Mercy Meets the Broken and the Cost of Rash Decisions

Broken People, Faithful God

A Journey Through Judges

Judges 10-12

• Tola (23 Years)
• Jair (22 Years)
• Worldly Regret
  • Judges 10:6-14
  • Judges 10:15-16 (NLT)
    • “¹⁵ But the Israelites pleaded with the Lord and said, “We have sinned. Punish us as you see fit, only rescue us today from our enemies.” ¹⁶ Then the Israelites put aside their foreign gods and served the Lord. And he was grieved by their misery.“
• Godly Repentance
• Jephthah (6 Years)
• Judges 11:29-40

The Cost of Rash Decisions

• 2 Peter 1:3-11

God doesn’t want promises of future sacrifices; what God desires is faithful obedience today.

• Misplaced Fear / Confidence
• Faithful Obedience
• Judges 12:1-7

The Constant State of Being Offended

• Leviticus 19:18 (NLT)
  • ^“18 “Do not seek revenge or bear a grudge against a fellow Israelite, but love your neighbor as yourself. I am the Lord.“
• Mark 11:25 (NLT)
  • ^“25 But when you are praying, first forgive anyone you are holding a grudge against, so that your Father in heaven will forgive your sins, too.”
• Ephesians 4:26-27 (NLT)
  • “²⁶ And “don’t sin by letting anger control you.” Don’t let the sun go down while you are still angry, ²⁷ for anger gives a foothold to the devil.”
• James 5:9 (NLT)
  • “⁹ Don’t grumble about each other, brothers and sisters, or you will be judged. For look—the Judge is standing at the door!”

Judges 10-12 (cont.)

• Ibzan (7 Years)
• Elon (10 Years)
• Abdon (8 Years)

Is your regret over sin driven by a desire to avoid consequences (Worldly Regret) or by a sincere willingness to remove idols and fully return to God (Godly Repentance)?

Where in your life do pride, insecurity, or a desire to prove yourself cause you to make careless promises?

How often do your words or ego create division among people when there should be unity?