2020-06-06 Judges 4

Judges 4:1–9 CSB

1 The Israelites again did what was evil in the sight of the Lord after Ehud had died. 2 So the Lord sold them to King Jabin of Canaan, who reigned in Hazor. The commander of his army was Sisera who lived in Harosheth of the Nations. 3 Then the Israelites cried out to the Lord, because Jabin had nine hundred iron chariots, and he harshly oppressed them twenty years. 4 Deborah, a prophetess and the wife of Lappidoth, was judging Israel at that time. 5 She would sit under the palm tree of Deborah between Ramah and Bethel in the hill country of Ephraim, and the Israelites went up to her to settle disputes. 6 She summoned Barak son of Abinoam from Kedesh in Naphtali and said to him, “Hasn’t the Lord, the God of Israel, commanded you: ‘Go, deploy the troops on Mount Tabor, and take with you ten thousand men from the Naphtalites and Zebulunites? 7 Then I will lure Sisera commander of Jabin’s army, his chariots, and his infantry at the Wadi Kishon to fight against you, and I will hand him over to you.’ ” 8 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.” 9 “I will gladly go with you,” she said, “but you will receive no honor on the road you are about to take, because the Lord will sell Sisera to a woman.” So Deborah got up and went with Barak to Kedesh.

I. In a time where people have turned form God, we need men of God.

Judges 4:1–3 CSB

1 The Israelites again did what was evil in the sight of the Lord after Ehud had died. 2 So the Lord sold them to King Jabin of Canaan, who reigned in Hazor. The commander of his army was Sisera who lived in Harosheth of the Nations. 3 Then the Israelites cried out to the Lord, because Jabin had nine hundred iron chariots, and he harshly oppressed them twenty years.

A. Can we have an honest discussion on the state of our world, on the state of the church?

Judges 4:1 CSB

1 The Israelites again did what was evil in the sight of the Lord after Ehud had died.

Illus: It does not take long to look around and see the disaster the world has become around us.

We have embraced a way of life in our country where waging war is the norm.

We are living at odds with out brother, always jumping to find fault, and finding life in the contant argument of a culture war.

Add to that the sins that have become normal and unnoticed.

Here is the thing… scripture did not call those on the outside to be the people of God. he called the people of God to be the people of God.

For a long time the church has done an incredible job of pointing out the sins of the culture around it.

In the midst of that, it has largely ignored its own sins.

It is easy to find other’s faults. It is much more difficult to deal with your own.

Let me shoot straight… how can we expect our nation and our world to turn to Jesus if we the people of God do not turn to Jesus.

Can was say that God might be using 2020 to get our attention… and all we have done in 2020 is double down on our sin and try to put the blame on other people.

Today needs to be the day we repent of our sin and turn to God. No matter the sin… repent today and turn to God.

2 Timothy 3:2–5 CSB

2 For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, proud, demeaning, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy, 3 unloving, irreconcilable, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, without love for what is good, 4 traitors, reckless, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, 5 holding to the form of godliness but denying its power. Avoid these people.

B. Don’t underestimate the power of repentance and desperate faith.

Judges 4:2–3 CSB

2 So the Lord sold them to King Jabin of Canaan, who reigned in Hazor. The commander of his army was Sisera who lived in Harosheth of the Nations. 3 Then the Israelites cried out to the Lord, because Jabin had nine hundred iron chariots, and he harshly oppressed them twenty years.

Illus: I get to do a lot of marital counseling as a pastor.

Over the course of years in watching conflict I have noticed a few patterns emerge.

When a couple comes in the first session is always an erring of grievances. I normally have to be tough on the each partner telling each to be quiet because both will speak over each other making their case of why they are right and their partner is wrong.

It is always a heated moment where neither is attempting to see the world from their partner’s eyes, but instead from their own selfishness.

In that first session I ask an incredibly easy question that gives me the answer to whether I can help mend the marriage or not.

I ask each partner individually to tell me one thing they have done that is wrong.

The answer to that question tells me whether the marriage can be saved.

If neither or even one of the partners refuses to admit to any blame, I know that there will be little I can work with to mend the relationship.

