Sermons
October 18th, 2009 by Pastor Solley101809AM Two Very Telling Questions.
Sub. Analogy of how to see the miracles of God.
Theme: Comparison of Gideon to Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego.
Text: Judges 6:1-14; Dan 3:26-27; 6:21-22
“Two Very Telling Questions” Judges 6:1-14; Dan 3:26-27; 6:21-22
IntroductionThe message this morning is one of contrast and comparison. I would like to look at Gideon and a supposed lack of miracles and the presence of God in his life in comparison and contrast with Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego and the abundance of miracles and presence of God in their lives and the reason why that was so.
I. Gideon, Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego are well known people from the Bible: Gideon was a judge in Israel, Daniel a prophet and the other three faithful servants of God. Judges were men who were raised up by God to lead Israel out of oppression and back to a walk with the Lord. A prophet was one who both foretold and forth told the Word of God. And we see faithful men of God in every age.
A. As we are introduced to Gideon we see that he had much in common with Daniel and the three: Judges 6:11 We find our more about Gideon here than just who his father is. You can make a comparison with Gideon and the others four.
1. We see Gideon was a saved man to put it in our terms: Judg 6:12 The Lord was with him. Gideon was a saved man.
2. Gideon had a spiritual strength and power within: Judg 6:12 The Hebrew word for valor here means a force of strength and power. I do not believe it is speaking of a physical force of power in Gideon but a source of spiritual strength and power.
3. We also see what God was going to use Gideon to do: Judg 6:14 God would use Gideon to save Israel.
4. One can say the very same things about Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego: They were also saved men, they were men of spiritual strength and power within, and God did use them to save Israel in a time of oppression.
B. Yet we see Gideon ask two questions that the other four never did: Judg 6:13 And this is the contrast of the message this morning. Gideon asks two very telling question, two questions that the other four never needed to ask.
1. Where is the presence of God? Judg 6:13 If the Lord be with us. Gideon doubted the presence of God in his life.
2. Where are all His miracles? Judg 6:13 As far as Gideon was concerned he had never seen the miracles of God in his life. He had certainly heard of the miracles of God, but as far as Gideon was concerned he had never seen them in his life.
4. Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego never had to ask these questions: They were men who walked in a felt the presence of God in their lives as well as the great miracles of God in their lives. – Dan 3:26-27; 6:21-22
C. What was it then that made the difference in the lives of these men? What was it that separated the four from Gideon? The questions that Gideon asked tell us a great deal about him at that time. That is the contrast of the message this morning.
II. Let me ask you a question this morning; Does God still work in the same way that we see God working in the book of Daniel? Does God still work in the same miraculous way that we see God working in Daniel? Dan 3:26-27; 6:21-22 I asked that question in the BTI Daniel class and did not get the answer I wanted from everyone. Some said that God still worked miracles but not in the same demonstrative way today that God did then. I don’t believe that is the case.
A. This account is from missionary Daryl Champlain, jungle missionary is South America: This event took place in the late 1960’s I believe and God preformed a mighty miracle for this man….(Give account of missionary Champlain.)
1. If God worked that way in Babylon, and God worked that way in Daryl Champlain’s life then why not in ours today?
2. Our God is still a God of miracles and His presence can still be felt in our lives today:
3. Why then do so few of God’s people fell the presence of God or experience the miracles of God? More are like Gideon today than are like Daniel and if we are honest before God we will acknowledge that to be true. But why?
B. I think the reasons for that are found when we contrast Gideon with Daniel and the three:
PROP: Let us contrast and compare these men of faith this morning. TS. So that we might see the key in feeling the presence of God in our lives as well as the key to walking in the miracles of God.
Body
I. First consider God’s man Gideon: Judg 6:11-12 Gideon was God’s choice, he was a man of faith. But remember the two questions that he asked here. – Judg 6:13 Where is the presence of God, and where are His miracles? By looking at Gideon in Judges 6 we can see why he was moved to ask these questions, why he never experienced these things.
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A. Gideon’s life as a child of God was one of secrecy: Judges 6:2-5 The enemy was in the land. Midian had come up as grasshoppers for multitude. – Judges 6:5 The enemies of Israel far outnumbered the children of God.
1. So they were hidden in the dens and the caves: Judges 6:2 The strongholds here are not places to stand and fight, they are places to cower and hide.
2. Israel was afraid of her enemies: The only way to survive they thought was to keep hidden, keep out of sight. If the people of Midian did not count them as Jews then they would be safe or so they thought. So they kept hidden in the dens and caves.
