WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:08.380 Seated. Good morning. My name is Matthew Capone, and I'm the pastor here at Cheyenne Mountain 00:00:08.380 --> 00:00:14.660 Presbyterian Church. And it's my joy to bring God's word to you today. A special welcome if 00:00:14.660 --> 00:00:20.219 you're new or visiting with us. And we're glad that you're here. And we're glad that you're here, 00:00:20.280 --> 00:00:24.940 not because we're trying to fill seats, but because we're following Jesus together as one 00:00:24.940 --> 00:00:29.660 community. And as we follow him together, we become convinced that there's no one so good. 00:00:29.660 --> 00:00:34.520 They don't need God's grace. And no one so bad that they can't have it, which is why we come back 00:00:34.520 --> 00:00:40.500 week after week to hear what God has to say to us in his word. We're continuing our series in the book 00:00:40.500 --> 00:00:44.939 of Judges. I believe this is week four now. And you'll remember that the book of Judges is about 00:00:44.939 --> 00:00:51.120 a variety of things. It's about the constant need for renewal and revival among God's people. 00:00:51.879 --> 00:00:57.060 It's about the power that comes when you have a leader who's enabled by God's Holy Spirit. 00:00:57.060 --> 00:01:04.379 And it's also about the need for a faithful and true king. A king who's able to do what no human 00:01:04.379 --> 00:01:11.120 can do, which is to change the hearts and minds of men. And so as we enter week four, I want to remind 00:01:11.120 --> 00:01:15.079 you of where we've been. First of all, we are in this section of the history of God's people. 00:01:15.560 --> 00:01:21.740 We are after Egypt, after God's people have come out of slavery. We are before the period of the kings. 00:01:21.739 --> 00:01:26.619 What they are doing right now is they're taking the promised land. So we're coming after the book 00:01:26.619 --> 00:01:31.799 of Joshua. Joshua was leading Israel and taking the promised land. In the book of Judges, they're 00:01:31.799 --> 00:01:38.679 meant to continue that job. What we saw week one, however, was that they had half-hearted obedience. 00:01:39.060 --> 00:01:47.519 They obeyed, sort of. They failed to remember God's power in the past. And they also failed to trust 00:01:47.519 --> 00:01:54.019 God's promises for the present and the future. The second week, we saw the challenge and the 00:01:54.019 --> 00:02:00.739 opportunity and the responsibility of passing on our faith to the next generation. And then last week, 00:02:00.819 --> 00:02:06.060 we talked about God's mercy to hard-hearted people. And that's when we talked about the 00:02:06.060 --> 00:02:12.560 Judges' cycle, or as more appropriately called, the Judges' spiral, because things get worse and worse. 00:02:12.560 --> 00:02:20.219 And so with all of that as background and preparation, now we are ready to begin and look at the very first 00:02:20.219 --> 00:02:25.740 of all the Judges' cycles. You'll remember from chapter 2, verse 19, we were told what's supposed 00:02:25.740 --> 00:02:31.900 to happen. There's a pattern. Things are going to start out good, and they're going to end terrible. 00:02:32.759 --> 00:02:39.259 So we're going to look at two things together this morning. First, God's control, and second, our faith. 00:02:39.259 --> 00:02:46.139 God's control, and our faith. And it's with that that I invite you to turn with me to God's Word. 00:02:46.259 --> 00:02:52.879 You can turn on your phone. You can turn in your Bible. You can turn in your worship guide. 00:02:53.679 --> 00:02:59.120 But no matter where you turn, remember that this is God's Word. And God tells us that His Word is more 00:02:59.120 --> 00:03:04.739 precious than gold, even the finest gold. And it is sweeter than honey, even honey that comes straight 00:03:04.740 --> 00:03:10.240 from the honeycomb. And so that's why we read now Judges chapter 3, starting at verse 7. 