That said, if both the offended and offending party are willing to own up to the mistakes they have made, a road can be built for reconciliation.

Right now things are hot in our nation. Race and a nonstop war have gotten us to a boiling point.

As Christians we have embraced the argumentative culture and attempted to “Christianize the world” through yelling at it.

So now we hare here looking for solutions, desperate for the peace of Christ, and seeing the chaos of our culture war.

Until we embrace repentance, owning up to our faults, sins, and mistakes both to those we have hurt, and God, then we will not transformation in the world around us.

So here we go, in this culture war, what have you done that has hurt your brother, and grieved the heart of God?

If you are not willing to own up to your sins (not theirs) we will not see the restoration of our country, and more importantly the influence of the church.

Taking the step of confessing and repenting of your sin, you then turn to God and trust that his strong and powerful hand will see you through.

Confess your faults, avoid throwing shade or shaming those on the opposite side, and go to the throne of God in repentance and prayer.

2 Corinthians 7:9–11 CSB

9 I now rejoice, not because you were grieved, but because your grief led to repentance. For you were grieved as God willed, so that you didn’t experience any loss from us. 10 For godly grief produces a repentance that leads to salvation without regret, but worldly grief produces death. 11 For consider how much diligence this very thing—this grieving as God wills—has produced in you: what a desire to clear yourselves, what indignation, what fear, what deep longing, what zeal, what justice! In every way you showed yourselves to be pure in this matter.

II. We need faith both in the commands of God and His ability to see them through.

Judges 4:4–7 CSB

4 Deborah, a prophetess and the wife of Lappidoth, was judging Israel at that time. 5 She would sit under the palm tree of Deborah between Ramah and Bethel in the hill country of Ephraim, and the Israelites went up to her to settle disputes. 6 She summoned Barak son of Abinoam from Kedesh in Naphtali and said to him, “Hasn’t the Lord, the God of Israel, commanded you: ‘Go, deploy the troops on Mount Tabor, and take with you ten thousand men from the Naphtalites and Zebulunites? 7 Then I will lure Sisera commander of Jabin’s army, his chariots, and his infantry at the Wadi Kishon to fight against you, and I will hand him over to you.’ ”

A. Do you have confidence in the clear direction given from God’s Word.

Judges 4:6–7 CSB

6 She summoned Barak son of Abinoam from Kedesh in Naphtali and said to him, “Hasn’t the Lord, the God of Israel, commanded you: ‘Go, deploy the troops on Mount Tabor, and take with you ten thousand men from the Naphtalites and Zebulunites? 7 Then I will lure Sisera commander of Jabin’s army, his chariots, and his infantry at the Wadi Kishon to fight against you, and I will hand him over to you.’ ”

Illus: Here in our passage God speaks through Deborah the prophetess.

God gives a command, and God gives a promise.

Faith in God is far more than simply believing once that Jesus died on the cross, rose from the dead, and forgives sin.

Yes, that is saving faith, but faith in God begins there and leads to a trust in God and his word.

The clear teaching about meekness, loving your enemies, living at peace with all men, denying yourself, being slow to speak, treating every person with the dignity of being an image berrar of God.... all are in scripture.

The question you must wrestle with is, do you genuinely have faith that God’s word is true.

This is more than do you think it. If you have faith that God’s word is true, then is will affect the way you live.

Each time you read God’s word you will see your falleness and by faith say, I will obey. Even if it makes no sense to me I will obey.

2 Timothy 3:16–17 CSB

16 All Scripture is inspired by God and is profitable for teaching, for rebuking, for correcting, for training in righteousness, 17 so that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.

James 1:19–22 CSB

19 My dear brothers and sisters, understand this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to anger, 20 for human anger does not accomplish God’s righteousness. 21 Therefore, ridding yourselves of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent, humbly receive the implanted word, which is able to save your souls. 22 But be doers of the word and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.

