Judges : Chapter 11 - Lessons from the life of Jephthah - Sermon By Pastor Todd Riley

Sermon by Pastor Todd Riley of Islington Baptist Church on December 08, 2013
THE GOOD STUFF ABOUT JEPHTHAH
1. He had faith in God. He was a follower of God. He was serious about his walk with God. He was willing to be used by God. Incredibly, he's named in the hall of faith in Hebrews 11:32
2. Despite being mistreated by his family and his community, he didn't hold any grudges, he forgave, he was willing to move forward
3. He was strong. He was courageous. He was a leader who drew people to himself
4. He made something of himself despite a rough upbringing and background
5. He was a keen student of history v.14-27
6. He seemed to be a 'family man"
THE NOT SO GOOD STUFF ABOUT JEPHTHAH
1. He killed his daughter
2. He tried to manipulate God v.29-31
3. He made a very foolish promise and then stubbornly kept it
4. While having faith in God, Jephthah had a very poor grasp of how God wanted him to live- such is illustrated by the summary verse of the Book of Judges "everyone did what was right in their own eyes" Judges 21:25
LESSONS FOR US
1. Salvation is and always has been by faith
2. Forgiving our enemies and those who wrong us is vital in our walk with the Lord and Christlike
3. While our upbringing does shape us, it's not an excuse for bad behavior or not taking initiative in our lives
4. Knowing our history as the children of God will help us face the challenges of today and inspire us to faithfulness
5. Trying to manipulate God. This is a no-no
6. Think before you speak. Let your "Yes" be yes and your "NO" be no. Don't make promises that you can't and shouldn't keep
7. Get into the Word. A knowledge of and commitment to God's Word will spare us from a lot of grief
8. Deal with your "Achilles heel" before it brings you down.
9. Praise God for His amazing grace-- exemplified in the person and work of Jesus Christ