Judges 2 "Amnesia Produces Apostasy"

Text: Judges 2

Originally at Hallmark Baptist Church

4-24-22

Revised for MRBC 7-15-23

His Mercy is More

Judges 2

PRAY

Introduction:

This morning, I am acutely aware that some things are not quite what I was planning 24 hours ago. Pastor was, as is his custom, planning to preach, but he fell sick last night. Please keep him in your prayers! He will, Lord willing, be back in the pulpit and continuing in the Romans series next week.

Because of the late notice, your bulletins will still have notes for the intended Romans sermon. I apologize, but I won’t even be in that book this morning. Pastor will be continuing to Romans chapter 2 next week, so consider the notes in your hands a little sneak peak.

This week, we will be addressing many similar themes, but we’ll be taking a slight detour, if you will.

I’m convinced this will be well worth it, and by the end, I hope you will be as well.

Illustration?

The last few weeks, we’ve been in the letter to the Romans, an incredible piece of literature that flowed from God through the Apostle Paul. Paul was a missionary, a preacher, a bold proclaimer of the message of Jesus Christ! He saw it as his life’s mission to tell anyone and everyone about the savior, the rescuer, the redeemer, Jesus. We even got that incredible line in Romans 1:16: “For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, first to the Jew, and also to the Greek.”

Of course, Paul had introduced himself, introduced the theme of the Gospel, and this term: Salvation.

Which, of course, implies there is something that we need, that all people need, to be saved from. Somebody doesn’t need rescuing if there’s nothing to be rescued from, right? But, immediately after that statement about salvation comes the grave news as Paul details God’s righteous, perfect, flawless judgment against all sorts of sin, oppression, evil, wickedness, and twisted thinking and actions. Chief among them: rejecting God.

The closing verses of Romans 1 speak of a people that have completely rejected God, instead worshiping created things, lesser things, and turning his created purpose of sexuality inside-out and upside down. But it doesn’t end there, as many, many other deeds are mentioned, and we find these rejectors of God are guilty of the deepest sins imaginable, even inventing new ways to break God’s law and injure others and take great pride in that.

In short, Paul makes it clear that rejectors of God have no excuse, they fall under his condemnation, a theme nailed home in Romans 2 and 3. No one, then, is free from the judgment of God, because all have broken it, all have rejected him to some degree, and all, then, need salvation from their own sins and evil. Salvation that must come from outside of them.

We live in a broken world, a dying world, a sinful world. That’s clear around us, if you but open your eyes. The fundamental design of human sexuality is being turned on its head, and there’s so much pride and arrogance in doing so, but that’s not all. Not by a long shot.

Yet, before it all, before noting just how evil and vile the world is, Paul proclaimed salvation in Jesus. a salvation that only comes through him. A salvation, according to Romans 1:2 “...he promised beforehand through his prophets in the Holy Scriptures—”

So, this week, I want to press a quick pause on our trek through Romans and look at one of the many, many places where this theme, of salvation provided in the face of great evil, comes up in our Holy Scriptures.

So, let’s back up a lot, to the book of Judges, chapter 2.

JUDGES

Judges is one of those historical books in our Bibles, tracing the narrative of the people God chose to reveal himself to: his special, beloved nation of Israel. Judges comes as the sequel to Joshua. A book that ended on a triumphant note. The nation of Israel was set up for victory, had the whole of the Promised Land before them to finish claiming, and were given a great reminder to stay faithful to God. Great things were happening, God’s people were having victory, and God’s promises were coming true before their very eyes. But even as Joshua’s closing words were still echoing in their ears, another sound began to rumble. The low, troubling sound of a coming calamity. One, sadly, of their own making.

Illustration:

Detours in the town, you see more of your town, see how connected it is, and new scenery.

While we won’t be reading in Judges 1, the narrative begins well, with Israel continuing to win battles and driving the evil Canaanites out of the land. Israel is empowered by God to claim the land he blessed them with! But as chapter 1 progresses, we see little hints of agreements, compromises, and finally, even defeat at the hands of the godless enemy.

How could this be? What could cause this military breakdown, this political instability? How did they go from poised for victory and success one moment, and helpless and defeated the next?

