jehovah shalom 25 mar 2012
DESCRIPTION
New Sermon series on Names of GodMessage by Ps Ng Swee MingTRANSCRIPT
“They finally found the most ‘perfect’ “They finally found the most ‘perfect’ & peaceful place on planet earth and & peaceful place on planet earth and settled there sending their Pastor a settled there sending their Pastor a
letter…”letter…”
NEW Sermon Series : Names of God
• Names are very important …
• Names are chosen very carefully…
• What more with God’s Name.
Yahweh Lord, Jehovah Elohim God
Adonai Lord, Master
El Shaddai Lord God Almighty El Elyon The Most High God
El Olam The Everlasting God
JEHOVAH-NISSI Exo 17:15 "The
Lord our banner"
Joshua fighting the AmalekitesJoshua fighting the Amalekites
JEHOVAH-RAPHA Exo 15:26 "The
Lord our healer"
Moses and the bitter water of Marah
JEHOVAH-MACCADDESHEM Exo 31:13 "The Lord thy sanctifier"
Making of the utensils for the
Tabernacle
JEHOVAH-SABBAOTH Isaiah 6:3 "The Lord of Hosts"
Prophet Isaiah’s
Vision of the Lord Almighty
JEHOVAH-ROHI Psalm 23:1 "The Lord my shepherd"
David’s David’s ‘All Time ‘All Time
Favorite’ Favorite’ -- Portrayal Portrayal of God as of God as
our our ShepherdShepherd
Sermon Series : Names of God
Jehovah Shalom: The Lord Is Peace
Jehovah Shammah: The Lord Is There
Jehovah Tsidkenu: The Lord Our
Righteousness
Jehovah Jireh: The Lord Will
Provide
Jehovah Shalom
Judges 6:24
What is our understanding?
a Jewish Greeting ! What is it’s meaning ?
Jehovah Shalom : Judges 6:24
Judg 2:7 The people served the Lord throughout the lifetime of Joshua and of the elders who outlived him and who had seen all the great things the Lord had done for Israel.
Judg 2:10-11 After that whole generation had been gathered to their fathers, another generation grew up, who knew neither the Lord nor what he had done for Israel. Then the Israelites did evil in the eyes of the Lord…
Judg 21:25(NKJV) In those days there was no king in Israel;
everyone did what was right in his own eyes.
PEACEPEACE
SINSIN
OPPREOPPRESSIONSSION
REPENREPENTANCETANCE
DELIVEDELIVERANCERANCE ‘cycles’
in Judges
1.Othniel 2.Ehud 3.Shamgar 4.Deborah 5.Gideon 6.Jephthah 7.Samson
Jehovah Shalom : Judges 6:24
Times of Gideon…
• Difficult times for the Israelites
• Life was hard & stressful
• For SEVEN YEARS - Living in fear …
• There was no peace ….
• “…they cried out to the Lord…”
Question :
WHO WANTS PEACE IN YOUR LIFE NOW ?
Everyone wants PEACE …
But what is PEACE ?
Definition of Peace Definition of Peace (Free Dictionary) : (Free Dictionary) :
•• The The absence of war or absence of war or hostilitieshostilities..
•• Freedom Freedom from quarrels from quarrels & disagreements; & disagreements;
•• Inner contentment, serenityInner contentment, serenity
What is PEACE to you ?
WHAT will give you PEACE ?
Jehovah-Shalom
Jehovah-Shalom
Reading Judges 6:11-13
We find Gideon threshing wheat in a winepress …
Why ?
• He was hiding,
• He was afraid,
• He’s not at peace…
Then …
"The Lord is with you, mighty
warrior."
V13 "But V13 "But sir," sir," Gideon replied, Gideon replied, ""IFIF the Lord is with us, the Lord is with us,
WHYWHY has all this has all this happened to us? happened to us? WHEREWHERE are all his are all his wonders that our wonders that our
fathers told us fathers told us about when they about when they said, 'Did not the said, 'Did not the
Lord bring us up out Lord bring us up out of Egypt?' of Egypt?' BUT NOW BUT NOW
the the Lord has Lord has abandoned us and abandoned us and
put us into the hand put us into the hand of of MidianMidian."."
JJEHOVAHEHOVAH--SSHALOMHALOM From Gideon’s
understanding
“If the Lord is with us …”
“Why …” “Where …”
Gideon’s conclusion :
God it is all your fault.
