Our text this morning, as we continue to learn about this deliverer, Gideon will surprise us as we discover how far we will go when we doubt God and it will surprise us with how God responds. Below is an outline summary of the sermon for your further study and deeper reflection.

SERIES: Christ in the Chaos
TEXT: Judges 6:33-40
TITLE: Do Not Test God
PREACHER: Tom Wilkins
BIG IDEA: Do not test God, but rather, willingly trust Him.

POINTS:
1. Made Ready
2. Willing To Test God
3. The One Who Was Willing To Trust God

SERMON EXCERPTS:
All quotes are taken from the pastor’s notes.
”The darkness of doubt in our relationship with God is a terrible enemy of the soul. Doubt is actually an enemy of God.”

“We will see, that when we will not trust him, in our faithlessness, doubt and hesitancy, we will actually test God, seek to negotiate with God, put God off, challenge him and demand that he prove himself to us!”

“Step by step, God has been preparing His man, Gideon, to lead His people on the offensive to attack and destroy this enemy. The army encamped in on the land is massive, and if God himself does not do something, this will be a suicide mission. Without God, Israel will utterly fail in a devastating defeat.”

“Gideon has been dressed in the overpowering/overwhelming Spirit of YHWH.”

“The situation they are facing is racing through Gideon’s mind. The impending horrific battle looms heavy in the air and in Gideon's heart. Yet, we find Gideon is still plagued by waves of doubt, distrust, and something worse. He was not ready. Gideon was clothed by God, yet… he remains ready to test God.”

“Here we see his worst enemy is not this Midianite army (as awful as they are). “IF…” the words reveal Gideon’s worst enemy is himself… his worst enemy is his heart, it is his will that is opposed to God’s will.”

“We should never test God! Allow me to be more blunt - Do not put a fleece before God! Here is the problem with “putting a fleece before God”: For many, placing a fleece before God has become a way to determine God's will. We are looking for a sign from God that will reveal what He wants us to do. False application of Gideon’s fleece: In the church, it has been believed that what Gideon is doing here with the fleece teaches how to discover what God’s will is.”

“Gideon obeyed God and pulled down the altar to Baal, but his test reveals that he still has the lingering effects of his sin, his worldview, and his beliefs regarding the pagan god. Baal has not been fully dislodged from his heart.”

“Samuel’s shift in the use of God’s name in this scene with Gideon helps see that the LORD remains less in his heart. We realize that Gideon is questioning who God is! He approaches with a pagan challenge seeking to negotiate with and manipulate God - seeking to move God over to His perspective!”

“Well, there is Good News! Gideon’s sinful hesitation and resistance toward God is met by the patience of God - TWICE!”

“Gideon, the deeply flawed deliverer, remains weak and even worse… willing to question the will of God. But, the cross of Jesus will reveal that Jesus is the Deliverer that we so desperately need.”

“JESUS, OUR DELIVERER, KNOWS HIS FATHER. OUR SAVIOR, JESUS, WILLINGLY SUBMITTED TO THE WILL OF THE FATHER. NO BACK PEDDLING, NO NEGOTIATING, NO DEMANDS FOR PROOF.”

QUOTES:
Saint Augustine, in anguish over his sin, spoke of his doubt in God becoming belief - “I was weeping in the most bitter contrition of my heart, when I heard the voice of children from a neighboring house chanting, “Take up and read; take up and read.” I could not remember ever having heard the like, so checking the torrent of my tears, I arose, interpreting it to be no other than a command from God to open the book and read the first chapter I should find. Eagerly then I returned to the place where I had laid the volume of the apostle. I seized, opened, and in silence read that section on which my eyes first fell… No further would I read, nor did I need to. For instantly… it seemed as if a light of serenity infused into my heart and all the darkness of doubt vanished away.”

Daniel L. Block - “At the outset, we should recognize that Gideon’s putting out the fleece does not represent an act of faith by which he seeks knowledge of God’s will. He already knows it—he is to lead the Israelites in throwing off the Midianite hordes (6:14). Instead, the fleece turns out to be an act of unbelief, an effort to get out of doing that will.”

ADDITIONAL SCRIPTURE:
Luke 22:42

APPLICATION:
Q - Have you been testing God?

Q - Are you now discovering that the effects of your sin and your worldview still lurk in your heart? Does this often lead you to doubt and fill you with an unwillingness to do God’s will?

Q - In what area am I negotiating with God? “Lord, IF you will___________, then I will___________.”

The cross of our willing Savior, Jesus, is the very place that unwilling sinners must go. There, we repent of our sins and submit our will to His will. There, we find mercy and forgiveness. There, men, women, boys, and girls are born again by the Spirit of God. There, hesitating, unbelieving, and unwilling hearts are humbled and made willing to trust Jesus more and more.

In a few weeks, we will witness God use Gideon and his 300 men to defeat an army of 135,000 strong. But we are not there yet. Today, God continues to prepare Gideon. In the words of the anonymous poem—God is drilling and thrilling, molding and hammering him. Below is an outline summary of the sermon for your further study and deeper reflection.

SERIES: Christ in the Chaos
TEXT: Judges 6:25-32
TITLE: A Divine Mic Drop
PREACHER: Derek Overstreet
BIG IDEA: Because God is for us, we have all we need to live for God.

POINTS:
1. What Do You Serve?
2. Who Do You Fear?

SERMON EXCERPTS:
All quotes are taken from the pastor’s notes.
”I believe God wants to break down idols this morning. God wants to relieve us of the fears that keep us from pursuing Him as His loyal subjects.”