00:03:11.740 --> 00:03:17.760 And the people of Israel did what was evil in the sight of the Lord. They forgot the Lord their God 00:03:17.760 --> 00:03:24.840 and served the Baals and the Asheroth. Therefore, the anger of the Lord was kindled against Israel, 00:03:24.840 --> 00:03:33.240 and he sold them into the hand of Cushon, Rishatham, king of Mesopotamia. And the people of Israel served 00:03:33.240 --> 00:03:40.819 Cushon, Rishatham, eight years. But when the people of Israel cried out to the Lord, the Lord raised up 00:03:40.819 --> 00:03:47.439 a deliverer for the people of Israel, who saved them, Othniel, the son of Kinnaz, Caleb's younger brother. 00:03:47.439 --> 00:03:55.960 The Spirit of the Lord was upon him, and he judged Israel. He went out to war, and the Lord gave Cushon, 00:03:56.039 --> 00:04:03.520 Rishatham, king of Mesopotamia, into his hand. And his hand prevailed over Cushon, Rishatham. 00:04:04.280 --> 00:04:14.319 So the land had rest forty years. Then Othniel, the son of Kinnaz, died. I invite you to pray with me as we 00:04:14.319 --> 00:04:23.139 come to this portion of God's Word. Our Father in heaven, we thank you for what you have been 00:04:23.139 --> 00:04:30.659 teaching us in this book, and we ask that you would continue to teach us, that you, like a good 00:04:30.659 --> 00:04:38.279 and faithful Father, would instruct us, that you would show us the reality of our own hearts, which 00:04:38.279 --> 00:04:45.299 are tempted to stray. But you would show us even more the great love and power that you exercise 00:04:45.299 --> 00:04:50.979 towards your people and for your people. We ask that you, most of all, would show us this in your 00:04:50.979 --> 00:04:58.199 Son and our Savior, our Lord Jesus. And we ask that you would unstop our ears, that you would open our 00:04:58.199 --> 00:05:03.779 eyes, that you would clear our minds, and that you would soften our hearts, that we would be able to 00:05:03.779 --> 00:05:11.459 see and hear and understand and believe everything that you've written in your Word. We ask these 00:05:11.459 --> 00:05:14.699 things in the mighty name of Jesus Christ. Amen. 00:05:19.639 --> 00:05:26.939 I would say it's maybe 20 years ago I started to notice what I now consider to be a pretty tired trope, 00:05:26.939 --> 00:05:33.819 which is that whenever we have a president, no matter what party he's in, there is someone 00:05:33.819 --> 00:05:41.879 who finds some way to take some poll to say, this is the worst president we've ever had. 00:05:42.860 --> 00:05:46.540 Okay, and I think this has been going on for about 20 years now. So if it's a Democrat, 00:05:47.220 --> 00:05:51.639 the Republicans find a group of people they can poll who are willing to say, this is the worst that's 00:05:51.639 --> 00:05:56.480 ever happened. Okay, and then if it's a Republican, the Democrats do that, and back and forth. And it's just 00:05:56.480 --> 00:06:02.740 actually not possible for the last four or five presidents we've had to be the worst in the 00:06:02.740 --> 00:06:08.319 history of the country, right? Because worst means there's only one. We can't just keep doing this. 00:06:08.360 --> 00:06:12.620 It gets to a point where it gets tired. And so I see these things, and I've been watching this for 00:06:12.620 --> 00:06:19.000 decades now, and I just roll my eyes. I am going to tell you something, though, that is not a lie. 00:06:19.000 --> 00:06:22.959 Now, 10 out of 10 Israelites agree. 00:06:25.300 --> 00:06:27.399 Ophniel is the best judge. 