Don't settle for second best!

Our summer sermon series is dedicated to exploring the Book of Judges. We aim to demonstrate that the Old Testament teaches us to endure in Christ, offering hope and encouraging patience. In Judges, we revisit the story of the Israelites after the death of Joshua, following their journey from victory to complacency.

Joshua led the Israelites to victory, securing 80% of the Promised Land. However, after Joshua’s death, we see a marked shift in the attitudes of God’s chosen people. The Book of Joshua is positive and victorious, while the Book of Judges reveals a comfortable and complacent community. The Israelites, satisfied with the 80% land possession, began to lose their drive for total victory.

The tribe of Judah, obedient to God's plan, successfully claimed their promised land, setting a strong example. However, as we survey the other tribes, we notice a recurring pattern of complacency and unwillingness to fight. Many tribes, despite having witnessed God’s miracles, refused to drive out their enemies, choosing instead to settle next to them. As a result, they slowly adopted the morals and idols of these pagan nations, leading to their spiritual decline.

Fast forward to 2023, and we see the same patterns emerging in our own lives and churches. When we experience growth and blessings, it's tempting to become comfortable, to settle for less than total victory, to slide into spiritual complacency. This is what is sometimes called the Silver-Medal-Syndrome — being content with second place, not pushing as hard as we used to.

However, Paul warns against such complacency. Despite being arrested and awaiting trial, he encouraged believers to "press on," to continue striving for the heavenly prize that God, through Christ Jesus, has promised us (Philippians 3:12-14). We should be motivated by the fact that Jesus chased us down and took hold of our lives.

But how do we resist the temptation of comfort and complacency? Hebrews 12:1 advises us to "strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up.” As we navigate through life, we must continually discard anything that hinders our spiritual journey and keeps us from pressing forward.

In summary, the Old Testament (and particularly the Book of Judges) offers us invaluable lessons about spiritual growth and vigilance. It serves as a constant reminder to guard against spiritual complacency and always strive for total victory in the Lord.

- Adapted from sermons preached across our 3 campuses on 6/25/23.