Unbullied (Part A)

As I asked the Lord like to say to him, feels like I was more effective for you. When I was in the workplace share Christ as a pastor I get to share and I get to know explain Scripture certainly submitted as far as feelings to be able to share what's in the Bible with someone who doesn't know what's in the Bible and they wanted to come back for more.

Is that not drilling is that not exciting. This is cross reference radio with our pastor and teacher. Rick asked Rick is the pastor of Calvary Chapel Mechanicsville. Rick is currently teaching through the book of Judges. Please stay with us after today's message to hear more information about cross reference radio, specifically how you can get a free copy of this teaching, but for now let's join Pastor Rick in the book of Judges chapter 12 as he begins his message bullied on bullied.

That's this evening's consideration here. Jeff does have this great victory over the ammonites and comes home hero rate just great, somebody's gotta mess it up on his own side, his own team Civil War after his victory who thought that was going to be the case if he was going so well. They drove these invaders out of the land in this kind of disheartening thing pops up in our own lives in churches and you try to do something meaningful for Christ only to have some troublemaker's will open that you never you never saw it coming, but as the case with this first part of this evening's consideration.

Some people just take the noblest victories and use them for grounds to divide now.

On Sundays we been going through. Of course, New Testament and a large part of the New Testament is concerned with correcting aberrant Christian behavior or trying to not allow that wrong way of living to get the upper hand/the sin and it's very necessary else got there would've given us the Bible as he has, but I am so looking forward to the Gospels. I am so looking forward to walking with Jesus there in Israel and just get a little break from all the correction because it's very real correction. It's not abstract it's all that's for these people back then in the ancient believers is for right now. Well, in that section of Scripture of the New Testament the precepts, the rules of the faith from Romans all the way to Jude. Titus was told reject the device of man after the first and second admonition you correct them in the second given a shot having a what it will be done here not working. I was talking to a pastor in the church concerning the church writing to the Romans.

He says I urge you, Paul says brethren note those who cause divisions and offenses contrary to the doctrine which you learned, and avoid them, not those who deal with false teachings. He says contrary to the doctrine. Those who just come in and cause problems.

And that's what we're dealing with with the tribe of Ephraim coming in and causing division and problems were slow in the case of Jeff is that these men were going to kill people. So now we come to the first verse don't know they're messing with. Then the men of Ephraim gathered together crossed over toward off Ron and said to Jeff, the why did you cross over to fight against the people of Amazon and did not call us to go with you will burn your house down on you with fire, but we mentioned you, you don't know is gonna pull on Superman's cape and you told your pick a fight with Bailey, Roy Brown, and then this is what they did and why will we know why this greed involved their sin involved. These were not righteous men go they were supposed to be the children of God. This was an elitist bunch to add to all of the greed they really felt more special than everyone else and that's going to come out in the story. And so the men of Ephraim gathered together crossed over now is off Ron, is there not long after you go from West to East Crossing Jordan, the Jordan River into what is now the kingdom of Jordan today where the 2 1/2 tribes of Israel had set themselves up and if this is Gilliard's territory known as Gilliard must much of it.

He says why did you cross over to fight against the people of Amazon and did not call us to go with you. Well, that's not accurate, and he's putting Jeff go on defense with Jeff but is not comfortable in defense and so he's going to quickly going to offense and the men of Ephraim are going to regret it.

They had done this very thing about 30 years earlier to Gideon, Gideon had defeated the Midianites and here come the men of Ephraim with the Air Force and they were picking a fight.

Judges 8 verse one element of even said to him, why have you done this to us by not calling us when you went to fight the Midianites and they reprimanded him sharply. Well Jeff and Gideon are two different characters. Gideon was wise and he turned back there wrath with kind words. He says you're here for the battle. Now you know the spoil still remains in and is much you know what my compare to you, and they bought Jeff the gritted his teeth clenched his knuckle this up and said who are you talking to in that tone. That's the outcome. Now the challenge for the Christian, particularly. Maybe that will for all Christians is when we are faced with confrontation and we know we're right.