00:06:29.300 --> 00:06:35.139 He is the best judge that Israel gets to have in this book. And I can tell you that with confidence 00:06:35.139 --> 00:06:39.740 because of the principle that I've already reminded of you. From last week, verse 19, 00:06:40.740 --> 00:06:46.339 things became more corrupt with every cycle. The Israelites did not give up their stubborn ways. 00:06:46.339 --> 00:06:51.679 And so that is the way the book is laid out. We start out with Ophniel here. He's the model judge, 00:06:51.739 --> 00:06:57.799 the best judge. Nothing bad is said about him. And then we're going to end with Samson, 00:06:58.079 --> 00:07:05.699 the worst judge. So the book is laid out from best to worst. That helps us understand how we're meant 00:07:05.699 --> 00:07:10.679 to read this. We start off in verse 7, and we find a phrase that should be familiar at this point. 00:07:10.680 --> 00:07:17.759 The people of Israel did what was evil in the sight of the Lord. That's the exact same phrase 00:07:17.759 --> 00:07:23.920 we saw in chapter 2, verse 11, when it told us about the entire cycle. So this is saying, okay, 00:07:24.100 --> 00:07:29.180 remember we said this is what's going to happen for the cycle. Now it's our first cycle. And if you look 00:07:29.180 --> 00:07:34.019 ahead, if you have your Bible and you look in verse 12, which we'll cover soon, it says the same thing. 00:07:34.019 --> 00:07:40.959 The people of Israel again did what was evil in the sight of the Lord. So we are starting the cycle, 00:07:41.120 --> 00:07:46.740 the spiral that we've been told about. And this is going to serve as a key phrase over and over in 00:07:46.740 --> 00:07:53.019 the book that tells us, okay, Israel is doing the same thing over again. There are going to be many 00:07:53.019 --> 00:07:59.339 iterations. This just happens to be the first iteration. And we quickly see the pattern continues. 00:07:59.339 --> 00:08:04.359 It's not just that they do evil, but as we already know, verse 8, the anger of the Lord's kindled 00:08:04.359 --> 00:08:11.219 against them. He sells them into the hand of Cush and Rishatham, king of Mesopotamia. And as we were 00:08:11.219 --> 00:08:21.000 told last week, what do they do? Verse 9, they cry out. But you'll remember from last week, they don't cry 00:08:21.000 --> 00:08:27.939 out in repentance. We're not told that Israel turns away from their wicked ways. No, they're just tired of 00:08:27.939 --> 00:08:35.460 this foreign ruler being over them. And that's what we were told in verse 18. Remember, God last week 00:08:35.460 --> 00:08:40.879 takes mercy on them, not because of their repentance, but because he hears their groaning. 00:08:42.159 --> 00:08:47.980 So at this point, simply review. Everything we saw in the overview from last week is true. 00:08:48.320 --> 00:08:53.159 They do what's evil in the sight of the Lord. God hands them over because of his anger. Then they cry out, 00:08:53.159 --> 00:09:03.980 God comes to redeem. And that's where we begin to see God's ultimate control. 00:09:05.959 --> 00:09:16.579 Nowhere in this story does God lift his hand from Israel. Nowhere is God's plan thwarted. In fact, 00:09:16.620 --> 00:09:22.120 you've probably noticed God is the main actor in this story. Verse 8, what happens? 00:09:22.120 --> 00:09:27.519 God sold them into the hand of Cush and Rishatham. 00:09:29.779 --> 00:09:37.379 Think about that. Giving us this image of God allowed this man to pay him money, not literally, 00:09:37.639 --> 00:09:44.879 right? And he hands his people over. And so God's in control of the fact that Israel is under this 00:09:44.879 --> 00:09:53.039 oppressive ruler. And then verses 7 and 8 remind us of the principle we're going to see over and over 00:09:53.039 --> 00:09:58.200 in the book of Judges, and we've already seen, which is that the punishment fits the crime. Verse 7, 00:09:58.279 --> 00:10:04.559 they serve the Baals. And so what happens? Verse 8, they serve this bad king. Oh, you're going to worship 00:10:04.559 --> 00:10:10.559 foreign gods? Well, then I'll let you be oppressed by foreign kings. You can't have half the package. 