20220717 Judges 3

Mark Organ

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Needed

Judges 3

The Problem / Dilemma

5 Now the sons of Israel lived among the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Amorites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites; 6 and they took their daughters for themselves as wives and gave their own daughters to their sons and served their gods. 7 Thus the sons of Israel did what was evil in the eyes of Yahweh and forgot Yahweh their God and served the Baals and the Asheroth.

The Punishment / The Discipline

8 Then the anger of Yahweh burned against Israel, so that He sold them into the hands of Cushan-rishathaim king of Mesopotamia; and the sons of Israel served Cushan-rishathaim eight years.

The Plea / The Despair

9 Then the sons of Israel cried to Yahweh, and Yahweh raised up a savior for the sons of Israel to save them, Othniel the son of Kenaz, Caleb’s younger brother.

The Present of God / The Deliverer

10 And the Spirit of Yahweh came upon him, and he judged Israel. And he went out to war, and Yahweh gave Cushan-rishathaim king of Mesopotamia into his hand. So his hand was strong against Cushan-rishathaim. 11 Then the land was quiet for forty years. And Othniel the son of Kenaz died.

1 Peter 4

7 The end of all things is at hand; therefore, be of sound thinking and sober spirit for the purpose of prayer. 8 Above all, keep fervent in your love for one another, because love covers a multitude of sins. 9 Be hospitable to one another without grumbling. 10 As each one has received a gift, employ it in serving one another as good stewards of the manifold grace of God ⁠— 11 whoever speaks, as one speaking the oracles of God; whoever serves, as one serving by the strength which God supplies; so that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom belongs the glory and might forever and ever. Amen.

Romans 12:4-13 For just as we have many members in one body and all the members do not have the same function, 5 so we, who are many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another, 6 but having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us: whether prophecy, in agreement with the faith; 7 or service, in his serving; or he who teaches, in his teaching; 8 or he who exhorts, in his exhortation; he who gives, with generosity; he who leads, with diligence; he who shows mercy, with cheerfulness. 9 Let love be without hypocrisy⁠—by abhorring what is evil, clinging to what is good, 10 being devoted to one another in brotherly love, giving preference to one another in honor, 11 not lagging behind in diligence, being fervent in spirit, serving the Lord, 12 rejoicing in hope, persevering in affliction, being devoted to prayer, 13 contributing to the needs of the saints, pursuing hospitality.

Application points

Gifts are given by God - to accomplish His will

Intentionally used (to be) - stewarded, employed, exercised diligently

For the building up of (the development/the maturation/beautification/adornment) - contrasting with using Spiritual gifts for building ourselves up individually puffing up

The body (internally/externally) - local body but also the body of the global church.

To the glory of God alone (It is His gift that when employed is not to bring us glory or attention but Him alone)

1 Sentence Sermon

God gives good gifts to be intentionally used to build up the body for His glory alone

The Gifts of God’s Holy Spirit are for using, not abusing

1 Peter 4:10 As each one has received a gift, employ it in serving one another as good stewards of the manifold grace of God

100 Word Sermon

The moral degeneracy of our times is mirrored by that in the time of the Judges at 1400 BC.

To discipline the people, God allowed the enemies of Israel to rise up against them to turn them back to Him. In Judges 3 this is what happened. God raised up Othniel, covering him with His Holy Spirit and used him to strike down the doubly wicked Cushan-Rishathaim.

Christian, you have received at least one gift from God’s Holy Spirit. This gift is to be intentionally used for building up the body of Christ to the glory of God alone.

500 Word Sermon

The moral degeneracy of our times is mirrored by that in the time of the Judges at 1400 BC. As the people of Israel took possession they gradually forgot the Lord, His commandments and what He had done for them. Instead of heeding His warnings, they intermarried with the Canaanites and turned to idolatry.

To discipline the people, God allowed the enemies of Israel to rise up against them to turn them back to Him - in Judges 3 this is exactly what happened. To meet their needs God raised up Othniel, covering him with His Holy Spirit and used him to strike down the doubly wicked Cushan-Rishathaim. God gave Othniel, special skills, abilities that were ideally suited for his context to meet the needs of the people and accomplish God’s will. Turn to Judges 3 verse 5

The Dilemma v5-7

The Discipline v8

8 Then the anger of Yahweh burned against Israel, so that He sold them into the hands of Cushan-rishathaim king of Mesopotamia; and the sons of Israel served Cushan-rishathaim eight years.

The Despair v9

9 Then the sons of Israel cried to Yahweh, and Yahweh raised up a savior for the sons of Israel to save them, Othniel the son of Kenaz, Caleb’s younger brother.

The Deliverer v10-11

Christian, like Othniel you have received at least one gift from God’s Holy Spirit. It may not be spectacular but this gift is to be intentionally used for

building up the body of Christ to the glory of God alone.