Ultimately, it was a spiritual problem, one that chapter 2 explores in detail. The first five verses link closely with chapter one, so we’ll start today in Chapter 2, verse 6. This section is a bit of a flashback, you know, that point in the movie when you “flashback” and see something relevant in the hero’s past that connects closely to what’s going on in the present. So we’re reviewing the events of Judges chapter 1, taking a look at those events, of victory, compromise, and defeat, not from a political or military point of view, but a strictly religious one. Like chapter 1, things actually start out looking pretty good, which makes sense, as we are picking up right after Joshua’s rousing speech.

Judges 2:6-10

(2:6-10) Joshua’s generation experienced God’s work and followed him, but the next refused to acknowledge him.

V. 6 is great; the people are going out to take over the rest of the land. Cool!

V. 7 is even better, the people do right!

Even after Joshua’s death, they serve the LORD!

This is exactly what they needed to be doing.

Illustration: It’s like a new church that is on track and on fire for God! The people are actually reading their Bibles, praying together, supporting one another, serving the community and excited to learn about God and change their lives to follow him! They are seeing people believe in Jesus and celebrating the work of God in their hearts! They are quick to make sacrifices for God, quick to obey him, and quick to set him as the uncompromisable priority of their lives.

Then, time passes, as it always does.

With the passing of time comes the end of an era.

Joshua dies and is buried in his inheritance.

Then, all his contemporaries died, all the people that, as V. 7 told us, “…had seen all the great work that the LORD had done for Israel. “

They die. “Gathered to their ancestors” was a metaphor for death.

And another generation grows up, but look what’s different!

Illustration: Just as older generations may lament the flaws of Millennials or Gen Z, bringing up their lack of ambition, or their self-entitlement, or their still living in their parent’s basement, a complaint is leveled against this new generation. It’s something an outsider sees easily, but these people seem strangely defensive of, or blind too.

They didn’t know the LORD.

Oh dear….

The only way I can even imagine the magnitude of this is if Altus Public Schools stopped teaching math.

No more math! They cry. (And the students rejoice!)

And for years, they never teach it.

Never promote it, never expose the kids to it.

Imagine how that would transform a generation.

Imagine, when your kids grow up, they can’t add, can’t subtract, can’t multiply, and certainly can’t divide.

Imagine the impact that would have on their lives.

Imagine how far behind they would be trying to get into college, or trying to get many jobs.

Imagine that tragedy.

That is the magnitude of the failure the Nation of Israel is facing.

But, many of you have seen this exact problem.

Godly parents are involved, loving God, and serving him and his church.

Followed by kids that, well, didn’t exactly take that course.

It’s sad.

It doesn’t work out well.

Now, before we get too far, it’s not always the parent’s fault!

Some parents try so hard, and do well, and teach their kids, but even they can stray.

Parents, if that’s you, please don’t feel guilt. You did a great job teaching the Word to your children. But, each of us is responsible for our own choices, and they are responsible for theirs.

You can be a great parent, and your children can still sin and reject God.

But that wasn’t the case here.

Here, though, it’s clear these parents utterly failed.

Here’s something important regarding the generation, this group, that “did not know the LORD.

Like, perhaps, some people you could name, it’s not as much that they didn’t know who God was at all, it’s more that they didn’t care.

“They rejected both the Lord’s grace toward them and their responsibilities toward Him. This led to the idolatrous practices cited in the verses that follow“

One writer helps us with the reason why:

Dale Ralph Davis said: “So in Judges 2:10, this next generation ‘did not know Yahweh’ or his works, that is, they did not acknowledge Yahweh; Yahweh and his works didn’t matter to them, had no influence over them. The Bible is clear: amnesia produces apostasy. That is why Scripture is so frantic about the church not forgetting what Yahweh has done for us (see Deut. 4 and 6).”

“Amnesia produces apostasy”

I like that phrase.

Amnesia is forgetting, losing memory, letting things slip.

Illustration: Perhaps you’ve seen some old TV show or cartoon where the main character gets hit on the head, gets amnesia, and hilarious hijinks ensue until, at the end, something else smacks them on the head and they regain their memories.

It’s not usually like that, in the physical sense, in the real world.

But far too often, a spiritual amnesia can so easily set in, and with it, apostasy, a denial of who God is, and just like in Romans, a rejection of who he is, and his ways.

Not knowing about God leads to not caring about him.

If we don’t remember how good he is, we’ll forget, and won’t care about him like we used to.

I’ve seen that in my life, perhaps you have too.

Times when we forget how much mercy God had given, and just how sweet it is to serve him.

We’ve forgotten his grace, and either filled our minds with other things, or perhaps, concentrated on those times when God didn’t seem fair or right or just in our own eyes.

