There is only one King

Win the War Lose the Victory

Dissension Defused

(1-3)

It is very dispiriting when we find ourselves criticized by other Christians but Gideon gives us a positive example as to how we should handle it. Like him, we must have a humble attitude, show respect, speak to our critics calmly and remind them of the bigger work of which they are part.

The criticism here is frustration having missed out on the glory of the victory.

Self-Preservation. We learn 2 Truths here.

1) That God was right about Israels propensity to boast in themselves and their own glory.

2) Ephraim would not have respected or trusted God’s chosen Judge.

Self-Preservation

(4-21)

Gideon Asks the people of Succoth to feed his men. But they refuse to help. They showed a complete lack of appreciation for what Gideon had done by winning the battle. Succoth asked if he had caught up with the kings yet and taken care of business yet.

Peniel had a similar response Succoth.

How do we make our decisions?

The war may be over but the battle continues.

Big Idea: We fight for a King who brings us everything

ILLUSTRATION:

Spider man Homecoming: Iron man takes spiderman’s suite after he almost gets people killed on a fairy in N.Y. Spider man indicates that he is nothing without his suite. Iron man responds, “If you are not something without the suite than you will not be something with the suite.”

APPLICATION: Sometimes we forget the 300 principle, we think we need more to be successful. We need more victories, more honor, more praise. If we cannot be satisfied with the Victories that God has already given us we will not be satisfied with more.

1.What happens when we forget the 300 principle?

The 300 principle reminds us that God himself feels that he should receive all the glory and honor and admiration for what He has done.

NOTE: these brave men are tired after enduring a long march, and have not taken any refreshment. The fighting after the battle is many times the most severe. If you can imagine being just past teenage years and not having any food to replenish yourself.

Charles Spurgeon once said.

“I believe that it is very often, not the pace, but the time that makes Christian people tired. When I have thought the matter over, I have many times said that I could die for Christ, by his grace, if I might lay my head down on a block, and have it chopped off at once. I think that I could endure that; but what about being roasted alive by a slow fire?

When those at Succoth and Peniel fail to trust that Gideon will finish the battle. he doesn’t say yes I know that it’s hard to believe we can beat them, but God in His grace is going to use us to win the victory. So, don’t trust in my strength, but do trust in His unfailing strength.

We think we deserve all the RESPECT

Instead he said: How dare you doubt me, I will show you my power when I get back. You will learn some RESPECT.

NOTE: They were faint yet pursuing! When have you been faint yet pursuing

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GIDEON UNHINGED

When Gideon returns from his victories he seizes a member of his own people, Israel discovering the names of the men at Succoth, then he reminds the men of Succoth of their lack of faith in him. He then proceeds to punish them.

Peniel got it even worse, he pulled down their tower and then killed the men.

We think we are justified in our REVENGE

“Faint yet Pursuing” ( 8:4)

Gideon’s 300 person army is no longer a horn blowing toting group of men. They are set on a mission for vengeance. Gideon is now no longer working on behalf of the Lord. He is out for Revenge.

The revenge is not just for those who are the enemy of the Lord but for His own fellow Israelites. Gideon is now acting no longer on behalf of God but on behalf of himself.

WHAT HAPPENS WHEN WE TAKE MATTERS INTO OUR OWN HANDS.

*Flails the hands of the Elders at Succoth who would not help supply food to his men.

*Pulls down the towers at Peniel, and kills the men of the City.

2.What happens when we forget the source principle?

When do we forget where the source of our strength and satisfaction comes from.

For many people the worst thing that can happen to us is career success. Many of us at one time or another has had our ego’s stroked the right way. Success many times confirms that belief that we can we can be fulfilled and control our lives apart from God’s intervention.

ILLUSTRATION

8 In 10 Millennials Believe They Aren’t ‘Good Enough’

Fair or not, young adults have become a scapegoat of sorts for a myriad of societal problems and changes. What seems to be lost in this conversation is the effect this is having on many Millennials’ mental health and self-confidence.

Now, a new survey consisting of 2,000 Millennials (ages 22-38) has revealed some troubling statistics regarding how young adults see themselves. An astounding 80% believe they are not “good enough” in virtually all areas of their lives. Furthermore, 75% of the survey’s respondents admit that they constantly feel “overwhelmed” by pressure to succeed in their careers, find a meaningful romantic relationship, meet others’ expectations, and maintain a presence on social media. In all, 80% of respondents even say these worries have negatively impacted their sleep and admit that their overall mental health has suffered.

So, where is all this pressure coming from? 25% of respondents say their number one source of pressure is their parents, followed by 20% of respondents who cite social media, and 17% say their peers and friends cause them the most pressure. A lot of pressure also comes directly from within, though, with about 50% saying they routinely place an unfair amount of pressure on themselves to succeed.

