God is always at work, even in the darkest stories

Judges- The God Who Acts

Judges- one of the R-rated books of the BibleAccounts a long, dark history Israel participated in. Because of compromise and habitual rejection of God. Don’t look away, church, because ancient Israel is a blessing to us.

1 Corinthians 10:1-6

Judges 3- What is expected

• Othniel, Judges and God delivers the King of Mesopotamia to him
• Israel turns away again, so God raises Eglon the King of Moab
• God raises Ehud up, who happens to be left handed. This small detail is what catches the King of Moab off guard, allowing Ehud to seize the opportunity and kill him and deliver Israel
• The Shamgar gets the smallest of mentions

• Othniel, Judges and God delivers the King of Mesopotamia to him
• Israel turns away again, so God raises Eglon the King of Moab
• God raises Ehud up, who happens to be left handed. This small detail is what catches the King of Moab off guard, allowing Ehud to seize the opportunity and kill him and deliver Israel
• The Shamgar gets the smallest of mentions

Job 40:6-14

Being the same yesterday, today, and forever, God breaks any misconception of formulaic pursuit of Him

Judges 4:1-5

• Deborah- the unexpected agent

• Miriam is the last prophetess we know of, but even she served under Moses as a judge
• Deborah is recognized by all of Israel, as she is judging over Israel as Moses did
• In the ancient middle east, this was close to unheard of, certainly not amongst pagan nations
• She isn’t waging war against her oppressor
• She is leading Israel through wisdom

Judges 4:6-8

Judges:9-16

• Now there’s the Judges we know! At least, if the account ended here, but we have more to read

Judges 4:17-24

• Jael- the agent of provision
• Jael and her husband had moved away from their people
• It was a death sentence, yet here they are
• They were considered allies to the Canaanites
• But for reasons unknown, Jael and her husband were not friendly to them

“God subdued on that day Jabin the King of Canaan before the sons of Israel”

In the accounting of the events, the writer of Judges had no question in their mind God did it, because God Acts. This is the main point I believe God is speaking to us through Judges 4: God is always working, in every and any circumstance.

Consider the reading today!

• “the LORD raised up a deliverer”
• “the LORD gave... [the] King of Mesopotamia into his hand.”
• “the LORD strengthened Eglon... against Israel.”
• “the LORD sold them into the hand...”
• “the God of Israel has commanded...”
• “I will give him into your hand”
• “the LORD will sell Sisera into the hands of a woman.”
• “the LORD routed Sisera...”
• “God subdued...”

Difficulty in this truth, I know, but let's let the Spirit speak to us

God is for you! Not against you! He is not eliminating us, but perfecting us! Through things you wouldn’t expect . Tragedy, pain, suffering. Through things that “resist” God. Through things that seem circumstantialDaily life, encounters, and “chance”. We serve an amazing and loving God who is constantly pursuing His people. Can we recognize it? Can we worship Him for it?

Examen: Practice reflection & listening

Surrender: Practice Humility & PeacePraise: Practice Joy & Testimony

Key Takeaway

To avoid getting stuck in a cycle of sin, keep your eyes fixed on the cross.

Judges 2:10-19 - Today's Big Idea - Israel's cycle of sin is a bad habit that Jesus died to end.Key Takeaway - To avoid getting stuck in a cycle of sin, keep your eyes fixed on the cross.

1. The Shape of the Cycle

Picture Israel's pattern like this:

• Israel starts by serving God faithfully
• Like a slow leak in a tire, they begin to drift into sin and idolatry
• They become enslaved to the very people they were supposed to drive out
• After suffering under oppression, they finally cry out to God for help
• God responds with mercy and raises up a judge to deliver them
• The judge leads them to freedom and spiritual renewal... until they don't

2. When Compromise Creates a Crisis

"After that whole generation had been gathered to their ancestors, another generation grew up who knew neither the Lord nor what he had done for Israel."

(Judges 2:10 NIV)

Key Truth: Half-hearted devotion produces children who don't know God.

3. Sin Is Never Private

"Then the Israelites did evil in the eyes of the Lord and served the Baals. They forsook the Lord, the God of their ancestors..." (Judges 2:11-13 NIV)

4. The Anger of Love

"In his anger against Israel the Lord gave them into the hands of raiders who plundered them..." (Judges 2:14-15 NIV)

5. The Mystery of the Judge

"Then the Lord raised up judges, who saved them out of the hands of these raiders."

