WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:23.059 Verse 19. 00:00:30.000 --> 00:00:36.219 When they had just set the watch, and they blew the trumpets and smashed the jars that were in their hands. 00:00:37.039 --> 00:00:40.120 Then the three companies blew the trumpets and broke the jars. 00:00:40.840 --> 00:00:45.480 They held in their left hands the torches, and in their right hands the trumpets to blow. 00:00:46.320 --> 00:00:49.939 And they cried out, A sword for the Lord and for Gideon. 00:00:50.939 --> 00:00:54.820 Every man stood in his place around the camp, and all the army ran. 00:00:55.560 --> 00:00:57.120 They cried out and fled. 00:00:57.119 --> 00:01:04.519 When they blew the three hundred trumpets, the Lord set every man's sword against his comrade and against all the army. 00:01:05.739 --> 00:01:12.000 And the army fled as far as Beth Shittah toward Zerarah, as far as the border of Abel-Mehalah by Tabith. 00:01:12.659 --> 00:01:19.560 And the men of Israel were called out from Naphtali and from Asher and from all Manasseh, and they pursued after Midian. 00:01:20.560 --> 00:01:24.159 Gideon sent messengers throughout all the hill country of Ephraim, saying, 00:01:24.159 --> 00:01:30.679 Come down against the Midianites and capture the waters against them as far as Beth-bera and also the Jordan. 00:01:31.640 --> 00:01:37.560 So all the men of Ephraim were called out, and they captured the waters as far as Beth-bera and also the Jordan. 00:01:38.060 --> 00:01:41.379 And they captured the two princes of Midian, Oreb and Zeb. 00:01:41.879 --> 00:01:46.500 They killed Oreb at the rock of Oreb, and Zeb they killed at the winepress of Zeb. 00:01:46.500 --> 00:01:53.159 Then they pursued Midian, and they brought the heads of Oreb and Zeb to Gideon across the Jordan. 00:01:54.939 --> 00:01:58.359 I invite you to pray with me as we come to this portion of God's Word. 00:01:59.620 --> 00:02:09.020 Our Father in Heaven, we praise and thank you that you didn't let Gideon sit alone by himself in his fear, 00:02:09.199 --> 00:02:10.920 and you don't do the same for us. 00:02:10.960 --> 00:02:14.699 You come to us with your Word, and you speak clearly to us. 00:02:14.699 --> 00:02:21.959 You remind us of your power and your mercy so that we can follow you in faith. 00:02:22.500 --> 00:02:26.919 We ask that you would do the very same thing this morning, that you would use your Word in a powerful way, 00:02:27.619 --> 00:02:35.479 that you would pour out your Spirit in a special way here this morning in this room on these people, on us, 00:02:35.859 --> 00:02:40.620 that we would see and believe and follow you. 00:02:40.620 --> 00:02:45.400 We ask these things in the mighty name of Jesus Christ. Amen. 00:02:48.259 --> 00:02:56.000 Last week, we saw Gideon's fear as the battle that is inevitable draws closer and closer, 00:02:56.000 --> 00:03:01.140 and we also see God providing his assurance to Gideon in the midst of that fear. 00:03:01.680 --> 00:03:04.540 You'll remember that Gideon asks for two different miracles. 00:03:04.680 --> 00:03:07.060 He says, God, I want you to have this fleece. 00:03:07.060 --> 00:03:09.759 I want the fleece to be full of water and the ground to be dry. 00:03:09.879 --> 00:03:14.140 And then I want the ground to be full of water and the fleece to be dry. 00:03:14.199 --> 00:03:14.840 And God does that. 00:03:14.939 --> 00:03:17.680 God meets a Gideon in the midst of his fear. 00:03:17.780 --> 00:03:23.659 Remember, we said God delights to meet his people who are faltering and fearful and grow their faith. 00:03:24.520 --> 00:03:28.060 Now, however, the time for battle has finally come. 00:03:28.159 --> 00:03:31.860 There are no more delays for Gideon. 