B. Do you have confidence that God is in control and will accomplish his plan.

Judges 4:6–7 CSB

6 She summoned Barak son of Abinoam from Kedesh in Naphtali and said to him, “Hasn’t the Lord, the God of Israel, commanded you: ‘Go, deploy the troops on Mount Tabor, and take with you ten thousand men from the Naphtalites and Zebulunites? 7 Then I will lure Sisera commander of Jabin’s army, his chariots, and his infantry at the Wadi Kishon to fight against you, and I will hand him over to you.’ ”

Illus: I know I have attempted to us to pursues these days very differently than what makes sense.

In many way the call of loving enemies, turning the other cheek, meekness, and love seems like giving up.

There is this sense that if you don’t keep fighting you are giving in to whatever side is raging.

Here is where I am really going to push. The reason obeying God and his word in this time is a step of faith is because it places the burden on God to heal and not you.

Following the way of scripture regarding the way you deal with men will in many ways be you surrendering your power in this cultural storm.

Here is where faith must rest… If you will trust God’s word and obey it, God will fulfill and handle things.

It takes us out of the place of control. We say, my responsibility is to know what God says and live it. God is responsible to handle everything else.

I’m challenging you to be a person of faith today. I’m challenging you to embrace the way of scripture, to let go of control, and to trust God.

Ephesians 1:18–20 CSB

18 I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened so that you may know what is the hope of his calling, what is the wealth of his glorious inheritance in the saints, 19 and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to the mighty working of his strength. 20 He exercised this power in Christ by raising him from the dead and seating him at his right hand in the heavens—

III. God will always accomplish his plan. Your faith will determine whether you get to be apart of it.

Judges 4:9 CSB

9 “I will gladly go with you,” she said, “but you will receive no honor on the road you are about to take, because the Lord will sell Sisera to a woman.” So Deborah got up and went with Barak to Kedesh.

Judges 4:15–22 CSB

15 The Lord threw Sisera, all his charioteers, and all his army into a panic before Barak’s assault. Sisera left his chariot and fled on foot. 16 Barak pursued the chariots and the army as far as Harosheth of the Nations, and the whole army of Sisera fell by the sword; not a single man was left. 17 Meanwhile, Sisera had fled on foot to the tent of Jael, the wife of Heber the Kenite, because there was peace between King Jabin of Hazor and the family of Heber the Kenite. 18 Jael went out to greet Sisera and said to him, “Come in, my lord. Come in with me. Don’t be afraid.” So he went into her tent, and she covered him with a blanket. 19 He said to her, “Please give me a little water to drink for I am thirsty.” She opened a container of milk, gave him a drink, and covered him again. 20 Then he said to her, “Stand at the entrance to the tent. If a man comes and asks you, ‘Is there a man here?’ say, ‘No.’ ” 21 While he was sleeping from exhaustion, Heber’s wife Jael took a tent peg, grabbed a hammer, and went silently to Sisera. She hammered the peg into his temple and drove it into the ground, and he died. 22 When Barak arrived in pursuit of Sisera, Jael went out to greet him and said to him, “Come and I will show you the man you are looking for.” So he went in with her, and there was Sisera lying dead with a tent peg through his temple!

A. God is always faithful. He never fails. Don’t miss what God is ready to do through you.

Illus: We are living in a completely out of control time.

As the church in many ways we take the thinking of Barak saying, I know that God works, but I just don;t believe it enough to follow on my own.

Today needs to be a day of faith. God always acomplishes his plan. Every single time. God does not fail.

God is working out his plan in our nation today.

God’s was not dependent on Barak and God is not dependent on you.

In fact, this story of the book of judges is how God worked despite the man he called.

God is going to work. He is going to acomplish his plan, let us not be like Barak whom God worked around.

Just imagine if revival and reconciliation was sparked in our country, and the churches of God we left empty and dead because they refused follow God by faith.

Today is your choice. Today is our choice.

Might we repent today and trust God.

2 Corinthians 1:20–22 CSB

20 For every one of God’s promises is “Yes” in him. Therefore, through him we also say “Amen” to the glory of God. 21 Now it is God who strengthens us together with you in Christ, and who has anointed us. 22 He has also put his seal on us and given us the Spirit in our hearts as a down payment.