“We are all Gideons in need of a greater vision for the sufficiency and faithfulness of God. We need Christ elevated in our minds and hearts. Today, Gideon’s drilling and thrilling, molding and hammering is our drilling and thrilling, molding and hammering, so we will know and believe and trust that: Because God is for us, we have all we need to live for God.”

“It’s been quite a day for Gideon, but as verse 25 indicates—That night the Lord said to him—the day is far from over. Before Gideon goes into battle with Midian, God calls him to battle with Baal in his own backyard.”

“What we see here is nothing short of shocking: Gideon’s dad built a shrine to Baal with an Asherah pole, a wooden pool with Asherah, the goddess of fertility, carved into it. That’s shocking—Gideon’s family dedicated space on their property for idol worship. Throughout Judges, God deals with Israel’s idolatry, but this is the first time we see it.”

“The message is unmistakable: Israel’s root problem was not pagan nations; it was their own idolatrous hearts. Their problem isn’t with Midian; it’s with God. They are forgetting about God. They are refusing to serve God. God has lavished blessings on them. He has been gracious beyond measure to them. His patience has known no bounds with them. Time and again, He has been faithful to them despite their unfaithfulness to Him. God has mercifully made them His people and called them to live as a light and testimony to His power and glory. And yet, they are chasing idols.”

“I’m confident no one here has pagan altars and poles in their backyard. But we all have them erected in our hearts. Politics and popularity, reputation and respect, money, and success, fashion and looks, accomplishment and education, personal comfort and convenience, no matter how public or private, be it traditional, family, or cultural gods, these and more are the 21st century Baals and Asherah’s. What is yours?”

“No one can serve two masters. It can’t be done. God’s nature won’t allow it. God’s glory won’t tolerate it. God will not share your heart. 

• You can’t put your hope in Christ for eternity but your hope in money for this life. 

• You can’t serve God, then put your trust in good health. 

• You can’t say Jesus is my all-in-all, but find satisfaction in stuff. 

• We can’t say Christ is my purpose but find our identity in politics, relationships, and work. 

• You can’t be on mission for God but in love with the world. 

• You can’t say I trust God when things are good but look to the world's ways when times are tough. “

“The fear of man is one of the most common and, I would submit, the ultimate expression of self-worship. It loomed large in Gideon’s heart—people were big, and Yahweh was small.”

“When we address the idols of our heart, whether it’s bringing them into the light where others can see them or it’s the new priorities and passions present in turning to God from our idols, i.e., repentance—what people may think about us, say about us, or do to us can rule our hearts. Gideon’s story reminds us that, like him, we must learn that overcoming the fear of man is critical to trusting God.” 

“Our mission is to unashamedly, unequivocally, and unapologetically share Christ, live for Christ, and, in the words of Jude 3—contend for the faith.”

“In the divine Father’s mercy and love, Joash, this was his pagan shrine, had his eyes opened to the greatness of Yahweh. And he torpedoes the pagan gods by challenging the people to allow them to contend for themselves—(31) If he is a god, let him contend for himself. It’s a divine mic drop. The situation is over. The people have no answer. Their gods are no God at all, just empty and useless idols made of wood and stone by the hands of man.”

“…in time, God’s sufficiency and faithfulness and glory would be revealed in His son Jesus, whose work on the cross would reduce the power and penalty of sin to nothing but rubble.”

QUOTES:
David Jackman - “You cannot have an altar to YAHWEH and an altar to a false God on the same property. The Lord is a jealous God. He will not share His territory or His glory with any other. Syncretism is an impossibility.”

CJ Mahaney - “Fear of man is an excessive, sinful concern with what others think about us. An inordinate desire for human approval or intense fear of being rejected.”

Ed Welch - “However you put it, the fear of man can be summarized this way: We replace God with people. Instead of a biblically guided fear of the Lord, we fear others.”

ADDITIONAL SCRIPTURE:
Matthew 6:24

God’s inexplicable grace is magnified over and over again as He provides the proof that He is who he says He is and that He will do what He said He would do -  The LORD is a consuming fire. YET - our inexplicable defiance is met by God’s inexplicable grace. Below is an outline summary of the sermon for your further study and deeper reflection.

SERIES: Christ in the Chaos
TEXT: Judges 6:1-24
TITLE: Defiance Meets Grace
PREACHER: Tom Wilkins
BIG IDEA: Our inexplicable defiance is met by God’s inexplicable grace.

POINTS:
1. They were brought very low
2. Their defiance is inexplicable
3. God responds with inexplicable grace

SERMON EXCERPTS:
All quotes are taken from the pastor’s notes.
”Israel’s oppression is devastating. At length, Midian and their coalition’s siege is described as relentless. They are on the brink of annihilation! Their frightful isolation and oppressive desolation are described in vivid detail. No relief, day after day, season after season, just when the crops were ripe, just when they had acquired a few livestock, everything taken, the cup was about to touch their lips and the bite about to be taken, like a dark cloud of locus swooping in, their enemies would rush in and devour it all! The toll on them was too much! The progression of consequences of their sin has provoked the just and severe judgment and discipline of God.”

“Things seemingly could not have been worse for the people. And isn’t this the case for those who are running from God and clinging to this world of sin? When we hear a friend or a brother or sister exclaim, I am desperate, but they remain unwilling to cry out to the LORD for help. They say they are desperate but refuse to acknowledge their sin, still wanting the other person to change but will not humble themselves. Maybe the truth of the matter is that they are NOT desperate enough.”

“Here in vs. 1-6, we find the people of God DID become devastatingly desperate enough to cry out to the LORD for help. The LORD hears their cry! BUT, He begins to answer their cry for help in an unexpected way because He desires to teach them and help them see WHY they have been brought low.”