We may default to the flesh to quickly.

We shouldn't fall to it all, but we may just feel now were justified in our rage and we do not have to withhold our fury and we can let the opposition feel the force of our disdain and we can look at a man like Jeff and say yeah that's how you deal with people like that. Not so fast. Now there are times when we do have to deal with people as he does put not altered by a long shot. Sometimes you have to turn the other cheek suffer the loss.

Take the pain, but will let the storyteller itself is so much better that way. But did they think that Jeff would lose to the ammonites, and that's why they didn't go with him when he invited them or did they think that, let him do all the fighting and once whatever's left over will just come down and take it all from him what was going on in their heads because it wasn't righteousness, not to hurl a threat at him like that was going to burn your house down on top of the kill you and your family because we want to spoil the can come say it that way. Well, he is going to refuse them. Of course, had Ephraim been like minded with the spirit of victory for the people with care for the nation. They would've applauded this man. Instead they come in the May trouble, and it is very seriously. These where they say again we will burn your house down on you with fire this into psychos, something not right with these people that everything is not right totally uncalled for.

Was he supposed to beg them for mercy. Was he supposed to know buy them off. What was he supposed to do when he is unflinching is defined stand for this. And even though we as Christians to turn the cheek with. We still have a defiant spirit, but it's it's it's one built on love and caring allegiance to Christ is not one that is built on defeat ever is not supposed to ever be that way all the madness is going on around us, to churches missions does not change no matter what we are here to obey and be as Christlike individually as we possibly can, and to save souls in the process and to strengthen our brothers and sisters at the same time, no matter what Satan he wants to drag us into the flesh, he wants to make it a flesh fight and he pulls it off quite wonderfully. We got a call the other day from some news source who cares who even care I don't care what they want to know why what I want to talk to a journal, some of the people who souls a loss want to hear about Jesus Christ as my whole purpose for being here not to be interviewed or polled or have a second in the limelight. This is serious business about souls and I think I you know my response would be. Once you let me give you a verse by verse exposition on the chapter my choice. How about that in answering your questions on to shut up, sit down and get saved. Not too much to ask the little bit of the flesh, creeping up even as him saying maybe you noticed well anyway Ephraim they had this great ability to make war and that doesn't mean he can finish it and we have to count the cost to avoid going to stand up for Christ or righteousness.

We better you know, think, think things out. If we if we have a chance to do that. But where were they when the battle was on. You gotta like these kind of folks that show up later with all these accusations and they just kill the joy they steal the joy instead of having a parade for this man want to do him harm and you know you you you want to save did Ephraim even stopped to say what does God think about what we're saying nope God was in one of their thoughts only when it served their purpose and so they were offended by another's success.

Without them. That was part of it. How dare you succeed without us. Nevermind that we refuse to participate, you have no right to look good without us refusing their own deserved blame. They rallied to riot. Proverbs 18 a brother offended is harder to win than a strong city, and contentions are like the bars of a castle.

How true it is. You know you read the Proverbs and most of them they just make so much since you say, why didn't I think of that how come I can't articulate it like that. It's so simple it's so true.

A brother offended is hard to win all of his feelings. Are you lost because you never going to forget less spirit of God is prevailing over his flesh and his heart Jeff the wrong no man. He did not deserve this and noted the people with him. Verse two and Jeff the said to them, my people and I were in a great struggle with the people of Ambon and when I called you you did not deliver me out of their hands again. They don't know who they're messing with. He's trying to reason with them, but he is well prepared to go to battle with them, and his he's got this independent spirit which is a product of his upbringing. We remember he was didn't have the best upbringing. One would hope for the best reputation because of his mother and father, and yet God use those circumstances to shape the man and he was now a man who refused to be bullied says my people and I were in a great struggle with Ambon. The enemy we were fighting the enemy. Where were you when I called you did not come how often do not things become critics of those who are doing something.

Maybe the struggling maybe their failing. Maybe under the best job he could possibly be done but they're trying in the do nothings come along in the kill the joy in the stir of the people and they stay start winning people to their side.

