WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:07.440 Well, let's begin by recalling kind of the approach that we're taking as we go through each section of this Gideon cycle. 00:00:07.879 --> 00:00:19.800 We have endeavored to keep one eye on Israel and the larger work of grace that God was doing through the nation, through his covenant people. 00:00:19.800 --> 00:00:32.840 And then we're also endeavoring to keep the other eye on Gideon and the uniquely personal work of grace that God was accomplishing in his servant. 00:00:33.420 --> 00:00:35.740 And there's a reason that we're taking this approach. 00:00:35.900 --> 00:00:39.679 One is because the text lends itself to that, as I'll mention here in just a moment. 00:00:39.679 --> 00:00:50.039 But as we're thinking about the big picture of what God is doing in the nation of Israel, it helps us keep from missing the forest for the trees, so to speak. 00:00:50.539 --> 00:00:57.739 Sometimes we can get so focused in on the details that we forget the larger context of what's happening. 00:00:57.859 --> 00:01:04.439 And then we inadvertently end up misinterpreting or misapplying in some way the word that God has given us. 00:01:04.500 --> 00:01:06.640 So we want to keep an eye on the big picture here. 00:01:06.640 --> 00:01:14.420 Here's what God is doing in Israel so that we can make good study choices and examinations here. 00:01:15.060 --> 00:01:21.319 But then we also want to keep a close eye on what God is doing through this one man, Gideon. 00:01:22.200 --> 00:01:25.540 And we want to glean a harvest of encouragement from that. 00:01:26.019 --> 00:01:27.620 And that's exactly what we can do. 00:01:27.960 --> 00:01:31.540 Of the entire Gideon cycle that we've studied so far, 00:01:31.540 --> 00:01:37.780 this dual focus of looking at Israel and at Gideon kind of separately or parallel to one another, 00:01:38.180 --> 00:01:41.700 it's most apparent in this section of verses that I just read. 00:01:42.360 --> 00:01:46.020 Verses 33 to 35 are really about Israel. 00:01:46.360 --> 00:01:49.640 It's about this big enemy that is now encamped in Jezreel. 00:01:49.960 --> 00:01:58.020 It's about God kind of assembling together a group of Israelite soldiers that is going to be led by Gideon. 00:01:58.019 --> 00:02:00.259 But the focus of it is really on the big picture. 00:02:00.679 --> 00:02:01.239 Here's Midian. 00:02:01.479 --> 00:02:02.119 Here's Israel. 00:02:02.539 --> 00:02:03.679 Now what's God going to do? 00:02:04.199 --> 00:02:07.199 And then when we get to verse 36 through 40, 00:02:07.619 --> 00:02:14.939 it really zeroes in on this moment with Gideon and his fleece and this test that he has for God. 00:02:14.979 --> 00:02:16.340 So the text lends itself to that. 00:02:16.340 --> 00:02:25.259 And the parallels for us in application and as we look at this through the lens of New Testament gospel people, 00:02:26.020 --> 00:02:28.219 the parallels are really quite obvious. 00:02:28.800 --> 00:02:36.300 There are things for us to understand about God's larger work in and through the church. 00:02:36.300 --> 00:02:45.740 And there are also things that we need to understand about God's very personal and intimate work of grace in each believer, 00:02:46.400 --> 00:02:48.120 in each person that belongs to him. 00:02:48.400 --> 00:02:50.140 And so we want to kind of trace those as we go. 00:02:50.460 --> 00:02:54.300 Now the overarching theme of these verses is also evident. 00:02:55.360 --> 00:02:56.000 Here's what it is. 00:02:56.080 --> 00:02:57.120 I don't think this is on the screen. 00:02:57.420 --> 00:03:01.120 But if you like to take notes, this is what you should write down at the very beginning. 00:03:01.120 --> 00:03:10.319 God is glorified in using weak vessels to accomplish his work. 00:03:11.280 --> 00:03:21.840 God is glorified in using weak vessels to accomplish his work. 00:03:22.640 --> 00:03:24.620 If you're right, now I'm going to say it one more time for you. 00:03:24.620 --> 00:03:33.780 God is glorified in using weak vessels to accomplish his work. 00:03:33.860 --> 00:03:35.539 Have I said it enough for you to remember now? 00:03:35.719 --> 00:03:36.539 Let's all say it together. 00:03:36.659 --> 00:03:37.219 God is glorified. 00:03:37.300 --> 00:03:37.400 Ready? 00:03:37.860 --> 00:03:44.599 God is glorified in using weak vessels to accomplish his work. 00:03:45.379 --> 00:03:52.099 If you don't get anything else from the sermon this morning, that's what I want you to walk away thinking. 00:03:52.099 --> 00:04:00.340 I want you to go to bed tonight thinking God is glorified in using weak vessels to accomplish his work. 00:04:01.019 --> 00:04:05.719 Now I've mentioned before, this is one of the major themes of the entire book of Judges. 00:04:05.780 --> 00:04:09.079 Indeed, it's a major theme in the entire storyline of the Bible. 00:04:09.280 --> 00:04:14.680 But it is uniquely underscored here in the story of Gideon. 00:04:14.680 --> 00:04:21.280 Because over and over and over and over, Gideon proves himself to be filled with fear, 00:04:21.879 --> 00:04:24.740 in constant need of reassurance from God, 00:04:25.220 --> 00:04:31.660 completely incapable of doing the task that God has actually asked him to do, 00:04:31.740 --> 00:04:33.120 at least doing it on his own. 00:04:33.120 --> 00:04:43.060 And yet, God is still pleased and glorified in showing really tremendous patience with Gideon 00:04:43.060 --> 00:04:46.040 at each and every moment of Gideon's weakness. 00:04:46.360 --> 00:04:47.560 And it's not just Gideon's weakness. 00:04:47.699 --> 00:04:50.759 It's the weakness of the entire nation at this point as we study. 00:04:51.199 --> 00:04:58.180 And of course, God is still pleased to show incredible patience with his people 00:04:58.180 --> 00:05:01.680 as they do his work in the world. 00:05:01.680 --> 00:05:02.900 That's me and you. 00:05:04.300 --> 00:05:08.040 God is glorified in our weakness. 00:05:09.040 --> 00:05:11.660 I want you to think about this from one New Testament verse. 00:05:11.819 --> 00:05:14.780 In 2 Corinthians chapter 4, Paul says this, 00:05:14.879 --> 00:05:19.019 We have this treasure in jars of clay 00:05:19.019 --> 00:05:25.360 to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us. 00:05:25.420 --> 00:05:26.079 Now that's on the screen. 00:05:26.139 --> 00:05:27.879 I want you to think about this verse for just a second. 00:05:28.199 --> 00:05:29.439 We have this treasure. 00:05:30.019 --> 00:05:30.879 What's the treasure? 00:05:31.680 --> 00:05:33.079 The treasure is the gospel. 00:05:33.480 --> 00:05:36.420 That's what Paul is directly referring to in that particular passage. 00:05:36.560 --> 00:05:43.240 This wonderful, amazing, marvelous gospel of grace through Jesus Christ is a treasure. 00:05:44.199 --> 00:05:46.220 It's the work that God is doing. 00:05:47.060 --> 00:05:51.980 And he says that we have this treasure, this work of the gospel, this application of the gospel. 