“Israel cries out for deliverance and when the LORD responds He sends in a prophet….Not what they wanted or expected! Oh, but what God has to say to them through this prophet is THE VERY thing… the first thing that they truly need!”

“When an OT prophet of God speaks, we had better listen up and what this prophet had to say was the first thing that these devastated people of God needed to hear! Those words (Vs. 10): ‘But you have not obeyed my voice.’”

“God’s voice, IN THIS CASE, is not simply a call to obedience - it’s the marrying of ‘I have been gracious to you’ to ‘you have not obeyed my voice!’”

“In light of who God is and what He has done for them, their defiance is inexplicable.”

“Immediately following verse 10, we rightly should expect this to be followed by the dreaded words “Woe to you disobedient people!” but instead we get something completely unexpected!”

“THE GREATEST THING THAT this deliverer needed to be assured that YHWH would not burn him alive… that would not consume him on the spot with the fire of The Holy Spirit’s powerful presence! Gideon was rightly terrified for he had caught a glimpse as it were of the Holiness of God and he immediately became aware that he was as good as dead (but not by the hand of Midian) in the presence of the Holy God!”

ADDITIONAL SCRIPTURE:
John 14:25-27

APPLICATION:
 - Have you been brought low… low enough… are you desperate enough to call out to Him for help… for repentance? Will you yet remember the LORD and cry out for help?

- After all that He is and what He has done for you, are you hearing and obeying His voice?

- Do you remember that He was your Deliverer?

Everyone here needs to hear THESE WORDS in verse (23): “Peace be to you! Do not fear! You shall not die!” Are you without Christ? You need Him! Cry out to Jesus and you will hear these words! Christian, you need to be reassured by these words!

Today, we get a surprise. Out of the dark and despairing stories of Judges arises a song of exuberant thanksgiving. It’s a surprise, but it shouldn’t be. God’s people are created, compelled, and commanded to sing. Singing is a mark of belonging to God. Below is an outline summary of the sermon for your further study and deeper reflection.

SERIES: Christ in the Chaos
TEXT: Judges 5:1-31
TITLE: A Song for the Ages
PREACHER: Derek Overstreet
BIG IDEA: Knowing our Savior has won the victory, we love God and one another with enthusiastic gratitude.

POINTS:
1. Praise the Lord for His People
2. Praise the Lord for His Power
3. Praise the Lord for His Purposes

SERMON EXCERPTS:
All quotes are taken from the pastor’s notes.
”Judges 5 is a song. It’s a song about God’s people, God’s power, and God’s purposes. It’s a heart response to their salvation in the Lord. Three thousand years later, we get to sing this song with them.”

“Let the culture call us extremists. Let the neighbor give us funny looks. Let some around us feel uncomfortable. So what. Our Savior and His people are worthy of our affection and thanksgiving.”

“Last week, we saw that God desires participants, not spectators, in His redemptive purposes. God wants to use us individually and collectively to accomplish His redemptive purposes. Simply put—You matter in God’s mission. This song highlights that truth as Deborah and Barak sing about God’s people as they sing to God. They celebrate how the people willingly offered themselves to God’s purposes, and they praised the Lord specifically for them.”

“The phrase—Bless the Lord, means to magnify God’s greatness, goodness, and glory. That’s important because it acknowledges that God is the source of the people’s faithfulness and courage. …This is important because some people have this unbiblical notion that we can’t celebrate and acknowledge God’s goodness and grace through Christ in one another. Of course we can! We must! Paul celebrated Christ in people every time he penned a letter. And when Deborah and Barak considered the faith-filled courage of God’s people, they celebrated them in a way that praised God.” 

“Deborah and Barak could have sung about the greatness and power of God without ever mentioning anyone else. They would have been right because God is the hero. But as the old hymn goes, God works in mysterious ways, including accomplishing His purposes through weak and inadequate people that He loves. Why? So they get the joy of participating in a heavenly mission, and He receives the glory uniquely.”

“So the implication is serious for us. If God loves to magnify His goodness and greatness through the efforts of His people, then when we refuse to acknowledge and celebrate God’s grace in one another, we refuse to acknowledge and celebrate God in a way He desires.”

“Is there any more significant way I can love you than reminding you in intentional and specific ways of the abundant grace of God I see in your life?”

“We are prone to [explain things like this in natural terms] because we are naturally averse to the supernatural. But that denies the very nature of the Christian life. We are born of the Spirit (John 3:8). We are empowered by the Spirit (Eph 3:16). We do not wrestle with flesh and blood but evil spiritual forces (Eph 6:12). The Christian life is undeniably supernatural. If you struggle with that reality, you won’t thrive as you should spiritually.”

“the imagery here is powerful. God marched up from Sinai to fight for His people. The titles in 5—the One from Sinai and the God of Israel—are this YAHWEH, Israel’s covenant-keeping God. The one who delivered them from Pharaoh and his mighty chariots at the Red Sea, this one has come again to deliver His people from Sisera and his 900 chariots, just as He promised. On that day, God saved His people, and their response was to sing of His greatness in their salvation.”

“While we were still weak (Rom 5:6) and while we were enemies (Rom 5:10), our Redeemer didn’t come through an overwhelming storm, Jesus came down from the throne of God to a hill called Calvary, where he endured the storm of holy wrath, bleeding and dying for our forgiveness that we might live in him. By faith in Jesus, our great warrior, we have complete salvation. We have true rest. We have complete victory because God is our sovereign Redeemer!” 

ADDITIONAL SCRIPTURE:
1 Thessalonians 5:14
Hebrews 4:14

APPLICATION:
- What comes to your mind when you think about your church's leaders and willing volunteers?
Make it a goal in 2024 to meaningfully thank and encourage every person serving you in this church.

