07(Judges 11,01-06)Nobodys God

(Read Judges 11:1-6)

Tonight in business meeting will elect officers, selecting those who will fill leadership positions for the next year.

As we consider who is best qualified for position, let’s look at a time when Israel was in need of leadership- military leadership. (Judges 10:8-9; 17-18)

A mighty warrior existed for Israel, but not from where you would expect!

Jephthah would not have gotten far in the interview process – this was true of many of God’s great men. What made Jephthah the mighty man of valor?

I.    Background of a future leader (11:1-3).

A.    Child of an adulterous relationship (1).

B.    Shunned by his own family (2)

1.     Kicked out – a move supported by the elders of the community (7)

2.     Persona non-grata, a man without a home.

C.    Took up the wrong crowd (3).

1.     It was a time without leadership – he and his band lived like the wild west.

2.     they were hoodlums who lived by their wits and weapons.

II.  A purpose for every life (4-10)

It would be hard to imagine a less promising background. But in the providence of God, this is how He had been training his leader.

This man was used to fighting for everything he had, not a very refined, church-going type of guy.

He had developed into a shrewd leader who commanded loyalty and respect.

Most importantly, he was God’s man who had been tailor-made through the rough-tough experiences of life to be ready to be used of God when the time came.

A.    Powerful reminder to us today.

1.     Don’t write anybody off from having a place to fill in the work of God’s kingdom.

2.     We too often apply the world’s criteria to the operations of God’s work.

3.     1 Corinthians 1:26-29

B.    Encouragement to those who feel they are nobodies.

1.     Disadvantages in your background do not disqualify you from serving my Lord.

2.     Setbacks in your life should not discourage you from leadership/service.

3.     Remember that God has something for every child to do, something unique and necessary and precious to God.

C.    Too many Christians spend time grieving over something they never had.

1.     Do not pine for the past. Self-pity is not healthy, and not godly.

2.     Don’t write yourself out of this script because of your background.