18:34.900 --> 00:18:35.720
 He says to

00:18:35.720 --> 00:18:35.940
 God,

00:18:35.940 --> 00:18:37.120
 if you indeed

00:18:37.120 --> 00:18:37.860
 will help me

00:18:37.860 --> 00:18:39.019
 save Israel,

00:18:39.799 --> 00:18:40.320
 well, I need

00:18:40.320 --> 00:18:41.019
 further proof

00:18:41.019 --> 00:18:41.860
 that you're

00:18:41.860 --> 00:18:42.200
 sovereign.

00:18:42.200 --> 00:18:44.160
 He lays

00:18:44.160 --> 00:18:44.600
 his wool

00:18:44.600 --> 00:18:45.140
 fleece on

00:18:45.140 --> 00:18:45.580
 the threshing

00:18:45.580 --> 00:18:45.960
 floor.

00:18:46.779 --> 00:18:47.220
 He says to

00:18:47.220 --> 00:18:47.420
 God,

00:18:47.519 --> 00:18:48.380
 well, if

00:18:48.380 --> 00:18:48.819
 there's dew

00:18:48.819 --> 00:18:49.140
 on the

00:18:49.140 --> 00:18:49.539
 fleece in

00:18:49.539 --> 00:18:49.920
 the morning

00:18:49.920 --> 00:18:50.420
 but the

00:18:50.420 --> 00:18:51.440
 ground around

00:18:51.440 --> 00:18:51.980
 the fleece

00:18:51.980 --> 00:18:52.460
 is dry,

00:18:52.580 --> 00:18:53.279
 then, well,

00:18:53.299 --> 00:18:53.539
 I know

00:18:53.539 --> 00:18:53.920
 you're with

00:18:53.920 --> 00:18:54.180
 me.

00:18:55.900 --> 00:18:56.480
 And it

00:18:56.480 --> 00:18:56.980
 was so.

00:18:58.460 --> 00:18:59.240
 But apparently

00:18:59.240 --> 00:18:59.680
 that wasn't

00:18:59.680 --> 00:19:00.180
 enough for

00:19:00.180 --> 00:19:00.460
 Gideon.

00:19:00.779 --> 00:19:01.319
 He tests

00:19:01.319 --> 00:19:02.380
 God yet

00:19:02.380 --> 00:19:02.740
 again.

00:19:03.519 --> 00:19:04.039
 This time

00:19:04.039 --> 00:19:04.420
 he says

00:19:04.420 --> 00:19:05.360
 to God,

00:19:06.400 --> 00:19:06.779
 this time

00:19:06.779 --> 00:19:07.220
 he asks

00:19:07.220 --> 00:19:07.580
 for the

00:19:07.580 --> 00:19:07.920
 fleece to

00:19:07.920 --> 00:19:08.440
 be dry

00:19:08.440 --> 00:19:09.700
 and the

00:19:09.700 --> 00:19:10.140
 ground to

00:19:10.140 --> 00:19:10.580
 be wet

00:19:10.579 --> 00:19:11.379
 around the

00:19:11.379 --> 00:19:11.799
 fleece.

00:19:12.159 --> 00:19:13.319
 And God

00:19:13.319 --> 00:19:13.779
 indulges

00:19:13.779 --> 00:19:14.279
 Gideon yet

00:19:14.279 --> 00:19:14.599
 again.

00:19:15.599 --> 00:19:16.059
 What is

00:19:16.059 --> 00:19:16.439
 going on

00:19:16.439 --> 00:19:16.659
 here?

00:19:20.659 --> 00:19:21.299
 Although

00:19:21.299 --> 00:19:22.519
 Gideon saw

00:19:22.519 --> 00:19:24.039
 God in

00:19:24.039 --> 00:19:24.500
 the fire,

00:19:25.579 --> 00:19:26.159
 although God

00:19:26.159 --> 00:19:26.579
 had spoken

00:19:26.579 --> 00:19:27.879
 directly to

00:19:27.879 --> 00:19:28.279
 Gideon,

00:19:29.500 --> 00:19:29.980
 Gideon was

00:19:29.980 --> 00:19:30.859
 just a frail

00:19:30.859 --> 00:19:31.879
 human being

00:19:31.879 --> 00:19:32.759
 like you

00:19:32.759 --> 00:19:33.500
 and I.

00:19:34.220 --> 00:19:34.480
 And he

00:19:34.480 --> 00:19:35.220
 still wrestled

00:19:35.220 --> 00:19:36.639
 with fear

00:19:36.639 --> 00:19:37.879
 and with

00:19:37.879 --> 00:19:38.199
 doubt.

00:19:39.279 --> 00:19:39.879
 And that

00:19:39.879 --> 00:19:40.359
 is okay.

00:19:40.579 --> 00:19:41.899
 Because

00:19:41.899 --> 00:19:42.220
 although

00:19:42.220 --> 00:19:43.099
 God is

00:19:43.099 --> 00:19:44.480
 sovereign,

00:19:45.299 --> 00:19:46.159
 all-powerful,

00:19:46.559 --> 00:19:47.480
 he's also

00:19:47.480 --> 00:19:48.099
 incredibly

00:19:48.099 --> 00:19:49.799
 patient and

00:19:49.799 --> 00:19:50.460
 long-suffering.

00:19:52.619 --> 00:19:53.439
 Now get

00:19:53.439 --> 00:19:53.799
 this.

00:19:55.039 --> 00:19:55.500
 It's not

00:19:55.500 --> 00:19:56.059
 in spite

00:19:56.059 --> 00:19:56.740
 of Gideon's

00:19:56.740 --> 00:19:57.039
 weakness

00:19:57.039 --> 00:19:58.659
 that God

00:19:58.659 --> 00:19:59.199
 uses him.

00:19:59.859 --> 00:20:00.659
 It's not

00:20:00.659 --> 00:20:01.299
 in spite

00:20:01.299 --> 00:20:02.179
 of Gideon's

00:20:02.179 --> 00:20:02.439
 weakness.

00:20:02.699 --> 00:20:03.259
 It's actually

00:20:03.259 --> 00:20:04.720
 because of

00:20:04.720 --> 00:20:05.039
 Gideon's

00:20:05.039 --> 00:20:05.299
 weakness

00:20:05.299 --> 00:20:06.199
 that God

00:20:06.199 --> 00:20:06.699
 uses him.

00:20:07.059 --> 00:20:07.339
 It was

00:20:07.339 --> 00:20:08.379
 because of

00:20:08.379 --> 00:20:08.679
 Gideon's

00:20:08.679 --> 00:20:08.919
 weakness

00:20:08.920 --> 00:20:09.539
 that God's

00:20:09.539 --> 00:20:10.539
 power and

00:20:10.539 --> 00:20:11.100
 glory will

00:20:11.100 --> 00:20:11.460
 be made

00:20:11.460 --> 00:20:11.960
 known to

00:20:11.960 --> 00:20:12.640
 Israel and

00:20:12.640 --> 00:20:12.920
 to the

00:20:12.920 --> 00:20:13.860
 world in

00:20:13.860 --> 00:20:14.279
 the battle

00:20:14.279 --> 00:20:14.660
 against the

00:20:14.660 --> 00:20:15.140
 Midianites.

00:20:16.800 --> 00:20:17.080
 See,

00:20:18.039 --> 00:20:18.460
 in the

00:20:18.460 --> 00:20:19.300
 upside-down

00:20:19.300 --> 00:20:20.600
 counterintuitive

00:20:20.600 --> 00:20:21.279
 nature of

00:20:21.279 --> 00:20:22.060
 the gospel of

00:20:22.060 --> 00:20:22.640
 our Lord

00:20:22.640 --> 00:20:23.400
 Jesus Christ,

00:20:23.600 --> 00:20:24.240
 it is not

00:20:24.240 --> 00:20:24.900
 those who are

00:20:24.900 --> 00:20:25.800
 self-reliant,

00:20:26.240 --> 00:20:27.200
 self-righteous,

00:20:27.259 --> 00:20:28.240
 like the Pharisees

00:20:28.240 --> 00:20:28.900
 who are the

00:20:28.900 --> 00:20:29.360
 sons and

00:20:29.360 --> 00:20:29.840
 daughters of

00:20:29.840 --> 00:20:30.600
 Almighty God.

00:20:30.820 --> 00:20:31.100
 No.

00:20:31.759 --> 00:20:32.180
 It is the

00:20:32.180 --> 00:20:33.320
 broken man

00:20:33.320 --> 00:20:33.800
 and woman,

00:20:33.880 --> 00:20:34.800
 the childlike,

00:20:34.940 --> 00:20:35.400
 the humble,

00:20:35.500 --> 00:20:35.800
 who says,

00:20:35.799 --> 00:20:36.099
 God,

00:20:36.279 --> 00:20:37.099
 I come to

00:20:37.099 --> 00:20:38.659
 you in

00:20:38.659 --> 00:20:39.339
 my weakness

00:20:39.339 --> 00:20:40.440
 with nothing,

00:20:41.240 --> 00:20:41.940
 but in

00:20:41.940 --> 00:20:43.799
 you I

00:20:43.799 --> 00:20:43.940
 have

00:20:43.940 --> 00:20:44.440
 everything.

00:20:48.639 --> 00:20:49.220
 Third

00:20:49.220 --> 00:20:49.599
 takeaway.

00:20:50.399 --> 00:20:51.079
 How are we

00:20:51.079 --> 00:20:51.339
 doing so

00:20:51.339 --> 00:20:51.519
 far?

00:20:51.579 --> 00:20:51.680
 Are we

00:20:51.680 --> 00:20:51.839
 good?

00:20:53.319 --> 00:20:53.919
 Ed's still

00:20:53.919 --> 00:20:54.079
 good.

00:20:54.259 --> 00:20:54.379
 Okay,

00:20:54.440 --> 00:20:54.619
 great.

00:20:56.039 --> 00:20:56.619
 Third

00:20:56.619 --> 00:20:56.960
 takeaway,

00:20:57.419 --> 00:20:57.819
 God's

00:20:57.819 --> 00:20:59.639
 victory in

00:20:59.639 --> 00:21:00.700
 our weakness.