-Do you find yourself in an impossible situation?
Don’t give up on God. Hold tightly to Jesus. You may say—I’ve believed God for so long, but nothing has changed. The Scriptures speak to you—Keep believing.

For the Christian, this is our song to sing. It’s the gospel song. It’s the only song we have to sing. We sing it together in love, unity, gratitude, and eager expectation for the day our Lord and Savior appears and our heavenly rest begins. 

Are you singing this song with your life? In your relationships? In your hardships? In your sufferings? On your best hair days and your worst hair days? You can and you should. God has saved you. He has made you part of His church. He is with you. He will never leave you. He is working ALL things for your good right now. He is sufficient for your needs. He has promised to come back for you. 

God faithfully accomplishes His redemptive purposes and wants to use you. Are you participating or content sitting in the dugout as a spectator? Below is an outline summary of the sermon for your further study and deeper reflection.

SERIES: Christ in the Chaos
TEXT: Judges 4:1-1-24
TITLE: Participating In God’s Purposes
PREACHER: Derek Overstreet
BIG IDEA: When we make ourselves available to God, He uses us. 

POINTS:
1. A Familiar Pattern
2. A Crucial Message

SERMON EXCERPTS:
All quotes are taken from the pastor’s notes.
”God’s repetition is our warning. Like Israel, we forget about God.”

“Israel forgot about the goodness, provision, and faithfulness of God. They forgot what God did through Abraham, Moses, and Joshua. They forgot that God led them into the Promised Land so they could be free to thrive and worship Him. Instead, they turned to the cultures around them and said—What you got? What brings you joy? What gives you purpose? We’ll join you. They forgot their purpose. They forgot their mission. They knew of God, but they forgot about God in their hearts.”

“Don’t we do the same thing? We forget what God has done for us in the gospel. We forget who we are in Christ. We forget the pleasures, satisfaction, and joy of living obediently for Jesus. We forget this world is not our home. The heavenly promised Land is our home.”

“Just as Israel fell into idolatry, we are allured by the idols of our age and culture that promise the world to us but, in the end, only oppress. We adopt the world’s values. We embrace the culture’s priorities. Life is about health and wealth. Success and pleasure. Self-indulgence and significance. That’s life in Canaan serving 21st-century baals. The repetition of Judges stops us in our tracks, leads us to repentance, and re-centers us on Christ.”

“Deborah brought the wisdom of God to people. Here, she mediates the Word of God to Barak, your typical judge, a deliverer through might and military activity. Deborah and Barak function as a team.”

“Barak is one of the judges praised for his faith in Hebrews 11. But like the others, his faith wasn’t perfect. He wanted human assurance. He put conditions on God’s command and promise—I will go if Deborah goes with me. Culturally speaking, women didn’t go to the battlefield. War was a man’s work. But Deborah obliged and went with Barak. More importantly, she followed the Lord. She made herself available to God’s purposes.”

“Our hermeneutics, how we interpret Scripture, matters. Just because something is in the Bible doesn’t mean it’s good. The Bible reports facts like David had multiple wives and Jacob deceived his father and stole his brother's birthright. God does not endorse polygamy and deception; they are forbidden in Scripture. Just because we read a report or an activity in the Bible does not mean God is pleased with it.  Yet, in the case of Jael, God is pleased.”

“In this context, Jael has done what Israel has repeatedly failed to do: destroy the enemy of God’s people. In God’s eyes, Jael carried out His holy justice.”

“So, what is the crucial message? The message in Judges is always the faithfulness of God. He is the hero, and Christ is the point. We’ve been talking about that a lot, and we should. Learning to trust in the faithfulness of God is crucial to following Jesus. But trusting in the faithfulness of God isn’t a spectator sport. It’s active.”

“[God] doesn’t need us. He is sufficient in Himself. But He is pleased to use us. And even in our weakness and reluctance, God is mighty enough to accomplish His purposes through us. In this story, God used three people who trusted in His faithfulness by availing themselves to His purposes.”

“God doesn’t raise up a new judge for us—He sent His own Son Jesus, to live and die for our forgiveness and righteousness so that we could live in and for him. In the kingdom of God, the sword has been exchanged for a cross, where the battle was decisively won.” 

ADDITIONAL SCRIPTURE:
1 Corinthians 15:54-58

APPLICATION:
Are you available to God?

• Are you available to God when someone sits beside you at the coffee house or airport?

• Are you available to God when your unbelieving co-worker or neighbor is experiencing tragedy in their life?

• When a brother or sister is caught in sin or they need Christ-centered encouragement, are you available to God?

• Are you available to God when a friend distorts the gospel or twists sound doctrine in a conversation?

If not, what hinders you? What holds you back? Fear of the unknown? Too busy with your purposes? Too concerned with your reputation? All the above for me. What hinders you?

In the 22 words of this passage, we find a treasure trove of truth meant to move our hearts and minds to more profound wonder and awe at our God and Savior. Below is an outline summary of the sermon for your further study and deeper reflection.

SERIES: Christ in the Chaos
TEXT: Judges 3:12-30
TITLE:   From An Oxgoad To A Cross
PREACHER: Derek Overstreet

POINTS:
1. A Mystery Setting
2. A Mystery Identity
3. A Mystery Deliverance

SERMON EXCERPTS:
All quotes are taken from the pastor’s notes.
”Shamgar is a man of mystery. As suddenly as he appears, he disappears. Every judge gets at least two verses, some 3 or 4 chapters. The only other place Shamgar is mentioned in Scripture is in Deborah’s song in Ch. 5. Everything we know about Shamgar is in this one verse. But we also know God doesn’t waste words.”