(Judges 2:16 NIV)

Quote from Dale Ralph Davis: "The One who 'gave them into the hand of the

plunderers' also 'saved them from the hand of the plunderers'; the hand that is against them is nevertheless mysteriously for them. Here is the fundamental miracle of the Bible: that the God who rightly casts us down should—without reason—stoop to lift us up."

6. Breaking Free from Our Cycles

Jesus Christ is the Judge who never dies. He's the Deliverer who doesn't just rescue us from the consequences of our sin—He destroys the power of sin itself.

"But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us." (Romans 5:8 NIV)

7. Fixing Our Eyes on the Cross

Will we keep running in circles, or will we fix our eyes on the One who broke thecycle forever?

Small Group Discussion Questions

1. What does the cycle of sin in Judges teach us about human nature and our tendency to forget God's faithfulness?

2. The text says "another generation grew up who knew neither the Lord nor

what he had done for Israel." How can we ensure that the next generation knows God? What practical steps can we take?

3. How does compromise in our spiritual lives lead to crisis? Can you share an example from your own life or observation?

4. The sermon mentions that "sin is never private." How do our personal choices affect those around us, especially our families?

5. How do we reconcile God's anger with His love? What does this passage teach us about God's character?

6. Dale Ralph Davis describes God as the One who "rightly casts us down" yet "stoops to lift us up." How have you experienced this paradox in your own faith journey?

7. How is Jesus different from the judges in the Old Testament? Why is it significant that He is "the Judge who never dies"?

Sermon Notes

"Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it." - George Santayana

This morning we begin our journey through the book of Judges—a mirror held up to both ancient Israel and our modern world. Judges describes a time of chaos, violence, political disorder, and moral confusion. It was a time when, as the final verse says, “There was no king in Israel; everyone did what was right in his own eyes.” Sound familiar?

The book exposes what happens when people abandon truth and live by personal preference instead of God’s direction.

As we study Judges, we’ll see a repeating pattern of compromise—how God’s people drifted from obedience to rebellion, from blessing to bondage, from repentance to renewal. And in seeing their pattern, we’ll be challenged to recognize our own tendencies and to rediscover what it means to live under God’s rule, not our own.

Backdrop:

Israel has just lost Joshua. They’re leaderless, standing at the edge of the Promised Land, with the opportunity to live out God’s promises. But without strong leadership and faithful obedience, they begin to compromise—and that’s where the story begins. Israel shows us a pattern of life that leads to compromise with the world. And if we can recognize that pattern, we can avoid repeating their mistakes.

Look at their response in…

Judges 1:3–4 NIV

The men of Judah then said to the Simeonites their fellow Israelites, “Come up with us into the territory allotted to us, to fight against the Canaanites. We in turn will go with you into yours.” So the Simeonites went with them. When Judah attacked, the Lord gave the Canaanites and Perizzites into their hands, and they struck down ten thousand men at Bezek.

THE TURNING POINT: ENCOUNTERING RESISTANCE

This is exactly what happens to Israel in…

Judges 1:19–20 NIV

The Lord was with the men of Judah. They took possession of the hill country, but they were unable to drive the people from the plains, because they had chariots fitted with iron. As Moses had promised, Hebron was given to Caleb, who drove from it the three sons of Anak.

Judges 1:21 NIV

The Benjamites, however, did not drive out the Jebusites, who were living in Jerusalem; to this day the Jebusites live there with the Benjamites.

Judges 1:27 NIV

But Manasseh did not drive out the people of Beth Shan or Taanach or Dor or Ibleam or Megiddo and their surrounding settlements, for the Canaanites were determined to live in that land.

Judges 1:29 NIV

Nor did Ephraim drive out the Canaanites living in Gezer, but the Canaanites continued to live there among them.

THE CONFRONTATION: GOD'S QUESTION

In chapter 2, God sends an angel to confront them. And the angel asks a devastating question…

Judges 2:1–2 NIV

The angel of the Lord went up from Gilgal to Bokim and said, “I brought you up out of Egypt and led you into the land I swore to give to your ancestors. I said, ‘I will never break my covenant with you, and you shall not make a covenant with the people of this land, but you shall break down their altars.’ Yet you have disobeyed me. Why have you done this?

