Introduction

• Psalms 146:1-10

Creator

• Psalms 95:4-6 – He is our Maker!
• Psalms 95:7-11 – Massah and Meribah are a reference to Exodus 17. God knows our needs!
• James 1:19-20 – God knows how our bodies work we get angry and He says to slow down.

Father

• I John 3:1-2 – We are children of God.
• I John 3:7
• II Corinthians 6:18, 14
• We may have to give up earthly relationships, but it will be worth it to be welcomed into God’s arms.
• Romans 8:15-17
• Galatians 4:6-7

Judge

• Acts 17:30, 21
• Romans 2:16
• In the end, we will stand before God and give account for ourselves.
• Luke 16:14
• When I read the Bible, I must be sincerely looking for ways to change myself.

Part 2: The downward spiral of Israel’s apostasy (Judges 3:7-16:31), continued

Gideon (Judges 6:1-8:35), continued

Abimelech, apostate “king” (Judges 9:1-5)

Abimelech’s sordid rise (Judges 9:1-6)

• Abimelech hired worthless men and went and killed all his brothers except for Jotham.

Indictment of Abimelech; Jotham’s fable (Judges 9:7-21)

• The image here is of a bramble ruling over cedars of Lebanon. Jotham was trying to expose their hypocrisy.

Abimelech’s violent reign and end (Judges 9:22-55)

• Judges 9:26 – Gaal means “abhor” and Ebed means “servant.” Some suggest this was not actually his name but was a commentary on him by the author.
• Judges 9:45 – Sowing the ground with salt would make the soil infertile, making it difficult to inhabit the city.
• Judges 9:54 – Compare the death of Sisera by Jael (Judges 4:21-22) and the death of Saul (I Samuel 31:4).

Final verdict on Abimelech

• Proverbs 5:22
• See Judges 9:7-21 regarding Jotham’s curse.

Class 7 Takeaway

• The Shechemite leaders aided and abetted Abimelech in his sinful act of murdering his half-brothers. This resulted in their condemnation along with Abimelech’s (Judges 9:24, 57).
• We need to be very careful not to support, promote, or otherwise aid the sins of others.

John 13-15

• John 13:34-35 – Other people would know they were disciples because of the love they showed for each other.
• John 13:37
• John 14:21-24
• John 15:12-13
• Jesus taught us to love by setting the example.
• Laying down my life for others involves serving others.
• Sometimes, “laying down your life” means literally dying.
• Keeping Jesus’ commandments is part of laying down my life for Him.

I John 1-3

• John 2:15 – Don’t love the world.
• I John 3:4-10 – Every person is known by their deeds.
• I John 3:14-15
• I John 3:16 – We know what love is based on what God did.
• Love is action!
• I must walk in the light as God is light.
• If I don’t love my brother: I don’t belong to God, I don’t have redemption.
• God defined love: He laid down His life for us.
• Laying down my life for others involves: action and sharing physical resources.

Matthew 25:31-46

• How important is it that I lay down my life for God and others?
• To those who laid down their lives:
  • “Came, you who are blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.”
• To those who did not lay down their lives, Jesus says:
  • “Depart from Me, accursed ones, into the eternal fire which has been prepared for the devil and his angels.”
• Showing compassion for others is laying down my life for them.

Galatians 6:1-10

• Working to bring a straying soul back to God.
• Bearing each other’s spiritual burdens.
• What I sow is what I will reap; invest wisely.

Matthew 18:21-22

• Giving grace

Applications

• Can you tell who is laying down their lives for others and who is not?

Challenges

• Open a dialog within your family about how each of you are laying down your lives for each other.
• Ask yourself and others: What am I not laying down in my life that I need to?
• Build the mindset: “Real living is laying down my life.”
• John 14:24-26

Update on work in Colombia

• Congregations tend to be small and spread out.
• Christians there tend to be very strong and knowledgeable.
• Nationally, there is not much desire to serve God. The government is indifferent to religion.

Recap of work in Mexico

• Several young men from Benchley went on the trip and preached their first lesson via translator.
• Several young women also went and taught classes for ladies and children, which were very well received.

Justice, Kindness, and Walking with God

• Micah 3:8
• Micah 6:1-2, 6-8
  • The people’s response is an insult to God. What did God want from them? Micah 6:8 gives the answer: justice, kindness, and walking humbly with God.
  • See Ephesians 4:28.
  • See Amos 3:3. To walk humbly with God, we must be in agreement with Him.

Part 2: The downward spiral of Israel’s apostasy (Judges 3:7-16:31), continued

Gideon (Judges 6:1-8:35), continued

Gideon’s first battle (Judges 7:1-8:3)

• Judges 7:5 – It is not stated exactly why this particular test was used. Possibly it was just an unusual behavior that would cut the size of the force drastically.
• Judges 7:9-15 – Gideon immediately worshiped when God strengthened his faith. God can also strengthen our faith when He deems it necessary.
• Judges 7:16 – The three hundred men would essentially be unarmed with torches and trumpets in their hands. This maneuver required faith!
• Judges 7:22 – God set the enemy against themselves, defeating themselves in the chaos.
• Judges 8:1-3 – Gideon wisely shows humility and quells the anger of the Ephraimites.

Gideon’s second (Judges 8:4-21)

Gideon’s apostasy (Judges 8:22-28)

• Judges 8:23 – This was a complete defeat of the Midianites.
• Judges 8:27 – Gideon’s ephod had catastrophic results – he facilitated idolatry.

Class 6 Takeaway

• We are tempted to think, like the Israelites, “My own hand has saved me” (Judges 7:2). Further, we may seek glory rightly due to God, like Gideon’s army did in shouting, “For the Lord and for Gideon” and “A sword for the Lord and for Gideon.” (Judges 7:18, 20).
• Let us always remember God delivered our souls from sin by his grace, not by anything we did (Ephesians 2:8-9). Our lives are meant to glorify him and not seek glory for ourselves (Matthew 5:16).