00:10:10.759 --> 00:10:17.379 You're going to get the full package. The punishment fits the crime. It's not just, though, that God is 00:10:17.379 --> 00:10:24.099 in charge of selling them. God is also in charge of saving them. Verse 9, when the people of Israel 00:10:24.099 --> 00:10:31.839 cried out to the Lord, the Lord raised up a deliverer who saved the people. And so what I want you to see is 00:10:31.840 --> 00:10:46.480 this. Why did it take eight years for a deliverer to be raised up? It took eight years for a deliverer 00:10:46.480 --> 00:10:56.840 to be raised up because God decided it was going to take eight years. God sold them. God raised up a 00:10:56.840 --> 00:11:07.960 deliverer. Yes, it is true. They cried out, right? That is maybe a secondary answer. The primary answer 00:11:07.960 --> 00:11:18.160 is that God is in complete control. It started when God wanted it to start. It ended when God wanted it 00:11:18.159 --> 00:11:31.019 to end. God is sovereignly arranging the rulers and the history of this world for the good of his people. 00:11:32.919 --> 00:11:38.019 Now, here we see him doing it as an act of discipline, right? We saw last week that God is testing his 00:11:38.019 --> 00:11:44.059 people. Here he's doing it to draw them back to him, to bring them back to him. But we can say the same 00:11:44.059 --> 00:11:50.659 thing about all of the events we see around the world. Why do certain things last for two years? 00:11:51.239 --> 00:11:56.899 Because God decided they were going to last for two years. Why do other things last for five years? 00:11:57.139 --> 00:12:05.899 Because God decided they were going to last for five years. The name, by the way, Rishatham, this second 00:12:05.899 --> 00:12:13.079 name that he has, this is actually not his birth name because Rishatham means double wicked or doubly wicked. 00:12:13.080 --> 00:12:20.240 So this is some kind of nickname they had for this guy. He's so bad, he's not just wicked one time, 00:12:20.639 --> 00:12:32.340 he's wicked two times. He's double wicked, okay? If you feel like you are under the rule in whatever sphere 00:12:32.340 --> 00:12:40.680 of someone who is doubly wicked, remember God is still in control. 00:12:40.679 --> 00:12:53.879 God decides when it starts and he decides when it ends. God numbers the days, every single one. 00:12:53.879 --> 00:13:02.879 God sold them into the hand of this foreign leader. God raised up a deliverer. 00:13:05.279 --> 00:13:11.000 Of course, that's where we also see God's control, his sovereignty. It's not just his control over 00:13:11.000 --> 00:13:17.480 these eight years where they have to suffer under this doubly wicked man. We also see God's the one 00:13:17.480 --> 00:13:25.159 who's at work bringing their salvation. Othniel's faithfulness. Remember, I told you he's the model 00:13:25.159 --> 00:13:29.740 judge. Ten out of ten Israelites agree that Othniel is the best judge they've ever had. 00:13:30.899 --> 00:13:38.720 Othniel's faithfulness matters. It is necessary. It is not sufficient. 00:13:38.720 --> 00:13:49.279 Othniel is not powerful enough to save Israel on his own. In fact, what we see here is Othniel 00:13:49.279 --> 00:13:56.060 ultimately is just an instrument in God's hands. His deliverance is undergirded. It's supported 00:13:56.060 --> 00:14:05.300 by what God is doing. It is actually God's power and strength at work. Remember verse nine, 00:14:05.299 --> 00:14:16.199 the Lord raised up a deliverer. God was at work in Othniel's life. God prepared Othniel as a person 00:14:16.199 --> 00:14:23.299 to take on this role. God arranged the events, whatever they were, that Othniel ended up in this 00:14:23.299 --> 00:14:31.799 position. God raised him up. Even more than that, verse 10, the spirit of the Lord was upon him. 00:14:31.799 --> 00:14:42.859 Othniel was not competent by himself to save God's people. Othniel's gifts were not enough. 