Judges 1 (part 1) 1.1-2.6

Text: Judges 1:1-2:5

Title: Following Fully

Big Idea: We have a mighty God but we are messy people. When we fail to follow it is a failure to experience all that God has promised, BUT God does rescue when we turn back in broken repentance to Him. Also, He uses unlikely rescuers to restore our relationship.

Intro: Do the Instructions really matter

Context: Joshua is Gone. God has made a promise (see 2:1)… but the people only partially obey… We get a lot of details in chapter 1:1-26, then a theme in 28-36 “did not drive out” “did not drive out” and will focus in on 2:1-5.

Read: Judges 1:1-2; (summarize the rest of chapter 1) read 2:1-5

1. A failure to fully follow God, is a failure to experience God’s promises fully.

Another way to say the above is that partial obedience leads to lost blessing. When we don’t fulfill God’s calling in our lives our lives will not be fulfilled. Instead, we suffer the absence of His blessing and in many cases the difficulty of our disobedience.

2. Our mighty God still rescues messy people

The people turned and wept v.4b when they realized they missed God’s blessing and would experience God’s discipline (the very idols they either tolerated or celebrated) would become the very things that he used to punish them. (We see this now). BUT, when we turn God runs to our rescue (like Prodigal father Luke 15)… often though He does it in unexpected ways, using unexpected rescuers. (see the sin, repentance cycle of the book, and the unique people God uses to bring deliverance) … what does this mean for us?