The Tabernacle

The nation of Israel has committed genocide against the tribe of Benjamin, leaving only 600 men alive. This chapter closes out the dark book of Judges, giving us a sobering picture of what happens when there is no King, and we all do what is right in our own eyes.

This passage covers the retaliation of Israel against the Benjaminites as they seek vengeance for the death of the concubine. When we become hardened with being right, we miss out on Jesus. We don't need another judge, we need a King.

This story serves as a stark reminder that God has no grandchildren, only sons and daughters. Each must individually choose a relationship with God, and whether or not to conform to His will of God.

Today we fall into the traps of worshipping God on our own terms, with images that we fashion, when it's convenient, and never really giving God control. The bottom line for us is to worship God as he is, not as we want him to be.

Samson is regarded in the Hebrews 11 hall of faith. This can only be a testament to salvation by grace alone through faith alone. It is staggering to consider what Samson could have been and done for God. Built before being too hard on Samson, we can also see ourselves in his journey and learn what not to do.

In chapters 14 and 15 we see the weakness of Samson the strongman. The saga of Samson makes him out to be a superhero on the surface, but also reveals deep flaws in his character. Though Samson did great things for God, it is staggering to consider what he might have done and been for God.

The saga of Jephthah concludes in Judges 12 with a brutal civil war. Pride ruins relationships and is death for churches. The way of Christians is to be humble like Jesus, described in Philippians 2:1-8. Unity is only possible with humility, and that starts by identifying prideful shibboleths.

It is important to understand that we can trust God to love and bless us based on his nature and not our works. This was embodied in the life, death and resurrection of Jesus.

"We live in the beginning of the end of the story we are still in the middle of." Glimpses of the garden aren't to be worshipped, but to serve as reminders and markers along our journey, so we can keep believing, hoping, and trusting the way back through the Snake-Crusher.

And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us...

We cover the rest of the Old Testament from Mt. Sinai to Malachi. God continues to unfold His story, revealing how all of our methods to get back to the garden won’t work. Only God can bring us back tot he garden, and the Snake-Crusher is our only hope.

After sin entered the world and we were sent away from the garden, all may have been lost if it were not for God. From the very beginning, God's son Jesus was and is the plan of salvation for all humanity. The Snake-Crusher is coming. He is a promise that cannot be broken.

The Biggest Story begins in a garden, with a family in paradise under the rule of God. It was a wonderful time to be God's children in God's wonderful world. It didn't stay that way. Only God brings us back to the garden through the snake-crusher, Jesus.

The nation of Israel realizes they have sinned against God personally, and submits to the Lords authority and takes action. Like Israel, we drift back to our idols God has offered to rescue us from. True repentance is experienced when we batt'e against our sin as a community of believers with Christ at the center.

After Gideons death, the people forget him and God. Gideon's son Abimilech emerges as an anti-Judge who grasps for power. The story shows blatant rebellion against God. The chapter illustrates what happens when individually and corporately we don't live life on God's terms. Living my life God's way is the only way to be in right relationship with him, ourselves, and one another.

In chapter 8 we see the culmination of Gideon's success in battle over the Midianites, resulting in a forty-year peace for Israel. However the price of Gideon's success is that he forgets God's grace and loses his focus. The lessons of Gideon's sad ending are warnings for us. He minded God's glory, pursued his own agenda, and chose to serve himself.

In part II of Gideon's story, we see a great victory won by God through Gideon against impossible odds. We can be certain God speaks in ways we can understand, and saves us by grace as we walk in faith.

One man who was called, who repented, worshipped, obeyed, and was used mightily by God. The message focuses on 3 Gospel phrases that saturate the Bible from Genesis to Jesus. And it reminds us that God is calling each of us to be that one.

This story is a powerful example of God's power being perfected in weakness. This story contains powerful truths about God and about how he works in us as we fight our battles.

When we settle we’ll always find distractions ore excuses, but when we hold the promises of God before us and make our hearts available to him, God will always use what we have.