Nailed it

Judges 4-5

Good morning, church. If you have your Bibles and I hope you do. We are going to be in Judges 4 and 5 in our time this morning. More so in 4 than 5.

I had a fantastic week with our youth- for those that don’t know, myself, my sister in law Wendy and 5 teenagers, hopped in a van and made the trip to Clinton, South Carolina to take part in Student Life Camp.

and for 5 days we were saturated in the Gospel. We woke up, ate breakfast, had morning worship, then small groups, lunch, rec, free time, church prayer gathering, evening worship, church time, then lights out.

and everything they did was saturated on the gospel of Jesus Christ. The theme for this camp was - IN HIS NAME.

That God is our righteousness. We can only be in right standing before Holy God by the blood of Jesus.

That God is our comforter. God is our shepherd.

That God is the creator of Heaven and Earth and everything in it. This life is not some cosmic accident and you were created on purpose. And you weren’t just created on purpose but you were created for a purpose and your ultimate purpose in life is to glorify God.

And next year- we are going to have more teenagers with us so we are going to need more volunteers.

And if that is something that would interest you I would encourage you to step and go ahead and step up into the lives of these teenagers.

Because camp is not just something for the teenagers- I believe it is for everyone who attends. And when else do you get a five day gospel retreat away from distracts and intentional time with God all day.

And it's also a wonderful way to pour into the lives of our teenagers. And the next generation is the most important generation in the life of the church.

If we are not willing to put aside our preferences to reach the next generation- we will not reach the next generation.

That's just true.

Because this church is not being built on any one person's preference this church is built on the gospel of Jesus Christ.

And we will do everything we can to bring one more to encounter the true and living God.

I mean that's why we stood out in 100° weather yesterday morning handing out backpacks full of school supplies. Giving out snow cones and cotton candy and hot dogs and drinks.

And we were playing games with the kids and they were jumping around in the bounce house having an amazing time.

So thank you to everyone who played a part and trying to be obedient to what God is calling this church to do.

I think about 150 people were on campus and we were able to give out about 75 backpacks.

That is worth celebrating.

And I think about my own child and he was bouncing off the wall all day long the rest of the day.

I think he had about 15 cotton candies 3 snow cones and I have no idea how many pieces of candy.  

But that wasn't the point of why we did things the point wasn't for them just to come and have a good time the point of it was all to be the light in this Dark World. There are now almost 100 more kids who are going to school with school supplies there are bunch of kids who are now going to school and in new to them outfits.

And that stuff sticks. We're just a bunch of broken people trying to point a broken world to the only one who can put us back together again.

Because I don’t know about you but that’s all I really want to do in life. I just to point people to the only one who can save our soul.

and the way we point to Jesus is by telling others about Him and telling them what the Bible says. Amen?

If its not in the Scriptures then it is just your opinion and your opinion has never and will never save a single soul.

We believe the Bible is the final word. Period. Not just a suggestion, not just a good book—it’s the very breath of God on paper. Culture shifts, trends fade, what’s “acceptable” gets rewritten every year, but the truth of God’s Word? That doesn’t move an inch.

I’m a Bible guy. I believe the whole thing—Genesis to Revelation—is inspired by God and points to Jesus.

40 or so different authors were used by the Holy Spirit to one cohesive story over 1500 years, 3 different continents, in 3 different languages and it all points to the one who can save our Soul- Jesus.

and its all true. I believe every single Word.

Shoot, I even believe the leather’s real.

And because God is the Author of life, He knows how life works best.

So, we don’t get to decide what’s true—we submit to what He’s already said is true.

My job isn't to edit the mail. I just deliver it. And the hope is that by the time we’re done today, everybody in the room—men and women—is a little bit encouraged and a little bit uncomfortable.

If you're not encouraged enough, come see me at the end and I’ll hype you up. If you're not offended enough, I’ll gladly step on your toes a little more. Because a good pastor comforts the afflicted and afflicts the comfortable.

Because today- we are talking about the only female judge in the Book of Judges. and with that comes with it- gender and roles.