00:03:31.860 --> 00:03:35.120 And God here does the unexpected. 00:03:35.300 --> 00:03:37.720 He has assured Gideon on the one hand. 00:03:38.140 --> 00:03:42.940 Now he raises the need for Gideon's faith on the other. 00:03:43.020 --> 00:03:48.880 He does something shocking that will require more trust, perhaps, than Gideon imagined. 00:03:49.240 --> 00:03:56.800 He takes Gideon's troops, and he reduces them from 32,000 down to 300. 00:03:56.800 --> 00:04:02.719 If you're doing the math, you know that is an exponential reduction. 00:04:04.219 --> 00:04:07.840 What Gideon was up against was difficult in any situation. 00:04:08.340 --> 00:04:12.480 It is now laughable in this situation. 00:04:12.860 --> 00:04:15.840 I hope you didn't miss what we were told in verse 12. 00:04:16.420 --> 00:04:19.720 Remember, his enemies, they are like locusts in abundance. 00:04:19.920 --> 00:04:21.240 And what are their camels like? 00:04:21.360 --> 00:04:23.400 Like the sand that is on the seashore. 00:04:23.399 --> 00:04:28.319 And so we're meant to see how ridiculous this matchup is. 00:04:28.459 --> 00:04:34.620 You have these overwhelming numbers, and 32,000 men probably was a stretch to begin with. 00:04:34.959 --> 00:04:38.019 God takes them down and reduces them to 300. 00:04:38.500 --> 00:04:39.859 He does this in two ways. 00:04:40.000 --> 00:04:45.179 First, in verse 3, we see that they are to send away the fearful and the trembling. 00:04:45.180 --> 00:04:53.540 This is actually something that appears in Deuteronomy chapter 20 as a general practice for Israel during their wartime. 00:04:54.100 --> 00:04:56.939 God gives them their laws for war, and he says a few things. 00:04:57.019 --> 00:05:01.100 He says, look, if a man's been married less than one year, don't send him out into combat. 00:05:01.639 --> 00:05:06.139 And also, if you have people who are fearful and trembling, don't send them out either. 00:05:06.240 --> 00:05:07.780 Allow them to go back home. 00:05:08.019 --> 00:05:10.500 And in Deuteronomy, he gives them the logic, which is this. 00:05:10.620 --> 00:05:11.680 Fear is contagious. 00:05:11.680 --> 00:05:21.120 So the last thing you want is men who are running away from the battle, causing those who are brave to lose their heart and their strength. 00:05:22.259 --> 00:05:29.620 And so that makes sense at some level, and it's consistent with what we've seen earlier in the Bible, in the book of Deuteronomy. 00:05:30.060 --> 00:05:33.600 What we see next, though, is very, very strange. 00:05:33.740 --> 00:05:38.660 We have this division in verses 4 through 8 based on drinking style. 00:05:38.660 --> 00:05:44.460 Now, there are those who laugh like a dog, and then there are those who kneel. 00:05:44.760 --> 00:05:51.780 And we find out, verses 6 through 7, it is only those who laugh like a dog who pass a selection for Gideon. 00:05:52.360 --> 00:05:55.440 It's only those who laugh like a dog who are actually chosen. 00:05:55.900 --> 00:06:02.379 Now, there's a lot of discussion around, you know, why is it that the ones who laugh like a dog got chosen? 00:06:02.379 --> 00:06:12.540 Some people will tell you, well, that's because something about the way they lapped revealed that these were the most elite of all the soldiers that Gideon had. 00:06:12.600 --> 00:06:17.920 And those who kneeled, well, they clearly were not as competent in combat. 00:06:18.060 --> 00:06:23.639 And so really what Gideon is doing here is he's choosing those who are the best and the strongest. 00:06:23.639 --> 00:06:25.959 Problem is this, twofold. 00:06:26.199 --> 00:06:28.159 First, passage doesn't say that. 00:06:28.699 --> 00:06:32.659 It doesn't tell us what the difference between lapping and kneeling is. 00:06:32.919 --> 00:06:34.439 And the second one is even stronger. 