Absalom's at the gate while I won't go into that is just too easy. Ephraim they had the ability to wage war. They just did not make themselves available because they have their own agenda for their lives to swoop in and take the spoils. It's an interesting verse in Psalm 78 that possibly applies. In other words, the psalmist probably had this event in mind, though he doesn't say it could have been something else.

But I read Psalm 78 verse eight, and may not be like the fathers a stubborn and rebellious generation to generation that had not set his heart right and whose spirit was not faithful to God.

The children of Eve from being armed, and carrying bows, turned back in the day of battle for the hearts were right that matches this situation. They were stubborn and rebellious that applies to them. Here they were armed, and carrying bows well that maybe when Jeff call them took to the battlefield. Maybe they rallied and then change your mind. Well, that's with the guesswork comes in. The point is they were capable, they had the ability to fight and they turned back when they were needed. I don't want to be like that. This is scary. I mean it in Jeff the situation. It takes a lot of courage to stand up to people like this. It's not easy times. You gotta be real willing to pay the price. We will pay a price one way or another.

God repeatedly calls humanity to answer the call. That's what we are supposed to be here for. Incidentally, as Christians were left behind in this life so that we can minister to the kings of the world because think about the injustice of it from a human standpoint able gets killed and Kane gets to live why not the other way around.

God sees things differently and in this sense he sees eternity on everything we'll left here to deal with the canes of the world so that they do not die, as Kane, a murderer, one who pushed God away. Isaiah the prophet, went to the people. Jeremiah of course echoed Isaiah what Isaiah says God speaking through them. Therefore, I will number you for the sword and you shall all but all bow down to the slaughter because when I called you did not answer when I spoke you did not hear but did evil before my eyes and chose that in which I do not delight. That's God's statement to his people that Scott's statement to him, met humanity.

It's a human thing. Satan is the one it makes it a racial thing. DOS is a human thing this about sinners going to hell that I use Jews and Gentiles alike should be an indication to you. We talked about on Sunday. Luke's contribution to the New Testament, measured at 27% he's a Gentile again the Gospel of Luke in the book of acts. I can imagine the New Testament without those two Jeremiah again dealing with the self-righteous people began. I asked this question into rhetorical, of course, do mean people know that they are mean they know they just cause harm to others unnecessarily to satisfy themselves that it feels so good to make you feel small so I can feel big I mean it would kill some people. For them to just be nice just to say hi to try to sell you something. I just been a race I'm talking about Christians I'm talking about churchgoing Christians, we had our share. I'm sure they'll be more I think kindness should most certainly be emphasizing the children's ministry. They need all the help they can be kind to one another no bullying, and of course many adults just get more slick when it comes to being mean. So they're not out so quickly and then when they are they just trot on down the road instead of fixing well of course I don't want to sound self-righteous or high-minded or anything like that with were also going to deal with these things, but God's help, based come by faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God and faith involves more than just believing Christ as your Savior. It is, it involves acting upon that knowledge in a way that's pleasing to him, faith is a New Testament word. You know, if you look up the word faith in the Old Testament only shows up twice faithful shows up a few more times with faith, straight out is surprising is New Testament drives at home and not only are we not to lose sight of this fact were not to let unbelievers lose sight of the facts that we gain in the house of God in your workplace will you ever you find yourself if you are lazy or abrasive wars unnecessarily offensive. No one's going to look to you for information on God. But if you are upright and fair and not a looney Christian people will they will continue and you will have information to share with them and you will see things happen. That's been my experience sometimes ask the Lord or to say it to him. It feels like I was more effective for you, and I was in the workplace. I had to share Christ as a pastor I get to share and I get to you know explain Scripture. So after you know certainly submitted but as far as feelings go to be able to share what's in the Bible with someone who doesn't know what's in the Bible and they wanted and they come back for more. Is that not drilling is that not exciting know some of you know that you've been there.

Hopefully all of not ask God to get you there.

Well, I digress because I know this is a very short chapter and filled up with something.

Verse three.