Gideon got the
WRONG DIAGNOSIS It was from Man’s
1. WRONG DIAGNOSIS – MAN’S
VIEWPOINT
It was because of
Willful DISOBEDIENCE …
and SIN …
… that caused their suffering
Gideon saw only the ‘externals’
but did not see the ‘internals’
Q: Are we at times also guilty of Q: Are we at times also guilty of
making the Wrong Diagnosis making the Wrong Diagnosis
??
If things go wrong, do we also If things go wrong, do we also
blame God ?blame God ?
V14 Go in the strength you have
and save Israel out of Midian's hand. Am I not sending you?"
Gideon did not get any reply to his questions …. Reading v14-15 15 15 "But Lord"But Lord, ,
how how can I save can I save Israel? Israel?
My My clan is the clan is the weakestweakest in in
Manasseh, and Manasseh, and I I am the am the leastleast in in
my family." my family."
"I WILL BE WITH YOU, AND YOU
WILL strike down all the Midianites together."
V16 The LORD answered ….
Jehovah Shalom Who me ??
Smallest in Manasseh…
Least in my family …
How did Gideon see himself ?
a nobody, weak, insignificant
How did God see Gideon ?
v12 : mighty warrior, mighty man of valor
Gideon had the WRONG PERSPECTIVE
Because of Man’s Limitations.
Meaning of ‘Gideon’
- a hacker, a destroyer
1 Cor 1:27-29
God chose the foolish things of the world to
shame the wise; God chose the weak things
of the world to shame the strong. He chose
the lowly things of this world and the
despised things—and the things that are
not—to nullify the things that are, so that
no one may boast before him.
Many of us can identify with Gideon ….
- weak, insignificant nobodies …
But Whose PERSPECTIVE is more important ?
- Your’s or God’s ?
Reading Judges 6:17-19
17 Gideon replied, "If now I have found favor in your eyes, give me a sign that it is really you talking to me. 18 Please do not go away until I come back and bring my offering and set it before you.“ And the Lord said, "I will wait until you return."
19 Gideon went in, prepared a young goat, and from an ephah of flour he made bread without yeast. Putting the meat in a basket and its broth in a pot, he brought them out and offered them to him under the oak.
Judg 6:20-21 The angel of God said to him, "Take the meat and the unleavened bread, place them on this rock, and pour out the broth." And Gideon did so. With the tip of the staff that was in his hand, the angel of the Lord touched the meat and the unleavened bread. Fire flared from the rock, consuming the meat and the bread. And the angel of the Lord disappeared.
Judg 6:22 NLT When Gideon realized that it
was the angel of the Lord,
he cried out, "Oh, Sovereign
Lord, I'm doomed! I have seen the angel of the Lord face
to face!"
Judg 6:23 "Peace! Do not be afraid. You are not going
to die."
Gideon thought he was doomed … that he will die … WHY ? Ref Ex 33:20 "you cannot see my
face, for no one may see me and live”
Gideon had the WRONG PROGNOSIS
bec. of Man’s Understanding. Defn of Prognosis: probable outcome or ‘course’ of a disease;
the patient's chance of 'recovery’… Are we at times also guilty of doing so ?
Jehovah-Shalom
Jehovah Shalom
Judg 6:24
So Gideon built an altar to the Lord there and
called it The Lord is Peace.
How Many Of You Are Still How Many Of You Are Still Wondering Where Is This Wondering Where Is This Perfect Peaceful Place On Perfect Peaceful Place On
Planet Earth ?Planet Earth ?
War broke out on Friday 2 April 1982, when Argentine forces invaded and occupied the
Falkland Islands…. lasting 74 days …
What a Transformation… After encountering God …
Gideon finally lived up to his name …
Judges 6:25-32 The Lord said to Gideon…
Transformation
Gideon said to God …
Judg 6:36, 39
Transformation The Lord said to Gideon …
Judg 7:2, 4, 5, 7, 9
The Question that was asked earlier …
WHAT will give you PEACE ? Health
Food
Family
If so, then we would expect the rich, the
famous people to be very PEACEFUL …
but are they ?
Jehovah-Shalom
Wealth
Shelter
Possessions …
It is said …
To get the RIGHT ANSWER, we must
ask the RIGHT QUESTION
The Question: “WHAT will give you PEACE?”
is the WRONG QUESTION.