00:21:03.720 --> 00:21:03.960
 And so

00:21:03.960 --> 00:21:04.319
 Gideon,

00:21:04.480 --> 00:21:05.139
 with increase

00:21:05.140 --> 00:21:05.700
 but still

00:21:05.700 --> 00:21:06.680
 questionable

00:21:06.680 --> 00:21:07.200
 faith,

00:21:07.740 --> 00:21:08.259
 rallies his

00:21:08.259 --> 00:21:08.860
 troops from

00:21:08.860 --> 00:21:09.520
 other tribes

00:21:09.520 --> 00:21:10.000
 of Israel

00:21:10.000 --> 00:21:10.480
 and readies

00:21:10.480 --> 00:21:11.000
 his men

00:21:11.000 --> 00:21:12.300
 to attack

00:21:12.300 --> 00:21:13.040
 the Midianites.

00:21:14.520 --> 00:21:15.080
 You can

00:21:15.080 --> 00:21:16.040
 imagine Gideon

00:21:16.040 --> 00:21:16.500
 getting his

00:21:16.500 --> 00:21:18.120
 32,000 men

00:21:18.120 --> 00:21:18.480
 ready,

00:21:18.620 --> 00:21:18.920
 sharpening

00:21:18.920 --> 00:21:19.600
 their swords.

00:21:20.140 --> 00:21:20.420
 Maybe he

00:21:20.420 --> 00:21:20.759
 gave them

00:21:20.759 --> 00:21:21.400
 a Mel Gibson

00:21:21.400 --> 00:21:22.259
 Braveheart-like

00:21:22.259 --> 00:21:22.900
 pep talk.

00:21:24.100 --> 00:21:24.440
 But then the

00:21:24.440 --> 00:21:25.480
 Lord says to

00:21:25.480 --> 00:21:25.900
 Gideon in

00:21:25.900 --> 00:21:26.440
 chapter 7

00:21:26.440 --> 00:21:26.960
 verse 2,

00:21:28.220 --> 00:21:28.740
 the people,

00:21:29.120 --> 00:21:30.300
 the people

00:21:30.300 --> 00:21:30.700
 with you

00:21:30.700 --> 00:21:31.560
 are too many

00:21:31.560 --> 00:21:32.340
 for me to

00:21:32.340 --> 00:21:32.700
 give the

00:21:32.700 --> 00:21:33.280
 Midianites

00:21:33.280 --> 00:21:34.240
 into their

00:21:34.240 --> 00:21:34.800
 hand.

00:21:35.140 --> 00:21:35.620
 Lest

00:21:35.620 --> 00:21:36.080
 Israel

00:21:36.080 --> 00:21:36.600
 boast

00:21:36.600 --> 00:21:37.180
 over me

00:21:37.180 --> 00:21:37.500
 saying,

00:21:38.080 --> 00:21:38.440
 my own

00:21:38.440 --> 00:21:38.900
 hand

00:21:38.900 --> 00:21:39.460
 has saved

00:21:39.460 --> 00:21:39.759
 me.

00:21:41.300 --> 00:21:41.720
 But God

00:21:41.720 --> 00:21:42.120
 says,

00:21:42.660 --> 00:21:43.020
 if any

00:21:43.020 --> 00:21:43.680
 soldier is

00:21:43.680 --> 00:21:44.060
 fearful,

00:21:44.660 --> 00:21:45.160
 let him

00:21:45.160 --> 00:21:45.660
 go home.

00:21:46.600 --> 00:21:47.580
 22,000

00:21:47.580 --> 00:21:48.040
 soldiers

00:21:48.040 --> 00:21:48.480
 left

00:21:48.480 --> 00:21:49.300
 then and

00:21:49.300 --> 00:21:49.580
 there.

00:21:50.740 --> 00:21:50.980
 Gideon

00:21:50.980 --> 00:21:51.420
 lost close

00:21:51.420 --> 00:21:52.220
 to 70%

00:21:52.220 --> 00:21:53.000
 of his

00:21:53.000 --> 00:21:53.440
 men right

00:21:53.440 --> 00:21:53.759
 there.

00:21:55.660 --> 00:21:56.360
 Let's put

00:21:56.360 --> 00:21:56.980
 ourselves in

00:21:56.980 --> 00:21:57.380
 Gideon's

00:21:57.380 --> 00:21:57.960
 shoes for a

00:21:57.960 --> 00:21:58.180
 second.

00:21:59.100 --> 00:21:59.520
 Gideon,

00:21:59.600 --> 00:22:00.140
 the fearful

00:22:00.140 --> 00:22:00.860
 farmer who

00:22:00.860 --> 00:22:01.220
 we found

00:22:01.220 --> 00:22:03.220
 hiding away,

00:22:03.380 --> 00:22:03.700
 threshing

00:22:03.700 --> 00:22:04.680
 wheat in a

00:22:04.680 --> 00:22:05.220
 wine press,

00:22:06.039 --> 00:22:06.440
 he probably

00:22:06.440 --> 00:22:06.940
 thought that

00:22:06.940 --> 00:22:08.259
 32,000 men

00:22:08.259 --> 00:22:10.120
 versus 135,000

00:22:10.120 --> 00:22:10.740
 Midianites was

00:22:10.740 --> 00:22:12.279
 too difficult

00:22:12.279 --> 00:22:13.620
 at the start.

00:22:14.360 --> 00:22:15.340
 But now with

00:22:15.340 --> 00:22:16.820
 only 10,000 men

00:22:16.820 --> 00:22:17.920
 left, God

00:22:17.920 --> 00:22:19.100
 says there are

00:22:19.100 --> 00:22:20.180
 still too many.

00:22:21.200 --> 00:22:21.860
 Imagine what

00:22:21.860 --> 00:22:22.380
 Gideon must have

00:22:22.380 --> 00:22:22.720
 thought.

00:22:23.180 --> 00:22:24.080
 With only 10,000

00:22:24.080 --> 00:22:24.920
 men left, I'm

00:22:24.920 --> 00:22:26.160
 massively outnumbered.

00:22:26.519 --> 00:22:27.620
 I need more men,

00:22:27.680 --> 00:22:28.440
 not fewer men.

00:22:28.440 --> 00:22:31.120
 But God takes

00:22:31.120 --> 00:22:31.820
 Gideon and his

00:22:31.820 --> 00:22:32.660
 men down to the

00:22:32.660 --> 00:22:33.180
 water for a

00:22:33.180 --> 00:22:33.500
 drink.

00:22:34.220 --> 00:22:34.799
 He sifts

00:22:34.799 --> 00:22:35.759
 Gideon's men

00:22:35.759 --> 00:22:36.420
 yet again

00:22:36.420 --> 00:22:37.380
 and in the

00:22:37.380 --> 00:22:38.019
 process

00:22:38.019 --> 00:22:40.200
 and afterwards

00:22:40.200 --> 00:22:41.000
 only 300

00:22:41.000 --> 00:22:41.460
 men

00:22:41.460 --> 00:22:42.840
 remained.

00:22:44.000 --> 00:22:44.620
 Gideon lost

00:22:44.620 --> 00:22:45.779
 99%

00:22:45.779 --> 00:22:47.200
 of his men

00:22:47.200 --> 00:22:47.620
 before the

00:22:47.620 --> 00:22:48.620
 battle even

00:22:48.620 --> 00:22:49.039
 began.

00:22:50.420 --> 00:22:51.080
 He was

00:22:51.080 --> 00:22:51.660
 outnumbered

00:22:51.660 --> 00:22:52.860
 450 to

00:22:52.860 --> 00:22:53.120
 one.

00:22:53.880 --> 00:22:54.220
 His men

00:22:54.220 --> 00:22:54.600
 only had

00:22:54.600 --> 00:22:55.120
 trumpets

00:22:55.120 --> 00:22:56.360
 and candles.

00:22:56.359 --> 00:22:58.099
 One trumpet

00:22:58.099 --> 00:22:59.039
 to 450

00:22:59.039 --> 00:22:59.579
 swords.

00:23:00.259 --> 00:23:01.000
 Imagine that.

00:23:01.259 --> 00:23:02.019
 An impossible

00:23:02.019 --> 00:23:03.379
 victory.

00:23:05.619 --> 00:23:06.000
 Gideon must

00:23:06.000 --> 00:23:06.339
 have thought,

00:23:06.479 --> 00:23:07.719
 God, I am

00:23:07.719 --> 00:23:08.959
 completely relying

00:23:08.959 --> 00:23:09.740
 on you to win

00:23:09.740 --> 00:23:10.379
 this battle.

00:23:10.719 --> 00:23:11.119
 If you don't

00:23:11.119 --> 00:23:11.619
 come through

00:23:11.619 --> 00:23:13.939
 here, this

00:23:13.939 --> 00:23:14.399
 won't just be

00:23:14.399 --> 00:23:14.939
 an embarrassing

00:23:14.939 --> 00:23:15.599
 defeat.

00:23:16.279 --> 00:23:16.759
 My men

00:23:16.759 --> 00:23:18.179
 and I, we're

00:23:18.179 --> 00:23:19.079
 going to die.

00:23:22.039 --> 00:23:22.819
 But why does

00:23:22.819 --> 00:23:23.419
 God do this

00:23:23.419 --> 00:23:23.839
 to Gideon?

00:23:23.839 --> 00:23:26.519
 But why does

00:23:26.519 --> 00:23:26.959
 God do this

00:23:26.959 --> 00:23:27.379
 to us?

00:23:28.740 --> 00:23:29.379
 Why does

00:23:29.379 --> 00:23:29.799
 God put

00:23:29.799 --> 00:23:30.220
 seemingly

00:23:30.220 --> 00:23:31.220
 impossible

00:23:31.220 --> 00:23:31.939
 battles

00:23:31.939 --> 00:23:32.919
 in our

00:23:32.919 --> 00:23:33.339
 lives?

00:23:34.779 --> 00:23:35.720
 I would

00:23:35.720 --> 00:23:36.359
 argue two

00:23:36.359 --> 00:23:36.819
 reasons.

00:23:37.859 --> 00:23:38.299
 First,

00:23:39.299 --> 00:23:40.559
 this is the

00:23:40.559 --> 00:23:41.119
 normal Christian

00:23:41.119 --> 00:23:41.519
 life.

00:23:42.659 --> 00:23:43.659
 In the book

00:23:43.659 --> 00:23:44.279
 of Habakkuk,

00:23:44.599 --> 00:23:45.419
 God tells

00:23:45.419 --> 00:23:46.480
 the prophet

00:23:46.480 --> 00:23:47.000
 Habakkuk,

00:23:47.519 --> 00:23:47.939
 the righteous

00:23:47.939 --> 00:23:48.799
 shall live

00:23:48.799 --> 00:23:49.720
 by faith.