00:06:34.579 --> 00:06:38.039 This actually cuts against the point of the passage. 00:06:39.000 --> 00:06:45.360 The point of the passage is not God chose the most elite troops possible. 00:06:45.800 --> 00:06:48.659 He chose the best of the best, the cream of the crop. 00:06:48.660 --> 00:06:54.820 No, the point of the passage is God puts himself, his people in this situation that is ridiculous. 00:06:55.780 --> 00:07:05.660 He puts them in this situation where clearly, unless he intervenes in a powerful way, they have no chance. 00:07:06.520 --> 00:07:11.100 Okay, so the point is not God chose the best 300. 00:07:11.940 --> 00:07:16.320 The point is God will accomplish the impossible. 00:07:16.319 --> 00:07:23.719 God will do with 300 what only God can do. 00:07:24.839 --> 00:07:34.279 The purpose is for God to emphasize his power, to emphasize the need that Israel has to rely on him, 00:07:34.319 --> 00:07:39.620 not to somehow applaud these 300 for their water-lapping ability. 00:07:40.399 --> 00:07:41.579 In fact, we know that. 00:07:41.719 --> 00:07:44.860 We're told clearly in verse 2 what the purpose of all of this is. 00:07:44.860 --> 00:07:50.379 The people with you are too many for me to give the Midianites into their hand, 00:07:51.020 --> 00:07:57.220 lest Israel boast over me, saying, my own hand has saved me. 00:07:58.379 --> 00:08:00.860 So the point is this. 00:08:01.819 --> 00:08:05.319 Success is very dangerous. 00:08:05.319 --> 00:08:10.019 Success is very dangerous. 00:08:10.019 --> 00:08:15.459 And the reason that success is very dangerous is because when we experience it, 00:08:15.719 --> 00:08:22.839 we are going to be tempted to praise ourselves rather than to praise God. 00:08:22.839 --> 00:08:30.859 In fact, some people will say success is actually a better test of someone's character than failure. 00:08:31.560 --> 00:08:39.179 When someone has finally access to power and influence and wealth and esteem, 00:08:39.360 --> 00:08:43.879 that's when we find out who they really are. 00:08:43.879 --> 00:08:49.379 That's when they're able to do what they want to do. 00:08:50.039 --> 00:08:54.799 It's success, not failure, that is difficult to handle. 00:08:55.960 --> 00:08:58.460 And it's difficult to handle for that simple reason. 00:08:59.500 --> 00:09:05.159 It tempts us to think that we are great rather than recognizing that God is great. 00:09:05.159 --> 00:09:12.860 It's the church that pats itself on the back for success and growth. 00:09:14.159 --> 00:09:19.819 It's the man who congratulates himself when his children succeed and make wise choices. 00:09:20.000 --> 00:09:21.120 He says, look at me. 00:09:21.500 --> 00:09:23.620 I'm such a great father. 00:09:23.620 --> 00:09:33.759 It's the woman who congratulates herself for her academic achievement rather than recognizing God is the one who opens doors, 00:09:34.220 --> 00:09:36.179 who gives gifts and abilities. 00:09:38.039 --> 00:09:43.539 And so God reduces this army to a laughable number for a simple reason. 00:09:44.060 --> 00:09:49.039 God wants to protect his people against the danger of success. 00:09:49.039 --> 00:10:00.539 God wants to make sure that when victory comes, it is crystal clear that all honor and praise belong to him. 00:10:02.480 --> 00:10:08.959 God leaves no opportunity for Israel or Gideon to pat themselves on the back. 00:10:10.059 --> 00:10:16.819 No, he says, look, I'm going to give you victory, but I am going to give you victory. 00:10:16.820 --> 00:10:22.000 Of course, we face that same temptation today. 