3. And Gideon was one who kept hidden: It didn’t matter how God had worked in the past. – Judges 6:8-10 They had never seen it so it was best to keep hidden, keep their identity a secret.
4. Even when he ventured out Gideon tried to remain hidden: Judges 6:11 It was best to keep hidden.
B. Even after he was called and commissioned of God Gideon tried to serve in secrecy: Judges 6:25-27 God called for Gideon to throw down the altar to the idol, build a true altar and offer a sacrifice upon it. And Gideon did these things. – Judges 6:27
1. But he did it at night: And the only thing wrong with that is that God never told him to do it under cover of darkness.
2. The reason Gideon did it at night was because he was still afraid: Judges 6:27 He feared his father’s house.
3. Even though he is serving Gideon is still trying to do it in secrecy: Trying to keep hidden.
C. Gideon had a faith that lacked substance: Judges 6:36-40 By His grace God worked a miracle for Gideon here.
1. But the question asked here by Gideon is one God already answered: Judges 6:36; Judges 6:14
2. And God had already worked a miracle to confirm His call: Judges 6:19-22
3. It was the patience and grace of God that brought about the dew on the fleece and ground: How many times does God have to call, how many times does God have to confirm? Gideon’s faith lacked real substance.
D. At this point in his life Gideon represents many in Christianity today: This is a picture of many professing Christians today.
1. We live in a day when the enemies of God far outnumber those of the household of faith: The Christian today most definitely stands outnumbered in this world. That has been the case from the time of the tower Babel.
a. But Satan has become so bold today and sin so brazen.
b. It is at times a fearful thing as we see Satan and his influence become more and more dominant in the world today.
2. And so many who profess to know the Lord live as if trying to keep that a secret: They don’t live in dens and caves but they have their Sunday faith and their Monday through Saturday life. They live keeping their faith a secret.
3. And even when they do serve it is only in secret: Only on Sunday when other believers can see and no one else.
4. And they have a faith that lacks any real substance: So that when God does speak to them, or God does show them a miracle they can hardly believe it. There has to be some other explanation.
5. Gideon represents many today I fear: Questioning the presence of God, lacking the miracles of God.
II. There is quite a contrast when we consider Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego: Those four in Babylon were never moved to question the presence of God in their lives or the miracles of God on their behalf.
A. And they lived in more difficult times than Gideon: Gideon saw the enemies of God occupy the land, Daniel and the others were carried away captive. They saw the city burned, the temple looted, their homes destroyed, their families murdered.
1. And they were carried away to be made children of Babylon: Dan 1:1-7
2. The changing of the names is to strip away all remembrance of who they were:
3. The food of the kings table to indoctrinate them into the pagan religion of Babylon:
4. Babylon was where the seat of Satan’s power in this world was at that time:
5. They had it far worse than Gideon did:
6. Yet they purposed in their hearts to remain true to God: Dan 1:8 Satan may have gained victory of the nation but not over them, the nation may have fallen but they did not. They purposed in their hearts to remain true to God.
B. That meant they were not going to hide their faith, they were not going to be afraid to stand out as different: Dan 3:10-13 They were not found hiding in dens and caves, not bowing down to the world or king, not trying to keep hidden.
1. When everyone else bowed to worship the idle those men stood out because they stood up: Stand up stand up for Jesus were not words of a song to those men, it was the life that they lived.
2. And they were not ashamed of who and what they were:
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3. These men stood up:
C. And when they served they did it openly: Dan 6:10-13 Not that they went out and beat on a drum crying in the streets, “I am a Christian, I serve God”. But they had an everyday faith that they never tried to hide.
1. The reason they made the law not to pray was because of the everyday faith of Daniel: Dan 6:5
2. And when the law was passed Daniel did not stop serving: Dan 6:10 As he did afore time.
a. Daniel could have stopped praying here but he didn’t.
b. Daniel could have prayed in secret but he didn’t.
3. When they served they did it openly: They were not ashamed of who they were and what they were.
D. And so their faith had some substance: Dan 6:10; 3:16-18 When their faith was put to the test it had some substance.
1. They didn’t have to ask God for a special sign: Lord, do you really want us to remain true?
a. Lord do you want us to stand even though we will be cast into a furnace of fire?
b. Lord do you want me to pray even though I will be cast into a den of lions?