“Regardless of how much ink and paper he gets, Shamgar matters because, like Othniel, Ehud, Deborah, Gideon, Samson, and others in Judges, God called and chose him to be His people's Savior. In these 22 words, we find a treasure trove of truth meant to move our hearts and minds to more profound wonder and awe at our God and Savior.”

“As the book of Judges progresses, we will see the Philistines were a terror for the Israelites in keeping control of the Promised Land. But for now, Shamgar restored Israel’s peace and rest established with Ehud’s victory in the East. That brief history lesson is meant to take us somewhere. This obscure text is a clear reminder of the beautiful reality at the core of Christian faith and hope—heaven. Heaven is the place of perfect and unbreakable peace and rest for God’s people.”

“God used Shamgar in an emergency to keep the Philistines at bay, thus keeping His people at rest. In this way, Shamgar points us to Christ, in whom you are entirely out of the reach of Satan’s threats of eternal condemnation.”

“[His] description leads us to believe that Shamgar was an outsider. Isn’t that interesting? Israel is so destitute spiritually that she can’t save herself. Whatever Israel had going for them, economy, military might, you name it, they were so given over to idolatry, immorality, and sin that they needed someone else to save them.” 

“God is the hero. Shamgar, a gentile who carried the name of a pagan God, wielding an unconventional weapon to do what Israel could not do for themselves, was used by a faithful and all-powerful God to save His people. Shamgar was an unlikely deliverer sent by God to defeat an undefeatable enemy in the most unlikely manner.”

“Despite Shamgar's heroic feat, he could not ultimately deliver Israel. Samson had to fight the Philistines. Saul had to fight the Philistines. David had to fight the Philistines. Did you catch it says he ALSO saved Israel. So many saviors, but none of them could ultimately deliver Israel from the enemy. Why? Because the greatest enemy is not out there; it’s in here. It’s sin.”

“We may read Shamgar’s story and think it’s pure foolishness—One man killed 600 Philistines with an oxgoad?! But the Bible says the most foolish weapon of all is a cross. A cross where all our sins were nailed, placed upon a divine and sinless Savior, so that all who have faith in him could have total forgiveness of sin, abiding righteousness, and unbreakable peace and rest with God. This is the mystery of mysteries unlocked for us by the Spirit and given to us by divine grace and mercy—From An Oxgoad To A Cross!”

“Shamgar’s story is meant to infuse our hearts and minds with fresh wonder and awe at our Lord and Savior.” 

ADDITIONAL SCRIPTURE:
2 Timothy 3:16
Romans 8:1, 33-34
Romans 8:7-8
Luke 2:11

QUOTES:
Barry Webb - “In Shamgar, we catch a glimpse of unbroken rest. He prevented the eighty-year rest that Ehud won for Israel from being disturbed by a Philistine incursion, and like all the deliverances won by Israel’s judges that is a signpost on the way to something greater—a rest in which there will be no need for emergency action to keep the enemy at bay.”

David Jackman - “We are prone to domesticate the awesome power and majestic authority of God to fit into our little minds and pockets. We still want to control the omnipotent, to predict the infinite. We feel more comfortable that way. What we do not realize is this is a quick route to spiritual disaster. Unless we recover a healthy fear and awe of the inscrutable power and sovereignty of God, we shall end up as idolatrous as everyone else.”

APPLICATION:
One day in heaven, not even Satan’s threats will exist. Only unbroken rest and peace forever with God and His people. This is what makes Christianity so hopeful. We have hope in this life, yes, but it’s the glory, majesty, and wonder of life to come in the presence of God and Christ and all His saints that fuels our perseverance in this life. What area of life do you need to apply heaven to?

Here are the questions I want us to ask ourselves: 

• Even though you can’t fully fathom it, are you still amazed that God mercifully chose to save you out of millions lost?

• Even though you don’t always see it, do you still wonder at the infinite power of God at work in your life, generously giving you all you need for life and godliness? 

• Even though you can’t fully grasp it, does it still leave you in awe that as unfaithful as you are to God every day, He remains forever faithful to you? 

In all its mystery, the story of Shamgar goads us to draw near to our Savior in humility and repentance and hope that we can live every day with greater awe and wonder of our one and only Savior—Jesus Christ.   

On this final Sunday of 2023, I want to draw your attention to the zeal of the Lord of hosts. There is a great promise in these words that should create gratitude in our hearts as we look back on 2023 and hopefulness as we step into 2024. Below is an outline summary of the sermon for your further study and deeper reflection.

TEXT: Isaiah 9:7
TITLE: A Promise for 2024
PREACHER: Derek Overstreet

POINTS:
1. The Promise That Got Us Here
2. The Promise That Will Move Us Forward

SERMON EXCERPTS:
All quotes are taken from the pastor’s notes.
”This prophetic pronouncement of the birth and work of Jesus Christ was a promise that One would come and establish God’s kingdom in perfect justice and righteousness.”

“In His zeal—a combination of God’s burning jealousy for His own glory and His white-hot affections for His redeemed people—the Lord of hosts will accomplish salvation for sinners through His Son.”

“He has made a way for sinners to be reconciled to God and live in peace with God. The zeal of the Lord of hosts has done this! Fast forward; this promise is the only reason you and I are here. It is the only reason SGC exists. This promise is the only reason you have any hope as you say goodbye to 2023 and hello to 2024. The zeal of the Lord of hosts has brought you here.” 

“Institutions come and go. Governments rise and fall. Cultures flourish and fade. Ideologies surge and subside. But God is building His church (Grudem), the community of all true believers for all time. In Christ, God inaugurated His kingdom, and now He is building His unstoppable church. It is unstoppable because the zeal of the Lord of hosts is doing this.”