Here is a helpful acrostic GIFT

Gifts are given by God - to accomplish His will

Intentionally used (to be) - stewarded, employed, exercised diligently

For the building up the body of (the development/the maturation/beautification/adornment) - contrasting with using Spiritual gifts for building ourselves up individually puffing up. The body (internally/externally) - local body but also the body of the global church.

To the glory of God alone (It is His gift that when employed is not to bring us glory or attention but Him alone)

Your gifting is needed in this time of darkness and apathy, your action is needed, you are needed here, please steward your gift, employ it so that the body of Christ will function fully.

When we all use our gifts the bride of Christ will be astonishingly beautiful and will stand out as sure as light stands apart in the darkness

Sermon

The title of today’s sermon is “Needed.”

Now, I distinguish this “need” from how we typically use the word, “need.” In our common speech we may say, “we need a cup of coffee,” or “I need a vacation.” What we are saying in reality is that we really want those things - which is fine. It is okay to want a cup of coffee or a vacation but that misses the true meaning of the word.

When I am using the word “need” today I am using in it as it is defined in the dictionary: Websters defines “need” as something necessary or required. A need is something necessary, a physiological or psychological requirement for the well-being of an organism. I need a functioning set of lungs. I need all my vertebrae. I need my eyes and hands.

Paint a picture in your mind.

Take the most attractive person in the world, and start taking away things that are needed. Remove a jaw, take away an eye, subtract some ligaments that hold the head up, maybe strip off a portion of the cranium. Take away a couple of fingers, a digestive track and what do you have? You may have a human... a human that is alive, but can hardly be called fully functional and certainly not beautiful, am I correct?

When things are missing that are needed it is usually obvious.

Well, I draw that illustration to make a point that the Bible makes. The gifts given by the Holy Spirit to the people of God are needed. They are needed in a critical way. Just as the fingers are needed, so is the tongue. Just as the eye, so are the ligaments. The gifts of God’s Holy Spirit are vital, necessary, given for the building up of the body and none of the members in using their own particular gifts are less important than the others. The Church, global and local, has a “need” which can only be filled through the Spirit of Christ working through you, Christian.

There is only one of you. Only one of you that has the unique combination of Spiritually enhanced attributes and skills necessary to complete the body of Christ.

Did you know that?

You are needed.

This body needs its parts. We have needs both physical and spiritual that can only be supplied by its members. We have been entrusted with these gifts so that, for the purpose of, with God’s intention of us using them for His glory alone and not our own. A finger by itself detached from the body is not only useless but also repulsive. The body needs the member parts to be fully functional.

Turn with me to Romans 12

Romans 12:4-13 For just as we have many members in one body and all the members do not have the same function, 5 so we, who are many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another, 6 but having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us: whether prophecy, in agreement with the faith; 7 or service, in his serving; or he who teaches, in his teaching; 8 or he who exhorts, in his exhortation; he who gives, with generosity; he who leads, with diligence; he who shows mercy, with cheerfulness. 9 Let love be without hypocrisy ⁠— by abhorring what is evil, clinging to what is good, 10 being devoted to one another in brotherly love, giving preference to one another in honor, 11 not lagging behind in diligence, being fervent in spirit, serving the Lord, 12 rejoicing in hope, persevering in affliction, being devoted to prayer, 13 contributing to the needs of the saints, pursuing hospitality.

As you can see these gifts of God’s Holy Spirit are needed. You take away any of these elements - and obviously this isn’t a comprehensive list - and the body becomes a shadow of what it could be. You, Christian, you have a gifting from the Holy Spirit and it is necessary, it is needed.

I will say, generally speaking, this body is pretty active. We have Audio/Video specialists, we have members with the gift of administration, we have members who teach, who preach, we have members that are talented musically, members that help out physically around the church building, mowing the grass, removing garbage, watering plants. We have members that are using their gifts, stewarding them and will enjoy forever the rewards of their effort. They are blessed now to serve and they will be blessed eternally for their service. None of these gifts are more important than others, all are needed. All bring a joy and satisfaction when exercised. These gifts are needed... Your gift is needed and the addition of your gift will bring added beauty to the bride of Christ.

The main point that I am trying to make is that God has given His children good gifts to be used for the building up of the body and bringing Him glory alone.

Each of these gifts has no substitute, a stomach and a heart cannot be exchanged. A liver and a brain cannot swapped. Your gifting is needed at this particular time and in this particular body for its particular task. The word “need” is accurate.

Today, we are going to be looking at the book of Judges, and if you had a chance to read in advance you might think that the intro to this sermon is a little confusing. In the book of Judges, the gifting of God’s Holy Spirit may not jump out to the casual reader but nonetheless it is there. We are going to be in Judges chapter 3, as we look at the story of the first judge, Othniel, and how he was covered with God’s Holy Spirit and enabled to overcome evil, judge Israel and direct the people of Israel back to their God.

He was needed at that time and God enabled him to meet that need in a particular way that could not have been filled by any other person. God did this, not so that Othniel would get glory or recognition, but so that God alone would get that glory.