00:23:50.179 --> 00:23:50.699
 The righteous

00:23:50.699 --> 00:23:51.519
 shall live

00:23:51.519 --> 00:23:52.740
 by faith.

00:23:52.740 --> 00:23:52.779
 faith.

00:23:54.059 --> 00:23:54.359
 I think

00:23:54.359 --> 00:23:54.980
 most Christians

00:23:54.980 --> 00:23:55.980
 know that it

00:23:55.980 --> 00:23:56.640
 is by faith

00:23:56.640 --> 00:23:57.059
 and not by

00:23:57.059 --> 00:23:57.960
 works that we

00:23:57.960 --> 00:23:59.099
 initially come

00:23:59.099 --> 00:23:59.779
 to receive Jesus

00:23:59.779 --> 00:24:00.960
 Christ as our

00:24:00.960 --> 00:24:01.559
 Lord and Savior.

00:24:02.960 --> 00:24:03.579
 But we also

00:24:03.579 --> 00:24:04.160
 need to exercise

00:24:04.160 --> 00:24:05.599
 faith along our

00:24:05.599 --> 00:24:07.019
 entire journey

00:24:07.019 --> 00:24:07.579
 as Christ

00:24:07.579 --> 00:24:08.000
 followers.

00:24:09.099 --> 00:24:09.920
 We don't just

00:24:09.920 --> 00:24:10.720
 come to believe

00:24:10.720 --> 00:24:11.779
 in Christ and

00:24:11.779 --> 00:24:12.440
 then our entire

00:24:12.440 --> 00:24:13.599
 lives consist of

00:24:13.599 --> 00:24:14.319
 strawberries and

00:24:14.319 --> 00:24:14.980
 cream where we're

00:24:14.980 --> 00:24:16.400
 just relying on

00:24:16.400 --> 00:24:16.960
 ourselves.

00:24:18.099 --> 00:24:18.980
 We have to

00:24:18.980 --> 00:24:19.680
 learn to lean

00:24:19.680 --> 00:24:20.819
 on God in

00:24:20.819 --> 00:24:21.819
 every single

00:24:21.819 --> 00:24:23.159
 aspect of

00:24:23.159 --> 00:24:23.799
 our lives.

00:24:24.579 --> 00:24:25.000
 That is why

00:24:25.000 --> 00:24:25.859
 Paul says to

00:24:25.859 --> 00:24:27.220
 pray unceasingly

00:24:27.220 --> 00:24:27.720
 because if we

00:24:27.720 --> 00:24:28.619
 really do so,

00:24:29.539 --> 00:24:30.139
 it means that

00:24:30.139 --> 00:24:31.079
 we are relying

00:24:31.079 --> 00:24:32.500
 on God for

00:24:32.500 --> 00:24:32.899
 everything.

00:24:34.419 --> 00:24:35.179
 And this leads

00:24:35.179 --> 00:24:35.559
 me to point

00:24:35.559 --> 00:24:36.039
 number two.

00:24:37.359 --> 00:24:37.980
 Point number

00:24:37.980 --> 00:24:39.399
 two is because

00:24:39.399 --> 00:24:40.339
 God is merciful.

00:24:41.500 --> 00:24:42.220
 Now this may

00:24:42.220 --> 00:24:42.859
 sound strange,

00:24:42.919 --> 00:24:43.099
 right?

00:24:43.099 --> 00:24:44.419
 How does

00:24:44.419 --> 00:24:45.039
 allowing us to

00:24:45.039 --> 00:24:45.599
 struggle show

00:24:45.599 --> 00:24:46.240
 God's mercy?

00:24:46.240 --> 00:24:48.359
 But if we

00:24:48.359 --> 00:24:49.279
 truly understand

00:24:49.279 --> 00:24:49.920
 our own

00:24:49.920 --> 00:24:50.759
 heart condition,

00:24:51.559 --> 00:24:53.299
 we realize

00:24:53.299 --> 00:24:54.180
 we really

00:24:54.180 --> 00:24:54.900
 don't like

00:24:54.900 --> 00:24:55.420
 having

00:24:55.420 --> 00:24:56.559
 lean on

00:24:56.559 --> 00:24:56.839
 God,

00:24:56.920 --> 00:24:57.259
 do we?

00:24:58.620 --> 00:24:59.240
 But the

00:24:59.240 --> 00:24:59.680
 longer we

00:24:59.680 --> 00:25:00.120
 go on

00:25:00.120 --> 00:25:00.700
 believing in

00:25:00.700 --> 00:25:01.079
 our own

00:25:01.079 --> 00:25:01.920
 self-sufficiency,

00:25:02.460 --> 00:25:03.240
 the more

00:25:03.240 --> 00:25:03.960
 removed we

00:25:03.960 --> 00:25:04.380
 are from

00:25:04.380 --> 00:25:05.259
 trusting God.

00:25:06.059 --> 00:25:06.599
 Our idols

00:25:06.599 --> 00:25:07.900
 become giants

00:25:07.900 --> 00:25:08.359
 in all that

00:25:08.359 --> 00:25:08.980
 we care about.

00:25:09.140 --> 00:25:09.660
 God becomes

00:25:09.660 --> 00:25:10.819
 very small

00:25:10.819 --> 00:25:11.660
 and we lose

00:25:11.660 --> 00:25:12.980
 our understanding

00:25:12.980 --> 00:25:13.599
 of God.

00:25:13.759 --> 00:25:14.180
 We lose

00:25:14.180 --> 00:25:15.140
 sight of the

00:25:15.140 --> 00:25:15.740
 very nature

00:25:15.740 --> 00:25:16.240
 of God

00:25:16.240 --> 00:25:17.060
 as sovereign,

00:25:18.380 --> 00:25:18.840
 majestic,

00:25:19.840 --> 00:25:20.320
 powerful.

00:25:21.780 --> 00:25:22.020
 And so

00:25:22.020 --> 00:25:22.540
 God in

00:25:22.540 --> 00:25:23.180
 his mercy

00:25:23.180 --> 00:25:23.720
 sometimes

00:25:23.720 --> 00:25:24.600
 puts these

00:25:24.600 --> 00:25:25.160
 impossible,

00:25:25.880 --> 00:25:26.620
 difficult battles

00:25:26.620 --> 00:25:27.520
 in front of

00:25:27.520 --> 00:25:27.700
 us.

00:25:27.720 --> 00:25:28.040
 So we

00:25:28.040 --> 00:25:29.060
 wake up

00:25:29.060 --> 00:25:29.800
 and realize

00:25:29.800 --> 00:25:31.320
 that we're

00:25:31.320 --> 00:25:31.840
 reminded of

00:25:31.840 --> 00:25:32.520
 who he is

00:25:32.520 --> 00:25:33.759
 and that

00:25:33.759 --> 00:25:34.160
 he is in

00:25:34.160 --> 00:25:34.540
 control.

00:25:37.720 --> 00:25:38.480
 I've always

00:25:38.480 --> 00:25:39.960
 loved being

00:25:39.960 --> 00:25:40.480
 in control.

00:25:41.580 --> 00:25:42.020
 But for me

00:25:42.020 --> 00:25:42.440
 personally,

00:25:42.540 --> 00:25:43.000
 I feel like

00:25:43.000 --> 00:25:45.120
 my life over

00:25:45.119 --> 00:25:45.459
 these past

00:25:45.459 --> 00:25:45.959
 six months

00:25:45.959 --> 00:25:46.239
 has been

00:25:46.239 --> 00:25:46.619
 more out

00:25:46.619 --> 00:25:47.000
 of control

00:25:47.000 --> 00:25:47.299
 than it's

00:25:47.299 --> 00:25:47.719
 ever been.

00:25:49.219 --> 00:25:49.779
 I left

00:25:49.779 --> 00:25:50.579
 my previous

00:25:50.579 --> 00:25:51.119
 job a few

00:25:51.119 --> 00:25:51.579
 months ago

00:25:51.579 --> 00:25:52.879
 and I'm

00:25:52.879 --> 00:25:53.199
 starting a

00:25:53.199 --> 00:25:53.579
 new job.

00:25:55.059 --> 00:25:55.439
 Actually,

00:25:55.479 --> 00:25:55.739
 I'm not even

00:25:55.739 --> 00:25:56.079
 sure when

00:25:56.079 --> 00:25:56.299
 the new

00:25:56.299 --> 00:25:56.579
 job is going

00:25:56.579 --> 00:25:56.879
 to start.

00:25:57.199 --> 00:25:57.539
 That's how

00:25:57.539 --> 00:25:57.939
 uncertain it

00:25:57.939 --> 00:25:58.159
 is.

00:26:00.379 --> 00:26:00.939
 My wife

00:26:00.939 --> 00:26:01.319
 Celeste and

00:26:01.319 --> 00:26:01.679
 I are having

00:26:01.679 --> 00:26:02.099
 twins,

00:26:02.219 --> 00:26:02.559
 which we're

00:26:02.559 --> 00:26:03.139
 very excited

00:26:03.139 --> 00:26:03.419
 about.

00:26:03.559 --> 00:26:04.599
 But twins,

00:26:05.079 --> 00:26:06.059
 that's

00:26:06.059 --> 00:26:06.419
 uncertain,

00:26:06.519 --> 00:26:06.719
 right?

00:26:06.719 --> 00:26:06.779
 Right?

00:26:10.019 --> 00:26:10.699
 And finally,

00:26:10.879 --> 00:26:13.179
 just standing

00:26:13.179 --> 00:26:13.899
 up here in

00:26:13.900 --> 00:26:14.280
 front of you

00:26:14.280 --> 00:26:14.620
 all trying

00:26:14.620 --> 00:26:15.040
 to convey

00:26:15.040 --> 00:26:15.460
 God's

00:26:15.460 --> 00:26:15.720
 word.

00:26:16.320 --> 00:26:16.620
 If you

00:26:16.620 --> 00:26:16.960
 had asked

00:26:16.960 --> 00:26:17.700
 me a couple

00:26:17.700 --> 00:26:18.140
 years ago

00:26:18.140 --> 00:26:18.800
 if I could

00:26:18.800 --> 00:26:19.259
 do this,

00:26:19.340 --> 00:26:19.960
 I would have

00:26:19.960 --> 00:26:20.140
 said,

00:26:20.240 --> 00:26:20.720
 no way,

00:26:20.759 --> 00:26:20.920
 that's

00:26:20.920 --> 00:26:21.440
 impossible.