00:14:44.359 --> 00:14:52.959 He had to have God's anointing. He had to have God's spirit at work in his life. Remember, 00:14:53.059 --> 00:14:57.459 I've been telling you there's three things that we see in the book of Judges. We see the need for 00:14:57.460 --> 00:15:05.740 constant renewal and revival, and we see the power of spirit-enabled leadership. What is Othniel 00:15:05.740 --> 00:15:13.980 if not a spirit-enabled leader? And that's the same pattern. Last week, remember, when we were told 00:15:13.980 --> 00:15:19.379 how the cycle was going to work, verse 18 said this, whenever the Lord raised up judges for them, 00:15:19.379 --> 00:15:30.679 the Lord was with the judge. Verse 9, God raised him up. Verse 10, the spirit of the Lord was with him. 00:15:31.019 --> 00:15:40.559 And verse 10 again, the Lord gave Kush and Rishatham into his hand. So watch the sequence here. First, 00:15:40.559 --> 00:15:50.039 this is in verse 10. First, the Lord gave him into his hand. That's what we're told. Second, and his hand 00:15:50.039 --> 00:16:01.379 prevailed. Why did Othniel win? Because God decided Othniel was going to win. Why did Othniel win? Because 00:16:01.379 --> 00:16:09.620 God's spirit was with him. How was Israel saved? God raised up a judge. 00:16:15.360 --> 00:16:23.840 Yes, Othniel is faithful, and his true faithfulness is allowing himself to be used by God. 00:16:23.840 --> 00:16:36.700 Christian, your faithfulness matters as God by his spirit uses you to accomplish his purposes. 00:16:38.399 --> 00:16:46.519 Your faithfulness matters as God uses you by his spirit as his instrument to accomplish his purposes. 00:16:47.820 --> 00:16:51.820 Aside from the Lord, Othniel is nothing. 00:16:53.840 --> 00:16:59.700 God at work establishes our work. 00:17:01.100 --> 00:17:05.039 It is God who's at work who establishes our work. 00:17:06.019 --> 00:17:09.900 We're told the same thing in Psalm 127. 00:17:10.319 --> 00:17:16.500 Unless the Lord builds the house, those who build it labor in vain. 00:17:16.500 --> 00:17:24.240 Unless the Lord watches over the city, the watchman stays awake in vain. 00:17:27.240 --> 00:17:36.519 Christian, your hope and your only hope is that God is at work. 00:17:36.519 --> 00:17:45.539 True for Othniel, and it is true for us. 00:17:45.539 --> 00:17:55.299 Now, that being said, Othniel's faithfulness matters a lot. 00:17:56.420 --> 00:18:00.579 His faithfulness matters tremendously, and we've actually already met him before. 00:18:00.819 --> 00:18:04.079 This is not the first time he showed up in the book of Judges. 00:18:04.240 --> 00:18:07.119 He has served before, and he serves now, 00:18:07.119 --> 00:18:11.359 as an example of faithfulness in the midst of unfaithful Israel. 00:18:12.279 --> 00:18:16.419 If you remember all the way back to chapter 1, verses 12 and 13, 00:18:16.419 --> 00:18:21.219 I just spent a minute talking about this, but you'll remember Caleb had a daughter. 00:18:22.559 --> 00:18:27.959 And you'll remember that Caleb wanted his daughter to end up with a courageous man of God. 00:18:28.259 --> 00:18:31.139 In other words, Caleb was avoiding the result, 00:18:31.259 --> 00:18:34.479 what happened for most of Israel as we looked at several weeks ago. 00:18:34.480 --> 00:18:37.819 Most of Israel, their faith did not pass on to the next generation. 00:18:37.940 --> 00:18:39.160 What did Caleb say to himself? 00:18:39.559 --> 00:18:42.480 Most likely, he said, look, I am a man of courage. 