Judges Leftovers

Week 3 - Deborah & Barak

LEFTOVERS: Gospel….love your enemies???

GOSPEL: We don’t have to pick up the tent pegs - because Jesus already took our tent pegs?

We live in a culture very similar to what they lived in back then....How do you cultivate faith in an age of Apostasy? Tell your story! 3 Pieces:

What’s happening? 20 years....

What is God doing? Praise.....

What does that mean for you & your hearers? History & Theology....

Jesus came to overthrow all those idols.

Just like,God drew out the enemy of Israel, He wants to draw out the enemies of your heart. (Elbow Splinter)

We need idol breaking/smashing stories of God setting people free. We don’t have to drive tent pegs because Jesus already took the nails -

Tell your story in light of Gods story

The greater the conflict the greater the story

These stories inspired songs of praise!

These stories are what they are because of an encounter with God

So what’s the conflict?

Comfort and convenience are trumping truth and growth. - Patrick Lencioni

The response to all this was to capture the victory in a song. They didn’t have social media. No printed versions of the Bible - everything in the Bible after this hadn’t even been written yet. So they used a song to capture the story and share the story. The song made the story memorable and portable.

But there are some key things for us to learn form this:

The Lord spoke & the Leaders followed

Those who didn’t are in the song....several tribes sat by and didn’t respond....

Capture what the Lord has done

God is all over this story....

This song captures the story both historically & theologically.

God was on the move, and the people were on board.

Do the same with your life - what would the song be? What would the back story be?

How is God on the move in your life? Take a look in the rearview mirror - these people were oppressed for 20 years - but look at them now! Because of God.

What you do from here - today - impacts the story your life will tell. Are you going to try and write your own - following a false god(s)? Or are you going to lean into God and let Him write your story?

We are all pencils in the hand of a writing God, who is sending love letters to the world.

Mother Teresa of Calcutta

Wouldn’t it be great if your life was a victory song? We talk about this in Rooted: the greater the conflict the greater the story.

Everyone of your struggles, when given to God, becomes a significant moment in the story He is writing.

So you do have idols? Follow the leading of Jesus and pulverize them with God’s help. Take a look back on your life - where has God worked? Project forward the current path your own - where will it lead? These are all parts of the story of your life. How is/has God (been) on the move in your life? Your story tells about the work of God, but it also tells about the truth of God!

All of that comes together to be the “song story” of your life. Tim Keller says it this way:

We can, and should, live our lives and order our memories not only historically but theologically—not simply recollecting what happened, or what we did, but searching out what God was doing. This keeps us from over-honoring ourselves in success, or despairing in our struggles…. continually praising the Lord for what he has done, and is doing, for us, because the story we tell of our lives is not so much about us, as about him. - Tim Keller

BOTTOMLINE: Your story is part of God’s story and impacts their story.

If you were to write a song or a poem about the work of God in your life - whether from a great loss, a series of miscarriages, looking at the pain in the world, or even events like we found in a 3000 year old song - what would you want to include? Especially about God?

Which one are you? Jesus gave His life on the cross to transfer you from darkness to light. He gave His life to save His enemies - US. When you give your life to Him by faith, you move from being an enemy of the cross, to a friend of God.

Which way the story ends depends on the god/God you choose now.

The worlds needs to hear your story/song of faith! The worlds needs stories of flawed people who surrendered it all to God , threw down some idols and picked up their cross, and saw God work through them to change the world. Sharing your story is part of being a “Fearless world-changing disciple maker!”

Take some time. Meet with God. Bring whatever it is before Him. Listen for Him. Then engage in whatever the story is He wants to write through your life.

Now What?

Challenge:

What’s your story? What’s your victory song?

Who are you sharing it with?

-----------

If you choose a false god, you’ll always be trying to measure up and keep your god appeased. Life like that is bondage.

(OPTIONAL) "Idolatry is making a good aspect of creation— marriage, mountains, business, and so on— into the ultimate source of security, identity, and power. And so false gods are a thorn. When we make something into an idol, it continually makes us miserable. If we fall short of it, or if we might fall short of it, it robs us of joy. If our children are our false god, when their lives are troubled, we will lose our joy; and even when their lives might become troubled (which is all the time!), we will worry, and lose our joy. And idols are snares. They trap us. When we make something into an idol, it binds and enslaves us. We have to have it, so we cannot say no to it. We are addicted to it. This is why many people work too hard, sacrificing family, friendships and health at the altar of career; or give themselves to certain relationships that are destructive; and so on.”

- Tim Keller

But if you choose the TRUE GOD - everything you need for life and godliness and holiness is provided by Jesus - who died on the cross for your sins, and rose in victory. And He promises you a resurrection just like His! He’s the King and the author of and perfecter of our faith.