00:05:51.980 --> 00:05:54.300 We have it in jars of clay. 00:05:54.439 --> 00:05:59.080 That's a euphemism in the ancient world for weakness and man's weakness. 00:05:59.379 --> 00:06:02.379 It's very plain of just a clay pot. 00:06:02.740 --> 00:06:03.340 It's all we are. 00:06:04.020 --> 00:06:09.980 We're not even pretty clay pots like the mugs that we gave out last week for anniversary Sunday 00:06:09.980 --> 00:06:11.640 were clay pots essentially weren't they? 00:06:11.639 --> 00:06:15.459 And they have these really nice glazes and paints on them and things like that. 00:06:15.519 --> 00:06:16.959 We're just plain vessels. 00:06:17.120 --> 00:06:19.860 There's nothing particularly unique about us, right? 00:06:20.180 --> 00:06:26.300 And yet Paul says we have this treasure contained in what seems like such weakness. 00:06:26.300 --> 00:06:35.280 And then he says the reason for this is to show that the power of the gospel actually belongs to God and not to us. 00:06:36.100 --> 00:06:43.259 In other words, the power is the treasure itself, not the container that is holding it. 00:06:43.959 --> 00:06:45.279 Now that's amazing, isn't it? 00:06:45.819 --> 00:06:51.759 To think that not only with Gideon's life, but now with us and the work that God is doing in the world through his people, 00:06:51.939 --> 00:06:56.560 we're just jars of clay and we have this just magnificent treasure of the gospel. 00:06:57.019 --> 00:07:05.180 And God is not only pleased to use us, he's actually glorified more to use people like you and me to do his work. 00:07:05.180 --> 00:07:10.620 In other words, man's weakness reveals God's glory. 00:07:11.180 --> 00:07:14.000 Man's weakness reveals God's glory. 00:07:14.459 --> 00:07:18.420 And the message this morning is simple, but it is vital as well. 00:07:19.379 --> 00:07:25.220 And what I want us to do is just, I want to acknowledge two things as we're really just looking at the two paragraphs here. 00:07:25.319 --> 00:07:30.459 But I want us to examine God's work in and through weak people. 00:07:30.459 --> 00:07:34.579 And then I want to conclude at the very end with why this shouldn't matter to us, okay? 00:07:34.920 --> 00:07:38.160 So we're just going to kind of do an examination of what's happening. 00:07:38.160 --> 00:07:41.920 And then we're going to ask ourselves, why does this actually matter, okay? 00:07:42.140 --> 00:07:44.380 Here's the first thing that I want you to see in the first paragraph. 00:07:45.060 --> 00:07:47.939 God works through corporate weakness. 00:07:49.100 --> 00:07:51.800 God works through corporate weakness. 00:07:51.880 --> 00:07:54.020 I don't mean corporate like the business that you work for. 00:07:54.320 --> 00:07:56.760 I mean corporate as in collective weakness, okay? 00:07:56.760 --> 00:08:00.960 We're looking at the nation as a whole now or the church as a whole. 00:08:01.040 --> 00:08:02.200 Look at verse 33. 00:08:02.199 --> 00:08:07.279 Now all the Midianites and the Amalekites and the people of the east came together. 00:08:08.360 --> 00:08:11.539 They crossed the Jordan and encamped in the valley of Jezreel. 00:08:12.740 --> 00:08:14.959 But the Spirit of the Lord clothed the Gideon. 00:08:15.620 --> 00:08:18.819 And he sounded the trumpet and the Abiezrites were called out to follow him. 00:08:18.879 --> 00:08:21.339 And he sent messengers throughout all Manasseh. 00:08:21.419 --> 00:08:23.120 And they too were called out to follow him. 00:08:23.199 --> 00:08:26.259 And he sent messengers to Asher, Zebulun, and Naphtali. 00:08:26.839 --> 00:08:28.740 And they went up to meet them. 00:08:28.740 --> 00:08:33.440 So it's the same old story with this coalition of tribes led by Midian. 00:08:34.440 --> 00:08:40.320 The Midianites, the Amalekites, other semi-nomadic tribes from east of Canaan 00:08:40.320 --> 00:08:42.960 encamped in the valley of Jezreel, 00:08:43.220 --> 00:08:48.919 which was the most agriculturally rich and fertile land in the entire region. 00:08:49.019 --> 00:08:51.240 That's why they're going to that particular place. 00:08:51.899 --> 00:08:57.279 And they are prepared to rob Israel once again of its harvest. 00:08:57.279 --> 00:08:59.720 This is year eight now. 00:09:01.019 --> 00:09:05.600 And it was a devastating invasion every year for seven years straight. 00:09:05.860 --> 00:09:10.459 So devastating was this that earlier in the chapter, 00:09:10.579 --> 00:09:13.259 if you set your eyes on verse five, you'll see this very clearly. 00:09:13.559 --> 00:09:21.539 The author pictures this invasion like an invasion of locusts that are kind of swooping into the land. 00:09:21.720 --> 00:09:23.220 And they're there really briefly. 00:09:23.220 --> 00:09:24.960 And then all of a sudden they move out of the land. 00:09:25.120 --> 00:09:28.120 And they leave absolute devastation behind. 00:09:28.240 --> 00:09:29.800 That's the picture that we have earlier. 00:09:30.540 --> 00:09:37.379 So in chapter six, we're told that it's not even possible to count just how many people and livestock, 00:09:37.680 --> 00:09:39.480 I think it mentions camels in particular, 00:09:39.920 --> 00:09:43.899 just how many people and livestock were involved in this annual invasion. 00:09:43.899 --> 00:09:51.039 But it was large enough that the threat forced the people of Israel to actually vacate their homes. 00:09:51.559 --> 00:09:55.879 And for a season, until these tribes left, they had to live in caves in the mountains. 00:09:56.279 --> 00:10:04.019 This was just, this was probably among the worst of the judgments that God had sent to Israel during this book of Judges. 00:10:04.539 --> 00:10:06.480 This is just devastating every year. 00:10:06.840 --> 00:10:09.279 And this is now year eight, and they've encamped again. 00:10:09.279 --> 00:10:11.199 Well, then we get to chapter seven. 00:10:11.759 --> 00:10:12.579 We're not going to get there today. 00:10:12.659 --> 00:10:13.879 We'll get there in a few weeks. 00:10:13.980 --> 00:10:22.100 But we get to chapter seven, we find that there's a specific number now of people in this invasion, in invasion number eight. 00:10:22.539 --> 00:10:25.339 And the number is 132,000 men. 00:10:26.379 --> 00:10:33.720 At least 132,000 soldiers that are involved in the battles against Gideon and his army. 00:10:34.480 --> 00:10:37.139 Now, I want you to put that in perspective for just a moment. 00:10:37.139 --> 00:10:45.539 In Huntersville and Cornelius and Davidson combined, you have an entire population of about 100,000 people. 00:10:46.659 --> 00:10:48.779 So, take another 32,000 people. 00:10:48.860 --> 00:10:49.819 I'm not sure what Mooresville is. 00:10:49.840 --> 00:10:50.819 It's probably a little bigger than that. 00:10:50.980 --> 00:10:52.759 But take another 32,000 people. 00:10:52.899 --> 00:10:56.100 Attach it to the entire population of Huntersville and Cornelius and Davidson. 00:10:56.379 --> 00:10:57.740 And that's just the army. 00:10:58.879 --> 00:11:01.059 That's probably not the support staff that comes along. 