00:26:22.740 --> 00:26:23.240
 I could

00:26:23.240 --> 00:26:23.780
 barely speak

00:26:23.780 --> 00:26:24.140
 until I was

00:26:24.140 --> 00:26:24.560
 five years

00:26:24.560 --> 00:26:24.800
 old.

00:26:27.780 --> 00:26:28.240
 But you

00:26:28.240 --> 00:26:28.380
 know,

00:26:28.560 --> 00:26:29.600
 in the midst

00:26:29.600 --> 00:26:30.320
 of all that's

00:26:30.320 --> 00:26:30.620
 been going

00:26:30.620 --> 00:26:31.140
 on in my

00:26:31.140 --> 00:26:31.680
 life,

00:26:33.480 --> 00:26:34.820
 I've seen

00:26:34.820 --> 00:26:35.180
 my own

00:26:35.180 --> 00:26:35.660
 weakness,

00:26:36.380 --> 00:26:36.900
 how desperate

00:26:36.900 --> 00:26:37.300
 I need

00:26:37.300 --> 00:26:37.680
 God.

00:26:38.740 --> 00:26:38.960
 And you

00:26:38.960 --> 00:26:39.060
 know,

00:26:39.460 --> 00:26:40.340
 through this

00:26:40.339 --> 00:26:40.599
 all,

00:26:40.699 --> 00:26:41.079
 I've come

00:26:41.079 --> 00:26:41.419
 to see

00:26:41.419 --> 00:26:42.059
 God in

00:26:42.059 --> 00:26:42.359
 a new

00:26:42.359 --> 00:26:42.779
 way as

00:26:42.779 --> 00:26:44.779
 being more

00:26:44.779 --> 00:26:45.240
 wonderful,

00:26:45.579 --> 00:26:46.879
 more beautiful,

00:26:47.139 --> 00:26:48.099
 more faithful

00:26:48.099 --> 00:26:48.720
 than before.

00:26:49.579 --> 00:26:49.740
 And you

00:26:49.740 --> 00:26:49.819
 know,

00:26:49.899 --> 00:26:50.259
 strangely,

00:26:50.359 --> 00:26:50.779
 it's been

00:26:50.779 --> 00:26:51.740
 freeing for

00:26:51.740 --> 00:26:51.939
 me.

00:26:54.099 --> 00:26:54.659
 And I

00:26:54.659 --> 00:26:55.259
 believe God

00:26:55.259 --> 00:26:55.779
 wants all

00:26:55.779 --> 00:26:56.919
 of us to

00:26:56.919 --> 00:26:57.359
 come to a

00:26:57.359 --> 00:26:58.439
 place where

00:26:58.439 --> 00:26:59.299
 we're broken

00:26:59.299 --> 00:27:00.899
 and desperate,

00:27:01.039 --> 00:27:01.459
 on our

00:27:01.459 --> 00:27:01.819
 knees,

00:27:03.399 --> 00:27:03.939
 admitting our

00:27:03.939 --> 00:27:04.500
 weakness to

00:27:04.500 --> 00:27:04.779
 him,

00:27:06.240 --> 00:27:07.220
 and where our

00:27:07.220 --> 00:27:08.000
 maximum weakness

00:27:08.000 --> 00:27:09.319
 comes face to

00:27:09.319 --> 00:27:10.159
 face with his

00:27:10.159 --> 00:27:11.039
 abundant

00:27:11.039 --> 00:27:12.179
 faithfulness.

00:27:13.000 --> 00:27:14.139
 I know it's

00:27:14.139 --> 00:27:14.399
 totally

00:27:14.399 --> 00:27:15.179
 counterintuitive

00:27:15.179 --> 00:27:15.720
 because we

00:27:15.720 --> 00:27:16.419
 all hate

00:27:16.419 --> 00:27:17.599
 feeling weak,

00:27:18.039 --> 00:27:18.740
 but if we

00:27:18.740 --> 00:27:19.259
 really want to

00:27:19.259 --> 00:27:19.939
 know God,

00:27:21.359 --> 00:27:21.759
 taste the

00:27:21.759 --> 00:27:22.379
 sweetness of

00:27:22.379 --> 00:27:23.059
 who he is,

00:27:24.500 --> 00:27:25.119
 to feel the

00:27:25.119 --> 00:27:25.720
 joy that is

00:27:25.720 --> 00:27:26.399
 in Christ,

00:27:27.319 --> 00:27:28.500
 I think we

00:27:28.500 --> 00:27:29.339
 regularly need

00:27:29.339 --> 00:27:30.460
 to recognize

00:27:30.460 --> 00:27:32.220
 situations where

00:27:32.220 --> 00:27:32.720
 we say to

00:27:32.720 --> 00:27:33.299
 God, like

00:27:33.299 --> 00:27:34.019
 Gideon did,

00:27:34.119 --> 00:27:35.399
 God, I

00:27:35.399 --> 00:27:35.980
 give this to

00:27:35.980 --> 00:27:36.279
 you.

00:27:37.119 --> 00:27:37.399
 You don't

00:27:37.399 --> 00:27:37.879
 come through

00:27:37.879 --> 00:27:38.259
 here.

00:27:39.319 --> 00:27:39.639
 I'm

00:27:39.639 --> 00:27:40.179
 finished.

00:27:40.679 --> 00:27:41.200
 I'm

00:27:41.200 --> 00:27:41.619
 done.

00:27:42.159 --> 00:27:42.659
 I cannot

00:27:42.659 --> 00:27:43.359
 go on.

00:27:45.119 --> 00:27:45.659
 Because that

00:27:45.659 --> 00:27:45.960
 is where

00:27:45.960 --> 00:27:47.159
 God's power

00:27:47.159 --> 00:27:48.279
 is revealed.

00:27:48.519 --> 00:27:49.079
 That is where

00:27:49.079 --> 00:27:49.539
 we see his

00:27:49.539 --> 00:27:50.279
 glory, his

00:27:50.279 --> 00:27:51.000
 awesomeness

00:27:51.000 --> 00:27:51.939
 at work.

00:27:53.859 --> 00:27:54.720
 And isn't

00:27:54.720 --> 00:27:55.259
 this the

00:27:55.259 --> 00:27:56.720
 gospel of

00:27:56.720 --> 00:27:57.119
 our Lord

00:27:57.119 --> 00:27:57.879
 Jesus Christ?

00:27:59.980 --> 00:28:00.599
 When we

00:28:00.599 --> 00:28:00.960
 come to

00:28:00.960 --> 00:28:01.619
 God, we

00:28:01.619 --> 00:28:02.679
 come to

00:28:02.679 --> 00:28:02.939
 him in

00:28:02.939 --> 00:28:03.200
 all our

00:28:03.200 --> 00:28:03.639
 weakness,

00:28:04.339 --> 00:28:04.740
 all our

00:28:04.740 --> 00:28:05.339
 brokenness,

00:28:06.059 --> 00:28:06.759
 and all

00:28:06.759 --> 00:28:07.439
 our sin.

00:28:07.440 --> 00:28:09.860
 we come

00:28:09.860 --> 00:28:10.299
 to him

00:28:10.299 --> 00:28:11.019
 with our

00:28:11.019 --> 00:28:12.340
 hands open,

00:28:12.539 --> 00:28:13.180
 but nothing

00:28:13.180 --> 00:28:13.980
 to give him

00:28:13.980 --> 00:28:14.519
 but our

00:28:14.519 --> 00:28:16.400
 faith, our

00:28:16.400 --> 00:28:16.880
 righteousness,

00:28:18.180 --> 00:28:18.580
 worthless,

00:28:19.660 --> 00:28:20.480
 our accolades,

00:28:20.600 --> 00:28:21.519
 our CV,

00:28:22.140 --> 00:28:22.460
 useless.

00:28:23.740 --> 00:28:24.660
 And yet, in

00:28:24.660 --> 00:28:25.340
 our weakness,

00:28:26.340 --> 00:28:27.559
 if our faith

00:28:27.559 --> 00:28:28.320
 is in

00:28:28.320 --> 00:28:29.759
 Christ, we

00:28:29.759 --> 00:28:30.100
 are fully

00:28:30.100 --> 00:28:31.400
 accepted by

00:28:31.400 --> 00:28:31.820
 God.

00:28:31.819 --> 00:28:31.859
 God.

00:28:34.579 --> 00:28:35.079
 And so,

00:28:35.399 --> 00:28:35.879
 for Gideon,

00:28:37.599 --> 00:28:38.179
 in spite of

00:28:38.179 --> 00:28:39.619
 being outnumbered

00:28:39.619 --> 00:28:41.939
 135,000 to

00:28:41.939 --> 00:28:42.359
 300,

00:28:42.639 --> 00:28:43.919
 450 to

00:28:43.919 --> 00:28:45.019
 1, God

00:28:45.019 --> 00:28:46.139
 delivered the

00:28:46.139 --> 00:28:46.679
 Midianites

00:28:46.679 --> 00:28:47.679
 into his

00:28:47.679 --> 00:28:48.419
 hand that

00:28:48.419 --> 00:28:48.700
 day.

00:28:50.059 --> 00:28:50.419
 Gideon's

00:28:50.419 --> 00:28:51.059
 army didn't

00:28:51.059 --> 00:28:52.319
 even raise

00:28:52.319 --> 00:28:53.079
 a sword.

00:28:53.720 --> 00:28:54.119
 All they

00:28:54.119 --> 00:28:54.519
 had were

00:28:54.519 --> 00:28:56.460
 trumpets and

00:28:56.460 --> 00:28:56.919
 candles.

00:28:58.299 --> 00:28:58.899
 When they

00:28:58.899 --> 00:28:59.379
 blew the

00:28:59.379 --> 00:29:00.179
 300 trumpets,

00:29:00.180 --> 00:29:01.019
 the passage

00:29:01.019 --> 00:29:01.620
 says that

00:29:01.620 --> 00:29:02.220
 the Lord

00:29:02.220 --> 00:29:02.779
 set every

00:29:02.779 --> 00:29:03.279
 man's

00:29:03.279 --> 00:29:03.980
 sword against

00:29:03.980 --> 00:29:04.680
 his comrade

00:29:04.680 --> 00:29:05.440
 and against

00:29:05.440 --> 00:29:05.960
 all the

00:29:05.960 --> 00:29:06.320
 army.