Now, when we talk about gender and God’s design, we’re not just dealing with a hot-button issue—we’re talking about the very image of God.

The reason the conversation around gender matters so much is because it’s not just a social debate—it’s a spiritual assault on God’s character.

In the beginning, Genesis 1:16-

God said, ““Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. ” That’s a plural God—Father, Son, Spirit—creating male and female, each reflecting His image in unique ways.

Where do you see that? Well- in the original Hebrew man means mankind- humanity- both.

That Hebrew word for “image” leans masculine, and “likeness” leans feminine.

Which means this: it takes both the man and the woman, working in harmony, to reflect the fullness of who God is.

But culture runs to extremes. One side says, “There’s no difference. We’re all exactly the same.” Well, there's a little Plumbing difference but other than the plumbing everything is the same- That’s a lie. That’s a lie from the pit of hell.

Even science says otherwise. Men and women’s brains are wired differently. We can arrive at the same solution, but we take very different roads to get there—mostly because women are humble enough to ask for directions.

But then there’s the other extreme—one the church has too often embraced—and that’s the idea that men are somehow first place, and women are JV. That’s just chauvinism dressed up in a suit and tie.

At Cedar Bay (and honestly, at any church that’s serious about the Bible), we reject both lies. Men and women are equal in worth, equal in image-bearing, but we are not the same. We were created with distinct roles, unique strengths, and a divine design meant to complement—not compete.

Which brings us to Judges 4. Deborah steps on the scene and leads like a boss. She’s a prophetess, a judge, and a military strategist. She’s wise, bold, and obedient—but she leads in a way that honors God’s order. She doesn’t try to replace it; she operates within it.

So hear me—this isn’t about erasing lines or creating ladders. It’s about celebrating that when men and women walk in obedience to the roles God has given them, it paints a clearer picture of His glory to the world.

But lets all of this story and unpack what the Lord would have for us today:

Judges 4:1–24 ESV

And the people of Israel again did what was evil in the sight of the Lord after Ehud died. And the Lord sold them into the hand of Jabin king of Canaan, who reigned in Hazor. The commander of his army was Sisera, who lived in Harosheth-hagoyim. Then the people of Israel cried out to the Lord for help, for he had 900 chariots of iron and he oppressed the people of Israel cruelly for twenty years. Now Deborah, a prophetess, the wife of Lappidoth, was judging Israel at that time. She used to sit under the palm of Deborah between Ramah and Bethel in the hill country of Ephraim, and the people of Israel came up to her for judgment. She sent and summoned Barak the son of Abinoam from Kedesh-naphtali and said to him, “Has not the Lord, the God of Israel, commanded you, ‘Go, gather your men at Mount Tabor, taking 10,000 from the people of Naphtali and the people of Zebulun. And I will draw out Sisera, the general of Jabin’s army, to meet you by the river Kishon with his chariots and his troops, and I will give him into your hand’?” Barak said to her, “If you will go with me, I will go, but if you will not go with me, I will not go.” And she said, “I will surely go with you. Nevertheless, the road on which you are going will not lead to your glory, for the Lord will sell Sisera into the hand of a woman.” Then Deborah arose and went with Barak to Kedesh. And Barak called out Zebulun and Naphtali to Kedesh. And 10,000 men went up at his heels, and Deborah went up with him. Now Heber the Kenite had separated from the Kenites, the descendants of Hobab the father-in-law of Moses, and had pitched his tent as far away as the oak in Zaanannim, which is near Kedesh. When Sisera was told that Barak the son of Abinoam had gone up to Mount Tabor, Sisera called out all his chariots, 900 chariots of iron, and all the men who were with him, from Harosheth-hagoyim to the river Kishon. And Deborah said to Barak, “Up! For this is the day in which the Lord has given Sisera into your hand. Does not the Lord go out before you?” So Barak went down from Mount Tabor with 10,000 men following him. And the Lord routed Sisera and all his chariots and all his army before Barak by the edge of the sword. And Sisera got down from his chariot and fled away on foot. And Barak pursued the chariots and the army to Harosheth-hagoyim, and all the army of Sisera fell by the edge of the sword; not a man was left. But Sisera fled away on foot to the tent of Jael, the wife of Heber the Kenite, for there was peace between Jabin the king of Hazor and the house of Heber the Kenite. And Jael came out to meet Sisera and said to him, “Turn aside, my lord; turn aside to me; do not be afraid.” So he turned aside to her into the tent, and she covered him with a rug. And he said to her, “Please give me a little water to drink, for I am thirsty.” So she opened a skin of milk and gave him a drink and covered him. And he said to her, “Stand at the opening of the tent, and if any man comes and asks you, ‘Is anyone here?’ say, ‘No.’ ” But Jael the wife of Heber took a tent peg, and took a hammer in her hand. Then she went softly to him and drove the peg into his temple until it went down into the ground while he was lying fast asleep from weariness. So he died. And behold, as Barak was pursuing Sisera, Jael went out to meet him and said to him, “Come, and I will show you the man whom you are seeking.” So he went in to her tent, and there lay Sisera dead, with the tent peg in his temple. So on that day God subdued Jabin the king of Canaan before the people of Israel. And the hand of the people of Israel pressed harder and harder against Jabin the king of Canaan, until they destroyed Jabin king of Canaan.

