Carousel; Week 6, February 10, 2019

The old saying goes, “Everybody loves an underdog.”  I think it is because underdogs exceed expectations.  They give us hope that we, too, though overwhelmed, can win. 

 

On Valentine’s Day in 1992, two Alabama high schools met in a regular season basketball game.  They were the Fort Payne Wildcats and the North Jackson Chiefs.  The game was hard fought and went into overtime.  The refs were calling a lot of fouls that night.  Player after player fouled out.  Before it ended, the Chiefs, who had a limited roster, only had 2 players on the court.  It was 2 against 5 and they were down by 1 point with 5 seconds left. 

 

Against those odds, what are the chances?  Little to none. 

 

The one Chief inbounded the ball to his teammate who streaked down the court with five Wildcats chasing him.  He shot a layup and missed, but no Wildcat thought to block out the player who inbounded the ball.  He was trailing the pack, got the rebound, and tossed in the winning shot as time expired.

 

The crowd went crazy because everybody loves an underdog.

 

We serve a God who loves the underdog.  He glories in exceeding expectations. Often our weaknesses are a platform on which His power is displayed.

 

The story of Gideon in the Bible is a clear example of how God shows Himself strong through our weaknesses.   Join us at Istrouma this Sunday as we will again see how God can exceed all our expectations as we yield our lives to Him.

 

 

Carousel: The Broken Heroes of Judges

“Exceed Expectations: Part 2”

Judges 7

 

1. Committed warriors

And the Lord said to Gideon, “With the 300 men who lapped I will save you”(7:7a).

1. Saved by the graceof God
2. Serve for the gloryof God

2. Confident worship

As soon as Gideon heard the telling of the dream and its interpretation, he worshiped. And he returned to the camp of Israel and said, “Arise, for the Lord has given the host of Midian into your hand” (7:15).

 

1. Restson the word of God
2. Responds to the word of God

3. Curious weapons

Then the three companies blew the trumpets and broke the jars. They held in their left hands the torches, and in their right hands the trumpets to blow. And they cried out, “A sword for the Lord and for Gideon!”(7:20)

 

1. Boldness: the trumpets
2. Brokenness: the jars
3. Brightness: the torches