00:29:06.539 --> 00:29:06.960
 The Lord

00:29:06.960 --> 00:29:07.519
 caused the

00:29:07.519 --> 00:29:08.080
 Midianites to

00:29:08.080 --> 00:29:08.600
 kill each

00:29:08.600 --> 00:29:08.880
 other.

00:29:09.600 --> 00:29:10.039
 God didn't

00:29:10.039 --> 00:29:10.580
 just pitch

00:29:10.580 --> 00:29:11.960
 in and

00:29:11.960 --> 00:29:12.580
 help out.

00:29:13.700 --> 00:29:14.560
 He wasn't

00:29:14.560 --> 00:29:16.539
 just a

00:29:16.539 --> 00:29:17.019
 pinch hitter.

00:29:17.820 --> 00:29:18.620
 God fought

00:29:18.620 --> 00:29:19.460
 and he won

00:29:19.460 --> 00:29:20.580
 the battle

00:29:20.580 --> 00:29:21.580
 for Gideon.

00:29:21.579 --> 00:29:25.659
 finally,

00:29:26.599 --> 00:29:26.799
 fourth

00:29:26.799 --> 00:29:27.139
 takeaway,

00:29:28.240 --> 00:29:29.539
 the only

00:29:29.539 --> 00:29:30.439
 true king.

00:29:33.399 --> 00:29:34.059
 A friend

00:29:34.059 --> 00:29:35.839
 gave Celeste

00:29:35.839 --> 00:29:36.199
 and I

00:29:36.199 --> 00:29:38.159
 a Bible

00:29:38.159 --> 00:29:38.559
 comic

00:29:38.559 --> 00:29:40.199
 when Kiva,

00:29:40.319 --> 00:29:40.619
 our daughter,

00:29:40.879 --> 00:29:40.939
 was,

00:29:42.059 --> 00:29:42.279
 well,

00:29:42.339 --> 00:29:42.679
 right after

00:29:42.679 --> 00:29:43.159
 our daughter

00:29:43.159 --> 00:29:43.720
 was recently

00:29:43.720 --> 00:29:44.000
 born.

00:29:45.539 --> 00:29:46.319
 So I opened

00:29:46.319 --> 00:29:46.899
 up this Bible

00:29:46.899 --> 00:29:47.559
 comic recently

00:29:47.559 --> 00:29:48.059
 to look at

00:29:48.059 --> 00:29:48.519
 the story of

00:29:48.519 --> 00:29:48.819
 Gideon.

00:29:49.639 --> 00:29:50.179
 Chapter 6

00:29:50.179 --> 00:29:50.519
 was there

00:29:50.519 --> 00:29:51.079
 talking about

00:29:51.079 --> 00:29:51.700
 God calling

00:29:51.700 --> 00:29:52.220
 Gideon.

00:29:52.659 --> 00:29:53.159
 Chapter 7

00:29:53.159 --> 00:29:53.619
 was there

00:29:53.619 --> 00:29:54.339
 talking about

00:29:54.339 --> 00:29:55.759
 God delivering

00:29:55.759 --> 00:29:57.019
 the Midianites

00:29:57.019 --> 00:29:57.399
 into his

00:29:57.399 --> 00:29:57.700
 hand.

00:29:59.019 --> 00:29:59.539
 Chapter 8,

00:30:00.119 --> 00:30:00.519
 totally

00:30:00.519 --> 00:30:01.179
 missing.

00:30:02.159 --> 00:30:02.519
 Nothing

00:30:02.519 --> 00:30:03.919
 on chapter 8.

00:30:05.200 --> 00:30:05.799
 In a way,

00:30:05.839 --> 00:30:06.339
 I don't blame

00:30:06.339 --> 00:30:06.839
 the author

00:30:06.839 --> 00:30:08.079
 or the editor.

00:30:09.619 --> 00:30:10.179
 Chapter 8

00:30:10.179 --> 00:30:11.240
 is the dark,

00:30:11.879 --> 00:30:12.720
 ugly ending

00:30:12.720 --> 00:30:13.559
 to Gideon's

00:30:13.559 --> 00:30:14.919
 life and

00:30:14.919 --> 00:30:15.439
 can show us

00:30:15.439 --> 00:30:16.159
 what happens

00:30:16.159 --> 00:30:17.659
 if we forget

00:30:17.659 --> 00:30:18.619
 to trust God.

00:30:18.819 --> 00:30:19.740
 and we only

00:30:19.740 --> 00:30:20.980
 trust ourselves.

00:30:22.439 --> 00:30:23.419
 What happens

00:30:23.419 --> 00:30:24.079
 in chapter 8?

00:30:25.899 --> 00:30:26.980
 After winning

00:30:26.980 --> 00:30:27.779
 the battle

00:30:27.779 --> 00:30:28.519
 against the

00:30:28.519 --> 00:30:29.039
 Midianites,

00:30:29.619 --> 00:30:30.299
 Gideon continues

00:30:30.299 --> 00:30:30.899
 his pursuit

00:30:30.899 --> 00:30:31.839
 of two

00:30:31.839 --> 00:30:32.919
 Midianite kings.

00:30:34.059 --> 00:30:34.460
 And along

00:30:34.460 --> 00:30:34.939
 the way,

00:30:35.480 --> 00:30:35.919
 he comes

00:30:35.919 --> 00:30:36.539
 across two

00:30:36.539 --> 00:30:37.700
 Israelite towns

00:30:37.700 --> 00:30:38.700
 of Sukkoth

00:30:38.700 --> 00:30:39.639
 and Penuel.

00:30:40.559 --> 00:30:41.480
 And he asks

00:30:41.480 --> 00:30:41.859
 the men

00:30:41.859 --> 00:30:43.019
 of both towns

00:30:43.019 --> 00:30:43.919
 to feed

00:30:43.919 --> 00:30:44.319
 his own

00:30:44.319 --> 00:30:44.899
 300 men

00:30:44.899 --> 00:30:45.200
 as they're

00:30:45.200 --> 00:30:45.720
 hungry after

00:30:45.720 --> 00:30:46.099
 the last

00:30:46.099 --> 00:30:46.419
 battle.

00:30:47.299 --> 00:30:47.759
 But both

00:30:47.759 --> 00:30:48.159
 Penuel

00:30:48.160 --> 00:30:49.160
 and Sukkoth

00:30:49.160 --> 00:30:50.100
 reject his

00:30:50.100 --> 00:30:50.580
 request.

00:30:51.800 --> 00:30:52.180
 And so,

00:30:52.300 --> 00:30:52.880
 after Gideon

00:30:52.880 --> 00:30:54.080
 captures the

00:30:54.080 --> 00:30:55.300
 two Midianite kings,

00:30:55.500 --> 00:30:56.200
 he returns

00:30:56.200 --> 00:30:56.759
 to Penuel

00:30:56.759 --> 00:30:57.980
 and to Sukkoth

00:30:57.980 --> 00:30:59.460
 and he murders

00:30:59.460 --> 00:31:00.279
 all the elders

00:31:00.279 --> 00:31:01.000
 of Sukkoth

00:31:01.000 --> 00:31:02.180
 and he murders

00:31:02.180 --> 00:31:02.920
 all the men

00:31:02.920 --> 00:31:04.060
 of Penuel.

00:31:04.320 --> 00:31:04.900
 He kills

00:31:04.900 --> 00:31:05.980
 his own

00:31:05.980 --> 00:31:06.440
 Israelite

00:31:06.440 --> 00:31:06.860
 brothers.

00:31:09.060 --> 00:31:09.759
 And later on,

00:31:10.180 --> 00:31:10.820
 Gideon asks

00:31:10.820 --> 00:31:11.240
 the people

00:31:11.240 --> 00:31:11.740
 of Israel

00:31:11.740 --> 00:31:12.259
 to donate

00:31:12.259 --> 00:31:13.200
 part of the

00:31:13.200 --> 00:31:13.660
 spoils

00:31:13.660 --> 00:31:14.380
 towards making

00:31:14.380 --> 00:31:14.900
 an idol

00:31:14.900 --> 00:31:15.960
 which he

00:31:15.960 --> 00:31:16.280
 places

00:31:16.280 --> 00:31:16.600
 in his

00:31:16.600 --> 00:31:16.880
 own

00:31:16.880 --> 00:31:17.480
 hometown

00:31:17.480 --> 00:31:18.420
 of

00:31:18.420 --> 00:31:18.840
 Ophrah,

00:31:19.960 --> 00:31:20.420
 the exact

00:31:20.420 --> 00:31:21.060
 place where

00:31:21.060 --> 00:31:21.600
 God told

00:31:21.600 --> 00:31:22.040
 him to tear

00:31:22.040 --> 00:31:23.020
 down the

00:31:23.020 --> 00:31:23.700
 pagan idols

00:31:23.700 --> 00:31:24.300
 of Baal

00:31:24.300 --> 00:31:25.540
 and Asherah.

00:31:27.080 --> 00:31:27.800
 And finally,

00:31:28.480 --> 00:31:28.960
 when the people

00:31:28.960 --> 00:31:29.600
 of Israel

00:31:29.600 --> 00:31:30.680
 ask Gideon

00:31:30.680 --> 00:31:31.480
 and his sons

00:31:31.480 --> 00:31:32.060
 to be their

00:31:32.060 --> 00:31:32.560
 kings,

00:31:33.360 --> 00:31:33.600
 Gideon

00:31:33.600 --> 00:31:34.520
 initially says,

00:31:35.520 --> 00:31:36.480
 I will not

00:31:36.480 --> 00:31:37.080
 rule over you,

00:31:37.540 --> 00:31:38.400
 nor will my

00:31:38.400 --> 00:31:39.380
 sons rule

00:31:39.380 --> 00:31:39.800
 over you.

00:31:40.160 --> 00:31:40.960
 The Lord

00:31:40.960 --> 00:31:41.380
 will rule

00:31:41.380 --> 00:31:41.800
 over you.

00:31:41.799 --> 00:31:43.220
 But what

00:31:43.220 --> 00:31:43.599
 does Gideon

00:31:43.599 --> 00:31:43.859
 do?

00:31:44.220 --> 00:31:44.619
 He does

00:31:44.619 --> 00:31:45.139
 the exact

00:31:45.139 --> 00:31:46.059
 opposite.

00:31:46.899 --> 00:31:47.419
 He acts

00:31:47.419 --> 00:31:48.399
 like a king.