“I can't do it.”

“You won't do it.”

THE PATTERN: TWO BIG LOSSES

First, we lose sight of what matters most.

Second, we lose our distinction.

"God wanted Israel to take the entire land of Canaan, but instead they only cleared out some areas and they learned to live with idols in their midst. In other words, they neither wholly rejected God nor wholly accepted him. This halfway discipleship and compromise is depicted by the book of Judges as an impossible, unstable compound. God wants all of our lives, not

just part." Timothy Keller

THE HOPE: GOD'S UNCHANGING COVENANT

God is a God of grace.

Look at what the angel declares about the character of God in verse 1:

Judges 2:1 NIV

Are you in the enthusiasm phase?

Are you in the resistance phase?

Are you in the compromise phase?

God wants all of your life, not just part.

Join Pastor Josh, Jaiyla LelaCheur and Clement Lye as they explore thew Holy Moment of Worship

This service features three speakers, Pastor Josh, Worship Director, Jaiyla LelaCheur and one of our worship leaders and a leader in our church, Clement Lye.

Clement Lye - A Testimony

Psalm 27:13 NASB1995

I would have despaired unless I had believed that I would see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living.

Pastor Josh Stelly - Worship in Spirit: The Heart of the Matter

Matthew 19:14 NLT - But Jesus said, “Let the children come to me. Don’t stop them! For the Kingdom of Heaven belongs to those who are like these children.”

Psalm 127:3 NLT - Children are a gift from the LORD; they are a reward from him.

1) Worship in Spirit

Isaiah 2:3 NLT - People from many nations will come and say, “Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of Jacob’s God. There he will teach us his ways, and we will walk in his paths.” For the Lord’s teaching will go out from Zion; his word will go out from Jerusalem.

1 Corinthians 3:16–17 NLT - Don’t you realize that all of you together are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God lives in you? God will destroy anyone who destroys this temple. For God’s temple is holy, and you are that temple.

2) Worship in Truth - The Foundation of Faith

Psalm 95:6–7 NLT - Come, let us worship and bow down. Let us kneel before the Lord our maker, for he is our God. We are the people he watches over, the flock under his care. If only you would listen to his voice today!

Jaiyla LelaCheur - Worship as a Response

Revelation 4:8-11 - Amplified Version

And the four living creatures, each one of them having six wings, are full of eyes all over and within [underneath their wings]; and day and night they never stop saying, “Holy, holy, holy [is the] Lord God, the Almighty [the Omnipotent, the Ruler of all], who was and who is and who is to come [the unchanging, eternal God].” [Is 6:1-3; Rev 1:4]

Whenever the living creatures give glory and honor and thanksgiving to Him who sits on the throne, to Him who lives forever and ever,the twenty-four elders fall down before Him who sits on the throne, and they worship Him who lives forever and ever; and they throw down their crowns before the throne, saying,

“Worthy are You, our Lord and God, to receive the glory and the honor and the power; for You created all things, and because of Your will they exist, and were created and brought into being.”

Isaiah 6:3 - Amplified Version

And one called out to another, saying, “Holy, Holy, Holy is the Lord of hosts; The whole earth is filled with His glory.”

Pastor Josh Stelly - Worship as Lifestyle

1) Living Sacrifice - The Daily Offering

Romans 12:1 NLTAnd so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him.

2) The Transformation Process

Romans 12:2 NLT - Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.

Psalm 95:1–2 NLT - Come, let us sing to the Lord! Let us shout joyfully to the Rock of our salvation. Let us come to him with thanksgiving. Let us sing psalms of praise to him.

