Listening to God 3 Feb Gideon Judges 6:11-24 10 Feb Jesus’ baptism Matthew 3:13-17 17 Feb Prayer Zones Various 24 Feb Isaiah’s vision Isaiah 6

Judges 6 11 The angel of the Lord came and sat down under the oak in Ophrah that belonged to Joash the Abiezrite where his son Gideon was threshing wheat in a winepress to keep it from the Midianites. 12 When the angel of the Lord appeared to Gideon, he said, “The Lord is with you, mighty warrior.” 13 “Pardon me, my lord,” Gideon replied, “but if the Lord is with us, why has all this happened to us? Where are all his wonders that our ancestors told us about when they said, ‘Did not the Lord bring us up out of Egypt?’ But now the Lord has abandoned us and given us into the hand of Midian.” 14 The Lord turned to him and said, “Go in the strength you have and save Israel out of Midian’s hand. Am I not sending you?”

15 “Pardon me, my lord,” Gideon replied, “but how can I save Israel 15 “Pardon me, my lord,” Gideon replied, “but how can I save Israel? My clan is the weakest in Manasseh, and I am the least in my family.” 16 The Lord answered, “I will be with you, and you will strike down all the Midianites, leaving none alive.” 17 Gideon replied, “If now I have found favour in your eyes, give me a sign that it is really you talking to me. 18 Please do not go away until I come back and bring my offering and set it before you.” And the Lord said, “I will wait until you return.” 19 Gideon went inside, prepared a young goat, and from an ephah of flour he made bread without yeast. Putting the meat in a basket and its broth in a pot, he brought them out and offered them to him under the oak.

Thank God for his written Word to us 20 The angel of God said to him, “Take the meat and the unleavened bread, place them on this rock, and pour out the broth.” And Gideon did so. 21 Then the angel of the Lord touched the meat and the unleavened bread with the tip of the staff that was in his hand. Fire flared from the rock, consuming the meat and the bread. And the angel of the Lord disappeared. 22 When Gideon realized that it was the angel of the Lord, he exclaimed, “Alas, Sovereign Lord! I have seen the angel of the Lord face to face!” 23 But the Lord said to him, “Peace! Do not be afraid. You are not going to die.” 24 So Gideon built an altar to the Lord there and called it The Lord Is Peace. To this day it stands in Ophrah of the Abiezrites. Thank God for his written Word to us

Judges 6 v1-24 What is a Judge?

Judges There is peace in the land The people rebel against God Each cycle takes 40 years. There are 12 cycles in book of Judges which means that God’s people go around in circles for 480 years. God calls a leader (a judge) who saves them Punishment from God to bring the people back to himself The people turn back to God and call on him for help

Gideon meets an angel and talks with God but he still comes across as someone who feels that God is uninvolved and remote.

Who was Gideon? (Judges 6.11-32) A Mighty Hero or the Mostly Hopeless

We need to understand who we are before we can serve God effectively Who are you? We need to understand who we are before we can serve God effectively

Go in the strength that you have and save Israel Is ‘I can’t do it’ the right answer?

Go in the strength you have and lift this train?

I will be with you. And you will …

Gideon who says he’s the least tells an angel to wait https://www.irishnews.com/magazine/daily/2018/06/15/news/people-are-loving-this-dog-who-waited-patiently-outside-a-cafe-for-his-owner-1357163/ Gideon who says he’s the least tells an angel to wait 14

Yahweh-Shalom which means ‘the Lord is peace’

Create in me … Video Create in me a clean, clean heart Create in me a work of art Create in me a miracle Something real and something beautiful Create a miracle in me You're not finished with me yet By Your power I can change, I can change 'Cause You're not finished with me yet Make all things new Testimony

Testimony

From Amen to Action May you know the blessing of hearing the voice of God of knowing that God is with you of the strength of God of the peace of God Today and every day, for ever. Amen? Amen Our Gathered worship has ended, our Worship & Service continue Tea and coffee are served at the back Squash is served at the front