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WHAT HAPPENED?

Introduction

After wandering in the wilderness for 40 years (because their parents could not trust God to do what He said He would do), over 2 million Israelites had crossed Jordan with Joshua.

This was the spiritual highlight in the life of every person who participated in that accomplishment.

They had witnessed the mighty power and wonder of God all throughout the conquest of Canaan. (vs 7)

However, we see one generation later, a whole nation in trouble. (vs 10)

What happened?

Many of us have witnessed the mighty power and wonder of God in our Christian walk since we’ve come to know the Lord. Yet, we ask the question what is in store for the Church when the next generation steps on the scene?

Could what happened in Judges 2 happen again?

The answer is yes, if we make the same mistakes that these Israelites did.

What happened? Who “failed” in this situation. Who or what caused this great tragedy?

I.         GOD DID NOT FAIL. (Judges 2:1)

            A.        God’s Promises Never Fail!

                        1.         God Redeemed Them From Egypt Just As He Promised.

Genesis 15:13-14–"And he said unto Abram, Know of a surety that thy seed shall be a stranger in a land that is not theirs, and shall serve them; and they shall afflict them four hundred years; And also that nation, whom they shall serve, will I judge: and afterward shall they come out with great substance."

                        2.         God Brought Them To Canaan Land Just As He Promised.

                                    a.         God Promised The Land To Abraham.

                                                (Genesis 13:14-17; 15:18; 17:6ff)

                                    b.         God Promised The Land To Isaac. (Genesis 26:1-5)

                                    c.         God Promised The Land To Jacob. (Genesis 28:13-15; 46:3ff)

                                    d.         God Promised The Land To The Children of Israel Through Joseph. (Genesis 50:24-25)

                                    e.         God Promised The Land To The Children Of Israel Through Moses. (Exodus 3-4; 6)

                        3.         God Kept His Covenant With Them Just As He Promised.

                                    Aren’t you glad God’s promises never fail?

            Romans 4:21 says that Abraham was “fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was able also to perform.

                                    Just as Israel had some promises, so do we as Christians!

                                    We have God’s promise of eternal life!

                                    1 John 2:25–“And this is the promise that he hath promised us, even eternal life.”

                                    We have God’s promise of the indwelling Holy Spirit!

            Ephesians 1:13–“after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise”

                                    We have God’s promise that He is coming back one day! 

                                    2 Peter 3:4–“Where is the promise of his coming?”

            2 Peter 3:9–“The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to

            us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.”

            Hebrews 10:36–37--“For ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the

            promise.  For yet a little while, and he that shall come will come, and will not tarry."

                                    We have God’s promise of a new heaven and a new earth!

            2 Peter 3:13–“Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein

            dwelleth righteousness.”

                        God’s Promises Never Fail!

            B.        God’s Purpose Never Fails!

Isaiah 14:24, 27–“The LORD of hosts hath sworn, saying, Surely as I have thought, so shall it come to pass; and as I have purposed, so shall it stand:”  

27 “For the LORD of hosts hath purposed, and who shall disannul it? and his hand is stretched out, and who shall turn it back?”

Ephesians 1:11–“In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will:”

2 Timothy 1:9–“Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began”

            GOD DID NOT FAIL. (His Promises Do Not Fail or His Purposes Do Not Fail)

II.       GOD’S PEOPLE DID FAIL.

            A.        THE GRANDPARENTS FAILED.

                        You would think that some valuable lessons would have been taught to their children and grandchildren while they wandered in the wilderness waiting to die.

                        1.         Trust God to do what He says He will do!

                        2.         To go against what God says to do is rebellion and God takes rebellion seriously!

                        3.         Rebellion is sin and God will judge and chasten sin!

                        4.         The wages of sin is death!

            B.        THE PARENTS FAILED.

                        1.         They Failed In Their Task. (Judges 2:2-3)

                                    They didn’t do what God told them to do.

                                    They disobeyed the known will of God.

                                    a.         Their First Mistake Was Prayerlessness.

The Gibeonites came in Joshua 9:14–“. . .asked not counsel at the mouth of the Lord.”

                                    b.        Their Second Mistake Was Unholy Alliances.

Joshua 9:15–“And Joshua made peace with them, and made a league with them, to let them live: and the princes of the congregation sware unto them.”

                                    c.         Their Third Mistake Was Continuing In Their Sin. (vs 2-3)

Rather than drive these inhabitants out, they dwelt with them and made agreements with them.

                                                Judges 1:21, 27-35

                                    God’s response is. . .”why have ye done this?”

                                    Romans 12:2–“Be not conformed to this world. . .”

                                    They Failed In Their Tasks.