00:11:01.120 --> 00:11:05.100 Or if they brought wives and children with them as these nomadic tribes, I don't know if that's what they did. 00:11:05.100 --> 00:11:09.180 But at least 132,000 soldiers are encamped in the Valley of Jezreel. 00:11:09.259 --> 00:11:10.820 Can you imagine what that looked like? 00:11:11.360 --> 00:11:12.560 Israel's not a big place. 00:11:13.759 --> 00:11:15.540 This is not a huge valley. 00:11:15.659 --> 00:11:24.480 They could have been up on the hill where the Abiezrites lived in Ophrah, looking over and just seeing this vast amount of people that have now gathered. 00:11:24.560 --> 00:11:26.240 This was an enormous army for its time. 00:11:26.240 --> 00:11:30.019 Now, things were going to be much different for the Midianites this time. 00:11:30.159 --> 00:11:36.279 But it wasn't going to be because the Israelites suddenly summoned the courage and strength to fight back. 00:11:36.840 --> 00:11:38.440 That's not why it's going to be different. 00:11:39.159 --> 00:11:41.320 A key statement is in verse 34. 00:11:41.639 --> 00:11:42.680 Just set your eyes on it. 00:11:43.620 --> 00:11:48.960 But the spirit of the Lord of Yahweh clothed Gideon. 00:11:49.899 --> 00:11:51.100 This is God's work. 00:11:52.180 --> 00:11:53.620 God is doing this. 00:11:53.620 --> 00:11:59.440 God is strengthening these people in this moment for this work. 00:12:00.539 --> 00:12:07.379 Now, we often think of the work of the Holy Spirit as if he began at the day of Pentecost in Acts chapter 2. 00:12:08.379 --> 00:12:17.320 But the person of the Holy Spirit, co-equal, co-eternal with God the Father and God the Son, is active throughout all of the scriptures. 00:12:17.320 --> 00:12:27.860 In fact, as early as Genesis chapter 1 and verse 2, we find a direct statement of the Spirit of God moving upon the face of the waters. 00:12:28.800 --> 00:12:29.620 He's God. 00:12:30.080 --> 00:12:31.460 The Holy Spirit is not an it. 00:12:32.160 --> 00:12:33.040 It's a he. 00:12:34.160 --> 00:12:36.820 And he is part of the Trinitarian God. 00:12:37.060 --> 00:12:42.320 He has always been and he has always been active in the scriptures. 00:12:42.320 --> 00:12:48.960 Now, there's certainly a uniqueness to the indwelling of the Holy Spirit that we find in the New Testament gospel. 00:12:49.300 --> 00:13:00.840 But there's also this work that we see over and over in the Old Testament where the Spirit of God empowers individuals for a specific task. 00:13:00.840 --> 00:13:03.879 And that's what we find happening here. 00:13:04.680 --> 00:13:13.660 In verse 34, the Spirit empowered Gideon for the task at this point of simply gathering the army. 00:13:14.540 --> 00:13:16.240 That's all this is about at this point. 00:13:16.680 --> 00:13:24.160 The Spirit has clothed Gideon in order that he might assemble an army to fight against the Midianites. 00:13:24.840 --> 00:13:28.540 So God is determined then to deliver his people. 00:13:28.539 --> 00:13:37.559 And he empowers Gideon to lead a weak and insufficient army to accomplish this task. 00:13:37.980 --> 00:13:43.339 Now I want you to see the people that God gathered through his empowering of Gideon. 00:13:44.319 --> 00:13:49.079 The earliest part of this narrative, if you go back a few verses, perhaps to verse 15, 00:13:49.699 --> 00:13:54.740 it opens with Gideon saying this, that he is the least in his father's house 00:13:54.740 --> 00:14:00.240 and his family was the least in all of the tribe of Manasseh. 00:14:00.440 --> 00:14:09.340 And we already know through our study of the Old Testament that Manasseh is not a particularly strong and stable tribe itself. 00:14:10.080 --> 00:14:10.919 You want you to think about this. 00:14:11.039 --> 00:14:12.480 Even Gideon himself has said this. 00:14:13.560 --> 00:14:15.080 How are you going to use me, God? 00:14:15.279 --> 00:14:16.419 I'm the least in my family. 00:14:16.500 --> 00:14:17.980 My family is the least in my tribe. 00:14:18.019 --> 00:14:19.320 And our tribe is not really that great. 00:14:19.320 --> 00:14:22.520 And now look what we find here. 00:14:23.460 --> 00:14:29.080 Here we find God is using a group of Israelites led by Manasseh. 00:14:30.120 --> 00:14:35.140 Not only are they led by Manasseh, but the least family in Manasseh, the Abiezrites, 00:14:35.400 --> 00:14:36.720 they're at the front lines. 00:14:37.500 --> 00:14:40.200 And not only are the Abiezrites at the front lines, 00:14:40.200 --> 00:14:46.820 but the least, the weakest of the Abiezrites is the commander of the whole army, Gideon. 00:14:47.520 --> 00:14:48.740 This is weakness. 00:14:49.800 --> 00:14:51.960 This is insufficiency. 00:14:52.780 --> 00:14:54.879 This is inability. 00:14:56.500 --> 00:14:59.080 So through Gideon, this is amazing. 00:14:59.080 --> 00:15:11.379 So through Gideon, God assembled 32,000 men who were considered among the weakest in the nation. 00:15:13.220 --> 00:15:16.040 And if you set your eyes on verse 2 of chapter 7, 00:15:17.000 --> 00:15:23.700 what you find is that God assembles these 32,000 men just to send them back home again. 00:15:24.720 --> 00:15:26.800 I don't want to get too far ahead of myself, but just look at the verse. 00:15:26.800 --> 00:15:28.220 Chapter 7 and verse 2. 00:15:28.220 --> 00:15:29.560 The Lord said to Gideon, 00:15:29.920 --> 00:15:35.240 The people with you are too many for me to give the Midianites into their hand, 00:15:35.940 --> 00:15:40.600 lest Israel boast over me, saying, My own land has saved me. 00:15:40.779 --> 00:15:42.420 And if you skip down to the end of verse 3, 00:15:42.879 --> 00:15:47.860 then 22,000 of the people returned and 10,000 remained. 00:15:48.080 --> 00:15:48.800 Now get this picture. 00:15:49.540 --> 00:15:52.660 There's 132,000 soldiers in the valley from Midian. 00:15:52.659 --> 00:15:58.899 God supernaturally uses Gideon to collect 32,000 of the weakest in Israel. 00:15:59.279 --> 00:16:02.879 And then as soon as Gideon gathers them together, God says, That's too many. 00:16:03.159 --> 00:16:04.759 Let's send 22,000 home. 00:16:05.939 --> 00:16:07.159 And there's 10,000 left. 00:16:07.279 --> 00:16:09.379 And then God's going to say again, That's too many. 00:16:09.959 --> 00:16:16.539 And he's going to whittle Gideon's army down to 300 people against 132,000. 00:16:16.539 --> 00:16:18.539 It's weakness. 00:16:19.240 --> 00:16:20.419 What do we find here? 00:16:22.959 --> 00:16:27.959 God works through corporate weakness for his own glory. 00:16:28.819 --> 00:16:31.839 Isn't that what he says in verse 2 of chapter 7? 00:16:32.620 --> 00:16:34.480 Hey, we've got to send some of these guys home, Gideon, 00:16:34.559 --> 00:16:39.899 because if even the numbers at that point are so lopsided, 00:16:39.899 --> 00:16:42.480 but even God says, I know the pride of Israel. 00:16:42.799 --> 00:16:47.059 And I know if 32,000 men, if I use them to defeat this army, 00:16:47.159 --> 00:16:48.899 Israel's going to say, Look what we did. 00:16:49.360 --> 00:16:50.720 And they're going to forget me again. 