Sermon - February 3, 2013 - A Few Good Men...And Women
Since our last reading, there are a few things that happened within the whole story of the Bible that you should be aware of. The last time we gathered, the Hebrew people fought and defeated the enemies that lived within the Promised Land. After forty years of wandering in the desert, of growing closer to God, and having trust that God would give them the victory over the enemies, the Hebrew people enjoyed peace within the Promised Land. Yet that peace lasted for only a short time. Within the next generation, they began to worship false gods. The gods of the people around them and forgot the laws and statutes that God had given his people. As punishment against the people, God sends the people of Midian against the Hebrew people. Do you remember the last prominent Mindianite that we encountered? It happened a while ago, in fact it was four books ago in Exodus. It was Jethro, the High Priest of Midian and Moses’ father in law. Now the Hebrew people were living under the rule of a foreign leader.
Today’s Scripture reading is about Gideon. For most of us today, we know about the Gideons. An organization that strives to share the word of God throughout the world. They are most well known for the Bibles that are in hotels. Not only that, but they have small pocket sized Bibles that contain the Psalms and the New Testament, which surprisingly it does not contain the story of Gideon. So where does this organization derive its name?
Gideon was a farmer in the promised land that God had given to them. However, living in a land that was ruled by a foreign leader, Gideon began to wonder: Where is God in all of this? Why doesn’t God display his power and save his people? These questions are ones that I hear people wrestle with all the time. They are good questions, but so often we shout the question; but do not stop and listen for an answer. One day Gideon was working in hiding so that the Midianites would not take the grain that he had grown. During that time, God spoke to Gideon. Instead of saying, Here I am Lord send me. Gideon's response was, are you sure? I am not qualified, in fact I am rather unlikely. I don’t have the gifts that would be needed. I...I...I...don’t think I can do it. Yes after hearing all the excuses that Gideon could muster, God said, That’s right and those are the reasons that I am calling you. You need the help of others and you want to work together with them in order to do something. That is what is needed.
Gideon wanted to make sure that if he trusted God, God would indeed care for him. So Gideon put God to a test. Gideon laid out a piece of fleece. If the ground was dry and the fleece was wet with dew, then Gideon would follow. The next morning, the ground was dry and the fleece was wrung out and a bowl of water was filled from it. However, one test was not enough. Gideon then told God, I will place the fleece again but this time make the ground wet and the fleece dry. The next morning, God did what Gideon wished, the ground was wet and the fleece was found dry. Gideon knew that God would keep his word. Have you ever tried this? Has it worked? Let’s try it right now. God, if you are able tomorrow when I wake up, please give me a new BMW, but one that has an interior with leather and upholstery, you know if that’s kosher. Also a moonroof and a Jesus fish on the back. If you do that, I know you are here and your word is true.
I will let you know tomorrow if it is true. But wait, God isn’t a genie, he doesn’t fulfill all the requests that we want. No God sees what the people need and will raise someone up to fulfill that work. When Gideon answered that call, he was able to gather 32,000 men to go into battle. No longer was it just Gideon, but God gathered 32,000 by stirring up the spirit within them. Yet, that was too many for God. God did not want that many men to fight. For if that was the case, no one would believe that it was done through the work of God. So 22,000 left because they were still afraid to go into battle. 10,000 remained, and still this was too many. God had Gideon lead the men to water to have them drink. Those that drank like a dog would not be allowed to fight, but those who used their hands to drink would remain to fight. After this, 300 remained. 300, only 1% of the original number. Well the first test made sense, but what was the purpose of the second? A man who drinks with their head close to the water, is not paying attention to what is around them. They are not prepared for battle and will easily die. A man who drinks with their hand knows that you must be ready at all times.
Gideon, with these 300 men, went forth and defeated the Midianites. These 300 Hebrew men defeated some 120,000 men within the armies of Mindian and other nations that stood against them. When Gideon was victorious, the Hebrew people wanted Gideon to be their leader. Gideon refused because God would be their leader. God was the source and giver of all that blessings and victory. They should never forget that.
Now I hear from many people that we are a small congregation. When looking to our north, we see Fargo and some of the larger congregations that are there. However, most congregations are like the men of Gideon, a small group that God has gathered together to do some great and huge tasks. Within the US, 60% of congregations are between 7-99 people. Why, that’s us!
Yes, we are part of a congregation that God has gathered together to do something great within this community. What is it? What is God calling us to do? We need to start asking that question. But also, how are we preparing? Are we putting our head towards the water, unaware of what’s around us? Or are we looking around for where we can be serve and move so that God will lead us to victory? Remember God has begun the work, God has come and sent his only Son so that you may see the victory over death, sin and the devil. We are being called to live in that victory, to care for one another but to be God’s people.