00:18:42.539 --> 00:18:44.779 I take cities, and I'm faithful to God. 00:18:45.039 --> 00:18:47.860 What kind of man do I want my daughter, Oxa, to be with? 00:18:48.360 --> 00:18:52.920 Well, I want her to be with a man who's faithful, who trusts God, and takes cities. 00:18:53.180 --> 00:18:53.940 So what does he do? 00:18:54.000 --> 00:18:58.539 He says, whoever takes Kiri of Sether can have my daughter as his wife. 00:19:00.039 --> 00:19:02.299 Do you remember who took Kiri of Sether? 00:19:02.299 --> 00:19:04.879 Othniel. 00:19:06.259 --> 00:19:13.579 Othniel was faithful in trusting God when the rest of Israel was unsure. 00:19:15.319 --> 00:19:19.700 Othniel did not forget God's power in the past, 00:19:20.579 --> 00:19:26.559 and Othniel did not fail to remember and trust God's promises for the present and the future. 00:19:26.559 --> 00:19:32.359 Othniel is a faithful man in the midst of an unfaithful people. 00:19:33.700 --> 00:19:35.379 And so God uses him. 00:19:35.960 --> 00:19:37.179 He uses his faithfulness. 00:19:37.859 --> 00:19:41.259 Not only do we see his faithfulness in taking that city, 00:19:41.539 --> 00:19:44.819 we also see his faithfulness in marrying Oxa. 00:19:45.200 --> 00:19:50.000 How did things end in the last passage, the last two verses last week? 00:19:50.099 --> 00:19:53.039 Chapter 3, verses 5 and 6 told us two things. 00:19:53.039 --> 00:19:56.299 First, they were intermarrying with these other nations. 00:19:56.779 --> 00:19:59.019 What did that intermarriage result in? 00:19:59.539 --> 00:20:03.119 Last phrase, they served their gods. 00:20:05.440 --> 00:20:06.839 Israel was unfaithful. 00:20:07.319 --> 00:20:11.319 Part of their unfaithfulness was marrying those who did not follow the Lord. 00:20:11.319 --> 00:20:16.599 What happened when they married those who did not follow the Lord was that they ended up serving other gods. 00:20:17.859 --> 00:20:20.240 Not so for Othniel. 00:20:22.879 --> 00:20:30.500 Othniel is faithful, and so God honors his faithfulness and uses him in a powerful way. 00:20:34.819 --> 00:20:38.019 God, being at work, establishes our work. 00:20:38.019 --> 00:20:41.940 Othniel has no hope outside of the Spirit of God. 00:20:43.440 --> 00:20:50.379 And he is used by the Spirit of God as God looks on his faithfulness and blesses it. 00:20:53.160 --> 00:20:56.359 Christian, your obedience matters. 00:20:58.900 --> 00:21:03.059 What we need in the book of Judges is faithful leaders. 00:21:03.059 --> 00:21:07.799 Othniel chooses to walk in the ways of the Lord when no one else does. 00:21:07.919 --> 00:21:14.179 He chooses to take God at his word when the rest of Israel is unsure. 00:21:18.619 --> 00:21:20.099 That's what he did in chapter 1. 00:21:20.179 --> 00:21:21.159 That's what he did here. 00:21:21.559 --> 00:21:23.940 That is what God calls us to as well. 00:21:24.639 --> 00:21:26.319 To take him at his word. 00:21:26.319 --> 00:21:28.720 To believe his promises. 00:21:29.559 --> 00:21:34.279 And to act in faith no matter what is happening around us. 00:21:40.240 --> 00:21:45.119 In verse 9, it tells us what this joy for Othniel looks like. 00:21:45.119 --> 00:21:50.099 It says, 00:21:50.219 --> 00:22:00.019 And so the way the ESV translates it here, it's saying that Othniel saved them. 00:22:00.599 --> 00:22:00.719 Right? 00:22:00.779 --> 00:22:01.719 He raised up a deliverer. 00:22:01.759 --> 00:22:02.739 That deliverer saved them. 00:22:03.039 --> 00:22:05.379 It's actually ambiguous in the Hebrew. 00:22:06.539 --> 00:22:09.779 We do not know what the antecedent of who is. 00:22:09.779 --> 00:22:16.160 The Hebrew set up, so we're not sure if it's saying the Lord saved them or Othniel saved them. 00:22:17.359 --> 00:22:18.240 And so who did it? 00:22:19.980 --> 00:22:22.059 The answer is yes. 00:22:24.940 --> 00:22:27.980 Othniel is so aligned with God's purposes. 00:22:27.980 --> 00:22:41.059 He's so faithful to God's word that he has the joy of merging in with God and his work in the world. 