Judges: Wicked People, Gracious God
The News makes the world look like an awful place, full of murder, adultery & evil. The book of Judges makes the News look good. Judges plots the descent of Israel into a spiralling cycle of idolatry, sin & disregard for the God who rescued them from Egypt. Judges is dark, it’s uncomfortable, it’s humanity at its worst.
But God’s light shines in the darkness & God’s grace is on display.
‘The Israelites did evil in the eyes of the Lord… The anger of the Lord burned against Israel… But when they cried out to the Lord, He raised up for them a deliverer…’ (Judges 3:7-9)
The Spirit directs Paul in all his movements towards Jerusalem. How can we expect God to guide his people today?
Paul's farewell speech to his leaders is intense! What is the role of church leadership and what does that say to all of us about church?
The good news of Jesus brings unavoidable conflict. This has some profound implications for both the conflict adverse and the conflict seeker.
Nothing stops the good news of Jesus powerfully changing lives to this day, not even evil spirits. What does that look like today?
Who wouldn't want to love the vulnerable? but in what unique way are God's people called to love the disadvantaged?
God has a better design for sex & marriage than our culture offers. He even gives laws to retrieve/regain/salvage good outcomes when his people sin sexually… and he even gives…
Laws show us what God cares about. In these laws in Deut 19 he cares about every human life, true justice, our actions & motives. In Jesus' life God shows…
Leaders have a big impact on our lives. What kinds of leaders does God want us to be?
Passage:
Deuteronomy 16:18-20, Deuteronomy 17:8-20, Deuteronomy 18:9-22
Gathering:
Salt Church