It is only in Christ that anyone will find true peace of heart, satisfaction, and fulfillment (Matt. 11:28-29; John 10:10). The message “For he satisfies the longing soul, and the hungry soul he fills with good things” (Ps. 107:9) needs to be shared by the church with all who despair.

We forget the source of our Success

Somewhere along the way Gideon had forgotten the source of his success. His punishment rogue punishment of the men at Succoth and Peniel was on the heals of his greatest success. When does the pride of our success creep into the way of our thinking. When do we forget who has gotten us to the point we are.

ILLUSTRATION:

Hershiser's Source of Success

Dave Branon and Joe Pellegrino, Safe at Home (Moody, 1992)

For two months in 1988, Orel Hershiser was perhaps the best pitcher ever. From late August through the World Series, he had an ERA of 0.60 and led the Dodgers to an improbable world championship. A Christian for only a few years, Hershiser spoke of his Savior in interviews and knelt on the mound in thanks after one World Series victory.

But this wasn't the first time Hershiser had thrown so well. While pitching in the minor leagues at San Antonio a few years earlier, he had also fashioned a 0.60 ERA going into June.

"I got caught up in the scouting reports, what I read in the papers, and the phone calls from the Dodgers," he recalls. "I stopped praying. And I stopped listening to God. I started going out with the guys and not really having a focus on what I was supposed to be doing."

By the time he was done with his next three pitching assignments, Hershiser's ERA had ballooned to 8.60.

"It was like God had come down from heaven and hit me over the head and said, 'You dummy. Remember Who got you here. Remember where your abilities come from.'

We forget the source of our troubles

Pride Leads to Trouble

James Davison Hunter. From the files of Leadership.

We Americans generally want to think of ourselves as good people. That, in many respects, is where the trouble begins.

John 10:10

“The Thief comes to steal kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.”

Ephesians 6:10-13

10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. 11 Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. 12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. 13 Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm.

What we do in the crisis always depends on whether we see the difficulties in the light of God, or God in the shadow of the difficulties.

What trouble did Gideon find himself?

His own countryman did not see his victory the same way he saw what had happened. His desire for revenge over the murder of his brothers during the battle. The people of Israel wanting to make him king, but instead he takes their acquired wealth and makes them something to worship and seek after instead of God.

But where did it all start?

3.What happens when we forget the humility principle?

We forget the one whom we worship.

Illustration

The Potent Poison of Pride

Matt Woodley, editor, PreachingToday.com; source: "Pufferfish," National Geographic Kids

According to the National Geographic website (their kids' version that is) the Pufferfish can inflate into a ball shape to evade predators. Also known as blowfish, these clumsy swimmers fill their elastic stomachs with huge amounts of water (and sometimes air) and blow themselves up to several times their normal size … But these blow-up fish aren't just cute. Most pufferfish contain a toxic substance that makes them foul tasting and potentially deadly to other fish. The toxin is deadly to humans—. There is enough poison in one pufferfish to kill 30 adult humans, and there is no known antidote.

Like Pufferfish, human beings can blow themselves up with pride and arrogance to make themselves look bigger than they are. And this pride can become toxic to a marriage, a church, or a friendship. No wonder the late Bible scholar John Stott once said, "Pride is your greatest enemy, humility is your greatest friend."

NOTE: Remember back in 7:15, when Gideon knew his own weakness and understood that victory could only be by grace, he worshiped and honored God. But that is the last time we see him doing that. Now he worships the success and honor it will bring him.

We to like Gideon are prone to forget that everything about our Salvation and all of our own success, “that it is by grace you have been saved, through faith, and this is not your own doing, it is the gift of God, not by works, so that no one can boast, for we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared for you in advance to do. (Ephesians 2:8-9)

Illustration

We Become What We Worship

Ralph Waldo Emerson famously said, “What we are worshiping we are becoming.” In other words, our deities shape our identities.

King Gideon

Now Israel asks Gideon to become their king. They want someone to rule over them. “Rule over us, you, your son and your grandsons - because you have saved us. (Judges 8:22)

Just when we think that Gideon has forgotten who got him to where he is, Gideon is asked to be their King.

NOTE: Israel wants to reject God’s method of ruling His people. A judge is anointed by Him to deal with the crisis at hand and lead people back to living under His rule and reign.

But if Gideon say’s yes, then the rule will be passed down to flawed, failed, humanity to take care of the crisis.

Is this not why our culture and world is in the shape it is in today? Time and time again mankind has become ruler of their own world. A world where God does not rule and reign. Any place that God does not rule and reign is a world of anarchy.

NOTE: Here is the illusion we live under, the great illusion is that we think or assume that we can control our own destiny, that we can control our own future. When in reality God is still on His throne, we ultimately control nothing. That includes our nations leaders and the Corona Virus.