00:22:43.140 --> 00:22:46.039 Was it God or Othniel who saved Israel? 00:22:47.380 --> 00:22:48.000 Yes. 00:22:50.900 --> 00:22:54.460 That, brothers and sisters, is the joy of obedience. 00:22:54.460 --> 00:23:01.660 Othniel has the joy of being aligned with God and he has the joy of being used by God. 00:23:02.620 --> 00:23:08.319 Not because he is great, but he has faith in a great God. 00:23:10.220 --> 00:23:12.180 And so the point simply is this. 00:23:13.900 --> 00:23:18.860 God chooses to work through the faith of his people. 00:23:18.859 --> 00:23:25.919 God chooses to work through the obedience of his people. 00:23:27.459 --> 00:23:29.519 God will work through someone. 00:23:32.819 --> 00:23:34.919 Will he work through you? 00:23:38.079 --> 00:23:41.319 Will you remember God's power in the past? 00:23:41.399 --> 00:23:44.159 Will you trust his promises for the present and the future? 00:23:44.160 --> 00:23:56.600 God uses our obedience as his great instrument in passing on the faith to the next generation. 00:23:58.680 --> 00:24:08.440 God uses your work as a teacher, as his tool to shape people who reflect his image in the world. 00:24:08.440 --> 00:24:21.860 God uses your diligence as a soldier, as his mighty arm, to keep the wicked far away from the innocent. 00:24:25.500 --> 00:24:36.200 God uses your faithfulness in changing diapers as his means of showing his love to the least of these. 00:24:38.440 --> 00:24:48.120 God uses your courage as his voice to share the gospel with your neighbors. 00:24:52.400 --> 00:24:59.519 And so we can say in a certain sense, be like Othniel as he trusts God. 00:25:01.100 --> 00:25:07.120 Be like Othniel as he takes God at his word, a man of faith and courage and obedience. 00:25:08.440 --> 00:25:14.120 God is at work in your work as you trust him and obey him. 00:25:15.880 --> 00:25:19.799 God is at work through your work as you trust him in obedience. 00:25:21.759 --> 00:25:28.640 God, by his Holy Spirit, makes your work greater than the sum of its parts. 00:25:28.640 --> 00:25:29.640 God is at work in between. 00:25:29.640 --> 00:25:31.100 There is no doubt about God's grace and obedience in obedience. 00:25:31.300 --> 00:25:35.060 Unless the Lord builds the house, those who build it labor in vain. 00:25:36.280 --> 00:25:42.920 Unless the Lord watches over the city, the watchman stays awake in vain. 00:25:45.400 --> 00:25:48.380 And so, Christian, the point for us is very simple. 00:25:48.380 --> 00:25:53.860 trust the promises of God. 00:25:55.740 --> 00:25:59.620 Act in obedience no matter what. 00:26:01.000 --> 00:26:03.620 God is at work in your work. 00:26:05.160 --> 00:26:08.320 Some trust in chariots and some in horses, 00:26:08.880 --> 00:26:13.580 but we trust in the name of the Lord our God. 00:26:18.380 --> 00:26:23.280 I mentioned earlier that I tell you three things at the beginning of Judges, 00:26:23.340 --> 00:26:25.000 and then I only reminded you of the first two. 00:26:26.140 --> 00:26:30.860 First one, need for constant revival and renewal among God's people. 00:26:31.900 --> 00:26:35.820 Second one, the power of spirit-enabled leadership, 00:26:35.960 --> 00:26:37.120 which is what we see in Othniel. 00:26:37.680 --> 00:26:41.680 Third, the need for a faithful and true king, 00:26:42.140 --> 00:26:44.160 a king who can do what no human can do, 00:26:44.160 --> 00:26:46.540 which is to change the hearts of men. 00:26:47.539 --> 00:26:50.599 Because we leave this story on a sad note. 00:26:51.039 --> 00:26:55.079 Verse 11, the land had rest for 40 years. 00:26:56.420 --> 00:26:58.039 On the one hand, great news. 00:26:58.339 --> 00:26:59.599 You've got rest for 40 years. 00:27:00.879 --> 00:27:02.619 On the other hand, terrible news. 00:27:03.220 --> 00:27:04.940 It's only going to last for 40 years. 