Pray

Now, what I want us to do in our time together- is I want us to unpack each of the people in this narrative- this isn’t fairy tale- these are real people who point us to a real God.

First off-

Deborah- The Faithful Female Leader

A faithful female leader God raised up for such a time as this. She’s not just a footnote in the story of Israel. She’s not background noise in a man’s narrative. Deborah is the main character in Judges 4, and she leads like a boss.

When Israel needed wisdom, they came to her. When they needed leadership, they followed her. When they needed clarity, she spoke with authority.

Deborah wore a lot of different hats, and all of them fit. She was a prophetess—meaning she heard from God and spoke on His behalf. She was a judge—meaning she made decisions that affected the lives and direction of the nation. And she was wise, full of the Spirit, and grounded in the truth of God. She led with conviction and courage, not by pushing others down, but by lifting them up.

Now, I need you to see this. Deborah had the same spiritual gifts available to every other believer in Israel. The Holy Spirit didn’t divide gifts by gender. She wasn’t gifted “like a man”—she was gifted by God. Period.

And not only was she gifted, she also lived under authority. That’s not a contradiction—that’s a compliment to her character.

She’s introduced as “the wife of Lappidoth.” That wasn’t a throwaway detail. That means that even though she was the spiritual and civic leader of Israel, she still honored the structure God had designed in her home.

She gladly lived under the authority of her husband. You know what that tells me? That leadership and submission are not at odds. You can lead strong and still respect God’s order.

Deborah also held positional authority. She was the judge. She didn’t sneak into leadership through the back door.

She didn’t manipulate her way to the top. This wasn’t plan B. It wasn’t, “Well, none of the men would step up, so I guess we’ll go with her.” No. God called her. God appointed her. God used her. This wasn’t some cultural workaround. This was divine assignment.

So hear me, ladies: You are not just “allowed” to lead—you are called to lead. If the Spirit of God lives in you, then the gifts of God flow through you. And God is not calling you to be a cheap imitation of someone else. He’s not asking you to be a knockoff version of the girl next to you. He’s not asking you to become someone you're not. He is calling you to be faithful to who He made you to be.

In my humble yet accurate opinion. My wife does an excellent job of replicating this in real life. She is an administrator at work and she honor the structure God designed for the home.

She serves in all kinds of capacities here in the church. She sings, she leads the women’s class, she leads Children’s Church, and on Wednesday’s she helps my mother with the Kid’s at the Bay.

She has the same opportunities and the same gifts as everyone else to do what she is doing but the only difference is she stepped up and allowed herself to be used by God in those capacities when no one else was willing. And she is going to keep serving and if that rubs you the wrong way in any capactiy- I say this with my whole chest. I don’t care.