“Amnesia produces apostasy”

Now, I don’t necessarily use it in the strict sense of abandoning the faith entirely and rejecting Christianity outright.

But I’m using it in the sense of no longer following God, and rejecting his commands, of leaving behind his truth and operating, as these Israelites are, only by what is right in your own eyes.

A practical apostasy, if you will.

NAC "Apostasy means abandoning Yahweh in favor of other gods; it means claiming to be the people of Yahweh while acting as if one belongs to Baal."

Illustration: This would be similar to a man who graduated from OSU, who poured his early years into studying at OSU and investing in the programs there and walking out with his degree from there. At the time, he loved his school, he talked about it to everyone, he wore the gear, he watched the games, he was OSU all the way. Yet, now, rather than watch OSU games, rather than wear OSU gear, rather than send his kids to OSU and promote OSU, the only team stuff around his house is…OU. His home is painted crimson and cream, he only follows OU sports, and his kids attend OU. Sure, you ask, and he claims to still love OSU, but his viewing time doesn’t show that. His wardrobe doesn’t show that, his house colors don’t show that, his kid’s education doesn’t show that. Whatever comes out of his mouth, his actions and his life speak loudly otherwise! He has practically abandoned OSU, a practical apostasy, whatever his words may be.

And while college loyalties are welcome to change and shift, just as college’s change and shift and each person has unique educational needs, God never changes, nor should our loyalty to him.

When we forgot his goodness, we began to slip away from him.

Looking to ungodly solutions to our problems, and seeking out fulfillment, happiness, security, and peace everywhere but with him.

And, you know what, that just doesn’t work out well.

I’m glad God is quick to forgive us and draw us back to him.

But that middle ground, when we aren’t seeking him, that can be a rough time.

Just as a similar rebellion is not going to be good for Israel.

Transition: Watch this:

Judges 2:11-15

(2:11-15) Because they abandoned God, and worshiped Baal instead, God’s anger turned against them and brought judgment.

V. 11 Ba’al was the popular Canaanite deity that was responsible for the sky, rain, storms, and through those, the fertility of the farmland.

(LBD) One dictionary wrote: “Baal was a part of the religion of virtually every culture of the ancient Near East…”

Baal wasn’t something odd or foreign, he was woven into the very fabric of Canaanite society in one form or another.

Baal worship was central to their planting and harvest times, as he was the “god” primarily responsible for their crops, their fields, their farms.

The Israelites, remember, were desert wanderers, and were not super experienced with farming, so sadly, turning to the local experts, the wicked Canaanites, was their usual go-to plan.

Vs. 11-13 make clear this sad reality in no uncertain terms.

Neglecting to acknowledge Yahweh, their God, led them to accepting Baal.

Notice the note, it was Yahweh that brought them out of Egypt.

God had done all of that for them.

Proving himself better, higher, greater than all of Egypt’s gods.

All the false deities of Egypt did nothing, could do nothing, for them.

Why, then, would the Canaanite gods be any better?

Hint: They weren’t.

Illustration: This is partly what’s so grieving about the situation: It flat doesn’t make sense! Like a Christian who at one time gushed about all that God has done for them. Gushed about God protecting them, guiding them, providing for them. Like a Christian that can’t keep quiet about the way God worked a miracle and helped them through cancer treatments, or worked a miracle and brought them their spouse, or worked a miracle for them to even have kids, or worked a miracle for the house they own or the church they are in or the job they got, we can so often testify about the incredible, amazing, unmatched power and care of God….then, forget about it.

V. 15 shows this destruction, this defeat, this powerlessness, was no surprise.

Looking back at Joshua 23, Joshua had reminded the people that God would continue to bless faithfulness, but would discipline unfaithfulness.

They had no excuse.

Just like the people described in Romans.

If they ever said: “Oh no, we had no idea this would happen!”

God would point them back to his Word, again and again.

Sadly, neither group was listening very well.

So, God used some things to get their attention.

After all, we might be thinking: How could God let this happen? What will he do about this?

Why is justice reigning down so hard?

“Amnesia produces apostasy”

Yet, we know our God is a god of mercy, of forgiveness, of kindness and compassion.

How does he react to something like this?

Where is he in all of this?

Don’t worry, he saw it all.

And he had a plan.

Transition: Perhaps, you remember that line in Romans, that the Gospel, the good news of Jesus bringing salvation to a broken, sinful, helpful world was foretold in Scripture. That the theme of a deliverer was woven all throughout the Bible. Well, if a group ever needed help, it was these people in the book of Judges.

