Tuesday, July 05, 2011

“When God Increases the Uncertainty”

Series: Race of Faith
Hebrews 11:32 Gideon
INTRO
-one of the great sights is Michelangelo’s David—this massive sculpture regarded as one of the great artistic achievements of all time
-what I did not know was the story behind the materials
-in the late 15th century, the Florentine sculpture Agostino d’Antonio began work on a huge block of marble
-but after several futile attempts—he gave it up as worthless
-and the block of stone—badly disfigured—lay idle for 40 years
-until a young artist by the name of Michelangelo came along and saw what it could become
-and receiving his commission—he spent the next several years sculpting his masterpiece
Those listed in Hebrews 11 represent stories of men and women who God sculpted into masterpieces of faith
-who stepped into vast unknowns
-accomplished great acts of courage
-because they took God at His word
One of those listed is Gideon—11:32
-whose life has been captured in Judges chapters 6-8
In order to understand Gideon—we must understand his world
-and here is what stands out—Gideon’s world was a mess
-no leadership, no moral compass
-everyone doing what was right in their own sight
There was this unending cycle of rebellion—retribution—repentance—and ultimately restoration
-chapter 6 describes the retribution moment (read 1-6)
-Israel’s spiritual neglect invited the Midianites
-a semi nomadic tribe of camel driving warriors from the south
-who took their formidable beasts and wasted the land, pillaged and plundered the people of Israel
-like locusts, they swept in on an annual basis and devoured anything that lived
-and seven years of terrorist campaigns had a devastating effect
-it left Israel “impoverished” (verse 6) (lit reduced to something tiny)
So they cried to God for help
-and God—as He always does—heard and spoke
-but more—He raised a deliverer (read verses 7-12)
-we’re not immediately impressed
-but then—most of those God calls are not necessarily imposing, remarkable, inspiring—Moses, Samson, Jonah, Peter
-Gideon was a simple farmer--improvising-beating out grain in a winepress—so as to not arouse the attention of the Midianites
-but God saw something in this clump of clay, mass of marble
-He saw a mighty warrior, a powerful hero, a man’s man
-who would change his world
-just as He sees something in you—something in me
-and though it may seem so contrary to what we can see
-for all we see is the clump of clay
-He nonetheless occasionally speaks into us what He intends us to be
-speaks His future into us
-calls us to what He intends us to be
-even if it sounds rather absurd at the moment
-for He sees far beyond who we are—out into what we can be when we submit to His refining work
-come to grips with His call
-as McManus puts it—“If everything else remains uncertain—be clear on
this point—there is a calling on your life”
And if we have lost faith that God continues to do this—then maybe we are not listening
And how did Gideon respond?
-the same way many of us do
-with enthusiasm, assurance, passion
-no--with skepticism, doubt, fear, and maybe even a bit of cynicism (read vs 15)
-do you know the meaning of my name Gideon—it means “hacker”, hewer?
-are you aware of my standing?
-I am in the “thinnest” clan, I am the runt of the litter (Peterson)
-I think God you have the wrong number
-and my guess—a lot of us do the same thing with this call of God
-who am I God?
-I’m just this civil servant, this teacher at King’s park, this IT guy trying to survive
-this full time mum trying to maintain a home
But God is not put off by our lack of faith
-He didn’t agree with Gideon—He doesn’t agree with us
-He keeps sculpting, shaping, forming
-Speaking His hope into us- (read vs 16)
Gideon would need some assurance—some sign from God
-Some indication this was of Him (read vs 17)
So God showed Gideon He was in this (read vss 20-21)
But Gideon needed more assurance—facing the enemy, he needed a guarantee
-something that would underscore God’s power to save (read 36-39)
-but before we shake our heads over Gideon’s lack of faith
-let’s remember that God never rebuked Gideon for this
-He quietly accommodated
-proved Himself to Gideon
-and we should remember we do the same thing
-we look for some tangible sign God is in this
-we put God to our own tests
Why?
1. WE PUT GOD TO THE TEST—IN ORDER TO FIND CERTAINTY
-we want to know God is in this
-in the fog—we need an occasional glimpse of light from the shore
-we need God to assure us He has called us
-that He is working out His will in our lives
Illustration—
Illustration—
And sometimes God speaks, acts
-the fleece is wet
But before we go too far down this road
-we must realize God is often doing something as well
2. GOD PUTS US TO THE TEST—TO CREATE UNCERTAINTY
A. Sometimes He takes us out of our experience
-out of the safety and into the dangerous (read 6:25-26)
-He will call us to tear down our altars, destroy our idols
-the things that claim allegiance over us
-things we have built to give us security—money, possessions, careers
-He will call us to tear down anything that comes before Him
-and build a proper kind of altar
B. Sometimes He will demand we remove those things we rely on that make us self-sufficient (read 7:1-8)
-God knows our tendency to build our armies, accumulate our resources—such that we will not have to rely on Him so much
-so that we can take some of the credit
Sometimes God hears our prayers
-gives us reassurance—certainty
-and sometimes He strips us bare of sureness
-leverages the odds against us
-does things that make no sense from a human perspective
-require we travel in dark places
-PUSH US INTO UNCERTAINTY
Why?
-because if we come to a place where it all is certain—-then faith is unnecessary
-and if faith is unnecessary—God is unnecessary
It’s when Gideon came to grips with this tension
-embraced certainty and uncertainty
-the story tells us he worshipped (7:15)
But more—something of the future entered the present (read 7:17-18)
-a doubter became a believer
-a coward—a hero
-a hider—a leader
-a farmer—a warrior
-a slab of marble—a David
CONC
Here are the questions Gideon poses—
Have you come to peace with this ongoing tension of certainty and uncertainty
-that both are necessary in this journey of faith?
-that uncertainty is where God does His greatest work?
But here’s a bigger question—
Are you convinced that slab of marble you see in the mirror is a mighty warrior in the making?
-to fight the good fight with weapons of faith, hope, love
-face our Midianites
-follow our Warrior King Jesus?

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