We need women with the Spirit of Deborah—women who will stand on the truth, speak with grace, walk in courage, lead with humility, and never apologize for being obedient to God. So if God has called you to something—step into it. If He’s gifted you for it—don’t bury it. If He’s placed you in a position to speak, to lead, to teach, to disciple—then rise up, woman of God, and get in the game.

Because the Church needs more Deborahs and fewer who complain like the Israelites in the desert.

But Deborah wasn’t doing this on her own

Let’s take a moment and talk about someone who barely gets a sentence in the story but leaves behind a legacy that every husband in this room should be aiming for—Lappidoth.

Lappidoth: The Unsung Supportive Husband

Now, I know he only gets a brief mention. He doesn’t speak. He doesn’t swing a sword. He doesn’t even show up in the battle.

But what he does do is something powerful—he platforms and supports Deborah. And men, I’m telling you, that might just be the most heroic thing he could’ve done.

You see, we talk a lot about strong women in the church—praise God, we’ve got a lot of them. But behind every Deborah, there ought to be a Lappidoth. Not behind in terms of importance, but behind in terms of support. Not trying to compete, but choosing to complement.

Lappidoth wasn’t insecure about his wife’s calling. He wasn’t threatened by her influence. He wasn’t trying to keep her small so he could feel big. He understood that God had placed a high calling on her life, and his role—his joy—was to create the kind of environment where she could flourish. And fellas, that’s our job too.

God told Adam to subdue and cultivate the garden. That wasn’t just about soil and seed—it was about relationships. It’s about taking responsibility for the environment around you and helping everything in it become what God designed it to be.

So men, let me ask you—are you cultivating your wife’s walk with Jesus? Are you watering her with prayer, protecting her with love, encouraging her with truth? Or are you too busy building your own kingdom to notice the garden God put right in front of you?

And here’s the deal—if you were to ask your wife, “Babe, do I help you become more of who God made you to be or less?”—what would she say?

That’s the question. Because your leadership in the home isn't measured by how loud you talk or how many Bible verses you can quote. It’s measured by the look on your wife’s face. Does she look loved, secure, honored, supported, and unleashed to live out her calling?

And if your honest answer is, “Man, I don’t know,” then it’s time to repent, regroup, and start today. You don’t have to be perfect. You don’t need to preach like Paul or pray like Spurgeon. Just love your wife like Jesus loves His bride—the Church. Lay down your life. Serve her. Bless her. And watch her flourish.

Because God didn’t call you to compete with her. He called you to cultivate her. Be a Lappidoth. Platform her. Pray for her. Cheer her on. And then stand back and watch God do something through your wife that generations will talk about.

Then there is the other Guy

Let’s talk about Barak for a minute.

Barak: The Abdicator

This guy had the position, had the title, had the army—but he didn’t have the courage.

He had all the authority he needed, but when it came time to step into the battle, he folded like a lawn chair in a hurricane.

Deborah looks him in the eye and basically says, “The Lord already told you what to do, so let’s go,” and what does Barak say? “I’ll go... but only if you go with me.” Translation: “I’m scared, and I need you to hold my hand.”

Now listen, I’m not trying to dog the guy completely. I’m glad he eventually obeyed.

But let’s be real—this isn’t the kind of leadership God designed men for. This is abdication.

This is what it looks like when a man refuses to step into the responsibility God’s given him and waits for someone else to do what he was called to do. And unfortunately, this isn’t just a Barak problem—it’s a right now problem.

We have a generation of men who’ve been given authority but have no idea what to do with it.

We’ve gone from John Wayne to the Harry Styles. And if you don’t know who that is- God has blessed you.

From “I’ll handle it” to “I’m not sure, let me make sure none of my fantasy football players are playing at that time”

From men who ran into battle to boys who now need a safe space because words hurt.

And we wonder why marriages are struggling, churches are shrinking, and families are falling apart. It’s because too many men are sitting on the sidelines waiting for someone else to lead.

Godly masculinity doesn’t sit back and hope someone else figures it out. Godly masculinity takes responsibility. God didn’t put Adam in the garden to chill and play video games. He said, “Work it. Keep it. Lead it.”