00:10:22.140 --> 00:10:29.780 We face the temptation to look at the blessings that we've received in life and to say, look, wow, look at me. 00:10:31.160 --> 00:10:37.379 Look how great I am rather than recognizing how great and gracious God is. 00:10:38.920 --> 00:10:41.220 How do we protect against that danger? 00:10:42.480 --> 00:10:43.760 Well, there's a few ways. 00:10:43.759 --> 00:10:49.480 One of them we're doing this morning, which is we praise God for his provision in our lives. 00:10:50.840 --> 00:10:53.759 Worship reorients us to reality. 00:10:54.500 --> 00:10:55.960 It reminds us of what's true. 00:10:56.439 --> 00:11:03.059 We are singing praises to God, recognizing he is the one who's been at work doing great things. 00:11:04.220 --> 00:11:09.179 The other antidote to the temptations of success we've also already done this morning, 00:11:09.279 --> 00:11:11.399 which is that we pray to God. 00:11:11.399 --> 00:11:18.740 Pastor Tim Keller says that prayer is what God uses to protect us against the dangers of success. 00:11:19.000 --> 00:11:20.720 This quote's on the back of your worship guide. 00:11:21.120 --> 00:11:27.639 He goes so far as to say God actually withholds certain things from us unless or until we pray for them, 00:11:27.899 --> 00:11:33.379 because if we receive them without prayer, they become spiritually dangerous to us. 00:11:33.379 --> 00:11:38.960 Success without prayer tempts us to think, yes, I planned correctly. 00:11:39.200 --> 00:11:40.960 I am intelligent enough. 00:11:41.200 --> 00:11:42.439 I made it happen. 00:11:43.740 --> 00:11:50.460 Success with prayer allows us to say, wow, God answered. 00:11:52.240 --> 00:11:56.600 Wow, God showed up and did the miraculous. 00:11:57.600 --> 00:12:02.220 Wow, God honored his promise. 00:12:02.220 --> 00:12:08.420 And so the question for us is this. 00:12:08.480 --> 00:12:10.340 This is on page nine of your worship guide. 00:12:11.779 --> 00:12:19.740 Can you handle success, or will it be the worst thing that ever happened to you? 00:12:19.740 --> 00:12:29.539 When success comes, will you praise God or praise yourself? 00:12:29.539 --> 00:12:36.899 God is not simply looking to protect his people from pride, though. 00:12:36.959 --> 00:12:40.179 He's also looking to protect them from despair. 00:12:40.980 --> 00:12:47.360 We see this protection from pride in verses two through eight, and then verse nine, the tables are suddenly flipped. 00:12:47.480 --> 00:12:49.620 It's not pride that they need protection from. 00:12:49.799 --> 00:12:53.500 It is being overwhelmed by what they're up against. 00:12:53.500 --> 00:12:58.240 Verse nine, God tells Gideon, arise, go down against the camp. 00:12:59.159 --> 00:13:00.100 It's time, Gideon. 00:13:00.179 --> 00:13:01.279 The battle has come, right? 00:13:01.299 --> 00:13:04.500 We've been waiting for this since the call of Gideon. 00:13:04.720 --> 00:13:08.399 You'll remember when Gideon was called, it's the last chapter, verse 16. 00:13:08.539 --> 00:13:11.940 God says, you shall strike the Midianites as one man. 00:13:11.940 --> 00:13:14.580 Now it's game time. 00:13:16.180 --> 00:13:19.220 And God knows what we've already learned about Gideon. 00:13:19.600 --> 00:13:22.420 Gideon is a man full of fear. 00:13:23.540 --> 00:13:27.220 So he tells him to go, verse nine, very next breath, verse 10. 00:13:27.640 --> 00:13:36.620 But if you are afraid to go down, and we know Gideon's afraid, go down to the camp with Purah, your servant. 00:13:36.620 --> 00:13:41.720 We know Gideon's afraid because that's what it means to be Gideon. 00:13:42.060 --> 00:13:46.279 And we see God meeting him at that very same place of need. 00:13:46.399 --> 00:13:50.779 In verses 11 through 14, he goes to the Midianite camp, and he hears this dream. 