The RIGHT QUESTION in searching for
PEACE is…
“WHO will give you PEACE ?” Answer : Rom 5:1
“… we have peace with God
through our Lord Jesus Christ, …”
Jehovah-Shalom
i. God can do extraordinary things with
ordinary people
ii. It’s OK to be real with God and
express to Him our doubts at times
iii. Our peace is not found in what we
have on this earth, it is found in who
we are in Christ!
iv.Biblical peace is not the eradication of
problems, but assurance of God's
presence even in problems!
Jehovah Shalom
Jehovah-Shalom
Even as Gideon made the Wrong Diagnosis,
what then is the RIGHT DIAGNOSIS ?
TRUST in God’s PROMISES RELATIONSHIP with God is KEY
Look NOT on the ‘externals’
Look to God
Allow God to reveal what
is within us…. ‘internal’
1. RIGHT Diagnosis : Trust in God’s Promises1. RIGHT Diagnosis : Trust in God’s Promises
John 14:27 : Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.
John 16:33 : "I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world."
Ref : Isa 26:3 ; Rom 8:6
1. RIGHT Diagnosis : Trust in God’s 1. RIGHT Diagnosis : Trust in God’s PromisesPromises
Build that Relationship with God eg Job
If nothing else work –
CRY OUT TO GOD
• God hears
• God acts
JehovahJehovah--ShalomShalom
Gideon had the Wrong Perspective of Himself
We need the RIGHT PERSPECTIVE
SEE from God’s Perspective
Gideon only saw his own limitations
God saw his abilities
Gideon saw a nobody
God saw a ‘mighty somebody’
2. RIGHT Perspective : See from God’s Perspective
The 10 spies only saw the giants… Joshua & Caleb saw from God’s Perspective
Saul saw the giant Goliath … David only saw God
JehovahJehovah--ShalomShalom Gideon made the Wrong Prognosis
in his encounter with God
Do not make the same mistake !
Make the RIGHT PROGNOSIS
The outcome of your life …
The outcome of your faith …
God alone knows.
LIVE with God’s PLANS
3. 3. RIGHT Prognosis RIGHT Prognosis : : LIVE with God’s LIVE with God’s PLANSPLANS
Jer 29:11 “For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.
Ps 33:11 But the plans of the Lord stand firm forever, the purposes of his heart through all generations.
Conclusion : Jehovah Shalom Conclusion : Jehovah Shalom
Right Diagnosis
TRUST in God’s PROMISES
Right Perspective
SEE from God’s Perspective
Right Prognosis
LIVE with God’s PLANS
Conclusion : Jehovah Shalom Conclusion : Jehovah Shalom
Problems are inevitable ,
worries/anxieties are
optional
PEACE comes not from the
Absence of Conflict
but from the
Presence of God
Jehovah Shalom in the Trinity
God the Father
“God of peace” (Heb 13:20)
God the Son
“Prince of peace” (Isaiah 9:6)
God the Spirit God the Spirit
““Spirit...of peace” Spirit...of peace” (Rom 8:6b).(Rom 8:6b).
Conclusion : JehovahConclusion : Jehovah--ShalomShalom Phil 4:6-7
Do not be anxious about anything, but in
everything, by prayer and petition, with
thanksgiving, present your requests to God.
And the PEACE OF GOD, which
transcends all understanding, will guard
your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
Worry About Nothing
Prayer Over Everything
Thank God For All Thing
the PEACE OF GOD
Conclusion : JehovahConclusion : Jehovah--ShalomShalom Phil 4:8-9
Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever
is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure,
whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable —
if anything is excellent or praiseworthy —
think about such things. Whatever you have
learned or received or heard from me, or
seen in me-
PUT IT INTO PRACTICE.
And the GOD OF PEACE will be with you.
RIGHT LIVING / DOING
THE GOD OF PEACE
Conclusion: JehovahConclusion: Jehovah--ShalomShalom
In Praying –
we have the Peace of God
In Doing –
we have the God of Peace
1. Right Diagnosis
TRUST in God’s PROMISES
2. Right Perspective
SEE from God’s Perspective
3. Right Prognosis
LIVE with God’s PLANS
EXPERIENCE God’s PEACE
Conclusion: JehovahConclusion: Jehovah--ShalomShalom
You have longed for sweet peace and for faith to increase
And have earnestly fervently prayed
But you cannot have rest or be perfectly blest
Until all on the altar is laid…
Is your all on the altar?Is your all on the altar?
Num 6:24-26
“The Lord bless you and keep you;
the Lord make his face shine upon you
and be gracious to you;
the Lord turn his face toward you
and give you peace.”
Conclusion: JehovahConclusion: Jehovah--ShalomShalom