Now we begin to move. Where God is calling us. Where God will protect us. Where we shall be God’s people. Amen.
Today’s Scripture reading is about Gideon. For most of us today, we know about the Gideons. An organization that strives to share the word of God throughout the world. They are most well known for the Bibles that are in hotels. Not only that, but they have small pocket sized Bibles that contain the Psalms and the New Testament, which surprisingly it does not contain the story of Gideon. So where does this organization derive its name?
Gideon was a farmer in the promised land that God had given to them. However, living in a land that was ruled by a foreign leader, Gideon began to wonder: Where is God in all of this? Why doesn’t God display his power and save his people? These questions are ones that I hear people wrestle with all the time. They are good questions, but so often we shout the question; but do not stop and listen for an answer. One day Gideon was working in hiding so that the Midianites would not take the grain that he had grown. During that time, God spoke to Gideon. Instead of saying, Here I am Lord send me. Gideon's response was, are you sure? I am not qualified, in fact I am rather unlikely. I don’t have the gifts that would be needed. I...I...I...don’t think I can do it. Yes after hearing all the excuses that Gideon could muster, God said, That’s right and those are the reasons that I am calling you. You need the help of others and you want to work together with them in order to do something. That is what is needed.
Gideon wanted to make sure that if he trusted God, God would indeed care for him. So Gideon put God to a test. Gideon laid out a piece of fleece. If the ground was dry and the fleece was wet with dew, then Gideon would follow. The next morning, the ground was dry and the fleece was wrung out and a bowl of water was filled from it. However, one test was not enough. Gideon then told God, I will place the fleece again but this time make the ground wet and the fleece dry. The next morning, God did what Gideon wished, the ground was wet and the fleece was found dry. Gideon knew that God would keep his word. Have you ever tried this? Has it worked? Let’s try it right now. God, if you are able tomorrow when I wake up, please give me a new BMW, but one that has an interior with leather and upholstery, you know if that’s kosher. Also a moonroof and a Jesus fish on the back. If you do that, I know you are here and your word is true.
I will let you know tomorrow if it is true. But wait, God isn’t a genie, he doesn’t fulfill all the requests that we want. No God sees what the people need and will raise someone up to fulfill that work. When Gideon answered that call, he was able to gather 32,000 men to go into battle. No longer was it just Gideon, but God gathered 32,000 by stirring up the spirit within them. Yet, that was too many for God. God did not want that many men to fight. For if that was the case, no one would believe that it was done through the work of God. So 22,000 left because they were still afraid to go into battle. 10,000 remained, and still this was too many. God had Gideon lead the men to water to have them drink. Those that drank like a dog would not be allowed to fight, but those who used their hands to drink would remain to fight. After this, 300 remained. 300, only 1% of the original number. Well the first test made sense, but what was the purpose of the second? A man who drinks with their head close to the water, is not paying attention to what is around them. They are not prepared for battle and will easily die. A man who drinks with their hand knows that you must be ready at all times.
Gideon, with these 300 men, went forth and defeated the Midianites. These 300 Hebrew men defeated some 120,000 men within the armies of Mindian and other nations that stood against them. When Gideon was victorious, the Hebrew people wanted Gideon to be their leader. Gideon refused because God would be their leader. God was the source and giver of all that blessings and victory. They should never forget that.
Now I hear from many people that we are a small congregation. When looking to our north, we see Fargo and some of the larger congregations that are there. However, most congregations are like the men of Gideon, a small group that God has gathered together to do some great and huge tasks. Within the US, 60% of congregations are between 7-99 people. Why, that’s us!
Approximate Distribution of U.S. Protestant and Other Christian Churches by size *based on NCS study
(excluding Catholic/Orthodox)
(excluding Catholic/Orthodox)
| ATTENDANCE | # OF CHURCHES | WEEKLY WORSHIPERS | PERCENT |
| 7-99 | 177,000 | 9 million | 59% |
| 100-499 | 105,000 | 25 million | 35% |
| 500-999 | 12,000 | 9 million | 4% |
| 1,000-1,999 | 6,000 | 8 million | 2% |
| 2,000-9,999 | 1,170 | 4 million | .4% |
| 10,000-plus | 40 | .7 million | .01% |
| TOTALS | approx. 300,000 | approx. 56 million | 100% |
Yes, we are part of a congregation that God has gathered together to do something great within this community. What is it? What is God calling us to do? We need to start asking that question. But also, how are we preparing? Are we putting our head towards the water, unaware of what’s around us? Or are we looking around for where we can be serve and move so that God will lead us to victory? Remember God has begun the work, God has come and sent his only Son so that you may see the victory over death, sin and the devil. We are being called to live in that victory, to care for one another but to be God’s people.
Now we begin to move. Where God is calling us. Where God will protect us. Where we shall be God’s people. Amen.
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