Weakness
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Gideon
“Weakness”
September 15, 2019
Introduction
Today, we are beginning a new sermon series from the life of Gideon.
Hook:
Game with Pictures of Mighty Warriors
Gideon was no Jack Bauer, Walker, Texas Ranger, or Clint Eastwood. Barney was more like the guy in this video.
Video: Best of Barney Fife.
Gideon was no Jack Bauer, Walker, Texas Ranger, or Clint Eastwood. Gideon was more like Barney Fife.
Read Text
Gideon was no Jack Bauer, Walker, Texas Ranger, or Clint Eastwood. Gideon was more like Barney Fife.
1. Trouble in Israel
Illustration: MSU football in trouble, lost to junior college team v5
As begins, the people of Israel are in trouble. (V. 1). So the people of Israel are in trouble. Israel sinned against the Lord, and Israel was defeated by Median. Let's put all this context.
The people of Israel are God's chosen people in the Old Testament. The people of Israel were descendents of Abraham. In Genesis, God made two huge promises to Abraham. First, Abraham's descendents would become a mighty nation. Second, Israel's descends were promised the land of Canaan.
Then, we get to the book of Exodus. Things are not so good for Abraham's descendents. The people of Israel were slaves in Egypt. God brought 10 horrible plagues against the Egyptians: Nile to blood, frogs, locusts, darkness. After the 10 plagues, the people of Israel were freed.
The book before Judges is the book of Joshua. In the book of Joshua, the people of Israel take possession of the land of Canaan.
The book of Judges is a constant cycle.
Israel would stray from God.An enemy nation would oppress Israel.Israel cried out to God.God would raise up a deliverer. Israel would serve God for a while before the cycle started all over again.
Look at verse 1 again. Israel strayed from God. Israel was oppressed by an enemy nation: Median.
Median was vicious and cruel to Israel. Median would come in every harvest season and destroy the crops of Israel. Verse 6 says that Israel was impoverished.
Israel is in trouble.
Application: Have we strayed from God? How often do we backslide?
What kind of trouble are we facing in life? What cruel and vicious enemies do we have in life?
Sometimes trouble find us. But sometimes we find trouble.
Israel is in trouble? What will they do?
Transition: In verse 7, the people of Israel cry out to God for help. God does two things. First, God sends a prophet in verse 8 to confront Israel of their sins. Second, God raises up a deliver: Gideon.
2. The Weakness of Gideon
Look at verse 12. The angel of the Lord refers to Gideon as a mighty man of valor. This phrase serves two purposes. We will talk about the second purpose at the end of the point. First, the phrase is meant to serve as humor. The mighty man of valor is in hiding. Gideon is harvesting grain in a wine press. He is harvesting grain in hiding so the enemy will not catch.
The might man of valor is hiding. Look, Gideon knows that he is no might man of valor.
Another judge, Samson is the Incredible Hulk of the Bible . Gideon is the Barney Fife of the judges.
Gideon knows he is no might man of valor. In verse 14, God tells Gideon exactly what He wants Gideon to do. Look at Gideon's response in verse 15.
Gideon says his family is the weakest in their clan, and Gideon is the least in his family. This word "weakness" means powerless, insignificant.
Gideon is not might; He is weak.
Gideon is not powerfully; he is powerless.
Gideon is not great; he's insignificant.
Illustration: Weakness
That's Gideon. Commentator: There was nothing particularly special about Gideon; he was an ordinary young man, from an inconsequential family.
Gideon is weak. Gideon is the Barney Fife of the judges.
Application: We can relate to Gideon. When God calls us to do something, we feel weak. We feel inadequate. Surely, someone else can do it better than us. So, we run and hide instead of serving God.
Transition: But as we are about to see, God's strength is made perfect in our weakness. This phrase "might warrior of valor" serves two purposes. First, humor. Second the phrase showed Gideon what he could be with the Lord's help.
3. The Strength of God
The story of Gideon is really the story of God. The story of Gideon is really the story of God's might and power.
Commentator: God picked a most unlikely hero so that it would be very clear who was in charge. God uses ordinary people to accomplish amazing things for his glory.
When we are weak, God is strong.
When we are powerless, God is powerful.
When we can't, God can.
I think Paul. Here's the guy who wrote 13 letters in the NT. He planted churches and spread the Gospel to the uttermost parts of the world.
But look at some statements that Paul made in the letters to the Corinthians.
(NKJV) I was with you in weakness, in fear, and in much trembling. And my speech and my preaching were not with persuasive words of human wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, that your faith should not be in the wisdom of men but in the power of God.
(NKJV) And He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.
Life Application: The fact that God’s power is displayed in our weaknesses should give us courage and hope. As we recognize our limitations, we will depend more on God for our effectiveness rather than on our own energy, effort, or talent.
When we are weak, God is strong.
When we are powerless, God is powerful.
When we can't, God can.
God's strength is perfected in weakness.
(NKJV) I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.
This is what was going to happen in Gidoen's life. This is what can happen in our lives.