And what happened? The serpent shows up, starts whispering lies, and instead of stepping in, Adam stands there in silence. Elbow to elbow with Eve. Passive. Quiet. Absent. And we’ve been repeating that pattern ever since.

Fellas, listen to me: You cannot lead if you’re unwilling to step up. And you cannot be the man God called you to be if you’re constantly outsourcing your obedience. Your wife shouldn’t have to drag you to church. Your kids shouldn’t have to guess what matters to you.

Your friends shouldn’t have to wonder if you’re in the fight. If you’ve been given the call, don’t wait for someone else to walk it out for you.

One of the biggest lies the culture feeds men today is this: "It’s not your fault, so it’s not your responsibility."

But the gospel calls us to something radically different. Jesus took responsibility for our sin. It wasn’t fair. It wasn’t his fault. But he bore it anyway—and that’s the model.

So when it comes to your home, your marriage, your family—guess what? It’s all your responsibility. Every bit of it.

Men, take responsibility. Lead in the church. Serve with humility. Love like Christ. Judges 5 opens with this: “That the leaders took the lead in Israel, that the people offered themselves willingly—bless the Lord!” When godly men lead, everyone flourishes.

But here’s the hard truth: in our church, women are outpacing men in just about every category—membership, small groups, missions, serving. Praise God for our women! They’re crushing it. But where are the men? Where are the warriors? Too many of us are still sitting in the stands while the fight rages on.

small group participation? 3 to 1 women. Mission trips? We had seven go to Ecuador this year. 1 man- me and a Brother Larry in spirit.

It’s the most dangerous thing we do—taking the gospel to the ends of the earth—and the men say, “Nah, I’m good, Y’all go ahead.”

That’s not biblical masculinity. That’s passive disobedience. That’s Barak saying, “Deborah, I’ll go, but only if you go with me.” And in Judges 5, it says God cursed those who stood by the boats instead of getting in the fight. Don’t be that man.

Don’t be content to sit on your blessed assurance while the battle rages around you.

Here’s a stat that should shake you: if a child comes to Christ first, there’s a 3.5% chance the family follows. If it’s mom, it jumps to 17%. But if dad is the first to follow Jesus, there’s a 93% chance the whole family gets saved.

You don’t think your leadership matters? You don’t think your presence carries weight? Are you kidding me?

Did you see in the news- June 30th- A family was on a Disney Cruise- and there little 5 year old daughter- fell from the fourth deck of the ship into the ocean. The Dad jumped into the ocean right after her- and treaded water with her for 20 minutes before they could get to them.

Wouldn’t you jump in and save your child without hesitation? Of course you would. And yet, while the enemy is trying to drag your kids away spiritually, you’re on the couch flipping channels.

Your kids don’t need another gadget. They need you. Fully present. Fully surrendered to Jesus. Fighting for their hearts.

God says of himself in the Bible I am a warrior and Warrior is my name and man you were created in the image of God and you are a warrior and a warrior is your name if you'll step up and get into the fight and fight for your family and fight for your children and fight for this church and fight for your brothers and sisters that are a part of this church.

You have what it takes because Jesus lives in you and he has given you everything you need to accomplish everything that he has called you to do you've got to reject what this culture says it means to be a man and it's time for us to step up and act like men

It’s time to act like men.

Barak eventually steps into battle, but it’s not his name that gets the glory. God hands the victory to a woman—not because women can’t lead (we’ve already seen Deborah crushing it)—but because Barak gave away the opportunity to obey.

And here’s the warning, brothers: when we hesitate in obedience, someone else will carry out the mission we were meant for. And we will miss the blessing of being used by God.

So the call is simple: Get in the game. Stop waiting for someone to drag you into it. Don’t just sit there with positional authority—walk in spiritual responsibility. God didn’t create you to spectate. He created you to stand up and lead. And if you feel like, “Man, I don’t know where to start,” that’s okay. Start with repentance. Start with prayer. Start with showing up. Start with getting into the small group, serving somewhere, leading something—anything.