This message is being shared in a season where many people are carrying heavy hearts — wrestling with fear, anger, anxiety,and grief over what’s happening in our nation and in the world. The goal of this sermon is not to give political commentary or quick answers, but to help us recenter our hearts on God’s character and presence in the middle of confusion and uncertainty.Through the prophet Habakkuk, we learn that God invites our honest questions — that real faith is not silent, but seeking. Habakkuk lived in a time of moral decline, violence, and national instability, and yet through his dialogue with God he discovered that the righteous live by faith not by sight Through the story of Jesus in the boat with His disciples, we learn that even when God seems silent, He is not absent. The One who calmed the storm still reigns over every wave of fear, division, and doubt we face today. Drawing from Scripture and from spiritual discernment practices (as outlined by Ruth Haley Barton in Pursuing God’s Will Together), this message invites the church to become a discerning people — a people who listen for God’s voice, wait for His direction, and respond with trust instead of panic. We will ask reflective questions that move us from reaction to revelation, from anxiety to awareness of God’s presence. The heart of this sermon is simple but powerful: Even when we don’t understand God’s plan, we can trust His character.This is a call to spiritual steadiness, unity, and worship — to fix our eyes on Jesus in a world that feels adrift. May this message help our community grow in faithful discernment, courage, and peace as we seek God’s will together.

Introduction — When the World Shakes

“God, what are You doing—and how do we live faithfully in times like these?”

1. When God Seems Silent

Habakkuk 1:2–4

Habakkuk 1:5

Habakkuk 2:4

Habakkuk 3:17–18

2. Peace in the Middle of the Storm

Mark 4:37–38

A. The moment in the disciples’ journey

B. The power and purpose of the storm

Mark 4:40

C. What this means for discernment today

3. A Biblical Response When Our Nation Faces Troubling Times

A. When you feel fear — Remember Who is in control

Psalm 56:3

Psalm 46:1

B. When you feel anger — Let it move you to righteous action, not sinful reaction

Ephesians 4:26

James 1:20

C. When you feel anxiety — Anchor your mind in the peace of God

Philippians 4:6–7

D. When you feel grief — Lament with hope

Matthew 5:4

E. When you don’t know what to do — Fix your eyes on Jesus

Hebrews 12:2

The Questions We Need to Bring Before God

If we truly want to discern God’s will in these times, here are some questions we might consider bringing before Him:

• Am I seeking God’s presence or just His answers?
• Am I listening to His Word more than my worry?
• Am I processing my emotions in prayer or in panic?
• Am I rooted in community or retreating in isolation?
• Am I keeping my eyes on Christ or on the chaos?

Living This Out — Discerning God’s Will in Troubling Times

So how do we live this out when times are troubling?It begins by living those questions daily — and by learning what Ruth Haley Barton calls “the practice of discernment.” Barton reminds us that discernment is not decision-making — it’s attention. It’s the ever-increasing capacity to notice and respond to the activity of God in every situation, rather than react in fear or control.

Here are key lessons drawn from her wisdom and Scripture:

1. Slow down to see clearly.

2. Begin with transformation, not information.

3. Cultivate indifference — wanting God’s will, nothing more, nothing less, nothing else.

4. Practice listening — to God, to each other, and to your own soul.

5. Trust unity and peace as fruit of the Spirit’s leading.

Sermon Notes

You can add your own personal sermon notes along the way. When you're finished, you'll be able to email or download your notes.

Communion, also known as the Lord’s Supper or the Eucharist, is not just a church tradition.
It is a sacred command given by Jesus Himself on the night He was betrayed.

Communion, also known as the Lord’s Supper or the Eucharist, is not just a church tradition.
It is a sacred command given by Jesus Himself on the night He was betrayed.

What is Communion?

1. Communion is a Sacred Act of Remembrance

Luke 22:14-20

“When the hour came, Jesus and his apostles reclined at the table. And he said to them, “I have eagerly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer. For I tell you, I will not eat it again until it finds fulfillment in the kingdom of God.” After taking the cup, he gave thanks and said, “Take this and divide it among you. For I tell you I will not drink again from the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes.” And he took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, “This is my body given for you; do this in remembrance of me.” In the same way, after the supper he took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you.”

Jesus established communion as a tangible way to remember His sacrifice.

Isaiah 53:5-10

2. Communion Declares the Gospel

1 Corinthians 11:26

“For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until He comes.”

When you hold the bread and cup, you are bearing witness to the greatest truth in history—that Jesus saves

Communion is a visible sermon:

• Christ has died
  

• Christ is risen
  
• Christ will come again.

When you hold the bread and cup, you are bearing witness to the greatest truth in history—that Jesus saves.