00:16:51.000 --> 00:16:52.699 And they're going to rebel against me again. 00:16:52.860 --> 00:16:55.659 Or they're going to give credit to Baal or whatever it is. 00:16:56.519 --> 00:16:57.659 And he whittles it down. 00:16:58.139 --> 00:17:00.879 Well, God works through corporate weakness for his own glory. 00:17:00.980 --> 00:17:03.419 All glory belongs to him. 00:17:04.859 --> 00:17:06.619 If I can just take this a step further, 00:17:06.619 --> 00:17:08.339 even as we're thinking about the weak, 00:17:08.339 --> 00:17:11.799 we come to a passage like this, 00:17:12.559 --> 00:17:15.619 it's not for us to praise Gideon. 00:17:17.500 --> 00:17:20.139 That's not what we should be doing when we come to this text. 00:17:21.579 --> 00:17:23.179 Because this wasn't Gideon's doing. 00:17:25.500 --> 00:17:28.720 Now, I don't mean that we shouldn't honor 00:17:28.720 --> 00:17:31.220 and recognize examples of faithfulness. 00:17:31.319 --> 00:17:33.339 The Scriptures itself does that over and again. 00:17:33.339 --> 00:17:34.740 It actually does it with Gideon. 00:17:35.379 --> 00:17:36.779 You get to Hebrews chapter 11. 00:17:36.779 --> 00:17:41.220 And Gideon is specifically named for his example of faith 00:17:41.220 --> 00:17:44.579 in leading this army and doing this work at this particular moment. 00:17:44.779 --> 00:17:46.019 So I don't want you to misunderstand me. 00:17:46.200 --> 00:17:48.579 I'm not saying that we shouldn't honor and be appreciative 00:17:48.579 --> 00:17:54.379 and show that appreciation to people to whom honor is due, as Paul says. 00:17:54.380 --> 00:17:57.860 But we need to be careful not to make a hero of Gideon. 00:17:57.860 --> 00:17:59.460 Because Gideon's not a hero. 00:18:01.600 --> 00:18:05.240 None of the judges in this book, none of them are heroes. 00:18:06.080 --> 00:18:08.880 Indeed, there's one hero in the Bible. 00:18:09.760 --> 00:18:10.980 And his name is Jesus. 00:18:11.140 --> 00:18:12.040 He's the only one. 00:18:13.240 --> 00:18:17.680 Everyone else that God uses is a weak vessel 00:18:17.680 --> 00:18:22.420 that God works through for his own glory. 00:18:22.820 --> 00:18:26.519 We praise God for how he used Gideon. 00:18:27.640 --> 00:18:29.480 So as we sit around the Thanksgiving table this week, 00:18:29.539 --> 00:18:30.519 that's what we want to do, right? 00:18:30.560 --> 00:18:34.220 We want to praise God for the way that he's blessed our family. 00:18:34.460 --> 00:18:37.660 We want to praise God through a boss that has been kind to us 00:18:37.660 --> 00:18:39.380 and maybe given you a boldness this year. 00:18:39.440 --> 00:18:42.779 We want to praise God for the way that he has used our church 00:18:42.779 --> 00:18:43.980 to reach people with the gospel. 00:18:43.980 --> 00:18:47.819 We want to praise God for the way that he's used this person in my church 00:18:47.819 --> 00:18:50.740 to develop me and to help me grow closer to Jesus. 00:18:51.079 --> 00:18:52.799 We don't want to make heroes out of people. 00:18:53.000 --> 00:18:55.120 We want to look to Christ and we want to say, 00:18:55.700 --> 00:18:57.779 all the sufficiency belongs to him. 00:18:58.099 --> 00:19:00.559 All glory be to God. 00:19:00.599 --> 00:19:04.000 Or as we sang a moment ago, all praise to him. 00:19:04.799 --> 00:19:06.500 We don't want to make a hero out of people. 00:19:07.759 --> 00:19:11.240 It's too common in Christian churches today. 00:19:11.240 --> 00:19:17.440 It's too common to take weak vessels and set them up on pedestals 00:19:17.440 --> 00:19:22.660 and expect something of them or treat them in a way that we should only treat God. 00:19:23.620 --> 00:19:26.539 To expect something from spiritual leaders in our lives 00:19:26.539 --> 00:19:29.839 that really we should only expect of God. 00:19:30.720 --> 00:19:36.400 To give praise to a spiritual leader in our life that we should only give to God. 00:19:38.019 --> 00:19:39.960 God works through weakness. 00:19:39.960 --> 00:19:44.620 Now let's think about this in terms of just some New Testament application quickly. 00:19:45.600 --> 00:19:46.460 Let's be honest. 00:19:46.539 --> 00:19:50.120 As we're thinking about God's corporate enterprise here for reaching the nations, 00:19:50.600 --> 00:19:53.840 the church is a weak enterprise, isn't it? 00:19:55.140 --> 00:19:59.440 There's nothing particularly impressive about the church. 00:20:00.420 --> 00:20:03.539 And when you find those churches that are particularly impressive, 00:20:04.539 --> 00:20:06.940 it might not be everything that you think that it is. 00:20:06.940 --> 00:20:09.680 It's not impressive. 00:20:10.940 --> 00:20:13.140 There's not a lot of strength and ability here. 00:20:13.220 --> 00:20:18.759 Yet, it's still the church that Jesus declared in Matthew 16 00:20:18.759 --> 00:20:22.440 that the gates of hell could not prevail against. 00:20:22.440 --> 00:20:28.400 Now, the church of Christ is not unstoppable for God's purposes 00:20:28.400 --> 00:20:35.259 because Christians are just strong and courageous and powerful. 00:20:35.259 --> 00:20:42.220 And we need to stop thinking that progress will be made for the cause of Christ 00:20:42.220 --> 00:20:47.640 simply by enlisting better gifted and more capable people to do the work. 00:20:48.180 --> 00:20:49.240 Because it's not true. 00:20:49.240 --> 00:20:56.740 The church is unstoppable because it's God's instrument of grace in the world. 00:20:57.940 --> 00:21:03.839 And God will empower his people with his spirit until the day Christ returns. 00:21:04.859 --> 00:21:06.279 God works through weakness. 00:21:07.200 --> 00:21:08.799 You say, well, there's not much to our church here. 00:21:09.440 --> 00:21:10.120 Well, that's okay. 00:21:10.440 --> 00:21:11.259 There doesn't need to be. 00:21:11.259 --> 00:21:13.799 It's not our work anyways. 00:21:15.579 --> 00:21:16.720 God's doing his work. 00:21:17.480 --> 00:21:19.200 And he uses weakness to do it. 00:21:21.099 --> 00:21:23.619 Think of Paul's words in 1 Corinthians 1. 00:21:25.059 --> 00:21:28.059 Not many of you were wise according to worldly standards. 00:21:28.859 --> 00:21:29.940 Not many were powerful. 00:21:30.839 --> 00:21:32.299 Not many were of noble birth. 00:21:33.460 --> 00:21:36.559 But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise. 00:21:37.279 --> 00:21:40.140 God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong. 00:21:40.140 --> 00:21:44.920 God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, 00:21:45.300 --> 00:21:47.080 to bring to nothing things that are. 00:21:48.080 --> 00:21:51.300 So that no human being might boast in the presence of God. 00:21:52.360 --> 00:21:55.700 And because of him, you are in Christ Jesus, 00:21:56.420 --> 00:22:00.960 who became to us wisdom from God, righteousness and sanctification and redemption, 00:22:01.300 --> 00:22:06.840 so that as it is written, let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord. 00:22:07.000 --> 00:22:08.540 What is that passage all about? 