00:27:06.299 --> 00:27:07.639 Half a generation. 00:27:08.539 --> 00:27:12.099 No matter how faithful Othniel is, 00:27:12.500 --> 00:27:15.019 God's people need something more. 00:27:15.019 --> 00:27:21.420 God's people need a king who can bring them not rest for 40 years. 00:27:22.440 --> 00:27:26.940 God's people need a king who can bring them rest forever. 00:27:28.579 --> 00:27:33.339 God's people need a king who can bring him eternal rest. 00:27:34.519 --> 00:27:39.039 Othniel is the model judge, and he is not enough. 00:27:39.039 --> 00:27:43.659 And so that's why we look forward from the Old Testament, 00:27:44.159 --> 00:27:48.220 and we look forward to our Lord Jesus in the New Testament, 00:27:48.720 --> 00:27:53.440 who comes not to bring rest for 40 years, 00:27:53.920 --> 00:27:56.639 but to bring rest forever. 00:27:57.839 --> 00:28:00.879 Who comes and lives a perfect life on this earth, 00:28:02.000 --> 00:28:03.700 lives the life that we should have lived, 00:28:03.700 --> 00:28:08.840 takes the penalty for our sin and dies the death that we should have died, 00:28:09.580 --> 00:28:12.660 and promises us in John chapter 14 00:28:12.660 --> 00:28:16.519 to pour out his Holy Spirit on to his people. 00:28:17.779 --> 00:28:20.980 He has given us victory now 00:28:20.980 --> 00:28:23.740 as we see the defeat of the enemy and of sin, 00:28:23.740 --> 00:28:29.400 and we will experience that victory fully and finally one day. 00:28:30.180 --> 00:28:33.640 The land will not have rest for 40 years. 00:28:34.539 --> 00:28:37.039 The land will have rest forever. 00:28:38.160 --> 00:28:40.940 That's our hope and our Lord and our Savior. 00:28:43.940 --> 00:28:45.359 And so we obey him, 00:28:45.900 --> 00:28:47.900 we trust him, 00:28:48.740 --> 00:28:49.940 and we wait for him. 00:28:49.940 --> 00:28:51.500 Let's pray. 00:28:53.900 --> 00:28:54.980 Our Father in heaven, 00:28:55.140 --> 00:28:57.340 we praise you and we thank you 00:28:57.340 --> 00:28:58.660 that you have not left us, 00:28:59.259 --> 00:29:00.900 but you do send your spirit 00:29:00.900 --> 00:29:02.519 as Jesus promised in John 14. 00:29:02.720 --> 00:29:03.620 You provide leaders 00:29:03.620 --> 00:29:06.100 who are faithful in leading your people. 00:29:07.059 --> 00:29:08.320 You ask that you would use us 00:29:08.320 --> 00:29:09.200 as your instruments, 00:29:09.820 --> 00:29:11.900 not because we've earned it or deserved it, 00:29:12.519 --> 00:29:13.380 but be of you delight 00:29:13.380 --> 00:29:15.480 to give your spirit to your people, 00:29:16.360 --> 00:29:17.299 that you would move us 00:29:17.299 --> 00:29:19.220 to greater and greater trust in you 00:29:19.220 --> 00:29:20.980 in your power and your promises. 00:29:21.180 --> 00:29:22.180 We ask these things 00:29:22.180 --> 00:29:23.900 in the mighty name of Jesus Christ. 00:29:24.299 --> 00:29:24.579 Amen. 00:29:26.420 --> 00:29:28.519 I invite you to stand for our closing hymn. 00:29:28.519 --> 00:29:28.660 Amen. 00:29:39.660 --> 00:29:43.359 The gift of grace 00:29:43.359 --> 00:29:46.539 is Jesus my redeemer. 00:29:47.339 --> 00:29:49.440 There is no more 00:29:49.440 --> 00:29:50.900 for heaven 00:29:50.900 --> 00:29:52.960 not to give. 00:29:53.559 --> 00:29:55.680 He is my joy, 00:29:55.680 --> 00:29:58.920 my righteousness and freedom, 00:29:59.920 --> 00:30:01.940 my steadfast love, 00:30:02.299 --> 00:30:05.640 my deep and boundless peace. 00:30:06.120 --> 00:30:08.120 To this I hold, 00:30:08.480 --> 00:30:11.539 my hope is only Jesus, 00:30:12.660 --> 00:30:18.080 for my life is wholly bound to peace. 00:30:18.880 --> 00:30:21.720 Oh, how strange and divine 00:30:21.720 --> 00:30:23.519 I can sing, 00:30:23.519 --> 00:30:26.579 all is mine, yet not I, 00:30:26.920 --> 00:30:28.819 but through Christ.