“The Judges” Sermon Series

The book of Judges covers a period of hundreds of years that ultimately ends with everyone in Israel doing what is right in their own eyes. Israel chose to only partially obey God, which led to a repeated cycle of sin, oppression, crying out to God for help, God’s deliverance of His people through a Judge, short-term peace, complacency, and sin yet again. Over and over this cycle occurred in the land.
Yet throughout this chaotic time period, God raised up the unlikely Judges – the broken, the injured, old, young, men and women – to ultimately rescue His people. Even in darkness, He worked through them to accomplish His will, and continues to use the unlikely today.

June 6, 2021 // Introduction: The Endless Cycle // Judges 1:27, 29-33, 2:1-3, 6-10

God spent forty years preparing the Israelites to go into the Promised Land. The problem for God was not getting the people out of Egypt, it was getting Egypt out of the people. When the time was right, God commanded his people to drive out the inhabitants in the land. Unfortunately, they did not obey this command and it eventually led to idolatry. Also, after the first generation of Israelites in the promised land died, the people became spiritually complacent. The disobedience and spiritual complacency led to an endless cycle of problems. Today we see the same cycle in our lives, churches and nation. So, what can we do to avoid this cycle.

June 13, 2021 // Judge Deborah // Judges 4 & 5

Because they didn’t fully trust God and so didn’t fully obey God, Israel was living in the land God had promised, but alongside people who practiced despicable acts in their worship of false gods. When the people of Israel begin to experience distress because of their disobedience, they cry out to God, and God once again raises up a heroic spiritual leader. Deborah, a judge, prophet and leader, delivers Israel from the grip of King Jabin, with the help of the military leader, Barak, and a clever woman, Jael. Vocal and wise leaders can help turn us back to God, if we are willing to listen.

June 20, 2021 // Samson // Judges 13:1-5, 14:1-6, 14; 15:1-3; 16:20-21, 28-30

The book of Hebrews tells us that Samson was a hero of the faith. His story has been taught for years in Sunday School. But the book of Judges shows him as a man driven by his sexual appetite, his vindictiveness and temper. Though exposed to the things of God, Samson’s life is defined by poor decisions, rash judgments and carnal desires. Yet through all of the compromise and moral failure God used him in a powerful way.

June 27, 2021 // Gideon // Judges 6:4-6, 11-18; 7:2, 13, 18; 8:22-24, 27; Hebrews 1:1-2; 1 Corinthians 12-13

Gideon was terrified by his circumstances and doubted God’s ability to deliver. Test after test ensued as Gideon tried to ensure that God was with him. Even in faithless duty God used Gideon and delivered the people of God from their oppression. However, at the pinnacle of his influence, Gideon finds himself initiating an egregious act of idolatry that becomes a snare to those he had so reluctantly delivered. So what can we learn from the story of Gideon for our own spiritual journeys?