00:22:08.539 --> 00:22:14.920 Well, it's about God being glorified and using weak vessels to accomplish his work in the world. 00:22:17.019 --> 00:22:21.460 God uses man's weakness for his glory when it comes to reaching the nations with the gospel. 00:22:23.200 --> 00:22:27.359 It's because of him and his grace alone that you're even in Christ Jesus today. 00:22:27.759 --> 00:22:32.680 And it's only through his power that we've been brought together as a church to glorify him 00:22:32.680 --> 00:22:33.839 in this particular community. 00:22:33.839 --> 00:22:36.039 This is his work. 00:22:36.959 --> 00:22:38.379 This is what he's doing. 00:22:39.559 --> 00:22:43.720 But how wonderful is it to think that he has enlisted us, 00:22:44.980 --> 00:22:47.679 meager jars of clay, 00:22:48.679 --> 00:22:53.819 to carry out the treasure of his gospel to other people. 00:22:53.819 --> 00:22:56.200 Here's the bottom line. 00:22:56.539 --> 00:22:58.980 The hope of the world is the church. 00:23:00.119 --> 00:23:06.779 The strength of the church is the Spirit's power at work through Christ's gospel. 00:23:08.059 --> 00:23:09.659 And glory to God for that. 00:23:09.980 --> 00:23:13.419 Because if this whole thing, if this whole enterprise rested on us, 00:23:13.960 --> 00:23:16.859 then there's a problem that doesn't rest on us. 00:23:17.379 --> 00:23:18.439 This is God's work. 00:23:18.759 --> 00:23:19.879 And we get to be a part of it. 00:23:20.259 --> 00:23:21.220 Glory be to him. 00:23:21.220 --> 00:23:22.579 Let's praise him for it. 00:23:23.420 --> 00:23:25.019 God works through corporate weakness. 00:23:25.339 --> 00:23:28.339 Secondly, God works through individual weakness. 00:23:29.339 --> 00:23:30.839 God works through individual weakness. 00:23:30.960 --> 00:23:31.559 Verse 36, 00:23:31.920 --> 00:23:32.980 Then Gideon said to God, 00:23:33.120 --> 00:23:35.539 If you will save Israel by my hand, as you've said, 00:23:35.980 --> 00:23:38.519 behold, I'm laying a fleece of wool on the threshing floor. 00:23:39.039 --> 00:23:42.740 If there is dew on the fleece alone and it's dry on all the ground, 00:23:43.120 --> 00:23:46.700 then I shall know that you will save Israel by my hand, as you've said. 00:23:47.579 --> 00:23:48.500 And it was so. 00:23:48.500 --> 00:23:51.920 When he rose early next morning and squeezed the fleece, 00:23:51.940 --> 00:23:55.059 he wrung enough dew from the fleece to fill a bowl with water. 00:23:56.019 --> 00:23:57.140 Gideon said to God, 00:23:57.279 --> 00:23:59.640 Let not your anger burn against me. 00:24:00.220 --> 00:24:01.759 Let me speak just once more. 00:24:02.480 --> 00:24:05.180 Please let me test just once more with the fleece. 00:24:06.119 --> 00:24:08.099 Please let it be dry on the fleece only, 00:24:08.220 --> 00:24:09.819 and on all the ground let there be dew. 00:24:10.539 --> 00:24:11.920 And God did so that night. 00:24:12.460 --> 00:24:14.180 It was dry on the fleece only, 00:24:14.180 --> 00:24:17.039 and on all the ground there was dew. 00:24:18.960 --> 00:24:20.400 Verses 25 to 32, 00:24:20.600 --> 00:24:21.620 the enemy was Baal. 00:24:23.299 --> 00:24:24.920 Verses 33 to 35, 00:24:25.019 --> 00:24:27.000 the enemy was Midian. 00:24:27.960 --> 00:24:29.080 But in these verses, 00:24:29.200 --> 00:24:30.100 36 to 40, 00:24:30.799 --> 00:24:33.259 the enemy is Gideon's own doubt. 00:24:34.080 --> 00:24:34.840 Personal doubt. 00:24:34.839 --> 00:24:40.059 So once all 32,000 Israelite soldiers had gathered, 00:24:41.159 --> 00:24:43.559 can we really blame Gideon for this? 00:24:43.919 --> 00:24:46.099 There's 135,000 down in the valley. 00:24:46.199 --> 00:24:49.299 He's got 32 rough-looking characters up on the top of the hill. 00:24:50.519 --> 00:24:52.279 And he needs to go to the Lord, 00:24:52.379 --> 00:24:54.519 and he just needs some reassurance here again, doesn't he? 00:24:54.980 --> 00:24:58.220 His need, constant need for reassurance, 00:24:58.319 --> 00:24:59.799 it resurfaces here. 00:24:59.799 --> 00:25:05.220 And he devises this test that he hoped would validate God's word. 00:25:05.879 --> 00:25:08.099 If the fleece was wet the next morning, 00:25:08.359 --> 00:25:09.779 and the ground was dry, 00:25:10.000 --> 00:25:13.079 then he would know that God would be faithful to his word. 00:25:13.859 --> 00:25:15.980 But then after God performed the sign, 00:25:16.440 --> 00:25:17.519 Gideon was still unsure. 00:25:18.559 --> 00:25:19.399 You ever been there before? 00:25:20.839 --> 00:25:23.359 God just really makes things abundantly clear to you, 00:25:23.399 --> 00:25:24.919 and then you come back to him just one more thing. 00:25:25.000 --> 00:25:25.099 He said, 00:25:25.159 --> 00:25:26.700 God, you just got to do a little bit more for me here. 00:25:27.259 --> 00:25:27.819 Help me out. 00:25:27.819 --> 00:25:30.240 So he lays out the fleece again, 00:25:30.299 --> 00:25:32.439 except this time he asked for a bigger miracle, actually. 00:25:32.559 --> 00:25:34.740 He asked that the ground would be wet, 00:25:34.919 --> 00:25:37.039 but that the fleece would be completely dry. 00:25:37.399 --> 00:25:40.099 Well, the wool and fleece is going to be prone to soaking up water. 00:25:40.200 --> 00:25:43.139 That's why it's probably a stronger miracle at this particular point. 00:25:43.339 --> 00:25:45.259 The second thing as he lays it out, 00:25:45.359 --> 00:25:47.879 and God, of course, does it. 00:25:49.279 --> 00:25:52.899 And this would have been a reassurance for such a weak servant. 00:25:53.259 --> 00:25:56.759 Now, can anybody else relate to what Gideon was doing here? 00:25:57.819 --> 00:25:59.319 Of course we can. 00:26:00.200 --> 00:26:00.799 Of course we can. 00:26:02.639 --> 00:26:07.200 This is one of the more famous portions of Scripture for most Christians, 00:26:07.339 --> 00:26:13.279 but the question that we often need to ask when we come to this particular text is, 00:26:13.839 --> 00:26:16.139 was this actually right for Gideon to do? 00:26:16.140 --> 00:26:24.620 Is this an example from Gideon that's mostly positive that we need to mimic in our own lives? 00:26:25.620 --> 00:26:30.700 Is this a negative thing that Gideon does that we actually need to avoid doing ourselves? 00:26:31.500 --> 00:26:33.920 Or can we be basically indifferent to it? 00:26:33.980 --> 00:26:37.640 You just kind of do what feels best in the moment. 00:26:37.640 --> 00:26:44.700 And I want to take a moment and I want to show you that this is actually quite negative, even sinful, 00:26:45.220 --> 00:26:48.220 for us to follow Gideon's pattern here. 00:26:48.380 --> 00:26:51.960 But I also want you to see how you can be comforted in this text, okay? 00:26:52.160 --> 00:26:54.580 So that's my goal here in these closing moments. 00:26:54.579 --> 00:26:56.919 Here's the thing. 