00:31:49.180 --> 00:31:49.579
 He takes

00:31:49.579 --> 00:31:50.339
 many wives.

00:31:50.740 --> 00:31:51.119
 He has a

00:31:51.119 --> 00:31:51.599
 concubine.

00:31:52.659 --> 00:31:53.500
 He has 70

00:31:53.500 --> 00:31:53.940
 sons.

00:31:54.159 --> 00:31:54.779
 And he names

00:31:54.779 --> 00:31:55.379
 one of his

00:31:55.379 --> 00:31:56.599
 sons Abimelech,

00:31:57.019 --> 00:31:57.659
 which means

00:31:57.659 --> 00:31:59.000
 my father

00:31:59.000 --> 00:31:59.819
 is king.

00:32:01.039 --> 00:32:01.619
 What is

00:32:01.619 --> 00:32:02.059
 going on

00:32:02.059 --> 00:32:02.279
 here?

00:32:02.980 --> 00:32:03.759
 This story

00:32:03.759 --> 00:32:04.000
 is not

00:32:04.000 --> 00:32:04.440
 ending like

00:32:04.440 --> 00:32:04.859
 it's supposed

00:32:04.859 --> 00:32:05.139
 to.

00:32:07.000 --> 00:32:07.579
 But notice

00:32:07.579 --> 00:32:07.919
 in chapter

00:32:07.919 --> 00:32:08.299
 8.

00:32:09.599 --> 00:32:09.980
 In chapter

00:32:09.980 --> 00:32:10.240
 8,

00:32:10.359 --> 00:32:10.639
 Gideon

00:32:10.639 --> 00:32:11.440
 no longer

00:32:11.440 --> 00:32:12.480
 has any

00:32:12.480 --> 00:32:13.019
 communication

00:32:13.019 --> 00:32:13.740
 with God.

00:32:14.740 --> 00:32:15.220
 He no

00:32:15.220 --> 00:32:16.539
 longer relies

00:32:16.539 --> 00:32:17.340
 on God

00:32:17.340 --> 00:32:17.880
 for God's

00:32:17.880 --> 00:32:18.500
 deliverance

00:32:18.500 --> 00:32:19.500
 and power.

00:32:20.740 --> 00:32:21.640
 His own

00:32:21.640 --> 00:32:22.080
 hunger for

00:32:22.080 --> 00:32:22.440
 power

00:32:22.440 --> 00:32:23.700
 consumes him

00:32:23.700 --> 00:32:25.140
 and becomes

00:32:25.140 --> 00:32:26.480
 his idol.

00:32:27.759 --> 00:32:28.320
 And what

00:32:28.320 --> 00:32:28.759
 is the

00:32:28.759 --> 00:32:29.860
 result of

00:32:29.860 --> 00:32:30.400
 idolatry?

00:32:31.400 --> 00:32:32.120
 Oppression.

00:32:33.440 --> 00:32:33.700
 Chapter

00:32:33.700 --> 00:32:34.080
 8,

00:32:34.620 --> 00:32:35.519
 verse 27

00:32:35.519 --> 00:32:35.920
 says,

00:32:36.920 --> 00:32:37.400
 on the

00:32:37.400 --> 00:32:37.840
 idol that

00:32:37.840 --> 00:32:38.140
 Gideon

00:32:38.140 --> 00:32:39.000
 put up in

00:32:39.000 --> 00:32:39.400
 his hometown,

00:32:39.680 --> 00:32:39.980
 it says,

00:32:39.980 --> 00:32:41.200
 Israel

00:32:41.200 --> 00:32:41.759
 whored

00:32:41.759 --> 00:32:42.620
 after

00:32:42.620 --> 00:32:43.079
 there

00:32:43.079 --> 00:32:44.460
 and it

00:32:44.460 --> 00:32:44.860
 became

00:32:44.860 --> 00:32:45.779
 a snare

00:32:45.779 --> 00:32:46.420
 to Gideon

00:32:46.420 --> 00:32:47.460
 and to

00:32:47.460 --> 00:32:48.079
 his family.

00:32:49.779 --> 00:32:50.059
 After

00:32:50.059 --> 00:32:50.400
 Gideon

00:32:50.400 --> 00:32:50.860
 died,

00:32:52.140 --> 00:32:52.539
 his son

00:32:52.539 --> 00:32:53.059
 Abimelech

00:32:53.059 --> 00:32:53.400
 murdered

00:32:53.400 --> 00:32:54.099
 all but

00:32:54.099 --> 00:32:54.599
 one

00:32:54.599 --> 00:32:56.460
 of Gideon's

00:32:56.460 --> 00:32:57.360
 70 sons.

00:32:59.700 --> 00:33:00.460
 Tragic.

00:33:02.519 --> 00:33:03.579
 And Israel

00:33:03.579 --> 00:33:04.039
 continued

00:33:04.039 --> 00:33:05.480
 this cycle,

00:33:05.599 --> 00:33:06.319
 this downward

00:33:06.319 --> 00:33:07.440
 cycle.

00:33:07.440 --> 00:33:11.640
 Israel

00:33:11.640 --> 00:33:11.900
 wanted

00:33:11.900 --> 00:33:12.299
 Gideon

00:33:12.299 --> 00:33:13.019
 to be

00:33:13.019 --> 00:33:13.539
 her king.

00:33:14.720 --> 00:33:15.279
 But the

00:33:15.279 --> 00:33:15.860
 truth is,

00:33:16.440 --> 00:33:16.720
 Gideon

00:33:16.720 --> 00:33:17.140
 was no

00:33:17.140 --> 00:33:17.440
 king.

00:33:18.320 --> 00:33:18.580
 Gideon

00:33:18.580 --> 00:33:19.039
 needed a

00:33:19.039 --> 00:33:19.840
 king himself.

00:33:20.559 --> 00:33:20.720
 Gideon

00:33:20.720 --> 00:33:21.080
 needed a

00:33:21.080 --> 00:33:21.340
 king to

00:33:21.340 --> 00:33:21.600
 deliver

00:33:21.600 --> 00:33:21.940
 him.

00:33:24.660 --> 00:33:25.200
 Gideon

00:33:25.200 --> 00:33:25.420
 would not

00:33:25.420 --> 00:33:25.640
 have been

00:33:25.640 --> 00:33:26.039
 the perfect

00:33:26.039 --> 00:33:26.380
 king,

00:33:27.140 --> 00:33:27.440
 but there

00:33:27.440 --> 00:33:27.759
 is no

00:33:27.759 --> 00:33:28.380
 king on

00:33:28.380 --> 00:33:28.759
 earth,

00:33:29.160 --> 00:33:30.620
 past or

00:33:30.620 --> 00:33:31.840
 present or

00:33:31.840 --> 00:33:32.340
 future,

00:33:32.660 --> 00:33:33.140
 who is

00:33:33.140 --> 00:33:33.680
 perfect.

00:33:33.680 --> 00:33:35.460
 the whole

00:33:35.460 --> 00:33:35.740
 Old

00:33:35.740 --> 00:33:36.120
 Testament

00:33:36.120 --> 00:33:36.660
 was crying

00:33:36.660 --> 00:33:37.000
 out for

00:33:37.000 --> 00:33:37.799
 a righteous

00:33:37.799 --> 00:33:38.299
 king.

00:33:38.740 --> 00:33:39.340
 But as we

00:33:39.340 --> 00:33:39.840
 learned two

00:33:39.840 --> 00:33:40.299
 weeks ago,

00:33:40.440 --> 00:33:41.380
 no king

00:33:41.380 --> 00:33:42.620
 is righteous.

00:33:43.160 --> 00:33:43.759
 Not in the

00:33:43.759 --> 00:33:44.799
 Bible,

00:33:45.660 --> 00:33:47.200
 not in our

00:33:47.200 --> 00:33:47.779
 modern day.

00:33:49.160 --> 00:33:49.720
 There is no

00:33:49.720 --> 00:33:50.480
 king on this

00:33:50.480 --> 00:33:51.340
 earth who is

00:33:51.340 --> 00:33:52.039
 comparable to

00:33:52.039 --> 00:33:52.860
 the king of

00:33:52.860 --> 00:33:53.380
 kings,

00:33:53.779 --> 00:33:54.440
 our Lord

00:33:54.440 --> 00:33:55.560
 Jesus Christ.

00:33:58.560 --> 00:33:59.519
 Gideon came

00:33:59.519 --> 00:33:59.920
 from humble

00:33:59.920 --> 00:34:01.100
 beginnings as a

00:34:01.100 --> 00:34:01.380
 farmer.

00:34:01.880 --> 00:34:02.480
 He was weak.

00:34:02.480 --> 00:34:03.680
 God called

00:34:03.680 --> 00:34:04.240
 him a

00:34:04.240 --> 00:34:04.640
 mighty

00:34:04.640 --> 00:34:05.059
 warrior.

00:34:06.579 --> 00:34:06.860
 But look

00:34:06.860 --> 00:34:07.339
 at Christ.

00:34:09.119 --> 00:34:09.760
 Christ had

00:34:09.760 --> 00:34:10.059
 all the

00:34:10.059 --> 00:34:11.099
 glory of

00:34:11.099 --> 00:34:11.480
 heaven

00:34:11.480 --> 00:34:12.260
 surrounding

00:34:12.260 --> 00:34:12.619
 him.

00:34:13.280 --> 00:34:13.619
 But in

00:34:13.619 --> 00:34:14.059
 humility,

00:34:14.280 --> 00:34:14.559
 he took

00:34:14.559 --> 00:34:15.119
 the form

00:34:15.119 --> 00:34:15.480
 of a

00:34:15.480 --> 00:34:15.800
 man.

00:34:16.240 --> 00:34:16.679
 He was

00:34:16.679 --> 00:34:17.039
 born in

00:34:17.039 --> 00:34:17.659
 a lowly

00:34:17.659 --> 00:34:18.380
 manger in

00:34:18.380 --> 00:34:19.179
 Bethlehem.

00:34:19.460 --> 00:34:19.900
 He rode

00:34:19.900 --> 00:34:20.260
 into the

00:34:20.260 --> 00:34:20.579
 city of

00:34:20.579 --> 00:34:21.340
 Jerusalem on

00:34:21.340 --> 00:34:21.920
 a donkey,

00:34:22.260 --> 00:34:22.659
 not a

00:34:22.659 --> 00:34:23.159
 white army

00:34:23.159 --> 00:34:23.539
 horse.