Because when men lead like Jesus, everyone under their care flourishes. And when we don’t… the whole garden goes quiet. So stop waiting. Stop hesitating. Stop outsourcing your calling. If God has told you to go—then go.

Jael: The Available Housewife

Now let’s talk about Jael. And I’ll be honest—she plays a small part but she plays my favorite part in this event.

She doesn’t come in riding a war horse. She doesn’t have a title. She doesn’t carry a sword. She’s not a prophetess or a judge. She’s just a housewife… with a tent peg. And yet God uses her in one of the most gangster moments in all of Scripture. I’m telling you, this woman makes MacGyver look under-equipped.

You see, when Cicera—the villain, the military powerhouse, the one with all the status and intimidation—comes running from the battlefield, he doesn’t run to Deborah, or Barak, or the army. He runs straight into the tent of this seemingly insignificant woman, looking for comfort, looking to hide. He lays down thinking he’s found a place of safety. She gives him a little milk, tucks him in like a toddler, and while he’s sleeping? She grabs a tent peg and drives it through his temple into the ground. Boom. Nailed it. Literally.

Now listen, don’t miss what’s happening here. God didn’t choose a warrior. He didn’t use someone with military experience. He didn’t call a prophet. He used a woman who probably spent most of her days cooking meals, raising kids, and setting up tents. She didn’t have a platform. She didn’t have credentials. But she had something far more important—availability.

God didn’t need her résumé. He needed her yes.

And here’s what that means for you: You might feel like Jael. You might think, “Well, I’m just a stay-at-home mom… I’m just an ordinary woman… I’m not up front teaching, I’m not leading a ministry… I don’t have the stage, the seminary degree, the microphone…” And the enemy would love for you to believe that what you do in the quiet doesn’t matter.

But here’s the truth—God sees you. And the same God who used Jael in the background is still using women like you today to shake the gates of hell and advance the kingdom. Your faithfulness behind the scenes is not invisible to heaven. It’s the very soil where victory grows.

Maybe your weapon isn’t a tent peg. Maybe it’s a prayer life that shakes the walls of your home. Maybe it’s a steady hand on the shoulder of a child- whether there 40 or 4- who’s running wild. Maybe it’s a lunch you pack, a note you write, a friend you disciple, a child you nurture. Maybe it’s just being present when the rest of the world is checked out.

Whatever it is—don’t underestimate what God can do through someone who simply says, “I’m available.”

If you’d asked Jael two weeks before that moment what her purpose was, she probably would’ve said, “I’m just a housewife.” But that’s not how God saw her. God saw her as the instrument He would use to deliver His people. And I wonder what He sees in you, even if you haven’t seen it in yourself yet.

So to every woman who’s been quietly faithful, who’s been holding it down in the background, who’s been wondering if what she’s doing matters—listen to me: it matters. Faithfulness in obscurity is often the very means God uses for breakthrough.

God doesn’t need you to be famous. He needs you to be faithful.

He doesn’t need your platform. He needs your posture.

And He doesn’t need your ability. He just needs your availability.

So here's the deal: just be faithful. Be obedient to whatever it is God’s calling you to do. Don’t sell yourself short like you’re some kind of spiritual clearance rack item. You have no idea how God might use your obedience to change someone’s eternity.

I’m telling you, there would be no Church of Eleven22 if my wife hadn’t obeyed what God called her to do—loving me, raising our babies, and building our home on the gospel. She didn’t need a spotlight. She just needed a willing heart.

Now in Judges 5, Deborah and Barak bust out into this Holy Spirit-inspired duet, and when they sing about Jael—yes, Jael, the tent-peg assassin and unexpected housewife heroine—they say, “Most blessed of women be Jael.” That phrase only shows up one other time in the entire Bible. You know where? When the angel Gabriel shows up to a teenage girl in Nazareth and says, “Most blessed are you among women.” That girl was Mary—the mother of Jesus.

Think about it: God scans the whole earth and chooses a teenage, small-town, peasant virgin to carry the Savior of the world. And when the angel tells her the plan, she’s like, “Uhh, I think I missed that part of health class...” But the angel says, “With God, all things are possible.” And what does Mary say? “Behold, I am the servant of the Lord. Let it be to me according to your word.”