00:26:58.119 --> 00:27:02.259 God calls us to trust Him, not test Him. 00:27:04.579 --> 00:27:05.819 He doesn't say test me. 00:27:06.139 --> 00:27:07.299 He says believe me. 00:27:09.740 --> 00:27:15.019 He desires that we trust His perfect Word rather than constantly coming to Him, 00:27:15.740 --> 00:27:20.519 asking for some kind of sign in the sky or asking for Him to orchestrate certain things in our lives 00:27:20.519 --> 00:27:27.639 just in a way so that finally we can be reassured of what we already know is His will for us to do. 00:27:29.079 --> 00:27:32.500 Do you realize this was actually a part of Satan's temptations of Jesus? 00:27:33.599 --> 00:27:36.720 I've got this passage on the screen for you as well in Matthew chapter 4. 00:27:36.720 --> 00:27:39.779 Then the devil took Him to the holy city, that's Jerusalem, 00:27:39.980 --> 00:27:42.980 and set Him on the pinnacle of the temple and said to Him, 00:27:43.639 --> 00:27:47.599 If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down, for it is written, 00:27:47.599 --> 00:27:53.039 He will command His angels concerning you, and on their hands they will bear you up, 00:27:53.119 --> 00:27:55.139 lest you strike your foot against a stone. 00:27:55.899 --> 00:27:59.879 And Jesus said to him, again it is written to you, this is a quote from Deuteronomy, 00:28:00.219 --> 00:28:03.819 You shall not put the Lord your God to the test. 00:28:05.019 --> 00:28:07.480 Now do you see the subtlety in this temptation? 00:28:09.339 --> 00:28:13.319 Satan presents Jesus with what God said. 00:28:13.319 --> 00:28:14.839 He quotes the Scripture. 00:28:14.839 --> 00:28:19.579 He quotes the Scripture and then He says, 00:28:20.559 --> 00:28:26.459 Do this thing to force God to prove that you're the Messiah, 00:28:26.639 --> 00:28:29.379 that what He said is actually true. 00:28:29.839 --> 00:28:31.959 There's a subtlety in this temptation, isn't there? 00:28:33.240 --> 00:28:34.159 Satan says, 00:28:34.980 --> 00:28:36.220 Don't just believe His word. 00:28:37.119 --> 00:28:38.459 Put Him to the test. 00:28:39.579 --> 00:28:42.480 Now this temptation is as old as of the Garden of Eden, isn't it? 00:28:42.480 --> 00:28:44.519 What is it that He says to Eve? 00:28:45.819 --> 00:28:47.019 Did God say? 00:28:47.759 --> 00:28:48.099 Really? 00:28:48.339 --> 00:28:49.039 That's what He said? 00:28:49.360 --> 00:28:51.220 Why don't we put that to the test, Eve? 00:28:51.779 --> 00:28:53.799 Why don't we put that to the test, Adam? 00:28:55.259 --> 00:28:57.640 Isn't that what's happening here with Gideon? 00:28:59.799 --> 00:29:07.759 Testing God always comes from a heart of doubt regarding what God has already said. 00:29:07.759 --> 00:29:10.799 It's very plain in the text. 00:29:11.220 --> 00:29:12.319 Gideon was testing God. 00:29:12.379 --> 00:29:14.240 He even says to God twice, 00:29:14.700 --> 00:29:15.980 As you have said, 00:29:16.319 --> 00:29:18.200 If you will just do this for me, God, 00:29:18.319 --> 00:29:21.619 it will show me that you are actually faithfully to your word. 00:29:21.819 --> 00:29:23.539 I know what you told me to do. 00:29:24.079 --> 00:29:26.480 I know what you've said you would do on my behalf. 00:29:26.640 --> 00:29:28.900 But will you just prove it to me? 00:29:28.900 --> 00:29:34.640 But this kind of testing, it always, always comes from a heart of doubt. 00:29:35.280 --> 00:29:39.259 He requested a sign because he had difficulty trusting God's promise. 00:29:41.620 --> 00:29:43.480 That's why we can't look to this and say, 00:29:43.580 --> 00:29:44.519 Okay, this is a good thing. 00:29:44.580 --> 00:29:45.820 We need to lay out our fleece. 00:29:45.880 --> 00:29:47.240 No, you need to put your fleece back in a closet. 00:29:47.720 --> 00:29:48.560 You don't need to lay that out. 00:29:48.740 --> 00:29:50.140 You just need to trust what God has said. 00:29:50.340 --> 00:29:51.680 You need to read your Bible and say, 00:29:51.920 --> 00:29:52.860 This is God's word. 00:29:53.320 --> 00:29:54.460 This is God's word. 00:29:54.860 --> 00:29:58.360 He has told me what His will is directly in the scriptures. 00:29:58.359 --> 00:29:59.899 And I'm going to believe it. 00:30:00.039 --> 00:30:01.240 And I'm going to believe His promises. 00:30:02.240 --> 00:30:03.599 That's why we can't look to this and say, 00:30:03.740 --> 00:30:04.719 This is a good thing for us to do. 00:30:04.779 --> 00:30:05.219 It's not. 00:30:05.439 --> 00:30:07.859 But there's something else that I want you to notice here. 00:30:08.059 --> 00:30:09.259 It comes in verse 39. 00:30:11.219 --> 00:30:12.479 Notice what Gideon says. 00:30:12.919 --> 00:30:17.159 Let not your anger burn against me, Gideon says. 00:30:19.679 --> 00:30:21.539 Gideon was not ignorant of his doubt. 00:30:22.119 --> 00:30:25.779 He wasn't trying to pretend to God that things are cool. 00:30:25.779 --> 00:30:28.339 We're just dotting all of our I's. 00:30:28.359 --> 00:30:29.500 And crossing all of our T's. 00:30:29.719 --> 00:30:31.199 He recognizes his doubt here. 00:30:32.579 --> 00:30:34.879 And he doesn't expect God to be okay with it. 00:30:36.039 --> 00:30:36.939 Do you see that? 00:30:38.619 --> 00:30:39.359 God, don't. 00:30:40.819 --> 00:30:42.779 Please don't let your anger burn against me now. 00:30:43.299 --> 00:30:44.740 He knows this is not right. 00:30:44.919 --> 00:30:45.819 This is not good. 00:30:48.639 --> 00:30:50.279 His doubt, ironically, 00:30:50.279 --> 00:30:53.000 is wrapped in humility. 00:30:54.700 --> 00:30:58.259 Which indicates that it's not exactly unbelief 00:30:58.259 --> 00:30:59.759 that we find here. 00:31:01.139 --> 00:31:02.819 Del Ralph Davis says this plainly. 00:31:03.460 --> 00:31:05.359 Gideon is hesitant, he says, 00:31:05.519 --> 00:31:06.859 not unbelieving. 00:31:07.879 --> 00:31:09.799 It's not the absence of faith, 00:31:10.160 --> 00:31:12.940 but the caution of faith that we see here. 00:31:14.139 --> 00:31:15.440 Now think about this for just a moment. 00:31:15.440 --> 00:31:19.340 There is a kind of doubt that's driven by pride. 00:31:20.620 --> 00:31:22.759 This is what we find earlier in the passage. 00:31:22.900 --> 00:31:24.220 Look at verse 13. 00:31:24.340 --> 00:31:26.519 What is it that Gideon says to God? 00:31:26.559 --> 00:31:27.200 How does he respond? 00:31:27.299 --> 00:31:28.279 The angel of the Lord comes 00:31:28.279 --> 00:31:31.580 and he tells Gideon what God's gonna do. 00:31:31.820 --> 00:31:32.559 And verse 13, 00:31:32.559 --> 00:31:49.119 That's a different thing than what's happening here. 00:31:50.659 --> 00:31:53.079 That was doubt that was driven by pride. 00:31:53.960 --> 00:31:54.440 Unbelief. 00:31:55.159 --> 00:31:56.859 The word of God was delivered to Gideon 00:31:56.859 --> 00:31:57.460 and he says, 00:31:58.019 --> 00:31:59.559 no, there's no way. 00:31:59.940 --> 00:32:01.299 God is the problem here, 00:32:01.399 --> 00:32:02.000 is what he says. 00:32:02.200 --> 00:32:02.500 Essentially. 00:32:03.559 --> 00:32:04.379 It's pride. 00:32:04.539 --> 00:32:05.139 It's arrogance. 