3. Communion Unites Us as the Body of Christ

1 Corinthians 10:16 -17

“Is not the cup of thanksgiving for which we give thanks a participation in the blood of Christ? And is not the bread that we break a participation in the body of Christ? Because there is one loaf, we, who are many, are one body, for we all share the one loaf.”

Ephesians 4:4-9 NIV“There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to one hope when you were called; one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.”

4. Communion Calls Us to Examine Ourselves

1 Corinthians 11:28 29 NLT

“So anyone who eats this bread or drinks this cup of the Lord unworthily is guilty of sinning against the body and blood of the Lord. That is why you should examine yourself before eating the bread and drinking the cup. For if you eat the bread or drink the cup without honoring the body of Christ, you are eating and drinking God’s judgment upon yourself.”

Jesus Himself taught us how to pray by saying, “forgive us our sins, as we also forgive those who have sinned against us...”

Matthew 6:14-15

“For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father in heaven will not forgive your sins.”

Before receiving the bread and cup, ask: “Am I walking in repentance and faith? Am I reconciled with my brothers and sisters?” “Am I forgiving those in my life, so that I, too, may be forgiven?”

5. Communion Points Us Forward in Hope

Matthew 26:29

“I tell you, I will not drink from this fruit of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father’s kingdom.”

Communion is sacred. It is not simply bread and juice—it is a holy encounter with the living Christ.

• We remember His sacrifice.
• We proclaim His gospel.
• We unite as His body.
• We examine our hearts.
• We hope for His return.

Let us approach the table today not as spectators, but as participants in the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus.

Sermon Notes

You can add your own personal sermon notes along the way. When you're finished, you'll be able to email or download your notes.

When was the last time you seriously considered the revolutionary implicationsof your own baptism — not just for your personal salvation, but for how youengage a broken world?

#1 - What the Early Church Knew About Baptism

#2 - The Significance of Jesus’ Baptism

Matthew 3:13–17 NIV- Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to be baptized by John. But John tried to deter him, saying, “I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?”Jesus replied “Let it be so now; it is proper for us to do this to fulfill all righteousness.” Then John consented.As soon as Jesus was baptized, he went up out of the water. At that moment heaven was opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting on him. And a voice from heaven said, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.”

1. Identification with Sinners

2. Affirmation of Sonship

3. Anointing for Mission

4. Foreshadowing Death and Resurrection

#3 - Baptism as Death: The End of the Old Self

Romans 6:3–4 NIV- Or don’t you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead throughthe glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.

Application for Kingdom Impact: Instead of focusing on what’s wrong with others, baptism calls us to examine what old patterns and attitudes need to die in us.

#4 - Baptism as Resurrection: The Birth of the New Self

Romans 6:4–5 NIV- We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we will certainly also be united with him in a resurrection like his.

#5 - Baptism as Declaration: Public Commitment to the Mission

Matthew 28:19–20 NLT- Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Teachthese new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”

#6 - A Modern Catechumenate: What We Need to Recover

#7 - Living Out Our Baptism: The Three Questions

1. Who is your neighbor that you are loving towards Jesus?2. Who are you discipling right now?3. Who is discipling you?

“When we emerge from those sacred waters, we shine like the sun, having put off the old person and put on Christ himself.”John Chrysostom

Holy Moments: The Holy Moment of Confession

Where Heaven Touches Earth

Encountering God's Grace Through Honest Confession

Four important ways for you to embrace confession as a way of life with Jesus:

1) The Reality of Our Need

1 John 1:8 If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us.

2) The Promise of Forgiveness

1 John 1:9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.

Hebrews 4:16 Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.

3) The Power of Confession

Psalm 51:10–12 Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. Do not cast me from your presence or take your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.

First, confession creates a clean heart.

Second, confession restores joy.

Third, confession renews our spirit and relationship with God.

Third, confession renews our spirit and relationship with God.

4) The Practice of Confession

First, private confession to God.

Second, confession within community.

James 5:16 Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.

Third, the humility modeled by the tax collector.

Application: Living in the Freedom of Confession

Three practical ways you can apply confession to your way of life with Jesus

First, make confession a regular spiritual discipline.

Second, create space for corporate confession in our worship.

Third, embrace the freedom that comes from living transparently before God.

1 John 1:9 NIV If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.