00:13:51.220 --> 00:13:52.080 And what is the dream? 00:13:52.259 --> 00:13:54.139 Well, verse 13 lays it out for us. 00:13:54.220 --> 00:13:58.120 There is this cake of barley bread that knocks over a tent. 00:13:59.460 --> 00:14:01.320 And that actually makes a lot of sense. 00:14:01.560 --> 00:14:05.820 Have you ever seen a cake of barley bread knock over a tent? 00:14:06.620 --> 00:14:06.980 No. 00:14:09.240 --> 00:14:09.659 Why? 00:14:10.919 --> 00:14:15.620 Well, maybe you don't have cakes of barley bread, but the more important reason is it's ridiculous, right? 00:14:15.820 --> 00:14:19.519 A cake of barley bread doesn't have enough power to knock over a tent. 00:14:20.980 --> 00:14:29.139 In the same way that 300 men can't defeat enemies that are like locusts in abundance. 00:14:30.240 --> 00:14:30.720 Right? 00:14:31.639 --> 00:14:35.340 The dream confirms God is going to do the impossible. 00:14:35.340 --> 00:14:38.180 Barley bread knocks over the tent. 00:14:38.560 --> 00:14:44.340 The 300 are going to conquer those who are numbered as locusts. 00:14:46.220 --> 00:14:47.139 And so what does Gideon do? 00:14:47.220 --> 00:14:48.160 He hears this. 00:14:48.600 --> 00:14:51.080 It is confirmation once again. 00:14:51.580 --> 00:14:55.639 God is going to do what he said he's going to do. 00:14:56.480 --> 00:15:01.680 Verse 15, Gideon finds new courage just in time for the battle. 00:15:01.679 --> 00:15:06.500 And so the point here is this. 00:15:08.500 --> 00:15:13.019 God knows that we are weak and easily scared. 00:15:14.500 --> 00:15:18.279 God knows what Psalm 103 tells us. 00:15:18.739 --> 00:15:20.739 We are only dust. 00:15:20.740 --> 00:15:28.019 God knows that we are weak and feeble and faltering. 00:15:28.019 --> 00:15:33.019 God knows that we are weak and we are weak and we are weak and we are weak and we are weak. 00:15:33.019 --> 00:15:37.860 God does not despise his people for their fear. 00:15:39.480 --> 00:15:45.319 God delights to meet his people who are fearful and faltering and grow their faith. 00:15:46.620 --> 00:15:50.480 God did it with Gideon last week, the miracle of the fleeces. 00:15:50.480 --> 00:15:55.159 God does it again this week with the miracle of the dream. 00:15:56.680 --> 00:16:02.379 God always empowers and enables what he commands. 00:16:02.379 --> 00:16:04.700 God does it with God. 00:16:04.700 --> 00:16:08.559 And so we see once again the solution to fear. 00:16:08.820 --> 00:16:14.980 If you have fear and trembling as you think about obeying God and following him, 00:16:15.240 --> 00:16:20.879 the solution is not to give yourself a rah-rah pep talk. 00:16:22.279 --> 00:16:28.559 The solution is not to look at inspirational figures from history and think, 00:16:28.759 --> 00:16:30.860 well, I can be like them too. 00:16:30.860 --> 00:16:35.000 The solution is not to work harder to be better. 00:16:35.919 --> 00:16:40.560 As we're filled with fear and trembling, thinking about following after God, 00:16:40.639 --> 00:16:47.700 the solution is to be reminded once again God is the one who is in control. 00:16:49.000 --> 00:16:53.820 God is the one who rules and reigns over the nations. 00:16:53.820 --> 00:17:01.340 God has no one and nothing that are more powerful than him. 00:17:02.680 --> 00:17:06.080 God can use barley cakes to knock over tents. 00:17:06.799 --> 00:17:12.840 He can use 300 men to destroy enemies who are like locusts in abundance. 00:17:14.620 --> 00:17:19.880 So we're reminded once again God's word is true, 00:17:19.880 --> 00:17:23.039 and so we trust his promises. 00:17:24.359 --> 00:17:26.519 We trust God's promises. 00:17:27.019 --> 00:17:29.359 We follow him in obedience. 