ADDITIONAL SCRIPTURE:
Galatians 4:4
Matthew 16:18

QUOTES:
Charles Bridges - “How overwhelming is the thought of this affection (zeal) possessing the heart of God—of the deep interest of His infinite mind in the progress of the kingdom of his dear Son—his thoughts engaged in it—his unsearchable plans embracing it, and controlling all the mighty moves of this world to subserve this main design! How solid, therefore, is the rock on which Christian ministry rests as the grand engine for the accomplishment of the purposes and promises of God.”

Kevin DeYoung - In his foreword to the book of the quarter, Christianity & Liberalism, “If there is one recurring theme throughout the book it is that the church of Jesus Christ cannot be sustained—and indeed was never founded—on doctrinal indifferentism. From the very beginning, Machen argues, the Christian movement was not just a way of life, but a way of life founded upon a message. “It was based, not upon mere feeling, not upon a mere program of work, but upon an account of facts. In other words, it was based on doctrine.”

Kevin DeYoung - “It is not enough to say what is true; we must also make clear what is false.”

APPLICATION:
Zeal is a passionate enthusiasm in pursuit of a particular objective. I want to give you three ways your pastors believe our zeal for the Lord should be expressed in 2024 and beyond. 

1. Grow in Sound Doctrine
   The Christian faith is built on truth. Living in a culture that has normalized turning truth into falsehood and falsehood into truth, we must be rooted in truth. We must remember we are not responsible for outcomes and fruitfulness. God calls us to faithfulness and obedience to the old rugged cross and the sound theology of the sacred writings. This is what the church needed in the first century; it’s what she needs today and what she will need tomorrow!

2. Grow in Appropriating and Experiencing the Gospel
   The Christian life is rooted in truth, but that doesn’t mean it is merely propositional; it is experiential. As believers, we are filled with the Holy Spirit, who is continually working in us to feel, think, and live shaped by the truth of Christ. The gospel is not just your “Sunday Best” but your everyday jeans and t-shirt. The gospel is not merely for our salvation; it is for everyday life.

3. Grow in Courageous Love for the Lost
   The truth and experience of the gospel are meant to be given away, not kept inside. The lost should experience our zeal for the Lord. The Great Commission is our divine invitation to join God in what His zeal is and will accomplish.

EVENTS FOR YOUR CALENDAR:
Mark Prater Weekend - February 24th
Trey and Charlotte Richardson Marriage Retreat - Weekend of March 23rd
SGU Class: Doctrine of the Church - May

The promise of heaven begins with Advent and its Unexpected Purpose and Message brings hope, joy, and peace to a life filled with the unexpected. Below is an outline summary of the sermon for your further study and deeper reflection.

SERIES: The Unexpected at Advent
TEXT: Luke 2:14
TITLE: An Unexpected Message
PREACHER: Derek Overstreet

POINTS:
1. The Unexpected Purpose of Christmas
2. The Unexpected Promise of Christmas

SERMON EXCERPTS:
All quotes are taken from the pastor’s notes.
”Our Advent series has focused on the unexpected: Lowly local shepherds. Gentile magi from afar. A Jewish virgin girl. A blip on the map called Bethlehem. The Unexpected at Advent. The irony is we tend to fear the unexpected. We like our worlds ordered. We find comfort in well-laid plans. No surprises, please. We can even struggle with something good that comes unexpectedly. The Unexpected is unavoidable, and times unimaginably difficult.”

“When the angels celebrate the first Christmas, they don't begin with you and me; they start with God—his glory, not ours. John Piper describes God's glory as—the public display of God's infinite beauty and worth. And that is precisely what the angels are responding to on this first Christmas—the public display of God's endless beauty and worth—IN A MANGER!“

“Above all things, angels were created to continually magnify and declare God's glory. For this, they have a front-row seat in heaven. But they have never seen God's glory displayed in this way. In the Incarnation, God was physically present with man—his grace, love, and power in the flesh. Throughout Scripture, we find angels worshipping, magnifying, and glorifying God. But they never saw His glory like this—Glory in a manger—and they could not contain themselves.”

“We have something in common with the angels: We, too, were created to the praise and glory of God. Our existence is meant to be upward. Our highest motivation in all that we are is God's glory. Our greatest goal in life is God glorified in and through us. Like the angels, we exist for God's glory.”

“But in the Garden, something awful happened—Adam and Eve exchanged the glory of God for the glory of self. Since then, we have been trying to rip glory from God's hands. We tend to forget God's glory. Instead of living upward, we live inward.”

“Peace is the deepest longing of the human spirit. Peace in the home. Peace in my marriage. Peace in our politics. Peace in the world. We long for peace because we were created to live in peace. We tend to think we can fulfill our innate desire for peace. Peace through strength. Peace through tolerance. Peace through pacifism. Peace through understanding. Peace through political revolution. But the peace we were created for is not horizontal; it's vertical.”

“This peace proclaimed by the angels transcends time, human relationships, political hostilities, and life circumstances. This peace is the most basic human need—an inward and eternal peace with God.“

“JUSTIFICATION is the precious doctrine that is at the heart of Christmas. It means God looks upon you just as if you had never sinned but perfectly obeyed. On account of Jesus' righteousness, God declares you righteous in His eyes. That means no sin to judge. Instead, you have eternal peace with God. The death of Jesus has removed the sin that put you in conflict with God, and his righteousness is credited to you, and the result is—Peace with God!“

“This is the Unexpected Promise of Christmas: No matter who you are, where you’ve been, or what you’ve done, in Christ Jesus, all fear of God's holy wrath is gone. This baby boy in a manger is not only the glory of God revealed but the means of the sinner's peace with God accomplished! The good news for lowly shepherds, elite Magi, and US!”