                        2.         They Failed In Their Teaching. (Vs 10)

                                    Deuteronomy 6

When we fail in our tasks, there is a greater possibility that we will fail in our teaching.

When what we say doesn’t line up with what we do that is an inconsistency that our children will pick up on.

                                    What we do speaks so loud that what we say can’t be heard.

                                    a.         These Parents Were Commanded By God To Teach Their Children. (Deuteronomy 6:1-3)

                                                Verses 4-9 are known to the Jews as the “Shema.”

                                                1.         It was the most important of all of the Old Testament.

                                                2.         Every Jewish child had to memorize it.

                                                3.         God warned them what would happen. (Deut 6:10-12)

                                    b.         They Were To Love The Lord With All Their Being. (Deut 6:5)

                                    c.         They Were To Have No Other Gods. (Deut 6:14-15)

                                    d.         They Were Not To Tempt The Lord. (Deut 6:16)

                                    e.         They Were To Keep All The Commandments Of The Lord. (6:17)

                                    f.         They Were To Do Right And Good In The Sight Of The Lord.

                                                (Deuteronomy 6:18-19)

Somehow they failed in their teaching–they may have failed with their lips, but they definitely failed with their lives.

                        3.         They Failed In Their Testimony. (Judges 2: 10)

                                    Deuteronomy 6:20-25

                                    A failure in teaching is related to failure in testimony.

                                    a.         A Testimony Lives As Long As It Is Told And Shown.

                                                We must tell and show our kids what God has done for us.

                                    b.        We Must Continue To Tell The Testimony Of Christ.

                                                1.         Virgin Birth Of Christ.

                                                2.         Sinless Perfection Of Christ.

                                                3.         Substitutionary Death Of Christ.

                                                4.         The Resurrection Of Christ.

                                                5.         The Second Coming Of Christ.

                                    c.         We Must Continue To Tell Our Testimony.

                                                1.         We Realized We Were Lost In Sin.

                                                2.         We Realized Our Hopeless Position.

                                                3.         We Realized That Christ Died For Us.

                                                4.         We Trusted Christ As Lord And Saviour.

                                                5.         Christ Changed Our Lives.

                                    d.        We Must Live Our Testimony. (Judges 2:4-5)

                                                1.         We Must Show Our Children Christ Has Made A Difference In Our Lives.

                                                2.         We Must Show Them Christianity Is Real.

                                                3.         What We Are Speaks So Loudly That Our Children Can’t

                                                            Hear What We Say.

            C.        THE CHILDREN FAILED.

                        1.         The Children Failed In Their Obligation. (Judges 2:11-13)

God holds each of us personally responsible though our parents may fail in their responsibility.

                                    a.         Children Have A Personal Responsibility To Seek The Lord.

                                    b.         Children Have A Personal Responsibility To Receive The Lord.

                                    c.         Children Have A Personal Responsibility To Acknowledge The Lord.

                                    d.         Children Have A Personal Responsibility To Obey The Lord.

                                    e.         Children Have A Personal Responsibility To Serve The Lord.

                        2.         The Children Failed In Their Opportunities. (Judges 2:14-17)  

                                    They did not learn from God’s dealings in their lives.

                        3.         The Children Failed In Their Observance. (Judges 2:17-20)

                                    They did more wickedly than their fathers.

Conclusion

Grandparents–What kind of legacy are you leaving your grandchildren?

            A legacy of obedience or disobedience?

            A legacy of righteousness or unrighteousness?

            A legacy of wisdom or worldliness?

Mom and Dad--What will become of this next generation?

            It Depends Upon Us As Parents Performing Our Responsibilities.

                        We must be good stewards of the manifold grace of God.

                        We must not fail in our task–we must be obedient to God.

We must not fail in our teaching–we must teach our children what is right in the sight of God.

We must not fail in our testimony–we must pass on a legacy of right doctrine and right living to our children.

Young People–What will you do about your responsibilities before God?

            Don’t fail in your obligations! (Seek, Receive, Acknowledge, Obey, Serve)

            Find God’s will for your lives and perform it!

            Don’t not fail in the opportunities God puts before you!

                        (Learn from the mistakes of the past–don’t repeat)

            Don’t fail in your observance. (Obey what you know to be right–It is what God requires.)

What kind of a stewards are we being of what we have been given?

1 Corinthians 4:1-2--“Let a man so account of us, as of the ministers of Christ, and stewards of the mysteries of God. Moreover it is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful.”

1 Peter 4:10–“As every man hath received the gift, even so minister the same one to another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.”

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NOTICE:   THESE SERMONS ARE FREE TO BE USED BUT ARE NOT TO BE SOLD!