00:17:31.960 --> 00:17:38.399 We've seen here that God protects his people from the dangers of success. 00:17:39.480 --> 00:17:42.179 We've also seen that God encourages them in the midst of their fear, 00:17:42.240 --> 00:17:45.179 and these are actually two sides of the same coin. 00:17:45.279 --> 00:17:49.119 You might think pride and fear should be far apart from each other, 00:17:49.119 --> 00:17:52.799 but they have the same root, which is self-reliance. 00:17:53.819 --> 00:17:59.099 If you rely on yourself and you have success, you're going to praise yourself, right? 00:17:59.819 --> 00:18:06.000 If you rely on yourself and you face overwhelming odds, you're going to be filled with fear. 00:18:07.099 --> 00:18:10.879 And so it actually makes sense that these two things follow right after each other. 00:18:10.880 --> 00:18:17.760 God is responding to the same issue, which is the temptation of his people to rely on themselves. 00:18:19.020 --> 00:18:25.380 A reliance that is going to lead them to either pat themselves on the back to congratulate themselves, 00:18:25.380 --> 00:18:30.040 or a reliance that's going to leave them on the ground curled up in a ball. 00:18:31.160 --> 00:18:33.500 So the answer to both of those is the same. 00:18:34.200 --> 00:18:36.340 God is in control. 00:18:36.339 --> 00:18:41.980 God is the one who protects, provides for his people. 00:18:44.059 --> 00:18:47.240 And so the solution to both pride and despair is this. 00:18:47.740 --> 00:18:50.079 God is God, and we are not. 00:18:52.699 --> 00:18:54.220 God is the one in charge. 00:18:54.699 --> 00:18:55.839 We are not. 00:18:56.039 --> 00:18:57.939 God has the victory. 00:18:58.339 --> 00:18:59.519 We do not. 00:18:59.519 --> 00:19:29.500 God is the one in charge. 00:19:29.619 --> 00:19:34.839 Deceive the enemy forces to make them think that he had more soldiers with him than he actually did. 00:19:35.339 --> 00:19:36.920 Gideon's doing the same thing here. 00:19:37.019 --> 00:19:44.599 He's going to fool his enemies here into thinking that each of these 300 men actually represents a whole unit. 00:19:45.079 --> 00:19:49.400 And so they're going to believe that they are surrounded by this superior force, 00:19:49.420 --> 00:19:51.879 that they are outgunned and outmanned, 00:19:52.000 --> 00:19:55.200 when the reality is they have almost no one up against them. 00:19:55.639 --> 00:19:58.579 They have a bunch of guys armed with trumpets and jars. 00:19:59.519 --> 00:20:06.039 In fact, it's been noted by multiple commentators that what is not on their equipment list is any type of weapon. 00:20:07.779 --> 00:20:14.019 They are armed with the exact opposite of what they need to win, and yet they do. 00:20:14.400 --> 00:20:14.700 Why? 00:20:15.599 --> 00:20:18.039 Well, how do they win? 00:20:18.759 --> 00:20:23.799 This passage clearly tells us it is God who wins the battle. 00:20:24.619 --> 00:20:28.019 That is not some nice preacher phrase, okay? 00:20:28.019 --> 00:20:30.559 That is right here in the passage. 00:20:30.720 --> 00:20:31.519 Look at what happens. 00:20:31.980 --> 00:20:39.779 Verse 20, they break the jars and blow the trumpets, and then they charge in and start stabbing people, right? 00:20:41.259 --> 00:20:41.900 No. 00:20:42.759 --> 00:20:46.519 Verse 21, what do they do that gives them such great victory? 00:20:47.099 --> 00:20:48.359 They stand there. 00:20:50.319 --> 00:20:54.839 Every man stood in his place around the camp, and all the army ran. 00:20:55.980 --> 00:20:57.900 Who defeats the Midianites? 00:20:58.559 --> 00:21:00.559 The Midianites defeat the Midianites. 00:21:01.559 --> 00:21:04.940 Remember, Gideon has got them in the middle of the changing of the guard. 