So when I saw that you would not deliver me in your Savior's of what we talking about you just going on this whole rant about the workplace. So when I saw that you would not deliver me. I took my life in my hands and crossed over against the people of Amazon and Yahweh delivered them into my hand. Why then have you come up to me this day to fight against me wish I could see Jeff's face as he probably lacking support. That's just my I injected that until I would envision every probably wasn't this point but anyways he's laying his belly like it is.

I mean, civil wars and church splits. They are just especially distasteful. This is something just why with most church splits, if not all of them. The people who made the split should the long been gone but they stayed in the because the split, even if they're right or wrong.

I it's a very problematic thing anyway Jeff for his recital to them was of the truth. This this truth insulted them. Incidentally, because being people consulted by the truth and they get double meme from a know you being mean and others know it. Well anyway, Jeff. The sense of them. Life goes on without you surprised you didn't show up. We had to fight ourselves. We really didn't need you and we one without you couldn't count on you and he's telling it to them is not letting their side of the story overpower his side of the story which is true and this was the case when he was dealing with Amazon and Amazon were saying that land belongs to us in these let me give you a quick history lesson to tell you about this land and of course he won the argument and the war. I would also add it keeps mentioning that he crossed over into Amazon though. Chapter 10 tells us that Jamon had crossed into Gilead book probably took place that initiated the battle and then once the battle ensued. If any of you are into the detail of that just spilled into Amazon's territory. Well, he says here in verse three and the Lord delivered them into my hand. God supported Jeff vindicating any wrong. He had the proof on his side. He could say to the Ephraimites look to the Lord has done why you you giving me grief over this, but again there reasoning was not based on God. There reasoning was what they could get Jeff to who had taken spoil from the ammonites.

Should the benefit and the disputes, but the do-nothing's Attacking and this will go well for them.

He says why then have you come up to me this day to fight against me.

Not easy to be a man like Jeff just some of us you can't fake it. Yet there is having another system. Like Gideon, but this is Jeff's way of handling the situation of these who would bully him personally.

Gideon's is closer to the whole crime returns back wrath, but I like Jeff is more just know it's a personality to hang anyway. He was to the point is that you people are liars and the if you want to fight you.

You got one. Let's summarize his response. He says I was in a life or death situation and when I called to you. You ignored me. So we delivered ourselves. We one without you. Closing point get out of my face pretty but it's again don't fault me because I'm liking Jeff I told you at the beginning.

I liked him. He had that whole mess something with his daughter, but outside of that I would've liked to have known more about him so why is it that troublesome people are so surprised when other people have finally had it with probably fed up with them. If you ever come across my just keep picking and picking and then you deal with them and the distance.

That you know you finally had enough well versed for. I have the watch event appear to my life experiences through Jeff that was not mail-order staff. I'm just commenting its expositional teaching.

So Jeff, the gathered verse four together all the men of Gilead and fought against it from and the men of Gilead defeated the from because they said you Gilead lights are fugitives of Ephraim among the Ephraimites and among the Manassites, so there has to be some lapse of time. He likes it. He had to have known they were coming into his territory in force that otherwise he would not have had time to gather forces to withstand them when he told them you know a you know we one without you and what you doing here, they could just kill them on the spot.

Anyway the point that I'm trying to make is Jephthah was a step ahead of them. He got ready really quickly.

Men rally to him very quickly that goes back to his personality when he says it's time for war men who had already gone to war came right back to his side was really do have to complement his leadership skills and skills followership skills of the men that served him move. Thanks for tuning in to cross reference radio for this study in the book of Judges cross reference radio is the teaching ministry pastor Rick Gaston of Calvary Chapel in Mechanicsville, Virginia. If you'd like more information about this ministry, we invite you to visit our website cross reference radio.com will find additional teachings from Pastor Rick available there and encourage you to subscribe to our podcast by doing so you will be notified of each new edition of cross reference radio. You can search for cross reference radio on your favorite podcast that work just follow the links and cross reference radio.com that's all the time we have for today. Join us next time to continue learning more from the book of Judges right here cross reference rate