ADDITIONAL SCRIPTURE:
Colossians 1:19
Hebrews 1:3
John 1:14
Philippians 4:6-7
Isaiah 26:3

QUOTES:
J.C. Ryle - “Let all true Christians remember that their best things are yet to come. Let us count it no strange thing, if we have sufferings in this present time. It is a season of probation. We are yet at school. We are learning patience, longsuffering, gentleness, and meekness, which we could hardly learn if we had our good things now. But there is an eternal holiday yet to begin. For this let us wait quietly. It will make amends for all.”

Charles Spurgeon - “God is glorified in every dewdrop that twinkles to the morning sun. He is magnified in every flower that blossoms. God is glorified in every bird that warbles on the spray. Do not the fishes in the sea praise him? From the tiny minnow to the huge Leviathan, do not all creatures that swim the water bless and praise his name? Do not the stars exalt him? Do not the lightnings adore him when they flash his brightness in arrows of light piercing the midnight darkness? Do not thunders extol him when they roll like drums in the march of God's armies? Do not all things exalt him, from the least even to the greatest? But sing, sing, oh universe, till thou hast exhausted thyself, thou canst not afford a song so sweet as the song of Incarnation.”

Paul Tripp - “We have a glory problem. All of us are in the midst of a glory war. We all have moments of glory confusion. We all have times when we want the creation more than we want the Creator.”

Raymond Ortlund Jr. - “Why is the world in such a mess? You and I are the problem. Our good intentions are not strong enough to control our evil impulses. We need a Savior to rescue us from ourselves.”

Paul Tripp - If you would for a moment, reflect on your last couple weeks, you will recognize, brothers and sisters, that you and I still have a glory problem. We don't always get glory right. Recognize that we have a peace problem; we don't always care about peace with God. We don't always have peace within. We surely don't always experience peace with one another. And so the work of that grace is as needed by us this morning as it's ever been. The angels announce your hope. The angels announce your redemption. The angels announce to you grace; grace of a life lived, grace of a death offered so that you may live for His glory, and you may experience in all the ways possible, His peace.”

APPLICATION:
As we await our eternal holiday in heaven, may our song be the angel’s song—Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those whom he is pleased!

To my non-Christian friend, Luke wrote these verses and the entire gospel to a man named Theophilus. His reason, according to 1:4: Theophilus would be certain of Jesus. You are here. You have heard the purpose and promise of Christmas. Will you believe? Luke and the rest of the Bible is God's story of saving sinners to himself. And this Christmas, you can become a part of it. Believe in Jesus today.

To my fellow Christian, are you anxious about the future? Are you discouraged about life? Are you angry at God about circumstances? All these sinful attitudes rob you of the full benefit of God’s peace. In their own way, each one is an expression of trying to wrestle God's glory for yourself. The answer: turn your heart back to God and trust Him. 

The Advent of Jesus is the greatest news of all time! A three-message Christmas mini-series may at first seem insufficient to proclaim THE GOOD NEWS of the Advent of the Savior, but it does have the power to grab our attention again and refocus our minds and hearts on truths that have become all too familiar to us. Below is an outline summary of the sermon for your further study and deeper reflection.

SERIES: The Unexpected at Advent
TEXT: Luke 2:1-12
TITLE: Wise Men From Afar
PREACHER: Tom Wilkins
BIG IDEA: The Good News of the Savior and King, Jesus, has come to the unexpected who are far off.

POINTS:
1. They Were Directed by God
2. They Were Used by an Evil King
3. They Worshipped the Savior

SERMON EXCERPTS:
All quotes are taken from the pastor’s notes.
”Because of misinterpretation in religion and culture over 2,000 years, these [wise men] can be misunderstood, and the point of them being invited can be completely missed.”

“The ESV Study Bible notes that [the ‘wise men from the east’, literally ‘Magi’] were ‘...priests and experts in mysteries in Persia and Babylon’. The Magi were well-educated counselors, wise men, and they served kings through their knowledge, interpretations, and 'wisdom, speaking into difficult and everyday matters. …The closest thing we have to these guys in the U.S. would be presidential advisors - cabinet members.”

“The Stars belong to God and this star compelling the Magi to the west was HIS DOING. God was directing every single detail and that includes the heavens above and the earth below. His Star is what moved them!”

“While some have described this star as supernova, a comet, or the aligning of planets, Verses 2 and 9 reveal that something more supernatural is occurring - coupled with no one else mentioning it. …God uses Bethlehem’s star as His unique and gracious invitation to the star-led magi.”

“The Magi would have likely been familiar with some of the Old Testament, (the Prophet Daniel in particular) including the promise of the coming Jewish king (See Vs. 2). “His star” that drew their attention westward toward Israel would likely have driven them from studying this star to studying the Israelite Scriptures as they sought to understand what was happening.”

“All of this - the magi and their entourage, the star, and the message they came proclaiming about the birth of a new king - was deeply troubling to Herod. And if Herod was troubled, then all whom he ruthlessly ruled were troubled.”

“Herod ruled through violence and manipulation. He was known for his bloodthirst. Emperor Augustus was quoted as saying, “It is better to be Herod's pig than his son.” As a Jew, Herod refused to kill pigs but killed three of his sons, along with many others, including one of his wives and a number of her family members. AND, like Pharoh of old, under the threat of being replaced by another king, he sets out to find and kill this newborn king.”

“The Gospel reveals that this is the pattern - the Jewish leaders will reject Christ and seek to kill Him but the Gentiles will believe in Christ and be saved according to God’s word!”

“All of this…is completely unexpected! The very ones whom the Messiah came from and came to, they seek to kill him! But, from these unexpected ones who were far away from Him, Jesus would receive extravagant worship… worship fueled by EXCEEDING rejoicing and with GREAT joy!”