Gideon has a moment of Good Decision Making:

Gideon knows that if he accepts the kingship to rule and reign then the people would not need to look to God for salvation, or for him to sen them a deliverer. The desire for a king is actually another effort towards self-salvation. Self-sufficiency apart from God’s rule and reign.

Gideon turns down their request: “I will not rule over you… the Lord will rule over you. (v.23)

We forget that we already have a king.

NOTE: This is the last time that Gideon remembers who God is and who He is.

What happens when we forget who God is and who we are?

ILLUSTRATION

Why One Man Left Christianity to Join the Wiccans

Drew Dyck, "The Leavers," Christianity Today (November, 2010), p. 43; excerpted from Generation Ex-Christian (Moody, 2010)

In his book Generation Ex-Christian, about younger Christians leaving Christianity, author Drew Dyck relates one interview with a young man who left Christianity to join the Wicca religion.

Morninghawk Apollo (who renamed himself as is common in Wiccan practice) discussed his rejection of Christianity with candor. "Ultimately why I left is that the Christian God demands that you submit to his will. In Wicca, it's just the other way around. Your will is paramount. We believe in gods and goddesses, but the deities we choose to serve are based on our wills."

Young Adults Leaving Christianity

Why are young adults leaving Christianity in droves?

Released in 2009 from the American Religious Identification Survey (ARIS), one stood out. The percentage of Americans claiming "no religion" almost doubled in about two decades, climbing from 8.1 percent in 1990 to 15 percent in 2008. The trend wasn't confined to one region. Those marking "no religion," called the "Nones," made up the only group to have grown in every state, from the secular Northeast to the conservative Bible Belt. The Nones were most numerous among the young: a whopping 22 percent of 18- to 29-year-olds claimed no religion, up from 11 percent in 1990. The study also found that 73 percent of Nones came from religious homes; 66 percent were described by the study as "de-converts."

Other survey results have been grimmer. At the May 2009 Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life, top political scientists Robert Putnam and David Campbell presented research from their book American Grace, released last month. They reported that "young Americans are dropping out of religion at an alarming rate of five to six times the historic rate (30 to 40 percent have no religion today, versus 5 to 10 percent a generation ago)."

Here is a Clear Picture of What is at the Heart of the Problem at Hand?

Ironically and sad, Gideon almost immediately contradicts himself. He has refused to be their king because that position is reserved for God alone - but then he begins to assume the honor that is due a king.

v24 “He asks for financial reward for their deliverance and becomes a very rich man.”

NOTE: There are echos of Israel making a golden calf at the foot of mt. Sinai on the way to the promised land.

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GIDEON MAKES AN EPHOD

The ephod was worn by the High Priest in the Tabernacle, the tent where God was present with His people, which was at this point located at Shiloh. On the front of it was the Urim and Thummim - two stones that were used to receive, “yes” or “no” answers from God (they likely were similar to two coins, which were flipped; likely, two up sides meant yes, and two down sides meant no, one of each meant no answer. The ephod represented the true dwelling place of God, and was a way to discern God’s will at a time of crisis.

In making his own Copy Gideon is essentially setting up his home town as a rival place of worship. He wants to encourage people to come to him for guidance, signaling his home town as the place where God can be found.

Note: Gideon is using God to solidify his position, instead of using his position to serve and be used by God.

When do we use God for our own agenda’s and will instead of realizing the position that God has put us in is a position to be used to serve God?

8:27 “All of Israel prostituted themselves before God.” The judge is suppose to turn people from unfaithfulness to the true God. Gideon leads people away from the true worship of God.

v. 28 “And the Illusion goes on.” This world lulls us into a sense of peace and security. We know that this is a compromises security. Without worship and obedience there no peace in God’s holy righteous court.

We Live in a Cancel Culture

Cancel culture refers to the popular practice of withdrawing support for (canceling) public figures and companies after they have done or said something considered objectionable or offensive. Cancel culture is generally discussed as being performed on social media in the form of group shaming.

CONCLUSION

Let me tell you about the one who cancelled sin and death for all eternity. His name is King Jesus. There is only one King, King Jesus, and of His rule and reign there will be no end. What did they say at Jesus trial, Pilot asked the question, are you going to kill your king. The religious leaders of the day said, we have not King but Caesar.

Hebrews 12:26-28

25 See that you do not refuse him who is speaking. For if they did not escape when they refused him who warned them on earth, much less will we escape if we reject him who warns from heaven. 26 At that time his voice shook the earth, but now he has promised, “Yet once more I will shake not only the earth but also the heavens.” 27 This phrase, “Yet once more,” indicates the removal of things that are shaken—that is, things that have been made—in order that the things that cannot be shaken may remain. 28 Therefore let us be grateful for receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, and thus let us offer to God acceptable worship, with reverence and awe, 29 for our God is a consuming fire.

That’s My King - Video