00:32:05.919 --> 00:32:06.399 Unbelief. 00:32:06.740 --> 00:32:08.480 But that's not what he's doing here 00:32:08.480 --> 00:32:10.579 at the end of chapter six. 00:32:12.700 --> 00:32:14.879 This is an expression of fear, 00:32:15.339 --> 00:32:16.440 not unbelief. 00:32:18.079 --> 00:32:19.759 Gideon is seeking reassurance 00:32:19.759 --> 00:32:21.619 and validation from God. 00:32:21.679 --> 00:32:23.799 He's not challenging God. 00:32:25.359 --> 00:32:27.279 Now all of us fight against doubt. 00:32:27.279 --> 00:32:30.200 We're all tempted to test God's promises 00:32:30.200 --> 00:32:32.240 along the way of our Christian lives. 00:32:32.240 --> 00:32:34.620 But the difference between prideful unbelief 00:32:34.620 --> 00:32:37.539 that we see earlier in the chapter 00:32:37.539 --> 00:32:40.599 and fearful doubt that we see here 00:32:40.599 --> 00:32:43.359 is the difference between an unbeliever 00:32:43.359 --> 00:32:45.000 and a believer. 00:32:45.000 --> 00:32:47.380 That's the difference. 00:32:47.380 --> 00:32:48.019 That's the difference. 00:32:49.779 --> 00:32:51.640 One who does not belong to Christ, 00:32:51.740 --> 00:32:53.519 one who is not a genuine believer, 00:32:54.099 --> 00:32:55.220 challenges God. 00:32:56.039 --> 00:32:57.319 That can't be true. 00:32:57.440 --> 00:32:59.079 No, God is not faithful. 00:32:59.380 --> 00:33:00.500 How could God ever do this? 00:33:00.579 --> 00:33:02.900 Look, he hasn't done anything good for me up to this point. 00:33:03.740 --> 00:33:06.460 They push against, they rebel, there's unbelief. 00:33:07.380 --> 00:33:09.960 A believer, though, still has the struggle of doubt. 00:33:10.140 --> 00:33:11.600 But the doubt looks different. 00:33:12.000 --> 00:33:13.640 It's not wrapped in the same kind of pride. 00:33:13.700 --> 00:33:15.140 It's actually wrapped in humility 00:33:15.140 --> 00:33:16.259 that even acknowledges, 00:33:16.380 --> 00:33:17.340 Lord, I know you're good. 00:33:17.400 --> 00:33:18.500 And Lord, I know you're faithful. 00:33:18.579 --> 00:33:20.299 And I know that you are powerful. 00:33:20.420 --> 00:33:21.880 And they can do all of these things. 00:33:21.960 --> 00:33:23.720 So please have mercy on me, 00:33:23.720 --> 00:33:26.240 even as I come to you in this moment with this test. 00:33:26.240 --> 00:33:28.859 That's what's happening with Gideon here. 00:33:29.059 --> 00:33:30.799 Now that doesn't excuse what he did. 00:33:32.120 --> 00:33:34.880 But it does help us better understand the difference 00:33:34.880 --> 00:33:38.579 between the doubt that we experience as believers 00:33:38.579 --> 00:33:42.579 versus the unbelief that we exemplify 00:33:42.579 --> 00:33:45.000 in our pride before coming to Christ. 00:33:45.660 --> 00:33:48.099 Now what we should all be comforted by in this text 00:33:48.099 --> 00:33:54.019 is the astounding kindness and patience of God. 00:33:56.240 --> 00:33:57.960 Here's how Barry Webb described it. 00:33:58.960 --> 00:34:01.740 We should be careful of being too hard on Gideon. 00:34:02.900 --> 00:34:05.039 Not just because of our own failings, 00:34:05.539 --> 00:34:08.440 but because of the way God himself responds 00:34:08.440 --> 00:34:09.539 to Gideon's request. 00:34:10.539 --> 00:34:13.539 He doesn't lecture him on the weakness of his faith, 00:34:13.960 --> 00:34:16.380 but gives him the sign he asked for. 00:34:17.480 --> 00:34:19.500 And when even that is not enough for Gideon, 00:34:19.679 --> 00:34:21.179 he gives him another one. 00:34:21.780 --> 00:34:24.139 In other words, what is really amazing, 00:34:24.280 --> 00:34:25.079 Barry Webb says, 00:34:25.079 --> 00:34:30.519 is God's grace to his struggling servant. 00:34:31.659 --> 00:34:32.799 Isn't that amazing? 00:34:34.119 --> 00:34:35.940 Over and over, Gideon keeps saying, 00:34:36.099 --> 00:34:37.259 oh Lord, please prove yourself. 00:34:37.360 --> 00:34:38.539 And over and over, God does it. 00:34:39.639 --> 00:34:40.239 He does it. 00:34:40.819 --> 00:34:41.880 He doesn't have to do it. 00:34:43.000 --> 00:34:43.880 But he does. 00:34:44.880 --> 00:34:45.279 Why? 00:34:47.119 --> 00:34:48.360 Because God is kind. 00:34:49.159 --> 00:34:50.039 He's patient. 00:34:50.039 --> 00:34:51.619 He's loving. 00:34:53.019 --> 00:34:54.199 He's long-suffering. 00:34:55.800 --> 00:34:57.579 Is there anything more incredible 00:34:57.579 --> 00:35:00.559 than the grace of God in this way? 00:35:02.059 --> 00:35:03.300 And over and over, 00:35:04.300 --> 00:35:06.039 he continues to show you mercy 00:35:06.039 --> 00:35:07.820 despite your many failures. 00:35:09.420 --> 00:35:10.119 And over and over, 00:35:10.199 --> 00:35:11.159 despite your doubt, 00:35:11.420 --> 00:35:13.900 and despite your fears, 00:35:14.139 --> 00:35:15.199 and despite your sin, 00:35:15.199 --> 00:35:16.779 he loves you. 00:35:17.359 --> 00:35:18.480 And he cares for you. 00:35:19.059 --> 00:35:20.039 And he helps you. 00:35:20.639 --> 00:35:22.000 And he's patient with you. 00:35:24.719 --> 00:35:25.500 That is true. 00:35:25.579 --> 00:35:26.500 It's incredible grace. 00:35:26.779 --> 00:35:28.359 But we don't need to presume 00:35:28.359 --> 00:35:29.739 upon that grace. 00:35:30.019 --> 00:35:30.500 You know what I mean? 00:35:32.419 --> 00:35:35.139 You should not read of God's grace to Gideon 00:35:35.139 --> 00:35:37.699 and then feel comfortable 00:35:37.699 --> 00:35:40.019 by testing God yourself. 00:35:40.719 --> 00:35:42.579 That's not what you should take away from that. 00:35:43.519 --> 00:35:43.980 However, 00:35:44.940 --> 00:35:46.859 you shouldn't feel comfortable, 00:35:47.480 --> 00:35:49.339 but you should be comforted 00:35:49.339 --> 00:35:51.619 to see that when you do fail, 00:35:52.579 --> 00:35:53.379 God is patient. 00:35:54.039 --> 00:35:55.819 And he's full of steadfast love 00:35:55.819 --> 00:35:57.279 and mercy. 00:35:58.420 --> 00:36:00.940 And he will often assist us 00:36:00.940 --> 00:36:04.019 even when we don't deserve that assistance. 00:36:04.119 --> 00:36:04.900 Isn't that amazing? 00:36:05.980 --> 00:36:07.079 That he answers Gideon. 00:36:07.339 --> 00:36:07.900 Not once, 00:36:07.980 --> 00:36:08.779 but twice. 00:36:11.279 --> 00:36:12.659 Let's finish with this way. 00:36:14.239 --> 00:36:16.139 The fact that God is glorified 00:36:16.139 --> 00:36:17.559 to work through man's weakness 00:36:17.559 --> 00:36:18.359 and inability, 00:36:18.900 --> 00:36:20.480 it really prepares us 00:36:20.480 --> 00:36:22.759 to better understand salvation, 00:36:22.900 --> 00:36:23.259 doesn't it? 00:36:23.879 --> 00:36:24.579 Think about it. 00:36:26.500 --> 00:36:27.619 Eternal salvation 00:36:27.619 --> 00:36:31.079 is an utter impossibility 00:36:31.079 --> 00:36:33.059 for us to achieve. 