00:34:26.260 --> 00:34:26.800
 After

00:34:26.800 --> 00:34:27.240
 defeating the

00:34:27.240 --> 00:34:27.740
 Midianites,

00:34:28.139 --> 00:34:28.400
 Gideon

00:34:28.400 --> 00:34:29.260
 elevated himself

00:34:29.260 --> 00:34:29.719
 to a

00:34:29.719 --> 00:34:30.340
 king-like

00:34:30.340 --> 00:34:30.940
 position.

00:34:32.000 --> 00:34:32.460
 But Jesus

00:34:32.460 --> 00:34:33.820
 Christ never

00:34:33.820 --> 00:34:34.960
 elevated himself.

00:34:36.320 --> 00:34:36.820
 Paul writes

00:34:36.820 --> 00:34:37.559
 in Philippians,

00:34:38.059 --> 00:34:38.840
 I love this

00:34:38.840 --> 00:34:39.300
 passage,

00:34:40.659 --> 00:34:41.079
 Paul writes

00:34:41.079 --> 00:34:41.440
 that although

00:34:41.440 --> 00:34:42.940
 Christ was

00:34:42.940 --> 00:34:43.420
 God,

00:34:44.320 --> 00:34:44.720
 he did not

00:34:44.720 --> 00:34:45.780
 consider equality

00:34:45.780 --> 00:34:46.360
 with God

00:34:46.360 --> 00:34:48.099
 something to be

00:34:48.099 --> 00:34:48.639
 grasped,

00:34:49.240 --> 00:34:50.039
 but emptied

00:34:50.039 --> 00:34:51.380
 himself by

00:34:51.380 --> 00:34:51.960
 taking the

00:34:51.960 --> 00:34:53.079
 form of a

00:34:53.079 --> 00:34:53.500
 servant.

00:34:54.740 --> 00:34:55.579
 Being found

00:34:55.579 --> 00:34:56.800
 in human

00:34:56.800 --> 00:34:57.280
 form,

00:34:57.980 --> 00:34:58.360
 he humbled

00:34:58.360 --> 00:34:59.300
 himself by

00:34:59.300 --> 00:35:00.659
 becoming obedient

00:35:00.659 --> 00:35:01.280
 to the point

00:35:01.280 --> 00:35:02.000
 of death,

00:35:03.040 --> 00:35:03.760
 even death

00:35:03.760 --> 00:35:05.440
 on a

00:35:05.440 --> 00:35:05.840
 cross.

00:35:08.040 --> 00:35:08.600
 Christ

00:35:08.600 --> 00:35:09.640
 humbled

00:35:09.640 --> 00:35:10.180
 himself

00:35:10.180 --> 00:35:11.680
 for us.

00:35:13.640 --> 00:35:14.560
 In order for

00:35:14.560 --> 00:35:15.100
 Gideon to win

00:35:15.100 --> 00:35:15.540
 the battle

00:35:15.540 --> 00:35:16.300
 against the

00:35:16.300 --> 00:35:16.960
 Amalekites

00:35:16.960 --> 00:35:17.780
 and Midianites,

00:35:18.019 --> 00:35:19.100
 much blood

00:35:19.100 --> 00:35:19.480
 had to be

00:35:19.480 --> 00:35:19.760
 shed.

00:35:21.060 --> 00:35:21.300
 Many

00:35:21.300 --> 00:35:21.920
 Midianites

00:35:21.920 --> 00:35:22.860
 and Amalekites

00:35:22.860 --> 00:35:24.019
 had to die

00:35:24.019 --> 00:35:24.660
 in order for

00:35:24.660 --> 00:35:25.600
 Israel to be

00:35:25.600 --> 00:35:26.280
 delivered that

00:35:26.280 --> 00:35:26.600
 day.

00:35:26.599 --> 00:35:29.119
 And for

00:35:29.119 --> 00:35:29.539
 all of us

00:35:29.539 --> 00:35:29.799
 today,

00:35:29.900 --> 00:35:30.259
 because of

00:35:30.259 --> 00:35:31.000
 our desire

00:35:31.000 --> 00:35:31.519
 to be our

00:35:31.519 --> 00:35:32.219
 own kings

00:35:32.219 --> 00:35:33.059
 in our

00:35:33.059 --> 00:35:33.400
 kingdom,

00:35:34.400 --> 00:35:35.559
 to be in

00:35:35.559 --> 00:35:36.159
 control of

00:35:36.159 --> 00:35:36.759
 our destiny,

00:35:37.759 --> 00:35:38.639
 to follow

00:35:38.639 --> 00:35:39.799
 our idols

00:35:39.799 --> 00:35:40.159
 of our

00:35:40.159 --> 00:35:40.539
 children's

00:35:40.539 --> 00:35:41.099
 success,

00:35:41.159 --> 00:35:41.739
 of money,

00:35:42.179 --> 00:35:43.059
 of power,

00:35:43.860 --> 00:35:45.139
 of relationships,

00:35:45.860 --> 00:35:46.739
 we sin

00:35:46.739 --> 00:35:47.920
 against God

00:35:47.920 --> 00:35:49.079
 and we

00:35:49.079 --> 00:35:50.299
 become God's

00:35:50.299 --> 00:35:50.719
 enemy.

00:35:50.719 --> 00:35:53.099
 And because

00:35:53.099 --> 00:35:53.599
 of that,

00:35:54.419 --> 00:35:54.819
 we

00:35:54.819 --> 00:35:55.779
 have to

00:35:55.779 --> 00:35:56.699
 shed our

00:35:56.699 --> 00:35:57.059
 blood.

00:35:59.119 --> 00:36:00.000
 But instead

00:36:00.000 --> 00:36:00.439
 of raising

00:36:00.439 --> 00:36:00.819
 his sword

00:36:00.819 --> 00:36:01.539
 against us,

00:36:02.039 --> 00:36:03.119
 Jesus Christ

00:36:03.119 --> 00:36:04.139
 shed his

00:36:04.139 --> 00:36:04.559
 blood

00:36:04.559 --> 00:36:05.759
 for us.

00:36:07.079 --> 00:36:07.879
 On the

00:36:07.879 --> 00:36:08.319
 cross,

00:36:08.480 --> 00:36:09.019
 Christ suffered

00:36:09.019 --> 00:36:09.459
 torturous

00:36:09.459 --> 00:36:09.819
 pain.

00:36:10.319 --> 00:36:10.659
 He bled

00:36:10.659 --> 00:36:10.959
 from his

00:36:10.959 --> 00:36:11.739
 hands and

00:36:11.739 --> 00:36:12.039
 feet.

00:36:12.259 --> 00:36:12.739
 His body

00:36:12.739 --> 00:36:13.259
 was beaten

00:36:13.259 --> 00:36:14.019
 and bloodied,

00:36:14.539 --> 00:36:15.000
 bruised.

00:36:15.039 --> 00:36:15.579
 He was whipped.

00:36:16.459 --> 00:36:16.839
 But worst

00:36:16.839 --> 00:36:17.179
 of all,

00:36:17.219 --> 00:36:17.859
 he was separated

00:36:17.859 --> 00:36:18.219
 from his

00:36:18.219 --> 00:36:19.219
 Father in

00:36:19.219 --> 00:36:19.619
 heaven.

00:36:19.619 --> 00:36:21.039
 But Christ

00:36:21.039 --> 00:36:21.519
 did this

00:36:21.519 --> 00:36:22.480
 for us.

00:36:23.699 --> 00:36:24.480
 When we

00:36:24.480 --> 00:36:24.819
 should have

00:36:24.819 --> 00:36:25.440
 died for

00:36:25.440 --> 00:36:25.880
 our

00:36:25.880 --> 00:36:26.679
 idolatry,

00:36:27.059 --> 00:36:27.519
 Christ

00:36:27.519 --> 00:36:28.199
 died

00:36:28.199 --> 00:36:29.739
 for us.

00:36:31.739 --> 00:36:32.460
 And that

00:36:32.460 --> 00:36:32.859
 is why the

00:36:32.859 --> 00:36:33.219
 gospel

00:36:33.219 --> 00:36:34.420
 is the

00:36:34.420 --> 00:36:34.940
 good news.

00:36:36.659 --> 00:36:37.259
 Christ,

00:36:37.380 --> 00:36:37.639
 who had

00:36:37.639 --> 00:36:38.279
 no sin,

00:36:39.039 --> 00:36:39.819
 became sin

00:36:39.819 --> 00:36:40.539
 for us

00:36:40.539 --> 00:36:41.400
 for that we

00:36:41.400 --> 00:36:42.019
 might become

00:36:42.019 --> 00:36:42.619
 the righteousness

00:36:42.619 --> 00:36:44.000
 of God.

00:36:46.039 --> 00:36:46.679
 Friends,

00:36:47.679 --> 00:36:49.579
 today,

00:36:49.619 --> 00:36:50.239
 please believe

00:36:50.239 --> 00:36:50.940
 that if

00:36:50.940 --> 00:36:51.400
 your life

00:36:51.400 --> 00:36:51.739
 is hidden

00:36:51.739 --> 00:36:52.400
 with Christ,

00:36:53.039 --> 00:36:53.420
 if your

00:36:53.420 --> 00:36:54.400
 faith is

00:36:54.400 --> 00:36:54.819
 in him,

00:36:56.019 --> 00:36:56.319
 you have

00:36:56.319 --> 00:36:56.880
 been delivered

00:36:56.880 --> 00:36:57.279
 from the

00:36:57.279 --> 00:36:57.779
 oppressive

00:36:57.779 --> 00:36:59.199
 nature of

00:36:59.199 --> 00:36:59.880
 idolatry.

00:37:00.619 --> 00:37:01.119
 No more

00:37:01.119 --> 00:37:02.139
 guilt nor

00:37:02.139 --> 00:37:02.619
 shame.

00:37:03.619 --> 00:37:04.239
 And we

00:37:04.239 --> 00:37:04.839
 do nothing

00:37:04.839 --> 00:37:05.880
 to receive

00:37:05.880 --> 00:37:06.239
 this.

00:37:06.719 --> 00:37:07.019
 It is

00:37:07.019 --> 00:37:07.440
 God's

00:37:07.440 --> 00:37:07.920
 grace

00:37:07.920 --> 00:37:09.299
 and our

00:37:09.299 --> 00:37:09.799
 weakness

00:37:09.799 --> 00:37:11.159
 his strength.