Judges 2:16

(2:16-23) God’s solution to their groaning was to empower “judges” who would deliver and guide them, yet even in the face of God’s incredible grace, each generation chose to corrupt themselves even more than the last, creating an ever descending spiral into sin.

V. 16 brings in the main characters of the book.

Well, besides God, and the ever-rebellious people.

These are the “Judges.”

Hence, the title of the book.

A couple translations use the term “leaders” here.

While one of these people is explicitly said to judge cases, like in a courtroom today, they mostly functioned as military commanders and tribal chieftains.

They would be more like an Administrator, governor, or even deputy of Yahweh. An authorized representative, if you will.

Through the book, you will see 6 major judges, and 6 minor judges.

Some are given a lot of text and a lot of details, others only a few lines.

Yet, while they generally succeeded in freeing the people from enemy captivity, they never succeeded in keeping the people from idolatry for very long.

Some, even lead the people into idolatry themselves.

So, even God’s deliverers were not perfect.

But hey, they helped lead the people to a better place, right?

Surely the people would listen and be grateful for that, right?

The judges who rescued them from slavery and enemy occupation, they would be hailed as heroes and exalted and obeyed, right?

Judges 2:17-23

The people, while always grateful for freedom, are said to ignore their judges, just as they ignored the God that empowered them.

And so, the famous death-spiral of this book gets introduced.

It’s never fun to go over.

But here we go.

The cycle of Judges.

Transition: If you aren’t familiar, the book of Judges has a lot of repeated concepts and phrases.

Almost like the first line of a song’s chorus, every time you hear that first line, you know exactly what’s coming after it.

And to continue that analogy, Judges repeats the same chorus over and over and over.

Like some worship songs I know, it never seems to end.

Sadly, the people never seem to get it.

Their “Amnesia only produces apostasy”

If you have a Bible with little summaries in the front, it may say something like this: “A pattern repeats throughout the book: 1) the people abandoned the Lord; 2) God punished them by raising up a foreign power to oppress them; 3) the people cried out to God for deliverance; and 4) God raised up a deliverer, or judge, for them.” (ESV)

Step 1: The people, indulging in their peace and prosperity, abandon God and worship Baal and mingle with the Canaanites.

Often noted by “and the people again did what was evil in the sight of the LORD.”

Seven times, this phrase is repeated word-for-word in the book.

And even more than that, the people forget God, and abandon his ways.

Step 2: God lets the Canaanites take over and enslave the Israelites.

It’s not simply that bad guys took over, the Bible is clear that “God strengthened the bad guys,” “God sold Israel into their hand,” “God gave them over.”

God’s people abandoned him for the wicked Canaanites, so God let them experience that wickedness and cruelty firsthand.

But it wasn’t done vengefully or cruelly, it was done, ultimately, to draw his people back to him.

Almost like that second bump on the head in those cartoons, the second bump that would restore memory and bring everything back to normal!

That second bump that would undue the amnesia and help the main character see that things were not right.

That’s what God is trying to help his people with.

Transition: And, often, it worked!

Step 3: The people, in their slavery and pain, cry out to God in repentance.

This step is astonishing because God hears them every single time.

No matter what they’ve done, God is still listening for that cry of repentance, a cry he will always answer.

Several times we hear that they “cried out to the Lord” or, as 2:18 puts it: “For the LORD was moved to pity by their groaning because of those who afflicted and oppressed them.” (ESV)

God’s mercy was never far when his people cried out to him.

God’s love was there, no matter how far they roamed.

God’s care was there, no matter what they did.

God’s affection was there, no matter how long they abandoned him.

God’s mercy was there, no matter how long they had rejected it.

Illustration: Perhaps you have a new puppy, a puppy that is always delighted to see you, whether you’ve been gone for 2 hours, 2 minutes, or even 2 days. No matter how long you disappear, your puppy is always excited to see you. jumping, barking, licking, and because of his joy to see you.His loyalty and love never fade, and it’s always the same when you return.

No matter how long you abandoned him, no matter how far you roam, God’s love is always there for you, will always embrace you, and will always care for you when you turn back to him.

Transition: Which is seen so clearly in the final step.

Step 4: God raises up a judge to free the people and display his incredible mercy and power.

This is the step that gets all the attention, and rightly so!

Perhaps we know the stories of the great victory of Gideon, the ingenuity of Ehud, and the stupidity of Samson.