00:36:33.059 --> 00:36:35.940 We're just not capable of it. 00:36:36.539 --> 00:36:37.820 Our very best efforts, 00:36:37.900 --> 00:36:38.599 as I said earlier, 00:36:38.759 --> 00:36:40.980 at morality and religious deeds 00:36:40.980 --> 00:36:43.059 can never atone for our sins. 00:36:43.320 --> 00:36:44.659 The fact that you're at church today 00:36:44.659 --> 00:36:46.219 doesn't mean anything 00:36:46.219 --> 00:36:48.199 in terms of you being forgiven 00:36:48.199 --> 00:36:48.799 for your sins. 00:36:48.800 --> 00:36:51.240 You're not saved 00:36:51.240 --> 00:36:52.039 because you go to church. 00:36:52.240 --> 00:36:53.160 That's not the thing. 00:36:54.160 --> 00:36:55.600 And this actually helps us 00:36:55.600 --> 00:36:56.539 understand this a little bit, 00:36:56.580 --> 00:36:56.960 doesn't it? 00:36:57.600 --> 00:36:59.340 But God is glorified 00:36:59.340 --> 00:37:00.060 in our weakness 00:37:00.060 --> 00:37:02.120 that cannot atone for our sins. 00:37:02.119 --> 00:37:04.000 And he's glorified 00:37:04.000 --> 00:37:05.880 by sending his son 00:37:05.880 --> 00:37:08.059 to die for our sins, 00:37:08.659 --> 00:37:10.440 to reconcile us 00:37:10.440 --> 00:37:11.900 to himself. 00:37:12.099 --> 00:37:12.659 In other words, 00:37:13.339 --> 00:37:16.019 Christ is our sufficiency. 00:37:17.179 --> 00:37:18.880 And through Christ, 00:37:19.519 --> 00:37:21.159 God does his saving work 00:37:21.159 --> 00:37:22.239 in us, 00:37:22.920 --> 00:37:23.839 the weak ones, 00:37:24.420 --> 00:37:25.699 the insufficient ones. 00:37:26.319 --> 00:37:27.819 That's Ephesians chapter two. 00:37:28.500 --> 00:37:29.579 For by grace 00:37:29.579 --> 00:37:31.159 are you saved through faith. 00:37:32.199 --> 00:37:33.860 That not of yourselves, 00:37:34.900 --> 00:37:36.179 it's the gift of God. 00:37:36.900 --> 00:37:38.380 Not of works, 00:37:39.099 --> 00:37:39.619 why? 00:37:40.539 --> 00:37:42.279 Lest any man should boast. 00:37:43.159 --> 00:37:44.099 We start to see that 00:37:44.099 --> 00:37:44.799 over and over now, 00:37:44.840 --> 00:37:45.199 don't we? 00:37:45.219 --> 00:37:46.460 You start to piece together 00:37:46.460 --> 00:37:47.319 these different phrases. 00:37:47.440 --> 00:37:48.460 And what do we see God doing? 00:37:48.739 --> 00:37:50.259 We see God's grace 00:37:50.259 --> 00:37:52.579 active in weak people 00:37:52.579 --> 00:37:55.079 so that he can be glorified. 00:37:57.000 --> 00:37:58.179 And is that not 00:37:58.179 --> 00:37:59.159 the perfect picture 00:37:59.159 --> 00:38:00.219 of the gospel message? 00:38:01.420 --> 00:38:02.259 We are weak 00:38:02.259 --> 00:38:02.739 and sinful 00:38:02.739 --> 00:38:03.319 and insufficient. 00:38:03.539 --> 00:38:04.119 We can do nothing 00:38:04.119 --> 00:38:04.699 for ourselves, 00:38:04.819 --> 00:38:05.719 but God in his grace 00:38:05.719 --> 00:38:06.199 and his love 00:38:06.199 --> 00:38:07.059 sends the one 00:38:07.059 --> 00:38:08.099 who can redeem us. 00:38:08.319 --> 00:38:09.359 And he dies on the cross 00:38:09.359 --> 00:38:10.339 to pay for our sins. 00:38:10.619 --> 00:38:11.579 God raises him 00:38:11.579 --> 00:38:12.279 from the dead 00:38:12.279 --> 00:38:13.739 as the sign to prove 00:38:13.739 --> 00:38:15.299 that our sins 00:38:15.299 --> 00:38:15.960 have been forgiven. 00:38:16.279 --> 00:38:17.139 And then he just says, 00:38:17.279 --> 00:38:17.599 come, 00:38:18.279 --> 00:38:18.819 come. 00:38:20.019 --> 00:38:21.219 And in his power, 00:38:22.019 --> 00:38:23.099 he saves us 00:38:23.099 --> 00:38:24.879 and he redeems us 00:38:24.879 --> 00:38:26.399 through Christ 00:38:26.400 --> 00:38:29.420 so that we cannot say, 00:38:30.019 --> 00:38:31.180 I was a great Christian, 00:38:31.440 --> 00:38:32.619 but so that we can say 00:38:32.619 --> 00:38:33.860 he is a gracious God. 00:38:35.860 --> 00:38:37.519 There's nothing about our salvation 00:38:37.519 --> 00:38:38.320 that lends itself 00:38:38.320 --> 00:38:39.260 to our best efforts. 00:38:40.160 --> 00:38:41.539 It's all of his grace 00:38:41.539 --> 00:38:43.380 and glory be to God for that. 00:38:44.039 --> 00:38:45.599 So whether it's your salvation 00:38:45.599 --> 00:38:48.340 or whether it's a particular work 00:38:48.340 --> 00:38:49.980 that God has called you to do 00:38:49.980 --> 00:38:50.840 through his church, 00:38:50.840 --> 00:38:53.460 you can actually glory 00:38:53.460 --> 00:38:55.019 in your weakness. 00:38:56.280 --> 00:38:57.360 Because when you glory 00:38:57.360 --> 00:38:58.180 in your weakness, 00:38:58.500 --> 00:38:59.780 you end up rejoicing 00:38:59.780 --> 00:39:00.539 in his grace. 00:39:01.760 --> 00:39:02.420 Let me just leave you 00:39:02.420 --> 00:39:03.220 with what Paul said 00:39:03.220 --> 00:39:03.900 along those lines 00:39:03.900 --> 00:39:05.920 in 2 Corinthians chapter 12. 00:39:07.519 --> 00:39:08.480 God said to me, 00:39:08.539 --> 00:39:09.600 my grace is sufficient 00:39:09.600 --> 00:39:10.360 for you, Paul. 00:39:11.280 --> 00:39:12.240 For my power 00:39:12.240 --> 00:39:13.680 is made perfect in weakness. 00:39:14.280 --> 00:39:15.460 And here's Paul's response. 00:39:16.440 --> 00:39:16.700 Therefore, 00:39:17.180 --> 00:39:18.400 I will boast 00:39:18.400 --> 00:39:20.160 all the more gladly 00:39:20.159 --> 00:39:21.460 of my weaknesses 00:39:21.460 --> 00:39:24.099 so that the power 00:39:24.099 --> 00:39:24.779 of Christ 00:39:24.779 --> 00:39:25.920 may rest upon me. 00:39:26.879 --> 00:39:28.099 For the sake of Christ, 00:39:28.239 --> 00:39:28.579 then, 00:39:28.779 --> 00:39:29.500 I'm content 00:39:29.500 --> 00:39:30.339 with weakness, 00:39:31.179 --> 00:39:31.879 insults, 00:39:32.460 --> 00:39:33.000 hardships, 00:39:33.799 --> 00:39:34.460 persecutions, 00:39:34.579 --> 00:39:35.319 and calamities. 00:39:35.639 --> 00:39:37.059 For when I am weak, 00:39:37.699 --> 00:39:38.579 then I'm strong. 00:39:40.079 --> 00:39:41.199 And it's not his strength. 00:39:41.920 --> 00:39:42.859 It's not our strength. 00:39:43.799 --> 00:39:45.099 It's the strength of God. 00:39:45.539 --> 00:39:46.879 How wonderful that is. 00:39:47.759 --> 00:39:49.139 So don't put your fleece 00:39:49.139 --> 00:39:50.319 out tonight when you go home. 00:39:50.960 --> 00:39:51.819 Don't do that. 00:39:53.000 --> 00:39:53.799 But know that 00:39:53.799 --> 00:39:54.819 if you're tempted 00:39:54.819 --> 00:39:55.799 and you give in to that, 00:39:56.500 --> 00:39:57.279 God is gracious. 00:39:58.719 --> 00:39:59.639 And he's kind. 00:40:00.619 --> 00:40:01.699 He's probably going to help you. 00:40:02.179 --> 00:40:03.039 He may not do 00:40:03.039 --> 00:40:04.019 what your sign demands, 00:40:04.819 --> 00:40:05.619 but he's going to help you. 00:40:06.079 --> 00:40:07.099 And he's going to love you. 00:40:08.319 --> 00:40:09.219 But don't presume 00:40:09.219 --> 00:40:10.179 upon that grace either. 00:40:10.879 --> 00:40:11.960 Just be grateful for it 00:40:11.960 --> 00:40:13.000 when you experience it. 00:40:13.900 --> 00:40:14.980 And give him glory 00:40:14.980 --> 00:40:16.039 for the work that he's doing. 00:40:16.039 --> 00:40:16.880 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