00:37:11.159 --> 00:37:11.219
 life.

00:37:16.319 --> 00:37:17.000
 When we

00:37:17.000 --> 00:37:17.420
 face the

00:37:17.420 --> 00:37:17.980
 impossible

00:37:17.980 --> 00:37:18.960
 battles

00:37:18.960 --> 00:37:20.139
 of life,

00:37:20.859 --> 00:37:21.679
 we can

00:37:21.679 --> 00:37:21.920
 get on

00:37:21.920 --> 00:37:22.359
 our knees

00:37:22.359 --> 00:37:22.639
 and we

00:37:22.639 --> 00:37:23.379
 can rejoice

00:37:23.379 --> 00:37:24.239
 because when

00:37:24.239 --> 00:37:24.519
 we are

00:37:24.519 --> 00:37:24.859
 weak,

00:37:25.139 --> 00:37:25.739
 God is

00:37:25.739 --> 00:37:26.339
 strong.

00:37:26.960 --> 00:37:27.279
 When the

00:37:27.279 --> 00:37:27.739
 odds are

00:37:27.739 --> 00:37:28.000
 stacked

00:37:28.000 --> 00:37:28.639
 against us,

00:37:28.719 --> 00:37:29.139
 that's

00:37:29.139 --> 00:37:29.779
 when God's

00:37:29.779 --> 00:37:30.379
 glory

00:37:30.379 --> 00:37:31.139
 shines.

00:37:31.599 --> 00:37:31.940
 Look at

00:37:31.940 --> 00:37:32.279
 Gideon.

00:37:33.139 --> 00:37:33.440
 Then,

00:37:34.440 --> 00:37:34.759
 look at

00:37:34.759 --> 00:37:35.460
 David and

00:37:35.460 --> 00:37:35.980
 Goliath.

00:37:36.639 --> 00:37:36.980
 Look at

00:37:36.980 --> 00:37:37.399
 Daniel and

00:37:37.399 --> 00:37:37.839
 the lion's

00:37:37.839 --> 00:37:38.039
 den.

00:37:38.039 --> 00:37:38.539
 look at

00:37:38.539 --> 00:37:38.900
 Abraham,

00:37:39.539 --> 00:37:39.900
 Moses,

00:37:40.380 --> 00:37:40.800
 Joseph,

00:37:41.219 --> 00:37:41.719
 Elijah,

00:37:42.000 --> 00:37:42.679
 and Paul.

00:37:42.860 --> 00:37:43.219
 And then

00:37:43.219 --> 00:37:44.059
 more importantly,

00:37:44.420 --> 00:37:44.739
 look at

00:37:44.739 --> 00:37:45.679
 the incomparable

00:37:45.679 --> 00:37:46.880
 Jesus Christ,

00:37:47.059 --> 00:37:47.679
 our Lord.

00:37:49.119 --> 00:37:50.000
 On the

00:37:50.000 --> 00:37:50.460
 cross,

00:37:50.960 --> 00:37:51.340
 he became

00:37:51.340 --> 00:37:52.619
 weak and

00:37:52.619 --> 00:37:53.119
 frail.

00:37:53.759 --> 00:37:54.139
 He became

00:37:54.139 --> 00:37:55.420
 sin for

00:37:55.420 --> 00:37:55.779
 us.

00:37:56.779 --> 00:37:57.179
 But Christ

00:37:57.179 --> 00:37:58.539
 rose again

00:37:58.539 --> 00:37:59.559
 in power

00:37:59.559 --> 00:38:01.300
 and is now

00:38:01.300 --> 00:38:01.900
 seated at the

00:38:01.900 --> 00:38:02.500
 right hand

00:38:02.500 --> 00:38:03.279
 of the

00:38:03.279 --> 00:38:03.920
 majesty of

00:38:03.920 --> 00:38:04.420
 the Father

00:38:04.420 --> 00:38:05.460
 in heaven

00:38:05.460 --> 00:38:06.539
 with all

00:38:06.539 --> 00:38:07.119
 authority

00:38:07.119 --> 00:38:08.339
 power

00:38:08.339 --> 00:38:09.880
 and dominion

00:38:09.880 --> 00:38:10.500
 over heaven

00:38:10.500 --> 00:38:12.019
 and over

00:38:12.019 --> 00:38:12.400
 earth.

00:38:13.920 --> 00:38:14.519
 When we

00:38:14.519 --> 00:38:15.279
 are insufficient,

00:38:16.039 --> 00:38:16.799
 Jesus Christ

00:38:16.799 --> 00:38:18.299
 is more

00:38:18.299 --> 00:38:19.079
 than sufficient.

00:38:20.139 --> 00:38:20.859
 Praise be

00:38:20.859 --> 00:38:21.420
 to Jesus,

00:38:22.179 --> 00:38:22.839
 our Lord,

00:38:23.599 --> 00:38:24.460
 our God,

00:38:25.179 --> 00:38:26.079
 our King.

00:38:27.559 --> 00:38:28.139
 Would you

00:38:28.139 --> 00:38:28.480
 join me

00:38:28.480 --> 00:38:28.839
 in prayer?

00:38:32.839 --> 00:38:33.900
 Father God,

00:38:34.539 --> 00:38:36.420
 thank you

00:38:36.420 --> 00:38:36.680
 for your

00:38:36.680 --> 00:38:36.960
 word,

00:38:37.099 --> 00:38:37.240
 Lord.

00:38:38.200 --> 00:38:38.639
 Thank you

00:38:38.639 --> 00:38:39.019
 for this

00:38:39.019 --> 00:38:40.579
 passage,

00:38:41.539 --> 00:38:41.980
 living and

00:38:41.980 --> 00:38:42.380
 active and

00:38:42.380 --> 00:38:42.780
 powerful.

00:38:44.440 --> 00:38:44.880
 Pray God

00:38:44.880 --> 00:38:45.340
 as we

00:38:45.340 --> 00:38:46.900
 take this

00:38:46.900 --> 00:38:47.539
 word into

00:38:47.539 --> 00:38:49.200
 our hearts,

00:38:49.340 --> 00:38:49.519
 Lord.

00:38:50.360 --> 00:38:51.019
 I pray,

00:38:51.180 --> 00:38:51.280
 Lord,

00:38:51.340 --> 00:38:51.800
 that it

00:38:51.800 --> 00:38:52.300
 would fall

00:38:52.300 --> 00:38:52.700
 upon

00:38:52.700 --> 00:38:54.159
 fertile soil,

00:38:54.360 --> 00:38:54.519
 Lord,

00:38:54.619 --> 00:38:56.059
 that as we

00:38:56.059 --> 00:38:56.480
 look into

00:38:56.480 --> 00:38:57.300
 our own

00:38:57.300 --> 00:38:57.720
 hearts,

00:38:58.400 --> 00:38:58.700
 look into

00:38:58.700 --> 00:38:59.340
 our lives,

00:39:00.000 --> 00:39:00.440
 and we

00:39:00.440 --> 00:39:01.980
 see our

00:39:01.980 --> 00:39:02.519
 own weaknesses,

00:39:02.800 --> 00:39:03.180
 we see the

00:39:03.180 --> 00:39:03.619
 areas that we

00:39:03.619 --> 00:39:04.099
 struggle,

00:39:04.099 --> 00:39:04.519
 Lord,

00:39:05.179 --> 00:39:05.779
 we wrestle

00:39:05.779 --> 00:39:06.159
 with,

00:39:07.360 --> 00:39:07.880
 that we

00:39:07.880 --> 00:39:08.380
 really want

00:39:08.380 --> 00:39:08.639
 to just

00:39:08.639 --> 00:39:09.179
 take control

00:39:09.179 --> 00:39:09.619
 ourselves.

00:39:09.759 --> 00:39:09.900
 Father,

00:39:09.960 --> 00:39:10.579
 I pray that

00:39:10.579 --> 00:39:10.839
 you would

00:39:10.839 --> 00:39:11.299
 help us

00:39:11.299 --> 00:39:11.699
 to see,

00:39:11.880 --> 00:39:12.000
 Lord,

00:39:12.079 --> 00:39:12.819
 that in

00:39:12.819 --> 00:39:13.339
 our own

00:39:13.339 --> 00:39:13.980
 weakness,

00:39:14.860 --> 00:39:15.179
 when we

00:39:15.179 --> 00:39:15.699
 can't take

00:39:15.699 --> 00:39:16.139
 care of

00:39:16.139 --> 00:39:16.460
 our own

00:39:16.460 --> 00:39:16.940
 business,

00:39:17.139 --> 00:39:17.319
 Lord,

00:39:18.219 --> 00:39:18.659
 if we give

00:39:18.659 --> 00:39:19.039
 it to you,

00:39:19.099 --> 00:39:19.339
 Father,

00:39:19.420 --> 00:39:19.739
 you are

00:39:19.739 --> 00:39:20.139
 there.

00:39:21.380 --> 00:39:21.679
 That is

00:39:21.679 --> 00:39:21.980
 where your

00:39:21.980 --> 00:39:23.059
 power is

00:39:23.059 --> 00:39:23.500
 revealed.

00:39:24.460 --> 00:39:24.900
 That is

00:39:24.900 --> 00:39:25.139
 where your

00:39:25.139 --> 00:39:25.980
 glory shines.

00:39:27.719 --> 00:39:28.319
 I pray,

00:39:28.440 --> 00:39:28.579
 God,

00:39:28.599 --> 00:39:28.920
 that we would

00:39:28.920 --> 00:39:29.420
 see this

00:39:29.420 --> 00:39:30.039
 this morning,

00:39:30.199 --> 00:39:30.440
 Lord.

00:39:31.440 --> 00:39:31.960
 We would

00:39:31.960 --> 00:39:32.599
 accept this,

00:39:32.739 --> 00:39:32.860
 Father.

00:39:32.860 --> 00:39:33.079
 that this

00:39:33.079 --> 00:39:33.280
 would be

00:39:33.280 --> 00:39:33.880
 a reality

00:39:33.880 --> 00:39:35.099
 into our

00:39:35.099 --> 00:39:35.539
 lives.

00:39:38.700 --> 00:39:39.180
 Thank you,

00:39:39.240 --> 00:39:39.500
 Jesus.

00:39:41.500 --> 00:39:42.160
 In your name

00:39:42.160 --> 00:39:42.500
 we pray.

00:39:42.500 --> 00:39:44.039
 Amen.