Sermons

People say that you live and learn, but sadly, too many people just live! Samson is a man much like that, making mistakes, the same mistakes, over and over again. He is the saviour of Israel and yet he is a man who needs a saviour. Samson is indeed a weak man in man areas of his life – with women, pride and foolishness and recklessness. Despite all this, he is God’s chosen man. God is still able to use him as he can use sinful people like we are. As he dies, Samson points us to the true saviour – Jesus. In crying out to God he exercises faith and in dying saves many.

We find Samson at one point in this chapter facing certain defeat. Surrounded by 1000 men of his enemies and given over by his own people, he surely has no way out. Yet God gives him victory out of certain defeat. For all human beings, there is certain death because of sin. there is no way out except that God sent Jesus to bring victory for all who look to him now. As victory for Samson comes from God, so also for those who in faith turn to Jesus, find that he has conquered sin and death and hell.

For many people, the struggle with sin is a slide. There is a gradual rather than steep slide downwards What can be so small and seemingly insignificant, to begin with, can spread and infect the whole of our being. In Samson, we see impulsiveness and disregards for his parents, a man who does what is right in his own eyes. His sin spreads and he breaks his Nazarite vow and ends up killing 30 men. For us today, sin abounds and yet it can just become the norm in our lives. Yet we have a saviour who has once and for all defeated sin and helps us to daily defeat it.

As we are given the birth announcement of Samson, we find that he is born into a period in history when the Israelites continue to do what is right in their own eyes. The people, then, like today are powerless to change themselves or be saved. So then, like today, God takes the initiative and promises a saviour, born as a bay who would rescue his people. Samson’s salvation is partial but points forward to the true saviour Jesus.

The chapter starts with the leaders making asking Jephthah to be their leader against the enemy. Before the battle, Jephthah makes a tragic vow regarding the sacrifice of whoever would come out of his home when he returns in victory. He returns and is greeted by his daughter. We ask ‘Why does he make this vow?’ And ‘Why go through with it?’ We discover that the influence of the surrounding nations is strong on Jephthah and also over Israel – they follow their practice and their thinking. We then must be challenged by the influence of the world over us and ensure especially that our thinking about God is right. We must fill our lives with more of God than we do of the world.

Judges ch9 paints a pretty bleak picture of what human beings are like when left to their own devices. In a chapter where God is not mentioned we see what a society without God might look lie but also ask, is he absent? But God is not absent then or now and has been acting in judgement. Yet even then, God is gracious and offers salvation. This brings us to the climax of this chapter where God says he will no longer save. God is faithful – he has made a covenant with his people. But he is also holy and cannot simply overlook or dismiss the sin of his people who fail to love him and follow him and remain obedient to him. So we have this tension. Will he finally lose patience. But he is faithful – he cannot deny himself. Or will he just give in and despite their vain crying out and their continual disobedience – just let them live as they please and save them anyway – but what of his holiness?

After defeating the Midianites with only 300 men, bearing only trumpets and empty jars, we conclude that the victory is the Lord’s! It could be no other. Yet in Judges ch8 we find a picture of Gideon that suggests he is trying to claim some credit for himself. We consider that we cannot seek glory in Salvation – but this chapter shows others seeking glory, and Gideon himself seeking praise and recognition. We also see that no mere man can bring salvation, while Gideon might bring relief physically from their enemies he cannot change their hearts. We see that it is Jesus alone who is worthy of glory in salvation and that he alone can bring salvation.

As God whittles Gideon’s army down from 32,000 to 300, and as God gives them only trumpets and jars for the fight, when they come out victorious, it is clear that the Battle is the Lord’s. No one else could be responsible for this victory. We also see Gideon as a changed man,]. The man of Chapter 6 who put out fleeces and accused God is now obedient to God’s word. We also find a beautiful moment, when God reveals through the enemy camp that Gideon would be victorious, Gideon stops to worship. We do well at times, to stop where we are, whatever we are doing and break into our day with worship.

So often as Christians we determine direction from God or are informed about God from what is visible. This is what Gideon does as he puts out his fleece. Is this something that we as Christians should do today? Is it a legitimate way to seek Gods guidance?

The familiar cycle in judges continues.  Except this time before sending a judge God first sends a prophet.  The question is asked whether God will always just be merciful, no matter what?  But then what about his judgement and wrath against sin?  Or will he eventually just give up and abandon his people?  But then what about his mercy and love and the covenant he made with his people? As we meet Gideon we see that God steps in to show them their need for repentance.  The cycle of idolatry, oppression and rescue will continue unless the people recognise their need to repent.  The cycle shows that they appear sorry for the consequences for their sin but not truly repentant.

Following on in the 2nd part of our look at the story of Deborah and Barak; this week we uncover more of the events that led to the victory over their enemies.  Yet while Deborah and Barak come across as the main characters, we see that this is, in fact, God’s story!  He is the one who wins the battle and defeats the enemy.  We are all a part of God’s story.  He is in control of it and is the central character, not us.  We also see that God is always working for good.  Even sin can be turned around and used in God’s purposes.  We have no license to sin, yet God even uses our sin, where we will submit to him and turn back to him recognising our need for mercy and grace again.

The next Judge of Israel after Ehud is Deborah.  Yet she has a commander, Barak who defeats the enemy and yet another woman Jael will be the one who ultimately gets the honour for the victory.  In this first part of the message, we look at the faith of Barak, the rut of sin and true salvation.  Seeing the Israelites again fall into sin, God is merciful to bring the oppression that results in them calling out to him.  They are physically rescued and led to the Lord, but only for the period of time the judge is alive.  This points to the need for a saviour who can heal even sin and break the oppression & bondage of sin, not just the oppression of an enemy.

This passage presents to us a left-handed man, Ehud, who was the 2nd Judge of Israel after Othniel.  The story is really the story of an unexpected leader by unexpected means.  We are reminded that God chooses whomever he wills and he can use anyone for his purposes, including us.  We see God’s choice and God’s ways in using Ehud, but we can also consider God’s choice and God’s way in Jesus and then God’s choice and God’s way with us.