That’s what we need right now. We need some men and women who stop waiting on clarity and start walking in obedience. Some Deborahs who lead with courage.

Some Lappidoths who support and strengthen the leaders around them. Some Baraks who grow a spine and stop hiding behind excuses. And yes—some Jaels who may not feel like much, but are willing to say, “Lord, I’m available. Use what’s in my hands.”

Closing

So here’s what we’re going to do, church—we’re going to step into a time of invitation and consecration.

And that’s not just a fancy way of saying “wrap it up and head to lunch.” This is holy ground. This is the moment where information becomes transformation. Where we don’t just nod along with truth—we respond to it.

Because some of you have been walking through life like Barak—called, equipped, positioned… but passive. And God’s saying, “Get up. Lead. I’ve already gone before you.”

And if that’s you, don’t wait another day. Repent of your hesitation and ask God to give you the courage to walk in the calling He’s already spoken over your life.

Some of you are Deborah. The Lord has gifted you. He’s placed a word in your mouth, a fire in your bones, and a burden for the broken.

But you’ve been sitting on it—maybe because you didn’t think you had permission, or you didn’t want to ruffle feathers, or maybe someone convinced you you were “too much.” But friend, obedience is never “too much.” If God has called you to it, step into it.

Some of you are Jael. You feel small. Unseen. Ordinary. But let me tell you, ordinary obedience in the hands of an extraordinary God can do supernatural things. God isn’t asking for your résumé—He’s asking for your yes. What’s in your hand? A pen? A prayer? A child? A grandchild? A gift you’ve been afraid to use? Offer it up. The Lord loves to use the unlikely to accomplish the unimaginable.

And some of you—maybe you’ve been like the Israelites in the beginning of this story. You’ve been doing what’s evil in the sight of the Lord. You’ve been chasing the world, clinging to idols, and calling it freedom… but really, you’re enslaved. And now the Spirit of God is calling you to cry out, just like they did. To repent. To turn. To run to the only One who can deliver you. His name is Jesus, and He didn’t come to make bad people better. He came to bring dead people to life.

So today—right now—this is your invitation. To rise up. To repent. To return. To be faithful. To take responsibility. To open your hands and say, “Lord, whatever You want, I’m in.”

Some of you need to give your life to Jesus today. Like, not play church. Not clean yourself up and try harder. I mean a true full surrender. All in. “I believe Jesus is Lord, and I want to follow Him with everything I’ve got.” If that’s you—don’t wait. Come.

Some of you need to recommit. You've been coasting. Hiding behind distraction or disappointment. But today, the Lord is calling you back. Back to the fight. Back to the field. Back to obedience. And He's not mad at you—He’s calling you home.

And some of you just need to say, “Yes, Lord.” Whatever that means. However it looks. Whether it’s a step toward ministry, a call to lead, a shift in your family, or just a holy whisper of obedience in the quiet—say yes. God can do more with your surrender than you could ever do with your strategy.

So we’re going to open the altar. You can come kneel. You can sit in your seat. You can lift your hands or bow your head. But don’t stay the same.

Because God is still looking for Deborahs. Still calling Baraks to courage. Still raising up Jaels in hidden places. And He’s still empowering the Church—this church, Cedar Bay Baptist Church—to be a light in the darkness.

So as the band plays and we worship together, don’t just sing about surrender—practice it. Don’t just hear about obedience—step into it.

Let’s respond, Cedar Bay. Let’s give Him our yes.

Let’s pray.

Father,

Thank You for Your Word and for showing us through Deborah, Jael, and even Barak what obedience looks like. Forgive us for where we’ve hesitated, stayed silent, or sat out when You’ve called us to lead.

Raise up women who lead with courage, men who take responsibility, and a church that says yes to whatever You call us to do. Use our faithfulness, not for our glory, but for Yours.

Holy Spirit, move in this moment. Call us, convict us, and change us.

In Jesus’ name, Amen.