These are the dramatic stories that fill the book.

God raises a judge, they free the people, but then, sometimes before, and sometimes after, they die off, the people dash right back to their idols.

Because these judges were only human.

They called people to repentance, called them to abandon their sin, but these judges were limited, mortal, and themselves, also sinful. Some terribly so!

They never made a permanent difference.

But they foreshadowed the one that would!

Then, rinse and repeat many times over.

But it’s not just a circle, it’s a death spiral.

“Spiritual Amnesia produces spiritual apostasy”

Each generation seems to get worse, and as I mentioned before, so do the judges.

The first judge has no flaws recorded, no problems, no wackiness.

He was the ideal deliverer.

He was the model they all should have striven for.

But later, an early judge is a deceitful assassin, another a coward, another with major anger issues, another with crippling lust, and worse and worse they become.

Until those tasked with freeing and restoring Israel are themselves hardly disconnected from the enemy, attacking more out of personal spite than a zeal for God and his people.

It’s sad.

And it points to the need of a greater deliverer, a greater savior.

The book of Judges isn’t a happy bedtime story, nor a sweet and simple Scripture story.

It’s a raw and ugly look at human nature and the consequences of abandoning God.

Their “Amnesia only produces apostasy.”

Illustration: Much like somebody with a severe allergy still indulging in what is harmful for them, these people are gorging themselves on the very ingredients that threaten their lives. These people insist on consuming what is self-destructive and find themselves again and again reeling from the consequences.

Yet, through it all, we see the thread of God’s mercy overflowing to his wayward people time and time again.

This is the thread that Paul is referencing back in Romans!

This never giving up on his people, this providing a delivering, this foreshadowing of an ultimate hero that would truly, finally, provide a lasting salvation, this was all fulfilled in Jesus!

No matter how far they go, God is there when they turn back to him.

Now, perhaps your mind is going to the many times you’ve acted as a judge, trying, desperately, to help others come back to God, trust God, and you have been the person that helped rescue them from trouble and set them on the right path.

Thank you.

Thank you for reaching into others lives and trying to lift them back up and bring them back to God.

Thank you.

And it’s easy to think of others, of friends or family that abandoned God when we read in Judges.

It doesn’t take long, living for a Christian, to notice those that aren’t, those that have turned their back on the God their parents worship, and exchange honoring the Creator with honoring, exalting, being obsessed with something created.

Yet, as many times as we may identify with the Judges, trying to call people back, it’s possible, probable even, that we can also identify with Israel.

Even if we outwardly look all put together, we have many of the same inner problems.

We say we trust God, yet in my own experience, I often find myself seeking the same sins, the same traps, the same attitudes, the same problems over and over.

Looking for just about any situation for our problems but God.

Yet, as often as we fail, God’s mercy is there.

Summing up the stories in Judges: Michael Willcock wrote: “They show us man’s blackest sin, but we see it by the light of God’s most luminous grace.”

God is there to deliver us, just as he delivered them when they called to him.

He has a purpose in all of this.

He even tells us some of that purpose in chapter 3.

Let’s look at that.

Judges 3:1-6

(3:1-6) God left some of the nations among Israel to grow them and test them, yet they quickly intermingled and welcomed them into their lives and families.

Some of this sounds very familiar.

The story of sin, slavery, and salvation.

In short: “Amnesia produces apostasy”

Other parts are a bit more new.

V. 4 tells us these enemies were left to test Israel.

This may be a bit confusing at first.

Remember, when Israel was faithful, no enemy stood a chance.

They wouldn’t be a problem if Israel remembered God.

But only if Israel remembered God.

With God, their nation would be as invincible as Superman, but abandoning God was their ever-present kryptonite.

V. 2 also told us this was to teach Israel war, they needed to know how to defend themselves and run off invaders.

The Promised Land was prime territory, and Israel needed to know how to defend it.

They needed to know how to protect their homes and families from the invaders and robbers.

They must be alert, be aware, be on their toes!

Watch out for the destructive sources, for the forces of evil and decay and ruin and apostasy and robbery!

But Vs 5-6 show them practically inviting the robbers in for dinner!

They live with the Canaanites and marry them too!

This is awful, but true.

But don’t forget, the problem wasn’t really a racial one.

Rahab was Canaanite, later Ruth was a Moabite, but both were fully accepted into Israel when they trusted in God.

Many others in Israel’s history would be foreigners yet accepted and praised and promoted because they followed God.