“[These Gentile Magi] are on God’s invite list of the birth announcement of The King of the Jews, Jesus, to make it clear that the Savior has come for SINNERS, and this includes sinners LIKE YOU AND ME!”

ADDITIONAL SCRIPTURE:
Psalm 8:3
Matthew 2:16-17
Matthew 23:37
Ephesians 2:12-13

QUOTES:
 Daniel M. Doriani - “...God… chooses to speak to stargazers through a star. Stars had significance for these men. God descended to the Magi’s level to communicate with them. Stars got their attention, so God used a star.”

APPLICATION POINTS:
- Everything is God’s doing. What is going on in your life? It is God’s “invisible hand” directing and guiding it all!
-Satan is at work right now deceiving whoever will listen and follow him (Ephesians 6:12, John 15:18)

Unbeliever
Whether or not you are aware, you are lost in this world, but the Savior has been born unto you and me!
Q. Are you a sinner? The Good News is that You are invited! There is no place where the Gospel cannot reach. There is no sinner who is too far off that the Gospel cannot reach. COME, BEHOLD THE CHILD, JESUS, THE SAVIOR!

Looking into the unexpected people and events God uses can help us not just guard verses mindlessly walk through this Christmas season, but deepen our awe and appreciation of these historical and objective gospel events. Below is an outline summary of the sermon for your further study and deeper reflection.

SERIES: The Unexpected at Advent
TEXT: Luke 2:8-20
TITLE: Shepherds In The Field
PREACHER: Tim Lambros

SERMON EXCERPTS:
All quotes are taken from the pastor’s notes.
”Our Christmas series is titled “The Unexpected at Advent.” Advent means “arrival” and typically Christians take a few weeks each year to celebrate and remember afresh the events of the Incarnation of Jesus Christ. I think this sentence captures our  approach this year - It’s a time to reflect on the unexpected nature of Jesus’ humble birth.” 

“What makes this story so stunning is all the unexpected people and events that occur. Let’s explore together the unexpected first recipients of this profound birth  announcement.”

“In one of God’s providential movements of people and nations, Caesar Augustus dictates there will be a census, all of Israel is seriously inconvenienced and once again reminded of Roman rule and oppression. Even if you’re 9 months pregnant, you are required to register in your home town. Yet Augustus and the local governor Quirinius are simply unsuspecting tools in God’s hand. God uses these secular leaders to fulfill yet another OT prophecy. Micah 5:2 states 700 years prior to this day that the One who would rule Israel would come out of  Bethlehem. God is directing people and nations. ” 

“Luke states that in the same region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch  over their flock at night. We can be quite confident these shepherds were not prepared for what was about to happen. For us, 2000 years later, to grasp the depth of  shock and surprise, we must know a few things about shepherds in Christ day.”

“These are unnamed shepherds in the field. We have to be careful in a number of places during the Christmas story because we tend to bring our rendition of who the players are and what the culture was like. 

• Shepherds lived in the fields, could not keep the ceremonial law so they were  treated as unclean  

•They were regarded as liars and thieves and their testimony was inadmissible in a  court of law. 

• Shepherds did not enjoy a very good reputation in their day.”

“The most important announcement in all of history, anticipated for centuries and it comes to these  UNNAMED shepherds working their mundane, dirty, boring job are the recipients! Now listen to the content of the announcement – GOOD NEWS, GREAT JOY ….Not just any news but GOOD news. Not just joy but GREAT joy. Not just for some  people but for ALL the people …”  

“Let’s not be romantic about these manger scenes that populate our homes and public places. The Christ came into this world and lay in a feeding trough.. Jesus is born and is laid in a feeding trough for animals in a barn that stinks of animal smells and sounds. Of all the babies born during the census period, the Shepherds would find Jesus in a barn, looking like every other newborn and drawing no attention  to Himself.”

“God is a speaking God. The revelation of Himself in creation speaks. The revelation of Himself in the OT speaks. But they are like whispers compared to the  Incarnation. This is God shouting! This is the highest revelation of Himself. God sent His Son to take on flesh. We can gaze upon the exact imprint of God. We can see the radiance of the glory of God in that manger! To truly grasp Christmas, we must grasp what a monumental moment this truly is!“ 

“The Christmas message is that there is hope for a ruined humanity - hope of pardon, hope of peace with God, hope of glory - because at the Fathers’ will Jesus Christ became poor and was born in a stable so that thirty years later he would hang on a cross.”

ADDITIONAL SCRIPTURE:
Galatians 4:4
Hebrews 1:1–3

QUOTES:
Phillip Ryken - “Shepherds were despised. With the exception of lepers they were the lowest class of  men in Israel.”
”The shepherds would not find the child couched in royal splendor, as they might have expected, but lying in poverty. This was the humiliation of the incarnation, that the Son of God humbled Himself to save us.“

J.I. Packer - “It is here, in the thing that happened at the first Christmas that the profoundest and most unfathomable depths of the Christian revelation lie. The Word became flesh. …The more you think about it, the more staggering it gets. Nothing in fiction is so fantastic as is this truth of the Incarnation.”

APPLICATION:
1. An unexpected event creates a monumental turning point
To truly grasp the real meaning of Christmas, one must be in awe at God working His redemptive plan. Each time we look at a manger scene, it should move us to awe and humility.
QUESTION – What do you see when you look into the manger?

2. An unexpected audience for profoundly good news  
Why did God appear to these unnamed, lowly shepherds? The answer lies in verse 11.
QUESTION – In what ways does the Incarnation of Jesus Christ help you see your need for a Savior?