00:21:05.059 --> 00:21:07.920 So you have some of them are returning back to their tents to go to sleep. 00:21:08.000 --> 00:21:10.200 Some of them are walking out of their tents to go on to guard. 00:21:10.400 --> 00:21:11.299 They see each other. 00:21:11.400 --> 00:21:14.559 They hear this confusion of the trumpets, and they see the torches. 00:21:14.720 --> 00:21:15.539 And what do they do? 00:21:15.579 --> 00:21:16.639 They start stabbing each other. 00:21:16.640 --> 00:21:22.120 We could say that is Gideon's brilliance, but what are we told? 00:21:22.240 --> 00:21:23.140 Verse 22, 00:21:23.140 --> 00:21:35.960 God wins the battle. 00:21:35.960 --> 00:21:40.559 God defeats the Midianites. 00:21:41.500 --> 00:21:47.840 All Gideon and his 300 men do is stand there and watch. 00:21:47.839 --> 00:21:52.399 And so what option are they left with when they go back? 00:21:53.399 --> 00:21:56.319 Praise God and God alone. 00:21:56.319 --> 00:22:00.639 And of course, that's what we've seen all along, right? 00:22:00.859 --> 00:22:02.720 What did God say in verse 7? 00:22:02.720 --> 00:22:11.819 Verse 15, 00:22:11.819 --> 00:22:22.899 We might say it another way with the words of Psalm 20, verse 7. 00:22:23.299 --> 00:22:31.859 Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the Lord our God. 00:22:35.179 --> 00:22:38.700 Praise to God, not to men. 00:22:38.700 --> 00:22:43.840 And of course, this is the same concept, the same idea that's at the heart of the gospel. 00:22:43.960 --> 00:22:46.120 It's what we see with our Lord Jesus. 00:22:47.799 --> 00:22:51.860 That when Christ comes, when he lives the perfect life that we should have lived, 00:22:51.900 --> 00:22:54.160 when he dies the death that we should have died, 00:22:54.380 --> 00:23:00.400 he doesn't say, hey, I'll fight most of the battle, and you can contribute a little bit. 00:23:01.819 --> 00:23:05.460 No, he says, all you're going to do is stand and watch. 00:23:07.000 --> 00:23:07.360 Why? 00:23:08.700 --> 00:23:11.420 Well, Ephesians chapter 2 gives us one reason. 00:23:11.920 --> 00:23:15.259 For by grace you have been saved through faith, and this is not your own doing. 00:23:15.720 --> 00:23:22.019 It is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. 00:23:23.799 --> 00:23:28.059 God is protecting us against the danger of success. 00:23:28.059 --> 00:23:34.139 What is our salvation if not accomplished by God and God alone? 00:23:34.359 --> 00:23:38.940 What is it if not a battle that he fights for us? 00:23:40.539 --> 00:23:44.200 And so that's why we sing, this is on page 12 of your worship guide, 00:23:44.279 --> 00:23:51.319 for now the weak can say they are strong in the strength that God has given. 00:23:51.319 --> 00:23:52.819 Let's pray. 00:23:52.819 --> 00:23:59.500 Our Father in heaven, we praise you and thank you that you never command, 00:24:00.220 --> 00:24:01.919 but you don't also enable and empower. 00:24:02.700 --> 00:24:06.700 We thank you that you protect us from the dangers of success, 00:24:06.819 --> 00:24:09.379 the danger to praise ourselves rather than you. 00:24:10.079 --> 00:24:13.220 We thank you that you meet us in the midst of our fear and trembling. 00:24:13.220 --> 00:24:16.860 And we thank you that the battle belongs to the Lord, 00:24:17.079 --> 00:24:21.600 that our salvation is won by you and you alone. 00:24:22.220 --> 00:24:26.440 We thank you that we don't have to worry about whether we've earned or deserved these things. 00:24:26.519 --> 00:24:27.500 We know that we haven't. 00:24:28.079 --> 00:24:31.100 And so we simply ask them in the mighty name of Jesus Christ. 00:24:31.600 --> 00:24:31.819 Amen. 00:24:31.819 --> 00:24:35.279 I invite you to stand for our closing hymn.