2. They already knew what God wanted them to do: They didn’t need extra signs or special confirmation.
3. Their faith had some substance:
E. As a result they felt the presence of God and walked in the miracles of God: Dan 3:25-28; 6:20-22 The very things that were lacking in Gideon were seen in these four.
1. They knew the presence of God: Dan 3:25
2. They experienced the miracles of God: Dan 6:22
III. What is the glaring contrast between Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach, Abednego and Gideon? They had many things in common as we saw in the introduction to this message, but there is a great contrast as well. What was the most glaring difference between Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach, Abednego and Gideon?
A. It was I believe a true commitment to their God, a true commitment to Jehovah: They are all saved individuals when we meet them in the Bible. They all knew the Lord, they all were living in difficult times. The difference is commitment. Gideon would come to that point, but they were already there.
1. Gideon lived with his faith hidden: They lived it openly.
2. Gideon tried to lay low behind the winepress: They stood up on the plain.
3. Gideon tried to serve in secret: They served so all could see if they wanted.
4. The difference is a real commitment to God: Gideon lacked it, they lived it.
B. So Gideon was moved to asked questions Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego never had to: Judges 6:13 Is God with us, is God with me? Where be the miracles of God?
IV. But notice that Gad saw in Gideon what Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego already had: Judges 6:12 And the reason that God could see this in Gideon was that it is in every Christian. In every blood bought child of God.
A. When you have the Spirit of God within, when God is with you, you are a mighty man ov valor: You may not choose to walk in it, choose to live it, but you are that mighty man of valor. Just like Daniel and the three.
1. Do we honestly think God would grant one the strength to stand and not another?
2. Do we honestly think that God would grant one the power to serve and not another?
3. Do we honestly think God preferred the four over Gideon?
4. The difference in those men as we are introduced to them was commitment to their God:
B. And that is the difference today as well: Why is it that some Chrsitians feel the presence of God in their lives to a greater degree than others?
1. Does God love them more and favor them more?
2. Or do they walk closer to the Lord:
a. Are some not afraid to stand out?
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b. Are some not afraid to stand up?
c. Are some not afraid to serve?
V. And now go back to the question set before us to begin the message; does God still work in the way that he worked for Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego ? The answer is yes. One can still feel the presence of God and one can still walk in the miracles of God. Our God has not changed.
A. The problem is that some never give God the opportunity to work in their lives: And what would have happened to Gideon if he had not listened to the call of God?
1. What would have happened to Gideon if he had remained hidden in the dens and the caves?
2. What would have happened to Gideon if he had never stepped out of the darkness to serve the Lord?
3. Gideon could have lived his entire life asking the very same questions as we see in Judges 6: Judges 6:13
B. But when Gideon made a real commitment to his God he began to walk in His presence and see His miracles: Judges 7:7
1. When we meet Daniel and the others they are already there:
2. Gideon had to arrive there?
C. God still looks for those willing to stand and make a commitment to Him: And that is a challenge. Try giving all to Jesus.
1. For a month give all to Him: See if that makes a difference in your life.
a. Make a commitment to the Word of God and prayer.
b. Make a commitment to the services of the church.
c. Make a commitment to the upcoming revival.
2. Make a real commitment and see if it makes a difference:
D. We need to give God the opportunity to work in our lives:
1. To give Him the opportunity to make His presence known and felt:
2. To give Him the opportunity to make His miracles known:
3. The problem is with us and not with God: Just like the problem was with Gideon.
Conclusion
What can we say then this morning as we contrast these men of God?
I. First consider God’s man Gideon: Judg 6:11-12 Gideon was God’s choice, he was a man of faith. But remember the two questions that he asked here. – Judg 6:13 Where is the presence of God, and where are His miracles? By looking at Gideon in Judges 6 we can see why he was moved to ask these questions, why he never experienced these things.
II. There is quite a contrast when we consider Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego: Those four in Babylon were never moved to question the presence of God in their lives or the miracles of God on their behalf.
III. What is the glaring contrast between Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach, Abednego and Gideon? They had many things in common as we saw in the introduction to this message, but there is a great contrast as well. What was the most glaring difference between Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach, Abednego and Gideon?
IV. But notice that Gad saw in Gideon what Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego already had: Judges 6:12 And the reason that God could see this in Gideon was that it is in every Christian. In every blood bought child of God.
V. And now go back to the question set before us to begin the message; does God still work in the way that he worked for Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego ? The answer is yes. One can still feel the presence of God and one can still walk in the miracles of God. Our God has not changed.