It was their sin, their violent, horrible, terrible culture, and their awful worship of sick and twisted false gods that needed punishment and rejection by God’s people.

But instead, sadly, it was received and welcomed in.

Israel’s self-destructive choices could only be fixed by turning back to God.

“Amnesia produces apostasy”

Yet they seemed ever so fickle with that.

Perhaps we feel the same way from time to time.

I think we can fall into the very same traps.

I think we too can forget God’s goodness and turn elsewhere for what can only be found in God.

As the great Charles Spurgeon once wrote: “Yes, if you depart from God’s Word by a hair’s breadth you know not where you will end. It needs but a little to degrade the Christian into a Ritualist, and still less to turn the Ritualist into a Romanist. We shall go far if we once start on the downhill road.”

In other words: “Amnesia produces apostasy”

In other words: the people that Judges shows forgetting God, and abandoning his ways, are not some other people, they are not those people, or that group of sinners.

It was God’s own people.

God’s people abandoned him, God’s people forgot him, God’s people turned to wickedness and evil and soon their devotion to God became nothing more than a weekly ritual, and even that soon disintegrated afterwards.

And they only did what was right in their own eyes.

And they refused to acknowledge God, and they rejected God.

God’s people rejected him.

Because “Amnesia produces apostasy.”

Conclusion: Often, we too forget the great works of God and turn to self-destructive practices.

It’s astounding just how wonderful, gracious, and kind God is to us, no matter how often we fail.

“Amnesia produces apostasy”

We find ourselves making choices based on our feelings, our judgements, our conveniences, rather than God’s Word.

We find ourselves gathering our outlook, or mindset, our worldview from the world, rather than God.

But even when we forget him, he doesn’t forget us.

What a comfort that is!

Application:

“Amnesia produces apostasy”

Christians, I implore you today, don’t forget this truth.

It is so easy to look here at Judges, or at Romans, and see the gross sin and vile deeds as something others would do, but we never would.

It’s easy to see these things as something those people would commit, but we’d never be so dumb.

It’s easy to look and judge them for their sin and forget about ours.

It’s easy to forget that all of this, the destruction of Judges and the degeneracy of Romans, these both began with something oh so simple: Rejecting God.

Rejecting God.

And even if, by God’s mercy, we never reach the depths of sin and outward wild wickedness of these stories, we can ever so easily hand down the very same path.

When we forget God, and reject God.

“Amnesia produces apostasy”

That’s why it’s so important to train our children to know God!

Not just in church, but at home!

Chrystostom, back in the late 300’s, said: “How is it not absurd to send children out to trades, and to school, and to do all you can for these objects, and yet, not to “bring them up in the chastening and admonition of the Lord”? And for this reason truly we are the first to reap the fruits, because we bring up our children to be insolent and profligate, disobedient, and mere vulgar fellows. Let us not then do this; no, let us listen to this blessed Apostle’s admonition. “Let us bring them up in the chastening and admonition of the Lord.” Let us give them a pattern. Let us make them from the earliest age apply themselves to the reading of the Scriptures. Alas, that so constantly as I repeat this, I am looked upon as trifling! Still, I shall not cease to do my duty.”

The need to bring up our children to know God is one that’s echoed from the ancient tales of Judges, to the early days of the church, even to today.

Rather than judge others, look down of them, hate them, even, for their sin, let us remember that is a danger even we face.

Transition: And the solution is the same.

Transition: The message of Judges foreshadows that of Romans.

We too need a savior.

But we need a savior that is better than a flawed, broken human, better than the judges of the book that would live, deliver, die, and see the people return to see.

Better than the saviors of Judges who would themselves abandon God.

Better than the saviors of Judges who would themselves fall to sin.

We need Jesus.

The Jesus that provided salvation for all who would believe, the Jesus that lived a perfect life, the Jesus that is God-himself and flawless and perfect!

We need Jesus!

A leader and lord that humbled himself to take on our guilt, a savior sent by God to die for us, to rise for us, and to bring us his Holy Spirit to live within us and help us.

We need Jesus.

We cannot save ourselves.

We need Jesus.

“Amnesia produces apostasy”

We must remember Jesus, cling to Jesus, call to Jesus, in our times of need.

Only in him do we find victory.

Application:

At dinner, before you pray, each of you say something you are thankful for, something good that God has done for you. Then, pray and eat. Don’t worry, your food won’t get cold, and if it does, we have microwaves. Speak it, recount it, tell of God’s greatness!